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Outside Lands Festival is returning to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on August 9-11 with a star-studded lineup headlined by Tyler The Creator, The Killers, and Sturgill Simpson. The lineup also includes a “special country set” from Post Malone along with performances from Chappell Roan, Grace Jones, Gryffin, Jungle, Kaytranada, The Last Dinner Party, The Postal Service, Reneé Rapp, ScHoolboy Q, Snoh Aalegra, Victoria Monét, and Young The Giant.

In addition, the SOMA dance tent experience of years past is returning — minus the tent — with a new, open-air format with DJ sets from Idris Elba, Uncle Waffles, and The Blessed Madonna, among others.

Tickets for the festival go on sale tomorrow, April 24 at 10 AM PT. 3-Day GA tickets are $465 plus fees, 3-Day GA+ tickets are $715 plus fees and 3-Day VIP tickets are $1,075 plus fees. Payment Plans are available for 3-Day GA, GA+ and VIP tickets. Put $99 down for GA, $159 down for GA+ or $199 down for VIP.

You can buy tickets at sfoutsidelands.com and see the full lineup below.

Outside Lands 2024 Lineup

*artists subject to change*

Tyler, The Creator
The Killers
Sturgill Simpson
Post Malone (Performing a Special Country Set)
The Postal Service
Grace Jones
Kaytranada
Jungle
Chris Lake
Gryffin
Snoh Aalegra
Young The Giant
ScHoolboy Q
Teddy Swims
Reneé Rapp
Victoria Monét
Knock2
Slowdive
Killer Mike
FLETCHER
TV Girl
Tyla
Chappell Roan
Channel Tres
Charley Crockett
Men I Trust
Ben Howard
Amyl and The Sniffers
Kevin Abstract
Paul Cauthen
The Japanese House
Romy
The Last Dinner Party
BADBADNOTGOOD
STRFKR
Real Estate
K.Flay
Corinne Bailey Rae
Snakehips
Amen Dunes
Roosevelt
Allen Stone
Mindchatter
Daði Freyr
Ryan Beatty
Leisure
Elyanna
Confidence Man
Kasablanca
Vandelux
Wisp
Medium Build
Rocco
underscores
Devault
Chance Peña
Mimi Webb
Daily Bread
BALTHVS
Shaboozey
billy woods
The Lemon Twigs
Trueno
Sons Of The East
CMAT
Cimafunk
Katie Pruitt
AG Club
Lady Wray
Odie Leigh
French Cassettes
Ogi
MiLES.
Valencia Grace
Dan Spencer
Lael Neale

SOMA

Angrybaby
Anish Kumar
AYYBO
The Blessed Madonna
BUNS
Chuck Gunn
DARIUS
Dusky
Honeyluv b2b Jaden Thompson
Idris Elba
Jackie Hollander
Joe Kay b2b Jared Jackson
Kaleena Zanders
Marsh
Seth Troxler
Shiba San b2b CID
SIDEPIECE
Sofia Kourtesis
TSHA
Uncle Waffles
Yulia Niko

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

Lucky Daye took one step closer to what we hope is his upcoming third album with his new single “HERicane” while Chlöe used the Coachella 2024 stage to announce her sophomore album Trouble In Paradise. Raye and Janelle Monaé were announced as headliners for the Montreux Jazz Festival for 2024 and Ashanti announced that she and Nelly are expecting their first child. Elsewhere, SZA is a headliner for the new Sudden Little Thrills Festival

Here is what else the music world had to offer in the past week:

Jorja Smith — “Greatest Gift (Reimagined)”

“Greatest Gift,” one of the standout records from Jorja Smith’s standout sophomore album Falling Or Flying gets reimagined in a new release from the British singer. The update strips down the song a bit and emphasizes the presence of piano chords in amounts to a jazzy flip that quite sweet on the ears.

Vedo — “Your Love Is All I Need”

Next month, Vedo will release his third project in a little over 16 months with Next Chapter. Ahead of its arrival, Vedo dropped off the project’s third single with “Your Love Is All I Need.” Here, Vedo lays his cards for love on the table in hopes that his soon-to-be partner will reciprocate the feelings he just shared.

