Phoebe Bridgers is gearing up for the release of her highly-anticipated sophomore record, Punisher, which is due later this month. While the singer is preparing to usher in a new era of music, Bridgers has come up with creative ways to keep herself entertained in quarantine. Bridgers recently cooked up a clever “world tour” that consisted of livestream performances in her kitchen, bedroom, living room, and bathroom. Now, the singer has teamed up with the music streaming service Deezer to share a cover of Bright Eyes’ song “First Day Of My Life.”

Covering Bright Eyes’ 2005 I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning track, Bridgers inflects a sense of urgency into her emotive vocal delivery. “Don’t know where I am / Don’t know where I’ve been / But I know where I want to go,” Bridgers lilts over a subdued piano.

Along with the Bright Eyes cover, Bridgers announced that all merch purchased from her online store Thursday will directly benefit The Bail Project, a nonprofit organization that provides bail assistance.

Bridgers is of course a close friend and collaborator with Bright Eyes vocalist Conor Oberst. In the past, the musicians have played each other’s music on stage and even joined forces to form the group Better Oblivion Community Center, releasing an eponymous debut record in 2019.

Listen to Bridgers’ cover on Deezer here.

Punisher is out 6/19 via Dead Oceans. Pre-order it here.

The Punisher‘s second Netflix season was lacking in multiple ways, and let’s just say that the comic book character could easily be retired — formally retired, especially in light of the George Floyd protests. Fans are now reigniting a beef from the antihero’s creator, Gerry Conway, who brought Frank Castle to life more than four decades ago with the help of artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. And Conway has been quite vocal about his distaste for police co-opting The Punisher’s logo for their own ends. As he explained, police have misinterpreted Castle’s identity, when he actually “represents a failure of the Justice system.” Further, Castle has been written as an indictment of “the collapse of social moral authority and the reality some people can’t depend on institutions like the police or the military to act in a just and capable way.”

In other words, there are members of law enforcement who don’t realize that Frank Castle kinda hates them, so it’s ironic that they’re slapping Punisher skulls on vehicles or wearing it as part of their uniform. In the past few days, Detroit officers have even been photographed while apparently wearing the logo during protests.

Also in the past few days, Disney has pledged $5 million toward nonprofit organizations (including $2 million for the NAACP) geared towards advancing social justice.

Marvel fans want more: they’d like Disney to make a larger gesture against police brutality by suing departments that have co-opted The Punisher’s iconic symbol.

Again, Frank Castle is not a fan of police!

As of now, neither Disney nor Marvel have issued an official statement on the protest-related call for lawsuits against PDs. However, Marvel recently tweeted about auctioning off Castle-related props in the Marvel Television Live Auction. It’s odd timing, for sure.

Summer officially arrives this month. Usually, this would mark the beginning of a season of travel, backyard BBQs with the crew, and long weekends in beer gardens at our favorite breweries. The way 2020 is unfolding, it’s hard to know how this summer (or year) will play out at all, but the key phrase is “scaled down.” Expect everything to be socially distanced and a whole lot more mellow.

Like so many industries in the COVID-era, the craft beer community is struggling right now. These businesses, usually such cornerstones of their cities and gathering places for local residents, are in grave danger. Any support you can offer to your local brewery makes a difference right now. You’ll be supporting your neighbors who work on brewery floors, drive delivery trucks, stock grocery coolers, and fill growlers in taprooms. Plus you’ll get some great beer out of the deal.

Hopefully, the eight beers we’re calling out this month will pique your interest and inspire you to explore exciting expressions made near you. The picks below are regional craft beer releases from breweries that we vouch for (we weren’t able to taste them all this month because of the continued pandemic, so we’re offering tasting notes from the brewers where necessary). Each one has something unique to say as Summer 2020 nears.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST DROP: Elysian Salute The Sun

Style: Pale Ale
Abv: 5.2%
Brewery Location: Seattle, WA

The Beer:

Salute the Sun is Seattle-based Elysium’s perennial summer seasonal drop. The beer is a mellow ale with three malts and to malted oats in the base alongside a big dose of Citra hops. The beer is then conditioned with sun-dried black limes to add a unique layer to the beer while keeping it very light.

Tasting Notes:

The Citra hops are front-and-center with a mildly dank but boldly citrus-forward nature. The sip remains effervescent with a clear tartness that leans towards a sense of lime zest bitterness. The brew keeps the refreshing edge of big citrus and tart notes with a long finish.

SOUTHWEST DROP: Stone Enjoy By 07.04.20

Style: Unfiltered IPA
Abv: 9.4%
Brewery Location: Escondido, CA

The Beer:

Stone’s latest Enjoy By IPA is an unfiltered IPA much like last year’s version. We guess if it ain’t broke…

The beer is brewed specifically to be enjoyed now. It’s also well-hopped with 12 different hop varietals. The unfiltered nature gives an interesting haziness similar to a NEIPA, with a clear West Coast IPA dankness, making this one hard-hitting beer.

