Category: NME News Roundups

Hey, hi, hello!

So in the intro for the last roundup, two weeks ago, I mentioned that Milo and I were heading down to Naarm/Melbourne for a week to look at a couple of apartments (see: 18 of them). We ended up finding one that we adored – the second one we looked at, on our first day in the city – and we managed to have our application processed and approved within a day… So, uh… We live in Naarm now! Postcode 3000, baybeeeeeee!

We moved everything in yesterday. I am… Very exhausted 😅

So with that said, I’m not gonna do much of an intro this time around. But I have linked two songs from the past fortnight that I have been frothing HARD – ‘27 Club’ by Trophy Eyes and ‘Say It To My Face’ by DZ Deathrays – and the new film clip for ‘The Man Himself’ by Gang Of Youths, because it is just spellbinding.

Nevertheless, here’s everything I got up to at NME over the past couple of weeks!

TUESDAY, 26/10/21

Aminé lives the high life in jaunty new single ‘Charmander’

Between You And Me announce 2022 ‘Armageddon’ tour

Listen to Tiny Little Houses’ soul-baring new single ‘Take A Swing’

Yours Truly announce 2022 ‘Walk Over My Grave’ tour

WEDNESDAY, 27/10/21

Watch the trailer for new Brian Wilson documentary ‘Long Promised Road’

Shygirl breaks out the charm on shimmery new single ‘Cleo’

Snoop Dogg honours late mother with singalong to ‘Stand By Me’

Mayday Parade to play self-titled album in full on 2022 Australian tour

Dregg and Nerve link up for tearing new single ‘Beta Gods’

THURSDAY, 28/10/21

BENEE opens up about mental health on new single ‘Doesn’t Matter’

Jaguar Jonze returning for 2022 edition of ‘Eurovision – Australia Decides’

Trophy Eyes channel their inner stadium-rockers on anthemic new single ‘27 Club’

Listen to Columbus’ electrifying new single ‘Temporary Summer’

FRIDAY, 29/10/21

Facebook officially rebrands as Meta, outlines plans for its sprawling “metaverse”

A$AP Rocky pays tribute to A$AP Yams on smoky new single ‘Sandman’

Lastlings and Ninajirachi join 2021 Ability Fest line-up

Bad Juju celebrate the spooky season with grungy new single ‘American Halloween’

Colourblind muse on their egos with soaring new single ‘Longsleeves’

SATURDAY, 30/10/21

A$AP Ferg teams up with Pharrell Williams for bewitching new single ‘Green Juice’

Former Sony Music Australia artist Dami Im comments on label’s allegedly toxic culture: “We all knew that was going on”

Peter Garrett responds to allegations of misconduct at Sony Music Australia: “The behaviour was inexcusable”

SUNDAY, 31/10/21

Watch a group of robot dogs recreate The Rolling Stones’ iconic ‘Start Me Up’ video

Grandson teams up with Kesha and Travis Barker for uplifting new single ‘Drop Dead’

Staind’s Aaron Lewis addresses his beef with Bruce Springsteen

MONDAY, 01/11/21

Franz Ferdinand tease return and release of new material

Steve Buscemi spotted out on Halloween dressed as “How do you do, fellow kids?” meme

Bill Maher to ‘Nevermind’ baby Spencer Elden: “Stop being such a fucking baby”

Jon Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams cancel gigs after testing positive for COVID-19

TUESDAY, 02/11/21

Slash, Myles Kennedy and two Conspirators came down with COVID-19 working on new album

The War On Drugs debut two tracks from ‘I Don’t Live Here Anymore’ in Tiny Desk Concert

FX and Hulu to air documentary about Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction at 2004 Super Bowl

Ruby Fields announces east coast theatre tour to launch debut album ‘Been Doin’ It For A Bit’

NSW to ease more restrictions on music venues starting next week

WEDNESDAY, 03/11/21

Listen to Black Country, New Road’s new Steve Reich-inspired single, ‘Bread Song’

Cardi B announced to host the 2021 American Music Awards

Starsailor set December release for 20th anniversary edition of ‘Love Is Here’

Spiritualized announce new album ‘Everything Was Beautiful’, share ‘Always Together With You’

Matt Edmondson on impact of rare mental health disorder cyclothymia: “Simply getting the label was life changing”

Mogwai are recruiting Glasgow fans for an upcoming film project

Live Nation to launch NFT ticket stubs

James Righton cancels sold-out London gig, promises “new music and shows coming very soon”

Joywave drop new single ‘Cyn City 2000’, detail fourth album ‘Cleanse’

Gang Of Youths blur the lines between youth and adulthood in ‘The Man Himself’ music video

Kendrick Lamar to appear on new Terrace Martin album ‘Drones’ alongside Snoop Dogg, Ty Dolla $ign and more

Rosalía announces new album ‘Motomami’ for 2022, teases first single

HBO sets release dates for new ‘Music Box’ documentaries on DMX, Juice WRLD, Alanis Morissette and more

The Cat Empire announce final show with original line-up at Bluesfest 2022

Teenage Dads drop new single ‘Piano Girl’, outline 2022 Australian tour dates

THURSDAY, 04/11/21

Boygenius to play first show in three years to fundraise for San Francisco nonprofit

Slipknot concert in Arizona paused after fans start fire in mosh pit

DZ Deathrays drop new single ‘Say It To My Face’, deluxe reissue of ‘Positive Rising: Part 2’

Spacey Jane, Pnau, Lime Cordiale lead Beyond The City line-up

Micra put the “dream” in “dream-pop” with breezy new single ‘Sunday’

Hey, hi, hello!

