March 2014 – Page 2

TRACK REVIEW: “CATALYST”

Tristen’s “Catalyst,” the latest track from her 2014 release Caves, harkens back to a post-disco dance era. The electro-flute intro, thumping synthesizer and clean female vocals are immediately reminiscent of ABBA and Madonna, particularly with their classic pop tracks “Gimme Gimme Gimme” and “Get Into the Groove.”

“Catalyst” is a fun showcase of Tristen’s diversity as a songwriter. Though she’s always been loyal to the Nashville folk-pop scene, she can certainly hold her weight as a synth-pop singer. The song’s strongest features are its dance-ability and audible proximity to 70’s and 80’s club giants that beckon you groove along. Lyrically, “Catalyst” is a rather simple ditty, as most electro-pop songs are known to remain, but Tristen’s vocal style is unique, untarnished, and keeps things interesting. This track is ideal for your next party playlist.

Take a listen here:

TRACK REVIEW: Haley Bonar “No Sensitive Man”

Eight years ago, Alan Sparhawk of Low spotted twenty-year-old Haley Bonar performing at an open mic and invited her and her drummer on tour with his band. Since then, Bonar’s been busy: she’s put out five solo studio albums and started a punk side project called Gramma’s Boyfriend, which we hear involves performing in eighties figure skating outfits. Bringing anxious bass lines together with elegant vocal harmony, Bonar brings a songwriting style to each of her albums that’s appealing and complex, with a way of cloaking grisly lyrics in catchy hooks.

“No Sensitive Man” opens with a rousing drum line and dreamy, smeared vocals that seem draped over the music. “Shut your eyes and play me something good,” Bonar sings, sounding exasperated. “I don’t wanna talk. We can get away with anything these days.” It’s a flat, unsentimental meditation with a choppy bass line that sprawls over the track. This is Bonar at her most disaffected– “No Sensitive Man” bristles in a way that’s new for Bonar’s solo material, and though it’s exciting to see her snarl, the self-isolation of the vocals on this track ultimately sound lazy, and disengaged from the rest of the music. In the absence of the sweet, story-telling style that have made her albums so good up to this point, the flat disappointment and dismissiveness that colors this track feels kind of unengaging, especially since the instrumental lines don’t fill out to take over the spotlight from Bonar’s narrative persona. While I like the idea of Bonar taking the thematic bleakness her music has always had and drawing it into the music’s aesthetic a bit more, “No Sensitive Man” lacked focus without Bonar’s vocals front and center.

Bonar’s new album, Last War, will be in stores May 20th via Graveface. Until then, check out “No Sensitive Man” below and let us know what you think!

LIVE REVIEW: Jack and Eliza, Total Slacker, Miniature Tigers, Bear Hands

An incredible line-up in an equally marvelous venue to complete a Wednesday night that felt more like a New Year’s Eve party—Music Hall of Williamsburg hosted a full ticket of four amazing musicians: Jack and Eliza, Total Slacker, Miniature Tigers, with headliners Bear Hands.

I was fascinated by Jack and Eliza’s reposed stage presence and I’ll be sure to check them out again at Pianos in June. They were the perfect beginning to my night, along with my whiskey sour. Abutting the duo was Total Slacker, and despite their name, they’ve actually caused quite a buzz. For a band that first sparked in a laundromat, its four members—Tucker Rountree, Zoe Brecher, and David Tassy, and Emily Oppenheimer—fit together famously. I had a chance to talk to Emily after the show, who revealed that her “biggest fan” (she’s the coolest mom ever) was there for support. And although she admitted to possessing an off-stage introverted personality, her shyness fractures at the sight of their audience.

Miniature Tigers were next, and it’s easy to fall in love with them—in my case, especially, since their debut album, Tell It to the Volcano, references Lost, which still stands as my favorite television series of all time. During the performance, Charlie Brand didn’t find it fit to just jive onstage; somewhere in-between “Cannibal Queen” and “Bullfighter Jacket,” he vaulted down into the audience. It was close, like the very sweat dripping down from his lifted temples onto my iPhone close.

Met Ted Feldman of Bear Hands. The band was totally awesome, and proceeded after the show to grab a beer while Dylan smoked that after-show cigarette. — With Ted Feldman of Bear Hands. The band was totally awesome, and proceeded after the show to grab a beer while Dylan smoked that post-show cig.

With the riot that was Music Hall of Williamsburg on a Wednesday night, water basins were running low, and everyone was trying to get their last Jameson shots and beer pints in before Bear Hands. These guys are also super busy, currently touring all over the country into spring and summer. Ted Feldman, Val Loper, Dylan Rau, TJ Orscher make up the Brooklyn-based quartet. They have come a long way from opening up for Passion Pit, and they’ve even got a show in London coming up under their belts. “Agora” set off everyone in a haze, bonding over lit joints. Dylan switched from the keyboard and vocals to being center stage. A glaring blue and orange hue surrounded the band, making for a pretty good light show, too.

Although “Giants” is newly released, the audience was not timid to cause a ruckus. Even the calming lyrics, “Loving you more,” and guitar seemed to set everyone on fire. Bear Hands’ full length album was released off Cantora Records a week prior to the show, which could explain the amazing energy coming from the band. Bear Hands finished the night in the best way possible—leaving the audience wanting more. The good news is they’re touring the shit out of the US, so you can catch them in the upcoming months. Download their new album, Distraction, now available on iTunes.

In the meantime, Listen to “Giants” here via Soundcloud:

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BAND OF THE MONTH: Leverage Models

“My only rules were that I would shut my conscious impulses as much as possible (my impulse to interrogate and analyze every gesture, ponder what imaginative impulse every sound was for, worry about what outlet would be used to release the music) and just make,” Shannon Fields has written, regarding his approach to music and his new project–and AudioFemme’s Band Of The Month!–Leverage Models. Fields’ creative impulses and internal landscapes are at the heart of this group. Friends and cohorts appear on Leverage Models’ self-titled debut, too, in such high and ever-evolving numbers that trying to count them would be futile, but Sharon Van Etten, Sinkane and Yeasayer all number among Leverage Models’ contributers. Fields, who dreamt up his first band, Stars Like Fleas, in 1999 and played under that name for nearly a decade, has always been inclined towards collaboration.

Listening to Leverage Models is a fantastically colorful experience, so much so that the first few times through the album feel like being in a brand new, exotic and densely stimulating city–it’s hard to have concrete thoughts on the music when you’re so busy just trying to take it all in. In a wonderfully interior journey, Leverage Models presents a mostly-joyous, always-elaborate layering of futuristic soul music, electronic riffs and repetitive vocal lines that sound more like instrumental licks than voices. It’s hard to see the seams of this album: the music’s many aspects seem like they must have simultaneously sprung, fully formed, into being. Since the album bears so little comparison to anything else in its category, finding the songs’ trajectories requires enough listening to get past just being dazzled by the bright lights and shiny metals, but once you do, the album is actually pretty accessible. Some of the songs, like “Sweet” (with Sharon Van Etten) are surprisingly catchy, with strong R&B influence and an endearing sense of excitement swelling beneath the melodies.

In the fifteen-odd years he’s been recording–first with Stars Like Fleas, and now Leverage Models–Fields has put out only four full-length albums, with a few years’ space between each. It’s easy to see why: each complex, densely compiled release packs a hefty wallop. None more so than Leverage Models, which feels like the summation of the full five years Fields took to create it, with an elegant blend of complexity in its instrumental arrangements and sweet simplicity in its intent.

Listen to the oh-so-stunning, “A Chance To Go”, here via Soundcloud

If you can’t catch Leverage Models at our SXSW showcase this Wednesday, cozy up with Shannon right here instead! Audiofemme got in touch with him and asked him a few questions about music, and the internet, and resurrecting his teenage self who would then listen to the new album. Here’s what went down:

AF: Tell us about the process of beginning your new project, Leverage Models. How did you want it to differ from your work with Stars Like Fleas? What inspires your music writing?

