Photo Credit: Romona Rosales; Top to Bottom: Lucy Dacus, Julie Baker, and Phoebe Bridgers. Gucci Pants; Dr. Martens Shoes; Trench and Top Hat: Stylist’s own.

THE ANNALS OF music history are filled with bands whose feuds are as famous as their biggest hits: Smashing Pumpkins, the Beatles, Guns N’ Roses, and a thousand more. boygenius (the name is stylized in all lowercase) has only been around since 2018, but it’s safe to say those in its ranks will never find themselves on a list of musicians who are also mortal enemies. The supergroup—which consists of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus—blows right past “getting along fine” into the realm of something that resembles true love.

When the trio Zooms in from Los Angeles for our inter- view, the three women are not just sharing a chat window— they’re sharing an antique-looking four-poster bed, feet tucked under them like they’re gearing up for a slumber party rather than their millionth press obligation of the week.

“I have actually never examined why we like each other,” says Bridgers, 28, when asked about their friendship. “And I don’t really want to. It was like hitting it off with somebody at a bar who’s not hard to talk to. You’re like, ‘Oh, alright, I wanna hang out with this person forever.’”

Their tale began in 2016, when Baker, 27, and Dacus, 28, became acquainted after sharing a bill in Washington, D.C. Both women had just released successful solo albums— Sprained Ankle for Baker and No Burden for Dacus—which were both hailed for their sharp, introspective lyrics that gave fans an immediate sense of intimacy with the artists.

Bridgers, meanwhile, was generating buzz after opening for Conor Oberst, and in late 2017, she released her own critically acclaimed debut, Stranger in the Alps. By that point, she’d met Baker, but the pair didn’t join forces with Dacus until 2018, when they found out they’d be sharing a triple bill together. They thought it would be fun to record a single as a group to promote the tour, but they found they couldn’t stop there—and boygenius was born.

One song became several, and in October 2018, they released their six-track EP under their new band name, which they chose as a play on the idea that mediocre male musicians get tons of praise for less than exemplary work. Their subsequent tour—which featured mini solo sets from all three, followed by all the songs from their EP that they performed together while wearing fancy jackets designed in the famous Western “Nudie Suit” style—is now the stuff of legend. If you were lucky enough to be at one of those few shows, then you likely remember the experience as something transcendent—and the band does, too.

“When we left the tour in 2018, I was like, ‘No way we don’t make music together again. We’re gonna do this again for sure,’” Baker recalls before Bridgers jumps in to say she was the lone skeptic in the crew. “They knew that, but I didn’t know that,” Bridgers explains. “I was like, ‘Well, that was a beautiful part of my life and it’s over.’”

For several years, though, it looked to fans like Bridgers was right. All of the women continued their solo careers after boygenius, but Bridgers in particular rose to a new level of fame. She released her second album, Punisher, in 2020, eventually becoming a person even your dad has heard of thanks in part to her viral guitar-smashing moment on Saturday Night Live. Also in 2020, she founded her own record label, Saddest Factory, which has become home to indie-pop ingenues Muna and the avant-rock act Sloppy Jane. The day we spoke, she made a surprise appearance—in the same NASA hoodie she wore during our interview—at a SZA concert attended by Justin Timberlake and Jennifer Lopez, and days later, she attended the iHeartRadio Music Awards, where she presented Taylor Swift with the Innovator Award.

Baker and Dacus, meanwhile, dropped Little Oblivions and Home Video, respectively, in 2021, scoring high-profile gigs at places like the Newport Folk Festival, and for Baker, as one third of the Wild Hearts tour with Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen. The members of boygenius teamed up again for a few of Dacus’ and Baker’s solo tracks, but a full-blown reunion was looking unlikely, especially after Bridgers landed a slot opening for some of the dates on Swift’s Eras tour.

“When we left the tour in 2018, I was like, ‘No way we don’t make music together again. We’re gonna do this again for sure,” Baker recalls.

Behind the scenes, however, the wheels were in motion. Like everybody else on the planet in 2020, the band was stuck in varying degrees of coronavirus lockdown for much of the year, unable to tour (and in Bridgers’ case, unable to participate in anything resembling a normal press cycle for Punisher). “I feel like it would have taken us eight years to make something if it hadn’t been for COVID,” Bridgers says. “COVID, for me at least, cleared the slate. I was supposed to do so much fucking work in 2020, and I still did, virtually, but my evenings were left to stare at my hands and think about what I wanted for my life, and it was to see my friends.”

Bridgers channeled that pent-up energy into songwriting, and she began dropping songs into Baker’s and Dacus’ inboxes, starting with “Emily I’m Sorry.” Within months, they had a shared Google Drive of new material and were well on their way to finishing what would become their debut fulllength, the record, which came out in March on Interscope and is the basis for the band’s huge spring and summer tour through North America and Europe.

Photo Credit: Romona Rosales; Top Row: Shirt and Tie: Stylist’s own; Jewelry: Model’s own; 2nd Row: Tyler McGillivary Top; Third Row: Joomi Lim Chocker; Sweater: Stylist’s own.

Photo Credit: Romona Rosales; Freak City Girls Shirts; Flip Flops: Stylist’s own.

The album has more bells and whistles than any of their previous work, and it’s the first major-label release for any of them. It was recorded at Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La studio in Malibu, and Kristen Stewart directed a short film promoting it that features three of their songs. It seems clear already that the record will surely end up on many “Best of 2023” lists, but in another world, it—and boygenius—might not have existed at all. Before the trio got to know each other, Bridgers was annoyed that people kept comparing their music because of some perceived connection between young female artists who write emotionally devastating lyrics. “Everybody was sending me Julien’s album and being like, ‘You’re gonna fucking love this and you’ll love this person, they’re exactly like you.’ And I was like, ‘Fuck you,’” she explains, adding that she was “resistant” to the notion that their music was similar. “It was all older white men be- ing like, ‘You’re gonna love this chick music.’ That’s the way I interpreted it. But it was actually so much sweeter than that. They were correct. I thought I was being profiled, and actually I was being known.”

Even now, their work gets lumped into an amorphous subgenre known as “sad girl music,” which is chiefly characterized by plaintive vocals, raw lyrics, and a fair amount of heartbreak. The term can be pejorative or complimentary depending on who’s using it, but either way, the members of boygenius are tired of being pigeonholed. Their band name is harmony, and lyrical vulnerability can’t be punk rock. This is perhaps one reason they were so delighted to work with Stewart—a world-class actor who spent years convincing the public
she was capable of making serious art—on the band’s short film. “We love Kristen,” says Dacus. “She put her whole essence into [directing] this. We care a lot—she cared so much more. She texted all of us all the time about minor details. She would go to sleep and wake up thinking about it.”

Stewart was also generous about sharing her acting expertise with her subjects, who cold-emailed her to ask if she’d be interested in directing their project. “Kristen is underrated, I think,” Bridgers says of the Oscar nominee. “It was so nice to be held by somebody who knows how humiliating it is to be in front of a camera.”

Like Stewart, boygenius isn’t afraid to speak out about issues that affect them and their fans. Each member of the trio is determined to use their growing platform for good, as evidenced by the way they’ve spoken out against various horrific developments in American politics. When the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade leaked in May 2022, Bridgers took to social media to share her own abortion story and encouraged her fans and followers to donate to abortion funds in states with already-diminished access to reproductive health care. “I had an abortion in October of last year while I was on tour,” she tweeted. “I went to Planned Parenthood where they gave me the abortion pill. It was easy. Everyone deserves that kind of access.”

Days before our conversation, Baker participated in Love Rising, a Nashville benefit concert organized in part
by Brandi Carlile to benefit LGBTQIA+ organizations after the Tennessee state government passed anti-drag and anti-trans bills. Baker, who like both of her bandmates identifies as queer, knows that other states would be less hostile to her identity, but she feels an obligation to make Tennessee— where she was born and raised and now lives—safer for her friends and neighbors. “I felt like it was important because a lot of the folks who played were Tennessee residents,” she says of Love Rising. “I stayed [in Tennessee] because I wanted to invest in making the place where I grew up—that informed all of my cultural sensibilities—[better]. I wanted to stay in Tennessee because that’s where my family is—my family as in the people who are related to me by blood, and also that’s where my chosen family is, the people I grew up playing music with in college and the entire queer community in Nashville and Memphis. I feel beholden to them to stay and work on cultivating something safer and more empowering for the queer community there.”

“Everybody was sending me Julien’s album and being like, ‘You’ll love this person, they’re exactly like you,’ And I was like, ‘Fuck you,’” Bridgers explains. “But they were correct. I thought I was being profiled, and actually I was being known.”

Dacus, who in 2021 wrote a beautiful essay about coming out for Oprah Daily, notes that having grown up in Virginia she, too, knows the importance of expanding your worldview within your own community. “I used to think terrible things,” she recalls. “I used to be in church thinking abortion was bad, and I don’t anymore, and that’s because of people having patience with me and probably having to hear a message over and over. Now I try to fundraise for abortions as often as I can.” (In 2021, she donated all proceeds from her Texas shows to local abortion funds after the state’s SB 8 law effectively banned the procedure.)

The band members’ willingness to share these kinds of personal stories in interviews and in their lyrics is part of the reason their fan base has grown exponentially over the past few years, especially among young women and LGBTQIA+ listeners. After the trio got matching wrist tattoos of a tooth (visible on the record’s cover) in a nod to their song “Bite the Hand,” their fans started doing it, too, and you can find countless photos online of homemade replicas of their 2018 tour jackets. It’s not unlike the devotion you see for artists like Taylor Swift or K-pop bands, only the idols in question are singing about battling opioid addiction (Baker) or their tumultuous relationship with their late father (Bridgers).

Bridgers, Baker, and Dacus absolutely love it when they see teen girls being escorted to their shows by their mid- dle-aged dads, a setup more commonly seen at, say, a Justin Bieber concert. “That breaks my heart and fills my soul,” says Dacus, who describes a Bruce Springsteen show she recently attended with her own father as “the third best night” of her life—surpassed only by the days her BFFs Baker and Bridgers were born. Bridgers agrees, adding that she loves seeing the way that these fathers allow their kids to lead. “Yeah, the dad with an armful of merch standing, like, 50 feet behind the five teenagers he brought to the show is [my favorite],” she says. “That’s, like, letting her decide what is cool in a way. Because my dad was like, ‘Do you wanna see Stevie Ray Vaughan?’ I was like, ‘No.’ But I was kind of forced to do that for him and be like, ‘It’s pretty cool guitar.’ I’m grateful for a lot of that [now], you know, like [learning about] Neil Young and shit. But, like, taking me to a concert that I wanted to see? Unheard of. So, it’s special to see it.”

The flip side of this intimacy with fans, though, is that some of their admirers—not all of them, boygenius is quick to clarify—interpret this as a green light for behavior that ranges from worrying to stalkerish. “I don’t love being idolized,” Dacus says. “Adoration isn’t really love. We’ve talked about people who have our faces as their Twitter profile pictures who are also mean. That’s adoration, but it’s not love. Not like I’m needing love, either. I would like respect.”

Baker has noticed fans coming up to Dacus and Bridgers on the street and touching them without permission, while she deals more with strangers throwing their darkest traumas at her unsolicited. Especially since the 2015 release of Baker’s gorgeously raw solo album Sprained Ankle, whose title track begins, “Wish I could write songs about anything other than death.” “There’s a type of guy who will come up to me and say, ‘Hey, just wanna let you know your music means a lot to me,’ and then he will tell me about his failed suicide attempts,” she explains. “And I’ll be like, ‘Yeah, I wrote music about that. But I’m buying a breakfast burrito.’ For a long time, I struggled with this because I was like, ‘It’s my duty as a performer in this world to inhabit that space for you,’ to be like, ‘Yeah, man, more than one person on Earth wants to kill themselves sometimes.’ That’s a fine thing, but it’s not the locale where that’s appropriate.”

Bridgers shares an upsetting story about a man in a car slowing down next to her as she walked around Nashville. He wanted to tell her his name was Scott, like her 2017 song “Scott Street,” but no woman alive would have initially assumed that man’s intentions were pure. “I was like, ‘OK, you just fucking terrified me,’” she says. “Never find out where we live and go there. Never send fan mail to my home if my address somehow ends up on the Internet again.”

As the most high-profile member of the group, Bridgers, an L.A. native who still lives in that area, also has to contend with a different kind of unwanted attention: paparazzi. Their interest in her stemmed in part from her relationship with Paul Mescal, star of Normal People and Aftersun. The duo kept their romance mostly private after going Instagram official in December of 2021, but fans speculated they were engaged before they split sometime in 2022. More recently, she’s been spotted with comedian Bo Burnham, leading observers—and the tabloids—to assume they’re dating. (boygenius declined to answer questions about their personal lives, but Bridgers told Rolling Stone in January that she is not engaged.)

The only relationship Bridgers is willing to discuss is the one she shares with her pug, Maxine, who makes occasional appearances in the photos she shares on social media. “She does this thing where she’ll snake up by me in the middle of the night to cuddle into my armpit, and then we roll over like a couple in the morning,” Bridgers says. Her bandmates light up, too, when Bridgers mentions Maxine, with Dacus saying she feels like the pup remembers her even when they don’t see each other for a while because she lives in Philadelphia. “I feel chosen by Maxine,” she says. “I think everyone feels like they’re her special little friend.”

Baker, for her part, has a dog named Beans, who has appeared on her merch and got a credit on Dacus’ last album. “Beans gives nothing, and I absolutely love it,” says Baker, who lives in Tennessee with her partner, Mariah Schneider. “My dog doesn’t give a fuck about me. My dog is trying to get her needs met.”

The women’s friendship—pet love included—is as much a part of their appeal as their music. It’s delightful to watch them finish each other’s sentences and burst into laughter at their inside jokes, cracking themselves up when they think they’ve said something too pretentious. When they hear this story is coming out in June, they ask if it’s related to Pride Month before launching into a riff on which month is “Shame Month.” (The consensus is something in winter, perhaps December or January.) Unsurprisingly, they’re super supportive of one another’s solo endeavors as well; Baker and Dacus assure me that they’ll be in the audience for at least one of Bridgers’ dates with Swift.

“There are reasons that it makes sense,” Dacus says of the trio’s deep connection to one another. “We have a lot of shared experiences, we have a lot of shared ideals and perspectives, and we have similar tastes. There are other people who I meet where all of that is true, too, but they’re not these guys.” Ultimately, what boygenius shares is a once-in-a-universe kind of love—and we’re all just lucky to be able to listen in.

“I don’t love being idolized,” Dacus says.

“Adoration isn’t really love.”

Photo Credit: Romona Rosales; Trenchcoat, Socks, Garters, Shoes: Stylist’s own.

Top Image: Photo Credit: Romona Rosales, Styling by Linsey Hartman; Makeup by Amber Dreadon; Hair by Dita Vushaj; Animal Crackers Neck Collars; Ties: Stylist’s own.

Beth Ditto is a bit nervous. This might sound unusual for a woman known for fronting one of the world’s preeminent indie-rock bands—and who has also posed nude for multiple magazine covers—but in her defense, she’s a little out of practice when it comes to speaking to the press. By the time we set a date to discuss her role in the upcoming FOX drama Monarch, the show’s premiere has been delayed for nearly a full year because of the COVID pandemic, and live music has only recently become a possibility again. 

“I was grasping at straws,” the 41-year-old says of being effectively unemployed for the past two years. “I was like, ‘Maybe I’ll open a daycare.’ I was really, really thinking of what I was gonna do, because music was gonna be over—I was really that afraid.”

These statements aren’t totally shocking in the grander scheme of everything awful that humanity has experienced since 2020, but it’s still somewhat surprising to hear a person known for her brash confidence express such uncertainty about her life’s work. “We were all shaking in our boots,” she recalls. “Is this the end of touring? How long is this gonna last? What are we gonna do?”

Ditto, whose government name is Mary Beth Patterson, is best known as the lead singer of Gossip, the punk band she formed in 1999 with friends from her home state of Arkansas after they’d all moved to Olympia, Washington—the city known for birthing the riot grrrl movement. The group rose to prominence in the mid-aughts at the height of what TikTok now calls the “indie sleaze” era: the Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, yes, but also skinny jeans, American Apparel disco pants, and thick, artfully smudged black eyeliner.

Gossip is not really what we’re here to talk about, though—at least not yet. Some fans may not realize that Ditto is also an actor, and she’s about to appear in what’s arguably her splashiest project to date. She has a starring role in Monarch, which is about a country music dynasty led by matriarch Dottie Roman (Susan Sarandon) and her husband, Albie Roman (Trace Adkins). Ditto plays one of their daughters, Gigi, whom Dottie describes as a “wild card” in one teaser. It promises to be a deliciously soapy drama in the vein of Empire and Nashville with an old-fashioned Dallas twist. Monarch isn’t Ditto’s first acting gig, but it’s certainly her most high-profile one—and she’s not ashamed to admit that she wanted it badly. “Gigi’s description was ‘a fat lesbian country singer,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I really want this part,’” Ditto says. ‘I rarely feel that way, but I was like, ‘I was made for this!’ Like, please give me this.”

She auditioned four different times before being told she hadn’t made the cut, but then fate intervened. “They came back in the next couple days and were like, ‘Actually, you did get it…and you have to be on a plane in two weeks.”

Ditto jokes that she’s only been acting “for 20 minutes,” but she brought a much-needed dash of the South to the production, which mostly filmed in Atlanta but is otherwise very Hollywood. “There are only two Southerners on the show, me and Trace Adkins,” she explains in her charming drawl. “I was always trying to sneak in with the writers, like, ‘This is a good colloquialism, try this!’ Trying to make it more Southern.”

Though her professional music experience was gained in the indie and punk scenes, Ditto still channeled her Southern upbringing to bring Gigi to life. Country is “something I love,” she says. “It’s something I grew up with, [going to] honky tonks and the VFW with my dad…. But I don’t really understand it. I think that’s why it’s fun to be a part of this, because everything’s a learning curve.”

The music industry portrayed in Monarch, however, is a far cry from the version Ditto is familiar with from her early days in the scrappy punk scene. The Romans live in a world where radio hits are still a thing, the only acceptable image is perfection, and presumably no one but Gigi has heard of Siouxsie Sioux. 

“We were radical feminist queers,” she says of Gossip’s beginnings. “No one’s goal was to become famous. Our goal was to pay our rent, and that’s an absolute truth.

While the band often appeared in roundups alongside the Strokes and other ingenues of the era, they never quite fit in with this scene, for a multitude of reasons. First, there was the music, which defied easy categorization thanks to Ditto’s gospel-tinged, bluesy vocals and the band’s disco-inflected beats. Secondly, they were unapologetically queer in the period just before major, mainstream pop stars started blithely discussing bisexuality and nonbinary pronouns on Instagram. (“Standing in the Way of Control,” from Gossip’s 2006 album of the same name, was a pointed response to the George W. Bush-era Federal Marriage Amendment, which would have federally prohibited unions between non-heterosexual couples.)

But more than anything else, there was the revolutionary way in which Ditto embraced her body on-stage and off, while surrounded by waifish pop stars baring their perfectly toned abs in low-rise jeans. Years before the phrase “body positivity” permeated the pop culture lexicon, there was Ditto, dancing on stage in a bustier, posing naked on a 2007 NME cover, and starting her own plus-size clothing line. She was a singular icon who could belt with the best of them in between friend dates with Kate Moss—and then Gossip just stopped.

 The band didn’t officially split until 2016, but Gossip stopped releasing new music in 2012, leaving a big hole where their danceable anthems used to be. Ditto dropped an excellent, glam-influenced solo album, Fake Sugar, in 2017, but otherwise, fans had to rely on old YouTube videos and weathered LPs for a fix.

Her personal life also underwent some major changes during Gossip’s hiatus. In 2018, she split from her wife, Kristin Ogata, after more than a decade together. She then started dating Teddy Kwo, a transgender musician who played bass in her band. Ditto and Kwo are still happily together, but she’s been open about the fact that it was sometimes a shock to move in the world as part of a couple that to outside observers looked traditionally heterosexual. “You forget what it’s like to be straight and for people to treat you like a straight person,” Ditto said in 2021 on the Homo Sapiens podcast. “You’re like, ‘Oh wow, this is, like, instant ease.’”

This was also the period when Ditto began acting. Her first screen appearance came in 2018’s Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot, a dramedy directed by Gus Van Sant that also starred Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, and Carrie Brownstein. She played Reba, a woman whom Phoenix’s character, John Callahan, meets in AA; Reba helps him learn how to see his life from a different perspective. “They needed a, quote-unquote, big, fat, redneck woman,” she recalls. “And I was like, ‘Oh, I can play that. I know those people.’ I just pretended to be my aunt the whole time. And it worked!”

After that, Showtime tapped her for On Becoming a God in Central Florida, a dark comedy series led by Kirsten Dunst as Krystal Stubbs. Ditto starred as Bets Gomes, the wife of Krystal’s boss. The show flew under the radar when it debuted in 2019, but it was critically acclaimed and renewed for a second season. One year later, though, the network reversed the renewal because of the pandemic.

Gossip was also supposed to reunite around this time. The band got back together for a series of European shows in 2019, with hints that more dates—and possibly new songs—were coming soon, but, well, you know what happened next. Now, however, they’re finally ready to give things another shot.

“There’s a new Gossip record,” Ditto reveals, excitement sparkling in her voice. “It’s almost finished, and everything feels really good.” She has “no idea” when it’s going to come out, but fans can at least take comfort in knowing that it exists. And Gossip is also “definitely” going on tour, which is something Ditto legitimately worried would never happen again. That’s how the daycare idea came about—she’d spent much of the pandemic babysitting her nieces and her friends’ children, and she loves kids enough that she wouldn’t have minded veering in a very different direction from her former life as a dance-punk provocateur. 

“When [the Monarch] part came through, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m just gonna try really, really hard to get it, because [babysitting] is the only option I have right now,’” she says, laughing.

 Ditto’s career is full of moments in which she seems to have asked herself, “Well, why not?” before plunging forward into fields where she has no formal training but is still able to go pro with surprising speed. “What Would Beth Ditto Do” was literally the title of an advice column she wrote for The Guardian from 2007 to 2008, and it’s a motto we could all live by. Take fashion, for example: no one could have guessed that a person who looks like Ditto would become a muse for Marc Jacobs and Jean Paul Gaultier, then go on to design her own plus-size fashion line covered in the pages of Vogue, but Ditto wanted to do it, so she did.

Fashion, however, is one area where Ditto seems ready to hang up her sequined hat. “I had fun doing it…and it was really hard,” she says of her clothing line. “I feel like now there are so many people who are better at it and who know what they’re doing and can actually manage a business…. I loved doing it, but I just feel like there are things I’m way more passionate about.

”The landscape has also drastically changed, with celebrities like Lizzo starting their own shapewear lines for “every body” and Sports Illustrated tapping a curve model for the cover of its swimsuit issue. No one would say that the battle for fat acceptance is won, but it’s certainly in a much different place than it was 10 years ago. “I’ve come to a place where body positivity, fat positivity, and the activism of it is beyond fashion to me,” Ditto says. “I think it’s because of my age. It’s something else for me personally, and I’m really glad to see people take over and do all these really rad things—and doing it better than I ever could, so that’s great.”

She hasn’t fully set aside her interest in making things, but now she just does it for herself. “I love to sew,” she explains, describing what she does on her increasingly few days off. “I’m very, very crafty. I love anything from crochet to knitting to punch needle to weaving—anything that has to do with a string, I’m there, I love it. I have a Cricut [electronic craft cutting] machine, I love that thing. So, I have a pretty banging craft room and I spend a lot of time in there.” Ditto also confesses that one of her greatest pleasures in life is the decidedly unpunk pastime of doing laundry at home in Portland, OR, where she lives with Kwo. “I’m just like, ‘Look at this organization,’” she says, laughing. “I really like to be like, ‘Mmm, all the pillowcases have been done today.’ I take a lot of pride in my house.”

It’s funny to imagine this glam-rocker-turned-actor sighing happily while doing something as domestic as folding sheets, but after years on the road, followed by the trauma of the pandemic, can you blame her for wanting to savor the simple things? The key word here is still “pride”—in yourself, your body, your work, and everything else. No matter how much changes, the answer to the question “What would Beth Ditto do?” remains the same: just be yourself.

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Fall 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

Photos by Christopher Dibble // Styling by Stone Jarboe // Hair by Blaine Provancha // Makeup by Annah Yevelenko. Dress: Elizabeth Dye, earrings: Max Saltzberg Estate, ring: vintage. 

SHARON VAN ETTEN

We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong
(Jagjaguwar)

Sharon Van Etten is one of the best songwriters working today, and she’s also a fierce proponent of the old-school album—no skipping around, just listening straight through in the order she intended. Nowhere is that more apparent than on her sixth record, which Van Etten meticulously tracked and released without any advance singles. It’s not exactly a concept album, but all 10 songs taken together present a gorgeous meditation on love, loss, motherhood, and the grief of surviving a pandemic that’s claimed so many lives. It’s not all darkness, though; “Mistakes” is a danceable tune about the cathartic joy of fucking up, complete with a Seinfeld reference.  

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Summer 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

Murray Hill is busy. When we speak in March, he’s got three different TV shows streaming on three different networks, he’s writing a memoir, and he’s working on a pitch for his own Murray-led detective show. Even his recent well-deserved Miami vacation turned chaotic when the mayor enacted a curfew following two shootings in one weekend. “As much as it’s nuts, I didn’t realize it was spring break,” he explains from the safety of his home in New York City. “Why are there cops on horses and children with coolers and White Claws?” It’s no wonder then that the self-proclaimed “hardest working middle-aged man in show business” claims 2 p.m. is “the morning.” He needs his rest!

If Hill is having a mainstream moment now, though, it’s only because he spent years grinding, hosting drag bingo nights and performing his act in clubs in a pre-gentrified East Village. In N.Y.C., he’s something of a local celebrity, having emceed all manner of pageants and fundraisers (including BUST events). Real Housewives fans may also recognize him from his cameo in Countess Luann’s “Feelin’ Jovani” music video, or as the opening act from her 2019 cabaret tour. 

It’s difficult to draw a clear line between Murray Hill the character and Murray Hill the person, but the gist is this: The character is a mustachioed wisecracker in a jaunty three-piece suit who could have traveled in a time machine directly from 1973. The person is that, too, just on a smaller scale. “After 25 years of therapy, I can say I’ve reached a place in my life where there is some separation between onstage and offstage life,” Hill explains. “When I’m home, I’m kinda, sorta relaxed. I’m not as full-blown as when the suit is on.” 

Murray Hill the character has always been 50, but now Hill the person is, too—and he’s seen it all. “It’s such a long-winded, crazy story,” he says, before launching into the Cliffs Notes version of his evolution into Murray Hill, aka Mr. Showbiz. “I grew up in a tumultuous, Irish and Italian Catholic household,” he recalls of his New England childhood. “I never felt safe or accepted.” He threw himself into extracurricular activities to escape the turmoil at home, playing sports and joining any school groups he could—but not the drama club. “I was never consciously interested in performing as a kid,” he says. Even so, he still found his way into a costume or two. “Instead of writing a book report, I’d show up to school dressed as the character. Coincidently, it was always male characters. I started young.” Things began to improve in the early 1990s when Hill moved to Boston for art school, where he was exposed to the photography of Diane Arbus. “I came from a very conservative background,” Hill explains. “Closeted, had no idea what gay, queer, or trans meant. I didn’t know anything.” Arbus’ work, however, ignited something in him. “To me, it was seeing other kinds of people,” he recalls. “And having her take photos of these people that were in the margins, but she gave them the same importance as the mainstream. She was looking at them, but she was also giving them equal light.” A few years later, he moved to Manhattan after transferring to N.Y.C.’s School of Visual Arts. “I went to Wigstock, like, the second or third day that I was in town,” he says, referring to the legendary East Village drag festival. It was there that Hill had another light-bulb moment. “Everyone’s taking pictures of drag queens. There’s gay men everywhere,” he recalls. “Where are the women? Where are the lesbians? And I thought to myself, ‘Is there something on the other side of this spectrum that we just don’t see?’” 

There was, and Hill eventually found it in a drag king show in the (again pre-gentrified) Meatpacking District. While he was impressed, he still thought there was something missing. “It was, like, serious,” he recalls. “It was about passing, being masc. The people that were on stage, they didn’t perform. They just would walk up and down and ‘present,’ so to speak.” 

The missing link was comedy, and Hill wanted to change that. He started performing in N.Y.C. wearing a blazer and painting on chest hair. “I looked more like a lounge lizard back then,” he jokes. His stage moniker, Murray Hill, M came later, and was inspired by exactly what you think it was: the Manhattan neighborhood of the same name, where he was living at the time. 

Dressed in a natty suit, Murray Hill looked like a drag king, but the heart of his act was comedy in the vein of old-school Borscht Belt stand-ups like Joey Adams, with a bit of the big-ego energy—and old-school sexist attitude—of a star like Jackie Gleason. The jokes were as important as the outfit, and, in Hill’s mind, one didn’t exist without the other. He started headlining his own shows and hosting parties, and finally, the grind paid off. By the mid-aughts, he was landing gigs at Joe’s Pub and touring with the likes of Dita Von Teese and Le Tigre. As Hill would say—“Showbiz!” 

While Hill became a star in certain circles, drag kings remained on the margins, which remains true today. You won’t find drag kings on RuPaul’s Drag Race or its many spinoffs, and you probably won’t see them at your local all-you-can-drink drag brunch. “It’s still so imbalanced, it’s insane,” says Hill. “If you step back and look at society and pop culture, it just regenerates or regurgitates the sexism. It’s, like, triple-layered.” 

Hill now identifies as transgender, but he’s adamant that he prefers the word “comedian” over any other label. “From very early on, I chose not to identify by my sexuality, orientation, or other IDs,” he explains. “First, I don’t fit in any category. To choose one, for me, feels reductive. More importantly, I want to be treated like everyone else.

You never read something like, ‘Pete Davidson, a white heterosexual male comedian, plays Madison Square Garden.’

If you’ve seen Hill perform, you may have heard him address this subject with one of his signature jokes. “I’m reading your mind, sir,” he’ll say to a slightly confused club patron. “You’re thinking, ‘Is it a man or a woman?’ Sir, the answer is no.”

Career-wise, Hill’s not interested in replicating anything that’s already out there, but he does want to see more inclusion for performers who fall outside of the now relatively mainstream box. “I’ve made a slight, tiny, little crack in the glass ceiling with these last two shows,” he says, “so it’ll be interesting to see where it goes.” These “last shows” include HBO’s Somebody Somewhere, created by and starring Bridget Everett. The semiautobiographical series follows a 40-something Kansas woman (Everett) as she copes with the death of her sister. Hill plays Sam’s pal Dr. Fred Rococo, an emcee who also happens to be a soil scientist. HBO has already renewed the series for a second season.

Hill and Everett “go way back.” After meeting through friends, Hill invited Everett to perform with him, and the rest is history. “We’re buddies,” Hill explains. They also lived together with their Somebody Somewhere costar Jeff Hiller while filming season one, which shot in the suburbs outside of Chicago. “Those two would totally have girls’ night and watch every single fucking HGTV show ever invented, and I would literally lose my mind,” Hill recalls. “I’m like, ‘Well, if we’re gonna watch this, then we have to watch basketball.’” 

