Bands Through Town Magazine, Issue 7 by bandsthroughtown

The undefinable venerable Singer/songwriter has a ‘prescription for dreamers’

The Greeting Committee Blinded by Stereo

motherfolk • Destroy Boys • beats + eats with John Perkins of Juniper DES7GNMGZ

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2022

Erykah Badu

Hiatus Kaiyote * Kamasi Washington * The Urge * Rose Royce

Keyon Harrold feat. Black Milk, Chris “Daddy” Dave, Alex Isley & More BJ The Chicago Kid * Murphy Lee and Kyjuan of St. Lunatics

Foxing * The Bosman Twins * Seviin Li Honoring Tina Turner Lamar Harris’s Georgia Mae * The Kasimu-tet * Reggie Son * NandoSTL Jazz St. Louis “Celebrating Montez Coleman” * Saint Boogie Brass Band Dylan Triplett * Super Hero Killer * The Henry Townsend Acoustic Blues Showcase feat. Sharon Bear Foehner & Doug Foehner with Chuck “Popcorn” Louden & special guest Eric McSpadden + St. Louis Steady Grinders: Ethan Leinwand & “Miss Jubilee” Valerie Jo with Mat Wilson

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2022

Gary Clark Jr.

Buddy Guy * JJ Grey & Mofro * Robert Glasper & special guest Terrace Martin Oteil & Friends feat. Steve Kimock, Eric Krasno, Melvin Seals & Johnny Kimock

Booker T. Jones * George Porter Jr. & Dumpstaphunk perform The Meters John Scofield * The Motet * Seratones * Southern Avenue * Celisse Taylor McFerrin * Joe Louis Walker * Peter Martin Trio * Hip Grease Ronnie Burrage & Holographic Principle featuring St. Louis All-Stars: Quincy Troupe, Greg Osby, Eric Person, Lynne Fiddmont, Kelvin Bell, J.D. Parran & Kevin Batchelor * Lady J Huston presents “The Albert King Alumni Tribute Show” Soulard Blues Band * Lydia Caesar * Emily Wallace & Adam Maness * Tracer feat. Ptah Williams

FEATURING

M U S I C AT T H E I N T E R S E C T I O N . O R G

CONTENTS

#07 Issue

GRAND CENTER’S MUSIC FESTIVAL BACK FOR A SECOND YEAR

In April of 2019, Valerie June sold out Blueberry Hill Duck Room, easily. The Tennessean singer/songwriter returned to St. Louis and played a near-capacity Delmar Hall. Cover photography by Cory Weaver

24 ON THE COVER

PUMP IT UP STL’S POWER FOURSOME

18 KC’S INDIE ROCK BY COMMITTEE

WORD TO YOUR MOTHER(FOLK)

TURN IT UP: ALBUM REVIEWS

BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE

BEATS + EATS

SOUTHERN-FRIED POT LUCK

Matthew Chambers

Alex Bakken

Writer

contributors Sean Rider

Wil Thomas

Melanie Broussalian

Photographer

Writer/Coordinator

Writer

Sharon Stone Thurmer Writer

Mike Palguta Writer

www.bandsthroughtown.com instagram.com/bandsthroughtown

facebook.com/bandsthroughtown

STAFF

Mark Rolf

Writer

Writer/Asst. Editor

Editor & Writer

Producer & Editor Brian Amick

Madisyn Siebert

Jennifer Rolf

Cory Weaver

Editorial

After the last Bands Through Town showcase with Mobley, Jesus Christ Supercar and Various Blonde at Alpha Brewing sold out, it was obvious that we were doing something cool—and doing cool shit isn’t easy—but, you have to keep going. So, at the moment you pick up this issue, you either saw or missed Bands Through Town’s third showcase featuring, Hembree, Dante Elephante and Post Sex Nachos at Off Broadway on June 16. This was our biggest showcase thus far and equally exciting as the previous showcase. Bringing three out-of-town bands to play a show is something I’ve never done before, but don’t fret, we’ll get a local STL band on the next showcase in September. Being the region’s exclusive music-only print magazine is heavy. So, to make things heavier, we’ve printed a thousand copies and not only are distributing this issue around STL and KC, but we’re distributing to Nashville as well. Crazy? Yes. But, remember, we’re doing cool shit and music lovers, bands and the bands’ publicists are loving it too. We’ve joined forces with KCLC, 89.1 FM out of Lindenwood University. They are STL’s only true alternative/indie rock radio station, and they rock. We have big things planned for the future of music coverage in St. Louis, so stay tuned: 89.1.

This issue graciously published with the assistance of Ken Howard. Find him at https://kenhoward.zenfolio.com/

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Late Nights in the Middle of March: Dreamland with the Glass Animals All of us born before the year 2000 remember the bulky home computer that lived in its own room in the house and all the troubles that came with it: dialing up the internet, downloads taking actual hours and the joyous noises the computer emitted as it did its best to keep up with the demand of running just one program. Glass Animals imitated these memories on March 23 at The Factory with a display set up on stage projecting the screen and bulky frame of this computer and a dialogue box “downloading” the performance. The loading bar fluctuated from the time span of two days to minutes, before it finally loaded and the cursor opened the “new software”—the cue for the band to emerge from the side stage. The band opened up its set with “Dreamland,” the album’s title track and conveniently its first song. The album dropped in 2020 and is still in high demand, especially considering the sold-out crowd at The Factory. People waited in line for nearly an hour to just get inside the venue and out of the rain. The fans were dedicated and that was easy to see. We were immediately whisked away into the British band’s imaginary land, where the ‘90s lived on forever with the computer generating family pictures and videos displayed during “Youth,” and during the song “Tokyo Drifting” they generated an old-school car racing game. The set itself was decorated with a couple neon signs, a kiddie pool, a fake palm tree and a basketball hoop— things reminiscent of simpler days. Besides the props, the stage was outlined with two sets of lights that truly helped make the show a more immersive experience, drawing the audience in through the patterns and colors.

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The band had impeccable energy, going from one song to the next, feeding off of the crowd. Not many words were spoken by lead vocalist Dave Bayley when he wasn’t singing, but when he did speak, it was mostly praises of thanks and excitement. You could just see how much fun Bayley was having on stage throughout the show, dancing and engaging with the crowd by having them sing, clap and dance with him. The band was also in on the fun, having fake ends to the songs just to get the crowd amped back up again when they would begin playing, and adding in new riffs and beats to existing songs that you will only be fortunate to hear live. You could just see how they were soaking up the energy of the crowd and then pouring it right back out to the mass of people in front of them. Although we are closing in on the two-year anniversary of Dreamland’s release, it is still very easy to see the impact Glass Animals has made. “Heat Waves,” the album’s breakout single, made history when it reached the monumental achievement of being a chart topper for nearly 60 weeks in a row—and more than a year after its release! If you ask me, the entire album has recontextualized the band’s discography that came before it. Listening to Glass Animals’ older songs live, it was almost difficult not to think about them within Dreamland. Songs like “Take A Slice,” “Season 2 Episode 3” and their ever-popular “Gooey” all now exist in the nostalgia-filled world the band has created. Very rarely do we get the opportunity to find our nostalgia before it hits the past, but Glass Animals gave us something special here. Be sure to catch these guys live, or even just throw Dreamland on during a summer afternoon, because before you know it you’ll be thinking back to this time too.

Story: Madisyn Siebert Photo: Sean Rider

POWER POP PASSION PLAYERS

Blinded by Stereo Story: Alex Bakken Photos: Cory Weaver

B It all started in the waterbed…well, at least that’s how Jake would say it all started. You’d probably get a different answer from Matt, Tyler, or Eric, and they’d all definitely rag on Jake for bringing up the waterbed in the first place. But we’ll get back to that. So where did it actually start?