Shannon: Leverage Models didn’t really begin deliberately. Stars Like Fleas was a very large family of musicians that was so emotionally volatile, and so draining to keep afloat that when it finally ripped itself apart I just moved to the country and started spending all day in my home studio with absolutely no agenda except to find something to glue myself back together with. I suddenly had a surplus of time and space to create in. But also this sort of crushing weight of having a part of my identity, something I’d built for almost 10 years (Stars Like Fleas, my life in Brooklyn) vanish overnight. I felt free of the albatross it had become for me, but also a huge wave of “what now?” anxiety. The only way I could handle that was to entirely avoid thinking about the “what now?”, or about who I am or what I had to offer anybody. So that was a pretty radical change to my creative process. With the Fleas, the creative process was analytical to the point of compulsion – it was 2 parts sound creation / performance and 98 parts self-interrogation, willful deconstruction, avoidance of any convention, avoidance of anything that might work in an immediate or superficial way for anybody. And I don’t regret a moment of that. But Leverage Models originated in my just making songs that made me feel better and that I enjoyed living inside, without questioning anything (because at the time I had no intention of doing anything with those songs). Honestly, this was and still is straight up therapy….an approach I hadn’t previously had much respect for. I don’t want to suggest there isn’t still some of that going on with Leverage Models, but I try to keep the higher functioning parts of my brain out of the room until it’s time to take a step back and look at the big picture of an album, or a mix. Until then I let the lizard parts of my brainstem drive the bus. I think I’m more interested these days in the logic of craft and folk art rather than the trappings of modernism, that constant privileging of newness and confrontation of norms, so Leverage Models focuses much more on the shared conventions of pop music and just trying to be disciplined about writing and arranging well. (That said, lyrics are a different conversation entirely….a different ballgame, and equally important to me).

AF: Now that the album has been out for a few months, how do you feel about it? Do you have a favorite song?

S: I spent a year on the record and I’m completely happy with it. It’s not the record I would make today, but it’s a good snapshot where I was at a year ago, and I’m proud of the response I’ve gotten from some of the people whose opinions I care the most about. I don’t actually listen to my own records and can’t say I have a favorite song. Right now my favorite song to play live is The Chance To Go. With most of the songs I wrote and recorded them predominantly at home before bringing in the band to replace demo arrangements. But The Chance To Go came out of a live improvisational session with the band. One morning we woke up, I described a groove to the band, and maybe 15 minutes later we had that song. It feels more spontaneous and live than other things on the record because it is. Also….A Slow Marriage is one that ages well for me….it might be the most open, direct and personal…it feels simultaneously vulnerable and synthetic…which is how I feel most days.

AF: How do you feel about music in the digital age? Would you go to war in order to save the internet from extinction?

S: I’m a little bit confused and alienated by the new relationship to music that the culture has. Music is a little more of a disposable lifestyle accessory and a little less precious then it was when I was a teenager. I don’t know that I have a strong feeling about whether that’s a good or bad thing….I guess it’s a mixed bag, like all change. It’s what culture does. That said, I might not have any kind of social life or a career without the Internet….it’s easier to do everything (except make money), including just talking to people…which has always been difficult for me. It doesn’t carry over into performance, but offstage I have a crippling amount of social anxiety. So email is great. And I think when I moved to the country my music career might have been over in a pre-Internet world. Now it matters much less where I live.

AF: You’ve picked out of the way spots to do a lot of your recording, and Leverage Models was recorded in a farmhouse outside of Cooperstown, NY. Why do you choose such remote locations?

S: Ha!…because I live in that farmhouse in the country outside of Cooperstown! My band lives in Brooklyn but I left before Leverage Models happened. I record mainly in my home studio, in between barn chores (my wife and I are breeding horses) and other work around the property. Splitting my days between physical labor and creative work gives me a rhythm that’s really healthy for me. I feel like a better person for it…even if that’s sentimentalized nonsense, it’s a fiction that helps me get through the day. And I just feel physically and mentally more stable. NYC was breaking me. Also, I should mention that I generally record the full band and mix at The Isokon in Woodstock, NY, — mainly because D. James Goodwin, who runs it, is someone I trust and have a longstanding relationship with. He’s a powerful creative human and he gets me.

AF: What are your strengths as a musician? Would you say you have any weaknesses?

S: I’m not putting my head in either of those nooses. Is this a job interview, Annie?

AF: If one of your songs (while you’re in the process of writing it that is), were a small child (or pet), would you say that it would have a mind of its own or would it generally stay in line and follow the rules?

S: Oh I’m probably training feral animals here, metaphorically speaking. In my writing process I make a conscious effort not to know where I’m going when I begin a song. Sometimes I do try to generate ideas by throwing myself curve balls (horrible cliché’s, instruments and mixing choices that are steeped in cheesy baggage, pastiche, etc.) but mainly I just work really fast and intuitively up front…so fast I don’t have time to question what I’m doing….following my reflexes and my pleasure centers. I write/record in manic highs and edit when I’m miserable. Then if I’ve painted myself into a corner, finding my way out usually leads to something that’s better than it would be if I tried to really over-direct and control the process.

AF: If you could have any person, living or dead, real or fictitious, listen to a song off Leverage Models, who would it be? What do you think they/it would think about that song?

S: Hmmmm….the only thing that comes to mind would be my teenage self. And….I really have no idea what I would think. But I think I’d be pretty down. I would probably question all the slap bass.

AF: If you could experience your own music through one of your other senses, which would it be? What would it taste/smell/feel/look like?

S: Can I experience someone else’s music this way? That seems like a pretty heavy gift to use in such a self-indulgent way. I’m a little food-obsessed. I think Maurice Fulton’s music would make for a pretty satisfying combination of salt, heat and sweetness, without a lot of heavy starchy proteins.

AF: What is one of your favorite cities to perform in? Do you have any weird tour bus necessities?

S: We’re lucky to get a bar towel and some hot water on a hospitality rider and we tour in my 2008 soccer-mom minivan, packed so full of shit none of us can move our legs. I look forward to having weird tour bus necessities though.

As for chosen cities, I just like performing anywhere that people seem hungry for music and aren’t so self-conscious that they’re afraid to move their bodies at a show. But to be honest, I was just as uptight and self-conscious for a long time. It took a long while to get to the point where I really internalized that I am going to die – I think that’s what it pivots on – and was able to full let go of all those kinds of very Midwestern, probably very male inhibitions. So we love playing smaller towns that are usually passed over; where you play to a small crowd but everyone who comes up to you is grateful and excited. It makes me remember being that kid in Kansas City…remembering the feeling you have – living in what you think is the ass-end of the universe — when you see something that changes the game for you, turns a light on, makes the world feel suddenly larger and more nuanced and more capable of possibility and not limited to the values of whatever oppressive cool-crowd you’re stuck under, shows you a way out or inspires you to remake yourself. Anyway, we seem to find a lot of these places in the south. On our current tour, D.C. (a huge house party with a few hundred people, put on by the Lamont Street Collective), Asheville NC, Charlotte NC, and Jacksonville FL were all surprisingly bonkers. I just like to feel like I’m making some kind of real connection with every person there. If I don’t, I feel like a complete failure as a performer and as a person…no matter how much people might have liked it or how ‘on’ the band was. I always take crowd reactions personally, I’m very motivated to feel that connection, even when I know I’m doing things onstage to actively bait or confront them a bit (which happens).

AF: Do you have any words of wisdom for Audiofemme? Any secrets you’d like to divulge?

1. No wisdom, but a thanks to Audiofemme for helping to provide a balance to the music journalists’ boys club. I’m not sure boys clubs are our scene. I’m used to getting threatening looks in boys’ clubs.

2. I’m very good at keeping secrets. You first.

TRACK REVIEW: Jeffertitti’s Nile “Blue Spirit Blues”

Jeffertitti’s Nile is the kind of band that likes to make its own reality. The project of Jeffertitti Moon, bassist for Father John Misty, Jeffertitti’s Nile developed in the space between tours, expanding with various new members and cameos as well as scattered musical styles and odd combinations. The group prides itself on its unpredictability, and seem to deliberately sidestep expectations with each new release of self-described “Transcendental Space-Punk Doo Wop.”

