Today, New York electronic duo The Knocks and UK duo Dolores Forever release their collaboration “LOVER”, celebrating Pride and general self-love and empowerment. Listen to “LOVER”: There’s a new horizon I’ll be riding up without you…”

Dolores Forever explain: “Lover is really an expression of confidence, for when you’re done crying on the dancefloor and just want to have a great time. We wanted it to sound as if Fleetwood Mac and glitter had a baby, and The Knocks really brought that. We’re so excited to be releasing this song together – hope it’s a soundtrack to someone’s summer of fun.“ 

The Knocks add: “We are fans of Dolores Forever and have loved their vibe for a while now. As with lots of The Knocks collaborations, we try to bring alternative-leaning artists into a different space and we were thrilled that they were down to experiment with us.  We are so happy with how the song turned out and think it’s the perfect blend of both of our sounds. We hope the warm, retro feel is the soundtrack to all of our fans’ summers.”

About The Knocks:

The prolific GRAMMY-nominated and multi-platinum selling NYC dance music luminaries deliver a carefree electronic sound that draws from disco, house, hip hop, soul, indie, and pop. 

Comprised of James Patterson and Ben Ruttner, the duo produce a dizzying array of danceable, New York inspired music, bringing their DJ sets and live electronic performances around the world alongside industry heavyweights including The 1975, Ellie Goulding, and Justin Bieber, among others. 

With more than 2 billion streams across platforms, The Knocks have released 3 full length albums, 5 EP’s, and performed their hit singles on US late night TV shows including Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers.  Known for their collaborative prowess, the guys have worked with artists across the musical spectrum, ranging from indie [Foster The People, MGMT, MUNA], hiphop [Cam’ron, Wyclef, Method Man], dance [Purple Disco Machine, ODESZA, SOFI TUKKER], and pop [Billie Eilish, Carly Rae Jepsen, Charli XCX]. 

About Dolores Forever:

When alt-pop duo Dolores Forever perform their 2024 single ‘Someday Best’, a spirited anthem about living your best, carefree life, their fans go wild for one lyric in particular: “Shut up and eat the pasta!” Now emblazoned across Dolores Forever T-Shirts, it’s a line that perfectly captures the infectiously playful, unapologetic feminist energy at the heart of the London-based band, made up of songwriters Hannah Wilson and Julia Fabrin, who met at a house party in 2018 and instantly became friends.

This friendship has underpinned the band’s whirlwind rise since releasing their first single, Kilimanjaro, in 2021. In 2022 they released two back-to-back EPs (Baby Teeth and Conversations With Strangers), and, despite having played just three live shows, were invited to perform at Glastonbury. By 2023 Rolling Stone UK and NME had marked them as ‘ones to watch’, they sold out their first headline show at Omeara and released a third EP, I Love You But You’re Making Me Sad.

Now, they’re ready to release their hotly anticipated debut album, It’s Nothing on September 27th.

The Knocks live:

July

Sat 13th Montauk, NY, Summer Series

Fri 19th Washington, DC, Culture

Sat 20th Chicago, IL, Volleywood 2024

August

Sat 24 New York, NY, Rockefeller Center

September

Tue 3rd Queenstown, New Zealand, Snow Machine Festival 2024

Dolores Forever live:

July

Thu 4th Barcelona, ES, Vida Festival

Thu 18th Swansea, UK, Singleton Park (w/ James Arthur)

August

Fri 2nd Derby, UK, Y Not Festival

Sat 3rd Barnsley, UK, Underneath The Stars

Sun 4th Oxfordshire, UK, Wilderness Festival

September

Wed 18th Hamburg, GER, Reeperbahn Festival

Sun 22nd Cologne, GER, Yard Club

Mon 23rd Berlin, GER, Kantine am Berghain

The Knocks

WEBSITE / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER

Dolores Forever

WEBSITE / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER

Ray LaMontagne – the celebrated Grammy award winning singer-songwriter – today unveils a new single, “Long Way Home” listen here. 

The track, releasing via the highly independent artist’s newly created label Liula Records, is the second taken from LaMontagne’s forthcoming, highly anticipated studio album, Long Way Home, out August 16 – preorder the album here. 

“Long Way Home”, the album’s title track, is a somber, bittersweet rumination on times past. LaMontagne sings, “Summertime, summertime / Said goodbye at the garden wall /  From the house I can hear my momma callin’ /  Winter come to us all my friend / Just as every childhood has an end,” as flashes of warm memories float by. 

The previous single, “Step Into Your Power”, released early this month and is the fastest moving track of LaMontagne’s in the last ten years. Accompanied by a stop-motion music video animated by his son Tobias, the foot-tapping, nostalgia laden track features choral backing vocals from The Secret Sisters and was praised by Atwood as “a gosh darned groove […] easygoing and uplifting, yet smooth and relaxing.” 

