Welcome to the BroBible New Music Round-Up, where we see what new music has been released this week and going to go out on a limb and say that Drake is a Raptors’ fan. For more follow me on Twitter:  @ryanoconnell79

This Week’s Playlist

Last Saturday marked the two year anniversary of Chris Cornell’s death. Here is a playlist of some of his best tunes.

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Lettuce “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”

Lettuce, the dynamic funk band from New York City, have been around for over two decades, but it seems like they’ve really hit their stride in these last few years. When they first broke out, having emerged from hallowed halls of Berklee School of Music in Boston, their sound was more of a straight version take at funk.

It was fun and a delight to listen to, but it didn’t necessarily sound like anything you hadn’t heard before.

Yet starting with 2015’s Crush, the band began exploring more and incorporating more sounds and textures to their own sound. The result was a more spaced out, futuristic version of funk. Now, Lettuce wasn’t starting to like anything you had heard before.

The group’s latest album, Elevate, is set to be released next month and today they dropped their second single from the project, a cover of the Tears for Fears’ classic “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” The six members of Lettuce take the 80’s jam and run it through their grinder, with a smoothed out and sassy version of the original coming out.

Nigel Hall croons his way through the track, while the band’s horn players, Ryan Zoidis and Eric Bloom, add flavor and spice throughout.

According to Bloom, the band didn’t pick the track to cover just for the hell of it, saying that “‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ represents a state of mind that some of us can find ourselves in at any point in our lives. If we can identify when we are headed in that direction, rising above that one-sided thought process is what our purpose in life should be.”

Leading up the release of the new album, the band put together a documentary series, The Krewe: A Lettuce Documentary Series, with each episode highlighting a different band member.

Krewe is set to be released on June 14th.

Flying Lotus Flamagra

27 tracks.

No, I’m not talking about the new Drake album. That dude seems pretty busy right now.

I’m talking about Flamagra, the new album from West Coast producer Flying Lotus. And while Drake does not appear on the album, it seems as if almost everyone else does. Anderson .Paak, Solange, Little Dragon, Herbie Hancock, George Clinton, Shabazz Palaces and Thundercat all show up on Flamagra. 

Even David Lynch, the man behind Twin Peaks and Dune, guests on a track.

I’m kind of hurt I wasn’t asked.

If you’re thinking that 27 tracks is a hell of a time commitment, you can rest easy knowing that most of the songs aren’t even two minutes long. One of those shorter songs is “Thank You Malcom,” a tribute to the producer’s friend Mac Miller.

Flying Lotus is embarking on a North American tour this summer.

The 100 Knights Orchestra “Soul Fugue”

Daptone Records, home of the late Sharon Jones, as well as The Budos Band, Antibalas, the late Charles Bradley, Menahan Street Band and more, are set to release their 100th 45 RPM single next month. If you’re keeping score, that’s most likely 100 more than either you or I have ever released.

The single features two tracks. On Side A there’s a cover of the Frightnrs “Hey Brother (Do Unto Others,)” which features performances by Bradley and Jones with help from Naomi Shelton, as well Amayo from Antibalas, the vocal duo Saun & Starr, and more.

Side B is a monster. “Soul Fugue” is performed by a crew consisting of every horn player with whom the label has ever worked with. This includes players from the Dap-Kings, the Budos Band, the Soul Providers and more.

The two tracks will be released on a commemorative edition vinyl version or also as a digital release.

But come on, get it on vinyl.

Fiona Apple & Jakob Dylan “In My Room”

This Beach Boys’ cover is one of several inspired and unique covers featured on the soundtrack to the new documentary, Echo in the Canyon, which tells the story of Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon and the music from the mid-1960s that came from the area. Jakob Dylan also appears on a cover of The Mamas and the Papas “Go Where You Wanna Go” with Jade Castrinos.

The rest of the soundtrack, which was released today, is pretty legit. It features Beck, Cat Power, Josh Homme, Neil Young, Regina Spektor and Norah Jones.

The film was directed by Andrew Slater, a former music journalist, record producer, and label executive. It premieres in Los Angeles tonight, with a New York showing will follow on May 31.

