Steven and Ian open with a review of Ian’s recent run of concerts, including Geese’s Halloween show in San Diego. They also do a Sportscast on the upcoming Packers vs. Eagles game, aka The Indeicast Bowl, and a Newscast on the recent Zohran Mamdani victory in New York City and the surprising reaction from (of all people) Ryan Adams. Then they check in on the Fantasy Album Draft, which is stacked this week with albums from Rosalía, Armand Hammer, Brandi Carlile, Florence + The Machine, and Mavis Staples.
From there, they discuss the new supergroup Snocaps composed of Katie and Allison Crutchfield, MJ Lenderman, and Brad Cook, as well as The 1975 removing a song from one of their albums and a new music project from punk icons Ian MacKaye and Henry Rollins. In the weekly “yay or nay” segment, they discuss The Mountain Goats.
In Recommendation Corner, Ian talks about scrappy rock band Tape Trash and Steven talks about British soft-rock singer-songwriter Westerman.
New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 264 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.
Planning a wedding is both exciting and stressful. You’ll have to make a lot of decisions throughout the process, ranging from choosing a venue to what flowers you want in your bouquet. Another decision you’ll have to make is whether you want to maintain the age-old tradition of wearing a veil.
If you’re not sure whether you want a veil, it’s important to understand its origins and significance, as well as some modern variations, so you can make a more informed decision.
Brides have been wearing veils for thousands of years. In Ancient Rome, brides wore red or yellow veils to ward off evil spirits. In Medieval Europe, they were worn to symbolize the chastity and purity of the veil. In Victorian England, white veils became a symbol of wealth, status, and virginity.
Often, the veil was also used to shield the bride’s face from envious or malicious glances.
Veils can vary in size and color. Some are also embellished with jewels, lace, and more, so that they fit the bride’s individual personality.
Here are a few things to consider:
Choose a veil that coordinates with the dress.
Be practical – you may want to forego the veil entirely if the wedding is outdoors and you’re afraid it will blow away.
If you’re a feminist and don’t believe in being “given away,” you can opt out of the veil.
Veil Alternatives
There are also alternatives to wearing a veil that may suit the mood/theme of your wedding:
Headbands or Tiaras
Elegant and timeless, headbands or tiaras add sparkle and structure, perfect for brides who want a regal touch without a veil.
Floral Crowns
Made with fresh or faux blooms, floral crowns create a romantic, bohemian look that’s ideal for outdoor or garden weddings.
Hair Vines and Combs
These delicate accessories beautifully weave into hairstyles, offering subtle shimmer with crystals, pearls, or small flowers.
Other alternatives to veils include hairpins, fascinators, birdcage veils, headwraps or scarves, and wide-brimmed hats.
It’s Up to You
In the end, planning a wedding means balancing tradition with personal expression. Among the many choices you’ll make—like the venue, flowers, or attire—deciding whether to wear a veil is a deeply personal one. By understanding the veil’s origins, symbolism, and modern alternatives, you can confidently choose a look that feels meaningful and authentic to you on your special day.
Baby wipes may sound like they are just for babies, but they are extremely useful in many other ways. The main reason is that they are already moistened. You can carry them on the go and dispose of them after use.
Most unscented baby wipes are cheap, and there are plenty of package sizes to fit your needs. Many are designed for travel and have resealable lids, too.
Check out these super creative ways to use baby wipes:
Clean up a spill around the house or in the car.
Baby wipes are perfect for quick cleanups — whether you’ve spilled coffee on the counter or juice in the car, they lift messes gently without needing soap or water.
2. Clean off a dry-erase board in seconds.
Instead of searching for a special eraser or cleaner, a baby wipe easily removes marker residue from a whiteboard, leaving it streak-free.
3. Wipe up a paint mistake, whether it’s on a wall, a baseboard, or the floor.
When painting, keep a few wipes nearby; they’re excellent for cleaning small splatters or drips before the paint dries.
4. Remove dirt and watermarks from microfiber furniture.
A gentle swipe with a baby wipe can lift light stains, fingerprints, or buildup from microfiber surfaces while keeping the fabric soft and smooth.
5. Addressing unforeseen beauty issues
Baby wipes are a beauty lifesaver — they easily remove hair dye from skin, tidy up stray nail polish, and quickly clean spilled makeup products without damaging surfaces.
6. Dust house plants, whether they’re real or fake.
Use a baby wipe to gently clean indoor plant leaves, restoring their shine and helping them better absorb light for photosynthesis.
