It is basically a prerequisite that you must love T-Pain if you work with imperfect Fifth. Whether you enjoy his vocal stylings – autotuned or his incredible natural vocal range -, his entrepreneurial brain, or his giggle, there is something about him that is so delightful. Just consider it: have you ever met someone who had beef with T-Pain?
If you’re looking for a wholesome, emotional departure (about an emotional departure) from T-Pain’s quintessential party anthem vibe, “On This Hill” is it. But, more than intensely different from prior singles, this one really envelops the listener in its captivating melody. Thought-provoking lyrics evoke bold thoughts, exploring boundaries, and a sense of acceptance in pain.
“On This Hill” truly captures what it is like to have competing values or opinions – interests that clash and red flags that no one can ignore. While there is a sense of loss and heartache in the song, there is also hope for new beginnings that you can actually feel through his empowering option to hold to his own values.
His drive to hold true to who he is and the song’s dedication to self-love brings “On This Hill” to us during Mental Health Awareness Month. In honor of this, T-Pain has teamed up with Talkspace to provide free therapy to his fans for up to a year.
The video is tastefully and purposefully intimate. A soulful live performance in a cozy setting with vocal accompaniment that feels as though its acoustic resonance could move mountains. Take a peek below, and be sure to see your favorite performer on tour this summer. (T-Pain will be EVERYWHERE!)
MANSION IN WISCANSIN PARTY TOUR DATES: May 29 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall * May 30 –Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom * June 4 – Waukee, IA – Vibrant Music Hall * SOLD OUT June 6 – Windsor, ON – Caesars Windsor The Colosseum * June 8 – Milwaukee, WI – WISCANSIN FEST @ The Rave/Eagles Club ^ SOLD OUT June 11 – Columbus, OH – Kemba Live! * SOLD OUT June 12 – Pittsburg, PA – Stage AE * SOLD OUT June 13 – Doswell, VA – Meadow Event Park * June 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Juneteenth Celebration @ The Hollywood Bowl June 21 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony SummerStage * SOLD OUT June 23 – New York, NY – Central Park SummerStage * June 25 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion * June 26 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre * June 27 – North Charleston, SC – Firefly Distillery Lawn * June 29 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre * June 30 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company * SOLD OUT July 2 – Jacksonville, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre * SOLD OUT July 3 – Miami, FL – The Fillmore Miami Beach *
* with LARussell, NandoSTL & Young Ca$h ^ with Akon, Dillon Francis, Pink Sweat$, Soulja Boy, LARussell, Ying Yang Twins, Yelawolf, Waka Flocka Flame, Flyana Boss, Myaap, Young Ca$h, Chayo Nash, NandoSTL & Djay Mando
T-PAIN FESTIVAL & VEGAS RESIDENCY DATES: May 25 – Napa, CA – BottleRock Napa Valley May 26 – Las Vegas, NV – Ayu Dayclub (residency date) June 1 – Kansas City, MO – Tacos and Tequila Fest June 14 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival July 11 – Las Vegas, NV – Zouk Nightclub (residency date) September 1 – Las Vegas, NV – Ayu Dayclub (residency date)
PARTY AFTER DARK TOUR DATES: Wed Aug 21 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live Fri Aug 23 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater Sat Aug 24 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium Sun Aug 25 – Queens, NY – Forest Hills Stadium Thu Aug 29 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center Fri Aug 30 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre Sat Aug 31 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater Sun Sep 01 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center Wed Sep 04 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre Fri Sep 06 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater Sat Sep 07 – Syracuse, NY – Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview Sun Sep 08 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC Thu Sep 12 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health At Jones Beach Theater Fri Sep 13 – Hartford, CT – Xfinity Theatre Sat Sep 14 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater Sun Sep 15 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center Wed Sep 18 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake Thu Sep 19 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center Sat Sep 21 – Ridgedale, MO – Thunder Ridge Nature Arena Sun Sep 22 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Wed Sep 25 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre Fri Sep 27 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater* Sat Sep 28 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre Thu Oct 03 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre* Fri Oct 04 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre Sat Oct 05 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
Genre-bending Americana artist Danielia Cotton is squaring up to release a tribute EP titled Charley’s Pride: Songs from a Black Cowboy Vol. I. In anticipation of that, she is sharing songs from the release in the lead-up. The first single came on Charley Pride’s birthday in March, and yesterday, the second hint of work was released with “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'”.
