What is your hyper-specific TV pet peeve? Mine is that since the first “Treehouse of Horror” premiered in season 2 of The Simpsons, the roman numerals in the title of the annual Halloween episode will always be one off from the respective season it’s in. For instance, “Treehouse of Horror XXXV” is airing in season 36 of The Simpsons. This drives me… something something.
But you know what makes me feel(in’) fine? The Simpsons still doing “Treehouse of Horror” episodes! (And that it’s still called “Treehouse of Horror,” even though the framing device was dropped after the first one.)
This year’s episode, “Treehouse of Horror XXXV,” will, as usual, have three segments. In the first, “giant monsters created by political rage threaten to tear the town apart,” according to Fox. In the second, “a Victorian Mr. Burns is jump-scared on Thanksgiving by the ghosts of his abused workers.” Finally, there’s a timelyVenom parody in which “Homer bonds with a pair of extra-terrestrial jeans in an unforgettable stop-motion adventure that can only be called… Denim.” The couch gag will be provided by El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera creator Jorge R. Gutierrez.
“Treehouse of Horror XXXV” premieres on Fox (and streams on Hulu) on November 3.
For over a year, Zach Bryan has been in a relationship with Brianna LaPaglia (also known as Brianna Chickenfry), an influencer who co-hosts the Barstool Sports podcast BFFs alongside David Portnoy and Josh Richards. Now, though, both have confirmed they are no longer together.
Why Did Zach Bryan And Brianna LaPaglia Break Up?
The situation began yesterday (October 21), when LaPaglia shared a mysterious handwritten note that reads (per People):
“And eventually you’ll find that life goes on, even if you don’t want it to.
The days will pass and the world will move while you ask it to stop.
You’ll believe life is cruel for continuing on while your feet are stuck.
You’ll find people and moments to blame for your concrete feet.
Then there will come a morning when you wake and realize things go on, life isn’t cruel.
Your feet are.
The world keeps on spinning in hopes of showing you that you can as well.”
Then, in an Instagram Story shared today, Bryan wrote:
Addressing something: Brianna and me have broken up with each other and I respect and love her with every ounce of my heart. She has loved me unconditionally for a very long time and for that I’ll always thank her. I have had an incredibly hard year personally and struggled through some pretty severe things. I thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our different ways. I am not perfect and never will be. Please respect Brianna’s privacy and space in this and if you have it in your heart, mine too. With everything I am and to anyone I let down, l am sorry. I try my best in everything. I failed people that love me and mostly myself.
So, the reason for the break-up, per Bryan, is that due to personal circumstances, he thought the split would benefit them both.
LaPaglia then shared a Story of her own:
“Hey guys I’m feeling really blindsided right now. Gonna hop off social media for a while and attempt to heal privately, when I’m ready I’ll be back and ready to talk. I love you guys so much thank you for all of your kind words. Remember you are so loved and everything’s always gonna be okay.”
Industry is no longer the most underappreciated gem on TV. Clearly, we are big fans of the HBO show after wondering whether the “financial drama” (an oversimplified label for sure) is more addictive thanSuccession and calling the game-changing finale evidence of the best show on TV right now.
On a more collective audience note, the show’s third season exploded its ratings records on a nearly weekly basis while also imploding several characters’ little worlds in the third season finale. Yep, Industry is prestige TV that doesn’t skimp on the soap operatics, and it’s working, so although that third season finale could have functioned as a series finale, too, we will fortunately see more Industry. Let’s hedge our bets on the fourth season.
Cast
HBO is staying (officially) mum on this topic for now, but we will likely see the usual suspects again, including Myha’la ^^^ as Harper Stern (now alongside Roger Barclay as Otto Mostyn), Marisa Abela as Yasmin Kara-Hanani (soon to be “Thoroughly Modern Lady Muck”), Sagar Radia as Rishi Ramdani, and Ken Leung as Eric (god knows where and whether he will still be working).
HBO
Kit Harington’s return as Sir Henry Muck feels guaranteed, especially since we need to see whether he and Yasmin can survive each other as spouses.
HBO
Then there would be the ambiguity of whether Harry Lawtey will return as Rob Spearing, whose pure heart is now stateside and working for Little Labs, which likely puts him in the Silicon Valley zone for the foreseeable future.
