July 2014 – Audiofemme

SadGirl, Gothic Tropic, and GRMLN @ Los Globos, Echo park

This past Saturday IHEARTCOMIX organized a killer show at Los Globos in Echo Park, including SadGirl, Gothic Tropic, and GRMLN, a trio of acts rapidly gaining well-deserved attention amongst the Los Angeles music scene. Walking up to Los Globos I couldn’t deny that the exterior aesthetic of the venue resembled that of a flashy strip club; however, once entering the building, it became very clear that this dingy and dimly lit venue, brimming with in-the-know LA locals, was the perfect setting for this lineup.

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SadGirl, a three-piece surf rock band, began the show with a perfect set. The overall timbre of their music made me feel like a 1950’s teenager about to attend my first high school prom wearing a pastel pink dress, feeling slightly jaded, sarcastic, and lost. Their most recent single, “Breakfast is Over,” has a heart-wrenching musical landscape comprised of doo-wop-inflected moans and harmonies, and with lyrics like “I’m not your type anyway,” resigns itself to unrequited love. There’s no shortage of bands in SoCal trying to achieve a lo-fi, surfer rock, 50’s sounding music, and I’ve seen plenty of them these past few months. But SadGirl’s approach to this genre was edgy and unique and showed off each of the musicians’ comfort and knowledge of the collaborative process of writing and performing music. Their sound was wonderfully dirtied, distorted, and soulful, and the trio a great stage presence.

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Next up, Echo Park-based Gothic Tropic blended Krautrock, surf, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, but the magnetic presence of frontwoman Cecilia Della Peruti pulled it all together. Certainly one of the grooviest ladies I’ve ever seen play live, Cecilia came on stage looking fly with a tie-dye baseball cap, leopard leggings and a clear guitar. Her eerie and angelic voice creates a perfect contrast to the complicated and amazingly intricate drumming along with and crunchy, distorted lead and rhythm guitar courtesy of Daniel Denton and Rheese Detrow. Gothic Tropic’s songs had many layers to them, creating beautifully dynamic and interesting compositions. At various moments throughout the show Cecilia would crouch down to mess with her luxurious spread of guitar pedals, in order to create the most interesting fuzzy, beeping, high pitched and low buzzing noises of various frequencies. Her work with these unique sounds was the frosting on an already delicious cake. From the exchanged looks and knowing smiles of Gothic Tropic’s bandmates to one another during this performance it was clear that one of the reasons they are so great live is that they vibe so heavily with one another.

Ending the night with GRMLN felt all too perfect. Before signing to Carpark Records band, GRMLN began as the musical project of Yoodoo Park, a friend of mine, beginning his musical endeavors in his dorm room at UC Santa Cruz. GRMLN fits sound and snug in the scene of lo-fi shoe-gaze, or, to use a term GRMLN coined, “mood-gaze.” Their single “Teenage Rhythm” is the perfect song to listen to if you are getting into some serious summertime mischief and feeling like you rule the world. All of GRMLN’s songs seem to have an undeniably catchy nature, due to the perfectly harmonized guitar parts, hard-hitting drums, and half-time rhythm song breaks. Yoodoo’s voice is heavy with emotion when it needs to be, and also light-hearted when the song calls for a feel-good motif. The warm, all-inclusive stage presence Yoodoo radiates had the audience feeling as if they’d all been best friends for ages. GRMLN drops a new album, Soon Away, on September 15th.

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LIVE REVIEW: A Sunny Day in Glasgow @ Baby’s All Right

A Sunny Day in Glasgow @ Baby's All Right. Photo by Karen Gardiner — A Sunny Day in Glasgow @ Baby’s All Right. Photo by Karen Gardiner

The way in which A Sunny Day in Glasgow recorded their latest album, Sea When Absent, made seeing them perform a live show all the more intriguing. The band’s current incarnation — held together by just one original member, Ben Daniels — consists of six members scattered across the globe, forcing them to record the album via email without, at any point in the process, being in the same room together. While this method worked out to glorious effect on the record — it’s a densely textured record bursting with clattering percussion and joyful melodies — I was skeptical of how it might play out live.

A little after 11 p.m. on Saturday night, the band opened their sold-out set at Baby’s All Right, bursting in with the biggest number from the album, “In Love With Useless.” Vocalist Jen Goma (who moonlights in People Get Ready and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart) bounced up and down, seemingly drawing all her energy to guide the song through its twists and turns, on a path leading to a clarifying harmony with the more restrained vocals of Annie Frederickson. Though the band is a sixpiece, it was the two women at the front who commanded much of the attention. Goma, the only one unfettered by an instrument, made for a very physical presence, and seemed to be using her entire body to conjure the big notes. Frederickson, for her part, would widen her eyes in anticipation of the soaring harmonies they reached for, the two women sharing a grin when they made it.

The band zipped through an hour-long set that was largely made up of tracks from the new album. Live, the multiple layers of the songs, perhaps inevitably, didn’t mesh quite as thoroughly as on record: the timing felt off on a few occasions, and the the two singers’ harmonies didn’t always gel perfectly. Still, the band remained confident throughout, their energy and enthusiasm never flagging, and shaking off minor mishaps such as a broken guitar strap and averting a set list mixup. True to their name, their performance was of almost child-like joy — emphasized by their use of a kazoo, maracas, a tambourine, and hand claps — and delightful exuberance. You get the feeling this band’s music could paint even the darkest and grimmest of Glasgow days in bright technicolor.

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TRACK PREMIERE + INTERVIEW: Tape Waves

If you ask newlyweds Kim and Jarod Weldin what kind of music to expect from their duo Tape Waves, their response might be kind of vague. “Any adjective in front of pop,” Kim responded nonchalantly, when I asked, during our phone conversation last week, I asked her to describe the group’s sound. “Surf pop, dream pop,” Kim ticked off. “Surfy pop with some reverb vocals on top.”

The most important thing to know about the band–who are from Charleston, South Carolina– is that listening to them sounds like being at the beach. Their songs evoke the rhythms of gentle waves almost visually–and the over-saturated blue of the sky, and the glare of sunshine bouncing off the sand. Kim and Jarod love the ocean, and they have plenty of inspiration in their backyard. Kim’s a native South Carolinian who moved to Charleston for college, but Jarod grew up in profoundly un-balmy Syracuse, and left upstate New York to find someplace sunnier. But even more than a result of that scenery change, it’s clear, once you begin talking to Jarod and Kim, that their music’s relaxed dreaminess is a happy byproduct of their relationship with each other.

To put some whimsy in your next beach day, we’re bringing you a slice of real talk with Tape Waves. We’ve been excited to check out their brand new album Let You Go, out July 28th via Bleeding Gold Records, and especially the first track on that album: the mellow and luscious “Slow Days,” which we’re thrilled to premiere right here at AudioFemme! “Slow Days” kicks off with a weightless guitar line that, though far from flashy, sucks you in and slows you down until you’re running on Tape Waves time. Read on to learn more about shyness, slow songs, and how the two members of this chilled-out Charleston outfit learned to wrangle their inner control freaks.

AudioFemme: What were your musical lives like before you met? How old were you when you started playing, and what were your first instruments?

Kim Weldin: I started playing the piano when I was young, but I started playing the guitar around twelve or thirteen.

Jarold Weldin: [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][I started on] the guitar as well. I played in a bunch of bands in upstate New York before moving down here–I’m originally from right around Syracuse.

KW: I played, like, basic punk rock with my sister. Some Sonic Youth-type stuff by myself.

AF: How did you meet? Did you start dating first, or playing music together first?

KW: We met at work. It was your typical awful call center. We found out that we had both played in bands before, growing up, and we started sharing recordings with each other that we’d done, and we went from there. We had mutual admiration. I think we started dating first. He very slowly brought me out of my shell. I was really shy and hadn’t done it for a long time. We went to shows a lot together, and we talked about music all the time, and we both loved music. I guess I thought that phase of my life was over. Jarod went and saw..Surfer Blood? Or, Built To Spill, I think it was–and he was really inspired to start writing music. He did some recordings, and I was really impressed with them, so I jokingly said “Let me be in your band!” And then I think I said, “Well, no seriously, go ahead and teach them to me.” We sat down, and he was going to teach them to me on the bass. Eventually, I started recording vocal ideas on top. It was very slow and casual. We would make up band names as a joke.

AF: When did you officially start calling yourselves a band?

KW: I think after our first recording.

JW: We’d finished the music and I just assumed that, if we were going to do anything with it, we’d need to go back and record some drum tracks, but Kim was just like, “Okay, wanna put ‘em online now?” I said, “Okay, I guess we just need a name then.”

KW: The first few songs were done, and I was eager to share them. We had to pull the trigger on a name.

AF: How’d you settle on Tape Waves?

JW: I was pretty persistent about that one. We had a bunch of ideas, but just about everything’s taken these days, so it took forever to find something we both liked. We came up with a few and I really liked Tape Waves a lot, and I wore her down on it.

KW: It’s grown on me. I like it now. I think it represents the way we sound.

AF: Are you inspired by living near the beach?

JW: Definitely. That’s why I started writing the songs that Kim was talking about earlier [after seeing the Built To Spill show], because I was inspired by living by the beach and I like a lot of the newer bands that popped up that were doing a similar sound. It’s definitely conscious, but I think at this point it’s just what comes out when both of us play. Originally, the beach was definitely an influence.

KW: Growing up down here [in South Carolina], beach music has a bad connotation because it’s the Shag area. [My inspiration] comes more from just living here, and from imagery of the beach, being on the coast and things that represent that sound.

AF: You guys just got married (congrats!). What kind of music did you have at your wedding? Did you perform?

KW: We didn’t. I kept joking that I was going to serenade him. It was super low-budget, on a friend’s yard on some property out on an island here. We just put our favorite songs on an iPod and ran it through a PA system outside. Then we made mix CDs for our guests.

AF: Cute!

JW: A lot of eighties hits.

KW: With some contemporary favorites like Beach House and Real Estate.

AF: What’s it been like for you to be married and also creative partners?

JW: Awesome, but also frustrating at times.

KW: Our songwriting process has gotten so easy now. At first, it was hard, uncomfortable, to work with someone who you just don’t know. I didn’t know what to expect. And Jarod wrote a lot of the music at first, so I felt like they were his songs, I guess, and I was just adding vocals on top of something that was already written. I think now that we’ve written so many songs together it feels easy.

AF: How was recording this album different than recording your first?

JW: Um, it was pretty similar. When we recorded the first EP, we were just recording it, and we didn’t have much of a purpose with it. We didn’t know that a ton of people would hear it. We didn’t know if anybody would hear it. But we kept a pretty similar process. It’s really kind of unbelievably simple, the way we record. We use one microphone and we do it all in our living room. So we still did that with this record, but we focused on the details more, like cleaning up little noises and trying to get better at guitar tones. Things like that.

AF: Why did you make the decision not to record it in a studio?

JW: We–with our life schedule, it kind of just works best to be like, okay, we feel like recording now so let’s record now. There’s a lot of freedom that helps the record in the long run. It’s a lot more work that way, but it also–we have a little bit more control. Kim definitely likes doing her vocals at home, instead of in front of somebody else.

KW: Right now I’m only comfortable with Jarod recording my vocals, because they take a lot of work. I sing whispery because we like the way it sounds, but I run out of breath a lot, and he’s really good at manipulating them to sound flawless and flowing. I’m really shy.

JW: She’s really hard on herself.

AF: What would you like to do most after this album drops?

JW: We’re doing a release show here that should be fun, with a friend of ours that’s an artist. I think we’re going to try to work on booking some short tours and writing some new songs.