Life & Beth, meanwhile, premiered on Hulu in March and stars Everett’s friend Amy Schumer as the titular character. The dramedy is far more subdued and impressionistic than most of Schumer’s previous work, and that sensibility also extends to Hill’s character, who is named Murray but is a smarmy middle manager who gets excited about sales charts. “Amy had seen me at Joe’s through Bridget’s recommendation,” he explains. “And then she was like, ‘I want to work with you at some point.’” Showbiz! 

And finally, there’s Welcome to Flatch, a Fox sitcom helmed by former Sex and the City  writer Jenny Bicks. The documentary-style show follows the quirky residents of the fictional Midwestern town of Flatch. Hill is one such resident—a local magic shop owner who peddles vapes on the side—and executive producer Paul Feig wrote the role specifically with him in mind. “He’s always dapper,” Hill says of the Bridesmaids director, who he first met at a Hollywood afterparty. “We just hit it off over our suits. It was like a dandy connection.” (You know what word comes next.) 

While all three of these roles incorporate elements of the Murray Hill that fans know and love from his cabaret performances, they’re all different from each other—and they’re not the same Murray experience you’d see in a downtown theater, either. “My base level for Murray on stage is like, I start at about a 10,” he explains. “With TV, you can’t really start at a 10 unless you’re getting run over by a bus. I had to really tone it down, dial it back.”

At this point, Hill tells a story about a voiceover part he recently didn’t get. “It was to play a deadpan starfish,” he says. “And guess what? I couldn’t do it. I actually could not do it. [The casting director] was like, ‘Wait, you sound happy again.’ My talking like a dead corpse sounded like I just won the lottery.” 

Hill does seem incapable of being in a bad mood, but that preternatural optimism is hard won. Just as he was gearing up for his year of TV domination, he lost almost everything in a fire at his apartment building in Brooklyn. As it happens, the fire occurred on Thanksgiving, which was also Hill’s 50th birthday—he refers to the incident as “universe shit.” Still, there were some small mercies. No one, including Hill, was hurt in the blaze, and his fans raised more than $180,000 to help him relocate. 

So if a four-alarm fire can’t keep him down, then it’s hard to imagine him getting too upset over losing out on that talking starfish role—and who would want a dialed-down Murray when you could have the full package in all his schtick-y glory? Plus, he’s got plenty of other projects to keep him busy. He’s planning to tell all in a memoir tentatively titled My Life as a Man: The Story of a Girl, Who Thought She Was a Boy, Who Became a Middle-Aged Man to Survive, and he’s working on a pitch for his own show called Sonny Sugarman Detective Agency—starring himself, of course. “It’s like a cross between Magnum P.I., Colombo, and Benny Hill,” he says. But perhaps the most exciting news in Hill’s life is a new romance. “I have a special lady friend,” he admits. “I’m literally middle-aged, and it took me 30 years of trial and error to meet the woman of my dreams.”

One thing he’s not sure about is whether he’ll regularly return to the stage. “I’m going to always do the live stuff, but I’m really trying to do some more projects,” Hill explains, referring back to his earlier comments about the glass ceiling. “Now I have an ice pick and a mallet, and I got a couple of hits and there’s a little crack, so now I gotta get through.” Say it with me this time: Showbiz! 

Photos by Lauren Silberman, photographed at TV Eye at N.Y.C.   

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Summer 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

HAPPENING

Co-written and directed by Audrey Diwan

Out May 6

Happening is set in France in 1963, but without the period-appropriate costumes, it would be hard to distinguish it from present-day America—or plenty of other anti-choice countries around the world. Based on Annie Ernaux’s autobiographical novel of the same name, this award-winning drama follows a young student named Anne (Anamaria Vartolomei) as she attempts to end the unexpected pregnancy that threatens to derail her promising academic future. This was no easy feat at the time, as abortion was illegal in France until 1975. If you were caught having had an illegal one, you would face prison time, as would the doctor—or midwife, friend, or unqualified stranger—who performed the procedure.

The movie is a harrowing account of what women faced in the not-so-distant past, though much of it will look familiar to anyone who’s paid attention to the anti-choice battles of the past decade or so. In one scene, a seemingly trustworthy doctor prescribes Anne an abortifacient that’s actually a medication for encouraging embryo growth. Later, after she finds a woman who’ll perform an abortion, she has to sell off her jewelry and textbooks to pay for it. While the film is a fictionalized version of abortion access as it existed nearly 60 years ago, it serves as a powerful reminder of what’s still on the line.

Photo by Anamaria Vartolomei

 This review originally appeared in BUST’s Spring 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

It’s hard to imagine how a new Beach House album could sound any more lush than their past work, but the duo has achieved the impossible on their eighth LP, Once Twice Melody. Singer Victoria Legrand and multi-instrumentalist Alex Scally enlisted a live string ensemble for the first time, which lends many of these songs a sprawling, epic quality. Once Twice Melody also boasts 18 tracks—double the amount usually found on a Beach House album—giving it plenty of time to cycle through intimate dream pop (“The Bells”), pulsing rock (“Only You Know”), and twinkling, electronica-tinged ballads (“Pink Funeral”). If a standard Beach House album is cinematic, then Once Twice Melody is the whole multiplex.

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Spring 2022 print edition. Subscribe today! 

MITSKI

Laurel Hell

(Dead Oceans)

It wouldn’t be quite right to call Mitski’s latest album “upbeat,” but it’s certainly got a bit more disco flavor than 2018’s stellar Be the Cowboy or 2014’s punk-tinged Bury Me at Makeout Creek. While the tempos may have gotten faster, Mitski’s ability to devastate listeners with a single line remains unchanged. “The Only Heartbreaker,” an early single backed by deceptively peppy synths, has a beat you could Jazzercise to, but the lyrics are about realizing you might be the bad guy in a relationship. The gorgeous “Love Me More” could be an early Kylie Minogue deep cut, if not for melancholy lyrics like, “How do other people live?/I wonder how they keep it up.” Mitski started work on Laurel Hell in the pre-pandemic days of 2018, but the record still manages to encapsulate the isolation of the past couple of years—shot through with buoyant hope for the future. –Eliza c. Thompson

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Spring 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

Indie rock icon Cat Power—aka Chan Marshall—released her first album in four years into a COVID-weary world thirsty for the kind of emotive energy only she can provide. Here, the revered singer/songwriter shares stories about her son, Boaz, “banana parties,” and why, for her, the past two years have been “brutal on the mind.” – By Eliza C. Thompson

Since releasing her debut album in 1995, Cat Power has developed a reputation. As one of the greatest songwriters of her generation, yes—but also as a “difficult” woman who dislikes performing and won’t play her hits. It only takes a few minutes on the phone with her, however, to fully dispel this notion. 

Cat Power, whose real name is Chan Marshall, is warm and charming, drifting into tangents about why music history should be taught in schools and then asking if her points make sense. By the time our conversation is over, she’s sung to me multiple times (once in a solid imitation of Kitty Wells), asked me to sing for her, and invited me to join her for karaoke should we ever meet in person. 

In January, the Georgia-born singer, 50, released Covers, her 11th studio album and 3rd full-length collection of cover songs. Though plenty of artists scatter covers throughout their live shows or release them as one-off singles, Marshall is one of the very few musicians who’s made them a cornerstone of her career. “I don’t consider them covers,” she explains, pointing to classical musicians, folk singers, and indigenous artists as some of the early pioneers of “covering” songs. “It’s always been the tradition of music that it gets shared.” For her, performing other people’s songs is just a reflection of her upbringing in a musical household. “I feel like it isn’t weird that I do covers records,” she says. “I don’t find that it’s questionable, but I have to answer to it because people are so not used to it.” 

Marshall announced the album in December 2021 by releasing a heartbreaking rendition of “I’ll Be Seeing You,” written in 1938 and made famous by Billie Holiday. Reading the full track list is like rummaging through your coolest friend’s record collection. There’s a version of “These Days,” written by Jackson Browne and popularized by Nico, as well as a take on Frank Ocean’s “Bad Religion.” Other selections include songs by Nick Cave, Lana Del Rey, the Pogues, and Dead Man’s Bones (otherwise known as Ryan Gosling’s band). 

As Cat Power fans know, though, Marshall doesn’t just record other people’s songs—she revisits her own past, releasing sometimes unrecognizable versions of her older tracks. Covers includes “Unhate,” a new take on “Hate” from her 2006 album, The Greatest; her 2008 album, Jukebox, offered an updated version of “Metal Heart” from 1998’s Moon Pix. 

Marshall sees this, too, as grounded in the history of music, both classical and pop. She uses Holiday’s different recordings of standards as an example—tracks the blues icon recorded in the 1930s have a completely different subtext than versions she made 20 years later, shortly before her death in 1959. “It’s the same lyrics, but the story is different,” Marshall says.

“If I’ve chosen to, for whatever reason, sing an old song of mine, it’s always going to be different as I go through my own life experiences.” 

She cites Bob Dylan—“I’ve loved him since I was 10 years old”—as another master of “covering” his own songs. “You take a new friend who’s never seen him to a show, and you have to tell them, ‘OK, well, I know you don’t know this, but this right now is ‘All Along the Watchtower,’” she says, drawing on her own memories of baffling Dylan performances. “‘I know it’s deconstructed, and you can’t tell because the notes are completely different, he’s singing a completely different melody line, and there’s no chorus, but this is that song.’” We then swap tales of attending Dylan shows as confused high schoolers desperate to parse his set list for any shred of familiarity. 

It shouldn’t be surprising that Marshall turns out to be the kind of friendly music fan who’s willing to geek out about Bob Dylan with a stranger, but it still kind of is. Unpredictable reputation aside, her songs are not often happy little ditties you can sing with the car windows down, hair blowing in the wind, without a care in the world. Even The Greatest, arguably her most “upbeat” release, includes the aforementioned song “Hate,” with the line: “I hate myself and I want to die.” Her last album, 2018’s Wanderer, included a collaboration with pop queen Del Rey, but it was a defiant ode to knowing your worth, not a radio-friendly duet. (It was also interpreted by some listeners as a “fuck you” to her former record label, Matador, whose execs she says told her to redo Wanderer because it wasn’t commercial enough.) 

Marshall rose to fame in the mid-’90s, which at the time meant she was very popular on college radio. She became a bona-fide indie darling in 1996 with the release of her third album, What Would the Community Think, produced by Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley. That album was her first with Matador, a “major” indie label, but she’d already established her signature sound by then: sparse instrumentation of punk-inflected folk songs anchored by her inimitable husky vocals. Her later recordings included blues, country, pop, and other genres, but the quality of her work has never wavered. Basically, she’s been the kind of musician that other artists cite as an influence ever since she played her first note. 

While Marshall’s records have consistently been a hit with critics and her devoted fans, she wasn’t always a stable performer. Early in her career, she was known for playing with her back to the audience and giving rambling monologues instead of singing. More than once, she’s canceled a tour to take care of her own physical and mental health. Artists engaging in that kind of self-care feels almost mundane in 2022, but when she did it in 2006, it wasn’t. Back then, a woman deciding she needed a break was branded as selfish, or in Marshall’s case, a mess. 

Now, though, Marshall seems genuinely excited to get back on the road, rocky history be damned. Pandemic permitting, she’ll be touring North America and Europe starting in April. She also flexed her performance muscles a bit last year when she joined Alanis Morissette and Garbage for the former’s Jagged Little Pill 25th anniversary tour after Liz Phair dropped out. “I used to be a lot shyer on stage, I think, because I was struggling with other things internally,” Marshall says. “But dude, I had so much fun just playing guitar and singing. So now I’m really looking forward to whenever the tour happens.” 

The Jagged Little Pill tour took her to much larger venues than she’s used to, but that didn’t bother her, either. “I don’t usually play for 25,000 people,” she jokes. “I’m like a local artist around the world, a local band. That’s great, and I love that, and that’s where I’d like to keep it. I had maybe 10 fans a night or something, but it was great because after the pandemic and not being around human beings and all this Trump bullshit and this nutso American energy, everybody was together again.” 

There’s been one other major change to Cat Power tours in the past few years: these days, Marshall’s son, Boaz, joins her on the road. The singer kept her pregnancy a secret and largely keeps Boaz off her social media, but she’s forthcoming with stories about the seven-year-old, who appeared on the cover of Wanderer—and only recently came around to the idea of his mom singing at home. “Even when he was little, he never wanted me to play music because it made him sad,” she says. “The whole pandemic, we’d be playing, like, the White Stripes, Hüsker Dü, things that I thought could get him going and having some fun. Like, Neil Young? Out of the question. Tears.” 

When she got home from the Morissette tour, though, Boaz was finally on board with his mom’s career. When an acquaintance asked Marshall where she’d been, Boaz answered for her. “He started saying little things like, ‘You know my mom is, like, in a band,’” Marshall recalls. “I had to fucking turn away and pretend that I was doing something because I was about to bust up laughing, because he’s gonna school this person that I know.” 

Marshall weathered the early days of the pandemic with Boaz by her side at their home in Miami, where she’s lived for almost 20 years. She still maintains what she calls a “squat dorm room” with friends in New York City, but when she’s not on tour, she’s a full-time Floridian. She has more room to relax there after a tour, even if she’s surrounded by “banana parties”—what she and her son jokingly call groups of people who don’t wear masks in public. 

The past two years have been “brutal on the mind,” Marshall says, but she’s trying to think positively, even while the world crumbles around us all. “I’m trying to think better, be more hopeful,” she says. “Life is what you make it.”   

Cat Power’s new album Covers is out now

photo: Mario_Sorrenti

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Spring 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

In the aftermath of America’s reckoning over police brutality, TV cops aren’t quite the uncomplicated heroes they used to be. There is one fictional officer, however, who remains unscathed: Elliot Stabler, the gruff-but-lovable NYPD detective originated by Christopher Meloni on NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. 

Meloni, 60, famously left SVU in 2011 after 12 seasons. But in 2021, he dusted off his badge and revived the role for Law & Order: Organized Crime, a spinoff now in its second season centered around Stabler and his quest to find his wife’s murderer. “They put a lot of effort, focus, time, energy, and money into making my [re]introduction right,” the Washington, D.C.-born actor says of his return to the Law & Order world. “On top of that, they opened it up with me being back home on SVU, which meant I got to play again in the sandbox with Mariska and Ice-T and some of the new guys over there. I had a lot of scenes with Mariska and that made it pleasant.” 

He is of course referring to co-star Mariska Hargitay, who plays Olivia Benson, Stabler’s partner in crime solving for over a decade. Though the sexual tension between the pair has always been off-the-charts, they’ve never shared so much as a kiss on screen—a fact that self-proclaimed “Bensler” shippers would love to see rectified. 

The real-life Hargitay and Meloni are both happily married to other people, but they still love to tease fans with flirtatious social-media posts. After all these years, though, Meloni isn’t sure he wants their characters’ platonic love to become romantic. (And he definitely won’t say if it ever does.) “I’m all over the map on that one,” he muses on the consummation question. “Whatever happens, I just want it to be organic and earned, if that makes sense. That’s deep actor-speak I just gave you, but it’s the only way to express my feelings about it.” 

For those who’ve only seen Meloni play Stabler (or in his other iconic role as Chris Keller on HBO’s Oz), it might come as a surprise that he’s also done plenty of comedic work. He played shell-shocked camp chef Gene in Wet Hot American Summer (2001) and Julia Roberts’ Annapurna-obsessed fiancé in Runaway Bride (1999), among other goofy roles, and he loves it when people on the street recognize him for those parts. “It always warms my heart,” he says sincerely. “They get extra credit.” 

Over the past year or so, he’s also become famous for something else: his shapely, extremely perky rear end. The Internet promptly anointed him a “zaddy,” (a word he’d never heard till it was being used to describe him) when a photo of Meloni from behind went viral back in April, causing a national thirst frenzy. A lesser man might have been baffled, or even annoyed, but Meloni is proud to bear the title. He works hard for that body, and career-wise, he knows it means he’s come a long way from the $40 a night he used to make as a bouncer at N.Y.C. club Kenny’s Castaways. “I’m humbled and honored and full of grace,” he says, at being anointed the king of cake. 

He’s also not afraid to call himself a feminist, citing Sally Yates and the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg as particular heroes. “Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to achieve whatever it is within themselves to achieve,” he declares, then adds a dash of that signature Meloni charm to lighten the mood. “What if I’d been really dodgy with that equality question?” he asks, laughing. “Wouldn’t that have been uncomfortable?” –Eliza C. Thompson

photographed by Jason Rodgers

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Winter 2021/2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

If you’ve ever seen even one of Leslie Jordan’s viral Instagram videos, you can imagine what an absolute blast it is to talk to him on the phone. He spins yarns like a Tennessee grandma on her third mint julep, even when making small talk about the weather. “We were told when we were kids that if the sun comes out when it’s raining, that means the devil’s beatin’ his wife,” he recalls.

The Chattanooga-raised actor, singer, and writer, 66, has had a solid career in TV and film since the late ’80s, popping up in everything from Pee-wee’s Playhouse to Star Trek: Voyager to Will & Grace, the latter of which earned him an Emmy. But in 2020, he experienced an unexpected surge of fame after he started posting videos of himself going stir crazy in lockdown. “Well, shit,” he began, in that unmistakable drawl. “How y’all doing?” 

A year later, Jordan is doing very well, thank you very much, having parlayed his Instagram stardom into a new memoir, How Y’all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief From a Life Well Lived, and a gospel album, Company’s Comin’, with guest appearances from Dolly Parton, Brandi Carlile, Eddie Vedder, and more. He also has a starring role in the Fox sitcom Call Me Kat, recently renewed for a second season. “Everything’s good,” he muses.

“I don’t have any problems. So that’s the end of the interview. Bye-bye!”

That may be true now, but his life wasn’t always rosy. His father, a career army man, died in a plane crash when Jordan was just 11. He was also raised in the Southern Baptist church—a tough place to be as a young gay man. “I quit going to church when the whole gay thing came up,” says Jordan. “I thought, ‘This is just not working for me.’” 

He retained his love for the hymns, though, which he believes can resonate with listeners no matter what their religious background. As a friend advised him when he returned to church with his mother once as an adult, “Leave whatever doesn’t resonate with you under the pew in front of you.” Of that visit, Jordan quips, “I left a lot of stuff under the pew. That pew was packed!” 

The seats at the Grand Ole Opry were also packed this past May, when Jordan made his Opry debut wearing a custom turquoise Nudie-style suit. “It was in memory of [my dad],” he says of his performance. “I could barely get through it. My mother cried so much they had to take her out! That was the best night of my life—and I’ve had some good nights.” 

Photos: Elizabeth Weinberg 

Grooming: Sonia Lee @ Exclusive Artists 

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Fall 2021 print edition. Subscribe today!

Directed by Felix Van Groeningen, Beautiful Boy is based on the true story of Nic Sheff, who started battling methamphetamine addiction as a teenager. Nic wrote a memoir about his life titled Tweak: Growing Up on His Methamphetamines, while his father, David Sheff, wrote one called Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction. Though the credits list both books as the movie’s source material, the point of view seems to lean a little more toward David (Steve Carell), who spends much of Beautiful Boy trying to figure out why Nic (Timothée Chalamet) is the way he is.

The movie never comes up with an answer for this, which is one of its greatest strengths—real addiction is a complex and often unexplainable disease, so it’s a relief that the screenplay doesn’t attempt to tie up Nic’s struggle so neatly. You can sometimes connect his relapses to certain triggers, but when you can’t, you find yourself frustrated alongside David, wondering why no treatment will stick. It’s this nuanced portrayal of a father, grieving a son who’s still living, that prevents the film from straying into cliché or maudlin territory.

That’s also thanks to the fantastic performance of Chalamet, who manages to remain charming and sympathetic even as he’s stealing his little brother’s allowance to pay for a fix. You want to shake Nic and ask him why he’s like this when he’s had so much given to him, but you never stop hoping that he’ll get better—a difficult feat when his own father eventually loses hope that Nic will ever recover. In less capable hands, Nic could come off as entitled or smarmy, but Chalamet never plays him that way, and he never lets Nic’s addictive tics slip into parody.

This isn’t to say that Beautiful Boy is perfect—the soundtrack is a real clunker, and it could use more Maura Tierney as Nic’s stepmother—but it is a well-made portrait of the way addiction affects a whole family, when similar narratives so often focus only on the addict. Are you there, Academy? It’s me, a Chalamaniac. Nominate him again!

top photo: Beautiful Boy

More from BUST

“Suspiria” Has Its Moments But Is Ultimately A Letdown

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Unfortunately, the answer is…sure. Don’t get me wrong—sure is fine. But sure is not exactly what the marketing for this movie promised. Audience members walked out at the Venice Film Festival! Dakota Johnson had to go to therapy after filming was over! Tilda Swinton wore a prosthetic penis to play Dr. Klemperer! In theory, this should all mean that Suspiria is a haunting insta-classic, but in reality, it just ends up being kind of a letdown.

Plotwise, the new Suspiria retains the basic framework of the original. Aspiring American ballerina Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) enrolls at a mysterious German dance school, only to find that it’s run by a coven of witches led by a statuesque instructor named Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton). This thread, for the most part, is delightful. Swinton is simultaneously ridiculous and fantastic, while Johnson is great at projecting the coy naiveté of a striver.

The problems begin when Guadagnino takes the movie in his own direction, adding context and mythology that don’t really need to be there (and also make his run time almost a full 90 minutes longer than Argento’s). There are flashbacks to Susie’s life in America. There are tangents about the Baader-Meinhof terrorist group that a generous reading would characterize as a metaphor, but that reading would also assume that you know what the Baader-Meinhof terrorist group did. There are many lengthy scenes following Dr. Klemperer (also Tilda Swinton) as he investigates the disappearance of his patient Patricia (Chloë Grace Moretz). The first time Klemperer appears, it makes sense—it’s a framing device, and a pretty scary one thanks to Patricia’s paranoid ravings about the teachers at the academy. But when he keeps coming back to poke around the school long after the audience already knows what’s going on, you can’t help but hope the witches will dispatch him sooner rather than later.

Of course, being this extra is what makes Guadagnino movies a treat, and in some areas, the overload works. The costumes are a perfect example of this—one line of my notes from the screening I attended just reads, “THE CLOTHES!!!” Giulia Piersanti, who also worked with Guadagnino on Call Me By Your Name and A Bigger Splash, is responsible for those, and deserves every accolade she can get this awards season. There’s also the score, composed by Thom Yorke, who takes the music in a totally different direction from the iconic Goblin soundtrack of the original without compromising on the level of sheer terror evoked by one or two notes. And finally, there’s the blood. There are only a few truly gory scenes, but they are intense (and a lot more realistic-looking than that neon-red blood they used in 1977). As a person who went in to this movie wanting it to keep me up at night, I didn’t mind this, but even I had to close my eyes a couple of times.

Still, no amount of—minor spoiler alert—blood geysers can quell the feeling that the whole of Suspiria doesn’t add up to the sum of its witchy parts. But hey, at least you get to add Tilda Swinton as Madame Blanc to your costume repertoire. It’s a very good look.

top image: Suspiria

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Have you ever been to bar trivia and wondered why they’re always hosted by 30-something white dudes who seem to think everyone else on the planet is super into baseball and Larry David? Or thought to yourself as you try to remember the names of all the sequels to Marvel comics movies, “Couldn’t they have just asked me about lady-fronted rock bands instead?” Then our trivia night is the trivia night for you!

Join us in Brooklyn this coming Wednesday, September 11, for the inaugural edition of BUST Trivia Night, where we promise not to ask you anything about sports, movies starring Sylvester Stallone, or video games. This is of course not to say that women don’t know stuff about these subjects–ask me about Louisville basketball or Stallone’s classic arm-wrestling drama Over the Top anytime–but just to point out that sometimes we’d like to show off all the stuff we know about say, Winona Ryder, or the grossly underrated film work of Beyoncé. 

The first place team wins a $30 bar tab and second place wins $15, so make sure you spend this weekend studying your lady-friendly pop culture if you want to get drunk on a school night.

The details:

BUST Trivia Night, Wednesday, September 11, 8 PM

Bar Matchless, 557 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, NY

 Don’t forget to RSVP on Facebook, and see you next week! 

Ever since Austra‘s debut album, Feel It Break, came out in 2011, I have barely stopped listening to it long enough to, you know, do my job of listening to other music. At a New Year’s Eve party earlier this year, I got in trouble with some strangers because I kept commandeering the iPod to play “The Beat and the Pulse” so my friend and I could have a dance-off. It was that friend’s apartment, so we won that battle, but not without getting yelled at for “bringing the mood down” with that “weird techno music.” 

Luckily for me (and all of my friends who have heard me play that album 8,000 times), Austra’s new LP, Olympia, comes out today on Domino. Like Feel It Break, it’s full of moody, atmospheric dance jams, all anchored by frontwoman Katie Stelmanis’ otherworldly voice. Stelmanis, a Toronto native, grew up singing opera, a fact which becomes obvious almost the second she starts going for those crazy, warbly high notes. For Olympia, she worked to make sure her lyrics were on the same level as the band’s flawless goth pop. On melancholic songs like “Forgive Me” and the first single, “Home,” her efforts pay off–you might end up crying a little by the time you’re done on the dance floor. While the band was in town to film their video for “Home,” BUST caught up with Katie about getting shafted in choir, hanging out with Beth Ditto, and knowing people who know Drake. 

BUST: How did you get started singing opera?

Katie Stelmanis: It just happened naturally. I was in a choir when I was 10, and it just happened to be an opera choir, so whenever the Canadian Opera Company needed kids for the productions, they would use us. So I was in La Bohème and Hansel and Gretel, all these operas, basically before I was 14. I was like 11, 12, 13 years old. And being in those operas made me fall in love with it, and then I started studying opera and studying singing, and then I did that till I was 19 or 20. 

BUST: Did you ever get to play any cool parts?

KS: Not really. When I was in the choir, we would do kid operas every year and I feel like I was always shafted. I never got a solo. I was pretty bummed out about that. But I did get a solo when I was with the Canadian Opera Company, doing La Bohème. There was like one line–it was a very coveted line, because it was with the Canadian Opera Company–and I got to sing that line. So that was my moment.

BUST: What was the line?

KS: Basically in Italian it’s like, “I want a trumpet and a horse.” The whole orchestra and everyone else is quiet, so the entire theater is just focused on this one kid that says, “I want a trumpet and a horse” in Italian. It’s a big shining moment. It was the highlight of my young career. 

BUST: Does any of your classical music training influence your work with Austra? 

KS: Yeah, definitely. I think it’s just ingrained in my body and my brain. It’s just how I listen to music, and I guess how I write music. When I started writing songs, my main influence for songwriting was Puccini’s arias. So I was really into creating big, melodramatic soundscapes. Now, I think for this record, my biggest goal is to learn how to try and be restrained as much as possible. I don’t really want to be doing these dramatic, big songs anymore. 

BUST: What specific influences did you have for Olympia? 

KS: A lot of different things, actually. I started listening to a lot of Cat Power because while writing this album, I finally started paying attention and listening to lyrics. I had never done that before, but for whatever reason I started identifying with these albums and listening to these stories, and I decided that I wanted that to come across in this record. I wanted to make the lyrics mean something. Previously, my lyrics didn’t really mean anything, and I didn’t care about them. I was listening to Cat Power and the Perfume Genius record. That’s a beautiful record. Aesthetically, I was really influenced by the Portishead Third album. I loved that record. Beth Gibbons is one of my favorite singers in music. But I also just loved how essentially they made an electronic music album organically. It’s all kind of out of time. It sounds almost sloppily made, in a way. You can hear the keyboards are being sequenced and they’re not quite in time with the drums. It’s a little bit off, and just the rawness of that I loved, and the realness of that I loved. I was so exhausted of hearing perfectly quantized electronic music all the time, so I wanted to bring that organic feel to the record, because that was amazing.

BUST: What made you decide to go from classical music to electronic? How did that come about? 

KS: Well, that kind of happened by accident. I started working with electronic music originally because I wanted to write orchestral music, and with my MIDI controller and my computer, I was able to trigger orchestral samples. I was using whatever program it was and playing fake violins and fake cellos, and I was sampling orchestral drum kits that would have big gongs and all this weird stuff. I was also really obsessed with Nine Inch Nails at the time, so I put distortion on everything. So I had violins, but I’d distort the violins so they sounded like the most unpleasant thing you’ve ever heard in your life. From there, instead of actually switching to real instruments, I became very partial to the synthetic sounds, and just started experimenting in that world more than anything else. 

BUST: How did you end up forming Austra after you did your solo album [2009’s Join Us]?

KS: It developed slowly. I asked Maya [Postepski, the Austra drummer] to come on tour with me during my solo record, and we worked really well together and I really liked having her on the road, so we decided just to become an actual band. And at that time I was playing with Dorian [Wolf, the Austra bassist] as well, so Dorian joined the project. It just made sense because we were starting to collaborate. And then we invited Romy and Sari [Lightman] and Ryan [Wonsiak] in to join the live band and start playing with us, and now it’s essentially a six-piece. 

BUST: Feel It Break was mostly just you right, in terms of the recording?

KS: Yeah, it was like 90 percent me, and then Maya came in at the end and did a bunch of programming. We updated a lot of the beats. The beats that I had written a few years prior were just not very good. 

BUST: Has that changed for Olympia? Has it become more collaborative now? 

KS: Yeah, definitely. For this record, I basically just started a bunch of songs that had the bare bones of a song, and then Maya, Dorian, and I went to a studio in Michigan and fleshed them out together. We were experimenting with sounds. Maya did a ton of experimentation with percussion, especially. She was just basically hitting anything that we could find in the studio that sounded cool. We were able to live at the studio for a month because it was in the middle of nowhere in Michigan, it was affordable, and they had a combination so we could sleep there. We were just creative. We’d wake up in the morning and start working on the record, and we’d work until midnight or so, and we’d go to bed. It was just the best working environment. 

BUST: Why did you decide to call the album Olympia?

KS: Actually, it’s because the studio that we worked at was run by this couple, Phil and Jessica. The first session we had was in July and Jessica was 9 months pregnant at the time. Every time we’d play or she’d come downstairs, actually every time I would sing, the baby would kick. Jessica thought that I had this certain frequency in my voice that the baby could always hear, I guess because I’m loud. And then we left, Jessica had the baby, and we were the first band in as soon as the baby was born. So basically from the last days in Jessica’s stomach and the first days out of her stomach, all the baby was listening to was our band, and they called the baby Olympia. So we decided to name the album after her because it kind of commemorated a new album and a new life. I just kind of wanted to recognize that someone’s life was started during the writing process, the creation of this album.

BUST: Were her parents excited about that?

KS: I don’t know. They’re kind of new-age, hippie-ish a little bit, and I emailed them about it once and they never wrote back. I had to ask permission. I emailed again and I was like, “Okay, we’re doing it,” and they were just like, “Cool!”  

BUST: Maya has done a stint in Trust, and Romy and Sara have their own group Tasseomancy. How do you guys balance everyone’s side interests?