Jaz Karis & Mahalia — “Nice Girls”

For her second single of the year, Jaz Karis offloads another collaboration, this time with fellow Brit Mahalia for “Nice Girls.” The tender and vulnerable single captures both singers in the aftermath of a breakup as they face the music and dust themselves off to move on. “This song is about karma,” Karis said about the record. “This song is about how it feels now being on the other side of the story & why good girls never win.”

Genia — 4 AM In The Ville

Last year, 22-year-old singer-songwriter Genia delivered her third EP 4 PM In The Ville. Now, months before that project’s first anniversary the Victorville, California native returns with 4 AM In The Ville. Through six songs, listeners will be drawn into the singer’s enchanting aura as she balances making “bad b*tch music” and making “vulnerable music.”

Shanae — Reset

Australian born, South-African R&B singer Shanae steps into the spotlight with her debut EP Reset. Through seven songs, the rising street shows off the vibrant colors of her artistry through records like the amapiano “Essence Of Us,” the thumping “Leave It,” and the dance-friendly “Cloud 9.” Overall, Reset is a euphoric and gripping experience for the rising singer who has plenty of promise

Amirah — Wish It Wasn’t You

Fresh off a deal with Mustard’s 10 Summers Records imprint, 18-year-old Virginia-born singer Amirah shares her debut EP Wish It Wasn’t You. Through six songs, Amirah uses alternative R&B sounds and a bit of West Coast flavor, thanks to executive production from Mustard, as the soundtrack to tales of love and self-discovery.

Juls & Odeal — “Hold You Down”

After kicking off the year with Emé on “Calma & Quejío,” Juls calls on Odeal for his first lad single of the year. The two artist connect on “Hold You Down,” an intimate and sultry number crafted by Juls that Odeal uses to serenade a woman who’s captured his heart and eyes.

RealestK — “Let Me Go”

For his first single of the year, Toronto singer RealestK returns with “Let Me Go.” The follow-up to his Real World EP portrays him as the villain in a now-concluded love story. Still, despite his wrongs, RealestK pleads for another chance with the woman in question.

Kallitechnis — “Nights Without You”

With her Mood Ring project right around the corner, Montreal singer Kallitechnis delivers another single with “Nights Without You.” The tropical record works through the frustrations of an unrequited love while leaning into the practice of protecting your heart and staying disciplined to one’s boundaries.

Kaash Paige — “Superstar”

Dallas singer Kaash Paige is set on living her best life as a “Superstar.” That’s the message viewers should receive after watching the video for her latest single. The visual shows what it’s like to party with the Paige, which guarantees a night of infectious energy and more fun than you could imagine.

Inayah — Wait, There’s More

A year and a half removed from Insecure, singer Inayah returns with her latest body of work Wait, There’s More. The 10-track effort is a well-crafted continuation of her artistry as she combines seduction, sassiness, and spirituality for a project that makes use of the various corners of R&B. “I am so sure about this body of work,” Inayah said about the project. It’s about reclaiming my time. It’s confident, fearless, in your face, undeniable and disruptive. There is a song on the album for everyone.”

The New York Knicks entered the final 30 seconds of Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers trailing by five and with little in the way of positive momentum on offense. However, as has happened in Madison Square Garden before, lightning struck in the form of a chaotic, controversial sequence that saw the Knicks hit two threes in succession to take a 1-point lead.

We’ve seen a big three followed by a shaky inbounds play (involving some controversial contact) swing a game in that building before, but arguably the most famous time it happened came when the Knicks were on the losing end of Reggie Miller’s legendary 8 points in 9 seconds. This time around, it was New York scoring 8 points in 27 seconds, which isn’t quite as catchy, but was just as gut-wrenching for the other team.

Miller was watching the finish in New York at the broadcast table in Denver with Kevin Harlan and Jamal Crawford, getting ready to call the second game of TNT’s double-header between the Lakers and Nuggets (that saw a wild finish of its own). When I asked him about it, Miller roared with laughter and admitted that he found himself having a flashback while watching it all unfold.

