Similarly like a younger Chris Martin singing “Yellow” and endlessly walking the dead shore-line, Esa Mankinen of Satellite Stories is instead revealing to the world their new single “Heartbeat” along a snowy winding road. Part of the quartet that is also Marko Heikkinen, Jyri Pesonen, and Olli-Pekka Ervasti, Satellite Stories is set to release their third studio album “Vagabonds” in March. The Finns are actually in the middle of their European tour, with a show in Barfly, London sold out.
Aside from Esa wistfully zig-zagging the beautiful countryside, the video features a couple portraying the inevitable stages of a dying relationship. While there’s a spec of joy, the video is mostly filled with angst and depression. At first we catch glimpses of cute waterfront dock dates, then an angry drive (why are the girls always cry-driving?) lead to a pushy break-up scene–appropriate to the melancholy lyrics “We drive and depart, just a smash into the car.”
While this may not have been the Valentine’s Day song you were looking to play in your car on the way to your cheesecake spot, you will find Satellite Stories to have a solid track history. Plus, “Heartbeat” is so damn catchy, and I think we’ve had our fill of cheesy love ballads. Definitely worth checking out their video below.
I was sitting at my computer, experiencing one of the many downsides of being underemployed. Tickets for the sold-out Father John Misty concerts were going for well over $100 on Craigslist and Stubhub, and there weren’t many left. Then I saw the event post: Father John Misty, aka Josh Tillman, would be giving a short performance/interview at The Greene Space as part of the WNYC Soundcheck podcast on February 11th, for just $10.
We were somehow the first people ushered into the small studio space, and my boyfriend and I grabbed one of the few chairs in the room. My seat ended up being about five feet away from Tillman, which was amazing yet unsettling. I could hear his voice without the microphone, and see the tiny banana decal on his black velvet blazer. I was also nervous he might look directly at us, and when he walked past to step onstage, I worried I might trip him so tucked my feet under my chair.
The host John Schaefer introduced the show, and described the new Father John Misty album, I Love You, Honeybear, as a lush but subversive record with lacerating lyrics. Naturally, Tillman deadpanned “Prepare to subversively lacerated,” before playing the record’s title track.
When asked questions between songs, he wavered between hostile and conversational. He grimaced when Schaefer mentioned similarities between “I Love You, Honeybear” and Elton John’s “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” and cut off a question related to a F. Scott Fitzgerald quote by stating he couldn’t read. But when asked about the creation of his album, Tillman explained, “I think it was difficult just given the subject matter, which was bordering dangerously close to sentimentality… I think to some extent I was doing some kind of bartering, where I was like, I’ll let you be this exposed if you let me cloak this in impenetrable layers of goo.”
Later in the set, Schaefer talked about the band’s upcoming concerts and Tillman, suddenly friendly, rested his head on the host’s shoulder. “I’m sorry for my weird answers earlier,” he apologized, gazing at him with endearing puppy-dog eyes.
They discussed psychedelics before he launched into the set’s most animated performance, “The Ideal Husband.” The heels of scuffed tan boots twisted under his lanky frame as he sashayed his hips side to side and spun. During the bridge, he stepped off the stage, knocking the mic stand to my feet, and threw himself on my boyfriend’s shoulder. “I came by at seven in the morning,” he shouted, climbing over seats to embrace others. The woman next to us widened her eyes in fear as the guitar slung across his back came dangerously close to her face. “Seven in the morning, seven in the morning…” He picked up the mic stand and dropped it back into place, the song ending with its thud onstage.
Luckily, both the audience and artist were uninjured. Tillman found an empty chair in the first row to sing the final song, “Bored In The USA.” “Can I boo myself from here?”he wondered between lyrics. There was no recorded laugh track in this rendition of the song and he seemed to pause slightly where it should have been, then shrug when the audience didn’t provide it. The song was strange, maybe too exposed, without it. He blew out a lighter held up from the second row, and the set ended.
“Go forth and have a productive day,” Tillman told the crowd. I didn’t really have anything productive to do, but I didn’t care. Turns out the upside of being underemployed is you don’t have to make up any excuses to see Father John Misty at noon on a weekday.
If you didn’t make it to the soundcheck, the full performance is up on Livestream and YouTube. Check it out:
Love is, without a doubt, the most frequently used topic in songwriting (sex and drugs are probably tied for second place, but that discussion is for another playlist). Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, here’s a list of some of the best, (mostly) romantic indie songs to get you through the day.
“You’ve expressed explicitly/ Your contempt for matrimony.” Is your significant other not so psyched about getting hitched? Play them “Archie, Marry Me,” by the Canadian pop band Alvvays, and listen as vocalist Molly Rankin convinces the object of her affection that it doesn’t have to be so complicated: “Take me by the hand and we can sign some papers/ Forget the invitations floral arrangements and bread makers.”
Boston’s Krill has been getting a lot of attention with their new album, and it has the perfect Valentine’s Day song for all you tortured, lovesick souls out there, “Foot:” “I came and visited you at work/ I couldn’t help but imagine you without your shirt/ And all I wanted was to hold your foot.”
4. “O I Long To Feel Your Arms Around Me” – Father John Misty
Love will sometimes drive you to do crazy things; just ask Bonnie about her relationship with Clyde. If Valentine’s Day drives you insane, check out this song by the quirky rockers, Deerhoof.
Whether you’re having a romantic night or boycotting a Hallmark-spawned holiday with a friend, Courtney Barnett makes a case for tuning out the world with someone you like: “Come around to mine/ We can swap clothes and drink wine all night/ Turn your phone off friend/ You’re amongst friends and we don’t need no interruption.”
New York loves Dr. Dog so much that the band recently sold out eight shows in a row here. And even though they’ve moved on to other cities, we know the feeling’s mutual with this track: “I’m gonna miss you, til the day I come home/… On the road and dreaming of you.”
Their name doesn’t imply sentimentality, but “Only For You” by Heartless Bastards is a heartfelt declaration of affection, withan awesome bass line too.
“Ivan”, the sparkling debut track from brand new electropop musician, Von Sell, was released today, and already has us itching for what may come next from this young artist. With a shimmering melody line announcing the direction of the song throughout its opening measures, and a propulsive four-to-the-floor bass/drum combo that enters soon thereafter, the track immediately hooks its listener in its clenches and doesn’t let go until the very last note is played. It’s Von Sell’s vocals, however, which perk our ears and beckon us further into the depths of his musicianship. His ringing falsetto feels one of kind, amid the plethora of today’s gritty and grinding garage-pop crooning, and makes us nostalgic for our favorite 90s era R&B and soul, while its danceable qualities push it boundlessly into the future. Lush orchestral touches embellish Von Sell’s impish lyrical conceit (“you’re young and pretty now // I wanna be just like you”), tempering whimsical musings with the heavy weight of serious artistic leanings. During its middle portion the song pauses in order to unravel, as cascading arpeggios elicit the undeniable feeling of tumbling from great heights. Not for long though. We’re soon to be caught and swooped back up by the hook moments before hitting the ground. When it finally ends, our only impulse is to press replay.
