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Pop punk icons bring A Whole New Sound to Disney classics
The common ground between “it’s not a phase” emos and Disney adults has been found, and it just might rock.
On August 15, the official Mickey Mouse Instagram posted the track list for the upcoming album A Whole New Sound. The compilation album features covers of beloved Disney songs retooled by pop punk artists including LOLO, Mayday Parade, Meet Me @ the Altar, BOYS LIKE GIRLS, Tokio Hotel and more.
A Whole New Sound was announced July 11, one day before the release of its lead single “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” by Simple Plan. They performed the song on August 9 at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.
“It’s such an honor to offer our own version of this song and to cover such an iconic artist like Sir Elton John,” the band told Billboard. “We’re not sure if he heard the song or not, but we hope he will enjoy this new version and feel like we did it justice.”
In addition to the Simple Plan single, official music videos for Magnolia Park‘s version of “I2I” and New Found Glory‘s version of “Part of Your World” are available on the official DisneyMusicVEVO YouTube channel.
A Whole New Sound will be released on September 6 via Walt Disney Records.
Which cover are you looking forward to? Do you already have a favorite? Let us know in the comments or on social media!
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Yungblud continues fighting increased concert ticket prices with BLUDFEST
Yungblud is once again working towards making music accessible for everyone.
Rock singer and songwriter Yungblud created his own music festival. The festival, called BLUDFEST, took place at Milton Keynes Bowl, England on August 11. The festival featured two stages and included fairground attractions, an art exhibition and a nod to Hawley Arms. Yungblud wanted the festival to feel like a whole world, not just another gig set at a festival.
A driving force for Yungblud to create this festival was making live music accessible to fans. In recent years, the ticket prices for live music events have increased significantly with large ticket corporations like Ticketmaster adding in layers of fees and ticket scalpers reselling tickets for thousands of dollars.
He saw the effect of the rise in ticket prices first hand during his North American tour last year. In an interview with Billboard, Yungblud talked about how there were sections of empty seats where he had no control on what the price would be. He would talk to fans standing outside the venue listening to the concert because they could not afford tickets to actually attend. He has also discussed how, most of the time, the expensive prices and fees are not even going to the artist themselves. As a result, BLUDFEST was born.
He achieved his goal, getting tickets as low as possible to allow as many fans to attend. Tickets for the festival were capped at £49.50 or just $63.
AEG was a co-promoter of the festival, which resulted in some pushback as many in his fanbase are anti-big corporations. However, for Yungblud to change the system, he wanted to go inside the corporate world and change it from there. Through the process of creating the festival, he was able to take control of parts of the process he would have never known about and saw what it actually costs to put on a festival. He saw things being charged higher than they should be and worked on getting them as low as possible.
This is not the first time the artist has challenged concert ticket prices. During his 2023 North American tour, he launched a $20 ticket program. In a video posted announcing the program, he once again brought up how he saw many fans discussing how they could not afford tickets to live shows and it broke his heart. He wanted everyone to be able to come to his shows, so he wanted to do whatever he could to make that happen.
In another move to make live music accessible and enjoyable for everyone, Yungblud also launched a program to help fans meet new friends who are attending BLUDFEST. The “Make A Friend Tent” was a physical tent for festival attendees to go to so attendees could meet up and enjoy the festival together. The idea was for those in the tent to want to be approached and be open to meeting new people. BLUDFEST also launched a Discord for festival attendees to chat online prior to the festival and plan to meet up at the tent.
Besides Yungblud, BLUDFEST had a pretty stacked line-up. Also scheduled to perform were Lil Yachty, Soft Play, Nessa Barret, Lola Young, Jazmin Bean, NoahFinnce, Jesse Jo Stark, Landon Barker, Hannah Grae, Aziya and The Damned playing in the Icon Slot. The goal of the line-up was for young emerging artists who are doing their own thing. He didn’t want it to be a one genre-focused festival.
BLUDFEST is not planned to be a one-year event. With plans in place to bring the festival to other regions across the world, this first year is just the beginning.
Information about the festival can be found on its official website. You can also follow Yungblud on Instagram, X and TikTok to stay up to date on new music and upcoming tours. -
“I’ll see you there tomorrow”: My Journey with Tomorrow X Together
When I first discovered Tomorrow X Together, I nearly wrote them off completely.
I became aware of the group pretty quickly, as I’d been an ARMY for four months and they were the first boy group to debut under Big Hit Entertainment since BTS. However, my first impression of the group was that I simply wasn’t in their target demographic. Their concept was incredibly young, as were the members. Eldest member Yeonjun was nineteen in 2019, and maknae Hueningkai was just sixteen. As a twenty-three-year-old sophomore in college who’d cut their teeth at punk shows and rock festivals, it all felt a bit too immature for me. I’d wish them the best, they were the baby brother group of BTS after all, but I figured their soft focused boyish visuals just weren’t for me.
A little less than a week after I saw those teasers, they debuted on March 4, 2019…and I couldn’t have been more wrong.
While I was dead-on concerning their concept, Tomorrow X Together’s debut song “Crown” had instant classic appeal. The choreography was creative, intricate and told a story about five boys helping each other navigate the challenges of growing up. Beyond all that, they all had an infectious energy and joy I realized I’d been missing in my playlists. Feeling protective of them in a parasocial big sibling kind of way only helped, especially after Beomgyu, the boy with chestnut-colored hair, became my bias. Put simply, they effortlessly carved a place in my heart whether I wanted them to or not.