KS: Well, Maya’s not in Trust anymore. But for Tasseomancy, they definitely put their project on hold for Austra. They work on it whenever we’re home for a week. They’ll always be recording. They’re always doing as much as they can whenever we have some time off. 

BUST: Your music videos are always really cool. They’re really more like short films than regular videos. Do you guys have a lot of input in the direction of them? 

KS: Well, not too much actually. I think we will more so in the future, but the previous videos that we’ve done were pretty much just handing over a song to a director and letting them do their thing with it. I think that’s why our videos are so different. Like “The Beat and the Pulse” video versus the “Lose It” video–it’s like night and day, totally different concepts. I really love that we have those two different representations in the world. I think it represents who we are. I see us in general and me especially as being pretty all over the map and pretty versatile, so I never want to be categorized by one particular aesthetic or sound or image. I like it to be constantly changing. For this video we’re doing this weekend [“Home,” below], we just approached a director, and they presented a treatment and I liked it, so we’re gonna do it.

BUST: You guys are going on tour in Europe soon. What do you like most about touring?

KS: I just love traveling. I never get sick of it. I love when you visit the same city over and over again, you start to become somewhat familiar with it, you start to have a routine in every city. In London, I always have the same place that I go out for dinner, I always have the same place that I go shopping, and I always have this little zone. I start to learn something about every city and I learn more and more about it every time I go. I really like the concept of being a citizen of the world, having a place in so many different places. I think we’re lucky as a band because we’re not just traveling. We’re going to cities and people are embracing us and being like, “Here’s my city, check it out!” We’re not just showing up with a backpack and having people spitting on us. 

BUST: Do you have any favorite New York spots?

KS: I really like Vanessa’s Dumplings. There’s really good ramen here, I really like Ippudo. I know there’s more. I really like that arepas place, Caracas. I always go there when I come here. There’s so much good food in New York. I actually have a list on my iPhone of all the restaurants that I have to go to or check out in New York, and it’s like 500 restaurants long. 

BUST: What kind of stuff does Austra do for fun between tour stops? 

KS: While we’re traveling, we always try and do special things. Most often I end up going to natural places, like to parks or waterfalls. We went through the Black Forest the last time we were in Germany and we went on a little waterfall hike. I think going for hikes and just getting into nature is really important, because everything about touring is so not environmentally friendly and there isn’t really interaction with the natural world in the venue or hotel. So I think it’s really important to make sure you get outdoor space, get some real air. 

BUST: Where would you like to go that you haven’t been yet?

KS: I’ve never been to Japan. I would love to go there. I’ve also never been to Mexico and I would love to go there. 

BUST: What is the music scene like in Toronto? Is it big?

KS: Yeah, there’s a huge music scene in Toronto. It’s kind of all over the map. There’s a lot of kind of different scenes. There’s a dance music scene in Toronto, I don’t know that much about it. There’s kind of like the sort of Broken Social Scene type scene, indie rock. And then there’s…I don’t even really know anymore, to be honest. I’m so out of touch with what’s happening in Toronto. My friend Mike though, from Fucked Up, he started a label called One Big Silence and he puts out a lot of local Toronto music. And it’s good. I don’t even know where he finds these bands. He still has an ear to the ground in that city and knows what’s going on. 

BUST: Did you guys play a lot of local shows when you were starting out? 

KS: Oh, yeah. I’ve probably played in Toronto like 15,000 times in my life. Every single venue in Toronto. I used to be very involved in the music scene, but I guess you just kind of leave. I really feel like I’m a part of more of a global music scene now. When you start going on the touring circuit, that’s its own scene. We play with the same bands all the time, and we always see the same bands at festivals. 

BUST: Are you pals with any other bands?

KS: Yeah, totally. We just did a tour with the xx. It was awesome, a really really fun tour. They’re our pals. 

BUST: You guys toured with the Gossip, too, right?

KS: Yeah, they’re our pals, too. I love the Gossip. Those were like the two funnest tours ever, back to back. They’re so different. The bands themselves are obviously so different, they have such different personalities, but we really got along. 

BUST: Is Beth Ditto the coolest person ever?

KS: Beth Ditto is awesome. She was almost like, untouchable, in a way. In Europe, she’s literally a pop star. The paparazzi follows her around. She’s kind of like, extremely friendly and very generous and welcoming to everybody, but to a certain extent. She always has an arm up. I would hang out with her and she’d be so nice, like, “Oh my God, blah blah blah!” and then she’d just leave and go to her hotel room. Whereas with the rest of the band, we were able to bro down. Beth is good at being really, really nice and making everybody feel important, but still having her own life. 

BUST: You do a lot of awesome dancing on stage. Do you have any requirements for your concert wear? 

KS: It just has to be comfortable. I like to wear shoes that have big heels. Well, actually I’ve started moving away from that. I used to feel like I always had to wear high heels on stage, mostly platform-style heels because I feel too small. You want to just feel really confident in what you’re wearing so as soon as you get on stage you’re not thinking about anymore.

BUST: Do you think Austra would ever do a fashion campaign or anything like that?

KS: I feel like we kind of are a fashion campaign, a little bit. As much as we resist it…half the interviews I did today were for fashion magazines. But I think that’s what happens when you’re a woman in music. You just kind of like, also happen to be a fashion model simultaneously. Somehow it just happens, even though that’s the last thing I would ever expect for myself in my life. Ten years ago I never would have imagined myself being in fashion magazines, but that’s the way it is. 

BUST: Have you gotten do a shoot with fancy clothes yet?

KS: Not yet. I’m not at the fancy clothes level. Whenever I do a fashion shoot, if it’s styled, it’s usually a nightmare. They usually bring kind of the discount fashion stuff and I’m like, “I could actually just dress myself better than this.” But hopefully we’ll get there. We’ll get to the real deal. 

BUST: How was SXSW this year?

KS: We’ve been a few times. It was definitely the easiest SXSW we’ve ever done. We had backstages at all of our shows. It wasn’t much of a struggle. Usually SXSW is a real struggle. It’s usually more of a whirlwind. When we went two years ago, it was when people were just kind of discovering our band, so everybody came to like, check us out. This year we didn’t really have people that were coming to check us out. We had people who liked our band. It wasn’t a giant media fest for us. It was just like we were playing shows for fans, which was nice. I saw the band Savages, they were good. I didn’t really watch a lot of bands, to be honest. Mozart’s Sister is really good, she’s opening for us on tour. I pretty much just watched my friends’ bands, like Doldrums, they were really good. 

BUST: What else have you been into recently, music-wise? 

KS: I feel like this year for me has been a juxtaposition of listening to really intense singer-songwriter music like Perfume Genius, and I got really into Feist this year. Either that stuff, or scary haunted house film music. So it’s one or the other.

BUST: Do you still listen to a lot of classical music?

KS: Not so much, but still sometimes. I have it on my iPod and I still enjoy listening to it, but I mostly like a lot of the 20th-century classical music. I also really love listening to classical music on vinyl. It’s a real experience. So I’ve been building up my classical music vinyl library, which is so easy because every thrift store in the world has every classical record for one dollar, so it’s really easy to access. 

BUST: Have you ever seen fellow Torontonian Drake wandering around the city?

KS: No, my friends have, though. I think. He went to high school with some of my friends. I think we’re the same age. I’ve never seen him. I actually was completely unaware that that entire scene existed, to be honest, and then suddenly Drake became famous and he was like, [does deep, macho man voice], “Yeah, the Toronto music scene!” And I’m like, “Which one are you talking about?” 

BUST: Yeah, I didn’t know there was some kind of Toronto hip-hop scene.

KS: Apparently. I kind of knew about it, I had some friends from high school who were involved in it, but I didn’t realize that it was actually full-on happening. Drake’s funny, he says the Toronto sound is him and the Weeknd. That’s what Drake always says, which I think is funny. 

BUST: Because there are so many other bands from Toronto.

KS: Yeah, there are a lot of bands from Toronto that have really different sounds from Drake and the Weeknd! But you know, that’s what he thinks. 

BUST: This part of the interview is all my roommate’s fault. He told me I had to ask you if you knew Drake. We listen to a lot of Drake in my house. 

KS: I definitely do not know Drake. 

BUST: He also wants me to tell you that he thinks Austra should cover “Take Care.” 

KS: That’s awesome. 

BUST: So if you did that, you would have at least one person buy it. 

KS: Cool, I’ll do it then!

Catch Austra on tour this summer throughout Europe and North America, and check out Olympia now!

Photo courtesy of Domino.

Any music fan worth her salt has a well-worn copy of the Breeders‘ Last Splash on her shelf. It defies classification–not quite punk, not quite riot grrrl–but it is, without question, iconic.

Packed with delightfully off-kilter noise pop gems, it’s an all-time classic of alternative rock. Even the notoriously picky taste arbiters at Pitchfork agree–it’s ranked (a shockingly low) 64 on their list of Top 100 Albums of the 1990s.

For the 20th anniversary of the LP’s release, the Breeders have reunited the original Last Splash lineup for a tour celebrating their platinum-selling album. But this isn’t your typical reunion tour–as guitarist Kelley Deal describes it, it’s a celebration. The band has been playing the record start to finish each night of the tour, plus covers and rarities from that era, and they’ve just released an absolutely stacked reissue called LSXX that should satisfy even the most obsessive fan’s craving for comprehensiveness. Just before the band’s show in Nashville, BUST got the chance to chat with Kelley (far left in the above photo) about how the tour came about, and how things are different now that everyone’s (allegedly) a grown-up.

The Breeders in 1993

BUST: How long has the Last Splash anniversary tour been in the works?

KD: Well, I remember sometime last year, Kim [Deal] and I were sitting on the couch in my house, and it occurred to us that it was going to be the 20-year anniversary this year. We were like, Should we do some shows? Okay, let’s do some shows! Well, who would we have play with us? I don’t know, do you think Jo [Josephine Wiggs, the band’s original bassist] would want to? It was that kind of thing. Kim and I just started talking to each other about it. And then we checked with them and they were way into it, which was great. We have seen them on and off through the years, and we even played with Josephine a couple times, so it wasn’t like we thought they would hang up on us or anything like that. But we just didn’t know…where is everybody in their life right now? Can you take a year off and come and play some shows? 

B: So the idea for the tour came before the reissue?

KD: We thought about the tour first. I remember there was somebody we were working with, an English fella, and Kim said, “Do you think we should let 4AD know we’re planning on doing shows, because they might want to reissue the record or something?” So it was mentioned to 4AD and they were super stoked about it. That’s when it became more than just a reissue. It became this kind of celebration of that time period, with the Safari EP, outtakes, live shows, and stuff like that, and this wonderful artwork. We got our hands on the CD box set in Canada. It’s just beautiful, it’s gorgeous. So that was nice, to see the final product. A CD is kind of like an old-fashioned item now. I don’t even have a CD player anymore, but it made me want one!

B: Did you have a lot of input about what would go into the reissue?

KD: Absolutely. Everything. We listened to tons and tons of archives. 4AD were so helpful and really worked with us. “Okay, we did a radio show in Nantes, France in March of 1993, do you guys have a copy of that?” So we’d listen to it, and if we liked it we’d say, Well let’s see if we can get the licenses. Can you imagine saying to 4AD, “We wanna include every single single that was released in conjunction with Last Splash, every 10-inch and single, as a piece of vinyl, plus we wanna do this live album as a piece of vinyl, plus we wanna do the Safari EP as a piece of vinyl, and a bunch of B-sides and stuff as a piece of vinyl, and Last Splash as a piece of vinyl. And we wanna put all that in a box set. Pleeeease. Please please please!” I think they said no to us like twice as we were putting all this together.

B: Was it cool with Mando Lopez and Jose Medeles [the band’s bassist and drummer for their past two albums] that you were using the original Last Splash lineup?

KD: Yes. Once we texted Josephine and Jim [Macpherson, the Last Splash drummer] to see if they were even interested in doing it, and they said, “Yeah! That sounds great,” then Kim and I thought that before we can take this anywhere else, we need to let Jose and Mando know. If we’re gonna go ahead and go down this road, and try to make something like this happen, we need to let them know, and they were both so cool about it. They have busy, busy lives themselves. Jose has an amazing drum store called Revival. If you ask any drummer they know it. It’s that kind of famous in the drum world. He lives in Portland with his family. Mando lives in Los Angeles and he does film work. 

B: What’s it like to be back with Josephine and Jim again after all this time?

KD: It feels like no time has gone by at all, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad thing. Part of me thinks that’s really delightful and kind of sweet and fun, but there’s this kind of weird adult in my head, this parental figure with their hands on their hips and their finger pointed, saying, “Has nobody grown up yet? What’s wrong with you people? Has nobody changed? Come on!” Obviously, I’m sure we’ve all changed, but it feels the same. It feels effortless, and really fun and sweet. We can all talk constantly. We can just talk with each other forever, so we do a lot of talking. It’s thrilling to the convenience store and find out what Josephine’s getting and why. 

B: What’s the biggest difference between touring now and touring back then? 

KD: Well for me, and I think for a lot of people in the band, for me it’s the dry backstage. I haven’t had a drink since 1995 anyway, no drugs or alcohol, and I don’t even smoke cigarettes now. I chew the hell out of some nicotine gum, though. That’s the biggest difference, I think. And there are also ice buckets, where people have to ice down a tennis elbow here or carpal tunnel, somebody’s got carpal in that hand. I think a lot of young people have that, too, but when you’re not drunk or using drugs, then you actually feel those things, and I think that’s a good thing. I’m not swallowing a bunch of Vicodin and masking some kind of pain that I legitimately might have and need to ice. There’s always something about actually being present for it all. 

B: Do you have any favorite memories from recording the album? 

KD: When we mixed the record, we mixed it at a place called the Record Plant in Sausalito, California, which is across the San Francisco Bay, so you have to take a bridge out of San Francisco to get to Sausalito. At the time, it was cheaper to stay on houseboats there than it was to stay in a hotel, so we all stayed on houseboats. It’s kind of crazy: the album is called Last Splash, and there are so many water references, and then we’re staying on these houseboats, by the bay. It’s really interesting. I really enjoyed staying on those houseboats. That was really fun. Very surreal. 

B: Did you realize at the time that you had made something so special?

KD: No, Lord no. When you’re really busy doing something, you don’t really think about that. Obviously, you try to be a good cheerleader, and you’re obviously into what you’re doing, but you don’t think about it down the road, like, “Oh, people are gonna love this!” That’s weird. Especially like “Cannonball,” it’s such a quirky song. The arrangement is not a standard verse-chorus-verse-chorus kind of thing that you hear on the radio. The whole thing opens up with this crazy, distorted vocal feedback that you just don’t hear, back then especially. It was kind of surprising. 

B: What are your favorite songs to revisit on this tour?

KD: I’ve really been enjoying playing “Roi” and “Mad Lucas.” The ones that are a little more difficult. We’ve really worked them up to try to replicate the sounds that are on the record. So that’s been really fun, getting knee deep in the songs and figuring it out. Like for “Mad Lucas,” instead of having my guitar going through my regular Marshall amp, I have it going through this little battery-powered amp that looks and sounds awesome. It’s very thin and very tiny to make the sound very small, to try to reproduce it. I didn’t use that in the studio, but it’s the best way to reproduce that sound live, so that’s been really fun. We have this great excuse to celebrate this record and try to get these sounds and the sonics just so. We even brought the wind chimes that we used in 1993, we brought those on tour with us, so Jim hits them in between “Invisible Man” and “No Aloha.” They’re hung up on a mike stand next to his drums, so at the end of “Invisible Man” he hits those, and they chime just like the record. 

B: What are other kinds of changes have you made to the songs to play them live? 

KD: Every challenge that’s come up, we’ve actually been able to meet. We’ve had to do a couple of different things. For instance, there’s a cello part in “Roi.” During the middle section you’ll hear this pulsing. Josephine played that in the studio, because she plays cello as well as bass guitar. But live, Josephine’s actually playing the drums on that song, so we happen to have Carrie Bradley with us, she plays violin. So we took her violin and put it through an octave pedal, and hit the sub-octave on it, so even though she’s playing her violin, you hear the lower sound. It’s been fun figuring out, “What can we do to make that happen?”

B: What’s the crowd like? Have you gotten a lot of fans who were there the first time around?

KD: Oh, yeah. It does feel like when we do these shows, that we are hosting, that we are there to enable other people to celebrate that record. Everybody talks about how it feels like they’re all celebrating. Not just the record, but where they were, what they were wearing. The music scene in general was pretty badass during that time, so also celebrating the music of that time. 

B: Is it true that when you joined the band you couldn’t really play the guitar? 

KD: When I started, it must have been 1990, 1991. Kim had invited me to go to the recordings for [the Breeders’ debut album] Pod, but I couldn’t get off work, so I skipped that. For the recording of the Safari EP, we knew Tanya [Donelly] was leaving to start Belly, but Kim wanted to do some more recording. So no, I couldn’t play, to make a long story short. I had played some bass.

B: So how did you learn so fast?

KD: Well, I just…I don’t know. In the recording studio, you can do a lot of studio magic, to make it sound like, “Oh, that sounds really good.” I remember for “Cannonball,” for that part [hums opening riff], I had to take strings down because they didn’t ring. But to be fair, I would still have to do that, because it’s a very strange part. It’s a very slide-y part. I guess I had a good teacher. 

B: Have you thought about working on any new stuff during the tour? Has that come up at all? 

KD: As a matter of fact, it has come up. Just because people have been asking about it and of course I would be like, “No no no, we’re just doing this, this is enough.” But now that we’re actually successfully learning the songs and recreating them in a live capacity, now we’re kind of like, “What else are we doing? Let’s see.” Kim’s got some really cool songs that she’s been writing. So we have been kind of poking around, but that doesn’t mean anything, you know? We don’t know. We are poking around at it.

When she’s not working with the Breeders, Kelley plays in R.Ring with pal Mike Montgomery (check out their stuff here). LSXX is out now on CD from 4AD, with a seven-LP vinyl box set to follow later this month. The Breeders will return to the US later this summer. Click here for dates!

2013 photo: Chris Glass; 1993 photo: Kevin Westenberg

Recently someone on the internet described Jessie Ware as “the missing link between Adele and Sade,” which is one of those “LOL WUT” statements only a music writer could invent. But after her live show this Wednesday at Music Hall of Williamsburg, it all makes sense. It doesn’t quite come through on her recordings, but yes, she does have Adele-level pipes, and yes, she can get as funky as Sade. Who knew? Russell Crowe, apparently. 

Compared to the pyrotechnic extravaganzas put on by most pop songstresses, Ware’s show is stripped down to the bones–just her, three band members, and a sign behind the drummer that reads “JESSIE WARE.” Once she starts singing, though, it’s clear why she forgoes the usual circus: her voice is without question the main attraction. It’s smoky, it’s sultry, it’s big, it’s airy, it’s everything. I went into the show looking forward to her hit “Wildest Moments,” but by the time she got to it (she saved it for the end, naturally), I had forgotten all about it. That might be her biggest single, but between “Sweet Talk,” “If You’re Never Gonna Move,” and “What You Won’t Do For Love,” it doesn’t even register. 

In addition to having the voice of a really hip angel, Ware is incredibly charming. She told us (in her fantastic British accent) about buying “biscuits” off a Girl Scout (“my publicist told me to get the Samoas”) and apologized for eating the whole box before the end of Passover. If she isn’t massively famous within three months, we should all just give up and move to Europe. They’re obviously the best at picking pop stars. 

Devotion will be released in the US on April 16, and Ware is touring stateside before she heads to Europe. Click here for dates!

photo via Spinner

This week, in a spectacularly well-timed episode, RuPaul’s Drag Race was all about lip synching—both the normal kind, and the kind where you lip synch to spoken dialogue, like dubbing a movie in reverse. If you thought, “Ru made that up—no one does that,” then join me in being wrong, because he also told us about performance artist Lypsinka, whose act consists of lip synching to audio clips of people like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The more you know! Now join me in falling into a Lypsinka YouTube k-hole. 

For the mini-challenge, the queens had to lip synch to a few of Ru’s songs using only their mouths, meaning that they lip synched behind giant photos of Ru with mouth holes cut out (see above). They were awesomely creepy, and I want one for my apartment. The three winners became team leaders for the main challenge, which involved recreating dramatic moments from earlier seasons. Even for Drag Race, this was super meta, especially because all of the “herstory” came from Untucked, which if I understand correctly is just a half hour of the contestants getting drunk in the Absolut Lounge and throwing serious shade (and occasionally vodka) at each other. Wait, am I recapping the wrong show?

Anyway, two queens were having an extra rough go of it on this episode. First, Serena. Everybody hates Serena, for reasons that aren’t quite clear. She even went so far as to ask everyone if they wished she had been kicked off last week instead of Penny Tration, and of course they said yes. To quote one of their Untucked clips, this isn’t RuPaul’s Best Friend Race! But still, why do they hate Serena so much? Is it really only because she’s young and inexperienced? She should change her name to Lena Dunham and tell them all to suck it. 

Secondly, Monica Beverly Hillz. She seemed down for most of the show and alluded to a major secret she had been keeping from everyone. On the runway, Ru got her to spill, and Monica admitted that she’s not a traditional drag queen but a transgendered woman. Ru then gave her an amazing pep talk that actually made me tear up: “I invited you here because you were fierce. You deserve to be here, and that’s why you’re here. You have to believe in yourself. The only person who does not believe is you! Stay strong, Monica Beverly Hillz!” Repeat to yourself as needed during times of distress.

Unfortunately, an emotional outpouring was not enough to save Monica from the bottom two. After Ivy Winters’ team won, with Lineysha Sparx taking home the top prize of immunity and a couture latex outfit, Monica and Serena lip synched for their lives to Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In the World).” Everyone with eyes could see that Monica killed it, so Ru told Serena to sashay away and get some lip synching lessons from Beyoncé. Just kidding about the second part, but seriously, Serena should watch and learn.

RuPaul’s Drag Race airs Mondays at 9/8c on LOGO

Photo via LOGO

Good day, Shantay! It’s time for another season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, America’s favorite parade of glitter-drenched pageantry, wigs, and cat fights. Last night, 14 new contestants gathered in RuPaul’s lair to show off their C.U.N.T.—charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent. As usual, it was hard to focus on anything other than RuPaul’s insanely amazing clothing (a flawless baby blue suit with white satin trim and matching shoes), but I’ll give it a shot.

We’ve barely made it into the workroom when we find out there’s already a rivalry brewing that threatens to make the 2012 drama between Phi Phi O’Hara and Sharon Needles look like a slumber party. Alyssa Edwards, “the Vanessa Williams of drag,” was apparently crowned Miss Gay America in 2010, but had to give up her crown to Coco Montrese for some unknown reason. Oooh girl, I like where this is going already. Also, Alaska—girlfriend to last year’s winner Sharon Needles—finally made it on the show this year. I’m a little bit hoping she wins just because wouldn’t that be the cutest thing ever?

For the mini-challenge, the queens have to do a photo shoot in a tank full of water, because nothing says eleganza like runny mascara and askew hairpieces. We found out that Jinkx Monsoon is a narcoleptic—”Seattle’s premiere Jewish narcoleptic drag queen,” in fact—which will either be hilariously weird or deeply upsetting. For winning this “tribute to old Esther Williams films,” Detox got…a Twitter mention from Ru. Don’t lie, you know you’d die for such an honor. 

Later on, the queens head to a boutique in Beverly Hills for some shopping, as you do. Camille Grammer is there for some reason, and surprise—the shopping trip is actually dumpster diving. They have one minute to gather supplies for a red carpet couture look, and I’ll be honest and say I instantly started hoping that Jinkx would fall asleep in the garbage, because I am a bad person and I don’t like that knockoff Alexander McQueen skull scarf she keeps wrapping around her head. At the runway show, Coco Montrese was my personal favorite, wearing mini director megaphones in a blatant homage to Madonna’s cone bra, but the judges favored Roxxxy Andrews, who won a custom gown and immunity for next week. Serena ChaCha (who is a baby at age 21) and Penny Tration (who was voted on the show by fans) lip synched for their lives. Neither one was particularly great, but Penny Tration said she’d never sung “Party in the USA” before, which I’m pretty sure is some form of treason. Ru must have agreed, because poor Penny had to sashay away.

The best part of the episode came at the end, when RuPaul introduced Untucked in a pitch perfect imitation of Downton Abbey‘s ludicrous opening, deadpanning, “Hello, I’m Laura Linney.” It’s hard to remember who’s who at this point, what with all of the extraneous x’s and z’s in these 14 contestants’ names, but I’m optimistic that this season will wash away the painful memory of Chad Michaels winning All-Stars. Now where can I get a copy of Gone with the Weave?

RuPaul’s Drag Race airs Mondays on LOGO at 9/8c

Photo via NewNowNext

Austin-based duo and BUST favorite Agent Ribbons is back with a video for “Jamaica and the Wishing Shrine,” a melancholy cut from their awesome EP Let Them Talk (released earlier this fall on Antenna Farm). Directed and shot by Jason Hood, the clip finds the band exploring an abandoned Coney Island, chasing seagulls through the streets, and writing messages in the sand. With its sun-streaked beach and carefree vibes, “Jamaica” is a dreamy, vintage-tinged cure for the winter blues. Check it out below, and click here to purchase Let Them Talk!

Photo via Agent Ribbons 

It is with great sadness (happiness) that I report that as of this past weekend, our long national dream (nightmare) is over. That’s right, people–Breaking Dawn Part 2 premiered in theaters, thus ending The Twilight Saga once and for all, or at least until they reboot it in five years with hotter, younger actors. Just kidding, no one is younger than Taylor Lautner.

When we left our young Bella (Kristen Stewart) in Part 1, she had just turned into a vampire after her husband Edward, the sparkly heroin addict (Robert Pattinson), injected her with his own venom to keep her semi-alive because her horrifying monster baby had bludgeoned her to death during labor. Now the Cullens are training her in vampirism so she doesn’t give in to her bloodsucking instincts and murder the whole town of Forks. In the meantime, her absolutely terrifying CGI infant is growing faster than Taylor Lautner’s pectoral muscles, and I’m having a hard time remembering anything else about this movie because that baby is still haunting all of my waking and sleeping hours. One of their vampire cousins, Shannon from LOST, sees Renesmee leaping in a field and incorrectly assumes she’s an “immortal child,” a kind of fully vampiric and totally illegal vampire kid that wreaked all kinds of havoc in medieval-ish times. This makes the Volturi (the Italian vampire police) decide they have to kill this freak of nature as well as the entire Cullen coven, because just go with it, okay?

As we all know, Renesmee is only half-vampire, so the Cullens call up all of their vampire pals in other cities and ask them to come hang out in Washington for a few days so they can tell the Volturi that Nessie (Jacob’s terrible nickname for the tot) is just a normal kid who grows fast and looks computer-generated up to the age of six. All of the foreign vampires are the best part of BDP2, besides the twist ending, which it would be criminal of me to spoil for you here. I challenge you to find anything more hilariously awful on movie screens this season than the Russian envoys’ over-the-top accents, and I still haven’t stopped laughing about the scene where Jacob slowly disrobes in an attempt to explain the supernatural to Bella’s father. Taylor Lautner, if you didn’t know before that you have a promising career in porn ahead of you, surely you do now.

But as much fun as I had watching this piece of trash, I have to admit that this was one of the top five worst movies I’ve ever seen, and I say this as a person who has read all of the books and once spent approximately 10 hours assembling an Edward Cullen jigsaw puzzle. I’ve also got a few lingering questions about Stephenie Meyer’s poorly assembled vampire mythology. For example, why are almost all of the vampires in monogamous relationships? Are they all Mormons, too? I’m sure a few of them are into coupling up and settling down, but seriously, if they’re that good-looking and they never have to sleep, you’d think more than a few of them would be world-class sex fiends. Also, why are they all so badly dressed? They have endless money and cunning at their disposal–can’t they go on a shopping or robbery spree at Barneys or something? I suppose we’ll never know the answers to these questions, and that’s probably for the best. Enjoy sailing off to that big Blockbuster in the sky, Twilight. We’ll always remember you as the franchise that introduced us to these.

Photo via Flixster

Like Tina Fey, all of us at BUST, and most women with ears, you are probably, extremely, overwhelmingly exhausted of hearing old white men talk about how much legislation they want to slap on your uterus. Shilpa Ray is tired of it, too, and so asked her Facebook friends what the reproductive rights debate might look like if men were the objects of said legislation. One of her pals, musician Michael Leviton, wrote, “Every time a man ejaculates and fails to conceive, he’s killing millions of sperm which are living organisms.” And thus was her new video “Nocturnal Emissions” born. Funded via Kickstarter, the video splices scenes of Shilpa spearheading a pro-life rally (“500 million potential lives are killed every time they recklessly spill their seed!”) with real footage of Paul “Personhood” Ryan and Foster “Aspirin Between the Knees” Friess spewing their usual anti-woman garbage. It’s a hilarious, thought-provoking kick in the ass to all of the Republican idiots out there who are trying so desperately to destroy women’s reproductive rights once and for all. Check it out below, and you know, don’t forget to vote on Tuesday! 

In the three and a half years since Bat for Lashes (aka Natasha Khan) released Two Suns, her brand of vaguely goth chamber pop has taken off—just ask Florence + the Machine, Zola Jesus, or Grimes. Those ladies are wonderful, of course, but we’ve missed Bat for Lashes’ singularly weird beauty. On her third album, The Haunted Man, Khan’s talent is out in full force. Opener “Lilies” kicks things off with an operatic, string-laced bang that recalls Kate Bush, the O.G. chamber-pop icon. The tribal-inflected “Horses of the Sun” is sinister and uplifting, with Khan channeling her inner Bonnie Parker on lyrics like, “You and me, we’re wanted on the run.” While the first single “Laura” is gorgeous, it’s the only true ballad on the record. Title track “The Haunted Man” begins as a slow, vocal-centered torch song that turns into a full-on dance number as layers of snare drums and menacing backup singers pile on top of a pulsing synth beat. This is where Bat for Lashes deviates from her peers—just when things sound too poppy, she adds some Gregorian-esque chant to the mix to make things interesting. If Khan’s work sometimes comes off as too polished, it’s only because she seems to place every note, sound, and lyric meticulously. If it takes her another three years to make a follow-up to The Haunted Man, then so be it. No doubt it will be worth the wait.

Bat for Lashes | The Haunted Man, $9.99, batforlashes.com

This review appears in the Oct/Nov 2012 issue of BUST Magazine with cover girl Aubrey Plaza. Subscribe now.

Like many other people, I took English in high school, and like many other high school English students, I was moody, brooding, and really into canon “romance” novels. So it should come as no surprise that Wuthering Heights holds a dear, dear place in my heart. I was fully prepared to love Andrea Arnold’s new film adaptation of the Emily Brontë masterpiece, especially given that Arnold directed 2009’s instant classic Fish Tank and had cast Skins‘ Kaya Scodelario as Catherine. Unfortunately, in her attempt to strip the story down to its Gothic, miserable bones, Arnold leaves you with just…misery. 