Pearl and the Beard are some of Brooklyn’s finest, the pearl in our oyster. The band consists of Jocelyn Mackenzie (vocals, drums, percussion) Emily Hope Price (vocals, cello, keyboards) and Jeremy Lloyd-Styles (vocals, guitars, percussion) who all met an An open mic night. As a hint of what’s to come for their much anticipated forthcoming album, Pearl and The Beard recently released their new single “You,” a fuzzy-love pop rock track that will have your heart glowing and your booty bouncing.
Shortly after their sold out show at Rough Trade, we spoke with Jocelyn about their upcoming third album, drunk voicemails, and self-love. “It’s humbling and overwhelming to feel the love of hundreds of people directed at you all at once, like a giant Care Bear Stare being rainbowed directly into your heart. That’s a high we’ll ride on for a long, long time.”
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AudioFemme: How did the three of you meet?
Jocelyn Mackenzie: Open mic nights. That shit works!
AF: What are your favorite words used to describe your sound?
JM: Intense, cinematic, sexy… we love feeling powerful through our music and it’s amazing when other people feel that too!
AF: What was the inspiration behind “You?”
JM: My husband left me a (drunk) voicemail one night while we were away on tour, ‘I love you! Get it through your f*!king skull!’ I thought it was really sweet that he was so determined to profess his love for me that it made him angry. It’s funny that the ones we love the most usually need the most convincing of that, so we turned that feeling of raw desperation into a chorus and verse.
AF: Who is the “You” in the song?
JM: Well, originally it was my husband, but as the song grows and takes shape, I also relate it as someone speaking to him or herself. Self-love is an undervalued practice, and it can be hard to convince yourself that you’re worthy of your own care and praise. The song is becoming an anthem to me about proclaiming your love for yourself as loudly as you would to another human being.
AF: The track is pretty romantic. A bit cliche, but What are your relationship deal breakers?
JM: Hatefulness and closed-mindedness. Also I dated someone once that didn’t like birds. That didn’t end well.
AF: As a group you have a very distinct fashion sense, who and what are your style inspirations?
JM: Thank you! We talk a lot about how we want to FEEL rather than how we want to look. If an outfit makes us feel confident and sexy, we wear it. Normally we pick a color or two and then each of us picks out our own outfit based on the color limitations. Putting together a more stylish element, like something from ASOS, with a handmade item or something from the thrift store creates a look that’s unique and personal. We really inspired by Sia’s sleek and modern art-meets-fashion look that intertwines so flawlessly with her music. I also have a background in textiles and fashion, and I’ve done some styling for other bands too.
AF: You’re currently on tour – what has been the most memorable moment so far?
JM: We absolutely loved the show in Brooklyn at Rough Trade. It was truly incredible to be home, playing a sold out show in our home town, with people singing along, really getting into every single minute. It’s humbling and overwhelming to feel the love of hundreds of people directed at you all at once, like a giant Care Bear Stare being rainbowed directly into your heart. That’s a high we’ll ride on for a long, long time.
AF: What comfort of home do you miss most while touring?
JM: My bed! I have a mountain of amazing pillows and a very snuggly husband back there who is really good at keeping me warm… and other stuff.
AF: Can you speak to the sense of accomplishment that must come with selling out shows, such as your performance at Rough Trade in your hometown of Brooklyn?
JM: Every show is like hosting a party: beforehand there’s always that little fluttering worry of “Is anyone REALLY gonna come?” After seven years of touring that feeling still hasn’t gone away! This tour, thanks to being paired to support Wild Child, has been almost 100% sold out. It’s just awesome, and kind of indescribable. We’re very aware that we can’t do our jobs without the support of music fans, and knowing that they’re all going to be there before we even walk in the door lets us pause and feel grateful without those jitters. We can then be more fully immersed in the moment and it helps us host a better party.
AF: What’s next for Pearl and the Beard?
JM: In March we’re thrilled to be touring in support of Ani DiFranco, for our first time out on the west coast. Can’t wait! Then after that probably Disneyland, then death.
AF: How does your third album differentiate your sound from your pervious records?
JM: You’ll just have to get a copy when it comes out and tell me yourself…
Fin-Folsom, Brooklyn’s self-described “Animal Pop” band, are premiering their new song “ICMT.” The track features a gently building, busy foundation under throaty vocals.“This city, I’ve known her way too long/ Break the machine, I don’t want to be a cog,” they sing, as high-pitched guitar lines dart and dance between unrelenting drums. The sound is light and shimmery, a glimpse into the summer that anyone near the East Coast is wishing for right now.
The band formed in 2013 and released their first EP, Tell-Tale, soon after. Their latest release was 2014’s Early Summer, and Fin-Folsom is currently working on their new album in Cowboy Technical Studios in Brooklyn.
They will be playing their album release show on 2/28 at Cakeshop in NYC. In the meantime check out “ICMT” below.
The first time I heard Hozier’s breakout (and Grammy-nominated) single, “Take Me to Church” I was sleeping. I woke as if from a beautiful dream, jumped out of bed and went to my computer. I needed to know what the song was before it slipped away.
Although I found out that the Irish singer/songwriter’s debut album was due out in the fall of 2014, I put off buying it because I was afraid I would be disappointed. I finally purchased the album on vinyl a couple of days ago, opened it, took a breath and listened.
I am not disappointed.
Hozier’s roots rock sound feels like it was born and bred in the Bible Belt of the American South. There are head-bobbing blues riffs, spare melodies, 1960’s soul, violins, cello and plenty of church choir style harmonies. Somehow, Hozier manages to wrangle these eclectic sounds into a cohesive album.
This record will appeal to fans of The Black Keys (especially the track “To Be Alone”). Standout tracks include “Work Song” and “It Will Come Back,” with the amazing lines “Jesus Christ, don’t be kind to me/Honey don’t feed me/I will come back.”
Packaging: Double LP. Beautiful collage artwork and lyric sheets. CD version included.
Where to Get It: You can buy the vinyl from Hozier’s website.
Fugees The Score
“How many mics do you rip on the daily?”
This is really happening. The Fugees’ The Score is almost 20 years old, people. It’s a vintage classic.
When I went to buy the Hozier record, I came across this re-release in the crates. Let’s just say it wasn’t cheap, but as I debated whether or not to take it home I realized that I hadn’t heard the full album since my tape player died. So, I bought the record.
The Score is a perfect and amazing album. It’s not a bunch of singles. It’s a story. There are even weird little skits in-between songs.
Think about how many tracks have become legendary from this record: “Ready Or Not,” “How Many Mics,” “Fu-Gee-La” and Lauryn Hill’s cover of “Killing Me Softly.” That’s just to name a few because otherwise I would have to list every track.