KW: I’d love to make a video. That’s a goal that I have. It’s a matter of finding someone to work with, and a budget, and things like that.

AF: Would you direct it?

KW: I think so. We’re both control freaks.

AF: We’re so excited to premiere “Slow Days,” the opener to Let You Go. I just listened to it this afternoon and it’s amazing. Can you tell me how you wrote that song specifically?

JW: Yeah, that one was–we wrote it really late. Towards the end of writing the record, we still didn’t have a song that felt like the opener to the album. That one kind of–well, I started layering guitars on a loop pedal and came up with the main skeleton for the music. Kim heard it and said that it sounded like it should be the opener. We tried to do some chord changes and things, but we felt like we should just keep it all one flowing piece with some elements brought in and out through the song. Kind of similar to that New Order song we covered. How it’s just one main chord progression, with all these elements coming in and out.

KW: Also, we had been listening to the latest Yo La Tengo album Fade a lot. Every time we tried to change a chord, we just kept thinking, what would Yo La Tengo do? Let’s just let it build, the vocal layers and the guitar layers.

AF: Why did you want that sound for the opener, specifically?

JW: It’s interesting because it’s not a typical opener, it’s got a slower vibe. I like the way it ends, and the way the second song comes in. Its an interesting contrast.

KW: I think it’s a good introduction to us, because it’s subtle, but it reminds me of the water. It sounds like waves to me, the guitar part that Jarod did.
And there you have it, folks. Let You Go will be out on 7/28/14 via Bleeding Gold Records. You can preorder it here, and get a first listen to the luscious and mellow opening track “Slow Days” right here at AudioFemme! And always remember to ask yourself–what would Yo La Tengo do?

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ALBUM REVIEW: Amanda X “Amnesia”

When Amanda X plays shows, they are often put in a lineup with other bands featuring all women. Every time I’ve seen them live, they were joined by other female-fronted acts. Some fans, upon hearing that they are an all-girl act, will throw around terms like riot grrrl, and though riot grrrl is wonderful and there is nothing wrong with solidarity among female musicians, the band isn’t part of any particularly political movement. Indeed, on their debut LP Amnesia, out on Siltbreeze July 28th, Amanda X doesn’t take root in harsh – and sometimes abrasive – punk music in the same way riot grrrl acts did. Instead, they make a home somewhere between twee and punk – which leads to catchy, yet hard-hitting tracks.

There is a certain personal honesty in Amnesia. The Philly-based trio (no, none of them are named Amanda) has two songwriters and singers (Cat Park and Kat Bean), which makes for an interesting dynamic from track to track. They are candid enough to have lines like “I know, baby, you’re trouble, but for now I want you to stay,” or something as simple as “I feel so weird.” By the sounds of it, their writing process could lead to a depressing, bland, emotional album about breakups. Their pop sensibility, and some hard-hitting drum parts courtesy of Tiffany Yoon, saves them here.

Amnesia is more produced than their previous tracks and EPs, which makes the album’s sound less raw, but makes each song’s perfect pop structure stand out more. There are hooks, songs worthy of screaming along to, and earworm-worthy riffs, but there is never a point in Amnesia where the sound feels plastic or manufactured. Amanda X knows what they’re good at, and it’s always believable. In “Dream House,” the chorus is just a repetitive line, “My heart will break.” Instead of trailing off into a daze, the line only increases in a pulsing, booming intensity.

Instead of addressing anything political, the trio works primarily on the individual: the tracks on the LP revolve around individual crises, passions, and rejections, sung from the perspective of an “I” that rarely if ever implies a “we.” With the weighty politics we pin to most female-fronted acts, it’s nice to finally enjoy a record for its sonic qualities alone. In fact, the lack of gender politics in Amanda X’s music exposes the tired associations that most media outlets make when it comes to the discussion of women making and playing music. Why is it that every musical act featuring women needs to be asked about their ‘mission statement’ with regards to being women? When we consider riot grrrl’s influence on Amanda X, it isn’t wrong, but it’s certainly a marker of the limited boxes in which we place female-identified musicians.

Amnesia is not about a movement, but it’s poppy enough to get anyone moving. It’s being released digitally July 28th with a street date of August 5th. Listen to their track “Guatamala” below:

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LIVE REVIEW: The Jane Shermans @ Mercury Lounge

I’ve been wowed at Mercury Lounge on many an occasion, but seeing The Jane Shermans’ forty-five minute set last Monday easily topped the list of performances in the tiny venue that have blown me away. Powerhouse frontwoman Eulene Sherman owned her Explorer bass through the nine song set. Accompanied by guitarist Angelo Petraglia, also known for his work producing and co-writing songs for Kings of Leon, the Nashville duo delivered some blistering blues rock. I didn’t mind that latest single “Shotgun” reminded me a bit of KOL’s “Spiral Staircase;” for the most part, The Jane Shermans rocked an identity and style all their own. Alongside a horn section and a trio of back-up singers that could have been Uma Thurman’s Pulp Fiction stunt doubles, The Jane Shermans brought life and personality to the tune.

As pop, country, and classic rock ‘n’ roll sounds intersect and give rise to a new breed of crossover artists, bands that hybridize these genres stand to gain access to a huge fanbase. The Jane Shermans are the perfect example of such a band; their bluesy yet country-driven progressions and vigorous drumming really resonated with the Mercury Lounge crowd. Both Eulene and Angelo exhibit the kind of larger-than-life on-stage personas that have made stars of like-minded musicians – their stage presence is enthralling and their talent is undeniable. Eulene’s voice stands out as particularly mesmerizing: robust and heavy, sultry yet soothing. No where was that more apparent than on “I Walk Alone,” a track the band released almost two years ago on their debut record, finally available on vinyl as a b-side to the “Shotgun” 7″. The smoldering number sent me into an unapologetic swirl until their fiery encore with “Here Comes the Gun.”

The Jane Shermans haven’t announced the release of their next full-length, but with anticipation for it mounting, it certainly won’t be long until we’re hearing more from them. If nothing else, their visit to Mercury Lounge was a satisfying if brief taste of Nashville’s rock scene. Check out the video for “Shotgun” below.

BAND OF THE MONTH: Dub Thompson

There’s a moment in record-store-nerd-meets-girl classic High Fidelity when John Cusack’s character, Rob Gordon, catches a couple of skatepunks stealing records from his shop. The punks give back the shoplifted goods when their decks are held ransom, and Cusack’s character looks at their haul in disbelief. “Ryuichi Sakamoto, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, breakbeats, Serge Gainsborg… What, are you guys slam dancing to Joni Mitchell now?”

The pink-haired punk retorts, “Man, you’re so bigoted. You look at us and think you know what we listen to.” When they part with the last of the stolen merchandise, it’s a wrinkled copy of a guide to home recording; it foreshadows the end of the film in which Rob ends up producing their band’s debut single as The Kinky Wizards, titled “I Sold My Mom’s Wheelchair” (the actual track used in the movie is “The Inside Game” by Royal Trux).

This scene came rushing back to me when I first heard “No Time” by Dub Thompson. The quirky, static-laden piano ditty that introduces the track soon morphs into dubby beats and slinky organs, the sparse vocals layered with gritty reverb. It sounds like a sample of some weird reggae-punk record unearthed from a dusty crate, but in reality it’s the brainchild of two California teenagers named Matt Pulos and Evan Laffer. “We actually met in middle school,” explained Laffer in a phone interview with AudioFemme. “It wasn’t until high school that we started making music together. And then it wasn’t until after we made the record and found out that there was some interest in it that we both kind of signed on to the idea of really working on it in more ways.”

Laffer describes himself as the “non-musician” of the group, saying that “Matt is much more trained in certain respects. He knows how to play guitar much better than I do, and keys, and just has sort of a history of being in bands. But I was always really interested in music and would try to make little songs and stuff… [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][which] made it possible for some more oddball ideas to take shape. We each surprised each other with things that neither of us could or would think of, and then built on that.” They met with Foxygen’s Jonathan Rado in Bloomington to pull together ideas and material for 9 Songs, the duo’s debut on Dead Oceans.

“We went into the studio with Rado just with a collection of songs and that was it. It was not immediately obvious to us that it was going to be put together as a record exactly, let alone sold as a record. The songs were written in this crazy span from like three and a half years ago right up to a week before we recorded – it was just kind of an outburst of energy. A lot of the stuff just happened from Matt and I kind of fooling around, writing stuff by ourselves, writing stuff with each other in mind, in a sense. But by the end, especially with Rado’s production style, the whole thing kind of developed this unifying aesthetic.”

What resulted is a cheeky little romp through eight tracks (despite the album’s title) that borrow from all manner of prolific noise rock acts with an explosive energy. The snarky worldview the record presents belies the incredibly intelligent choices Laffer and Pulos make in terms of rhythms, change-ups, textural elements, and moods; it’s not only hard to place the record squarely into any one genre, it proves difficult at times to nail down even a single track. But that’s not a bad thing, just indicative of their exuberance, and maybe of some mild ADHD. Laffer explains, “There were things we did when we finally recorded it where like, five minutes before we did the take we would just decide… let’s have this one have a so-and-so feel, like, theme this song a certain way that we haven’t thought of before. It ended up being sort of like a tour of different styles or something throughout. We just threw out all these songs that we had written in hopes that some of them stuck together. Eight of them did, eventually.”

Listening to 9 Songs truly does feel like a tour through any vinyl junkie’s shelves. There’s a well-curated eccentricity there that tempers whatever irreverence crops up from time to time. There are, of course, many critics ready to dismiss that sort of impudence. “A lot of critics have been like, ‘Well, I hate to just burst their bubble cause they’re just kids, they’re nineteen… let ‘em have their fun,’” Laffer says, adopting the snobby tone of the band’s detractors. “We are a bit more serious about it than just that, but the humor is part of it and it wouldn’t be the same, it wouldn’t have as much character if the humor didn’t balance our some of the more moody elements or whatever… even if it might come across as kind of sophomoric, or even childish, as some people put it.”

Though he’s gained quite a few accolades in recent years, similar things were initially said about Ariel Pink, whose early home recordings were met with more than a touch of scorn and disbelief. Through all of the crass charm of those first releases, there were ideas brewing and very wise aesthetic choices being made. Even without that kind of context, it seems dismissive to write off Dub Thompson as nineteen-year-olds who are “screwing around,” but that’s more of a discredit to incredulous reviewers than it is to the band. “Perhaps,” Laffer agrees, “But… I would also add that to their credit, we are literally nineteen. We’re at an energetic time in our creative process right now. So when things fly out that might be perceived as off-color or even stupid, that’s just kind of how it’s rolling right now. And why dampen the energy of it, you know? We wouldn’t want to like, put a gag on it just for the sake of making something more sophisticated.”

Dub Thompson Baby's All Right — Dub Thompson on stage at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn.

With the addition of Madeline McCormick on bass and Andrew Nathan Berg on synths, Pulos and Laffer have expanded their touring lineup to a quartet and are finishing up the last dates of an outing with Montreal’s Ought, a band equally enigmatic and bombastic, though with a slightly different approach. “It’s the first real tour we’ve done aside from just a few weekend gigs,” Laffer says. “We did a few in New York about two months ago. But this is essentially a month of no-breaks touring and shows.” They’re excited, he says, not only to visit cities where there’s substantial interest in what Dub Thompson is doing, but also relieved not to have to drive so far between stops. When they pulled through New York late last week, the Ought-curious crowd at Baby’s All Right thinned way down before Dub Thompson launched into a caustic set that made 9 Songs somehow even more vivid, so it was kind of a shame that not many stuck around. Pulos’ confrontational yelp was blunted only by reverb; Laffer attacked his kit with similar ferocity. There wasn’t a ton of banter, but then, most of the duo’s lyrics come off somewhat conversational, if inflected with shards of detached ambivalence.

