ARTIST INTERVIEW: PINS

PINS band photo

In an age where genres seem to only exist as a conduit for music journalists to flex their encyclopedic knowledge of rare stratified sub-genres or inventing hollow multi-hyphenated descriptors: PINS is a breath of fresh air. The red-hot Manchester quartet are putting out straightforward punk with refreshing pop sensibilities, and doing it all with that effortlessly cool flair that made rock ‘n’ roll sexy to begin with. They’re touring the States now and are set to release their sophomore album Wild Nights June 9th (on Bella Union). While out on the road Faith Holgate (vox/ guitar) and Lois McDonald (guitar) took the time to answer a couple burning questions about the band, their style, and what music gets their gears turning.

AudioFemme: First an easy one – what’s the origin story behind PINS?

Faith: I wanted to do music my whole life! I tried to join a bunch of different bands, but nothing felt good and I’d end up quitting after two practices. So I decided to make my own band. It took around a year to have a stable line up, but it was a lot of fun. We had a small rehearsal space in Manchester where we would meet up, drink beer, and play music all night.

AF: What are some of your major musical influences?

Faith: My go-to bands are Suicide, Velvet Underground, Spacemen 3, the Fall, Modern Lovers, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. But I go out to see live music all the time and constantly feel inspired. For instance we toured with Drenge and I was like we totally need a baritone guitar, or when we saw Sunflower Bean and we were like we need to do some psych bass!

Lois: I think the Beatles at the moment, there’s so much music they made and so many different techniques they used it’s amazing. But influences for me change day to day with my mood. I try to listen and soak up as much as possible. There’s the garage girls from the 60’s which are collectively like an anonymous enigma of attitude, but most recently I’ve been listening to Wire, The Fall, Drenge, Girlpool, Timber Timbre and Deap Vally.

AF: What’s touring with four girls like?

Faith: For the most part it’s like a hen party.

AF: On a more serious note, being a “girl-gang” group do you feel a sense of responsibility to be visible and vocal for young female, and otherwise, musicians out there?

Faith: Yeah, myself and Lois run Haus Of Pins, which is a cassette label, and although it’s not exclusive to women at all we do like to champion girls. Our shows are often girl-heavy too, again, we don’t exclusively ask female acts to open for us, but it’s something we are aware of.

AF: How’s the music scene in Manchester?

Faith: It still needs the ladies to join the party! The local scene is very male heavy. New bands to listen to are Peace and Love Barbershop Muhammad Ali, whom I recently played keys for, and Black Lung, they seem to be conjuring up something exciting.

Lois: There’s lots of different scenes happening here, and it’s nice to be near so many other cities that are thriving creatively too. Bands from here I’m into are Kyogen, Bernard and Edith, and Bad Grammar.

AF: What’s your favorite city to play?

Faith: Paris!

Lois: That’s a tricky one, we did two very different shows in two days recently in Berlin and both were amazing, but I’ll always love playing Manchester.

AF: You guys are constantly being praised for your slick fashion sense, how does fashion fold into your music?

Faith: The aesthetics of our band has always been important to us, from the way we make the stage look to the videos we make, to the covers of our records and the clothes we wear. I suppose image is both a reflection of who we are and another extension of our personalities. However trivial putting makeup on and getting dressed for a show could seem, for us it has become a ritual, it’s a uniform that visually unites us.

AF: What were some of the driving forces behind soon to be released LP Wild Nights?

Faith: Dave Catching and Hayden Scott were great driving forces. They showed us how to enjoy recording. Most of it was done live and then we played around adding textures, it was so much fun.

Lois: The album is sort of summed up by the title, going with the moment and enjoying every minute whilst you can.

AF: What’s everyone’s current favorite jam?

Faith: I’ve got Crocodiles Boys album on repeat.

Lois: Probably the entire of Drenge’s album Drenge. I love “Let’s Pretend” and “Fuckabout” live.

AF: What comes next for you ladies?

Faith: We’re touring the US in June, then playing some festivals in Europe and doing a headline tour in the UK and Europe later in the year. Still writing music and working on different projects.

AF: And last, but not least, if the band had a theme song what would it be?

Faith: Cyndi Lauper – “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”.

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ARTIST PROFILE: Gateway Drugs

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Why are human beings so intrigued by mysteriousness and the unknown? I find that the bands who reveal the least about themselves are the ones I am always pining to know every detail about. Gateway Drugs, in their disheveled all black uniforms, are exactly this. I, still stumped on what to categorize their sound as, will turn to the band’s own description: “drug pop.” Combining hints of shoe gaze, garage rock, and punk, this Los Angeles-based band is as hypnotizing as you’d expect. They have an interesting background story, too. Three of the four members are the offspring of The Knack’s Prescott Niles. Not to mention, their extremely impressive new record (wish was released in March), was produced by Christopher Thorne of Blind Melon, in Dave Grohl’s Studio 606. 