Smart. Funny. Funky. This record is worth the cost of 180 gram vinyl.
So, you take an ukelele, cello, viola, and stand-up bass, along with the usual guitar and drums. Maybe put some horns in there, too. Then throw in two female vocalists who sound like they’re challenging the limits of sound. This is all boy/all girl’s new single, “Glitters:” Pop music that’s been completely burst open.
“Glitters” is just one of the new tracks the band has finished recently, and will be releasing their new EP Trophy, their follow up to 2013’s Tiny Inglesia on March 3rd. They’ll also be playing an EP release show at The Studio at Webster Hall on March 16th.
It’s the song about love between my brothers and my sisters
All over this land.
I used to go to the Hudson Clearwater festival every year as a child with my mom, dad, brother and grandparents. I’m not sure if this is a real memory or not, but one year- I must have been less than ten- I briefly met Pete Seeger. I knew nothing about him, just that he was an old man who sang folk songs that my parents and grandparents listened to when they were growing up. They told me that he was important and that I would know all about him later. Whether or not this is a real or invented memory, it is one that I’ve held onto for some reason, probably because of Pete Seeger’s influence on my own development as an ethnomusicologist and a folk music enthusiast. Pete Seeger (1919-2014) was one of the most prolific and important folk musicians of the 20th century, but his legacy extends beyond the music that he created. He was groundbreaking not only because of his music, but also because of his work as an ethnomusicologist, educator, activist and patriot. This installment of Flashback Friday remembers the music and the work of Pete Seeger.
Most American folk songs cannot be traced back to a single origin. Traditionally, music was passed down to friends and family members by word of mouth, changing slightly along the way. By the time folk songs reached their final destination, they might not even sound like the originals, yet every hand that touched them played a part in their creation. Folk music was a collective effort that took place over distance and time.
Pete Seeger understood the necessity of maintaining this songwriting tradition. As an undergraduate I studied one of Pete Seeger’s most pivotal songs, “We Shall Overcome.” “We Shall Overcome” was typically sung at protests and rallies during the civil rights era and is commonly referred to as the anthem of this movement.
“We Shall Overcome” was not only an important protest song, but it is an exemplary folk song because of its collective origins. “We Shall Overcome” evolved in the 1900s from two spirituals containing similar themes and lyrics, “I’ll Overcome Some Day” by Charles A. Tindley, and “I’ll Be Alright Some Day.” In early union meetings in South Carolina, one verse from “I’ll Be Alright Some Day” was turned into a song. In 1946, during an American Tobacco Company strike in Charleston, South Carolina, Lucille Simmons sang “We Shall Overcome.” It contained the same verse that was taken from “I’ll Be Alright Some Day,” except the “I” had changed to “we.” She also sung it in long meter style. A striker later introduced this version of the song to Zilphia Horton. She then passed it along to Pete Seeger, who implemented a steady rhythm and presented it to Guy Carawan. Guy Carawan sped up the tempo. He organized a Singing in the Movement workshop where he taught the song to seventy people. It was eventually swept up by the movement. Pete Seeger obtained songwriters credit for “We Shall Overcome,” yet he highlighted the song’s history as a spiritual and acknowledged all of the hands that played a part in its evolution.
As an ethnomusicologist, it is impossible to ignore Pete Seeger’s influence on American folk music. As his father, Charles Seeger was a highly regarded ethnomusicologist, Pete Seeger developed an early interest in the discipline. In the late 1930s, Seeger worked alongside Alan Lomax, assisting him by sifting through his field recordings. He later appeared a number of times on Alan Lomax and Nicholas Ray’s broadcast show, Back Where I Come From. Folk musicians such as Josh White, Burl Ives and Lead Belly also appeared on this show alongside Seeger. Seeger also did a vast amount of fieldwork in his own right. Seeger traveled around America (and later around the world) to discover local folk traditions. Most notably, Seeger popularized the five-string banjo, an instrument that was previously constricted to the Appalachian region of America and is now known as a staple of folk and Americana music.
Pete Seeger was equally seminal as an educator of folk music. In 1954, he published How to Play the Five String Banjo, an introductory book on the banjo. Seeger went on to write a number of books, from instructional books to books on the civil rights movement and even children’s stories. Pete Seeger also led numerous talks and seminars on folk music and protested movements throughout his career. Furthermore, in 1965 Seeger hosted Rainbow Quest, an educational folk music show that featured artists such as Mississippi John Hurt, Doc Watson, Johnny Cash, June Carter, Judy Collins and Buffy Sainte-Marie.
Pete Seeger was a champion of the first amendment during a time in United States history when freedom of speech was at risk. Seeger rose to prominence amid the McCarthy era red scare. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was formed in 1938 to investigate individuals who were suspected of communist leanings. By 1950, a number of public figures were forced out of work after being blacklisted by the HUAC. Pete Seeger, a known member of the communist party since the late 1930s, had a number of run ins with the United States Government. Seeger was blacklisted in 1952 along with the rest of The Weavers.
Inspired by Woody Guthrie, Seeger’s banjo was branded with the phrase “This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.” From the onset of Seeger’s career, he demonstrated music’s ability to promote social change. Although often silenced or censored by the government, Seeger continued to champion human and environmental rights locally, nationally and globally. Throughout his career Pete Seeger wrote topical songs for a number of social movements and political events (the Spanish Civil War, World War II, union’s rights, the Cuban Revolution, Chilean nueva cancion, women’s rights and civil rights, to name a few).
It’s no secret that the Hudson River used to be a lot dirtier than it is today. By the 1960s, the Hudson River was pronounced “dead,” and even unsafe for swimming or fishing. In 1966, Pete Seeger and his wife Toshi Seeger founded the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, inc.. Seeger raised funds to build the Sloop Clearwater by passing his banjo through the crowd after performances, asking folks to contribute anything that they could. In 1969, thanks to Seeger’s tireless efforts, the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater had its first inaugural sail in 1969. The Clearwater is a sailboat dedicated to conducting environmental education on the Hudson River. In celebration of its annual sail up the Hudson River, The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, inc. produced the Great Hudson River Revival, or the Clearwater Festival at Croton Point Park. The festival, which is a celebration of folk music and environmentalism raises funds for the non-profit organization.
Richard Rorty’s famous quote “You can feel shame over your country’s behavior only to the extent to which you feel it is your country”, is especially relevant when discussing Pete Seeger. Throughout his life, Pete Seeger maintained his love for America. Pete Seeger celebrated the countryside. He knew that there were musical gems to be discovered in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, the swamps of the Mississippi Delta and the tobacco fields of North Carolina. He dedicated much of his life to sharing those traditions with the rest of the country. Seeger maintained this patriotic fervor throughout his life, even when the government of the country that he loved was doing everything that they could to silence him.