Having neatly removed the entire framing device of the lodger who hears the whole soapy tale from Nelly the maid, the movie begins and ends with Heathcliff (James Howson), who in this version is understood to be a former slave. Played as a child by Solomon Glave, Heathcliff has all the makings of the Byronic hero he was in the book, but it’s never quite clear why he and Catherine are so into each other. Perhaps it’s because over half the movie is about their childhoods. Yes, Catherine and Heathcliff’s love builds when they’re very young, and yes, it’s an irrational love, but this doesn’t play out so well on screen when you’re looking at actors who are actually 12 or 13 years old. What’s also weird about this is that Howson and Scodelario, who are both sort of baby-faced, are barely in their early 20s–it would hardly be jarring to have used them earlier on in the film.

Visually, the tone of the movie is spot on–everything is drenched in fog, and shot in that handheld, shaky-cam way that is annoying for the motion-sickness-inclined but does accurately convey the visceral feelings experienced by the characters. But it’s hard not to wish for a little more lightness here and there. Even as children, Catherine and Heathcliff seem sad and depressed, and by the end of the movie, you find yourself almost gasping for a break from these oppressive, dimly lit houses and endless moors. You could look at this as Arnold doing her job well–after all, her source material isn’t exactly a party–but it’s so bleak that it ends up being a little too hard to watch.

Photo via Time

Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) has always been something of a heartbreaker, whether she’s trying her hand at country-tinged, whiskey-drenched blues or putting a haunting spin on old classics. For her ninth full-length Sun (out today on Matador), Marshall has gone electro—imagine Moon Pix’s “Cross Bones Style” with a bigger budget and without the minimalism. A thumping synth drives “Real Life,” a meditation on dissatisfaction that sounds almost Auto-Tuned. The album may be called Sun, but there’s not much light here. First single “Ruin” is a strangely catchy number about the world’s many ills, while the title track is a sinister, apocalyptic ode to our planet’s star. Songs like “3, 6, 9” and “Manhattan” retain a little of the Bob Dylan–inspired folk flavor heard on The Greatest and Jukebox, but a distorted electric guitar here or Chromatics-esque drumbeat there firmly places everything in the 21st century. You can probably still cry into your beer with Cat Power, but maybe you should put on your dancing shoes first.

Photo via Matador Records

If you are a human with access to the internet, you are probably aware that Magic Mike premiered this weekend. You are probably also aware that it involved mostly naked men, several of whom are very, very good-looking, and one of whom is a very excellent dancer. But here’s the thing–did you also know that there’s a thing called pornography? Because that exists, too, and if you’re into naked dudes, you should probably just watch that instead. 

Never in my life have I seen so many women lined up to see a movie–and this is coming from someone who has seen every Twilight film at midnight. These ladies were dressed to the nines like they were going to the club, and most of them were wasted. 

Unfortunately, very early on, it became clear that pretty much everyone in the theater was disappointed: Magic Mike is THE WORST. First of all, there’s not even that much nudity. Zero full-frontal, and ass shots of basic-cable level brevity. This is a movie about STRIPPERS, so let’s see some peen, Soderbergh. Secondly, the plot is awful. I’ll be honest, I was drunk and don’t really remember much except something about moving to Miami and artisanal furniture. But who cares? STRIPPERS. Do you think Showgirls would be the cinematic masterpiece it is if Nomi Malone had been trying to start a jewelry business on the side? 

The worst part, though, was every female character–particularly Alex Pettyfer’s sister Cody Horn, who was of course also Channing Tatum’s love interest. I refuse to call anyone by their characters’ names because they are irrelevant. When you see Matthew McConaughey in a leather vest, do you think, “Oh yes, that’s Dallas?” No, you think, “That’s Matthew McConaughey in a leather vest.” But I digress. The point is that Cody Horn was perhaps the biggest boner killer to ever grace a movie screen. She complained about everything–the stripping, the drug use, the nudity. I fail to see the issue with having a boyfriend who is JACKED AS HELL and an AMAZING DANCER who knows how to do a CHOREOGRAPHED STRIPTEASE to Ginuwine’s “Pony.” I guess she was mad because Channing brought her little bro into the mix so he could make tons of cash being super hot? I told you: boner killer. 

But it was sort of cool that tons of women went to see Magic Mike because they wanted to see hot guys get naked. Equal opportunity objectification, or whatever. Except not really, because this movie was all incoherent plot and no gratuitous sex. Give us our Wild Things, Hollywood! We are begging you. And in the meantime, ladies of the world, just watch some porn. I promise it’s a lot more satisfying than Magic Mike. 

Please note: there are butts in the trailer below, so if your boss frowns upon looking at butts while on the clock, consider it NSFW:

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVRZNd9Vczg 425×344]

Photo via MTV

Every once in a while a record comes along that’s so good, you refuse to take a break from listening to it long enough to give anything else a chance. In this case, that record is a 4-song EP that has been “coming out soon” for approximately the past 5 months.

Let me assure you–it was absolutely worth the wait. 

Hyped as the savior of female MCs since last fall’s debut single “212“ took everybody’s iPod by storm, Azealia Banks finally dropped her first official release, 1991 (out now on Polydor). Since I downloaded it Tuesday, I’ve only turned it off long enough to watch the Les Misérables trailer. As you can imagine, this is really interfering with my responsibilities as a music editor.

A ton of ink has been spilled about how Banks is the “next big thing,” but she hasn’t really done anything in the months since the “212” explosion besides start virtual beef with Kreayshawn and tweet her questionable opinions about the n-word. Keep in mind, she’s only 21, so we should probably cut her some slack. 

Album 1991 makes it clear that underneath the childish internet outbursts, there lies an extremely talented rapper who’s only just getting her foot in the door. “212” makes a requisite appearance on the EP and while it’s as awe-inducing as ever, the new tracks are the real standouts.

Opener “1991” (the year Banks was born–do you feel old yet?) shows off her incredible flow and rhyming skills. The lyrics are so dense it’s nearly impossible to parse them out after just one listen. When she makes standard swag-tastic boasts like, “1-9-9-1 my time has come/Oh na na Ma, your time is done,” you never think for a second that she doesn’t have the chops to back up that statement. It’s hard not to think of the glory days of Missy Elliott when you hear it. 

Banks takes a similarly aggressive tack in Van Vogue, spitting lines like, “If she ain’t know the bitch know now.” Who’s she talking about? Nicki Minaj? Kreayshawn? Iggy Azalea? Whoever it is, they should probably step up their game. 

The EP’s final track “Liquorice,” which made an appearance last winter, finds Banks switching effortlessly from filthy, fearless rhyme maven to crooning sweetheart in the span of three short minutes. Parents beware: 15-year-old girls all over are stealing this CD from the local record store as you’re reading this–or at least downloading it illegally–and blasting it while you’re not home. 

Having seen Banks at Coachella, I can also verify that she’s capable of effectively demolishing the “hip-hop doesn’t sound good live” critique that’s so often leveled at rappers. Her performance was one of the festival’s greatest, among the company of older music moguls like Radiohead, Wild Flag, and the Black Keys. Plus she was selling this t-shirt, which turned out to be the lone souvenir I brought home from the desert. I’ll probably never wear it outside my house, but I’ll definitely feel like a badass rocking it while I wash the dishes. 

Check out Banks’ new track “Jumanji” below (which for some inexplicable reason didn’t make the cut for 1991) and look for her recently retitled mixtape Fantasea this summer and her debut full-length this fall! 

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EjnPSz-jvs 425×344]

Memorial Day has passed, which means it is now unofficially summer and you are now officially allowed to wear white, go to a beach with a lifeguard on duty, and host semi-illegal barbecues in the park! BUST has all of your outdoor dance party needs covered with a new edition of BUST Loves on Spotify, with new tracks from the likes of Rye Rye (above), Azealia Banks, Icky Blossoms, and more.

And if your hankering for new tunes still isn’t satisfied, you can also check out Spotify playlists from the magazine like our “Piece of Cake” birthday mix and “What I’m Listening to Now” lists from artists like Beach House’s Victoria Legrand and Sleigh Bells’ Alexis Krauss. Now get outside and commence dancing in your short shorts!

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTPdoLz3YDI 425×344]

Photo via Billboard

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost four years since New Zealand’s Ladyhawke, otherwise known as Pip Brown, burst onto the scene with her immensely danceable debut record, but her second album Anxiety will make you forget she ever left. “Girl Like Me” starts things off with a Metric-inspired bang, with Brown’s smoky vocals cascading over layers of snappy drums and punchy bass lines. First single “Black White & Blue” begins as a relatively mellow head bopper but quickly erupts into a triumphant chorus of synthesizers and guitars. Upbeat songs like “Blue Eyes” and “Vaccine” could serve as hipster jock jams, perfect for soundtracking ironic softball games or impromptu dance parties. In the wake of more experimental acts like Lykke Li and Austra, Ladyhawke can seem a bit dated, but Brown’s ear for pure pop goodness makes the ’80s flavor of Anxiety a sound worth revisiting.

image source www.ladyhawkemusic.com

“Kickball Katy” Goodman is perhaps best known for her work with Brooklyn lo-fi queens Vivian Girls, but on Sees the Light, her sophomore solo effort as La Sera, she shows off a softer side that’s more croquet than kickball. Album opener “Love That’s Gone” is a lilting, ’90s-style ballad full of melodic guitar lines and sweet, distortion-free vocals. “I Can’t Keep You in My Mind” is a heartfelt anthem to losing interest, while “Please Be My Third Eye” is a poppy, upbeat jam perfect for beachside dance parties. On “Real Boy”—which includes adorable lyrics like “you’ll be my guy and we’ll travel through time”—Goodman channels O.G. girl groups like the Shangri-Las and the Ronettes. But all this lovesick crooning isn’t without some dark undertones. The heavy “Drive On” finds Goodman pleading with someone to “drive off the edge with me.” OK, Katy—so long as we can blast Sees the Light while we pull a Thelma and Louise.

Despite her recent forays into poppier territory, Norah Jones still calls to mind the image of a young chanteuse churning out wise-beyond-her-years jazz tunes in a downtown club. On her fifth album Little Broken Hearts, she’s still downtown, but she’s traded the jazz club for a hip, hole-in-the-wall pub. After working with him on 2011’s Rome, Jones reteamed with Danger Mouse as her producer, and his indie, hip-hop influence is all over this release. The title track is sexy and dark, with Jones’ smoky voice spilling out over a pulsing drumbeat and a quiet, even-keeled guitar line. “After the Fall” could almost be classified as experimental for Jones, with a funky bass line that punctuates layered vocals and a synth-y keyboard melody. Jones’ signatures are still present, though, especially in the countrified twang of “Out on the Road” and the heartbroken, Cat Power-style longing of “She’s 22.” In its exploration of different styles and sounds, Little Broken Hearts solidifies Jones’ reputation as a musical innovator who’s unafraid to shake up her routine.

Image courtesy of Blue Note/EMI

Leave it to RuPaul to make a reunion special interesting. I’ve been watching reality TV since the original New Orleans season of Real World, when Julie the Mormon got kicked out of Brigham Young University for co-habitating with men. Yet I’ve only tuned in to a reunion special once or twice (and one of those occasions was when I needed to see what Teresa would say after she flipped that table on Real Housewives of New Jersey). On last night’s real finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race, RuPaul, being RuPaul, saved the best news for last: America’s Next Drag Superstar is…

Sharon Needles!

Praise be to RuPaul for making that decision, because if the winner had been Phi Phi “Hot Garbage” O’Hara or Chad “I Swear These Aren’t Cheek Implants” Michaels, I might have had to give up on this show forever. Really, what other choice could Ru have made? Sharon is so entrancing that I nearly spoilered myself about five times by wanting to Google Ms. Needles’ upcoming live shows. Just listen to these empowering mottos she spat out last night: “When in doubt, freak ’em out!” and “If anyone boos you off stage, it’s simply applause from ghosts.” Words to live by, Sharon, words to live by. 

In other news, Latrice Royale won Miss Congeniality (duh) and will be appearing on RuPaul’s Drag U this June. Ru is doing all she can to get us to tune in to every minute of this franchise, and I’m totally fine with that. But perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was Willam, who finally appeared to confess her sins. It turns out the rumors (diet pills, drugs, bulimia) were a lot more exciting than the reality: Willam’s husband found out that she was on the show and had been making “conjugal visits” to the Drag Race hotel. YAWN. At least we got to see Willam back in action long enough for her to coin the term “RuPaul-igize,” which Ru loved: “Consider that word stolen, honey.” 

Other highlights of the show included Kenya Michaels getting “translated” by Charo, Dida Ritz talking about how her grandparents watch every rerun, and Jiggly Caliente saying that her brother bought her much-needed sewing lessons with his tax refund. After a season that was slightly underwhelming, the finale was extremely satisfying. The best woman really did win (and Latrice Royale got about a million well deserved standing ovations).

Congratulations to Sharon Needles! And until next season, remember: If you can’t love yourself, how in the HELL you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an amen?

Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Mondays at 9/8c on LogoTV

RuPaul, of all people, should know the value of a climax. So why then was last night’s “finale“of RuPaul’s Drag Race so unbelievably anti-climactic? Because they didn’t announce a winner! Ugh, this show. I think we all sort of saw this coming, because the title of the episode was “The Final Three,” but still. If the prospect of finally finding out what Willam did wasn’t enough to drum up an audience for the reunion episode next week, this definitely is. 

For the final challenge, the remaining contestants starred in a music video for RuPaul’s song “Glamazon.” Sharon accurately described their costumes as “1950s B-horror movies meets an issue of Italian Vogue.” The drag queens’ strange, convoluted descriptions of their outfits are far and away the best part of this show. For another example, see Chad’s description of her final runway look: “Versace-inspired, with some Jane Fonda in Barbarella.” If only this were how the rest of us conceptualized our clothing when getting dressed in the morning. 

Seasons 2 and 3 winners Tyra Sanchez and Raja briefly appeared to coach the ladies on their acting skills while Sharon, Chad, and Phi Phi took turns having “dinner” with Ru. All the teary-eyed emotional confessions for some reason inspired Chad to apologize to Phi Phi for being mean, which in turn inspired Phi Phi to say that they’re all family. What is going on here?! Did they collectively forget the entire season prior to this? It was like watching an episode of Glee. 

At the runway show, Sharon brought her goth originality to an outfit that utilized her signature zombie contacts and tentacle fingers. I was certain this would do her in, partially because she called it “succubus ready-to-wear,” but the judges loved it. Michelle said Phi Phi looks like “the side piece Fred Flintstone was knocking boots with.” Whatever, Phi Phi is still the worst. All three queens had to lip sync to RuPaul’s “Glamazon,” and they were all pretty good. Maybe this cliffhanger only happened because Ru actually couldn’t choose a winner. Or maybe Ru has seen the error of her ways and has decided to bring back Latrice Royale for a surprise coup next week. Either way, we’ll be here to keep you posted, all the while hoping that Phi Phi gets a stiletto to the face. 

Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Mondays at 9/8c on LogoTV

The sisters of Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit are certifiable old souls. When Johanna and Klara Söderberg sing about loves lost and past regrets, it’s hard to believe they’re just 21 and 19, respectively. But they’ve been playing music together since before most American kids can drive, so it’s safe to say that they know what they’re doing. Their sophomore album The Lion’s Roar (Wichita) debuted in January to well-deserved critical acclaim, and this weekend, they’ll appear at the hottest music fest in the west, Coachella. Just before they started their spring tour, BUST spoke to the band on the phone about their love for Bright Eyes, folk music, and Topanga Canyon. 

ET: When did the two of you start playing music together?

Klara Söderberg: I was 14 and Johanna was 16. It started with me finding the band Bright Eyes when I was 12, and then finding similar folk music. I just fell in love with that kind of music, that style, so I wanted to write that kind of music myself, which I did. 

ET: How did you find out about Bright Eyes when you were so young?

KS: It was just a friend of mine who wrote to me saying, “Hey, listen to Bright Eyes,” so I did. It was a kind of random thing. 

Johanna Söderberg: Prior to that discovery we’d mostly listen to what was on the radio and music wasn’t that big a part of our lives, but the simplicity and honesty of folk inspired us to make our own music. We felt like we could just pick up a guitar and play and write songs and that was it. We didn’t need a producer or big machinery around us. 

ET: So you must have been pretty excited to work with Conor Oberst on The Lion’s Roar.

JS: I don’t think he knows how important he has been to us. 

KS: It’s good that he doesn’t know, because he’d probably run far away. He was there the whole time we were recording the album, because he lives next door to the studio in Omaha. We just asked him if he wanted to sing with us and we never actually thought that he would really say yes, but he did. He wrote his own verse for that song (“King of the World”) and we recorded it. We were just amazed. First off, the lyrics he wrote are just so amazing. When I read it, I had to think about it for a while before I really understood exactly what he was saying, but when I did I was like, “Oh my God, this is so good! How can we put this on the album next to all our other lyrics?” It’s just amazing, really. There are really no words to describe how incredible it felt to get that kind of recognition and to do something creative with someone that we’ve admired for such a long time.

ET: How did you get involved with Mike Mogis, who produced the album?

JS: It’s a long story. Mike Mogis and Conor Oberst play in Monsters of Folk, and they had a show in 2009 in Stockholm. We were able to go backstage and give them our first album The Big Black & the Blue. We were really star-struck and nervous, and we didn’t really know what to say. We just handed it to them and then kind of shyly went away. And we thought, “That was it, they’re never gonna listen to it. That was our moment with them, it’s not gonna happen.” And then a year later we had a show in Austin, TX, and they showed up. We were totally shocked. They had listened to the album and they loved it, and they loved our show and they wanted to work with us, and that was how it happened. Months later we were in Omaha, NE, recording with them. It was like a dream come true. It was incredible. 

ET: Do you have any other music idols that you’d like to work with if you got the chance?

KS: Well, we worked with Jack White for his label Third Man Records. We recorded two songs with him in Nashville, and we’d love to do something like that. We loved what he did. We have a love for old things and old folk and blues music in common, so it would be cool to work with him again. Ryan Adams, we love, so if he’s reading this, then yes, we want to work with you, too! Emmylou Harris, if she ever just heard our song “Emmylou,” then that would be amazing. Leonard Cohen. Well, I think we just want to be one of those sisters. 

JS: The backup singers.

KS: He has two sisters already, but I think it wouldn’t hurt to have another pair of sisters. 

ET: How collaborative is the songwriting process between the two of you? 

JS: It’s different for different songs. Some songs Klara writes entirely by herself, and some songs, we sit down and work out things together. The harmonies are obviously the thing for us. I think it’s what we focus on the most. It’s very important that we both feel comfortable with the lyrics, so we do talk and collaborate a lot on the lyrics and on the music in general, especially on arrangements and things like that. We’re very much both involved.

ET: Does the fact that you’re related to each other ever cause any arguments? 

JS: Yeah, but I think it’s a good thing, mostly. It’s why our harmonies are special, because we are related. I think it’s good because we can be totally honest with each other in a way that friends or other band members can’t be. We just know that even if the truth hurts, we’ll get over it eventually. That’s just the way we are as sisters. Sometimes we do fight, but mostly over trivial stuff, like what to wear on stage. Like, “I wanna wear that dress tonight!” “No it’s mine!” That’s usually what happens. 

ET: How do you decide who sings what?

JS: I mostly do the harmonies. That’s just the way it’s always been. I’m more comfortable with that. 

KS: Since I usually start writing the songs, it’s more natural for me to sing them.

JS: But we’re working on splitting it up more so that you can’t tell who’s singing what and we just switch all the time. That’s something for the next record.

KS: Like our heroes the Louvin Brothers. You don’t know which brother is singing when and I think it’s awesome. We’re working on that.

JS: For the next record.

ET: But your new record has only been out a few months!

KS: That’s old.

JS: Yeah, now we’re thinking of the new one!

ET: You get pretty personal in some of your lyrics. Are any of your songs autobiographical at all? 

KS: Yes. On this record we aimed to be more direct and personal, and I think all of the songs are about us, even if it’s not a direct experience that we’ve had. There are two songs that really stick out that aren’t our own experience, “Blue” and “This Old Routine.” They’re sort of similar in some ways because they’re about older people, probably middle-aged, who feel like they have failed at something in their lives. They’re regretting things they haven’t done. In “Blue,” it’s this woman who’s given up on love and on herself, and she’s just looking in the mirror and it’s like a stranger there. The person she once was isn’t there anymore. “This Old Routine” is about this man and his family and his wife, and how he’s not really talking to them anymore. It’s sort of just become a routine where they just live their lives but they’re not really communicating. I think for us, writing about those things is sort of us dealing with our own fears of becoming these people and ending up in a family, like we sing about in “King of the World,” where you’re still so lonely and isolated because you’re not really talking to each other, you’re not being honest to yourself and to each other. I think it’s something we deal with a lot because we’re on tour and it’s easy to feel isolated and lonely when you’re always away from your family, your friends, and people you love. It’s hard, so I think that’s sort of why we come back to that so much in the songs on this record. 

ET: How do you like the crazy touring schedule that comes with being in a band?

JS: There are both advantages and disadvantages of that. It’s a very special thing. I don’t think you can compare it to anything else. You have to sacrifice a lot. You have to sacrifice your friends and your family, although we don’t really have to because we travel as a family. [Laughs] You just have to give up a lot of things, but I think in the end it’s all worth it. You give a lot but you get so much back in return. There’s so much love from people you meet, and your fans. It’s such a special opportunity and it’s so rare to get to do this, so we’re just glad and very thankful every day that we’ve had so much luck. 

ET: What kind of stuff do you do to keep yourselves entertained on the tour bus? 

JS: We watch a lot of movies and TV series, and we listen to albums, and we sing and write songs in the car. 

KS: Write poetry.

JS: Read. But driving through places, especially in America, is entertaining for me because the scenery and landscapes are so different and interesting. One day we’re driving through the Rocky Mountains, and the next we’re in the desert. Just looking out the window for me can be entertaining in itself. When you’re traveling, there’s kind of a feeling of freedom because you have no obligations. You can just sit there and just focus on yourself and kind of almost meditate. It’s awesome. 

ET: What else do you like about touring America, besides the changing landscape?

JS: The shows. I think the American crowds are some of the better crowds in the world. They are incredibly responsive and loud and we like that. They can just randomly scream out things during the show. We like to talk on stage so it’s easy to create a conversation, and it gets me very excited, just hearing their feedback constantly. Some people don’t like that, but we really appreciate that. So yeah, just the people in general. I love how open and outgoing they are. 

ET: Are you excited about Coachella? 

KS: No. [Laughs]

JS: It’s so hot, we’ll die probably, us Swedes.

KS: It’s been one of those things that we’ve wanted to do for a long time. We’re so, so excited. We can’t wait. 

ET: What bands are you looking forward to seeing? 

KS: I think my biggest one is Cat Power (Ed. note–Cat Power has since canceled her appearance. Sad faces all around). She’s sort of why I have bangs. She and Feist were my inspiration. Apart from having awesome hair, she’s also incredible. Her bangs are just one of the many reasons I want to see her. Also Mazzy Star and Bon Iver.

JS: Florence + the Machine and Laura Marling. There are lots.

KS: M. Ward. Oh, and the Shins.

JS: And there are two weekends, so if we miss one, we can see them the next time. It’s really good.

KS: I want to see At the Drive-In, too, because they wrote about us on Twitter, which was really awesome. I listened to them when I was 13 so it would be really cool to see them.  

ET: Is there anyone else besides Cat Power that you look to for style inspiration? 

KS: I can’t think of one person, but we look at a lot of photos from regular people, not just musicians or models. We enjoy looking at pictures from the ’60s and the ’70s, women wearing awesome clothes. Then we go to a vintage store and try to find something similar. I think that’s something that’s inspiring to us style-wise. We’re not really into fashion, but definitely style and clothes. 

JS: We’re not interested in shopping per se, but we’re just interested in how people dress and what that says about you. We love dressing up. 

ET: Are you planning to stay in Stockholm for a while, or are you thinking of moving anytime soon?

JS: We’re currently touring, but maybe we’ll move to Topanga Canyon one day.

KS: Oh, yeah. That’s my dream. I want to live in Topanga Canyon. I know it’s extremely expensive so it probably won’t ever happen, but that’s the dream for me. We just like being home when we can. It’s nice to hang out with your friends and family. 

First Aid Kit is on tour this summer in North America and Europe—click here for dates!

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC57z-oDPLs&ob=av2e 425×344]

Photo via Vogue

The end is nigh, my friends. After Monday’s episode of the sequined acid carnival that is RuPaul’s Drag Race, we are down to the final three, a final three that I find completely unacceptable. Allow me to copy and paste my notes on last night’s elimination for you here: “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.” A lot of O’s, I know, but it was an involuntary reflex that could not be suppressed. But before that happened, this episode was a great one, because it had dogs! 

As the winner of the mini challenge, Chad assigned each queen one dog to use as inspiration for a series of three looks with dog-related themes: Daytime Dog Park Realness, Pooch in a Purse, and Canine Couture. Unfortunately these looks were for the queens, not the dogs, but we still got lots of close-ups of the dogs being super cute, which is really all anyone wanted. Chad gave himself Flan the Chinese crested, Latrice got Babyface the Pomeranian, and Sharon had Callie the poodle, but Chad delivered Phi Phi a serious burn in the form of Hunter the giant, drooling bloodhound. Phi Phi hated this dog, for RuPaul knows what reason—Hunter was adorable! Drooly, yes, but probably no more than Phi Phi is after a night of heavy drinking. Shade, I’m throwing it. 

Hunter the bloodhound

The contestants began the runway show with an ill-advised Broadway-style number about peeing in the park, as you do when the show is about dogs. Phi Phi said her daytime look was Nicki Minaj meets Barbie, which would make sense except Nicki Minaj already thinks she IS Barbie. Get your references straight, O’Hara. Phi Phi also said her party girl outfit was “Rihanna if Rihanna had a dog,” which, no if, Rihanna does in fact have a dog, and it is cute. Just stop it, Phi Phi. Just stop it. 

Anyway, Sharon Needles won some crystal body jewelry because she was amazing. Her party look involved a SCRAM bracelet, and according to guest judge Rose McGowan her couture looked like “Liza Minnelli in Cabaret and Jean Harlow had a baby.” Everybody loved Phi Phi—UGH—and Santino declared that he doesn’t see intense ambition negatively. Yeah, dude, we know. We saw you on Project Runway. Chad and Latrice squared off to a Wynonna song, but Latrice’s trademark soul swagger just didn’t hold up in a country music context. She gave a weepy goodbye that had everybody else on the runway (and me at home) in tears, and then I immediately stopped caring about this show. Now that my beloved Latrice Royale has sashayed away, what do I have to live for? I am only kept alive by the hope that Phi Phi O’Hara will meet an epic demise in the very near future. Make it happen, Sharon Needles. Make it happen.

Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Mondays at 9/8c on LogoTV

Last week on RuPaul’s Drag Race, the field was narrowed to the final four at last—except, not. After commanding Dida Ritz to sashay away, Ru announced that Michelle Visage and Santino would be choosing an eliminated queen to return this week. Oh, goody. Sadly, it was not Willam (who was weirdly named as eligible even though she broke the rules), but little Kenya Michaels upon whom this honor was bestowed. Eh, it could have been worse. The original top four—Phi Phi, Sharon, Chad, and Latrice—fashioned t-shirts to protest this turn of events, but Ru wasn’t having it: “Nice try, Norma Rae.” 

For the mini challenge, the queens had to dress a teddy bear in drag, and of course, the recently returned Kenya won with her pasty-wearing La Transbear. As a prize, Kenya was allowed to assign each contestant a partner for the main challenge: DILFs, or Dads I’d Like to Frock. The final five each paired up with straight dads who would be transformed into pregnant drag queens, to show off their “baby bump realness.” But before parading down the runway in matching costumes (Ru wanted to be able to see the “family resemblance”), each pair had to perform a striptease to get the judges in the mood. Sometimes I just can’t with this show. 

Basically, everything about this challenge was totally weird. Naturally, all of the straight men were really excited to find out that Jennifer Love Hewitt would be a judge. Sharon Needles’ partner Mike was so odd that somebody made a Silence of the Lambs reference to describe him. Sharon herself quipped, “It’s like dancing with Leslie Nielsen in Airplane.” There were a lot of awkward conversations between queens and DILFs that were clearly scripted by Logo staffers—”Yes, let’s talk about gay marriage! Ask if they’d support their children if they were gay!” It might have been heartwarming if it didn’t seem so totally forced, or Chad and Phi Phi hadn’t cried on command during these little chats. 

At the runway show, Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson added some much-needed levity to the proceedings, calling Kenya Michaels “Little Eva Longoria” and saying, “Apparently Marilyn Manson does have a uterus” as Sharon Needles came down the catwalk. Phi Phi—ugh, Phi Phi—won the challenge, receiving a trip for two to Las Vegas. Phi Phi’s partner won a trip, too, and was really excited about it, chanting, “Vegas! Vegas! Vegas!” backstage. Kenya and Latrice were up for elimination, and despite Kenya crossing herself in an appeal to a higher power, Latrice won, because duh, they had to lip sync to Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and Latrice was clearly born to imitate Aretha Franklin. Poor Kenya was sent home as soon as she returned, which made this whole exercise feel a little bit pointless. Now that we’re really down to the wire, it’s time to guess—who will be America’s Next Drag Superstar? I hate to do this to my girl Latrice Royale, but I’m putting my money on Sharon Needles. That girl’s got chutzpah—and a Tammy Faye Bakker tattoo to boot. 

Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Mondays at 9/8c on LogoTV

Ever since Niki and the Dove’s debut EP popped up in the BUST office last fall, I’ve been dying to see them live (and blasting their spacey, technicolor dance pop on repeat at the gym). Last week at the Under the Radar day party, I managed to catch one of their many sets at SXSW, and they absolutely lived up to the hype I’d been building in my head for months. The rest of the crowd seemed to feel the same, because Niki and the Dove finally got them dancing, despite disgustingly humid weather that even the band admitted was sort of miserable. 

Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Niki and the Dove is made up of vocalist Malin Dahlström and instrumentalist Gustaf Karlöf. Decked out in giant earrings, with about a million neon bracelets crawling up her arms, Dahlström looked like a modern-day Stevie Nicks gone to a rave in the future. On “Mother Protect,” her voice alternated between sinister, breathy tones and triumphant, full-on belting. It’s easy to compare the band to other Swedish electro groups like the Knife, but Niki and the Dove often takes their sci-fi, tribal sound to a much poppier, carefree level. Maybe it’s because I’ve got The Hunger Games on the brain, but I couldn’t help thinking that songs like “The Fox” and “Gentle Roar” would be the perfect soundtrack for dance parties in the Capitol. Dahlström might not even have to dye her skin to fit in with the likes of Effie Trinket and Octavia—her impeccable sense of style (and elbow-high bracelets) would get her pretty far. 

Niki and the Dove’s EP The Drummer is out now on Sub Pop, and they’re on tour in Europe this spring. 

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Photo via Last.fm

Seeing Zola Jesus at the beginning of a festival like SXSW is a perilous activity, because the singer’s so good at her job that you might end up holding the rest of the performers to an impossibly high standard. The first time I saw Zola Jesus was last year, on the first night of CMJ, and I spent the subsequent four days complaining that every other band was terrible. Last week at the Fader Fort, she was the final performer of the day, so I had time to get over my awe before judging any other acts too harshly.

