It's been quite a while since we last saw The Offspring drop a full-length album. When Days Go By came out in 2012, Barack Obama was still in his first term as president, The Artist had won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and LeBron James was celebrating his first championship with the Miami Heat.
So, yes, you could say The Offspring's last album title was quite prescient. And their newest record seems to be continuing that trend of being spot on for the moment.
After nearly a decade without a new record, The Offspring announced the release of Let The Bad Times Roll, their tenth full-length album. This one, like the last two, is produced by Bob Rock. But it'll be the band's first-ever record without Greg K., who parted ways with Dexter Holland and Noodles in 2018. The bassist will be replaced by Tony Morse of H2O, who's been touring with The Offspring over the past few years.
The album is due out on April 16, 2021—in the meantime, the band has dropped the lead single, which also happens to be the title track.
There's quite a bit of auto-tune on Dexter's voice in this one, and it's certainly not the most rocking song, but dang, it's a catchy number. Who knows if we'll get another single before the disc officially drops, but in the meantime, you can check out the tracklist below or pre-order a vinyl, CD, cassette, or some other goodies.
As you know, I'm a big ol' fan of basketball. Give me basketball news, basketball updates, basketball cards, basketball games, basketball memes. I want it all.
There's a lot of folks like me out there, too, which is why I want to share Crisp Bounce Pass, a digital newsletter about basketball.
This newsletter covers all kinds of basketball topics, from cool basketball players to forgotten games. But it dives in even further, looking at stuff like basketball in pop culture, fun facts, and branding exploration.
For example, the most recent issue looks at the evolution of the Milwaukee Bucks logo. How did it go from a reindeer wearing a delightful sweater to a fierce looking buck that pays homage to the city where the team plays? You'll have to click through to find out, but it's a fun time.
The NBA season tips off again this week and I'm excited to have basketball back in our lives, even if it's going to be in a weird bubble-only format with no fans. And I'm excited there are things like Crisp Bounce Pass to keep us educated and entertained with all sorts of quirky topics as the season chugs along.
Daniel Radcliffe has done plenty of cool projects over the years, but of course, nothing will top being the greatest wizard in the land. Radcliffe's performance as Harry Potter has inspired millions of people around the world to believe in the power of magic, even if it doesn't take the form of wizard robes and crazy fire spells. And with the world in an unpredictable state, we could use a little levity (or maybe a little Wingardium Leviosa).
That's where Radcliffe comes in. He's the first of many exciting contributors that will be reading through the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. These readings are part of the Harry Potter At Home series, which will feature famous faces and friends of the Wizarding World. With 17 chapters in total, we've got quite a bit of reading to do. Well, we won't be reading, we'll just be enjoying. But the guest readers will have a lot of reading to do.
"Superman" by Goldfinger is one of the first songs I remember hearing on a video game. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater gave me the tunes that made my toes tapping, my head bobbing, and my mouth smiling. In fact, I still can't hear the song without hearing beeps in my head around the 1:50 mark. I just want to land that Kickflip McTwist!
In any case, even a quarter-century later, this song still rocks. And the Goldfinger crew (featuring a lot of familiar faces) is enthusiastic as ever, rocking out in very nice home studios. Take a listen and keep on dancing through all of this.
In the toughest times, I'm thankful I can turn to music to help brighten my spirits.
Back before this whole wave of social distancing began, I attended a show featuring Magic Giant and American Authors at the historic Scoot Inn here in Austin. Despite the frigid outdoor temps, the crowd was ready to jump. And we were in luck, because these two headliners are energetic as heck.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say Magic Giant is one of the most bouncy shows I've ever seen. The trio gets calf workouts for days, bounding around the stage like dogs that have just discovered a new field to play in. And I say that in the most complimentary way possible. I loved their set, full of jams like the head bopper "Disaster Party."