I caught their Star in US showcase in Chicago on May 12, 2019, just a little over two months after debut, and was blown further away. It was the morning after BTS’s first night in Chicago for their Love Yourself tour, which I’d attended with a couple of friends. We were sitting in a McDonald’s preparing to go home before finals when. by some dumb luck, I found out TXT was playing The Vic Theater that night. By an even bigger miracle, I convinced my friends to go with me.
By the date of their showcase, they’d only released their debut mini-album The Dream Chapter: Star. It was a five-song EP and these talented boys had an hour time slot to fill. Among performances of songs including “Blue Orangeade”, debut track “Crown” and the English version of “Cat and Dog”, they gave the audience a chance to get to know them with a game of Truth or Dare Jenga. Fans didn’t even have a dedicated fandom name yet, and we wouldn’t until TXT fans were dubbed “MOA”, or “Moments of Alwaysness”, on August 22, 2019. That didn’t matter, especially with the professional-level performance the group put on. They weren’t just “good for rookies”. They were good – PERIOD.
On July 7, 2022 I saw them for the second time for their first-ever world tour, ACT: LOVESICK. From the moment I stepped into Rosemont Theatre, I couldn’t stop the sense of pride washing over me. Rosemont Theatre has a capacity of 4,400 people, 3,000 more than The Vic, and they’d released five albums since I’d seen them last. The difference three years can make for a group was truly something to behold, and you can check out a full recap of that show here.
On June 5, I made my way to Allstate Arena for my third Tomorrow X Together concert. The journey on public transportation, followed by a ten-minute walk with other fans, felt like a pilgrimage. I’d missed their second world tour, ACT: Sweet Mirage in 2023, so I was dead set on attending their third. This also happened to be my first concert since attending Riot Fest in September 2023. Neither hell nor high water could have stopped me from seeing my boys.
Their show opened with the title track “Deja Vu” off their latest mini-album minisode 3: tomorrow. I was floored by the song’s release on April 1 and, seeing it live, that feeling only solidified. Its production is spare, dominated by trap snares and lush synths, putting TXT’s performance front and center. Not only does “Deja Vu” continue the group’s lore with lyrical references to their debut track and “Platform and 3/4 (Run Away)”, but the song also boasts some of the most mature lines of their career. A particular lyric I still haven’t gotten over is “under the veil of light/I’ll hug you tight/who’s shining like a bride”. Not only is that an excellent line that works just as well in English as it does in Korean, but it plainly illustrates the depth of their commitment to each other. Their connection isn’t romantic, but the promises they made to each other are treated with the severity of wedding vows. Tomorrow X Together’s work has hardly, if ever, been shallow, but this is easily their best and most profound title track to date.
The rest of the setlist had a healthy dose of title tracks, including “9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)”, “0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)”, “LO$ER=LO♡ER” and “Chasing That Feeling”, but there were also some beloved b-sides included for good measure. “Ghosting”, “Devil by the Window” and “Tinnitus (Wanna Be a Rock)” were particular highlights.
One of my favorite performances of the night was a traditional Korean version of “Sugar Rush Ride”. While I would have been beyond happy to see the song in its original form, I felt beyond blessed to see such a unique and clearly special interpretation. It breathed new life into an already refreshing track, particularly the way they worked fans into the choreography. The use of more traditional instrumentation also made the transition into “Farewell Neverland” absolutely seamless.
The unit performances showcased TXT’s range by acting like two sides of the same coin. Soobin and Yeonjun, wearing coordinated black leather pants, teamed up for “The Killa (I Belong to You)”. Easily the most explicitly sexual song in their discography, “The Killa” displayed their chemistry as performers with perfectly mirrored movements almost evocative of a tango. Beomgyu, Taehyun and Hueningkai kept things more subdued for “Quarter Life”. Stood atop a set reminiscent of a train station wearing oversized t-shirts and baggy jeans, the focus was placed squarely on their camaraderie and connection with the audience.
While TXT has long earned its place in the conversation of fourth-gen leaders, alongside powerhouse groups like Stray Kids and ATEEZ, it’s clear they were born to be rock stars. An entire section of their concert consisted of hard rock arrangements of “Puma” and “Good Boy Gone Bad”, with the centerpiece being the hardcore-inspired track “Growing Pain”. From the second I heard that song, I knew it was a game-changer for TXT, but nothing could have prepared me to see it performed live. They’d done rock plenty of times, but never in a way that felt so genuinely raw as if openly bleeding. Yeonjun was the first to hold a baseball bat that got passed around the entire group, and he used it to smash seemingly anything in his vicinity that wasn’t his bandmates. If that isn’t some genuine rage or angst he’s working out onstage, he’s nothing if not a convincing actor.
After the adrenaline-spiking rock interlude, TXT slowed things down a bit with “Dreamer”, a sultry ballad featuring Soobin’s beautiful falsetto, and the melancholic “Deep Down”. The official set ended with “I’ll See You There Tomorrow”, minisode 3‘s opening track.
The lullaby-esque “Magic Island” opened the encore, followed by the fist-pumping “Miracle” and their Tik Tok-viral hit “Happily Ever After”. Yet, to my delight, the concert concluded with the English version of their fan-favorite track “Cat and Dog.” The second single off their debut album, “Cat and Dog” has become something of a meme among MOA. Back at the 2022 Rosemont show, it wasn’t even on the setlist. This made for an even more delightfully surreal moment when the theatre erupted in the closing refrain during a talk break: “LET’S PLAY FOREVER – I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR DOG”, followed by three rounds of barking. In that arena, especially after Taehyun admitted he loved it was MOA barks, the crowd hadn’t merely maintained the high energy of the show – it was at its peak.
