Good and bad news

 

It’s interesting: some weeks bring overwhelmingly positive news, such as Adele taking over the charts, others negative, with Travis Scott unwittingly unleashing tragedy. Last week, we commented on a bittersweet episode of sorts, while this week is even more contrasted — there are some truly great things, and truly horrible things hitting the music world all at once…

• Bad: Drakeo The Ruler, a rising 28-year old rapper whose first LP got released earlier this year, was stabbed to death at at the Once Upon A Time in LA festival this weekend as he was about to go on stage. The circumstances surrounding the killing are still very murky, but one thing is sure — we didn’t need any more young performers dying this year…
• Good: Adele cemented her place at the pinnacle of the industry with a fourth consecutive week on top of the Billboard 200. Her fourth album, 30, has been #1 ever since it got released, and it has every reason to. This may very well be her finest collection of music, coming from an older and more mature artist who is very much choosing her path these days…
• Bad: Queen’s legendary guitar hero Brian May caught Covid a few days ago and has been quite honest about how serious his condition is. A scientist on top of being a superstar musician, with a PhD in astrophysics to prove it, he had been extremely vocal in promoting vaccination — and science in general — against the rise of the anti-vax movement in the UK as well as the rest of the world. Here’s to wishing he continues doing so for many years to come…
• Good: Alicia Keys, one of our era’s defining artists — coming up slightly before Adele, as it happens — released her latest project, an 8th — and double — album which interestingly explores two sides of her artistic personality, one that she calls “original” and that we have come to know her for (elegant contemporary soul stylings) and the other, “Unlocked”, with more surprising takes on some of the same songs. Interesting indeed…
• Unclear: like many times in the past two years, several high profiles outfits including LCD Soundsystem and the UK’s Enter Shikari, have started cancelling shows and tour dates amidst rising concerns around the Omicron variant. While this is still not a global thing, we all know by now that it could very well be come next week. Let’s hope that it is not and keep on listening to Adele, Drakeo, Alicia and Queen in the meantime…