Etc.

Divided Heaven set to release new album, Oblivion, February 4th

Longtime friend of the website, Jeff Berman, a.k.a. Divided Heaven, is releasing a new album entitled Oblivion on February 4th, 2022 via A-F Records and Gunner Records. The album was produced by four different producers, Frank Turner, Charlie Stavish, and Tim van Doorn, to create a sort of world map of Divided Heaven’s journey up until this point. The album itself was recorded across two continents.

The fourth full length album by Divided Heaven features appearances from artists like Lydia Loveless. The album explores much heavier yet timely topics than previous releases like politics, assault, and misogyny. According to the press release the songwriting process entailed:

“‘I had to write a record that matched the times: delicate to chaotic, heartfelt to dirty,’ says Berman. ‘Before, I would’ve shied away from topics such as sexual assault and victim blaming but this time I called-out the disgusting misogyny (in the track ‘Reckoning’) and threw shade at the abusers in our music scene (in the track ‘Creep’). Before, I might’ve tried to portray some semblance of decency about my fellow citizenry; this time I lament that goodness and kindness are losing the culture war (in the track ‘Panic’) and trolling is rewarded over intelligence (in the track ‘Burn Me’).'”

Oblivion will be released and available to stream/purchase on February 4th. Pre-orders can be purchased for the United States here and in the EU/UK here.

What I’m Listening to Now

It has been a while. As it gets colder, I made a new playlist of what I have been listening to lately and ideas for a dream soundtrack for the movie I am vaguely working on when I am not doing coursework. I know the Smiths are in this playlist. It is as surprising to me as it might be to you all. However, please enjoy! I know I keep apologizing but I am so sorry about the long absences. I will be adding to this playlist periodically.

Watch Black Belt Eagle Scout cover Grouper’s “Heavy Water / I’d Rather Be Sleeping”

For Sounds of Saving’s ongoing series “Song that Found Me at the Right Time,” Black Belt Eagle Scout appeared to cover Grouper’s “Heavy Water / I’d Rather Be Sleeping” The series has also featured Sharon Van Etten and Madison McFerrin. Black Belt Eagle Scout’s performance is in collaboration with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Black Belt Eagle Scout talks about her experience going to therapy during the video, saying “[i]t’s something that’s helped me tremendously in my life.” Black Belt Eagle Scout also added:

Sharing a message of mental health support and suicide prevention saves lives. The suicide rate within Native / Indigenous communities is high and so it is very important to be able to speak out specifically for my community. There have been many times in my life where I needed that ray of sun coming out over the mountains on a stormy day. Luckily I have been blessed with support systems that have kept me alive and I have seen firsthand just how important these are. I want to be able to spread this awareness so that more people can see that ray of sun like I did.

The cover starts around the 5:51 minute mark, watch below.

Our 6th Anniversary

Today is Melodic Tree’s 6th anniversary. Although times are currently immensely challenging and it’s hard to go out and celebrate with a concert, the next best thing is the return of our weekly playlist. They will return to Sundays after today’s special 60 song playlist. Songs that are included are primarily ones that were on our playlists previously and ones that mean a lot to me, the creator of Melodic Tree over the years. Enjoy it below!

Secondly and more importantly: Black lives matter and justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many many many many more. Links to places to donate and learn more on how you can help will be provided below the playlist, as well as the phone number to the National Lawyers Guild.

National Lawyers Guild phone number: 612-444-2654

Places to donate:

Minnesota Freedom Fund

Brooklyn Bail Fund

Black Visions

National Bail Out

Resources:

Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter in Schools

Rage Against the Machine announces tour

Rage Against the Machine have released official tour dates after announcing a number of reunion shows like a headlining set at Coachella. Run the Jewels will join the band on tour and they will start next month in El Paso, Texas and the tour is currently set to end in Krakow, Poland in September. The proceeds from the shows in El Paso, Phoenix, and La Cruces will go to immigrant rights efforts, the band announced.

Run the Jewels will accopany their new album, Run the Jewels 4 while on tour. The album is set to be released in the spring.

Check out RATM’s schedule below.

Read Pitchfork’s Sunday Review of Rage Against the Machine.

Rage Against the Machine:

