Cue La Musique - Issue III / The SXSW Edition

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SONGLINES: RYAN WHITEWOLF & KUYA HOWLER

Photojournalist Stephen Saphore travels to Australia to follow two musicians that follow the path of their ancestors final album release and their legacy

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SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST: WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?

SXSW; Austin's premiere music festival. Does it still benefit & empower the very independent musicians of its original mission?

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Ever wondered what kind of events take place at SXSW? Here are four premium examples of sponsored day parties that anyone can attend

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SURGING: INTERNATIONAL SELECTION

An opportunity to share our finds from Austin's South by Southwest Music Festival, an independent music hotbed

INTERVIEW: INDIE POP DUO, GENERATIONALS

The pair from New Orleans are coming off their latest North American tour following the release of last year's album "Alix". They take a moment to chat with us in an exclusive interview

FULL ALBUM REVIEWS

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Our latest recommended albums by Royal Thunder, Dan Deacon, Father John Misty, Joey BadaSS, Courtney Barnett, Will Bulter, and a Led Zeppelin re-issue

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SXSW 2015: FOUR TRULY AWESOME EVENTS

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TINY TELEPHONE: REMNANT OF THE ANALOG AGE

One of the last holdouts of analog music production in the heart of San Francisco's Mission District. Owned & operated by John Vanderslice

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FESTIVAL BULLETIN BOARD

A two page spread for placing flyers/posters of upcoming recommended festivals, and large scale music events

INTERVIEW: EL CAPITÁN (ABHI THE NOMAD X FOSTER)

Hot off the release of their first album, "VanillaCholocate", we take the opportunity to speak to El Capitan's Abhi The Nomad

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SURGING: NATIONAL (& REGIONAL) SELECTION

Highlighting some of our best national finds at SXSW and regionally in the great state of Georgia.

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APPENDIX:

CLM’S TEN ESSENTIAL TRACKS

The ultimate list of the best track releases covering a variety of genres over the last sixty calendar days

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ATL: CAN’T MISS EVENTS

Look no further! Here is our editor’s list of the thirty best upcoming shows to see in Atlanta for the rest of May and June

ADVERTISING INDEX

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MEDIA CREDITS

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DIALOGUE

It is with great pleasure that we introduce you to the March / April issue of Cue La Musique Magazine: The SXSW Edition.

This project is a creative production by graphic designer and fledgling artist promoter Daniel Snider of Red Flag Promotions.

Supporting this project is a collective of music savvy enthusiasts and collaborators with a shared desire of providing exceptional music choices with our friends, colleagues, and like-minded individuals.

So what led us to produce this magazine?

We love music blogs, and we think music magazines are cool, but both formats of discovering new music lack something that the other offers. WIth blogs, there is an absence of narrative to lead you through a curated set of media content, while print and many online magazines generally don’t provide the music that you happen to read about. Both are

MAR/APR 2015 ISSUE III

also usually over saturated with tabloid style news that focuses on celebrity over the art of musical expression. We aim to provide readers with real substance and unique content. Those with different tastes to our own may still find auditory solace with the discoveries that we disclose in each issue release.

We believe music is a huge component within the human experience that can serve as a window into understanding different cultures and its people.

It’s a constant reminder of how beautiful it is to witness human innovation both through expressed word and through the wonderful tools at a musician’s disposal. Music is about as honest of a medium as there is.

Get ready to retune your senses.

EDITOR’S NOTES

MAR/APR 2015 ISSUE III

Thank you to all of our readers for subscribing to Cue La Musique. For those unfamiliar with this publication, be ready to allocate your music listening time to explore the rich, unique music content disclosed in each edition.

What does South by Southwest offer you?

A lot more than Texas barbecue and Tex-Mex

Our third issue, The SXSW (South By Southwest Edition, aims the magazine's spotlight on some of the up and coming talents to grace the festival's downtown. It's unreal to acknowledge that over 2200 bands from every corner of the globe make the yearly pilgrimage either as first timers or as returning veterans. It covers just about every genre there is and the popularity of these acts range from barely-known to mainstream players that have the production to back them into the top 40. We adjust our gaze onto bands and musicians that aim for a breakthrough or those that have come to town with some expectional new content that our readers should hear.

Featured on this edition's cover is the New Orleans indie pop duo Generationals. They are SXSW alumni performers and have recently finished their North American tour, sharing the stage with the likes of Sylvan Esso, Of Montreal, and many more. They take a moment to answer such questions as their past education, how they write together, and what they really dislike about Austin's premiere festival.

Behind thIS ISSUE'S Cover Photography by Cara Robbins and comes courtesy of Generationals. The challenge with a black and white cover image is understanding how one can apply subtle color to allow certain graphics and text to pop out. Most black and white magazine covers typically have a darker backdrop but this was not the case with this image.

CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GRAPHIC DESIGNER / PUBLISHER Daniel Snider - ATLANTA daniel@redflagpromotions.com

STAFF WRITERS Aaron Smart - COLUMBUS OH Steven Saphore - SOUTH PACIFIC Gabriella Melendez - ATLANTA

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dan Berger - CINCINNATI

IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY Daniel Snider & Destruction of Cats

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rick Menninger - N. KENTUCKY Brett Jager - N. KENTUCKY Nilesh Pawar - ATLANTA Alex Alty - ATLANTA Brenan Wayland - GAINESVILLE FL Jake Holleman - ATLANTA Katie Fleming - WESTERN ONTARIO

SONGLINES:

Ryan Whitewolf & Kuya Howler "...the labyrinth of invisible pathways which meander all over Australia and are known to Europeans as 'Dreaming-tracks' or 'Songlines'; to the Aboriginals as the 'Footprints of the Ancestors' or the 'Way of the Lore'. Aboriginal Creation myths tell of the legendary totemic being who wandered over the continent in the Dreamtime, singing out the name of everything that crossed their path - birds, animals, plants, rocks, waterholes - and so singing the world into existence." - Bruce Chatwin

A REVIEW ACR OSS

THEIR LEGACY written by Steven Saphore photography by

Steven Saphore & Briannagh O'Loughlin

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FEATURE

Bird's eye view of Sydney Harbor

A

drift in time where even the most rudimentary mobile phones come equipped with a personal GPS and street-level navigation, musicians Ryan Whitewolf and Kuya Howler have unwittingly chosen to follow in the footsteps of their dreamtime ancestors.

With no maps to show them the path, the aboriginal ancestors of Australia would navigate vast stretches of the land by singing songs. Landmarks such as rivers and rock formations would form the basis of lyrical content, while ascending or descending melodies revealed altitude and inclinations of the land. The songs themselves, when sung in the correct order/cycles, contain detailed geographical information about the ‘songline’ they tread. A traveller with a perceptive musical vocabulary (and deep lungs) could undoubt-

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edly voyage across the country with ease. Instead of maps, the ancient aboriginals used music as a tool to travel.

With no money, reliable form of transportation or even secured accommodation, I am following Ryan Whitewolf and Kuya Howler on their tour down the famous 2000km highway along the East Coast of Australia. Relying on the social gathering qualities of music, they will busk for fuel, perform for a bed and sing for a plate of food. With nothing but music as a tool to guide them along an invisible pathway, they are carving their own songlines in the modern context.

“Hey man i’ve got some bad news - change of plans” *pings* a text from my pocket.

FEATURE

Bondi Beach as seen from the paint-peeling window sills of Noah's Backpacker

“The van we’re travelling in doesn't actually belong to Ryan and the guy who owns it isn’t comfortable with extra people riding along.” *ping*

cylinder at 850 km/h en route to a failing tour in The Land Down Under with no money, no transport and no accommodation.

“Just because of police and stuff.”’ *ping*

Typical.

“The show at Bondi is still on tonight tho!”

For the last few years, Ryan’s been busking his way up and down Australia in a shitty car with little more than a sleeping bag and a guitar in the trunk. As his primary source of income to pay the bills, it allows him to lead the independent, off-the-grid lifestyle needed to focus on his primary mission of sharing his communal-based interpretation of music called “The New Way.”

The texts are from Kuya Howler, my old friend and a supporting act on the Ryan Whitewolf & The Guardians tour, as they drive to meet me at their next gig in Bondi. I’ve literally thrown my life savings at this plane ticket to Sydney, banking on this trip to further my foray into professional journalism, and we’ve only just established that the van has enough seating for two. (facepaw) So here I sit, 30,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean, hurtling in an aluminium

Kuya chimes in, “When I started busking, it lowered the importance of money for me.” while reflecting on

how he and Ryan had to literally sing in order to make it to their next gig in the Blue Mountains. “I don’t have a possessive nature regarding money anymore because I see it as the sustenance that keeps me going, not why I’m doing music. The main thing I want from my music is to spread a message.”

“...for some reason, there are thousands of people in the cities living next to each other, but they're still separated. We need less separation and more co-operation. Because together, we build something true, and powerful.” - R.W.

The lack of material comfort means nothing to them as they find purpose in this pilgrimage. The use of music as a tool for social interaction and communal bonding is in fact a strong tradition that both embrace and likely predates what is known of the aboriginal culture. It is a common motif in dreamtime lore and visually depicted across many forms of Aboriginal art. Fueled with inspiration of the ways of the original inhabitants, they tread in the footsteps of their spiritual ancestors.

Ryan explains that “for some reason, there are thousands of people in the cities living next to each other, but they're still separated. We need less Kuya Howler on the grind separation and more co-operation.

Because together, we build something true, and powerful. It’s about people coming together, no matter what cofeel that this will bring a lot out through my song, and lour, what belief, Singing with your brothers and sisters, my journey." This uncertainty has helped to mold singing truth and playing music based on an integral their aspirations for self discovery. embrace.... This is powerful beyond words.”

As for his ethnic roots, Ryan is unsure which land his sprout from. "I was raised by an Indigenous man" he says. Kuya, is a Filipino raised in Fiji & Australia.

"I've been searching for my father's Ancestry, ordering an online dna test, and little knowledge passed down from my mother tells me he was from French Guiana, I

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Ryan and Kuya pick me up from Bondi Junction in a white muso van. Kuyas riding dirty - middle shotgun on his plastic milk crate/busking chair with Ryan behind the wheel. Already, they’re almost on empty but have to rev the engine close to the red zone in first gear just to make it up hills. I can see the challenge in Ryan’s eyes to strike a balance between fuel

FEATURE consumption and speed. This changes into a moustache/soul-patch cradled smile when we reach the crest of bondi road - A 2 km, straight shot down to the most famous beach in the world with whitecapped waves in view the whole time: Bondi beach.

There is much history here, but Bondi’s chapter feels absent from the Dreamtime. Thanks to Europe’s brutal extermination of the ‘savage’ race in the 1700/1800’s, not much is known of Bondi’s indigenous history apart from a few rock carvings and the confirmed sighting of Aboriginals on the shore when the first Europeans landed there. Not even the true meaning of ‘Bondi’, an Aboriginal word, is known, which is believed to mean either “the sound of water crashing on rocks’, or ‘place where a flight of nullas took place’ (A nulla is type of Australian Aboriginal throwing club). This headland we are currently driving upon facilitates the famous surf break that attracts an eclectic mix of people from around globe.

On either end, innumerable years of ancient history adorn karst cliff faces in beautifully patterned layers of sedimentary rock. Like rings on a tree, each layer represents a period in Bondi’s history.

I can’t help but think about how nature has done a better job of preserving it than humanity. Perhaps our footsteps will influence the current one.

There’s something magical about three guys pulling up in a van and offloading a drum kit, some guitars and a stack of speakers. We are at tonight's venue: Amazonia House. I open the gate latch that is rusted shut from the salty sea air and drop my bag on the creaky floorboards.

There are golden orb spiders hanging off the doorframes like wind chimes and the beds are covered in sand, but this is home tonight. Of the two weeks that the guardians will

Bondi Beach

No room for a third person in here...

spend on the road (That is, from sleepy Brisbane, down the Pacific highway to high-paced Sydney, and south to cold-ass, Melbourne), the show tonight will be the one that makes it feel like a month. Following the usual outdoor pre-show meditation that involves burning sage-like leaves in a large sea shell as the participants pay their respects to the original and current inhabitants of that land, the music begin quietly.

An acoustic set from Dwayne Martens breaks the ice and starts the flow of energy into the intimately lit room of about thirty people sitting shoulder to

Kuya Howler live @ Amazonia

shoulder on the floor. The performer and audience are huddled around a dim lamp placed on the floor and the resulting luminosity creates the illusion of campfire. The crowd consists of yoga instructors, doctors, models, a raw health food CEO, therapists and a band of bohemians from several continents.