It’s feels like a whole year has passed since the last roundup! In addition to writing for the ✨New Musical Express✨ every day for the last 13 days, I’ve been apartment-hunting with Milo, enjoying all of my post-lockdown freedoms (I finally saw Shang-Chi! It was fucking sick!!!), planning a trip down to Melbourne (we leave tomorrow!), and doing a whole bunch of other little bits and pieces.

We sent Australian Guitar #145 to print last week, and this week I made my radio debut on The Faction (interviewing the legendary Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die). I even started reading a new book for the first time in like eight months (Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters – so far, it is… harrowing). 

It’s been a hectic little while, to say the least. But it’s been great! I’m really looking forward to heading south and seeing my favourite city in the world again – and hopefully, fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc, finding an apartment there. At this stage we’re heading down for five nights, but we might end up extending that depending on what kind of luck we have with the hunt. I’m also working through the whole trip (how else am I going to afford that #citylife?) so I’m expecting next week to be even more hectic than the last couple.

The biggest drop this week was 100% the new Alex Lahey single, ‘Spike The Punch’. I am so, so stoked that she’s signed to Liberation, and I truly cannot wait to see her take over the world with LP3. I have also been absolutely adoring the new Snail Mail album, Valentine, so I’m gonna pop the title track in here too. I already know that next week’s highlight will be the Trophy Eyes song – keep an eye out on BLUNT for our ~exclusive~ interview with John about it on Thursday!

Anyway, here’s everything I got up to at NME over the past couple of weeks!

TUESDAY, 12/10/21

Bon Iver share recordings of ‘Beth/Rest’ and ‘Babys’ from their 2011 AIR Studios session

James Blake recruits Slowthai for new version of ‘Funeral’

Slash, Wolfgang Van Halen guitarist Frank Sidoris involved in “traumatic” car accident

WEDNESDAY, 13/10/21

The Kid LAROI teases collaboration with Tame Impala

Denis Handlin will keep Order of Australia honours, has QMusic award revoked

George Alice looks to the future on energised new single ‘Mid Years’

Missy Higgins and The Teskey Brothers lead new batch of SummerSalt shows for QLD and SA

THURSDAY, 14/10/21

Snail Mail joins Waxahatchee for live cover of Sheryl Crow’s ‘Strong Enough’

Kingswood, The Black Sorrows, Emma Donovan and more announced for inaugural Flavafest

Clowns announce rescheduled national tour dates to kick off in December

DMA’S share watercolour-tinted film clip for ‘Junk Truck Head Fuck’

RedHook announce 2022 ‘Bring Ya Mates’ tour, drop fan-starring ‘Sentimental Surgery’ video

Jesswar links up with Erica Banks for venomous new single ‘Bad Like Riri’

FRIDAY, 15/10/21

Billy Porter ushers in a new era with anthemic single ‘Children’

Megan Thee Stallion links up with Popeyes to launch Hottie Sauce and merch line

Le Tigre issue statement on lawsuit against Barry Mann over ‘Deceptacon’: “We just want him to leave us alone”

ARIA strips Denis Handlin of Icon Award following ‘Four Corners’ investigation

Listen to Missy Higgins’ triumphant new single ‘Edge Of Something’

SATURDAY, 16/10/21

Watch the new video for Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers’ latest single ‘AHHHH!’

King Stingray, WAAX and more announced for 2021 Yonder Festival

Courtney Barnett and DMA’S lead 2022 Day On The Lawn lineup

Jack Botts drops ‘Live At Miami Marketta’ EP, details 2022 Australian tour

Agnes Manners team up with Deez Nuts’ JJ Peters for new take on ‘As Long As You’re Mine’

SUNDAY, 17/10/21

Watch System Of A Down perform live debut of ‘Genocidal Humanoidz’ and ‘Protect The Land’

PLANET announce debut album, ‘Information Overload’

Full Tilt locks in new dates for Sydney and Melbourne editions

Kito joins forces with Winona Oak for slinky new track ‘Skin & Bones’

MONDAY, 18/10/21

APRA AMCOS revokes Denis Handlin’s 2009 Ted Albert Award

Judas Priest’s Rob Halford reveals he was treated for prostate cancer, is now in remission

Production teaser for ‘The Flash’ shows first glimpse of Michael Keaton’s return as Batman

Daniel Craig crashes a Prince audition in surprise ‘Saturday Night Live’ cameo

Watch Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox’s goofy Right Said Fred cover: “I’m too sexy for King Crimson”

TUESDAY, 19/10/21

The Weeknd pushes world tour back to 2022, expands to stadiums

Guided By Voices announce 34th album, ‘It’s Not Them. It Couldn’t Be Them. It Is Them!’

