Latest news with #Clouds
Forbes
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Alex Lifeson On Envy Of None's New Album: ‘We Were Just So Excited To Keep Going'
Envy of None: (L-R) Alex Lifeson, Maiah Wynne, Alfio Annibalini and Andy Curran. When former Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson recorded the debut self-titled album of his new band Envy of None, which was released two years ago, he thought it mioght be a one-off project. 'I didn't know what the future would hold,' he says today. 'It takes a year or a year-and-a-half to make these records. [I thought,] The enthusiasm of Lifeson and his bandmates — bassist Andy Curran, keyboardist Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne — from working on the Envy of None album carried over into the supergroup's new sophomore record Stygian Wavz, which comes out on Friday, March 28. It further builds on the group's first album's moody and melodic mixture of alternative rock and metal, hard rock, industrial and electronic music. 'I think the first record was a little trippier, a little more atmospheric,' Lifeson says. 'Whereas Stygian Wavz is a more focused record. There's lots of funk on this record. There's heavy rock.' He also points out that he played solos prominently on Stygian Wavz after he initially stayed away from doing them. 'I don't want them to be misconstrued as just show-off stuff,' explains Lifeson. 'I believe solos have an integral part of the song and they need to reflect the song and they need to be in the service of the song.' One example of that is his guitar solo near the end of the anthemic track 'Clouds.' That's just a little short solo, but it's really powerful," he says. "It doesn't have to be this big shreddy craziness. That makes a statement at the end, and it's full of dread and danger. And it's fun.' The album's first single, 'Not Dead Yet,' is a driving and seductive-sounding track that lyrically conveys a theme of resilience. 'What attracted me to that song when I started working on it was the funky structure,' says Lifeson. 'It's bouncy and rhythmic. And then it reaches that crescendo where the heavy guitars come in. That's where the song ended when we initially started writing it. Then we added…that sort of James Bond vibe to the end. Now, when I listen to 'Not Dead Yet,' I'm thinking, 'This should be the theme song for the next Bond movie.'" Another single from Stygian Wavz, 'Under the Stars,' begins with a Middle Eastern feel and then morphs into a dreamy power anthem. 'Joey Vitale played drums and tablas in the opening and that sets a particular mood,' Lifeson says. 'Then the vocals come in and juxtapose against Andy's heavy bassline. There's a menace going on in that first verse. Then the heavy chorus comes in…I really like that guitar solo because it touches on a number of things. There's sort of a bluesy feel, but it's very emotive. I was channeling probably more of David Gilmour throughout that solo.' Lifeson describes 'The Story' — which encapsulates Envy of None's mixture of hard rock and electronic soundscapes — as kind of incoporating power pop. 'Lyrically, it's an awesome song,' he says. 'Everybody you know wants to be a better person. And not always can you control that devil that's sitting on your shoulder. And I think Maiah gets that across really, really well. 'Structurally, the song builds in a really interesting way. I got to play my 12-string Rickenbacker in the choruses. So it's got that little bit of a '60s vibe in that guitar part. Then the solo — again, is an ascending solo that reaches the climax. And then [Maiah's] vocal comes back in. It's that vocal reentry, that part where the track just starts to really drive, and it's so emotional and plaintive. That is the high point for me.' Stygian Wavz captures a band sounding more confident and bolder following their the debut album. Lifeson says: "I think we started working on this second album, I don't know, maybe the next day [after Envy of None]. We were just so excited to keep going. And as that project progressed, things got more interesting. Everybody's work was really focused. I think we went from being just this co-op of four musicians recording music to actually being a band.' Lifeson particularly credits Wynne, whose vocal and lyrical contributions complement the music's hard rock and electronic components. 'She is just an absolute joy to work with,' he says. 'The way she delivers, something about her lyrics. I would say that Neil [Peart] was the same way in Rush. Just that ability to deliver something succinctly that it just grabs you immediately and you understand what it is. Maiah has that ability at 27 years old. Her lyrics have just become more and more relatable. And they're very introspective. Her skills as a singer have increased enormously as well.' Envy of None For casual and die-hard fans of Rush, the music of Envy of None, which formed in 2021, may still seem like a stylistic departure for Lifeson, who is obviously more well-known in the world of progressive rock. And that's fine with him. 'I am very proud of what I did in Rush for the music,' he says, 'but also for the relationships that I had with Geddy [Lee] and Neil. But Envy of None is a different thing. It's not Rush. The music's not Rush. And I don't want to play like Alex Lifeson of Rush. This is Alex Lifeson of Envy of None.' 'There are three other guitar players in this band,' he adds. 'Alf plays a lot of guitar. Andy once in a while plays a little riff, usually in the writing stage. And Maiah does a couple of little guitar things here and there. I am so relieved that I can do something else, that I can look at what I can bring to the table in this particular unit and work from there. It's liberating for me, and I'm really lucky.' Remarkably, Envy of None has not yet performed live. But that could change depending on audience interest and the proper staging for a concert, according to Lifeson. 'We would love to [perform]. To do both albums in a beautiful theater with a nice light show would be spectacular. I already know the other musicians I would like to bring on, just to really flesh out the sound. 'I think what we'll probably end up doing is just waiting out the record and see how the reaction is," Lifeson continues. "If it does well, and there's an audience where we can go into that theater and do two or three nights, and maybe do it in two or three other cities — then we would definitely consider doing it because it would be awesome.' The enthusiasm within Envy of None following the first two albums has prompted consideration of making a third record. 'We're excited to keep the juices flowing,' says Lifeson. 'I'm sure we'll take a break. Everybody's got other stuff, but we're excited to continue.'