HBO
We, of course, could go on forever discussing other characters and whether they will be back, but for now, it’s worth noting that Jay Duplass’s Jesse Bloom has now emerged from prison, so stay tuned there, and what of David Jonsson as Gus? He’s been occupied with a Xenomorph problem (and a busy movie career), but we’ll be waiting to hear differently.
Plot
To be perfectly blunt, HBO hasn’t disclosed a synopsis, which almost 100% does not exist yet, and it has only been about a month since Industry was officially renewed (the week prior to the third season finale). However, co-creators Konrad Kay and Mickey Down opened up the writers’ room, as Down revealed (via Instagram) as of October 16. And clearly, everything changed in the blink of an eye with Pierpoint & Co.’s erasure and Eric leaving as an impossibly wealthy free agent, not by a situation of his choosing.
The future is wide open, so to speak, with ex-colleagues Harper, Rob, Yas, and Eric all heading in different directions. Sure, Harper and Yas have semi-patched up their riff with Yas apparently setting out for a life of British nobility, and Harper will move into “forensic accounting and corporate espionage,” which will feed her need for a consistently volatile environment.
And with everybody’s metaphorical balls up in the air, creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay did speak with GQ to field a question about whether the series (with multiple characters heading stateside or at least thinking about it) has a future in America. Heck, Harper expressed interest in working from New York, but here’s how Down answered:
“It’s very hard to answer that. I mean without giving it too much away. It’s an American-effected show because we grew up watching those shows and obviously it follows several American characters. There is something about London and, especially in the last season, our exploration of London, and in particular London high society, which I think is unique to this show and I would hate to lose. And I think there are other shows that have done similar things in the US, but there is nothing in the UK which feels real and authentic and is actually giving you a sort of a firsthand, I would say, insight into that world. And I think that’s probably what you do for season four.”
Obviously, that’s clear as mud and intentionally so, but the seeds exist.
Release Date
The second and third seasons both premiered in August, two years apart, so if the timeline stays consistent, we can bet on August 2026 at the latest. It that too long to wait for a premium cable series without CGI dragons? Arguably, but perhaps a strike-free Hollywood will bring these characters back sooner.
Trailer
In light of where Eric wound up the last time we saw him, it’s worth a look back at how good Ken Leung is at methodically losing his sh*t.
(WARNING: Spoilers for Shrinking will be found below.)
Shrinkingseason two is in full swing and there are a few things that we’ve learned in the new season’s first two episodes. Sean is no longer a client of Jimmy’s after Paul steps in after Jimmy’s “jimmying” goes a bit too far with Grace. Gaby still has some feelings for Jimmy, but Liz wants her to get over it. Jimmy is starting to spiral a bit, and despite pleas from his daughter Alice for him to communicate better with her, Jimmy continues to play like everything is okay, even though it’s obvious to everyone that it’s not. Lastly, Paul admits that he loves Julie. Great start to the season if you ask me.
Here’s when you can expect another episode:
When Does Shrinking Season 2, Episode 3 Come Out?
The third episode in Shrinkingseason two, titled “Psychological Something-ism” will arrive on October 2. The episode will be available on Wednesday, 10/23 on Apple TV+ starting at 3am EST/12am PST. The synopsis for “Psychological Something-ism” can be found below:
Jimmy and Brian help Grace deal with unexpected news. Paul and Julie face her past. Liz worries she’s come between Sean and his dad.
You can check out some highlight clips from the first two episodes from Shrinking episodes one and two below:
There are few beer styles more complicated than the West Coast IPA. This divisive style is beloved by its fans and loathed by its haters. Often hopped (and dry-hopped)with iconic hop varieties like Cascade, Simcoe, Chinook, Citra, and Centennial, it’s well known for its high (sometimes over-the-top) hop bitterness, dank pine, tropical fruit, citrus aromas and flavors, and dry finish. If you love it, you enjoy it for its balanced resinous, fruity, and bitter flavors.
Like with any style, there are a handful of classic West Coast IPAs that need to be imbibed to truly grasp the complexity of the style. Some are OGs from the 90s and others are more contemporary. All are West Coast bangers that deserve a permanent spot in your beer refrigerator.
To help you on your West Coast journey, we did the work for you. We found ten of the most balanced, flavorful, dynamic West Coast IPAs that you need to try if you consider yourself a connoisseur of the style. Did we rank them? You’d better believe it!