Well, I guess the proper origin would be Los Angeles in the faraway year of 2019… Matt Riddle was a guitarist without a band. Every lead singer in L.A. dreamt of making their own band, so what did they do? They made their own band. And then, after about a month, when they didn’t want to put in the work, they made a run for it. And that left our hero, Matt, with no band to strum in. Wash, rinse, repeat, and eventually Matt decided he’d had enough—it was time to get serious.

Enter the St. Louis music scene and an old friend named Craigslist. In February 2019, after moving to the brand new city, Matt was eager to make some friends, I mean bandmates. “The Craigslist struggle is real. I was on Craigslist every day putting out ads for people, and you just get the dregs sometimes—and that’s how I found Eric,” Matt recalled.

In Eric Moore’s own words: “I believe my ad was ‘who wants to play four chords and rock the fuck out?’” A long-time resident of St. Louis, Eric was a drummer also in need of a band. Maybe it was their mutual need of friends, sorry, bandmates, or maybe something just clicked during their first jam session, but Matt and Eric knew they had started something real. From there, the bandmate collection continued. “We found a bass player who was a douche,” Eric remembered, “and then we found Tyler, who was less of a douche!” Tyler Gilbert joined the band in the fall of 2019, adding a third layer to the Matt and Eric duo. The three played together for a few months at the end of 2019, gradually piecing together the rhythm, tempo and overall feel of the band. But something else was missing—keys. Jacob Vi, a long-time friend of Eric’s, had been in a number of bands before. In fact, Eric and Jake used to play together in a Tom Petty/John Mellencampinspired ensemble. There’s no better way to introduce

Jake than with his own self-described origin story: “I was conceived to ‘slow and easy’ by Whitesnake…on a waterbed. That’s a true story; my Dad told me that” Jake said, laughing. So, as the final musical gap was filled and the trio became a quartet, Blinded by Stereo was born!

As you’ve probably gathered from the first half of this story, the guys in Blinded by Stereo like to have fun— quite a bit of it. But don’t let that fool you. Yes, I may have spent the better part of their interview listening to a story involving $5 pitchers of Rolling Rock, a stuffy attic and a purchase of Robin Thicke’s entire discography on iTunes for a one-night stand. However, these guys are the real deal, and you can tell.

“We wanted to do something where we could be totally proud of it,” Matt said. The band had a multitude of opportunities to cut corners during the production of their first album, TAPE, but that’s not who Blinded by Stereo is. Even through the mother of all excuses, Covid-19 and 2020 in general, the band still aimed to make something incredibly high-quality. The songwriting, the in-studio performances, the postproduction, everything is operating at 110%. The guys went so far as to aggrandize the vinyl pressing of the album, which comes in a 180 gram blue vinyl record with custom artwork from The Firecracker Press on Cherokee Street. “None of us had ever done a vinyl before…we wanted it to be something that would be fun to buy,” Matt related. When you sit down and listen to this band, you’ll understand exactly where their passion has gone: every last drop is in the music.

TAPE is a phenomenal piece of high-octane power pop. The band lives and breathes in the 160-bpm area, causing every song to hit like a shot of espresso straight into your bloodstream. This is no accident.

“I’ve been in a lot of bands that are heavy downers,” Matt remarked. “You go to a bar and there’s some guys there singing about their ex-girlfriend and how they want to kill themselves. That’s not why I’m there. I go to a bar because I want to shake my ass off and have a good time.” BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE

Whether it’s the album’s premiere track, “Forever and a Day,” the final track, “Sarah,” or my personal favorite, “Brooklyn,” each song brings out a visceral reaction in its listener. You really can’t leave this album without having a tune stuck in your head. Do yourself a huge favor and add TAPE to your collection ASAP—you’ll only regret it if you pass it by. So where does Blinded by Stereo go now that the origin story is complete? It’s only up from here. The group has big plans for a second album, including a handful of songs that are already being performed live. “The next thing, we’ll approach it differently,” Matt noted. The band is outlining their second album to feature more musical layers, sonic audio and some different instrumentation. They are also hoping to tell a whole story with the next piece: “The first album was like ‘let’s get this out there’, the next one will be more of a record.” In the meantime, you can catch the guys performing throughout the city of St. Louis. Joining the ranks of local superstars like Jesus Christ Supercar, Middle Class Fashion and Apex Shrine, it’s only a matter of time before Blinded by Stereo is another household name for the St. Louis music scene. To end our great story, I think it’s only appropriate to complete Matt’s character arc: did our hero find a new home after his move to St Louis? I’ll let him tell you: “The best way to meet new people was with music…now I haven’t made any friends, but I did start a band!”

(L-R) Tyler Gilbert, Eric Moore and Matt Riddle at the Heavy Anchor 12

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Story: Madisyn Siebert Photos: Sean Rider

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Folk Not Folk

Cincinnati’s Indie Rockers Insist You Not Sleep on This Band, They'd Rather You Sleep on a Bed.

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Most people start a band with hopes of making it big and skyrocketing their careers. While that isn’t the case yet for Motherfolk, it is where they are headed. “I don’t think we knew where it was going to go or that we were going to be as invested in it as we ended up being in it from the start,” Nathan Dickerson (vocals and guitar) said to me when I got a chance to speak to Motherfolk before their show at the Duck Room on April 8. The band has been around since 2014, when their selftitled debut album dropped. They’ve seen a lot of change since then—not only in age and maturity and adding band members, but even in beliefs, influences and overall sound. If you were to take their most recent album, the flower, and compare it to Motherfolk, you would be amazed that you were listening to the same band.

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the music and vocals, to the flower being touched by everyone in the band, or as Ethan Wescott (drums) liked to say, “getting my grubby little hands all over it.” Another large part of their music that has changed is the religious influence. They all grew up in Christian homes and attended Christian university; when I told them I understood the feeling, Bobby, without hesitation, said, “I’m sorry,” getting a laugh from the whole room.

...if we had expected to make this a real band, we probably would have a different name.

Of course, a lot of this change in writing can be equated back to maturity and growing up, but the band also cites influences in their albums changing with them and the type of music they are listening to, from originally being very acoustic-based to now pulling in other influences, highlighting electric. Even growing the band plays a part in how their music has evolved, from their debut being just Nathan and Bobby Paver (vocals and guitar) performing all

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“We started out very true to our name. We called the band Motherfolk because originally it was very Mumford and Sons, David Brothers inspired,” Nathan explained. “And that goes back with the other thing too. Like if we had expected to make this a real band, we probably would have a different name,” he added.

Motherfolk’s first two albums discussed their relationship with God and trying to balance and grasp it as early 20-somethings. Now, none of them are Christian, and they are gearing themselves away from it. Some fans have a problem with that change. “We still have a lot of fans that are Christian. It’s a weird line to ride to be like, that’s not who we are anymore, but also not be like an asshole about it,” Bobby explained.

This was evident throughout the show, the crowd being a mixed group that varied in age, some clearly there to see the old Motherfolk they knew and loved, and others there to see them continue to evolve into the band they are wanting to be. The band, it being only their second show of the tour, stuck to all newer material focusing on the flower and Family Ghost. One thing that was surprising was seeing how much they stayed away from their albums Fold and Motherfolk throughout the night. They even chimed in saying they were not planning on playing it tonight, but they got a special request for their song “Salt Lake City,” their second-highest streamed song. I have never seen a band stray so far away that they wouldn’t even include one of their top songs in their

setlist, but I also admire them for knowing who they want to be and hoping their fans join them on the journey. Together, Nathan, Bobby, Ethan, Clayton Allender (bass) and Karlie Dickerson (keys) have great charisma and make you feel like you are an old friend from college shooting the shit with them. On stage, they carried this over, clearly playing and having the time of their life, not really having played a show since before 2020. They were finally seeing fans reactions to the flower and even got to tease some new music from their upcoming album, the bee, which we can expect this summer.