The core of Long Way Home reverberates deep into LaMontagne’s youth – at 21-years-old, in a small club in Minneapolis, he recalls seeing Townes Van Zandt perform live. A line from “To Live Is To Fly” has stuck with him ever since; Van Zandt sang, “When here you been is good an gone, all you keep is the getting there.” 

LaMontagne reflects, “Thirty years later it occurs to me that every song on Long Way Home is in one way or another honoring the journey. The languorous days of youth and innocence. The countless battles of adulthood, some won, more often lost. It’s been a long hard road, and I wouldn’t change a minute. It took me nine songs to express what Townes managed to say in one line. I guess I still got a lot to learn.”

LaMontagne has spent the past two decades carving a singular space for himself in modern music. In a career that has seen overflowing critical acclaim, he’s opted out of the spotlight and its accompanying celebrity in the remote hills of Western Massachusetts. The New York Times accounts, “Visiting Ray LaMontagne is like going back to another century.” His distinctive voice, described by Rolling Stone as an “impeccably weathered tenor croon”, continues to serve as a conduit for era-defining melodies and songwriting. Across eight studio albums, LaMontagne has let his songs and story speak for themselves, ringing a deep chord in the American subconscious. As has come to be expected through his extensive and awarded discography, LaMontagne delivers yet again on record nine with a cohesive, impressive effort.

Produced in tandem with Seth Kauffman (Floating Action, Angel Olsen, Lana Del Ray), Long Way Home’s nine moving tracks recall the folk-rock explosion of the early seventies, while aptly sitting among the modern Americana revival that LaMontagne was integral in fueling. Recorded over the course of a few weeks in his home studio, LaMontagne tapped both long-time and new collaborators across the record – The Secret Sisters provide backing vocals on the first three tracks, while the album was engineered and mixed by the team of LaMontagne, Kauffman, and Ariel Bernstein. 

The album artwork furthers that LaMontagne is cracking the window open to his audience: the piece, a woodblock print by artist Barbara S. Beck, hangs above LaMontagne’s desk where he’s written most of his albums. Long Way Home is LaMontagne’s first full-length effort since 2020’s MONOVISION, a stripped back solo-recording heralded by American Songwriter as “soothing, but never clichéd warmth in retro-style.”

Acclaimed folk singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne has released eight studio albums since his 2004 debut, Trouble, which is certified RIAA Platinum. 2006’s Till the Sun Turns Black and 2008’s Gossip in the Grain saw RIAA Gold certifications. LaMontagne received two Grammy nominations and won the award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise. In 2010 he began recording as Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs. For his debut album, LaMontagne won four awards, including three Boston Music Awards (Best Male Singer/Songwriter, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year) and an XM Nation Music Award for Acoustic Rock Artist of the Year. LaMontagne has received a nomination from the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards for Best New Touring Artist, the BRIT Awards for International Breakthrough Act, the MOJO Awards for Best New Act, and was given the title of Best Voice in 2006 by Esquire. 

www.raylamontagne.com

Ahead of her debut performance at Glastonbury this weekend, Elles Bailey has released new single ‘Ballad Of A Broken Dream,’ the latest single from her forthcoming album Beneath The Neon Glow, which comes August 9th on Cooking Vinyl Records.

A punchy, rock’n blues baller,‘Ballad Of A Broken Dream’ looks at the struggles of being a musician. “There is no denying the link between musicians and mental health and the toil that this chosen path can take on a creative,” Elles says of the single. “The track follows the story of a tortured artist who, though undeniably exceedingly talented, has ended his career playing dive bars where no one knows his name. This song is a very personal song to me however tragically it’s the story of so many incredible talents who struggle with their mental health.” Listen to ‘Ballad Of A Broken Dream’ HERE & watch the lyric video HERE.

Beneath The Neon Glow sees Elles intertwine British roots, Americana and blues across ten powerfully, uplifting tracks. Produced by Dan Weller (Enter Shikari) and recorded with Elles’ exceptional and trusted live band, the album is an exploration of love’s myriad forms. Through lyrically vulnerable and brutally honest songwriting, Elles delves into the depths of heartbreak, the resilience of friendship, and the enduring power of love that spans a lifetime. From the fleeting moments to the love that withstands the test of time, she fearlessly navigates through the spectrum of human emotion, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into her journey.

“I might be new to some people, but I have been around for quite a long while. I’m not here for a flash-in-the-pan moment. I want a long-term career in music. I love what I do. I love that I get to take it around the world. So if I can continue to do that, and just play to larger audiences and continue to grow, that’s exactly what I’ll do.”

Elles and her A list band will be taking her new album on the road for a run of dates in the Autumn of 2024, including a show at London’s Islington Assembly Hall on November 2nd. With a jam packed festival season in the UK and Europe over the summer, playing the likes of Glastonbury, Cropredy, HebCelt, and Beautiful Days, Elles has also just announced a UK In-Store tour to celebrate the album’s release in August. Tickets on sale HERE.

