Filmmaker, author, comedian, and cultural icon extraordinaire, John Waters, 79, returns with his second Christmas parody single (and third holiday single with Sub Pop), “John Waters covers ‘Little Cindy,’” produced again by his longtime friend and colleague, Grammy-winner, Ian Brennan (Tinariwen, Parchman Prison Project, The Good Ones [Rwanda], Ramblin’ Jack Elliott).
Waters says, “In the tradition of novelty records, which I’ve always loved, this year I pay tribute to one of my favorite hymns that was once included in my ‘John Waters Christmas’ album – sung by the ever-holy child vocalist Little Cindy. I have never been in drag professionally, but with this little sticks-and-stones gift record to bad children everywhere, I channel Little Cindy’s voice and aura, even stumbling over the exact words she did on the original 45rpm version. Little Cindy is beyond saintly in my opinion, a minor miracle, a human spiritual sacrament who brings her devoted sanctity to this psalm of southern sentimentality. For a few vinyl minutes, I hope listeners will agree: John Waters IS Little Cindy.
“Side B is beyond the valley of gimmicks, over the top of parody and underneath the mountain of linguistics, recorded in Pig Latin – a secret dialect my mother taught me in the ‘50s. I don’t take easily to learning a new language but this maddeningly ugly way of speaking is a tongue I eventually licked. I even used Pig Latin in ‘Pink Flamingos’ where Divine’s family skipped, happily chanting, ‘We Are The Filthiest People Alive.’ What better way to remind my public of this lunatic way of communication (even the Three Stooges spoke it in some of their 1930s movies) than to translate this beloved poem into a consonantly confused vernacular? ‘A Visit from St. Nick?’ As-tway E-thay Ight-nay Efore-bay Istmas-kray! See? I’m speaking in tongues! Want to clear your house of holiday party guests who have overstayed their welcome? Just play the flipside of this record, and they’ll run like they’ve just been teargassed! Ig-pay Atin-lay! Learn it, you little devils!” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On Friday, November 8th, Sub Pop will continue its expansion into the hot holiday single market with the release John Waters’ new Christmas parody single “John Waters Covers ‘Little Cindy’” b/w “A Pig Latin Visit From St. Nicholas,” available worldwide on 7” vinyl and on all streaming services. The single is available to preorder now.
The Pope of Trash’s annual “A John Waters Christmas” comedy tour begins Sunday, November, 30th in San Francisco, CA, at Great American Music Hall and ends Tuesday, December 23rd in Baltimore, MD, at SoundStage. A full list of dates are below. For more information on tickets please visit https://johnwaterstour.com.
Sun. Nov. 30 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall Mon. Dec. 01 - Portland, OR - Alladin Theater Tue. Dec. 02 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre Wed. Dec. 03 - Vancouver, BC - Rio Theatre Thu. Dec. 04 - Vancouver, BC - Rio Theatre Fri. Dec. 05 - Palm Springs, CA - Plaza Theatre Sat. Dec. 06 - North Hollywood, CA - El Portal Sun. Dec. 07 - North Hollywood, CA - El Portal Mon. Dec. 08 - San Diego, CA - Lou Lou’s Tue. Dec. 09 - San Diego, CA - Lou Lou’s Sat. Dec. 13 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center Sun. Dec. 14 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater Mon. Dec. 15 - Madison, WI - Atwood Music Hall Tue. Dec. 16 - Chicago, IL - Avondale Music Hall Wed. Dec. 17 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse Sat. Dec. 20 - Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere Sun. Dec. 21- New York City, NY - City Winery Mon. Dec. 22 - New York City, NY - City Winery Tue. Dec. 23 - Baltimore, MD - SoundStage
“John Waters Covers ‘Little Cindy’” b/w “A Pig Latin Visit From St. Nicholas” is John Waters’ fourth single release overall for Sub Pop. It follows the 2024 release of “John Waters Covers ‘The Singing Dogs’ “Jingle Bells’” b/w “It’s a Punk Rock Christmas,” the 2022 release of “It’s In the Book” (which features Waters covering a stand-up routine recorded and made famous by midwestern-US comedian/actor/musician Johnny Standley in 1952), and his 2021 single, “Prayer to Pasolini” (his tribute to the legendarily controversial Italian film director Pier Paolo Pasolini). All of these wonderfully twisted releases are available from Sub Pop.