“I will say this, my palms were a little sweaty,” Miller told DIME Tuesday morning over the phone. “Because we had the game on at our broadcast table, because we were obviously getting ready to come on the air in a matter of seconds. So we had the game on to see what was going to happen. And I’ve got to admit, my palms were sweaty. Yes, I did have a flashback.”

Very few people have firsthand experience in a moment like that, and as such, there was no one better to walk me through what he saw and how the Sixers could have and should have avoided it all after Brunson’s three.

“It is why I always tell people, and it’s a cautionary tale, this is why you play 48 minutes. Not 47:00, not 46:50, not 47:30. It’s why you play 48 full minutes, because anything is possible,” Miller said. “And I knew once Brunson hit the three to cut it to two. There were so many mistakes that Philadelphia made down the stretch. Number one, and I’m surprised, too, with Nick Nurse, a championship coach, and Kyle Lowry, a championship type player. Immediately it should have been a timeout. Number one, timeout, advance the ball, then you’re never in that situation. You have Kyle Lowry, one of the most sure-handed players in our game should have known that, but Nick Nurse should have really called it from the sideline. [Ed. Note: Nurse insists he tried, but video showed he pumpfaked a timeout before the inbound, then tried calling it after when Maxey was in trouble.]

“And then, once the ball is in, right? [The Knicks] don’t need a three, but you still gotta guard the three-point line. And, on top of that, offensive rebound. You know what it kind of reminded me of? The San Antonio-Miami game in the Finals where Ray [Allen] hit the three off the offensive rebound. That’s what it kind of reminded me of as well. Again, why you play 48 full minutes. And it’s thrilling to be in that situation.”

Miller’s even been on the other end of it as a visitor to MSG, with Larry Johnson’s 4-point play in Game 3 of the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals. As he notes, he loved how Joel Embiid was talking after the game, because while it’s going to hurt and it’s frustrating, the Sixers have to keep that belief up that they can win the series.

“And the guys talked about it, because Ernie asked the guys ‘How do you come back when you’re on the other side of that?’ Because I’ve been on the other side of that. Larry Johnson’s four-point play in that building,” Miller said. “So I’ve been on the other side of that, and it is a gut punch. It was Game 3 in that building when LJ hit the four-point play. We had to come back and we won that next game to tie the series up.

“So, if you’re Philly, yes, it hurts. Yes, that was a long plane ride back home. Yes, it will sting. But I love the comments by Joel [Embiid] last night, and that I’m seeing all on social. ‘We’re the better team. We’re gonna win this series.’ Because if it doesn’t come from him, if there’s any crack, if there’s any chink in the armor, New York is gonna run with it. So I love the vote of confidence coming from my best players. ‘Yes, we’re the best team. And yes, we’re gonna win the series. Yes, we made mistakes down the stretch. We’ve had leads in both games, double digit leads in both games. And we’ve blown it. … Alright, let’s pick ourselves off the deck. That was a standing eight count if this is boxing. The fight still goes on.’”

We’ll find out if the Sixers can indeed pick themselves up and get back into the series in Game 3, which TNT will broadcast on Thursday night.

Brooklyn rapper Sheff G is a free man after paying a massive amount of bail and completing his two-year sentence for criminal weapon possession. He celebrated his release from Riker’s Island on April 19 with an all-caps post on Instagram showing off not only his release date from the New York City Department of Corrections website but also the fact that he posted $1.5 million bail.

Sheff, who is best known for his collaborations with fellow New York drill rapper Sleepy Hallow and his RCA-backed debut project From The Can, was arrested and charged with second-degree gun possession in April 2021. With his bail remanded, he was incacerated until his August trial and pled guilty in October, receiving a two-year sentence. However, while he was still behind bars awaiting his June 2023 release date, he became one of 32 people indicted in May on a multitude of gang conspiracy charges including frequent collaborator Sleepy Hallow.