I’m awkwardly perched ass-up on the floor between the crowd to take pictures of Dwayne performing when a whiff of soulfood catches my nose. A girl I’ve never met suddenly spoons me a mouthful of some sun-dried tomato/falafel looking salad. “Wanna try?

It’s vegan!”

There’s no alcohol available but a few brought their

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own beer. Most are there to get high off the energy.

There is mention of brownies - I ask “What kind?”

Years ago, Ryan smoked too much with me and passed out in a sauna. According to Ryan’s drummer James Boath, after his recovery an epiphany convinced him to give up all the drug shit to get anywhere with his music.

Soon after, Kuya starts his set as he slowly but gradually builds an orchestra’s worth of sound around him using an rx 300 looping pedal. The crowd gathers closer to him in a circle. By his 2nd song (Entitled ‘Feel My Energy’),with its thundering vocals over an intricate fingerpicking arrangement and an ensemble of wailing Buckley vocal melodies, even the testy next door neighbour we met earlier would have ‘felt his energy’. By the end of his set, no one was sitting on the floor.

Ryan never ‘comes out on stage’ so to speak (because he was supporting both Kuya & Dwayne on the Djembe since the first song). He starts his first song off softly, however, no-one spares Ryan the formality; The crowd clamor around him in anticipation of what's about to come: Sounding somewhere between thunder and the sound made when you physically drop a guitar on the ground, the slapping of raw flesh upon the hollow wooden body of his guitar reverberates off the wooden walls of this tiny room and facilitates the aural exchange of energy between him and the audience. And while many artists fashion their falsetto screams after Robert Plant or Willie Dixon, Ryan finds his in the howl of a wolf.

It consist of his experiences, the trials, tribulations, spiritual awakening, where he has come from and where he needs to go. His outcry brings color to the percussion and lets the room know his purpose for being here is much more than music. Bohemian twirling and sweaty hugs all around. A pool of sweat is forming dangerously close to the already overloaded power board. James (on drums) is a hardcore/ metal drummer and doesn’t hesitate to let the neigh-

FEATURE bours know it. Ryan uses three different guitar, two open tunings and one standard, yet each song culminates in a single phrase call and response between the crowd and Ryan’s soaring falsetto that’s befitting of a Mars Volta track.

THE GUARDIAAANS! *The Guardians!* THE GUARDIAAANS! *The Guardians!* “It's about the space you're in when you're listening to the song. You can bring that energy in the music on recordings, but when you're performing it, you create that space, and it always changes. It becomes an exchange.”

In fact, I’m not so sure that his songs aren’t mantras.. simply an extension of the meditation before. Right now there is no separation between audience and performer in physical space or purpose. In essence, a family has been forged.

SCAN OR CLICK FOR LIVE SAMPLE

Ryan Whitewolf on the slap

Ryan Whitewolf embraces the audience

Kuya Howler on the djembe

By the third encore, this shit just got primal. Every instrument they brought for the show is now in the hands of the audience. The group jam continues until everyone but the most passionate fans are still in the room. and even they keep at it until they don't have enough energy to sing anymore.. Ryan most likely didn't even sleep. We all pass out on the floor around them. The sound of this show will indelibly be etched into our brains like the tetris effect for

many nights to come. A cool end to a sweltering performance.

After experiencing a journey such as this, I begin to ponder. You can navigate anywhere, but are you going where your soul needs to go? Ryan puts it best.

Three and a half weeks ago me and two brothers set off a journey through three states, seven gigs and a whole heap of family. Heart full of sweet sweet embrace, the passion and purpose filled our hearts as we watched the moon turn full. Through all the challenges and comforts we discovered nothing can stop a human being with heart full of purpose... Nothing.

They may know the roads and the gigs may have already been booked, but when the tank is on E, they rely only on music to guide them along that invisible pathway. Busking for fuel, performing for a bed and singing for food. This is music that personalizes

Footsteps: Kuya Howler continues his journey on Stradbroke Island

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an itinerary of activities and destinations, drifting with the melody; A commodity for adventure and survival. This is music you can eat from without the support of globalism, yet its message can reach communities in far off lands. As Ryan says: “A journeying human-being can bring a lot of music to this world one song at a time. It's just about persistence and sharing it during times when it’s needed.”

For Ryan, his journey continues as he crosses through the American Southwest. This is music that brings ‘home’ with it. Using it as tool to travel in a modern context, through wilderness, built environment, municipal and international borders they have managed to carve their own songlines.

lithefsepbienhdleindbars atl.com

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South by Southwest What is it good for?

by Daniel Snider

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atías Cena, a singer-songwriter from Santiago, Chile, was making his first appearance in the United States with his band this year. No, it wasn’t a tour, nor was it simply a visit for sightseeing. He and his bandmates spent big money to come all the way to Austin, Texas, to attend undoubtedly one of the largest music festivals in the world, South by Southwest (SXSW). This year’s 28th edition officially welcomed over 2200 bands representing sixty-three different countries for their chance to make it big.

SXSW is more than just a music festival. It serves three major sets of events that represent music, film,

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and interactive startup endeavors.

Most shows are held across hundreds of small venues throughout the capital’s downtown. From a music standpoint, all the major players in the industry attend it as a tradeshow to scout and sign talent while aiming to secure sponsorship deals with a multitude of related businesses.

I arrived in Austin on March 17th for my third visit to the festival where I used to attend as a resident of the city. While the festival is an endurance test amid the chaos of the city’s downtown, I do make time to slip away from the madness to reconnect with my good friends here. I made arrangements to stay

FEATURE

Matías Cena and his band pose during their week long visit in Austin

with a good friend of mine and upon arrival I learned that he was hosting an official SXSW band from South America. Despite some initial warnings that they may not speak a lick of English, I was unfazed and eventually met Matías Cena and his band. I actually thrive on communicating with foreigners. The gregarious group couldn’t be more thrilled to perform here for the first time.

Our music related conversations established an instant bond. I was in Austin to scout for talents while

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they were here legitimize their aspirations to perform beyond their home of Santiago. During a late night of recovery on our first day at the festival, I spoke to Matías’ producer and rhythm guitarist, Sebastian Game, about their reasons for travelling thousands of miles to be here. He explained that the easiest ticket to establishing an international career for Latin American artists is to earn a spot as an official performer at SXSW. Due to the high volume of ap-

plicants each year (reported to be almost 8000 submissions), most bands earn negligible compensation for their live sets, but the exposure to the heavyweights of the music industry validates the expense to appear. This is a rite of passage for just about every act that plans this trip. I recall how, three years ago, the Portland indie pop band Lost Lander successfully campaigned on Kickstarter to earn the funds to produce their album “DRRT”, with any leftover money going to their traveling expenses to attend.

FEATURE

Auditorium Shores Stage prior to the Mazda sponosered SXSW showcases

I began to wonder if the festival’s relevance to independent musicians today has deviated tremendously from its original mission despite the massive corporate dollars that pour in each year.

In comparison to many years past, some things have changed at Austin’s premiere music event.

The influx of corporations vying to get a piece of the action with their branded unofficial day parties have rendered official events almost unnecessary for visiting indie

bands. While they are thoroughly vetted before securing a spot at an unofficial event, the likes of Spotify, Pandora, Yahoo, Google, Rdio, and many more offer opportunities without the need to go through official SXSW channels to perform in front of potentially new fans.

Just about every music-centric media channel from Pitchfork, Hype Machine, to even the New York Times are sending their writers and photographers to catch the next big act on the horizon. While it seems bands have nothing to lose

by attending, there are some downsides that can polarize musicians from having a positive experience.

The New York Times reported earlier this year that official bands are given the choice of being paid $250 per performance or getting all-access wristbands for the entire festival. Solo artists are offered the same thing but at a paltry $100 per show. Unofficial day party organizers offer varying compensation packages that can be better or worse than official events. For indie art-

ists, that can be a tough pill to swallow, especially when brands such as Doritos paid Lady Gaga a reported sum of $2.5 million for a one-time performance back in 2014. Despite the pay scale inequality, talented musicians from across the globe willingly go into debt or find ways to generate the necessary funds to make it to Austin. According to Morten Longe, the manager of New York-based band Lolawolf, he estimated the cost to send them to the festival was at least $7500.

With that number in perspective, smaller international bands must be spending a small fortune to make the trip possible.

Another drawback is the reality that negotiating power is entirely on the side of the festival orga-

Viet Cong's Mike Wallace performs at with one hand at the Mohawk

Waxahatchee's Katie Crutchfield performed at this year's edition

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nizers and the corporations that host events. Official SXSW bands that want to attend are forced to accept one-sided terms in order to have the privilege of being featured.

At this year’s edition, Ex Cops turned down an invitation to play at a McDonald’s sponsored event because the corporation wouldn’t pay performers. They simply banked on privilege to attract bands to their stage. The understandable backlash that came from this led to McDonalds compensating acts that eventually played. Actor Jack Black’s Tenacious D performed for free despite their individual shows grossing over $200,000 on tour.

Despite these controversies, there are countless cases where this particular stop becomes the stepping stone to better compensation at other festivals. This year, SXSW

FEATURE established a network that connects locals with performers so they can offer accommodations during their visit. Matías Cena benefited from such an arrangement despite not knowing anyone in Austin. This is an example of fan power that can do its part to help the independent musicians that we love.

I still feel that despite the capitalist agenda of music industry professionals in attendance, SXSW still offers musicians opportunities to reach new listeners that would normally not be accessible to them.

Like any industry, most dedicated individuals have to work their way up with determination and sacrifice. Finding the right audience of open-minded music lovers is the catalyst to spread a name like a disease. Kansas City band The Philistines certainly benefited by making a fan out of actor Bill Murray when he singled them out from the dozens of acts that he saw at the festival. Canadian post-punk rockers Viet Cong also generated a ton of positive press and fan hype when drummer Mike Wallace came to the festival with a broken hand and put on a sublime one-handed performance that hasn’t been seen since Rick Allen of Def Leppard returned to the drums full-time after losing an arm in an accident.

This festival seems fit for younger bands that simply need fans to believe in what they do. So why do these fans consistently return to South By Southwest on a yearly basis? What makes them more important than the general audience that finds music through social media and streaming services? Because these die-hard music enthu-

siasts are the super fans that look to be impressed at the show. They spend meticulous hours researching who to see and open themselves up to unfamiliar bands with the hope that a great live performance lets them become that guy or gal with the hip music recommendations.

If you compare SXSW to other music festivals you’ll find that a

return because it’s a necessary evil to increase their profile. Today’s SXSW may be a tradeshow for the music industry but some of the same and new opportunities exist for musicians. Inevitably, giving fans the awe-inspiring performances that they seek is the real power that enables viral validation.

A pinnacle feat for Matías Cena; his Icenhauer set is his first American performance

majority of its attendees generally choose to see the bands they already know. Labels and band managers know this. I got see Matías Cena perform one of his sets in an intimate setting that I otherwise would have missed. Well managed bands have learned to plan ahead for their tour with a March stop through Austin in mind. They always have the option to avoid the logjam but many veterans of the festival

ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT THE MUSIC OF MATIAS CENA / VIET CONG? SCAN OR CLICK MATIAS CENA

SCAN OR CLICK VIET CONG

HONESTLY, WHO

2015

IS THERE TO SEE ?

4 Truly AWESOME Events

by Daniel Snider & Gabriella Melendez Over a period of five consecutive days of intense shows, the Cue La Musique team got to see 45 different bands at fifteen different venues. While many of the shows were great in their own way, we have chosen to highlight four in particular that stood out above the rest based on performer intensity, technical ability, and overall crowd response to the set. This is NOT a ranking, but merely a show of affection.

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FEATURE

STUBHUB MUSIC EXPERIENCE / 03.17.15

CLIVE BAR / STUBHUB & CULTURE COLLIDE THE DELTA RIGGS

CATHEDRALS

THE LONELY WILD

SURFER BLOOD

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

SAN FRANCISCO

LOS ANGELES

WEST PALM BEACH

AVA LUNA

ELECTRIC BALLROOM

Last year was my first introduction to Ava Luna.

Electric Balloon was released early in ’14 during a time where I had an insatiable thirst for finding new music. I read a few snippets about the band and the album, and was intrigued by the commentary. The best description I’d heard of the album was referring to it as “nervous soul.” I was excited and not sure what to expect, and when

I first popped in the album, I was immediately hooked by the opening track, “Daydream.” It featured hard, fast driving guitars with a female backing vocal for the first 30 seconds before making way for Carlos Hernandez’s wild falsetto singing. It was the perfect opening selection as it kind of encapsulates the entire album—chaotic, out of control, almost lacking structure, but more than anything, fun.

There is some screaming, hard drumming, and horns on top of everything else to create a bizarre cacophony of sound, but entirely likeable.