This being said, their newest EP, the bee, has my prediction to give you the opposite feeling. To help you see the joys and want to pull yourself up from this place of wallow. Their latest single off the album, “All I Need,” is a great teaser that hopefully fulfills my prediction. I also hope to continue to see them mold art into their music. On the flower we were able to see descriptive

Even though the crowd was diverse, everyone still joined in on the fun, singing songs back to them, getting close to the stage and jumping around with them. They even had an ongoing bit with the crowd about the song “Free Bird” by Lynryd Skynrd and how they were not going to play it, even though the audience teased them for it throughout the night, even chanting “Free Bird” at one point. This band likes to have fun, which is clear not only on stage, but by the Spotify bio that used to read, “We are Motherfolk, and so are you.” When prompted about this bio the band couldn’t think of a good reason behind it, and Ethan added, “I have not smoked enough weed to be able to bullshit this.” The bio is just another sign of how the band is enjoying being a band; they chalked their old bio up to shit-posting, like people do on their internet, but I would be curious to ask them about their new Spotify bio which just reads, “Motherfolk” over and over and over for about 21 times. Does this have some deeper meaning or was someone just shit-posting again? I guess the world may never know… Their current tour is supporting their latest release, the flower, and as Clayton put it, “These songs are really about Nathan and Bobby just being little sad boys.” And that comes through on the album. It really shows this soft electronic, slightly folk undertone music that can be addictive to listen to. The album makes you understand the feeling of being stuck or sinking in place, and looking for that reason to get out of it. “Anchor” and “Head Above Water” really resonated these feelings.

Motherfolk at Blueberry Hill Duck Room

imagery on Spotify as the songs played, from people being covered in honey to the words “drink blood, listen to motherfolk” being projected. “This time around we’ve been intentional about expanding the art from the music into a visual aspect as well,” Nathan told me. They aimed for imagery that was grotesque and unsettling, something to potentially put their listeners on the edge as they looked at the tiny clips. To me, these clips show the continued growth of the band and the direction they are heading. Motherfolk may not be a big band, but they are putting thought, intention and a whole lot of work into their music, unlike like many other artists. From shifting their image, to balancing a divided fan base, Motherfolk knows how to get everyone to have a good time at their show, even if you barely know their music. Their new sound is evolving, and I can’t wait to evolve with them.

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Photo Courtesy of: Sophia Ragomo 18

BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE

Welcome to the Neighborhood: Indie Rock Concierge Addie Sartino of The Greeting Committee Story: Brian Amick

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Pride Month in June is a significant time of the year for the LGBTQ+ community, including its wealth of talented artists. Celebrated in a variety of ways, the event brings together millions of participants as they share in the impact that LGBTQ+ individuals have had on history locally, nationally and internationally. Addie Sartino is counted among these individuals. The Kansas City-area native, along with her bandmates, comprise local band The Greeting Committee (TGC). Speaking of impact, TGC has made a huge splash on the vibrant Kansas City music scene and beyond. The group, which formed while its members attended Blue Valley High School in Overland Park, Kan., attracts raucous crowds not just at local venues, but on the road when opening for notable acts such as MisterWives, The Mowgli’s and Andrew McMahon—as well as playing major festivals such as Lollapalooza and SXSW. As a member of the community with a platform, Sartino sees it as her responsibility to represent others— not just during Pride Month, but all year round.

that sadness with something you can dance to as well. What was the process like putting this album together compared to your first one? This was the hardest album to put together, whether that was because of pressures we were putting on ourselves or just facing writer’s block more that we normally had. We set higher expectations for ourselves than we ever had, so we probably had 5060 ideas alone for this record and then had to slim it down to 10 songs. I just remember it being tougher than any other project we’ve done. How do you feel it was received both critically and commercially? I think it was received really well. Because we started so young and our music has been put out since we were 16 years old, fans get to see us grow in our music. The thing that I look for most when we put something out, is whether or not people have seen or appreciated the growth that we’ve gone through. To me, that makes Dandelion successful.

“Pride is important to me as a queer woman because it’s a celebration What are some of your musical for members of my community,” she TGC’s first full-length LP, Dandelion influences or favorites artists/ said. “I’m very privileged in the sense bands? that I’m straight-passing, so when I go into the community in general, I get to choose I would say my musical influences are probably Lorde, what I display of myself. Because I recognize that Hayley Williams from Paramore, The Killers, Death privilege, I always want to work really hard to fight Cab for Cutie, The Strokes. Those are also my favorite for my fellow community members. One way I get artists. Taylor Swift is the most awesome, powerful, to do that is through the band and the platform I’ve intelligent businesswoman. I really admire that. I been given. I’ve always been really outspoken about really like Gracie Abrams right now, she’s a new act all LGBTQ+ life in general.” that I’m really interested in. Chappell Roan is really We caught up with Sartino following The Greeting Committee’s tour in support of the band’s latest album, Dandelion, which concluded with a spirited set at their hometown venue Uptown Theater. You just put out your album last year. What are some of its major themes? Sartino: I would say the overarching theme of Dandelion is the grieving process and all that goes into that: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. I would say it’s that paired with the idea of watching your life instead of living it. So, all around not the happiest theme [laughs] but we try to pair 20

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awesome, she’s been releasing new music again.

What’s it like being in a band that started in high school? Obviously there’s a lot of growth there. Being in a band that started in high school has been really surreal, really phenomenal. Very high highs and very low lows. It’s a lot of growing up together and there’s growing apart with that and there’s growing together. We endured band therapy, we have always worked our hardest to put ourselves in the healthiest, best situations possible. With that has come really tough decisions, but also rewarding decisions. I think that who you are at 15-16 is obviously going to be different at 24-25.

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We set higher expectations for ourselves than we ever had, so we probably had 50-60 ideas alone for this record and then had to slim it down to 10 songs.

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Addie Sartino photographed at Messenger Coffee Company in Kansas City, MO Photos: Cory Weaver

BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE 21

Where did you come up with the name for the band?

exciting. We’re looking at a fall tour. I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.

Our guitarist Brandon [Yangmi] came up with the name. There’s a picture of John Lennon wearing a t-shirt that says, “The Greeting Committee,” and it’s a combination of that t-shirt and Brandon liking the word “greeting” from reading in his English classroom.

You’re involved with a program called Arts As Mentorship. How did that come about and what is the program’s mission?

Describe your sound to someone who’s never heard you. I always say, music with a groove that you can cry to. Where do you see yourself as a band in five years? I feel like if I had been asked that question a year ago the answer would have looked so different. I’m a big-picture person in general and plan very far ahead. So much has changed in the past six months alone that for the first time I can’t really answer that and there’s something really exciting about that. I’m very lucky to have been proven that no matter what obstacles arise for The Greeting Committee, there has somehow been a way for us to persist through it. What’s next for The Greeting Committee now that you’ve put out an album and completed a tour? We’ve got more shows coming up and we have more music to release for the deluxe edition of our album, so that’s really

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Arts As Mentorship is a nonprofit that sets out to empower young people through music, to teach entrepreneurial skills, leadership skills, emotional intelligence, mental health education in general. The staple for the program is called the Rebel Song Academy, it’s 12-week programming, and that’s where Brandon really steps in. He works very directly with the kids. He built Art As Mentorship’s recording studio called The Lab. It’s inside InterUrban ArtHouse. He physically built that with his hands, so very proud of him for that. He had help of course, but he really led that, and watching him be a powerful leader not only in our band but in other groups has been really rewarding. I work on more of the business side and how to network through Kansas City to help get resources for those children that we work with. Our programming is typically targeted to 12–18-year-olds.

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...no matter what obstacles arise for The Greeting

Committee, there has somehow been a way for us to persist through it.

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Valerie June’s Cosmic Connection Interview: Wil Thomas Story: J.R. Rolf Photos: Cory Weaver

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Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet. ~African Proverb

Delmar Hall instead of Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room, where she’s played in the past.

