Despite their reputation as one-hit-wonders, I think DEVO is one of the greatest American bands to come out of the 70s and 80s. If you don’t know them, DEVO is a cult-favorite new wave band that formed in 1973, with their biggest commercial success being their hit single from 1980, “Whip It”. Musically, their inspirations ranged from punk rock, synth-pop, and dance music. The band themselves influenced many music scenes such as alternative and industrial rock, and their satirical, politically charged songwriting and fusion of rock with electronics is still entirely their own. I was ecstatic to learn they were performing a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR, which has consistently been a way for older artists to reach younger demographics who may not have heard of their work originally.
If you haven’t heard of NPR’s Tiny Desk concerts, I’ll be lazy and repeat most of what I wrote for Chaka Khan’s performance earlier this summer: “Tiny Desk Concerts are held in NPR’s headquarters in DC, and all the musicians and equipment must be able to fit behind the desk where NPR’s weekly podcast ‘All Songs Considered’ gets recorded. Everything gets squeezed up to each other, making the concerts more intimate and personal. This emphasizes the music over stage effects and flashier, more unnecessary parts of a regular concert.” Thanks, past me!
DEVO’s current lineup comprises old and new members. Featured are original members Mark Mothersbaugh (vocals, keyboards), Bob Mothersbaugh (vocals, guitar), and Gerald Casale (vocals, bass); as well as newer member Josh Hager (guitar, vocals) and touring drummer Jeff Friedl. The setlist of songs is surprisingly more obscure than what I imagined, with no obvious hits or well-known songs. They played two songs from their debut 1978 studio album, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, those being “Come Back Jonee” and “Praying Hands”. They also played “Blockhead” from 1980’s Duty Now for the Future, as well as “It Takes a Worried Man”, from the little-seen Neil Young-directed 1982 comedy film Human Highway.
The songs don’t deviate too much from the composition of their studio recordings, but having them performed live gives them a bit of gritty, almost alt-rock edge that reinvigorates them. The Talking Heads-sounding “It Takes a Worried Man” opens the concert, and it feels transported straight out of the 80s new wave era. Mark Mothersbaugh gives a wonderful synth solo, and the band’s inter-playing is tight throughout the entire performance. The original is also great, and a song that I believe could’ve been a radio single if promoted enough. “Blockhead” wasn’t one of my favorites from Duty Now for the Future, but its raw sound works much better when performed live. The focus on harsh, distorted guitars against wiggly electronics is still unique, but it flies higher without the smoother studio production.
“Praying Hands” is an excellent song from their debut, and it’s just as fun and campy live. The previous two songs mostly went straight into one another with short introductions, but here there are some audience interactions and performance art that the band is known for. Mark Mothersbaugh’s performance already sounded like a preacher giving a sermon and having him sing from a megaphone enhances this idea. Towards the end, he went into the audience in character to ask what people were “doing with their hands” instead of praying. It was remarkably odd, but funny, and the music remained stellar. I especially liked Jeff Friedl’s jittery drumming. The closer, “Come Back Jonee”, is an endlessly danceable pastiche of 50s hillbilly rock-n’-roll and another great showcase of the band’s chemistry. It’s jaunty, sounds strange, and made for a killer way to end the concert.
While it may not have the hits that casual fans would hope for, DEVO’s Tiny Desk Concert is a testament to an endlessly talented and underrated rock group that still hasn’t gotten their due.
UK-based indie pop/rock band Pale Waves has released their new song “Glasgow”, the second single for their upcoming fourth album, Smitten. It continues the musical trajectory of the lead single “Perfume” by moving away from their previous pop-punk and emo sounds into a lush 80s dream-pop style reminiscent of alternative groups like The Cure, The Cranberries, or even Cocteau Twins. Lyrically, it’s described as a “breakup anthem” and speaks to the feeling of leaving someone because it’s best for both of you. It’s a song that also continues to show the diverse and eclectic talents of the band, composed of multi-instrumentalists Heather Baron-Gracie (vocals, rhythm guitar), Hugo Silvani (lead guitar), Charlie Wood (bass), and Ciara Doran (drummer).