While they had beyond proved themselves as performers years prior, it still seemed as though they felt that had something to prove. This concert showed me that was no longer the case, and likely hadn’t been at the previous tour. Over those three hours, it really felt as though I was watching them come into their own as men.
The American leg of Tomorrow X Together’s ACT: PROMISE World Tour concluded on June 8 in Washington, D.C. As they began the Asian leg of the tour at Tokyo Dome in Japan, I couldn’t help but reflect on the journey I’ve taken with these five young men. I find myself both grateful and incredibly lucky to have supported them for the past five years, and I can’t wait to see what the next five years will hold.
Tickets for Tomorrow X Together’s HYPERFOCUS VR CONCERT go on sale July 17. With over two weeks spent in Chicago alone, I’m sure I’ll find a way to see them again.
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OP-ED: It Ends With Us trailer leaves me conflicted
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR IT ENDS WITH US BY COLLEEN HOOVER
I never expected to say this, but I may written off a Colleen Hoover project too soon.
On May 16, Sony Pictures Entertainment released the first trailer for the upcoming film adaptation of Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel It Ends With Us. The trailer, soundtracked by “My Tears Ricochet” by Taylor Swift, begins with a vision of the whirlwind romance between Lily Bloom (Blake Lively) and Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni) as Lily postulates about the vision of love and romance “everybody has.”
“Is it harder to hold on or let go?” “But fifteen seconds is all it takes to completely change everything,” Lily says before the tone shifts to the dark reality of her relationship with Ryle. There are shots of Ryle smashing an object on the floor and Lily looking into the mirror at a bite mark over a tattoo on her collarbone, a reference to a scene in the novel where Ryle bites Lily hard enough to break skin before attempting to rape her. It’s clear this film won’t pull any punches when it comes to the more difficult scenes from the novel, but I can’t help but remain skeptical.
It Ends With Us is the only one of Hoover’s 26 novels I’ve personally read, and I don’t intend to read any more of her work. As both a witness to and survivor of domestic violence, I didn’t feel empowered or inspired by this story. While the book occasionally provides good insight into how cycles of violence are perpetuated, I found it overall offensive, exploitative and condescending. Hoover puts more work into romanticizing the abusive lead than actually building the characters or their relationships, and the extent to which she provides excuses for Ryle’s abuse is appalling. Furthermore, her prose is simplistic and over-explanatory to the point it doesn’t feel like she trusts her audience to understand her story if she doesn’t hold their hands through it. Any deep analysis I’ve seen of any of her other work doesn’t suggest the rest of her catalogue is any different, and any other attempt I’ve made at reading her further work failed.
According to Variety, It Ends With Us has sold over one million copies and has been translated into over twenty languages as of 2019. Yet, based on the first official trailer, Baldoni and screenwriter Christy Hall may have done the impossible by adapting this awful book into a halfway-decent film.
Some fans of the novel complained the entire plot was in the trailer. This is not only objectively incorrect but, in my opinion, irrelevant. One of the biggest issues that has always plagued It Ends With Us is marketing. The story is about domestic abuse, which is made abundantly clear in the film’s trailer but is treated like a shocking mid-point plot twist by the source material. The novel is marketed as a “complicated romance,” with the only allusion to its darker subject matter being the header on the back of the book which reads: “SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST.” Even so, that is undermined by the copy that states the appearance of an old flame threatens “everything Lily has built with Ryle”, rather than Ryle’s abusive behavior. In fact, it almost implies Ryle would not abused Lily if not for Atlas’s reappearance.
Ryle is described in the summary as “assertive, stubborn” and “maybe even a little arrogant.” The only thing described as “disturbing” is his “complete aversion to relationships,” rather than any of his behavior leading up to or including physical abuse. While Ryle does exhibit controlling behavior before he and Lily ever get together, including one delightful scene where he essentially kidnaps Lily by locking her in his bedroom, this behavior is not intended to be seen as a red flag. Similarly, the opening scene where Ryle is seen destroying patio furniture in a barely-controlled rage is seen by the main character as enviable, rather than concerning.
There’s never a point where Lily looks back on this encounter and recontextualizes it as an early sign of his present abuse. These moments occur when Ryle is still supposed to be seen as the ideal romantic lead as if it’s charming for a man to lock a woman in a room, ignore her when she says “no” or beg on his knees for sex. I can only see the blunt inclusion of Ryle’s abuse in the trailer as a good thing. Marketing this film in the same way the book was marketed would be disingenuous and, frankly, scummy. If you ask me, anyone with a personal history of domestic violence who picked up this book thinking it was a romance novel was done a great disservice. At least those who watch the movie without having read the source material won’t be going in blind.
Fans complaining about the casting are also, in my opinion, wrong. In the book, Ryle and Lily are 29 and 23, respectively. Yet, Ryle is about to finish his residency to become a neurosurgeon and Lily has enough capital as a recent college graduate to open her own flower shop without so much as a business plan.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “It takes approximately 14 to 16 years to become a neurosurgeon, including pre-med (undergrad) education, medical school, internship and residency. Neurosurgeons undergo one of the longest training periods of any medical specialty due to the complexity of the field of medicine.” Unless Ryle graduated high school between the ages of thirteen and sixteen, a feat which would surely have been an important detail to include, it’s unlikely he’d be about to finish his studies at this age.