AUGUST IN-STORE SHOWS:

Sat 10th OXFORD, Truck

Sat 10th MARLBOROUGH, Sound Knowledge

Sun 11th BIRMINGHAM, HMV Vault

Sun 1th LEAMINGTON SPA, Temperance

Mon 12th MANCHESTER, HMV

Mon 12th LIVERPOOL, Jacaranda

Tue 13th LEEDS, Vinyl Whistle

Wed 14th BRIGHTON, Resident

Thu 15th BRISTOL, Rough Trade

SEPTEMBER

Wed 25th LINCOLN, The Drill

Thu 26th NORWICH, Waterfront

Fri 27th CAMBRIDGE, Cambridge Junction

Sat 28th OXFORD, O2 Academy 2

OCTOBER

Fri 11th CARLISLE, Carlisle Blues Festival

Sat 12th GLOUCESTER, Gloucester Guildhall

Thu 24th EXETER, Exeter Phoenix

Sat 26th BRISTOL, SWX

NOVEMBER

Sat 2nd LONDON, Islington Assembly Hall

Sun 3rd SOUTHAMPTON, Engine Rooms

Thu 14th SUNDERLAND, The Fire Station

Fri 15th EDINBURGH, Cabaret Voltaire

Sat 16th GLASGOW, Oran Mor

Sun 17th CHESTER, The Live Rooms

Sat 30th WOLVERHAMPTON, KK’s Steel Mill

DECEMBER

Sun 1st LEEDS, Brudenell Social Club

With a top 50 album, achieved independently, an ever growing and adoring fanbase, as well as countless awards and a weekly radio show on Planet Rock already under her belt, Elles is ready to take things to the next step and there’s no better album for her to take that journey with. 

https://www.ellesbailey.com/ 

“Surf-rock riffs, oddball humor, and warped Americana storytelling define the Austin band”  — Pitchfork

“Through great wordplay, delicious vocalizations and a gonzo theatricality, Being Dead are one of the coolest and freakiest acts around.” — Paste

“One of the most chaotic trios in Texas.”  — The Line Of Best Fit

Following a raucous run of UK dates last month, including London’s Wide Awake Festival, Being Dead — the Austin, TX-based duo consisting of Falcon Bitch and Shmoofy — announces its new album, EELS, out September 27th on Bayonet. Alongside the announcement comes lead single ‘Firefighters,’ and an autumn US headline run. 

The album’s first taste, ‘Firefighters,’ is a pummeling, distorted garage rock ripper, accompanied by a URZULKA directed video, which “came together through a group hallucination.” The band says of the track, “we love marbles and outdoor play and decided to get it on video for y’all. Making this was like creating an intricate handshake with all your buddies—riddled with inside jokes and giggles.”  Watch the video for ‘Firefighters’ HERE & listen HERE. 

Being Dead’s records are mosaics, technicolor incantations, each song its own self-contained little universe. And while the dreamlike EELS probes further into the depths of the duo Being Dead’s psyche, it is, most importantly, a 16-track record that is genuinely unpredictable from one track to the next. It’s a joyous and unexpected trip helmed by two true-blue freak bitch besties holed up in a lil’ house in the heart of Austin, Texas. 

When Horses Would Run, Being Dead’s “glorious and timeless” (Gorilla vs. Bear) debut record released in 2023, took years to release. The final product was excellent and expertly polished, at odds with the live rowdiness they’d cultivated a reputation for throughout Austin and beyond across seven years of being a band. For the next one, they knew they’d have to do things differently. They decamped to Los Angeles for two weeks to record with GRAMMY-winning producer John Congleton, writing songs for the record until days before they left. The radical shift in process was welcome – a good balance and a challenge, Congleton helping them find new ways to work and helping peel back the layers on the core of their songwriting. Being Dead has grown from a duo to a trio live, including bassist Nicole Roman-Johnston, who also co-wrote songs with the band for the record.

The resulting EELS is a darker record, tapped more into the devilishness within. It’s a more raucous, rougher ride sonically. There’s heartbreak, excitement, enchantment, dancing – we move through it all at a high-octane pace. Falcon Bitch and Smoofy never want to do the same thing twice on any song, and they don’t. 

There are a number of different origin stories for Being Dead floating around on the internet, most of which are immortalized in various press pieces they’ve done across the last seven years of being a band, and there will likely be more. Falcon Bitch and Smoofy deliver each story with a wink, inviting you in on the joke. Maybe they were actually born from a giant egg left in a meteoric crater, or they’re undercover on earth from an alien universe. Something about their music suggests it’s a dispatch from both the future and the past – vocal harmonies that sound like they’re reverberating in a medieval church to surfy guitar lines, weirdo-punky cacophonies erupting into chaos. There’s the sense that these are two people who are strangers to all that is banal – there is always fun to be had, a little mischievous magic waiting around the corner, if you know how to find or make it.

