D.C. Melodic Hardcore Five-piece Praise Return with "All In A Dream" from Upcoming Album All In A Dream (Revelation Records)

Beneath every blast of feral Hardcore is a sense of melody—not a three-part harmony or earworm hook, but the right mix of pace, phrasing, and a heap of intangible passion. Formed as a five-piece unit in the Greater D.C. area, Praise's mission statement has been to work within the box of traditional Hardcore while exploring the bounds of melody in every possible sense. This means more than splicing power-chords with catchy accents, but rather, mining the work of the masters inside and outside of the genre and immersing themselves in the roots of those who changed Hardcore's sound and boundaries; but it doesn't just stop there. Along with their love of the rich history of Washington, D.C. Hardcore Punk, Praise's sound darts and dashes through scenes, decades, and genres, united by the core tenets of a catchy song and the impulse to deliver a message.

From 80's Minneapolis Power Pop and Dag Nasty to The Cure & Leatherface, along with sprinkles and nods to traditional guitar-based Pop, the result is springy Hardcore that travels with urgency while exploring the themes of introspective struggle, imagining a better world outside of our own, and the evolution of grief throughout the years. Starting in 2010, Praise released a string of 12-inch and 7-inches bent on honing the golden ratio of angst and aria, but it wasn't until 2017, while recording "Return to Life" for AHC: America's Hardcore, Volume 4 with Brian McTernan (BE WELL, Battery) that they found a co-conspirator who could use the studio setting to add the depth of sound they strove for. Enter All In A Dream, the third LP from Praise and their debut release on Revelation Records. Recorded at Developing Nations in Baltimore, Maryland with producer and engineer Kevin Bernsten, All In A Dream finds Praise stretching their sound and craft throughout the album's nine tracks.

Praise - "All In A Dream" single and All In A Dream album covers (SOURCE: Revelation Records)

Additionally, McTernan acted as a second producer, focusing on song structure, vocal performances, and creative solutions that resolve ideas and turn a song into a journey. As the lead single and title track "All In A Dream," narrates, "there's no more black-and-white, this world is in full color," Praise's latest album is bursting with ideas and intentions, layered with a thoughtful brush dipped in past, present, and future. The tone is critical, hopeful, and solutions-based, focusing on realization as the beginning of an inner journey. Praise's current line-up consists of Andy Norton, Anthony Dye, Chris Bavaria, Daniel Fang, and Austin Stemper. Collectively, Praise's members have played with Champion, Nerve Endings, Peace, Protester, Mindset, NO-HEADS, Angel Du$t, Turnstile, Have Heart, and Free. "All In A Dream" is now available on streaming services, along with a vibrantly-colored music video directed by Robin Zeijlon. Praise's All In A dream is now available for pre-order and will see a 5/6 releas eon Revelation Records.

"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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