John Waters “John Waters Covers ‘Little Cindy’” b/w “A Pig Latin Visit From St. Nicholas”
Today, Lael Neale is sharing the official video for the new song “Some Bright Morning,” which is available now on all streaming services worldwide from Sub Pop.
An outtake from this year’s critically acclaimed Altogether Stranger, “Some Bright Morning” is an uptempo burst of lo-fi rock n’ roll in the tradition of Loaded-era Velvet Underground (think “Train Comin’ Round the Bend”). The track is powered by a blown-out vintage drum machine and pairs Neale’s signature Omnichord with the driving rhythm guitar and explosive backwards soloing of her producer and accompanist, Guy Blakeslee. Neale’s radiant vocal shines throughout.
The song’s protagonist, like all of us, is searching for meaning and belonging in an increasingly polarized world, driving through civilization and filling up the gas tank yet again as world events take ever stranger turns. Neale’s poking fun at the “grass is always greener” mentality that results from the dominant gospel of salvation through consumerism, the marketplace of endless self-help products and techniques, a hamster wheel that’s always pulling us out of the present moment.
Describing the “Some Bright Morning” music video, in which she performs chores on her family’s farm, Neale says, “My dad is a farmer, and as I watch him working, day in and day out, I realize being an artist is very similar. Both are tending to work that is never done, in service of a broader life-long vision. There’s always more to do, new approaches to take, and leaps to make in the midst of mundane everyday tasks. You have to be motivated by a belief in what you are doing without attachment to the results. There’s a quiet satisfaction in the daily steps.”
Lael Neale’s fall tour in support of Altogether Stranger begins this Thursday, September 25th in Toronto at Wavelength at St. Anne’s and currently ends December 6th in London, UK at Ivy House. Please find a complete list of dates below.
Thu. Sep. 25 - Toronto, ON - Wavelength at St Anne’s Fri. Sep. 26 - Montreal, QC - POP Montreal Sat. Sep. 27 - Providence, RI - AS 220 Sun. Sep. 28- New York, NY - Nightclub 101 Mon. Nov. 03 - Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern Tue. Nov. 04 - Portland, OR - White Eagle Thu. Nov. 06 - San Francisco, CA - 4 Star Theatre Fri. Nov. 07 - Santa Cruz, CA - Crepe Place Sun. Nov. 09 - Los Angeles, CA - Lodge Room Tue. Nov.18 - Rome, IT - 30 Formiche Wed. Nov. 19 - Milano, IT - Arci Bellezza Thu. Nov. 20 - Torino, IT - Spazio 211 Fri. Nov. 21 - Geneva, CH - Les Créatives Festival Sun. Nov. 23 - Annecy, FR - Le Brise Glace Tue. Nov. 25 - Barcelona, ES - VOL Wed. Nov. 26 - Madrid, ES - Mazo @ Sala Juglar Sat. Nov. 29 - Lisbon, PT - ZDB Fri. Dec 05 - Margate, UK - Where Else? Sat. Dec. 06 - London, UK - Ivy House
Neale’s Altogether Stranger, which was released earlier this year, was written by Neale, with production and mixing by Blakeslee at home in Los Angeles, and mastering by Chris Coady.
Altogether Stranger is now available on CD/LP/All DSPs from Sub Pop. LPs purchased from megamart.subpop.com (North America), Mega Mart Europe (in UK/EU), your local record store and at Neale’s live shows will receive the limited Loser edition on Lavender (NA) and Magenta (UK/EU) vinyl. There is also a special edition available through Rough Trade in the UK and EU on Cream White vinyl (All LP colors whilst stock lasts!).