I was a little worried that ZJ (aka Nika Rosa Danilova) wouldn’t sound so hot outdoors, especially since I’d previously seen her inside a small club with a decent sound system, but she immediately put my worries to rest. Accompanied by her band (which, of course, included a violinist), she tore through tracks from her recent album Conatus and some of her EPs. Dressed in some kind of tunic that could’ve doubled as a bed sheet, Danilova pranced around the stage barefoot. Blond hair flying, she even popped into the audience to do her usual run around the venue. She ended the set by banging on the drums and thoroughly blowing everybody’s minds with her gigantic, operatic voice. My SXSW pals and I were so impressed that we planned to see her a second time, the very next day, until someone told us Titus Andronicus was playing for free a few blocks away. Flexibility is key in these types of situations, especially when you have a chance to listen to pop-punk that references the Civil War.

Zola Jesus is on tour in Europe this spring, and will be back in the U.S. in May for a performance at the Guggenheim in NYC.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY9WUZZrTpw 425×344]

Top photo by Tom Cockram, live photo by Eliza Thompson

Every year, the Fader Fort at SXSW is a watershed event for festival goers, particularly those with small wallets and no badges. Last week’s edition was as insane as ever, with enough free beer to keep you tipsy for four days’ worth of indie hip-hop acts and experimental punk bands. I came, admittedly, for the free beer, and also to see Zola Jesus, about whom I will never stop rhapsodizing. But the Fader Fort is like Hotel California as sponsored by Converse, so if you want to see ZJ at 7:30, you can never, ever leave. 

Enter Gary Clark Jr., who performed about two hours before Zola. I had never heard of this guy, and apparently neither had most of the people surrounding me on the old-people sit-down bleachers (we were sharing a jumbo bag of kettle corn—I told you this was Hotel California). I was prepared to be bored, or perhaps entertained by a cute band member, but I was totally caught off guard by how good Clark was. He began his set by shredding like a boss–an old school, hipster Jimi Hendrix–style boss–and the crowd went absolutely nuts. I don’t usually go for straightforward rock music, perhaps because I am still subconsciously rebelling against my dad’s attempts to make me a Springsteen fan in high school (don’t worry, I saw the error of my ways in college), but Gary Clark Jr. won me over within a minute. The Fader audience loved him, too–after his set, people kept yelling “one more song,” a thing that does not really happen at these free afternoon concerts where people just want to see whoever’s next and move on to a different venue.

Clark is actually from Austin, unlike nearly everybody else at SXSW, and he is amazing. So amazing, that in 2001, when he was 17 years old, the mayor of Austin proclaimed May 3rd “Gary Clark Jr. Day.” Child prodigy much? Anyway, his release The Bright Lights EP ended up on a ton of year-end best-of lists in 2011, and you can listen to it here on Spotify. And if you’re inclined to think he’s super hot, which he totally is, you can watch him in the 2007 movie Honeydripper. Is there anything this man can’t do? 

Gary Clark Jr. is on tour this summer. Tour dates here, and video below of Clark doing his thing in 2010.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ZeDn-hHGE 425×344]

Top photo via the Fader

In the interest of not burying the lede, let me just get it out there now: Willam threw up on the runway last night. Yep, a drag queen threw up on the runway, during the judging, immediately after she had been declared the winner of this week’s challenge. It was one of the weirdest things to ever happen on RuPaul’s Drag Race, until five minutes later when Ru announced who had to sashay away. Nothing else in the episode even seems relevant in light of the giant mysterious bombshell that dropped on everybody’s bewigged heads, but let’s give this recap a shot anyway.

For the mini challenge, Ru gave all the queens polygraph tests, then paired them up for the main challenge by teaming them with the contestant who was most unlike them. I think someone on the production team confused polygraphs with the Myers-Briggs test, but whatever. Minor details. To the surprise of no one, the pairs were as follows: Latrice and Willam, Chad and Dida, and Phi Phi and Sharon. Each team had to put on a nightclub act, with the twist that the losing pair would lip-sync against each other. Blah blah blah, everybody was great, Pamela Anderson and Jennifer Tilly showed up, and feathered umbrellas were employed. Willam and Latrice won for their slapstick routine, and Latrice got extra points for letting Willam push her out of her comfort zone. AND THEN. Then Willam leaned over the side of the stage and vomited, stood back up, and went on like nothing had happened. Ru asked if she was okay to continue, and she said yes. Excuse me? You just vomited in front of America on a television show that is not Jersey Shore. You are most definitely not okay. 

Anyway, everything proceeded as usual post-Willam meltdown. Phi Phi and Sharon lip-synced for their lives to “It’s Raining Men.” It was one of the greatest lip syncs in recent memory: both queens giving it their all, wigs falling off, making it generally impossible to decide who was better. How could Ru ever choose between these two? Answer: she didn’t. Just as you were biting your nails, hoping against hope that Sharon didn’t get sent home, Ru called Willam to the front of the stage, saying that it had come to her attention that Willam had been breaking the rules and would have to leave immediately. There was no explanation whatsoever—just a shot of Willam pressing his well-sculpted buttocks against the dressing room mirror and signing off. 

After searching through tons of blog posts and news stories, it seems that no one on the entire Internet knows what exactly Willam did. There is, of course, wild speculation—diet pills, drug abuse, secret blogging, and an eating disorder, to name a few—but we are no closer to uncovering this mystery than we are to finding out what the hell will happen on Mad Men this season. Willam is keeping mum on the subject, playing coy and hinting that we might find out on the reunion show. We better! And just like that, my flagging interest in this show was renewed, and my daily Googling of “Willam Belli” continues unabated. Well played, RuPaul, well played. 

Willam has a new music video out about Chick-fil-A, which I will post here for your viewing pleasure. 

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Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Mondays at 9/8c on LogoTV

Phil Moore and Beth Tacular, the couple at the heart of Bowerbirds, journeyed through intense personal hardships—breakups, breakdowns, brushes with death—and returned with The Clearing (out now on Dead Oceans), their most rhythmically and lyrically complex creation yet. Combining elements of dissonance and darkness with moments of remarkable beauty and wisdom, this 11-song LP is an emotionally and visually evocative sonic cinema from start to finish. Cymbal splashes and rolling layers of clicks-and-claps paint coastal landscapes in “Stitch the Hem,” while the varied timbre and rhythmic shifts of “Hush” move erratically and intuitively, like the black-winged flock of birds that dive through the chorus. The stormy tensions that build into frenzied bass clarinet screeches in “Death Wish” flow seamlessly into the tranquil brilliance of the concluding track, “Now We Hurry On,” closing the album with nearly two minutes of weightless, sparkling tones. These ethereal flickers are like a final meditation, offering the listener a moment of reflection on each brilliant particle as the album disappears into the atmosphere above.

-Kristina Ensminger

BUST recently sat down with Beth Tacular to discuss the making of The Clearing, the excitement (and anxiety) of experimentation, and the evolution of Bowerbirds.

Kristina Ensminger: Tell me a little bit about the chronology of events that occurred between Upper Air and The Clearing. 

Beth Tacular: While we were recording Upper Air there was a period of about five straight months of me, Phil, and Mark [Paulson] together, with no privacy for me and Phil. There was a lot of really hard work and no alone time, so we started fighting and broke up on that tour. And then we were trapped in Europe on tour after breaking up, which was rough, but having the album and touring was part of what brought us back together. If we hadn’t been involved professionally we might have just gone our separate ways. So the music was what broke us up, but it was also what brought us back together.

KE: Then you ended up in the hospital, right?

BT: I was supposed to go to Brazil with my brother so I got some vaccination shots, and the next day I got really sick. I ended up in the hospital and the doctors were pretty scared because I was having organ failure and they didn’t know what was wrong with me. Phil and I had decided to get back together and work on our relationship, but we still had a lot of lingering anger and frustration. When I got sick it was a turning point for us; we decided to let go of the past and focus on how we love each other and our dreams to create music together and have our homestead out in the country. An experience like that gives you a new perspective and a different attitude. 

KE: This was also the same period of time when you found your dog? 

BT: Yeah, right before I got sick we were out on our land working on the cabin and writing the album. I was going to the hardware store to get supplies and I ran over the neighbors’ dog, Spice. We kept her and nursed her back to health and now she’s ours. Our other dog can be a little anxious, but Spice is always happy and she was a huge influence on us while we were writing the album; she inspired us to be more positive. 

KE: You had a lot more time to write and record this album—how did that affect the overall process? 

BT: The process was definitely a roller coaster. It was great to have so much time, but it definitely made it harder in a lot of ways; by the end things were pretty confusing. There would be these “Yes!” moments where the recording came out and it was exactly what we were trying to do, but there were definitely times where we wondered if what we were doing was working. We were also a lot more involved with the production of The Clearing. And it was more experimental, which was kind of scary. We knew we loved it, but we had no idea whether other people would. 

KE: What inspired you to experiment so heavily with other instruments and the overall sound? 

BT: [While we were writing the album] it felt like we were living in a movie—everything felt really intense. We were watching a lot of movies at the time and we wanted the record to be more epic and dynamic. We were trying to create a sound that was reflective of our life experience. 

KE: There is a lot less accordion on this album. Were you focusing more on vocals and other instruments during the writing/recording process?

BT: I love the sound of the accordion. It’s really warm and you get to play it on your chest and it resonates right into your body. But I think sonically the timbre of it wasn’t right for a lot of the songs because we wanted more of a percussive, clanky tone. There are a lot of “ooos”on the album—a ridiculous amount, there could be a drinking game based on it—and a lot of those “ooos” started out with me trying to write an accordion part, but ended up as strings or vocals. 

KE: This was your first time singing lead vocals (on “Hush” and “In the Yard”). How did you feel about it—were you apprehensive or excited? 

BT: I was really nervous, actually. When we started the band I wasn’t a singer, so the idea of singing at all was really terrifying back then. Now I’m used to it, but it’s going to be a little scary to be the one taking the lead onstage. But I’ve played “In the Yard” a few times live now and it was actually really fun. It’s a totally different experience being the one who has to lead the song and keep it going though. 

KE: You wrote the music and the lyrics for “Hush”—what went into that songwriting process?

BT: When I first wrote it, “Hush” sounded more like electronic Beach House or something so Phil helped turn it into something that sounded like a Bowerbirds song. We ended up adding some percussion and some elements that had more of an African influence…although I’m not sure that makes it sound like a Bowerbirds song either [laughs]. 

KE: You’re touring with a much larger band for this record; who are the new additions?

BT: We have Mark back; he was one of our original members, and he’s been playing music with Phil since they were 11 so they have really great chemistry. And he can sing and play bass, guitar, violin, keyboards, drums, and percussion—he’s amazing. Yan [Westerlund], the drummer we’ve had for the last couple years, is touring with us and also plays on the album. And Leah Gibson, who plays cello, but can also sing and play keys and bass. We knew we needed five people to tour this album, there’s no other way to make it work, and we were really excited to be in a position to make it happen. 

KE: So what’s the next step—what are you most looking forward to?

BT: I think we’re the most excited about the tour. It’s going to be really great to hear how this record translates on stage, and to hear how the old songs sound with this new setup. We definitely have some ideas for new songs, but we’re trying to focus on this record for now and not do too many things at once. Phil wrote a new song while we were mixing The Clearing that went in a totally different direction. I’m not sure if it’s something we can make into a Bowerbirds song—people might be too thrown off by how different it is. But that might be fun actually…to just keep mixing it up and confusing people. 

Watch their latest video for “Tuck the Darkness In” below and catch Bowerbirds on the road this spring!

March 19 – Charlottesville, VA 

March 21 – Washington, D.C. 

March 22 – Philadelphia, PA

March 23 – New York, NY

March 24 – Boston, MA 

March 26 – Montreal, QC

March 27 – Toronto, ON 

March 29 – Chicago, IL

March 30 – Iowa City, IA

March 31 – Minneapolis, MN

April 3 – Seattle, WA

April 4 – Portland, OR

April 6 – San Francisco, CA

April 7 – Los Angeles, CA

April 8 – San Diego, CA

April 11 – Austin, TX

April 12 – Dallas, TX

April 14 – Birmingham, AL  

April 15 – Atlanta, GA

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Early into last night’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, something crossed my mind that I almost dare not speak aloud. During the mini challenge, as the queens were throwing shade at one another and nearly all of them were terrible at it, this thought started forming. Today I will get out my library card (because reading is fundamental), and throw some of my own shade: maybe none of these queens are actually worthy of the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar. Blasphemous? Maybe. But consider the evidence. Post-elimination, we have six contestants left, and one of them is Dida Ritz?! What do we really know about Dida Ritz? She is as opaque as Mitt Romney is cyborg-like.  

But back to the library. As anyone who’s seen Paris is Burning knows, the ability to read someone is one of the most important weapons in a drag queen’s arsenal. And yet no one but Latrice Royale (who, of course, won the mini challenge) was even halfway decent at this. Phi Phi came at Sharon Needles with another Party City-based insult, only to have it thrown back in her face when Sharon sassed, “That’s where I got your Lady Gaga wig.” Burn? Ah, for the days of Jujubee and Raven. As the winner, Latrice got to assign each queen the title of the “dragazine” they had to make for the main challenge. This would have been a lot more fun to watch if they’d been given computers loaded with InCopy and Illustrator and were told to go at it. I imagine it would have ended like this. Also, they should have let Stefon guest-edit the travel magazine. 

Unfortunately, all the queens did was glue stuff on poster board and then take pictures with an extremely attractive photographer who caused several of them to lose focus. Before the runway show, when Ru announced that Regina King would be a guest judge, Willam made sure to tell us that she guest-starred with Regina on Southland once. That may be true, but Regina doesn’t seem to remember this, and correctly points out that Willam’s unmoving runway smile is really, really creepy. The judges said more of the same things they always say (Chad is too perfect, Sharon is too crazy) and ultimately awarded the win to Phi Phi for being the least terrible of the bunch. Willam and Jiggly were up for elimination, lip syncing to “Mi Vida Loca” by guest judge Pam Tillis (side note: Pam Tillis is the BEST). Jiggly was finally sent home, and Willam will live another week to tell us what other cop dramas have employed her as a guest star. Great, can’t wait.  

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I’ve long suspected that Jamie Stewart, the brains and bleeding heart of Xiu Xiu, could be the third member of Mates of State, exiled from their land of hetero jangle-pop to a rehab center for self-harm. In a similar vein as 2010’s Dear God, I Hate Myself, the band’s new album Always (out now on Polyvinyl) finds Xiu Xiu still wandering the freeways, subsisting on fistfuls of wild kumquats and prescription painkillers. Stewart’s voice is somewhere between a 9-1-1 call and a lullaby. The snarled monologue that comprises “I Luv Abortion” is interspersed with crashing drums and what sounds like the barking of a pissed-off dog. But Xiu Xiu thrives on contrasts, and the lush piano chords that follow on the ballad “The Oldness” find us in a different landscape altogether, with the unhinged tirade traded in for a more pensive sort of poetry: “I dreamed that I was aloft/On beating wings/The sound unlike any bird’s.” The vertigo this can produce isn’t accidental. Earlier records like 2003’s A Promise left more space for Stewart’s lyrics to hover (or thrash) against bandmate Angela Seo’s minimalist synth figures or pattering on a drum machine. But in the past few years, as the band’s sound has grown a bit fuller, their knack for combining melodic sentimentality with gothic discord continues to ensure that nothing ever quite settles into itself, often at a hefty emotional cost. This isn’t to say that Xiu Xiu has dispensed of whatever sparkle and romance they cultivated on albums like Women as Lovers and The Air Force. “Honey-Suckle“could pass for a bleary-eyed LCD Soundsystem B-side, while the splashy “Beauty Towne” and clubby “Gul Mudin” would be sugary enough for a big glittery dance party if it weren’t for lines like “Hell is hot, Hell is hot, Satan’s caught, Hell is hot!” For all their wacky charm, Stewart’s pop sensibilities are always subordinated to something much more dissonant and distraught, which is what Xiu Xiu does best. Always doesn’t belong in a Starbucks, but like the queasy, jittery feeling that accompanies over-caffeination, it reminds you that there might be something sick or sinister whipped inside all that froth.

-Rich Bellis

Reality shows, like war, can turn heroes into villains and villains into heroes. One day you’re a model soldier being considered for general, the next you’re going rogue and hiding out in the jungle. One day everybody hates you for being a loud alcoholic, then you get punched in the face and you’re queen of the shore house. This week on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Willam, heretofore the great villain of Season Four, dropped so many one-liners and rocked the challenges so hard that we couldn’t help but think she might be ready for a Purple Heart. 

On Milan’s triumph over Madame LaQueer and Kenya Michaels while lipsyncing: “You sent both of the Puerto Rican girls home. You ain’t never gonna be in West Side Story again.” 

On her outfit for the wet t-shirt contest: “My look is, ‘God, I wanna go to Miami but I can only afford Ft. Lauderdale.'” 

After she wins the mini challenge: “I won. You know, it’s kind of a hobby of mine. Thank you God for all this bod.” 

Whether or not God is responsible for Willam’s logic-defying body, we’ll never know, but we do know this: if RuPaul is the cruise director, we definitely want to be on that ship. Jiggly’s awed reaction to the idea of a Ru-sponsored cruise sums it up nicely:

For the mini challenge, the queens had to participate in a spring break–style wet t-shirt contest, complete with silicone breastplates furnished by a company called Boobs for Queens. Yes, it is a real company, and yes, this show is so cheap that even the fake boobs are sponsored. This whole sequence was weird and difficult to watch, but at least we got to see Phi Phi lose her breastplate and her wig. Oh, how the mighty have fallen, Ms. O’Hara. For the main challenge, the queens hosted their own pride parade, with each one dressed as a different color of the pride flag. Since the theme was Hope Floats, I was really hoping somebody would dress as Sandra Bullock and turn their parade boat into a replica of Harry Connick Jr., but no such luck. We did get to see Jiggly swallow glitter, though, which looked painful. Remember: glitter is the herpes of craft supplies, ladies, so use it with caution. 

At the runway show, poor Dida Ritz got a lot of flack for her “pedestrian” costume and “piñata-like” float. Latrice Royale’s turquoise sparkle explosion, described by Michelle Visage as “Nefertiti meets Ursula the Sea Witch,” was a big hit, but ultimately Willam prevailed and won a cruise. Jiggly Caliente and Milan lip-synced for their lives to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” which was appropriate for a pride-themed episode. Jiggly again seemed to be doing original choreography from the video, which she also did for “Toxic” in the season premiere. Ru must have appreciated Jiggly’s visual dance memory, because Milan was finally sent home after three appearances in the bottom two. As Willam said, “When it’s right, it’s right.”

Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Mondays at 9/8 c on LogoTV

Splendor Squalor (out now on Kanine), the second full-length from Brooklyn-based Xray Eyeballs, finds the quartet in a much poppier place than they were on their first effort, Not Nothing. The raw, energetic sound backing O.J. San Felipe’s husky vocals is still present, along with the perfect blend of nostalgia for sounds of the past with a vision decidedly focused on the future. But if Not Nothing felt like a Velvet Undergound–hosted night of garage rock, Splendor Squalor evokes early Screeching Weasel or any number of those old, grungy, pop-punk acts backed by a new wave–obsessed guitar and synth section (most likely the influence of new addition Liz Lohse on guitar and synth). “Four” kicks things off with a fever-dreamy feel, underscored by a gleeful seediness you’d find only at the old Coney Island, setting things up for “Pill Riders” later on. San Felipe, founder of Brooklyn party-thrashers Golden Triangle, even offers up a cover of one of that band’s songs, “Cold Bones.” It’s a treat for fans of both, while also allowing for a moment of subtle contrast between the acts. “Summer Daze” ends the album with a chanted anthem to summer in New York, leading us out to the shore with lyrics like “Swamp ass, smoke grass…/Fire Island, fire hydrant/Montauk, flip flop.” It won’t be long now. 
-Melynda Fuller

After an especially traumatic breakup, Islands frontman Nick Thorburn moved from New York to Los Angeles, looking to find solace in a new environment. On Valentine’s Day of last year, Thorburn sat down at a piano and began to play what would become A Sleep & A Forgetting (out now on Anti-), an album in which Thorburn exorcises the demons of his heartbreak, showing both despair and forward-looking optimism. Recorded in just two weeks, the album is less tight than Islands’ previous work, which is dominated by chorus-heavy pop gems. Just as one might envision the work of the freshly heartbroken to be, the album is rife with raw emotion and sentimentally dramatic ruminations. Thorburn explores his failed relationship from a place of quiet solitude, creating dreamy, emotionally wrought tracks tinged with both light and dark as his beautiful vocals sweep from angelic to heavy and saddened. The quieter, pared-down tracks bring to mind the work of the late Elliott Smith, making it no surprise that Rob Schnapf, who co-produced much of Smith’s work, also worked on the album.

“This is Not a Song,” a tear-streaked ode to sadness and mistakes of the heart, sets the tone early on. Thorburn even calls himself out by name, singing, “Nick, if you ever learn it never shows.” On “No Crying,” Thorburn explores the first signs of emotional recovery, asking “If I don’t feel bad is something wrong?” in a voice that sounds like a less raspy Tom Waits. Thorburn takes a break from his own autobiographical experience and channels the spirit of Buddy Holly’s widow on “Oh Maria,” drawing inspiration from the reoccurring dream she had after Holly’s death. “She said if everyday’s a holiday/Then today must be the Day of the Dead,” he sings, showing off his vocal range as he sweeps from alto to ethereal falsetto.

The album gains some needed momentum on the more dynamic numbers “Hallways” and “Can’t Feel My Face,” which are reminiscent of Islands’ 2009 album Vapours. On the blues-tinged “Hallways,” Thorburn sings in harmony over fast-paced drumbeats and piano chords, the sound shifting into more optimistic terrain. The upbeat tempo of “Can’t Feel My Face” seems to be ironic, especially when Thorburn belts out lyrics like “I lost my love/It brought me so low.” Throughout A Sleep & A Forgetting, Thorburn creates a raw, touchingly honest portrait of heartbreak that rings true. Those who spent their February recalling old wounds will find catharsis and relief, but those who prefer the catchy pop of Thorburn’s earlier work will still find a few danceable tunes amidst the heartache. 

-Adrienne Urbanski

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Fake game shows were the name of the, yes, game, on this week’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race. For the mini challenge, Ru invented a four-round test of endurance called—wait for it—Beat the Cock. I will render its brilliance in detail for you here so that you may recreate it at home, because you are definitely, definitely going to want to play. The first round was essentially Pin the Tail on the Donkey, only the tail was a paper chicken and the donkey was a giant photo of Ru’s face. For the second round, the ladies had to blow feathers across the room using only their breath. Choke the Rooster, or the third round, involved tossing glittery rings around the neck of a stuffed rooster. And finally, for the championship round, the queens had to wander through a maze of technicolor wigs with raw eggs between their legs until they managed to “lay” three unbroken ones into their baskets. Throughout all of this, Sharon Needles was wearing a presumably ironic McCain/Palin t-shirt, which made the entire experience even more surreal. Phi Phi O’Hara, evil queen extraordinaire, won a phone call home, but sweetly gave it to Chad, who was hoping to call her partner for their anniversary. Everyone was shocked to see this sudden display of niceness from Phi Phi, especially Latrice, who said, “See! You’re not a complete bitch.” We’ll see about that.

The main challenge was, of course, the Snatch Game. For those of you unfamiliar with the Drag Race canon, the Snatch Game is a twist on the old game show Match Game, though here, the only thing that matters is how well you impersonate your chosen celebrity. This is how we learned in season two that Pandora Boxx does a great Carol Channing. If only she could have come back and schooled the current queens on how it’s done, because this year, it was an absolute horror show. Milan, whose makeup somehow made her look cross-eyed, did a terrible Diana Ross that was possibly addicted to crack. Kenya attempted Beyoncé, but made a weird joke about being on medication and mostly just looked she was having a seizure. Phi Phi, who claims she has “been recognized a lot” for her Lady Gaga, took a shot at Mother Monster, but failed to impress anyone other than herself. (Side note: she also chose a look from the “Judas” video, which I mean, come ON. That’s basically the Gaga equivalent of “American Life.”) Jiggly’s Snooki was passable, but she was dead to me as soon as I noticed she’d spelled it “Snookie” on her nametag. But extra points for the blood-red drink (Ron-Ron Juice?) she was chugging from a water bottle.

Chad Michaels won the night (and a custom gown) with her fantastic Cher impression, which involved THREE wigs, including one that was a replica of the famous Bob Mackie headpiece that the real Cher wore to the 1986 Academy Awards. A billion points for that, Chad, but please, don’t ever say, “Everything in my life has been because of Cher” again. Willam came in a close second with her allegedly spot-on Jessica Simpson impression, but it just seemed dated and cruel. The woman runs a billion-dollar clothing line now–she’s hardly an idiot. Luckily, Willam quickly squandered all the new goodwill we felt toward her when she began crying on the runway, praising the other competitors and saying she’s never had so many drag queen friends, but then adding, “It sucks to know that one of them is gonna have to go home so I can win.” And just like that, Willam won back the title of Drag Race Maleficent from Phi Phi. Even Ru was pissed. Kenya Michaels (“Impersonating Beyoncé is not your destiny, child”) and Milan (considered too “drag king”) were up for elimination, and had to lip sync to Madonna’s “Vogue.” For a couple of drag queens, they are shockingly bad at voguing. Kenya also appeared not to know any of the words, which makes me think that perhaps she should choose another profession immediately. Kenya goes home, which I am fine with, because I found her awful Beyoncé impression personally offensive. And who in RuPaul’s name would ever hire a drag queen that doesn’t know the words to “Vogue?”   

Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Mondays at 9/8c on LogoTV

Photo via EW.com

Last night on RuPaul’s Drag Race, things that we were only partially certain of became crystal clear. Phi Phi O’Hara, previously only semi-evil, went full Maleficent. The source of Willam’s high opinion of himself was revealed to be a guest stint on Sex and the City (which, by the way, ended eight years ago). Max Mutchnick, co-creator of Will & Grace, was every bit as demanding as you’d expect a TV executive to be (and he hates Sharon Needles, which is unacceptable). But most importantly, we learned that it is time for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to give Latrice Royale all of the Emmys. 

For this week’s mini challenge, the queens teamed up in pairs to pose for “memorable mug shots.” None of them are Nick Nolte, so this is already impossible, but Willam and Madame LaQueer sort of pull it off by splashing each other with blue paint to simulate the dye that explodes when you open a bag of money stolen from a bank. Jiggly points out that really, this paint just made them look like they had “swallowed the Smurfs,” but Ru was into it, so Willam and Madame became team leaders for the main challenge. Continuing with the prison theme, the queens had to star in a scripted sitcom called Hot in Tuckahoe, about four best friends who keep getting arrested. Team Willam’s plot involves breaking into a nut factory, while Team Madame’s plot features a beaver costume and a Justin Bieber reference. Gross double entendres aside, I think the main point of this challenge was just to remind everyone that Designing Women was awesome. Chad’s character was even named Julia!   

This is all just a sideshow to the main event, though, which is an epic fight between Sharon Needles and Phi Phi. Sharon won last week, but Phi Phi believes that she deserves the credit since she supposedly chose Sharon’s character for the infomercial challenge. Okay, but did she choose that glittery greaser wig from the runway show? Nope, didn’t think so. Obviously, Sharon is in the right here, but at least we finally get to hear the line, “Go back to Party City where you belong!” in context. 

At the runway show, Ru asks the girls to come dressed for the red-carpet premiere of their sitcoms. Team Willam wins the sitcom challenge, and Latrice, the team’s prison guard extraordinaire, wins a cruise. Latrice is so good at vamping for the camera that Max Mutchnick tells her she could just make faces for 30 minutes and the audience would still laugh. Truth! Madame LaQueer and Milan are both up for elimination, because they are terrible at acting (even though both of them claim to have studied it). Milan strips, applies lipstick mid-lipsync, and does the splits while sliding across the stage. Madame, of the sassy finger-pointing school, does not stand a chance, and so must sashay away. Now please excuse me while I start a letter-writing campaign to get Designing Women on instant Netflix.

Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Mondays at 9/8 central on LogoTV.

Melt, the title of Young Magic‘s debut (out now on Carpark), is just one word that could describe how the songs on this record came together. The album is not only a melting pot of the group’s talents but a retelling of their musical journeys, long in both miles and inspiration. In 2010, producer and Australian native Isaac Emmanuel found himself recording music while traveling across Europe and in the U.S. and Mexico. Coincidentally, Emmanuel’s pal Michael Italia was doing the exact same thing. The two met up in New York City, where they combined their talents with Indonesian-born vocalist Melati Malay. The trio started laying down tracks and thus Young Magic was born. Their nomadic journeys and aptness for picking up a slew of instruments leads to a raw and tribal-inspired sound on Melt. Songs like “Slip Time” and “Jam Karet” evoke robotic syncopated beats, while “The Dancer” and “You With Air” dish out ghost-like electronica tunes fit for a discotheque. If you’re in search of intergalactic tunes perfect for spacing out in the long winter months, look no further–Young Magic has you covered.

-Lara Streyle

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The solitary struggles and internal vacillation that helped Erika Wennerstrom build The Mountain have led her to a grounded place of reflection on the Heartless Bastards‘ new album Arrow (out now on Partisan). This 10-song LP is a travelogue from the open road that rambles through the rust-colored dirt and expansive landscape of the Southwest. “Marathon,” a meditative prologue, is the warm-up stretch that kicks the journey into gear, rolling into the fits and starts of “Parted Ways.” The seductive sway of the blues-heavy “Only for You” hits a high note–both vocally and personally–as Wennerstrom opens up her voice and her injured-but-poised heart. The track that inspired the album title, “The Arrow Killed the Beast,” is a woozy drawl from the Wild West. Like the rest of the album, the song is a wide-angle sweep of the vast horizon, epic in both size and scale.

-Kristina Ensminger

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On this week’s episode of the drunken love child of Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model otherwise known as RuPaul’s Drag Race, it is not possible to focus on anything after Ru appears wearing the above suit. LOOK. AT. IT. It’s like two Lisa Frank bunnies dropped a handful of acid, ate a four-pound bag of Skittles, and gave birth to the greatest sartorial achievement since Maggie Gyllenhaal’s 2009 Golden Globes dress. But I digress. 

For the mini challenge, the queens partner up and create headpieces for Piyah Martell, a disabled drag queen who is pretty awesome at giving “Mariah Carey realness.” The lone three-person team—Phi Phi, Kenya, and Jiggly—wins with a sparkly pink pillbox thing that would probably kill Kate Middleton upon contact with her head. Also: Sharon Needles, who’s really growing on me, has a Tammy Faye Bakker t-shirt to match her tattoo. For the main challenge, the queens must produce and star in infomercials advertising Ru’s albums Champion and Glamazon. Phi Phi, who is so cute both in and out of drag that it pains me to know how mean she is, captains the Champion team, while Kenya captains the Glamazons. Milan takes it upon herself to “help” Kenya because Kenya’s “language barrier” might interfere with the team’s productivity, which is funny because Kenya seems to be doing well enough to say, “I think that Milan talks too much.” When a drag queen is right, she’s right.