After the intensity of the opening track, it’s a blatant shift to the second track, “Sears Roebuck M&M’s,” sung by Becca Kauffman. As a slower track, it offers a deliberate introductory pace that coincides with the switch at lead vocals. Her voice coasts over the slower guitar and bass, and while she sometimes yelps almost gibberish, it all works together perfectly. The highlight of the album for me is “Plain Speech,” Hernandez again takes the reins here, and at about the 1:50 mark the song has an uptick and it really draws comparisons to a Dirty Projectors track with the way the backup female vocalists are used. I found myself comparing this album to the Dirty Projectors more often than not, and that’s a good thing. The album does a great job of balancing the chaos with some slower tunes such as “PPRL,” which is great in its own right. It’s an album full of hooks that always keeps you guessing, taking you in a myriad of fun and interesting directions.

Key Tracks: Sears Roebuck M&M’s & Plain Speech

WHY SO GOOD? The first event we attended at SXSW this year was the StubHub Music Experience, and wow did it offer a top notch lineup for the afternoon. While we were unfortunate not to catch Irontom during the opening set, the other acts that followed offered a wonderful mix of music that spanned various genres. Three of them are up and comers looking to make a huge splash this year while the headliner, Surfer Blood is aiming for a comeback. Best of the bunch? That honor goes to The Delta Riggs with their high energy performance and stage presence.

HYPE MACHINE'S HYPE HOTEL / 03.19.15

1100 E. 5th STREET / CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND TWIN SHADOW

TWERPS

KING TUFF

VIET CONG

BROOKLYN

MELBOURNE, AUS

LOS ANGELES

CALGARY, AB

WHY SO GOOD? My first taste of catching one of my favorite new bands of the last year, Viet Cong, offered a sublime performance that only lacked by the limited time they had on stage. Curated by Consequence of Sound, the Hype Hotel's best day party that included free drinks and free tacos courtesy of Taco Bell also featured King Tuff, Australian band Twerps, and the always fun performances of Twin Shadow. On top of that, Natalie Prass and The Districts opened the event, however, we unfortunately missed their moments in the spotlight. Best of the bunch? Viet Cong.

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FEATURE

THE BONFIRE SESSIONS / 03.19.15

CHEER UP CHARLIE'S / NOISEY & JANSPORT TWIN PEAKS

WAXAHATCHEE

REAL ESTATE

PUBLIC ACCESS T.V.

CHICAGO

BIRMINGHAM, AL

BROOKLYN

NEW YORK CITY

WHY SO GOOD? This was my second Bonfire Sessions event in four years. Their lineups are always solid (The War On Drugs and White Rabbit hit the same stage the last time I was here) so I expected something spectacular.

Did it deliver? Hell yeah it did! Best of the bunch? Twin Peaks hands down. The Chicago band brought their signature intensity to the stage and incited what could be classified as a riot had it not been a music event. The crowd was in a frenzy with crowd surfers, moshing, and even individuals jumping on stage as the band tried to fend off security.

PANDORA DISCOVERY DEN / 03.21.15 THE GATSBY / PANDORA JOYWAVE

SAN FERMIN

THE BLACK ANGELS

ZELLA DAY

ROCHESTER, NY

BROOKLYN

AUSTIN

LOS ANGELES

WHY SO GOOD? The last day of Pandora's signature SXSW event featured Priory, Zella Day, Ex Cops, Palma Violets, Joywave, Big Data, San Fermin, and Austin's very own The Black Angels. Simply an astonishing series of artists to close out the festival. Best of the bunch? Three way tie between Zella Day, San Fermin, & The Black Angels. Zella is a newcomer that I was unaware of that really impressed with her songwriting, stage presence, and vocal performance. The Black Angels rocked it out as expected and San Fermin's brass was a true delight to witness.

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DISCOVER

THE SXSW EDITION

Surging artists to watch

INTERNATIONAL SELECTION

by Daniel Snider

The Delta Riggs were formed in 2010 and are fronted by Elliott Hammond, whose stage per-

sona exudes swagger to back their claims of being the best live band in Australia. Even Rolling Stone Australia labeled the band as its top national live act this past year.

Their much-talked about maiden UK & European tour generated tremendous hype, especially after releasing their rattling new single,The Record’s Flawed. This rousing anthem is the perfect piece to demonstrate the improvisational talents of the entire four-piece as each show brings the party to the audience. Fans can expect to find additional music gold across the band’s oddly-titled second album, ‘Dipz Zebazios’, which became available in October 2014.

TITLE: THE DELTA RIGGS - The Record's Flawed ALBUM: DIPS ZEBAZIOS

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Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, comes one of the best live acts witnessed at this year’s SXSW Music Festival, The Delta Riggs. This band is a prime example of the evolving Aussie rock invasion that is led by contemporaries such as Tame Impala and Courtney Barnett. While their influences lean sonically towards English luminaries Kasabian, and source some similarities with Divine Fits and Primal Scream, the Aussie quartet offer a distinct sound that flourishes during their audience consuming, high energy live performances.

DISCOVER

VISION FORTUNE

by Katie Fleming

Hailing from the UK, London's Vision Fortune harkens back to a time when the London Underground was awash with the brown fuzz sound of late 60s psychedelia. With the tone and haze similar to bands of the late 60s UK rock scene, the group has a honed and tight groove to their sound. And while tinged with the nostalgic sound of their predecessors, the band pushes their brand of sonic awesomeness and envelops the listener.

of dark film themes from another era. XIV is brilliant in its soundscape, reminding one an Ennio Morricone spaghetti western score.

Fresh off an appearance at SXSW, Vision Fortune is set to push itself into the North American music scene and make a modest place for itself in the American consciousness.

TITLE: VISION FORTUNE - Dry Mouth ALBUM: COUNTRY MUSIC

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Their latest album, "Country Music", boasts the track Dry Mouth, mostly a slow, atmospheric creation of auditory style. Drag is another track that pulls the listener in, at times evoking the memory

by Brett Jager It’s also hard to not see the influence of punk innovators The Ramones on Mourn—even look at the album cover of The Ramones debut album compared to that of Mourn’s debut LP. Musically, Mourn hits hard with concise punk bangers infused with indie rock.

They were discovered by hometown record label Sones Records, and recorded their self-titled debut album in two days along with drummer Antonio Postius Echeverria and Jazz’s sister Leia as the bassist. The album was released by Sones in September of 2014 and caught the eye of Brooklyn label Captured Tracks, which re-released the album in the United States on February 17, 2015.

The co-front-women have great chemistry, singing together throughout most of the album. Reportedly first single Your Brain Is Made of Candy was written while Bueno was bored and angry in class. Despite their youth, there is certainly a maturity to their music. It will be exciting to see the band grow as they should have a bright future ahead of them.

TITLE: MOURN - Otitis ALBUM: Mourn

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Mourn is a teenage four-piece from Barcelona co-founded by front-women and guitarists Jazz Rodriguez Bueno and Carla Perez Vas. The original duo claim PJ Harvey, Patti Smith and Sleater-Kinney as influences, and began releasing material on YouTube.

DISCOVER

PUBLIC SERVICE

BROADCASTING

by Aaron Smart

They uniquely craft instrumentals that weave in and out of spliced audio and video footage sampled from archived public information and propaganda films. The sounds of mid century television and radio voices create a really

interesting vibe. Live shows are a mix of electronics and live instrumentation played in sync with projections of meticulously edited videos through stacks of old TVs and modern screens.

Wrigglesworth’s precise drumming parallels the pre-edited videos and cue transitions while Willgoose is occupied with various strings, keys and midi controllers.

It will be interesting to see how they transition as performers to larger venues, especially if they can find a way to manipulate videos in concert to allow for more improvisation. Public Service Broadcasting’s second full-length album “The Race For Space” was released this past February.

TITLE: PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING - Gagarin ALBUM: The RACE FOR SPACE

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Public Service Broadcasting is the brainchild of J. Willgoose, Esq. The multi-instrumentalist is accompanied by his drummer Wrigglesworth. Their debut album “Inform – Educate – Entertain” was very well received. It seemed like the title could have been their motto, but really these guys just have a great sense of humor and have worked with a lot of propaganda. Their real concern is to entertain.

JACCO GARDNER

HANNE KOLSTØ

by Daniel Snider

by Gaby Meléndez From the southern shore village of Kabelvåg, the Norwegian singer/songwriter Hanne Kolstø has been performing with her distinctly pure vocals since 2009, and released her fourth album "Forever Maybe" last year.

JACCO GARDNER ALBUM: Hypnophobia TRACK: Find Yourself

HANNE KOLSTØ ALBUM: FOREVER MAYBE TRACK: All Is Contagious

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With her Scandinavian musical grounding is deeply influenced by ABBA, Kolstø delivers her upbeat and intelligent pop fusion while blending dark undertones among heavy synths and loops.

Her deep-hearted and emotional lyrics have garnered serious attention at this year’s South

by Southwest Festival among other shows stateside as she continues to campaign for new fans.

Check out the lead single from her latest LP.

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Arriving from a time machine that went on a round trip to 1967, Jacco Gardner, a multi-instrumentalist from the Netherlands, introduces the American public his atmospheric neo-psych/ baroque pop via his sophomore album "Hypnophobia". As heard on his debut album of 2013, "Cabinet of Curiosities", Gardner’s throwback rock combines harpsichord, strings, flutes, and other classical instruments resembling the works of Bach, and tributes bands such as Nirvana and the Zombies with his iterative psychedelic sounds. When recording his albums, he played every instrument with exception to the drums, which were played by Jos van Tol. His soundscape is very unique and worth hearing firsthand.

DISCOVER

THE VACCINES

by Rick Menninger

by Daniel Snider The U.K. platinum-selling indie rock band from West London was formed in 2010 by Justin Hayward-Young, Freddie Cowan, Árni Árnason and Pete Robertson. Their rise to stardom came off the demo single "If you wanna" that caught the attention of british radio tastemakers. Young’s folk-leaning aesthetics layered by his warm vocals and Cowan's jagged, rockabilly-meets-Ramones riffs were an instant hit with their audiences that pushed the band to release their debut LP, "What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?" in 2011.

WOLF ALICE ALBUM: Single TRACK: Bros

THE VACCINES ALBUM: English graffiti TRACK: Minimal Affection

The Vaccines' third album, English Graffiti, will be set loose later this month to the masses and will surely make believers of its listeners.

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The almost impossible to pin down rock group, Wolf Alice, was founded in London as a folk-rock duo comprised of vocalist Ellie Roswell and guitarist Jeff Oddie. They added a rhythm section in 2012 and promptly began their meteoric rise as potentially the most hyped alt-rock band around today. Although their catalog only encompasses two EPs and a handful of singles, it only takes that much to see the wealth of musical talent found in this four-piece. From track to track, they deftly maneuver between grunge, melodic indie rock, folk, and chamber pop to deliver an insanely infectious blend they refer to as “rocky pop.” Their debut album, "My Love is Cool" drops this summer on June 22nd.

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Interview by Daniel Snider

With their recent North American tour for their latest album, "Alix", wrapping up, the New Orleans-based duo take this opportunity to talk with us about their writing process, touring, a little bit of their history, and the polarizing experiences that bands encounter at Austin's South by Southwest Festival

H

igh school friends Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer co-founded Generationals back in 2008 following the dissolution of their previous band, The Eames Era. Ted, who graduated from LSU’s architecture program with two other band members, would stay the course as a musician as its other members would leave the band to pursue different careers paths. Grant shared the same desire as a musician and together they returned to their old stomping grounds of New Orleans to produce their debut album, "Con Law", in 2009. With their first major single When We Fight, We Fight, Generationals captured plenty of positive attention before embarking on their first heavy touring schedule. The following four years would see Generationals release two additional studio albums

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["Actor-Caster" (2011) and "Heza" (2013)] and two EPs ["Trust" (2010) & "Lucky Numbers" (2012)].

In preparation for their fourth studio album, the pair recognized their need to step outside of their comfort zone in order to persevere together with compelling music releases. They acted on this realization by collaborating with super-producer Richard Swift (The Shins, Damien Jurado, Foxygen) for "Alix", which was released across all formats on the 16th of September of last year. Their most recent North American tour led to them sharing the stage with the likes of Sylvan Esso, Of Montreal, and Rose Quartz. Their shared tastes in musical influences as well as their symbiotic working relationship is representative of the quality pop music that they continue to output to the delight of their fervent fan-base.

SPOTLIGHT

You both sing and write music for the band. It seems that you guys work really well together as a duo and that has likely helped you find a common ground in creating music together. Is there usually a consistent part of developing a new album where you do butt heads?

Grant: Butting heads is not the right term. We spend time changing things, talking about ideas, trying to come up with a shared vision for what kind of album we want to write, but those are, I think, healthy parts of collaborating. It’s part of the fun, not stressful or antagonistic.