Sheff was held without bond until a new arraignment could be held this past weekend, when a judge set his bond at $10 million — hence the $1.5 million cash bail. The list of charges against him and his alleged criminal associates includes second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, second-degree conspiracy, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, first-degree assault, first-degree attempted assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree gang assault, first-degree attempted gang assault, second-degree assault, and first-degree reckless endangerment.

They are alleged to be members of the 8 Trey Crips and the affiliated 9 Ways gang operating in and around Brooklyn’s Canarsie and Flatbush neighborhoods. Evidence includes taped phones — on which the alleged gang members reportedly tried to disguise references to their crimes with pig Latin — text messages, and social media posts, but not lyrics.

Taylor Swift‘s 11th studio album The Tortured Poets Department not only has a lot of songs, especially on the Anthology edition, there’s also a lot of references to other artists, bands, and poets. Below, you’ll find an explanation for all the name drops, and if the person / group mentioned has said anything about the album. The list does not include the names of characters, like Chloe, Sam, Sophia, Marcus, Peter (it has to be a specific person), or “aIMee.”

Patti Smith (and Dylan Thomas) in “The Tortured Poets Department”

“And who’s gonna hold you like me?
And who’s gonna know you, if not me?
I laughed in your face and said
‘You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith
This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’rе modern idiots’
And who’s gonna hold you like me?”

On Instagram, Patti Smith shared a photo of herself reading Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who was also name-checked in the title track. “This is / saying I was / moved to be / mentioned in / the company / of the great / Welsh poet / Dylan Thomas. / Thank you, Taylor,” she wrote as the caption. (It should be a requirement for all Swifties streaming The Tortured Poets Department to also listen to Smith’s Horses. You’ll love it.)

Charlie Puth in “The Tortured Poets Department”

“You smokеd, then ate seven bars of chocolate
We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist”

Swift and Charlie Puth have been open about their admiration for each other, and now he’s been immortalized in one of her songs. Curiously, the “Attention” singer hasn’t commented on the most-discussed lyric on The Tortured Poets Department. He’s probably upset that she didn’t rhyme “Puth” with “truth.”

Lucy Dacus and Jack Antonoff in “The Tortured Poets Department”

“Sometimes, I wonder if you’re gonna screw this up with me
But you told Lucy you’d kill yourself if I ever leave
And I had said that to Jack about you, so I felt seen”

It’s suspected, although not confirmed, that the “Lucy” and “Jack” in “The Tortured Poets Department” are Lucy Dacus and Jack Antonoff. The Boygenius bandmate is ostensibly off social media, so she hasn’t said anything, but Antonoff, who co-wrote and co-produced much of the album, called it “my favorite work we have made together / made in the most wild unhinged moment. all the pain distilled in this album and all the laughter that came out of it. will hold those days in the studio forever as the most inspiring of my life. i adore this album and the way it came together. ttpd FOREVER.”

The Blue Nile in “Guilty As Sin?”

“Drownin’ in the Blue Nile
He sent me ‘Downtown Lights’
I hadn’t heard it in a while”

Swift’s former fling Matty Healy, who much of The Tortured Poets Department seems to be about, once said that The 1975 were inspired by The Blue Nile when writing the anthemic “Love It If We Made It.” The Scottish synth-pop group has yet to comment on “Downtown Lights” (a great song that came out in… 1989) popping up in album highlight “Guilty As Sin?”

Clara Bow in “Clara Bow”

“You look like Clara Bow
In this light, remarkable
All your life, did you know
You’d be picked like a rose?”

Clara Bow, the original “It girl” who successfully made the crossover from silent films to “talkies,” died in 1965, so it would be a little difficult for her to personally comment on The Tortured Poets Department. But her family did. “Both raw and amazingly talented artists,” her great-granddaughter Nicole Sisneros told People. “My family and I love the song and are thankful for Taylor connecting with Clara’s legacy through her songwriting.”