Team Glamazon goes with an ’80s theme, with Willam channeling Tawny Kitaen and Kenya doing a Rihanna in “We Found Love” look (which, admit it, looks more ’80s than things actually made in that decade). Team Champion doesn’t seem to really have a theme, other than Phi Phi telling everybody what to do and Sharon Needles not having it. But then, out of nowhere, we get the greatest reveal of all—we sort of see where the queens live! And it is…a Ramada Inn? Or possibly the abandoned desert motel from the season premiere? Drag Race differs from its reality-TV cohorts in that it does not usually show us where the contestants sleep at night, but this is a huge missed opportunity, because 1) the décor in that house would be stupidly amazing and 2) anyone who remembers the ANTM brownie incident of ’04 knows that the most serious drama happens at home. 

At the runway show, Ru commands the queens to come dressed in their platinum and gold finest. Willam says her look is “Clash of the Titans set in a strip club,” which would have been a more accurate description if she had come dressed as a sexy kraken. Sharon Needles wins for her crystal-encrusted greaser look and receives a prize of costume jewelry. Is it just me, or does this show give out the best prizes of any reality competition? Princess and Dida Ritz must lip sync for their lives to guest judge Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be,” but as soon as Dida gets going, it’s clear that poor Princess doesn’t have a chance. Latrice Royal agrees: “That is high drag at its finest.” Princess sashays away, and Ru politely reminds Dida that this is the queen she better bring to the runway each week. Do it, Dida, and I’ll add you to my Drag Race fantasy team! Yes, that is a thing.

Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Mondays at 9/8c on LogoTV.

With Dr. Dog’s latest collection of songs, Be the Void (out now on Anti-), there’s a renewed commitment to the party-jam sound that fans of this Philly-area band have loved for over a decade. According to guitarist/vocalist Scott McMicken, the group looked for inspiration in “music that got its roots in live expression rather than that studio-perfected sort of vibe.” A refreshing thought indeed. With the soulful vocals of McMicken and heartfelt harmonies provided by the rest of the six-member group, their funky, indie-rock outlook veers happily into psychedelic meanderings throughout the 12 tracks. The album kicks off with a solid groove on “Lonesome,” where audience participation is encouraged as always with handclaps and callbacks. A slower pulse beats in “How Long Must I Wait,” with a steel drum setting off the playful percussion. “Big Girl” is classic Dog, with a foot-stomping beat digging deep into country rock with Sha-na-na vocals and a wailing guitar solo. A stripped down acoustic vibe presents the rollicking tune, “Over Here, Over There.” Wayward electronic blips introduce the rambling, fuzzed-out composition “Warrior Man” before capping off the album with the twangy guitar of “Turning the Century.”

-Jane Jansen Seymour

MNDR hasn’t been in the spotlight much since the release of their E.P.E. EP in 2010, but that’s all about to change. I didn’t think I could like anything as much as last year’s “Cut Me Out” (which I still blast in my headphones at least once a week), but new single “#1 in Heaven” is quickly climbing to the top of my most played list. It’s an infectious electropop jam anchored by a head-bopping dance beat and Amanda Warner’s sultry vocals. The video’s great, too, thanks to trippy visuals and Warner’s incredible lipstick choices (seriously, tell me where to buy it). MNDR’s first full-length is due out this summer, and today the band announced that they’ll be touring this spring with fellow dance poppers the Ting Tings. Do like Amanda says and put your hands above your heads right now, America, because MNDR is coming to make you dance.

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On this week’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the show followed in the footsteps of Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model and mined the world of wrestling for inspiration. For the main challenge, the queens were divided into three teams of four to compete in a ringside bout of WTF: Wrestling Trashiest’s Fighters. I’m not sure why this continues to be a theme on reality shows—is wrestling even a thing still?—but since it’s Drag Race, I’ll allow it. The winners of the mini challenge, which involved crafting a new padded ass from shipping supplies and Ru singing a few bars of “Azz Everywhere,” became the wrestling team leaders. The queens then get some one-on-one time with three wrestlers (all of whom really just look like porn stars) to practice their moves. We learn that LaShauwn Beyond is not very good at pretending to wrestle, and that Princess does not like this challenge because she is “not a violent person.” 

The wrestling debacle was surprisingly boring given how much metallic spandex there was on screen, but at least Kenya got the chance to yell, “I’m gonna teach you Spanish right now!” just before punching the insufferable Phi Phi in the face. At the runway show, former NBA players Rick Fox and John Salley are inexplicably the guest judges. Willam is excited about this: “I think I’ll tuck extra tight for Rick Fox and John Salley.” This appears to be the one thing Willam and I agree on, because RICK FOX! His last name is that for a reason. Just ask all the girls in my eighth grade class when he was still playing for the Lakers. Special thanks also goes to Milan for making a “Salley girl” joke so we didn’t have to. 

Ru declares Madame LaQueer and Chad Michaels the winners of this week’s challenge. No immunity, but a prize of wigs! Wigs are expensive, people, so this is actually a really good prize. Everyone agrees that Kenya looks amazing, especially John Salley, who said she looked exactly like Nicki Minaj. Jiggly Caliente, who narrowly missed going home last week, is safe, but Princess and LaShauwn are up for elimination. Forced to lip sync for their lives to “Bad Girls” by Donna Summer, neither is much to write home about. LaShauwn was scolded earlier for not having much of a personality, but because her definition of “personality” seems to mean making as many weird faces as possible in a one-minute time span, she must sashay away. Here’s hoping next week has more one-liners and less wrestling. And more Rick Fox! Rick Fox quip of the night: “She was going for Sex and the City, but it was more like Sex and the Alley.” BURN!

Die Antwoord are no cakewalk–they’re more like a hayride on the highway. They’re all over the place and everyone’s scared. Like a cross between Twista and Lords of Acid, DJ Hi-Tek creates a beat-heavy playground for the vocals of Ninja (who reminds me of Egon Schiele) and Yo-Landi Vi$$er on their sophomore album Ten$ion (out now on ZEF Recordz). The single “I Fink U Freeky” is straight-up rap and rave music, perfect for glow sticks. I kinda love the video too, though I have a soft spot for “Fatty Boom Boom,” which could just as easily be called “Tempest of the Kewpie Doll” with Yo-Landi’s ear-shattering, high-pitched voice. That song almost makes me shimmy right off the subway platform. Overall, Ten$ion just misses the emotional fervor of “Evil Boy” and the titanic cojones of “Rich Bitch” from the first album, but it definitely shuffles into uncharted, more fucked-up territories. 

-Whitney Dwire

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Just when you thought you might die of the midwinter blues, the greatest reality show of all time—RuPaul’s Drag Race—has returned to cure your Seasonal Affective Disorder. Based on Monday night’s premiere, it looks like season four is gonna be good, with synthetic hair, catfights, and gloriously bitchy insults galore. Before the episode even properly begins, the preview montage gives us, “Go back to Party City where you belong.” Oh Ru, It’s been too long.

First contestant Willam immediately manages to earn herself the title of “Person You Will Hate All Season” after managing to insult “backwoods girls” and people with diabetes within the first 10 minutes. She also claims to be an “actor,” not a “drag queen.” Whatever you say, Willam. Your wig begs to differ. One competitor correctly observes that next arrival Lashauwn Beyond’s hair is “too big for the freaking door,” but luckily this is the one reality show where a massive ’do is a competitive advantage. But don’t get too attached to anybody yet—this is, after all, only the premiere. After the remaining 11 contestants arrive, Ru appears via SheMail to greet the new queens: “You are the hope for future generations of glamazons everywhere.” This show has apparently gotten more popular since last season, because there is now a $100,000 cash prize for the winner (in addition to the ever desirable lifetime supply of NYX Cosmetics). As Madame LaQueer eloquently puts it: “When I heard $100,000, I just wanted to pee on the floor and start doing flip-flops.” Us too, Madame, us too.

For this week’s photo challenge, the queens are forced to pose on a revolving dais while the Pit Crew sprays them with “hazardous waste,” otherwise known as neon paint. I’m pretty sure this challenge was inspired by this 1999 Alexander McQueen show with the spray-paint robots, except way, way less highbrow. Ru asks the girls to give their best “Chernobyl chic,” and some of them succeed, though many of them have some balance issues. Willam makes fun of everyone who falls down, then of course nearly falls off the dais herself. Seriously, have you ever seen a reality show, Willam? All this cockiness early in the game will only lead to ruin! Jiggly Caliente (who earlier described herself as “New York City’s plus-sized Barbie”) takes a fall, but recovers beautifully to win the challenge. Jiggly is an early contender for “Most Hilarious.” On Sharon Needles, who is legitimately creepy-looking: “I feel like I need to wear the rosary when I’m talking to her.”

Later, Ru takes the queens to an abandoned hotel that is maybe in the desert to announce that their runway challenge is “post-apocalyptic couture.” But because no self-respecting drag queen would dream of making an outfit from dead cockroaches and rotting plywood, former contestants show up as “drag queen zombies” to provide material. Pandora Boxx was there! If only she’d been allowed to do her Carol Channing impression. While the contestants are crafting, we learn many things. Princess, for example, has a Smurf tattoo. Everybody hates Sharon Needles, except for Princess, who says, “You’re exactly the type of guy that I go for. Like that whole like, meth look.” Sharon does not find this weird at all and takes it as a compliment (I can dig it, I guess, but personally I prefer heroin chic). Latrice Royale, whose name Ru rightfully says sounds like a cocktail, has been to prison. Alisa Summers got a DUI a while ago and was arrested in drag. Kenya Michaels is a terrifyingly good dancer. Phi Phi O’Hara has an awesome out-of-drag look that involves hipster glasses and an asymmetrical haircut. And in perhaps what is the best exchange of the evening, we learn that Sharon Needles has a Tammy Faye Bakker tattoo: “I didn’t even know she was selling me Christianity. I thought she was selling me makeup.”

At the runway show, scary novelty contacts are the name of the game. Where do you even buy novelty contacts these days? Party City, maybe. Lashauwn lands in the top three for her insane, four-feet-high globe hairpiece, along with Princess, who claims that her terrible sailor outfit referenced Waterworld. Photographer/judge Mike Ruiz claims he immediately got that reference. Riiiiight. Sharon Needles, who DRIPPED FAKE BLOOD FROM HER MOUTH, wins the night with her “brown tube sock” zombie outfit that supposedly has something to do with Linda Hamilton. Kenya is one of the worst with her seemingly Kanye-inspired phoenix look, and Jiggly and Alisa are left to lip-sync for their lives to Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” Jiggly, who appears to be doing actual choreography from the video (I don’t know how I could love Jiggly any more than I do right now), does the splits, leaving slow-moving Alisa in the dust. Ru decides that Alisa must sashay away, because duh—Jiggly did the splits. Sorry, Alisa, but it takes more than a “swimsuit with some titties on it” to make it in this competition. As one queen put it: “This is called Drag Race, not Drag Walk.” Until next week, remember Ru’s words of wisdom: if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love anybody else?

Gotye’s highly-anticipated third release Making Mirrors (out now on Samples’n’Seconds/Fairfax/Universal Republic) is filled with percussion-driven songs in a wide range of compositional styles. Recorded in a barn down under in remote Australia, Belgian multi-instrumentalist Wouter “Wally” De Backer creates an intricate, expansive sound on what’s sure to be a breakout album (FYI: Gotye is pronounced “Gauthier,” from the French translation of Wouter). The lead-off title track is a quiet one-minute introduction, with layers of echoing vocals over waves of synths. The rocking rhythm for the next song “Easy Way Out” flows easily into the single “Somebody That I Used to Know.” De Backer employs a Brazilian guitar loop from the 1960s as a musical motif on that track while singing passionately about an ex-lover. New Zealand pop star Kimbra joins in to offer the female point of view in a stinging rebuttal. “I Feel Better” offers up blue-eyed soul, while “In Your Light” follows in the same vein with handclaps and synth horns. Poppy undertones on “Giving Me a Chance” make Gotye’s romantic yearnings seem less than wholehearted. The genre exploration continues on “State of the Art,” which flirts with the latest dub craze. There’s also a foray into world music with a sing-along in “Save Me” before the tribal drumbeat of final cut “Bronte.”

Look for Gotye on VH1 in February as the “You Oughta Know” artist of the month, and check him out on tour this spring!

-Jane Jansen Seymour

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Let January 31, 2012 be known as the day that it happened: the day that Born to Die (out now on Interscope) finally dropped. After months of furious Internet opining, illegal downloads of leaked tracks, tons of grainy live footage, and one questionable Saturday Night Live performance, we now have an entire record of moody, lilting pop songs with which to rightfully judge Lana Del Rey. So what is the verdict? 

It is—wait for it—not that bad. Some of the songs, in fact, are actually pretty good. I’ve been a fan of the title track since that crazy explosion- and tiger-filled video hit YouTube, but as the album opener, it sets a high bar that few of the other tracks can hit. “National Anthem” has a booming, cathartic chorus worthy of belters like Florence Welch, but the quasi-rapped verses come off as a little cheesy. The cheese factor is Del Rey’s biggest problem on Born to Die. Songs like “Diet Mountain Dew” are catchy and fun to sing along to, so long as you try to ignore the fact that she’s comparing her boyfriend to a soft drink championed by hyperactive middle schoolers. On “Off to the Races,” LDR tries more rapping—it’s weird, but it works. She even quotes Lolita on the chorus (yeah, she went there), and while it makes you want to shake your head in disbelief, it’s also hard to deny that the song is sinister and sort of awesome. Del Rey is definitely going to catch some flack for “This is What Makes Us Girls,” an anthem that flies in the face of conventional “chicks before dicks” wisdom, mostly because she doesn’t question the stereotypes she’s singing about (“We don’t look for heaven and we put our love first/Don’t you know we’d die for it? It’s a curse”). It’s kind of like “Shit Girls Say” in song form—sort of entertaining, but a little bit offensive if you think about it.

But here’s the thing about Lana Del Rey. All of this time, people have been complaining about her lack of “authenticity” because of her hipster, “Lolita got lost in the hood” (her words, not mine) aesthetic. But really, she’s just a pop singer, not that different from Katy Perry or Lady Gaga. Instead of candy-colored wigs or haute couture-gone-insane, her theme is 1960s chanteuse crossed with Brooklyn ingénue. Maybe she didn’t pick it out herself, but who cares? It’s her thing now. Let’s collectively get over the fact that LDR has proven herself to be more Ke$ha than Cat Power and get on with our lives. And let’s get drunk and cry to “Video Games,” because it’s just that kind of song.

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In a little less than a year, Dylan Baldi–as well known for his precociousness as the thrashy, fun music he’s been producing for the past few years–has turned into a brooding, broken-hearted misanthrope. Not to say that I minded this: Attack on Memory, Cloud Nothings‘ third full-length release (out now on Carpark Records), is a fun listen from start to finish. But I did miss the old days a little by the end of opener “No Future/No Past,” a song that sounds ever-so-subtly like a Nirvana/Microphones mashup. The album’s emotions come in waves, ranging from the poppy “Fall In” to the guitar-driven “Our Plans.” In fact, that’s what I loved most about this album: how purely Baldi lets his guitar be the star. Whether channeling the Pixies, Hole (I swear I heard a riff or two reminiscent of Hole!), the Wedding Present, or a handful of other beloved acts from the ’80s and ’90s (this could also be an inevitable result of having your album produced by Steve Albini), Baldi is in love with this music, and as with his previous releases, he isn’t faking. 

-Melynda Fuller

As a person who is currently in the process of redecorating her room to look like the Black Lodge, I get really excited every time I receive an email about David Lynch. This excitement was only doubled today when I saw an email that involved both David Lynch and my favorite goth-pop singer Zola Jesus, whose amazing album Conatus (out now on Sacred Bones) was on repeat in my headphones for months last fall (and whose performance on the first night of CMJ caused me to be disappointed in all the poor suckers who had to follow her). Lynch’s recent album Crazy Clown Time left me a little skeptical about his musical prowess, but his awesome remix of  ZJ’s next single “In Your Nature” has me fully convinced. Apparently, Zola (aka Nika Roza Danilova) isn’t that into remixes, but when she heard that the man behind Eraserhead was interested, she had to say yes. As you do, when David Lynch comes calling. Could there be a better pairing? Danilova even kind of looks like Julee Cruise! Fever dream: Lynch uses ZJ as the creepy lounge songstress in all of his future films and they both collaborate with Angelo Badalamenti for the soundtrack. Make it happen, people.

The remix will be available for purchase digitally and on the 7-inch vinyl “In Your Nature” single on Feb. 21. Until then, listen here!

Oh, Meryl. Is there anything you can’t do? You’ve been nominated for 16 Academy Awards, won two, and recently became the oldest cover star in the history of Vogue magazine. Now you’re racking up rave reviews for your stunning performance as Margaret Thatcher, a woman slightly less whimsical than say, Julia Child, but a woman who you nonetheless convince us to root for. This is what’s confusing about The Iron Lady (directed by Phyllida Lloyd)—Streep is so good as Thatcher that you sort of forget you’re cheering for somebody you maybe shouldn’t be. Granted, I’m no expert on British history, but anybody that friendly with Ronald Reagan makes me nervous. 

The movie begins with an aging Thatcher struggling to dispose of her late husband’s belongings and move on with her life. As she putters around her home, she has flashbacks to important moments in her career—winning her first election, her appointment as Education Secretary, the IRA bombing that almost killed her. It’s not the most creative framing device, but it gets the job done (though it’s sort of bizarre to see a living woman portrayed on screen as if she’s already dead). Streep really shines in these scenes, particularly when she’s dressing down her opponents or working on perfecting her public image. 

The costumes and makeup are also flawless. Anyone who saw J. Edgar knows that old-age makeup is an extremely tricky proposition, but Streep looks totally believable as an 86-year-old in the present-day scenes. Overall, though, the movie feels like it’s missing something. Because the action unfolds solely from Thatcher’s point of view, it’s hard to figure out the context of the individual events she remembers. This makes everything feel weirdly ahistorical, which is disconcerting for a movie that’s supposed to be based in reality. But all of the film’s flaws melt away in the face of another great performance by Streep. She’s definitely gunning for another win, and God help anyone who tries to defy the Iron Lady. 

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photo via The Guardian

Last month, BUST had the pleasure of checking out Caithlin de Marrais at a couple of her NYC shows. De Marrais, the former frontwoman for beloved indie band Rainer Maria, released her second solo album Red Coats this fall (available on End Up/Polyvinyl), and it’s a real gem. The record is full of gorgeous tunes anchored by her airy, lilting vocals. De Marrais’ voice is really the star of the show. Sometimes husky, sometimes sweet, she can turn a low-key track into a slow-burning, emotional jam. “Birds” is one of her more upbeat songs, featuring a skittering guitar melody and the forceful bass lines that de Marrais perfected with Rainer Maria. Punctuated by shy horn blasts, the moody “City Girl” is an anthem for anyone unafraid to pursue their ambitious dreams.

De Marrais is a pleasure to watch live as well. She makes playing music look effortless, all while smiling and cheerfully bantering with her bandmates and the audience. She’s done touring for the year, but West Coasters can see her next month when she does California. Red Coats is also streaming on Spotify now–click here to listen!

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When I first heard about Shame, three little words were enough to interest me: full frontal Fassbender. Yes, yes, it’s a serious drama about sex addiction. I’m getting to that. But oh man, the chance to watch Mr. Rochester in NC-17 nude scenes—what a way to get butts in the seats. Written and directed by Steve McQueen (who also directed Fassbender in 2008’s Hunger), the film follows the escapades of Brandon (Michael Fassbender), an otherwise well-adjusted sex addict whose desires have consumed every aspect of his life. His work hard drive is full of porn, his closet is overflowing with his stash, and his laptop is permanently queued up to video chat sites. His real-life sexual exploits are bleak—it becomes clear pretty quickly that this guy isn’t having that much fun having sex. On top of all this, Brandon’s frequently naked sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan) pops into his life seeking shelter and attention. Sissy has her own problems: she’s a recovering cutter who can’t seem to hold a job. McQueen implies that something seriously screwed these two up as kids, but thankfully he leaves their past vague and focuses on the much more interesting present.

Michael Fassbender is everywhere right now for a reason: his performance is fantastic. He definitely deserves a nod come awards season, as does Mulligan for her tortured turn as Sissy (just try not to get teary-eyed while she sings “New York, New York”). And while the actors are generating most of the buzz for Shame, there are many other factors contributing to its excellence. McQueen is a gifted filmmaker with a great eye for composition. A threesome soundtracked to classical music is one of the most gorgeous, unsettling scenes in the movie, and in one beautiful, super-long tracking shot, the camera follows Brandon as he jogs through the streets of New York. You’ll wonder how in the world McQueen possibly shot this, and you’ll be thankful that someone actually still knows how to make films like Shame.

So how about that nudity, you ask? Well, it’s actually sort of torturous—these sex scenes are not fun. Frankly, I’m grateful I got to watch this movie alone in a room full of strangers, because I would probably be uncomfortable watching it with almost everyone I know. But neither does all the nakedness seem gratuitous, because you know, it’s a movie about a sex addict—a truly amazing movie about a sex addict! Just don’t see it with your mother.

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For the past several years, Michelle Williams has been pretty much incapable of doing wrong. After acclaimed performances in movies like Brokeback Mountain and Blue Valentine (not to mention a couple of Oscar and Golden Globe nods), she’s earned a reputation as one of Hollywood’s go-to “serious actresses.” Williams does seem like a decent choice to play an inimitable icon like Marilyn Monroe, but unfortunately her acting chops can’t save her in the oddly bland My Week With Marilyn (directed by Simon Curtis, written by Adrian Hodges).
The supposedly true story is that newlywed Marilyn has traveled to England to shoot a movie with Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh). While on set, she meets Colin (Eddie Redmayne), a freckly young whippersnapper who comforts and encourages her when pills won’t do the trick. This all sounds like the stuff of frothy period romance, but it comes off as dated, silly, and a little boring. Williams and Redmayne have almost no chemistry, to the point that I can barely remember if they even made it to first base. To be fair, this isn’t entirely their fault. In certain scenes, it’s clear that Williams might have pulled off Marilyn with a better script. She dazzles in the opening musical number featured in the trailer, and her ability to differentiate between Marilyn the person and Marilyn the actress is impressive.

Despite its many flaws (the soft lighting and cheesy score are perhaps the worst offenders), the movie does have a few redeeming qualities. Dame Judi Dench, as usual, kills it as a veteran actress rooting for Marilyn to pull through her breakdown. Branagh’s impression of Olivier is highly entertaining, and Redmayne, though he sometimes just looks happy to be there, is nonetheless really, really attractive. Harry Potter fans will also be happy to see Emma Watson appearing all too briefly as Redmayne’s other love interest. She’s not in the movie for very long, but it’s still exciting to see her showing her post-Hermione potential.

Overall though, My Week With Marilyn is not the classic romance the Weinsteins want it to be. The movie will probably still get nominated for a ton of awards (and hey, the costumes are totally legit), but maybe it’s time to give period films a rest. They just ain’t what they used to be.

And it’s back. The fourth but fortunately not final (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view) installment of The Twilight Saga hits theaters today, and wow, is it something. Did you ever think you’d hear the words “embryonic sac” uttered in a movie about teen vampires? Most of the audience at my 12:01 AM screening last night seemed to know these technical birthing terms were coming, but it was still hard for the entire theater not to laugh when Carlisle (Peter Facinelli) deadpanned, “The fetus is incompatible with your body!”
In one way, Breaking Dawn – Part 1 succeeds where the first three movies failed: it’s so incredibly terrible that it’s good. Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse never found that magic mix of camp and melodrama that makes something awful fun to watch. Those movies, at least for me, are pretty much only enjoyable when alcohol and a complicated drinking game are involved. But Breaking Dawn is different: the bad parts are so ridiculous that they’re super entertaining. There’s a hilarious montage where poor Bella (Kristen Stewart) fails to seduce Edward (Robert Pattinson) on their boring-looking honeymoon, and a bizarre werewolf meeting which–no spoilers–my friends and I agreed was possibly the best, worst two minutes in the history of all cinema. And let’s not forget the amazing Jessica (Anna Kendrick), who now seems to function as the voice of the incredulous audience: “Wonder if Bella will be showing? I mean, why else would you get married at 18?”
To bring you up to speed, Part 1 is about Bella’s wedding to her glittery vampire prince Edward, who looks inexplicably more addicted to heroin as the series progresses. She wants to have hot glittery sex with him, but he refuses to give up his 100-year-old V-card unless they’re married. On their honeymoon, they finally do the nasty, but surprise! You can get knocked up from vampire sperm. So now Bella is carrying a child of unknown species that is rapidly deteriorating her body.

Here’s where it gets weird. Director Bill Condon argues that his movie is actually “horror for women.” While it’s debatable whether or not this movie really qualifies as horror (you wouldn’t be wrong for thinking the scariest thing about it is those creepy gold contacts the vampires wear), it’s definitely an interesting thing to think about. One of my favorite horror movies, Rosemary’s Baby, deals with a similar subject: the invasion of the womb by a possibly demonic child, and the desire to save it even though it might kill you. Even if you don’t have a womb, that’s a terrifying concept, so maybe Condon is right. Bella also has several other threats coming at her from outside her body: the werewolves, who want to kill her demon child before it kills anyone else; the Volturi (vampire council), who want to kill her before she spills all the vampire’s secrets; and some of the Cullens, who want her to abort the killer fetus. This all sounds pretty horrific.
This is why Breaking Dawn is ultimately more interesting than its predecessors: it’s a movie about vampires and werewolves that is actually kind of scary. Yes, the vampires and werewolves have always been there, and they’ve had to save Bella’s life like a million times, but it’s not until now that you feel afraid for her. You can argue about the feminist implications of the movie all day long (call me, I’d love to!), but at least in terms of horror, it seems that Condon and company are finally ready to freak out the tweens, and that makes me happy. Here’s hoping they get excited about horror and decide to buy millions of copies of Jennifer’s Body on Blu-ray!

Korallreven doesn’t sound like anybody else, but if I had to try, I’d say they’re like a lover’s caress on a sunny afternoon with just a little bit of Enya and a touch of Ace of Base. On their full-length debut An Album by Korallreven (out now on Acéphale), the Swedish duo’s unique sound incorporates ominous undertones with optimistic, uplifting soundscapes of epic proportions. Lead vocals are steady and robotic, flanked by choir-like backups. This is all filtered through (what I suspect are) keyboards, synthesizers, and more synthesizers. And I’m pretty sure I heard a rain stick in there somewhere. Opening track and first single “As Young as Yesterday” (featuring Victoria Bergsman of the Concretes and Taken by Trees) is a good representation of what’s in store, but if I had to sell you on the group with one song, “Comin’ Closer” would be it. Listen to it. If you feel like you’re roller-skating with pigtails and two fists full of cotton candy, then you’re hearing it right. 

-Whitney Dwire

If “Time Travel,” one of the more delightfully sinister tracks on Blouse’s self-titled debut, is to be believed, the band has the ability to fluidly travel between present, past, and future. The album (out now on Captured Tracks), which sounds nostalgic and fresh all at once, confirms this assertion. Charlie Hilton’s lead vocals hover somewhere between Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier and Beach House’s Victoria Legrand, while the melodies she glides over veer from fuzzed-out Depeche Mode to popped-up Suicide. What’s most impressive about the Portland-based band is their ability to pack in so much atmosphere and emotion while always remaining slightly aloof. “They Always Fly Away” is a perfect example: immediately following the muted pulsing of “Time Travel,” the track meanders along with subtle vocals layered over chilly, intriguing synthesizers. Next up, “Into Black” jumps in with surprising New Order-esque guitars, creating a richer sound. The album as a whole allows room for the music to change its mood and mind without feeling scattered. And while the overall mellowness of Blouse doesn’t make for a raucous dance party, it does seem perfect for a cozy winter night in need of a soundtrack. 

-Melynda Fuller

Despite the title, Brite Futures’ new album Dark Past (out now on Turnout) is anything but gloomy. The Seattle-based band (formerly known as Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head) split from Warner Bros. and have since moved on to indie label Turnout, a move that underlies some songs on the new record. The quintet of Claire England, Shaun Libman, Luke Smith, David Price, and Conor Sisk may have a new name, but they can still bring us an album full of dance-worthy tunes ripe for singing along and blasting at high volumes. The single “Baby Rain,” a seemingly lyrical sex guide, is actually a double entendre about songwriting. “Too Young to Kill” is a rendezvous between Weezer’s arena rock and the pop style of Rooney, and features a beautiful ode to the Beatles’ classic “Here Comes the Sun.” The sweet chime of bells on “Black Wedding” makes way for the disco-laden vocals of England that color the song. Put on your dance shoes and shades, because the jams that Brite Futures dish out are blaringly loud and bodaciously bright. 

-Lara Streyle

Motherhood seems to have been quite an influential force on Kimya Dawson’s new album Thunder Thighs (out now on her label Great Crap Factory). Many of the songs–as well as the Sesame-Street-on-acid album cover–evoke whimsical sensibilities that wouldn’t be out of place in a hip kindergarten classroom. Dawson’s desire to create music she can share with her now five-year-old daughter reached an apex on 2008’s Alphabutt, a collection of quirky children’s songs rife with enough fart jokes to keep both kids and their parents well entertained. Thunder Thighs continues in the same vein, this time mixing darker, more adult-appropriate tracks alongside kid-friendly jams. Regardless of whether she’s singing about drug addiction, narcissistic Twitter users, or her love for her bike, Dawson’s childlike voice and off-kilter guitar style combine to make a record full of fanciful, imaginative tunes.

Album opener “All I Could Do” explores the anxiety of new parenthood as well as the stress of trying to balance the demands of family with a blossoming music career. “It’s okay if all I can do at the end of the day is be a good mother,” concludes Dawson. She captures the emotional turmoil of motherhood so compellingly one wonders why more musicians don’t explore the topic. Dawson returns to the same theme on the percussion-heavy “You’re In,” which features the surprisingly catchy refrain, “Urine, urine/I need a lot of urine/So that I can pee on a stick.” On the loud, upbeat “The Library,” Dawson shows off her skills as a seasoned mother. “Where better to go with a two-year-old/Who gets cabin fever when it’s rainy and cold?” she asks. “The library, library is the perfect place for me.” 

Dawson’s own daughter Panda lends her endearing vocals on tracks like the rhyming “Mare and the Bear.” One of the album’s most amusing songs is “Miami Advice,” on which Dawson tackles the self-absorption present on Twitter, comparing the social networking service to constant masturbation. Though the album is sometimes overly twee, her edgy, potty-mouthed sense of humor helps change up the mood. Dawson’s unusual, eccentric style is a welcome change in a musical era when innovative artists are a dying breed.

-Adrienne Urbanski

While all of the easy Daft Punk comparisons were flying around when Justice released 2007’s Cross, there was something else going on: oh, the dreaded word “prog!” But at this point, with even Kanye bumping King Crimson, it’s safe for Justice to come out of the closet. On Audio, Video, Disco (out now on Ed Banger/Because), instead of isolated moments that sound like a ’70s Italian zombie soundtrack, you’ve got an entire album full of them, with all the greasy thrills implied.