Gateway Drugs’ sound doesn’t exactly blend into what other current bands are producing right now, especially in the L.A. psych-garage saturated scene. Fresh off a tour with legends Swervedriver, they are continuing to blaze the hypothetical “trail” with a few dates supporting Wolf Alice as well. They also recently supported The Jesus and Mary Chain in Toronto, where guitarist Liv Niles, sang “Just Like Honey” alongside the iconic Scottish band. When asked about this bucket list worthy experience she beamed, “I could die right here right now and it wouldn’t even matter.” But, after I’m finished bragging about their efforts, you’re probably wondering why you haven’t heard of them much just yet. The suave foursome are quietly plotting their takeover, and using their newly released full-length, Magick Spells, as their resume. From the first track, “Anu,” you feel the panicked drum beat, and hear the drone-y voice of Liv, followed by the yelp of backup vocals by her brother, Noa. The album continues with similar tracks like “Head,” which drummer, Gabe, sings on. Mid-through the LP the pace slows down a bit with “I’m in Love With a Teenage Heartthrob,” which will remind you of that 90’s throwback you forgot how much you loved. Their live show contains lots of noisy reverb, as well as three of four members alternating lead vocals between each song. Oh, and spoiler alert, they have been closing out their sets with a cover of the catchy Count Five tune, “Psychotic Reaction.” They show no signs of slowing down their tour schedule, so do yourself a favor and don’t sleep on this one. 

TRACK REVIEW: Heather Woods Broderick “A Call For Distance”

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Heather Woods Broderick has played a supporting role for artists like Laura Gibson, Sharon Van Etten, Horse Feathers and  Efterklang. Now, the Portland composer/multi-instrumentalist is releasing an album that is solely hers.

“A Call For Distance” is a stand-out track from Glider. It’s a slow-burning song that gradually adds layers of Broderick’s vocals, the plucking of guitar strings and the rattle of a drum. The music rises and settles naturally, like the tide flowing in and out. Broderick’s voice is soft, but compelling as she asks for “A call for distance…to force a change without a name.” Her ability to perfectly layer her vocals shows that though she’s backed many other artists, she really only needs herself.

Glider will be released on July 10th through Western Vinyl. Check out “A Call For Distance” below:

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Mac DeMarco “The Way You’d Love Her”

MacDeMarco

The femmes thought we’d leave you with something spectacular as you head out for your Memorial Day weekend. Y’all know who Mac DeMarco is already – now uncross your legs and twirl your way out of your office for a weekend of love making and growing out body hair to the tune of “The Way You’d Love Her.” It’s the type of free-spirited love song that reminds you the important things in life are puppy dog paws and not who texted who first. So discard your city worries with your cardboard coffee cup take a swig of this.

Dig the new dirt below.

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VIDEO REVIEW: The Jane Doze “Lights Go Down”

The Jane Doze

When music’s spun by women, it just sounds better. The Jane Doze is not one, but two beautiful – and more importantly, stupidly talented DJs. The duo has shared the stage with legends such as Calvin Harris and Diplo, although we think the real stunners here are Jane Doze. These heart-breakers also have a heart of gold, their new video for “Lights Go Down (feat. Curtains)” shares the story of their fan and friend Kirby who was diagnosed with cancer. After connecting with her through Twitter the two traveled to meet her in her hometown of Houston, Texas. Thankfully they were also able to recently celebrate her cancer remission.

Watch the video for “Lights Go Down” below. It will not only get you dancing, but give you the warm fuzzies. A portion of the song’s proceeds will be donated to First Descents, an organization that provides outdoor adventures for young adults affected by cancer. Cheers to hope and healing through music and nature.

VIDEO PREMIERE: Annique Monet “Relapse”

Annique Monet

Annique Monet, the dreamy Florida-born singer and multi-instrumentalist known previously for her work with psychpop outfit, Worthless, recently parted ways with the project in order to craft her debut solo album, Phantom Letters, out today on Beyond Beyond is Beyond. Described as “inspired by dreams and heartbreak”, her video for single, “Relapse”, conveys just that – almost as if Monet is casting a spell upon her audience in order to draw and entangle us in the deepest, darkest corners of her psyche. The track itself is mesmerizing, with layered and looped vocals containing whispy structured harmonies, and entrancing, meditative percussion. From the get go, one is hooked thanks to her soothing vocals and foreboding minor chord structures, and at once feels a sense of intimacy with the track – largely thanks to the fact that Monet is single-handedly responsible for every sound you hear on the record.

The video, premiering today with us, shows us exactly what she means when she says that her music is “a look inside her twisted and beautiful world, where you might just see brightly-coloured banyan trees dripping with honey or maybe you’ll hear the inside of a purple nightmare where hexagonal clocks reveal the rise and fall of kings.” Twisted and beautiful indeed, the visuals depict what perhaps Salvador Dali would have put on a moving screen if he could. We’re shown a kaleidoscope of cut and pasted imagery, some of which makes sense and some of which doesn’t, and clips of Monet, clad in a head to toe veil, escaping a machete-wielding assailant who eventually slices her throat. Both a dream and a nightmare at once, “Relapse”, has us completely seduced and ready to hear what the rest of the album will bring us.

Watch the alluring video below, and look out for her new album, which can be purchased here.

TRACK PREMIERE: Ultra Violent Rays “Wish”

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“Wish”, the newest jam from LA goth pop duo, Ultra Violent Rays, hooks you from the opening beat. Cooper Gillespie (vocals and bass) and Greg Gordon (drums and sequences) work seamlessly together to create a dreamy soundscape, moored by glitchy electro beats and Gillespie’s airy vocals that pay direct homage to both old school darlings like Siouxsie and the Banshees and contemporary favorites, Phantogram. We can’t get enough of this track, which will most certainly occupy spots on many a summer playlist to come, and hints at big things ahead for this promising young duo!