While many folk musicians became disillusioned with protest music for various reasons, Pete Seeger maintained the importance of protest music, both long before and long after it was in vogue. Pete Seeger illustrated the timelessness of protest songs. For instance, “We Shall Overcome,” a song that was originally written for civil rights, has been re-appropriated for a number of different social movements (even as recently as Occupy Wall Street). The other day, my grandmother told me about the first time she saw Pete Seeger. She was younger than I am, and she went to a square dance in New York City, where Pete Seeger was the featured performer. While both my grandmother and I remember our first encounters with the seminal folk musician, I have no doubt that countless others have similar multi-generational stories of their own encounters. Pete Seeger’s songs will continue to be relevant long after his death, as will his accomplishments as an ethnomusicologist, an educator and an activist.
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“Sometimes we’ve had tears in our eyes when we joined together to sing it, but we still decided to sing it!”
Ava Luna, that soulful quirky five-piece from Brooklyn, are releasing a new album on April 14th via Western Vinyl. Wow, that’s a long ways away, isn’t it? Well, you can stream one of their new songs right now, on Bandcamp.
“Billz” is the ninth track on Infinite House, Ava Luna’s latest release since 2014’s Electric Balloon. Typical of the band, it mixes the old-school sound of Carlos Hernandez’s passionate crooning and eclectic, jazzy pop with modern life. Putting words to what we’re all thinking as we go about our lives, he sings “Will it elevate me? Will it educate me?/ But is it gonna pay my bills?”
When the time is right, you can download Infinite House here. In the meantime, check out “Billz” below:
When was the last time you heard the sounds of East and West combined in an emotional and uplifting musical context? Let’s make it today after listening to SA’s single release of “Pogathe.” What is SA? Well, it’s a “who” and more, it’s a “she.” Shilpa Ananth, bandleader of the group named SA, known on SoundCloud as SoundsofSA, is paving a way in the Brooklyn indie music scene. Ananth has a background in Indian classical music and an education from Berklee College of Music. She’s been performing as SA for the past year doing gigs all over the east coast.
The music of SA is nothing less than what I’d call “experienced.” “Pogathe” is filled with tasteful vocal melisma and saucy guitar tone. The chorus has an emphatic quality as Ananth stretches the word “Pogathe” (or in English, “Don’t leave”) with a rise and quick fall. The sophisticated rhythms and jazzy piano are a delicious bed as Ananth dances over with the lyrics that make you question what she might really be singing about – a lover, a friend, a memory, maybe something entirely internal? What I do know is that this song is pretty damn sexy, and I am confident that SA has a sound you’d be wise to keep on your radar.
SA’s debut EP, Indian Soul, is coming out Friday, February 13 and will be celebrated with a live performance from the group at the infamous Blue Note Jazz Club in Manhattan on the same evening.
Courtney Barnett is one busy Australian. She’s a record label owner, visual artist, and of course a singing, songwriting, guitar-playing musician. If her 2013 release The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas left you in desperate need of an official album from the Melbourne musician, the wait is nearly over: Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit will be released viaMom + Pop Music on March 24th.
Barnett has also released the album’s first single, “Pedestrian At Best.” The accompanying video is a hilarious, self-deprecating portrayal of fame and the anxieties it produces, revealed in lines such as “What are we going to do when everything falls through?” and “Put me on a pedestal, and I’ll only disappoint you.” Barnett plays a sad clown at a fair who wears a “Clown of the Year 2013” badge, and just can’t catch a break. She’s ignored by the crowds in favor of 2014’s Clown of the Year and jipped by an unimpressed ticket-taker. The members of her band appear in the video as well, booing her as she makes balloon animals, crashing into her on a go-kart course, and stealing her money. “I must confess I’ve made a mess of what should be a small success,” she sings in her signature, composed ramble, over crashing cymbals and crunchy power chords.
Even if her time in the spotlight hasn’t been so easy, at least it inspired some killer songs. Check out “Pedestrian At Best” below:
We’ve all been a bit dizzied by Toronto song man Slim Twig lately. He’s been on a roll reissuing his pop-opera opus A Hound at the Hem, touring the mid and North Easts of the country, and never letting the creative juices run dry. We had a chance to catch up with Slim (or Max Turnbull if you prefer his mortal name) to see what’s up next, and why being weird is always better.
AudioFemme: So you just finished up a tour; how did it go? Any funny stories?
Slim Twig: It went well. I’m still very much in the throes of building an audience, so there remains a certain amount of crowd fluctuation between shows. The important thing is that the band sounds great, and we’re able to win the attention of anyone who has shown up.Funny tour stories normally involve some element of band stupidity or (modest) debauchery, so I think those are best saved for personal conversation. I have a band like any other, we like to get in trouble from time to time. Mostly we’re alright.
AF: I didn’t recognize anything from A Hound at the Hem when you played at Cake Shop the other week…was the set you played the beginnings of a new record?
ST: It’s funny you say that. The songs off Hound are so densely arranged, it’s heavy slogging trying to arrange for rock n’ roll quartet. I was very pleased that we were able to perform two songs off that record in our set off this last tour… It felt like an achievement of some kind. They are of course re-arranged somewhat to suit what we travel as so if you had your ears perked up for those lovely string quartet moments off the record, you may have missed those tunes completely! It’s something of a point of pride to give an audience that’s come and paid to hear my tunes something that they wouldn’t have encountered on the record… What’s the point otherwise? I think I’m somewhat in the minority in this practice nowadays, many bands seem content to play faithful versions accompanied by backing tracks. To answer your question a little more directly, yes many of the songs you would have heard are off the forthcoming album which is just finished. Very excited to be playing this new stuff.
AF: Hound has gotten a lot of well-deserved attention lately because of the DFA reissue. It really is a fantastic record! For a lot of us it’s a new discovery, but you recorded it a few years ago…what’s it like promoting something that you wrapped up a while back? Do you see it in a different light now?
ST: It’s been an odd journey, but I’ve been very pleased with the reception of this older record. I’m prideful of the fact that the album is not easily pigeonholed, and I keep this in mind whenever my mind strays to why its path has been an unanticipated one.It has been an odd feeling of deja vu trying to engender excitement for something that is a clear product of my younger mind, especially for someone whose musical vision is constantly in motion as mine seems to be. In some ways this album marks a new beginning in my music making, so it’s logical that it’s the introduction for most people to my music.
AF: What has your relationship with DFA been like? They seem to really believe in your work. After I bought the pink version of the Hound LP online Kris sent me a thank you email and put me on the list for your Palisades show. He said buying your album showed ‘discerning tastes.’ It sounds like you really won them over!
ST: In one of my first meetings with DFA, Jonathan Galkin (who runs the label along with Kris) told me to ‘keep the music as weird as possible.’ This was the best encouragement for someone like me, as I took it to mean ‘continue deeper into your own vision’… I don’t think many musicians are working under such a cushy pretext anymore. I suppose they knew what they were getting into being that I was drawn into the fold via a Black Dice connection. In any case, I’m blessed and right where I need to be.