This is a change even Hoover herself has expressed support for, as she admitted the characters’ ages relative to their professions was an oversight on her part.
Before becoming a best-selling novelist Hoover “spent years working in social services,” according to a 2022 New York Times article written by Alexandra Alter. “Back when I wrote It Ends With Us, the new adult [genre] was very popular,” Hoover told The Hollywood Reporter. “You were writing college-age characters. That’s what I was contracted to do. I made Lily very young. [sic] There’s not a 20-something neurosurgeon. As I started making this movie, I’m like, ‘We need to age them out, because I messed up.’ So, that’s my fault.”
While these changes are promising, I don’t want to give the film too much credit yet. There’s still no telling if they’re going to keep the scene where Ryle locks Lily in his room and undresses her without so much as asking, or how it will be framed if it is. It’s still unknown if Ryle is going to claim blackouts as a reason for his abuse, despite the presence of a scene where he plans and executes a deliberate humiliation for Lily. Hoover is credited as an executive producer and, while she has clearly shown herself to be flexible in terms of plot and cast changes, there’s still no telling what she refused to compromise on.
I’m not going so far as to say they’ve spun straw into gold just yet, but the It Ends With Us film trailer promises the raw, engaging romantic drama the novel should have been. For the time being, Hoover Haters and CoHorts alike will have to wait and see if it makes good on that promise.
It Ends With Us will be released in theaters on August 9, 2024. Check out the full trailer below:
Did you read It Ends With Us? What are your thoughts on the trailer? Let us know in the comments or on social media!
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FROM THE VAULT: Between You & Me talk first independent EP release, fan support, and first headlining North American tour
The following interview was originally conducted and intended for publication before April 5. Due to internal issues and the hiatus from April to mid-May, this did not happen. The band toured North America from March 7 to April 6.
Australian band Between You & Me are ready to show what they can do, and they can do it all on their own.
The band are gearing up to release their very first independent EP Sh!t Yeah. This is their first full body of work since 2021’s Armageddon that was released on Hopeless Records. Their first independent single release “Nevermind” received great support, including being added into the rotation on the Australian radio station triple j. Since then, each release following has been loved and supported by fans. The group is also currently embarking on their very first headlining North American tour ahead of the EP release. We had the chance to talk to bassist James “Bassy” Karagiozis about working on their first independent record, fan support and how the tour is going so far.
Congrats on the new EP SH!T YEAH! How does it feel to (almost) finally have your fans be able to hear the new music?
“So stoked to have new music for our fans. Personally, I think it’s our best music to date. Hope everyone vibes with it.”
This is your first Independent release, how did that affect your mindset or process when going in to make the EP?
“To be honest, it feels like we have been an independent the whole time. But going in to make it and knowing we were spending our own money, fully investing in ourselves felt exciting and daunting at the same time. We’re stoked to put out something that was under our control the whole time.”
Were there any bands or genres that you took inspiration from when creating the EP? Can we hear any of those influences on the project?
“The starting line, COLDPLAY, Korn, all American rejects. If you listen to the songs on repeat for 60 days you might be able to hear it.”
For those who haven’t heard any of the EP yet, how would summarize the sound in just a few words?
“Sh!t fucking yeah.”
Knuckle Puck is featured on the song “Kill My Vibe”. I had the chance to listen to the track and I absolutely love it. I was singing along to the chorus by the end, and their feature works so well on the song. What was it like getting to work with them on that track?
“We were able to tour with KP back in April ‘23 and I don’t know we just clicked socially. We really hit it off so when it came to features, hitting up the KP boys was a no brainer. We asked if they would be keen to collaborate on the track and they luckily said yes and now we have a kick ass track.”
Do you have a favorite track on the EP? What track are you most excited for your fans to hear?
“Virus. It was a dark horse when it got bought to the table. It’s our most experimental. But once we heard JT’s lyrics and melody, off the top it quickly became a favourite. So we hope people like where we took it.”
The reception online to the single “In The Middle” has been incredible. What has the support from fans meant to you as you gear up for the release of SH!T YEAH?
“It’s almost given us a second wind. It’s made us even more excited for the future of our band and what we can achieve. We released the song during our UK tour and it’s been incredible seeing people sing along at our live shows since.”
Since beginning your journey of releasing music independently with “Nevermind”, has there been anything that surprised you positively or negatively?
“Honestly, the way our fans have gotten around us, it feels like we have this underground popularity vibe almost. Our fans have backed us and supported us when we’ve wanted to take our music somewhere else and keep it in our own hands. Like we have revamped and come back stronger than ever. Nevermind was a great example.”
Was there anything you learned while making SH!T YEAH that you will take with you when working on future projects?
“Letting the songs breathe and become their own pieces of art, for lack of a better explanation.”
You are on your first headlining North American headlining tour! How does it feel to finally be headlining a tour here? What has the experience been like?
“ Honestly, it was daunting. This is familiar, but new territory — getting to go to the venues we’ve supported multiple tours on, but now being the headliner. Seeing so many new faces at shows, people we have never seen before coming out: be it their first time ever hearing about us because their friends dragged them or they had recently just found out about us and decided to come through, it had been very fulfilling and rewarding. Like our hard work Is starting to pay off. “
What songs have been your favorite to play live on this tour? What songs seem to be the crowd favorites?