There are few West Coast IPAs more well-known than Ballast Point Sculpin. This year-round 7% ABV brew gets its name because of the well-balanced citrus and tropical fruit palate with a bitter, hoppy sting reminiscent of the Sculpin fish.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, you’ll find aromas of caramel malts, candied orange peels, grapefruit, and floral, piney hops.
Palate: A balanced palate of tangerine, grapefruit juice, pineapple, caramel malts, and dank, resinous pine greet you on the palate.
Finish: This beer finishes with a final hint of citrus and a bitter, prickly kick of piney hops.
Bottom Line:
There’s a reason this beer is one of the most popular West Coast IPAs. It’s a great balanced of malts, citrus, and stinging pine.
This iconic West Coast IPA was brewed with English Crystal, Caramel, and Munich Malts. It’s hopped with a smattering of Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook hops. The result is a balanced, malt-forward IPA with a ton of floral, piney, hop bitterness to temper everything.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is a mix of orchard fruits, orange peels, cracked black pepper, caramel malts, and floral, dank pine.
Palate: Sipping it reveals hints of ripe berries, lemon peels, caramelized pineapple, grapefruit, and bitter, resinous pine needles.
Finish: The finish is a great mix of caramel malts, tropical fruits, and bitter, hoppy pine.
Bottom Line:
Lagunitas has managed to make a balanced, complex IPA that deserves its place among the essential West Coast IPA list.
This award-winning West Coast IPA begins with a malty base of malted barley, wheat, and Crystal malts. But you’re here for the hops. This beer features a mix of Columbus and Cascade hops known for their aromatic, flavorful mix of floral and pine notes.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Before your first sip, you’ll be greeted with aromas of bready, caramel malts, tangerine, lemongrass, and dank pine.
Palate: There more of the same on the palate in the best way possible. It starts with a nice caramel malt backbone before moving into tangerine, lemon peels, wet grass, grapefruit, and resinous, sticky pine.
Finish: The finish is bitter and piney but has a nice caramel sweetness as well.
Bottom Line:
This is as classic as West Coast IPAs get. It has a nice malt backbone and a fair amount of tropical fruit flavors, but it’s the bitter, sticky, dank pine that’s the star of the show.
Stone IPA is one of the most award-winning, best-selling West Coast IPAs for a reason. First brewed in 1997, this beloved IPA gets its balanced, malty, citrus, and pine-driven flavor profile from the use of select malts and Magnum, Chinook, Centennial, Azacca, Calypso, Ella, and Vic Secret hops.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: An aromatic nose of lemon peels, orange zest, grapefruit, caramel malts, and resinous, floral pine starts everything off on the right foot.
Palate: The palate is a symphony of sweet caramel malts, tangerines, pineapple, grapefruit, lemongrass, and floral, dank pine.
Finish: The last sip is a mix of grapefruit, lemon zest, pine needles, and memorable, pleasing hop bitterness.
Bottom Line:
The use of so many different hop varieties means that you’ll find different aromas and flavors every time you drink this beloved beer.
This 7.25% ABV, year-round offering is one of the highest rated West Coast IPAs ever made. It’s well-known for its mix of sweet malts, citrus fruits, tropical fruits, and pine thanks to the liberal use of Columbus and Citra hops.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Before your first sip, you’ll be greeted with scents of bready malts, lemongrass, ripe peaches, candied orange peels, and herbal, dank pine.
Palate: Drinking it brings forth notes of bready, sweet malts as well as grapefruit, caramelized pineapple, orchard fruits, pepper, tangerines, and herbal, prickly pine needles.
Finish: The finish is a gentle mix of citrus sweetness and a healthy kick of bitter, dank, memorable pine.
Bottom Line:
If you enjoy balanced West Coast IPAs, Alesmith is for you. Malts, citrus, and bitter pine, it has everything West Coast IPA drinkers love.
If you’re an IPA fan, you probably know all about the pine-fueled prowess of San Diego’s Green Flash. Brewed with British Crystal malt as well as Simcoe, Columbus, Centennial, Citra, and Cascade hops, it’s known for its mix of caramel malts, citrus, tropical fruits, and herbal, earthy pine.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Nosing this beer reveals aromas of tangerines, lemon peels fresh cut grass, sweet malts, grapefruit, pineapple, and pine needles.