AF: At your set at Cake Shop you introduced a song by saying: ‘This song is about not fetishizing the past.’ What do you mean by that?
ST: Especially in the rock idiom, there seems to be an assumption that all the best music has been and gone. I have a giant classic rock fixation, so I too am guilty of this train of thought every so often. I do feel though that it is this way of thinking itself, that prevents a context for new sounds to break through and seem as vital as the old sounds. Some of my music is concerned with this battle between mining the past for inspiration (the only concrete source of inspiration in a literal sense), and the desire to transcend those elements… I think contemporary rock culture could do with a good dose of killing one’s idols. The trouble is once having killed one’s idols, there’s a tendency to also do away with melody, structure, clever lyrics and a more ambitious approach to production. I have a fondness for all those elements that many punkier folk will simply do away with in an effort to not repeat the classics.
AF: Who are some of your favorite contemporary artists?
ST: I can admire anyone who has their own vision, not to say that they can’t betray influences – but any distinct voice that rises through the murk is appreciated. U.S. Girls, Danava, Zacht Automaat, Jack Name, Jennifer Herrema, Ghost Box artists & Eric Copeland are some good examples of modern stuff I can go deep with.
AF: Can you speak about your artistic relationship with your wife Meghan Remy? You seem to have a very crucial role in each other’s work.
ST: Basically we just have totally opposite creative sensibilities. Meghan is driven by a very deep emotional place in her music, where my process is a lot more cerebral (if you couldn’t tell by my longwinded answers). Not to say that those tracks don’t intersect, but often times we serve to widen each other’s vision. Obviously, there’s a great personal rapport that makes this process highly enjoyable and repeatable. It’s a good situation.
AF: Where are some places you’d really like to tour that you haven’t had a chance to visit yet?
ST: Italy. Italy. Italy. Have done much of Europe a handful of times, but never Italy. Japan too, though I hate to fly so it’s a bit of a tall order.
AF: From what I’ve read your whole family is creative. Did making art ever seem like an option for you, or was it simply a necessity?
ST: It’s just part of the culture of how I came up. It was never enforced of course, but it’s very natural to always have a project on the go. Any way of life that doesn’t accommodate constant creativity would seem awfully dull in my view.
AF: What’s up next for Slim Twig?
ST: Dragging an appropriation of rock ‘n’ roll kicking and screaming into a place free of cliche, sexism and trod on association. Wish me luck!
AF: GOOD LUCK!!! We’d expect nothing less from you. Keep that fire burning.
I live in Brooklyn. Despite years in the entertainment industry, I don’t know L.A. So if I were to die there, I imagine it would be in the air above in a plane crash or by having given into all my vices and overdosed in a mansion dressed still wearing my black leather pants. Either option sends me out at the rock star age of 27. That’s just where my morbid mind goes.
Lower Dens are an “entropics” band from Baltimore. “To Die in L.A.” is hot off their forthcoming third album Escape from Evil, to be released on March 31 via Ribbon Music. A preview of what to expect from the whole damn thing, “To Die in L.A.” is dark; it’s whimsical. The voice of Jana Hunter reverberates loud and bold over an experimental track that standing alone could work as the theme for an indie horror flick. “I wish I could count on you…” echos Hunter’s vocals in the opening line.
Lower Dens will play a release show at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn on Tuesday, March 31. Buy tickets here.
When I looked at their band name, I expected Ghastly Menace to be some kind of punk group, or possible a metal or grunge outfit. But you can’t always judge a band by its name, and I didn’t hear anything ghastly or menacing. Instead, what came through my speakers was a debut album from a lo-fi pop band, reminiscent of Grizzly Bear or The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.
Ghastly Menace is now a six-piece band from Chicago. After members Andy Schroeder and Chris Geick released their 2010 EP Pitcairn, they added Kody Nixon, Michael Heringhaus, Pat Lawler, and Clint Weber for their first official album, Songs of Ghastly Menace, released through The Record Machine on January 27th.
For a band’s debut, it’s impressive. Ghastly Menace has figured out their own style, but even within it, they show range and depth. The album starts out strong with its first two singles, “80s” and “Closing,” full of catchy and layered with infectious drums, well-placed guitar hooks, keyboard melodies and bass that glides along beneath it all. The record changes pace with the next two tracks. “You let me do too many things without you/ Know I don’t know how to do them with you,” is sung in harmony on the quiet, “Living Together,” which builds up slowly but always returns to its original tone. In “While You’re Here,” the vocals are laid bare, with only light shakes of percussion and occasional background noise before the track builds up. The only song that sounds out of place on Songs of Ghastly Menace is the seventh track “She Won’t Stay Long,” a piano ballad that breaks the tone of the rest of the record.
Ghastly Menace is able to find a perfect balance with their first album- music that’s low-key without being lazy, vocals that are sleepy without putting you to sleep, and the ability to keep calm without being emotionless. There’s also some interesting sound effects scattering through the record. The band has said that they use “non-instrumental sounds and techniques” on the album, which left me unable to guess what some cool sounds were, but I’m pretty sure someone sacrificed a glass or two while recording “On Our Way.” Whatever sonic experiment Ghastly Menace is conducting, it’s a success.
You can download Songs of Ghastly Menace here, and check out “Closing” below!
Carmen Villain’s voice projects the vibes of a psychedelic witch, singing in a spooky fog-covered lagoon, especially in her new track, “Quietly.” Its counter track, “Let it Go”, sounds like its mostly-instrumental sequel. This half Norwegian/half Mexican babe is about to embark on an UK tour with Neneh Cherry, and there is no doubt that she will be wooing audiences with her hypnotizing dream-like performance. I had the chance to ask Carmen a few questions about her growth as an artist, style inspirations, and cover song choices. Take a gander.
AudioFemme: How has your sound changed and grown since the release of Sleeper?
Carmen Villain:It’s still evolving all the time, but there’s definitely some elements that have been left behind, but I have also taken some of them further. I think there’s a bit more light in my music now. Really trying to let most of it pass the song test: whether they can be stripped back to their core and still work. Also been working with different recording techniques and been re-amping a lot, sampling, and also adding some new instruments, like the piano.
AF: What things inspired you while recording the “Quietly / Let it Go” 7”?
CV: Just life and my surroundings. I had just moved back to Oslo from London when I wrote these, so they are definitely influenced by these changes. “Quietly” came about by just messing about with different tunings and just playing for hours in my apartment during winter. “Let Go” was the result of a walk by the seaside (I had missed this a lot in London!) in which I recorded all these seagulls and my dog going bananas. I later took these recordings and played around with drones and different frequencies, and the melodies came from there.AF: A while back you covered Kurt Vile’s “Childish Prodigy.” Are there any other artists you have been covering lately or would like to?
CV: (We covered “He’s Allright”!:) ) I haven’t covered anyone for a while, but at rehearsals we sometimes finish off with TLC’s “Creep” just to blow off some steam!