I really mean that, too. “Glasgow” is a beautifully produced pop song that showcases Pale Waves at their most confident, earning comparisons to their obvious influences. Right out of the gate, the song bursts with energy, showcasing anthemic drumming and guitar playing, as well as really gorgeous synth playing. It captures the ethereal psychedelia of 80s dream-pop but still transports the sound into a modern indie-pop context.
“Glasgow” balances a dense and twinkly production while still functioning as an uptempo, pulsating pop-rock song that’s enjoyable throughout. I also have to give credit to lead vocalist Heather Baron-Gracie, as she really soars in the chorus. While some may feel her voice blends into the background, I think her vocals complement the production by becoming an instrument in itself. Her lyrics are also a highlight, being an honest and open look at relationships in a way that lends itself to the emotions of the music while not overtaking it.
The music video, also directed by and starring Baron-Gracie, showcases her as a runaway bride driving through Glasgow fields in a convertible. It’s very cute and visualizes the lyrics’ themes of escaping a relationship for your own freedom. Pale Waves are currently embarking on a headlining tour across the UK, with their new album Smitten coming September 20th.
In the post-COVID era, it’s completely changed what it means to go to the movies. Nowadays, with ticket prices higher than ever and more audience members wanting to wait for streaming as opposed to going out, the few films that are successful commercially do so by either being a known IP or is an original that breaks through with their marketing. The former is obvious; as everyone knows that the highest-grossing films per year are sequels, remakes, adaptations, or connected to something recognizable. Yet for the latter, an original film that still makes its money back and gets people talking, it feels more like an event than a movie. Longlegs, the new horror film by Oz Perkins (The Blackcoat’s Daughter), was a movie that I saw simply because of how much I heard about it online. This came down to the film’s stellar reviews (being from NEON, an independent film distributor rivaling A24 as a stamp of quality for original work) and guerilla-style interactive marketing techniques that gave the film an unavoidable presence for film nerds like myself or otherwise.
Longlegs is a serial killer film that wears its references on its sleeve, with obvious influences in Se7en and especially The Silence of the Lambs. It stars Maika Monroe (It Follows) as a newly recruited and possibly clairvoyant FBI agent named Lee Harker in the early 90s (very Clarice Starling-like), assigned to investigate a decade-spanning case of a serial killer known as Longlegs. The killer, played by the always insane and polarizing Nicolas Cage, conducts brutal family murder-suicides, yet has no trace or imprint at each crime scene except for a note containing Satanic coding and his signature. Along the way, Harker discovers the case may have connections to her personally, with potential links to her mother, played by Alicia Witt.
The immediate praises that the film has been getting from everyone else are the technical aspects, namely the directing, cinematography, and sound design, which are truly immaculate and meticulously thought out in every scene. Every shot maximizes suspense and unsettlement through framing, lighting, mood, sound, score, and pacing. It’s cold and atmospheric, with dread and tension consistently present in every scene. Perkins is always confident in where to put the camera, where/when to move it, and how long a shot should stay for full effect, and I’m excited to see his future projects. (I also enjoyed the detail of the film’s aspect changing whenever there was a flashback.) The score by Zilgi (aka the director’s brother, Elvis Perkins), is suitably creepy and adds to the stressfulness of some scenes, and the sound department led by Eugenio Battaglia is damn near perfect. The sound of Longlegs is crisp and dry, with enough emphasis on certain details and the tiniest of sounds to keep your eyes peeled on the screen. However, what disappointed me was the infrequent, but still annoying, use of obnoxiously loud jump scare-type noise to elicit bigger reactions from the audience during certain moments. It’s cheap and feels deeply amateurish considering how expertly crafted the rest of the sound design is.