It should come as no surprise, then, that the first single off the Jeffertitti’s second album The Electric Hour, set to drop at the end of April, is a little out of left field: on “Blue Spirit Blues,” Jeffertitti conducts a large-scale, ultrazany reimagining of jazz legend Bessie Smith’s 1929 version. Jeffertitti’s cover is a full gutting of the track: underlaid with a bass pull as powerful as a riptide, “Blue Spirit Blues” moves at a breakneck pace through its three and a half minutes, rollicking and snarling the whole way.

Bessie Smith and Jeffertitti aren’t nearly as odd a combination as they seem on first glance, and in fact, the more you listen to the song, the easier it is to realize that the full-body trip of Jeffertitti’s “Blue Spirit Blues” isn’t a new addition; the song always had a glint of craziness beneath the surface. The lyrics have always been scary: it’s the story of dreaming of descending into hell, running until someone wakes you up. Just as the deep dread and foreboding at the heart of Jeffertitti’s version is traceable to Smith, the original version of the song has always had something otherworldly and–in an early 20th century jazz sort of way–psychedelic about it. Jeffertitti’s rendition blasts open the song’s expansiveness and amps up the dark, sexy rhythm behind the melody.

It’s hard to know what to expect from an album whose first single is a cover, but if the imaginative power behind this track is any indication, The Electric Hour will be worth looking out for. The new album drops on April 29th via Beyond Beyond is Beyond Records. Until then, listen to “Blue Spirit Blues” below:

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Prince “Controversy”

Yesterday I spent a long time thinking about Prince. Someone on Facebook declared the lyrics to “Da Bourgeoisie,” a song released in 2013, “homophobic.” And Price has, in the past, made several statements, both in person and through his music, which were anti-queer and transmisogynistic. He still blows my mind with every new piece of music he creates, but since becoming a member of Jehova’s Witnesses in 2001, Prince has not only ditched his healthy respect for sexuality, he’s lost the thing that drew me to his music in the first place—his own, unashamed sexual ambiguity. It’s difficult to separate the person and the persona when opinions make their way into music. With that in mind, I’d like to take us back to the Prince of old, to my favorite Prince album, and some of the most brilliantly crafted, critical, rebellious, and inspiring work of the ’80s: Controversy.

The opening track is “Controversy,” arguably the most popular from the album, and perhaps deservedly. It’s a funky, thumping, personal anthem that questions everything about society and self. He directly brings up his ambiguous identity: “Am I black or white? Am I straight or gay?” But he never actually tries to answer those questions. This seven minute-long song moves between catchy, rolling verses and textured sections meant to provoke “controversy.” Midway through the song, Prince, joined by other voices, recites the “Our Father” over the funky bass line. Then, a final section with some of the best lyrics of any rebel tune: “People call me rude / I wish we all were nude / I wish there was no black and white / I wish there were no rules.” This is a song about breaking the rules, not just for any cause, but for love. Prince, here, desires a world without boundaries on our physical, sexual, and social selves.

From there he moves into three of the most sensual songs he’s ever written. There’s the obvious, “Sexuality,” the fun and vulgar, “Jack U Off,” and the downright erotic, “Do Me, Baby.” “Sexuality” has a similar sound to “Controversy,” pounding and upbeat, and it also has a fairly direct message: “Sexuality is all you’ll ever need / Sexuality, let your body be free!” All the while he’s screeching, yelping, and beckoning the listener to him. Three quarters of the way through there’s the hypnotic mantra: “Reproduction of a new breed / leaders, stand up, organize!” It’s an electrical, in-your-skin kind of song. “Jack U Off” is the final song on the album and it has a crazy synth melody that paints visuals of a disco-lit ’80s-themed circus dance. This is a song about pleasing others. Where will Prince help you get off? In the back of a movie theater, in a restaurant, in a Cadillac. When will Prince help you get off? When you’re tired of masturbating, when you want to lose your virginity, when you’re menopausal.

And of course, there’s “Do Me, Baby,” the longest song on the album. It’s a slow, hypnotic melody in which Prince casts himself in the typically “feminine” role in a sex scene. He croons in a glazed, fragile falsetto, “Take me baby! / Kiss me all over / Play with my love” and his voice is beyond seduction. There’s no suggestion here: Prince doesn’t want to be teased, he demands to be “had.” But the actual erotica comes in at five minutes. A few funky notes pave the way for Prince to talk to his imagined lover. He sucks air in through his teeth and moans and groans, encouraging and guiding his partner. It’s dirty. It might be a little awkward if you play it in the car with your mom. But mostly it’s just entrancing.

Two tracks on “Controversy” are distinctly political or, at least, critical of the American government. “Ronnie Talk to Russia” is an overwhelming force of choral and synth melody and powerful guitar solo. It almost feels harsh, musically and lyrically. The electric guitar vibrates underneath all of the choral pomp. All the while, Prince implores Ronald Reagan to “talk to Russia before it’s too late / before they blow up the world.” At the end of the song, a jarring explosion is heard. Though this has a satirical tone, it’s cutting enough to hurt, rather than make you laugh. “Annie Christian,” though, is the song with the greatest connection to Prince’s new philosophies. It chronicles the actions of “Annie Christian,” a greedy, power-hungry, religious figure against the backdrop of a more minimalistic, experimental rhythm and tone. Prince’s voice, in particular, has an almost mechanical echo on this track. In the first verse, a glory-hound, Annie “bought a blue car” and “killed black children.” He tells her in the chorus that until she’s “crucified” for what she’s done, he’ll live his life in “taxi cabs.” The second verse focuses on the “bad girl” Annie who buys a gun and uses it to kill John Lennon. But it’s only when she tries to kill Ronald Reagan that everyone cries “gun control!” Prince highlights the actions of extremists—Christian, criminal, conservative—with Annie, the anti-Christ, standing in for the many crimes which have slipped under the radar. It was a great time when Prince was pointing out the misgivings and contradictions of American society and what they force people into.

This album, though only 8 songs long, exemplifies the kind of brilliance that can come out of a combination of risk-taking and strong ambition. These are incredibly dynamic, masterfully produced hits that curve around and between genre and theme. Personal ambiguity drips over every word. It’s fascinating. It belongs to a certain point in time, but it’s still very relevant, as a response to what is socially acceptable and as a look into the complexity of political and, particularly, sexual identity.

TRACK REVIEW: Throwing Snow ft. Adda Kaleh “The Tempest”

London-based electronic musician Ross Tones, better known as Throwing Snow, has just released a track from his upcoming EP Pathfinder featuring Bucharest vocalist Adda Kaleh. As you can tell a bit from the name, this new EP is intended to accompany a journey or trip. So, give “The Tempest” a try when you’re taking the train or driving to work.

The track is meant to reflect the sounds of a storm, opening with rather harsh, dissonant sounds. Clanging might be the appropriate word. The bass is full of an easy, if a bit mysterious, movement, and the rolling rhythm carries the listener along through the whole song.

Adda Kaleh vocals play foil to the dissonance, making the song more accessible to those looking for melody. Her voice adds a musical quality to “The Tempest”‘s atmospheric tones. Throwing Snow’s work has been described as having a “steely coldness,” a trait that’s certainly easy to pick up on with this new track.

An even more intriguing rhythm comes in at about two minutes, accompanied by a bit of viola, bringing acts like Flying Lotus and Tricky to mind. The end of the song is its peak. Kaleh sings a melody which is lovely, dark, and adds to the air of mystery. More so than a full-on storm, a windy mist or haze seems to fit here, with Kaleh trapped inside. It’s both fascinating and a little bizarre.

Look out for Pathfinder, coming out on March 25, and listen to “The Tempest” below:

ALBUM REVIEW: Dress Rehearsal

“There’s a darkness in you, and I feel it turning.”

Philadelphia based Corey Regensburg, aka Moon Bounce, has been making experimental, genre transcending electronic music since 2011. After solidifying his experimental pop / electronic sound with his first two EPs, Darn Your Best Frock (2011) and Wheelhouse (2013), Regensburg returned with his third EP, Dress Rehearsal, released on February 25th via Grind Select.

While Dress Rehearsal is Moon Bounce’s shortest release yet (only four tracks long, weighing in at just over thirteen minutes) it’s an EP that can and should be put on repeat. Regensburg utilizes his knowledge of classical composition throughout, while at the same time creating innovative music by combining light melodies with heavy beats, R&B with electronic, and funk with classical. The album as a whole is rife with key changes, distorted vocals and addictive rhythms, making it enjoyable both aesthetically and analytically.

