Titus Andronicus Return with "STACKS" [PILOT EPISODE] & "STACKS ON STACKS: The Official S+@CKS After-Show" Q&A (Merge Records)

Over the years, Patrick Stickles-helmed Titus Andronicus have unleashed quite the expansive, genre-eschewing back catalog-worth of music; for me, personally, it all started with 2012's Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band-evocative Local Business. Titus Andronicus—often, affectionately referred to as simply "+@"—have since released a cascading 29-track "Punk" Rock Opera, The Most Lamentable Tragedy, a 2016 live album, S+@dium Rock: Five Nights at The Opera, and most recently, Folk Rock/Acoustic opus, A Productive Cough. In-between said releases, +@ have meticulously trickled out a gaggle of official/"unofficial" non-cannon releases, such as their mail-order SEVEN SEVEN INCHES series, Titus Andronicus, LLC Mixtape, Vol. 1, Lil' Wayne-referencing +@ LLC MIXTAPE, VOL. 2A: SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY, Titus Andronicus Mixtape, Volume III: A Reductive Scoff, and spook-tacular "Home Alone (On Halloween)" 12-inch. Titus Andronicus have somehow (un)surprisingly already returned with a new album, An Obelisk, set to drop Friday, June 21, 2019 on Merge Records.

Patrick Stickles & Co. have quietly dropped two pre-album singles from Bob Mould-produced An Obelisk, "(I Blame) Society" and "Tumult Around The World," although, now, have already returned with "the pilot episode of "Prestige" [Situational] Comedy, STACKS." "STACKS" is, supposedly, a long-standing nickname for +@ frontman Patrick Stickles, or amongst close friends, "Paddy Stacks." Coinciding with the debut/pilot episode of STACKS, Stickles partook in a comprehensive Vulture interview with columnist Justin Joffe fittingly titled Why Titus Andronicus Made Its Very Own Sitcom Pilot. It's definitely inspired by Seinfeld, MARON, Crashing, Arrested Development, and Curb Your Enthusiasm and STACKS follows a "day-in-the-life" of a semi-fictionalized version of Paddy Stacks, "as he attempts to navigate a "heightened" reality, where the perils and pitfalls of the modern music industry take on nightmarish proportions." I won't give too much away, but STACKS [PILOT EPISODE] co-stars Patrick Stickles' fellow Titus Andronicus bandmates Liam Benson, R.J. Gordon, and Chris Wilson. Plus, former/part-time +@ players Matt "Money" Miller & Cary Kehayan and Shea Stadium/Records Founder Alexander "Orange Drink" Levine of The So So Glos.

Again, without giving too much away, bartender Matt "Money" Miller, who previously provided lead vocals on "Home Alone (On Halloween)" appears at about the 16:45-minute mark as part of 2 Guys Rappin' his supposed Hip-Hop crew with Stickles from high school. In addition to previously released single, "Tumult Around The World," STACKS features two previously unreleased An Obelisk tracks, "Troubleman Unlimited" and "Just Like Ringing a Bell;" there's, also, separate music videos for "Just Like Ringing a Bell," "Tumult Around The World" & "Troubleman Unlimited" excerpted from STACKS. If you're really into the fully-immersive experience, last night's live fan interactive Q&A with Paddy Stacks himself, of course, titled "STACKS ON STACKS: The Official STACKS After-Show" is now streaming on YouTube, as well. Titus Andronicus' "(I Blame) Society," "Tumult Around The World" and "Just Like Ringing a Bell" / "Troubleman Unlimited" from An Obelisk are now available on your digital streaming service of choice. Also, make note: tickets for the staggering 63-date Titus Andronicus Autumn 2019 Tour go on sale this Friday, May 31st.

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel

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