Stevie Nicks in “Clara Bow”

“You look like Stevie Nicks
In ’75, the hair and lips
Crowd goes wild at her fingertips
Half moonshine, a full eclipse”

Nicks once thanked Swift for writing “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” which helped her grieve the death of long-time Fleetwood Mac bandmate Christine McVie. She hasn’t directly commented on The Tortured Poets Department, but she did write an introductory poem that was included with the album. “He was in love with her/ Or at least she thought so,” it reads. “She was broken hearted/ Maybe he was too/ Neither of them knew.” You can read the full thing here.

The Starting Line in “The Black Dog”

“I just don’t understand
How you don’t miss me in The Black Dog
When someone plays The Starting Line
And you jump up, but she’s too young to know this song
That was intertwined in the magic fabric of our dreaming
Old habits die screaming”

Fans of early-2000s pop-punk rejoice. The Starting Line were as surprised as anyone that Swift mentioned them on the best song on The Tortured Poets Department. “I’m so glad that it seems to be used in a relatively positive light,” singer Kenny Vasoli told Variety. “It’s really been quite an unexpected showering of love, and a very grateful moment for the band, because it’s not something that we ever could have saw coming, especially not from someone of her magnitude. It’s a very sweet name-drop.” The Pennsylvania-based band also thanked Swift (who turned 13 (!) the year their best-known song, “Best Of Me,” came out) on social media.

Aristotle in “So High School”

“Truth, dare, spin bottles
You know how to ball, I know Aristotle
Brand-new, full throttle
Touch me while your bros play Grand Theft Auto“

Aristotle’s silence is deafening.

The Tortured Poets Department is out now via Republic. Find more information here.

Three years ago when Hacks premiered, my colleague Jason Tabrys observed how the Max series proved that the comedy generation gap is certainly not insurmountable. That central truth of the series still rings true, and I believe that Hacks remains tied for best-status at closing that gap (along with Netflix’s sensually domineering character who kicks that door open.

With that sentence out there in the wind, let’s get one thing straight: third seasons are hard. They are a proving ground. And they hold a mirror up to the show’s central gimmick or conceit.

In this case, Hacks has — until this moment — mostly been about the push-pull dynamic of two fiery women who respect the hell out of each other but are not keen to admit as much. The first season set up the mentor-student relationship between Jean Smart‘s legendary comedy queen, Deborah Vance, and Hannah Einbinder’s 20-something protégée, who was actually making Deborah’s content much better. Ava tweaked Deborah’s old-school jokes while benefiting from her employer’s clout, and Deborah could not have continued her reign without Ava’s help. As I wrote in our second-season review, the show then hit the road while testing the duo’s boundaries on a comedy tour. This also put the pair at legal odds against each other and posed the question of whether they had outgrown each other.

Here we are at the third season, which is where everything could fall apart with this dynamic. The push-pull tendencies could grow repetitive if continued, but the risk of softening a central relationship can change everything to a show’s detriment (see Netflix’s take on The Punisher). Through a skillful turn from the Hacks writers, however, the third season does something different than its two predecessors and succeeds mightily. Is the power struggle completely over? No way, but there is no question that these two women are meant to be together, and that they enhance each other professionally. As well, they somehow begin to really connect on a personal level and — wait for it — make each other better humans.

It sounds sappy, but it rolls well.

The show has moved back to the Vegas setting while finally filming in Sin City, and now, it’s time to dive into the inner belly of that species called The Comedian.

Though there’s no shortage of books, podcasts, and comments on the subject, stand-up comedy is tougher than many people realize, requiring performers to mine their own personal lives for content. It’s raw and almost self-torturous, and then, there’s the tendency for that mask, if you will, to take over the celebrity’s entire public persona. They have to be “on” when the paparazzi approach. They must be engaging in interviews. This is probably exhausting for them, and I find myself thinking of Craig Ferguson telling UPROXX about how “turning it off” is vital to a comedian’s well being. What is that struggle like, however, when we’re talking about a comedienne with a tough-as-nails reputation? That’s where a lot of the beauty and ugliness of this season resides. Both for Deborah and Ava — who is doing quite well when the season begins after having earned her own professional clout.

