Pop Loser: Give Yourself Over to Absolute Pleasure

Welcome back to Pop Loser! This week, I’ll share my thoughts on Ariana Grande’s new album Petal and give an Unsolved Mysteries-style update on Linda Perhacs. I’ll reveal the 1973 lyrics I want written on my tombstone. Plus, there is so much great live music happening this week, including Den Fest and Capitol Hill Block Party. Let’s get into it.

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This Week in Music: 

Den Fest is this weekend, which is the perfect alternative for anyone avoiding Capitol Hill Block Party at all costs. (Look, the CHBP lineup this year is great, but I just can’t handle the crowds and the heat of large summer music festivals anymore. If you attend, dance to MUNA for me, and read our guide!) Ranging from shoegaze and indie folk to hardcore and sound collage, the fifth annual Den Fest features 16 bands across two days (August 7–8 at the Sunset Tavern, with a pre-fest party on August 6). Read my complete guide to Den Fest here!

Mass layoffs at BrooklynVegan, Alternative Press, Revolver, and Goldmine. Parent company Veeps (now part of Live Nation) reportedly laid off nearly all staff of the music publications on Tuesday. Publicist Jacob Daneman shared the news on Twitter/X, writing, “RIP BrooklynVegan. Absolutely bewildering. Thinking of all the great people there and the unparalleled music coverage they’ve done over the years. Utterly unceremonious and moronic actions by Veeps.”

I listened to Ariana Grande’s new album, Petal. After stumbling home from taking cereal bowl shots at Unicorn with my coworkers (don’t ask!) I put on my headphones and queued up Ari’s eighth album. It should be noted that I am not an Arianator, but “No Tears Left To Cry” has helped me through some dark times. Upon first listen, I enjoyed the darker tone of Petal and even questioned if Grande took inspiration from 4AD bands like Cocteau Twins and Bauhaus for the unconventional synthesizer choices (although my sober ears think that’s a stretch). Does the album reinvent the wheel? No, and I don’t think pop music should be required to do that. The standout track for me was “Freak,” which combines polished moody guitar (à la Hole’s Celebrity Skin) with ’60s-girl-group-style snaps and harmonies. I like it. 

They call her the Wild Rose. Kylie Minogue made a surprise appearance at Nick Cave’s giant hometown show in Brighton to perform their duet “Where the Wild Roses Grow.” If you didn’t already know, the unlikely duo are longtime friends and artistic collaborators, which is my Roman empire, as the kids say. “I’ll forever be your Wild Rose,” Minogue shared after the performance (I did shed a tear). Less than 24 hours later, Minogue joined Madonna during her WorldPride set in Amsterdam. Her range inspires me. 

BTS is boycotting the Grammys. The boyband shared last week that they will not submit their music to be considered for the 2027 Grammy Awards. “We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,” the band stated on Instagram. This came a month after the Recording Academy announced two new categories—Best Asian Pop Music Performance and Best Latin Song—which sparked conversations about division. Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. has since responded, saying that the new category “was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia.”

Now, for a Pop Loser update: if you read last week’s column, you know that psych-folk icon Linda Perhacs was recently pronounced missing by her manager, Laurel Stearns. Just two days after the public effort was launched, Stearns shared that Perhacs was found safe, living in a new care facility. Now, go roll yourself a joint (or pour a cup of tea) and blast Parallelograms to celebrate!

Now, take a deep breath and enjoy Stacey Q performing “Two Of Hearts” in 2024.

Music Events Worth Your Hard-Earned Money This Week:

Downtown Summer Sounds: La Fonda Aug 5, 999 3rd Ave (Downtown Seattle), 12pm, all ages, free

Smokey Brights, Magpie Cinema Club Aug 5, Nectar Lounge, 7pm, 21+

Art Gecko, Dollarbird, All Of Our Cornbread Aug 6, Baba Yaga, 7pm, 21+

Den Fest Kickoff Party: Black Ends, MA Sampson, Small Paul Aug 6, Tractor Tavern, 8pm, 21+

Suki Waterhouse Aug 6, Woodland Park Zoo, 6pm, all ages

Camp KEXP Aug 7, KEXP, 10am–4pm, all ages, free

More Music @ The Moore Aug 7, Moore Theatre, 11am & 7:30pm, all ages

Den Fest V Aug 7–8, Sunset Tavern, 7pm, 21+

Capitol Hill Block Party 2026 Aug 7–9, Capitol Hill, 21+

Cashier, Fell Off Aug 8, Vera Project, 7pm, all ages

Thunderpussy Aug 8, Baba Yaga, 7pm, 21+

Sarah McLachlan: Better Broken Tour Aug 8–9, Chateau Ste. Michelle, 7pm, all ages

TV Star, Lightheaded, Research Vessel Aug 11, Sunset Tavern, 8pm, 21+

Melvins, Tomahawk Aug 11–12, The Showbox, 8pm, 21+

The Songs That Keep Me Up at Night:

“Dead shark II” by Helen

Helen, the indie-rock side project of Grouper’s Liz Harris, is back for the first time in over a decade, and I’m ecstatic—their debut album, The Original Faces, got me through 2015. “Dead shark II” is the first single from their upcoming album, Linda’s Head, and it’s everything I hoped it would be: sunny, timeless, reverbed-to-the-gods, and perfect for driving around with the windows down. 

“Rose Tint My World (Demo)” by Richard O’Brien

This week I discovered Richard O’Brien’s demos for the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack, which were released back in March, but I completely missed it. The demos are sparse, largely acoustic, and sound like something from David Bowie’s Space Oddity era. It’s incredible to hear these classic showtunes in their infancy. Naturally, the demo for “Rose Tint My World” is the one I keep returning to, as it includes my life motto, which I would like engraved on my tombstone: “Give yourself over to absolute pleasure.”

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