Blondshell | photo by John Vettese
Plus, folk icon Peter Yarrow passes away and indie favorite Hamilton Leithauser has new music.
Welcome back to The Weekly Rewind, our regular rundown of the biggest music news stories out there. Here’s what caught our ear this week.
Stars of XPoNential Music Fest 2024, Blondshell announced their return with a new album for 2025 called If You Asked For A Picture. The lead single “T&A” is out now, you can hear it below; look for the full LP on May 2nd via Partisan Records. (Pre-order at Bandcamp)
In announcing the new Blondshell album this week, frontperson Sabrina Teitelbaum reflected on the wildfires that have torn through her hometown of Los Angeles. “The city I’ve lived in for ten years is burning and the scale of the loss is incomprehensible,” she writes. “In a way it feels dumb to talk about music, but I also think the whole point of art is for it to exist in the context of pain as a small emotional respite…even if just for one moment.” Teitelbaum shared links to ways to support the Los Angeles community in general, including Mutual Aid LA, an LA Fire Department Fundraiser, and Canine Rescue Club, a dog fostering organization. In addition, a number of artists were impacted directly: members of XPN favorites Dawes lost their homes (including lead singer Taylor Goldsmith, his wife Mandy Moore, and their family) and the band lost instruments and studio gear; indie pop artist Empress Of, rapper Fat Tony, and indie-psych outfit DIIV were also among those impacted. Brooklyn Vegan has a rundown of artist check-ins and GoFundMe links here; in addition, the Recording Academy and MusiCares have pledged $1 million to help musicians impacted by the fires. (Read more via Brooklyn Vegan and Pitchfork)
It may seem early in the year to start filling out your megafetival calendar, but spring will be here before you know it. Boston Calling in May features Luke Colmbs, Fall Out Boy, Dave Matthews Band, and Vampire Weekend. In June, Bonnaroo touches down in Tennessee with Olivia Rodrigo — the festival’s youngest-ever headliner at 21 — as well as Tyler, The Creator and Hozier. (Read more via Pitchfork and The Fader)
Peter Yarrow of 60s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary passed away this week at age 86. As an obituary in The Guardian stated, “With their fine harmony singing, polished stage performances and social and political commitment, they crossed over from the New York City folk revival in Greenwich Village to international pop music success.” (Read more via The Guardian)
Hamilton Leithauser announced a new album called This Side Of The Island, co-produced with his wife, Anna Stumpf, and the National’s Aaron Dessner. He describes the lead single “Knockin’ Heart” as a song “is sung by an estranged, stoned lover on their way home, who is dying to get a message through to someone who is probably not listening.” (Read more via Pitchfork.)
Music by the celebrated Pittsburgh rapper, who passed away in 2018, is being collected into his second posthumous album, Balloonerism, releasing January 17th. The music dates to 2013 and the recording of his breakout album Watching Movies With The Sound Off, and though many of the songs have leaked online, this is their first time seeing an official release. (Read more via The Fader)