EELS Tracklist

1. Godzilla Rises
2. Van Goes
3. Blanket of my Bone
4. Problems
5. Firefighters
6. Dragons II
7. Nightvision
8. Gazing At Footwear
9. Big Bovine
10. Storybook Bay
11. Ballerina
12. Rock n’ Roll Hurts
13. Love Machine
14. I Was A Tunnel
15. Goodnight
16. Lilypad Lane

Being Dead Online

Instagram | Bandcamp | Bayonet Records

Massive Summer Headline Shows!
Leicester, Victoria Park – July 6th

Headlining Latitude Festival – July 26th
+ Album Shows: O2 Academy Edinburgh – July 3rd, O2 Academy Bristol – July 22^nd and O2 Academy Bournemouth – July 23rd.

Kasabian today release a timeless heartbreaker in the highly addictive new single ‘Darkest Lullaby’. The new track comes ahead of the release of their new album Happenings – out July 5th – as well as two HUGE summer shows which will see the band headline both Latitude Festival and perform a riotous hometown show at Leicester’s Victoria Park.

Continuing the band’s riotous creative joy and instinctive live energy, ‘Darkest Lullaby’ captures the emotions of a story of heartbreak between two crazed lovers. Directed by director duo Bedroom (The 1975, Arlo Parks), the video pays homage to the unique movie trailers of the grind-house B movies of the 70s and stars the band as lead characters in their own film. Watch the video HERE & listen HERE.

On the video, Serge explained “Darkest Lullaby is based on a long-lost film from the 1970s – the music video is the trailer for this fictional film that was never made. It was shot and made by a rag tag bunch of artists having the time of their lives”

The Directors added – “Imagine stumbling across the abandoned film reels of a long-forgotten movie that never reached completion”. “Those reels feature a jaded private detective’s descent into the depths of a dangerous assignment swimming with blood thirsty mob goons, psychoactive torture and all the inglorious hazards of the grindhouse/b-movie legacy. This was the concept behind the music video, one that couldn’t be possible without the enthusiasm of the band who threw themselves effortlessly into their roles!”

Co-produced by Serge and Mark Ralph (Zara Larsson, Clean Bandit, Rudimental), the follow up to 2022’s #1 album The Alchemist’s Euphoria, Happenings is 10 quick, sharp, visceral doses of fresh heavy hitters, drawing inspiration from the anything-goes art performance late-1950s. Veering between the dance floor to the mosh pit, tracks over three minutes were outlawed (well nearly), and with those 10 tracks clocking up to 26 minutes (“A minute shorter than the Ramones debut”), Happenings is not only an album that never overstays its welcome, but leaves listeners craving more.

Tickets for Kasabian’s headline show are on sale HERE.

Kasabian are: Serge Pizzorno, bassist Chris Edwards, drummer Ian Matthews
and guitarist Tim Carter

One of the UK’s most exciting up and coming artists, Ashaine White, has announced her brilliant new single ‘White Flag’. Released on 5dB Records, the track is the first taste of what is to come from one of the most promising rising artists around. Listen to ‘White Flag’ HERE. 

Hauntingly beautiful, ‘White Flag’ is a luscious track that dances between an intimate delicateness and pure visceral rawness. An unflinching confessional about surrendering to a love that’s doomed, Ashaine said of the track “It’s about the relationships that you look at and wonder why both parties are still involved, and how long it’s taking to come to that realisation. Surrendering to the idea that it’s a sinking ship instead of pretending there’s still something to fight for”.

Already nominated for an Ivors Academy Rising Star award, the London born musician has quickly become a sought-after artist, receiving support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, 1 Xtra, BBC Introducing London, BBC Radio 6, Soho Radio, Reprezent Radio, and Voices Radio. Having already played at the likes of The Roundhouse, Jazz Café, Lafayette and Ronnie Scotts, her captivating live performances have garnered her a loyal and ever growing following.

Following a sold-out date at Paper Dress Vintage earlier this year, Ashaine will join Corinne Bailey Rae as support at her Somerset House show in London on Sunday July 14th. 

A unique sound and unwavering dedication to her craft promise to make Ashaine a force to be reckoned with in the music world. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for one of the brightest new artists around. 

https://ashainewhite.com/ 

After announcing an exciting 20-track greatest hits album and huge UK tour across Oct/Nov/Dec, Lightning Seeds today, as the Three Lions embark on their Euro 2024 campaign, share details of a collection of special vinyl reissues for their sensational studio albums Cloudcuckooland, Sense, Dizzy Heights, and Tilt.

Cloudcuckooland & Sense will be released August 9th, whilst Dizzy Heights & Tilt will arrive on September 6th. Pre order everything here.

Best known for their hits ‘Pure’, ‘Life of Riley’, ‘Lucky You’ and the unofficial England football anthem ‘Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home)’, 2024 marks 35 years since frontman Ian Broudie first began as Lightning Seeds.

“I’m really happy that we’re reissuing these albums on vinyl during the week that, 35 years ago, Pure was released”, says Ian. “We’re really excited to play these songs on the 35th anniversary tour later this year.”

