POP LOSER Volume 3: The Stranger's Newest Music Newsletter

View this email in your browser Somehow, it's already November. My trash can is full of Halloween candy wrappers, the sun sets at 4:30 p.m., and I heard Christmas music playing at Ulta yesterday (yikes!). But, not everything is bleak, because this week in Pop Loser, we dive into Hilary Duff's long-awaited return to music, the upcoming Beatles biopic, an early aughts indie rock band you've probably never heard of, and some exciting new music by Rochelle Jordan. Plus, Simon Raymonde of Cocteau Twins shows us his impressive hoard of 8-tracks in another edition of Immaculate Collection. By Audrey Vann This Week in Music: Let's start with the bad news: the Crocodile's downstairs venues, Madame Lou's and Here-After, are closing. Hunter Motto, the Crocodile's creative director, told The Stranger's Julianne Bell that half of the staff have been laid off and that about 80 events booked at the closed venues will be transferred to other similarly sized spots around town (such as the Sunset Tavern, Barboza, Clock-Out Lounge, and Tractor Tavern).   Ready or not (I'm not), the Fab Four is coming to a theater near you. Several more roles have been filled for the upcoming four-part Beatles biopic, including Anna Sawai (Yoko Ono), Mia McKenna-Bruce (Maureen Starkey Tigrett), and Aimee Lou Wood (Pattie Boyd). I'm concerned that everyone in this cast has iPhone Face except for period drama queen Saoirse Ronan, who's been cast as Linda McCartney. Millennials, rejoice! Hilary Duff is returning to music with her first single in a decade, titled "Mature." I highly doubt this song will live up to Metamorphosis; nevertheless, I'm excited, as it could mean a tour is on the horizon. In other news, Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur has announced her first book, Even the Good Girls Will Cry: A '90s Rock Memoir, which will be released this coming March. This week, we lost two underrated music legends: the influential Brazilian artist Lô Borges and Grateful Dead vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay. The Songs That Keep Me Up at Night: "Birds" by Electrelane The autumn bird migration is in full swing, and each time I hear an unfamiliar bird call, I sing to myself, "I loved you in the evening, while the birds were still singing," a line from Electrelane's 2004 track "Birds." Formed in 1998 by a crew of feminist intellectuals, Electrelane were making timeless indie rock inspired by krautrock, Sonic Youth, and the Velvet Underground. "Birds" is elegantly melodic and jammy in the best way, and it will probably make you cry if you are or have ever been in a long-distance relationship. This one is for fans of: Broadcast, Yo La Tengo, the Breeders, and Sleater-Kinney. "The Boy" by Rochelle Jordan Rochelle Jordan's new album Through the Wall has made me more excited about new music than I've been in a long time, reminding me of when I first heard luminary breakthrough albums like Solange's A Seat at the Table, SZA's CTRL, or Azealia Banks' 1991. The album leans into a '90s club sound, reminiscent of a late-'90s Isaac Mizrahi fashion show or incidental music on Sex and the City. On the Kaytranada-produced track "The Boy," Jordan's velvety vocals sing a radio-ready hook suitable for Brandy or Aaliyah. My crystal ball says that she will blow up any day now, so don't miss her intimate show at Barboza on December 4.     ADVERTISEMENT     Mariam of Amadou & Mariam L'Amour à la Folie Sat, November 8 at 8 p.m. Meany Center for the Performing Arts Meany Hall, UW Seattle Campus Superstars Amadou & Mariam blended the dynamic rhythms of Malian blues with African rock to create an irresistible Afro-pop sound. In this heartfelt tribute to the joyful musical journey they shared, Mariam honors her late husband Amadou in a concert featuring Mariam's soulful vocals backed by her long-time band with new music from the duo's album L'Amour à la Folie. Music Events Worth Your Hard-Earned Money This Week Tomo Nakayama Nov 7, Fremont Abbey, 7:30 pm, all ages ECSC Rare Soul Weekender with Bernadette Bascom Nov 7, Black Lodge, 9 pm, 21+ TeZATalks Nov 9, Barboza, 7 pm, 21+ Belly: 30th Anniversary of King Nov 9, Crocodile, 7 pm, 21+ Doechii Nov 10, WaMu Theater, 8 pm, all ages Patti Smith: Horses 50th Anniversary Nov 10, Paramount Theatre, 8 pm, all ages In Conversation with Simon Raymonde Nov 10, Easy Street Records, 6 pm, all ages David Byrne Nov 11–13, Paramount Theatre, 8 pm, all ages     ADVERTISEMENT     Seattle's Tribute to The Last Waltz – A One-Night-Only Musical Celebration Saturday, November 29th Neptune Theatre Seattle's Tribute to The Last Waltz returns Nov 29 at the Neptune Theatre! Featuring King Youngblood, Lady A, Halley Greg & more, this all-star lineup brings the legendary 1976 concert to life. Rock, soul & community unite—every ticket supports Northwest Harvest. Don't miss Seattle's biggest night of music & giving! Immaculate Collection: Simon Raymonde of Cocteau Twins This is not a drill, people! The legendary producer, label owner, bassist, and keyboardist Simon Raymonde, best known as a member of Cocteau Twins and This Mortal Coil, agreed to show us his 8-track collection, which, depending on who you are, could mean everything or nothing to you. The dream-pop icon is releasing a new memoir this month called In One Ear: Cocteau Twins, Ivor and Me, which chronicles his musical career and relationship with his father, the famed orchestral rock composer/arranger Ivor Raymond (known for his work with Dusty Springfield and the Walker Brothers). Raymonde will stop by Easy Street Records on November 10 at 6 p.m. to chat about the new book with singer-songwriter Anne-Lynne Williams and KEXP DJ Marco Collins.  How many 8-tracks do you have?  Raymonde: About 300. What was the first 8-track you ever bought?   Raymonde: Never Mind The Bollocks by Sex Pistols    What is your most prized 8-track in your collection? Raymonde: Pink Moon by Nick Drake. What do you like about 8-tracks?  Raymonde: Haha, you know, I have asked myself that question several times! About 10 years ago, I was about an hour away from purchasing the largest collection of 8-tracks in the world and the only existing 8-track museum from a fella in Texas, but it never happened. I have a working 8-track player, but I don't play them often. They're in a cabinet in my living room.    Tell me about an item you'd like to add to your collection or a new collection you'd like to start.  Raymonde: I'd like Adventure by Television on 8-track. Then, I'll start collecting Sony DATs (digital audio tapes). I currently have two: Blue Bell Knoll by Cocteau Twins and another by Happy Mondays.     ABOUT THE AUTHOR     I'm Audrey Vann, staff writer for The Stranger, as well as a lifelong fangirl, record collector, and former record store employee with a media diet that is equal parts pop trash and obscure old stuff (think: Memphis Minnie, Addison Rae, Peggy Seeger, Ashlee Simpson, Throbbing Gristle, Erykah Badu, and Roy Orbison, all on the same playlist). Copyright © 2025 Noisy Creek, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive emails from Noisy Creek, which includes The Stranger, The Portland Mercury, and EverOut. Our mailing address is: Noisy Creek 1101 E. Pike St. Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98122 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.