What People Are Saying About Lael Neale’s Altogether Stranger: “With this album, Neale manages to translate existential torment into strange and beautiful sounds, yet again progressing with the chimerical vision of rock & roll that’s uniquely her own.” ★★★★ ½ All Music
“While oscillating between these conflicting states, Neale delivers her near-apocalyptic songs with eloquence and sangfroid. If Altogether Stranger is Neale bidding adieu to Los Angeles, then it is an unforgettable farewell.” 8/10, PopMatters
“…an artist who’s becoming something special” ★★★★MOJO
★★★★★ SHINDIG!
“A daydream you don’t want to get out of” - Les Inrocks
“This is an explicitly fallen world and yet…one of strange lynchian wonder.” Uncut
Nation of Language’s Dance Called Memory, the group’s beguiling fourth album and Sub Pop label debut, is out today. The 10-track long player features the top 20 AAA single “Inept Apollo” along with standouts “I’m Not Ready For The Change,” and “Silhouette,” and was recorded, produced, and mixed by returning producer and collaborator Nick Millhiser in New York City and mastered by Heba Kadry in Brooklyn.
The North American run of Nation of Language’s 51-date, 2025 international headlining tour to support Dance Called Memory continues with the band’s hometown shows at Warsaw in Brooklyn, NY tonight Friday, September 19th, and tomorrow, Saturday, September 20th. This leg of the tour runs through Thursday, October 30th, in Washington, DC at the 9:30 Club.
Nation of Language’s UK and EU dates will begin with a two-night stand in Dublin, IE on Thursday, November 6th and Friday, November 7th at Opium and currently end Friday, November 28th in Lisbon, PT at LAV. The band will also play their largest UK and EU headline appearances to date at the iconic Roundhouse in London (Nov.8th) and the 3000+ capacity Columbiahalle in Berlin (Nov. 21st).
Support for the North American and UK/EU shows will come from Deathwish Inc.’s Greet Death (Sep. 20th-Oct. 5th), Sub Pop labelmates Deeper (Oct.16th-30th), and Partisan Records act Westerman (Oct. 8th-16th + Nov. 8th-22nd).
August - October 2025 North American Headline Shows Fri. Sep. 19 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw + [Sold Out] Sat. Sep. 20 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw # [Sold Out] Sun. Sep. 21 - Boston, MA - Royale # Tue. Sep. 23 - Detroit, MI - The Majestic # Wed. Sep. 24 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall # [Sold Out] Fri. Sep. 26 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue # Sat. Sep. 27 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom # Mon. Sep. 29 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown # Tue. Sep. 30 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman # Thu. Oct. 02 - Denver, CO - The Gothic Theatre # Fri.Oct. 03 - Jackson Hole, WY - The Virginian Lodge # Sat. Oct. 04 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory # Sun. Oct. 05 - Missoula, MT - The Wilma Theatre # Wed. Oct. 08 - Vancouver, BC - The Pearl ^ [Sold Out] Thu. Oct. 10 - Seattle, WA - Showbox at the Market ^ Fri. Oct. 11 - Seattle, WA - Showbox at the Market ^ Sun. Oct. 11 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall ^ [Sold Out] Mon. Oct. 13 - San Francisco. CA - The Fillmore ^ Wed. Oct. 15 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theater ^ Thu. Oct. 16 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theater * Fri. Oct. 17 - San Diego, CA - Music Box * Sun. Oct. 19 - Tucson, AZ - 191 Toole * Tue. Oct. 21 - Austin, TX - Mohawk * Wed. Oct. 22 - Dallas, TX - The Studio at The Bomb Factory * Thu. Oct. 24 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall * Sat. Oct. 25 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse * Sun. Oct. 26 - Chapel Hill, NC - Cat’s Cradle * Mon. Oct. 27 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry * Wed. Oct. 29 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer * Thu. Oct. 30 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
# w/ Greet Death * w/ Deeper ^ w/ Westerman + w/ Horse Jumper of Love % w/ A. Savage $ w/ Telekura
Dance Called Memory is available to now on CD/LP/all DSPs from Sub Pop. LP purchases from Nation of Language’s Offical Webstore, megamart.subpop.com in North America, MegaMart Europein the UK + EU, your local record store, and directly from the band at their live shows will receive the limited “Loser” Edition on Clear + Black & Blue Hi-Melt (NA), Clear Blue w/ White Hi-Melt (Band Web Exclusive) or Corona Red/White (UK/EU) vinyl. There will also be special color variants available, including Rough Trade (UK) and Urban Outfitters (US) (all vinyl color editions whilst stock lasts!).