The affect on 9 Songs – a sort of production quality that’s the antithesis of sounding produced – thankfully did not unravel on stage. If at times the songs seem a sort of cut-and-pasted melange of styles, the live set exhibited a carefully orchestrated flow. But delivered with haphazard, youthful gusto, it came off as just-unpolished-enough, and the set wasn’t limited to the tracks we’ve already heard from the band. In fact, there’s another record already in the works. “It’s got a little bit more of a hip-hop intent,” admits Laffer, “but it’s not necessarily hip-hop.” With such a cornucopia of styles at work on 9 Songs, the next album could be a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure of sorts. “Overall,” says Laffer, “I think I’ve noticed a lot of younger kids – kids who are still in high school – really dig it. Some of our relatives, our dads, they’ll usually just be like ‘Oh, the production is kind of noisy’ or something but still support it. Mostly, the thing we’ve gotten is ‘Oh, I can’t wait, I have no idea what they’ll do next.’”[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Luka, “Lowdown”

Luka, the lithe Hamburgian making seismic waves with his remixes of DIIV and James Blake-not to mention his warbly take on Zoo Kid’s (aka King Krule) jam “Out Getting Ribs”-has made another ripple with “Lowdown,” the latest single off his forthcoming EP The Nest. Grounded by warm crackles of a dust-drenched record and tinkling percussion, “Lowdown” is more like a wash of sonic watercolor than a song. This track is the definition of ambient: one that better serves as a film score supplement or the backdrop to casual drug use.

Something about this track activates a stimulating visual scape. The bleary, stretched out vocal sample connotes siren calls-I’m talking The Odyssey, not an ambulance-and therefore gives the song an aquatic aspect. Listening to it renders one a bit slack, like you’re floating through cool blues with the weightlessness of silk and the lethargy of molasses.

Aside from its painterly projections, “Lowdown” possesses blissful neutrality. It is void of cultural strangulation, being at once an amalgam of Eastern and Western influences. On the one hand it is ethereal and New Age laden…on the other it is a simple, chill track that asks nothing of its listener but to turn the volume to a moderate level. It is repetitive in a non-irritating way, coming off like a shy second cousin of Grimes and Moby.

Look for Luka’s debut EP The Nest, which came out July 14^th.

EP REVIEW: My Brightest Diamond “None More Than You”

“Slow…….slow……slowin’ down;” this is how you must approach My Brightest Diamond’s new EP None More Than You. And just so there’s no confusion, those are the very first words vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Shara Worden utters on the EP, ushering us into a wildly vivid dream world that serves as the theme for this short but darkly profound collection of tracks.

Those words from “Dreaming Awake,” and None More Than You offers not one, but two mixes of the song; first there’s the Son Lux Mix, an ominous rendition of the song that lyrically and musically captures the struggle of bobbing between reality and reverie. After its hushed opening lines, the tune quickly erupts into a shrill distorted version Worden’s falsetto that punctures the serenity of the mellow keyboard and string sections. This is truly the magic of this mix, because the push and pull of what Worden is pleading, arguably within herself, contrasts and also complements harmoniously with the music, easily cultivating a sense of urgency and anxiety within the listener. The pounding drum at 1:25 feels like the pulse of an anxious heart rattling against a breastbone—the only thing that assuages the beating are the self-persuading lyrics clawing us back into the crux of longing to be forever “dreaming awake.” What begins as an internal struggle thrusts outward into the external world halfway into the song. The drums begin to have more constancy as the tempo picks up and the wind section mimics the fluttery exhalation of an anxiety attack. When the lyrics ask “What is all this rushing about?” it begins to become clear that the external forces have overtaken one’s self control, and the whole song’s meaning is reflected in the struggle between hearing Worden’s operatic voice over the apocalyptic grandeur of the music. By the song’s fluttery close, Worden’s vocals are lost in a haze of bustling, brassy noise.

Providing a little context and perspective three tracks later, the Mason Jar mix of “Dreaming Awake” is far less intense but reflects the struggle as a more personal foe, the music more acutely representing anxiety as it pertains to the individual. While the Son Lux mix equates dreaming with escapism with its flurried, erratic compostion, the Mason Jar mix lulls us once more, depicting the dreaming state as a cherished and fleeting wonderland. Worden revisits these concepts again on “Dream Don’t Look Like.” This short track seems to be the rational middle ground of an ongoing psychological struggle. Vocally, Worden takes it easy on this track, as does the backing music, her vocal as ethereal as folk greats like Vashti Bunyan and Sibylle Baier. “Dreams Don’t Look Like” isn’t as harsh or dramatic as the tracks before it; its wandering spirit doesn’t crescendo and all elements are harmonious at once as the lyrics signify a somatic realization about what dreaming does and does not achieve.

The EP’s second track is probably closest to what we’ve heard from My Brightest Diamond’s prior releases, with a galactic appeal that’s contrastingly upbeat compared to the rest of the record. It removes us from the introspection found in dreamier tracks, with jaunty, cosmic synths and charming orchestral embellishments playing lightly around Worden’s soaring, percussive vocal. Lyrically, Worden here suggests that mortality is not the parameter of existence. The song is the manic high on the EP, even during its most moody moments.

And finally, we part with Worden at the appropriately titled “That Point When.” With the same drowsy quality of Bjork’s “Possibly Maybe,” harp-like strings and lush vocal harmonies sleepwalk throughout “That Point When” as it serves as the final sequence to everything posed before. Though it feels airy and conflict free, the angelic backup vocals actively contradict Worden when she poses the question do you think it’s too late?, here more equivocal to a cheeky devil on the singer’s shoulder. This song’s abrupt ending acts as a bit of a cliffhanger, by its end there is a vague sense of release but a lingering sense of indecisiveness. Its final sensations are that of questions with only hazy answers, but there’s also a lulling feeling that that’s okay after all is said and done.

My Brightest Diamond’s None More Than You EP is a gorgeously crafted journey of the psyche, sprinkled with existential musings questioning reality and fantasy and the constant limbo of the mind between the two. The EP is out now, preceding the release of a full length album due out on September 16, titled This is My Hand. She’ll embark on a three month long tour in the fall; til then you can stream the EP via Soundcloud below:

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ALBUM REVIEW: Got A Girl “I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now”

Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead and producer Dan “The Automator” Nakamura have teamed up as Got A Girl to release I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now, a debut album fit for the soundtrack to a stylish romance filmed in black and white. The pair met on the set of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and bonded over similar music tastes, namely the 60s French pop music that influences the record most heavily. Think bejeweled cigarette holders, high class bars, and midnight trysts in luxurious hotel rooms.

Nakamura is best known for production credits on the first Gorillaz album and has plenty of experience collaborating as part of Handsome Boy Modeling School and Deltron 3030. This collaboration with Winstead is a slight departure from his well-known works but it gives Nakamura the chance to draw from his classical music background. Whereas his work with Del the Funky Homosapien and Prince Paul ventured across the wide world of hip hop, Nakamura’s musical explorations with Winstead trek back to old pop music and sweeping band presence. This is Winstead’s first full-length musical endeavor though she has sung briefly on screen before. Her acting background adds a distinct flair to the album; she sings like she’s playing a character, a distressed ingénue that is slowly learning important life lessons. In an article for The Wrap, Winstead said about singing: “It was sort of like an extension of acting in a lot of ways, especially because it was a specific idea that we were going for…I love it, it’s the kind of music that I love, but if I was to make music on my own without Dan, it might be a totally different thing. Vocally what I do here is kind of a character, as opposed to how I just sing every day. Even lyrically it was this character that we created. It was almost like writing film and having a character but just doing it musically.”

Together, the duo has created something that is elegant, moody, and nostalgic without dwelling too much on the past. Winstead’s sweetly aloof vocals paired with Nakamura’s sweeping and detailed instrumentals come together for a sound that’s cinematic and delightful.

The album opens with chiming bells on “Did We Live Too Fast,” a slinky, sultry song about trying to avoid reality by living through sweet fantasies. Though Winstead’s range does not seem impressive, it’s her vocal control that really garners attention – she can go from breathy to playful to seductive with minimal effort. On the production side, orchestral movements are anchored by Nakamura’s low-key hip hop rhythms. Deep bass beats keep the music from being overly sugary and superficial. On “Things Will Never Be the Same”, hand percussion add to the hollowness of the song with a thundering bass line that anchors Winstead’s whispered singing. “Friday Night” plays on rhythms and instrumentation with a bit more funk, echoing languid weekend disco jams. On “Put Your Head Down,” Winstead’s wistful singing reaches gorgeous heights, paired with a lush orchestral arrangement and a deep-voiced male duet that adds something a bit more sinister on the line Hush my darling, it’s time to dream. The album saunters on elegant heels, gaining momentum in the middle from the upbeat, breezy “There’s A Revolution,” and ending with a certain note of ennui on “Heavenly,” Winstead showing off a soft vibrato paired with wispy light vocals.

I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now – which gets points alone for best album title of the year – is a charming debut effort by this unlikely but perfectly matched duo. It’s out July 22 via Bulk Recordings, and you can stream the video for “Did We Live To Fast” below.

LIVE REVIEW: Jon Hopkins @ LPR

Jon Hopkins LPR Karen Gardiner — Jon Hopkins @ LPR. Photo by Karen Gardiner

Jon Hopkins may have been touring behind 2013’s Immunity for over a year but, judging by the line outside his sold out show at (le) Poisson Rouge last night, the people still want to hear this stunning album played live. The record made many critics’ year-end best-of lists, was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, and inspired such uncommon techno descriptors as “thoughtful” and “intelligent.” Indeed, the album’s mission goes beyond simply making you want to dance. The 60-minute record mirrors the narrative arc of a late night out; building to intensity in the first half, peaking with stand-out track “Collider,” before cooling down and spacing out in the second half.

Hopkins walked on stage sheepishly with a shy grin and a little wave before getting down to it. The smile and wave reappeared between tracks but otherwise, his eyes stayed turned down, dead serious – thick brows furrowed as if he was working out a particularly tricky equation – or rolled to the back of his head when infected by a beat.

Live, his set is largely built around Immunity, the tracks broken down and rebuilt from the ground up. He bounced between sound modulators, tapping at pads and punching in beats and drops. Confidently, he brought out heavy hitters “Open Eye Signal” and “Collider” early in the set, the latter marching in slowly, tense like the beats of a life support machine: synths steadily intensifying, halting vocals gasping for air. He teased the build-up more slowly than on record, cradling the audience in anticipation of the drop. We knew it was coming, but when?

When it did come, wave upon wave, I had anticipated bodies flailing much like the girl in the “Collider” video, but I looked around and the crowd seemed strangely … stiff. There was even a girl to the side of the stage asleep against the rail, for heaven’s sake.

As the waves of “Collider” subsided, “Light Through Veins” (from 2009’s Insides) burst open in a great flash, finally getting the audience moving. There was no time for an ambient second-half come down – instead the set became more aggressive, more glitchy, and Hopkins, too seemed possessed, thrashing around as though struggling to contain a wild animal.