03-26 El Paso, TX – Don Haskins Center
03-28 Las Cruces, NM – Pan American Center
03-30 Glendale, AZ – Gila River Arena
04-10 Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
04-17 Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
04-21 Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
04-25 Portland, OR – Moda Center
04-28 Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
05-01 Vancouver, BC – Pacific Coliseum at the PNE
05-03 Edmonton, Alberta – Rogers Place
05-05 Calgary, Alberta – Scotiabank Saddledome
05-07 Winnipeg, Manitoba – Bell MTS Place
05-09 Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford Premier Center
05-11 Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
05-14 Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
05-16 St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
05-19 Chicago, IL – United Center
05-23 Boston, MA – Boston Calling
06-19 Dover, DE – Firefly
07-10 East Troy, WI – Alpine Valley Music Theatre
07-13 Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
07-17 Ottawa, Ontario – Ottawa Bluesfest
07-18 Québec City, Québec – Festival d’Été de Québec
07-21 Hamilton, Ontario – FirstOntario Centre
07-23 Toronto, Ontario – Scotiabank Arena
07-27 Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center
07-29 Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
07-31 Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
08-02 Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena
08-04 Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
08-07 Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion
08-10 New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
08-11 New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
08-28 Leeds, England – Leeds Festival
08-30 Reading, England – Reading Festival
09-01 Paris, France – Rock En Seine Festival
09-04 Stradbally Laois, Ireland – Electric Picnic Festival
09-06 Berlin, Germany – Lollapalooza Berlin Festival
09-08 Prague, Czech Republic – O2 Arena
09-10 Krakow, Poland – Tauron Arena

Don’t Mind the Absence

Hi, it’s Isabella, the editor, here. The postings on here have been sporadic and I feel like I should clarify why now, I have been meaning to give an update for a long time but I can never bring myself to it.

I started this website when I was 16 years old, I had just gotten my driver’s license and I wanted an excuse to write abut the music I was listening to at the time, and hopefully one day, meet the musicians I loved. Over the next few years I started taking pictures, collaborated with other writers and photofraphers, and even went to a few festivals through this. Little did I expect it to grow the way it did, on a local scale.

However, this past year changed the way I approach this website and I regret it deeply. I started to prioritze school (by the way, I graduated college and made my first short film, I will upload it on here soon, hopefully), and got a new job slinging coffee in order to survive as I have yet to make much money on this website and got progressively more exhausted and less motivated because of it. I think about what I hoped for this past year, so much could have happened if this or that had not happened, however, The Melodic Tree is not going anywhere, think of this sort of absence as a hibernation. Now that I am (mostly) done with the schooling aspect of my life, I can prioritize this website like I did when I was 16, five years ago, with only a few album reviews (heavily influenced by the Needle Drop, for some reason) and an interview with my favorite mambo musician at the time under my belt.

Take these sporadic postings as a form of hibernation, not truly gone but rather in a much needed rest and break in order to accomplish other priorities in my life. As there is only one of me. Expect more posts, expect more stuff to come out of this website.

Thanks,

Isabella King

Watch Mitski perform, Beastie Boys guest on “Kimmel”

Mitski and Beastie Boys appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” last night. Ad-Rock and Mike D from Beastie Boys discussed with Kimmel about their new memoir, Beastie Boys Book, their career, the late Adam Yauch, their relationship with Kool Moe Dee, and more. Mitski, the night’s musical guest, performed Be the Cowboy tracks “Two Slow Dancers” and “Nobody.” Watch it all below.

Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine share new “Time” video

Singer-songwriter Angelo De Augustine has released a live version of his track “Time.” The video features Sufjan Stevens on piano. Watch their performance  from Manhattan’s Reservoir Studios below. “Time” is a single from Augustine’s upcoming album Tomb, which is set to be out January 18 via Sufjan’s Asthmatic Kitty Records. The LP was produced by Thomas Bartlett.

Sufjan Stevens also directed the music video for Angelo De Augustine’s song “Crazy, Stoned & Gone” from Augustine’s last album Swim Inside the Moon last year.

Kip Berman announces solo EP

The frontman of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Kip Berman, has announced his debut solo EP under the name Natvral. The EP, Know Me More, is set to be out October 5th via Kanine. Berman has shared the title track, featuring Fear of Men’s Jess Weiss, from the release. Listen to it below.

https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=423792103/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/

In a statement, Berman discusses his new moniker. “I wanted to pick up my guitar and sing songs in a natural way, without all the things about music that aren’t music,” he says. The four-track EP, which was produced by Andy Savours, was recorded at London’s Wolf Den Studios in single takes. A cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne” is the closing track in the project.

Adrianne Lenker shares new song “symbol”

Adrianne Lenker has released the second single off her upcoming album, abysskiss, titled “symbol.” Listen below. The frontwoman to Big Thief announced the album last month with its first single “cradle.” abysskiss is set to be out via Saddle Creek October 5th. Lenker has also announced a solo tour in support of her new album. Find the dates below.

Adrianne Lenker:

01-15 London, England – Union Chapel
01-16 Dublin, Ireland – The Button Factory
01-17 Manchester, England – YES
01-19 Ghent, Belgium – Charlatan
01-20 Paris, France – La Maroquinerie
01-22 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso Tolhuistuin
01-23 Berlin, Germany – Baumhausbar
02-04 Los Angeles, CA – Pico Union Project
02-05 Santa Barbara, CA – SOhO
02-06 San Francisco, CA – Swedish American Hall
02-09 Seattle, WA- The Vera Project
02-10 Portland, OR – The Old Church
02-14 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
02-15 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
02-16 Baltimore, MD – Metro Gallery
02-18 Toronto, Ontario – Longboat Hall
02-20 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
02-21 Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center