CLOUDCUCKOOLAND
Cloudcuckooland is the band’s debut album. Originally released in 1990, it features their hit single ‘Pure’, which entered the top 40 in the United States.

Available on vinyl for the first time in decades, in both Black and Transparent Yellow, it also includes the bonus track ‘God Help Them’ which was not included on the original LP release.

1. All I Want
2. Bound in a Nutshell
3. Pure
4. Sweet Dreams
5. The Nearly Man
6. Joy
7. Love Explosion
8. Don’t Let Go
9. Control the Flame
10. The Price
11. God Help Them

SENSE
Sense was the band’s second studio record, originally released in 1992. Produced by Ian Broudie and Simon Rodgers, the album features hits ‘Sense’, co-written with long time writing partner Terry Hall and ‘Flaming Sword’, co-written with Paul Simpson. The album also features ‘Life of Riley’, which featured as the Match Of The Day theme that year.

It comes available as both Black and Blue Vinyl.

1. Sense
2. The Life of Riley
3. Blowing Bubbles
4. A Cool Place
5. Where Flowers Fade
6. A Small Slice of Heaven
7. Tingle Tangle
8. Happy
9. Marooned
10. Thinking Up, Looking Down

DIZZY HEIGHTS
Dizzy Heights is the fourth studio album by Lightning Seeds, released in 1996, which reached No. 11 in the UK Albums Chart. Recorded at Eel Pie Island the album includes singles What If…, and Sugar-Coated Iceberg and features co-writes with Terry Hall, Stephen Jones and Nicky Wire as well as a cover of The Byrds ‘You Showed Me’.

Available for the very first time on vinyl, on both black Curacao Blue vinyl.

1. Imaginary Friends
2. You Bet Your Life
3. Waiting for Today to Happen
4. What If…
5. Sugar Coated Iceberg
6. Touch and Go
7. Like You Do
8. Wishaway
9. Fingers and Thumbs
10. You Showed Me
11. Ready or Not
12. Fishes on the Line

TILT
1999’s Tilt was the band’s fifth album, featuring co-writes with Terry Hall, Stephen Jones and Mike Pickering and was produced by Simon Rogers with ‘Get It Right’ produced by Tim Simenon.  The album saw the band incorporate a more electronic sound and is home to the singles ‘Life’s Too Short’ and ‘Sweetest Soul Sensations’.

It comes available as both Black and Orange Vinyl.

1. Life’s Too Short
2. Sweetest Soul Sensations
3. If Only
4. City Bright Stars
5. I Wish I Was in Love
6. Happy Satellite
7. Get It Right
8. Cigarettes & Lies
9. Crowdpleaser
10. Tales of the Riverbank
11. Pussyfoot: Reprise
12. All the Things

The band will also release a lovingly put together 20 track greatest hits album ‘Tomorrow’s Here Today: 35 Years of Lightning Seeds’, on October 4th as well as take on a massive 17 date UK tour, kicking off November 8th  in Sheffield and finishing December 14th in Wolverhampton. Tickets go on sale HERE.

Lightning Seeds play the following dates:

November

Fri 8th              ​Sheffield, Leadmill

Sat 9th            ​Norwich, Waterfront

Wed 13^th        Scarborough Spa

Thu 14th​         Nottingham, Rock City

Fri 15th            Cardiff, Tramshed

Thu 21st​          Bristol, O2 Academy

Fri 22nd​          Oxford, O2 Academy SOLD OUT

Sat 23rd          Bexhill, De La Warr Pavilion

Thu 28th​         Newcastle, Boiler Shop SOLD OUT

Fri 29th​            Glasgow, Garage SOLD OUT

Sat 30th​          Dublin, Academy

December

Sun 1st            Belfast, Limelight

Wed 4^th          Hull Welly

Thu 5th​           Manchester, Albert Hall SOLD OUT

Fri 6th              Leeds, Beckett Students’ Union

Sat 7th​            Liverpool, Olympia

Thu 12th​         Cambridge, Junction

Fri 13th            London, O2 Forum Kentish Town

Sat 14th          Wolverhampton, The Wulfrun at The Halls

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

Having played every continent in the physical world, Metallica sets its sights on new frontiers with events across Fortnite this month.

Metallica becomes the first band to take centre stage across all Fortnite experiences, with Metallica-themed gameplay coming to Fortnite Festival, Battle Royale, LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing and more starting tomorrow, June 13. Plus, as part of an all new music experience inside of Fortnite, Metallica: Fuel. Fire. Fury. will bring a series of in-game concert performances to players only on June 22 and June 23.

Completely customised and built from the ground up using Unreal Editor for Fortnite by technology studio Magnopus, Metallica: Fuel. Fire. Fury. is a brand-new playable concert that will journey through six of Metallica’s fan-favourite songs with themed gameplay that complements the intensity of a Metallica live show. This immersive music experience will have six different showtimes across two days:

Saturday, June 22, 2024

• 2 PM ET
• 5 PM ET
• 11 PM ET

Sunday, June 23, 2024

• 10 AM ET
• 2 PM ET
• 5 PM ET

The above times will be the only chance to experience the concert live.

