Music

Midland’s The Last Resort EP arrives on Friday, and with it comes a quirky, detailed roll-out of the world that the band seeks to create with their new project.

That includes a digital magazine that the band created to advertise their self-created Last Resort Hotel & Day Spa, complete with an infomercial starring the group’s backing guitarist, Luke Cutchen.

“This infomercial has become all of our favorite part of this whole roll-out,” the band’s Cameron Duddy tells Billboard. “At the end of the day, it’s really just us having fun.”

The band owes a fair bit of this return to their playful side to The Sonic Ranch, a documentary about their origin story that they dropped back in March. Revisiting those early days pushed the trio toward “getting nostalgic about where we’ve come from, and reconnecting as friends. So it all emanates from within,” Cameron adds.

Plus, Midland simply had more time to come up with creative album rollout ideas. They were off the road due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and with two successful albums already under their belt, they felt a little more relaxed in their approach to music-making.

“I think historically, a lot of third albums tend to be this way. Typically, album one is you at your purest; album two, you’re on your back feet, and, if you have success, with album three you get to really plan your attack,” Cameron continues. “We’re just applying everything we’ve learned over the years.”

Midland says that they’re headed back into the studio soon to expand their project into a full-length album. For now, though, you can listen to the five new tracks on their just-released The Last Resort EP. 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Midland (@midland)

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

In addition to the Spanish-language album she’s preparing, Christina Aguilera also is hard at work on another pop album.

The singer, who’s performing with an orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl tonight and tomorrow, teases that the second album will have a “totally different feel” from the Latin album.

“I’m working with producers and writers that I’e been a big fan of for a long time,” she tells the Los Angeles Times. “One in particular is Joseph Angel — he wrote ‘Love on the Brain’ for Rihanna.”

She continues, “But all the writers come from such a deep, heartfelt place. It’s not about us trying to fit a mold; it’s a grown perspective that embodies everything I’ve experienced in this business and on a personal level.”

Christina adds that she made a lot of changes over quarantine, including surrounding herself with new collaborators and a new support team.

“I’m in a really happy place, and I’ve never been able to fully say that,” she says.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

If hanging out at a casino with the likes of Sleeping with Sirens and Royal & the Serpent sounds like a dream vacation to you, you’re in luck.

Los Angeles-based musical curators and event planners Emo Nite are hosting a destination festival called Emo Nite Vegas Vacation, which will take place in Sin City from October 14 to October 17. The acts booked for the event so far include the aforementioned Sleeping with Sirens and Royal & the Serpent, plus Travis Barker, Mod Sun, Avril Lavigne, Mayday Parade, carolesdaughter, The Maine, 3OH!3 and more.

Special guests, parties and shows every night are among the attractions of the festival, which will take place at various hotels and clubs across the Las Vegas strip.

“emo nite vegas vacation is a three-day travel experience curated by us with pool parties, concerts, emo nites, and tons of special guests,” reads the announcement. “the best part…is that everything is included! your ticket includes your hotel room and access to all of our events all weekend long. all u have to do is get ur a$$ to vegas.”

For more information, or to reserve your spot — which comes with a COVID-19 money-back guarantee, by the way — visit Pollen.co.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Emo Nite (@emonitela)

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Garth Brooks will see two very different sides of Salt Lake City this weekend. On Friday night, his Dive Bar Tour hits local honky tonk, The Westerner, and the following day, he takes the stage for a sold-out stadium show.

“It’s funny because the whole mission is to make the dive bar feel like a stadium and the stadium feel like a dive bar,” Garth points out. “But to have them back-to-back in the same city?…I’ve got to tell ya, if I could paint a future for me, that’s exactly what I’d want to see. Friday night in a dive bar…Saturday night in a stadium…maybe back Sunday night in a dive bar!”

Clearly, Garth’s Salt Lake City fans are looking forward to his Stadium Tour stop as much as he is. When tickets to his show at the city’s Rice-Eccles Stadium first went on sale back in May, fans snapped up 50,000 seats in just under 30 minutes.

Garth has spent much of this summer getting Stadium Tour dates back on the books after the past year’s pandemic-induced touring hiatus. He’s officially back in action as of last weekend, kicking off the tour with a sold-out show in Las Vegas.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Here’s a roundup of new hip-hop and R&B music from Eric Bellinger, BJ The Chicago Kid, Leela James and more. 

Eric Bellinger caters to the ladies on his new single, “Only Fan,” inspired by the popular subscription service, OnlyFans. “Just let me be your only fan,” he sings on the track while discussing women who desire validation from social apps.

BJ The Chicago Kid links up with New Orleans vocalist Lucky Daye for “Make You Feel Good.” The romantic ballad was produced by Bongo ByTheWay and will arrive on BJ EP 4AM, which drops July 23. 

