Wednesday Music News

Daily Roundups
10/18/2017
Jasmine Albertson
photo by Gregory A. Perez

  • Gord Downie, founder and frontman for influential Canadian band The Tragically Hip, has passed away at the age of 53. Downie had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer last year, but he didn't let it hold him back, going on to tour that summer in support of the band's 14th studio album Man Machine Poem. Later that year, he released his fifth solo LP Secret Path (co-produced by Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene), which garnered him a nomination for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize and won two Juno Awards for Adult Alternative Album and Recording Package of the Year. (The Tragically Hip, incidentally, won Rock Album of the Year that same year.) Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau delivered an emotional statement this morning, praising both Downie's music and his work with Indigenous Peoples, declaring with tears that "Canada was less of a country for having lost Downie." Just last month, Gordie announced a new double album titled Introduce Yerself is scheduled to be released October 27th on Arts & Crafts. A statement from his family was shared this morning via social media. [ Pitchfork ]

  • Dan Bejar is releasing a new Destroyer album called ken this Friday and today he's shared a new song off of it entitled, "Cover From The Sun." The upbeat rocker is a quick listen, at only a little over 2 minutes and follows previous singles "Sky's Grey" and "Tinseltown Swimming In Blood." ken follows up 2015's Poison Season and will be available as a deluxe LP pressed on opaque yellow vinyl. The deluxe edition will include a bonus 7-inch single on black vinyl that contains solo acoustic versions of the album tracks "A Light Travels Down the Catwalk" and "Stay Lost." Destroyer will play the Neptune on Thursday, February 8. [ Under the Radar ]
  • Ty Segall has been continually pouring out music this year, his most recent being the single "Alta," and today he's back with another called "Meaning." The lo-fi pulsing track features wailing vocals from his wife Denée Segall (formerly Petracek) in replacement of his own. No word on whether a forthcoming album is on the horizon. [ Paste ]
  • New Fever Ray teasers appeared seemingly out of nowhere on Monday and today we've got another, very creepy, one just in time for Halloween. In a video clip, an all-white ghoul is waiting in a meat locker, red stiletto phone in hand, while gently caressing a speculum and eating bits of (presumably human) flesh. The solo project of The Knife's Karin Dreijer has been dormant since her self-titled debut release in 2009. [ Stereogum ]
  • Sleater-Kinney have shared a previously unreleased song to be included on a new 7" of singles to raise money for Planned Parenthood called 7-inches for Planned Parenthood. "Here We Come" was recorded during the No Cities To Love sessions, released last year. 7-inches for Planned Parenthood includes singles from Bon Iver, Björk, St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, Mitski, and more. It will be out digitally on October 20, with a full boxset due on November 17. [ Pitchfork ]
  • Michelle Zauner has released a new Japanese Breakfast video for the song "The Body is A Blade" off of her recently-released sophomore album Soft Sounds From Another Planet. The heartwarmingly nostalgic video, directed by Zauner, features old photos of Zauner's parents and of Zauner as a baby, cut between clips of Zauner frolicking on the beach and around town. Soft Sounds From Another Planet follows up 2016's debut full-length Psychopomp and is out now via Dead Oceans. [ SPIN ]

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