To that, Valerie June says, “call me a fool,” as she unabashedly plunges herself into her passions. Indulging instinct and inspiration. Projecting wisdom and beauty. Diving full immersion into her world, which is music, song and songwriting.

Part of that reason is the growth she’s experienced with the new album, which received critical acclaim globally, and her Grammy-nominated song “Call Me a Fool,” which she recorded with guest vocalist Carla Thomas. At Delmar Hall, that song appeared early in the setlist to much ovation. June also performed the hauntingly beautiful “You and I” and the philosophical “Two Roads” from The Moon and Stars, among others.

If you don’t know Valerie June, you should and soon will. She hails from the small town of Humbolt, Tenn., but spends her time in New York these days when not on the road sharing her voice. Her honest folk—yet Her catalog has blossomed since her self-released The contemporary—style breathes new life into traditional Way of the Weeping Willow in 2006, which means some music. Touches of old Appalachian banjo alongside songs you may have expected to hear live didn’t quite soulful melodic tones set the stage for her to work make the cut. She still managed to the magic she quite literally hopes spread the love, selecting songs from to spread. Spreading kindness, all of her past releases as well as some I have to surround possessing a wisdom beyond her years, and sowing seeds for listeners myself in nature. I live covers, including Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” to nurture and be nurtured, June to be near my plants is the embodiment of nostalgic and garden when I’m Album standouts “Astral Plane” and familiar tradition laced with pearls of at home. On the road “Slip Slide On By” were among the contemporary wisdom. Order of Time selections, as well as the when I set the stage Seeing her perform live makes you feel for the show, that’s the bluesy rock song “Shakedown,” which had June on electric guitar against the as if you’ve been transported to her time I meditate. background (and sometimes foreground) lush, backyard garden, where she’s of the raucous and lively keys. invited you to grab a drink and take a

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At Delmar Hall on May 22, nature was front and center, as the stage was surrounded by vases upon vases of flowers, accompanied by a sign that read, “Flowers are the Stars of the Earth.” Touring in support of her latest album, 2021’s The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers, June took the stage following a few minutes of “Starlight Ethereal Silence”—sounds of nature, chimes and instrumental music. Her look was glamourous yet down to earth as she was donned in a glittery jacket and bejeweled shorts, telling the audience that she dressed up for St. Louis. “I’m growing, y’all,” she said, commenting on the fact that she was performing at

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seat underneath the stars before the storytelling and show begin. Nature and our role in the universe are key themes in June’s life and help her feel connected to the world, providing inspiration for her songwriting.

She peppered her set with personal stories and adages, danced in a shimmering cloak, played both acoustic and electric guitar and banjo, and brought out “Baby,” her beloved little banjolele, during the encore’s “Somebody to Love,” from 2013’s Pushin’ Against a Stone. She explained that Baby would be featured in a book set to be released in the fall by Third Man Store. “Drink Up and Go Home,” also fittingly in the encore, was our cue to do just that, but not before wishing she’d keep the magical night going. As eclectic as Valerie June’s flower-laden stage show, and as bold and striking as the crown of dreadlocks upon her head, she is both alluring and inviting to her audience— and seemingly everyone she comes in contact with.

Valerie June with her Banjolele, “Baby”

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We caught up with Ms. June before the nearcapacity show and sat down for a quick chat to hear from the songstress herself.

BTT: In the album title, the word “Prescriptions” implies something or someone needs healing?

Bands Through Town: Your latest album is titled, The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers. Is dreaming, meditation, manifesting a part of your process?

VJ: Yes, well you know we’re all in need of healing after these last couple of years. Music is powerful, magic and transformative. I hope people find healing in whatever small way through my music.

Valerie June: Yes absolutely!! It’s my most important part. BTT: How do you find the time or that place where you can hear yourself or simply meditate and shut your mind down? Is it difficult on the road? VJ: I have to surround myself in nature. I live to be near my plants and garden when I’m at home. On the road when I set the stage for the show, that’s the time I meditate. (If you haven’t seen Valerie’s live show, it is just that. Alive with an entire stage full of flower bouquets and plants of every variety. She personally sets every flower arrangement in place with seeming intention, resulting in a scene that visually transports the audience into her nature-filled world. It’s her garden. It’s a small glimpse into Valerie’s personal world, and amid the organic flora, a simple easel and sign reads, “Flowers are Stars of the Earth.”)

BTT: There’s a quote/interlude on your new album…about testing the depth of the water? VJ: Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet. BTT: Where did you hear that? VJ: It’s an African Proverb BTT: Is that how you approach life? VJ: [on cue with a coy gleam, she says with a quip and a chuckle] Quite to the contrary! I believe people should jump in with both feet! Throw caution to the to the wind in all matters of the spirit and the heart. Fully immerse themselves in their passions no matter what! Oh, and share kindness!

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Wrecking Balls

Story & Photo: Cory Weaver

San Francisco-based Destroy Boys have been releasing music since 2015. Currently, the trio is shredding the road on their second headlining tour in support of their new album, Open Mouth, Open Heart. We sat down with lead guitarist Violet Mayugba and drummer Narsai Malik before their Sunday night performance in May at Off Broadway. BTT: Is there a different kind of expectation, personally, when you headline a show versus being an opener? You’re going from a 30-40 minute set to an hour or longer. Narsai Malik: When it’s our headlining show, we try to put on the best performance that we physically can. We do an hour show and pretty much play all the songs that we know, and then maybe push the envelope on. Violet Mayugba: We take opening really seriously. We just opened for Alkaline Trio in the UK; it was really fun and great. But, we’re playing 5,000-cap theaters, so we really have to deliver. Something we incorporated and take very seriously is no breaks between songs. Narsai: And for an opening sense, we don’t do any of the slower songs and we only have 30 minutes, so we do eight or nine songs. As for headlining, we’ll play some of our slower ones and throw in some “deep cuts,” make it more of a peaks and valleys, which is part of the experience also. BTT: To segue off of just being in the UK, how long were you in the UK? Narsai: Just about two weeks. After opening for Alkaline, we broke off and did our own club shows. It was such a blast in two totally separate ways. Going from a 5,000-seat theater to a 200-cap club. Violet: It was really cool, we got to experience both of the cool experiences in one tour. BTT: Being an American band and playing out in this postCovid purgatory, how’s the energy here compared to people in the UK? Violet: It’s a different kind of energy; one isn’t better than the other necessarily. That’s what I like about our shows: everyone is just so enthusiastic. Narsai: Not that people aren’t nice here, but they were so nice in England. Violet: Yeah, very respectful, nice manners and so respectful. BTT: Your sound has a definite punk foundation, but the new album is a little more… Violet: Flushed out!? BTT: Yes!