“In the middle for sure, people have really been singing out for it. We have been riffing kill my vibe and we see heads nodding and the chorus being screamed. Repeat show visitors have really been getting into it.”
Anything else you would like to add?
“Thank you for supporting us at shows or even just listening to our band. It all means the world To us. Shit yeah! <3”
Sh!t Yeah is available on all streaming platforms. All upcoming tour dates can be found on the Between You & Me’s official website. You can also stay also stay up to date on all things Between You & Me by following the group on Instagram, X and TikTok: @byamaus.
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Twenty One Pilots prepare to continue the story that began with Blurryface with new album Clancy
Get ready clique, we are heading back to Trench!
Twenty One Pilots announced their new album Clancy on February 29. This new era will continue the story of Blurryface, Dema, and Trench. This story began on the duo’s 2015 album Blurryface, where the band introduced the character of Blurryface, which is meant to represent all of lead singer Tyler Joseph’s insecurities. The world was expanded upon in 2018’s Trench where the band introduced the world of Dema, Trench, the Bishops, Clancy and the Banditos. In this world, Blurryface is Nico, the leader of the Bishops. Then 2021’s Scaled and Icy, expanded the story. On this album, Joseph is being used to entertain the people of Dema and the album name itself spells out “Clancy Is Dead”.
The album will be released on May 17, very close to the ninth anniversary of when Blurryface was released on May 15, 2015.
In the days leading up to the announcement, the band placed red tape on all their album covers on streaming services. On February 22, the duo uploaded a YouTube video titled “I Am Clancy“. In the video, Joseph voices over clips from music videos from the previous albums, recounting the story of this world so far. For those needing a refresher of what we have learned so far, this is a great place to start.
Joseph talks about being a citizen of the city of Dema and how he has tried to escape. He describes how Nico and the nine Bishops get their power from a “hijacked religion”. This religion is “called Vialism and all you really need to know is that it teaches that self-destruction is the only way to paradise. It also conveniently allows you to become an available vessel for the bishops to use.” The story continues with him being broken out of Dema by the Banditos, but was eventually recaptured and returned to the city. He was then used by the Bishops for entertainment for the people of Dema.
“They made me entertain the people, lie to them,” he said. “They made me perform for them.”
He goes on to talk about how after Nico was betrayed, he managed to escape to the new place, where he was given a gift thought to be extinct. He now had the same powers as the Bishops. The video concludes with Joseph saying he is returning to Trench and “I am Clancy”, with a clip of him putting on a new mask, we can infer introducing the new era.
On February 29, the band also released the first single and music video off of the album, “Overcompensate”. The video opens with a shot over the ocean with a fast-paced electronic keyboard beat. As the beat continues, the shot changes to images of the map of Trench and overhead drone shots of an island, before we are dropped into a city as a deep, ominous voice says “Welcome Back To Trench.” The next shot is drummer Joshua Dun in the middle of an empty arena drumming a strong, fast beat over the repetitive electronic effects. Stone-faced young people in gray sweatsuits begin to fill the seats. The video flashes between shots of Joseph standing outside a door waiting to enter and ones of him singing in a room with Dun. Then, he puts on his mask and enters the room and the beat changes to be a bit slower and more groovy. Joseph then erupts into the first verse, featuring the familiar and nostalgic rap cadence fans know and love.
The video ends with Joseph and Dun arriving at what appears to be an island, both dressed in black. Dun is pulling a boat to shore before joining Joseph as they stare off into the distance. This scene, leading us to believe they have arrived in Trench and perhaps, the next video will pick up from this scene and continue the story.
The Clancy era has begun.
“Overcompensate” is available to stream on all major streaming platforms. You can preorder the new album Clancy, including several vinyl variants and bundles, now on the band’s official website.
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Charlotte Sands sinks her teeth into debut album
From her deeply personal songwriting to her soon-to-be iconic ocean-blue hair, Charlotte Sands is quickly establishing herself as someone to watch in rock music.
Sands released her highly-anticipated debut album can we start over? on January 24. Released via C.S Records, the record perpetuates Sands’s ongoing record of no-skip tracks with addictive melodies and heart-shattering honesty. Each of the ten tracks was written by Sands in collaboration with Alex Nice, Jordan Lutes and Keith “Ten 4” Sorrells, among others. The album’s deeply personal nature is evident from the title alone, asking a painfully relatable question to anyone who has ever had their heart broken. It sets the stage for an emotional roller coaster from the very first track, and there’s nowhere Sands shines brighter.
Sands kicks off the album with “use me”, a reluctant villain anthem from someone who never asked for such a role. Heartbreak and loathing are captivating as she relives a controlling relationship with a painfully ironic aftermath. From the very first line, it refuses to hold back: “you burned me at the stake without a trial/watching through the flames, I watch you smile”. The verses are a quiet storm with darker clouds on the horizon and explode only when lightning strikes at the start of each chorus, during which Sands wails with palpable disappointment and resentment. Near the end, she legitimately seems at the end of her rope as she resigns herself to whatever her ex is saying to everyone else. It’s a perfect and powerful example of giving up power to gain control.