What People Are Saying About Nation of Language’s Dance Called Memory: “The real deal…” ★★★★ MOJO
“The band’s fourth LP and Sub Pop debut is danceable, eccentric, and immaculate at once…” ★★★★All Music “For Dance Called Memory, the trio — Devaney, his wife and right-hand synth wizard Aidan Noell, and bassist Alex MacKay — once more teamed with LCD Soundsystem/Holy Ghost! member Nick Millhiser as producer. Together, the crew pushed the edges of NOL’s sound, creating something expansive enough to capture the weight of grief and loss that coursed through these new songs.” Stereogum
“Dance Called Memory, continues its study of synth-pop from the late 1970s and early ’80s. The new record adds more guitars to the mix, tempering the machine-made with a human touch.” New York Times
“It’s a fuzzy electronic project that’s both introspective and danceable, with flanged New Order–styled guitar parts sprinkled in to give their sound a refreshed feel.” FLOOD
“An instantly appealing synthpop track, melodic and understated. It’s a grower.” [“Inept Apollo”] BROOKLYN VEGAN
“The New York trio capture the tension between the need for creative expression and its futility by offering some romantic, rejuvenating synth pop.” [“Inept Apollo”] “100 Best Songs of 2025 (So Far),” Consequence of Sound
“There is something instantly transportive about Ian Richard Devaney’s voice, which leaps with an operatic ease, yet maintains a soft-focus diaphanousness as it curls around lyrical transmissions just vague enough to feel applicable to any situation.” [“Inept Apollo”] “Staff Pick,” EXCLAIM!
“…shades of my bloody valentine adorn the guitars, while the jagged post-punk aspects are illuminated with Human League style synths.” [“I’m Not Ready for the Change”] CLASH
“’I’m Not Ready For the Change’ is imbued with some psychedelic pop accents reminiscent of Animal Collective and MGMT.” Consequence of Sound
“It’s a blinky synth track with a rickety drum-machine beat and a whole lot of dreamy effects on the vocals and guitars. I’d say it fills up a room quite pleasantly.” [“I’m Not Ready for the Change”] STEREOGUM
“Ian Devaney’s vocals wash over a minimalist soundscape of bright synthesizers and oscillating strings, the sparse textures shining a spotlight on his yearning.” [“Under the Water”] “Best New Songs” - PASTE
“Further emphasizing the malleability of their synthetic pop impulses, this track initially appears to be a slow saunter through the woozy landscapes of ‘80s pop before allowing a bristling dynamic energy to carry it along to its conclusion.” [“In Your Head”] Beats Per Minute
Nation of Language Dance Called Memory
Tracklisting: 1. Can’t Face Another One 2. In Another Life 3. Silhouette 4. Now That You’re Gone 5. I’m Not Ready for the Change 6. Can You Reach Me 7. Inept Apollo 8. Under the Water 9. In Your Head 10. Nights of Weight
Clipping’s Dead Channel SkyPlus, the digital deluxe edition of the group’s Cyberpunk-inspired Hip-Hop project originally released earlier this year, is available today on all streaming services worldwide on Sub Pop.
Dead Channel Sky Plus expands and reorders the original 20-song sequence. The album is now 24 tracks long and includes the new songs “Night of Heaven (feat. Counterfeit Madison and Kid Koala),” “Forever War,” “Hard-Eyes,” and today’s offering, the official video “Mirrorshades, Pt. 1,” directed by Iddo Goldberg.
The new Max Headroom-inspired visual stars the group, with Daveed Diggs taking the lead as the titular character. Goldberg offers this, “It’s easy to shut the world out with our Mirrorshades. Maybe we should celebrate our similarities and not our differences. Through her vulnerabilities, LYRA discovers that she’s more like most of us than she thought she was.” Watch now.