The Wiggles announce 18+ arena tour with original line-up

Young Thug sues apartment building for allegedly giving stranger 200 unreleased songs worth over $1million

WEDNESDAY, 20/10/21

Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump scores new romantic comedy, ‘Mark, Mary & Some Other People’

Listen to Fergus James’ poignant new single ‘Fall Short’

Void Of Vision drop pummelling new single ‘Vampyr’, detail first EP in ‘Chronicles’ series

Chelsea Warner dials back on luscious new single ‘It Be Like That’

Watch the dreamlike film clip for Ashwarya’s latest single, ‘Flare’

THURSDAY, 21/10/21

David Ellefson on being ousted from Megadeth: “I don’t have any sour grapes over it”

Barkaa sets December release for debut EP, ‘Blak Matriarchy’

Naomi Keyte embraces the simple joys in life with new video for ‘Greenhill’

DZ Deathrays to release 8-bit phone game ‘Dive Bar Superstars’

San Joseph balances calmness and catharsis in new film clip for ‘Everything In The Room’

FRIDAY, 22/10/21

Swedish House Mafia link up with The Weeknd for new single ‘Moth To A Flame’

Olivia Rodrigo mourns a backstabbing ex in new music video for ‘Traitor’

Between You And Me take aim at climate-denying politicians on new single ‘Change’

Greta Stanley branches out with luscious new single ‘Close Call’

Warumpi Band to release first ever collection of recordings, ‘Papunya Sessions 1982’

SATURDAY, 23/10/21

Coterie breeze through the apocalypse on blissful new single ‘Good Morning’

Biblemami launches ‘Unpleasant Adolescent’ EP with new single ‘Outsider’

FREAKCLUB make an enthralling debut with dancehall-inspired ‘Perfect’

Johnny Hunter take to a dreary London pub in new film clip for ‘Life’

SUNDAY, 24/10/21

Peach PRC gets in the Christmas spirit with buzzy new single ‘I’ve Been Bad, Santa’

Tamworth Country Music Festival confirmed to be going ahead in 2022

Missy Higgins sings her heart out in new film clip for ‘Edge Of Something’

Hey, hi, hello!

So I’ve been trying something new this week. Bruno has been getting rather ✨chonky✨ throughout lockdown, and Milo and I have been neglecting his usual walkies and/or trips to the dog park by proxy of my work piling up, and Milo’s study piling up. But rather than continue to watch Bruno progressively get rounder, we decided on Tuesday to take him to the park with my laptop, and have Milo supervise while I tried smashing out some work from a park bench. It wasn’t entirely optimal, but it worked – and the dogs weren’t nearly as distracting as I thought they’d be (however it was indeed extremely difficult not to spent the whole time petting them all) – so we ended up doing the same on Wednesday and Friday.

NSW also hit its 70% double-vax target on Wednesday, so we are OFFICIALLY OUT OF LOCKDOWN TOMORROW, BAYBEE! I have the day off, too, so Milo and I are heading out for breakfast at one of our favourite cafés, then to the movies (ya bitch is finally going to see Shang-Chi, and they cannot fucking wait), and then maybe to the arcade after if we’re both up to it. 

So with all of that said, here’s everything I got up to at NME this week. The highlight for this week was easily the new Gang Of Youths track, but I didn’t write the piece about that because the UK team is just too good at breaking shit-hot Aussie news. Goddamn it. I think the best thing I wrote about this week is the new Flowerkid song, “Vodka Orange Juice”. It is so powerful, emotional and cerebral. This dude just does not have it in him to write a bad song, does he? Absolute GEM of a track.

Take care. Stay safe. Eat a bagel.

TUESDAY, 05/10/21

Billy Bragg leads judging panel for 2021 Australian Music Prize

Sarah Wolfe tackles social anxiety on fiery new single ‘Killing Time’

Missy Higgins, Xavier Rudd and Birds Of Tokyo lead new SummerSalt shows in TAS and WA

Amy Shark, Mo’Ju and Lime Cordiale named ambassadors for Ausmusic T-Shirt Day 2021

WEDNESDAY, 06/10/21

Foo Fighters and Tame Impala lead 2022 edition of baseball-centric Innings Festival

Hockey Dad, Aunty Donna and Middle Kids lead inaugural Super Fun Day lineup

San Joseph bares his soul on heartrending new single ‘Everything In The Room’

Up Late channels his best and worst selves on biting new single ‘Diva’

Becca Hatch blends jungle beats with gentle balladry on new single ‘Safety’

THURSDAY, 07/10/21

Billie Eilish adds Australia and New Zealand leg to ‘Happier Than Ever’ world tour

‘Four Corners’ special to explore the “inside story” of Sony Music Australia

Milan Ring drops new single ‘Pick Me Up’, announces debut album

Totally Unicorn lament societal pressures on intense new single ‘Yeah, Coach’

