Watch Corinne Bailey Rae lead a thrashing crowd in her video for the riot grrl-inspired “New York Transit Queen.” The video’s heroine has a night at The Bowery Electric that she reaches with her skateboard. The single will be on Bailey Rae’s Black Rainbows album which has multiple influences including the objects from Theaster Gates’s Black archives in Chicago’s Arts Bank.  Miss New York City Transit pageant winner Audrey Smaltz is who inspired the single Bailey Rae explains, “Audrey Smaltz’s song became a riot grrrl punk song because she has this playful, hellraiser look in her eye.”  Black Rainbows drops on September 15th and Bailey Rae also kicks off her tour earlier in the month. 

Big Joanie connects with Breeders frontwoman and former Pixies member Kim Deal on the deluxe version of “Today.” Stephanie Phillips pleads for clarity from a lover who leaves her uncertain in the midst of warm droning guitars. The trio plus Deal sets a mood of impending heartbreak that sounds like a ’90s raw alternative rock demo. Phillips explains, 

“We are immensely proud to announce our new version of ‘Today’ featuring Kim Deal. Whether through Pixies, Breeders, or her solo work, Kim has been a vital influence on us as a band and we’re so happy that she’s become part of the Big Joanie world. Originally this was a song we were working on years ago that Chardine was going to sing on. I found the old demo while we were on tour and started writing new lyrics to the music with my laptop balanced on my lap in the tour van. I really love that it sounds like a classic C86 type lo-fi indie song.”

Big Joanie’s Back Home came out last year on the Kill Rock Stars imprint. They will be on stage in Brooklyn and Chicago this week before heading to Europe and then coming back to the US for the Ohana Festival. The collaboration with Kim Deal on “Today” represents the past, present and future of women in rock. The only thing missing is a video with the four of them which will hopefully be their next move. 

Watch 2 Chainz and Hit-Boy talk to Angelo Moore aka Dr. Madd Vibe about his theremin and collection of saxophones. Their trip was the latest excursion for 2 Chainz’s Most Expensivest show. They found out that Moore’s musical tools are worth almost $1 million dollars. 

Punk band Big Joanie drop the video for “Your Words” on the same day as the first show of their inaugural North American tour. The trio has gone on tour in support of their Back Home album. They are touring more than 10 cities with their last date in June at Chicago’s Empty Bottle. The new video is taken from a live performance on the 2023 UK Tour. Their critically acclaimed Back Home sophomore album has brought punk to a new generation two years after their brooding cover of Solange’s “Cranes In The Sky.” Tickets are still available for some of the dates. 

                                                                                  Tour Dates

3/25: Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern

3/26: Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall

3/28: San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop

3/30: Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo

3/31: Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room

5/19: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade – Purgatory

5/20: Nashville, TN @ Third Man Records

5/22: Washington, DC @ Songbyrd Music House

5/23: Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s

5/25: Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool – SOLD OUT

5/26: Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right

5/29: Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz

5/30: Toronto, ON @ The Garrison

6/1: Columbus, OH @ Natalie’s Grandview

6/2: Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle