[SONG OF THE DAY] ACTORS - "We Don't Have To Dance"

LA four-piece post-punk outfit ACTORS stumbled into my life this week, leaving me further indebted to The Algorithm™ for delivering them to me. Is it a coincidence that their debut album is titled, It Will Come To You? Maybe, but I'd like to believe otherwise. Their latest music video is for a song called, "We Don't Have To Dance" which is silly name for any of this song because you absolutely SHOULD be dancing until your legs fall off for a jam this good. The video itself is a reflection on the current state of things in terms of how much we hide behind social media pretending that everything is perfect in our lives. 

No looks of a tour happening any time soon, but obvi I'll pass along any updates I come acroess. 

[SONG OF THE DAY] El Ten Eleven - "Phenomenal Problems"

photo credit: Mark Owens

In general I'm very much a lyrics person. I love to use words that other people use to try to make sense of my shit and then explain myself to other people, so purely instrumental bands have to REALLY be doing some work to keep my brain interested. If it's too "experimental" (big air quotes here) I lose interest, but if it's not complex enough I start to wonder why I'm listening to lame elevator music. 

Enter: El Ten Eleven, a band I probably should have loved years ago. The San Diego duo just released their first single, "Phenomenal Problems" from their upcoming album Banker's Hill, which will be dropping on August 10th, courtesy of Topshelf Records. It's funny this song is called "Phenomenal Problems" because I can't find a single problem with it. I honestly cannot believe that there are only two people making all of this happen, but you can see that this is the case for yourself in the video below. 

Tell you what, I will definitely be seeing this band live whenever that happens. Trust that if/when dates get announced imma be making noise about that. 

[SONG OF THE DAY] Vacationer - "Magnetism"

Not sure how I missed that Vacationer was putting out another album but now that I'm up to speed and #blessed to have found the album sitting in my inbox I am happy to report that June 22, the release date for Mindset, is going to be one of the loveliest days of your life. Since I'm still trying to find a better rhythm for SOTD and ease myself back into updating a lot in general, I'm not sure if I'll get to a full review of this album. In spite of that, I will tell you that I have been reaching for this record a lot because listening to it just makes me feel lighter. When approaching this record, Vacationers Ken Vasoli said, "I wrote about concepts that would hopefully benefit my mental wellbeing." So like....he fucking nailed it...at least for me. When it comes to "Magnetism" specifically, there's this dizzying and somewhat hazy energy to the song that is reminiscent of what it's like when you first fall in love with someone. 

Be sure to check out the other singles they've dropped from Mindset. "Strawberry Blonde" and "Being Here" are both equally magical. As if you weren't already in an excellent mindset from, "Magnetism", I have even more good news for you: the band will be hitting the road in July with Sego! That's going to be such a nice pairing! Definitely worth every penny for tickets. 

Vacationer Tour Dates

07.13 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

07.14 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

07.15 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

07.17 - Toronto, ON @ The Drake

07.18 - Columbus, OH @ The Basement

07.19 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall

07.20 - Madison, WI @ High Noon Salon

07.21 - St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club

07.22 - Kansas City, MO @ recordBar

07.24 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge

07.25 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

07.27 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge

07.28 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret

07.29 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile

07.31 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent

08.02 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room

08.03 - Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom

08.04 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah

08.05 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar

08.07 - Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf

08.09 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada

08.10 - Austin, TX @ Antone's Nightclub

08.11 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall (upstairs)

08.12 - New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa

08.14 - Orlando, FL @ The Social

08.15 - Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl

08.16 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle

08.17 - Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall 

[SONG OF THE DAY] Yuksek x JD Samson - "Don't Even Try"

The pairing of genderqueer icon, JD Samson (formerly of Le Tigre & MEN), with my most favorite Frenchie, Yuksek, was one that I hadn't really considered but the second I saw that the two had collaborated I knew immediately it was going to be a banger, "Don't Even Try" to say otherwise. I would honestly enjoy an entire album of this if they want to keep at it, which given how much Samson told Culture Collide that the two connected, maybe we'll get lucky and it'll happen!

