Alicia Bognanno of Bully wrote the theme song and scored the series for a new NBC News Original Podcast entitled Tiffany Dover Is Dead which is currently the #1 podcast on Apple. “Welcome to one of the internet’s weirdest obsessions. Back in December of 2020, a nurse named Tiffany Dover fainted on camera while she was talking to reporters after getting her first COVID shot. She got right back up and gave another interview, but it was too late. A conspiracy theory was already racing around the world: Dover had died. She’d been replaced by a body double.” You can listen to the podcast here.
Bognanno has also contributed “Never Needed”, a new song to the limited-edition Portraits of Her charity album, created by Record Store Day in partnership with VANS. The compilation features songs from Taylor Swift, Asiahn, Julien Baker, Banks, Leyla Blue, Boyish, Alice Longyu Gao, Laura Jane Grace, Girl in Red, Girl Ultra, K. Flay, Mariah the Scientist, Julia Michaels, Joy Oladokun, and Princess Nokia, features artwork by Sophia Enriquez, will benefit We Are Moving The Needle, a nonprofit organization supporting all women recording industry professionals, audio engineers, and producers. (‘Portraits of Her’ will be available on Saturday, April 23rd, 2022 as an exclusive RSD release). Bognanno also appears on the song “Wrecked,” off the self-titled debut from labelmate Weird Nightmare (the new project from METZ frontman, Alex Edkins), which you can listen to here.
Bully has a series of headlining, support, and festival dates for the summer of 2022. On Saturday, June 25th, Bognanno and her band will perform at Nashville’s Pride Festival at the city’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. Bully will then hit the road for a 10-date run of shows beginning Tuesday, August 23rd in Charleston, West Virginia at Mountain Stage and ending Saturday, September 3rd at Baltimore, Maryland’s Ottobar. Along the way they’ll support Jason Isbell and Lord Huron (select dates). See full list of dates below.
Sat. Jun. 25 - Nashville, TN - Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park (Nashville Pride Festival) Tue. Aug. 23 - Charleston, WV - Mountain Stage * Wed. Aug. 24 - Stacks, Bethlehem, PA - Levitt Pavilion Steel * Thu. Aug. 25 - Boston, MA - Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre ^ Fri. Aug, 26 - Vineyard Haven, MA - Veterans Memorial Park (Beach Road Weekend!) Sat. Aug. 27 - Olympia, WA - South Sound Block Party Mon. Aug. 29 - Holyoke, MA - Race Street Live Tue. Aug. 30 - Bridgeport, CT - Hartford Healthcare Amphitheatre * Wed. Aug. 31 - Providence, RI - Columbus Theatre Fri. Sep. 02 - New York, NY - Rooftop at Pier 17 * Sat. Sep. 03 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
On May 20th, Sub Pop will release the debut album from Weird Nightmare, the electrifying new project from METZ guitarist and singer Alex Edkins. Hot on the heels of the album’s debut track, “Searching For You,” and its anthemic follow-up single “Lusitania,” comes the driving, ardent “Wrecked.” Edkins says of the song, “Wrecked” is about missing someone. For me, it’s about missing my wife and son while on tour. Being away has become harder and harder to do. I think most people can relate to it. Feeling impossibly far away from the ones you love and coming to the realization that you won’t feel whole again until you return. I was really happy to collaborate with Alicia (Bognanno) on this song and I love what she adds to it. Alicia has a one in a million voice. A voice that you recognize immediately and she really lifts the song way up. Directed by Ryan Thompson, the video for “Wrecked” is a tail as old as time. When a pooch with no pack strays into the park, you know things are gonna get ruff…
As previously announced, Weird Nightmare has a clutch of North American shows, including a hometown album release show on May 21st in Toronto, ON at The Baby G. The band will also hit the road on a 7-date co-headlining tour with labelmates Kiwi Jr. Click here for a full list of shows.