As each of you offer something different in your joint vision for Generationals, which one of you would be the peanut butter and who would be the jelly in your duo sandwich? Is there a better metaphor to describe your working relationship?

G: I think it’s more like a writer/editor relationship, which we alternate the roles of depending on who originates a song idea. We both write lyrics and music and we both can record ourselves and produce our own demos, so we really just need each other to provide some perspective and to finish off ideas that might need a push.

Generationals' Ted Joyner on the mic

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The obvious...which bands have influenced you the most? Can you name an act on past tours or a shared billing that simply blew you away and furthermore influenced your own music?

Ted: Obvious answers... The Beatles? The Kinks?

Talking Heads? There is definitely the pantheon of mega influences. But yeah as you continue, you end up being influenced as much by your friends and bands you’ve met from touring and recording. Like our pantheon is just so crowded at this point. Our good friend Seth Kaufman is in there for sure. Same with Nick Krill. and Daniel Black. and Gardens & Villa. Richard Swift.

Tess Brunet. Michael Libramento. Ri¢hie Kirkpatrick, Dante Schwebel. Devin Therriault.

The first time I got to see you live was at The Drunken Unicorn with Arum Rae. How did that show compare to your past Atlanta shows at The Earl?

T: We played our first show in Atlanta at The Earl about 10 years ago. Atlanta has always been a stop that I look forward to. When we’d play to just like 15 people, I feel like it was always a good vibe. The people at the Earl were always nice. But the Drunken Unicorn was a fun place too for sure. I remember it feeling much more

SPOTLIGHT

Black Lemon

Generationals Alix (2014)

Charlesmagne

SCAN OR CLICK TO HEAR TRACK Gold Silver Diamond

Generationals Heza (2013) SCAN OR CLICK TO HEAR TRACK

TenTwentyTen Actor-Caster (2011)

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When They Fight, They Fight Con Law (2009)

Put A Light On

You Got Me

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packed in. Like its a narrower room so everyones all jammed together, which can make for a more fun show sometimes.

Throughout your discography it seems you guys haven't featured a guest vocalist or other known artists collaborating on individual tracks. Has this ever been of interest to Generationals? If so, who are you dying to work with?

T: Well we’ve definitely had vocalists other than ourselves on certain tracks. For instance our good friend Faye sang some back­ups on our first two records. And then we collaborated with Tess Brunet on our "Trust EP". We are not against more collaborations or guests on our records.

If it feels right we would try it.

G: We actually did feature a guest vocalist named Sarah Quintana who sang an alternate version of Greenleaf as a bonus track from "Actor-Caster". I would do it again if the vibe was right, I would be into it.

How do you select which tracks eventually end up as music videos?

T: We like to let our label tell us what should be the videos. We often feel like every song should have a video. But you gotta narrow it down to like the singles, I suppose.

But in our hearts we always wish every song had a video to go with it. Maybe one day, we’ll try to pull that off.

Which festival is your favorite to perform at?

T: We just played one in Mexico called Bahidora that was pretty cool. And Treefort Fest in Boise was fun. We’re looking forward to playing Firefly in June and Phono del Sol in July.

Your last two albums were also released as a cassette and vinyl...what do you feel about preserving your music in a legacy/analog format? Do these formats exist for your die­hard fans or primarily out of satisfaction that there is an artistic side to these formats in showcasing the album artwork in varying dimensions?

T: I think its just cool to have different objects that

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Generationals' Grant Widmer performing at Treefort

SPOTLIGHT

represent the record. All of us have intangible record collections in the cloud or whatever that so far exceed what we could ever own physically. It just becomes a cool way to celebrate the project through letting it live in these different physical objects that you like having at your house. Sure, vinyl can sound better. But I think its just as much about celebrating the artwork of the project, like you said. And then tapes are cool because I’m old enough to remember having glove compartments full of tapes. So admittedly yes, it definitely taps into a nostalgia thing for me, to get to design the case of a cassette.

A specific question for Ted related to his education in architecture. How has that education and experience impacted your life / career after sticking with music?

The New Orleans duo pose for a photoshoot before their latest tour

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T: Yes I did study architecture. Its sort of hard to address specifically how architecture school impacted my choice to pursue music. I think working in an office after graduation definitely informed my decision to redirect my efforts to music. I just remember graduation and then sitting in front of a computer drafting all day and realizing that it didn't feel right for me right then. I just felt too restless at the time. But I think maybe any office environment would have had the same effect.

But I did love architecture school. I really liked building models. Which I don't do at all anymore. I really liked the whole studio environment and the staying up late to finish. At the time, the late night stuff seemed torturous, but now I look back on it as one of the funnest things.

SPOTLIGHT

Like killing yourself that last night to finish, and then the next morning presenting to the panel of guest critics having only gotten 20 minutes of sleep under your drafting table. I lived for that stuff! Those were the days.

Which song/album do you think best represents your band? (For example, which one do you immediately recommend to a stranger that has just met you)

T: Our most recent stuff best represents where we’re at.

I’d say try Black Lemon or Would You Want Me or Reviver. Or I’d just say Look, stranger, Start wherever. Its all good. Find your own way in this world.

"Alix" came out as a return to your indie pop roots after the dream­pop/shoegaze detour that was "Heza", where do you envision your music developing into the next LP?

T: That’s an interesting analysis. I’ve heard some people say that both Heza and Alix were sharp departures from what we were doing on Con Law and Actor Caster.

Of course, we never see it that way. It all feel like a fluid evolution from our perspective when making it. I couldn’t tell you what the next one will sound like yet.

What’s the next big milestone in your careers?

G: We just try to grow into the opportunities that present themselves. We don’t really pre-set milestones. Im just hoping I don’t get a kidney stone, you know?

Generationals have performed at SXSW on multiple occasions, including this year. How have your experiences at the festival changed through the years?

What is your fondest memory at past performances?

AND/OR Did your first SXSW appearance empower Generationals with the opportunities that so many independent artists seek by performing there?

G. The festival itself has changed drastically. I don’t even think of it as a festival anymore, I think of it as a trade convention for the entire music industry, with a ton of non-music corporate sponsors that want to advertise to that industry. Ted and I have been through the entire emotional cycle with SXSW, from when we

were 20-years-old, having our band get rejected by the SXSW selection people, to the elation of getting in and then getting put on a terrible showcase the next year, to the advent of the day-parties which rendered the official SXSW selection process basically irrelevant. We’ve seen and felt all these changes first hand. The main emotion I associate with SXSW at this point is anxiety. Just seeing those four letters in that order gives me a chill of panic as I think about the logistical nightmare that bands go through to play there. For one, the city of Austin is dangerously overcrowded, so there’s nowhere to sleep, nowhere to stand, nowhere to park, nowhere to store your equipment safely. The city services cannot possibly handle the volume of people, so if you need to report a van break-in or anything to the police, it’s a joke, don’t even bother. So it’s open season for the van thieves.

People are overcrowding every street and street corner, the police are powerless to keep it all in check so you have dangerous situations like the tragedy from last year where a speeding car drove into a crowd of people. It’s fraught. Coming from New Orleans, I think we have an extra insight about how massive crowds are policed, how spread thin the police are and how that can be fun and also how that can lead to trouble. And the cops here have been doing it for over a hundred years with Mardi Gras. SXSW is relatively new by that measure and the city just can’t handle the influx. So, no I don’t really look forward to it, it’s a necessary evil for us every other year, but I’m sure some younger bands get a kick out of it and maybe get signed or get a new agent. It’s a young band’s game.

To follow Generationals, check out their profiles via one of the following links:

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ROYAL THUNDER CROOKED DOORS

RELAPSE RECORDS 04.07.2015 RELEASE

In this landscape of indie and underground music, there is a pantheon of fresh new artists out there, all vying for the attention of new listeners, pushing the boundaries of their craft and striving to become the next big thing. Wait no longer as Atlanta, Georgia's

Royal Thunder is a tight four piece outfit that will catch your ear with their unique brand of psychedelic infused hard rock. With the release this month of their new album, "Crooked Doors", Royal Thunder continues its push into the industry's consciousness with an album that is set to grab hold and never let go.

ROYAL THUNDER - Time Machine ALBUM: CROOKED DOORS

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This sophomore offering continues Royal Thunder's solid brand of rock. With songs that are hypnotic and compelling, the band not only reproduces the amazing sound they have previously established with CVI, but builds on that effort with this album, creating dark, moody, driving rock tomes that showcase their talents and certifies why they stand above many other rock groups. The track that kicks it all off is Time Machine, a song that starts modestly enough in its intro, but quickly launches into an emotional journey, one that speaks to loss and longing.

With this track, it sets the tone for the rest of the album. The song builds on itself repeatedly, with guitar

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by KATIE FLEMING

Formed in 2004 by husband and wife team Josh Weaver and Parsonz, the band selfreleased their debut EP in 2007. Despite some of the obstacles that the band would later encounter, the band signed with Relapse Records in 2010. The band's lineup would change over the next few years into its current iteration of Parsonz on bass and vocals, Weaver on guitar, Will Fiore (formerly of Zoroaster) on guitar and Evan Diprima (formerly of Stallone) on drums.

ALBUM REVIEW

As the album pushes forward, it is apparent that Parsonz' rocky and storied life has played a strong influence both lyrically and in her delivery. Glow is perhaps one of the catchiest songs on the album, with its slide guitar intro. The track's lyrics "breaking me down / they know all my secrets / breaking me down / I know that they know what we are" are heartfelt and telling as it references Parsonz and Weaver's time spent in a toxic marriage and their struggle escaping from a christian cult. This is easily one of the best songs on

“This sophomore offering continues Royal Thunder's solid brand of rock. With songs that are hypnotic and compelling, the band not only reproduces the amazing sound they have previously established with CVI, but builds on that effort with this album, creating dark, moody, driving rock tomes that showcase their talents" Crooked Doors, and is destined to earn a place within playlists of many listeners. One Day is another highlight as it slows things down yet doesn't wane from its harder predecessors. Like Glow, it speaks with emotion and power "come set me free / and cut me down / I’m stuck in between it, don’t put me back together."

Parsonz' vocals are soaring across the entire album, immediately seizing one's focus. Weaver and Fiore's guitars are inspired and passionate, while never failing to miss a note, both elevating Parsonz' vocal style and propelling her forward as well, in a marriage of harmony that draws even the casual listener in. With Diprima on

ROYAL THUNDER - Glow ALBUM: CROOKED DOORS

drums, he anchors the band with his heavy and driving beats, keeping the band tight and together at all times.

Crooked Doors is available on CD now, both in a standard format as well as a deluxe edition that includes demos for several songs.

While it is sometimes nice to see additional content offered, even showcase the process that songs like Forget You and Time Machine have taken from conception to completion, it may be more appealing to hardcore fans of the band rather than to newcomers.

The demo tracks offer little in the way of contributing to the finished album, which in its completed iteration is perfect the way it is. The album is also available on LP, a great option for those audiophiles who prefer vinyl over a digital experience.

Crooked Doors is one the finest hard rock albums of 2015 to be released thus far, and it demonstrates why Royal Thunder has earned its well-deserved reputation of uncompromising melodic rock 'n' roll.

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work from Weaver equally as impressive as Parsonz' vocals. At just over 7 minutes long, this is the longest track on the album, but certainly not the least of them, merely a spirited start to it. This is followed by the track Forget You, which is a slow grind of a song, with the echoing howl of guitar punctuating the dark lyrics that augment one another with acute precision. Wake Up boasts an almost dreamlike and lyrical sound. It evokes the memory of an early Syd Barrett led Pink Floyd, steeped in a psychedelic swirl that's almost homagelike in its sound to Floyd's Astronomy Domine.

DAN DEACON GLISS RIFFER

DOMINO RECORDS 02.24.2015 RELEASE

"Gliss Riffer" just doesn’t stop. Off the bat we’re greeted by a cover depicting a demented hand creature coming off one of the worst benders of his life. Glissy Rifferton, as I’ve come to call him, is accompanied by two flower companions (who look to be as annoying as

the sidekicks from the Charlie the Unicorn series) in the wake of what must have been a series of increasingly poor decisions. Rousing himself, Glissy begins to question his actions from the night before. Where had he been last night? What realm was he about to enter?

Would it be safe to introduce to us, mere muggles?

DAN DEACON - Feel The Lightning ALBUM: GLASS RIFFER

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Deacon has clearly moved beyond our visible world, bursting through into a demented digitized cartoon universe filled with every imaginable character belting out the tune of their people.

Every beating noise strums to eternity, every strange vocalized instrument glides effortlessly through a matrix of reverberations; it seems that we have entered a land where even the smallest creatures have been given an instrument to harmonize with the everlasting rhythms of the planets and the stars.

