Latest news with #Tune-Yards
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Pain, suffering and losing control: it sounds bleak but Ezra Furman's new album has plenty of playful giddiness
Ten albums into a wildly eclectic career and Goodbye Small Head is an eclectic song collection. From the off, it pays scant regard to genre, but what's impressive is how comfortable Furman is across a range of styles and influences. The Chicago-born, Massachusetts-raised artist suffered a period of ill-health — a mystery illness in 2023 — and that time inspired her to explore pain, suffering and losing control. Such a description sounds bleak, but the songs are anything but. There's a playful giddiness to proceedings that pulls the listener in, and even though the sharp lyrics may speak of troubles, the jauntiness of the music engages. It helps, too, that the tracks flit from indie to art rock, with room for everything from gospel to bossa nova too. It takes a particular talent to hopscotch from one one genre to another like that and still deliver a cohesive album and it's to Furman's credit that she does that. Sudden Storm is an arresting look at a breakdown: 'The lord keeps calling and my body's not responding.' It's notable that despite the weighty subject matter, a commercial sensibility informs several of the songs. Jump Out is typical of the radio-friendly fare, while the funky Veil Song bewitches. In California, meanwhile, Tune-Yards offer their own brand of eclecticism. The musical project of husband-and-wife team Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner, the pair were initially lumped in with the 'freak folk' movement, a loose collective of lo-fi troubadours. Such a moniker always seemed to do the band a disservice. For one, there was much more going on, sonically, than most of their peers but even more than that, Garbus, is in possession of a vocal with real depth and range. There's a soulfulness to her singing that really comes into its own on new album Better Dreaming. While the pop sensibilities belie some dark subject matter a celebration of family life and the pleasures of the everyday make their mark time and again. The wonderfully engaging Limelight is inspired by Garbus and Brenner dancing along with their daughter to George Clinton and the three-year-old's vocals are included. What sounds corny on paper, is beautifully rendered in reality. Heartbreak, the album's most enduring track, puts Garbus's vocal front and centre. It's an affecting and lyrically smart song that easily gets under the skin. Both Ezra Furman and Tune-Yards demand work from the listener. In today's instant gratification age, some will recoil from that idea, but if given a proper airing, their latest albums will leave quite a mark.
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Tune-Yards Share New Single Ahead Of New Album 'Better Dreaming'
Tune-Yards, the dynamic duo of Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner, have released their new single 'How Big Is The Rainbow', the final offering prior to the release of their upcoming album, Better Dreaming, out this Friday 16 May. The track is accompanied by a music video featuring comedian and actress, Star Amerasu, and directed by Dominic Mercurio. On the new track, Merrill shares 'The title lyric came out in a flash, and felt more sincere than I've ever been lyrically, maybe. But in this day and age, there is no room for subtlety when it comes to advocating for every single human being, for our trans family especially. And SHIT, how big IS the fucking rainbow?! It feels like the time to prove it to each other, to show each other how big it can be.' 'How Big Is The Rainbow' follows pre-release singles 'Limelight' and 'Heartbreak'. Distraction, depression, and heartbreak reign supreme in 2025. 'Making art in this day and age for me is a battle for focus; we're in an age of interruption,' says Garbus of Tune-Yards' sixth album Better Dreaming. Proudly waving an anti-fascist, liberation, freak flag, Better Dreaming contains some of Tune-Yards smoothest, funkiest, and most direct pop music to date, and yes, you can dance to it. And when you do dance to it, be prepared to sweat out something that's been long stuck inside, and pretty deep down. The songs of Better Dreaming came to Garbus and Brenner with unusual ease. They asked themselves what would happen if they simply let the songs come out, following any trail they wished - first thought, best thought style. There was a strong desire to move, to make music that would enter the ear and immediately loosen up the joints, get the whole body wiggling. After covid-isolation, and