Tasting Notes:

Hops. Hops. Hops. There’s a rush of stone fruit leaning towards ripe peaches next to a clear piney resin dank. Tropical fruit cuts through the dank as a yeasty and malty flourish takes a backseat to the big hoppy bitterness, fruit, and more dankness the whole way through. Be careful though, there are a lot of ABVs hiding under that alluring and refreshing fruitiness.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN DROP: Upslope Tea Shandy

Style: Ale
Abv: 4.2%
Brewery Location: Boulder, CO

The Beer:

Upslope’s Tea Shandy is made to be sipped all summer long. The very sessionable 4.2 percent ABV means you can do just that. Generally, a shandy would be light lager mixed with Sprite or some other fruity soda. This beer takes a craft route by brewing the suds with the elements of an Arnold Palmer — lemons and black tea — right in the beer.

Tasting Notes:

This is almost too easy to sip. There’s a clear sweetness that rings like an Arnold Palmer but it works with the mildness of the ale malt flavors. Very mild hints of hops remind you that, yes, this is beer. Overall, the sheer drinkability of this summer sipper means you might end up drinking a whole six-pack in one sunny backyard session.

SOUTHERN DROP: Boulevard Cherry Lime Radler

Style: Radler
Abv: 4.1%
Brewery Location: Kansas City, MO

The Beer:
Cherry Lime Radler from Kansas City’s Boulevard is meant to be sipped on a hot summer day. The addition of counterpointing flavors of limes and cherry, the beer brings a quaffability that screams summertime.

Tasting Notes (from the brewer):

“Zesty, refreshing and a little bit of a throwback to the tastes of childhood, our Cherry Lime Radler is summer-in-a-can. Radlers, in general, are brewed to be thirst-quenching in warm weather.”

MIDWEST DROP: Revolution Brewing and Piece Pizzeria & Brewery Little Dreamer

Style: Extra Pale Ale
Abv: 5%
Brewery Location: Chicago, IL

The Beer:

Little Dreamer is a collaboration between damn-near iconic Chicago institutions Revolution Brewery and Piece Pizzeria & Brewery (which has some of the best New Haven-style pies outside of Connecticut). Together, they’ve brewed a beer that keeps things dialed into a pale ale quality that almost leans into the heavier notes of an IPA.

Tasting Notes (from the brewers):

“Nice, sessionable, hoppy, crushable extra pale ale. Perfect for warm weather and pairing with pizza.”

NORTHEAST DROP: Hill Farmstead Self-Reliance: German-Grown Cascade

Style: Pale Ale
Abv: 6%
Brewery Location: Greensboro Bend, VT

The Beer:

Self-Reliance: German-Grown Cascade channels Ralph Waldo Emerson while leaning into expert brewing and aging. This ale was hopped with a single hop varietal to showcase the beauty of that flower — in this case, a German Cascade hop. The ale is then aged in oak puncheons for five months before bottling.

Tasting Notes (from the brewer):

“This new series allows us to showcase each hop’s characteristics within the framework of our delicately tart, lightly effervescent base beer.”

WILD CARD DROP: Surly Grapefruit Supreme

Style: Tart Ale
Abv: 4.5%
Brewery Location: Minneapolis, MN

The Beer:

Grapefruit Supreme is from Minneapolis brewery Surly Brewing. The brewery has delayed their phased reopening to respect the protests happening in the city right now. So if you can, maybe grab a few beers via pick-up to help them stay afloat.

Tasting Notes (from the brewer):

“Braced by bright grapefruit flavor and gentle tartness, this beer reigns supreme. Finishing crisp and citrusy, it sets a new standard for crushable.”

INT’L PICK OF THE MONTH: Budvar (Czechvar)

Style: Pale Lager
Abv: 5%
Brewery Location: České Budějovice, CZ

The Beer:

Budvar — which has to be called “Czechvar” in the U.S. and a few other markets because of American Budweiser legal brouhahas — is a classic pale lager that works perfectly as a great summer sipper. The Czech “Budweiser” has a heft that reminds you how great simple beer can be without overpowering any one part of the drinking experience.

Tasting Notes:

The golden liquid holds clear notes of the Saaz hops with a mild sense of bitterness that’s refreshing and never overpowering. The Moravian malts form a foundation with a note of sweetness that’s almost caramel (though if it’s an older bottle, you might get a note of butterscotch). There’s a mild grassy nature that leads back to the well-balanced hops, malts, and fizz, making this a very easy beer to drink.

