August 2021 | MendoWerks

31Aug

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music

Bonnaroo 2021 Cancelled

Thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Ida, the Bonnaroo 2021 Music & Arts Festival has been canceled. While it doesn't make the news any easier process now, promoters have announced the show is on for June of 2022. Initially, organizers had announced the intention to scale back camping, but the property is too under water to move forward. According to an email sent to prospective concertgoers, Centeroo is waterlogged while the ground is saturated on their tollbooth paths to the point it's unsafe to drive or park vehicles. https://twitter.com/Bonnaroo/status/1432805468272005130 A lot of work goes into throwing an event of this magnitude. Those on the ground have done everything in their power to move the show forward but they've run out of options and time. It sounds like th...

“Boulevard! A Hollywood Story” (Festival Review)

31Aug

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Events, Film, Reviews

“Boulevard! A Hollywood Story” (Festival Review)

When Gloria Swanson took on the role of Norma Desmond in Billy Wilder's 1950 film "Sunset Boulevard," it was the epitome of perfect casting. The iconic character, much like the woman who was playing her, had been a superstar in the world of silent film. The advent of "talkies" really ruined both of their careers, but Swanson would have the last laugh. https://youtu.be/_dY0SVxnHjQ The performance found her, yet again, in the good graces of Hollywood (at least temporarily) when she was nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards. The film was such a lifesaver for Swanson that she wanted to find a way to extend its power. She turned to Dickson Hughes and Richard Stapley, two young songwriters who just so happened to be lovers at a time when that had to be kept tightly u...

Dez Money Teases New Album With “Give Me All You’ve Got” Single Release

30Aug

By SimonNo Comments

Music, Reviews

Dez Money Teases New Album With “Give Me All You’ve Got” Single Release

Dez Money's evolution as a songwriter is on display with the release of his new single "Give Me All You've Got". It's the latest sample of material from his highly anticipated new album which is due later this year. Dez spent a lot of time on the road with his respected father, rocker Eddie Money before he passed. He toured both as a guitarist in the band and as the opening act. He can also be seen on the AXS TV series "Real Money", which chronicled the Money families life both at home and on tour. This next generation of Money talent is starting to step into its own. Dez's Take Me Down album debuted in 2015 followed by his sophomore album Blue in 2020. But now the focus turns to the new material. You'll recognize some of the instruments in the new video for "Give Me All You've Go...

My Morning Jacket Announces Release Of First New Studio Album In Six Years

29Aug

By SimonNo Comments

Music, Reviews, Uncategorized

My Morning Jacket Announces Release Of First New Studio Album In Six Years

As they say, good things come to those who wait. Fans of My Morning Jacket have been waiting six years for an album full of new material. And while we'll have to wait until October 22nd for the release of their self-titled LP, they've released a new single called "Regularly Scheduled Programming" to tide us over. The album will be My Morning Jacket's first since 2015's Grammy-nominated The Waterfall. The band had been in a holding pattern on indefinite hiatus. But, after four shows in the summer of 2019, including two big nights at the legendary Red Rocks amphitheater in Colorado, MMJ pledged to carry on. New Single Out Now In regards to the new single "Regularly Scheduled Programming", frontman Jim James hopes the album (and song) brings people joy and relief after being coope...

Vocal Powerhouse Teddy Swims Drops New Single “Simple Things”

28Aug

By SimonNo Comments

Music, Reviews

Vocal Powerhouse Teddy Swims Drops New Single “Simple Things”

It's been a big year for talented vocalist Teddy Swims. His new single "Simple Things" is out now as he winds down a massive summer tour with Zac Brown Band. Swims dedicated his life to music at a young age and has seen the fruits of that effort come to light in recent years. In 2019 he began broadcasting covers from a bedroom studio and built a following of nearly two million fans on YouTube to go along with hundreds of millions of views. He's developed a signature style, incorporating elements of soul, R&B, and rock & roll with a hip-hop swagger onto his debut EP Unlearning. Teddy Swims In Rolling Stone Swims initially started getting the attention of major publications like American Songwriter, Billboard, and Rolling Stone who dubbed him an "artist to watch"....