Between Austin Bisnow on lead vocals and keys, Zambricki Li on viola, banjo, and harmonica, and Zang rocking the acoustic guitar and cello, these gents will improve your mood. Their older songs are a bit more folk-y sounding (no wonder LA Weekly called them "cool as folk") while their newer stuff is more pop-centric; either way, you really can't go wrong. The energy certainly made it difficult to capture photos, but I managed to snap a few fun ones that showcase some of that excitement. Check them out at the bottom of the post.
Oh, and how about the time when Magic Giant came out into the crowd to perform acoustically? I'M ONBOARD.
I had seen American Authors once before; they opened for The Royal Concept, another band that knows how to put a toe-tapper together. That was a few years ago, and I think they sound even tighter now. Though they didn't play my favorite song of theirs (you can hear that one below), they had plenty of fun moments, as well. They also spent some time among the crowd, scaring the heck out of me by launching into a pounding bass drum, tambourine, and additional percussion breakdown directly behind where I was standing as they started their second set.
American Authors is most known for its smash single "Best Day of My Life," which has an alternate music video version of a dog getting adopted that is just too cute for school. But the quartet of Zac Barnett (vocals, guitar), James Adam Shelley (guitar, banjo), Dave Rublin (bass), and Matt Sanchez (drums) offer plenty of firepower, especially with singalong choruses and positive messages.
I hope more shows adopt the setup of this tour – the two headliners went back and forth, each getting in a couple of mini-sets. Let's get more of this! Five songs for one, five songs for the other, five songs for the first, five songs for the second, then close it out with a big ol' party. We all know the worst part of any show (other than someone stepping on your toes) is the downtime between sets. This greatly eliminates that and makes for a fantastic time. Artists and venues, please keep that going.
It may be a while until we can get out and enjoy live shows again. Luckily, we can still support artists making great music by buying or streaming songs and albums and picking up merch. Until then, be safe, and hope to see you at the next show.
UPDATE: Magic Giant is doing a "Live From Quarantine" virtual festival series, featuring performances from The Lumineers, Jason Mraz, Woody Harrelson, and a whole lot more. You can check it out on Instagram Live this weekend (4/19) at 2pm PT.
I've always felt Fountains of Wayne has been a criminally underrated band for most of their career. Like a lot of people, I discovered the band through "Stacy's Mom," the 2003 pop hit that was a tribute to The Cars (there's even a mini Ric Ocasek in the opening scene of the music video). But while most people wrote them off as a one-hit wonder, I dove deeper into their catalog. And man, there's such terrific stuff in there.
That's largely due to Adam Schlesinger, co-founder of Fountains of Wayne, along with Chris Collingwood. The duo is credited with writing every song on their album, an intentional move to let the band shine more brightly than the individuals within it. I think what's most impressive about Fountains of Wayne songs is how perfectly they capture the minutiae of suburban living. Heck, their Utopia Parkway record is a concept album about suburbia. That's just not really a thing most bands do, yet it speaks to so many people throughout the country. We've all had rocky relationships, been stuck in traffic, or woken up one morning realizing we drank too much the night before. And Adam and Chris brought these scenarios to life through Fountains of Wayne songs.
But it wasn't only Fountains of Wayne. Adam had a hand in so many songs – both for real and fictitious bands and shows. You've likely heard an earworm song and been like, "YES. I dig this" and chances are Adam touched it.
Jams like "Just the Girl" by The Click Five and "High School Never Ends" by Bowling for Soup are still toe-tappers nearly 20 years later. He wrote the title track to perhaps my favorite movie ever (That Thing You Do!), penned tunes for the Josie and the Pussycats soundtrack, and earned multiple Emmy Awards wins and nominations for his work on the Tonys and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Adam died from complications from COVID-19 at just 52 years old. He gave us so much good music and I hope you'll take some time to listen.
As COVID-19 requires more people across the world to shelter in place, they're finding different forms of entertainment. Perhaps you've taken up a board game, or are hosting virtual happy hours with friends in faraway places. Maybe you're reading a book that reminds you to trust in yourself. You might even be finding solace re-enacting all of the Mentos commercials from the 90s.