Barely an hour after he stepped on stage, and after a brief encore, he left us with a wash of coruscating noise. And then he was gone. “That was like church,” someone said wistfully as fans headed to the exit in a bit of a daze. And perhaps that’s why Immunity is still captivating audiences – Hopkins’ work exhibits not only a specific reverence to its form, but also that rare ability to transport listeners to a more spiritual plane.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

VIDEO REVIEW: DOROTHY “After Midnight”

Courtney Love. Janis Joplin. Grace Slick. Amy Winehouse. These are names one doesn’t toss around lightly – they represent a cannon of badass lady rockers with true charisma and formidable pipes. Keeping up this grand tradition is Dorothy Martin, the lead vocalist for eponymous rock n’ roll outfit DOROTHY. As head of this L.A.-based four-piece, Dorothy has all the makings of a great rock frontwoman with a distinct style one might call couture grunge, a voice that simmers and pierces and a confidence that makes her seem as if she was born to perform. It helps that her band members know exactly how to support her too; Eliot Lorango plays a heavy bass that matches Dorothy’s gritty vocals, guitarist Mark Jackson knows how to skillfully build from the thundering bass, and drummer Zac Morris provides a frenzied rhythm that lets Dorothy really let loose. Throw in some hand claps and tambourines and their blistering debut track “After Midnight” comes to life, a bluesy rock ode to midnight trysts filled with too many shots and dirty dancing.

The video, like the song, is simple yet stylish; Dorothy dons red lipstick, a luxurious vintage fur coat that she sheds towards the end to reveal a tattered band shirt, and inky black hair she tosses around in a classic devil-may-care manner. Dorothy’s electrifying verses are the main focus, but her band members are equally immersed in their parts – particularly Morris, whose drumming is unhinged and powerful. Essentially, it’s a performance video, but the swing of a spotlight only allows the viewer to see erratic, clandestine moments of the action, making it feel as if viewers are getting a private glimpse of the awakening of a great rock star.

INTERVIEW: Swimsuit Addition

When Jen from Swimsuit Addition calls me, she’s a bit flustered. She has good reason to be – it’s mere hours before her punk-inflected grunge pop band is scheduled to play a show in their native Chicago to celebrate two huge milestones in their career: the release of their latest album Wretched Pinups, and their subsequent two-week tour to support it. Sporting purple hair and tiger-print leggings, Jen ran to Target for some last-minute must-haves, and made a scene when she thought she’d lost her phone – only to find it in her back pocket.

“Something bad always happens on release days!” she gasps breathlessly, recounting stories of lost keys and other mild crises that put a damper on otherwise ecstatic moments. But today, crisis has been averted, and the only thing left to do is celebrate and reflect on the making of the record, how writing with a full lineup shaped the record, and where their first ever East Coast tour will take them.

<a href="http://swimsuitaddition.bandcamp.com/album/wretched-pinups-2">Wretched Pinups by Swimsuit Addition</a>

AudioFemme: We’re loving Wretched Pinups over here and can’t wait for your tour to come through Brooklyn. My favorite thing about the record is the great balance you push between topics and ideas that are kind of serious, even aggressive statements and how that gets mixed in with some healthy doses of humor and fun. Was mixing it up like that a conscious decision?

Jen of Swimsuit Addition: Some of it’s conscious. Some of it acts as a kind of nervous laughter in a way. We kind of have to put that in there because… at some point you have to laugh. Also we collectively have this dark sense of humor – or anyway, I do, and maybe that kind of bleeds over. Becca [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][my guitarist] is famous for mishearing something. A couple of the lyrics on it that are funny are actually things that she’s misheard what I’m saying in a lyric and I’ll be like “That’s funny, let’s just leave that in there, or let’s change it.” That actually happened a couple of times.

AF: Can you talk a little about your writing and recording process?

SA: It’s funny because some of the songs take a half hour to write… just like the basis of them. Some of them take weeks or months to write. So I do a lot of demoing for my bandmates where I’ll just put a ton of guitars on it where I want to hear different elements of the song, and I’ll put electronic drums on it and I’ll show them the demos and then everybody inevitably writes their own part that they play in the recording. It’s kind of like if we were a coloring book and I was drawing the outline and everybody’s kinda coloring in the picture. Sometimes I’ll just bring a handful of “colors” or something and just be like “Let’s bring this together!” Sam brought two songs that she kinda outlined and then we put together, so we’re learning to write better together. Sam also kinda helped me finish some of my songs before I brought them to the band. For this record I think I brought a little more than half the songs to the band and then we all kinda just fleshed them out.

AF: So was that different from the way you’d approached writing your first release, Kittyhawk?

SA: Well with Kittyhawk we had a completely different lineup – it was me, Sam [on bass and keys], and this other drummer. Sam and I just like wrote everything – we kinda just told her what to play. I think I wrote 90% of that album too – Sam wrote the beginning of one song, I kinda helped her finish it. So it’s kinda like each album there’s more writing from each of us. For our next record that we’re doing, Becca wrote a song, and I’m hoping that Sam brings more songs. As we get better as a band we all get better as songwriters.

AF: Do you feel like the steps toward more collaborative songwriting have changed the sound on Wretched Pinups versus earlier releases?

SA: If I give Becca a riff to play, she adds something to it. Or if we give Sarah [the percussion] an idea, she would do it, but she would do it in her own way. And that’s partly because, you know, Becca and Sarah are extremely creative people. No one really wants to be told what to play; when you give someone something it’s really awesome to see how they take it to the next level. So I think in that way, a lot of the instrumentation on this album was more sophisticated than what we had on Kittyhawk. We play off of each other, we build off of each other. We’re always trying to decorate the songs more.

AF: Were there specific inspirations in writing this record, either musical or otherwise?

SA: I would say the big inspirations are kind of unknown 60s pop bands, a lot of 90s indie and grunge… those are the two main things. My emotions are the other thing. I’m a very emotional person. I take a lot of my emotions and put them into things that I create. So there’s a lot of that. Wretched is a very moody album. Unlike Kittyhawk and unlike our next album that we’re gonna put out. Very moody and emotional.

AF: Where are you getting the titles for your records? They’re really interesting, kind of loaded phrases.

SA: For Wretched Pinups, I need to give credit to my friend Josh who was in a band called Wretched Pinups. They weren’t around very long, but when we were hanging out I was like “I’m obsessed with your band name – it’s so awesome, it’s my soul or something.” I traded him a name – I had a name from a comic strip that I was doing. And I was like, “You can have the name from this if I can have that name for a record,” and he was like “DEAL!” For Kittyhawk, I don’t even really know how that came up. I think it was just because it was like, the first. Then we saw the collage with the spaceship cat [that we used for the album cover] and it matched.

AF: What was the comic that you were drawing?

SA: I have this little comic that I do called Emo Grrrls. My main character has a band called Jane Acid & the Hollowheads. And he wanted the band name The Hollowheads so I was like “Take it!” It’s just on a tumblr right now while I try to figure out what I’m doing with it. I’m maybe gonna print it and put it in some zine stores or whatever, but right now it’s one of those cathartic things to me. I take time while I’m doing it, but it’s a project that I haven’t really finished yet. It’s a fun thing for me.

AF: Do you feel like zines and Riot Grrrl have been a big influence on what you’re doing with Swimsuit Addition?

SA: I try not to talk about that a lot – they’re definite influences and it’s an obvious comparison that people make. But I hate to say that we are “Riot Grrrl” or something because Riot Grrrl is sort of a time capsule movement. It existed at a specific time we aren’t a part of at all. We’re definitely influenced by it, we respect it, and we love it, and it definitely influenced all of us at our core but we’re not trying to claim any real part in that movement.

AF: Do you feel like songwriting and being in a band is a sort of catharsis for you?

SA: Absolutely. I kind of have always wanted to say no to that question, but when I’m being truthful that’s where it comes from for me personally. It’s very cathartic for me to create – that goes for creating music or doing visual art or doing other musical projects even if they are completely different. To me, it is about getting those emotions moving and getting them out. So yeah it’s always kinda been like that.

AF: I think that making something acts as catharsis for a lot of creative individuals, myself included. I’m curious as to why you want to distance yourself from making that statement.

SA: I think it’s because, like, the initial catharsis for me, like starting when I was twelve years old and dealing with a lot of stuff, was just to get it out. And now what actually makes me feel good is finishing something. For years, even until I was like 22, in other people’s bands, playing their songs, I just wanted to get it out but I didn’t care about the final product. And now, for me, the important thing is the final product. The initial process, what sparks it, is just kind of like barfing up those emotions, but then what allows it to be like an actual finished thing is going into it in your head, going into it when I’m not emotional and being precise about how that gets tied up. So that’s why I wanna say no, because it’s like a project, something I’m consciously doing and I’m really thinking hard about it. Because it’s not like I’m crying my way through writing the song, but that’s almost how it starts. Something upsets me and I have to sit down and write about it.

AF: I always think it’s worth it to process even happy emotions. That editing process, too, there’s catharsis there, organizing ideas around how you feel. You must be feeling very excited about the tour right now! How long will you be out on the road?

SA: I keep saying it’s ten days…

AF: Have you toured a lot before?

SA: No! This is like the first thing… We’ve done weekend tours and stuff like that. I started booking this tour in December so I’m really proud of how it shaped up. My bandmates are all like, “Let’s have one day off!” and I was like [in a faux-tyrannical tone] “NO! We all got this time off, we have a van we’re gonna be out there, we’re playing every night!” We’re gonna be crazy exhausted afterward but it will be totally worth it.

AF: Anything in particular that you’re really excited about?

SA: I’m like really excited to meet people and just be in other communities. We play so much in Chicago, and when we go outside of Chicago we have such an amazing time. Most of the time it’s like Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan. But we have such a great time and we haven’t ever played on the East Coast before so you know, it just puts us in this whole new group of people. Obviously we have friends out there, and we know a lot of people out there but it will be really great to just like see a whole other community and meet people and have a lot of fun.

AF: Do you feel like there’s a good community in Chicago as well? What is the scene there like?

SA: Yeah, it’s a very supportive, awesome scene. We had a Kickstarter, and we weren’t really asking for much, just asking for people to pre-order merch. Like if they were gonna buy [the record] anyway, we were just like “Hey can you pre-order so we can have some cash to rent a van?” But we met our goal in like, four or five days and we were just like “WHAT??!!” It’s incredible. We have so many people who come out to shows, and people who are supportive, just with little things. And that goes for everyone – I feel like everybody’s trying to uplift and support each other. We’re all very happy when it comes to another band [doing well] cause we’re all friends with each other, we’ve all played with each other at some point. And we’re all very happy for each other. It’s a really great community.

AF: I don’t want to put you on the spot, because my mind always goes blank when people ask me stuff like this, but are there other Chicago bands we should be listening to?

SA: YES! There are so many, and I know I’m gonna forget some. We’re kind of like family – Absolutely Not is an amazing band. We’re gonna try to go to Austin with them next year. The Peekaboos are really great, I played in a band with two of them and with this project they’ve got such great energy. They do the comedy-within-emotional music thing really well. My favorite band right now, who I asked to open for us, is Kangaroo. I’m really obsessed with them right now – there was one weekend where I think I saw them like three times.

AF: You mentioned you have plans for another record already, even though Wretched Pinups just came out. Do you want to talk about it a little?

SA: We kind of had it planned from the beginning, it’s called Dumb Dora. And we play a lot of the songs that are on it when we play live because a lot of them are crowd favorites, they’re really fun songs. Wretched Pinups has a lot of the moody songs, and Dumb Dora is supposed to be like, for your sweet tooth.

Check out Swimsuit Addition on tour if you live in one of the stops below!