AF: Based on videos, it seems like in the past you have had other musicians playing with you on stage, and more recently you have been performing alone. Are you going to be solo for your upcoming dates with Neneh Cherry?
CV: Yeah we used to be a four piece a while back to be able to play the way the songs were arranged on Sleeper, but the new stuff is a lot more flexible, so can be performed in different ways. Sometimes solo, sometimes three of us, and right now on this tour there’s two of us, myself and Mona.
AF: Tell us about who you chose to be accompanying you on stage on this upcoming tour.
CV: I’m really lucky to have Mona come along with me on this one, she plays additional guitar, keys and sings. Mona is also part of a duo of her own called Mona & Maria, they make beautiful folky pop. Maria used to play with me, but she’s on maternity leave right now.
AF: Your style rules. Who are some musicians that inspire what you wear while performing?
CV: Why thanks! Hmm can’t say there’s anyone well known in particular, maybe mostly my friends. I guess I just wear what feels comfortable at the time.
AF: If you could go back in time to be an artist during any era of music, which would it be?
CV: I’m good where I am!
AF: What’s on your everyday playlist as of 2015?
CV: Dean Blunt, Jessica Pratt, Grouper, Connan Mockasin, Todd Rundgren, Crosby Stills Nash, Ras G, Kurt Vile, Alice Coltrane, Harold Budd…
AF: Any talks of a tour or any shows in the US in the near future?
CV: US tour is right at the top of my wish list, so going to be working hard to make that happen!
Hayden has released his first single “Nowhere We Cannot Go” from his forthcoming eighth full-length album Hey Love. The Toronto-based musician humbly pulls back the curtain allowing listeners into his heart and home studio with the elated lyrics and conquering piano, saved from the accidental corniness that sometimes happens with triumphant ballads with rock ‘n’ roll shreds of synthesizer and electric guitar.
“It’s been so rough, we have been through more than enough / But without this love, there would be no reason for either of us,” reminds Hayden. In an industry of cynicism such encouragement may be hard to believe, but then you learn that the Canadian spent this fall making music with his wife Christie Greyerbiehl who happens to throw benefits for Toronto’s Beverley St. School for developmentally disabled children. We look forward to hearing the rest of Hey Love to investigate further what lies behind those kind eyes, ’cause when this guy tells you there’s nowhere we can’t go, we tend to believe him.
Dream-pop, garage-rock, black-punk. In an era where the blogosphere battles to name genres, sometimes it’s nice to simply return to rock ‘n’ roll, which is just what we have for you in the first Artist of the Month profile of the new year. “As cliche as that is, I think that’s what we’re going for. A fun rock and roll band,” said Penny, a newly-minted member of the Oklahoma rock group, who recently joined with her partner Mandy, adding a much appreciated feminine flavor. They do after all, have a sky-rocketing new album titled Just Enough Hip to be Woman.
BRONCHOperforms at Beacon Theatre tonight supporting the one and only Billy Idol. Shortly before they hit the road, Sophie Saint Thomas caught up with Penny as she was getting ready to embark on a six-week tour.
ST: What is your experience with touring?
P: Honestly, I’ve loved it since I started doing it. I went on my first tour as a solo artist with another friend of mine who was also a solo artist at that time. I just love it, I love traveling. I love kind of having everything I need with me girl scout style. I see it as not much different than outdoor survival camping. I just kind of see it as the urban woods.
ST: Is this the first tour you guys as a group have done together?
P: No, Mandy and I just joined the band this last summer. We did our first tour with the guys I believe in August. It was like a five week run. We were basically touring from August to December with a few breaks and then we had December off, and now we’re at it again.
ST: How did you end up joining the band?
P: I’ve known Ryan for a few years now. I grew up in Norman, which is the town that they’re based in. Where they were hanging out and went to school. So I had hosted house shows at my house with them, and I’ve been to a lot of shows, just between musical mutual friends I guess. When I met Mandy we started playing music together. I heard that their old bass player was leaving the band. So I kind of pursued it a little bit, and six to eight months later I talked to Ryan, and he invited both of us to be in the band which is awesome because we live together and we’re partners. She’s kind of the only thing that keeps me from being on the road. So it’s really awesome to be able to bring her with me.
ST: How is it being with all those guys?
P: It’s good. The bands I previously was working with and touring with was much different. Musically, and also socially I played with two girls. And so I was mainly traveling with three girls which was a totally different experience. All three of us were around the 21-24 age so needless to say we were kind of crazy all over the place. I think the energy of this current group is like… I just feel like they’re my brothers. I have always been a tomboy so we just feel really comfortable.
ST: “Class Historian” is really blowing up and getting a lot of attention. How has that experience been?
P: I definitely feel lucky to be with them at this time. I’ve been watching these guys tour kind of parallel to my former musical life, and to be able to be in this band at this moment in time is pretty amazing. I do my best to not take too much credit for any of the actual success that’s going on right now. But it is super exciting. And I’m just constantly being flattered by people always hearing it on the XM Radio or wherever they’ve heard it. It’s kind of far out; We had a spot in the local paper recently, which was definitely the first time I’ve been called out like: “You’re that girl in that band!” It’s very weird, it’s very new, I’m trying not to get too used to it.
ST: I hope you’re enjoying it!
P: Definitely. I’m just trying to let it in and let it be real.
ST: I’m sure you and Mandy joining has changed the dynamic, can you speak to what you’ve brought to the band?
P: One obvious change is certainly the vocal presence. I think we’re moving to a really awesome place vocally where Mandy and I get to be sort of this more angelic presence over kind of the rougher vocals of the guys. It rounds it out really well. I was definitely worried at first about the former fans…I don’t know, it’s probably just girl insecurity. I never wanted people to be like, “Oh you’re good for a girl.” I think especially as the bass player like their former bass player, I respect him a lot. So the first show I was definitely watching a lot of people like, “You approve right?” I’m less about seeking approval now, and I’m just having a really good time with the guys. I’m no longer feeling like I don’t fit in anymore.
ST: I enjoy the female aspect; I love how it’s all come together. The album title Just Enough Hip to be Woman – were you part of the creation?
P: I honestly was not there but I totally can imagine how it came up, and it was probably the guys and some friends totally joking around and one of them probably said it in one way and another one said it in another way and then it went around in circles because it’s worded so strangely. I thought it was funny when I found out what it was because I didn’t even hear the new record or know the title until he had already asked me to be in the band. So part of me was like “Maybe he knew…” but I don’t think that he did. I think it’s just that perfect.
ST: How would you label your sound? I’ve read the term “garage punk” thrown around a lot on the internet.
P: Anytime we’re asked that at a border crossing, because they always ask “What band are you in?” and then “What kind of music do you play?” We all collectively answer with “rock and roll.” As cliche as that is, I think that’s what we’re going for. A fun rock and roll band. We’re all just having fun and ideally we just want everyone in the audience to be loose and crazy. I think “punk” is a bit of a stretch I think “garage rock and roll” is kind of where it’s at.