Violet: We used to get labeled as a Riot Girl band in the beginning, but we never were. Riot Girl was a great movement—it inspired us a lot—but we were never a Riot Girl band. People would just call us that because we’re women. In reality, we were a punk band, and now we’re just a rock band. Maybe we’ll be a salsa band or a reggae band… it doesn’t matter, we’ll do whatever we want to do. Narsai: Some songs are heavy-hitting, but other songs like “Secrets” and “Cherry Garcia” are more melodic. Violet: We just write whatever we want to write. I love pop, I love pop-punk, we also love a lot of indie music, hip-hop. Alexia (lead vocals) listens to a lot of Chicano stuff, Latino music…there’s just a lot of stuff coming from all sides. So, I don’t want to sound pretentious, but when people do try to categorize us, it becomes a little difficult because we come from so many different things. That’s what’s cool with the new-age genres becoming fluid. We’re just a guitar band. BTT: Your influences and/or your 20 favorite bands back in 2015 when Destroy Boys started are still going to be some of your favorites today. Which bands over the past seven years have newly influenced or inspired you? Narsai: Two big bands, Idles and Turnstile, are definitely big for me. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like them. Violet: I’ve been listening to a lot of Mitski. I’ve been getting way into more pop stuff, but I love hardcore. We’re obviously not a hardcore band, I try to incorporate those dynamics into songs like, “Locker Room Bully.” That progression is based off G.L.O.S.S. (Girls Living Outside Society’s Shit). I love a lot of the local Bay Area hardcore stuff going on, and of course, East Coast hardcore…that’s influenced me a lot lately. But, can’t forget Billie Eilish— she’s great. I got really into Oingo Boingo in 2019. Narsai showed me Oingo Boingo and I explored their whole catalogue. The riff in our single “Drink,” originally when I wrote that song, I wanted it to sound super kookie like Oingo Boingo, but then it became a pop-rock song. Narsai: One band that I didn’t even know, they had a sound I knew existed but that I loved is Big Fun. They’re this LA band and they are total freaks. The drummer, bassist and lead singer wear head mikes like Justin Timberlake, and the lead singer uses a keytar and plays keyboard. It sounds fucking crazy, I don’t even know how to describe it…it’s like futuristic rock funk. BTT: Final thought. With the self-described “Hi-Fi” vibe, it’s still you guys, but it felt you all grew five years in such a short time. Violet: Thank you so much! For me personally, it’s never good enough and it’s what makes our band good and successful—it always has to be better. BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE

Beats Eats

Bands Through Town magazine

Monday, Monday(Mixtape)...

But Not Before Sunday Suppers Story: J.R. Rolf Photos: Cory Weaver

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unday suppers. Maybe the featured food or location always changes, or maybe you know the place, and it’s going to be pasta, grilled eats, or the staple of many Southern and Midwestern tables: fried chicken. Add side dishes, drinks and dessert, and it makes for a perfect denouement to the weekend. Juniper, located in the Central West End at 4101 Laclede Ave. (at N. Sarah St.), is all about the nostalgia of a good meal on Sundays (and Wednesdays through Saturdays), and does so with genuine hospitality and a modern vibe. So, what does this noteworthy restaurant—with its Southern fare, mouthwatering sides, delectable brunches, seafood specials and crafted cocktails—have to do with music? Ironically, it’s all about Monday, a day the restaurant is dark. That’s when proprietor and former head chef, John Perkins, sends out his weekly newsletter featuring the Monday Mixtape. It’s a bright spot on a day that produces anxiety in many; a link to a playlist that Perkins and, on occasion, a guest contributor, curates for the restaurant’s newsletter subscribers. As with the mixes in the ‘80s and ‘90s that one would carefully create on cassette tapes as an act of friendship, love or heartbreak, there’s always a story behind the songs. You’ll have to sign up for Juniper’s newsletter to truly understand (go to https://www.junipereats.com/ and scroll to the bottom to opt in). We connected with Perkins to learn more about what inspired him to establish Juniper, his pandemic pivot, and the impact that music—and a mixtape—has had along the way.

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Bands Through Town: I’ve read that you did not go to culinary school; what inspired you and when did you know that you wanted to dive into a career in food? John Perkins: I did not go to culinary school, you are correct! I grew up in a family that was very oriented toward hospitality, it seemed we always had folks in the house. As for when did I want to make it a career?! Lol. I don’t know that there was a moment, I think I was the proverbial frog in the pot of water. Before I knew it the water was boiling and at that point it was too late for me. I started cooking in my last years of seminary, when I put on underground dinners. One thing led to another, and after 5 years of stumbling along I opened a restaurant. Cuz, why not?! BTT: The pandemic was an especially hard time for restaurants. You are known for taking care of your staff during these tough times and for spearheading the Meals for Meds program locally, which provides meals to frontline workers. How have these experiences shaped your view of what you do at Juniper and the restaurant industry as a whole? JP: I take no real credit for the meals for meds program, I saw something similar in other cities and it seemed an opportunity to me to offer a lifeline to local restaurants and provide a service to beleaguered hospital workers. It worked for a few months, and then I think the appetite (no pun intended) went away for funding that kind of thing. I think in the few months it operated it did good all the way around though, and I am grateful that it helped. As for the broader question of how all that shaped how I view my restaurant and the industry as a whole, I would say that I am constantly being shaped by external realities in some form or fashion. I only own one restaurant but I am a participant in a broader restaurant culture. The healthier that culture is as a whole the better it is for the individual restaurants that make up that culture. BTT: Fried chicken is a staple menu item and a strong draw for your Sunday Suppers. Did any particular recipe, Southern restaurant, travels or experience influence your desire to make fried chicken front and center on the menu? 36

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JP: Fried chicken was a favorite of mine growing up. I mean, doesn’t everyone love it? I remember my grandmother, affectionately known in her neck of the woods as “Ozark Annie,” cooking me fried chicken in a cast iron Dutch oven, bubbling with lard, for my 6th birthday. A chilled 2-liter of Squirt soda—the best grapefruit soda ever—was waiting in the fridge. On Sundays after church down in the Bootheel we would inevitably find ourselves at the local gas station chowing down on fried chicken and washing it all down with sweet tea. Those formative moments never left me, and have played a significant part in what Juniper is but also in what my next venture will be. BTT: Juniper’s email newsletter now includes a feature called “Monday Mixtape,” which links to a playlist you curate each week. What was the inspiration for creating the tape? JP: I love music, always have. When real mixtapes were a thing, I was known among my circle of college friends for putting mixes together along with the necessary art in the cassette case. I first thought of doing a Spotify mix tape a few years ago when I wanted to publish an online magazine called the fugitive. I never got around to doing that and only just now started doing the mix tapes at the beginning of this year. It’s been fun. I just wanted another way to communicate with friends of the restaurant that didn’t feel like direct pleas for business— it’s asymmetric marketing! BTT: Based on your mixes, your taste in music is eclectic, spanning indie rock, classic rock, blues, soul, alt-country, country…I could go on. Did you have any notable musical influences growing up? JP: Funny, my musical choices were a bit restricted growing up. It was mainly classical music or jazz. By the time I got into high school though, grunge was exploding on the scene and I secreted away and listened to whatever I could. I am an omnivore when it comes to music, much like I am when it comes to food. If it’s good, I’ll like it. BTT: What kind of music is on in the restaurant kitchen when you and the staff are prepping for the day?

JP: I am not in the kitchen anymore these days, haven’t been for a long time. But, the kitchen is definitely a great place for music, and everything from Queens of the Stone Age to old school hip hop like The Pharcyde. BTT: What are a few of your favorite musical artists/bands, local or otherwise? Favorite bands include The National, Red House Painters, Radiohead, Joseph, Phoebe Bridgers, Digable Planets, [A] Tribe [Called Quest], I could go on. Locally, Uncle Tupelo, of course! I loved a band called Nadine back in my college days that hailed from here. I have too many favorites to list. If you really want to know my favorites, just sign up for the mix tapes. BTT: Do you get out to see live music in St. Louis? Any favorite venues, present and/ or past? Any concerts on your radar this summer? JP: I used to! Kids, restaurant life, etc., pretty

much mean there isn’t much time anymore, but I hope to start getting back out again soon. I saw some shows back in the day at Mississippi Nights, including the final shows of the original Son Volt lineup, Sufjan Stevens on the Illinois tour. I saw Bon Iver at the Billiken Club. I saw the National at the Duck Room. Of course, going further back, I saw some great shows at Off Broadway—Bright Eyes when he was 16 at the Side Door; Neko Case played there as well. I even enjoyed some open mic nights at Freddie Friction’s old lounge [Frederick’s] on Chippewa. I always kick myself that I missed Radiohead back in ‘97 when they played at the Galaxy. BTT: Do you play any instruments? JP: I took piano as a kid. But I don’t currently play anything; my son plays four instruments, so he makes up for what I lack.