Palate: The palate is a mix of toasted, caramel malts, grapefruit juice, lemon, candied orange peels, mango, pepper, and sticky pine.
Finish: The finish is a mix of citrus peels, tropical fruits, and herbal, earthy, bitter hops.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a West Coast IPA purist, you’ll love the balance and hop bitterness of this popular beer.
Russian River might be more famous for its “Pliny” beers, but if you want to true West Coast classic, you’ll get a bottle of Russian River Blind Pig. Known for its balanced, full-bodied flavor, it’s hopped with Willamette, Cascade, and Magnum hops.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is very citrus-forward with a ton of orange zest, lemon peels, and grapefruit as well as fresh, earthy pine.
Palate: Complex flavors of sweet malts, grapefruit, tangerine, lemon peels, candied orange peels, pepper, and dank pine make for a memorable palate.
Finish: There’s a ton of balance with this beer, with the finish being gently hoppy and pleasantly bitter.
Bottom Line:
This is one for the citrus fans. If you prefer your beer to have classic citrus and bitter pine-forward flavors, this is your jam.
If you’ve never tried a beer from San Diego’s Societe, we suggest starting with its award-winning Societe The Pupil. This highly-rated West Coast IPA is brewed with Nelson Sauvin, Citra, and Centennial hops. The result is a tropical, citrus, and pine-filled IPA you’ll go back to again and again.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a major tropical element to this beer’s nose. There’s mango, guava, caramelized pineapple, as well as bright citrus, and pine needles.
Palate: The palate continues this trend with gentle bready malts followed by guava, wheat, mango, pineapple, grapefruit, lemongrass, pepper, and dank pine.
Finish: It all ends with a mix of sweet malts, pineapple, citrus peels, and bitter, dank pine.
Bottom Line:
This is a beer for the tropical fruit fans. It ticks all the West Coast IPA boxes with the addition of tropical fruit flavors more often found in hazy IPAs.
Firestone Walker is a big name in the IPA game and its Union Jack IPA is one of the best. This popular 7% ABV beer is brewed with 2-row, Munich, and Crystal Light malts. It’s kettle hopped with CTZ, Cascade, and Centennial hops and dry-hopped with Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, Citra, Amarillo, and Chinook hops.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A lot is going on with this beer’s nose. It’s a mix of caramel, pineapple, mango, candied orange peels, grapefruit, and pine.
Palate: A balanced palate of sweet malts starts everything out right. This is followed by notes of pineapple, guava, grapefruit, wet grass, and resinous, earthy pine needles.
Finish: The finish is loaded with citrus. It’s bitter, dry, and leaves you craving more.
Bottom Line:
There’s a reason Firestone Walker Union Jack is so well regarded. It’s just an all-around exceptional take on the West Coast style.
There’s a chance that even if you’ve tried most of the other beers on this list, you haven’t tried Alpine Duet and that’s a shame. This 7% ABV West Coast IPA, featuring Amarillo and Simcoe hops is known for its balanced mix of malts, citrus, and pine.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, you’ll find aromas of biscuit malts, candied orange peels, ripe peach, caramelized pineapple, and dank pine.
Palate: Sipping it reveals a mixture of malt sweetness, grapefruit, tangerine, apricot, ripe pineapple, fresh cut grass, and earthy pine.
Finish: The finish is citrusy, piney, bitter, and dry. Just the way you want to finish a West Coast IPA.
Bottom Line:
If you only drink one beer on this list, make it this beer. This duet of Amarillo and Simcoe hops is as good as West Coast IPAs get.
In case you’re not up to date on trends that are specific to Charli XCX and Troye Sivan’s Sweat tour, one of the show’s popular elements is the “Apple” Dance Cam. It involves a specific audience member being featured on the in-arena Dance Cam as they perform the viral dance to Charli’sBrat song “Apple.” Well, one recent Dance Cam moment has generated some attention online.
It happened at one of Charli’s recently Los Angeles shows, and it involved Brittany Brokski (as Daily Dot notes). For the uninitiated, Broski is an influencer who came to viral fame in 2019, over her back-and-forth reaction to trying kombucha for the first time. Well, Broski and some friends were featured on the Dance Cam in San Francisco, but in a video that has now gone viral, a man pushes Broski out of the way in order to be featured on camera himself.
Word of the incident has clearly made its way back to Charli, who seemingly referenced it while performing in San Francisco on October 20, when she said, “You don’t wanna be like that guy in LA on the internet.”