Their single release party will be held on May 26th at Three Clubs in Hollywood. In the meantime, listen to their dreamy new track, exclusively below:

ARTIST OF THE MONTH: Those Darlins

Those Darlins

“I am a woman from the South. If that’s what country is then I guess we are!” For Jessi Zazu of Nashville rock ‘n’ roll band Those Darlins, self-acceptance comes from art, be it found through her drawings or genre-defying hits created collectively with band members Nikki Kvarnes and Linwood Regensburg. Zazu speaks (and sings) with a rawness that’s honest and insightful – while maintaining a rough boldness that can catch you off guard. Prior to a show with Adia Victoria at Brooklyn’s Rough Trade Jessi took a moment to catch up with AudioFemme, and we were so impressed we decided to make her our Artist of the Month, then paired cowboy boots with Armani and shook our asses.

AF: How’s the tour going?

JZ: It’s going great. [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”][Adia Victoria] is a good friend of mine, and the people in her band as well, so it’s fun. I’m just a huge fan of her music, and I’ve been watching her since she did solo night at writer’s night. It’s been really cool to watch her grow and take over.

AF: How’d you guys get hooked up with her?

JZ: She was at one of our shows when we were opening for Dan Auerbach. She saw us at Bowery Ballroom I think, and she just really liked us, and a couple years later she moved down here [Nashville]. My friends have a venue and I put on a few shows to help promote it, and she came up to me and said ‘I like your dress’ or something, and I remember thinking ‘Oh gosh, I don’t know who this girl is, but I like her!’ We became friends pretty quickly.

AF: What a dream come true for her. So how do you guys travel on tour: van, bus, or fly?

JZ: We have a van, a 12-passenger van. We drive around, we crash people’s houses.

AF: Who drives?

JZ: We take turns, but I would say Linwood drives the most.

AF: Any wild stories from the most recent run?

JZ: There was this one night where this guy was being kind of a douche bag. Everyone was pretty pissed at him…and I’m pretty sure that he was about to get it.

AF: Was he a fan?

JZ: I don’t know! I don’t really get it! He stood in front of me the whole set and seemingly enjoyed it, but he kept saying really rude things, it was kind of, I don’t know… I think part of him really liked it because it was good, haha! But I think the other part of him was something that deep down inside of him couldn’t accept that there were girls on stage. It was just very strange. And he was particularly kind of like trying to provoke me and stuff. He ended up getting kicked out of there though. He was also really wasted.

AF: Does that happen often, sexism from people in the crowd or music industry?

You know, not all the time, but it happens occasionally. Most people aren’t that aggressive, subtle stuff is more common.

AF: What recommendations do you have at the moment from the Nashville music scene?

JZ: Adia [Victoria] is my favorite new artist from Nashville at the moment. It’s been interesting over the past five years, because they say there’s like 85 people a day moving to Nashville. It was kind of weird whenever people started saying ‘Oh yeah, I moved here from LA, New York, and we’re like ‘Oh wait, what?’ It used to be the opposite. People from Nashville moved to LA and New York. But there’s just been more and more bands.

AF: Is the country sound – one a lot of people associate with Nashville – one you embrace?

JZ: When we started our band the first album was country, but it wasn’t like….Nashville country. It was something totally different. I think we found pretty quickly that we didn’t really fit within that world because it’s kind of traditionalist world, and what we were doing we felt was a little bit more punk, it terms of playing country, but not being reverend to what country is supposed to be. Just doing our own thing. We eventually started moving out of that towards garage rock. But ever since then we’ve always been categorized as country. I mean, I’m from Tennessee. I’ve got a country accent, and when I sing it’s pretty obvious. So no matter what genre I’m singing I’m still going to have a country accent. So I don’t really think of us as country music, but I do think of us as a band from the South. I don’t feel like I’m one kind of artist or another; I just feel like I make music, and that music is a reflection of who I am.  I am a woman from the South. If that’s what country is then I guess we are!

AF: I’m curious about your art, will you tell me about that? I know you’ve had some art shows. 

JZ: Well both my parents are visual artists. I grew up doing visual art before I even started playing music. It’s really kind of like my foundation. Nikki’s the same way. So I’ve always done art alongside music A couple years ago when I was working on our last album Blur the Line, and in the same way that the album was much more about self examination than our first album, it was a little more personal and vulnerable. And I was doing a lot of self portraits around that time. The show was called Spit and it was mostly self portraits, but there was a few portraits of others sprinkled in there too, my friends and family. I just sort of got to this point where I was drawing myself a lot because it helped me bring up a lot of stuff about myself that I was wanting to tackle. I called them “demons” at the time. Things that I didn’t like necessarily or things that I had done. Things that had been done to me. And I just had been going through a weird time with my body, I was sick for a while and I got really skinny. I would draw ugly pictures of myself and I would draw more masculine features. Just like all these ideas I had about myself in my head to get it out there. I’m working on another show now, but it’s going to be a while before I get it done.

AF: That’s such a beautiful description of art as therapy. 

JZ: Well, I’ve always used art as therapy. Before I ever started playing music. And I always kept sketchbooks growing up. Both my parent were artists as I’ve said, but my mom was very…we’re both kind of nuts, honestly. And she’s like, ‘If you don’t do art, you’ll be crazy.’ And that’s how I am – I have all this stuff, and if I don’t get it out in some way, if I’m not constantly creating I just don’t function. I need to constantly process everything to function.

AF: How does it feel to get your emotions out through your art as opposed to your song writing? 