Express Tribune
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
J. Cole calls out Trump and billionaires in new track 'Clouds'
J. Cole is back with a vengeance. After a quiet 2024 following the Drake and Kendrick Lamar rap battle, the rapper has dropped a new single, "Clouds," that reveals a lot about his state of mind heading into 2025. The moody track, driven by his signature singing voice, sees Cole making pointed references to both Donald Trump and billionaires. In one of the song's most striking lines, he raps, 'I'm that bass in your trunk, the bullet that missed Trump,' alluding to an assassination attempt on the former president. He continues with, "The gun that jammed because it seemed God had other plans," further exploring his frustration with the political landscape. The second verse of "Clouds" is where Cole really goes off, criticizing billionaires for their indifference to the world's problems. 'Throw it in the pan and caramelize for richness,' he spits, adding, 'Served on a plate with sirloin steak to billionaires who don't care the world's gon' break. Long as they make money off it, pain brings profit.' The song offers a raw look into the artist's thoughts on the inequality and corporate greed that has dominated the conversation in 2025. Fans quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to react to Cole's intense bars. One user wrote, 'Say what you want about J. Cole but when he locks in and raps fr, there's very few that can rap better than him,' while another chimed in, 'If we being honest, Cole really rapping better than Drake and Kendrick.' Say what you want about but when he locks in and raps fr, there's very few that can rap better than him. — LOVELY (@LoveIsback24) February 21, 2025 I feel like J. Cole lowkey spared niggas but we'll talk about that another day — II (@SmithTheIInd) February 21, 2025 If we being honest, Cole really rapping better than Drake and Kendrick. 😭 — A Lawyer you can trust (@LawyerYouTrust) February 21, 2025 Others seemed to appreciate his relentless flow, with a fan commenting, 'J. Cole can't hoop, but he don't miss.' Another user observed, 'J Cole is 40 and his pen keeps getting better,' praising the rapper for continuously evolving his craft. J. Cole can't hoop, but he don't miss. — Throttle-Jockey Jorge (@_naranjojr) February 21, 2025 J Cole is 40 and his pen keeps getting better — chapo 🌹 (@MVPREESE) February 21, 2025 The single "Clouds" was released on Cole's personal blog and gives fans a taste of what's to come, though it's unclear whether the track will appear on his highly anticipated upcoming album, The Fall Off. The album has been teased since 2018, and fans are eagerly awaiting its release. On his blog, Cole explained, "I've been locked in on the music while also balancing family life," hinting that new material will be arriving soon. Fans are excited for what's next, and Cole seems ready to deliver with yet another thoughtful, hard-hitting project.
The Independent
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Joni Mitchell delivers rare public performance for LA's FireAid benefit concert
Joni Mitchell made a rare public appearance to perform at the FireAid concert in Los Angeles on Thursday, 30 January, which was dedicated to rebuilding communities devastated by deadly wildfires in California earlier this month. The singer, 81, was seated for her rendition of 'Both Sides, Now' from her 1969 album Clouds. Two concerts will take place, the first at LA 's Kia Forum followed by the second at the Intuit Dome. At the moment, the three major blazes — the Palisades, Eaton, and Hughes fires — that ravaged the LA area are all more than 90 per cent contained.
