Fiona Apple shares new song for ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power’
Fiona Apple has shared a new song inspired by a J.R.R. Tolkien poem and released it to mark the season finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
- READ MORE: Fiona Apple – ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters’ review: an intoxicating and excoriating listen that will cut deep
‘Where The Shadows Lie’ arrived yesterday (October 7) to mark the end of the first season of the hit Amazon Prime Video show which, following the release of the first two episodes on September 2, earned 25million viewers in the first 24 hours and became the biggest opening premiere in the streaming service’s history.
Apple’s new song features music from Bear McCreary, and follows a cover of Charlie Rich’s ‘The Most Beautiful Girl’, which she shared on her YouTube channel over the summer.
Earlier this summer, Apple also appeared on a song with Watkins Family Hour – a cover of the country classic ‘(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You’, originally written and sung by Stuart Hamblen in 1950. In April, she gave her spin on Sharon Van Etten‘s ‘Love More’ for the anniversary reissue of Van Etten’s 2010 album ‘Epic’.
Listen to ‘Where The Shadows Lie’ below.
Last year, Apple confirmed her plan to donate all the royalties received from a sync spot in the new Candyman film, sticking to a promise made the previous year.
The musician’s song ‘Shameika’, a single taken from her 2020 album ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters‘, can be heard playing from a record player inside art critic’s apartment in the Nia DaCosta-directed reboot of the 1992 horror classic.
Last March, Apple pledged to donate all royalties from TV and movie placements of her ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters’ songs ‘Shameika’ and ‘Heavy Balloon’ to charities. For ‘Shameika’, that would be the Harlem Children’s Zone and for ‘Heavy Balloon’ that would be Seeding Sovereignty.
Additionally, the singer-songwriter vowed to donate $50,000 (£36,343) to each of the above charities should no syncs materialise.
Willow could “definitely” see herself quitting music to become a full-time author
WILLOW has spoken to NME about her debut novel ‘Black Shield Maiden’ and how she could “definitely” see herself quitting music to become a full-time author.
- READ MORE: Five things we learned from our In Conversation video chat with WILLOW
Announced earlier this year, Black Shield Maiden is the first in a fantasy series and is WILLOW’s first novel.
Co-written by Jess Hendel, Black Shield Maiden tells the story of Yafeu, a young warrior who is stolen from her home in the Ghanaian Empire and thrust into the world of the Vikings. There she discovers a strange new world and encounters a kindred spirit in Viking princess, Freydis. Alongside Freydis, she sets out to alter the course of history and become one of the legendary shield maidens.
According to the release, the book “makes visible the histories and mythologies of medieval African peoples, and women of the Viking age, which have been erased by dominant Western narratives in media and education.”
Speaking about the book in the latest in NME’s In Conversation series, WILLOW explained how, “I’m just a nerd. I love history and I love analysing how humans interacted. Realistically, I love prehistoric egalitarian human societies and how they decided to gather, come in tribes and communicate with one another. That is really interesting to me.”
She went on to say that Black Shield Maiden “isn’t that far in history but bottom line, I want this book to look into how people lived in the past, in order to inform our future.”
WILLOW then said she hopes the book “teaches us something that our ancestors did a little differently, to make our lives a little bit less hollow in the 21st century.”
She continued: “I love reading, some of my favourite artists are authors. I just always wanted to be an author, even before I wanted to do music. I love literature, I just think it’s a really beautiful artform.”
Asked if she could ever see herself quitting music to become a full-time author, WILLOW replied: That could definitely could happen. Who knows. I love books, I love reading so hopefully.”
Speaking about the future, WILLOW said how “there’s always some random stuff I’m getting myself into but what I do know is that it’s going to be fire.”
WILLOW released her latest album ‘<COPINGMECHANISM>’ yesterday (October 7). In a four-star review, NME wrote: “In the poetic and thoughtful nature of it, as well as the odd glimpse of where she could go next, WILLOW’s fifth record should be noted as her breaking sonically mature new ground.”
Last month, WILLOW covered Yungblud‘s ‘The Funeral’ for BBC Radio 1, transforming the gritty pop-punk anthem into a laid-back acoustic number.
Kevin Smith’s long-awaited Prince documentary to finally “see the light” of day
Kevin Smith’s long-awaited documentary about Prince is set to finally “see the light” of day”.
