Sixteen year old New Zealander Ella Yelich-O’Connor, or better known as her musician name Lorde, released her debut EP called The Love Club back in 2012 and digitally re-released it last month online. Her latest EP called Tennis Court EP, was released in New Zealand earlier this month and is set to be released in late July for the United Kingdom, but no word for its release  in the US yet. Her hit single “Royals” from The Love Club was awarded Platinum twice in New Zealand shortly after its release. The track and her music itself has a fun pippy hip hop pop bounce (think Kimbra with a slight thug edge) to it. Lyrics in “Royals” like “And we’ll never be royals, it don’t run in our blood, that kind of lux just ain’t for us, we crave a different kind of buzz, let me be your ruler you can call me queen bee, and baby I’ll rule, I’ll rule, I’ll rule, I’ll rule let me live that fantasy,”give off the impression of a care free teenager who doesn’t care about becoming or imitating famous celebrities

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Fresh off his fill-in performance for Mumford and Sons at Bonnaroo, Jack Johnson has announced fall headline tour dates in support of his sixth studio album, From Here To Now To You. Johnson and his band will kick off their tour in Europe on September 5, and return to the States with a headline performance at Life is good Festival on September 22 in Canton, MA. Johnson told Rolling Stone about his 2012 Hawaiian Islands Tour: “They were the most magical shows,” he says. “It gave you the time to tell stories and where the songs came from. I really enjoyed that. I think we’re going to mix it up next year with different types of tours, but at least for a lot of it, we’re going to try to do some theaters.” With 25 of his 28 fall tour venues in historic theaters, Johnson is doing just that. As with all of his tours since 2008, Johnson will donate 100% of his tour profits to charity. [..]

While Bonnaroo was going down in Tennessee over Father’s Day weekend, the world’s oldest music festival, Pinkpop, was throwing its annual party in Landgraaf, Netherlands. Starting a year after Woodstock, the festival has not only gone on all these years, but grew from a single day festival in a small park to a huge three-day experience. This year’s lineup featured Green Day, Kings of Leon and The Killers headlining, with Phoenix, Jimmy Eat World, Paramore, Queens of the Stone Age and more performing. [..]

Michael Franti and his band Spearhead have announced dates for their North American tour in support of his forthcoming album release All People. “We are super excited to get back on the road this summer and fall,” said Franti. “Our new album All People is officially in the can and we are stoked to get out there and play all the new songs for you. Be ready for some surprises and ready to rock out. See ya in the parking lot, see ya on the street, see ya on stage!!!” [..]

After 25 years of playing bass for The Pixies, Kim Deal has decided to leave the alternative rock band. According to USA Today, the band posted a statement earlier today on their Facebook page about Deal’s departure.

“We are sad to say that Kim Deal has decided to leave the Pixies. We are very proud to have worked with her on and off over the last 25 years. Despite her decision to move on, we will always consider her a member of the Pixies, and her place will always be here for her. We wish her all the best.”

–Black Francis, Joey Santiago and David Lovering

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