Moon Bounce makes electronic music that you don’t need to be on drugs to enjoy. The album as a whole is great, in part due to its over-the-top compositional theatricality. While a lot of electronic music is subtle, repetitive and esoteric, there is nothing subtle about Moon Bounce as an artist. Regensburg’s works are filled with shattering beats, unorthodox sound effects, and dramatic lyrics, making Dress Rehearsal as stylish as it is gripping.

The sort of theatrical elements it contains as a whole make sense after discovering that Regensurg graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with a degree in Musical Theater. “Shake,” for instance, finishes with a chorus of harmonizing vocals (very Freddie Mercury). Everything—and I mean everything—in Dress Rehearsal is dramatic: the baseline in “Child,” the lyrics in “Whore,” and the melody in “Ouroboros” are just a few of the most obvious examples.

Regensburg’s knowledge of composition is undeniable, and it is what makes his music catchy and accessible: he knows what sounds good, and how to make those sounds happen. “Ouroboros” is a particularly conspicuous showcase of Regensburg’s c skills: he introduces a theme, which pervades throughout the song, continuously modifying to propel the song forward to new musical dimensions.

Many electronic artists use excessive repetition, but Regensburg manages to avoid this trap. While he does use it often, it’s only in order to enhance the point that he’s trying to make. Most notably, this can be heard in the lyrical repetitions in “Whore,” (Baby please don’t go) and “Child” (I- I can feel it). “Whore” stands out for its multi-genre sounds, combining the vocal and melodic qualities of R&B with electronic instrumentation and vocal effects.

It is no easy task to make electronic music this catchy, but Dress Rehearsal makes it seem like a piece of cake. An EP for novices and experts of electronic music alike, Dress Rehearsal is dynamic and original, but most importantly, enjoyable to listen to.

LIVE REVIEW: Valerie June @ Beacon Theatre

As lights went down over a sold-out Beacon Theatre on Feb. 6th, Valerie June sauntered to center stage and assumed the mic without much flourish. The hall was big—and fancy! With seats! And you should have seen the bathrooms! And June looked like she would have just as soon played in a whiskey-sticky dive in the middle of nowhere. She might have felt that way, too: the Jackson-born June played gospel music at her church in Memphis as a kid, took her first job hanging posters around town for her music promoter father, and made her bones as a country-folk singer weathered by hard times and hard work. June’s sensibility expanded markedly with her signed debut, Pushing Against A Stone, which doesn’t channel gospel so much as ragged, rough-edged soul, spiny Appalachian traditional music, and a noisy rock and roll edge courtesy of the album’s co-writer and producer Dan Auerbach (of The Black Keys).

And though Pushing Against A Stone was huge for June’s career, and she’s been busy with shows ever since it came out, she still stood in front of Thursday’s crowd like a green performer. She didn’t say a word to the audience. That wasn’t a bad thing in this performance: set against the glamour of the Beacon, her rumpled presentation was actually pretty refreshing. June began her set alone in front of the stage curtains, banjo at her feet and her band members’ stools behind her, unmanned for the moment. Dressed in a lightly patterned floor length dress, her head of dreads piled over her shoulders like Medusa’s snakes, June put her hands on her hips and began to sing “Goodnight Irene.”

She had a sore throat, but you’d never have known it. After her three-man band joined her on stage, the horsepower behind her vocals picked up, and June’s voice expanded to maintain focal status on stage. The songs were louder, weirder, and better than their studio versions. Sung live, the normally mournful “Somebody To Love” was devastating and a little pissed off. The songs were plaintive on Pushing Against A Stone, but carried the meanness and swagger of much louder songs when June performed them live.

“I love you, Valerie June!” a male voice called, while she was between songs. June cast up her eyes in the vague direction of the voice and paused, finally answering, sort of half-heartedly, “That’s more’n I can say for…the man who put the ring on my finger.” It was sort of a half-baked exchange.

“Uh, they don’t let me out much. Can’t take me anywhere. And I can’t be told, neither,” she continued, promptly launching into the last song of her slim set, “You Cant Be Told.” It made sense as a closer: it’s the heaviest, catchiest rock song in June’s arsenal, though the strange power of her voice in songs like “Workin’ Woman Blues” trumped any bass line. When the song was done, June stepped away from the mic, slung her purse over her shoulder, and stalked off the stage.

Though June and headlining act Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings had plenty in common—they’re both soulful, female-fronted groups with blues influences—Jones’ performance was spectacularly theatrical. Flanked by a large, swanky assembly of horns, strings and vocals, Jones danced all over the stage, bending down to touch her fans and exchanging warm shimmies with her band members. The night’s performance was a celebration: Sharon Jones fought cancer in 2013, causing the release of her new album Give The People What They Want to be pushed back to January of this year. She only recently started playing shows again, but Jones went hard. She appeared at the Beacon triumphantly bald in a glitzy gold dress, unabashedly vocal—and funny—about her struggle to get back to music. “I don’t want you to look at my feet,” Jones proclaimed, pointing down towards her shoes. She’d turned her insecurity on its head, rocking out wiglessly and pushing her endurance with a long, acrobatic set.

“Get up and dance!” Jones commanded. The entire house obliged and began to dance. The high-energy performance included a lot of new songs off Give The People, polished and boisterously strong. The set was long, and neither Jones nor the dancing audience showed any signs of slowing down. After about an hour and a half of the bluesy soul music—the brass, the dancing, the acrobatic vocals—I was exhausted. Sharon Jones was not. As I slipped out the back, the party raged on, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Jones and her soul party were still whooping it up on the Beacon’s stage right now.

LOUD & TASTELESS: Genesis P-Orridge

Every Thursday, AudioFemme profiles a style icon from the music world. This week our icon is self-proclaimed pandrogyne, and Throbbing Gristle founder Genesis P-Orridge, or as s/he refers to h/erself today, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge. Riffing on h/er obsession with military regalia, occultism, and gender identity, here are some picks for those not willing to commit to just one style.

As if forming two of the most influential groups in the industrial music scene wasn’t enough, Throbbing Gristle and Psychic T.V. front(wo)man Genesis P-Orridge, now Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, has churned the minds and stomachs of many with a fondness for tradition. Born in Manchester as Neil Andrew Megson, P-Orridge has spent the last two decades altering h/er physical appearance both surgically and through dress. H/er new identity was the brainchild of P-Orridge and late wife Lady Jane Breyer P-Orridge. The couple asserted that they were one as a being called Breyer P-Orridge, an amalgam of their two selves otherwise named by them as a Pandrogyne. They even created new pronouns for their-self, such as s”/he “ and “ h/er.” Despite Lady Jane’s death in 2007, P-Orridge continues to build h/er identity as a pandrogynous being.

This installment of Loud & Tasteless focus’s on P-Orridge’s transformation over the decades. In the early days of Throbbing Gristle, the then he could be seen wearing combat boots, ripped jeans, and leather motorcycle jackets. The early P-orridge took a liking to controversial military uniforms as well as studded relics of English punk. While still maintaining a masculine appearance, Genesis often took on the tailored suits of a Beatle-ish dandy, but his more peculiar wardrobe came to fruition shortly after.

Donning more feminine garments, P-Orridge has worn the beads of a bohemian, the sweater sets of Park Avenue, and the trashed-up ball gowns of a transvestite. Here are some looks that remind us of the many incarnations of Breyer P-Orridge.

Genesis, pre-Breyer:

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Track Review: “Taking Chances”

Sharon Van Etten has gone a great distance musically, and probably emotionally since we first heard the sad, minimal, unpolished and vulnerable laments of heartbreak on Because I Was In Love back in 2009. It was pretty clear right off the bat that Sharon Van Etten had some serious musical chops, but after listening to her two subsequent albums (Epic, Tramp) it isn’t hard to recognize her staying power and ability to grow as a musician. Because I Was In Love introduced us to Van Etten’s angelic yet powerful voice, and amazed us with the singer’s ability to glide instantly and effortlessly into bone chilling falsettos. In the past five years, Sharon Van Etten has steadily gained strength as a vocalist, songwriter and instrumentalist.