Even the individual sounds

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by ALEX ALTY

Luckily we do not have to wait very long for an answer. Mr. Riffer takes the reign(s) immediately with the opening track Feel the Lightning. We are greeted with the typical Deaconic array of electro-mechanical instruments punching every imaginable blip, zip and clip through our earholes. One listen to the electrified pad droning in the background and I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to answer the question that bounds throughout the track: Can you feel the lightning? Dan Deacon definitely feels it, and his newfound friends, including Mr. Riff himself, have taught him the ancient magic needed to bottle its power.

ALBUM REVIEW

Now for the part that I’m sure all Deacon-ites will be raving about: the album's vocals.

Never before have we heard such range in vocal stylings from one man. We hear every nuance of harmonized vocal processing, as it guides us through every erratic permutation of 8-bit nostalgia. I like to believe that the accompanying voices are the guest vocals of Glissy Rifferton and his neighborho od friends.

The crystal cat’s phase ridden cousin makes a few appearances to appease the diehard Dan-fans, but for the most part we get to experience the glossy new voices of this unexplored universe. It’s a sunny day in a fluorescent park filled with everything from mechanical crickets and yaw-yaw frogs,

to botanical quintets and dogs with clogs!

While these voices are fun and playful on the surface, if the listener takes the time and effort to decipher their message they begin to embody a wholly different tone. Deacon is clearly going through some inner turmoil as he struggles to find an outlet for his expressive capacity. This is obvious in

“Gliss Riffer has most everything you would want in a party anthem, but it will definitely take you on an unexpected journey. On the surface it is a levitating surge of devastating bubble gum energy, but partake in caution people. I should have realized other obscure mantras would be present." the scope of his music as a whole, as it is clearly the product of an ADD riddled mind. However, Gliss Riffer, which initially pumps the listener with a sense of invincible euphoria, ends on a starkly somber tone. The last two tracks, Take it to the Max and Steely Blues, are the most drawn out of the whole album. Why create this dichotomy within himself?

DAN DEACON - When I Was Done Dying ALBUM: GLASS RIFFER

Is he a sugar-rush Scarface or a multicultural trance overlord? The last two tracks harken back to classic Dan Deacon; epic odysseys of noise pop. Each percussive layer is added with a gentle caress. More than any of the others, these two tracks define the tone of the album as a whole. Why end the whirlwind adventure we’ve just experienced with these two downtempo tunes?

Perhaps to reinforce the point that Deacon is trying to make, we must look ahead to what will remain once the party is over. This is a fairly deep concept to convey in an electrodance pop album, but if there were to be anyone to accomplish it, Dan Deacon would be that man.

Gliss Riffer has most everything you would want in a party anthem, but it will definitely take you on an unexpected journey. On the surface it is a levitating surge of devastating bubble gum energy, but partake in caution people. I should have realized other obscure mantras would be present.

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individual sounds and loops are given a vocal quality by the wall of processing and automation that double D imposes on every track.

Deacon has located his pedestal in this exotic electro pop. Perfecting the blend of acoustic drones layered with boundless electronic arpeggiations, each element of Gliss Riffer has a feeling of endless depth.

SUB POP 02.10.2015 RELEASE

I LOVE YOU, HONEYBEAR

by AARON SMART I completely missed the 2012 album “Fear Fun.” That was Josh Tillman’s first album under the “arbitrary” moniker Father John Misty. If you also missed that album, you may still recognize his voice from his releases under the name J. Tillman, or even from his years

drumming and harmonizing a bit for Fleet Foxes. This time around, FJM’s second album release "I Love You, Honeybear" just showed up in my postal box one day via my record of the club month.

Affixed to the cellophane is a sticker entitled “the album” that is a ridiculous term of endearment in large gold typeface that

FATHER JOHN MISTY - Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins) ALBUM: I LOVE YOU, HONEYBEAR

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seemingly should be on an old church bulletin. Just beneath the plastic, Stacey Rozich’s beautiful watercolor begins to foreshadow the tension and humor of Josh’s songwriting throughout the album. The center of the cover art features Tillman’s adult face detailed on the Christ child’s body with hands resting on the bare breast of the Virgin Mary. I got enough enjoyment from the artwork that I wouldn’t have even cared too much if the album were bad. Before I started listening, I pulled out the “Exercises for Listening” pamphlet and got my first taste of Josh’s writing.

I think Josh would actually hate the idea of reviewing an album, but hey, that’s what I’m here for. It must be said that his voice is incredibly strong and clear.

For the most part, these tracks are categorically folk or Americana with some psychedelic tinges, but he could get away with singing almost anything in any setting. Heck, he could be a lounge singer. If anyone else tried to deliver his lines it would seem over the top, but he can sound completely authentic singing a hokey cliché. Josh Tillman is best known for is his well-crafted, tongue-in-cheek lyrics. He

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FATHER JOHN MISTY

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This concept album chronicles stages of Tillman’s relationship with his now wife Emma.

There is a very full sound throughout with lush, sweeping melodies and rich strings and horns.

Josh’s voice stands out well against the background. I love how clearly he comes through because it’s so easy to sing along. As many love stories go, they meet and his life is turned upside down.

After the relationship begins they deal with each other’s shortcomings but keep sticking together, coming to the realization that there is nothing better than “to see

and be seen.” There are so many intimate details that come across, but I don’t want to ruin too much for you. It is better to hear Josh speak for himself.

Chateau Lobby manages to explain a first sexual encounter with his dear Emma instrumented by a mariachi band and a violin and other strings. Here are the lyrics from one of my favorite parts of the song

“Definitely check out this album if you like sincere, beautiful, nostalgic, funny music full of irreverent, sarcastic and extremely selfaware lyrics or if you just love albums that include both steel guitars and laugh tracks." (and a good summary of how Josh writes): "First time you let me stay the night despite your own rules / You took off early to go cheat your way through film school / You left a note in your perfect script “Stay as long as you want” and I haven’t left your bed since." I Went To The Store is packed full of lush strings and heartfelt lyrics sung by Josh’s voice at its most beautiful. This song details the parking lot

FATHER JOHN MISTY - I Went To The Store One Day ALBUM: I LOVE YOU, HONEYBEAR

introduction to Emma. It is also just fantastic to hear the word store sung so sweetly.

True Affection is a song that without Josh’s voice I would not have guessed was on this album. One of my first guesses would probably be Passion Pit. The track references talking face to face versus using strange devices, so maybe the electronics in this song embody the technological barriers in communication, or maybe not.

I was surprised to find out that he started embracing his humor only recently in the way that is so apparent on these FJM albums. It is dangerous to form opinion based on a bunch of sound bites, but what I came up with is that he was just so tired of everything. I think he spent a long time worrying about living up to some expectations, some that were created when he was a child and some that were probably self imposed. Anyways, he had an experience where he was able to see himself from the outside. Now he is really coming into his own with a no bull, nothing is sacred attitude.

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writes these stories in song that make you hang on to his every word up to a perfectly timed punch line.

He is always a step ahead.

It is funny to watch him in interviews because it makes me believe that Father John Misty is not a character; it is just Josh. The control he has in every interaction closely parallels that of his writing. The interviewers always seem to get stuck in between (while trying to convey their active listening) agreeing with an insight or figuring out if they should be laughing at a joke that was made.

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Led Zeppelin. No name has ever been more synonymous with rock and roll since The Beatles first appeared and changed the cultural landscape of music and defined the soundtrack of a generation. No band before or since has captured both our attentions and imaginations in quite the

same way. And no band can still capture our hearts and minds in quite the same way.

Even thirty years after Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones parted ways after the tragic loss of their friend John Bonham in 1980, Led Zeppelin has never left us.

They still continue to capture us and enthrall us and inspire us, forever an influence on not only generations

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Immediately from the first chords of Custard Pie, the power of the sound emanating from Page's guitar is clear & striking.

Plant's vocals are now brighter, Jones' bass is more insistent and Bonzo's beats have never sounded heavier. The album still has the same seamless flow from one song to another that it has since its original release.

Trampled Under Foot, a song built on the famed bluesman Robert Johnson's Terraplane Blues, is here, sounding a bit brighter now in its bouncing keyboard introduction and its lyrical metaphors (ie pump your gas, etc.). In My Time Of Dying sounds as fantastic as

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of fans, old and new, but also on every musician that has ever heard them.

With the re-release of the magnum opus double album, 1975's "Physical Graffiti", the songs may have remained the same, however the band has never sounded better. Available in multiple formats, both in vinyl for the purists and collectors, as well as on CD, this rerelease is a much anticipated one as the band continues to remaster and repackage all nine of its studio albums.

ALBUM REVIEW

Disc two’s first track In the Light begins with its slow synthesizer drone, yet the echo is more crisp now, almost ethereal in its sound.

Down By The Seaside, a song originally intended for Led Zeppelin IV, is clearer as well, and alternates between soft and hard sections, with Page's ringing tremolo sound and Jones' electric piano perfectly accenting the song as Plant's nasal vocals give an almost country feel to the track.

Ten Years Gone, perhaps one of the most reflective songs on the album as well as one of the more complex ones in harmony is a bit more subdued, yet a deeply introspective song as well. It is a true showcase of Page's skill not only as a guitarist, but also as a producer as well, with about a dozen overdubs used to blend it

all together.

Moving beyond the familiar two disc album is the third bonus disc of material which, while it offers no real new material itself, is the real treat for die hard Zeppelin fans. Starting with the first track, Brandy And Coke, it is a fun initial rough mix of the familiar classic Trampled Under Foot. Other bonus tracks on this disc that are worthy of note are Driving Through Kashmir, a

“It is still not only an amazing album as a whole, but also a seminal benchmark in the history of rock and roll, going on to define what a double album should be."

new product, this is not the case with Physical Graffiti.

While reintroducing their landmark album to a new generation more familiar with digital music than their grandparents' dusty vinyl or even their parents' compact discs, the reissue of Physical Graffiti is far from unnecessary. It is still not only an amazing album as a whole, but also a seminal benchmark in the history of rock and roll, going on to define what a double album should be. This remastered release is simply a must have for any Led Zeppelin fan and deserves a place among every rock fan's music collection, be it digital or otherwise.

rough orchestral mix of the seminal and definitive Zep song Kashmir and the initial rough mix of In My Time Of Dying, which is a bit more understated and quiet than the final produced track.

While some may argue that the need for most bands to remaster and reissue previous albums is merely an attempt at increasing revenue without producing

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ever, with Page's slide guitar and Bonham's drums in particular standing out even more so than they once had.

Closing out disc one is the classic and dominating Kashmir, which unabashedly personifies the band as well as sonically envelopes the listener with its rhythm, washing over one with a relentless march of drums, guitar and Plant's iconic lyrics soaring over it all.

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SOMETIMES I SIT AND THINK, AND SOMETIMES I JUST SIT

by DAN BERGER Courtney Barnett is a singular personality, at least that’s what she’d like you to think.

She hails from Melbourne, and after a few stints in local Australian bands, released 2 EPs of her own, eventually combining the two into an album, "The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas" in 2013.

The standout single, Avant Gardener, gathered her much praise, and typified her style of rambling, often disconnected yet thoughtful nuggets of truth. She sings of planting vegetables, and an allergic reaction that ends up putting her in an ambulance. Her new album, "Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit",

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explores the everyday, and the mundane, and propels her listeners to consider the significance of normal thoughts and actions, rather than fantasies and fantastic elements of love and life.

The opening track, Elevator Operator, tells the story of a 9-5er who gets bored one day and decides not to go to work, and while chilling on a rooftop, gets confused for someone who wants to kill himself: “I think you’re projecting the way that you’re feeling, I’m not suicidal, just idling for perception and clarity. I like to imagine I’m playing SimCity.” It’s the kind of witty story that is typical of Barnett’s lyrics, which meander about people’s life without glamour.

Pedestrian at Best is the hardest hitting single of the group, with punk guitar chords, with a heavy chorus to match. Barnett sings “Put me on a pedestal, I’ll only disappoint you, Tell me I’m exceptional, I’ll promise to exploit you.” An Illustration of Loneliness (Sleepless in New York) is a slower romp of a track, with Barnett discussing the cracks and texture of the ceiling, and thinking of her significant other as well. Depreston delves into subject matter that is at first quite typical, that of looking

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COURTNEY BARNETT

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Aqua Profonda! breaks up some stellar slow tracks with a song about a day at the pool, holding your breath for too long and feeling dizzy, ending with her coming up for air, only to find her friend’s towel, and her friend, have gone.

Starting to see a pattern?

It’s a refreshing repertoire to hear Barnett croon about the ordinary while everyone else is swooning about romance.