James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo of Metallica are the icons of Fortnite Festival Season 4, where fans can shred along with Metallica on classics including “Enter Sandman,” “Ride the Lightning,” and “Master of Puppets.”

Metallica’s not just visiting Fortnite to perform—they’re here to battle. This new season of Fortnite Festival introduces the Battle Stage, a new competitive way to play the rhythm music game, and will be available even after the Metallica collaboration concludes.

Fortnite Festival’s Battle Stage will see 16 players in a match, all will play from the same four-song setlist, and one will emerge victorious. 

Season 4 starts tomorrow and ends August 16, 2024 at 12 AM ET. For more info on Season 4, the “player-vs-player” (PvP) Battle Stage, check out the Fortnite Festival blog.

Metallica themed-gameplay is also coming to additional Fortnite games: Battle Royale, LEGO Fortnite, and Rocket Racing. For more information on the Metallica x Fortnite collaboration, visit the blog.

How to Jump Into Fortnite

•     Download Fortnite for free on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, Android, PC. 
•     Fortnite is also available on cloud-based streaming services. Learn how to access any of these options HERE.
•     Once in the Fortnite Lobby, select the game you’d like to play. For starters:

     ○ “Fortnite Battle Royale” for the classic, action-packed shooter

     ○ “Fortnite Festival – Main Stage” for rhythm-based gameplay

     ○ “Fortnite Festival – Battle Stage” for competitive, player-vs-player music gameplay

     ○ “LEGO Fortnite” for a survival crafting LEGO adventure

     ○ “Rocket Racing” to drift, fly, and boost in a supersonic arcade racer

“Rateliff is an exuberant, un-guarded storyteller, sharing personal details in conversation as openly as he does in his songs.” – Rolling Stone

“He’s out to shake the sheets, sermonize and get downright elemental.” – NPR Music

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats unveil “Get Used to the Night” today—listen/watch/share the lyric video HERE. The song is the third offering from their highly-anticipated fourth studio album South of Here, set to release June 28 via Stax—pre-save/pre-order here.

The band will perform the album’s lead single “Heartless” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, airing June 13. “Heartless” continues to climb the charts in the US; the song is #1 at Americana Radio for the third consecutive week and is trending Top 5 on Triple A Charts.

With “Get Used to the Night”, Rateliff shares a moving tribute to his late friend and collaborator Richard Swift. “You run ahead and I’ll catch up to you / Still so much left for me to do,” he sings with tender resignation. A masterful vocal performance from Rateliff is coupled with a rich, stirring brass arrangement from The Night Sweats.

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats will also head out on a run of UK dates later this month, including a show at London’s Eventim Apollo on Saturday June 22nd. Tickets are on sale HERE.

JUNE UK DATES

Sat 22nd London, Eventim Apollo

Tue 25th Manchester, Albert Hall

Wed 26th Glasgow, 02 Academy

Thu 27th York, Barbican

Sat 29th Bristol, SWX
Sun 30th Wolves,  The Halls

A new video for “Heartless” is also out now—watch here. On the video, directed by award winning director Kimberly Stuckwisch, Rateliff reflects, “This song means a lot to me personally and speaks to the struggle of everyone trying to find their way. Kimberly and I come from similar backgrounds, both of us grew up in rural areas trying to find our way out of poverty. I was unsure how to approach a video for this song but felt so blessed to be able to work with Kimberly and see her vision for the song unfold.”

The album’s second single “David and Goliath” was lauded by Louder, describing “This 21st century americana star bares his soul to stunning effect on this latest track – all moody Beatles-y sensibilities with a soulful lift, articulating the internal fights so many of us face.”

With their largest tour to date, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats achieve another career milestone culminating from a renowned history of powerful live performances. Rateliff’s undeniable stage presence has fueled his steady ascent since breaking through the Denver D.I.Y. scene. Noah Kahan called sharing the stage with Rateliff “such an honor.” He furthers, “His music has helped me through a lot of tough moments in my life. This is one of the greatest voices I’ve ever heard. He’s such a sweet guy and just a brilliant talent.” Additional collaborations include Paul Simon at Newport and Willie Nelson at the Hollywood Bowl. Most recently, Rateliff wrote and performed a duet with Orville Peck on Peck’s new album, Stampede Vol. 1.

Produced by Brad Cook (Waxahatchee, Bon Iver, Kevin Morby) and recorded at Sonic Ranch outside El Paso, Texas, South of Here reckons with a lifetime of pain and trauma and transforms it into a stirring, soul-baring rumination on love, loss, hope and resolve. “This album is a look into my own struggle with anxiety, insecurity and also stories of my life,” says Rateliff. “I hope these songs and stories give you an opportunity to better understand your own struggles whatever they may be.”

The new album seamlessly blends both sides of his immense talent: emotionally potent, vivid storytelling and the rugged, R&B revivalism that has powered the band to world-wide acclaim over the past decade.