Traffic Jam Music at the Intersection’s second year is loaded

Story: Sharon Stone Thurmer Mark.Your.Calendar.Twice. The 2022 Music at the Intersection music and cultural festival takes over the Grand Center Arts District on September 10-11. If you only attend one music festival a season, this should be it. The event, sponsored by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) and the Steward Family Foundation, debuted in 2021 and returns for round two with more than 30 musical acts of local and national acclaim playing indoor and outdoor venues scattered over multiple Midtown blocks. In addition to a powerhouse lineup of talented and iconic musicians, the event includes DJs, food trucks, immersive art performances and artisan vendors.

Gary Clark, Jr. highlights this year’s festival. Photo: Cory Weaver

Every red brick of every historic building in the Grand Center Arts District vibrates with decades of entertainment magic. This area was and is a historic St. Louis entertainment epicenter. Stand in the intersection of Grand and Lindell boulevards, take a 360-degree twirl, and you are surrounded by music venues, theatres, museums and restaurants. This district is home to The Kranzberg Arts Center, The Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries, The Grandel, the St. Louis Symphony at Powell Hall, the Fabulous Fox, countless arts and cultural organizations, dance companies, educational centers, bars and restaurants. The organizations range from the International Photography Hall of Fame to the Moto Museum (for those who appreciate the artistry in vintage motorcycles like I do) to the Grand Arts Academy, a visual and performing arts school for grades 6-12.

The eclectic performances honor jazz, hip hop, blues, R&B, rock, indie and soul music genres. Dynamic musical performance artists, singers and songwriters will be on stage delivering their own mixes of multiple styles via electrifying performances.

Saturday, September 10, includes the following musicians:

Erykah Badu at Austin City Limits Festival 2021 Photo: Cory Weaver

The entry gates are located at the intersection of Delmar and Josephine Baker boulevards, and near the intersection of Locust Street between N. Theresa and N. Leonard avenues. Gates open at 11:00 a.m. both Saturday, September 10 and Sunday, September 11. The music venues include The Grandel, Jazz St. Louis at The Harold and Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, The Big Top, The Fabulous Fox Theatre, and The Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries.

Erykah Badu, the Billboard album charting and Grammy-winning artist, will be delivering her unique brand of R&B. The Saint Boogie Brass Band (SB3) are bringing a New Orleans’ style jazz and blues feel to the festival, complete with horns and percussion magic. Seviin Li –“Honoring Tina Turner” performance will be a tribute to St. Louis’ Tina Turner. Tennessee-born Tina Turner’s music career launched in St. Louis with the Ike & Tina Turner Review. She is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and is memorialized on the St. Louis Walk of Fame on Delmar Boulevard. I’m all in for Seviin Li’s interpretation and performance of Tina Turner classics. Super Hero Killer has deep roots in St. Louis. Donald Williams’ brand of R&Bsoul-funk fusion is enjoyed by both local and national fans. The Urge, a high-energy St. Louis-based band with a strong following, will be sharing their unique brand of ska punk funk metal/alternative rock music to the crowd. bands through town magazine

Sunday, September 11, includes the following musicians: Buddy Guy - At age 85, Buddy Guy is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, a major influence on rock titans like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, a pioneer of Chicago’s fabled West Side sound, and a living link to the city’s halcyon days of electric blues. Buddy Guy has received 8 GRAMMY Awards, a 2015 Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY Award, 38 Blues Music Awards (the most any artist has received), the Billboard Magazine Century Award for distinguished artistic achievement, a Kennedy Center Honor, and the Presidential National Medal of Arts. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #23 in its “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Dumpstafunk with George Porter Jr. - Dumpstaphunk stands out amongst New Orleans’ best, cementing themselves as one of the funkiest bands to ever arise from the Crescent City. Born on the Jazz & Heritage Festival stage, and descended from Neville and Meters family bloodlines, these soldiers of funk ignite a deep, gritty groove that dares listeners not to move. Their performances combine ingenious musicianship through complex funk, rock, and jazz arrangements accompanied by soulful melodies and Big Easy traditions.

Hiatus Kaiote performs Saturday Photo: Tre Koch

JJ Grey and Mofro - From the days of playing greasy local juke joints to headlining major festivals, JJ Grey remains an unfettered, blissful performer, singing with a blue-collared spirit over the bonedeep grooves of his compositions. His presence before an audience is

The legendary Buddy Guy performs on Sunday Photo: Paul-Natkin

something startling and immediate, at times a funk raveup, other times sort of a mass-absolution for the mortal weaknesses that make him and his audience human. When you see JJ Grey and his band Mofro live—and you truly, absolutely must—the man is fearless. On stage, Grey delivers his songs with compassion and relentless honesty. Grey and his current Mofro lineup offer grace and groove in equal measure. Celisse - a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, performer, and spoken word artist. Celisse’s deep and varied career has seen her in concert, at venues ranging from the Beacon Theater, supporting Mariah Carey, Town Hall supporting Graham Nash, Madison Square Garden supporting Kesha at the 60th annual Grammy Awards, The Greek Theater in Trey Anastasio’s Ghosts of the Forest, and the Apollo Theater with Melissa Etheridge; as well starring in the recent revival of Godspell at Circle in the Square Theater, singing in Bridget Everett’s Rock Bottom at Joe’s Pub at The Public; and appearing on television in 30 Rock, The Electric Company, Rescue Me, The Big C, the LATE SHOW with Stephen Colbert as a special guest of Jon Batiste and Stay Human and most recently playing lead guitar with LIZZO on SNL. The Seratones - Whether in her capacity as the frontwoman of the Shreveport, Louisiana-based funk-soul-rock group Seratones or as a reproductive rights advocate, Haynes knows well that no singular

The album and single of the same name attracted acclaim from the likes of The New York Times,

Southern Avenue performs on Sunday

revolution or simple linear narrative can contain the true strength of revolution—the kind of complex, disruptive, personal revolutions that can open transformative portals to a better future. And on Seratones’ forthcoming third album, Love & Algorhythms (due April 29nd via New West Records), Haynes foregrounds the joyful struggle to find pleasure in a world designed to destroy you. “This is a protest album built on the form of protest I’m most interested in at this moment: getting present and sitting through difficult things with abundant joy,”

Emerging Artist Album.” 2019’s KEEP ON proved an even greater success, debuting among the top 5 on Billboard’s “Top Blues Albums” chart amidst worldwide critical acclaim, ultimately earning Southern Avenue their first GRAMMY® Award nomination, for “Best Contemporary Blues Album”.

Gary Clark, Jr. - Clark achieved global impact following his first Grammy Award in 2014 winning Best Traditional R&B Performance for the track “Please Come Home” from his Warner Records debut album Blak And Blu, and seemingly never left Southern Avenue - Memphis-based, the road. Throughout 2019 Clark GRAMMY®-nominated Southern ascended to greater heights Avenue inked their first record deal with the release of This Land with legendary Stax Records in 2016. – his third full-length studio The first Memphis band signed to Stax album which bowed at #6 on the in over 40 years, their self-titled debut Billboard Top 200, was an immediate phenomenon, marking his third reaching #1 on iTunes’ “Top Blues consecutive Top 10 Albums” chart before being debut. honored with the 2018 Blues Music Award for “Best

The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and more. He has performed on Saturday Night Live, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Good Morning America, CBS News Sunday, CBS This Morning, The Today Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, The Howard Stern Show, WTF with Marc Maron and more If you speak the languages of music, art and community this is your event. You can immerse yourself in the intersection of sound, sight, energy, and love.

JJ Grey and Mofro performs on Sunday

*All Sunday artists descriptions provided by the artists

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Listening Room: Album Reviews

ock’s witchiest star (okay, aside from Stevie Nicks) is back in a blaze of glory. Florence + the Machine’s Dance Fever is the long-awaited fifth studio album for the London-based band, helmed by coven leader Florence Welch.