Dead Channel SkyPlus was produced and mixed by Clipping and Steve Kaplan and mastered by Levi Seitz at Black Belt Mastering.
Clipping’s Dead Channel Sky is also available on CD/2xLP/DSPs from Sub Pop. LP purchases from megamart.subpop.com (US) and Mega Mart Europe (UK/EU), your local record store, and at Clipping’s live shows will receive the limited Loser edition vinyl on Emerald/Forest Green Ghostly Mashup (North America) and Neon Pink (UK/Europe). The Dead Channel Sky album art was created by Designers Republic.
Clipping previously announced UK/EU tour dates in support of Dead Channel Sky Plus are underway, with a show tonight, Friday September 19th in Brussels, BE at Botanique and and currently runs through Wednesday, September 24th, in Glasgow, UK, at The Garage.
Upon their return to the US, Clipping has scheduled two festival appearances: Chicago, IL’s COLD WAVES XIII Festival (Sep. 27th) and Cincinnati, OH’s Talk Low Fest (Sep. 28th). Please find a complete list of dates below.
Fri. Sep. 19 - Brussels, BE - Botanique Sat. Sep. 20 - Paris, FR - Le Machine Du Moulin Rouge Sun. Sep. 21 - London, UK - Koko [Sold Out] Tue. Sep. 23 - Leeds, UK - Project House Wed. Sep. 24 - Glasgow, UK - The Garage Sep. 27 - Chicago, IL - COLD WAVES XIII Festival (@The Metro) Sep. 28 - Cincinnati, OH - Talk Low Fest (@Memorial Hall)
What People Are Saying About Clipping’s Dead Channel Sky: “An epic masterpiece.” ★★★★ ½, DIY
“It’s simply a masterclass in vibrant, unique and breath-stealing hip-hop whose layers of complexity never stand in the way of its fun, vivid storytelling.” 9/10, CLASH
“Dead Channel Sky is clipping. at their most techno-shocked, reconnecting with the nexus of hip-hop and sci-fi fused by pioneers…” ★★★★ ALL MUSIC
“On their most immediate and vital album yet, the LA rap trio reimagine a cyberpunk-inspired present and future.” PASTE
“Named after the static-filled sky in William Gibson’s sci-fi novel Neuromancer, the album’s cyberpunk-inspired production - courtesy of Jonathan Snipes and William Hutson - imagines an alternate reality where a fusion of electro, Dutch hardcore, drum ‘n’ bass and industrial noise is the norm, while rapper Daveed Diggs explores abandoned pasts and doomed futures in his signature rapid-fire style.” CRACK
“This music here is less the atmospheric synthesizers of a Vangelis score and more the kind of neural buzz and ecstasy rush of the Crystal Method, the Chemical Brothers and the Prodigy soundtracking films like the mid-’90s inside-the-computer action of Hackers. However block-rockin’ their beats might be, clipping. aren’t excavating the past just for the sake of nostalgia.” 8/10, Exclaim
“The album is shot through with high-concept storytelling and industrial beats infused with glitchy electronic noises. Diggs’ propulsive rapping lends each song urgency, leading to an overall sound that can only be described as post-apocalyptic.” The AV Club
“The whole thing is a total head-trip.” BROOKLYN VEGAN
“Album of the Week,” Louder Than War
Clipping Dead Channel Sky Plus
Tracklisting: 1.Intro 2. Dominator 3. Change the Channel 4. Run It 5. Go 6. Simple Degradation (Plucks 1-13) (with Bitpanic) 7. Code 8. Dodger 9. Malleus (with Nels Cline) 10. Mirrorshades pt. 1 11. Scams (feat. Tia Nomore) 12. Keep Pushing 13. “From Bright Bodies” (Interlude) 14. Mood Organ 15. Forever War 16. Polaroids 17. Simple Degradation (Plucks 14-18) (with Bitpanic) 18. Madcap 19. Mirrorshades pt. 2 (feat. Cartel Madras) 20. “And You Called” (Interlude) 21. Hard-Eyes 22. Night of Heaven (feat. Counterfeit Madison & Kid Koala) 23. Welcome Home Warrior (feat. Aesop Rock) 24. Ask What Happened
Flock of Dimes today shares a new single and lyric video for “Defeat,” a sublime new offering from her forthcoming album The Life You Save, out worldwide Friday, October 10th, from Sub Pop.