JZ: Art is a very singular process. I’m by myself and it’s one on one. And that [Spit] was my first show ever so that was really intense because for so long I had been doing this stuff in private and I didn’t know what it would feel like to put it out there to the world. So that was intense. For the most part it just feels like a much more private – and the thing is when you draw a drawing it’s just drawn. You just do it and it’s done. With music, in the beginning for me it is still one on one with myself writing, but then I take it to my band members and it changes, and for me I’ve got to be a little bit more open about it. It’s a collaborative experience. But I think both mediums are very scary – if you’re writing or drawing. To create pieces based on your own inner dialogue.

AF: What are you working on at the moment?

JZ: As a band we’ve been demoing new songs, and we’re kind of taking a little break from it since we’ve got these shows, which I’m feeling good about, because my brain needs a break! But yeah, we’re at the stage of: ‘Here’s a song, what do you want to do with it?’ It’s a weird phase because the songs aren’t quite there. It can be frustrating sometimes; it can be exciting sometimes. As far as art work I’ve been doing a lot of commissioned work for other people. And Adia and I just released a book, it’s like a double book where one side’s my book and one side’s her book. It’s poetry, both of our poetry, and then I illustrated. We’re going to be selling them at our shows. Her book’s called Lonely Language and my book’s called Purge.  And they’re both Volume I, we’re going to do a second volume.

AF: So much art going on!

JZ: I try to keep myself busy all the time. No breaks! But I’ve got to slow down sometimes.

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TRACK OF THE WEEK: Phosphene “Be Mine”

 Phosphene Band
Phosphene is an indie rock band from Oakland, CA. They recently debuted their new single “Be Mine” from an upcoming EP slated to come out later this year. Phosphene consists of Matt Hemmerich (drums), Rachel Frankel (vocals, guitar), and Kevin Kaw (bass, guitar). The shoegaze influence clicks like a pair of scuffed once-studded black leather boots as Frankel observes: “You are past prime to be a star.”  Like all great art, the words invoke my own personal narrative, an interpretation imagining an unemployed ex lazily wandering through a museum in the afternoon. “You still waste time on fine art.”  What’s certain is that Phosphene hasn’t past their prime, but are rather emerging from the shadows they’ve created with their dark dream pop for a clear morning of clear headed fans agreeing: Yes, we enjoy this. Bring us more.
You’ll have to wait for news about their upcoming EP, but until then take a listen to “Be Mine” below:

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VIDEO REVIEW: Brittsommar “North Country Blood”

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Elusive as ever, I recently heard word from the man behind Brittsommar, and he has news of an upcoming EP. Sawyer Gebauer isn’t the chattiest of musicians, but he always pops up with an email to let me know what’s new on his end. Whether this is pure publicity or politeness I don’t know, but considering I’m a huge fan of his work, I don’t really care.

The Mary Me EP won’t emerge until later this month, but Gebauer has carefully curated a siphon of teasers leading up to it. There’s the trailer to the upcoming Brittsommar: Smoke, Mirrors, Shadows Documentary (which out-eludes Gebauer’s ever-elusiveness), as well as a steady trickle of singles. What we have to enjoy at the moment is the video for the dreamy dark-folk ballad “North Country Blood.”

As with all of Gebauer’s work thus far, the video is seamlessly in line with the sonic imagery conjured by the song itself. Without losing his voice as a storyteller, Gebauer is growing more into his origins as well as his own era. While his persona as the seasoned troubadour of yore remains, he appears to be more accepting of the present day. This may not be evident in the first third of the video, which finds two characters in a colorless world of wheat fields and barely furnished dwellings. But before long we are in a speeding car, transported across grainy but contemporary footage of Los Angeles, complete with hotels, traffic lights, and billboards for American Crime. There’s no hiding that it’s the twenty-first century in this video.

There is a definite level of tension throughout “North Country Blood” – the gray and sepia world of broken boiled eggs and creaking shanties vs. the pastel washed, palm tree-lined highways of Los Angeles. The same could be said of the auditory landscape Gebauer is painting. To start we hear a brighter side of Brittsommar, sunny and spangled with tinny fingerpicking, only to be cloaked with a rolling swell of strings and marching snare. The vocals are haunting as ever, rumbling and ominous. The voice strings us along lengths of tree-lined river, and to the edge of the woods where our characters embrace in the final frame.

These images are not entirely narrative, but give you an abstract sense of beginning, middle, and end. There’s a tugging sense of dread: the bane of something unresolved throughout the video. The contrast of stillness and motion is interesting here, the former highlighting simple rituals such as an amateur haircut and a shared cigarette, while the latter depicts no human subjects, only the passing of trees. It’s a semi-bleak world, but one who’s pleasures are simple and achievable.

Check out the video for “North Country Blood” below and be sure to keep an eye out for word on the upcoming Mary Me EP.

 

TRACK REVIEW: CAPPA “Killin’ It”

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Out of Nashville, CAPPA is about to drop her debut EP on May 18. The songwriter is totally cool and down-to-earth, and also really into cookie butter, her dog, and listening to The Used. She also really wants you to chill. CAPPA recently released a seriously fueled single, “Killin’ It.” “We got all the time in the world,” she repeats, over dark progressions and calmly so. I already dub the hypnotic track as a summer anthem. CAPPA’s sexy and alluring, her voice pairing with hauntingly electronic beats. “I spend my nights like a love scene, I live my days like a daydream.” That’s a world I wouldn’t mind drifting through. Don’t hesitate to feel her aura in a little over three minutes.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Hop Along “Painted Shut”

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It’s easy to imagine Frances Quinlan, the vocalist of Philadelphia’s Hop Along, as the frontwoman of a stage-destroying punk band. She seems to put every bit of energy she has into her singing until she’s hoarse and out of breath, twisting her voice from a whisper to a howl. The band behind her, though, provides some relief from her intensity. The rhythm section, made up of  Tyler Long on bass and her brother Mark on drums, remains unshakably steady under Joe Reinhart’s wiry guitar.