7. Kids’ art projects.
Let kids explore creativity by tying up a baby wipe with rubber bands and coloring it with washable markers; once it dries, the wipe reveals a fun, tie-dye design.
Now that you know all of these uses for baby wipes, you might want to grab a pack or two the next time you’re at the store. They can be placed in the car and throughout the house so that they’re easily accessible the next time you need to clean something up or keep someone busy.
Tipping can always be a challenge, especially when it’s for a personal service like getting your hair done. Whether you’re getting a quick bang trim, a comprehensive haircut, a fancy updo, or even a new color, you should plan on tipping. The question is, how much?
A lot of it comes down to how skillful they are, how much time they have invested in making you look good, and how they have been attentive to your needs.
On average, you should plan on tipping at a rate between 15 and 20%. This is similar to what you would tip in a restaurant.
Are there reasons to go higher or lower? Of course.
You may want to aim at the lower end if it was a quick trim and they didn’t go above and beyond.
You may want to go higher if they have a specialized skill or they went out of their way to give you something unique – such as a custom color or a fix to a bad haircut that you got somewhere else.
Depending on the type of salon or barber shop you go to, there are a few things to pay attention to:
High-end establishments may build the tip into the final price they give you.
Some places may have assistants who wash your hair, give you a hand massage, or do something else. Plan on handing them a small amount of cash, such as $3-$5.
If you’re not sure about the proper tipping etiquette where you’re at, ask the receptionist or stylist.
When Addison Rae released her debut album, Addison, critics and fans were stunned. She’d done the unthinkable: shifted from a social media celebrity miming the lyrics to hit songs to creating her own and becoming a bona fide star. Magazines that champion the edgy and avant-garde, like PAPER, shouted that Rae wasn’t a fad or one-hit wonder but would be here to stay. Pitchfork, known for its strict grading scale, gave her release an 8.0 out of 10. She was featured on a remix of one of the biggest albums of the year, BRAT, howling along to Charli xcx’s “Von Dutch” and even joined the dance pop purveyor on the Coachella stage. Rae’s rise has been disruptive, chaotic, and a jolt to an industry filled with critics and fans who turn their noses up at anyone not achieving success by traditional terms.
Understanding the enigma that is Addison Rae requires a bit of time travel. In 2019, she amassed nearly 90 million followers from her dance videos and approachable, charismatic vlogs. At the time, she was studying Broadcast Journalism at Louisiana State University and living in Baton Rouge. She dropped a few EPs, hinting at her desire to create pop music with a capital P, but it didn’t quite take off. That is, until last June, when she released Addison, her first full-length album, to surprising, if not rave, reviews. “Diet Pepsi” was applauded for its Lana Del Rey-esque vocals, sweet and sugary sonics, and pure pop ethos. “Fame Is a Gun” showed off the star’s grittier side, with dance floor distortion and lyrical worship of hedonism. “High Fashion” was winking, addictive, and made it clear that Rae wasn’t the butt of the joke; she was the one dropping the witty lines. Co-produced and co-written with Luka Kloser and Elvira Anderfjärd, Rae not only showcased her unbridled songwriting prowess and the embodiment of womanhood in the modern age — she created songs that cut through what was expected and seen as top-chart-worthy in 2025.
Still, she was snubbed by this year’s VMAs, despite having what can clearly be seen as an early 2000s MTV ethos. And, even though she’s joined Lana Del Rey as an opener, clearly receiving the highest of emotive songwriting cosigns, many listeners still see her as derivative, reluctant to let her out of the TikTok box that she, unfortunately, built for herself.
But the Grammys are famous for doing the unexpected — don’t forget the waves of upset when Beck’s Morning Phase won over Beyoncé’s self-titled in 2015, or when Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ The Heist won over Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city for best rap album in 2014.
So, if Addison Rae’s name is announced this Friday, although she’s likely up against names like Sombr, Lola Young, The Marias, and more for the coveted Best New Artist prize, don’t be surprised if she wins, and don’t be shocked if it’s because (wait for it …) she deserves it.
Music should surprise you — shake you awake from what you think the status quo should be and sound like. Rae does just that, making us second-guess our preconceived notions of social media stars and Gen Z heroes. It’s a shot against pessimism that with an iPhone and a dream, you can have an impact that places you on stage at Wembley, Coachella, and your own sold-out headline sets. In a landscape constantly attempting to figure out how to shift pop culture consciousness — the algorithm, fans, and the industry to “break through” — Rae leverages what could once have been perceived as shallow popularity into authentic and well-earned “fame.”