With the nation going on a week of protests against police brutality, Jay-Z has been using his status as one of the biggest rap stars in the world to advance his reform agenda and call for justice in a variety of ways. A day ago, Jay paid for full-page ads in a number of national newspapers to honor George Floyd, while today, he shared his “Songs For Survival 2” playlist to provide a soundtrack to the ongoing protests and highlight the history of Black artists speaking out against injustice over the decades.

The playlist is a follow-up to his previous “Songs For Survival” list from 2016 and features songs Eddie Kendricks, Jay Electronica, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, Public Enemy, Syl Johnson, Tracy Chapman, Tupac, and of course, Jay-Z himself. It is, naturally, a Tidal exclusive.

Jay previously issued a statement about the death of George Floyd, writing, “Earlier today, Governor Walz mentioned having a human conversation with me — a dad and a Black man in pain. Yes, I am human, a father and a black man in pain and I am not the only one. Now I, along with an entire country in pain, call upon AG Ellison to do the right thing and prosecute all those responsible for the murder of George Floyd to the fullest extent of the law.”
Listen to Jay-Z’s Songs For Survival 2 playlist on Tidal above or click here.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees stirred up controversy on Wednesday when he gave comments to Yahoo! about Colin Kaepernick and other athletes who would take a knee during the national anthem to protest systemic oppression, police brutality, and injustice in America. Brees, as has long been his stance, stated that he believes that kneeling is disrespecting the flag and what it represents, mentioning the fact that both of his grandfathers fought in World War II.

In light of the demonstrations across the United States in response to the circumstances surrounding the killing of George Floyd, Brees’ comments came off as remarkably off-base, earning him condemnation from teammates and individuals across the world of sports, with folks like LeBron James and Aaron Rodgers chiming in. It is exceedingly rare to see athletes call out another athlete, let alone one as high-profile as Brees, and as a result, he offered up a statement in response on Thursday morning.

Here is what Brees wrote:

I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday. In speaking with some of you, it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused.
In an attempt to talk about respect, unity, and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country. They lacked awareness and any type of compassion or empathy. Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy. This could not be further from the truth, and is not an accurate reflection of my heart or my character.
This is where I stand:

I stand with the black community in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality and support the creation of real policy change that will make a difference.
I condemn the years of oppression that have taken place throughout our black communities and still exists today.
I acknowledge that we as Americans, including myself, have not done enough to fight for that equality or to truly understand the struggles and plight of the black community.
I recognize that I am part of the solution and can be a leader for the black community in this movement.
I will never know what it’s like to be a black man or raise black children in America but I will work every day to put myself in those shoes and fight for what is right.
I have ALWAYS been an ally, never an enemy.
I am sick about the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and accountability. I recognize that I should do less talking and more listening…and when the black community is talking about their pain, we all need to listen.
For that, I am very sorry and I ask your forgiveness.

There is, of course, a certain amount of cynicism that can come in response to this, particularly due to the fact that Brees says the thing that makes him sick is “the way my comments were perceived,” the fact that he’s publicly held this stance on protests and the American flag for years, and, as some Twitter users have pointed out, the use of a stock image. Having said that, Brees did apologize, and hopefully he is sincere in his commitment to listening and being an active, engaged ally in fighting the things Kaepernick attempted to bring into the discourse years ago.

The Oscars recently turned two categories into one when Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing became Best Sound, saving all of, like, three minutes. To paraphrase a movie that the Academy ignored, I disagree, Oscars. I disagree. If anything, the Oscar should add more categories, including Best Stunts and Best Posters. The movie poster is a dying art — it’s all floating heads, Endgame-style overcrowding, and blue and orange color schemes — but every so often, you’ll see a poster that deserves to be hung in a college dorm room (it’s time to retire the Fight Club poster forever), or a museum.

In the case of Da 5 Bloods, it’s posters.

“Now Our Fight Is For Social Justice Plus Too Many Issues To List At This Moment In Time And Space. DA 5 BLOODS Streams On Netflix In Da Year Of Our Lawd 2020 June 12th. YA-DI? SHO-NUFF. And Dat’s Da ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER,’TRUTH,RUTH,” director Spike Lee tweeted on Thursday, while showcasing the stunning new poster for his Netflix film, Da 5 Bloods. It shows a black clenched fist, a symbol of black power and solidarity, under a Vietnam War helmet with “Our Fight Is Not in Vietnam” hovering above. It’s stunning, and it’s not the only great Da 5 Bloods poster we’ve seen. (I can’t find the artist or artists behind the posters, but if it’s you, I don’t care how much you’re getting paid, it’s not enough.)

If only they could be seen in movie theaters across the country. Alas. Da 5 Bloods, which stars Chadwick Boseman, Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jonathan Majors, and Paul Walter Hauser, premieres on Netflix on June 12.

At the start of May, Tekashi 69 made his post-prison comeback with “Gooba,” which quickly found its way to near the top of the charts. Since then, he has been getting ready to drop the song’s follow-up, but it has faced multiple delays. On May 20, he noted his next video, which he insisted “will break the internet,” was delayed to May 29.