- READ MORE: Kevin Smith: “I’m the world’s biggest Kevin Smith fan”
The director had previously revealed the access he had to Prince before the musician’s death from a fentanyl overdose in 2016.
Smith had spent hours talking to Prince at his Paisley Park Estate for the project and was given access-all-areas for several months according to reports.
When asked by The Guardian what the chances were of the film coming to screens, Smith said: “Very high.”
He went on: “The director of OJ: Made in America is making a documentary for Netflix, and came to the house to interview me. When they went to the vaults after Prince died, they found so much unreleased music and so many music videos, but the only footage of him talking was what I shot.
“It’s extraordinary: he acts differently to how he ever acted in his entire life, and he talks for hours and hours. It looks like it’s finally going to see the light.”
Smith became involved in the project after initially trying to use one of Prince’s songs for another film the director was working on at the time.
During ‘An Evening With’ event, the director previously explained: “We were trying to get a Prince song for ‘Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back’ … we were trying to get Prince’s ‘The Most Beautiful Girl in the World’ but we couldn’t get any response back from him” (via Contact Music).
Smith went on to explain that he later received a call from Prince, who explained that he was a fan of Smith’s 1999 film Dogma. He later asked Prince if he would work with him on a concert film.
Prince reportedly told him: “I have this thing where I’m gonna debut my new album for a bunch of fans … I want to make a movie that we can bring to the Cannes Film Festival.”
Meanwhile, the family of Prince reached an agreement over the division of his $156million (£128million) estate earlier this year.
The musician did not have a will at the time of his death and with no spouse or children, all of Prince’s estate passed to his six half-siblings.
Slipknot earn third UK Number One with latest, ‘The End, So Far’
Slipknot have today (October 7) earned their third UK Number One with new album, ‘The End, So Far’.
- READ MORE: Slipknot: “Nobody created us except us – we have always drawn our own map”
The band went head-to-head with a reissue of George Michael’s classic album ‘Older’ for the top spot. Slipknot finished just 340 units ahead of ‘Older’ according to The Official Charts Company. ‘The End, So Far’ was also the most downloaded album of the past seven days.
2019’s ‘We Are Not Your Kind‘ and 2001’s ‘Iowa’ were the band’s last UK Number One albums.
Elsewhere in the charts, The Snuts are at number three with their second studio album ‘Burn The Empire‘ and Craig David returns to the charts with his eighth studio album, ‘22‘ at number seven. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have also scored their fourth top 10 album this week with their fifth record, ‘Cool It Down‘.
Speaking about the band’s new album to NME for this week’s Big Read, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor said the band’s latest album most closely resembles their third record, ‘Vol. 3: (Subliminal Verses)’. Released in 2004, that was the album where the band focused on melody, taking their songwriting in new, unexpected directions.
“Musically, we’ve never shied away from a challenge,” Taylor said. “It got to the point where you’re like, ‘Where do we go?’ [We said] let’s look back for inspiration instead of trying to look forward, and let’s try to embrace some of the shit that made us wanna do this in the first place.”
On this album, he says the band worried “less about the cohesion of the album and more about the strength of the songs.” “Each song has its own identity, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be the identity of the album.”
Reviewing the band’s latest album, NME said: “Aside from the blood, the gore, the theatrics and the noise, there’s clearly always been much more to the band’s ability to shock and surprise – and now it seems their next left turn of an era could be their most daring yet. As Taylor warns on the old-school ‘Tallica-worthy arena shredder of album centre-piece ‘Warranty’: “Isn’t this what you came here for?”
Buzzcocks – Sonics In The Soul
Can there really be a Buzzcocks without Pete Shelley? The singer-songwriter, who died in 2018, fronted the band for 41 years, writing or co-writing hundreds of songs including such copper-bottomed classics as “What Do I Get?” and “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’tve)”. His death leaves a massive hole. And yet, lest we forget, Shelley himself stepped into a similar space when original singer Howard Devoto left in 1977, leaving the lead guitarist to transition to singer-guitarist, main songwriter and frontman.