7.11.14 – Chicago @ Hideout w/ Kangaroo & Kithkin

7.12.14 – Detroit @ Trumbullplex w/ My Pal Val

7.13.14 – Cleveland @ Happy Dog

7.14.14 – Buffalo NY @ Glitterbox with Vanilla Sex, Newish Star, and Mink

7.15.14 – DC @ House Show w/ Peoples Drug

7.16.14 – NYC @ Cake Shop w/ Clinical Trials, Electric Mess, and Bradley Dean and the Terminals

7.17.14 – Brooklyn NY @ Muchmores w/ Plastiq Passion, Tiny Tusks, and Pussywolf

7.18.14 – Baltimore @ Club K w/ Chia

7.19.14 – Pittsburgh @ House Show w/ The Lopez and The Ovens

7.20.14 – Bloomington @ Rachael’s Cafe w/ Kithkin[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK REVIEW DOUBLE FEATURE: New Singles from Ty Segall’s Label

Ty Segall‘s GOD? Records imprint, on Drag City, is only a little over a year old, but Segall has chased a visceral, DIY aesthetic since the imprint’s very first release. To that end, Segall is bringing out two new 7″s from noise rockers Running and the tech-heavy, growling metal outfit Zath. Stylistically, the two groups have chaos in common–whether zany or doomed, Zath and Running test the limits of listenability with heavy distortion and production thick enough to wade through.

“Totally Fired,” the B side to Running’s Frizzled, opens with a slew of reeling guitar riffs, reveling in the sheer pleasure of making a whole lot of noise. The rest of the track is half blissed out with punk rock naiveté, half sci-fi and surreal. Even though the song’s backdrop tells an old story–a dingy basement show and a sea of moshing blue mohawks, beer cans crushed underfoot–there’s a drone to the guitar work that occasionally cuts into the forefront with a sound like a space laser.

Zath’s “Black Goat Razor” is more old school, but not a whit less freaky. This is technical, guitar-led, metal, beefed up by growling vocals that seek to dominate–sometimes literally. “Do what you’re told,” the most audible line hisses, the words backed by a rapid and gunshot-crisp drum line. There isn’t anything particularly innovative about this single, but that doesn’t bother me a bit. Remember how Behemoth released The Satanist early this year and even though it didn’t really break new ground for the band, it still ruled so hard your ears started bleeding halfway through? Exactly. Sometimes heavy metal just needs to be heavy. “Black Goat Razor” will land on you with such force that you’ll feel oppressed, in all the right ways.

You can check out both new tracks in the Soundcloud links below. Go here to purchase Frizzled, and here for Black Goat Razor.

EP REVIEW: Hugh “I Can’t Figure You Out”

Southwark’s been knocking it out of the park lately with a glut of pearly pop-loving jams and London-based quartet Hugh is continuing the trend with their debut EP I Can’t Figure You Out. Filled with enchanting, sugar-sweet tunes that drip with wistful sentiment and lush textures, the EP presents a group that holds out hope for a more romantic tomorrow.

Quietly catchy with a distinct lounge-y undertone, it’s an EP that da-dums and hums through a field of kaleidoscopic synths. And I Can’t Figure You Out is filled with pleas like “darling, don’t toy with me” and “careful with my heart,” weaving in and out between mechanical clicks and burbling synthlines that tease and toy with your heartstrings. From the positive affirmation-filled “Charlie” to the bedroom eyes-ready “I Can Be Your Light,” it’s always sweet, but never saccharine. With enough acidity in the form of off-kilter melodies and Izzy Brooks’s strangely sensual croon, it refrains from getting too fluffy or cutesy, instead choosing to swoon in a smoky dream world that’s not completely candy-colored.

The only part of the release that feels corny is the forced pseudo-rap on “Not Fair Too Far.” Paired with Brooks’s awkward vocal melody and an oddly-constructed synthline, it sounds like the accidental “experimental” track on an album that’s otherwise filled with excellent lounge-pop.

One small misstep is acceptable though, as there’s something incredibly alluring about I Can’t Figure You Out as a whole. Speaking with an acute sense of innocence and a hint of the kind of regret that just compels you to do better, it’s a gorgeous pop-tinged gem that provides the perfect soundtrack for all of your desirous daydreams.

TRACK REVIEW: Steve Gunn “Milly’s Garden”

Steve Gunn Constance Mensh — Steve Gunn. Photo by Constance Mensh

Despite his fifteen-year career and numerous collaborations, including work with Kurt Vile’s group The Violators, Steve Gunn always seems reluctant to advertise himself. I’m not just talking about advertising in a buy-my-records sense, although there is that — last year, the brilliantly nuanced Time Off slid right under the radar — but even on a riff by riff level, Gunn’s albums showcase his guitar work without bragging about it. Each phrase falls with decisiveness, but very little fanfare.

Not unlike its creator, Gunn’s new single “Milly’s Garden,” from the forthcoming full-length Way Out Weather, gives off an aura of understated good nature. Gunn’s music has always had a special sensitivity to physical environs, but whereas his more folky (and nomadic) records seemed to amble through a backdrop of wild Americana, “Milly’s Garden” sits still in and revels in one place, letting its thoughts turn inward instead of focusing on the passing scenery. Gunn’s virtuosity on the guitar isn’t flashy, but here, on a track that isn’t in a hurry to get anywhere, his skill shines through.

The song leans more towards instrumental long-form rock music than Gunn’s music has done in the past, and there is SO VERY MUCH to be said for a jam musician who isn’t blindly in love with the sound of his own guitar. Listening to this, it occurred to me that I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a blues-based long jam played humbly before, but here it is: and it’s just a way to isolate guitar lines and dress them up with intricacy and variation. When Gunn lets his ingenuity on the guitar be more important than structure or vocals or songwriting, the resulting music actually feels pared down. “Milly’s Garden” is catchier and more concentrated than most of the songs on Time Off, but doesn’t sacrifice any of the intimacy of that album.

Way Out Weather doesn’t drop until October 7th, but you can pre-order it now and check out “Milly’s Garden” below via Soundcloud:

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TRACK REVIEW: Black Honey “Sleep Forever” (Demo)

Ask not for whom the gramophone croons. By now, Black Honey‘s obscured identity can’t be unintentional. Their demo “Sleep Forever” is hooky-as-hell, sinister pop noir, with a timelessness that’s strengthened by their mysterious identity. Lipstick-stained cigarettes and flickering neon come to mind, but “Sleep Forever” is about more than just cinematics. The female-lead vocals, vast in strength and range but appealingly bored-sounding, are a highlight of this track. Backed by a sultry electric guitar line, the song ambles through some three and a half minutes of brooding lullaby, evoking plenty of its own imagery without drawing comparisons to the band’s backstory. Maybe that’s the point. Black Honey comes across like a time capsule, undisrupted by a biography outside of their cloying brand of night music. Listen to “Sleep Forever” below:

FILM/LIVE REVIEW: Nightmares On Wax @ Santos Party House +N.O.W. Is The Time

In line with the cult of anniversary, Ibiza via Leeds mastermind Nightmares On Wax is celebrating his 25 years in music by popping all kinds of career champagne. On top of releasing Feelin Good on Warp Records (with whom he’s been signed for 20 years), he’s been all over North America for the last month on his biggest tour ever. It doesn’t stop there. Warp has also dropped N.O.W. is the Time, a best-of retrospective full of new jams, old hits, and plenty of remixes on two 12” records. As a supplement to the retrospective, an eight-minute mini-documentary of the same moniker came out mid June recounting N.O.W’s history. The man’s been damn busy.

Born George Evelyn, Nightmares On Wax (aka DJ EASE) has been integral to the British house and hip-hop scene since the late 80s. But before he was Nightmares, Evelyn was a Northern B Boy with a hunger for the latest sound. He met his eventual partner in crime Kevin Harper, aka Boy Wonder, in 1985 at a house party in their native Yorkshire:

“I walked into this guys house and he’s scratching on his mom’s Hi-fi with this big volume knob, right in front of my eyes and I was just like: “you’ve got to teach me that man.” So Kevin taught me to scratch and the rest of that day I met the rest of the guys and I became part of this crew called Solar City Rockers.”

When they weren’t winning dance competitions, Evelyn and Harper were making beats, hunting for rare records, tuning in to John Peel, and dropping their mixes at clubs around Leeds. Obsessed with having “the freshest shit” the duo was preoccupied with the obscurity of their sources, and used to soak their vinyl in the bathtub so that the labels would peel off…thus protecting their trade secrets.

The story of Nightmares On Wax is a truly endearing one. Interested only in making music for the sake of having fun, Evelyn’s screen presence in the documentary matches his mission. Laid back and jovial the entire film, he shows the viewer his recording space, which is seemingly built on a foundation of mixers, synthesizers and a behemoth record collection, which he admits, has no order whatsoever. In a moment of nostalgic reflection he presents his first-ever sampling keyboard- a Casio SA1-which allowed for only 1.6 seconds of sampling time. He’s since moved on to bigger and better equipment, but the SA1 is a sort of career milestone.

Being privy to this history of the man behind the wax made Wednesday’s N.O.W. gig at Santo’s Party House all the more enjoyable…though prior to the headlining performance, I wasn’t so sure how the evening would play out. Santo’s is never a place of extreme comfort for someone who only dances in front of her kitchen stove, and has no passion for men in flip-flops. Throw my guest into the mix-one of my more reticent, mumble-prone chums-and you have a recipe for extremes: this could go really well, or really badly.

The opener was DJ Que Bajo, who, I’m sure would suit a house party very well. Unfortunately, when you’re a DJ the appraisal of your live performance is not as codified in formalism as a rock band; that is to say: your sound alone will not save you. The quality of these sets relies entirely on the reaction of the crowd, and this crowd wasn’t feeling it. Dance music-at least live dance music-is dependent on contagiousness, and quite frankly, whether or not people are dancing. People, were not dancing.

This pre-headliner span of time always becomes the observational period of a show for me. So I leaned against the bar, sipped bourbon, and surveyed the audience. There was a grand total of five people dancing, a few couples sucking face, six people not smoking hash, and one balding gentlemen in Bermuda shorts giving me a nod of approval, perhaps for my non-Bermuda length cut-offs.

After Que Bajo’s set we made our pilgrimage towards stage right, hoping that N.O.W. would live up to his colossal reputation. It was a silly concern, because the moment Evelyn walked on stage the crowd rejuvenated. Holding down the beats was drummer Grant Kershaw. Vocalists Mozez and Ricky Ranking supplied textural R&B harmonies, and Evelyn volleyed between manning the dials, rapping, and singing. Whatever his given task at any moment, N.O.W. never failed to pump up the crowd.

“Feel Good” is not typically a phrase I assign to things I like, but when it comes to this show, it’s difficult to find a more fitting expression. Projected on the back of the stage were sunny, kaleidoscopic montages of flowers blooming and bursting orbs of color. N.O.W. was conjuring a range of sounds reaching from reggae and soul, to old school hip-hop, house, and funk. Newer songs were tossed in with early hits, and there was a steady balance of instrumentals and tracks with vocal accompaniment.

N.O.W. interspersed anecdotes between songs, taking time to plug his friend’s charity organization (Last Night a DJ Saved My Life) which filters proceeds into digging wells for drinking water in impoverished South India. I’m not surprised one bit that Evelyn has a passion for philanthropy, given that his livelihood is based upon lifting spirits. Expounding on why he makes music, he’s said:

“The real heartwarming sort of thing about doing this project, and celebrating this project, is that everybody I asked to do a remix was honored to do it. This is what this has been about is really, really getting back to why you even make music, what is this relationship to music. Because it is fun and I love it. Full Stop.”

You can’t blame a man for that.