Painted Shut is Hop Along’s second album, and the first they’ve released through Saddle Creek Records. John Agnello, known for his work with Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth, co-produced and mixed the album, and according to the band, it was “finished in the shortest span of time the band has ever made anything.”

Key tracks on Painted Shut are “Powerful Man” and “Buddy In The Parade.” The first tells the story of what Frances calls her greatest regret: not being able to help a child she suspected was being abused. The second is inspired by the jazz musician Buddy Bolden, who suffered from schizophrenia. “Horseshoe Crabs” deals with another troubled artist, the folk musician Jackson C. Frank, and contains my favorite line on the album: when Frances describes waking up to a sunrise as “staring at the ass-crack of dawn.” 

The band is currently on tour, and they’ll be playing at Baby’s All Right on Sunday. If you can’t make it (it is Mother’s Day, after all) you can at least check out the shadowy, illustrated music video for “Powerful Man” below!

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TRACK PREMIERE: Howth “Leonardo”

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Howth
Photo by Bryan Bruchman

 

What if childhood never had to end? Despite an increased need to clean and an ugly habit of paying bills, I’ve learned it doesn’t have to. We have artists using their madness to keep the world beautiful for those who walk the line (and those who don’t). And sometimes, to keep things a little more funky, that art is inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Their new track “Leonardo” might have a muse that’s a crime fighting giant reptile from your childhood bedroom, but the song inspired is a mature and moving listen displaying the emotional insight and talent grown ups can make when they don’t take themselves too seriously.

Howth is releasing their new album Trashy Milky Nothing Town on June 2nd via Bandcamp, and is available for pre-order. In the meantime, listen to “Leonardo” below. And – don’t miss their premiere show June 2nd at Shea Stadium.

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VIDEO PREMIERE: Kate Copeland “Breaking”

Kate Copeland

NYC-based orchestral pop artist, Kate Copeland, has slowly built a name for herself writing beautifully intricate vocal-driven tracks that showcase her background in composition as well as her wide range of influences, which span widely, from seminal folk icons, to classical behemoths like Stravinsky (adding to her cool-factor, Copeland also performs in a Seattle-based psych-rock band!!). Her debut album, Recollection Room, is due out on June 8th, and her lead single, “Breaking”, gives us a clear glimpse of what we have to look forward to from the full-length.

The Oberlin conservatory grad clearly possesses a strong sense for music theory, evident within “Breaking”‘s thoughtful arrangement, which includes twinkling piano and ukulele lines, and a slow, mooring cello on the low-end. The song builds up slowly, integrating more and more instrumentation, pulling the listener into the emotional crevices of Copeland’s songwriting until you feel as if you’re a part of the music itself.

The video, out today, depicts Copeland as a 50s-era, glammed-up, but viscerally lonely housewife, bereft yet still awaiting the return of someone or something that eludes her. Shot in black and white for the first minute or so, we see her slowly acquiring more color, as the song builds. Soon she’s removing the various accoutrement that lend to her image the appearance of perfection, as paint splatters across her face. We are shown the underbelly of a life that presents itself as tidy, but in reality is perhaps full of pain and anguish. Beautiful and complicated at once, Copeland narrates a motif I think we can all likely relate to. See for yourself, how the story culminates:

Keep your eyes out for Kate’s debut album, out June 8th. She’ll be performing in Seattle, at the Seattle Columbia City Theatre on June 7th for her album release show.

 

LIVE REVIEW: Yvette/Eaters @ Baby’s All Right

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Bob Jones and Jonathan Schenke of Eaters.
Bob Jones and Jonathan Schenke of Eaters

It takes a lot of nerve to wear your white hair long like that: straight, thin, and skimming the neck of your skinny white tie, worn over a tight black t-shirt, matchstick jeans, and elf-point boots. But how else would you dress for your 20th wedding anniversary? You have to applaud a middle-aged couple that celebrates such an occasion by going to an industrial noise gig in Brooklyn. And on a Thursday no less!

Headlining the evening’s two-band bill is Brooklyn duo Eaters, but if I’m being honest I really came to see Brooklyn duo Yvette. Yvette used to be made up of Noah Karos-Fein and Rick Daniel, who released their debut LP Process in October of 2013. The record is a carefully constructed post punk assault-yet it somehow retains a melodic sensibility along with its steel aggression. The record came at a time when cold and militant industrial music was a breath of fresh air amongst the slew of jangly local bands. Anger was back in. Finally.

Listening to Process is a damn fine experience, but it doesn’t really set you up for what Yvette brings to the stage. No longer the original line up, Yvette is still fronted by Karos-Fein on vocals, guitar, and effects, but Dale Elsinger now backs up Noah on the drums. I never saw Yvette while Rick Daniel was still a member, so I can’t speak for his abilities as a live performer. But what I can say is that Elsinger is a welcome replacement. Quite easily one of the most fascinating drummers I’ve seen live-and I don’t get too excited about drummers all that often-it’s almost impossible to look away while he’s playing.

Perhaps it’s merely the democratic stage set-up the band always employs (Noah at the center and Dale to his left) that creates the allure. Maybe if drummers weren’t always banished to the back of the stage we’d find them mesmerizing more often, but something tells me it’s more that just his coordinates that make Elsinger such an intriguing performer. He gives it his all. Watching him smash his kit is exhausting, so I can’t imagine how winded he must feel, but the fact that he’s dripping in sweat by minute two gives me a good idea. Elsinger’s parts are forceful but not fussy, and so directly to-the-point that I’m tempted to call him a purist. He does he always drum barefoot after all.