If you haven't checked out the mini docu where Samson teams up with Broadly to  explore the Last Lesbian Bars in America it's super informative and highly recommended. Meanwhile, Yuksek is jetsetting about, so catch him if you can. 

YUKSEK TOUR DATES

6/15 – Bourg (Vie Sauvage fest.)
7/6 – Paris (Wanderlust)
7/7 – Tours (Terres de son)
7/8 – Calvi (COTR)
7/12 – St Aubin (Pete the monkey)
7/13 – Reims (Le Clos)
7/16 – La Baule (Villa La grange)
7/20 – London ( Camden Assembly)
7/21 – Carhaix (Vielles charrues)

[SONG OF THE DAY] Bob Moses - "Heaven Only Knows"

Here's the thing, if someone sends you anything by Bob Moses it's definitely an invitation for sex. If someone merely brings up Bob Moses with you in conversation, they have probably thought about having sex with you, or at the very least making out with you. These are just the facts, which you can prove true for yourself with their latest single, "Heaven Only Knows", which was released earlier this week. Obviously remember that consent is key for everyone to have fun, but if you've been looking for a song to seal the deal with, suffice it to say your search is absolutely over.

If you're hoping to take things to the next level with your lover in the coming months , the band will be heading out on a North American tour in September with a one-off date near the end of this month in NY so if you'd like to see me swoon be sure to come out. 

Bob Moses 2018 Tour Dates: 

Jun.  24 - Montauk, NY - Surf Lodge

Sept. 21 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades

Sept. 22 - San Francisco, CA - Fox Theater

Sept. 24 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom

Sept. 25 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom

Sept. 26 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theater

Sept. 27 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Concert House

Sept. 28 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Metro

Sept. 29 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre (Click here for tickets)

Oct. 2 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room

Oct. 3 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater

Oct. 4 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall

Oct. 5 - Las Vegas, NV - Encore Beach Club

Oct. 6 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall

Oct. 7 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre

Oct. 9 - Boston, MA - Paradise

Oct. 10 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer

Oct. 11 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club

Oct. 12 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel (Click here for tickets)

Oct. 15 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle

Oct. 16 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West

Oct. 17 - New Orleans, LA - Republic

Oct. 18 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall

Oct. 19 - Austin, TX - Emo’s

Oct. 20 - Dallas, TX - Trees

Oct. 23 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Palace

Oct. 24 - Santa Fe, NM - Meow Wolf

Oct. 25 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren

Nov. 2 - Mexico City, MX - Auditorio Blackberry

Nov. 16 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium

[SONG OF THE DAY] Lily Allen - "Lost My Mind"

The countdown 'til the best day of 2018 aka the day that Lily Allen's fourth studio album No Shame drops is currently at a mere 6 days. For some reason that feels like an eternity, but fortunately the benevolent Sheezus blessed us with "Lost My Mind" to hold us over.

I will forever be grateful for Lily's willingness to be so vulnerable when she writes. Her lyrics are always so damn relatable and when coupled with her angelic airy vocals I always end up feeling like we're both going to make it out on the other side. 

The most wonderful woman will be performing at select festivals over the summer before embarking on a lengthy US tour. 

Oh! If you head over to her Instagram she's gradually rolling out snippets of all the songs on the record, which as I excitedly squealed loudly enough that my roommates made fun of me, is "SO EXCITING!"

happy weekend! sorry this is late but rosé happened last night.