Is greater success worth losing everything else that is dear to life? And what happens when the personal and the professional realms of life become impossible to untangle? These are fundamental dilemmas that both characters wrestle with as professional lives threaten to take over their self-identities. Especially Deborah, who has always dealt with that stress by pelting it with humor. This year, she must reckon with that coping mechanism. It gets heavy at times!

Fortunately, those slightly moody moments are handled breezily with the writers always ready to take a detour into other environments, including an episode where Deborah and Ava go on a hike and get lost. You can imagine how much hell breaks loose as a result. The writers also lean on the strong ensemble cast as a source of levity. Newly crowned series regulars (and audience favorites) Paul W. Downs and Megan Stalter do their best to mop up Ava’s mistakes as her manager and his assistant. Further, Emmy nominee Carl Clemons-Hopkins (as Marcus) quietly steals every scene he’s in. While the show’s runtime is just right, seeing more Marcus is the only reason I’d ever ask for longer episodes.

Ultimately, however, this season is all about Deborah and Ava settling into a groove, and of course things happen to threaten that newfound vibe. You gotta keep it interesting, after all. There are moments when both will wonder if their teammate status is worth the trouble, and whether their way with words will eventually turn their souls inside out, crapping them out in classic Vegas mode. That risk grows scary in particular moments, but this show pulls off every roller coaster turn before veering into a full-on joyride. And my goodness, there are plenty of steamy scenes, not only for Ava but Deborah, too, as they both let loose, and the show explores more “recreational” time for their characters.

Hang on tight because Hacks is ready to have its way with you.

HBO Max’s ‘Hacks’ returns on May 12.

Game 2 between the Nuggets and Lakers in Denver was one of the wildest finishes of the year (but arguably not the wildest finish of the night in the NBA). The Nuggets erased a 20-point deficit to earn a 101-99 win, hitting all seven of their shots in the final four-plus minutes to walk down the Lakers before Jamal Murray could hit the game-winner at the buzzer over Anthony Davis.

It was an incredible scene at Ball Arena, as the place erupted after Murray’s shot and the celebration was on in Denver. However, not everything was jubilant, as there was apparently an altercation near the family section. Nikola Jokic’s brothers got into it with a fan, with one of the brothers punching the fan in the face. Naturally, because it’s 2024, someone had a phone out as things escalated and captured the punch on video.

There is clearly something more that went on here as far as that fan saying something that crossed the line at the Jokic family, as the video starts with the brothers go climbing down to confront him and, eventually, a right hand landed across his chin. The fact that it didn’t escalate any more from there was a good thing, as the last thing anyone wanted after that game was a brawl in the stands. I’m sure the team and league will look into whatever happened, but it’s not the first time the Jokic brothers have been ready to rumble in the playoffs.

TNT and NBA TV were the national broadcasters for the three playoff games that took place on Monday night — TNT got instant classics in Sixers-Knicks and Lakers-Nuggets, while NBA TV had the game between the Magic and the Cavs. Because of this, Mike Breen didn’t have anything to do for ESPN, which meant that he got to do the Knicks game for MSG alongside Clyde Frazier.

By know, you probably know how that game ended: The Knicks scored eight points in the final 27 seconds in somewhat controversial fashion to steal Game 2 from the Sixers, with a three by Donte DiVincenzo giving them the lead down the stretch. It was such a big moment that Breen blessed it with a double bang, which is basketball’s version of being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Breen has long exclaimed “BANG!” when someone hits a big shot, but the double bang is a rarity — DiVincenzo’s triple is only the sixth time he’s ever used it, and the second time he’s done it on an MSG broadcast. Fortunately, someone at the NBA had a very good idea and decided to put all of them together in a video that his socials on Tuesday morning.

I would like to thank whomever let me take 3:19 this morning to watch this, and I recommend you, dear reader, do the same.

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.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week, we got new music from Pearl Jam, Cassandra Jenkins, Cloud Nothings, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Pearl Jam – Dark Matter

It’s not really a late-career Pearl Jam album cycle unless one of the band members comments on said album’s unexpected heaviness. In most instances, the statement is misleading. With Dark Matter, though, it’s at least (partly) true. Eddie Vedder and co. indulge their quieter tendencies, as on “Wreckage,” but they also cater to the fans who just want some good ‘ol rowdy rock songs, like “Running.” Dark Matter is the product of a legacy band not overthinking it, just plugging in and playing. It’s the most relaxed they’ve sounded in a while.

