Bartees Strange swears it’s only his second time bowling. In perfect stance, he gracefully glides the ball as Sixpence None the Richer’s “Kiss Me” plays over the speakers in Northern Virginia’s Bowl America, a close-to-home spot where he occasionally hangs out for the cheap drinks. It’s only the game’s first turn, but Strange immediately fires […]
Last Friday, Bartees Strange released Farm to Table, his first album with the venerable indie label 4AD [and second overall]. Unsurprisingly, the album is great. Now, on the heels of that and a show at Los Angeles’ Getty Museum, Strange announced the dates for his first-ever headlining North American tour. The dates, which kick off with […]
It’s almost absurd how much good music — universally acclaimed, big-ticket, year-end contender music — came out in 2022’s first five months. It’s hard to imagine the next seven matching that pace. We’ve heard soul-bearing rap songs (Kendrick Lamar), future windows-down rock classics (Momma), loads of elite-level Thom Yorke (The Smile) — the list, literally, goes […]
Bartees Strange has a new album on the way. Titled Farm to Table, the album will be released on June 17 via 4AD. This will be his debut album with 4AD. To coincide with the announcement, Strange released a brand-new single, “Cosigns,” accompanied by a music video. While his debut record focuses on the experiences […]
Freshly signed to 4AD, Bartees Strange released his label debut, “Heavy Heart,” and its music video, today. [embedded content][embedded content] Strange pays tribute to his grandfather and father in his first new music in over two years. He sings about the years of guilt that have piled up on him – as Strange has been […]
A pair of rappers pulling off the best Tom Tom Club sample since Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” (G Perico & Rucci), an iconic New Wave band trafficking in tongue-in-cheek nostalgia (Duran Duran), a blackgaze act embracing their love of vocal harmony (Deafheaven), and psych-rockers using the shopping mall as a metaphor for capitalist greed (My Morning […]
The world changed 30 years ago today. Though it took a few months before the proverbial train left the station, the rumblings from the underground completely blew up when college rock and punk blended to form alternative rock, with Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl serving as the conductors. Nevermind’s legacy is firmly and […]
One of the brightest revelations of 2020 was Bartees Strange. In a year full of misery, Strange’s debut album, Live Forever, was one of our favorites and landed on our best albums and best songs list. Thus, it makes sense that a year after the album’s release, Strange has more in store. The singer-songwriter shared a […]
“I’m ready to move on to the next thing,” Bartees Strange tells SPIN. It’s a logical impulse, especially since his debut LP, 2020’s Live Forever, restlessly shuffles through genres — indie-rock, folk, emo, hip-hop, soul — like playing cards. October also wasn’t the most optimal time for a life-changing career move: With COVID-19 grinding live […]
One of the most interesting festivals every year is Iceland Airwaves. This year, following an obvious year away physically (the fest still existed virtually), will see the event return to downtown Reykjavík on Nov. 3-6. As usual, the tastemaking festival features a nice blend of international and Icelandic artists, including two of our favorites with Arlo […]