Photo Courtesy of: Autumn de Wilde

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a winner, but each has its moments of profundity that knock the listener over sideways. For instance, “Choreomania” is not the strongest track on the album, but the lyrics “You said that rock and roll is dead/ But is that just because it has not been/Resurrected in your image?” hit like a ton of bricks, especially to those who have had music specifically of the rock and indie variety mansplained to us (more than once). Florence and the Machine: Dance Fever Their last album, High as Hope, was a more demure, subdued, and airy work—a noted departure from previous stadium-shaking tracks that listeners and audiences grew to love. Welch has returned to her “roots,” so to speak, with this larger-thanlife self-reflection on the public and private personas she finds herself caught between. In contrast to the delicate High as Hope, Dance Fever’s opener, “King,” is more a primal scream in which Welch finds herself torn between the call of domesticity and motherhood—and the wild, unpredictable and yet constantly alluring life that music offers her. Jack Antonoff, producer to Lorde, Taylor Swift, St. Vincent and just about everyone else in pop music, makes his mark (for better or worse, depending on your opinion of his work) primarily on the first half of the album, the recording of which was halted a week in due to—what else?—the pandemic. His signature appears most obviously on the second track, “Free,” an upbeat and catchy song that Welch dedicates to her neuroses. The accompanying music video co-starring Bill Nighy in the role of her anxiety is a great watch for any interested listeners. Over 14 tracks, admittedly not every song is

Lyrically, Dance Fever differs from Welch’s previous work in that it doesn’t rely as heavily on metaphors of angels, demons, mythological figures, and the paranormal. Welch is facing her emotions head-on and invites you to join in. References of crying into cereal at midnight and listening to music from 2006 in album standout “Girls Against God”—with Maggie Rogers assisting on background vocals—are wildly relatable, set against a slow-building acoustic guitar and bass drum line. “Dream Girl Evil” is a personal favorite, perfectly meshing this new lyrical approach with a ’70s, Fleetwood Mac sound that harkens to the soaring track, “Mother” on Florence + the Machine’s third album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. In her 10 years, Welch has never had the common problem artists face in finding her own voice—she burst into the world fully formed from the very beginning, just refining her craft year to year. She’s more confident than ever in Dance Fever, actively rejecting any notions that she’s the waif-like, ethereal goddess that fans view her as. She dials in what she refers to as her “demon voice,” a low, guttural growl used to make sure her point is well received: she’s no angel and she doesn’t want you to think she is. “Daffodil” is the most obvious display of this notion, delivering an angsty sacrificial track that could equally

appear on the band’s second album Ceremonials and on a horror movie soundtrack. If you’re looking for pure dance tracks, the lead radio single, “My Love,” is as close as you’ll get. Reminiscent of Welch’s monster hit with Calvin Harris, “Sweet Nothing,” tragic and heartbreaking lyrics are masterfully crafted against an uplifting pop beat. If there’s anything we consistently love about Florence + the Machine, it’s their ability to create songs perfect for crying in the middle of the dance floor. That being said, the album title, Dance Fever, is a little bit of a misnomer if you’re expecting more tracks along this line. But if you take away the expectation, the album soars in ways that lifelong fans like me have waited years to relish in once again. Based on this body of work, Welch is clearly more self-assured than ever, which can only mean great things for the band’s upcoming tour. If you have the chance, you must absolutely see Florence + the Machine live and let yourself be carried away by the experience. You can thank me later. -Melanie Broussalian

Sharon Van Etten: We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong Indie-rock darling Sharon Van Etten breaks new ground and gets deep in her latest full-length release, We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong. BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE

Some of the songs across the album blend together, but in a way that’s palindromic, not repetitive. The effect is almost hypnotic, creating a sonic vortex that mirrors the Groundhog Day-esque state of mind we’ve collectively experienced over the past few years. “Born,” a sweeping and tragic reflection on an abusive relationship, bleeds into the following track “Headspace,” a heavily distorted, intimate track that follows the narrative through line, pleading with a lover not to turn their back to Van Etten. On the flip, the haunting “Darkish” offers the quietest moment on the album, and the tone immediately switches in the following track, “Mistakes,” which is the most upbeat on the record. While the appeal of navel-gazing quarantine albums continues to lose its shine, Van Etten taps into something sincere and relatable by making her lyrics and reflections somehow deeply personal and esoteric at the same time. In a frankly post-apocalyptic world where record labels are actively bullying artists to promote their music on TikTok in exchange for 44

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Photo Courtesy of: Angela Ricciardi

She’s made a fruitful career out of turning heartache and nostalgia into grand, cathartic, roll-thewindows-down anthems. This time, though, she’s turning even further inward, and the music matches this intense reflection on motherhood and relationships. Van Etten trades distorted synths that were featured predominantly on her last record, Remind Me Tomorrow, for acoustic guitars and dampened drum beats on the emotional album opener, “Darkness Fades.” Even so, Van Etten’s signature sound carries through in tracks like, “I’ll Try:” a sonic cousin to her hit “Seventeen” in which she dissolves into a sense of helplessness, but not without flashing the bird on the way down.

release budget (check out the drama between Halsey and Capitol Records), Van Etten made a gutsy move not to release any music from the album prior to the full release, saying she wanted to preserve the magic of listening to a full body of work in its entirety. To me, the gamble pays off, as it’s hard to imagine listening to any of these songs without the narrative and sonic context of the rest of the record. Sharon Van Etten has the rare ability to continually broaden her sound without reinventing the wheel. She grows and shifts but always stays true to the core of her music and songwriting, creating a safe, comforting space for listeners to let go. -Melanie Broussalian

Angel Olsen: Big Time How do you reconcile newfound love and freedom with unimaginable loss? It’s a question most would struggle to answer, but one Angel Olsen—master of heartache and grief—tackles head-on in her new release, Big Time. It’s safe to say life has been complicated for Olsen since her critically acclaimed 2019 release, All Mirrors. Olsen decided, after processing past traumas and accepting her identity, to embrace her queerness and come out to her parents upon finding new love. Three days after celebrating this newfound freedom and her truest sense of self, her father passed away. Tragedy struck again two weeks later when her mother was sent to the ER and also passed. Throughout this whirlwind of grief, Olsen’s relationship grew stronger and deeper, even in its newness. Big Time toes the line between finding pure happiness in the midst of heavy loss. The album’s title track, written together with Olsen’s partner, is a hopeful love song that acknowledges the rough road she’s traveled with the repeating line, “Guess I had to be losin’ to get

here on time.” “All the Flowers” is a relaxed and lilting song that could easily have been a Tammy Wynette hit in its time. Olsen is such a master of her craft that without knowing her, you feel such a deep ease and relief that she’s found someone to share her life with. But she doesn’t keep her grief far away, either. “This Is How It Works” paints an almost unsettlingly visceral portrait of loss. The lyrics “I’m so tired of saying I’m tired/It’s a hard time again” and “I’m moving everything around/I won’t get attached to the way that it was” shine a unique light not on the effects of immediate loss, but the ongoing, nonlinear healing process. Big Time couldn’t be more different than All Mirrors. Olsen has traded synths and heavy beats for swelling strings, slide guitars and twinkling pianos. Recorded and produced with Jonathan Wilson, Olsen taps into country sounds of yore, pulling inspiration from JJ Cale, Linda Ronstadt and Kitty Wells. The essence of her vocal delivery still maintains its echoey, reverbheavy signature, especially in songs like “Right Now” and “Go Home.” The album’s final track, “Chasing the Sun,” is an intensely introspective love song written from the perspective of someone whose greatest demonstration of affection is just being there when times get tough. Whereas All Mirrors and other past albums approached heartache from a place of escape—we were all on the run with her, savoring every cinematic moment—Big Time comes instead from a place of grounding, even the darkest of times. I hesitate to call her sonic and artistic approach “new” or even a “reinvention;” while this isn’t the Angel Olsen we’re used to, the combination of her earnest songwriting and soaring vocals against a lush, old-school country

backdrop make it feel more like a homecoming. I hope in the happiness she’s found she continues to explore the endless possibilities of her artistry. -Melanie Broussalian

commentary of the opening track work and instead gives an aloof call and response that goes on for nearly seven minutes. Lacking in both particulars and poetics, it doesn’t seem like an idea that is fleshed out. The ’70s Bowie inspired “End of the Empire I-II” builds in a piano ballad crescendo. Then the next track, “End Of the Empire IV,” with its repeated line “I unsubscribe,” sung like a bad Radiohead impersonation, is dated immediately. It may as well be a song about AOL floppy discs. This isn’t classic Arcade Fire by any means; for every good song there’s a misstep, but the things that do work make this an enjoyable listen. -Mike Palguta