time away from touring and live shows, the desire to be moved by music was undeniable. The insane experience of growing an actual human being influenced this as well. The rhythms throughout the record carry a certain freshness, with deep pockets full of subtle idiosyncrasies that stem from Tune-Yards' return to making an album primarily as a duo. All but one of these songs are built around Garbus' drum looping and rhythm building, as they were on some of the early albums like Bird-Brains and W H O K I L L – no full kit drummer here, and the songs love it. Better Dreaming is ferocious in its invocation of self-love, of collective action, of dance floor liberation, ego-death deliverance, and a future we could all thrive in. When diving into the present darkness of the world, Tune-Yards asks themselves how much literal energy and joy can be conjured and pumped through the music. In its life-affirming art-pop of the apocalypse, Better Dreaming comes true. Better Dreaming is out on 16 May on all digital platforms, CD, standard black vinyl and clear blue wave vinyl (indie retail only). For more information, and to pre-order, head HERE.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pope Francis leaves hospital after 5-week hospital stay
Pope Francis waved to hundreds of people gathered outside Rome's Gemelli hospital on Sunday as the pontiff left the hospital after surviving a life-threatening bout of pneumonia. In his first public appearance in five weeks, he 88-year-old pope said "Thank you, everyone," as he gave a thumbs up and acknowledged the crowd after he was wheeled out onto a hospital balcony overlooking the main entry of the building. Chants of "Viva il papa!" and "Papa Francesco" erupted from the crowd. His appearance came minutes before a motorcade carrying Francis wound its way through light Rome traffic Sunday morning en route to a nearby church before heading to the Vatican. Security guards told the Associated Press that Francis was heading to St. Mary Major basilica, where his favorite icon of the Madonna is located and where he always goes to pray after a foreign visit. Once at the Vatican, Francis will begin two months of rest and convalescence as he continues his rehabilitation at home. The Argentine pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 after a bout of bronchitis made it difficult for him to speak. Doctors at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome soon diagnosed Francis with double pneumonia. The first three weeks of his hospitalization were marked by a rollercoaster of setbacks, including respiratory crises, mild kidney failure and a severe coughing fit, which forced doctors to put Francis on a mechanical ventilation mask. "During his hospitalization, he presented two critical episodes during which the Holy Father's life was in danger," Gemelli medical director Dr. Sergio Alfieri said on Saturday evening. "He subsequently made slow but progressive improvements." Alfieri said Francis will continue medication "for a long time and observe at least two months of rest" after his discharge. "At the Vatican, we have prepared the necessary assistance and we are ready to have him back at Santa Marta," said Dr. Luigi Carbone, the pope's personal doctor, adding, "We hope that within a brief period, he can go back to his normal activity." Though out of public view for weeks, the pope shared a recorded message in early March thanking people for their prayers for his recovery. The message – which highlighted Francis' weak and labored voice – was played in St. Peter's Square for the faithful gathered for a nightly recitation of the rosary prayer. The Vatican also released a photo of the pope at prayer. During his hospital stay, the church celebrated the 12th anniversary of Francis' papacy with a Mass in his honor. Saturday Sessions: Tune-Yards perform "Heartbreak" Saturday Sessions: Tune-Yards perform "Limelight" How an iconic NYC restaurant is making a comeback
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Best Songs of the Week: 2hollis, Momma, Weatherday, and More