Check out Now is the Time: The Documentary below:

A History of Siren Fest & 4Knots

The fourth annual 4Knots Music Festival is slated to wash ashore at South Street Seaport this Saturday, July 12th, and we couldn’t be more excited. The festival, curated by The Village Voice, gets better each year, with Dinosaur Jr., Mac DeMarco, Re-TROS, Dead Stars, Those Darlins, Speedy Ortiz, Radkey, Viet Cong, Nude Beach, and Juan Wauters slated to grace the 2014 celebration – and it’s all FREE. There’s also an after party at Webster Hall following the day-long extravaganza, and you can get $5 off tickets with the code VOICE by clicking here.

Though 4Knots might seem relatively new, VV cut its festival booking chops on the now-legendary Siren Music Festival, held every summer at Coney Island from 2001-2010. As our anticipation grows for 4Knots 2014, we thought we’d take a look back at some of the best performers to grace 4Knots and Siren stages.

2001 – Peaches

We’re sure Rainer Maria, Guided By Voices and Superchunk were all lovely, but come on… at the time, the gender-bending, sex-positive performance artist was riding on high on the release of The Teaches of Peaches, her debut album that featured hits like “Fuck the Pain Away” and “Set it Off.” The quirk and kitsch of Coney Island was a perfect backdrop for Peaches, who looked every bit the part of sideshow provocateur in her bright red lingerie.

2002 – Sleater-Kinney

2002 was kind of THE banner year for Siren Fest, helped in part by the fact that there was a dance-punk renaissance happening in NYC. We can just picture Karen O smooching Angus Andrew at the top of the Wonder Wheel (they were deep in lurrrrv when their bands – Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Liars, respectively – played the fest), and I’m sure like-minded rockers Les Savy Fav, Mooney Suzuki, The Donnas, and Rye Coalition tore shit up, while The Shins mellowed crowds out with “New Slang” years before it rocked Zach Braff’s world. But Sleater-Kinney is the best band EVER, and their live performances were unparalleled. Even some dude who writes about music a lot agrees.

2003 – !!!

No, I’m not so excited about the history of 4Knots/Siren Fest that I’ve resorted to superfluous punctuation – !!! (usually pronounced Chk Chk Chk but otherwise represented by any three repetitive monosyllables other than Yeah Yeah Yeah since that was taken) gave every ounce of energy they had into converting a boring old rock show into a full tilt dance party. The band had a rotating, often huge lineup of talented musicians, fronted by lead singer Nic Offer, whose spastic showmanship mimed the outsized gestures of arena rock performers like Mick Jagger, but in a weirder, disco-punk context. !!! were known to encourage audience participation, adoration, and most of all satisfaction – you could rest assured they’d at least give you your money’s worth. But Siren Fest, just like 4Knots, has always been free.

2004 – …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead

TV on the Radio were still a baby band, Mission of Burma were already and aging punk dad band, Har Mar Superstar probably grossed everyone out (that was his thing), and Death Cab for Cutie probably made everyone too sad. Blonde Redhead is an amazing band that almost no one appreciated or remembers. …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead smashed their gear and dove into the audience.

2005 – Dungen

While Q And Not U kept dance-punk alive, and Spoon continued the mellow indie dude vibes set forth by Death Cab the year before, Swedish psych rockers Dungen, who had apparently just visited Other Music, like, that day, must have thrown the audience for a real loop. Ta Det Lungt had just begun to help them establish an international reputation, and even though none of their songs were sung in English, there’s no doubt the weed cloud hanging over the Cyclone after their set helped with the language barrier.

2006 – Scissor Sisters

Scissor Sisters Siren Fest 2006 — Scissor Sisters’ nearly full frontal frontman Jake Shears in 2006

I bet Celebration was so, so fucking badass that year because Katrina Ford is a goddess and I’m excited for their upcoming album and I’m excited for their show at Baby’s All Right on July 25th but Jake Shears literally stripped down to a Speedo.

2007 – M.I.A.

Just look at how sweet M.I.A. was before all the Vanity Fair hoopla, before the SuperBowl middle finger, before H/Bollywood got its hands on “Paper Planes,” before the trainwreck that was /\/\/\Y/\… M.I.A’s music has evolved a lot over the years, but she’s always been one of the “Bad Girls,” with enough swagger to last for decades. Though we couldn’t have known it then, her Siren appearance was a rare treat, free of backlash and media sniping and all about the jams. The Black Lips put on a great live show, and are also no stranger to controversy, having recently talked shit on Drake and Lorde, that one time Jared Swilley and Nathan from Wavves got into some fisticuffs in a Brooklyn bar… and oh yeah maybe they’re racist? 2007 Siren, you were a real breeding ground for dissension.

2008 – Times New Viking

While Broken Social Scene is great at cramming a ton of talented musicians on stage, I have to hand it to my Columbus, Ohio hometown heroes Times New Viking for blasting such a huge crowd with their lo-fi gems. I have super fond memories of seeing them play dive bars and basements and living rooms, but their gloriously dingy pop songs harbor all the rickety charm of Astroland, where any ride on the Tilt-A-Whirl in 2007 might have been your last ride on anything, ever.

2009 – Monotonix

When Monotonix crowd surf, they don’t just flop along in a sea of sunburned arms like most bands. First of all, these dudes get pretty much naked except for underpants, socks, and copious amounts of body hair. Second of all, they spend the majority of their set in the audience, as opposed to the casual one-and-done method of even the punkest punks. Third of all, they take their instruments into the crowd with them. These nutso Israelis played over 1000 shows in five years, 400 of them happening between 2006 & 2007, so fourth of all, setting themselves on fire and shit was routine for them.

2010 – Screaming Females

The thing about festivals is that sometimes they’re less than ideal scenarios for the bands that play them. It’s hot, it’s bright, and the sound engineering can be really questionable. After insisting on using his own drums rather than the rented kit Siren provided, Jarrett led Screaming Females on a rambling pre-set jam session to ease any jitters. They also turned their monitors off, because according to this adorable blog post he thought it “better to have no mix than a crazy one.” Anyone who’s heard Marissa Paternoster playing guitar knows she shreds; I can’t imagine headliners Matt & Kim (the only band to play Siren twice!) played a better set than Screaming Females in their 2 o’clock slot.

2011 – Titus Andronicus

Though it made everyone a bit sad when Village Voice moved their annual shindig from an awesome beachfront amusement park with tons of history to, well… a mall with an Uno’s Pizzeria, they at least had the respect for tradition to rename the fest 4knots (the speed at which the East River flows) and booked another expertly curated lineup, which included headliners Titus Andronicus. Their appearance came just after gaining tons of recognition for their intelligently rendered album The Monitor, loosely based on Civil War-inspired themes, not to mention their aggressive live shows. The lineup has since changed but our favorite incarnation of the band featured Amy Klein on violin and guitar. Ahhh, memories.

2012 – The Drums

We’ve always appreciated the swagger of Jonny Pierce, and his band’s beachy vibes practically scream outdoor dance party, so The Drums were a perfect fit with 4knots. 2011’s Portamento saw the group shift from surfy to synthy (the title is a tribute to the analogue settings Pierce and bandmate Jacob Graham bonded over as kids), so we couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming release of their latest album, slated for sometime this year.

2013 – Parquet Courts

There’s a reason these Brooklyn punks quickly gained a well-deserved reputation as one of the best live bands to see, and their ultra-sweaty performance at last year’s sweltering 4Knots is a perfect example. The two things I remember most about last year’s 4Knots were The Men covering Iggy Pop with a rousing horn section, and Andrew Savage extending “Stoned & Starving” with a ten-minute long rant about social media and commodified music that felt both prescient and tongue-in-cheek. You really never know what to expect from a Parquet Courts set except that it will be rowdy. Similarly, we never know what to expect from a Village Voice music fest – so make sure you’re at South Street Seaport on Saturday for this year’s 4Knots!

TRACK REVIEW: Yelle “Bouquet Final”

Francophone electropop powerhouse band Yelle just graced the world with a new single and it is everything that you would expect out of the quirky and lively band. Yelle’s first album, Pop Up was released in 2007 and featured a non-stop array of electric, hip-rattling beats, with tracks like “Mal Poli” (Rude) to the slower-paced and enticing “Tu est beau” (You Are Beautiful).

Their second album, 2011’s Safari Disco Club reached no.9 in the U.S Billboard 2011 chart in the Dance/Electronic Albums category. The album included the thumping & insanely fun single “Safari Disco Club,” the contagious “Que Veux Tu” (What Do You Want?), and the sing-along-even-if-you-don’t-understand-French track “Comme Un Enfant” (Like a Child).

Yelle has found worldwide success, including opening for Katy Perry on tour, even though they only record in their native French (if you don’t include the bi-lingual track Cooler Couleur). Yelle fans can now rejoice as the band just announced its pretty impressive 2014 North American tour lineup in promotion of their third album, Complètement Fou, set to be released this fall. They play Irving Plaza in October, and I will be the first to admit that this makes me giddy.

The first single off of the new album, “Bouquet Final” (Grand Finale) is classic Yelle. The love song includes a perpetually cool, static-y beat, married with a bouncy synth rhythm that bursts like bubble gum. When accompanied by Julie Budet’s silky voice, the song is pure, intoxicating gold, thanks in to small part to production credits from none other than Dr. Luke, who has helmed projects from pop’s biggest names. The record’s title translates to “Completely Crazy” so there’s little doubt we’re likely to hear some off-the-wall bangers guaranteed to get any party started, whether or not the club is full of native Frenchies. If nothing else, the lyric video below will help you brush up on your French while you wait for Yelle to come through your city; tour dates follow.

10/9 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
10/10 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
10/11 – Washington D.C. – 9:30 Club
10/12 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer10/14 – Montreal, QC – Corona Theatre
10/15 – Toronto, ON – Virgin Mobile Mod Club
10/17 – Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop
10/18 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
10/19 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
10/21 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
10/22 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
10/24 – Seattle, WA – Neumo’s
10/25 – Vancouver, BC – Fortune Sound Club
10/26 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
10/29 – Santa Cruz, CA – Rio Theatre
10/30 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom
10/31 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda
11/2 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
11/3 – Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom
11/7 – Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Fest
11/8 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
11/10 – Atlanta, GA – The Loft
11/11 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle

ALBUM REVIEW: Woman’s Hour “Conversations”

Caressing ears with their sensual, spine-tingling sounds, London-based quartet Woman’s Hour are touting a stirring brand of velvety art-pop on their Secretly Canadian debut Conversations. Completely lacking in the kind of pretension that typically accompanies “conceptual” works, it’s a gob-smackingly gorgeous and strangely accessible album filled to the brim with writhing synths, skittering beats and hypnotizing basslines. And this is all in addition to being quite the intellectual achievement as well.

While it may be reminiscent of lowbrow late nights and smoky, neon-lit dens, it never feels overly romanticized or sleazy, as Conversations is distinct in its slick production that pays homage to everything from coldwave to deep house. Tender and introspective, it’s as contemplative as reflexive pop gets. Because while many will associate Woman’s Hour’s intimate, whispery sounds with emotional transparency, the focus lies within Burgess’s unuttered secrets, rather than an overt, bear-all brand of squirm-inducing sincerity.

For as seductive as those mesmerizing synth murmurs may be, Conversations truly rests on its laurels as a concept piece, focusing for a solid hour on the unspoken words that tend to lie beneath most modern relationships. Guarded in its attempted candor, the group’s deceivingly minimalist aesthetic cannot hide that there’s something important left unsaid. And as a reflection on the kind of stilted emotional desire that’s so often squandered in favor of the “whoever cares less, wins” sentiment, there’s an acute feeling of intentional restraint running throughout all 11 tracks. A looming sort of melancholy that’s never directly addressed, even by an album that claims to be all about communication.

