Monday Music News

Daily Roundups
12/04/2017
Jasmine Albertson
photo by Brittany Brassell (view set)

  • Scottish indie band Franz Ferdinand are releasing their first album in five years, Always Ascending, in early 2018. Today they've shared the video for the title track and lead single. Directed by Parisian collective AB/CD/CD, the slick video features the band members quite literally ascending through different settings. Alex Kapranos said in a recent interview:  “In terms of the sound, the song is quite representative of the whole record." Always Ascending is out February 9 on Domino. Franz Ferdinand is playing the Showbox tonight, December 4. [ SPIN ]
  • Josh Tillman has unveiled the latest Father John Misty video for the song "Leaving LA" off of Pure Comedy, released last April. The 13-minute black & white video was directed by Grant James and Tillman himself. The clip is a fairly straightforward recording of Tillman singing and playing guitar while a string section accompanies. Tillman recently revealed that he's done with his next album and that it will come out sometime in 2018. [ Under the Radar ]
  • Last night, the Kennedy Center Honor ceremony was held in Washington, DC and LL Cool J became the first rapper to ever receive the award. Other honorees included Gloria Estefan, Lionel Richie, television producer Norman Lear, and dancer Carmen de Lavallade. Queen Latifah paid tribute to LL at the ceremony, while Busta Rhymes with members of The Roots and Stevie Wonder performed. At 49, LL ties with Stevie Wonder as the youngest artist to receive the award. [ Stereogum ]
  • Bon Iver gave the audience at a recent concert in Richmond, VA a surprise exclusive performance of a brand new song. A video has emerged from one of the audience members, in which Justin Vernon tells the audience: “It’s new and it’s not even quite done, but I just want to play it for y’all," before going into the song. Vernon later brought out Bruce Hornsby to help him play "Beth/Rest" as well as cover Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me." Bon Iver's last album was 2016's 22, A Million. [ Pitchfork ]

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