Kim’s Caravan, near the end of the album is a long winding song, with little but a bassline and her vocals through the first two verses, a rambling set of lyrics about her time on the beach on

“Just like that, Courtney Barnett goes from normalcy to profound at the blink of an eye.

Being able to decipher MEANING among SUCH seemingly meaningless situations is what makes her lyrics so brilliant.”

Phillip Island in Australia.

Her chorus tells her listeners that her lyrics are for her listeners to interpret as they will, as of course, are the case with every band’s lyrics: “Don’t ask me what I really mean. I am just a reflection of what you really want to see.

So take what you want from me.” The song ends with an jilting guitar jam, and an ending line in which Barnett “can see Jesus and she’s smiling at me.”

rolling tracks that prophecize about the significance of things, mundane or not, that play an impact in everyone’s lives, regardless of whether they are glitzy, glamorous subjects, or if they are simply the random circumstances that occur to both those in the rock and roll life style and the rest of humanity.

The relation of Barnett to her listeners in her lyrics are what makes her newest album, such a provocative piece of work.

Barnett’s lyrics are paired with crunchy punk guitars, as well as slow lilting ballads.

Her guitar style switches from surfer rock to rowdy guitar licks and rolling bass lines.

Pair that with her sometimesapathetic swooning vocals, a seemingly lazy yet very appealing way of singing.

The songs are broken up in tempo throughout the album, switching from stories that romp through funny punch lines, as well as slow

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for a home, as our narrator talks about the qualities of the neighborhood, and the two-car garage. Barnett then realizes the previous inhabitants: The handrail in the shower, a photo of a war veteran. All of a sudden, the house seems insignificant compared to its past inhabitants. “If you’ve got a spare half a million, you could knock it down and start rebuilding." Just like that, Courtney Barnett goes from normalcy to profound at the blink of an eye. Being able to decipher meaning among such seemingly meaningless situations is what makes her lyrics so brilliant.

CINEMATIC / NEW ERA 01.20.2015 RELEASE

by BRENAN WAYLAND I was first introduced to Joey Bada$$ in 2012 with the release of his first mixtape, 1999. This opened my eyes to the “Beast Coast” movement, a New Yorkbased coalition of up and coming rappers looking to redefine hip-hop. Joey, and his sect Pro Era, have been

stylization of his name and the official title ("Before Da Money"). Although perhaps a bit gimmicky, this is an introduction to how fluidly Joey manipulates language to do his bidding—once delving into the album, his lyrical prowess becomes apparent.

on the forefront of this rising tide that is rapidly gaining momentum. Early on he proved that he was a talented MC with a lot to say and a clever tongue with which to say it, which certainly raised his listener’s expectations.

The extent of Joey’s wit is evident even in the title of the album, "B4.DA.$$", which is simultaneously a

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The opening track Save the Children sets the tone of the album. Keeping with his trend of picking smooth, jazzy instrumentals, this song features a masterful beat from constant collaborator Statik Selektah. The song is mainly a critique of social problems in Brooklyn, with some black empowerment undertones, and while not a bad track, is a bit lackluster.

Not to worry, as the best moments in this album are yet to come…After a quick 48 second interlude, Joey jumps into the most popular track of the album, Paper Trail$, the thematic epitome of the record that references the title: Before the money there was love/ But before the money it was tough.

Despite this being his first official album, Joey has acquired massive fame from his former projects. This release, and this song in particular, are Joey's unique introspections on how his life has been changed by fame

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JOEY BADA$$ B4.DA.$$

ALBUM REVIEW

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over top of rich, crooning impeccably crafted boomand money, as well as the trumpets. He discusses his bap beat from DJ Premier socioeconomic condition of home life, his love for his makes this a quintessential the place where he grew up. family, as well as concepts of Joey Bada$$ track. From Right off the bat, Joey flexes being good to one another this point on, this album is his wordplay: Sitting back just for the principle of it (You very consistent. Even the plottin’, droppin’ information got to give to get, and then singles Big Dusty, Christ on my nation / Really you give back is the hook).

Conscious, No. 99, and Curry started from the bottom, Joey takes a step back from Chicken which I’d listened boy cotton / But they still the stereotypical rapper’s to countless times before plantin’ plantations we keep bravado to give his listeners and should be sick of, stay buyin’ it / Close-minded a little slice of his childhood. in constant rotation for me. men, pride is higher than This is easily one of the most While they are each great prices on your Pradas. He introspective tracks on the tracks on their own, you can references and lightly jabs album, and, to me, rounds see how they fit into the big at Drake by claiming that out the portrayal of his he really came from a life that Joey is putting rough neighborhood, out on the record. while commenting on “While he does resort to brag, the development of in true rapper fashion, Joey This is an incredible slavery from a literal isn't preoccupied with asserting album, and I expected sense to a slavery to his dominance, but rather is nothing less from Joey consumerism as well as using his position as a popular Bada$$. He is already materialism, something displaying his obvious that he has become very musician as a pedestal to talk talent at such a young familiar with thanks to about issues that are important age and placing himself his newfound riches. to him and his community. ” in a higher league than The Wu-Tang references a lot of older rappers. in the second verse While he does resort to picture after listening to the drive his critique on money brag, in true rapper fashion, album in its entirety; they home, especially with the Joey isn't preoccupied with are individual facets of a line They say money is the asserting his dominance, but larger expression of Joey’s root of all evil / I see money rather is using his position life, particularly dealing as the route of all people. as a popular musician as with the cutthroat nature Despite being aware that a pedestal to talk about of Brooklyn and animosity money can taint people, issues that are important to towards a police force that is no one can break free from him and his community. The notoriously oppressive. its influence since modern instrumentals and Joey’s society revolves around delivery embody a 90’s hipCurry Chicken stands in a tier it. It’s a paradox that Joey hop revival feel, while his of its own, however. Once is finding himself and his lyrics retain the cutting edge again enlisting the help of peers trapped in. Joey’s sharpness of modern rap.

Statik Selektah, Joey delves social awareness and clever into a deeper side of himself wordplay paired with an

WILL BUTLER POLICY

MERGE RECORDS 03.10.2015 RELEASE can be more than just the brother of the Arcade Fire frontman and be his own individual creative force.

Policy is certainly an eclectic record - with shades of old rock ‘n roll and punk, piano ballads, rockabilly, synthpop, and no shortage of entertaining and hilarious lyrics, highlighted by an offthe-wall line from album standout What I Want: “If you come and take my hand/I will buy you a pony/ We can cook it for supper/I know a great recipe for pony macaroni.” The entire record really mimic’s Will’s on-stage persona in Arcade Fire—upbeat, entertaining, hard-hitting and fast paced (clocking in at just under a half hour).

For several years, Will Butler has been known to music fans as merely the eccentric multi-instrumentalist within Arcade Fire, as well as the younger brother and look-alike to frontman Win Butler. He is a noticeable cog in one of the world’s best live bands, given his

versatility and his ability to hype up a crowd with his hyper energy. He can often be seen dancing in between the switching of instruments, jumping around stage with a drum, clanking cymbals like a madman, amongst many entertaining maneuvers. With the release of his debut solo LP "Policy", Will Butler shows that he

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by BRETT JAGER

Policy recalls many of Arcade Fire’s less epic, pre-Reflektor, straightforward tracks - such as Keep the Car Running, Antichrist Television Blues, or Month of May, but with Will’s own twist. It’s fairly easy to draw comparisons of Policy to Arcade Fire’s second album, Neon Bible.

In a recent interview with Grantland.com, Will was asked whether he was trying to do something differently on his solo album than he could do in the band, and he said his point of view eight

ALBUM REVIEW

years ago “coincided neatly with Neon Bible, which now makes a lot more sense."

Will recorded almost the entire album on his own, and in his live performances he primarily plays guitar and keyboards. He also has a live drummer, someone playing synth/keys and some female backup singers, which play a subtle but key role both on the album and in his live sets.

only slow burning songs of the eight-track release. While they aren’t quite as exciting as some of the faster, upbeat songs, they aid in the spacing of the album and show off the range Will has as an artist. Some could see Finish What I Started as a microcosm for the whole album. With succinct album such as this, it does have its pros and cons—it’s a really easy and quick listen, but could leave the listener

I Want encapsulates that definition to a T. The lyrics of the entire song are so goofy and off the wall, but equally as interesting and entertaining. Aside from cooking a pony and making macaroni out of it, the song also touches on apologies for getting heart blood on a nice floral dress and perhaps getting a jar of squids or a chicken coop full of alligators as pets.

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Witness follows the slow, Policy begins with an plodding, but equally old-school rockabilly “Will Butler shows that he can be solid track Sing to Me, style tune in Take My more than just the brother of the and does a wonderful Side, which sets the job of closing out Policy table nicely for the rest Arcade Fire frontman and be his on a high note. It’s a of the album. It’s a fun own individual creative force. speedy, charging song and easy song to dance Policy is certainly an eclectic from the opening drum to, and you can imagine beat and does not let a scene of people from record - with shades of old up whatsoever. The the 1950’s and 60’s rock ‘n roll and punk, piano female backup singers grooving to this tune. ballads, rockabilly, synth-pop, are especially crucial in Anna, the second track on the album, is also a and no shortage of entertaining making Witness such a fun song and end to the groovy and danceable and hilarious lyrics.” album. It’s a nice sense tune, but in stark contrast of closure and hopefully to the preceding song. the listener is left feeling wanting more and with a It’s a synthy pop track with that they are witnessing that feeling of incompleteness a simple, but effective drum Will Butler is in fact just as after eight tracks and only 27 beat, some horns playing in talented as his brother Win. minutes of time. the background and a brief It will be interesting to see haunting piano to bridge to where Will’s career goes The two main highlights the final portion of the song from here, and if he does of his debut album are the before it closes out. indeed finish what he started aforementioned What I with Policy.

Want and the final song on Tracks three (Finish What the album, Witness. Will I Started) and seven (Sing has described the album as to Me) are a pair of piano “dumb humor” and What ballads which serve as the

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Remnant of the Analog Age

by Aaron Smart

“Making records is not easy; I’ve been there and I want to make your experience here productive and meaningful.” - John Vanderslice

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ccompanied by a direct contact link, this simple statement at the bottom of the last page of its website speaks volumes to the selfless purpose of one of the last analog studios around. A hidden gem in the San Francisco Mission District; Tiny Telephone is truly unique in concept and operation. Singer-songwriter, producer, engineer, and the studio’s owner John Vanderslice has operated Tiny Telephone since its inception in 1997. This place was birthed from necessity and its utility has kept it booked for all of these years.

Vanderslice was one of the 9-person co-op of musicians that located the space. In its humble beginning, the

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open space met the requirements of being inexpensive and spacious enough to hold all of them and their gear during practices.

When the co-op dissolved, John took full responsibility for the studio. I get the idea that he just dove right in and immediately went to work. He didn’t wait for some perfect accumulation of gear, but just started working with what he had. People he already had relationships with began recording there.

Of course, he continued to build relationships as he met people on the road touring, so he could bring people back and continually make the studio better. Most of all, he used the studio to fill the indepen-

DISCOVER

Musician and producer John Vanderslice discusses with the interviewer from within his studio

dent music community’s need for an affordable high fidelity recording space. After seven years of operation, the studio became profitable and always continues growing, a testament to enthusiasm and patience.

Before I learned of any of this, after the editor (and avid John Vanderslice fan) asked me to write this article, I started with a quick web search to see what this place was about. I was surprised when I noticed that the third top hit was recommended reviews from yelp. I know that

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west coasters are serious about this yelp business, so I thought I would see what the people have to say. I was astonished by the number of (all) glowing reviews,

The Lonely Wild visit the studio

each one citing specific examples of why working at the studio was such a great experience.

They highlight how accommodating and welcoming John and the engineers are. The place just emanates positive vibes. It seems like John and the other engineers are the old school kind of professional that I thought might be extinct. The reviews speak of their kindness and patience in a way that makes everyone feel so comfortable, treated like peers even though they have so much knowledge to gain from them.

Tiny Telephone just seems really

DISCOVER

Tiny Telephone's Room A recording space

accessible. I am not a musician myself, but I know if I showed up for a studio tour (which I definitely want to) I would still be respected as a person.

I think some of the studio’s success can be attributed to its slow growth. This is a place where the equipment is fully utilized and meticulously maintained. A lot of the unique gear that John collects ends up migrating its way into the studio for everyone to use. The people who work here also create here, so there is a sense of personal pride in the

way that things are maintained.

From what I can tell, even the cleanliness and organization here is on a different level than most places. All this said, when it re-

One of the studio's vintage mics

ally comes down to it, musicians are after the best sound on a recording to represent the music that they have put so much time and self into creating.