However, if you still need some help, John Krasinski has you covered. He took to Twitter to find good news happening across the world, and then launched his own show, the aptly named "Some Good News." The debut news show highlights people doing good deeds, and features guest interviews with Steve Carell and a teenager named Coco that just finished her final round of chemotherapy. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll smile, and most of all – you'll feel good. During a time like this, that's plenty.
This first episode will be tough to beat, but I sure hope John tries because the world needs more of this. Check it out below.
If Paul Rudd is involved in something, the general rule of thumb is to check that something out. Netflix, being the smart company that it is, is looking to capitalize on this in a clever way.
Because, my friends, what's better than Paul Rudd? That's right, TWO Paul Rudds. And you'll get that in the new Netflix series Living With Yourself starring Paul Rudd as a man who visits a spa and gets...cloned? Maybe?
It's not entirely clear what's going on, but this looks like a delightfully macabre show, sort of similar to Russian Doll, which I've thoroughly enjoyed. But that only had one Natasha Lyonne and this one has two Paul Rudds. I think there's a clear winner here.
Living With Yourself comes to Netflix on October 18. For now, check out the trailer below.
Paul Rudd & Paul Rudd star in a new comedy series, Living With Yourself — and no that's not a typo. pic.twitter.com/qAsjwIfQ8h
New Found Glory are among the pioneers of pop punk. And with this year's release of From the Screen to Your Stereo 3, the group is coming up on nearly a quarter-century of jams.
It appears that the group has recorded seven music videos for each of the seven songs on their EP. They've already released four of them, and this week welcomed in number five with their electric cover of "Cups" from Pitch Perfect. It's either this or "This Is Me" (from The Greatest Showman) – the point is, this is a terrific lil' cover.
Bonus points to the ENORMOUS cup pyramid lead singer Jordan Pundik builds, as well as the taco cameo midway through the song. Now let's all clap our hands and the ground and stack some cups.
It's my scientific opinion that one of the hardest things to do in the world is to write a song that's actually good. I'm talking lyrically, of course, but also structurally. Anyone can pick up Logic or Pro Tools or whatever other digital audio workstation and tap out a danceable rhythm then throw some generic "hands in the air" spoken word over it and call it a day. Say, that sounds like a good idea... *note to self: write mega hit called "Hands In The Air."
The art of songwriting may be dwindling away, but we've still got four great ones, and THEY'RE ALL TOURING TOGETHER. Art Alexakis, the frontman of multi-platinum rock band Everclear, has put together a really fantastic tour with three other platinum artists: Chris Collingwood (Fountains of Wayne), Max Collins (Eve 6), and John Wozniak (Marcy Playground). The Songs and Stories tour is a combo of your favorite tunes and deep cuts (which are sometimes one and the same) from these fellas, all stripped down and acoustic.
In addition to the solo acts, each artist picks a cover for the quartet to cover together. It's super cool to see four artists I grew up listening to harmonizing to The Band's "The Weight" (you know, "take a load off Fanny/take a load for free"). Although I think my favorite group performance came during Chris's set, when he played the incredibly underrated jam "Radiation Vibe" and everyone came out for some sweet, sweet crooning. Check out a taste below.
The banter is terrific, too. Before playing "Here's to the Night," Max told us that we had to bellow the chorus, "like we're in a pub in Dublin," and he admitted he sped up during "Promise," though it was "worth it not to have to play with a drummer." Drummers every are revolting, I'm sure. If you're lucky enough, you'll also get the lovely treat of John dancing and leading the crowd in the call-and-response parts of "Stacy's Mom" during Chris's set. You'll also get some rogue fan moments, too – when Art prefaced a song from his upcoming solo album by saying he's been married for 32 years...to four wives, a guy in the crowd proudly yelled, "I don't know my dad!" That's a very sad thing to read, now that I've typed it out, but the beaming exuberance with how he said it was pretty enjoyable.