ST: Well, rock and roll is a cliche for a reason, it’s great. Are you excited to play with Billy Idol?
P: Yeah, I’m so stoked.
ST: Well congrats on everything that’s happening, and thanks for taking the time to speak with me.
All I want is a hot toddy, but the more patient half of me says now’s not the time to order one. Despite my polite efforts and hacking cough, something of greater urgency than a breathing statistic of flu season needs tending to.
The bartender zips along the length of the counter clamping a cordless phone between her ear and shoulder. Her bar back frantically cleans tumblers and disappears periodically. Meanwhile Max Turnbull and his wife Meghan Remy (aka Slim Twig and his wife U.S. Girls) are schlepping amplifiers through the front door of Cake Shop 20 minutes after opener Ryan Sambol-who is sitting right next to me-is supposed to start.
It’s been a rough night for everyone.
Things settle down. The bar is calm. I have booze; the warm, honey and lemon accessorized kind that allows you to be a lush and say “this is good for me!” at the same time.
I am now wedged between a Tinder date and a semi-bilingual French-lesson date (how you say, Tinder?) taking notes in my journal, which I’m sure doesn’t look odd at all. I might as well be chiseling a stone tablet and wearing badger fur.
Collecting cash and stamping hands for the evening is Cake Shop co-owner Andy Bodor, perched on a stool by the venue door. Ryan Sambol emerges from downstairs, despondently shaking his head:
“You know what man, I don’t even wanna play tonight.”
Bodor looks shattered.
“What do you mean???”
“Y’know, it’s just, I come all the way from Texas and I just don’t think….”
I realize that though the dust from earlier has settled, a whole new sandstorm is about to kick up; and then Sambol cracks a smile.
“I’m just kidding!!!” Bodor sighs: “Jesus man, you really got me there.”
Two warm alcohols deep I make my way to the show space. I’m met by a hush crowd politely watching the tricky Texan. It’s not easy to captivate audiences these days, and it’s even harder to do so with such modest and arcane things like a guitar and microphone, but Sambol seems to have this covered. It doesn’t hurt that he’s a good lookin’ boy from the Lone Star State with a voice like Nashville Skyline era Dylan.
His stage presence reminds me of a less-tortured Jeff Buckley…a more lighthearted, plucky Buckley, if you will. Buckleyness aside, Sambol’s ability to work a room makes sense: he’s been in the biz for over a decade. He helped form The Strange Boys as an eighth grader and subsequently toured with everyone from Julian Casablancas to Spoon. After Strange Boys dissolved in 2012, Sambol and co. reemerged as Living Grateful releasing two LPs in 2014. I’ve yet to find anything about a forthcoming solo record from Sambol, but if one ever surfaces it will probably sound like his live set: sweet, melty and melancholy.
Sambol played a mix of originals as well as a few covers, announcing them with familial ease: “You can thank Sly Stone for that one.” And I guess we can thank Mr. Sambol for coming all the way from Texas and playing after all.
During the set, I couldn’t help but notice Meg Remy and Max Turnbull at the end of the bar. It made me wonder if it’s difficult to tour with your spouse. Do you bicker over who’s headlining? Take turns on merch table duty? Get jealous when your better half’s record sells more copies than yours? I guess it depends, but judging by the highly collaborative artistic relationship Remy and Turnbull have had, they seem pretty supportive. They lugged the gear together, and played integral roles in each other’s performances for the night.
U.S. Girls was up next. For those unfamiliar with Remy’s music, it is paradoxical in many ways. She goes by a plural, so you’d expect a full band, or at the very least a duo. You wouldn’t guess it was just her by listening to GEM, her FATCAT release from 2012, which is full-bodied, textural and pleasantly schizophrenic.
The self-sufficient musical project is far more achievable these days given the ease of home recording and distribution, but it does make for an interesting dilemma; how does one perform live? According to Meg Remy: with a Moog and a microphone
It doesn’t sound great on paper, but it’s difficult to describe someone like Remy, who might be made of charisma. A bit dazed while performing, she is focused and calculated. Her body language and voice seem siphoned straight from the 1960s, and I wonder if she really is in trance-watching a mirage of Nancy Sinatra at the back of the room and mirroring her every shimmy.
An equally enigmatic musician, Max Turnbull recorded his sinister pop-opera A Hound at the Hem all the way back in 2010 as a contract fulfillment to Paper Bag records. Unfortunately Paper Bag deemed it too weird, causing Turnbull to shelve the LP and record Sof’ Sike instead. Hound did have a limited co-release via Pleasance Records and Remy/Turnbull’s own imprint Calico Corp, but it was reissued last year thanks to New York’s own DFA records. DFA saw the album’s brilliance and pressed 600 copies-100 of them on Pepto Bismol pink vinyl.
Hound is a complex and beautiful record. It’s been called chamber pop, psych rock and garnered many other comparisons. As an impulse evaluation I’d say there are heavy notes of Nick Cave and Van Dyke Parks throughout.
If you didn’t know the chronology of Hound’s lifespan, you might be surprised to see Slim Twig live. On the album’s sleeve is a clean-shaven kid with a pompadour. Behind the microphone at Cake Shop was a mustached matchstick with long tangled hair. Ever evolving, Turnbull’s look wasn’t the only thing drastically different from his Hound days. His set didn’t include any songs from the album, which I must admit bummed me out a little.
That’s not to say the music wasn’t exciting and well played, but it was much more straight-forward seventies rock n’ roll- a far cry from the bizzarro orchestra of Hound. That being said, I can sympathize with a musician not wanting to play songs written five years ago.
Slim Twig’s set was both humble and satirically contradictory. “This song’s about not fetishizing the past” was an intro that struck me as aggressively ironic, since fetishizing the past is what millennials, including myself-are best at.
Though the set was more melodic than I’d expected, there was no shortage of precision and energy. And fortunately, any deficit of strangeness was made up for by the little eccentricities that can only be experienced at a live show. While introducing one song Turnbull curtly quipped: “This song is about Jesus Christ.” To my left a middle-aged Hasidic man clapped and cheered in his seat, occasionally using his cocktail straw as a conductor’s wand; other times bringing it to his lips to take a long drag.
Stage Hands is a Johnstown, PA-based project made up of multimedia artist/producer Brandon Locher and drummer/producer Gerald Mattis. The duo started making music together in 2013, and are releasing their debut LP, Stage Hands, on February 10 through the PA music archive My Idea of Fun.
The self-titled LPis only 26 minutes long. It’s a quick listen, but hard to get out of your head once you’re done. The sound is hard to pin down; it’s busy, but also ambient, soothing, but energetic and danceable. Key tracks are “The Populating of Empty Space,” which builds up slowly into a catchy, funky melody, and the contemplative, keyboard-heavy “Adaptive Lines.”