Flowerkid highlights transphobia on gut-wrenching new single ‘Vodka Orange Juice’

FRIDAY, 08/10/21

Kylie Minogue is returning to Australia after 30 years in the UK

Suicidal Tendencies lose Instagram account for three weeks because of their band name

Nas shares breezy new Hit-Boy collaboration, ‘Big Nas’

The Kid LAROI is working on a project to explore his name, a nod to his mother’s Kamilaroi heritage

SATURDAY, 09/10/21

Hatchie drops smoky cover of Jennifer Paige’s 1998 hit ‘Crush’

Listen to The Belligerents’ first new song in four years, ‘Emily’

The Money War announce new EP ‘Blood’, share effervescent title track

Watch the animated music video for Hope D’s latest single, ‘Happy Hangover’

SUNDAY, 10/10/21

Watch Carly Rae Jepsen cover Kate Bush’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ and Sade’s ‘By Your Side’

The Rock makes his white-hot rap debut on new Tech N9ne single ‘Face Off’

Hi, hey, hello!

It is a muggy Sunday morning here in Western Sydney, and I am currently buried under a veritable mountain of blankets (with a fan blasting at full power about 20cm from my face, because… contrast). September was a pretty hectic month – hence the last two NME round-ups not even having intros – but I’m currently enjoying a chill day off and mentally preparing myself for an even more insane October. 

On that note, we’re only a week out from COVID restrictions (supposedly) easing in NSW, which means I should be able to start house-hunting (and finally see Shang-Chi, holy shit) later this month! I’m just crossing my fingers in hopes that the border to Victoria opens soon too, or that we’re at least able to start applying for permits to cross it. Right now my LGA is a grey zone, which means we aren’t able to cross any interstate borders unless it is an absolute, extreme-case emergency. But hopefully that’s gonna change soon!

My highlight this week is the new track by Whatever, Forever – a pop-punk/emo/hardcore-ish outfit from my own batting grounds of Western Sydney – which landed on Friday. Five EPs down and they still won’t commit to a full-length album, but at least we’re getting new music from them at all – and fucking sick music, at that. I’ve linked “Ghost Of Me” after the jump, but in the meantime, here’s everything I got up to at NME this week:

TUESDAY, 28/09/21

Bob Dylan announces US leg of ‘Rough And Rowdy Ways’ world tour

Listen to Soccer Mommy and Kero Kero Bonito join forces on ‘Rom Com 2021’

Listen to Arca’s entrancing new single ‘Incendio’

Tom Grennan announces 2022 Australian tour

Muroki longs for home on bubbly new single ‘Surfin’

WEDNESDAY, 29/09/21

Converge detail collaborative album with Chelsea Wolfe, Ben Chisholm and Stephen Brodsky

Spacey Jane, Meg Mac, The Presets and more announced for QLD leg of This That 2022

Eat Your Heart Out drop idyllic film clip for ‘Pear Tree’

PLANET plead to save a doomed relationship on summery new single ‘Ship Won’t Change’

Shannen James team ups with Riley Pearce for an acoustic version of ‘Separate Ways’

THURSDAY, 30/09/21

Judge suspends Jamie Spears as Britney Spears’ conservator

The Script announce Australian ‘Greatest Hits’ tour for 2022

Ashwarya taps into romantic tension on striking new single ‘Flare’

Micra drop new tracks ‘After Dark’ and ‘Tell Me What You Need’, announce EP trilogy

KYE links up with Jerome Farah for dreamy new single ‘Tuesday’

FRIDAY, 01/10/21

LÂLKA drops dancefloor-primed new single ‘Hold Me’, announces new EP

Running Touch links up with GRAACE, Set Mo and Motez for live version of ‘Ceilings’

Keli Holiday lives it up on his lonesome with summery new single ‘December’

Between You And Me share new single ‘Butterflies’, detail second album

Client Liaison drop new video for ‘Strictly Business’, sell their “soul” as an NFT

Whatever, Forever share emotive new single ‘Ghost Of Me’, announce fifth EP

SATURDAY, 02/10/21

David Lee Roth says he’ll retire after final concerts in Las Vegas: “I’m throwing in the shoes”

Queen’s Roger Taylor says anti-vaxxers “must be ignorant and stupid”

Bootleg Rascal drop reggae remix of ‘With You’, detail massive Australian tour

Pluto Jonze drops blissful new singles ‘New Morning High’ and ‘Rumschpringe’

PS. get vaccinated or fuck off eternally.