Also unimpressed was Dionne Warwick: She reacted to the video of Broski getting shoved, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “Now this is just crazy. Security!”
(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent Love Is Blind episode will be found below.)
It all comes down to this! The remaining couples on Netflix’sLove Is Blind have reached their respective wedding days and have one question to answer before their time on the series is up (for the most part). It’s wedding day for the final episode of Love Is Blind season 7, and in just a couple of days, we’ll see who can prove that love is indeed blind. The remaining couples are Taylor & Garrett, Ashley & Tyler, and Marissa & Ramses with previous couples Hannah & Nick, Alexandra & Tim, Monica & Stephen, and Brittany & Leo failing to make it to the altar without their relationship falling apart.
Here’s when you can watch the final episode of this season’s Love Is Blind:
When Do Love Is Blind Season 7, Episode 12 Come Out?
The final episode in Love Is Blind season seven available to stream on Netflix on October 23 at 3am EST/12 am PST. This follows a weekly release schedule that began with episodes 1-6 premiering on Netflix back on October 2 as viewers watched this season’s couples fall in love in the pods, propose, and enjoy a honeymoon together. Next came episodes 6, 7, and 8 (released on October 9) which followed the couples back home to their regular lives where’d they go on to meet each others’ family and friends. Last week’s episode release, episodes 10 and 11, saw some relationships end while others prepared for wedding day. Now, for the season finale, we’ll see which couples will say “I do” to each other.
That won’t be all for Love Is Blind season 7 though, as next week Netflix will air a reunion episode with many of the cast members coming back together for the first time in a year.
‘Love Is Blind’ season 7 is now streaming on Netflix. Episodes 1-11 are out now.
Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.
Porridge Radio – Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me
A common fixture of Porridge Radio’s music is repetition. “Thank you for making me happy,” Dana Margolin sings over and over again at the end of 2020’s “Born Confused.” “Lock all the windows and shut all the doors / And get into the house, and lie down on the cold, hard floor,” go the recurring lyrics in 2022’s “Back To The Radio.” For the Brighton post-punk group’s fourth album, Margolin ends matters on an uncharacteristically hopeful note: “I’m sick of the blues / I’m in love with my life again.” Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me, through this lens, is a document of resilience, a real-time realization of the constants in your life that keep you afloat.
Kelly Lee Owens – Dreamstate
A Kelly Lee Owens track sounds like a dream. Enveloping synths stand in for the diaphanous imagery, and clubby house drums ground it in the reality your brain pulls those dreams from. Fittingly, the Welsh electronic producer’s fourth record, Dreamstate, is both her haziest and most tactile work to date. Many of its songs, such as “Time To” and “Love You Got,” prominently feature Owens’ vocals, usually a rarity in her catalog. Her featherlight voice augments the surreal qualities of her music. Unlike a dream, however, Owens’ latest record is something that won’t be forgotten.
Japandroids – Fate & Alcohol
The fourth and final Japandroids album has arrived. Fate & Alcohol is a bittersweet record that almost didn’t even exist, but it demarcates a closing chapter on a storied indie rock duo. Even though guitarist-vocalist Brian King and drummer David Prowse rarely talk these days, Japandroids captured male friendship in a way that felt corny, yes, but also touching. That spirit is here on their last outing. Anthemic choruses, soaring hooks, and cathartic singalongs are all here. To put it another way, the dudes rock.
Panda Bear – “Defense”
Animal Collective have been on a wild run recently. They’ve released Time Skiffs and Isn’t It Now? — two of the best records of their career — and celebrated their history with a reissue of their debut plus a live version of their seminal 2004 record Sung Tongs. On his own, however, Noah Lennox (AKA Panda Bear) has largely been content with one-off collaborations, including everyone from Sonic Boom to Braxe + Falcon. Now, he’s coming back with Sinister Grift, his first solo record since 2019, in February. “Defense,” its lead single, still finds Panda Bear in collaboration mode, though. Featuring Cindy Lee, who was just on a hot streak of their own with Diamond Jubilee, “Defense” brings Lennox to the foreground once again. “Here I come,” he sings in the song’s denouement, not a portentous warning so much as an assured promise.