If Sharon Van Etten’s newest single, “Taking Chances” is any indication of her upcoming album Are We There (May 27th), we can expect further development in production quality. “Taking Chances” is by far her most instrumentally complex and rhythmically dynamic release yet. “Taking Chances” wastes no time with its development as a heavy bassline and steady percussion color the song from beginning to ending. Van Etten’s electric guitar explodes during each chorus with rhythmically strummed power chords. On “Taking Chances,” Sharon Van Etten draws from a number of instruments ranging from the omnichord and the organ to the electric guitar, bass and drums. While there may be more going on than ever before, the vast array of instrumental elements succeeds in drawing even more attention to the main attraction: Sharon Van Etten’s vocals.

One notable change on “Taking Chances” is the uplifting lyrical content. When discussing Sharon Van Etten’s music, most people allude to (perhaps too much) her personal romantic history, which has apparently been her main musical inspiration. Well, if “Taking Chances” is any indication, it appears that things are looking up for Sharon Van Etten. Lyrics are still cynical and skeptical (no need to think on our own now about it // sitting on the porch looking for a way out, touched on me deep, that’s why I’m still here, why do we think that we know plight), yet they hint at optimism (even I’m taking my chances on you). Compared to her earlier music, “Taking Chances” is downright cheery.

While the new Sharon Van Etten may sound miles away from the musician that she was a mere five years ago, after stripping down “Taking Chances” you can find all of the trademark Sharon Van Etten qualities that we fell in love with. The falsettos have only become firmer in quality while her lower register has mastered a stylistic element that sounds both cutting and breathy simultaneously. Like many singer/songwriters, Sharon Van Etten lets the world in with her deeply personal and autobiographical lyrics. What sets her apart is her ability to do this exceptionally well.

Sharon Van Etten will grace us with her presence early this summer with shows at The Music Hall of Williamsburg (June 12) and The Bowery Ballroom (June 13, June 14). Get those tickets if you know what’s good for you.

MUST SEE SXSW: An Interview With Emily Wolfe

With SXSW less than a week away, we’re profiling artists that will make this year of the Austin institution one to remember. First up, Emily Wolfe, a singer-songwriter with a powerful voice, a knack for songcraft, and a versatile back-up band who call Austin home 365 days a year. Her dates at SXSW are below, but she’s one-to-watch even if you don’t make it to Texas.

AudioFemme: You’ve lived in Austin for 10 years. As a native, how is performing at SXSW different for you?

Emily Wolfe: This is the first year we’ve played an official showcase, but I do know that performing at South By is so much different than performing in venues when the conference isn’t happening. The town gets flooded with creative people of all kinds so the crowds are super excited to find new bands and experience live shows. I feel like that allows for this really amazing atmosphere, almost like SXSW brings out the personalities of everyone who lives here. However, the traffic also brings out everyone’s road rage! It’s different than playing a show at The Parish or Stubb’s when South By isn’t happening – we don’t have to worry about leaving two hours before soundcheck just to get there on time, whereas that’s kind of the drill during SXSW due to the crazy amount of people all trying to get to the same places at the same time.

AF: Can you describe the moment you decided to make music your life’s work?

EW: I think the moment we walked on stage at The Brooklyn Bowl to open for Allen Stone was when I realized there wasn’t any other option. Performing for 900 people was the most exciting thing I’ve ever done – no turning back after that. For some reason the stage is the only place I feel completely comfortable. I think that’s a sign I might be meant to do it.

AF: How did the band come together, and how did you come to work with producer Mike McCarthy?

EW: Hannah (keys/vocals) took me to this really amazing urban tap show back in 2012 put on by a dance company called Tapestry. Sam (bass) and Jeff (drums) played in the band behind all of the dancers and I had never seen a drummer and bassist so locked into one another. I looked over to Hannah and said “we have to get those guys.” After the show I asked if they’d be interested in playing with me. Now we’re here, two years later. We’ve all become really close friends. They’re like my second family. My manager Lauren Bucherie had known Mike from a while back – she introduced us and we just clicked on a creative level. Now we’ve got two EPs and a single produced by Mike. He’s the best.

AF: You’ve been very productive the last few years, releasing your debut as well as a double EP. What helps you stay motivated and focused?

EW: Writing every day keeps me focused, as well as the people who surround me – my manager, my bandmates, supportive fans, my family. It’s hard to not get caught up in details of criticism and/or excitement but the people on my team really help me get past those things and look forward. As far as motivation goes, I’ve heard a lot of people say how difficult it is to “make it” in this industry; how much work it takes, all the things that can go wrong along the way. Every time I hear that, it makes me want to work even harder. I’ve been doing this for two years straight and before the songs started really gaining recognition, I felt like I was walking up a mountain at a snail’s pace. But it’s all been worth it and in retrospect we’ve accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. Where am I right now, I wanted to be two years ago. In all likelihood I probably would have never been ready back then for everything that’s happening now. That’s another motivator for me – seeing big things happen is like a pat on the back and makes me want to achieve the next big thing: writing a new song, recording, seeing where that song can go and how it can make people feel something. There’s a lot to it but with the right team and being able to create content everyday, I think we can go anywhere we want.

AF: Your latest single, “Swoon” is sort of a different vibe for you, with its blues-rock feel. Is this a direction you’ll continue to explore with your next release?

EW: I think so – I’ve been writing a lot of songs with that vibe and really enjoy playing that kind of stuff live. For some reason that style has started to come out pretty naturally within the past year or so.

AF: You wrote the lyrics while you were at work. What are some ways you make space for yourself to create as an artist with a day job?

EW: I used to be full time but after using up all of my year’s vacation hours over the span of about a month, I had to go part time. Now I work about six hours a day and afterward I go home, take a couple shots of tequila, write new hooks and riffs, and practice the old stuff. It’s a really great balance. That’s mainly how I handle making time for creativity. I’m really grateful to work somewhere that allows me to balance two jobs, essentially.

AF: What do you have coming up in the next few months in the way of tours and releases? What’s most exciting for you in the year ahead?

EW: We have a few big SXSW shows coming up, which we’re all very excited about. Afterward, we plan to record five new songs with Mike McCarthy and release them all as singles gradually over the course of this year. As far touring, we’re kind of just riding the wave and seeing what comes up.

AF: Besides yourself, who should our readers check out at SXSW? Anyone you’d recommend?

EW: Black Pistol Fire, Jess Williamson, Shakey Graves, The Black & White Years, and Orthy.

[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”][Eds. Note: JESS WILLIAMSON IS PLAYING OUR TUESDAY SHOWCASE AT PARISH UNDERGROUND! RSVP HERE.][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

LIVE REVIEW: Quilt @ Mercury Lounge

Quilt’s show on Feb. 28 was supposed to take place at Rough Trade, so obviously it took place at Mercury Lounge instead. It was an early show, with Quilt mounting the stage promptly at 9pm, but that seemed to suit the night’s comfortable vibe.

Natalie Mering, otherwise known as Weyes Blood, opened the show, joining Quilt for the remaining duration of their North American tour. She sings with her eyes closed, swaying gently as she grasps the microphone or strums her guitar, alone on stage but completely captivating the audience nonetheless. Her deep, ‘60s vocals bear a strong resemblance to Nico’s, but her loose-fitting, all white pantsuit somehow made her seem like a female John Lennon that night. Mering closed her set with a spellbinding cover of “Everybody’s Talkin,” originally by Fred Neil but made famous by Harry Nilsson. She infused the frequently covered track with her own soulfully haunting style, spinning it into some kind of trippy gospel song.

Then came one of my favorite moments of every show: the moment when the venue’s lights are dimmed and the audience hushes its tones, turning away from its conversations to look towards the stage in anticipation of the main act. Quilt are a band that know how to milk that moment, and they appeared on stage with quietly reverberating guitars, framing their entrance with an ambient sound that whooshed all around the room, building up tension slowly but surely. The four-some took their time syncing up to each other, leisurely allowing themselves the right moment to start playing. And then, they started.