What a week it has beeeeeeeen! Here’s everything I got up to at NME over the past week:

TUESDAY, 21/09/21

Slash posts teaser of new Guns N’ Roses song ‘Hard School’

Morgan Wallen reportedly only donated a third of his promised $500,000 to Black-led organisations

Jimmy Barnes and Matt Okine mount #ShareASong campaign for dementia awareness

WEDNESDAY, 22/09/21

Greatest Hits set their sights on the dancefloor with groovy new single ‘Spicy’

Springtime release new single ‘Will To Power’, detail self-titled debut album

Fergus James channels Bon Iver and Imogen Heap on new single ‘Slow Separation’

Private Function to play horror-themed ‘Miracle On 69th Street’ Christmas show

This That festival postponed to 2022, Queensland date to receive new line-up

THURSDAY, 23/09/21

Damon Albarn finds the beauty in darkness on new single ‘Royal Morning Blue’

Billy Corgan to sell gear played on Smashing Pumpkins albums and tours

Oh Wonder detail fourth album, ‘22 Break’, and share dazzling title track

Stepson announce rescheduled ‘Help Me, Help You’ tour for 2022

Mossy drops frenzied Kmoe remix of ‘Shade’

FRIDAY, 24/09/21

Hear St. Vincent, Fontaines D.C. and Michael Stipe cover The Velvet Underground on new tribute album

R. Kelly’s lawyer references Martin Luther King, Jr. in closing arguments of New York trial

As I Lay Dying issue statement on guitarist Nick Hipa’s departure: “We wish him the absolute best”

RedHook embrace their emo side on new single ‘Sentimental Surgery’

Listen to the title track from Azure Ryder’s new EP ‘Ladder To The Moon’

Wolfjay wrestles with extremes on luminous new single ‘Dichotomy’

SATURDAY, 25/09/21

Listen to Ocean Sleeper’s stormy new single ‘Forever Sinking’

Listen to Paris Texas’ punchy new single ‘Girls Like Drugs’

Eminem to open diner named after “Mom’s spaghetti” lyric in ‘Lose Yourself’

SUNDAY, 26/09/21

Watch Baker Boy, Stella Donnelly, John Butler and more perform at the 2021 AFL Grand Final

Courtney Love says Nirvana should have made ‘In Bloom’ the lead single from ‘Nevermind’

• 

Another week has passed, and with it a whole stack of music news! Here’s everything I got up to at NME over the past week:

MONDAY, 13/09/21

Here are all the winners from the MTV VMAs 2021

Watch Ed Sheeran perform ‘Shivers’ and ‘Bad Habits’ from the 2021 MTV VMAs

TUESDAY, 14/09/21

Courtney Barnett goes on a sonic adventure in new video for ‘Before You Gotta Go’

Every Time I Die aim for the throat on anti-capitalist anthem ‘Planet Shit’

Nicki Minaj says she will get COVID-19 vaccine “once I feel I’ve done enough research”

Parkway Drive, Polaris, Alex Lahey and more announced for 2021 Knight & Day festival

WEDNESDAY, 15/09/21

Listen to Gang Of Youths’ haunting piano version of ‘The Angel Of 8th Ave.’

Paul Kelly muses on Australia’s culture of racism in new single ‘Every Step Of The Way’

The Amity Affliction pay tribute to the late Sean Kennedy on new single ‘Like Love’

Banoffee mourns the best sex of her life on new single ‘Never Get to F*ck Any1’

Bodyjar build a conspiracy theorist in new video for ‘Get Out Of My Head’

Skeleten drops two new remixes for ‘Live In Another World’

Watch the cinematic music video for Twelve Foot Ninja’s new single ‘Over And Out’

THURSDAY, 16/09/21

Hope D trips out on explosive new single ‘Happy Hangover’

The Cat Empire announce final tour with original line-up

Wave Racer puts an upbeat spin on sad times with new single ‘Dreaming’

Johnny Hunter balance light and dark on evocative new single ‘Life’

Peking Duk, Boo Seeka and Northeast Party House to play regional QLD festival The Backyard Series

Drapht and Bodyjar join Land Of Plenty festival, rescheduled for 2022

Listen to Dominic Breen’s dizzying new single ‘Real Hard Week’

FRIDAY, 17/09/21

Scarface receives kidney transplant from son after battle with COVID-19

Josh Homme’s daughter has been granted a temporary restraining order against him

Birds Of Tokyo team up with Stand Atlantic for stirring new single ‘Superglue’

Listen to Running Touch’s steamy new single ‘Ceilings’

Close Counters release charity singles ‘In Need Of Love’ and ‘Wherever You Go’

Sarah Saint James drops biting new single ‘Heather’, co-written with Alex Lahey

SUNDAY, 19/09/21

Kanye West honours his late mother in new video for ‘Donda Chant’

The Smashing Pumpkins perform ‘Quiet’ for the first time in 27 years at Riot Fest

Los Angeles to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination at bars and nightclubs

Foxing announce UK and European tour for 2022

G’morning! Happy Tuesday!

I don’t have a whole bunch to say this time around – it’s been a really busy week so I haven’t had much time to let my mind wander anywhere else but my laptop… I did some baking yesterday which was pretty nice? Also I’d never watched any of the Matrix movies before this week (I know, I’m an uncultured watermelon) so I’ve been catching up on those before Resurrections comes out in December. I’m halfway through Reloaded and so far I feel like it and the OG ’99 movie were a lil’ overhyped, but I still still really enjoyed The Matrix nonetheless. I also just love that crusty, washed out ’90s aesthetic.