Cotton’s spin on the song brings a bit of brightness to the classic, with her signature soulful crooning taking center stage.
Explains Cotton: “The lyric, ‘Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’, and love ‘em like the devil when you get back home,’ speaks to the dichotomy of a woman with respect to the parts of herself she displays within her relationship to keep things fresh and new. The playfulness of the track musically and vocally reflects this, while the hook is infectious as a summer hit you play to let your hair down.”
What a wild time to be exploring this dichotomy, and a beautiful time of year to release such an amazing cover.
The song in its original form is being recognized this month as it is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame at Grammy Museum’s inaugural Grammy Hall of Fame Gala and concert on May 21, 2024.
Julia Gargano is a mad talented singer-songwriter hailing from Staten Island. Her musical project, Ferry Townes – a clear homage to the Staten Island Ferry – blends her effortlessly sultry vocals with thoughtful lyrics and stand-out melodies. (I mean, if you have yet to hear her first single “Be Here”, check back in and agree with me later.)
Today, Ferry Townes releases her sophomore single. A mid-tempo release, Gargano’s raspy tinge on a wide range of notes is nothing short of captivating. This track is specific, incredibly moving, and entirely about a relationship that means a lot to her.
“’T.G.F.K’, which stands for ‘Thank God For Kyle’, is about my bestest friend,” explains Gargano. “The initial idea came from being so grateful that our relationship is what it is- that we’ll never have to fall in love and break up, but we will just be friends forever.”
The video is a true love letter in itself. Julia and Kyle are depicted throughout, having so much fun just living their lives in support of each other. The warm lighting, casual dancing, and adventure really make it feel like a montage in a romance film. And, if we are being honest, it totally is. How many relationships mean more to you than the ones you have with your best friends, truly?
Celebrate friendship this spring with the beautiful vocal stylings of Ferry Townes.
With her first, deep inhale at the top of the title track – which just so happens to be the first on Byland’s new release, Alie Byland signals a deep sigh of relief for us all. “Heavy For A While” is the vulnerable, soft intro to this 10-track masterpiece release, which is officially out now.
Byland – officially a duo comprised of Alie and her husband Jake, surname Byland – has chosen to create an album so beautifully relatable, especially post-pandemic. Says Alie, “It’s more so my own unfettered journey of finding a sense of home and comfortability with myself, wherever I am.”
With songs like “Postcard” and “Settle My Mind,” Byland addresses isolation in an expansive and thought-provoking way. The dissonance toward the end of “Settle My Mind” feels almost like the chaos that has been occurring inside of every human over the past 4 years, as we all grapple with our emotions and identities in the wake of so many mind-blowing global issues.
Alie and Jake, in particular, zoom in on emotions and thoughts from the darker COVID days, and a time when they were contemplating a cross-country move. They both worked separately, then married some of their ideas together and refined their work as a team to really work through the aforementioned isolation organically. And you can feel it in the songs – the composition and the lyrics. Melodies and lines serve as organic puzzle pieces building toward the whole picture – a true masterpiece of an album. To extract us from the humbling events of today, Alie’s voice carries us to another plane.
“Two Circles” addresses space and time itself, and was one of the first tracks I connected with upon first listening to Heavy For A While. Explains Alie: “[The track] feels like it changes meaning each time I get to sing it. I see myself in this song. I see others. I see love, pain, anger, frustration, joy, shame, angst, everything and nothing.” Its simplistic lyrics are open for interpretation, though each version feels like it addresses a relationship — with yourself, another, an emotion, an event in your life.
The pace of “Temporary Everything” wakes you up out of the gorgeous melody in “Two Circles,” giving sonic momentum to this section of the album. It grapples with the acceptance that everything in life is temporary. Alie gets a bit cheeky with the line “The end of the fucking world,” but she’s only saying what we are all thinking.
