Secret Stages Festival Guide 2016

Festival Guide

Friday, August 5 20 Midtown Main Stage (All Ages) 6:00pm • TBA 7:00pm • Will Stewart (Birmingham, AL) — Rock 8:00pm • Brett Harris (Raleigh, NC) — Rock, Pop, Powerpop 9:00pm • Jon Stickley Trio (Asheville, NC) — Progressive Bluegrass 10:00pm • Sleepwalkers (Richmond, VA) — Rock, Soul Das Haus (18+) 7:45pm • The Monastery (Birmingham, AL) — Hip Hop 8:45pm • Jaye Jayle (Louisville, KY) — Sound & Rhythm 9:45pm • Null (Birmingham, AL) — Post Punk, Experimental, Metal 10:45pm • Ancient Warfare (Lexington, KY) — South-Western Gothic, Psychedrone 11:45pm • Nest Egg (Asheville, NC) — Psych Rock, Kraut Rock, Noise Rock 12:45am • WR AY (Birmingham, AL) — Dream Pop, Post Punk, Kraut Rock M-Lounge (21+) 7:45pm • Iron Giant Percussion (Birmingham, AL) — Contemporary, Classical, Post Rock 8:45pm • Hello Ocho (Atlanta, GA) — Psych Pop, Experimental 9:45pm • Monday/Friday (Birmingham, AL) — Hip Hop 10:30pm • Cameo (TBA) — Hip Hop 10:45pm • Chester Watson (GA/FL) — Hip Hop 11:30pm • Cameo (TBA) — Hip Hop 11:45pm • No Suh Foster (New York, NY) — Hip Hop 12:45am • Double Ferrari (Athens, GA) — Instrumental Hard Rock Matthew’s (21+) 7:45pm • WIEUCA (Athens, GA) — Slacker Rock, Psych Pop, Garage Rock 8:45pm • The Lost Controls (Birmingham, AL) — Indie Rock 9:45pm • China Gate (Memphis, TN) — Indie Rock 10:45pm • Snacks (Huntsville, AL) — Basement Rock, Paisley Underground, Dark Gum 11:45pm • SECRET SET — Rock 12:45am • Will Stewart (Birmingham, AL) — Rock Pale Eddie’s (18+) 8:00pm • Bunko Squad (Birmingham, AL) — Jazz, Spy Jazz, Crime Jazz 9:00pm • Thayer Sarrano (Athens, GA) — Rock, Dream Rock, Psych Rock 10:00pm • Jeremy Squires (New Bern, NC) — Folk, Indie Rock, Singer-Songwriter 11:00pm • Skylar Gudasz (Raleigh, NC) — Folk, Indie, Jazz 12:00am • Dear Blanca (Columbia, SC) — Rock, Power-Pop, Post-Punk Parthenon VIP Lounge (All Ages) 7:00pm • SECRET SET — Rock, Dream Pop, Psych Rock 8:00pm • SECRET SET — Folk, Indie, Jazz 9:00pm • SECRET SET — Americana Rogue Tavern (18+) 8:00pm • Floco Torres (Macon, GA) — Hip Hop 8:45pm • Cameo (TBA) — Hip Hop 9:00pm • Lando Chill (Tucson, AZ) — Hip Hop 10:00pm • Grey Watson and the Warm Jets (Seoul, South Korea) — Rock, Indie Rock, Soul 11:00pm • Motel Mirrors (Memphis, TN) — Americana 12:00am • Greater Pyrenees (Water Valley, MS) — Rock, Indie-Rock, Folk 1:00am • Jon Stickley Trio (Asheville, NC) — Progressive Bluegrass