- ORDER NOW: Björk is on the cover of the latest issue of Uncut
The rest is history, and while the lineup has survived numerous changes to the rhythm section over the years, guitarist (originally bassist) and vocalist Steve Diggle – who now steps up to solely front the band – has hardly been a slouch. Along with numerous co-writes with Shelley, he wrote and sang the likes of the hurtling “Harmony In My Head”, “Autonomy” and “Love Is Lies”, the acoustic ballad that threw such an effective, bittersweet curveball into the middle of 1978’s Love Bites. Having now been a Buzzcock for longer than anyone including Shelley and having taken on more vocal and songwriting duties as the years progressed, Diggle has earned his late colleague’s blessing to take over the ship.
Now 67, the Mancunian instinctively understands what Buzzcocks are about. Recorded during the pandemic, their first album since 2014’s underwhelming The Way is packed with trademark hurtling guitar runs, piercing lead guitar lines and machine gun drum rolls, and most songs reliably clock in at under three minutes. What’s missing, of course, is Shelley’s unique vocal – fey, arch, wry, knowing, romantic, wounded and, let’s be honest, irreplaceable. Diggle’s is a more straightforward rasp, gutsy and slightly nasal, suited to “Harmony In My Head” but not, say, “You Say You Don’t Love Me”. Still, here he’s written songs which sit comfortably within his range, and if there are moments when you find yourself wistfully imagining Shelley singing them, that’s testament to their quality. But equally, writing on his own in lockdown, Diggle has brought an unexpectedly emotional, often beautifully elegiac quality that makes Sonics In The Soul relevant and relatable.
These 11 songs capture a man at a time in his life struggling to make sense of a rapidly changing, sometimes frightening new world. The opening title track – a “What Do I Get?”-style zinger – initially appears to be a celebration of delirium, but is actually an admission of bewilderment: “All my dreams have hit the ground, with my senses out of control”. Another cracker, “Manchester Rain”, was inspired when Diggle met a young, hopeful band in a Mancunian doorway, and flashed back to his young self, with everything ahead of him. The lovely lead guitar line has a hint of 1978’s sublime “ESP”, but the guitarist has surely earned the right to recycle himself by now.
“You Changed Everything Now” is a classic Buzzcocks anthem about how people change or become estranged: “The world is looking out of place and the signs are written on your face and it’s me you want to replace”. With a bridge to die for, it’s a heartbreakingly glorious tune that could have slotted into the hallowed Singles Going Steady. Sonics In The Soul doesn’t always hit such heights, but there’s much to recommend. “Bad Dreams” is a jagged, “Nothing Left”-style anthem about recovery. “Nothingless World” has shades of the early Jam and IRS-era REM. “Just Gotta Let it Go”, a three-minute blast about frustration, could be Buzzcocks circa 1977, but “Everything Is Wrong” is another mellifluous gem, with contemporary themes of post-truth and fake news.
Lockdowns have audibly influenced the rather rudimentary “Don’t Mess With My Brain” and, more successfully, the effects-laden “Experimental Farm”, but the album increasingly gives way to philosophical and dystopian moods. There’s a hint of Joy Division darkness to “Can You Hear Tomorrow”, lyrically a sort of “Won’t Get Fooled Again” sigh at current politics (“Old centre parting, coming away at the seams”). Orwellian references abound in the deceptively cheerily chugging “Venus Eyes”, as Diggle searches for hope in the current “thought control reality”. Sonics In The Soul doesn’t always hit the spot and it’s a shame there’s no room for last year’s heartfelt tribute “Hope Heaven Loves You” (on the Senses Out Of Control EP). But there’s easily enough here to steer the trusty old craft into new, uncharted waters, just as Shelley wanted.
Listen to Iggy Pop’s atmospheric cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘You Want It Darker’
IIggy Pop has covered Leonard Cohen‘s ‘You Want It Darker’ – listen to the atmospheric rendition of the track below.
- READ MORE: What we learned about Leonard Cohen from making a documentary of his life
The track is the latest preview ‘Here It Is: A Tribute To Leonard Cohen’, a new tribute album to the late star that will be released next week (October 14).
The album will feature covers from the likes of Norah Jones, James Taylor, Nathaniel Rateliff, Peter Gabriel, Iggy Pop, Mavis Staples and more. It’s been produced by Larry Klein and will feature 12 tracks from across his career – including ones from his 1967 debut ‘Songs Of Leonard Cohen’, and ones from his last album, ‘You Want It Darker’, which was released in 2016.
