Cybersecurity vulnerability

Jehnny Beth ’s video for “French Countryside,” the standout track from last year’s To Love Is to Live , is nearly as stripped-back as the ballad itself. The artist, dressed in black (other than for a hoodie with her album cover on it) sings the tune in a plain, black studio, gesticulating the lyrics as the piano plays behind her voice. “It’s a promise song,” said Beth, whose real name is Camille Berthomier, in a statement. “I wrote the verses on a plane as I was convinced it was going to crash. I was making promises to myself about what I was going to do differently if I survived. Death has been very present in my mind during the process of writing this record. It all started around Bowie’s death.” (Beth explained the influence Bowie had on the record in an interview with Rolling Stone last year.) The artist stated further that she had difficulty getting the song into a shape she felt worked with the rest of the album. “Up until the last week of mixing we didn’t have a … [Read more...] about See Jehnny Beth’s Vulnerable Side in ‘French Countryside’ Video

A bittersweet truth of this pandemic, among many, is that the “quarantine album” has rapidly become its own genre. While the music industry as a whole has had to make due with recording albums remotely and in lockdown for the past year, the Quarantine Album as a concept is its own sonic beast: emotionally raw, the creation of one or a few people in a home studio, often described as “acoustic” even as layers of synths and reverb contribute to its feelings of isolation. (Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago was a pre-Covid predecessor in more ways than one.) Admittedly, with the exception of Taylor Swift’s Folkmore duo, examples of these albums are still few and far between on major labels; how many will be released in the months and years ahead outside of Bandcamp profiles remains to be seen. With that said, Hayley Williams has codified what a top-to-bottom quarantine album can sound like with her latest LP, Flowers for Vases / descansos, released this … [Read more...] about Hayley Williams’ Delivers Delicate Confessionals on ‘Flowers’

Chloé Zhao has made three feature films to date, each of them blending narrative storytelling with non-fiction. Her debut, Songs My Brothers Taught Me, told the story of Native American siblings struggling to find their place in a changing world. The Rider cast cowboy Brady Jandreau as a version of himself, reliving the true story of his near-fatal head injury. And while her new film, Nomadland, casts professional actors like Frances McDormand and David Strathairn for the first time, it rounds out its ensemble with real ‘Nomads’; people who have taken to living in camper vans in what would be their retirement, forced instead to seek itinerant labor around the country to make ends meet. All three films deal with survival and identity, and each of them pack an emotional punch that hits with greater fervor because of the lines Zhao blurs between fact and fiction. Based on Jessica Bruder’s non-fiction book about the Nomads, and the changing face of the America that … [Read more...] about ‘Nomadland’ Director Chloé Zhao: Why We Need To “Train Our Minds To Want Less” & The Problem Of Elder Care In America

Whether it’s coming out of Nashville, New York, L.A., or points in between, there’s no shortage of fresh tunes, especially from artists who have yet to become household names. Rolling Stone Country selects some of the best new music releases from country and Americana artists. (Check out last week’s best songs.) The Shootouts, “Rattlesnake Whiskey” The Shootouts mix supple Western swing with brash barroom country to A-plus results. On their new song “Rattlesnake Whiskey,” the band broaden their palette, adding spaghetti Western vibes to a Marty Robbins-type story-song about hard-living moonshiners. Chuck Mead, a torchbearer for such vintage sounds, produced the group’s upcoming album Bullseye — it’s a match made in honky-tonk heaven. Brooke Eden, “No Shade” Brooke Eden sees sunshine up ahead in her new single “No Shade,” the singer’s first new music in four years. Penned by Eden with Steven … [Read more...] about RS Country Music Picks for Week of February 8th

Upcoming The Sopranos prequel, The Many Saints of Newark, will delve into the younger years of iconic mobster Tony Soprano, played by the late, great James Gandolfini's real-life son, Michael. While the prospect of taking over as such a celebrated character would be terrifying for any performer, the task will no doubt prove to be even more emotional for the young actor, who has now provided some insight into both the movie itself, and how he came to win the role. "I had this unspoken trust that David wasn't going to cast me if there was even a shred that this isn't going to work." RELATED: The Many Saints of Newark Official First Look at Michael Gandolfini as Teenage Tony Soprano Despite being Gandolfini's real-life offspring, Michael Gandolfiniauditioned for writer and crator David Chase just like everybody else. In fact, the actor initially had no intention of putting himself forward for the role. Upon hearing about The Many Saints of Newark, Gandolfini's first thoughts were … [Read more...] about The Many Saints of Newark Star Michael Gandolfini Opens Up About Playing Young Tony Soprano