My highlight for this week was 100% The Bob’s Burgers Movie getting a new release date! I was so worried that would get pulled from the slate altogether after it got knocked back last year, but it is actually coming out for realsies I am SO FUCKING EXCITED to see it next year now! Music-wise, though, I really dug the new Moaning Lisa single. The album is fantastic!

TUESDAY, 07/09/21

Watch Chvrches play three ‘Screen Violence’ highlights on ‘CBS This Morning’

Watch Miley Cyrus cover Janis Joplin’s ‘Maybe’ at BottleRock

Klaxons keyboardist James Righton reveals his role in forming ABBA reunion band

Yumi Zouma power through their self-doubt on new single ‘Give It Hell’

Guy Sebastian says he disagrees with messaging of #VaxTheNation music industry campaign

WEDNESDAY, 08/09/21

‘The Matrix Resurrections’ unveils promotional website with 180,000 different teasers

Britney Spears’ father Jamie files petition to end her conservatorship

Baker Boy, Amy Shark, Jimmy Barnes and more announced for 2022 Great Southern Nights concert series

Ash Grunwald drops striking new single ‘I Want You To Know’, details 11th studio album

THURSDAY, 09/09/21

Angels & Airwaves tap into their slower side on emotive new single ‘Spellbound’

Triple One shake it up with trippy new single ‘Blood Rave’

Shady Nasty muse on the grind of city life in new single ‘PRETTYB0YZ’

Watch Vance Joy perform ‘Missing Piece’ on ‘The Late Late Show’

Stumps share “extended cut” of ‘All Our Friends’ with five new remixes

Jack River champions young activists on powerful new single ‘We Are The Youth’

FRIDAY, 10/09/21

Listen to Moaning Lisa’s breezy new single ‘Too Many’

Watch Debbies get drunk with the devil in new video for ‘Sinner’

90ivy drop groove-laden breakup anthem ‘Now Or Later’

Listen to Fangz get angsty on belting new single ‘I Don’t Like Me’

Fractures drops bubbly new single ‘Raspberries’, announces ‘Summer’ EP

Cyrus yearns for “real life” on dreamy new single ‘Love Online’

Listen to the Hard-Ons’ propulsive new single ‘Lite As A Feather’

SATURDAY, 11/09/21

LEGO teams up with Fender for 1,000+ piece Stratocaster set

Billy Talent recruit Rivers Cuomo for new single ‘End Of Me’, announce sixth album

Mastodon drop new single ‘Pushing The Tides’, detail ninth studio album

Members of Alice In Chains, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam leading “Sounds Of Seattle” rock camp

Gear owned by late Mazzy Star member David Roback up for sale 

Jax Jones announces UK tour dates for 2022

SUNDAY, 12/09/21

Explosions In The Sky release hypnotic new single ‘Flying’

‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ sets new 2022 release date

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon say ‘The Last Duel’ is a feminist movie

Swizz Beatz says Kanye West was down to battle Drake in a ‘VERZUZ’ episode

Matt Damon fans have tracked down his secret Instagram account

My dudes, it has been a wild fortnight. I completely just spaced on posting a news roundup last week – to be fully honest, I forgot I even had this blog.

I got my second dose of Pfizer on Thursday, and it does feel really good to be fully vaccinated now. Although, I wasn’t expecting to be decked so hard by the side-effects – I had absolutely no reaction to the first dose, but the second dose gave me three full days of brutal lethargy, brain fog and soreness. But I have a much lower chance of getting COVID-19 now, and if I do somehow manage to get it, a much lower chance of dying – so at the end of the day, it’s very much worth the side-effects. We’ve been hearing stuff about some NSW businesses starting to re-open for vaccinated people, and I’m hoping that starts soon, because I am truly starting to go postal in lockdown. I also (kinda selfishly) hope cinemas are included in that suite of businesses, because I am fucking desperate to watch Shang-Chi.

Anyway, here’s everything I got up to at NME over the past couple of weeks!

TUESDAY, 24/08/21

Kanye West momentarily leaked Drake’s home address on Instagram

Judge rules Tory Lanez violated Megan Thee Stallion’s restraining order

Watch the powerful new trailer for Halsey’s IMAX film ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’

Watch Bugs erupt into a cathartic live set in ‘Decisions, Commitments & Plans’ video

Listen to Biblemami’s electrifying new single ‘Bunny’

WEDNESDAY, 25/08/21

Paramore’s Hayley Williams appears to have been given a writing credit on Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Good 4 U’

Woman alleges at trial that R. Kelly forced her to have sex with another man as punishment

Watch Pond tear it up in a “bootleg” recording of their full set in Fremantle

THURSDAY, 26/08/21

merci, mercy drops brutally relatable new single ‘Winnie Crush’

Bootleg Rascal set October release for new album ‘Sloppy Seconds’

Charlie Collins riffs on the frustrations of heartbreak in eruptive new single ‘Just My Luck’

Totally Unicorn slam the ‘Trust Fund Glee’ on mosh-ready new single

Meredith Music Festival cancels its 2021 event

Watch Parcels play an acoustic version of ‘Comingback’ from the idyllic Painted Hills

Amy Shark postpones remainder of ‘Cry Forever’ tour dates

Kobie Dee announces ‘Gratitude Over Pity’ EP, drops striking new single ‘About A Girl’

Between You And Me call themselves out on new single ‘Deadbeat’

FRIDAY, 27/08/21

The Weeknd, Belly and Nas join forces for powerful new track ‘Die For It’

Eminem teams up with Grip for scorching new song ‘Walkthrough!’