From there, can we start over? dives headfirst into the confusion and contradiction indicative of a messy breakup. Sometimes she seems totally over it, the best example of which being the addictive “spite”. Not only does it get more experimental with vocal distortion and the introduction of synthesizers, but it cements itself as the next great track in the pantheon of songs about fame as a form of revenge. You can practically hear her rolling her eyes when she sings, “fuck it I’ll get famous out of spite/I’ll make it overnight/be starring in the movies/just to make you cry”.
Other times, she’s desperately searching for what she could have lacked in the eyes of a narcissist. This sentiment is painfully apparent in “blindspot”, where Sands resigns herself to whatever attention the object of her affection deigns to offer. This person says she isn’t like other girls, but she takes it as anything but a compliment: “if that’s true, I’m confused, what am I missing?/I could be like them a little more”. It’s easily one of the best songs on the album, complete with a delicate string arrangement and a more subdued vocal performance. Artists need to be able to pull it back as well as they let it all out, and “blindspot” proves Sands’s medal to do just that.
Two of the best songs on the album, “pity” and “get over it”, were released as singles back in November 2023. The track “pity” puts a delightfully queer twist on the moment you see how gorgeous the girl your ex moved on with is, choosing to obsess over her instead of him: “I’d die to be inside her shoes/I’d treat her better than you do/I hope you know it’s true”. Between the looping pop guitar and the way Sands sighs the song’s title as the instrumental drops out, “pity” deserves a spot on every modern rock playlist. Meanwhile, “get over it” perfectly captures the confusion of wanting someone you thought you’d gotten over. It’s the other side of the coin with a slower but no less compelling groove.
Sands flawlessly balances pop and rock on “teeth”, an insane banger with drums that drive you to dance and a head-bang-worthy breakdown right before the final chorus. While not as lyrically rich as tracks like “blindspot” and “get over it”, it’s the song I’m most excited to see in concert. However, the best song on the record is “on the outside”. A collaboration with Point North, “on the outside” is a perfectly crafted call for solidarity in the midst of self-loathing. That solidarity is achieved with Point North frontman John Lundin, whose voice matches Sands’s emotional and technical vocal power. The lyrics portray a compelling mix of accepting neglect and desperately wanting to be understood, the best example of which coming from the pre-chorus: “they all laugh behind my back like I don’t know/that my whole life is the punchline to a bad joke”. A close second is the acoustic-tinged “die in this room”, a song where Sands offers to give up absolutely everything just to keep her lover at her side. Painfully sincere and relatably overwrought, the acoustic guitar pulls things back to a sad reality before exploding into an overwrought back half.
There aren’t any songs on this record I would call bad by any stretch of the imagination, but “dead body” is certainly the weakest song on can we start over?. Clocking in at only two minutes and nine seconds, the song spends most of its brief runtime repeating variations on the phrase “over my dead body” between trademark-clever lines like “if my blood goes cold and I start to slip/and the antidote is across your lips/I would say my prayers with my last breath/I’d say I can’t wait to never see you again”. It’s also the most pop-ready song on the record in an oddly early-2010s kind of way, particularly in terms of the production and the way Sands’s voice fades out at the end. One could easily hear this song from a Masterpiece Theatre-era Marianas Trench, and not necessarily in a bad way. It’s just. that “dead body” feels uniquely dated and therefore doesn’t have nearly as much replay value as the record’s other tracks.
The haunting title track closes out the album with a heart-wrenching desire to start her relationship over from scratch. A particularly genius part of the song is the way the instruments and Sands’s vocal delivery conflict with the lyrics. The lyrics of “can we start over?” are flat-out delusional, with Sands all but begging her ex for a second chance while coming up with ways things could be different if they could, in fact, start over. What if they met at another time, another place or were just different people? The minor-key drums, ghostly filter over Sands’s voice and wailing guitars scream the truth: no, they can’t start over and she knows that damn well, even if she doesn’t want to admit it. The bass bangs the final nail in this relationship’s coffin right before the final chorus. It is a devastating closure to both the song and its namesake album.
Even with how hotly anticipated can we start over? was among fans and critics alike, nobody could have predicted just how powerful of an album she would craft. Charlotte Sands didn’t just sink her teeth into her debut: she drew blood.
Charlotte Sands’s debut album can we start over? is available to stream on all music platforms. Information on her upcoming tour can be found here.
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Neck Deep choose nostalgia over variety on new album
Get out the skateboards, cargo shorts and snap backs: Neck Deep are back and returning their pop punk roots.
Welsh pop punk band Neck Deep released their self-titled album on January 19, 2024 through Hopeless Records. This is the band’s first album release since 2020’s All Distortions Are Intentional, making this a highly anticipated return for fans of the group.
Fans of Neck Deep know they have embraced the label of “Generic Pop Punk” for years, a staple in their merch collection are shirts that feature that phrase, and that label rings true on this project. The loud, fast-paced guitars and drums mixed with catchy and screamable choruses are ever-present throughout. Listening through you cannot help but want to head bang and picture a circle pit and crowd surfers.
The album touches on a variety of topics over the short 10 tracks. Songs like “Dumbstruck Dumbf**ck”, “This Is All My Fault” and “Heartbreak Of The Century” touch on relationships and heartbreak, while “We Need More Bricks” is a politically charged track about needing people to get angry and work towards changing things. The songs “Go Outside!” and “It Won’t Be Like This Forever” discuss mental health.
