On the last Friday of every month, She Shreds shares our staff picks of what we’ve been grooving on lately. Here’s our August staff favorites.

Our Latin Thing Punk Fest, an epic co-headline of Lauryn Hill and H.E.R., Kim Gordon’s new music video, Kelsey Lu’s Blood, and Black Belt Eagle Scout’s At The Party With My Brown Friends—we’ve got you covered for August.

Fabi Reyna | Founder and Editor-in-Chief

Our Latin Thing Punk Fest

In an age where activism is often defined by one’s digital and social voice, defining punk is often met with the unwavering question: “Does it still exist, and what does it look like today?”

For me, there’s nothing more punk than demanding space for a community to define what culture, language, and representation looks and sounds like—something that people of color (POC) have been practicing for decades as a means of survival. While most people may look at Toronto and think that the Latinx, POC, and Indigenous community is non existent, Our Latin Thing is proving otherwise by practicing DIY and community-driven ideas and showcasing both local and international bands traveling as far as Colombia.

Our Latin Thing Punk Fest was created with the purpose of developing a more inclusive punk scene in Toronto, we believe that a more diverse and multicultural interaction is necessary, an interaction that allows the Toronto punk scene to grow through the exchange of ideas based on mutual support and  D.I.Y

Mission Statement from Our Latin Thing

Our Latin Thing will take place on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at The Garrison in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. If you’re in the area, this is not to be missed!

Cynthia Schemmer | Managing Editor

Lauryn Hill & H.E.R. One Night Only Co-Headline Announce

Earlier this month, Lauryn Hill and H.E.R. announced a co-headline show at the Hollywood Bowl on October 16, 2019, and my brain basically exploded—two generations of R&B guitar goddesses is worthy of dropping everything and flying across the country.

Multi-platinum artist Ms. Lauryn Hill gained recognition in the mid-90s with The Fugees, followed by her solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which was released over 20 years ago and earned her five Grammy Awards. She’s an absolute doyenne of the genre (featured in our list of “50 Historic Black Women Guitarists and Bassists You Need to Know”) and this past Wednesday saw her first recorded work in four years with a guest appearance on Pusha T’s latest track, “Coming Home.”

H.E.R. is making waves from her masterful vocals to her soulful guitar. She was nominated for five Grammy Awards in 2019, and won for Best R&B Album (H.E.R.) and Best R&B Performance (“Best Part” featuring Daniel Caesar). “I am a voice for women who feel like they’re alone in these situations,” she told Rolling Stone in 2017. “This project came from emotion, and that’s what I want it to be about—not what I look like or who I’m with, but the raw emotion and support for women.” 

Tickets for this incredible show are on sale here.

Hannah Soffa | Creative Director

Kelsey Lu

Kelsey Lu is truly one of a kind. Her first studio album, Blood (released in April) has become one of my favorite albums this year. The debut is a genre-bending journey of fluidity and self-exploration, which feels like an appropriate description of Lu herself. It’s beautifully experimental—exploring an eclectic range of classical, indie, pop, and R&B. It’s one of those albums that creates its own vocabulary.

Naturally I was really excited to see Lu perform in Los Angeles this month at Yola Día, an all-women art and music festival. From the beginning of her set with cello in hand for “Rebel” to an equally sultry and playful performance of “Foreign Car” (that included a very Tauruan ode to potato chips), to shredding on guitar in sparkly pasties for my personal favorite single from last year “Shades of Blue”—she took us all with her on a mesmerizing journey.  The work she creates is dynamic, beautiful, and unpredictable. You don’t really know what to expect next.

Ashley Vaughn | Social Media Director, Junior Designer

Black Belt Eagle Scout – At The Party With My Brown Friends

Today, Black Belt Eagle Scout dropped their new album, At The Party With My Brown Friends, released on Saddle Creek Records—and I’m so excited for it. Earlier this year, they released an EP with the beautiful track, “Loss & Relax” and it’s been one of my top plays over the past few months when I just needed a good cry.

Needless to say, I’ve been anticipating this album release. Multi-instrumentalist Katherine Paul is Black Belt Eagle Scout, and back in 2018 She Shreds had the opportunity to interview them for our print issue #16, which you can read here. 

Support Black Belt Eagle Scout on tour this fall and winter, buy their music, and tell everyone you know.

Peter Condra | Operations Manager

Kim Gordon – “Sketch Artist“

This month, Kim Gordon released “Sketch Artist,” the second teaser off her upcoming solo album, No Home Record. After four decades of hearing Gordon through a wall of detuned guitars and drums in Sonic Youth, Free Kitten, and Body/Head, the sound of arrhythmic industrial beats and airtight production are a thrilling surprise, almost reminiscent of EMA.

Having worked on the record in her hometown of Los Angeles with producer Justin Raisen (Charli XCX, Angel Olsen, Santigold, Sky Ferreira, Yves Tumor), “Sketch Artist” manages to sound neither like a throw-back to Sonic Youth, nor is it chasing trends. With no need for discernible hooks or melodies ever, Kim is bringing us no wave for 2019, and we could not be more excited.

No Home Record is out on 10/11 on Matador Records and available for preorder here. And for other similar listening, check out Kim Gordon’s much overlooked 2012 collaboration with Yoko Ono, YOKOKIMTHURSTON.