After you already get oh, an hour and a half of music, the foursome comes back out onstage, and there's a microphone set up in the crowd. You can come up and request a song or ask whatever the heck you want (within reason – I suppose if you requested to light the building on fire you'd be politely turned down). Because I'm a musician myself and love hearing fellow horror stories, I asked what their worst show was. I will not do the retellings justice (remember how they're great songwriters? These guys are terrific storytellers, too, which go hand in hand), but here's a quick little recap of each:
Max: Was playing in front of a very punk crowd and one guy kept flipping him off, so he called him up to the front of the stage, poured a beer all over his head, then tried to do a power pose and slipped on the beer and fell on his butt.
Art: Tripped over a cord on the stage and landed straight on his face. The music ground to a halt. BUT because he is all about keeping the good times going, he got up and yelled "YEAAHHHHHH" and everyone cheered. It's all about how you fight through.
John: Played a festival when AOL 3.0 had just come out, so he had to watch people tossing 60,000 free CDs at the stage and each other. THE WOOOOOOOORST!
Chris: Spent the better part of a day drinking in Germany before the final show of a German leg (but not the final show of the European tour). On the last chord of the last song, he tried to kick the bass drum and ended up breaking his leg and three ribs.
And here I was thinking someone spilling my water was terrible...
I don't know about you, but I really can't remember another show quite like this. I've seen all acoustic and more stripped down sets, but those artists did not come back out for another 45 minutes or so of Q&A. Even if you're not a huge fan of their music, the stories alone made this quite the entertaining evening.
On top of everything else, $1 per ticket sold at each show goes to the Sweet Relief Musician Funds, an organization that provides financial assistance to career musicians, venue workers, production staff, crew members, and their families suffering from injury, illness, or disability. Funds raised from the tour pay for medical procedures, doctor visits, prescriptions, and vital living expenses.
The full tour dates are below. If you have even the slightest smile thinking about a song by Everclear, Fountains of Wayne, Eve 6, or Marcy Playground, I'd highly recommend checking this show out.
HO BOY. Once Upon a Time In Hollywood comes out July 26, and Quentin Tarantino's new flick is already setting the internet ablaze. I don't even fully comprehend everything that's going on here – Leonardo DiCaprio plays a washed-up Hollywood star, Brad Pitt is his stunt double. These are both made up characters, as far as I can tell. And then Margot Robbie is Sharon Tate and there's a whole subplot involving Charles Manson. MADNESS. Luke Perry is also in this movie in his final film role.
I don't believe Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys is in this movie, but if you haven't read his whole backstory with Charles Manson, I would highly recommend it. The 60s were a wild time, man.
In any case, I'm excited to see this movie, and I usually don't get too riled up over Tarantino films. This is the first one he's doing without the backing of Harvey Weinstein and his production, and all it cost Sony was $95 million and final cut privileges. Not too shabby.
I'm not sure if there's a more underrated star in the league than Damian Lillard. The dude routinely balls out in leading Portland to the playoffs, has sunk a handful of clutch shots, and has a really solid rap game, too.
And now, he's the owner of one of the coolest buzzer beaters in NBA history. The Portland Trailblazers are moving on while the Oklahoma City Thunder are going home. The shot in and of itself is spectacular – it's not every day you see a 37-foot stepback three to clinch a series – but my favorite part of this play is Seth Curry (in the white headband in the top corner) talking trash to the Thunder's bench. Curry reportedly said something to the effect of, "Dame's about to end your season" and then turned and glared daggers at the bench after the shot went in. Absolutely beautiful.
Unless there's some kind of crazy shenanigans on the final day of the NBA's regular season, Dwyane Wade has played his final home game in Miami. The Heat lifer has rocked the NBA since 2003, doing great things off the court on top of the wonders he worked on it. This whole season has been a farewell tour for him, and he's traded jerseys with opposing players after just about every game (Emmanuel Mudiay being the exception).
Budweiser is no stranger to tearjerker commercials. So perhaps it's only fitting that they brought Dwyane Wade to center court to meet a few folks that had "jerseys" of their own. Try to get through their stories without feeling a bit weepy. Thanks for lots of magical moments, D-Wade.