Ekko Astral – Pink Balloons

D.C. punks Ekko Astral want you to don some mascara in the mosh pit, as you should. Their debut album, Pink Balloons, creates the ideal setting to do so. Songs like the winking, thrashing “On Brand” and the drone-turned-fiery punk anthem “Devorah” showcase why this band is among the best doing it right now in indie music. Who else could resuscitate a decade-plus-old joke about the proper pronunciation of Bon Iver and pull it off? Pink Balloons is meant to be as fun as it is furious; as Ekko Astral demonstrates, the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Cloud Nothings – Final Summer

There is no such thing as a bad Cloud Nothings record. With Final Summer, the trio comprising vocalist-guitarist Dylan Baldi, drummer Jason Gerycz, and bassist Chris Brown successfully defend their title as one of indie’s most consistently excellent bands. From the punchy, rousing “I’d Get Along” to the explosive, immediate “The Golden Halo,” the Cleveland band deliver another batch of incredible rock songs.

Debby Friday – “To The Dancefloor”

Good Luck was a watershed moment for the Toronto electronic pop artist Debby Friday. For her 2023 record of clattering beats, sticky hooks, and industrial sonics, she won the coveted Polaris Music Prize. “To The Dancefloor,” her first single of the year, follows in the footsteps of Good Luck but with an even more pointed homage to nightclubs. “I need all the girls on to the dancefloor,” Debby commands throughout the track. You’d be remiss not to comply.

Menomena – The Insulation EP

Portland, Oregon, art-rock trio Menomena are back with their first batch of new music in over 10 years. As a surprise release, The Insulation EP is a welcome return. Composed of three songs with each member taking over lead vocal duties per track, Menomena’s new EP is a reminder of what we’ve been missing in their time away. Even if the title track and “Copious” are technically old B-sides for 2010’s Mines, Menomena sound renewed with an undeniable vigor.

Alice Glass – “Drown”

From 1991’s Gish through 1995’s Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, Smashing Pumpkins were pretty untouchable. That extends to their non-album cuts, too, including 1992’s “Drown,” which was featured in Cameron Crowe’s rom-com film, Singles. Alice Glass, who originally covered “Drown” for an unspecified compilation that never came to exist, has decided to share her rendition anyway. Thankfully, it won’t succumb to an eternal life on a hard drive. Glass’ cover, alongside her regular collaborator and producer Jupiter Keyes, infuses the Pumpkins’ track with a frostbitten edge, trading in the original’s guitar-bass-drums configuration for dark, echoey synthesizers. The end result is altogether different from its source material; it’s an exciting take on an already great song.

Cassandra Jenkins – “Only One”

My Light, My Destroyer wasn’t originally what Cassandra Jenkins had written for her next album. Following the widespread critical acclaim of her 2021 masterpiece, An Overview On Phenomenal Nature, Jenkins toured relentlessly to the point of exhaustion, physically and artistically. She had a new album ready to go, but her fatigue had affected the new music, so she completely restarted the songwriting process. This is the album that emerged from that new beginning. “You’re the only one I ever loved,” she sings in the chorus of the lead single, “Only One,” her delivery quietly radiant. Awash in synth pads, distant horns, and Jenkins’ gossamer vocals, it sounds like a rebirth.

One Step Closer – “Orange Leaf”

The Wilkes-Barre hardcore group One Step Closer are officially less than a month away from sharing their sophomore album, All You Embrace. They’ve put out another single from it, the heart-on-your-sleeve emo-meets-hardcore ripper “Orange Leaf.” With every new teaser the straight-edge crew supplies us with, it seems like a more certain prediction that All You Embrace will be one of the best heavy albums of 2024.