Listen to Iggy Pop’s version of the ‘You Want It Darker’ title track below. “There’s nobody like Leonard, not in the whole world,” Iggy said in a statement.
‘Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen’ tracklist:
1. ‘Steer Your Way’ – Norah Jones
2. ‘Here It Is’ – Peter Gabriel
3. ‘Suzanne’ – Gregory Porter
4. ‘Hallelujah’ – Sarah McLachlan
5. ‘Avalanche’ – Immanuel Wilkins
6. ‘Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye’ – Luciana Souza
7. ‘Coming Back to You’ – James Taylor
8. ‘You Want It Darker’ – Iggy Pop
9. ‘If It Be Your Will’ – Mavis Staples
10. ‘Seems So Long Ago, Nancy’ – David Gray
11. ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ – Nathaniel Rateliff
12. ‘Bird on The Wire’ – Bill Frisell
Last month, a new documentary on Cohen, titled Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song, was released, focusing on his life and career through the focus of his most famous song.
Reviewing the film, NME wrote: “There are as many ‘Hallelujah’ stories as people who’ve listened to it, of course, but in pinpointing a precious few, Hallelujah… does a fine job of unravelling just some of the song’s multitudes.”
Listen to Scott Weiland’s cover John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’
Scott Weiland’s previously unreleased cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ has been shared online. Check it out below.
The rendition, which comes three decades after Weiland’s band Stone Temple Pilots released their debut album ‘Core’, will also be part of Weiland’s expanded version of his 2011 album ‘The Most Wonderful Time of the Year’ – set for release ON November 4.
The expanded edition of the album will also include four bonus tracks not included on the original, which will accompany Weiland’s covers of ‘White Christmas’, ‘Silent Night’ and ‘Winter Wonderland’.
‘The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Deluxe Edition’ will come pressed onto variously vinyl variants all sharing a Christmas theme including red and green vinyl. The artwork has also been re-worked for the expanded edition of the album.
The holiday-themed covers that make up the album are some of the last posthumous material to come from Weiland, after the Velvet Revolver singer passed away back in 2015 due to an accidental overdose.
Last year, it was announced that the late frontman’s memoir Not Dead & Not For Sale is set to be adapted into a film titled Paper Heart. The film was picked up after production house Dark Pictures and producer Orian Williams acquired the book rights to the 2011 memoir, which Weiland penned with David Ritz. The film will tell the story of Weiland’s life, including his battles with addiction and his comebacks amongst other things.
Arctic Monkeys announce extra tour dates for 2023 North American tour
Arctic Monkeys have added two tour dates to their 2023 US tour. View details for the additional Red Rocks and Los Angeles gigs below.
- READ MORE: Arctic Monkeys’ new song ‘Body Paint’ is an ambitious, swaggering rock ballad
The Sheffield band announced their run of North American dates earlier this week, sharing that they’d be kicking off the tour at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 25 and wrapping it up at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on September 29.
Now, the band has shared an additional date in California on Saturday, September 30. The band also announced a second show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado on September 19. Tickets for all tour dates go on sale tomorrow (October 7) at 10am local time. Tickets will be available here.
Fontaines D.C. are set to open for the North American tour dates, which will be in support of the band’s latest album, ‘The Car‘. The band’s seventh studio album will be released on October 21 via Domino.
Arctic Monkeys announce a second night at @thekiaforum in Los Angeles. Tickets go on general sale tomorrow at 10am local time. https://t.co/m7plv2SZgO pic.twitter.com/VOXneE7PGi
— Arctic Monkeys (@ArcticMonkeys) October 6, 2022
Arctic Monkeys announce a second night at @RedRocksCO in Morrison, CO. Tickets go on general sale tomorrow at 10am local time. https://t.co/Vgci0LeiVV pic.twitter.com/K9xkadXhXy
— Arctic Monkeys (@ArcticMonkeys) October 6, 2022
The news follows Arctic Monkeys adding a third London date to their 2023 UK and Ireland stadium tour after the first two shows sold out on Friday morning (September 30). Tickets for the Sheffield band’s stadium tour next year went on general sale, with high demand being reported on ticket sites and across social media.