Giancarlo Stanton took one out over the monster to extend the Yankees lead, but then a fan threw the ball back and hit Stanton rounding 2nd. pic.twitter.com/8I9MuYaa7R
Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton hit a home run during the Yankees 8-5 win over the Red Sox. It's no surprise that Stanton went long – he's got 38 homers on the year, after all. But this one was a little special, because a fan threw the ball back onto the field and it actually plunked Stanton as he was rounding second.
Take a look at the chaos above. Stanton seemed to have a good laugh about it. The Red Sox don't need another outfielder, but their fellow AL East Orioles should probably sign that fan up, since, you know, they're SIXTY GAMES back of the Red Sox. Good times all around.
Every Bad Lip Reading is a must-watch, but it seems like any kind of press conference or event where there's a big ol' audience really lends itself to some creativity. Here, we've got a press briefing from the White House.
Anyway, you know the drill. Sarah Huckabee Sanders addresses people with some wonky names, they have wild questions, and it's all wonderful. Enjoy!
It's really spectacular what Sacha Baron Cohen is capable of doing. The man who brought us Borat, Ali G, and Bruno is back with another incredibly smart and biting satire – this time diving right into the political climate of our country. Who Is America? airs on Showtime Sunday nights at 10pm ET/PT, and boy, does it look intense.
This first look video shows Cohen posing as Col. Erran Morad, an "anti-terror expert." He sits down with a handful of folks and experiments in the playground that is America. One of his experiments? Actually getting support from real life people within the government to give guns to kindergartners. Yes, this is absurd, and yes, it's a little terrifying. But Cohen has always made us think with his work, even when it's inane. If this preview is any indication, he's done it once again.
Few things are better than the "Bad Lip Reading" series. I think it's even more enjoyable when I know what's being said, as is the case with a few of these clips. Either way, it's pretty spectacular.
The video has been out for a few weeks, but with free agency starting today, why not revisit it? It's a true relic now, since LeBron is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier. We're watching history here, everyone!
It's been more than a year since we last saw Zach Galifianakis sitting Between Two Ferns. Thank goodness he's back – in possibly the funniest episode yet. Zach is joined by Jerry Seinfeld, whose lower-third graphic reads "Funny: 1993-1997." HYSTERICAL.
But wait, there's more! Cardi B stops by to be her usual weird self. She also gets a super cute gift and throws a lil' shade towards Seinfeld before floating back to some sort of cloud castle or wherever she hangs out in her spare time. It's wonderful all around. Enjoy!
Thank you to @kobebryant for providing the @ringer with his incredible basketball IQ. We spent weeks crafting this video and none of it would've been possible without the athletes from @theofficenbc !!! pic.twitter.com/4JNfMy6WWt
Kobe Bryant has never shied away from obsessing over the little things. Perhaps there's no better name for his new show than Detail, in which he dives into NBA games, sharing his insight on individual plays. You'll hear where defenders could have better approached a situation, when screeners are falling asleep, and generally all the small details you don't notice while watching a basketball game.
But no game has ever had higher stakes than the battle between the sales team and the warehouse from Season 1 of The Office. In this special episode of Detail, Kobe takes us through some of the pivotal plays of that game. We'll check in on Roy's defense of Jim, a key screen freeing Dwight up for an easy jumper, and Michael Scott's full-court heave. It's all here, and it's all spectacular.
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 10, 2018
Let's set the scene for the above video. USC needed to win to clinch a national title. Anything less than that and Georgia would complete a sweep of both the men's and women's track and field championship.
After USC botched the final handoff, it looked like everything was falling apart. But nobody told USC anchor Kendall Ellis that. She just starts chugging and pulls off one of the most insane comebacks I've seen in any sport. She managed to juuuust inch ahead of Purdue's Jahneya Mitchell at the end of the race, securing the championship for the Trojans. Highly recommend watching with sound, as well. The building buzz of the crowd going nuts is fantastic.