Opening with recently released Held In Splendor’s last song, “I Sleep in Nature,” Quilt used the hazy, lazy song to settle into their groove. Their live performances make it clear that their tunes hardly follow a pattern, which means their shows are equally as schizophrenic: you may be flailing to try and keep up with their guitar freak-outs one second, and the next, you may be gently swaying with arms floating listlessly by your side. “Saturday Bride” was a particularly memorable display of this ability, as Quilt flipped from one pace to another in virtuosic fashion, coaxing some dancing out of the laid back crowd. At a live show, you start to wonder how the band are able to keep up with their own compositions.

Many of their songs bled seamlessly into one another, with Quilt hardly saying a word other than “Thanks.” In fact, it was only about halfway through the show that the band greeted the crowd, adding a complaint about the bitter cold. But the room was warm and aglow with Quilt’s vintage folk sounds and Anna Fox Rochinski’s hypnotizing, honeyed vocals. Her gorgeous voice shone with songs like the popular “Arctic Shark.”

The brick walls and intimate size of the Lounge made for a great setting, but with music like this, you can’t help wishing you were outside in the sunshine, your bare toes dancing on fresh grass and the sun melting through your eyelids. Quilt’s songs truly come to life when played live. You get the feeling that the band are just having a great time jamming with one another, and they warmly invite the audience to have a great time with them.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK REVIEW: Flashlights’ “Failure”

Florida punk rockers Flashlights have just released their new track, “Failure,” in anticipation of their upcoming album Bummer Summer, due out in late spring via Hard Rock Records. Singer/guitarist Terry Caudill’s emotional vocals bring Taking Back Sunday’s Adam Lazzara to mind as he rasps, “Don’t you want to stay? Was it something I did?” The track is reminiscent of early emo but Flashlights infuses it with a soft guitar reverb that makes this track a perfect summertime anthem.

Bummer Summer was produced by Scott Hutchison and Andy Monaghan of Frightened Rabbit and will be Flashlights’ second full-length release, following their 2011 debut I’m Not Alone. The foursome will be at SXSW, playing with fitting peers like The So So Glos and Diarrhea Planet, and later going on a US tour with Miniature Tigers. Listen to “Failure” below!

ALBUM REVIEW: Bryce Dessner & Jonny Greenwood

Most people know Bryce Dessner and Jonny Greenwood as members of The National and Radiohead, respectively (they both play lead guitar). But outside of their work with two of the most respected rock bands currently around, both Dessner and Greenwood have a background in classical music—Dessner received his music masters at Yale, and Greenwood gave up his music degree at Oxford Brookes University when Radiohead was signed. Both musicians are currently working as composers in residence, Dessner with Dutch orchestra Muziekgebouw Eindhoven and Greenwood with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Those similarities seem like enough justification to pair the two on this nine track release by Deutsche Grammophon—three of the tracks are Dessner’s compositions from over the past few years, while the other six are Greenwood’s original score for 2007’s There Will Be Blood—but Copenhagen Philharmonic conductor André de Ridder brought the two composers together for stylistic and thematic reasons, which are easy to pick up on after a few listens through the album. The two composers share a penchant for high contrast—dark, deep tones and textures are often juxtaposed with softer, prettier ones—and a knack for depicting a sort of vast musical landscape.

Greenwood’s score, though, has been available for quite some time to the public and is probably familiar territory to fans of his growing soundtrack repertoire (he’s composed the score for four other movies in addition to Blood). The six tracks included on this release, “Open Space” in particular, exhibit an influence from scoring masters like John Williams with the use recurring musical motifs. Greenwood’s work expertly renders original interpretations of emotions that could easily come off as trite; “Henry Plainview,” for example, is a lush piece that explores a kind of sadness and despair, and shows how ugly emotions can be portrayed gorgeously. “Oil” also reveals great sensibility and a certain beauty, with a theme that brings to mind a long journey coming to its end, or the relief that comes with reaching one’s destination.

Dessner’s compositions, on the other hand, are fully fleshed out pieces that range from 13 to 17 minutes long. All three tracks build up slowly but with great intent, saturating moments of stillness with an uneasy tension. “St. Carolyn by the Sea” starts off rather sparse, but Dessner injects the song’s tranquility with moments of acute emotion—trembling violins, thundering horns—that give it an overall feeling of anxiety. The use of electric guitar is particularly noticeable in this track, which features Bryce’s twin brother and fellow National cohort, Aaron Dessner. Later on in “Raphael,” backdrop of low grumbles and droney sounds give a sense that something lurks in the distance, but the menacing beginning gives way to a beautiful and sparkling build up of instruments and emotions. Its ending feels like the calm after a storm.

The album is an overall testimony to contemporary classical music being alive and well. Deutsche Grammophon is a label with an impressive reputation in the classical world, and the association with their business alone signals Dessner and Greenwood’s abilities, but the two composers’ extraordinary abilities speak for themselves. Catch a live performance of these tracks, conducted by André de Ridder, this Friday at Le Poisson Rouge.

EP REVIEW: Falls “Into The Fire”

Classifying Australia’s Falls as sweet, love-driven indie folk makes them sound pretty bland. In fact, that’s a good description of what they’re like at their worst: more often, the duo—consisting of Melinda Kirwin and Simon Rudston-Brown, who met as conservatory students in Sydney—makes music that’s much livelier than standard fare. Their slim debut EP Into The Fire, released in Australia last year under the title of Hollywood, takes Kirwin and Rudston-Brown’s close vocal harmony as its foundation, rolling elaborate string arrangements and fine-tooth rhythms in with more reflective sections and an abiding undertow of palpable love. Sounds complicated, right?

But the group comes off seasoned beyond their discography. Falls juggles every element of the music into its right place, without breaking a sweat. The album is spectacularly well organized, with rhythmic synchronicity that feels inborn; Kirwin and Rudston-Brown sound like they might be musical twins (more on that later.) Emotionally, too, each song on Into The Fire is hugely ambitious, blitzing through four or five moods in a single track. Many of the lyrics could be taken at least two ways, both of which seem like, even if they might be contradictory elsewhere, they could both be true in the Into The Fire-world. “There’s the woman I want,” Rudston-Brown sings in the opening verse of the catchy—but bait-and-switch devastating– “Girl That I Love,”. “There’s the woman that makes me wanna run away from it all.” After a brief melodica solo that’s cute enough to be the soundtrack to a Michael Cera movie, the vocals launch into much wilder outlands, with a dramatically downward-plodding piano line and crashing rhythms, and a feeling of suddenly being lost.

Elsewhere, in “Hollywood,” Rudston-Brown and Kirwin’s twin vocal lines lean on each other like the twin support beams of an arched bridge, with their tag-team duet structure as the keystone. Operating in parallel lines, the call-and-response style emerges like a prayer each voice is saying for each other, even as their melodies drift apart as the song goes on. The singers’ personalities, and relation to each other, are a strong presence on this track. Regarding their musical project, the two sometimes describe themselves as “barefoot collaborators,” as much best friends as bandmates. That emphasis on their extra-musical bond comes through loud and clear on this collection. Their biography will tell you that that Kirwin and Rudston-Brown were a couple while writing most of the EP, and that when they went to record the tracks—right after they’d broken up—they realized they had documented the story of their relationship.

In principle, I’m leery of couple music’s gimmickry, especially when the love story is already over—if Into The Fire is the story of a relationship that’s now ended, what are they going to write about for their next release?–but the pair say the autobiographical story line emerged organically, nigh unintentionally. The way they’re able to finish each other’s thoughts on this album is pretty spectacular. Some of the best moments on the album come during the sad parts of the songs—the duo has said that “Girl That I Love” can still be pretty tough to perform—when the turmoil in the song gets so wild and devastating, it seems like it must be coming from someplace close to home for the players.

So although the backstory heavily informs the music, it shouldn’t get more attention than the EP itself. Lively and sophisticated, Falls covers impressive ground in only six songs, organizing complicated elements together into beautifully structured pop songs. You can pick up your copy in Into The Fire here, and listen to “Girl That I Love” below:

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Protomartyr “Scum, Rise!”

Hooray for being angry as fuck! Hooray for growling, depressive post punk! Hooray for creating a dystopian musical landscape that mirrors your hometown! “Scum, Rise!” doesn’t just get at a superbly timed sense of anxiety–with all that compulsively fast strumming and all those bleak lyrics–it also manages to be utterly, shimmeringly beautiful, even in the throes of its own desolation.

