[Recap] Um, A Lot Of Music Just Dropped Out Nowhere Today

me trying to keep up with how many songs just keep falling out of the sky today 

lol remember when the RIAA was so proud of themselves 2 years ago because we all agreed on a global release day and we went from #NewMusicTuesday to #NewMusicFriday worldwide? 

lol lol lol #tbt to that cute idea according to Foster The People, Phoenix, HAIM, and Fall Out Boy. 

In an attempt to make your life easier so you don't feel as frantic as I do right now, here is a recap of what just the fuck dropped: 

Foster The People - III

Well this was a nice surprise! Earlier today Foster the People released 3 new tracks globally before bundling them as a cutie lil EP called III. Apparently these are off an upcoming 3rd album that's going to be dropped this summer. No other info there, but they did unveil some tour dates which you can check over on their website because I'm tryna make this update quick and dirty and don't feel like copying and pasting. 

Phoenix - "J-Boy" 

Another album announcement! Another solid jam! Phoenix just unveiled their lead single, "J-Boy" off their forthcoming album, Ti Amo, which will drop on June 9th. This is glittery and summery af, but not quite punchy enough for the coveted title of Song Of The Summer. I will still be drinking in the sunshine to this regardless. 

HAIM - "Right Now" 

If you have been waiting 4 long years for new HAIM music then you best stop everything and peep this video RIGHT NOW. This comes from their just announce upcoming album, Something To Tell You, which drops on July 7th. 

Fall Out Boy - "Young And Menace"

So here is a Fall Out Boy song that I believe would be better suited as a Patrick Stump song than a Fall Out Boy song but it is still pretty dang good. The track follows yet ANOTHER album announcement. You ready for this name, y'all??

It's called

M A  N   I    A

Yes, spaces and all. I don't know either. Bless these dudes. But yeah the record drops on September 15th, so we have plenty of time to get this fucking spelling right. That all said, props to the guys for the video, which features a glimpse into a fictionalized characters somewhat-hard-to-watch home life that tries to escape a home riddled with domestic violence. 

SZA - "Love Galore (feat. Travis Scott)"

LAST ONE (I think?)! SZA also after keeping her fans anxiously waiting for music from her upcoming album CTRL has finally dropped another morsel today for everyone to savor, "Love Galore" featuring Travis Scott. It's been said that CTRL will be the next project released on TDE but other than that there's  not much else we know. 

AM I MISSING ANYTHING ELSE FROM TODAY? Jfc. 

Golden Days: Remembering Loved Ones Through Music Even After They're Gone

Growing up I had a friend named Clint. He was the drummer for a hardcore band in Central Florida (which is where I grew up). He was my first "musician friend" and one of my favorite people to share music with on the planet. We weren't the kind of best friends that hung out incessantly, but when we spent time together at shows or playing music for each other it was like it had been mere minutes not months since we last saw each other. As #teens living in a state notorious for its plethora of retirees, we were huge fans of all things Fueled By Ramen because it felt like there was a glimmer of hope that Florida wouldn't suck forever. People used to tease him a lot that he looked a lot like Patrick Stump, singer of Fall Out Boy, which as a huge fan of Take This To Your Grave at the time he wore as a badge of honor. 

Clint and I stayed in touch after I headed to Nashville for college, reuniting during holiday breaks to share the records we had discovered while we were apart. Just before I headed home for Christmas in 2005, he excitedly called me to play, "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage", from Panic! At The Disco's debut album, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out. Just like him, I was hooked within seconds. I made sure to grab the record before I headed south so that when we hung out we could sing along to the record together driving around - a thing we always did. 

Even after I moved to New York in 2006. Our ritual stayed the same. Any time I was in town we hung out and played music for each other. In 2007, homegrown label Fueled By Ramen became an imprint label of Warner Music Group and yours truly was called in as a temp executive assistant to help them set up their New York offices. That Christmas I came home with the latest FBR releases to give him, including the deluxe box set version of AFYCSO. We continued to keep in touch despite going back to Florida less and less, checking in when a band we both loved released new material to share our critiques of it. Most of the time it was us gushing to each other about our favorite songs on the records. 

A photo posted by [stephanie] kibbe (@heylookitskibbe) on Jul 9, 2012 at 10:11am PDT

Clint and I, circa October 2007

In the fall of 2009, Clint very abruptly passed away. It was a very sudden thing that literally no one could have seen coming. He was my first close friend to die, so it hit me incredibly hard. I was so upset that I had to leave work early and could barely walk to the subway to go home. I wasn't able to attend his funeral, so I mourned in the most fitting way - by listening to the music we shared with each other: hand crafted mixes I made him and vice versa, records that I knew were his favorite, anything I could get my hands on. 

Despite it being almost 7 years since Clint's been gone, my habitual desire to talk to him about records from artists we both loved hasn't gone away. About a month after his passing, Paramore released their third studio album, Brand New Eyes. That first time I felt the kneejerk reaction to text/call him but couldn't was hard, but it has gotten easier to acknowledge as a beautiful learned behavior that I hope I have somewhat successfully both demonstrated and inspired in others. Memorizing and publicly lauding an album is a wonderful thing, but the level of intimacy that comes from very intentionally sharing music with someone is something that no algorithm can reproduce (not yet anyway). 

This past New Music Friday, PATD released their 5th studio album, Death Of A Bachelor. Of all the FBR artists that have released albums since he passed, I'm always the most anxious to hear their albums immediately. I think it was because of that eager phone call in 2005. Either way, the trail of singles leading to DOAB's release had me anxious to feast my ears on it. It's been fun to watch this band evolve over the years. Singer Brendon Urie's voice continues to blow my mind just as much as it did with that first taste in '05, if not more. I'd like to think that Clint would share this sentiment. 