Weird Nightmare S/T
1. Searching for You 2. Nibs 3. Lusitania 4. Wrecked 5. Sunday Driver 6. Darkroom 7. Dream 8. Zebra Dance 9. Oh No 10. Holding Out
Wolf Parade has added headlining Pacific Northwest dates to its 2022 tour schedule, which begins Friday, July 8th in Portland, Oregon at Wonder Ballroom and runs through Wednesday, July 13th in Eugene, Oregon at Sessions Music Hall.
Presales start Wednesday, April 27th via Bandsintown, with general on sale Friday, April 29th at 10 am (local).
Preceding the July run, Wolf Parade will play Apologies to the Queen Mary, the group’s classic debut album, in its entirety over a three-show run from Friday, May 20th through Sunday, May 22nd, 2022. These special performances will feature the album’s original lineup of Dan Boeckner, Spencer Krug, Arlen Thompson, and Hadji Bakara, and will include a stop at Pasadena’s Just Like Heaven Festival (May 21st).
Fri. May 20 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour [Sold Out] Sat. May 21 - Pasadena, CA - Just Like Heaven Festival Sun. May 22 - San Francisco, CA - August Hall Fri. Jul. 08 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom Sat. Jul. 09 - Bellingham, WA - NW Tune-Up Festival Mon. Jul. 11 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile Wed. Jul. 13 - Eugene, OR - Sessions Music Hall
What people have said about Wolf Parade: “A triumphant fifth full-length that stands up there with the band’s very best.” [Thin Mind] ★★★★★Record Collector
“A triumphant, full-throttle resurrection (Album of the Week, 8.5/10).” [Thin Mind] The Line of Best Fit
“Wolf Parade have carefully crafted another winning record…a solid addition to a sparkling oeuvre.” [Thin Mind] ★★★★ The Skinny
“The album brims with 80s synthesizers and 90s MIDIs. They combine with a myriad drum fills and sharp guitars for a sleek, lively listen. Whether or not the future is as dark and dire as Wolf Parade make it out to be, critically-minded works like Thin Mind will stave off a total eclipse (8.5/10).” [Thin Mind] NorthernTransmissions
“A paradoxical treat for our zombified minds.” [Thin Mind] CLASH
“An edgy, anxious-sounding, synth-drenched set, full of intriguing references… retro-futurism at its best.” [Thin Mind] UNCUT
“Wolf Parade…have created an album that manages to utterly invigorate you.” [Thin Mind] ★★★★★NARC
“Now a trio, the group has only deepened its talents and personal musical aesthetic, while their lyrical themes have taken on both a newfound maturity and optimism.” [Thin Mind] Treble Zine
“…An expansive and vigorous listen.” [Thin Mind] Loud & Quiet
“Wolf Parade has taken in and put to use a host of sounds and vibes from that powerful, past era, and yet found a way of expression that is consistently forward looking both musically and artistically (4.5/5).” [Thin Mind] The Fire Note
“Wolf Parade… has defied expectations and maintained a cohesive, distinct sound.” [Thin Mind]SF Weekly
“Wolf Parade are proof that if you hold your ground long enough, the cultural tide starts to surge back in your direction.” [Thin Mind] ★★★★ NOW
“Wolf Parade are still finding exciting ways to deconstruct the essentials of their sound.” [Thin Mind] Guitar.com
“Something of a rallying cry against our reliance on tech, Thin Mind is a short, sharp shock to the senses. You’ll be whistling its tunes all year (8/10).” [Thin Mind] Hot Press
On June 17th Sub Pop will release the sophomore international release from Greek artist, Σtella. Making her Sub Pop debut with the mesmerizing Up and Away, the Athens-based painter, visual artist, and performer Σtella (with a sigma) presents a vintage-flecked pop paean to the pangs and raptures of love. Exploring growth, change, and her personal and musical journey so far, proves Heraclitus was right; you never step in the same river twice.