The following week, soul singer Leela James will release her highly-anticipated album, See Me, on July 30. It will feature James’ 2021 songs “Complicated,” “Put It on Me,” and her new single, “You’re the One,” which is out today. 

Meanwhile, Jennifer Hudson takes us back with a cover of Aretha Franklin‘s 1967 hit “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman” to accompany her starring role in the Franklin biopic, RESPECT. The film and its soundtrack will be released on August 13. 

West Coast natives Blxst and Bino Rideaux return with their collaborative project, Sixtape 2, featuring double the tracks of their six-song EP, Sixtape. The second installment blends both artists’ stylistic lyricism over hip-hop and R&B tracks with catchy hooks. 

And in case you missed it, rising singer Muni Long dropped her new EP, Nobody Knows, along with a music video for her single, “Just the Beginning.” Long also recently contributed to Big Femme Energy, Vol. 1, the debut album from female-led music and entertainment company, Femme It Forward.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Dustin Lynch puts a modern spin on the story of the American cowboy in two new songs, “Not Every Cowboy” and “Pasadena,” which arrived as a two-pack this week.

“Not Every Cowboy” is a sweeping, string-filled love ballad that promises a new lover he’ll never slip out the door in the middle of the night, no matter what she’s heard about cowboys having an independent streak.

Meanwhile, “Pasadena” is a dreamy look back at a fling that took place during a California vacation, between two people who found they have a surprising number of things in common, even though they both were in an unfamiliar place.

“‘Not Every Cowboy’ and ‘Pasadena’ are just about that timeless, authentic, American cowboy love story,” reflects Dustin. “I’m very proud of how these songs captured that emotion in such a classic way. They felt special the day we created them and I’m so excited that they’re out now where everyone can enjoy.”

It’s been a busy summer so far for Dustin, who headed to Vegas last month for his sold-out pool party, the Dustin Lynch Pool Situation. He’s keeping the warm-weather good times rolling with a new duet with Chris Lane, “Tequila on a Boat.”

Meanwhile, Dustin’s current duet single with Mackenzie Porter, “Thinking ‘Bout You,” is climbing the country charts. 

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

WILLOW’s new pop-punk album lately I feel EVERYTHING is out today, and you can celebrate it by watching a new concert experience that just went live on Facebook Watch.

During the video, Willow performs songs from the new album, and discusses her musical evolution with her friends and family, including mom Jada Pinkett Smith. Joining her for the video, which runs just under an hour, are Travis Barker, her collaborator on the current hit “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l,” and one of her heroes, Avril Lavigne, who joins her on the song “Grow.”

“This is such a special moment for me…Thank you for coming on this journey with me,” Willow writes of the video.

Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 about her new music — which is a long way from “Whip My Hair,” the debut single she released at age 10 — Willow says, “I followed my joy and I followed my heart, and I feel like it took us to a really beautiful spot. I’m in a place of disbelief right now.”

“I honestly feel like I’ve been waiting to make this album since I was literally 12,” Willow adds of lately I feel EVERYTHING. “This has been brewing inside of me for a long time.”

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

In 2021 so far, Weezer has released two albums — OK Human and Van Weezer — and Rivers Cuomo says he’s got a bunch more coming.

Appearing on ABC’s Good Morning America on Friday to promote the upcoming Hella Mega tour with Green Day and Fall Out Boy, Cuomo said, “I’ve guess I’ve had a lot of time on my hands so I wrote four albums that we’ll put out next year. It’s called Seasons, and each album comes out on the first year of the season.”

Cuomo described the “spring” album as “happy chill,” the “fall” album as “dance-rock, Strokes-style,” followed by the “sad, acoustic, Elliot Smith-style” music for winter. He didn’t mention what summer will sound like.

Billie Joe Armstrong appeared on GMA with Cuomo, but when asked about plans for new Green Day music to follow their most recent single, “Pollyanna,” he said, “Not in the immediate future but you never know. We always get a wild hair and end up doing something. But right now, we’re just looking forward to the tour.”

Also on the show, Weezer performed “Hero” and Fall Out Boy did “Uma Thurman” to get fans hyped for the Hella Mega tour, which kicks off July 24.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

As artists fire up their concert tours after being put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wiz Khalifareports he’s contracted the virus, reminding us we’re not completely out of the woods yet. 

Wiz delivered the bad news to his fans, tweeting on Wednesday, “Okay loved ones….sooo…..Ya boy got covid.”

He assured he is experiencing “no symptoms” and asked fans to “just stay away from me for a lil while.” 

The rapper, in a follow-up tweet, insisted that, despite being stuck in the house, he still plans to deliver new content and is readying his next project.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.