TOUR DATES:
06/03 London, UK @ Mighty Hoopla
06/14 Neuchâtel, Switzerland @ Festi’neuch
06/16 Ruoms, FR @ Ardeche Aluna Festival
07/27 Oulu, Finland @ Qstock
08/05 Ronquieres, BE @ Ronquieres Festival
08/11 Cornwall, UK @ Boardmasters
10/05 Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
10/06 Oakland, CA @ The Fox Theatre
10/08 Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
10/10 Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee
10/12-14 Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
10/16 New Orleans, CA @ House of Blues
10/17 Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
10/18 Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom
10/20 New York, NY @ Terminal 5
10/21 Washington, DC @ The Fillmore
10/23 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
10/24 Boston, MA @ Paradise
10/27 Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
10/28 Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix Theatre
10/30 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
10/31 Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
11/01 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theatre
11/03 Denver, CO @ Venue TBD
11/04 Salt Lake City, UT @ Complex (Grand Ballroom)
11/06 Portland, OR @ Roseland
11/08 Seattle, WA @ Showbox
11/09 Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
12/02 Milan, IT @ Fabrique
12/04 Berlin, DE @ Astra
12/05 Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
12/06 Cologne, DE @ Live Music Hall
12/08 Paris, FR @ Le Trianon
12/09 Utrecht, NL @ Tivoli Vredenburg Ronda Hall
12/11 Dublin, IE @ Olympia Theatre
12/13 Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland
12/14 Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute
12/16 Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
12/17 London, UK @ The Roundhouse

[SONG OF THE DAY] SAKIMA - "Show Me"

HAPPY PRIDE EVERYONE!!!!! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🌈👨‍❤️‍👨👩‍❤️‍👩

Yesterday, Billboard premiered London crooner SAKIMA's  latest soft and ultra sensual single, "Show Me", which is all about communicating sexually with your body. 

Upon playing this track a good, oh I dunno, 20 times this morning, I had this nice moment of reflection of how beautiful it is that as more voices are being lifted up in music that we are getting so many different new ways to hear about expressing love, passion, lust, romance, etc. With his last few releases, SAKIMA has been boldly tackling the queer romance and queer sex from his perspective, all the while, as he told Billboard continually battling with feeling fully sexually liberated in the process. The thing that will always keep me coming back to SAKIMA is his hypnotically soothing voice, which sometimes puts you in a sexy stupor and in other moments (such as "Show Me") there's such a tenderness to his delivery that it evokes memories of being young, wanting to fall in love, make love, etc. 

The lovely London lad is currently working on a new project, which he's still determining the full scope of but is calling "Project Peach" and "it's going to be a complete celebration of queer art, queer iconography, queer stories, all of it." Obviously if there's no full scope of the project yet there's no release date to relay, but more updates on that as it reveals itself. 

[SONG OF THE DAY] Slum Sociable - "Moby Bryant"

Slum fam are back!!!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

After them seemingly vanishing shortly after CMJ 2015, I'm really glad that I crammed in seeing them as many times as I did. 

But the boys are back in town, you guys! Slum Sociable have announced their debut self-titled full-length, which will be dropping on November 24th. Pre-orders are available now over on their website, so grab yourself a bundle or something. In the meantime, grab a listen to their latest single, "Moby Bryant", which is more on the darker spectrum compared to their prior offerings. 

Last month on Twitter singer Miller Upchurch opened up about his struggles with depression, citing his struggles as part of the reason there was a delay in new music. Really glad things are on the up and up for Upchurch. His voice is quickly becoming one of my favorites. 

Aussie fam you can catch these guys next month for select dates. No word on anything in the US yet but obviously I will let you know if that changes. 

1/2 pic.twitter.com/TP2tSNeaiN

— Slum Sociable (@slumsociable) October 2, 2017

2/2 pic.twitter.com/mmt8Zli62I

— Slum Sociable (@slumsociable) October 2, 2017

SLUM SOCIABLE TOUR DATES

12/1 - Sydney, AU - Oxford Art Factory
12/2 - Melbourne, AU - Corner Hotel
12/8 - Perth, AU - Jack Rabbit Slims
12/9 - Adelaide, AU - Fat Controller
12/14 - Brisbane, AU - The Foundry
12/16 - Hobart, AU - Hobart Brewery