I liked Maika Monroe’s acting in this, being an intentionally muted agent who seems like a blank slate and seems to lack deeper connections to most of the other characters. That’s another way Perkins builds intrigue with his shot composition, by focusing on one character per shot and rarely featuring two at once to deepen the disconnect between each other. The film keeps her character at arm’s length for much of it until it reveals more about her. Nicolas Cage, as Longlegs, is suitably over-the-top in his usual Cagey way. His somewhat hammy performance intentionally contrasts with the more reserved characters and setting of the rest of the film, which is stressed by Cage’s usual great screen presence that bounces between slithery and creepy to loud and freakish in seconds. Sometimes he can seem to overdo his performance, but he remains entertaining throughout. As a music nerd, I admired the 70s glam rock references to his character in terms of look and performance, as well as having songs by T. Rex as a motif. The heavy makeup and campy portrayal of the killer from Cage gives the impression of being influenced by several musicians of that era, such as David Johansen of New York Dolls, Rod Stewart, or even outsider folk singer Tiny Tim.
Unfortunately, what really determined my thoughts about the film was the resolution to the plot. Giving nothing away, the main issue with Longlegs is the dump of plot exposition that explains every mystery to the central case towards the film’s end. The film follows a similar plot structure to a lot of thrillers and serial killer investigation films but feels fresh and exciting because of the style and craft behind it. There’s a lot of promise and intrigue early on through new questions being introduced, and it seems to build up to a thrilling climax. Yet the explanations provided not only feel too vague and unsatisfying, but they’re too sudden and close to the end of the film to have the shock and impact it could’ve. It’s a shame that the film stumbles in its final act through its writing and plot development, and ends on a note that leaves it less than the sum of its parts.
Still, even if I had my problems with it, there’s still a lot to admire here. Longlegs is such a marvel in its visuals, direction, and technical aspects as a thriller to make it worth a viewing, even if your enjoyment may depend on your suspension of disbelief as its plot reveals.
Who doesn’t love “Weird Al” Yankovic? Seriously, it’s impossible. The Grammy award-winning comedy/parody musician has brought joy to the hearts of millions for five decades and continues to be a singular presence in music. Al has spent a decade-long hiatus from new releases, with his last being 2014’s smash hit album Mandatory Fun. Though this hasn’t stopped him from touring and working on new projects unrelated to music, such as 2022’s parody biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. However, he’s finally made a return to recording with his new single and animated music video, “Polkamania!” The track continues a long-time trend for him, as almost all of his studio albums have contained a medley of then-popular songs covered in the style of overly jaunty polka music.
Let’s face it: you should already know if this is something you’ll enjoy. “Weird Al” Yankovic is so iconic and beloved to where you’ll likely be on board before even knowing what the song is. And “Polkamania!” is as gleefully silly as “Weird Al” has ever been, showing that he’ll always stay true to goofiness and idiocy no matter what. The songs chosen to cover were big hits from the past ten years. These include: “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish, “Hello” by Adele, “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” by Lin-Manuel Miranda from Disney’s Encanto, “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo, “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X, “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee, “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran, “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars, “WAP” by Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, “thank u, next” by Ariana Grande, and “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift. Phew!
The track is continuously jaunty and upbeat polka music, featuring Al’s signature accordion playing as well as a brass section for authenticity. It should appeal to fans of the songs covered or just fans of Yankovic in general. “Polkamania!” had its release coupled with an accompanying music video, which is completely worth watching too. It features several animators styling each part of the medley and has just enough sight gags and quirky humor to be a total delight. The animation is super dazzling, ranging broadly in style from 2D animation, CG, puppetry, stop-motion, and work I don’t even know how to describe.
All in all, this is an entirely satisfying comeback for “Weird Al” Yankovic, even if this is just a one-off single and not leading into a new album. Any amount of silliness from him is needed at any time or place, and he remains a massive icon in both the worlds of comedy and music.