Over the course of his career, Nathaniel Rateliff has generated widespread acclaim from critics and musicians alike. Robert Plant recently placed him among the next generation of greats. “He is one of these guys that will just carry the torch. Beautiful songwriting, beautiful singing, great delivery and he is a magnificent guy to go with it.”

Borne from the rock clubs in and around Denver, CO., Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats have released three LPs, two EPs, and a live album. Since their 2015 self-titled breakthrough album, the band has established themselves as generational talents through their ecstatic and dynamic live performances and a growing catalog of essential studio recordings. South of Here is another mighty leap forward. Bound by the struggle for identity and the search for belonging, it reverberates with the understanding that we’re all in this beautiful mess together. 

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Fantasy Records

www.nathanielrateliff.com

Fresh off the back of two raucous sold-out hometown shows at Glasgow’s O2 Academy last week, Twin Atlantic return with new single ‘Sorry’. The track is the latest cut from their forthcoming new album, Meltdown, which comes August 9th digitally and September 13th on physical formats on the band’s own label, Staple Diet Records.

After the release of four guitar heavy bangers from Meltdown, ‘Sorry’ sees a different side of Twin Atlantic, as they pull on the heartstrings with this emotional, lighters to the sky, anthem. “I’ve always used songwriting as a multi-layered tool to help figure myself and life out. A form of self therapy,” lead singer Sam McTrusty said of the track. “I’m so lucky to have band mates who’ve allowed me that space and ‘Sorry’ is a really great example of that. We love that our fans use our songs in the same way and this one feels like it could be right at the top of that list for people. Easily one of my favourite twin atlantic songs.” Listen to ‘Sorry’ HERE & watch HERE.

Produced by McTrusty and bassist Ross McNae and mixed by longtime collaborator Romesh Dodangoda, from top to bottom Meltdown is a return to form for the band. Eleven slices of infectious, masterful pop-rock, Meltdown is equal parts guitar heavy bangers and emotionally driven heartfelt anthems. With one foot firmly in nostalgia, while wholeheartedly looking to the future, Twin Atlantic are back to their very best. 

“Over the last 18 months we have been relentlessly obsessing over the making of a new album. We built two studios to have our own freedom and space to dig deeper into the essence of our band,” Sam said of the recording process. “That freedom evolved into engineering and producing the album ourselves. Zero outside influences. What we’ve got in the end is something we are so proud of and feels like our best work yet. The time felt right to revisit our roots and dive back into the big chorus’s and massive guitars that shaped our band’s early years, but obviously having lived life and toured the world since then we found an evolution of that sound.”

Kicking off at Boilershop in Newcastle on November 7th, the band will head out on a run of dates this November, including a show at London’s Brixton Electric on November 14th. Tickets for all shows on sale HERE.

Twin Atlantic play the following UK dates:

November
Thu 7th Newcastle, Boilershop

Fri 8th Leeds, Wardrobe

Sun 10th Manchester, Academy 2

Tue 12th Cardiff, Tramshed

Wed 13th Oxford, O2 Academy 2

Thu 14th London, Electric Brixton

Sat 16th Norwich, The Waterfront

Sun 17th Birmingham, Academy 2

Fri 22nd Dundee, Fat Sams

Sun, 24th Edinburgh, Assembly Rooms

Now onto their eighth studio album, Twin Atlantic are well and truly veterans in their field. With countless huge tours and two top ten records in their armour, Twin aren’t stopping anytime soon. Long may the reign continue. 

Twin Atlantic are Sam McTrusty, Ross McNae, Barry McKenna & Joe Lazarus

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twinatlantic.com

Country superstar Luke Combs will release his new full-length album, Fathers & Sons, June 14th on Columbia Nashville (pre-order here). Ahead of the-first-of-its-kind album release, the new song, ‘The Man He Sees In Me’, written by Combs and Josh Phillips, is out now. Listen HERE.

A collection of 12 poignant tracks, Fathers & Sons was recorded entirely live and features Combs most personal songwriting to date, as he reflects on his own experiences being a dad to his two sons and the unique bond between parents and their children.

Reflecting on “The Man He Sees In Me,” Combs shares a message he wrote to his young sons, “To my boys, first and foremost, I will always love you, no matter what. With this song I want you to know that even though I’m not perfect, I try my hardest every day to be the best version of myself for you both. I’ll make mistakes along the way and some days you’ll be sick of your old man, I’m sure, but, dang, we’ll have some fun too. I can’t wait to see what you both turn out to be like and I hope someday down the road, I get to watch you and your kids do the same. Love, Dad.”

In addition to Combs, Fathers & Sons also features acclaimed musicians Jim “Moose” Brown (keys), Sam Bush (mandolin), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Mark Hill (bass), Josh Hunt (drums), Joey Landreth (electric guitar), Steve Mackey (bass), Josh Matheny (dobro), Jerry Roe (drums), Jonathan Singleton (acoustic guitar), Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar) and Charlie Worsham (acoustic guitar).