“Darts” comes back in slowly, almost like a lullaby when juxtaposed against the tracks that come before and after it. Then “Monstera” comes in wielding a whole different energy, a song Alie wrote about her childhood best friend – the first person she had musical dreams with – and how she grappled with the change of a big move – and a lifelong dream together. This track has a sense of urgency about it, a bit more grit, and also a sense of beautiful acknowledgment of those people who helped to set you on your trajectory. Alie took such a liking to the track that last fall’s tour (2023) was titled the “Monstera Tour.”
Sonically, “Like Flies” feels like a Tim Burton movie, especially when compared to its predecessors. There is almost an eery tone to the melody, cinematic and beautiful in its own right. Last track “End Scene” comes in like a brisk walk a the end of a daunting journey. The piano is the centerpiece of the track, the simplicity establishing a sense of peace – a firm ending to this whirlwind of emotions (and talent).
Upcoming Shows 3/29 – Seattle, WA – Easy Street Records (Album Release Celebration) 5/2 – Tacoma, WA – New Frontier Lounge 5/3 – Portland, OR – Alberta Street Pub 5/7 – Reno, NV – Cypress 5/8 – Eugene, OR – Sam Bond’s Garage 5/9 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile (w/ Noah Gundersen & His Band) 5/11 – Santa Fe, NM – The Mystic (Alie solo) 5/16 – Everett, WA – Fisherman’s Village Music Fest 2024
It’s not difficult to hear the varying inspirations of Montreal (aka Kevin Barnes – he/she/they) so expertly pull together in what can only be called their new audioscape. “Yung Hearts Bleed Free” changes tempo – and complete feeling – a couple of times. This is a move that would otherwise feel disjointed but, in the context of the experimental nature of the musician and its unique video, feels to truly set a vibe instead.
Explains Barnes of the song: “[It was] influenced by the Leos Carax film “Boy Meets Girl”, Bootsy’s Rubber Band, and my recent purchase of a Yamaha TG33 and a Kawai K1M. I wanted to make a strutting, sexy little vamp of a song that just kind of chugged along and felt relaxed and playful and free.”
The lyrics could definitely be characterized as naughty, but they aren’t the standout facet in this track either. While the song is reminiscent of 80s greats, there is something still so psychedelic about the way it is presented, both audibly and in the music video. Director Madeline Babuka Black shares:
There’s a certain 60’s/ experimental spirit to Barnes’ songwriting that I love and by using analog techniques of paper cut out and direct on film animation I pay homage to that. The paper cut out animations and color palette of the film were deeply inspired by Larry Jordan’s experimental animations, most notably his 1968 film “Our Lady of the Sphere.”
The new album, due out in May, marks the last of Barnes’ recorded in Georgia, and perhaps you can feel that nostalgic sweetness in the remainder of the record as well. But “Yung Hearts Bleed Free” is a great treasure to have seen, and I hope you agree.
Directed and Animated by Madeline Babuka Black Director of Photography Julie Orlick Edited by Izzy Kross Featuring Olivia Babuka Black and Scott Rosenthal Scanned by Jack Tashdjian
As more nostalgia topics have cropped up since the beginning of the – let’s admit it at this point – ongoing pandemic, PBS has been top of mind for so many people who were able to grow up – or raise their children – with its expanse of knowledge ringing throughout their homes. Having educational experiences accessible to many different demographics – and on public access television – is an important resource for many.
Searching for Augusta Savage is the first film in a new series from PBS called American Masters Shorts. Augusta Savage was a Harlem Renaissance sculptor and art educator, whose work largely reflected the joy and expression in the Black community. She overcame numerous obstacles to further her own education and get her work seen. She captivated audiences long before her death, and her art stood to progress the inclusion of Black artists in spaces they had otherwise been excluded from.
A curious thing is that many pieces of Augusta’s work have gone missing, and her name is not as well-known as it once was, or should be. Why is that? Why has her legacy not been salvaged and taught as widely as other artists of her time?
This 22-minute episode is a deep dive into what history can tell us about this incredible black artist’s life and work.