Listen to Big Red Machine and Taylor Swift team up on heady new track ‘Birch’

Metallica’s Lars Ulrich pays tribute to Charlie Watts: “There’s nobody above Charlie on that pyramid”

Kacey Musgraves embraces healing pains on new single ‘justified’

Dylan J and Ruel team up for smoky new single ‘Notice Me’

SATURDAY, 28/08/21

Jason Isbell covers The Rolling Stones’ hit ‘Gimme Shelter’ in memory of Charlie Watts

Angel Haze drops “woozy, dreamlike” new single, details ‘Girl With A Gun’ EP

Mark Lanegan and Joe Cardamone detail self-titled Dark Mark vs. Skeleton Joe album

Historic baths venue being renovated and reopened for Sound City Ipswich

London Grammar drop breathtaking orchestral version of ‘Lord It’s A Feeling’

SUNDAY, 29/08/21

Stormzy brings out Manchester City footballer Jack Grealish during Leeds Festival set

Chris D’Elia returns to stand-up, reportedly jokes about being “cancelled”

Nas calls Hit-Boy his “Quincy Jones”, talks potential third album together: “The idea has to be exciting in the first place”

The Script announce 2022 tour for UK and Europe, detail ‘Tales From The Script’ compilation

TUESDAY, 31/08/21

GoFundMe launched for Psychedelic Furs guitarist John Ashton’s cancer treatment

Halsey calls out industry treatment over pregnancy: “My personal choice isn’t going to affect your profitability”

Drake shows off latest instalment of ‘Certified Lover Boy’ merch collaboration with Nike

Flume drops bass-inflected remix of Danny L Harle’s ‘On A Mountain’

FRIDAY, 03/09/21

Masked Wolf links up with X Ambassadors’ Sam Harris for new single ‘Razor’s Edge’

The Vanns celebrate personal wins on summery new single ‘Feels Good Now’

Broods return with intoxicating new single ‘Piece Of My Mind’

Lime Cordiale, The Veronicas, Broods and more announced for 2021 Factory Summer Festival

Teenage Dads drop ‘Cheerleader’ video, set release for ‘Club Echo’ EP

SUNDAY, 05/09/21

André 3000 issues statement after his Kanye West collaboration is leaked by Drake

Chance The Rapper, Smoko Ono, Joey Purp and Yxng Bane join forces for new single ‘Winners’

Cheryl Cole criticised for hosting R&B podcast on BBC Sounds

Somebody shat themselves in the pit during a Turnstile show in California

Hey! What’s up? Comin’ to you live from day [I have honestly lost count] of Sydney’s lockdown, where we’re at 830 new cases of COVID-19 and there’s no end in sight to this brutal, droning hellscape! I am feeling… Not good. Honestly, one of the few redeeming factors of this gruelling malaise is that I still have work to bury my head in, which I am incredibly grateful for – especially right now.

News-wise, the highlight this week was obviously the lineup for UNIFY 2022 being announced. Though I have no confidence at all that it will actually go ahead, the idea that I might, potentially, maybe, possibly have somewhat of a slight chance to see Violent Soho, Teenage Joans, Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers, Short Stack and Ocean Grove at the same festival next year… It’s pretty fuckin’ exciting!

Anyway, here’s everything I got up to at NME this week 🙂

TUESDAY, 17/08/21

Korn postpone six shows after Jonathan Davis tests positive for COVID-19

Rammstein’s ‘Ich Will’ has become the official soundtrack for the German Paralympic team

Hear Angel Olsen put her spin on Billy Idol’s ‘Eyes Without a Face’

Lil Wayne opens up about mental health struggles and childhood suicide attempt: “You have no one to vent to”

Grinspoon, The Butterfly Effect and more announced for Wallapalooza 2021

WEDNESDAY, 18/08/21

Trippie Redd won’t face prosecution for alleged assault and battery charges made in 2018

Lady Gaga’s dogwalker shares GoFundMe campaign to “support the process of growing from trauma”

Listen to Bliss N Eso’s propulsive new single ‘Tell The World That I’m Coming’

Watch Beks reimagine ‘Titanic’, ‘Dirty Dancing’, ‘The Notebook’ and more in new video for ‘Devoted’

Live Nation says it’s looking into trialling vaccination requirements for Australian events

360 announces tenth anniversary reissue for ‘Flying & Falling’

Listen to Cheap Date’s heartrending new single ‘Woman To You’

