Cory Graves
Leon Bridges Goes Mainstream And Northern National Plays In The Ball.
Just 12 months back, Leon Bridges was unknown to most folks. No, really, even Today host Harry Smith says so: “Except for a handful of people in a few tiny bars in North Texas, until a year ago there was no way you had heard of Leon Bridges.”
But, these days, Leon Bridges is enough of a household name that uncool and out-of-touch old dudes like Smith are into him! Which is why Smith featured Bridges on his “Sunday's With Harry” segment on NBC this past weekend.
Take a look-see.
Later this week, Bridges is coming home to headline a show at The Majestic and, as Smith points out in the above clip, that show, like the rest of his tour dates through the end of the year, is sold out. And with his stock at an all-time high, Bridges hinted on Facebook this week that he's potentially interested in organizing a big show in Fort Worth “and having all [his] friends on the bill with some touring acts as well.”
One place where that hypothetical show definitely won't be taking place is Hailey's up in Denton. For one thing the venue isn't located in Fort Worth. But also, according to the Dallas Observer, the club isn't long for this world either. The venue is set to close at the end of the year, reopening in 2016 as two new concepts, although “neither will specifically be a music venue or club.”
Conversely, Erykah Badu's stock is up, as she has been getting hyperbolic raves for the latest “leak” from her forthcoming You Cain't Use My Phone mixtape, which she first teased via Periscope last week. Like her other phone-related new jam, this new tune was produced by Dallas' own Zach Witness.
Badu, along with Dorrough, will also act as a celebrity judge at the championship round of the DFW freestyle competition Masters of the Mic, which will go down at Trees on December 12. More info on that event and the finalists can be found here.
Also reppin' Dallas is Northern National, which will hold the official release for its new “Love is Fire” single at Reunion Tower's GeO Deck on Friday as the boys will play a show 500 feet in the air, overlooking the Downtown skyline. We even hear concerts in the GeO Deck might henceforth become an ongoing series. Let's hope so, anyway.
So long as we're on the subject of new singles: Astronautalis dropped a taste from his first full-length in four years via A.V. Club. Produced by John Congleton, the track also features shoutouts to P.O.S., a beat courtesy of St. Vincent keys man Adam Pickrell and horns from Bon Iver's Reggie Pace.
Meanwhile, another locally-tied white rapper — Justus, in this case — appeared on Dr. Dre's The Pharmacy show on Apple Music a couple nights ago to drop a new freestyle verse that finds him apologizing for unnamed past missteps. Here's that one.
Another recently released single comes from The Rocket Summer, whose “Same Air” came out a couple weeks back. The song is the first from his sixth studio LP, one that marks a sort of departure from the sappy indie rock he's put out to date. He recently told Diffuser the new record is “the most adventurous, 'no rules' album I've been fortunate enough to make yet.” And that shows: “Same Air,” retains all of The Rocket Summer's trademark poppiness while getting rid of the over-the-top cuteness he'd long outgrown.
Meanwhile, several artists released new videos this week. First up, The Outfit, TX premiered its new Jeff Adair-directed clip for “Highs and Lows” via Noisey. The song comes from the group's upcoming Down By the Trinity LP, which earns its release next Wednesday, November 18.
Likewise, G.U.N.'s got a new clip for his “Potent” single, which you can find below.
And Jay Luse is back with a Jeremy Biggers-directed video for his “What You Like” single from his upcoming debut EP, Soulful Attraction.
On the other hand, Salim Nourallah isn't exactly sure what his next video will be like at the moment. What he does know, however, is that whatever the outcome, it'll make music history as the first album funded entirely by Fiverr gigs. For just $5 per, you can have a hand in the final product, dictating his wardrobe, suggesting scenes to be filmed or just getting exposure for your brand.
You, Your Brand, & Salim Nourallah Make Music Video History from Chad Rea on Vimeo.
Last up on the new music tip is Larry g(EE) with the latest edition of his monthly “Free Gee Fridays” series. A personal favorite of his in the collection is “Walk Away,” which was recorded by Fitz & the Tantrums producer Chris Seefried. As with all the songs in the series, it's available as a free download below.
Elsewhere: The just-released debut LP from DMV rapper GoldLink features production from Dallas boy Medasin, among others; Roaming Soliders celebrates the release of its new record on November 21, at the Granada Theater; you can grab a free download of Yung Nation's new mixtape here; the participants for this month's Rock Lottery 14 have been announced; and blind pre-sale tickets to next spring's now-two-day Spillover are now on sale here.
Photo by Billy Bob Bain, via WikiCommons. Got a tip for White Noise? Email us!