That date came and went without a new video, and now Tekashi has again pushed the clip back, this time “out of respect” for the George Floyd protests happening nationwide. In an Instagram post yesterday, he wrote, “Music video will be pushed back again to June 12th out of respect for what we are going through right now.” He added in the caption, “It’s not the time for a music video right now with everything going on in the world. It will be extremely selfish. JUNE 12TH NEXT FRIDAY.”

Between the release of “Gooba” and now, Tekashi has offered other updates about what he’s been up to. On May 30, for instance, he revealed that he has begun work on a new album, writing, “I STARTED RECORDING MY ALBUM TODAY. I LITERALLY CANT STOP MAKING HITS. I AINT LIKE THESE OTHER RAPPERS WHO SOUND THE SAME IN EVERY SONG. WHOS READYYYYYY”

Only 23 years old, Charlie Burg has already toured the world with the likes of Ashe, Jeremy Zucker, and other indie crossover artists that are quickly gaining rabid fanbases. With three EPs under his belt, Burg is looking to the future with his new single “Channel Orange In Your Living Room.” The track was recorded live in one take, and serves as a full demonstration of Burg’s raw talent.

To celebrate the new track, Burg sat down to talk Coldplay, dressing like his idols, and Phoebe Bridgers in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Nostalgic, thoughtful, organic, intentional.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I’d like my music to be remembered as an ambitious, ever-evolving sonic attempt to articulate my experience of the human condition in the most vulnerable and creative way possible.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

New York has this undeniable electricity every time like I’m carrying some unspoken torch of rock ‘n’ roll. Playing in places like Paris and London feels legendary though, almost mythical like I’m using music to etch my name into a book of folklore.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

Perhaps my dad, who raised me singing songs and listening to soul vinyl all my childhood. Or perhaps Chris Martin.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

Probably my hometown. Something my mother cooked growing up? Food is more than just taste, I guess, at least in memory… there’s a sentimental element that makes it more wonderful in your mind’s eye than anything you could buy.

What album do you know every word to?

Is This It by The Strokes. Maybe Abandoned Luncheonette by Hall & Oates.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

I cried at Coldplay in 2016. I fell in love at Lorde in 2014. Gosh, I’ve been to so many concerts. Avett Brothers shows might top them all though.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

As long as it’s you, and it makes you feel rad, it’s the best. Sometimes I like feeling like my idols with the clothes I wear on stage.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

Phoebe Bridgers’ Twitter feed should be published in a book. She is just so brilliant.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

“Love And Happiness” by Al Green, or “Days” by The Drums.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

The lyrics to “So Long, Marianne” by Leonard Cohen.

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Tapestry, Carole King? Donuts, Dilla?? Hmph.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

3 years ago on a self-booked DIY tour, I slept in an armchair in an open closet in the college house living room where we played the show earlier in the night. I woke up drunk and fully clothed.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

TBD. I don’t have tattoos yet!

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

Curtis Mayfield, Clairo, Blue Album-era Weezer, to name a few. Or did you mean more radio-y artists? I dunno, maybe The 1975?

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

My parents and grandma raised me; that was pretty nice!!

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Don’t be so dramatic, this doesn’t last forever. Write down everything you learn, and pay attention to what makes you hurt – these will be key plot devices later on.

What’s the last show you went to?

Puma Blue in Brooklyn I think. So good!

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

The first Kung Fu Panda movie.

What would you cook if Kanye were coming to your house for dinner?

Roast chicken, kugel and matzo ball soup. Show him some of that good Jewish home-cookin’.

“Channel Orange In Your Living Room” is out now on FADER Label.

---

View Entire Post ›

Lil B has long been considered something of a hip-hop folk hero for both his contributions to the art form and his endlessly entertaining antics. Today, he put that status to work, using his platform to speak for victims of police brutality on “I Am George Floyd.” Using a pair of soulful sampled beats to list the names of the Black people who have been killed by police. For just about seven minutes, he name-checks Eric Garner, Mike Brown, Laquan McDonald, and many — too many — more.

The Bay Area rapper, who in 2018 worked on a cooking show and said he was developing a video game to improve diversity in the gaming industry, hasn’t made the news in a while, but he’s never stopped releasing his stream of self-produced, self-released, no-limits music. Earlier this year, he boasted of giving a lecture at Princeton University, as well as releasing a pair of mixtapes, Trap Oz and Gutta Dealership, which pushed the boundaries of album length at two and half hours and nearly seven hours, respectively.

“I Am George Floyd” is just one track paying homage to the late rapper and activist, who was killed by Minnesota police last month, sparking a week a protests and public outcry for police reform.

Listen to Lil B’s “I Am George Floyd” above.