Monday Music News

If you missed it, yesterday the only music news anyone was talking about was the new Childish Gambino video for “This Is America.” The disturbing, politically-charged video was released right after Donald Glover’s episode of Saturday Night Live, in which he both hosted and served as the musical guest. During the music portion, Glover debuted two new Childish Gambino songs, “Saturday” and “This Is America.” The video is directed by Hiro Murai, who directs Glover’s FX show Atlanta and makes an incredibly strong statement about gun violence, with Glover shooting a masked man as well as a whole choir. The track features ad libs from fellow Atlanta natives Young Thug, 21 Savage and Migos' Quavo as well as Rae Sremmurd's Slxm Jimmy and BlocBoy JB. The new songs are the first we’ve heard from Childish Gambino since 2016’s acclaimed and Grammy-nominated Awaken, My Love!. [ Pitchfork ] 

Ty Segall has announced a solo acoustic tour to take place this fall around the US. Former Lambchop and Silver Jews member William Tyler will join him for his east coast dates, while Segall’s Freedom Band-mate Emmett Kelly will open for a couple of the southern dates. The press release describes the tour as such: "Ty Segall's Goblin Phase One North American tour is just about over. Whoa. EPIC. Now that he and the Freedom Band have knocked the rust off cages all around the country, it must be time to get alone, right? Yeah man! For a couple weeks - then the European tour. So, alone time later in June, then? Sure, for a little minute. But then it's time for the BEST kind of alone time - a solo acoustic tour. Just Ty, the guitar - and you. Sounds intimate, huh? Well, ol' kid can work up a storm even with only six semi-unplugged strings at his disposal. Extra excitement will be churned by Ty doing all sorts of songs he doesn't usually play. It's gonna be great! Acoustically speaking, we can't wait. Ty Segall goes acoustic! Coming in October." Segall makes a stop in Seattle on Saturday, October 27 to play Neumos. [ Under the Radar ]

Courtney Barnett is releasing her sophomore solo album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, in a week and a half. Over the weekend, she stopped by Live From Here (the new title of the formerly known NPR show, A Prairie Home Companion) to play four songs off the new album. Three of those, “City Looks Pretty, “Nameless, Faceless”, and “Need A Little Time” have been previously shared online. “Sunday Roast” is the album’s closing track and has only been available so far as the B-side of the “City Looks Pretty” Record Store Day single. Tell Me How You Really Feel is out May 18 via Mom + Pop/Marathon/Milk! Records. Catch Courtney Barnett on Monday, October 8 at the Paramount Theatre. [ Consequence of Sound ]

Los Angeles psych-rock band Wand have shared the third single off their forthcoming EP, Perfume. “Pure Romance” follows the title track and “The Gift.” The dreamy song loses some of the band’s psychedelic edge, as one does when they fall in love. Perfume is out May 25 via Drag City and follows last year’s EP, Plum. “Pure Romance” comes with a pretty video directed by frontman Cory Hanson. [ Stereogum ]