Anxious – “Counting Sheep”
Contrary to Anxious’ statement, Anxious are not breaking up. After teasing a hiatus on the site formerly known as Twitter, the Connecticut emo outfit announced their second album, Bambi, a self-described “big swing” record in the vein of Blink-182’s self-titled (or untitled) album and Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity. If “Counting Sheep,” its lead single, is any indication, then they’re pretty much on the money. The five-piece retains the hardcore at their core while injecting it with an explosive poppiness. On their latest song, Anxious do indeed take a big swing. They don’t miss.
Dazy – “It’s Only A Secret”
James Goodson’s influences range far and wide. Taking equal cues from Britpop and Dookie, Goodson packs punk’s serrated edge into power-pop’s melodic mannerisms. As Dazy, the Richmond musician achieved that on his 2022 debut album, OUTOFBODY, and he has refined that recombinant approach for his new single, “It’s Only A Secret.” Featuring MSPAINT barker Deedee, Goodson condenses his entire ethos into a succinct two minutes and 45 seconds. Deedee’s pugnacious snarls accentuate the chorus’ earworm, the final result straddling the line perfectly between hardcore and jangle-pop. On his new tune, Dazy keeps their potent formula a secret.
Sorry – “Waxwing”
The last time we heard from London indie rockers Sorry, it was for their excellent 2022 album, Anywhere But Here. They’re now back with a one-off single, “Waxwing,” which interpolates Toni Basil’s ubiquitous “Mickey” for a brooding slow-burn that replaces that song’s carefree ebullience with harrowing synth stabs. Compared to Charli XCX’s shiny interpolation from last year’s Barbie, Sorry’s take on the song is its evil cousin, and I mean that as the highest form of praise.
Drop Nineteens – “Daymom”
Drop Nineteens are not dropping anything. As shoegaze looms ever larger in the cultural consciousness, the Boston shoegazers’ 2023 comeback album, Hard Light, marked an auspicious return. They weren’t done there, though. Earlier this year, they reissued their classic 1992 album Delaware, and now they’re on the cusp of sharing their never-before-released 1991 LP. Simply titled 1991, the album has been transformed from an open-secret bootleg, known among fans as Mayfield (1991), into an official chapter in Drop Nineteens’ discography. Lead single “Daymom” is a six-minute swirl of gauzy guitars, gossamer vocals, and blissful reverie. It begs the question: If the material is this good, why’d it have to live in the vault? It seems the group are finally asking themselves that question, too.
FKA Twigs – “Perfect Stranger”
Only someone like FKA Twigs could bring Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Yves Tumor together. In the music video for her new single, “Perfect Stranger,” the Fleabag star and experimental glam musician each take a turn playing Twigs’ paramour. Throughout the video, Twigs assumes different roles in various relationships. It’s a tidy metaphor for how Twigs approaches her music; “Perfect Stranger” is one of her poppiest tracks yet, one that sits comfortably alongside more outré fare like “Thousand Eyes” and “Water Me.” In both presentation and execution, “Perfect Stranger” showcases the plurality of its creator.
The Head And The Heart – “Arrow”
Pop-folk staples the Head And The Heart have returned with “Arrow,” their first release on new label home Verve Forecast and their first new material since 2022’s Every Shade Of Blue. After going to Richmond for a reset, they re-emerged with the self-produced one-off single “Arrow,” which vocalist-guitarist Jonathan Russell describes as a song about “providing yourself with confidence when you’re out there in the dark.”
Not all electronic producers are built the same. If there’s anyone who can attest to this statement, it’s award-winning artist and producer Ben Böhmer, and this includes how he approaches his global travels.
Fresh off several major performances, including festivals such as Sonar by Night and a closing set at Lollapalooza, and serving as direct support for ODESZA’s finale at The Gorge and Madison Square Garden, Böhmer isn’t slowing down. For the rest of the year, he’ll round out his airline miles with tour stops in Australia and Europe to perform his latest third studio album Bloom.
The 11-track LP is a confident reassertion of Böhmer’s improvisational origins as a songwriter, bringing his innate skill and passion for songwriting and composing to the foreground. Bloom is bursting with raw and emotive electronica melodies that explore new genres and tempos. From the very first piano notes of the introductory track “Martin,” Ben’s melodies are the stars of the show, whether in orbit with vocals by The Blaze’s Enfant Sauvage on “Evermore” or rooted by grounding dancefloor rhythms on “Rust.”