“It’s snowing styrofoam/ A drone in every home/ For the holidays,” and “Am I just imagining these variant rhythms/ Of antidisestablishmentarianism?”The One and Only Matt Miller sings on the creeping “#unabomber,” the only track with vocals. Other musicians that appear on Stage Hands are Jon Livingston, who played piano on “Stage Hands,” Jon Beard, who contributed drum engineering for “#unabomber,” and Sean Jackson, who played synths on tracks “Adaptive Lines,” “Regardless,” and “#unabomber.”
If you’re wondering how they’ll be able to pull this sound off live, you’ll be able to see for yourself the day before their record drops. Stage Hands will playing at the Brooklyn DIY venue The Silent Barn on February 9, along with Tallesen, Jono Mi Lo, Middle Grey and Dean Cercone. For a preview, check out a video of Stage Hands below:
If you’ve ever wondered what the perfect song for cloud-watching would be, this is it: “Fleece” by GABI is one of the track’s on the singer’s upcoming album, Sympathy. Gabrielle Herbst’s voice floats gentle by, sometimes as a whisper, other times soaring. A distant roll of percussion, droning strings, and the rustling of keys join her in a crescendo, before a chorus of horns swirl around the settling sounds. It’s quietly breathtaking, but only she knows: does “Fleece” represent a beautiful moment, or just the calm before the storm?
The first single “Black Cat White Cat,” from Annalibera’s debut full-length Nevermind I Love You is here. Have you ever had an experience I’ve heard referred to as a “crygasm,” where you’re crying so hard you burst out laughing, shaken awake with the knowledge that even though your life situation may be currently twisted and fucked up, that the absurdity is actually rather hilarious because it’s all going to be okay? Our track of the week, the tune for the blizzard, sounds like that: a crygasm. Not to mention, it’s named after a couple of cats, and who doesn’t want to curl up with a couple of cats while working from home and questioning life decisions as our city is blanketed with snow and pelted with ice?
According to Anna Gebhardt of Annaliberna, the voice and mastermind behind the track, “It became an anthem for me about how we all treat the ones we love like shit sometimes, and wishing I could go back and treat everyone I love as perfectly as they deserve and enjoy every moment I ever had with them, instead of focusing on the future.”
Gebhardt studied classical music in college, and after being thrown into the fine arts found herself seeking salvation in her creations, such as the synth-enhanced folk tune “Black Cat White Cat.” The folk influence is a nod to her roots, Gebhardt spent her childhood on a farm in Nebraska.
So grab your cat, stock up on wine and grilled cheese supplies, and hunker down for the blizzard to the soaring joyful melodies paired with dark lyrics of human flaw and redemption.
Nevermind I Love You is set for release via Sump Pump Records on March 24. Listen to “Black Cat White Cat” below.
I remember my friend was explaining to me that she needed to listen to EDM music when life became too chaotic for her, that these concerts provided the setting for her to let go. While this may be true for some people, I’ve always found solace in listening to music that would almost- if not actually-make me cry. Meditation suggests that slow, mellow music is excessively pleasurable because it provides equanimity, uniforming your mind in aggravating times. My newly founded melodic remedy comes from two-piece band, The Maravines, out of the Garden State.
Now although 2014 was a big year for the Frozen soundtrack, it has been equally as exceptional for New Jersey artists, without being overshadowed by our neighboring sleepless city. Slowly New Jersey has been stapling their music scene on the map, with incredible artists emerging like The Gaslight Anthem, Titus Andronicus, and The Front Bottoms. The Maravines deserve a broader audience, after proving caliber like these NJ greats with the release of their sophomore album, Distelfink (released Jan. 18).
The Maravines is a dyad of Chris Lee as their lead singer and guitarist with Evan Pope on drums. Their sophomore album lured me into a spell-binding space of New Jersey dreamin’ and flawless transitions.
Pretty sweet that the band is based near my home in Northern New Jersey. I’m assuming “Flowers on Tonelle” refers to a road five miles from my house where I grew up. And their folk-y, indie vibes brings me back to the simpler times when I would listen to all the new independent bands emerging throughout high school. I genuinely loved all the tracks and not only for their individual appeal, but how truly elegant the songs strung together. And although the album isn’t overwhelmingly complex, meticulous- the music is pretty goddamn mosaic to create this 9-track drifted artistry.
“Giants” gave me a nostalgic shock syndrome. It became for me what “New Slang” was for so many indie-enthusiasts nearly two decades ago. And I’m not saying The Maravines are in any way following the steps or mimicking the sounds of The Shins or The Decemberists, but rather creating a new vibration to be discovered and appreciated. Lee’s voice is thick, yet sotto voce- pleasant to the backround of Pope’s warm percussions. Totally perfect for their leakage of mellow, sometimes slightly haunting lyrics- “I’d sell my soul my darling I have said, for you all lain and sprawled out on my bed. But the devil won’t pay, I’m missing parts, he knows it’s you who has stole my heart.” From “Missing Parts,” the lyrics as well as the guitar presence is absolutely beautiful, prolonged sustains- perfect. I also can’t be sure if “Maryland” refers to a girl, the state, or somehow both but Distelfink actually refers to a diner in Pennsylvania Lee took a polaroid of (also the name of a bird that serves as a lucky charm for the locals). Until now, I haven’t figured out which of the three states (NJ, PA, MD) might have influenced the band the most.
Whether you’re coming off the NJ Transit bus or buying flowers from that elderly Spanish woman on Tonelle, check out the dreamy vibrations that The Maravines have to offer. By way of 400 Mint Records, you can also catch them at Parkside Lounge in two months. Until then, show some love and stream their new album here.
Also enjoy an acoustic session of “Third Floor Statue” and “Giants.”
Their name sounds like a spooky New England town, but The Midnight Hollow is actually a New York City rock band who recently premiered a new single.
“Walls” is an optimistic approach to their brooding psych-pop that singer Spencer Draeger describes as “more focused and colorful” than the group’s previous work. The single is a dense yet lively track, layered in synths and wavering guitar, and pulls off being both meditative and dynamic. They haven’t lost any of their edge that earned them the title of “Band To Watch” from Stereogum or “Best New Release” from Spotify. Like any great band that sticks around, their sound is just evolving into something different. For The Midnight Hollow, that means something brighter and more grounded. As Draeger has said: “It feels good to pull open the curtains and color up the darkness.”
The band formed in the summer of 2012, and released their first EP, Self-Titled in 2014 after contributing a track for a Zappruder Records compilation in 2013. Draeger writes the band’s songs and plays all instruments on recordings, except for the drums which are supplied by Andrew Segreti. On stage, they’re joined by Matt Leibowitz on bass, Vahak Janbazian on percussion, and Katie Campo on keys.
“Walls” will be on The Midnight Hollow’s upcoming EP, For The People Inside, available in February. You can also catch them in person on March 6th, when they’ll be playing at the Mercury Lounge with The Bright Light Social Hour. In the meantime, listen to “Walls” below!