Yvette’s sets are never long, but always tidy and packed full of energy. There’s no banter, no fluff, just some very talented, straightforward musicians presenting their thesis and then leaving quietly – though what they play is the antithesis of polite and quiet. It’s loud and full of guts and grit.

Eaters is made up of multi-instrumentalist Bob Jones and recording engineer Jonathan Schenke. Their sound is rooted in the dark rubble of post punk debris, so they are a fitting band to share a bill with Yvette. Though while Yvette’s tracks stay consistently hostile, Eaters sometimes float to the softer side of the ‘80s, sounding more Brian Eno than Suicide.

There is certainly a fuller crowd for Eaters, and their presence is more elaborate; the lights turned down almost all the way to emphasize a sphere of light rotating on a hydraulic circular track. It’s a curious and useless prop, but is a fun badge of nerdiness nonetheless.

Eaters finished off sans encore, making way for the late show to follow at Baby’s. Listening to both Eaters and Yvette you’d suspect a late into the early morning set, but I was home and in bed by midnight, which is good, because some people had anniversaries to celebrate.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Torres “Sprinter”

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A few days before her album began streaming on NPR, Mackenzie Scott tweeted a complaint about an overused, somewhat vague genre of music: “Can anybody define “indie”? What does “indie” mean to you? Would love to see it eradicated from the vernacular/it’s gross like ‘hipster.'”

Though she’s just 24, the singer who records and performs as Torres creates music that defies her age and easy categorization (“indie” definitely doesn’t do it justice). The Georgia native has a voice that effortlessly projects raw emotion, whether subdued on sparser tracks or unleashed alongside guitar contributed by Portishead’s Adrian Utley.

The contrast between her songs —and even within them— makes each aspect of her sound all the more impressive, and Scott wastes no time showing it off.  She begins the first track, “Strange Hellos,” with a barely audible whisper, before breaking into a full-fledged, tortured ballad: “I was all for being real/ But if I don’t believe, then no one will,” she repeats, with more and more angst. It’s a hell of a way to start an album filled with frustration, longing, relationships, and sense of self.

It’s also an album that struggles with faith. Like others in the throes of adulthood, she’s shrugging off religion, or at least questioning an upbringing that revolves around it. As she said in a recent interview, “Rock and roll ended my religion… rock and roll is my new religion!” But, maybe not indie?

You can check out the video for “Sprinter” below, and stream the album here.

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VIDEO REVIEW: Sheer Mag “Fan The Flames”

Sheer Mag

I was introduced to the catchy brilliance that is Sheer Mag by a friend via an iMessage group chat about a month ago. “Anyone going to Sheer Mag on Saturday? They’re my new fav band and all I know abut them is that put out one perfect EP last year.” So I listened, and drank boxed wine in a sweaty DIY punk basement, and then finally understood. Philly-based Sheer Mag is essentially the most fun and danceable modern day rock and roll I have heard in a very long time. A week ago they released a music video for “Fan The Flames,” another catchy tune off their new EP which is simply titled II. It is clips of a live show similar to the one that I witnessed just a month ago here in Seattle. For all you NYC folk, Sheer Mag will be at Baby’s All Right on May 9th. 

ALBUM REVIEW: Bitter’s Kiss “Self-Titled”

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Chloe Baker is a young, yet courageous artist, who isn’t afraid to say what other girls are thinking. Although she may appear to be in her innocent and naive youth (namely, still in high school), her self-titled release delivers a different persona. The album is an eight track anecdote twisting through her experiences and thoughts, but with a mature perspective. Baker, with the help of her musically brilliant father, Michael Baker, are Bitter’s Kiss: a local and favorite in Northern New Jersey.
The album starts off with the title track, her voice melodically high, pure, and polished. Her voice is classic and somewhat somber. “Love Won’t Make You Cry,” is prettily melancholy, invoking similar emotions once felt with Death Cab For Cutie’s, Plans. She released a video for “The Rope” which is just as twisted as growing up: “Do your angels keep you waiting? How much longer can you cope? There’s a quicker way to Heaven, if you can find yourself a rope.” She’s exposing the impenetrable issues of teenage depression and suicide—something that we can all say we have seen, if not been affected by. Her album isn’t all heartaches and dilemmas, although Baker can make rejection seem like a graceful way of learning. Michael Baker is an alluring guitar player, and “Lovin’ Life” shows he could put together a harmonious, electronic track as well. “Too Far Too Fast” shows she has not totally abandoned the sense of hope. “You’re gonna find out who you are, you might be a star,” she sings.
I hope for Bitter’s Kiss to thrive in the impending future, as more empowerment is needed for other young girls. I’m sure as she grows into adulthood, the music will follow.
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TRACK REVIEW: EXGF “We Are The Hearts”

EXGF

Ethereal rhythms and unceasing electronic sounds make for EXGF‘s “We Are The Hearts.” Much like a beautiful natural disaster, the song starts with a mission to put you into a reverie (it succeeds). What’s already great is then embellished with a chaotic chorus. The track’s melodic trance pairs with drum build-up’s and background of crooning vocals. What makes the song especially epic and an easy repeating track, is not only the awesome electronic sounds, but the lyrics as well: “Imaging we are higher than the sparrows, casually we’re breathing with the feathers. Tragically we fall just like the arrows, you will hear our voices echo.” We can hear the reverberations all the way from Paris.

