Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar has been awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music for last year’s studio album DAMN. The critically-acclaimed album was described the Pulitzer Prize as “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.” It’s the first hip-hop album to receive the award. Past recipients include Steve Reich, Julia Wolfe, and Zhou Long. In February, Lamar released his soundtrack for Black Panther. [ The Fader ]
Okkervil River has shared a new song that tells the story of a tracheotomy that project leader Will Sheff underwent when he was a toddler. The song is titled “Famous Tracheotomies” and aptly tells stories of famous people who had tracheotomies with precise details. Some of those famous people include the poet Dylan Thomas, ‘80s child star Gary Coleman, Motown singer Mary Wells, and Ray Davies of the Kinks. Sheff is releasing a new Okkervil River album called In the Rainbow Rain on April 27 via ATO. He’s previously shared the singles, “Don’t Move Back to LA” and “Pulled Up the Ribbon.” The band will be in Seattle on Monday, June 4 to play Neumos. [ Stereogum ]
Over the weekend, Jack White stopped by Saturday Night Live to perform material from his new solo album, Boarding House Reach. White played early singles “Over and Over and Over” and “Connected by Love.” For “Connected by Love” White played the song with the St. Vincent signature guitar that Annie Clark designed in collaboration with Ernie Ball (which had Clark appropriately freaking out on social media). White also showed up for a sketch where the musician ruins a wedding. Catch White at WaMu Theatre on Monday, August 13. [ Pitchfork ]
Janelle Monae is on the verge of releasing her third studio album, Dirty Computer. Every song that’s come off it so far has been fantastic. From “Django Jane” to “Make Me Feel” and the Grimes-featuring “Pynk,” the album is sure to be an instant classic. Today, Monae unveiled the fourth single, “I Like That” a warm R&B track about self-assuredness. Dirty Computer drops April 27 via Bad Boy. [ SPIN ]
Back in February, experimental electronic outfit Black Moth Super Rainbow announced that they were releasing a new album called Panic Blooms and shared the first single, “Mr. No One.” Today, they’ve unveiled the second single from the album titled “Backwash.” It comes with a strange and semi-gross video that follows a couple as they meet, fall in love, have a child, and then split. The song will be released on a limited edition 7-inch for Record Store Day on Saturday, April 21. The B-side will be a cover of the band's 2007 song "Drippy Eye" performed by Mike Watt and Flea. "Mr. No One" will also be released as a 7-inch single on Record Store Day, with the B-side being two collaborative tracks between Black Moth Super Rainbow frontman TOBACCO (aka Tom Fec) and Ariel Pink. Panic Blooms is out May 4 via Rad Cult. [ Under the Radar ]
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On Away, his eighth album with Okkervil River, Will Sheff winds back to the spacious sounds of his early records while visiting more mature topics of death, dissolution and rebirth. During his latest visit to KEXP, the Austin-based troubadour brings a full band to further enliven his new songs and …
The most anticipated performance of the weekend was also the most divisive, and as the biggest audience of the weekend walked away from the Gorge one last time, everyone had something to say about Kendrick Lamar's closing set. As the first show played since the release of his instant classic To Pim…