With their second studio album Under Color of Official Right, out this coming April, Protomartyr settle deeper into the near-nihilistic, aggressive approach that they established on their debut. This time around, they throw their full weight into an exploration of their hometown, Detroit. Under Color is not an album about Detroit, per se, so much as it creates the full panorama of an aesthetic landscape, complete with a swelling sense of inner turmoil balanced by external sensations: an acute sense of winter, discomfort, and urban decay. Protomartyr is practically bursting with disappointment and anger, along with a bristling intelligence that sets itself up for self-imposed isolation.

Even the group’s name screams portent: casting their lot in as original martyrs can’t be an entirely serious move on the band’s part, but does give them an austere, evocative ring even before you’ve heard the music. I’m reminded of Savages, who released their stellar debut Silence Yourself last year. But Savages’ anger–warped, noisy, and throttling–was nearly always alienating on Silence Yourself—not only was the music so atonal and distorted that it sometimes seemed deliberately repellant, but the lyrics assumed some sort of high priesthood clarity over everyone, especially other musicians, regarding life, or philosophy, or morality, or whatever. The fury and intellectual ostentatiousness is at least half tongue in cheek. I mean, calling your album—of music—Silence Yourself? Hilarious.

Protomartyr, too, spits in your face and tells you to fuck off. But there’s something less enclosed about the riffs, which, even at their darkest, have at least a trace of catchiness. Singer Joe Casey’s vocal lines aren’t distorted enough to seem far away, and remain endearing even at their most gravelly, when he’s flatly repeating the phrase “nothing you can do” towards the end of this track. Maybe it’s the reassurance of being able to hold the backdrop of Detroit in your head as you’re listening to the music: Protomartyr often gets bleak, but never becomes so interior that you get lost as you’re listening.

Listen to “Scum, Rise!” below:

AF LIVE: Emerging artists of 2014, 3/5 @ Spike Hill

Hi all you babes of the interwebs. Festival season is upon us! Tho’ the weather here in NYC isn’t inspiring any vernal urges–like the desire to go running naked in the streets, for example, fret you not: a whole crop of amazing new bands are springing up like chicks out of eggs and we’re delivering them to you personally, live in the flesh just like jesus himself when he rose up from the grave (hopefully these guys taste better than the awful communion wafers they force you to eat in church, however). If you can’t make it to Austin for one of our SXSW showcases, DON’T WORRY WE HAVE ONE HAPPENING IN NYC THIS WEEK!! All the details can be found here. In the meantime, peruse our artist profiles below, to get up close and personal with the talent we booked. Or just come meet them face to face and buy them shots of whiskey for traveling all the way from places like Montreal, just to play for you. Yeah that’s right, you’re welcome.

Hope to see your beautiful faces this Wednesday!

Yours,

Audiofemme

ADULT DUDE:

Adult Dude is a self-defined “rock” band from Brooklyn. Their music combines pop, punk, and alternative elements into short, catchy tunes. They released their EP in July of 2013.

AF: How do you think people respond to the 90s pop punk sound nowadays?

AD: People like what people like. We have had a hard time defining “our” sound, but we like that fact that people from lots of different musical backgrounds seem to be into it, whatever it is.

AF: What are some of your favorite venus in new york?

AD: Probably our favorite NYC venue is the Gutter in Brooklyn. Great room, great sound, great people… it’s also about 10 feet away from our practice space. Johnny Molina is the man.

AF: How did you four meet?

AD: Grindr.

AF: Are people generally disappointed or intrigued by the length of your songs?

AD: We sort of just decide to end songs when we think they’re done. It just happens that the first batch were pretty short. People haven’t seemed too phased by it, but it’s cool we were able to fit 4 complete thoughts on a 7 inch record.

AF: Speaking of length, how long do your shows last with such short songs?

AD: Our set at our first show was probably 5 songs, 12 minutes. These days we’re playing a lot of newer stuff which is longer, so we can fill up a solid 25 now… no band should ever play more than 30 minutes in our opinion.

AF: Is coors light the epitome of an “adult dude”?

AD: It’s harmless, watered down, and shitty. So yes.

AF: What’s your favorite beer?

AD: Whatever the drink tickets will get us.

AF: How do you guys write the music and lyrics/what’s your songwriting process?

AD: Generally someone will bring in an idea and we’ll all work on it as a band. From there we just keep working on it til we think it’s done, or we throw it away because it sucks.

AF: One of my favorite lines of yours is “Sneakin into heaven through some holes”, from “Change” – how did you come up with that?

Manny: I don’t even remember writing that line to be honest!

Watch Adult Dude at Radio Bushwick below:

CTZNSHP:

CTZNSHP is a Montreal fuzz rock – something between shoe gaze, indie, and post punk – group. They’ve played in numerous festivals with big names like Beach Fossils and A Place To Bury Strnagers. They just recorded their debut album Doom Love.

AF: How do you like performing in Festivals like M For Montreal? Is it better than individual shows? Worse?

C: I think it really depends on the night. We have had great festival shows and not so great ones. Same goes for Individual shows. You never really know until you get up on stage how it’s going to go down, what the sounds going to be like or the vibe of the audience, so we try to treat them all the same and not let any of that stuff effect us too much.
Festivals can be kind of a crazy experience. There’s no sound check, you’re using strange gear, there are a ton of bands on each bill, you might not be playing until 3am. They are really fun and exhausting for the same reasons.
AF: Why do you think we’re seeing a rise in the popularity of shoegaze in the past few years?

C: I would guess that since shoegaze fell out of fashion during the late 90’s enough time has passed for it to sound fresh again. Now there is a whole new crop of kids who are discovering bands like My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain or Galaxy 500 for the first time.

AF: I’ve heard you described as “gloomy”, but that doesn’t seem appropriate.. Would you consider yourselves melancholy, considering your pop influence?

C: Ha! I wouldn’t say gloomy although I like that someone did. There is definitely a sense of sadness to our songs and melodies. I like to explore the darker parts of life and relationships because I find them more interesting but there is also a real sense of humor. At least in the lyrics. I think some of them are pretty funny in a dark kind of way. If you are gonna make big loud songs that lean towards anthemic then you have to keep a sense of humor. It’s music for people who are really trying, but just keep fucking up.
AF: Who are some of your favorite emerging bands?

C: We have been in love with Future Islands for the last few years. So far what I have heard off of their new record is awesome as always. We all loved the last SUUNS record too. They are ferocious live.

AF: Who were some of your favorite artists to play with?

C: Opening for the National was a thrill. They were such nice people. We got to play with a Canadian singer named Hayden who Scott and I grew up listening to, so that was a big deal for us as well. We played with A Place To Bury Strangers a while back and I was really sick and had lost my voice. I drank about a bottle of Buckley’s cough syrup before the show and then some whisky on stage. By the time APTBS started playing my head was really swimming and their smoke machines were so intense that it set the fire alarms off and I thought the stage was on fire. I couldn’t move because of the medication.All the while they played some of the loudest most intense guitar rock I have ever seen. I felt like I had stepped into the Black Lodge. It was kind of terrifying.
AF: What’s interesting about “haze” or “fuzz” in music? Do you think it encourages sensation or evocation? Visuals? A sense of dreaminess or calmness?

C: I like the dreaminess of it. It’s kind of like the musical equivalent of impressionist painting. It’s not providing a lot of answers but it is asking a lot of questions. It allows for a lot of interpretation on the listeners behalf kind of like sonic Rorschach tests. It’s fun fitting pop songs and lyrics into that world.
AF: If you could experience your music through one of your other senses besides sound, which would it be? And what would it look/taste/smell or feel like?

C: Taste?
I would hope that it would have a Tex Mex kind vibe.

Here’s CTZNSHP with “Swan Dive”:

BFA:

BFA (Bachelors of Fine Art) is an indie rock band out of New York City. Although much of their sound can be traced back to post punk and new wave bands of the ’70s and ’80s, their pop sensibility reflects that of a group of kids raised on the likes of Pavement, and then later bands like The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem. Shimmering, jangling guitars mesh with soaring synths and gripping vocals, all anchored around an explosive rhythm section that blasts through the crowd of Brooklyn chill wave acts and commands your attention. Audiofemme interviewed Sam, the synth player, and Darius, the guitarist.