Dedicated to Tom Petty, the film includes interviews with him as well as Brian Wilson, Eric Clapton, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Jackson Browne, Michelle Phillips, Ringo Starr, and more.

311 “Crossfire”

With your car covered with pollen and those faint summer breezes starting to show up, it can only mean one thing.

It’s almost 311 season.

Also it’s almost summer.

But my dudes, summer is 311 season.

While some time may have passed since 311 were a mainstream act, the band has made a habit of emerging from hibernation each and every summer to go out and fill sheds around the country. Make your jokes, but there’s still a crowd for 311, especially in the summer.

Not to sleep on an opportunity, the band is set to release their latest album, Voyager, on July 12th, with a summer tour with Dirty Heads to follow. The band’s last album, Mosaic, came out in 2017.

On Friday, the band dropped “Crossfire,” their third single from Voyager. Guess what? It sounds like 311. And if anything, it kind of sounds like old 311, complete with S.A.’s assaulting rapping through the verses and Nick Hexum’s monotone vocals in the chorus. Mosaic was kind of a bummer, so if “Crossfire” is any kind of indication of what’s to come on Voyager, fans should be pumped.

Hexum describes the new album as “very eclectic, from simple songs to wild studio adventures that get into weird, stoney outer-space material.”

Okay, guys. Let’s go.

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real “Turn Off the News (Build a Garden)”

You know you’re doing something right when Bradley Cooper looks to you for advice when putting together A Star is Born and Sheryl Crow is down to contribute backing vocals to a track on your new album.

The band’s second single from their upcoming album is the title track and features Crow on backing vocals.

Due out on June 14th, Turn Off The News (Build A Garden) also features contributions from Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Margo Price, Micah Nelson, Kesha, Shooter Jennings, Randy Houser, Lucius, Madison Ryann Ward and Hunter Elizabeth.

Elsewhere in Music…

So Like, Woodstock 50 is Back On?

Who the hell knows?

Slow Your Role, Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks, very famous actor, isn’t immune to the harsh reality that is no-nonsense beer vendors at a music festival. This should make us feel better.

Celebrities, they’re just like us.

Stopping by Ellen recently, Hanks talked about attending the Stagecoach Music Festival this year supporting his wife, Rita Wilson, who was performing. Looking to kill some time before her set, Hanks set out looking for a few beers as someone is prone to do at a festival.

The only problem was that Hanks’ ID couldn’t be verified, so no beer for you, sir.

Dude, Tom Hanks is 62 years old. I’m not being ageist when I say that you know, he definitely looks of age.

Also, what kind of ID is Hanks rolling with these days that it couldn’t be verified by multiple vendors? If it’s just a Forrest Gump poster, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Hanks even offered to bring one vendor to the Toy Story 4 premiere, an offer that didn’t work.

Let this serve as a reminder that life can be a pain in the ass sometimes, even for Tom effin’ Hanks.

This Week in David Crosby Tweets

Comedian Brian Wecht posed an interesting question on Twitter this week.

Not a bad question for Twitter, one that will most likely lead to plenty of killer responses.

New Music Round-Up’s favorite Nashville Tweeter, Jason Isbell, had a decent response.

Very on brand for him.

However, we’re here solely for David Crosby’s response.

Also very on brand.

Bill de Blasio Out There Getting the Ska Vote

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he was running for President this week because sure, why not. Everyone else is.

And while I’m not here to dive into his announcement or his reasons for running or even the backlash and ridicule his announcement was met with in New York, I am here for this:

https://twitter.com/jondotd/status/1130803463514992640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1130803463514992640&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2Farticle%2Fbill-de-blasio-ska%2F

That’s the answer of a man who might legitimately like ska music. I know a lot of politicians say a lot of wild shit, but usually it’s for some kind of political gain.

What would the political gain be for admitting you like ska?

No really. I’m serious. I follow politics fairly closely and I have to be honest, I’ve never really heard of someone courting the ska vote, nor have I have ever even heard of the ska vote.

Bill De Blasio might really like ska music.

How about that?

And We’ll End Here

https://twitter.com/therealelp/status/1130437680595128320

 

 

See you next week!