The post Best Songs of the Week: 2hollis, Momma, Weatherday, and More appeared first on Consequence. Consequence's Songs of the Week roundup highlights great new songs from the last seven days and analyzes notable releases. Check out our new favorites and more on our Top Songs playlist, and for other great songs from emerging artists, check out our New Sounds playlist. This week, Momma, Weatherday, Uwade, and others deserve your attention. 2hollis, nate sib — 'Afraid' The restless energy that dominates 'Afraid' epitomizes both 2hollis and nate sib's approaches to pop music. The hook is one thing; the skittering synths that bubble with radioactivity, the candy-coated piano line that pops in at the chorus, the throbbing bass beneath their croons, and the overall quick tempo all show that the pair of pop auteurs are firmly in their own lane. They debuted 'Afraid' on tour together, with sib opening for Hollis, and that ecstatic meeting of minds is well on display through the track's accessible flavorings and rousing groove. They're both having a moment right now, so it's not too late to get on the 2hollis and nate sib bandwagons. — Paolo Ragusa Hooky & Winter — 'horseshoe' Hooky, the glitch-prone indie rockers from Philly, and Winter, the project of songwriter Samira Winter, have joined forces for the upcoming collaborative EP Water Season. 'horseshoe' arrives as the collection's lead single, and it's every bit as woozy, delicate, and irresistible as each act's best work. Low-fi in all the right ways, it's a perfect little tune that's sure to appeal to fans of guitar music in the vein of early Alex G or poppy noisemakers like Feeble Little Horse. — Jonah Krueger JayWood – 'Big Tings' feat. Tune-Yards Melodic and atmospheric, the latest from alternative hip-hop artist JayWood is pleasantly unpredictable. The genre-fluid performer teamed up with Oakland duo Tune-Yards to bring 'Big Tings' to life, and the final product is highly detailed, layered, and lyrically encouraging. JayWood shared that the perspective in the song flip-flops throughout — sometimes he's hyping up the listener, other times he's working to hype himself up — but 'Big Tings' is easy to get lost in either way. — Mary Siroky Mamalarky – 'Feels So Wrong' Indie-rock quartet Mamalarky unveiled 'Feels So Wrong' this week, a song that actually feels quite right for a Friday. Glittering instrumentals and breezy flutes create the dreamy backdrop for a song lamenting the moments in life where nothing seems to be going right. The band's Livvy Bennett confirms that the track is best suited for the moments of 'confronting your challenges even when it sucks;' allow 'Feels So Wrong' to provide a much-needed burst of motivation. — M. Siroky Momma — 'I Want You (Fever)' Momma's lead single off their forthcoming sophomore album Welcome to My Blue Sky was the irresistible 'Ohio All the Time,' a track so instantly satisfying that we named it as one of the best of 2024. Now, with second single 'I Want You (Fever),' they've done it again, concocting a blissed-out rock song about crushing on someone you can't have. Like many of their best songs, 'I Want You (Fever)' is one of those tracks that sounds familiar, but you can't quite place where you've heard it before; perhaps it comes from the song's warm, crisp production from the band's Aron Kobayashi Ritch, which places 'I Want You (Fever)' firmly in the canon of new-but-'90s-esque indie rock songs that hit like antidotes. — P. Ragusa Uwade — 'Call It a Draw' Singer-songwriter Uwade is teasing her debut album with this dreamy acoustic single. 'Over the past few years I've been trying to experiment with my songwriting process a bit more, and this song is one of the fruits of that exploration,' the artist revealed in a statement, specifically as the process relates to the relatively form-free structure of the song. There's a freedom to 'Call It a Draw' that is reflected in the accompanying music video, encouraging the listener to get lost right alongside the vocalist.— M. Siroky Weatherday — 'Angel' Weatherday, the noise-pop project of mononymous Swedish songwriter Sputnik, has returned with Hornet Disaster, a brand new album out March 19th via Topshelf Records. To preview the LP, the genre-blending act dropped two new songs, 'Heartbeats' and 'Angel.' While both boast the low-fi, raw, catchy goodness that led many fans to take to Weatherday in the first place, 'Angel' in particular stands out as a wonderfully creative, captivating composition. Less than two minutes in length, the song features everything from clipping drums to strained vocals to a fake-out ending. Trust us, it's a banger. — J. Krueger Best Songs of the Week: 2hollis, Momma, Weatherday, and More Consequence Staff Popular Posts Paul Reubens Comes Out as Gay in Posthumous Documentary Tom Morello: Rage Against the Machine Were Locked Down by Secret Service After SNL Performance Former MTV Host Matt Pinfield Recently Suffered Massive Stroke Bob Dylan to Play Small Towns on 2025 Tour Nine Inch Nails Announce 2025 "Peel It Back World Tour" [Updated] Björk Says Spotify Is the "Worst Thing That Has Happened to Musicians" Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
