What’s Happening?

Slipknot to release new documentary based on first-ever Mexico performance

Des Moines based heavy-metal group Slipknot first played Mexico City in December 2015 at that year’s iteration of Knotfest, the group’s annual festival which has been hosted by a variety of locations over the years. The group’s new documentary, “Day of the Gusano,” will document the event and showcase not only the band’s famously aggressive live show, but will also focus on the fanbase, known as “Maggots,” and how important they are to the band’s legacy. “Day of the Gusano” will hit theaters around the world on Sept. 6, 14 of which are located in Iowa. For more information on the film, visit dayofthegusano.com.

Face value ticket resale program to debut stateside this fall

Last week, Taylor Swift introduced her controversial “Taylor Swift Tix powered by Ticketmaster Verified Fan” concert ticketing system. The system essentially rewards those fans who dish out more cash for T-Swift merchandise by granting them prioritized access to show tickets. The more money you spend, the more likely you are to get good tickets. To help combat this, UK-based company Twickets will launch in the Fall in the U.S. and allows users to trade concert and live-event tickets at face value. The company first appeared in Europe in 2015 and has since branched into Australia as well, and has been a success in both by partnering with artists based in both regions. For more information, visit twicketsusa.com.

What’s New?

Albums

“American Dream” – LCD Soundsystem

The New York disco-punk outfit has essentially been in the spotlight ever since they announced their reunion back in January of 2016. They headlined basically each of the country’s biggest music festivals in 2016 (Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, just to name a few) and continue to appear across the world on a consistent basis. In that way, it’s kind of crazy to think that the group’s highly-anticipated fourth album is just releasing today. The group cancelled an Asian tour at the end of 2016 to work on the record and released two tracks back in May before performing both of them on SNL later that month. It’s been quite the journey for “American Dream,” but it’s finally here, and it’s fantastic. Thank you, James Murphy.

“Drying the Eyes of the Goddess of Gloom Underneath the Stars and the Moon” – Gloom Balloon

It’s quite the mouthful of a title, but that’s what Iowa-based musician Patrick Tape Fleming does best: create a unique experience for anyone that wants to listen. Fleming’s experimental, multi-genre project Gloom Balloon has always been known to drop jaws. Whether Fleming is gyrating his hips at an all-out dance party, or timidly hunching over a piano to a quaint crowd at a smaller club, he’s always been known to engulf the listener with a strong sense of flair and enough personality to put other artists to shame. Check out of Gloom Balloon’s release parties tonight at Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines.

Singles

“What Lovers Do” – Maroon 5 feat. SZA

Remember when Maroon 5 was more than just the Adam Levine show? That seems so long ago. The band’s latest single continues a streak of three singles that have featured some of music’s biggest names, like Kendrick Lamar, Future and now SZA. In November of 2015, guitarist James Valentine spoke about making a more “traditional” record with the group, similar in spirit to the group’s debut “Songs About Jane.” Unfortunately, the group continues to delve further into the dance realm with an instrumental that sounds like a weaker version of The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face.” Hopefully Maroon 5 will eventually create a more focused, rooted project in the near future, but it seems unlikely.

“Over Everything” – Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile

Barnett and Vile’s upcoming collaborative album “Lotta Sea Lice” (due out Oct. 13) is easily one of the most anticipated indie releases of the year. The duo’s first preview of the album sees the two trading vocals over a jangly guitar-led track, which appropriately represents the two’s individual styles well, if leaning a bit towards Vile’s more low-key vibes. A bit more Barnett would be appreciated, both in appearance and influence, but this is only one track, so we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. Give this one a spin this weekend.

In Case You Missed It…

LCD Soundsystem released a 14-minute single, separate from their album

James Murphy surprised the band’s fans Wednesday evening with the release of a single titled “pulse (v. 1),” an extended instrumental that Murphy called “super wonky” in a Facebook post Thursday morning. The 14-minute track was released just 24 hours before the release of the group’s highly-anticipated fourth album “American Dream,” and was originally supposed to appear on the record as the final track, but was cut because it wouldn’t fit on the vinyl version of the record. Regardless, “pulse (v. 1)” is now available on streaming services everywhere and could potentially be released one day as a 12,” according to Murphy.