I love the idea of analog recording and was interested to find that they actually enforce analog recording here. I was wondering how they were able to do this and found that they came up with a brilliant solution. They actually provide free 2� tape to the artists and bands that are recording! It seems like tape is becoming increasingly scarce,

so this is a pretty sweet deal.

just digital files.

There are many benefits to analog recording; most evident, the sound quality and the workflow it creates. Depending on what you are going after, there are also some limitations, but in many cases, the limitations themselves help to create more authentic recordings. There is magic in a live performance and when you are working with a limited amount of tape (as opposed to infinite hard drive space); you put forth your best effort with each take. There is an emotive transparency that comes with recording like you want to be heard rather than making a flat recording or just not trying that hard with the assumption that you will spend hours and hours tweaking everything in post.

There is something special about the hands on splicing of tape, plus no worries about software compatibility when you get to the studio. I may be reading into this too much, but I also think there is something to seeing and holding something physical like the real to real in your hand. It makes you start thinking about the physical product and the weight that it holds and how it will be experienced. I mean, it’s not very sexy to think about somebody first experiencing your music streaming through his or her computer speakers.

This may still happen, but it is easier to imagine something nicer when you have more than

As far as the studios themselves go, there is a lot to work with.

John's production house currently offers two studios; Room A is 1700 sq ft. while the smaller Room B is 1200 sq ft. He is currently in the process of establishing a much larger space, Room C, in Oakland that will open some time this year. The highlights of studio A include a Neve 5316 console from 1976 that was originally built for the BBC accompanied by a Studer A827 tape machine. There is also a Yamaha C5 grand piano, a pump organ, and many other keyboards that John has collected over the years. Like the Neve, there is some other really cool vintage gear to help create unique sounds like a 1921 Deagan marimba (center above) and a 1969 Eller harpsichord.

John personally recommends this space for mixing. Room B's major asset is a restored 1904 Story & Clark piano. This space is best for tracking.

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TO HEAR SAMPLES OF TINY TELEPHONE RECORDED MUSIC, SAMPLE THESE TRACKS BELOW SCAN OR CLICK TO HEAR SAMPLE

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As a self-proclaimed evangelist of “sloppy hi-fi,” John also places great emphasis on having a lot of microphones available. There are a wide variety of condenser, dynamic, and even ribbon mics.

One of John’s favorites is the Josephson c700a (center below), an “incredibly hi-fi, beautiful-sounding microphone.”

Beyond the gear, you also have an orchestra at your disposal.

DISCOVER Magik*Magik Orchestra is directed by Minna Choi and has worked with Death Cab for Cutie, Explosions in the Sky, and Mike Patton. The house staff of engineers and producers has equally impressive résumés.

If for some reason, you are still lacking inspiration or just need something to pick up your spirits, you can turn to the beloved Studio Cat, Marvin. Caffeine fixes are generously provided by the studio via Ritual Coffee Roasters, while over a dozen loose leaf teas are also available.

Other notable clients at the studio beyond those previous mentioned include:

The tracking console of Room B

- tune-yArDs - Thao Nguyen - The Walkmen - Spoon - The Mountain Goats Tiny Telephone really is a great model for a recording studio.

They have created a unique and memorable space in which they invite “bands from all genres and experience levels to record” there and take a genuine interest and care for each one of them.

Between everyone’s enthusiasm and the ever-growing and improving gear that John collects, Tiny Telephone is bound to keep turning out great quality recordings that we can all enjoy.

The studio's 1904 Story & Clark Piano

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SPOTLIGHT

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EL CAPITร N ABHI THE NOMAD + FOSTER Interview by Daniel Snider

El Capitรกn is the unconventional hip-hop duo of Abhi The Nomad and Foster based out of Southern California. Like the title of their new release, VanillaChocolate, which came out a few weeks ago, this unique production is like a fusion cuisine of old school hardcore rap and alternative rock that's representative of their experiences and their own upbringing

While Abhi The Nomad produces a good number of the tracks on the album, the duo also sought the production work of other producers from around the world to work on particular singles of "VanillaChocolate". Like his mixed heritage, this project demonstrates his efforts to carve out his own box and not limit himself to the expectations that have come from his own solo work. We got the chance to have a conversation with Abhi about the album and the message that El Capitán aims to share.

Let’s get right into it. The music of El Capitán deviates quite a bit from your solo stuff. How would you describe the content/style of your personal work vs.

El Capitán?

Abhi: My personal work is best represented by my latest EP - "Beginning". I thrive in the aspect of crafting catchy choruses with a more accessible style of music. I

El Capitán press photo - Abhi The Nomad (Left) & Foster (Right)

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often hear people who don’t listen to hip-hop praise my work - I would consider it a transitional blend of hiphop and acoustic / alternative mixes.

El Capitán is an amalgamation of both me and Foster’s separate influences and approaches to creating music.

The debut free album / EP is titled VanillaChocolate, and is split into two halves musically - Vanilla being modern styles and grooves, whereas Chocolate rests grounded in hip hop’s boom bap origin. The songs reach for abstract ideas and concepts, such as death, time, youth, complacency, sin and redemption, belief systems and social anxiety amongst others. Sometimes (like in the first song) we like rapping about absolutely nothing - its fun.

We’ve discovered that you were raised in China (where you first started producing). How did that experience shape your interests and music style?

SPOTLIGHT

A: When I lived in China, I grew up in an international school. I’ve spent 99% of my life surrounded by people of various races and have been exposed to different cultures and morals that I still hold to this day. This influences a large amount of my songwriting and the topics that I choose to speak about, which reside in more philosophical ideals surrounding a higher existence, poverty, global perspectives and various others.

Ok, so after your time in China you lived in Fiji for three years before landing in California. That’s a lot of places man!

A: Yeah it’s a rough deal with my identity crisis. This is common in most Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and it’s totally a real thing. Music is my crutch, home is where the computer and the microphone is.

What was your first album purchase?

A: Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory, sadly enough. I loved it at the time though, never heard anything like it.

Ok back to the album at hand. What does Foster bring to the table that Abhi The Nomad does not on your own? What does this collaboration with Foster represent in your own personal journey?

A: We’ve been working on this EP since last summer.

We came up with about 30 songs, then we chopped it down to fourteen. We have been collaborating since early 2014, however only since last summer did we figure out how our voices clicked together.

Was it difficult relinquishing full creative control as a performer/producer in your previous groups or do you thrive on the collaborative think tank that ultimately emerges from such arrangements?

A: I’m headstrong and slightly stubborn when it comes to creative control. Well, only when I think that a project isn’t headed anywhere. If I find anything that I’m involved in to be slightly off-putting or not well-constructed, then I will have no remorse in telling people that a song or an idea is shit. This is probably why me and Foster work well together because he does the exact same.

I love collaborating, I just recently produced a Pop album for R&B singer Harrison Sands and it was pure fun.

Can you tell us about the other producers involved in this project? How did you link up?

A: Well we just started off like “We’ll just make it a mixtape” and began to use other people’s beats. Soon enough, we managed to hit up hip-hop producers

A: Foster’s approach to rhyme-scheme and flow is incredible. People who can’t seem to recognize this probably either don’t have much experience with listening to underground hip-hop or just don’t take him seriously enough. His rhythm is based on swinging back and forth between the kick and the snare, effortlessly with pure grit. The song Wolves in Slumber will show just that. Lyrically, I’ve seen him refine his stream-of-consciousness method of writing to perfection. Where I usually try to write with a calculated arrangement, Foster just punches you in the face with a fist full of coins.

A quotable (one) is: “Just a bunch of acquaintances / fuck a bunch of these phony homies / I don’t even know me well / so how could you ever know me homie?”

Is this the first time you have formed and worked as a group/duo?

El Capitán press photo

MUMA, Duke Westlake (Anderson.Paak, Dumbfounded), Karavelo, and E.O.M. (Wax, Blu, Asher Roth).

They actually got back to us and told us how that they were behind the movement, which is pretty cool. Most of the other tracks on the tape are produced by us, besides a few - which we have attempted to contact the producers for but haven’t gotten responses. Either way, it’s free.

You have been releasing mixtapes since your late teens and now release the El Capitan album at the age of 22. Do you think you have found your sound?

A: I thought I found my sound in high school. I was wrong, but it was right at the time. So for now, this is as right as it could be. We’re looking to move to making some indie-alternative rap hybrids with a full band after this release. We’ll see.

There aren’t too many Indians making waves in the hip-hop scene. Do you believe it is predominantly a black art form or has it opened up to welcome and challenge anyone regardless of race? How do you fit in with your diverse upbringing?

A: I don’t really give many shits about what the ‘hip-

hop’ scene has in terms of opinions and race. It really doesn’t matter, we actually address race in the song Chlorophyll. People have often compared Foster to Mac Miller or Eminem, which is just ludicrous and we all know why they would make that comparison. I think people need to not look and listen more.

Has your race influenced you to author clear messages that could be an important source for Indians themselves? Does your music look past race?

A: It definitely looks past race. I don’t identify myself with anything - I know I’m ethnically Indian but in terms of my state of mind I’m all over the place. I stand for myself, my family, good music and the creative process.

What is the space like that El Capitan makes their music? Are there any cats involved / do you have a mascot?

A: A pretty clustered yet mostly clean bedroom that I live out of. I have a great view of my apartment complex’s dumpster and a barren wall. But hey, it definitely sounds more adventurous than my window.

El Capitán VanillaChocolate (2015)

Wolves in Slumber

(feat. Peter James) (Prod. Miska)

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(Prod. MUMA)

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SPOTLIGHT

El Capitán's Abhi The Nomad performing at Callupalooza 2015

Do you favor a particular software package for your production work?

A: Logic Pro X, Pro Tools and Waves Plug-ins.

What’s more important: the message or the art? (I ask this because many creatives produce their art to satisfy their desires and curiosities while some do it for the common good of all…even though its serving a dual purpose in that situation)

A: Goddamn I love this question. But I don’t know how to answer it - this is one of the ideas that I have so much trouble with. When it comes to El Capitan, I try to have no compromise at all on either side; this is why it took so long for us compile a selection of great songs.

This has been great man. Final question, what is El

Capitán’s end game? What is your personal one?

A: I want Foster to not have to work at a burrito place, and myself to be able to pay bills and afford food independently. It would also be nice if we could not do anything but make music and travel the world.

For more El Capitán content, check these cats out through their music profiles via one of the following links below:

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DISCOVER

THE SXSW EDITION

Surging artists to watch

NATIONAL SELECTION

CATHEDRALS

by Gaby Meléndez

set out to create their self-titled debut EP that same year. CMJ Music Marathon singled them out as a “breakout act,” they found themselves on Spotify’s Emerge shortlist and earned the opportunity to record live sessions with Sofar Sounds and Daytrotter.

Cathedrals made their first trip to SXSW this year and were highlighted by music media outlets for their set at StubHub’s Clive Bar day party.

Their energy and eagerness to please those in attendance, Jenkins’ contagious stage presence, and Hwin’s sublime technicality on the guitar are signs that this duo has a tremendous future ahead of them and should not be ignored.

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Avid fans of St. Lucia and Phantogram will find comfort within the music of San Francisco electro dream pop duo Cathedrals. Singer Brodie Jenkins’ folk leaning vocals captured the attention of classically trained musician Johnny Hwin during a chance encounter at his collaborative art/music space called The Sub. The pair eventually formed a partnership in 2013 and began touring with indie-electro group Blackbird, Blackbird.

Their first single, Unbound, was released in September of 2013 and held the #1 spot on Hype Machine for four consecutive days. Neon Gold Records caught wind of the viral track and signed them soon after. In 2014, Cathedrals brought their mutual friend Tommy to the fold and they

DISCOVER

VÉRITÉ

by Gaby Meléndez

Her highly acclaimed single Strange Enough experienced a viral surge that launched her young career into new heights within the electro-pop scene. Crunchy synths and R&B influenced rhythms serve as the backdrop to her confident, goose bump-inducing vocals. Experiencing her

true talent on stage as it sources a hidden confidence that contrasts her off-stage introverted personality is a sight to see. Kelsey considers the release of her single Heartbeat as the moment that she finally settled on a musical style that had been evading her since covering songs in a poppunk band during middle school.

She recently made her first appearance in Atlanta at Aisle 5 and also made the jump to Austin Texas for a series of shows at SXSW. Her Neon Gold showcase set at Empire Garage + Control Room offered one of the earliest opportunities to experience her latest hit single, Weekend. VÉRITÉ's debut LP has a planned release later this year.

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New York songstress Kelsey Byrne, aka VÉRITÉ, started performing in small venues during her pre-teen years, and got involved with songwriting at the age of 16. A tweet with her producer Elliot Jacobson, who at the time was touring with Ingrid Michaelson, led to her hometown opening performance at the Neon Gold Popshop in support of ASTR.

