NEWS
David Byrne traded in his iconic oversized suit for a bright orange tracksuit when he appeared on The Tonight Show this week, performing at Rough Trade NYC in Rockefeller Plaza in a set that felt personal and stripped down.
On Wednesday’s episode, the former Talking Heads frontman delivered his latest single, “What Is the Reason for It?” from his forthcoming record, Who Is the Sky?. As he reached the chorus, “What is the reason for it? Why is it there? Is it my body or my brain?” Byrne moved across the stage with his backup singers and band, all dressed in coordinated outfits.
The track is the fifth cut from Who Is the Sky?, arriving this Friday, and features a guest spot from Paramore’s Hayley Williams. Produced by Kid Harpoon, the project follows Byrne’s 2018 release American Utopia. It includes collaborations with St. Vincent, who previously teamed with Byrne on 2012’s Love This Giant, as well as the Smile’s Tom Skinner and others.
Byrne has described the album as “a chance to be the mythical creature we all harbor inside. A chance to step into another reality. A chance to transcend and escape from the prison of our ‘selves.’”
During his chat with host Jimmy Fallon, Byrne recalled that he warned Kid Harpoon, whose credits include Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus, and Maggie Rogers, that his music leaned “a little bit left field” compared to the producer’s usual projects. Still, Kid Harpoon welcomed the challenge and leaned fully into Byrne’s vision.
Recently, Byrne also shared some personal news. Just weeks after revealing his engagement to Mala Gaonkar, he announced that, along with the new album release, he will be getting married this week. To mark the celebration, Byrne created a playlist of instrumental music for his wedding dinner, featuring 42 songs with an emphasis on Latin sounds, including “Pa Japón” by El Alfa, “Perfidia” by Café Tacvba, and “Luz de Luna” by the marimba-punk band Son Rompe Pera.
NEWS
Panic! At The Disco are preparing to release a special deluxe anniversary edition of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out.
The I Write Sins Not Tragedies icons marked the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking 2005 debut album during their performance at When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas over the weekend, and have now confirmed the new edition.
On January 23, the group — originally formed by Brendon Urie, Spencer Smith, Ryan Ross and Brent Wilson — will unveil a limited edition box set that features a remastered version of the record.
The package, priced at £164.99 and available for pre-order, includes 11 unreleased demos and a vinyl pressing of 2006’s Live In Denver. The full live set has also been uploaded to YouTube.
On the band’s UK store, they shared a message:
“To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Panic! At The Disco’s seminal debut album, this limited edition box set brings together a comprehensive time capsule celebrating the record's impact.
This release includes the original album remastered for the first time ever, 11 unreleased demos, plus the legendary 2006 Live In Denver performance — never before released on vinyl or CD.
The box set also includes a 12-page zine with never before seen photos from the era, a sticker set, a door hanger, and a paper doll set.”
By 2023, the band had essentially become a solo project for Urie. Their final show was held in Manchester, UK, where the frontman said: “Sometimes a journey must end for a new one to begin.
“We’ve been trying to keep it to ourselves, though some of you may have heard… Sarah and I are expecting a baby very soon!
The prospect of being a father and getting to watch my wife become a mother is both humbling and exciting. I look forward to this next adventure.”
Panic! returned to the stage at WWWY over the weekend, performing A Fever You Can't Sweat Out in full alongside fan favorites like This Is Gospel and Nine in the Afternoon.
To end the night, they performed I Write Sins Not Tragedies once again, as Smith reunited with Urie for the emotional closing moment.
