pom pom squad
Artist x Artist: Pom Pom Squad x Nada Surf
During the pandemic, Mia Berrin of Pom Pom Squad jokingly put out a tweet (or at least it seemed like a joke) that she wanted to cover Nada Surf’s 1996 hit “Popular.” Well, she did exactly that. Pom Pom Squad released a version that remained true to the original, including filming the video with Berrin playing all of the characters (and even filmed at the same place) that replicated the original. Since Pom Pom Squad are one of our favorite rising artists [they performed at our SXSW showcase in March and were one of the night’s highlights] and the cover rules. That said, we figured we’d ask Berrin and Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws to hop on a chat for our Artist x Artist series. And they agreed! In their conversation, Berrin and Caws discussed learning new approaches to songwritin...
Watch Pom Pom Squad’s SXSW Tiny Desk Performance
Pom Pom Squad had a raucous run of performances at SXSW, (including at our party). Somehow in their busy schedule, the band managed to record an NPR Tiny Desk performance in Austin. Powered by Mia Berrin, performed a killer set featuring tracks off of their debut album Death Of a Cheerleader (“Head Cheerleader,” “Drunk Voicemail,” “Crying” & “Be Good”). The set also featured “Cherry Blossom” from their 2019 Ow EP. Pom Pom Squad released their debut album Death of a Cheerleader, last year. Death of a Cheerleader incorporates garage-rock grittiness and authenticity, complemented by dreamy cinematic touches. The album acts as a post-coming-of-age guide exploring concepts like self-acceptance, smashing the patriarchy, being okay with not being okay, and becoming comfortable in your ow...
SPIN at SXSW: The Lemonheads Reignite Austin With It’s a Shame About Ray Performance
Not gonna lie: we kinda missed SXSW, traffic, lines, free-flowing human chaos and all. SPIN hosted a number of raging day shows throughout the years, but for SXSW’s return, we had to come back with a real-deal official showcase at Stubb’s. And who could be more official than The Lemonheads? Evan Dando and company ripped through their classic 1992 album, It’s a Shame About Ray, as the party’s marquee feature, and even if at least half of the audience hadn’t been born by the time they initially broke up, Dando’s youthful warble still filled Stubb’s vast gravely lawn. One could probably hear Dando and the rest of us “Raaaaaay” from the Capitol less than a mile from the venue. Nearly three decades later, the one-two punch of “Bit Part” and “Allison’s Starting to Happen” still goes for the punk...
Pom Pom Squad Reimagines Nada Surf’s ‘Popular’ Video
Pom Pom Squad are a band that’s absolutely on the rise and had a great 2021 with the release of Death of a Cheerleader. Even so, when the band fired off some playful tweets expressing their admiration for Nada Surf‘s mid-’90s hit “Popular” earlier this year, no one thought they were that serious. I’m gonna recreate the video for popular by Nada Surf but I’m gonna play every character — Pom Pom Squad❣️ (@pompomsquad) March 25, 2021 But, what started off as a joke has become a reality with a terrific twist. Mia Berrin did exactly what she promised she’d do and today, you can see the fruits of her labor. If that’s not enough, Berrin enlisted none other than Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws for an appearance. The new video took place at the Bayonne High School, the same place w...
The 50 Best Rock Bands Right Now
First, let’s take care of the obvious. Despite the still-persistent narrative that such music is “dead,” there are way more than 50 excellent rock bands out there. And there’s no exact science to scooping the cream of the crop. Our list includes arena-packing veterans but also semi-obscure indie acts who’ve barely escaped their basements. There are no hard rules here. Our methodology was simple: ask our writers and staff which rock bands feel worthy of recognition right now. But we did aim for a wide scope — throughout, you’ll find flavors of psych, post-punk, hardcore, metal, even country. If it feels like rock, it’s on the table. Consider SPIN‘s 2021 roundup — just like last year’s — a thermometer, taking the temperature of modern rock in all its various mutations. Altın Gün Ho...
The Mowgli’s, Eivør, and More Headline This Week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream
We’re getting back to our live music roots this week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream after doing everything from hosting a video game giveaway to interviewing Kah-Lo live on the stream last week — which is still available on Twitch for a bit longer and will eventually live permanently on YouTube. This week, we’ve got a Labor Day party with Zeke Thomas (who NBA fans might recognize as Isiah Thomas’ son), a live set from Eivør, a discussion with the Mowgli’s, and much more. As always, check out both Twitter and Instagram for any changes and don’t forget to subscribe to our Twitch with the free one you get with Amazon Prime to have the full experience. When the time comes, you can join us at twitch.tv/spinmag. For now, just take a peek a...