The main issue this album faces is that there is no break for the listener. The album is high-energy and fast-paced almost the entire time. The closest instances for a slower moment are on the tracks, “It Won’t Be Like This Forever” and “They May Not Mean To (But They Do)” but those tracks are only slowed down slightly. It is still high energy and full sound. For those listening to the whole album for the first time, it may be a bit exhausting. While the album itself is not long, jumping from in-your-face guitars and drums on track after track, can be overwhelming. Having at least one more acoustic or slower moment would be a nice way to break up the listening experience.
To go along with the lack of breaks, there isn’t much variety sonically. Each song is full of pounding running drums, power chords, some distorted guitars and large choruses. At times, the instrumentals drown out the vocals, like on “Sort Yourself Out” and the opening track “Dumbstruck Dumbf**ck”. Each song follows that same pop punk formula almost to a tee. So, when listening, you can predict where the song is going. There aren’t dynamic changes with softer, toned back instrumentals that slowly build to large moments. While that is not typical of pop punk songs, having even a touch of something different would elevate this album. The songs needed a dash of something extra or unexpected to allow them to stand out from every other pop punk song, or even other Neck Deep tracks.
That is not to say there are no tracks that have moments that stray a bit. Some songs like “It Won’t Be Like This Forever” have more acoustic openings, and there are instances where vocalist Ben Barlow has belting moments like on “Take Me With You”. However, those moments are rare. They get lost with the rest of the album that blends from one track to the next. If the band took those moments and developed them more, the songs would stand out, and allow for a dynamic listening experience.
What saves the album are the lyrics and themes discussed throughout the album. “We Need More Bricks” is a powerful and relevant track. This song touches on everything from the British monarchy and wars to political protests and calls on everyone to work together to make a difference. Ben Barlow sings “The kids are wide awake/And they rage against the palace”, calling out people protesting against the traditional monarchy. The chorus sings “We need more fight and we need more grit/We need more punks and we need more bricks”, calling on everyone to open their eyes and fight for change. In today’s world, with politicians trying to pass discriminatory laws, genocide, international wars, global warming and more, people need to be ready to fight for change. Barlow sings “The next emergency can only be so tragic/An opportunity for the next distraction tactic,” calling out how we cannot get distracted by whatever political tactics that will be used after the next tragedy to hide what is actually happening in the world.
“Go Outside!” is another stand-out track. While still having the pop punk sound, it attempts to bring a touch of variety. The drums are still heavy, but less in your face. The guitars drive the track with a repetitive line that can be heard throughout the song, even having some solo moments to let it shine. The vocals are also emotional and needy. Listening closely, you can hear the desperation in his voice. He is yearning for something in his life to change in order to be okay again. The lyrical content discusses struggling with mental health and not feeling like yourself. Barlow is begging for someone to help him be okay again. In the chorus, he sings: “Save me/I have lost myself/So I’m begging you to say my name/Snap me out of this/Take me back to when I felt like me/When I felt like me”. Later, he talks about needing to open up and tell this person everything, but he is not ready to share that part of himself yet. The vulnerable side of him. Right now, he just needs them to help him feel okay.
“Moody Weirdo” is the closing track and may be the song on the album. This track has an uplifting feel. The instrumental is the most toned down and feels more bright. The drums are pulled back to overwhelm the vocals, but are still the driving force. You are still able to rock out and get the pop punk feel, but not feel overwhelmed. It feels like a more modern, updated sound that merges a current rock sound with the nostalgic pop punk sound we love. It’s a refreshing sound to close out the album.
Barlow also brings a positive and hopeful vocal delivery to “Moody Weirdo”. The lyrics discuss the internal struggle of accepting yourself and the need for personal growth and accepting the changes. Barlow sings, “You gotta take one small step every day/ Don’t fight the change/ Just say what you have to say”, these lyrics are straightforward and pack a punch. They clearly paint a picture of an almost epiphany Barlow has come to. Listening to the chorus, it is clear he is describing how we have to take each day as it comes and accept that life will change. However, the last line hints that you do not have to be afraid to speak up. There is room to be yourself, and stand up for what you believe in. Which can also be applied to themes discussed throughout the record. Relationships will change, you can speak up and fight for change in the world, and accept that making changes in your life may be what is needed to help better yourself and your mental health. It feels almost like the climax of the album. If you were to take one message from listening to every track, this chorus would be what you remember,
During the bridge of “Moody Weirdo”, Barlow feels as if he’s talking to himself and coming to realization that he needs someone by his side to navigate life. He sings, “ I didn’t think I was stupid/ It was all a fear / And I don’t think I can do this without you here”. While it is just a few lines, the are blunt, and let us know exactly what he Barlow is thinking. These are the words he wants to say this special person in his life. In the past, they have been apart, maybe he even pushed this person away. But, he knows he was wrong, and he is ready for to have someone by his side to go through these challenges. In previous songs like “This Is All My Fault”, he was pushing another person away, but he has come full circle and is no welcoming someone back in life. This demonstrates the growth Barlow has gone through from the beginning of the record.
Overall, this self-titled project is a solid pop punk album. It is full of fast-paced, energetic tracks with choruses made for screaming and moshing, made for those who long for the nostalgic pop punk they grew up listening to. However, that comes with the price of the album feeling sonically static and underwhelming. At times the loud and in-your-face instrumental overwhelms the vocal delivery and lyrics, the two highlights of the project.