Dropped in the middle of our modern, noisy musical landscape, Ravyn Lenae’s “Love Me Not” achieved the impossible — breaking through by sounding like nothing else on the charts. The swoony, melodic R&B hit about yearning over a confusing lover is a mix of crisp vocals and fuzzy backing tracks, timeless orchestration, and a sing-along chorus. While other artists were wrestling for the title of hyperpop champion, Lenae released a soul-pop bop that is somehow both familiar and new, vintage and nostalgic, and fans took notice. Released in May of 2024 and submitted to the 2026 Grammys, the track peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, amassed millions of streams on Spotify, went viral on TikTok, launched a dance trend, and garnered hundreds of thousands of videos.
Now, Lenae is leveraging that hit into her 2026 Grammys campaign — submitting “Love Me Not” for consideration in the Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Performance categories, with a bonus FYC for Best New Artist. “For your consideration, the album that continues to tell me where I’m going…” Lenae wrote, adding a photo of the album artwork of her latest album, Birds Eye. “Thank you to every voice involved in bringing this to life.” This Friday — which will feel like just another day before the weekend to the rest of us — for countless musical artists, will forever be the day they received (or were snubbed …) when the Recording Academy shares their nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards.
So, will Lenae be among the nods? She’s already received a Song of the Summer nomination for “Love Me Not” from the MTV VMAs and was officially crowned Billboard’s R&B Rookie of the Year. Still, there are multiple barriers in the way of Lenae’s nomination and (hopeful) win in her proposed category.
For one, the definition of pop is in a constant flux. While “Love Me Not” is up for Best Pop Performance, artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, and Chappell Roan, who have traditionally been associated with the genre, may sway the votes of members. Similarly, “Manchild,” “Wildflower,” and “Subway,” may peak voting interest, with their singular sound and songwriting. (Though, in our opinion, “Love Me Not” deserves to be top contender, at least for the Record of The Year spot, an award which recognizes the artist’s performance as well as the overall contributions of the producers, mixers, and mastering engineers.)
Another potential roadblock in Lenae’s pursuit of Grammy glory? Despite her breakout success in 2025, the artist has been releasing music for nearly a decade. She dropped her debut album Hypnos in May of 2022, but she has yet to be recognized by the academy for her work. Still, Sabrina Carpenter was nominated for the same award last year during her sixth album cycle, so it’s not impossible that Lenae nabs a nom, or even wins.
Despite the odds against her, Lenae picking up a nomination and winning any of her potential categories would be not only promising for her individual career, but the future of R&B. Back in 2017, rap and R&B became the biggest music genre in the U.S., surpassing rock for the first time in terms of consumption by fans. In fact, between October 25 to November 1 there were no rap songs in the Top 40 Billboard charts for the first time in 35 years. As pop takes over once again, the other genres seem to be losing footing, but highlighting the creative and industry achievements of acts like Lenae not only contributes to the shift of the genre back to the center, it also gives other would-be artists an example to follow, ensuring the genre continues to evolve, iterate, and succeed.
Leon Thomas, Kehlani, Mariah the Scientist, and Olivia Dean are all working the charts, foreshadowing the possibility of R&B making a 2000s-esque comeback, but of all of these artists, Lenae seems to be the most primed to bring in this potential era.
Born and raised in the South side of Chicago, priming her vocals in the church choir before attending Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) — she knew where she was heading, spending her money on recording equipment and sharing her music online. She shared multiple EPs, worked with Steve Lacy on production, and by the time she dropped Hypnos in 2022, already had a substantial following. But Birds Eye was her most realised album, one that showed who she was inside and out and fans took notice. That album, and it’s most prominent hit “Love Me Not,” feel like just the start for Lenae, because, as she told PAPER: “I’m also thinking beyond ‘Love Me Not’ and this moment, and thinking about the artist I want to continue to grow into and the music I want to continue to make.”
As R&B icon Mariah Carey told her during Elle’s ‘Three Generations of R&B’ conversation: “You’re going to have to get after these things.” Judging by Lenae’s momentum, she seems more than ready to do just that. Her first Grammy nod (and potential win) could mark the beginning of the lasting legacy Lenae is looking to build.
For the past several months, Mass Appeal Records has been rolling out its Legend Has It… campaign, consisting of new albums from some of the pillars of New York hip-hop, including Slick Rick, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon The Chef, Mobb Deep, and Big L. With those albums out, only two more remain: Nas’ long-awaited joint album with DJ Premier, and De La Soul’s tenth studio album. Today, we’ve learned when the latter arrives.