On the heels of her latest offering, “Charmed” comes an Official video for the title track “Up and Away.” Σtella shares: “for me, the expression “up and away” symbolizes freedom, a liberation – our need to break free and fly far away, like superheroes do. This video tells the inspiring true story of how two rebetiko musicians escaped from gunfire during Greece’s occupation by the Axis Powers in the 1940s.” Directed by Σtella and animated by YOKANIMA, you can watch this alluring video below.
What people have said about Σtella: “Σtella’s honey-rich vocals overlie a crisp, no-frills backing that has echoes of classic ’60s pop” - Line of Best Fit
“Bold, streamlined pop” - PASTE
“…Infectious disco-infused art-pop.” - I-D
Artist Bio: Making her Sub Pop debut with the mesmerizing Up and Away, the Athens-based painter, visual artist, and performer Σtella (with a sigma) presents a vintage-flecked pop paean to the pangs and raptures of love. Exploring growth, change and her personal and musical journey so far, it proves Heraclitus was right; you never step in the same river twice.
“Its title comes from the opening track, “up, up, and away we go”! My excitement levels had hit the roof! I felt like I was flying!” Σtella declares. For a Greek-born, English-singing songwriter, Σtella’s prospects for a viable long-term career within her home country’s traditional landscape once appeared slim, but she remained positive. “I was happy doing what I love; making music I’ve listened to my whole life,” she says. Now, Σtella’s Sub Pop debut Up and Away emerges from Athens and London after a long-haul recording session with London-based producer Redinho, that found her rediscovering the 50s and 60s record collection her parents raised her on. “Growing up I loved playing ‘Sousourada’ by Nikos Gounaris on my grandfather’s old gramophone. I was thrilled by Greek folk-pop artists like Grigoris Bithikotsis and the great Tzeni Vanou, as well as international artists like Tony Motolla and Julio Inglesias, ” she remembers, among other sounds; “Living in a close-knit community by the mountains and sea, I vaguely recall being woken by neighbouring shepherds’ sheep bells…everything back then was so pure and innocent!”
Whilst painting at Athens School of Fine Arts, Σtella began writing and uploading her songs into the wild of the Internet. Her debut EP Keep Me Naked riffed on the free spirit of the American and Greek mid-century pop she discovered in record stores as a teen; from I’m Your Baby Tonight era Whitney and NOW compilations, to The Doors and pop prowess of Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, Queen, Annie Lennox, and George Michael. Founding member of bands Fever Kids and CHEST, Σtella’s primitive synth-based numbers etched out her place. Releasing self-titled 2015 electro-pop debut Σtella and her 2017 LP Works For You, buzz and airplay beckoned, making her one of Greece’s most popular indie stars. Σtella is now a sought-after collaborator, writing, and singing for Greek underground artists – not to mention soundtracking the athletes’ parade at the first European Games in Azerbaijan, racking up a million Spotify streams, plus international festival appearances.
Walking or cycling around Kypseli’s lively neighbourhood, you will find Σtella perusing the market, checking out the hardware store tools on her beloved Athinas Street, or making music in her HAVABANANA studio. Joining forces with artist and producer Tom Calvert (aka Redinho) was a match made in Athens after he caught one of her gigs on a visit to the city. Up and Away took shape after their mutual appreciation for Khruangbin, Elias Rahbani, and Aris San gradually inspired them to capture the authentic sound of Σtella’s home country. The rest, as they say, is Ancient history. “I’d been listening to old Greek folk/pop songs and was ready to dive into new musical territories. Tom had a similar desire of creating a vintage sound. Instantly stars aligned; I was time-travelling, singing songs as The Chiffons or The Crystals would.”
Ever the storyteller bridging past with present, Σtella designed herself and Tom as medieval bards on Up and Away’s artwork, inspired by medieval woodcuts of musicians.