THURSDAY, 19/08/21

Remi Wolf announces debut album ‘Juno’, shares two new singles

Watch Courtney Barnett perform a dizzying rendition of ‘Rae Street’ on ‘Fallon’

Listen to Client Liaison’s fist-pumping new single ‘Elevator Up’

Murmurmur roar back to life in kaleidoscopic new single ‘Alive’

Mossy leaps into the world of electropop on first single in four years, ‘Shade’

Allday shares new video for ‘Door’, reschedules 2021 tour dates

Jimmy Barnes cancels ‘Flesh And Blood’ national tour

Violent Soho, The Amity Affliction and more announced for the 2022 UNIFY Gathering

FRIDAY, 20/08/21

Bon Iver protest Minnesota pipeline at their first show since March 2020

Justin Bieber announces three-day Vegas weekender with Kehlani, Jaden Smith and more

Holy Holy and CLEWS deliver a stripped-back live version of ‘The Aftergone’ from lockdown

Death By Denim crank up the grooves on new single ‘Cause A Scene’

Keith Urban shouts out “drifters” and “dreamers” in new single ‘Wild Hearts’

Melbourne artists join forces for livestreamed Artists For Afghanistan benefit

SATURDAY, 21/08/21

Corey Taylor has tested positive for COVID-19: “I’m very, very sick”

Dave Mustaine doesn’t think Metallica “could have survived” with him in the band

Big Boi and Sleepy Brown announce joint album release date, share new song ‘The Big Sleep Is Over’

Young Thug reigns supreme in the stylised video for new single ‘Tick Tock’

SUNDAY, 22/08/21

NYC Homecoming Concert shut down midway due to hurricane warning, may resume without crowd

Kanye West appears to hit out at Drake: “I’ve been fucked with by nerd ass jocks like you my whole life”

Kacey Musgraves celebrates her 33rd birthday with a snippet of new music

I’m running out of Bruno photos, hey. I’ve been meaning to spend more time actively taking photos of him – and of things in general – but everything has been so turbulent lately, the thought keeps slipping past me. With no end in sight for Sydney’s lockdown (or the restrictions accompanying it), it’s been hard to feel optimistic about too much. But I’m keeping busy, which is helping with the mental side of it. Case in point: a few really big days of music news, which I had the wicked privilege of helping to cover at NME.

My highlight for this week is the announcement of The Beths’ live album, recorded at their Auckland Town Hall show from last November. I absolutely adore The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers was my album of the year for 2020 – and I was so irreparably devastated when they postponed their Australian tour back in June. I have my fingers crossed they’ll be able to whip over here soon (probably not in November as planned), but in the meantime, this LP will be a nice little consolation prize. I’m stoked the film is going to be streaming on Apple TV+ as well, I knew that yearlong free trial would come in handy at some point!

SUNDAY, 08/08/21

Live Nation will allow artists to set their own COVID-19 entry protocols, won’t allow unvaccinated staff to work shows

Rihanna responds to being named the world’s richest female musician

Nearly a fifth of US venues that applied for government funding have been rejected

Listen to Vince Staples catch ‘em all in his Pokémon soundtrack inclusion, ‘Got ‘Em’

Polish Club team up with Sydney restaurant Burger Head to launch their own burger

TUESDAY, 10/08/21

Judge denies request to have Britney Spears’ conservatorship hearing expedited

Australian government commits $20million boost to mental health charity Support Act

The Kid LAROI reacts to ‘Stay’ hitting Number One on the Billboard Hot 100: “I. FUCKIN. LOVE. YOU. ALL.”

I Know Leopard tap into their pop side on shimmery new single ‘Day 2 Day’

WEDNESDAY, 11/08/21

The Beths announce live album and concert film, ‘Auckland, New Zealand, 2020’

Tropical Fuck Storm head to the astral plane in new single and video, ‘Bumma Sanger’

Stevan oozes emotion in the new music video for ‘Hope It’s Not’

STUMPS share an ode to loneliness with new single ‘By Myself’

Melbourne International Film Festival cancels in-cinema element of 2021 event, expands MIFF Play program

FRIDAY, 13/08/21

Paul McCartney shares an inside look at the making of his ‘Find My Way’ video

Tierra Whack shares thumping new track ‘8’ for the ‘Madden 22’ soundtrack

Dionne Warwick set to headline the inaugural Dogepalooza Festival

Polish Club bring ‘The Charlie Marmaduke Trilogy’ to an end in the new video for ‘Baby We’re Burning’

Short Stack dial up the emotions on an acoustic version of ‘Live4’

Listen to Masked Wolf’s aptly titled new single, ‘Bop’

Debbies come to terms with themselves on explosive new single ‘Sinner’

The Bamboos share new single ‘Piece Of Me’ from ‘Hard Up’ deluxe edition

SUNDAY, 15/08/21

Philadelphia venue names its cloakroom after Japanese Breakfast

Sebastian Bach says Americans should be mandated to be vaccinated: “There’s no politics in health or medicine”

US venues denied the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant can now appeal their rejections

Whitney announce “intimate” 2021 North American tour