Enjoy”We Are The Hearts” below.

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LIVE REVIEW: The Juan MacLean @ Union Pool

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I’ll be honest: when I hear the genres “house,” “techno,” or “dance” being used to describe a band, I picture a couple of dudes posturing behind laptops. But when The Juan MacLean took the stage at Union Pool on Thursday, I knew this show would be different. John MacLean, the core of the project, immediately put to use a theremin attached to his keyboard stand. Nancy Whang, of LCD Soundsystem, gripped the mic and sang brooding vocals, over endless synths and a beat by a drummer, who, though seriously overworked, never seemed to tire.

Apparently, MacLean decided after the first song that we weren’t dancing enough. “It’s very Thursday night in here,” he taunted the crowd, who countered with whistles and shouts. “It’s a very thirsty night in here,” Whang shot back, chugging a water bottle. The group had recently played three nights at the Cameo gallery, and on their first of three shows at Union Pool, they weren’t satisfied with just easing into their set, or letting the audience do so either.

Whang played percussion with a serious, stony look on her face. It never wavered, even when hitting a springy, rattling instrument earned her cheers. “That was a vibraslap,” she deadpanned, to more cheers. When she and Maclean began to trade vocal lines on “One Day,” it felt like at any minute the band was going to break into “Don’t You Want Me Baby”– they had all of the epic synths and a tense, emotional performance that had the whole room dancing as hard as they could, but none of the song’s cheesiness. And, no laptops.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Speedy Ortiz “Foil Deer”

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“The Graduates” is one of the best songs on the new Speedy Ortiz album, Foil Deer. In the music video, the band takes some strange pills that make them hallucinate a kind of cute, mostly creepy giant rabbit. When their trip ends, they dose some innocent bystanders at a restaurant. It’s a perfect example of their music: charming, funny, and warped. But, I have a serious issue with a lyric Sadie Dupuis sings during the chorus: “I was the best at being second place/ But now I’m just the runner-up.”

This just isn’t true.

On their latest release, Dupuis once again shows off her style of twisted, creeping guitar lines. They perfectly compliment her vocals, deadpan with a hint of twang. The four-piece from Boston got some rave reviews from their SXSW performances, one which featured comedian Hannibal Buress sitting in on drums. Stephen Malkmus has been spotted wearing the band’s t-shirt, and they currently have tour dates which reach into October, including a sold-out show at The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday.

And, of course, their sound is great. It’s a unique departure from chord-driven rock, with unexpected melodies that range from light and fun (“Swell Content”) to heavy (“Homonovus” and “Ginger”) to downright sinister (“Puffer”).

Speedy Ortiz is a serious musical contender. So when Sadie Dupuis sings she’s just a runner-up, I can’t take her too seriously. But when she proclaims in “Raising The Skate” that “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss,” that I definitely believe.

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THE EXQUISITE INTIMACY OF PRIVATE SHOWS: Fort lean & XNY

XNY so far

As an introvert with a dwindling tolerance for loud noise and crushing crowds (what’s my age again?) I’ve always appreciated the intimacy of a private show or listening party. Music snobs will appreciate them for the suggested silence from the audience and focus on the music. Such events work great for artists to showcase sounds with an unadulterated attention on the performance. Often BYOB (doesn’t hurt to BYO snacks either) and held at coffee shops or private apartments, the events offer a cozy and romantic experience – a terrific date idea, I might add.

“Private” doesn’t have to be equated with stuffy or exclusive. The small setting often allows for ample laughter, musical ad libbing, and often all you have to do for an invite is to sign up. To let you in the know: Enjoy two recent performances from two of our favorite acts at two of our favorite live sessions.

Fort Lean – “Prince Johnny” (St. Vincent Cover)

The Brooklyn-based group Fort Lean recently kicked off New York City’s event series The Closed Sessions with a seductive cover of St. Vincent’s “Prince Johnny.” A bold move to cover a song already so signature, yet they did it with the utmost class.

XNY – “White Wire” 

At Sofar Sounds, the intimate and ever-expanding 100+ city listening movement, the Brooklyn rockers XNY played a bare-boned rendition of “White Wire” in their socks.

Burgerama Recap & Introducing: IAN

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Well, one of the most anticipated weekends this spring for the West Coast garage rock lovers has come and gone. Burgerama 4 last week has certainly exceeded it’s “hype.” Surrounded by a sea of (mostly) Californian sunbathed teens, I, as well as a few thousand others, discovered some great new artists and solidified my obsession for my favorites. As I mentioned a few weeks ago about who I was stoked to see- Burgerama’s lineup this years was a perfect mix between modern-day legends like Roky Erickson, Weezer, and Gang of Four, as well as over a dozen fresh bands like Girl Band, IAN, Palma Violets, Twin Peaks and so so many more. These bands are slowly remolding what it means to be a punk or garage band in 2015. 

One band that seemed to steer away from the “Burger-sounding” theme of the weekend was IAN. This Los Angeles/Boston based band had the relatively tough time slot of 2PM on the smallest of three stages on the first of the festival. Competing against popular acts such as the local-favorited Cosmonauts, and Together PANGEA – impressively, IAN had no issue packing out their room. Front woman, Jillian Medford, definitely knew how to grab the attention of the audience between her sassy stage banter and perfectly tuned yelp-type screech in between her guitar riffs. This past week I’ve had the chance to chat a bit with her,  and get the full scoop where IAN’s sound came from, as well as her opinion on the festival in general. 