Hulu Premieres Outrageous New Comedy “Vacation Friends” (Review)

27Aug

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

Hulu Premieres Outrageous New Comedy “Vacation Friends” (Review)

As distribution models continue to shift thanks to COVID, we are continuing to see major studio releases get shifted over to premiere online. That has been the case with Clay Tarver's outrageously raucous new film "Vacation Friends" as it shifted to Hulu where it premieres today. It's safe to assume that most people have met others while they were traveling who made the trip more enjoyable, but just because you connect away from home doesn't mean that they would become your close friends in the "real world." Lil Rel Howery ("Get Out") and Yvonne Orji ("Insecure") star as Marcus and Emily, a straightlaced couple from Chicago who head to Mexico for a five star getaway. Things go awry from the moment they arrive when a planned wedding proposal from Marcus is ruined by their guest ...

Interview: Dakota Jones Drops Funky & Soulful Debut Album

27Aug

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Interviews, Music

Interview: Dakota Jones Drops Funky & Soulful Debut Album

New York City funk/soul/blues outfit Dakota Jones has come out of the gate strong with their debut album Black Light. According to lead singer Tristan Carter-Jones, the funky and soulful album touches on a wide range of emotions. 'There's joy and dancing...there's pain and longing, and there's the feeling of joy when you come out of that place.' Dakota Jones is based out of Brooklyn, New York, and features Carter-Jones on vocals, Scott Kramp on bass, Steve Ross on drums, and Randy Jacobs on guitar. Jacobs is also known for his time with the group Was(Not Was) and has recorded with Seal, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, and others. Black Light was produced by Grammy-winner John Wooler who is known for his work with everyone from John Lee Hooker and John Hammond to Issac Hayes and Van M...

“MR. SOUL!” Now Streaming on HBO Max (Review)

24Aug

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Music, Reviews

“MR. SOUL!” Now Streaming on HBO Max (Review)

I hope that, by now, you have taken some time to sit down and watch Questlove's magnificent documentary "Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)" on Hulu. If you enjoyed that film as much as I did, you're also going to want to add Melissa Haizlip's monumental "MR. SOUL!" to your watchlist. It's great to see that the film is continuing to find an audience. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018 and made the festival circuit throughout 2019. And, as happened to so many other films, it got derailed a bit by COVID and ended up having a proper release delayed until late last year. Haizlip turns a spotlight on a slice of American music and cultural history that many may be unaware of - a revolutionary public television series hosted by her uncle. ...

How To Pronounce Måneskin Without Embarrassing Yourself

23Aug

By SimonNo Comments

Music

How To Pronounce Måneskin Without Embarrassing Yourself

While the band has been around the block a few times, Måneskin has been all the rage over the last few years. The question is, as a newer fan, how can I say the band's name without making a total fool of myself? Here's how to pronounce Måneskin. Thankfully, a super fan stitched together interview footage of all the times they've had to explain their origin story. From what we're seeing (so far) they haven't gotten too annoyed at having to explain how they got their name. Comprised of Damiano David (vocals), Victoria de Angelis (bass), Thomas Raggi (guitar), and Ethan Torchio (drums), Måneskin first formed while in high school in Italy. They would go on to perform on the Italian version of the popular talent show X Factor. Spoiler alert: they placed second. From there they released...

A Bandcamp Friday Exclusive: Just Connor’s “Platinum Angels” Pre-Release Was A Gift.

23Aug

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Interviews, Music, Reviews

A Bandcamp Friday Exclusive: Just Connor’s “Platinum Angels” Pre-Release Was A Gift.

Barely a month after his last single, the genre-defining wave producer Just Connor is at it again with his latest single, “Platinum Angels”, an upbeat, atmospheric track that’ll make your heart race. Trust me when I say this song is something you need to listen to right now. Check it out: Platinum Angels by Just Connor "Platinum Angels" was first made available as a special pre-release for August’s Bandcamp Friday. It will be available on streaming platforms later this summer. This track will get you up and out of your seat with its electrifying synths, addictive melodies and classic JC beats—all perfectly layered together at a pace that will make you MOVE. It is four minutes of pure bliss. Hearing it is a transformative experience. Defining a Genre &...