And while troubled relationships may be nothing new within the realm of pop, the way Woman’s Hour decides to express this idea is surprisingly complex and nuanced. For example, this idea of stigmatized emotional expression is repeated over and over, as the profound desire to be heard is a major theme bubbling beneath sentiments like “if I stop and cease to exist, would it be better for you?” (“Unbroken Sequence”) and “help me say the things that never come out” (“Her Ghost”). It’s an idea replicated by the band’s distinct monochromatic visuals, which appropriate didactic images lifted from an assortment of how-to manuals and instruction booklets. And like simplistic conversations underlain by unspoken sentiment, they’re easy to understand on the surface. However, without full discretion they become mere accouterments – aesthetically pleasing, yet rendered completely meaningless.

Though it’s something that many before Woman’s Hour have naively attempted to wax philosophical about, it’s an incredibly relevant point to acknowledge. For without a full contextual picture or fleshed-out conversation, a relationship is rendered useless. A concept in and of itself and the very thing Fiona & Co. are actively campaigning against.

The album comes out 7/15 on Secretly Canadian. In the meantime listen to the gorgeous, “Her Ghost” here, via Soundcloud:

Woman’s Hour are embarking on a handful of North American tour dates this fall including the following:

Wed. Oct. 1 – Washington, DC @ DC9

Thu. Oct. 2 – New York, NY @ The Mercury Lounge

Fri. Oct. 3 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade

Sat. Oct. 4 – Oneonta, NY @ SUNY Oneonta @ Fine Arts Building Room

Mon. Oct. 6 – Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel

Tue. Oct. 7 – Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle

Thu. Oct. 9 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo

Fri. Oct. 10 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop

LIVE REVIEW: Altimate 4th of July Block Party, Grand Park L.A.

It’s hard to improve upon the old Fourth of July celebration standbys: burgers, hotdogs and beer. But in an attempt to reinvigorate the celebration and to make downtown Los Angeles a more enjoyable place to gather for special events, Grand Park hosted nothing less than the ultimate block party, with live music and fireworks to boot. The two best parts about this gathering? First of all it was free; second, the city partnered with radio station ALT 98.7 to put on a killer show featuring some of alt rock’s most energetic acts out right now. Between the two stages, The Altimate Main Stage and the Soulnic Stage, 10 different artists performed in the heart of L.A. to celebrate America’s birthday.

Not being the DJ type of gal, I planted myself on the rail at the Altimate Main Stage in the stagnant 90 degree heat of downtown L.A. (the things I do in the name of music!). First on the bill was the winner of ALT 98.7’s Summer Song Contest, an L.A. based indie pop band appropriately named Freedom Fry. Singer Marie Seyrat donned a short, flowy lace dress and Janis Joplin shades, a very fitting outfit choice for the carefree California pop music that Freedom Fry creates. It’s not the type of music that hits you hard, but instead carries you along mellow wavelengths of co-ed vocal harmonies and beachy guitar vibes. With its catchy bass line, cowbell and elastic synth line,“Friends and Enemies” had just enough energy to get the whole event going. “Home,” an anthem that pays homage to life the Golden State, was another strength in their set and resonated with the locals in the crowd – if there is one thing I learned about Angelenos this weekend it is that they certainly have a lot of hometown pride. The tune hearkens to a longing for the state as a magnet for people seeking something a little closer to paradise, reminiscent of The Mamas and The Papas’ classic “California Dreamin’,” with its slow melancholic guitar strumming and subtly tragic lyrics. After only four songs, the band finished their set, leaving me in an enamored California-Proud state of mind, ready to celebrate Independence Day with more music.

Echosmith Miro Sarkissian ALT 98.7 — Echosmith. Photo by Miro Sarkissian for ALT 98.7.

With temperatures soaring, I was grateful to the mini-festival’s organizers for keeping things on schedule. Within fifteen minutes, Echosmith took the stage. They’ve had a bit of radio success in Southern Cali, though Altimate was my first introduction to their music, which apparently means that I live under a rock. Echosmith, comprised of four siblings, are a little bundle of energy best suited for tours such as Warped; in fact, they’re currently part of the roster but took a day off to play at this event. Their sound definitely appeals to a younger audience, as the crowd became a crush of young teens as soon as they took the stage. The band itself is very young, its oldest member only 21. Their alt-pop sound reminded me very much of Paramore – one of my own teenage favorites. Though less edgy than Paramore, singer Sydney Sierota is so much like Hayley Williams, vocally and performance-wise, that the comparison just has to be drawn. Her brother Noah, the band’s bassist, is the powerhouse behind the band; his energy alone is captivating but his playing really comes through in their live performance. Their sound has an 80’s dance appeal to it, made obvious by their cover of Modern English’s “Melt With You.” “Cool Kids,” their wildly popular high-school outcast anthem really got my attention. The song is fun and relatable no matter what age the listener. With their strong fan base and earnest talent, I’d say this band has some serious staying power so long as they continue to broaden their musical horizons.

Next up was the one band that felt like the odd band out. Brick + Mortar is a drum and bass duo from New Jersey bent on a political-esque agenda. I had listened to them before attending the event and liked what I heard; having bass at the forefront of their sound is a risky thing to do but combined with John Tacon’s heavy rock drumming, their sound is booming. Frontman Brandon Asraf’s vocals are very different and sound great on record, but at this event he sounded strained and was shrieking moreso than singing (he blamed “too much pizza” on his being out of shape). To give credit where credit is due, their energy was on point and they were the first band to get into the audience and instigate that crowd involvement. Throughout the performance, Brandon waved an overused cardboard sign that had “HEY!” spelled out in duct tape letters to get everyone’s attention (and maybe add a little DIY cred to their act). What made them the odd band out was their more political bent. Their lyrics center around societal flaws, and I am all for activism, but when you show up to a Fourth of July celebration, it feels slightly hypocritical to rant about America’s shortcomings and how shitty the country is politically. It’s like going to a person’s birthday party and being like “hey your life is an abomination and you kinda really suck” after you’ve eaten all their cake. Their semi-pointless digs left a bad taste in my mouth, especially as I stood there in a sea of red white and blue, and I could tell I was not alone when I kind of checked out from the rest of their performance.

Phantogram Miro Sarkissian ALT 98.7 — Phantogram. Photo by Miro Sarkissian for ALT 98.7.

Up next was Phantogram, the act I’d driven the four hours to L.A. to see. They took the stage at about 6:00 pm, just when it started to cool down. I’d seen Phantogram back in February before I really became a fan so this was a huge treat for me, as my crush on Sarah Barthel has increased exponentially since then. They opened with “Bad Dreams” from Voices, out earlier this year, which was a bit surprising since I’d expected them to kick things off with one of their massive radio hits like “Fall In Love.” As usual, the band gave 100% of their energy to this show, though their set was a bit too short for me. I’d wanted to hear “Celebrating Nothing” from their new album but with only six songs on their brief setlist, I was at least satisfied by their choices. Sarah rocked powerhouse vocals and stylish dance moves in stilettos, and Josh Carter’s guitar tones were so rich with this performance, his distorted singing added a whole new layer of sound to Sarah’s angelic sound. They were the only band of the night to get the classic concert encore, as we all knew it would be nothing short of blasphemy to leave the stage without playing “Mouthful of Diamonds,” from 2009’s breakout LP Eyelid Movies. I almost thought they’d get away with it but the crowd chanted for that one more song and, damn it, we got it.

At this point in the day, I was feeling the effects of being in the pit for almost four hours with one water bottle, so I decided I’d watch the remaining two acts from a bit of a distance. By the time Wild Cub started playing, the park came alive. The event was expecting to bring in 25,000 people, but it felt more like a ghost town that downtown when I’d arrived at 1pm, as the closed down streets were sprinkled only with a few early birds. By this point in the early evening, though, it finally felt like the bustling center of the city I was used to; with the fireworks show imminent, Wild Cub really fed off the buzzy, excited Angeleno energy. Maybe from the pit I couldn’t properly gauge the crowd’s enthusiasm, but from afar it was easy to see that Wild Cub’s electric performance really brought everyone to life. The Nashville-based indie pop ensemble played the perfect soundtrack for the sun setting behind the Los Angeles Times building. Frontman Keegan Dewitt alternated between slamming his guitar and pounding the drum kit for an invigorating transition into the final act before the fireworks display.

Semi Precious Weapons was the most colorful band of the evening. I had never heard their music and wasn’t quite sure what to expect as Justin Tranter tread on stage, his lanky figure clad in an all white jumpsuit complete with double breasted jacket. Playing something between glam rock and dance music, the band’s sound seeps into your soul and just makes you want to dance. The instrumentation was very much present between Stevy Pyne’s classic rock sound on guitar and Cole Whittle’s enthusiasm on bass, while Justin Tranter exuded a David Bowie-esque stage presence with his sense of fashion and vogue-referencing movements. Quite the ringleader, Tranter’s cheeky attitude had all of downtown in the palm of his hand by the end of the show. When he shouted “Hands up, motherfuckers!” we threw those hands up; if he tells you to jump the gate, you jump the gate. Even when he tells you to shut it, we knew what to do.

The entire event was a huge success. The lineup featured a great variety of artists – from beachy California pop, to moody electronic rock, to the glam and fabulousness of SPW, there was something for everyone. The slew of performers offered a view into the variety and vivaciousness of alternative music, which is something that ALT 98.7 prides itself in as a radio station. The event even has potential to expand as the park has not reached completion. There was something very special about being in downtown L.A. for the Fourth of July; it was a little festival that very much represented the eclectic sounds and feelings of Los Angeles, and I hope Grand Park becomes a frequent venue for music artists of all genres to gather for years to come.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

INTERVIEW: Jack + Eliza

Eliza Callahan and Jack Staffen grew up at the same time–and in the same zip code!–but as the harmony-happy folk pop outfit Jack + Eliza, the pair spans decades. “Hold The Line,” the first single off their forthcoming EP No Wonders (via Yebo Music), takes the seventies-era classic rock that Eliza was raised on and braids it with Jack’s boy-band background. Mellow and sunny, the EP touches on a wide range of influences as it ambles comfortably through its five tracks, underscoring the pair’s intricate vocal harmony with a gentle guitar line. No Wonders presents Jack + Eliza’s music in its simplest form. As you’re listening to the EP, you can practically close your eyes and pretend they’re in your living room–so intimate it feels like a personal introduction.

No Wonders will be out at the end of this summer, but you don’t have to wait until then to get to know them. I sat down for a chat with the duo, to discuss their backgrounds, their creative influences and how the NYC music scene is like no other. Here’s what went down.

AudioFemme: So both of you grew up in New York. How did you meet?

Eliza Callahan: Yes, we both grew up in downtown Manhattan. We actually have known each other since we were about ten or eleven. We weren’t really friends, until I had a friend who played guitar in the band Jack was singing in, and their drummer quit, so they asked me to play drums. I’m really not a drummer. I do not know how to play drums. But that’s how we met. We went to rival high schools in Brooklyn, and everyone kept saying that we should write music together. We were both too shy to approach the topic, but finally we wrote a song one day and we liked it, so we kept going.

AF: When did you write that song?

Jack Staffen: I guess it’s been two years now. We wrote that song the year before last, in August.

AF: How do you guys relate to the New York music scene?

EC: We’ve been writing a lot, and now one of our goals is to find a niche and a group of people we enjoy playing with. There’s just so much out there that there’s no one community that you can gravitate towards. There are definitely bands who we’ve played more than one show with, who we really like, and at our schools there are scenes, but we’re also looking to be part of a bigger scene. Hopefully that happens naturally.

AF: Have you ever wanted to live New York and live somewhere else?

JC: (laughs) No.