AudioFemme: Ok so let’s get some background on IAN- where did ya’ll meet and how did you decide to collaborate?

Jillian: We all met at a house show in Jamaica plain, MA. At Whitehaus. I was playing a show with a different drummer at the time (just me and drums) and Tim, my current drummer came up to me after the show and asked if he could play bass for me! I was totally into it and the day we were all about to get together to play some tunes, my drummer at the time said he couldn’t commit to being in the band and going on tour… So I asked Tim if he would possibly play drums and could tour for two weeks.. Oh and if he had a working van… and he said yes to all of these and it was a match made in heaven. And later sweet Damien was added to the mix!

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Disposable of Jillian & Tim backstage at Burgerama
Disposable of Jillian & Tim backstage at Burgerama

AF: Wether it be an era, band or specific person, what would you say influences your sound most? 

JM: I look up to so many people, and feel that I mostly draw influence subconsciously. I very much adore Karen O., both in the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s and solo. My mom is also one of the biggest influences for me, although she doesn’t play an instrument she is such a creative, beautiful, intelligent and encouraging human being. The era I’m feelin’ most would be right now. I am currently and constantly surrounded by such driven people who are always willing to expose new ideas and embrace everyone’s strengths and weaknesses…this keeps me in check and also sometimes unchecked, but that’s probably for the best. You can’t always be a straight line. That would be so boring

AF: I love the raw and organic sound if your self-titled EP on your Bandcamp. Can you tell us a little about that recording process? 

JM: YES! So we recorded this EP in two days in August in a very hot, sticky and stinky Allston apartment with Mark Feede (who will be recording our full length). It was pretty insane thinking back to have recorded in just two days, but we were on a tight timeframe and budget! We just wanted to put something out that we could sell on our upcoming tour. Didn’t really realize it would resonate with people as much as it has on the first go round and that has been very special for us! We love to record live and together. Would hate to have to track instruments separately. it’s so rewarding to look at my boys rockin’. That’s the best part is when we can all face each other and just jump around.

AF: It was your first time playing Burgerama this year. Well… what’d you think? Were you as stoked as your crowd seemed to be?

JM: Burgerama was crayyyyzeeee!! We have played the Constellation Room before (where we played at Burgerama) and it’s definitely one of our top favorite places to play! The crowd is always so responsive and the place ALWAYS fills out completely. It’s shocking! And it’s mostly people who haven’t heard of us before, so it gave us a chance to hopefully win them over. I think the Burgerama show was the best show we’ve ever played. The crowd gives you so much you can’t help but lose your shit a bit. I hopped around so much during out set, the next day I was so sore I made Tim give me piggy back rides everywhere!

AF: Any bands that you had never seen or heard of before that you really enjoyed? 

JM: I hadn’t seen La Luz before and I am a huge fan! they put on a really rad set! Was really inspiring to watch! Also, a moment for Weezer and remembering when I was seven my babysitter would blast “We Are All On Drugs” on the way home from gymnastics practice… It was good to see Weezer, I know all the words thanks to her ha!

AF: Ian rules. Tell us about some future gigs/plans for ya’ll.

JM: We are now back In Boston for a few months after spending some much needed time in LA. We are out here now recording our album & I have to graduate from college in May, and we are also doing a lil tour round the Midwest/south with our buddies Kal Marks in June! We are trying to jam pack tons of fun stuff into our stay out here before we head back to LA to finish up the record there! Then after that….there’s a bunch goin’ on OH MY! So psyched!

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ALBUM PREMIERE: Leitbur, The Moment That I Knew You

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LA synthpop duo, Leitbur is comprised of producer Jaron Widman and singer-songwriter Samantha Krzyston. Together they create 80’s-inspired dance music that contains influences from a wide gamut, including electronica and glitchy post-punk. The opening track, “Strange In LA” is irresistibly catchy with a funky synth line that anchors it throughout, and a dance-y electronic drum track that sinks into the listener’s skin,where it remains the entire way through. Widman and Krystons’ vocals float over top, coyly playing against one another with nods to The Human League (my favorite new wave band by the way guys, and one of the reasons why I was so drawn to Leitbur). Title track, “The Moment That I Knew You” is by and far the standout on this album, and showcases a quieter, more musically subtle side to the duo with a stripped down synth melody and airy electro beat. Widman’s vocals are the focal point of the song, displaying at once strength and whimsey in terms of his range. Sweet, simple and romantic, it will without a doubt be occupying real estate on many of my summer playlists to come. “Heartsink” takes us deeper into the band’s psyche with an ominous bass line and Kryston’s vocals pleading “you can’t just walk away”, as part of the opening verse. The chorus, however, is what makes this such a great track, with a slight shift in cadence and heavier focus on the beat that packs a totally unexpected punch, inspiring the listener to brood and dance at the same time. Though “Fairbanks” – the other quieter track on the album – relies a little too heavily on the sentimental end of the 80’s electropop spectrum with the addition of an introspective keys line that distracts from stronger aspects of the composition, “The Long AM” more than redeems this and is pretty much a perfect way to wrap up the album. This band’s strong suit is clearly their ability to balance each other’s vocals against one another without removing emphasis from the synth  (THE key element within their genre), and this trapeze act is encapsulated flawlessly within this track. It’s the perfect sendoff to a strong sophomore album.

Keep an eye out for tour dates from the duo in the coming year, and in the meantime listen to our exclusive stream of The Moment That I Knew You below. The album will be officially released on 4/21/2015.