Like I have with all of their previous records, I've carefully poured over every word and note, taking a mental inventory of sorts of what I think Clint would appreciate. I'm fairly certain that this would have been his favorite of the ones that have been released since his passing. It's been an equally difficult and exciting few days binge listening to the record, especially with all of the recent deaths that the music community is still recovering from. Even still, I hear songs like, "Victorious" and can practically see him air drumming in his red pickup truck with carefully chosen band stickers. I think of how we'd laugh at the absurdity of our attempts to falsetto as well as Urie during, "Emperor's New Clothes", "Death Of A Bachelor", or "Hallelujah". 

At the time of publishing this, I'm still unable to get through the entire record without crying a little bit because I know he would have appreciated this record as much as I do. This usually happens during, "Golden Days", which appropriately enough features a line that Urie's voice soothingly reassures that, "time can never break your heart but it can take the pain away", which to an extent it has been the case of missing one of my favorite music comrades. That said, knowing that even after someone is gone that it's possible to still feel connected to them through music both old and new is something that will always be priceless to me. 

Death Of A Bachelor is in stores worldwide. Panic! At The Disco is heading out on tour with Weezer this summer. You can head here for dates. 

[Watch] Fall Out Boy - "Young Volcanoes" (NSFW Video)

Following on from where their video for "The Phoenix" left off, Fall Out Boy's track "Young Volcanoes" sees the blindfolded band members reunited after their kidnapping in the previous clip. I honestly don't fully understand the plot of the two videos but I've got to admit after giving the album a few listens, Patrick and co still know how to make a damn catchy hook. The video sees the band smoking and snorting brightly coloured 'drugs' along with flashes of boobs towards the end. You could say it's not safe for work. I say, stick it to your boss and watch it in full screen.

Save Rock & Roll is out now.

[Watch] Fall Out Boy - "The Phoenix" (Official Video)

At the start of February Fall Out Boy returned from the depths of a hiatus out of nowhere with a new track titled, "My Soungs Know What You Did In The Dark". They've now unveiled another video along with a new track called "The Phoenix". It's fair to say their sound has changed dramatically over the years and the modern music tastes of the masses are trying to be pleased with the new record, Save Rock & Roll. Calling an album that straight away makes me kind of not want to listen to it. Yet the 15 year old pop-punk loving kid in me still trying to break free and I'll no doubt give it a try. How do you feel about their comeback and new songs? Catchy as hell, I'll give 'em that.

Save Rock & Roll is due out April 16th.
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[Watch] Fall Out Boy - "My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark" Live on Kimmel

After returning to the world last week (almost) completely out of the blue, Fall Out Boy last night returned to the late night TV circuit with a performance of their new track "My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark". Donned head to tow in UV skeleton outfits, complete with Patrick's trademark hat, the band performed the track with the energy they used to be renowned for. I wasn't completely sold on this track when I first heard it, me and Mark have talked about it a fair bit this past week and it's definitely a grower. It seems that the band is as tight as ever in a live situation but see if you agree up at the top. 

The band is also set to return with an album titled Save Rock And Roll is now coming out on April 15th rather than the previously announced May 6th.

[News] Biffy Clyro, System of a Down, Foals and Fall Out Boy Announced for Reading and Leeds Festival

Well isn't this a turn up for the books. Following them scoring their first ever number one album this past weekend with, Opposites, Biffy Clyro have just been announced as the second headliner this year at Reading and Leeds festival set to take part over the bank holiday weekend in August. Eminem has previously been announced to be headlining with Deftones, Boy Better Know, Alt-J and Subfocus also already being announced.

Along with the headliner slot beign announced, System of a Down, Foals, Bring Me The Horizon have been added to the slot. Last time SOAD played Leeds festival, the crowd went so nuts the barrier at the front collapsed. The bar is set pretty high, and I'll expect it to be just as crazy in the pits this time around some 8 years after their last set at the festival. Following the news of Fall Out Boy's return yesterday they too have been added to the weekend. Hundreds of more bands are yet to be added to the weekend including one more headliner of the main stage. We'll update you once they're announced.

For more info and to purchase tickets head over to the Reading/Leeds official site.

[Watch] Fall Out Boy - "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)"

So, yeah, Fall Out Boy are back. After a lot of hype these past few weeks regarding what the hell was happening with them it's official. Their three year haitus is over. Back when I was a bit younger, with the old long fringe and tight tees I used to love these guys. I'm not sure where I stand with my feelings and them as a band now, but I know that if I have enough beers in me I'm gonna sing my guts out to some Take This To Your Grave tracks in the club.

The new song is titled "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)" and it's a little different from what you might of expected. More info about the bands return can be found on their website here. Regarding the 'reunion' they say:

when we were kids the only thing that got us through most days was music. its why we started fall out boy in the first place. this isn't a reunion because we never broke up. we needed to plug back in and make some music that matters to us.

the future of fall out boy starts now.

A new album is coming too. Titled Save Rock And Roll. Read into that what you will. Mark your calendars kids, FOB are back and new music arrives May 6th & 7th worldwide. Super eager? Pre-order it here. How do you feel about this? Let us know below.

[Listen] Patrick Stump - "This City" Feat. Lupe Fiasco

We gotta another Rock (or in this case former Rock gone Pop) x Hip Hop crossover. Peep the Chicago homaging tune from the former Fall Out Boy frontman, Patrick Stump's long awaited solo album Soul Punk titled "This City" featuring fellow Chicago musician, rapper Lupe Fiasco. FOB fans may be a tad disappointed as Stump has strayed far away from his emo rock band roots into a pop singer/songwriter. Take a listen to the new tune below and also catch Stump's previous track "Explode" here.