Neck Deep is not a bad album. It just lacks variety and does not bring anything new to the table. It falls in the middle of the road. It has its moments where the songs are able to branch out past the typical pop punk mold. Those few instances allow to break up the wall of rolling drums and distorted guitars that is present from start to finish. However, those moments are few and far between. This leaves the album feeling a bit lackluster and not one that will bring constant repeat listening.
Fans of pop punk and those who enjoy the OG sound of Neck Deep will enjoy this album. For those who want something that brings some new and unique sounds, this album will fall flat.
Neck Deep is available on all major streaming services. Neck Deep is currently on tour, ticket information can be found on their website.
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Avril Lavigne announces Greatest Hits North American summer tour
Hey, hey, you, you! Avril Lavigne will see all the skater bois on tour this summer.
On January 22, Avril Lavigne announced her Greatest Hits North American Tour. The tour kicks off on May 22 in Vancouver, British Columbia and wraps up on September 16 in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. The tour has stops across the United States and Canada including stops in California, Washington, New York, Ohio, Virginia and more. According to the tour announcement on her Instagram, Lavigne will perform the greatest hits from all her albums, fan favorites and “perhaps some special requests.” From “Complicated” off her debut album Let Go and “Here’s To Never Growing Up” off her self-titled, to “I’m A Mess” off of her most recent album Love Sux and everything in between, there is no shortage of hits for her to perform all summer long.
Along with the tour announcement, she announced her who will be joining her on the road. The support acts are Royal And The Serpent, All Time Low, Simple Plan and Girlfriends. Not all acts will be on each date. The shows will either have Royal And The Serpent and All Time Low, or Girlfriends and Simple Plan. The tour poster indicates which pairing will be at each date.
To break up the tour, Lavigne will also perform at several music festivals across Europe. Those include Rock For People, Novarock, Pinkpop, Tinderbox and Main Square Festival.
General sale for all dates go on sale Friday January 26 at 10 a.m. local venue time. Information for each specific date can be found on her website.
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End of an era: MatPat takes a step back from Game Theory
It’s not just a theory, gamers.
On January 9, the founder and host of The Game Theorists YouTube channel Matthew Patrick, better known as MatPat, posted a twenty-five-minute video titled “Goodbye Internet.” In the video, Patrick announced he will no longer be hosting the channel’s shows Game Theory, Style Theory, Food Theory and Film Theory as of March 9. He stated this was not an easy decision and struggled to keep tears from his eyes for “Goodbye Internet’s” runtime, as he’d founded the channel with his wife Stephanie Patrick (née Cordato) in 2011.
“If you think about it, this channel was Steph and my first child,” Patrick said. “Before we had Ollie, before we had Skip, CatPat, was this. This was our baby.”
A promo for Game Theory was posted on April 14, 2011. The first official theory, titled “Game Theory: Is Chrono Trigger’s Time Travel Accurate?” was posted on April 18, 2011. Patrick answers the inevitable question of why he’s leaving early into the video, first citing YouTuber Tom Scott’s farewell video “After ten years, it’s time to stop making videos” posted on January 1. He also stated he intends to spend more time with his family, spending much of gushing about his son Ollie. Patrick also admitted a more “selfish” reason for his decision, citing the desire to “end on a high note.”
“When you think about it, there’s really only two ways to step away from a YouTube channel,” Patrick stated. “You either decide the day you stop uploading and you’re like ‘I’m done’; or, you just keep uploading videos from now until the heat death of the universe and you watch as your relevance slowly dies or your passion slowly dies.”
Before he “whips and nae naes off into the distance” he will host nine more theory videos, culminating in his final video on March 9. These theories are intended to tie up loose ends, revisit “old favorites” and generally provide closure for fans before his final theory, which Patrick described as a “a going away celebration.”
While he is delegating hosting duties, he won’t be stepping away from The Game Theorists entirely. Patrick will remain part of GTA Live “for the foreseeable future” and announced his role as a host for an upcoming Style Theory fashion show. However, he stated his position will mostly shift to behind-the-scenes production work.
“I’m still gonna be alongside the creative directors talking about programming, brainstorming ideas for episodes,” Patrick said. “That’s awesome. I love that. I don’t want to give that up.”
In the section labeled “A New Challenger Appears,” Patrick further explained why he’s stepping away from hosting duties. Patrick currently hosts all four Theory sub-channels but has “always envisioned these channels as a place where we could spotlight all sorts of creators.” He intends to shine the spotlight on those who do behind-the-scenes work on his team. While he contributes to the script-writing process, Patrick admits most of the words he recites on recent Theory videos are not his own.
Patrick highlights co-writers as listed in the descriptions of various Theories. “I’m listed on every single one of them as the writer because I touch every single script,” he said. “I polish it into my voice, but in all honesty, the bulk of what I’m saying is coming from someone else. It’s their research, it’s their work. Why should they have to filter their creativity through my voice?”
After March 9, each of The Game Theorists‘ sub-channels will be hosted by their respective Creative Directors. Forrest Lee, an editor of the channel for ten years, will host Film Theory, Amy Roberts will host Style Theory, Santi Massa will host Food Theory and Tom Robinson will host Game Theory.
Patrick ended the video with tearful gratitude for everyone who has watched the channel’s videos for the past thirteen years.
”I love you guys,” he said. “I do. You’re not just numbers. You’re not just ad impressions. You’re not just merch sales. What you have done for me and, from everyone I’ve talked to, what I’ve done for you is special. It’s special.”
If you haven’t already, check out MatPat’s full farewell video below:
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