Justice never shies away from arena pomposity, and on opener “Horsepower,” they construct a glittering cathedral of guitar and synth as goofy and glorious as Olivia Newton-John in black leather. While it’s true that some of the glitchy grime of their last album has been sacrificed to the alter of “bigger,” no one can complain about the sizzling action-theme track “Canon” or the conquering grandeur of “Parade.” Disco, prog, arena-metal–they were all tacky and embarrassing in the first place, but isn’t that why they were so awesome? Justice makes a persuasive argument.

-Tom Forget

Some embrace the crisp autumn like a sudden shower during a steamy summer day, but to others, the arrival of fall means the tragic end of sun-soaked days at the beach. It’s no wonder that moody trip-hop is in season. Husband and wife duo Aleksa Palladino and Devon Church of Exitmusic know all too well what seasonal changes do to people–they’re based in New York, a city currently dealing with an indecisive Mother Nature. Perhaps that explains why their EP From Silence (out now on Secretly Canadian) explores “themes of loss, both personal and universal, the destruction of nature, and the destruction of our own nature.” In other words, it’s just another day at the studio for a couple inspired by British alternative darlings Radiohead.

Unlike the album’s title, From Silence is a storm of melodic sounds that crashes through your eardrums like powerful waves. Opening track “The Sea” is a haunting melody with delicate electronic beats, invoking nostalgic memories of happier times. Palladino’s vocals are breathy and fragile as fine silk. Her whispering pleads nearly tremble throughout the track, slowly fading away. “The Silence” slowly creeps along, eventually overwhelming audiences with its sinister, ghostly instrumentation and Palladino’s somber vocals that are certain to leave anyone, like her, breathless. Exitmusic may seem gloomy, but for those still reminiscing over more joyous and warmer days, From Silence couldn’t be a more fitting way to say goodbye.

-Stephanie Nolasco

Known for its impeccable good taste and all around hipness, Brooklyn label Mexican Summer has spawned another hit record with their release of Pink Playground’s Destination Ecstasy (out now). Pink Playground is Texan duo Tara Tyson and James Wing, who, like the rest of their state, like things big: in this case, distortion and feedback.  Despite all best efforts to avoid the obvious comparison to My Bloody Valentine, the ghostly feedback of “Stationary” is so reminiscent of “You Made Me Realise”-era MBV that it’s nearly impossible not to mention.  But underneath all that noise, there are hints that the music on the electric Ecstasy is more than just pure, unabashed ’90s guitar worship. “Dark Bloom” provides a gloomier, almost danceable groove that is more commonly found at minimal synth shows in Brooklyn DIY venues.  Despite rumors that they have no intention of playing live, here’s hoping the band decides to bring their sound to the people and deliver an ear-bleeding good time.

-Peter Wenker

I firmly believe the world can never have enough girl bands, so I’m always excited when ladies get together and rock out like the Runaways. New Brooklyn group Desert Sharks is one such band: four tough gals with tons of swagger and a heavy sound that any fan of amped-up rock ‘n’ roll will love. You can listen to their debut demos (and download them for free!) here, and if you’re in Brooklyn this week, check out their first show at Williamsburg’s Legion Bar. Pro tip: stick around after the show for dance party jams and pink jello shots. Desert Sharks will also be appearing at the CMJ Music Marathon: details here. 

Desert Sharks
Thursday, October 6, 10 PM
Legion Bar
790 Metropolitan Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211

Photo by Karen Seifert

Memphis garage-rock heavyweight Jack Oblivian ain’t no one-trick pony, and on his latest release, Rat City (out now on Big Legal Mess), he’s making damn sure you know.

Jack Oblivian’s musical resume reads like an exhaustive list of southern garage-rock history. In the ’90s he founded trashy soul-punk band the Oblivians and garage-country-by-way-of-whiskey crooners the Compulsive Gamblers with Greg Cartwright (of Reigning Sound fame). He’s also played with the Cool Jerks, soul legend Andre Williams, ’68 Comeback, South Filthy, and the Limes, but his solo project has always been where he really shines.

Of all his albums, his latest is the one that displays the most creativity and depth in his songwriting. His last record was called The Disco Outlaw (Goner Records,
2009), but it’s on Rat City that he reveals a hint of his threadbare polyester sleeve. “Mass Confusion” features an infectious funky classic rock guitar riff backed by frenetic bass and drums, which results in a kind of awesome disco punk. “Crime of Love” starts out tasting like Talking Heads-style new wave, but when Jack’s raspy vocals kick in, they blow David Byrne right out of the dirty water and instead channel Iggy Pop.

The laid-back sweetness of the Springsteen-esque “Dark Eyes” really demonstrates Jack O’s ability at crafting pop songs. The gorgeous, heart-wrenching “Jealous Heart” also evokes the Boss due to the straightforward punchy rock-‘n’-roll style, and lyrics about a proud yet vulnerable love-scorned loner.

On Rat City, Jack Oblivian spans the musical stratosphere, but each tune drips with so much fuzz and sleaze that it fits – well, neatly would surely be an insult –messily onto one electrifying, atomic record.

–Anna Blumenthal

Since their formation in 2006, Beirut has done a lot of traveling, at least musically speaking. The band’s grand tour started in the Balkans with Gulag Orkestar, then moved west to France with 2007’s The Flying Club Cup, and finally ended in southwest Mexico on 2009’s March of the Zapotec EP. After spending the past five years as musical nomads, it seems Zach Condon and company might be ready to settle down. Their third LP The Rip Tide (Pompeii) doesn’t really sound like anything except Beirut, and for a band that’s been globe-trotting all over looking for their sound, that’s an impressive achievement.

“A Candle’s Fire” opens the album in true Beirut style, with a short accordion melody and powerful brass fanfare that quickly backs off to make way for Condon’s smooth, ukulele-accompanied vocals. The song’s greatest strengths—instrumental breaks as the chorus, soaring bridge as the climax—are details the band have used before, but their origins here seem related specifically to the band’s own ideas. The group also makes great use of their unconventional instrumentation on songs like the title track, which features a one-minute-plus orchestral intro before Condon begins his melancholic crooning. 

The album isn’t all big-band folk and string interludes, though. “Santa Fe” is a catchy, straightforward pop love letter to Condon’s hometown that sounds like a more sophisticated iteration of the electro-pop hat the band tried on with their Realpeople-Holland EP. The upbeat “Vagabond” actually features handclaps, while “Goshen” is a slow, emotional ballad full of piano and a relatively quiet brass section. Beirut has always been adept at synthesizing their influences into great music, but until now, it was easy to figure out what they were imitating. The Rip Tide is proof that the band has plenty of their own originality to show off now that their feet are a little more firmly planted.

Since the 2009 release of their debut album Tentacles, Crystal Antlers have learned to deal with change. After their newfound label Touch and Go was forced to downsize, the band had to search for a new home as well as a new organist. On their second album, Two-Way Mirror (Recreation Ltd.), the band sounds fully adjusted and ready to focus on their music—label and member drama be damned. Lead singer Jonny Bell’s scratchy voice, which sometimes cracks when he’s reaching for high notes, is well suited to the band’s garage rock sound. On “By the Sawkill,” you can almost feel the spit flying from his mouth as he enunciates the song’s title and strains his pipes. But garage rock isn’t the only ingredient in the band’s ambitious genre mash-up. Single “Summer Solstice” is a hazy, power-pop anthem that lives up to its title as a track perfect for a beach barbecue during the dog days. The aforementioned organ adds a touch of psychedelia to the mix on songs like “Always Afraid,” which could be an outtake from a grungier but happier incarnation of the Doors. And of course, a band from Long Beach, California can’t be faulted for exploring their surf rock side, a clear influence on the title track’s wipeout-style drums. Crystal Antlers have an interesting take on their favorite styles (and presumably a giant, genre-spanning record collection), so it’s nice to see them soldiering on after a tumultuous two years. Here’s hoping they keep pumping out their brand of punky, poppy, psychedelic jams.

Electronic musician/composer John Maus, known for his manic, frantic live performances, brings the party to your home stereo on We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves (Ribbon Music), his third studio album. If that sounds like a complicated title for a dance record, chalk it up to Maus’ impressive education. He’s a professor of political philosophy and theory and is working toward a PhD in political science. His background might have some influence on his pensive lyrics, but they’re so drenched in reverb that they probably won’t interrupt your thoughts while you groove. On “Head for the Country,” he repeats the mysterious line “This is a where a human being finds itself” over a distractingly catchy synth line that makes it difficult to care about deciphering his vocal musings. Fans of Ariel Pink (who has collaborated with Maus) will recognize this distorted, synth-heavy ’80s style, but Maus takes his compositions to slightly more experimental places. “Quantum Leap” sounds like a straightforward pop song for most of its two minutes, but towards the end bursts into a strange mix of electronic sounds. Maus knows his pop, though. The wistful duet “Hey Moon” would fit right in alongside Tears for Fears on a John Hughes prom soundtrack. The 1980s trend is a little bit done to death, but Maus knows enough about his craft to keep it interesting, whether you’re slow dancing or straight up busting a move.  

Erika M. Anderson, formerly of the drone-y indie band Gowns, has always sounded like she has some kind of demon inside her that she absolutely needs to exorcise. On Past Life Martyred Saints (Souterrain Transmissions), her debut album as EMA, Anderson sounds close to the brink on nearly every song, like PJ Harvey’s goth cousin or an early Courtney Love. Opening track “The Grey Ship” begins with Anderson singing over quiet acoustic guitar and soft drums, until she abruptly silences the arrangement with fuzzed-out bass and distorted synth lines. As the drums build to a dark, riff-heavy, climax, it’s hard to remember the folky opening at all. Single “Milkman” is so full of psychedelic vocals and driving, grungey drums that the initial hope for an upbeat number evaporates immediately. Anderson owes a lot to ’90s-era grunge, but that’s hardly the only genre she covers. “Coda” is a short, entirely a cappella tune that could be a bizarro-world version of a shape-note gospel song, with EMA confessing her desire to “throw up on the spot.” On “California,” Anderson’s lyrics sound like spoken-word poetry. She repeats the line “I’m just 22, I don’t mind dying” a few times, a scary admission that’s pretty indicative of the mood on the whole album. EMA’s music is at times a little frightening, but it’s worth a listen (or several) to get inside her dark, talented mind for half an hour.

Mexican Summer is turning out to be the record label to watch of 2010. Though some of their CMJ showcase choices this year seemed a little, ahem, questionable, it’s hard to argue with the people who brought you Best Coast’s Crazy for You. If there’s any justice in the world, San Francisco group Tamaryn ought to become the next M.S. breakout act (except I’m pretty sure they’re not going to be so into Twitter).

The band is officially composed of lead singer Tamaryn and multi-instrumentalist Rex John Shelverton, but for their shows they enlisted a little help from a drummer and a bassist. The only light on stage came from the psychedelic video projections shimmering behind the band, which definitely set the visual mood for the band’s fuzzed out dream-pop.

Tamaryn herself was decked out in her goth-girl best—black lace, black tights, and black bangs. She never said a word to the audience, and didn’t even really look at us. But of course, staring off into the wild yonder certainly suits the whole lady of the canyon vibe she’s got going on. Her antisocial tendencies didn’t seem to bother anyone though, because her voice is LEGIT—it’s one of those rare kinds that sounds even better live than it does on the album. Her set wasn’t long (it was CMJ, after all), but it was the absolute standout of what was otherwise a very weird showcase. I’m still waiting on the explanation for Robert Lester Folsom. Anyone?

One of my friends described Tamaryn as a better Beach House. That’s not exactly right, but maybe you could think of them as Beach House with a marked interest in downers and the occult, or Mazzy Star with better haircuts. But say whatever you want to about the band’s shtick—Tamaryn’s got the pipes to back it up.

photo via Spinner

  A TRIBUTE TO THE LADIES OF LOST

First, there’s Kate.  Okay, so she has her man-crazy moments (see: every time she waffles between Jack and Sawyer), but most of the time, she’s a kick-ass fugitive who’s unafraid to wield a gun, rob a bank, or stand up to Jack, the poster boy for dudes who think girls are too delicate to blow shit up.  She also shows her motherly side when she adopts possibly-orphaned Aaron — proving that mothers can still be their own people with needs and wants outside of their children’s.  Yeah I know, not exactly revolutionary — but heady stuff coming from the same network who brings you Desperate Housewives and The Bachelor. 

Which brings us to Claire, who’s still MIA.  But before she wandered off into the dark jungle night, she was a brave young mother just trying to keep her kid safe from the Smoke Monster.  Her baby daddy left her, her island boyfriend drowned in a DHARMA station, her biological dad turned out to be none other than alcoholic troublemaker Christian Shephard, and she got kidnapped for a while by the intensely scary Ethan.  Yet through it all, she remained fiercely independent and got PISSED when people tried to tell her how to raise her baby.  

There’s also Sun — wife of one-time Korean mobster Jin.  If you recall, Sun was on that plane because she was attempting to run away from her controlling, criminal father.  She was also planning to leave Jin, which didn’t happen because he gave her that stupid flower and she was all ‘Oh how sweet,’ but eventually, she learned how to stand up for herself and became the camp’s resident herbalist.  She also has no problem telling Ben Linus where he can stick it when she finds out he’s probably responsible for her husband’s death.  

And of course, we can’t leave out Juliet, who eventually proved she was worth her weight in gun-slinging and plotting against the Others.  She came to the island as an expert fertility doctor (Who’d have thought?  A woman who’s smart and gorgeous!) who defects to the castaways when Ben Linus gets too crazy for comfort.  When we last saw her, she was about to sacrifice her own life to reset the timeline by blowing up a nuclear bomb with a rock.  Who says women can’t get things done?

The list goes on and on — Rousseau, the French woman who knows more about survival and booby traps than Locke and Sayid combined. Alex, Ben’s adopted daughter who routinely risks her life to help her boyfriend and the castaways. Ana Lucia, who rocked a leather vest like nobody’s business and succeeded in killing an Other or two. Penelope, who like Sun defies her dad Caleb Nichol to search for long-lost love Desmond and ends up being the one who rescues the Oceanic Six.  Ilana, who might be completely evil but is also the de facto leader of the Ajira survivors. Shannon, who died in season 2 because Sayid’s at his best when he’s really, really angry inside — but who also had exceptional French skills and wouldn’t let anybody tell her she was too pretty to be useful. Charlotte and Naomi, who were actually bounty hunters but were really good at anthropology and trickery, respectively.  Hurley’s mom, who is hilarious.  And finally, the unbelievably creepy Eloise Hawking.  She killed her own son from the future and then trained him in quantum physics so he could go back in time and undo the murder, which hurts my brain, but there is NO QUESTION that she is the worldwide expert in time travel and you DO NOT want to mess with her, or she will send you to the Tunisian desert with her magic pendulum.  Or something.

And yeah, a lot of those minor characters are dead, but really, who’s not dead on Lost?  (Answer: the white guys.)  But hey, at least those ladies had their time to shine for a little while.  And do you really think Jack/Sawyer/Locke/Desmond are all going to survive this season? HAHA. They’re totally not.  

photos courtesy Lostpedia

Everyone here at BUST HQ is currently dying of laughter after happening upon the most hilarious Christmas-themed website of all time: Sketchy Santas. And well, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Warning: do not click unless you’re prepared to waste several precious minutes of your life.

A few of our faves:

Photos courtesy Sketchy Santas

Finally!  A teaser trailer for The Runaways starring Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie. Emphasis on the word ‘teaser’ — it’s less than a minute long. But you get to see 1) Dakota wearing some amazing ’70s red streak blush and 2) K-Stew smash a chair. I’ve already watched it 3 times in the past 10 minutes.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYPoIs04IzY 425×344]

Photo courtesy steadydietoffilm.typepad.com, video courtesy YouTube

It seems Brooklyn is the place to be tonight — in addition to the Beauty Bar vodka party, BUST’s own Susan Juvet is hosting a release party for her new Free Danger record at Death By Audio in Williamsburg. There will be performances by Pictureplane, Javelin, Jones, and Moss of Aura — and after all that, the Free Danger DJs will be spinnin’ till the wee hours. So bring $7 and a little extra cash for cheap beer — we promise you’ll have a good time.

Photo courtesy Free Danger

When I found out Disney had reopened their hand-drawn animation studios and announced plans to do another 2D feature in the tradition of their old classics, I was SUPER excited. So I braved the weekend crowds on Saturday to check out The Princess and the Frog, Disney’s first 2D feature since 2004’s Home on the Range, and was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had watching a movie whose target audience is about 15 years my junior.

Tiana is the ‘princess’ in question, but she’s not really a princess. She’s a normal girl! With regular parents who love her! And she’s got career aspirations! See, Tiana wants to open a restaurant and carry on the dreams her father never got to see come true (just because he was alive and supportive for part of the movie doesn’t mean he didn’t have to die violently later — this is Disney, after all). Tiana also works for a wealthy, crazy Southern belle named Charlotte, who wants desperately to meet a prince to sweep her off her feet. And of course, a playboy prince of a totally made-up country rolls into town, looking for some rich woman to make him a kept man (his royal parents have just cut him off).

Some trickery ensues, Prince Naveen gets turned into a frog, Tiana accidentally turns into a frog, too, and they have to go on a long journey through the bayou to find a voodoo lady named Mama Odie who can set them both straight again. The whole thing didn’t make a lot of sense, but if you can get past the plot holes that are pretty standard in kids’ movies, you can just sit there and appreciate the animation. It is incredibly gorgeous — the 3D crowd just can’t compete with good old-fashioned hand-drawn. It was also fun to see how excited the kids in the audience were. When my friends and I couldn’t find our theater, one little girl ran over and yelled, ‘Theater six is this way! Over here!’ like she couldn’t believe people were actually going to see other movies that day.

The songs are not quite up to par with old classics like ‘Under the Sea,’ but there were so many other great things about the movie that I couldn’t complain. The voice actors are mostly not famous and so were pretty awesome — Anika Noni Rose (the Dreamgirl that’s not Beyoncé or J-Hud) was stellar as Tiana, and Jennifer Cody was absolutely hilarious as the man-crazy Charlotte. I won’t give away the ending, but I will say this: Tiana’s ending is a lot more progressive than many of the other Disney princess finales we’ve seen before. Basically, The Princess and the Frog isn’t perfect, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction for a children’s movie giant that used to deal in thinly veiled stories about domestic violence (come on ladies, you totally know that’s what Beauty and the Beast is).

Photos courtesy Onion AV Club and Fandango

Delights that await you include:

1) Over 50 vendors of handmade clothing, accessories, jewelry, and other goodies

2) The Grilled Cheese Truck parked outside, waiting to provide you with their take on the best sandwich of all time

3) Two Boots Pizza for your eating pleasure

4) Live DJs!

5) You can get your mitts on the BUST Cookie Box — something us East Coasters have been craving all week

6) Raffle prizes that are decidedly cooler than your average raffle prizes

7) Free gift bags for the first 250 attendees! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — who doesn’t love free stuff?

And don’t forget to bring a donation for the LA Regional Foodbank.

BUST Holiday Craftacular in LA

Saturday, December 12, 2009 10 AM-6 PM

The Echo and the Echoplex

1822 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA

See you there!

The I Heart Guts website features little tidbits of info about all your favorite internal organs (in case you need to brush up on what the spleen does), as well as an awesome store full of t-shirts, pins, stickers, and plush organs. I’m crushin’ hard on the limited edition faux patent leather Black Heart with metallic stitching and a little tear of blood. I’m also really into this t-shirt that says ‘I got the beat!’ with a bouncing heart illustration. So, to review: I Heart Guts will be on hand at the LA Craftacular with guts galore for you to hug and love! And if you’re not on the West Coast this weekend, see if one of these stores can provide you with your very own stuffed pancreas.

photo courtesy I Heart Guts

And if cookies aren’t your thing, there will be plenty more delicious treats on hand from Two Boots Pizza and the Grilled Cheese Truck. We’ve also got a DJ, a raffle, a BUST subscription special for the super-low price of $10, AND over 50 vendors selling their fantastic handmade wares. And don’t forget to bring a donation for the LA Regional Foodbank. See you there!

BUST Holiday Craftacular in LA

Saturday, December 12, 10 AM-6 PM

The Echo and the Echoplex

1822 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

1) Over 200 vendors will be selling their awesome handmade wares — and it’s the present-giving time of year.

2) Free stuff! We have gift bags for the first 500 attendees, coffee from Joe’s, and other assorted snacks. Who doesn’t love free stuff? AND the Treats Truck will be parked outside.

3) Cute pets for you to take home (or just coo over). Animal Care and Control NYC will be on hand with dogs and cats available for adoption. And hey, even if you can’t adopt one, it never hurts to look.

4) All of your favorite BUST staffers will be there.

5) Seriously, what else are you gonna do on a Sunday? 

BUST Holiday Craftacular

Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street, New York, NY

10 AM – 8 PM

Admission: $2

Take the 1 train to 18th St. or the F/V to 23rd St.

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE.

Blank was wearing a crazy outfit that a normal person could only dream of pulling off: a neon, fringed, zebra and leopard-print leotard with cutouts in the sides. It takes a certain kind of woman to rock two kinds of animal print at once, and Blank definitely pulled it off. She had the whole crowd dancing to her hits ‘Make It Take It’ and ‘DJ,’ and gasping when she brought on special guest Spank Rock for his bit on ‘Gimme What You Got.’ She even had a set of dancers join her onstage for a couple of tunes. Blank claimed she was no Beyoncé and had no knack for choreography, but I’d say she’s not giving herself enough credit. Yeah, the dance number was no ‘Single Ladies,’ but really, what is? Blank might not yet have the rabid following that Peaches does, but at this rate it won’t be long till she does. A girl who’s that hot, talented, and badass is bound to get super-famous sooner or later.

And then, of course, there was Peaches. I had seen Peaches once before on her Impeach My Bush tour and was  shocked by her antics back then, but she really outdid herself this time. She came on stage dressed in a giant…outfit covered in hair (fake or real? Do you really want to know?). Her costume changes were amazing — under the hair was a pink vinyl inflatable leotard thing. She also had a black leotard airbrushed with a panther, a giant cape that said ‘XXX’ on the back, another metallic fuschia cape, and an, ahem, pussy light.

Yes, that’s right, she had a blinking LED light on her vagina for part of the concert. At one point she asked the crowd, ‘How you like my pussy light?’ It was pretty clear that everybody loved it. She spit fake blood at the audience, poured beer on us, crowd-surfed several times, and sang ‘Lose You’ in nothing but a towel. She came back for TWO encores, both of which culminated in giant dance parties closely resembling mosh pits. Oh, and she also commanded us to take our shirts off, which many people did (including the bra-less friend who came with me). Some people even threw their shirts to her, and she wore them all, thanking New York for all her new clothes. Even into her 40s, Peaches still rocks the house like nobody’s business. Take notes, Amanda Blank — she’s your idol for a reason.

My own camera broke during Amanda’s first song, but you can check out a ton of photos from the show over at Brooklyn Vegan and Prefix Mag.

photos courtesy Brooklyn Vegan

Mustaches are everywhere these days — on necklaces, on your guy friends, on celebrities, on your the finger you’re holding up to your face. And now they’re on your wall, too, thanks to illustrators Aya Kakeda and Nina Frenkel, otherwise known as the Mustache Sisters. The Mustache Sisters make adorable, mustache-shaped plush picture frames inspired by their own giant mustache, crafted for the NYC Hungarian Cultural Center’s Mustache Contest. These are definitely the cutest mustaches I’ve seen around lately. You can check out the Mustache Sisters’ Etsy shop here — just in time for the holidays! I certainly wouldn’t mind getting a mustache this precious in my stocking.

photo courtesy Mustache Sisters

If you’re going to sit through a two-hour-long angsty teen drama, there’s no better way to do it than with tons of screaming teenagers and their mothers. I haven’t heard so much squealing at an event since the Backstreet Boys concert I went to in seventh grade. They screamed when the lights went down. They screamed during the trailer for Robert Pattinson’s new movie Remember Me. They screamed when the Summit Entertainment logo appeared on screen, when R-Patz first waltzed up to Bella in the school parking lot like a vampiric Jason Priestley, and every single time Taylor Lautner took off his shirt to reveal his ‘roided up teen abs. Seriously, what have they been feeding that child?

So how was the movie, you say? Well, it was just as unintentionally hilarious as the first one. Less flying around in trees in this one, but a lot more unresolved sexual tension now that there’s two hottie monsters vying for the attention of our skittish heroine Bella Swan. The makeup people seem to have sprung for higher quality vampire contacts this time around, as well as a lot more pancake foundation for R-Patz. As Emily Rems put it, ‘He was looking a little heroin chic by the end of the movie. Like full on Iggy Pop style, stumbling around all the time.’ We think they may have done that on purpose to make Taylor look more like the heartthrob we knew he could be once he took off his nappy-ass wig. I even told Intern Nicole that I might be switching teams — R-Patz’s ghostly painted-on abs just don’t do it for me the way they used to.

After the movie, some guy from a radio station asked us what team we were on: Edward or Jacob. Crafty Lady Callie Watts replied, ‘Team no shirts!’ And we all pretty much agreed, ‘Yeah, team no shirts.’ Because really, if you’re not already a Twi-hard like myself, the only thing you’ll like about New Moon is the vast amount of shirtlessness. That werewolf pack can’t get enough of being half-naked. Yeah, it probably sucks to explode all your clothes every time you turn into a giant vampire-eating wolf, but if they can find the self-control to strap a pair of jean cutoffs to their legs you’d think they’d at least be able to get a tank top on there, too. But nobody ever said Stephenie Meyer didn’t know her audience.

photo courtesy newmoon.org

First there’s IFC’s Dinner With the Band, a new show premiering on November 24. Chef Sam Mason will be hanging out with different bands and cooking up their favorite tour foods with a little of his own flavor. And after all the eating, there’s a lot of rocking — each band will play a set during the show. The first episode features none other than Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, making something called Sharon Steaks and Dap Rings. Steak + Sharon Jones = two of my favorite things.

NBC is also working on a new reality show called United Plates of America from the producers of Top Chef and Project Runway. Contestants will compete for the chance to open a chain of restaurants in four American cities. This is big news for all you reality fans, too — after the show’s over you’ll be able to go eat at the winner’s restaurant. I hope Jeff from Top Chef: New York wins this show — I’d eat at his restaurant any day.

photo courtesy Onion AV Club

So if you’re as bummed about this news as BUST is, call or email Senator Chuck Schumer and tell him so! His phone number is (212) 486-4430 and his email address is phil@schumer.senate.gov.tor. And don’t worry about stepping on toes — Schumer loves the Pool Parties. He gave the following statement on the subject:

‘I happened to pass by the Jelly concerts when I was riding my bike through Williamsburg and was amazed at the thousands of people who lined the streets to come to the concerts. People from every part of the country who had made their way to Brooklyn, enjoying music and one another’s company– it’s the best of New York. When I heard that the concerts might be cancelled, I couldn’t understand why given that this is exactly what our parks are supposed to be for and I am going to do everything I can to see that they continue.’

photo courtesy Brooklyn Vegan

Her bandmate Derek Miller, formerly of hardcore rockers Poison the Well, brings the noise — so much noise that the faint of heart might want to turn down their headphones before checking out Sleigh Bells’ tunes. If your ears aren’t ringing after your first listen, you’re doing it wrong. My personal favorite is ‘A/B Machines,’ a banger with an opening guitar riff that sounds like a rocket blasting off. Or maybe a motorcycle getting revved up by a giant leather-clad biker — basically whatever sounds you associate with ‘ear-splitting.’

You can listen to a few of Sleigh Bells’ noisy jams here, and if you’re in the NYC area, check ’em out tomorrow night at Le Poisson Rouge. If the shaky YouTube vids on their MySpace are any indication, you’ll be dancing right along with Alexis. Don’t forget your ear plugs.

photo courtesy Stereogum

photo courtesy Lost at E Minor

And check out the mag’s article on our very own BUST editor and Royal Pink drummer Emily Rems! If you’re in the NYC area, you can also hit up the Tom Tom Magazine launch party on November 8. Details here.

photo courtesy Tom Tom Magazine

Thanks to a shipment of incredibly delicious Le’Saric gourmet caramels, we’re starting Halloween a little early over in the BUST office. We’ve been snacking on smokey chipotle, lavender vanilla, butter pecan, and old fashioned caramel all day long. There are a lot of other flavors for sale over at the Le’Saric website — cranberry, white chocolate, macadamia nut, and espresso are just a few examples. Check it out and get your sweet tooth on!

photo courtesy Le’Saric

But now Redbook, a magazine supposedly for women, seems to have joined the He-Man Woman Haters Club, too. Their review of Flow calls the book ‘One to Snub’ and encourages the mag’s readers to spend their cash on a period’s worth of Ben and Jerry’s. Ha ha ha, Redbook, I see what you did there. You made a joke about sad women on their periods needing ice cream to get through such a difficult time! You’re so very clever. Somebody ought to give you a Peabody for that kind of hard-hitting journalism.

BUST’s (positive) review of the book will be in the December/January issue. Check it out at the end of next month! And in the mean time, stay away from those other lady-hating lady mags.

UPDATE: The folks over at Adventures in Menstruating have whipped up a mock magazine cover making fun of the haters over at Redbook. Well played, ladies!

photos courtesy Macmillan and Adventures in Menstruating

Attention all alley cats and Go-Go’s fans! The 5th Annual Bowling for Boobies is happening next Tuesday in Universal City, CA and Philadelphia, PA, and though the bowling teams are now full, you can still pop in and cheer on teams like the Bon Temps Bombshells and Livin’ on a Spare. Bowling for Boobies is a fund-raising event dedicated to providing assistance to local women who are dealing with financial difficulties as a result of fighting and living with breast cancer. Sounds like a good (and fun) cause!

Celeb bowlers Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go’s and Thomas Lennon of Reno 911 will be on hand at the California event (bowling for the Speed Demons team), and both coasts will raffle off some awesome prizes. There will also be complimentary appetizers and something called a Blue Angel Vodka Boobtini — how can you go wrong? Click here for more info.

photo courtesy Bowling for Boobies

The Raveonettes are one of those bands I’ve been listening to on and off since high school — I was always kind of into them, but never jazzed enough to sing their praises on the Internet. Cut to their concert Sunday night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. I take it all back, Raveonettes. Why didn’t I realize how awesome you were before?

The Black Angels got things off to a trippy start with their heavily distorted psychedelic tunes. And they were LOUD — I’m pretty sure the opening chords of ‘Science Killer’ actually rattled the buttons on my jacket. But by the time their set was over, I was ready for something a little less bone-shaking, and the Raveonettes immediately delivered. Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo’s twist on ’60s girl groups crossed with the Velvet Underground is a thrill to hear in person. Their rhythms are even tighter and more precise, and their improv skills really get the chance to shine. The encore ‘Aly, Walk With Me’ had so much shreddin’ you could have easily mistaken the band for one of their Scandinavian metal cousins.

For new track ‘Break Up Girls,’ Wagner and Foo started off with a quiet a cappella duet that eventually launched into a full-fledged rock jam that had even the stodgiest concertgoers dancing and bobbing their heads. About midway through the show, Wagner and Foo each sang a solo while the other band members hid offstage. After Foo’s gorgeous rendition of ‘I Buried You Today,’ at least a few people standing near me were ready to propose to the model-beautiful Nico lookalike. During the closer ‘Last Dance,’ I felt like I had stepped into a time machine back to the 60s, but in a good way — more Blow Up than Austin Powers.