Earlier this year, Combs performed an unforgettable duet of “Fast Car” with Tracy Chapman during the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards, which Rolling Stone called “one of the all-time best collaborative performances in Grammy history.” The performance added to a massive year for “Fast Car,” as Combs’ version of the song won Single of the Year at the 2024 ACM Awards and 2023 CMA Awards (with Chapman winning Song of the Year). It also spent five-consecutive weeks atop Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and reached #1 on the Hot AC chart, the first song by a male solo artist to ever top both. The 2x Platinum single, which has garnered over 1.1 billion global streams to date, also spent eighteen weeks in the top 5 of Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100 chart, eight of which were spent at #2.

Grand Ole Opry-member and 11x CMA, 4x ACM, 6x Billboard Music Award-winner, Combs is hot off the back of his massive sold out World Tour, which arrived in the UK in October last year, including two huge triumphant nights at London’s O2 Arena. With 44 shows across 3 continents and 16 countries, the tour was the largest ever for a country artist and broke records across the globe.

FATHERS & SONS TRACK LIST
1. Front Door Famous
2. In Case I Ain’t Around
3. Huntin’ By Yourself
4. Little Country Boys
5. Whoever You Turn Out To Be
6. Remember Him That Way
7. The Man He Sees In Me
8. All I Ever Do Is Leave
9. Plant A Seed
10. Ride Around Heaven
11. My Old Man Was Right
12. Take Me Out To The Ballgame

www.LukeCombs.com 

Lady Blackbird makes her extremely welcome return with brand new studio album Slang Spirituals, out September 13th on BMG.

Against a thundering backbeat, the first taste of the record arrives with the powerful, contagious anthem in waiting  ‘Reborn’ – which finds Lady Blackbird full of freedom, acceptance and without apology. ‘We die a little to be born again, so I drowned her in flames/ And now she’s been reborn,’ she exclaims, in a track oozing in triumph. Listen here.

Collaborating once again with Black Acid Soul producer Chris Seefried, the pair produce a second album that not only embodies the freewheeling, emotive Lady Blackbird sound, but that also taps into deeply vulnerable lyrics that recount the singer’s challenging ascent to musical stardom.

Growing up in the small town of Farmington, New Mexico, Lady Blackbird was raised in a religious Christian household and began singing as soon as she could walk. “Once I entered my teenage years, I started to realise that religion was something that was put on me and it never felt right,” she says. “As I also began to develop my own identity as a queer woman, I felt judged as an outcast and labelled as a sinner. It was burying who I really was and I needed to find a way out.”

In taking charge of her own life and her own sound, Lady Blackbird walks a new path, making each note on Slang Spirituals a step in a radically different direction. Across 11 tracks Lady Blackbird puts her sweeping, cinematic vocal power to use on everything from the soulful orchestral fanfares of ‘Let Not (Your Heart Be Troubled)’ to the finger-picking folk storytelling of ‘Man On A Boat’, euphoric gospel empowerment of ‘Like A Woman’ and the seven-minute psychedelic soul instrumental of ‘When The Game Is Played On You’.

“I had to dig my way out of a grave to be able to finally breathe and sing about who I really am,” Lady Blackbird says. “This is me, full of freedom, acceptance and without hypocrisy. It’s also something I think a lot of people can relate to – that human quest to find yourself and take back your power, to get to the place of radiating who you are without apology.”

Lady Blackbird’s debut album Black Acid Soul garnered 5* reviews and won unanimous praise across UK media. She’s dazzled the likes of London’s Union Chapel, The Barbican, KOKO, & Shepherds Bush Empire, as well as supported Gregory Porter on his UK tour and won ‘International Artist of the Year’ at the Jazz FM Awards. Without doubt, her appearance on a star studded Graham Norton show had the country captivated and Taylor Swift lost for superlatives, watch HERE.

Lady Blackbird will have her revellers enraptured and empowered when she returns to the UK on June 19th as part of Chaka Khan’s Meltdown Festival at London’s Southbank Centre – tickets here.

“This is my journey of becoming,” she concludes. “It’s me rewriting the book to show the world who I truly am. From being labelled a sinner to finding my acceptance.”

PRAISE FOR LADY BLACKBIRD:
The Times – “A captivating star in the making”
Guardian – “Songs and performances that burn deep into you”
Metro – “See her before she goes galactic”
NY Times – “Enigmatic and arresting”

The Times ★★★★★ | The Guardian ★★★★★ | Mojo ★★★★ | Uncut ★★★★

Slang Spirituals Tracklisting:

1. Let Not (Your Heart Be Troubled)
2. Like a Woman
3. Reborn
4. Man on a Boat
5. When the Game Is Played On You
6. The City
7. Matter of Time
8. If I Told You
9. No One Can Love (Like You Do)
10. Someday We’ll Be Free
11. Whatever His Name

To find out more about Lady Blackbird, go to:

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