“There were one or two interesting things going on in my life, but we won’t be going into those…, I was in a very emotional state at the time,” she says. Following recent self-produced LP, The Break (released on Montreal’s Arbutus Records - Grimes, Majical Cloudz, Doldrums), Up and Away is a record of two halves moving between an all-consuming affair and deeper love. Σtella’s honeyed vocals are offset by dizzying blasts of Christos Skondras’ bouzouki improvisation and Sofia Labropoulou’s dreamy kanun, whilst vintage drums and bass are particularly foreboding on ‘Another Nation’ which has all the bravado and confidence of an artist who is happy to be stepping out. With a dewy whistle, “Titanic” describes a journey to the unknown and recites names (John Borie, Laura Mae) from a list of survivors of the sunken ship, before ‘The Truth Is’ leaps forward to acceptance (“alright, but still I miss you every night.”), ‘Who Cares’ topples into a boozy coping mechanism (“in a bottle we all fell”), and closes with the reflective ‘Is It Over.’
Like a rarity unearthed, Up and Away captures the conflicting emotions of love as it lives on in ways beyond our understanding or control.
Up and Away Σtella
Track Listing: 1. Up and Away 2. Nomad 3. Manéros 4. Charmed 5. Another Nation 6. Black and White 7. Titanic 8. The Truth Is 9. Who Cares 10. Is It Over
You can now hear the new contributions to the Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 7 from Sydney, Australia’s Party Dozen, and Toronto, Ontario’s Matthew “Doc” Dunn, both out today worldwide on all DSPs from Sub Pop.
Sydney, Australia two-piece Party Dozen - saxophonist Kirsty Tickle and percussionist Jonathan Boulet - set forth a pair of blistering, sax-heavy noise-rock tracks, including the A side “Fat Hans Gone Mad,” about a mysterious gentle giant named Hans. Hans is liked by his colleagues and generally quite a polite henchman. Violence is never his first response to a situation, he’s so large it rarely comes to that. Hans is at peace with the world, it seems to move around his 250 pound frame and most days Hans feels pretty good. But today is a bad day. Fat Hans Gone Mad. Party Dozen’s new full-length The Real Work is out on Temporary Residence later this year, and will tour the UK for the first time ever, this May 14th-17th, 2022. The single is pressed on brown vinyl.
Toronto polymath multi-instrumentalist and underground-music icon Matthew “Doc” Dunn (also known for work with The Cosmic Range, U.S. Girls, Jennifer Castle, Kevin Morby, Sunburned Hand of the Man, and more) contributes a spellbinding pair of tunes with a little help from his friends. “Your Feel” dances into frame with a zigzagging solo from Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis and swelling mellotron from producer Asher Gould-Murtaugh, as Dunn’s insistent vocals conjure the pains of longing for a lover’s touch. B side “Look In” mellows the tempo to a country slow-dance with glistening slide guitar, as Dunn wipes the tears from his eyes and moseys off into the sunset. It won’t be long until he returns to channel his latest experiences into song. This single is pressed on opaque yellow vinyl.
Subscribe to the Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 7 to get twelve exclusive, limited-to-1,000-copies, colored-vinyl 7” records that you will, undoubtedly, love and adore. In addition to the singles from Party Dozen and Matthew “Doc” Dunn announced today, subscribers will get 7”s by Bartees Strange, The William Loveday Intention (feat. Billy Childish!), The Shadracks (feat. the son of Billy Childish!), Sidney Gish, Dummy, Hunx and His Punx, and more TBA. Vol. 7 runs from April, 2022 and ending February, 2023.
The Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 6 series included subscription-only 7” singles by John Waters, Kim Gordon/J Mascis, Jeff Tweedy, Duma, LIDS, Washed Out, Hand Habits, Porridge Radio, Sheltered Workshop Singers, TV Priest, BNH Deluxe, and The Black Tones. Hear music from the series via the Singles Club playlist, and grab one of the last remaining subscriptions here (we only made 1,000 and they’re almost gone!).