The Raveonettes also dug into their catalog for older songs like ‘Love in a Trashcan’ (but sadly never took one vocal audience member’s request for ‘Lust’). Wagner and Foo were extremely polite, repeatedly thanking the crowd for coming out to see them — always a nice bonus for us audience members who shelled out our hard-earned bucks for tickets. As Foo put it at one point, it was a great way to spend a Sunday night.

photo courtesy lostateminor.com

Attention, NYC-dwelling BUSTies! Candacy A. Taylor, author of Counter Culture: The American Coffee Shop Waitress, will be on hand next week to sign copies of her book. She’ll be popping into Bluestockings Bookstore on Friday, October 30 at 9 PM, and we hear there will be pie!

Taylor’s book focuses on women age 50 and older who have worked as diner waitresses for most of their lives, and features tons of awesome photographs. You can see a few of them in a July piece from The New Yorker.

If you’re not in the NYC area, Taylor also has a few more dates coming up on the East Coast — check out her website for details.

Candacy A. Taylor Book Signing
Friday, October 30, 9 PM
Bluestockings Bookstore
172 Allen St. (between Stanton and Rivington)
New York, NY
212.777.6028

photo courtesy The New Yorker

My personal favorite is ‘Slow Life’ by Grizzly Bear featuring Victoria Legrand of Beach House. I heard them do this song live last weekend and had no idea it had anything to do with New Moon — this shiz was so beautiful it nearly had me in tears. You can stream the whole thing on Twilight’s MySpace page, and if anybody gives you crap about it, just tell them you’re only there for the tunes. If you’re there for the trailer — well, I won’t tell anyone.

photo courtesy newmoonmovie.org ]]> https://bust.com/the-new-moon-soundtrack-is-awesome/feed/ 0 https://bust.com/terrible-remake-alert/ https://bust.com/terrible-remake-alert/#respond Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:48:29 +0000 https://bust.com/?p=4180

This just in — a new ‘younger’ version of Thelma and Louise is in the works and is set to star Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) and Amber Heard (Pineapple Express). Leighton, we love you as Blair Waldorf, but can you really handle a classic like T and L? It’s like asking us to believe Serena van der Woodsen can do Shakespeare — it just ain’t gonna happen. Plus the title is Cowgirl Bandits. Who gave this the green light? And how come I don’t have their job?

So what do you think, ladies? Is it a travesty, or is it awesome? I think you know where I stand.

photo courtesy EW.com

Do you know how to be post-racial? If not, let Margaret Cho teach you! The funny lady will be appearing this Saturday night at the Bowery Poetry Club in NYC for a special called ‘How to Be Post-Racial.’ Elon James White, creator and star of This Week in Blackness, will host the event, and several other comedians (including Lizz Winstead, co-creator of The Daily Show) will be around to give their two cents on the subject. And don’t worry — if you’re not in New York, Bowery Poetry Club will be showing the event on their website Saturday night. More details after the jump.

How to Be Post-Racial Hosted by Elon James White
$10 in advance, $15 at door
Saturday, October 17, 8 PM

Featuring:
Hassan Madry
Adrienne Iapulluci
Sara J. Benincasa
Lizz Winstead

Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery (between Houston and Bleecker)
New York, NY

photo courtesy fanpop.com

Thanks to the site Regretsy, you can now see all of these products in their crazy glory. Looking for a Frida Kahlo uterus plushie? Did you even know such a thing existed? Well, now you can put it in the cart next to your 1970s romper suit and be happy. My personal favorite is the Fish in a Squirrel Suit, because a stuffed fish isn’t already creepy enough on its own. I was also totally ready to buy the Lil Kim Sleep Sack until I realized it was for a baby. Make it in my size, please!

photo courtesy Regretsy.com

photo courtesy culturebully.com

Because now it actually is Friday, and this video is HILARIOUS.

video courtesy YouTube.com

I’ve posted my personal favorite here — old Sarah looks good in shutter shades. Maybe she should have worn those during the campaign to improve her appeal with the ‘young voters.’

Blingee courtesy Wonkette

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The 45th Annual Chicago International Film Festival kicks off today, and this year, organizers have created the Reel Women program to spotlight films created by women or that address women’s issues. And when they say ‘women’s issues,’ they ain’t kiddin’ — one of the films is a documentary about menstruation, and tonight’s opening night feature is the Katherine Dieckmann-directed Motherhood starring Uma Thurman. Right on, Chicago!

An Education, directed by Lone Scherfig (which also made an appearance at the lady-friendly Toronto Film Festival) helps kick off the festivities at a gala presentation on Sunday. There’s also Girls on the Wall, a documentary/musical about female inmates in Warrenville, Illinois, also playing this Sunday. Check out all the listings for the Reel Women program here. We’re very jealous of all you Chicago-dwelling BUSTies right now — tell us about the fest if you go!

-Eliza

video courtesy YouTube ]]> https://bust.com/girl-powered-chicago-film-festival/feed/ 0 https://bust.com/a-s-t-a-u-n-c-h-read/ https://bust.com/a-s-t-a-u-n-c-h-read/#respond Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:59:17 +0000 https://bust.com/?p=4125 I’m pulverized by this latest thing! Yet another book about our favorite residents of East Hampton has hit the streets. Letters of Little Edie Beale: Grey Gardens and Beyond is out now from Authorhouse and features correspondence written to Walter Newkirk between 1977-1987. Joe Landry, playwright of Reefer Madness, will also be working on a play called Little Edie and the Rutgers Boy, adapted from Letters and Newkirk’s other book MemoraBEALEia. No word yet on when the play premieres, but both books are available for purchase at authorhouse.com. They’re the best books to read for today, you understand.

photo courtesy greygardensbook.com ]]> https://bust.com/a-s-t-a-u-n-c-h-read/feed/ 0 https://bust.com/plus-size-pretties-in-a-lady-mag/ https://bust.com/plus-size-pretties-in-a-lady-mag/#respond Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:48:11 +0000 https://bust.com/?p=4099

Usually we don’t have anything good to say about traditional lady mags (or for that matter, Fox News), but this month, Glamour’s finally on to something — plus-size models! Plus-size really meaning ‘normal-size,’ ‘healthy-looking,’ and ‘totally beautiful.’ Glamour’s November issue, out on Tuesday, will feature a photo shoot with plus-size models Kate Dillon, Crystal Renn, and Lizzie Miller, and in honor of the occasion, Fox News has compiled a slideshow of several plus-size models looking just as fly as ‘regular-size’ models.

Apparently, after Glamour printed one photo of a plus-size model with a bit of stomach fat showing, readers clamored for more and the editors actually listened. Finally, somebody realized that looking at pictures of size-000 girls doesn’t make most of us feel good about our bodies. Now if only Vogue and Elle would follow suit and give the models in the slideshow a chance to add something besides Celebrity Fit Club to their resumes. But just FYI — Glamour isn’t the first magazine to buck the thin-model trend. BUST has been putting plus-size ladies in its pages for 15 years!

photo courtesy Fox News

But hey, aren’t teen magazines just porn for tweens anyway? What else are those pull-out posters for but little girls’ amateur sex fantasies about getting stuck on a desert island with the Jonas Brothers? Give ’em five years and they’ll want to see a little bit more of R-Patz than just his naked chest.

Moral of the story — Ligerbeat needs your help choosing a new name! Get on over to their blog and vote for one or submit your own ideas. Real Talk. Dicktales. J-14 Inches. The possibilities are endless.

photos courtesy Ligerbeat

A friend of mine has been trying to get me into La Roux for several months now, and I just kept saying no. The music was too cutesy, her voice was annoying, and I had enough Europop on my iPod already. But this week, thanks to a free iTunes download of the single ‘Bulletproof,’ I’m ready to stop denying it and admit that I’m totally hooked.

La Roux is made up of epically-coiffed singer Elly Jackson and synth-player/producer Ben Langmaid. Their self-titled debut album has been tearing up the charts in the UK all summer (and is nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize) but was only released here in the US this week, because we’re always late to the party when it comes to the next big thing.

La Roux’s music is pretty standard electropop along the lines of Annie or Little Boots, but with a harder edge underneath all those glorious hooks. When Jackson says she’s going in for the kill, she definitely sounds like she means it. But in terms of style, La Roux is in a class by itself. Jackson kind of looks like Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie, if he were really into geometry. And that hairstyle — well, let’s just say Rihanna’s faux-hawk has nothing on Jackson’s spiky red pompadour.

So if you’re late to the La Roux party, too, no worries. It’s cooler to be fashionably late anyway.

video courtesy YouTube ]]> https://bust.com/la-roux-goes-in-for-the-kill/feed/ 0 https://bust.com/get-into-the-groove/ https://bust.com/get-into-the-groove/#respond Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:47:39 +0000 https://bust.com/?p=4086

Do you know what happened yesterday? The Madonna: Celebration DVD dropped. Okay, so if you’re not as big of a Madonna fan as I am, you probably weren’t looking forward to this event as much as I was. I had it marked on my calendar: buy Madonna DVD! I didn’t even wait until after work was over — I bought it on my lunch hour and proudly displayed it to my fellow interns upon my return. They were, um, not quite as interested.

But if you are a Madonna fan, then Celebration has all you could ask for. It has two discs full of nearly every video Madonna has ever made, all the way up to this month’s ‘Celebration.’ There’s also a handful of oldies on here that didn’t make it onto her previous DVD releases, including ‘Erotica,’ ‘Into the Groove,’ ‘Who’s That Girl,’ and ‘Burning Up,’ her first video ever. College libraries: order your copies now. Many a women’s studies major will be writing papers on this shiz.

In anticipation of this week’s release of Whip It, starring BUST cover girls Ellen Page and Alia Shawkat, we interns caught some serious flat-track action at the Gotham Girls Roller Derby bout Saturday night at Hunter College. Neither of us had any derby experience under our belt, so neither of us knew quite what we were in for. But by the end of the night, we had cheered our heads off, found about 20 more girl crushes, bought tons of derby merch, and were pretty convinced we had just discovered the greatest sport ever invented. Ever.

The line around the block (for will call alone…) was a good clue that the 20 bucks we shelled out for tickets was no waste. And once we got inside, the pre-show trivia questions reminded us that were not at any ordinary sports match. Q: Which Whip It star has tattoos of bear claws on her chest? A: Eve, AKA Rosa Sparks. Even before the whistle blew, people were screaming and cheering for their favorite skaters — we shared a row with some avid fans of Queens player Steel Magnolia, which got a little tricky once we started cheering for Brooklyn.

Fans (of all ages and sorts) packed the basketball gym where the bout was held, some with signs (jealous), some with really good cameras (jealous), and all super energetic. Oh, and so competitive! But no wonder — the match was a neighborhood brawl between the underdog Brooklyn Bombshells and the top gun Queens of Pain. From first glance, the Queens seemed to have the advantage: black-clad, totally jacked, and flat-out ferocious. Let’s just say if any women in the world could make pants with writing on the butt work, it would be the Queens, only because questioning their ‘Queens’-emblazoned booty shorts is a risk I’m not willing to take. Plus, gymnasium buzz said the Bombshells didn’t have the best track record, and their Sailor Moon-ish uniforms were a little less threatening. We were worried.

Worried…until Brooklyn burst forward, cresting 100 points way before Queens had even half that! The Queens may have been at a slight disadvantage in this match, as their ferocious-looking captain Suzy Hotrod was sidelined due to a leg injury. Suzy was still in full force, though, hobbling around the track to scream advice at her players. FYI: Suzy Hotrod is totally ripped. Even with her leg bundled up in a cast, she was one of the most menacing ladies on the track. One can only wonder what happens when she’s jammin’ alongside her teammates. (If you’re reading this Suzy, heal up before the next match! We’re dying to see you in action.)

Even the half-time show was awesome. No pep bands or rah-rah cheerleaders here — just a girl with a Rainbow Brite costume and 75 hula hoops. Yes, 75. I never thought I’d use the phrases ‘hula hooping’ and ‘badass’ in the same sentence, but this girl proved me wrong. At one point, her assistant just started throwing whole stacks of hoops at her, which she caught with a very effortless shimmy move.

By the way, derby works kind of like this, as far as we understand it: teams crowd together in a pack, trying to prevent the ‘jammer’ on the opposing team (the girl with the star on her helmet) from getting to the front of the pack (or, more specifically, from getting past the frontmost player on your team). Our programs described it like a quarterback getting through the linemen at a football game. And like football, getting from one side of the defense to the other isn’t very pretty. Girls were flying, checking each other this way and that, skidding on their knees, and doing this really great butt block move that left a couple ladies face-planted on the track. Not that crashes slowed anybody down; as soon as they stopped spinning into the bleachers (there was a great three-car pile up directly into the stands at one point), these ladies immediately leapt up and skated back in the game with a vengeance. No wilting flowers here; apart from being ripped, these women were fierce athletes, so let’s dispel any rumors now. This is no powder puff sport.

Still, it’s the camaraderie between players that made the game so fun to watch. Within teams, girls were always slapping fives, or screaming encouraging words. And the teams seemed pretty sincere as they hugged after the match. Then again, derby is all about not taking the game too seriously: hence the outfits, and, more importantly, the sweet Derby names. Every player gets to pick her own pseudonym and number: for instance, our fave players were Barbara Ambush and Carmen Monoxide, though Anna was partial to OMG WTF, and both of us girl-crushed on sequin-shorted MegaHurtz.

In the end, Queens got clobbered, despite the efforts of Hyper Lynx, a deceptively teeny jammer who sliced through packs of players like buttah. Already, we’re making plans to hit the next locally-held match later this month, and I would suggest that you, dear reader, join us for the bloodbath. In the meantime, check out Whip It, and, more importantly, kill time like we did making up your derby name.

– Reilly Coyote and Lil Payn

photos courtesy Sports Illustrated

So why defend a rapist? Because he’s ‘brilliant,’ says Debra Tate, sister of Sharon Tate. Because the victim says she doesn’t want the case pursued any further. Because Polanski’s had a hard, tragedy-filled life.

All of those things are true. Polanski IS a brilliant director — anyone who’s seen Rosemary’s Baby, The Pianist, or Chinatown can tell you that. The victim DID say she doesn’t want this pursued any further. But that’s not surprising — rape victims don’t usually want to relive their experience over and over again in front of a courtroom, and in this case, in front of the whole world. And yes, Polanski HAS had a tragedy-filled life. But so have lots of criminals — does that mean we should give them a free pass to Europe whenever they don’t feel like going to jail?

Then there’s the ‘gray area’ argument. ‘The girl consented! Her mother pushed her into it! Polanski didn’t know she was 13!’ But you know what? There is no gray area. Even if the victim had consented (which she didn’t), she was 13 years old at the time. The age of consent in California back then was 16, which means that he did something illegal no matter how you slice it. Also, she didn’t consent! She testified in court that she repeatedly said no and he kept right on doing what he was doing. I’m no lawyer, but that sounds like rape to me, no matter how old Polanski thought she was.

So if all of these things are true, why is everyone coming to his defense? According to the UK Guardian, such Hollywood luminaries as Harvey Weinstein, Woody Allen, Tilda Swinton, Pedro Almodovar, David Lynch, and Martin Scorcese have all signed a petition asking for Polanski’s release. Seriously, people? He raped a 13-year-old girl! He fled the country to avoid punishment! He deserves to be punished, no matter how many Oscars he has or how long ago it happened.

If this were any other person in the entire world, he would already be behind bars, or at least in a courtroom trying to defend himself. But because he’s famous, and he’s ‘brilliant,’ everyone seems to think he can follow a different set of laws. Well, he can’t. He’s a rapist. He’s a lot of other things too, but he’s also that, and he can’t just hide in Europe because he doesn’t feel like going to jail.

In the mean time, the rest of us need to work on coming to terms with the fact that great artists are capable of doing bad things, just like everybody else in the world. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever watch Chinatown again — but it does mean that you can’t make excuses for a rapist just because he made Chinatown.

For an awesome article on the subject, check out Kate Harding’s piece on Salon.com.

photo courtesy guardian.co.uk

Looking to add a new instrument to your musical repertoire? If you live in NYC, this weekend you can learn to play the mbira, a traditional instrument of the Shona people from Zimbabwe. Patience Chaitezvi and Erica Azim will be leading an intensive mbira workshop on Saturday and Sunday. Or if you’re a little less musically inclined, head on over to the Calvin-Morris Gallery and catch their performance.

Erica and Patience are part of MBIRA, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving traditional Shona music and raising money for Zimbabwean musicians and instrument makers. According to MBIRA’s website, mbira music still popular today may have been played over 700 years ago — talk about golden oldies.

Above is a video of Erica playing a tune on the mbira. Pretty beautiful stuff! More details on the performance and workshop after the jump.

DETAILS:
Hosho and Drums Workshop
Thursday Sept. 24th: Patience Chaitezvi teaches Shona drumming 6 pm $15, hosho 7 pm $15, or $25 for both classes. Jordan L. Mott School 270 E. 167th St. at College Ave, Bronx, NY.

Mbira Performance
Friday September 25th at 8 pm
Cavin-Morris Gallery, 210 11th Ave, Ste. 201
$10 at the door (cash or check to MBIRA, no card processing)
Please bring your own pillow to sit on, a few chairs will be provided for elders and those with disabilities.

Intensive Mbira Workshop
Saturday and Sunday September 26-27
For more info or to enroll, email erica@mbira.org or call 510-306-0145. All levels, from new first-timer-never-touched-one-before up to advanced are welcome and will be taught in groups by level. $275 (inquire about possible one-day price if you can only come for one day).

video courtesy YouTube

Now before you say ‘that sounds like a terrible idea,’ just think about it. Remember all those cheers and dance numbers from the movie? It’s basically a musical already. There were even singers in it. Plus it has elements of some of the greatest musicals of all time — an epic battle similar to that barricade business in Les Miserables, a rags-to-riches tale of an outcast gymnast turned ace cheerleader that mirrors Eliza Doolittle’s rise to fame and fortune in My Fair Lady, and a gritty exploration of racial tensions ripped straight out of the classic West Side Story.

Andy Blankenbuehler, the choreographer, says, ‘The team’s goal is to create a a piece of theater that’s not just for little girls.’ Whatever, Andy. Even it was just for little girls, I’d still buy tickets. Nearly ten years later I still know all the words to that opening cheer. We’re sexy, we’re cute, we’re popular to boot…I’ll stop now.

photo courtesy hollywoodteenmovies.com

Did you know she was the first woman to run for president? In 1872, no less? Yeah, that’s right, before women could even vote for her. But before that, she used the profits from her days as a Wall Street broker to found a newspaper that published plenty of unladylike articles about suffrage, gender equality, birth control, prostitution, and sex ed. If BUST had been around back then we totally would have put her on the cover.

But back to the movie — America’s Victoria, Remembering Victoria Woodhull, directed by Victoria Lynn Weston, previously aired on PBS and is now available on DVD. So why are we telling you this now? Because today is Ms. Woodhull’s 171st birthday! So add America’s Victoria to your Netfilx queue and celebrate by engaging in a little free love and short-skirt wearing (both things Woodhull strongly advocated). We think Victoria would approve.

photo courtesy Newsweek.com

Carrie Brownstein just doesn’t stop! We recently posted clips of her hilarious work with Fred Armisen as one half of Thunderant, and now she’s back again with a more serious turn in the film Some Days Are Better Than Others. The trailer premiered today on the film’s website, which offers this bit of tantalizing information: Corin Tucker, also formerly of Sleater-Kinney, will be making an appearance as ‘soccer mom.’ Ladies, you’re obviously still hanging out. Can’t you just get the band back together already? Pleeeeease.

Anyway, Carrie plays a ‘twenty-something reality TV enthusiast, video diarist and animal shelter worker whose world falls apart when she finds that those important to her are often not what she hopes they would be.’ The film also stars James Mercer (who you may know as lead singer of the Shins), Renee Roman Nose, and David Wodehouse, and was produced by the same people who brought you last year’s indie gem Wendy and Lucy. Judging by the trailer, this one looks like a winner, too! We’ll keep you posted on the details.

video courtesy somedaysarebetterthanothers.com

The contestants compete in standard categories — Platform, Swimsuit, Evening Gown, Interview, and Talent — but the prizes include a Hitachi Magic Wand and ‘a plastic yet priceless tiara from Brooklyn’s best dollar store.’

Other celebrity judges include Michael Musto from the Village Voice and Kate McKinnon from Logo’s Big Gay Sketch Show. Last year’s winner Sequinette will be performing along with Switch ‘N Play drag alliance and DJ Dirty Jean. Sounds like a party to us!

More details after the jump.

photos courtesy Miss Lez Pageant

THE DETAILS:
What: MURRAY HILL’S 9TH ANNUAL MISS LEZ PAGEANT
When: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11 at 8:30 pm, doors at 8:00 pm
Where: Knitting Factory Brooklyn, 361 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Cost: $12 Advance / $15 at the door
Tickets: call 347.529.6696

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Making the rounds at the BUST office this morning is this video by the Get ‘Em Mamis, a kickass rap duo from Baltimore who deserve some space on your iPod. So stop everything and listen right now — whatever you’re doing can wait till after you’ve heard the Mamis.

In case you’ve never heard of them before, here’s a little tidbit they proudly display on their MySpace page: last year Rolling Stone ranked their song ‘Cold Summer’ higher than Lil Wayne’s ‘A Milli’ on the Singles of the Year list. Are you skeptical? Don’t be ashamed, so were we. But not for long — if the Mamis don’t have you dancing at your desk within five seconds then maybe you should just stick to Kenny G.

Their motto: Greatness is our destiny, success is our mission. You can download their debut album TerAwesome at rcrdlbl.com, and check them out on tour in a city near you this fall.

They also happen to be MySpace friends with Missy Elliott — Top 16, even. Does that mean there’s some sort of collaboration on the horizon? We can only dream.

video courtesy YouTube

In case you ever doubted it, here’s some proof that Mary J’s still got it. Have you seen her latest video ‘The One’ featuring guy of the moment Drake? It’s pretty much the flyest shiz on MTV right now. Seriously, has any video ever made you want to rock out in a neon-filled, mirror-lined warehouse club this much?

Yeah, Mary J’s definitely the one. Not only is she the queen of hip-hop soul, but she’s pretty great at accessorizing — where does she get all those amazing sunglasses? Catch her on the big screen in Tyler Perry’s new movie I Can Do Bad All Myself, and be on the lookout for her new album Stronger, due in stores in late November.

video courtesy YouTube

In addition to a ‘raucous’ premiere of BUST cover girl Diablo Cody’s gorefest Jennifer’s Body (directed by Karyn Kusama), the festival also held screenings of Jane Campion’s new film Bright Star and Danish director Lone Scherfig’s An Education. And there’s more — directors Rebecca Miller, Samantha Morton, Niki Caro, and Leanne Pooley all have films in the festival. Did you even know there were that many female filmmakers out there? Neither did Hollywood.

So let’s hear it for the ladies finally getting props for their cinematic achievements, and let’s see if America picks up the slack when awards season rolls around. And if you’re as jazzed about Jennifer’s Body as BUST is, check out last week’s NYT interview with BUST cover girl Diablo Cody. The article is called ‘Taking Back the Knife’ — need we say more?

photo courtesy awardsdaily.com

When it was just for young women, the discussion always focused on how we’d all end up sluttier since we wouldn’t have to worry about catching HPV while doing the deed (because women are obviously too dumb to know that a vaccine doesn’t eliminate the need for a condom). Now that boys are invited to the party, everybody’s talking about whether or not it’s safe. Surprise!

Of course, many people are opposed to making the vaccine mandatory for other reasons (not properly tested, too expensive, etc.), but I think we can all agree that it’s high time the FDA learned that decisions about women’s health shouldn’t be based on whether or not they think one little shot will inspire us to strip down for every guy we pass on the street. Here’s hoping the all-inclusive approval will help lawmakers focus their discussion on the vaccine’s health risks and benefits rather than its slut-making capabilities.

Side note: how many thousands of lollipops did they promise that child to make him look so happy about getting a shot?

Strap on your helmets and lace up those skates, ladies! Drew Barrymore is rolling into the Bonaventure Skating Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan this Friday for a red-carpet bash to celebrate the upcoming premiere of her new movie Whip It! If BUST could fly the whole office to Detroit we’d totally be there, too. Anybody got a bus we can borrow? It’s only a 12-hour drive…

Bonaventure will only let the first 955 people in, so if you’re in the area and plan to get your roller derby on with Drew, our advice is get there early! Admission is free if your bring your own skates, or you can rent a pair for a few bucks. Extra points if you invent a badass derby moniker for yourself, i.e. Malice in Wonderland (Kristen Wiig’s name in the movie).

Whip It, Drew’s directorial debut, premieres October 2, and is absolutely filled with fabulous female stars: Ellen Page, Alia Shawkat, Juliette Lewis, Eve, Kristen Wiig, and Ari Graynor (the hilarious drunk friend from Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist). If that list didn’t make you hit up Fandango immediately, check out the trailer here and get back to us. We’re already counting down the days!

photo courtesy iwatchstuff.com

Just when you thought children’s toys couldn’t get any weirder, a mysterious photo surfaces and pushes the boundaries of taste to whole new levels. This week, we give you the Pole Dancer Doll, a toy that is er, pretty self-explanatory. The baby-faced doll comes outfitted in a sparkly green dress with pole and light-up flashing stage to match. Unfortunately, it seems you’ll have to provide the riff-tastic soundtrack yourself (Warrant’s ‘Sweet Cherry Pie,’ anyone?)

The grainy photo above (via Gizmodo) is the only one that seems to exist of the doll, and it’s a little unclear where one actually purchases this angelic dancing diva (a quick eBay search produced slightly more — ahem — explicit results). Regardless of the doll’s origins, though, the idea of a pole dancing doll is certainly controversial: parents all over the Internet are already freaking out, and for what seems like good reason.

While the Bebe Gloton toy outraged some, it did seem to have (arguably) good intentions: teaching little girls about breastfeeding and naturalizing an act still frowned upon by many adults. But there don’t seem to be any such positives about the Pole Dancer, whose sole purpose is apparently teaching young girls how to work it up on the pole. Personally, I believe pole dancing is a totally legit profession if pole dancing is your thing (and no one’s forced you into it, and you enjoy it, and you’re over 18, etc.), but what about little girls who are too young to know the difference between objectification and sexual confidence? I’m all for sex positivity, but where’s the line between teaching little girls to be comfortable with their bodies and teaching them to appeal to a lowest-common-denominator stereotype of male heterosexuality?

Then again, there’s always the possibility that the entire thing is a hoax, given the lone cell phone photo and complete lack of information on the toy company allegedly producing the doll. But even if the doll does exist, does it really send a message little girls aren’t already receiving from every other direction? Check out tween idol Miley Cyrus’s performance on the Teen Choice Awards, or that popular YouTube video of the toddler doing the ‘Single Ladies’ dance, or pretty much anything you see on reality TV (I’m talking to you, Taya from Rock of Love Bus).

Granted, most of the sexed-up stuff you see on basic cable supposedly isn’t meant for under-18 eyes, but I knew how to get around my parents’ MTV ban as well as any 11-year-old probably does now. Even if the Pole Dancer Doll IS about to hit a Wal-Mart near you, is it really that big a deal? I don’t have kids, and if I did I probably wouldn’t buy them this, but why trash all the ladies out there who do make a living pole dancing while we’re in the process of trashing this doll? Some of those confident, independent women might make better role models than say, whiny, boy-obsessed Bella from the Twilight novels, but you don’t see too many people trying to pull those books off the shelves. What do you think, ladies?

photo courtesy Gizmodo.com

Funny girls, rejoice! New York Magazine is reporting (via comedy blog The Comic’s Comic) that two comediennes will be joining the cast of Saturday Night Live for the 35th season starting September 26! No one from NBC has officially confirmed the news, but word on the street is that Lorne Michaels has hired Jenny Slate and Nasim Pedrad, both formerly of the famous comedy group Upright Citizens Brigade.

We’ve all heard a million times that women aren’t funny, and while anybody with a brain knows that’s not true, very few women get the chance to show off their comedy skills on the big or small screen. But the news about Jenny and Nasim makes it seem like current star Kristen Wiig and recent alums Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have finally convinced the higher-ups at SNL that women aren’t just funny but TOTALLY HILARIOUS.

And let’s not forget all the other fabulous SNL women of the past: Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Molly Shannon, Rachel Dratch, and Maya Rudolph, just to name a few. Here’s hoping that the writers give Jenny and Nasim a little more screen time than they have other current cast members Casey Wilson, Michaela Watkins, and Abby Elliott. Ladies know how to get laughs, too!

photo courtesy NYMag.com

Madonna’s back again! Her new single ‘Celebration’ has been making the rounds on the Internet for a couple of weeks now, and now there’s a video teaser to go with it! Let’s face it — only someone as fabulous as Madonna can get away with producing a teaser for a music video. There’s not too much to see in this clip except Madonna’s totally fly studded dress, but if the choreography is even half as awesome as the supermarket checkout breakdown in ‘4 Minutes’ then you can bet this vid won’t disappoint.
According to MTV, ‘Celebration’ will be released as part of Her Madgesty’s third greatest hits collection, out September 29 on Warner Bros. Records. ‘Celebration: The Video Collection DVD’ — which looks EPIC — comes out the same day and will include an unedited version of the oh-so-infamous ‘Justify My Love’ and newer videos from Hard Candy and Confessions on a Dance Floor. Now please excuse me while I go pre-order this.

video courtesy YouTube

Karen O is currently on tour with the other Yeah Yeah Yeahs in support of their rockin’ new album It’s Blitz! Catch them at Radio City Music Hall in NYC on September 23 or check their schedule to see if they’re bringing the dance party to your hometown.

photo courtesy Time Out New York

This week’s special issue of the Times Magazine focused on ‘Saving the World’s Women’ and devoted nearly every page to articles about women’s rights and the challenges faced by women in the developing world. The magazine also featured interviews with badass ladies Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Hillary Rodham Clinton. If you missed the print edition, no worries — NYTimes.com has you covered! You can check out Kristof and WuDunn’s story ‘The Women’s Crusade’ here.

Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn interviewed by Dan Rather: Women in the Developing World
7:30 PM, Sunday, September 13, 2009
92nd Street Y
1395 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10128
Tickets are $27 and available at 92nd St Y or 212.415.5500.

Photo courtesy of The New York Times

Vinnie is the awesome guy behind Vinnie’s Tampon Cases, brilliant little pouches that keep your lady products from getting crushed by a stray iPod at the bottom of your bag. He hopes his cases spark positive conversation between guys and girls about women’s bodies, a goal that we here at BUST can certainly get behind!

The panel also features Robert Brannon, co-founder of the National Organization for Men Against Sexism and Jerin Alam from the National NOW Young Feminist Task Force. Tickets are $7 if you RSVP to rsvp@paradigmshiftnyc.com before 1:00 PM, or $10 at the door. See you there!

Feminist Men: Increasing Visibility
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
7:00 PM
People Lounge
163 Allen St.
New York, NY

photo courtesy of tamponcase.com