AF: How did you guys meet and what prompted you to form BFA?

Sam- We all lived in the same dorm freshman year of college. We all lived on different floors. Charlie, Will and myself were in the same music program at NYU. We met Darius through a mutual friend, and began working on a song in my room that Will had written earlier that year called ‘Josie’s.’ I had a very rudimentary recording set-up, but the song excited us enough to make us want to start a band.

Darius- That summer, Will messaged me and told me about an idea for a band and then a few months later, we started putting stuff together.

AF: What’s the number one thing you’d like to do or accomplish this year?

Sam- We have an EP in the pipes. It’s our first and we are pretty excited. We’ve released one or two demos online but now it’s the real thing. We’ve been working very hard on it and it’s exciting to think about where things could go once it’s out there. In a way, it’s our first major step. How it’s received determines the rest of our year. We plan on performing all over the place.

AF: What’s been your best moment as a band thus far?

Darius – Playing in Connecticut a few weeks ago. It was our first time playing out of the city and it was really enough to whet our appetite. It’s the kind of thing that makes the experience of being in a band, writing songs, practicing, etc. more visceral. It all comes together in that moment and that first glimpse made us all want more.

Sam – The music becomes your baggage that you are carrying from place to place. You unpack the songs for a crowd, and then the next day, pack up what you have and drive home.

AF: What are you guys currently up to? Can we expect new releases anytime soon?

Darius – Our EP is coming out really soon and is almost done. Along with that, you can expect a few music videos. The next step is always on our mind.

Sam – It’s difficult because at this juncture it’s important that we put all of our energy into the present but we can’t completely forget that there is going to be a tentative future release that’s begging for new songs.

AF: If you had to pick a really cheesy song to cover, what would it be?

Darius – I don’t know if it’s cheesy but either “Girls & Boys” or “London Loves” off of the album “Parklife” by Blur. Also, I have a soft spot for Oasis (I’m the only one in the band and everyone else will disagree with me) and would love to cover “Cigarettes and Alcohol” off of “Definitely Maybe” by them.

AF: If you could experience your music through any one of your other senses, which would it be? What would it taste/smell/feel or look like?

Sam- I was reading somewhere about a chef that made a ten course meal to Kid-A. I loved the idea. I’m not sure how our music would taste, but I’d love to know. I’m starting to wonder what sort of dish ‘A Night at the Opera’ by Queen would inspire.

Darius – We’re all big food people. It would have be taste for me as well. I don’t know how that would pan out, but I’d give it a shot.

Listen to their debut single, “Skytanic” and check out upcoming shows to say you were there from the beginning:

LONGARMS:

LongArms is a New-Yorked based Dj/Producer from Miami. He’s worked with DJ B-Tips the past two years as the co-founder of Famous NYC and CROCMODE, a series of DJ session parties held across the city, from the Lower East Side to Bushwick. With influences like Boys Noize, Bloody Beetroots, Justice, and Daft Punk, LongArms hopes to take Electro Funk to the next level.

AF: What got you particularly interested in funk and electronic to begin with?

LongArms: I went through a wide variety of tastes before I recognized electronic music as my genre. I think rollerblading listening to 90’s techno at birthday parties has a lot to do with it subconsciously. Really though, when I heard Daft Punk’s ‘Around the World’ my mind was blown. I also went through a German techno phase, then electronic music progressed so much recently—but I feel like I’ve been producing this kind of music for so long now, if nothing more than a hobby at first. But it wasn’t all electronic at first. I was really into metal for a while, and bands like Finch and Senses Fail.

The artist that inspired me initially to get into electronic music was Ayla, a german techno producer. I also think videogame music has a lot to do with me producing electronic music initially at fourteen years old. I think Koji Kondo is a genius. Other than that I love Enya, Tchaikovsky, Justice, and System of a Down…so my influences span many genres. Still Funk transends pretty much everything.

AF: Which do you enjoy more—producing or DJing—and why?

L: I would definitely call myself a producer before a dj, but I do love to DJ as well. Producing might be my favourite thing to do in life. There’s nothing quite like creating your own universe of sound. Being a creator gives me unparalleled satisfaction. On the other hand having a connection with other people while playing original music is an incredible experience too. I craft my songs to be pleasing to my ear first, then to give a message. If someone isnt playing the music, then the message isn’t received. That being said I’m not necessarily the person who has to be Djing the music, though it is an incredible experience.

AF: It’s been a while since you released your Laundry EP…any plans for future releases?

L: People who know me say I’m insane for making so much music without releasing anything. Its been a little over a year since I released Laundry, and i’ve really just been making so much music that I have yet to release, really polishing everything. My EP “Following Me,” will have three tracks and come out on my birthday April 22^nd. which also happens to be Earth Day. Lets just say I have a ton of music ready to go as soon as the right opportunities reveal themselves. I don’t plan on ever waiting so long between releases again though. I’m also in a collaboration called Vandalay which will be releasing dark deep house music. All good things.

AF: Anything currently influencing you/your music these days?

L: I’ve been taking days off producing electronic music to listen to Jazz or classical recently. I’ve been going back to baroque composers like Lully and Rameau. I’ve been rediscovering artists I never really gave a chance like Miles Davis, Stan Getz and John Coltrane and just get so inspired by the natural sounds. In the electronic vein I’ve been really influenced by Blood Orange and Chrome sparks to name two that pop into my mind. I think everyone can learn something from listening to these two producers. They’ve tapped into something deeper. I’ve also been really into FKJ (French Kiwi Juice) lately. He’s too funky for his own good.

AF: Do you miss Miami? What’s your favorite thing about New York City?

L: I miss Miami insofaras its a beautiful place, aside from that New York does pretty much everything else better. My favorite thing about NYC is probably that I can get anywhere I need to be in thirty minutes. Going to four different venues in one night by walking is an experience i’ve found few other places do as well as NYC. I also like NYCs no bullshit- get shit done – do it yourself attitude. And the pace of this city keeps things very exciting. If you want to know what I mean in musical form check out NY Rush by The Seatbelts, which sums up that feeling really well. I guess the best aspect of the city is how dense it is. There’s a million things to do in a mile radius.

AF: If you could experience your music through any one of your other senses, which would it be? What would it taste/smell/feel or look like?

L: Like this idea a lot. Synthesia is actually the name of a track I have yet to release. Honestly all the other senses pale in comparrison to hearing for me. I think i’d almost rather be blind than deaf. That being said I think visuals that represent auditory sensations are very cool. I love cymatics, which is visual manifestations of frequencies. Feeling music is also a titallating prospect. I’d rather choose them all I suppose, if you wouldn’t die from sensory overload!

Here’s LongArms with “laundry”:

TRACK PREMIER: LongArms “Following Me”

Youthful DJ and producer LongArms hails from Miami, but has centered himself in New York. He’s worked with B-Tips for the past two years as the co-founder of Famous NYC and CROCMODE, a series of parties held throughout the city, from the Lower East Side to Bushwick. With influences like Boys Noize, Bloody Beetroots, Justice, and Daft Punk, LongArms hopes to take Electro Funk to the next level. There’s not much funkiness to his new single “Following Me,” but it’s a great dance song nonetheless.

The listener can easily fall into the rhythm of the quick and catchy opening beat of this track thanks to a very recognizable play off of the Daft Punk/Justice sound–evident, but in a subtle automated, sci-fi vibe (squiggling, shapeless noises, spacey synth), while the Justice influence shows itself in the incredible danceability (namely, the beat and shifts in melody). A robotic “yeah” is repeated in rising and falling tones. There’s a swirling mechanical noise that circles over and over for a minute about halfway through the song. Then, real dance tones come in, almost what you’d expect from an 80s hit – the kind of beat you can really roll your arms and bob your head to.

The track is fun without the bashing you over the head with the hypnotic haze of most club music, and the rhythm throughout keeps the energy level high. Justice and Daft Punk have been building success off of this for years: something repetitive, but dynamic, and fresh enough to keep you awake and involved.

Here’s “Following Me” on soundcloud:

Month: March 2014