Arctic Monkeys’ first two dates at London’s Emirates Stadium on June 16 and 17 both sold out, with the band since announcing a third show at Arsenal’s stadium on June 18. Tickets for that newly announced gig, as well as the rest of the tour, are on sale now from here.
Meanwhile, the band released their new album’s second single, ‘Body Paint’, last week. In a four-star review of the track, NME called it “an ambitious, swaggering rock ballad.”
Rihanna says she’s “nervous” but “excited” about Super Bowl Halftime Show
Rihanna has said she is “nervous” but “excited” about headlining the Super Bowl 2023 Halftime Show.
Announced late last month, the forthcoming performance will mark the pop star’s first live appearance since 2018. Rihanna’s eighth and most recent studio album, ‘Anti’, came out in 2016.
- READ MORE: Rihanna’s Super Bowl show will be an exhilarating reminder of her all-round brilliance
Earlier this week, TMZ asked Rihanna how she was feeling about making her Super Bowl debut. “I’m nervous but I’m excited,” she replied. Pressed on whether her partner A$AP Rocky could appear as a special guest, the singer responded: “Maybe, girl.”
The Super Bowl LVII is due to take place at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on on February 12, 2023. It will be the first year that Apple Music will serve as a sponsor for the Halftime Show, replacing the NFL’s long-time partner Pepsi.
Seth Dudowsky, NFL’s Head Of Music, said he was “thrilled” to welcome Rihanna as the Halftime Show’s headliner. “Rihanna is a once-in-a-generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career,” he said.
“We look forward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show performance.”
Roc Nation founder Jay-Z, meanwhile, called Rihanna “a generational talent”.
“[She is] A woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” the rapper explained. “A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”
Dr. Dre headlined the 2022 Halftime Show alongside a star-studded cast of performers including Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige. Recently, Dre offered up some advice for Rihanna.
“Put the right people around you, and have fun,” he said. “That’s basically what it is, making sure you have the right creative people around you. She might want to look into some of the people that we used to do our show.”
Elsewhere, Kanye West hinted that he may be involved in Rihanna‘s 2023 Super Bowl concert.
Easy Life share downbeat single ‘Fortune Cookie’ ahead of new album ‘Maybe In Another Life’
Easy Life have shared the final single from their forthcoming album ‘Maybe In Another Life’, which is out later this week.
- READ MORE: Easy Life on Kevin Abstract joining them at Glastonbury 2022: “He’s a very inspiring dude”
The downbeat track, ‘Fortune Cookie’, which you can listen to below, follows previous singles ‘Antifreeze’, ‘OTT’ (feat. BENEE), ‘Dear Miss Holloway’ (feat. Kevin Abstract) and ‘BEESWAX’.
“‘FORTUNE COOKIE‘ is the last song on our new album and was written as a message to the band,” they said. “Over the last few years, we’ve had a lot of ups and downs and sometimes we all need reminding of what’s important. The song was inspired by Randy Newman and I remember when we first stumbled across the chords, I’ve been playing them every day since, I’m obsessed. I really hope you dig it, take care xxx.”
Their second album is out this Friday (October 7) via Island and can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here.
Meanwhile, Easy Life are scheduled to embark on a UK/Ireland and European headline tour next February. The run of dates will include the group’s biggest headline show to date, which will take place at Alexandra Palace in London.
Any remaining tickets can be purchased now here.
Easy Life’s 2023 live itinerary is as follows:
FEBRUARY 2023
08 – Newcastle, O2 City Hall
09 – Glasgow, O2 Academy
10 – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse
14 – Leeds, O2 Academy
16 – Norwich, UEA
17 – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
18 – Cardiff, Great Hall
20 – Dublin, Academy
22 – Plymouth, Pavilions
23 – Bexhill, De La Warr Pavilion
25 – London, Alexandra Palace
MARCH 2023
05 – Hamburg, Uebel & Gefaehrlich
07 – Copenhagen, Vega
08 – Oslo, John Dee
09 – Stockholm, Slaktkyrkan
11 – Berlin, Huxleys
12 – Prague, Roxy
14 – Winterthur, Salzhaus
15 – Milan, Magazzini Generali
17 – Paris, Le Trabendo
18 – Cologne, Kantine
21 – Brussels, Botanique
22 – Amsterdam, Paradiso
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