Up-and-coming rap artist Lexa Gates just released an incredible new single “I Just Can’t Be Alone.” The song, produced by Billy Lemos, is a beautiful blend of self-awareness, embarrassing frustration, and somber acceptance common in unhealthy relationships. Gates, the Queens NYC native, has a long and rich history with music; her mother taught her music theory and composition as a child and eventually used music to get her through tough times as a young adult.
The harmony of this song is what makes it special. Gates’ voice is as deep as Amy Winehouse and blends beautifully over the rhythm and blues melody. The background vocals add tremendously to the jazzy, old-fashioned feel of the song.“I Just Can’t Be Alone” is very relaxing to listen to, especially on a slow morning or romantic evening alone. For lack of a better term, it is finger-snapping good!
The meaning of the song is exactly as the title insinuates– Gates cannot be left alone. She relies on a lover but hates the emotional turmoil of being in a relationship. She can’t make up her mind…does she want him (or her) in her life? But can she even live without him? From the verse:
“I’m so sick of sleeping in, putting you above everything. Let myself down everyday, I just can’t stay away…”
You can clearly tell she feels suffocated by him and is tired of always putting him first. Later in the song she compares her relationship with him to that of a chess game: she will always lose to him and willingly too because of the unspoken power he has over her thoughts and emotions.
The accompanying music video is downright charming. Gates is seen swaying to the music, wind blowing through her hair, and glancing at the camera every so often. Her background visuals and rose-tinted filter reinforce the vintage feel of the song, as Gates is seen sitting on a queen-sized motel bed, laying on a cream-colored sectional couch, and crouching down in a large soaking tub throughout the video. One impressive fact is that this music video is Gates’ single-handed masterpiece: it was directed, produced, edited, and styled all by herself.
It’s been a known stereotype that artists will use their work to process and channel their own emotions. This could be their heartbreak into paintings, their loneliness into a story, or–with the newest single by singer-songwriter Becca Stevens–the loss of their loved ones into a song. Stevens, a 2x Grammy-nominee, has been quite busy recently with both a role in the cast of the Sufjan Stevens-inspired musical “Illinoise” for the rest of the summer but also with her newest album, the entirely acoustic Maple to Paper, which releases August 30th.
Stevens has described the new album as very personal, and the lead single “Now Feels Bigger than the Past” shows her at her most vulnerable. This is largely due to three major events that shaped the tone of the album: the death of her mother, the birth of her first daughter, and the death of mentor and frequent collaborator David Crosby. The song is immediately upfront about these events; opening with a verse seemingly about artists not being appreciated and loved until they’re gone. It’s a bitter and almost angry way to open the song, but it’s clear that it’s out of Stevens’ love and respect for Crosby. She had played on his last four albums, and her vocals and sound are a dead ringer for other 70s folk singers like Joni Mitchell or Vashti Bunyan.
Stevens recorded all of Maple to Paper live without overdubs, and this single alone adds to the honesty and personal sentiments of her lyrics and vocals. It’s cliched to describe folk music as “authentic” or “intimate” but Stevens’ soft, wistful voice and the intentionally sparse production successfully capture those feelings, and it complements the song’s mournful tone perfectly.
Stevens continues to sing about loss, examining how it’s easier to appreciate someone’s flaws after they’re gone. “Imperfection is beautiful in retrospect… And great big flaws are charming when there’s no one there to correct.” This leads into the final verses where she sings of the grief brought about by her mother’s passing and the sudden disillusionment of now having to provide the same role with her own child.
It’s a heartbreaking song, yet also a masterful and poetic work by a great artist. The music video, directed by Jep Jorba, uses trick photography to show a modern-day Stevens and an older Stevens (achieved through makeup and hair curlers) singing verses to each other as though it were a dining room conversation. It visualizes the themes of Stevens contemplating her own mortality as she grows into the role her mother had, but now only has herself to talk to. “Now Feels Bigger than the Past” is an entirely haunting yet emotionally gripping lead single into Becca Stevens’ upcoming Maple to Paper.