IRONTOM

by Katie Fleming

The single , The Minista, is an amazing example of what they can do, all in one track. The band is adept at fluidly laying out a lyrical and musical soundscape, painting images and seamlessly blending both together to create songs that immediately capture the listener. Feel Good Inc is another track that demonstrates this, with driving guitars and solid rhythm section. Your Mother

continues in this vein, with punchy lyrics that grab hold and don’t let go. Almost invoking the spirit of Radiohead's Thom Yorke, while simultaneously injecting their own original vibe, this is a track not to be ignored in its frenzied style, building on itself to a sonic crescendo that leaves the listener with a feeling of satisfaction.

Finally, the track, I'm Better, is a perfect blend of Irontom's sound of driven rock combined with just a hint of Blur in the mix as well. This is a group that is one to watch, and listen, as they are on an upward trajectory, filled with incredible, energetic rock stylings that deserve a worthy place among every rock aficionado’s music library.

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Despite appearances, Irontom is poised to begin their journey towards mainstream recognition.

With strong musicianship, boasting impressive lyrical ability and crafted guitar solos, this 5 piece from Los Angeles, California is spot on, from the first note to the last.

DISCOVER

WILD ONES

by Daniel Snider

When listening to "Keep It Safe", their 2014 debut LP that garnered high praise from SPIN and Time

Magazine, the success and pleasure of hearing its music makes it difficult for fans to understand the struggles that the band faced to get it produced.

Their DIY approach kept the process in focus, however, Wild Ones struggled to retain band members that either quit or suffered from health ailments. Despite these challenges, the band's hard work paid off as the well-rounded and fully developed production exudes lush pop sounds that effortlessly guide listeners through its entirety in under 39 minutes. While nothing new is on the horizon for this talented quintet, following this band should lead to a pleasant surprise when they finally drop some new content.

TITLE: WILD ONES - Golden Twin ALBUM: Keep it safe

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Portland-based electro-pop group Wild Ones caught my attention prior to attending SXSW, and while I never got the chance to see one of their live sets, their catchy singles have remained in my mind ever since. Singer Danielle Sullivan's recognizable vocals bring to mind those of Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries or even the vocals of Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES. Thomas Hines' melodic arrangements in conjunction with Sullivan's charming delivery generates an innovative retro pop sound that is gradiose at times and melancholy when the occasion demands it.

ON AND ON

by Rick Menninger

by Aaron Smart

The Minneapolis trio of ON AN ON spawned in March of 2012, after the dissolution of area band Scattered Trees. The group had already had a block of studio time booked, and figured they'd at least try to make the most out of it as a 3-piece.

They also utilized this time period to experiment with electronic music, drum machines, and unconventional songwriting methods. This new approach paid off handsomely in their 2013 debut, "Give In". They seamlessly blend sunny guitar work and ethereal, shimmering synths to create a lush, dreamy, synth-pop vibe.

Robert Delong is a drummer turned electronic musician. His EP “Long Way Down” was released this past November following his first full length “Just Movement” in 2013. A limited discography has not stopped him from playing an impressive number of shows and major music festivals.

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ON AN ON ALBUM: Single TRACK: It's Not Over

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Fans of Beach House, Pure Bathing Culture, and Wild Nothing would surely approve.

His highly danceable beats make a lot of sense in a club, but his high-energy performances really separate him from other DJs. Aside from a standard drum kit, he plays a wide variety of modified game controllers turned midi controllers to control samples and pitch or totally glitch out his vocals. He recently released this video for his latest EP’s title track.

FAMILY & FRIENDS

by Daniel Snider

Their debut EP, “Love You Mean It”, was released last year and if full folk rock gems that one has to wonder what they have in store later in 2015.

As a massive fan of the track Rust and Bone and the songwriting of leader Mike MacDonald, his intimate words give way to calm and patient intros in their music before climaxing with the full band in support. From a live standpoint, these performers are highly engaged with the audi-

ence, with each other, and effortlessly draw in the participation of those in attendance. Seeing two drummers barefooted on stage as they alternate their equipment and duel it out to become the biggest performance spectacle in a song is quite a sight to see. They continue to garner positive word of mouth through every corner of the state as witnessed this year at their headlining performance at Sounds of the South Music Festival in Milledgeville GA. They also recently appeared at Flagpole Magazine’s SXSW showcase to mark their first appearance in Austin Texas. Keep an eye out on these guys because more impressive content is on the way. They'll be at Atlanta's Terminal West on May 30th.

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Containing one’s excitement for a recent music discovery is a harder task than it should be.

Athens-based Family & Friends have brought that challenge because they honestly are too good not to be shared.

DISCOVER

ADRON

by Gaby Meléndez

harpsichord, her vintage style results in an atmosphere of relaxing, beachy jams.

In 2012, Adron was named by the Atlanta-based art and culture magazine, Creative Loafing, as the city’s best songwriter. She exhibits as much creativity and talent in her personal artwork as is present in her music, and designed the colorful beaded mask and sculpture that makes the CD cover of her last album "Organismo" (2011). It matched perfectly with the exotic Brazilian and Tropicália rhythms that articulate her soundscape.

She is currently working on her next two fulllength records: concept album "Thanatrópica" and her new studio LP "Water Music".

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The Chicago-born singer/songwriter Adron was trained on the classical piano and learned to play the guitar at the age of 12 using the music of The Beatles and Beck as her inspiration. She began writing her first songs soon after her family moved to Atlanta. During the early years of her career, she worked at Aurora Coffee Shop in Atlanta’s Little Five Points neighborhood. Her Beatlesque influence and her fascination with samba and bossa nova pillars like Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil have led her to compose cultural fusions between folk, R&B, and tropical pop.

Combining her charming, sweet voice, humorous lyrics that oscillate between English, French, and Portuguese, the sounds of birds chirping, and a

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DISCOVER

O ak H ouse

DANA SWIMMER

by Daniel Snider

by Gaby Meléndez

I had the pleasure of catching Oak House in March during their set at Sounds of the South Music Festival in Milledgeville GA. The Athenian quartet took ownership of their time on stage and really brought the house down.

DANA SWIMMER ALBUM: VELOCE TRACK: Oh Sista Oh

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OAK HOUSE ALBUM: PLASTIQUE CASH TRACK: Little Queen

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Led by songwriter Gresham Cash, his showmanship drew fervent responses from fans and first time onlookers alike. Their indie rock music occasionally display tendencies within psychedelia, grunge, and folk, but make no mistake as Oak House has a distinct sound that has fostered a strong support base from their hometown's music media. Check out the single, Little Queen, from their late 2014 debut album, "Plastique Cash."

Born in a figurative vacuum (a picturesque reference to the dead music scene of the Georgian city of Cleveland, where the band’s songwriting took place), Dana Swimmer has taken ownership of the ‘dad rock’ genre label after being described as such by Flagpole Magazine founder Gordon Lamb. Their style of music adds a southern-infused kick of straightforward guitar riffage that bounces along cymbal-heavy percussion into wordless hooks of oohs and ahhs. The five member band came together in its adopted home of Athens, GA, grew a reputation, and eventually launched their debut album "Veloce" back in 2013. Dana Swimmer recently performed at SXSW and Sounds of the South.

TEN Essential T R A C K S

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AURORA

Running With The Wolves

TAME IMPALA

KENDRICK LAMAR

Eventually

The Blacker The Berry

SHAMIR

ZELLA DAY

Demon

High

FUTURE ISLANDS

ROYAL THUNDER

The Chase

Time Machine

TYLER, THE CREATOR

UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA

2Seater

Can't Keep Checking My Phone

WOOLF & THE WONDERSHOW

Cloaked

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ADVERTISER INDEX

MAR/APR 2015 ISSUE III

Thank you to all our readers & those that continue to believe in this project. We would also like to acknowledge the small businesses and creative groups that shared plenty of excitement and faith in this magazine with their forward thinking decision to advertise in each issue. Depending on the advertiser, ad space within the magazine was either purchased or kindly donated to non-profit brands/organizations that we personally support. To advertise with us, contact Daniel Snider at daniel@redflagpromotions.com.

Cue La Musique’s most recent digital media kit can be downloaded here.

BUSINESS/GROUP INFORMATION

PG

Fanfundr, Inc.

2-3

Soon-to-launch platform that engages fans to campaign for shows in their city

Illuminate / Gabriel & Dresden Club event featuring Gabriel & Dresden at Opera Nightclub

6

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The magazine your are currently reading

The Spindle ATL

The best damn urban cyclist outfitter shop around

Terminal West

Live events @ Terminal West At King Plow

33

Native Eyewear

Manufacturer of premium eyewear for outdoor sports activities

34

Zoo Atlanta

Come to support and experience one of Zoo Atlanta's newest additions

19 & 100

USAid In support of providing disaster relief for the Nepal Earthquake victims PETA People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - Pink Campaign

20-21

50

51 66-67

Capitol Hill Block Party

Three day festival in the heart of Seattle, WA, during July

74

Candler Park Festival

The music and food festival takes place at the end of May

75

Georgia Craft Beer Festival

The yearly event will take place next to Red Brick Brewing Co. on May 30th

82

World In Infrared

Creative photographic project by Stephen Saphore

91

Destruction of Cats

Atlanta based artist collective

92

CONTENT LINKS Online Audio/Video/Websites (via QR Codes) As a not-for-profit publication and creative project of graphic designer Daniel Snider, all QR codes linking to external content are provided as a reference to benefit readers, however, the content does not belong to Cue La Musique Magazine or Red Flag Promotions. All rights belong to the original content holders that may or may not be directly linked through the QR codes.

MEDIA CREDITS All images and artwork used in this publication are provided as a reference to benefit readers and are being used following the explicit guidelines of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic/NC license, (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/) Editorial Use Only license, or license explicitly approved by the original content holder.

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MEDIA CREDITS PG

TYPE

SUBJECT

MAR/APR 2015 ISSUE III PHOTOGRAPHER/SOURCE/DESIGNER

1 Cover Page Generationals Courtesy of Generationals © Cara Robbins 2-3 Ad Graphic Fanfundr Designed by © Red Flag Promotions 4 Various Photos Departments / ToC Various Photographers 7 Photo Dragonette

© Cue La Musique Magazine 10 Photo Ryan Whitewolf © Briannagh O'Loughlin 12-18 Various Photos Whitewolf & Howler © Steven Saphore 23 Photo Austin © Cue La Musique Magazine 24 Photo Matías Cena Unknown Photographer / http://cincuentamas.com 25 Photo Auditorium Shores © Cue La Musique Magazine 26 Photo Mike Wallace © Viet Cong twitter 26 Photo Waxahatchee © Cue La Musique Magazine 27 Photo Matías Cena © Peter Haupt Hillock via Instagram 28 Photo 6th Street Austin © John R Rogers 29-32 Photos Various Artists © Cue La Musique Magazine 35 Artwork Austin © Cue La Musique Magazine 36 Press Photo The Delta Riggs © James Adams 37 Press Photo Vision Fortune Gringo Records website 38 Press Photo MOURN

© Las Coleccionistas Fotografia 39 Press Photo Public Service Br. Public Service Broadcasting website 40 Press Photo Jacco Gardner Polyvinyl Records website 40 Press Photo Hanne Kolstø © Hilde Holta-Lysell 41 Press Photo Wolf Alice © Jordan Curtis Hughes 41 Press Photo The Vaccines The Vaccines PR 43/48 Press Photo Generationals Courtesy of Generationals © Cara Robbins 44 Press Photo Generationals © Brandom Cummins / BR5 Labs 46-47 Press Photo Generationals © Christina Birkenbine 52-65 Album Artwork Various Covers Various Artists / Photographers 69 Photo Tiny Telephone © Josh Pratt 70 Photo John Vanderslice © Jim Merithew 71-73 Photos Various Images Courtesy of John Vanderslice / Tiny Telephone Recording 76-81 Photos Various Images Courtesy of El Capitán 83 Photo Guitarist © Cue La Musique Magazine 84 Press Photo Cathedrals

© Jennifer Skog 85 Press Photo Vérité The Windish Agency website 86 Press Photo Irontom Irontom PR 87 Press Photo Wild Ones © Heather Hawke 88 Press Photo ON AN ON © Cameron Wittig 88 Press Photo Robert DeLong Glassnote Records website 90 Press Photo Family & Friends Paradigm Agency website 91 Press Photo Adron Adron PR 93 Press Photo Oak House © Nilesh Pawar / Destruction of Cats 93 Press Photo Dana Swimmer © Porter McLeod 94 Photo Man in glare © Cue La Musique Magazine 100 Photo Boy in spotlight © Cue La Musique Magazine

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