King Hannah – “Davey Says”

The Liverpool indie-rock duo King Hannah, made up of songwriters Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle, are slated to release Big Swimmer, their second album, at the end of next month. Its title track, which came with the announcement, is a stunner, and King Hannah’s latest preview of it, “Davey Says,” takes things in a slightly louder direction. For a band predicated on moody, blues-inflected minimalism, “Davey Says” draws from the fuzzy, distorted stylings that dominate the zeitgeist. In another band’s hands, it may sound like pastiche. In King Hannah’s hands, though, it sounds triumphant.

Jamie xx – “Baddy On The Floor”

While we keep waiting for that second Jamie xx album (he promises it’ll be here this year), the London producer has been drip-feeding us with occasional singles since 2020’s “Idontknow.” His latest, “Baddy On The Floor,” which he premiered at Coachella, is one of the best singles he has shared since his as-of-now sole record, 2015’s In Colour. Alongside fellow DJ and producer Honey Dijon, Jamie stitches together vocal samples and deep-bass house beats like an adroit quilt-maker.

Throughout this month, it seems like the theme in the Black music scene is “everybody fighting.” “Everybody” in this case has begun to take on its literal definition, as even disgraced but somehow still insanely popular R&B star Chris Brown has joined the Black music Royal Rumble currently taking place on social media platforms and DSPs across the world wide web. His beef appears to be with Quavo, and the two have traded diss tracks and Twitter barbs for the better part of the last three days.

Read on for a timeline of Quavo and Chris Brown’s “beef.”

April 2017 – Quavo Seemingly Begins Dating Chris Brown’s Ex

Prior to the rumor surfacing that Quavo had begun dating Karrueche Tran, he and Brown had apparently been on friendly terms. Brown appeared on Migos’ 2015 track “Just For Tonight” and a year later, Quavo returned the favor on Chris’ mixtape track “Whippin’.” However, in April of 2017, TMZ reported Quavo and Tran were seen spending time together, which apparently incensed Brown, who couldn’t let go of his prior relationship with the model/influencer, despite her dumping him in 2015. She later filed a restraining order against him, alleging harassment and abusive behavior.

June 2017 – The Two Stars Confront Each Other

In June that year, Brown and his entourage confronted Quavo and his at the BET Awards, but for the past few years, the two have appeared to be on good enough terms… until now.

April 2024 – Brown Calls Out Quavo, Quavo Responds, And A Beef Is Born

On April 11, Brown released the deluxe edition of his 2023 album 11:11 with a new song, “Freak,” in which he referenced the 2017 fling, seemingly revealing he still harbors a grudge about it after all this time (of course he does). “OK, now f*ckin’ my old b*tches ain’t gone make us equal / Sippin’ that 1942 ’cause I don’t do no Quavo,” he sings — a reference to the resemblance between Quavo and “Jose Cuervo,” the popular brand of tequila.

A day later, Quavo dropped “Tender,” a song responding to Brown’s call-out, in which he raps, “You did the b*tch wrong and now the b*tch gone, she posted with a thug / Call the b*tch phone, she won’t come home, don’t beat her up,” — a pretty obvious reference to Brown’s history of abusive relationships, including the infamous 2009 incident in which he battered Rihanna so badly, she was hospitalized.

April 2024 – Chris Brown Drops “Weakest Link”

Chris came back with “Weakest Link” a week later, on April 20. In it, he not only addresses Quavo’s “Tender” taunts about Karrueche, but also suggests that turnabout is fair play and that he slept with Quavo’s ex Saweetie. “They say revenge is sweet, now think about that sh*t,” he raps. “Don’t let that line go over your head, I might just sing about that sh*t / I had her fiending ’bout that d*ck, there’s something sweet about that sh*t / I got some tea up out that b*tch, but I ain’t go speak about that sh*t.”

Quavo’s response, “Over Hoes & B*tches,” dropped last night (April 22) and continues to drag out Brown’s abusive past. We’ll see if if these two continue to taunt each other, but let’s all just hope it blows over because at this point, the returns are diminishing rapidly. I never thought I’d say this, but Kendrick really needs to respond to Drake; the quality of these rap beefs is about as good as month-old milk.