Arcade Fire: WE From the outset, Arcade Fire’s latest album, WE, is about looking, reflection and perspective. The band examines current events, the perspective of being a parent, and emotional struggles. In a very literal way as well, at least three of the songs mention watching too much television. Arcade Fire never lack ambition or vision, but when we try to take too much into view, we lose focus. As a result, WE is uneven. At its best, on tracks like “Age of Anxiety I,” the social commentary is able to come through clearly. The slick glittery disco of previous records turns to a darker club beat. Or “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid),” which offers an earnest piece of parental advice. “The Lightning” parts I and II are peak Arcade Fire, anthemic and grand. While “The Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole),” has beautiful, driving, swirling rhythms, lyrically it seems like a rough draft. It misses on the social

Kevin Morby: This is a Photograph Muffled voices, birds chirping and slight strumming greet us in the intro of Kevin Morby’s latest album, and they guide us into the album’s namesake, “This Is A Photograph.” Morby takes us down memory lane as he remembers that the world around us is always a constant thing, changing and growing, and how we can’t take that for granted. Morby’s sound reminds me of a modern-day Bob Dylan with a hint of Lumineers, melting the two into a smooth cohesion. The heavy folk is brought out not only by the twang BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE

sounds, but by the storytelling narrative that is often left excluded from more modern music. It brings us back to listening to great singers like Johnny Cash and Cat Stevens, weaving intricate stories into their songs that leave little to the imagination and lead you directly to the point. Or as many would say, being blunt. Morby does a great job of twisting his folk sound by adding in classic rock to cut it, with riveting guitar solos, catchy beats being dropped by the drums and even shifting his voice when needed. All of this gives the album that folk-rock feel you can’t help but love.

“This Is A Photograph” reminds me of driving down country roads on your way to an old family friend’s house, where you can smell the fresh air and have the windows cracked enough to have your hair flicker back and forth from the wind. Those moments of pure happiness where you let your soul guide you to where you need to be, the music inspiring you along the way. Morby brings in Erin Rae for the song “Bittersweet, TN,” one of my personal favorites on the album. Rae’s voice perfectly compliments Morby’s, whose sound is like a nice

Photo Courtesy of: Johnny Eastlund

“Morby gave a lot of solid insight on this album—my favorite being not to swim in the Mississippi River.”

strong coffee you just poured and Rae’s being the sweet cream that melts and dilutes into the coffee, making it a whole new drink right in front of your eyes. You can feel the passion in both of their voices, both knowing the taste of what bittersweet actually is. Another callout for this album is the use of a variety of instruments, from tambourine, harmonica, saxophone, violins and more. Morby’s vision of crafting this world of memories brings in these instruments to help shape his craft, as well as sound effects from snapping to echoing voices, which truly helps engulf you in his narrative. Morby gave a lot of solid insight on this album—my favorite being not to swim in the Mississippi River. The great thing about listening to Morby though is how easy it is, especially since he speaks for most of his album. It feels like your grandfather telling you an old story from his glory days—hazy, yet all intact. It really makes you hear what Morby has to say, just like it does with a grandparent, like a story they are remembering in the moment and want to desperately share with you before it fades away again. If you’re looking for something soothing and something that you are ready to zone into, I highly recommend Morby’s, This Is A Photograph. If you are looking for something to zone out on and just have background noise, please do not do this album injustice, and pick another one. This album deserves to be cherished, listened to and thought on because it is more than just noise to make the workday easier, it is a collective story awaiting your ear and your time. -Madisyn Siebert

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Werner, McInerney, Mike and Jerry Jost and Reiter: LucaBrasi

This “super group,” featuring members of The Urge, El Monstero, Joe Dirt and the Dirty Boys Band, and former members of Helmet, Adair/ Disturbing the Peace, Life Without Wayne and Ulcer Inc., somehow were not in the same room—or even the same city—while recording this album.

LucaBrasi Prefader Postfader It’s not often that an album you eagerly anticipate takes 10 years to be released (make it 11), but for St. Louis’s LucaBrasi, it’s understandable. All of the members are either in other bands, have day/night jobs, or live in other cities.

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Prefader Postfader brings many progressive rock influences—think Rush meets the Police—on the majority of the album. Matt McInerney’s raspy/ melodic vocals and Bill Reiter’s keyboards/synthesizer prominently start things off with the opening song, “Bracing,” which evokes a 1980s rock feel.

off their chops with a hefty dose of drums and guitar, along with Josiah Werner’s bong-rattling hypnotic bass. LucaBrasi switches gears a bit with “Ground Floors Descend,” as they channel their inner Steely Dan for a chill-out-by-the-fire-pit song. On “Cut/Divide,” they bring more of a pop-rock feel-good track that makes me want to listen to it while I roll around the city on a Bird Scooter with my shirt off. This album is much different than their previous two releases, but worth the listen. LucaBrasi fans all over hope that their next album comes out sooner than 2032/2033. -Mark Rolf

On “Mayday!Mayday!” the Jost brothers (Jerry and Mike), show

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Looking Ahead BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE

BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE

THROUGH THE

LENS

BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE

by Cory Weaver On the previous pages, Phoebe Bridgers (top left page) dodged thunderstorms at Kansas City’s Starlight Theater and rocked to nearly 7,000 fans. (Below) Sinister Dane finished off the day of filming for Lo-Fi Cherokee at the Golden Record. (Opposite page) Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice. The English rockers sold out Delmar Hall before finishing the US portion of their tour. (Below) Samantha Fish finally got a break from Covid cancellations and shredded at the Pageant.

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(Top) Lights played to a nearly sold-out Delmar Hall. She didn’t disappoint as she jumped around stage with a broken foot. (Below, L-R) Iceland’s rockin’ export, Kaleo, completely sold out his US tour and left all fans clamoring for more of his distinctive raspy baritone vocals. Blues newcomer, Michigan’s Myron Elkins, opened for Kaleo and surprised a lot of the early arriving fans who jockeyed for position.

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(Above and Below) Mobley, the one-man band from Austin, headlined Bands Through Town’s sold-out second showcase at Alpha Brewing in late March. Opening the night was KC’s Various Blonde. It was the foursome’s first appearance in STL. (Opposite page, top to bottom) Jesus Christ Supercar recorded their new track, “French Girls,” for Lo-Fi Cherokee. Joe Sears of Sinister Dane let it fly for Lo-Fi Cherokee. Düsseldorf ’s innovative electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk dropped in for a 3D extravaganza. Thievery Corporation stopped in to play a sold-out Pageant. (Opposite) Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse at St. Louis Music Park. (Below) Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips. The photo says it all.

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Modest Mouse & The Flaming Lips, Photos: Sean Rider BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE 55

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

Photo Courtesy of: Magdalena Wosinska BANDS THROUGH TOWN MAGAZINE

In Memoriam

Taylor Hawkins 1972-2022

Addie Sartino of

The Greeting Committee Valerie June Motherfolk

Blinded by Stereo • Destroy Boys • beats + eats with John Perkins of Juniper

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