AF: Is that because of the musical opportunities here, or do you just love it?

JC: Both. The music scene here is like nowhere else, but I also just love New York City.

EC: I could definitely see living in other cities in the future. I love to surf, and I love the beach, but I’m really not goo with non-urban environments. I don’t like silence. I can’t sleep if there isn’t noise outside.

AF: Tell us about your musical backgrounds.

JS: I started playing guitar when I was five, and I hated it. Then I picked up the piano and I loved it. When I was about nine, I was still really into the piano, but I picked up the guitar again and just fell in love. Pretty much from then on I’ve been playing music, and I started writing music when I was eleven. I’ve never gone in for formal training, we just had a piano and I picked it up from there.

EC: I started on classical guitar–the Suzuki Method–when I was three years old. It was funny because my parents didn’t want me to start that young, but I had a friend whose mom really wanted her to play classical guitar. She ended up quitting, but I fell in love with the Suzuki Method. When I was six or seven, I started playing jazz, and then I decided to play rock and roll because like every child–and every human, I guess–I loved The Beatles. So then I started writing music. I had a little recording device and I would record these stream-of-consciousness, epic songs that went on for eleven or twelve minutes. I went to a school where we wrote a lot of poetry, so I would take the words that I had written and kind of yell them, or sing them, over these weird chords I was playing. As I got older I developed more of a formal approach.

JS: My first song was like…a Backstreet Boys song. Yours was totally different.

AF: Why did you decide to just go by Jack and Eliza instead of picking out a name for your band?

EC: We didn’t start with the intention of being a band. It was just a project we were working on, and our friends would say, you know, this is a song Jack and Eliza wrote together. We just kept on writing music, and we started playing shows, and it became really hard to find a name we could identify with after we had been playing together for so long. And also, we really did want a name. We did not intend to end up being Jack and Eliza, and I hope people can look beyond the boy-girl name thing. I think that has various connotations, and I don’t want that to affect our music, or people’s views of it. But we were also very happy with the ring. We like the ring. I have a whole list of band names that I’ve been making throughout my life, and we just did not feel that any of them fit.

AF: Growing up in the same circle of friends, does that mean that your musical tastes are similar? Do you have similar influences?

EC: No, I think our influences are actually pretty different, although our tastes are getting more similar. I was raised on a lot of old rock and roll. My dad listened to old rock and roll, so I listened to The Kinks, The Beach Boys, that type of thing.

JS: I listened more to what was coming out when I was younger. Radiohead, Fountains of Wayne, Rufus Wainright, that was the stuff I listened to. As I got older I started getting into what Eliza was listening to.

EC: It’s interesting, because Jack comes from a more poppy background, whereas I come from a more rock and roll or folky background, and I think we taught each other the positive things about both of genres.

AF: Tell us about your new EP, “No Wonders”. When is it coming out? How did you start recording it?

EC: It’ll be out at the end of summer or early in the fall. We recorded it here in New York City, with Chris Zane, at Gigantic Studios. We recorded it from December to February. We had completely written the EP before we went into the studio.It’s pretty stripped down. We wanted to keep it simple and have people listen to us first as us in our most “bare” form, and then build from there. We definitely want to add more sonic texture in the future, but to start out, we wanted to keep it very straightforward.

AF: You’ve been playing a lot of shows around the city lately. How has that been?

EC: It’s been a lot of fun. It’s weird, though: we’ve both been performing since we were really young, but I get more and more nervous every time I perform. I don’t know why. When I was younger I could care less.

JS: And I really love performing.

AF: It seems like you guys are kind of opposites, and you balance each other out.

EC: That definitely is true. Jack has a very clean, lovely voice and can sing way higher than I can. Jack takes the high harmony a lot of the time. So Jack will start doing these vocal runs, and then to counter his Backstreet Boy vocal runs, I’ll attempt to sound like Lou Reed. Well, that’s an extreme. But in rehearsal, that is our battle.

AF: Do you write songs totally collaboratively?

JS: It’s pretty much all collaborative. Occasionally one of us will bring a chord progression, maybe with the melody, maybe not, and we’ll work from there.

EC: I don’t know how we’re able to collaborate–I don’t want to say so well, but I don’t know how I would write a song with anyone else. It’s not something that I foresee being possible with anyone else. If anything, the chord progressions are usually collaborative. Jack usually writes most of the harmony, because his voice is better. I write a few more of the lyrics. But it’s pretty much collaborative.

AF: As a writer, I’m totally mystified by that. It seems horrifying sharing control over a project. Is working together sometimes difficult? Do you have any advice for people who want to learn how to collaborate?

EC: Well, I feel that way too, because I write a lot. I think about collaborating on my poetry, or my creative writing pieces, and that’s terrifying, but for some reason, with songwriting, I’m a lot more willing to let go and let something happen that I might not allow when I’m obsessing. I think it’s that I don’t obsess over songwriting the way I do with my other writing. I don’t know why that is, but I think that’s what allows for a hopefully successful collaboration.

TRACK REVIEW: alt-J “Hunger of the Pine”

If you had played “Hunger of the Pine” without telling me who it was by, I would not have guessed alt-J. In fact, James Blake might’ve been my first guess. As a lead single from the British band’s sophomore album, This is All Yours, “Hunger” seems a bit of a departure from the textured, intimate rock music that populated their debut album, An Awesome Wave. A bit more electronic, suspended in deep bass and cosmic sounds, with a vocal sample of Miley Cyrus’ “4×4” thrown in, it’s expansive, engulfing and more than a little moody. It’s just short of pure art.

Since releasing An Awesome Wave in 2012 to considerable acclaim, alt-J have toured heavily, steadily playing larger and larger venues that seemingly never cease to sell out, also hitting several festival circuits as well. In the UK, “Breezeblocks” charted in the Top 10, and the success in their native country has been echoed in the US and Australia. They’ve not only licensed songs to popular television shows like Weeds and Sons of Anarchy, but also contributed an original track for the Grammy-nominated Silver Linings Playbook. Earlier this year, the band announced the departure of bassist Gwil Sainsbury, but it has hardly slowed them down from completing their sophomore effort – while the remaining members have said that they may invite a replacement bassist on tour, the writing and recording process was undertaken as a trio.

Whether or not that’s changed the direction of the album overall remains to be seen. But, let me repeat: “Hunger of the Pine” sounds like nothing the band has done before which makes me even more excited about This Is All Yours. The song starts off with a monotonous, beeping tone that calls to mind a more subdued version of an emergency alarm, a more than appropriate intro for a song about the physical pain of pining for another. Combined with ethereal vocals and atmospheric instrumentals, listeners float as though sedated in this vast space of longing and despair. The Miley sample has a whole different connotation unmoored from the bubblegum of Bangerz; when she sings “I’m a female rebel” it takes on an indignant, haunted tone, the effect of seeming tough and unaffected yet quietly and surely breaking inside. Its appearance in the song heralds a methodical beat that churns through the rest of the track, clinking somewhat mechanically. By the song’s end, they’ve added words from the equally desolate and searching French poem “L’espoir en Dieu” by Alfred de Musset, sung in a much lower register than the swirling croon we’ve grown used to. The song is so chill, in fact, that alt-J’s US record label voiced concerns that the song didn’t have the potential to be “hit;” the band revealed in a recent Guardian interview that they cheekily delivered the cliché-riddled “Left Hand Free,” written in a mere twenty minutes – the irony is that the label loved it.

This is All Yours promises to be full of surprises. It’s available for pre-order now and will be released in the U.S. on September 22nd via Canvasback/Infectious Music. An extensive North American tour starts October 14th in Vancouver and ends November 19th in DC. Shows in Chicago, Portland, Montreal, and New York are already sold out but dates will likely be added in select cities; see below for the current schedule.

ALT-J NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES:

October 14 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum Theater
October 15 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theater
October 16 – Portland, OR – Roseland Ballroom
October 20 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theater
October 21 – Pomona, CA – Fox Theater
October 24 – San Diego, CA – Soma
October 27 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
October 28 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
October 31 – Minneapolis, MN – Myth
November 02 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
November 04 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom
November 05 – Dallas, TX – Southside Ballroom
November 06 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
November 07-09 – Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Fest
November 10 – Detroit, MI – The Filllmore
November 11 – Toronto, ON – Kool Haus
November 12 – Montreal, QB – Metropolis
November 14 – Philadelphia, PA – Tower Theater
November 16 – New York, NY – Beacon Theater
November 18 – Boston, MA – Orpheum Theater
November 19 – Washington, DC – Echostage[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

VIDEO REVIEW: Marissa Nadler “Firecrackers”

Though it was released back in February, Marissa Nadler’s stunning sixth album July (on Sacred Bones/Bella Union) is very much rooted in the month it was named for. As she explained during an interview with AudioFemme, the record deals specifically with her personal experiences, lived from July of 2012 when her romantic relationship dissolved as she self-destructed, through her regret and pain to a place of healing and rekindling lost love in July 2013. The record’s emotional centerpiece, “Firecrackers,” deals with that fallout and subsequent recovery with stoic grace, its simple guitar chords nonchalantly lilting around what sounds like a dead-eyed challenge to unnamed “attackers” – it’s me, it’s me, it’s me you’re lookin’ for – but, for Nadler, was more of an admission of guilt on her own part for the troubles she found herself in back then.

Just in time for Independence Day, Nadler has released a haunting, black-and-white clip directed by Ryan Hamilton Walsh. Over the brutal opening lines July Fourth of last year / We spilled all the blood / How’d you spend your summer days? Nadler’s ghostly image performs destructive, if inconsequential actions – smashing glass bottles, throwing her guitar to the forest floor, pouring water from buckets. Everything happens in rewind, the grainy footage recalling home videos, or how we might imagine our memories would look if others could view them. The symbolism lies in Nadler “undoing” her ruinous behavior, and as the clip progresses, overlays of oozing liquid wash away her pointless sins and obscure her devious past. We’ve all been the kid sticking a bottle rocket in our neighbor’s mailbox, and we’ve all been the adult committing crimes we felt were victimless that lead to our own demise. Nadler puts the two on par by juxtaposing the innocuous imagery in the “Firecrackers” video with her real, lived experience in the song’s lyrical content, reminding us that no matter how calamitous our lives, there is no rewinding or rewriting history – all that’s left is to forge ahead.

Marissa Nadler heads to Europe in the fall; she’ll be playing throughout the US this month (see dates below).

Jul 8 – Rock N Roll Hotel – Washington, DC
Jul 9 – Pinhook – Durham, NC
Jul 10 – The Earl – Atlanta, GA
Jul 12 – The Beatnik – New Orleans, LA
Jul 13 – Holy Mountain – Austin, TX
Jul 14 – City Tavern – Dallas, TX
Jul 15 – White Water Tavern – Little Rock, AR
Jul 16 – The Stone Fox – Nashville, TN
Jul 17 – Mike N Molly’s – Champaign, IL
Jul 18 – Rumba Café – Columbus, OH
Jul 19 – Cattivo – Pittsburgh, PA
Jul 20 – The Ballroom at Outer Space – New Haven, CT
Aug 1 – Northern Routes Festival – New Salem, MA

2001 – Peaches

2002 – Sleater-Kinney

2003 – !!!

2004 – …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead

2005 – Dungen

2006 – Scissor Sisters

2007 – M.I.A.

2008 – Times New Viking

2009 – Monotonix

2010 – Screaming Females

2011 – Titus Andronicus

2012 – The Drums

2013 – Parquet Courts

Ticket Giveaways

Each week Audiofemme gives away a set of tickets to our featured shows in NYC! Scroll down to enter for the following shindigs.

See you there! xoxo