Meanwhile, “The Sun” perfectly encapsulates the feeling of rebirth throughout Bloom. Featuring alt/dance-pop duo Oh Wonder’s Josephine Vander West, Ben toes the line between his established sound and his sophisticated instincts as a composer.
As he sets off on the second leg of his tour, we sat down to chat with Böhmer on his travel essentials, how he beats jet lag no matter the circumstances, his favorite cities to run in, and more.
Let’s talk about your global travels. You’re coming off a huge summer season of festivals and are about to embark on sold-out shows in Australia and in Europe. I see you were also just in the Dolomites. What’s one thing you consider necessary to take on tour that a lot of people might find odd/not agree with?
There’s one thing that I rarely see—slippers on the plane. I like bringing my own shoes that I wear inside my house. It’s really just a comfort thing that might be very unusual, but I like to bring them on the plane.
NATHAN D
What are your travel essentials?
I always travel with a small keyboard, so whenever there’s an idea, I can still play around and compose. Headphones, of course, so I can work while on tour and listen to music in good quality. I always like using biodynamic headphones, those big ones that fit over your ears and they’re comfortable. They sound great. On the plane though I use Bluetooth headphones with a noise-cancelling function.
I also love to run in cities or areas which I’ve never seen before. Especially in America, I wake up often pretty early because of the jet lag and the time zone difference, so I always have running shoes with me everywhere I go. It’s always something magical having a run during sunrise when there are no humans or no big city life going on. It keeps the balance, staying active on tour. It took me years to figure out how to combat jet lag in a really good way. Exercising in the sunlight and in nature is the best thing that works for jet lag.
The best thing to do after a long flight or when you’re traveling for 20-plus hours is just take a shower and go in the woods or the park and just walk around until the sun goes down.
NATHAN D
What’s one city in the U.S. that you absolutely love to run in?
I recently played a show in Aspen, and that’s probably one of the most beautiful surroundings I’ve ever seen in years. I’m also completely in love with Central Park in New York. I like to stay close to Central Park when I play shows in NYC and go for runs there.
Are you sitting in the window or aisle on an airplane?
I love to sit at the window and look out.
What are some of your favorite foods or snacks that you have while traveling and on tour?
I always have a big pack of nuts. They really can be lifesavers. If you’re jet-lagged and you wake up too early before anything is serving breakfast, a bag of nuts is a very good thing to have.
When staying in a hotel, do you tend to order room service or go out to eat? What are you ordering?
I never eat after playing shows. There is always so much going on, and my body just kind of shuts off. I don’t need or push for food after a show.
Before shows, though, I do try to eat quite heavily. I love to go visit new restaurants. I make food a part of touring for me, trying different places and the food of the culture.
Not too long ago, I played in Lima, Peru, and I discovered the best food I’ve ever eaten in my entire life. I was there for five days, and around the show, I had many, many people telling me that Lima has great food. I can agree that ceviche is out of his world, and it’s now my favorite food.
What city are you always excited to return to?
New York City. I’m always excited to come back to that city. I spend a lot of time there because I met my wife there, so I connect lovely memories to that city. And food-wise, it’s also a fantastic place. The shows are nice and the city is just impressive. It doesn’t get boring.
50 Cent is getting ready for his first Las Vegas residency later this year. He’s also ready to add a reported $15 million to his bank account for the shows. Speaking of big paydays, 50 Cent recently told Billboard that Eminem turned down “ridiculous amounts of money” to go on tour back in the day.
“I texted him, ‘Happy birthday.’ Not about the baby. He’s gonna be a granddad,” 50 Cent said about the last time they got in touch. “It’s crazy because a lot of times when we were going on tours, they would offer Em ridiculous amounts of money for us to tour and him go out on a run. He would just be like, ‘Nah, I just don’t wanna go out and then come back and Hailie’s grown.’ I didn’t know what the f*ck he was saying.” He does now, though.
50 Cent continued, “I had a moment where I told him at the wedding — because I went to Hailie’s wedding — I told him I understand now. That sh*t happened really fast. The time went by really fast, and she’s grown. I’m like, ‘What the…?’ She was right there with us the whole time. It’s ill. The time goes by. He’ll be working on a project and be working on the next record. Simple but complex at the same time, because he’s putting intricate things inside the records. I had to listen to it for three or four days before I understood it.”
You can see the dates for 50 Cent’s Las Vegas residency here.
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