De La Soul and Mass Appeal announced the release date for Cabin In The Sky with its vibrant first single, “The Package.” You can listen to it above. The single features the first listen to late group member Trugoy (aka Plug Two and Dave) since his passing in February 2023. His death came at a terrible time for the former trio, which was experiencing a resurgence in popularity thanks to the new availability of their catalog on streaming platforms after a 10-year absence.
After those albums became available, the placement of Daisy Age standout “The Magic Number” in Marvel’s Spider-Man movie No Way Home renewed interest in the veteran group that unfortunately stalled due to Dave’s death. But thanks to Nas and Mass Appeal, fans will get one last chance to hear the Plugs as a unit on a new album on November 21.
Listen to “The Package” above.
Cabin In The Sky is out on 11/21 via Mass Appeal Records. You can find more info here.
Maryland rapper Redveil has quietly built an impressive grassroot following over the past couple of years, which saw him play Camp Flog Gnaw in 2023, tour alongside such standouts as Denzel Curry and Freddie Gibbs, and garner widespread critical acclaim, with his last album, 2022’s Learn 2 Swim regarded one of the year’s best.
Today, Redveil announced the long-awaited follow-up to that album, releasing a video for its first single, “Lone Star.” The album is called Sankofa, a Ghanaian word meaning “to go back and get it.” In its proverbial use, sankofa means reflecting on history and using it to inform the present and prepare for the future. Another proverb using the term translates to “It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.” The idea has core meaning for the Pan-African movement, which revolves around rediscovering the traditions and cultural knowledge that were systematically stripped from descendants of enslaved Africans by their captors.
Like his prior albums, Redveil’s latest will be entirely self-produced, but with added dimension and a clear sonic growth. You can hear the beginnings of that growth in the lush instrumentation and R&B-inspired vocals of “Lone Star.”
Watch Redveil’s “Lone Star” video above.
Sankofa is out on 12/4. You can find more info here.
As Thundercat wraps up his 2025 tour dates this week, the Los Angeles-bred bassist drops off something pretty nifty: a cover of the 1980 Diana Ross hit “Upside Down.”
The occasion is the latest “music season” of Candy Crush Saga, which… I guess this is a thing we’re doing now. Non-sports video games having “seasons” is a little anxiety inducing and dystopian for me, but if these games publishers want to throw money at independent artists to create neat moments like this, more power to them. If one of the “Children Of The Baked Potato” gets additional exposure, that’s a cherry on top.
When you’ve got Fortnite — which at least has the competitive element baked in — and NBA 2K producing annual or semi-annual mixtapes and digital music festivals, then at least it gives artists somewhere to express their creativity. Not to mention, getting a bag (although it does seem to favor the biggest artists, who already get all the brand deals in the first place).
And, in this case, perhaps it’ll funnel gamers toward a few of the classics, like Ross’ original, which could get some of our legacy artists paid in the long run, too. In this case, there’s also a colorful music video, which features a Thundercat stand-in getting a pedicure, exploring a haunted house, and engaging in a big dance number in the street — which, again, got a lot of people paid (director, videographer, actor, dancers, and digital artists, among others). So, there’s at least a bright side of the capitalistic doomscape we’ve all been trapped in.
You can watch the video for Thundercat’s cover of Diana Ross’ “Upside Down” for Candy Crush above.
If you were in New York at some point in the recent past, there’s a chance you saw Ed Sheeran with a camera crew in tow. It turns out that was for One Shot With Ed Sheeran, a new Netflix special in which he travels across NYC and performs his biggest songs, all in a single take. The project was announced last month, and today (November 6), we have the first trailer.
A press release calls the film — directed by Emmy Award-winning director Philip Barantini, known for his work on Adolescence — “a groundbreaking, one-shot music experience” and says:
“The multi-Grammy Award winner will take viewers on a mesmerizing journey, during one afternoon, in real time, as he travels the streets of New York City, performing his greatest hits, captured in a single take. From impromptu performances on bustling sidewalks and subway cars, to intimate interactions with fans and passersby, Ed Sheeran’s journey through New York will be captured in a series of unforgettable moments, highlighting the pandemonium and excitement that follows.”
Further into the future, Sheeran was recently announced as a performer on the 2025 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour lineup. He also has other North American shows lined up, as new dates on his Loop Tour kick off next summer.
One Shot With Ed Sheeran starts streaming on November 21. In the meantime, check out the trailer above.
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