The absorbing new visual feature is directed and edited by digital artist and animator Sabrina Nichols, shot by frequent video collaborator Spence Kelly (“Long After Midnight,” “Afraid”), and features Flock of Dimes’ Jenn Wasner throughout.
Wasner says of “Defeat,“ This song represents a moment of total surrender. It’s about the moment I finally allowed myself to accept my own powerlessness, and started the process of learning how to step back and allow others to face the consequences of their actions. It features a moment of melodic counterpoint that became a sort of mantra for myself as I attempted to make my way through this process—I’m inside it, after all. This realization—kindly first introduced to me by someone I love who sees me clearly—was something of a breakthrough for me. Learning to see myself as a part of a dynamic (rather than separate, having escaped) was an important step in changing my own behavior—which is, ultimately, the only real agent of change over which I have any sort of control. Three years after I wrote it, the work continues—I am still working on trying to see myself not as some kind of savior figure, but just another flawed human being, doing her best.”
Flock of Dimes will support The Life You Save with headlining US tour dates in November and December. The east coast run begins Thursday, November 6th in Philadelphia at Johnny Brenda’s and ends Wednesday, November 12th in Saxapahaw, NC at Haw River Ballroom. The west coast run will start Monday, December 1 in Seattle, WA at Barboza and runs through Friday, December 5th in Los Angeles, CA at Zebulon. Tickets are on sale now.
Thu. Nov. 06 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s Fri. Nov. 07 - New Haven, CT - Space Ballroom Sat. Nov. 08 - Brooklyn, NY - National Sawdust Sun. Nov. 09 - Somerville, MA - The Rockwell Tue. Nov. 11 - Washington, DC - The Atlantis Wed. Nov. 12 - Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom Mon. Dec. 01 - Seattle, WA - Barboza Tue. Dec. 02 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios Thu. Dec. 04 - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop Fri. Dec. 05 - Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon
Flock of Dimes’ The Life You Save features the aforementioned “Defeat,” along with standouts “Afraid,” “Keep Me In The Dark,” and its lead single and official video for “Long After Midnight.”
The Life You Save is available to preorder now on CD/LP/all DSPs from Sub Pop. LP purchased from megamart.subpop.com in North America, MegaMart Europe in the UK + EU, and your local record store, will receive the limited Loser Edition on Citrus (NA) or Pearl (UK/EU) vinyl (all vinyl color editions whilst stock lasts!).
What People Are Saying About Flock of Dimes: “Her thoughtful, intricately layered ballads on The Life You Save, grapple with codependency, addiction, responsibilities and limits, with how much anyone can help someone they cherish.” New York Times
“Clear-eyed and unflinching… She articulates her feelings in lush folk ballads, whose effortless warmth belie the challenges facing Wasner.” - [The Life You Save] 8/10, Uncut
“Another warm, twilit ballad.... In the video, directed by Spencer Kelly, Wasner is surrounded by projections of her younger self. It looks as pretty as the music sounds.” [“Afraid”] - Stereogum
“Beautiful new song ‘Long After Midnight’ is sharply poetic, the dulcet acoustic guitar line reminiscent of Joni Mitchell’s jazz-adjacent chording. The tender, single-take visual stars Jenn and is directed by Spence Kelly – highly evocative, it feels like a courageous step forwards.” CLASH
“A beautiful acoustic meditation about offering help against your better judgement.” [“Long After Midnight”] The Guardian
“In true Wasner fashion, it’s honest, raw, and beautiful.” [“Long After Midnight”] The AV Club
Flock of Dimes The Life You Save
Tracklisting: 1. Afraid 2. Keep Me in the Dark 3. Long After Midnight 4. Defeat 5. Close to Home 6. The Enemy 7. Not Yet Free 8. Pride 10. Theo 11. Instead of Calling 12. River in My Arms 13. I Think I’m God