Saturday, August 6 20 Midtown Main Stage (All Ages) 6:00pm • TBA 7:00pm • The Loudermilks (Charlotte, NC) — Alt. Country, Rock 8:00pm • Future Elevators (Birmingham, AL) — Alternative, Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia 9:00pm • Tef Poe (St. Louis, MO) — Hip Hop 9:45pm • Cameo (TBA) — Hip Hop 10:00pm • Rockwell Knuckles (St. Louis, MO) Das Haus (18+) 7:00pm • Yani Mo (Atlanta, GA) — Hip Hop 7:45pm • Cameo (TBA) — Hip Hop 8:00pm • Deante Hitchcock (Atlanta, GA) 9:00pm • Men’s Renewal (Birmingham, AL) — Electronic, Ambient, Trance 10:00pm • lylas (Nashville, TN) — Psychedelic Folk, Art Rock 11:00pm • BASSH (Nashville, TN) — Alternative Rock, Indie Rock 12:00am • Future Elevators (Birmingham, AL) — Alternative, Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia M-Lounge (21+) 7:45pm • Elroy Love (Macon, GA) — Country, Soul, Funk 8:45pm • Sun Seeker (Nashville, TN) — Alternative 9:45pm • Amigo (Charlotte, NC) — Rock, Alternative Country 10:45pm • Love Moor & Hoodstock (Birmingham, AL) — Hip Hop 11:30pm • Cameo (TBA) — Hip Hop 11:45pm • Grammar Tree (Jacksonville, FL) — Hip Hop 12:45am • SECRET SET — Hip Hop Matthew’s (21+) 7:30pm • Juan de Fuca (Athens, GA) — Post Punk, Indie Rock, Garage Rock 8:30pm • Hot Fudge (Athens, GA) — Psych Rock, Rock, Divorce Rock 9:30pm • Little Big Bangs (St. Louis, MO) — Punk Rock 10:30pm • Caddywhompus (New Orleans, LA) — Avant Pop 11:30pm • The Powder Room (Athens, GA) — Noise Rock, Sludge, Space Rock 12:30am • Vulture Whale (Birmingham, AL) — Rock Pale Eddie’s (18+) 7:45pm • SECRET SET — Rock 8:45pm • Ben Ricketts (Oxford, MS) — Psych Pop, Art Pop, Experimental 9:45pm • Lady Legs (Auburn, AL) — Indie Rock, Surf, Garage Rock 10:45pm • Grand Vapids (Athens, GA) — Rock, Indie Rock, Noise Rock 11:45pm • Tim Lee 3 (Knoxville, TN) — Rock 12:45am • Mean Smoker (Birmingham, AL) — Jazz, Avant Jazz Parthenon VIP Lounge (All Ages) 8:00pm • SECRET SET — Indie Pop 9:00pm • SECRET SET — Jazz, Avant Jazz 10:00pm • SECRET SET Rogue Tavern (18+) 7:00pm • Seminole Strut (Huntsville, AL) — Rock, Southern Rock, Americana 8:00pm • BUNCH (Mobile, AL) — Rock, Indie Rock, Americana 9:00pm • Ona (Huntingon, WV) — Indie Rock, Alternative Rock 10:00pm • Sydney Eloise & The Palms (Atlanta, GA) — Indie Pop 11:00pm • The Loudermilks (Charlotte, NC) — Alt. Country, Rock 12:00am • Little Tybee (Atlanta, GA) — Psych, Folk

AMIGO (Charlotte) Based out of Charlotte, North Carolina, amiable country-rockers Amigo specialize in a winning blend of propulsive, Jonathan Richman/Doug Sahm-inspired rockabilly/roots rock and soulful, heartache-inducing folk-rock in the vein of Gram Parsons and the Band. A honky tonk dance band with a punk rock heart, the trio formed in 2012 around the talents of guitarist/vocalist Slade Baird, drummer Adam Phillips, and bass player Thomas Alverson. In 2014 the group set out on their first national tour in support of their Scott Solter- (Superchunk, the Mountain Goats) produced debut long-player, Might Could. (Photo by Jeff Hahne) ANCIENT WARFARE (Lexington) Based in Lexington, KY, Ancient Warfare are currently promoting their Summer 2015 Alias Records release, The Pale Horse, recorded with Duane Lundy ( Jim James, Ben Sollee, Vandaveer). Since 2011, they have developed a fierce reputation for hard work and dynamic performance, sharing stages with artists such as Raveonettes, Heartless Bastards, The War on Drugs, Chelsea Wolfe and Lucius. Ancient Warfare’s live show ebbs and flows from hushed harmony vocals to austere, tube-driven waves of sound. (Photo by Natalie Baxter) BASSH (Nashville) Bassh is a group with no rules. No limits. No agenda beyond making something loud, raw and rooted in synthesizers, distorted guitars, sweeping melodies, and the thrill that comes with creating art for the sheer fun of it. The thrill began during the winter months of 2014, when Jimmy Brown and CJ Hardee began teaming up with GRAMMY-nominated producer and Band of Horses member Bill Reynolds. The result was something totally unique: a sound that was aggressive, moody, melodic, atmospheric, and altogether weird. A human sound with electronic elements.

Amigo (top left), Ancient Warfare (left), Bassh (above)

BEN RICKETTS (Oxford) Ben Ricketts is a psychedelic pop/experimental musician from Oxford, MS. An active performer for seven years, Ricketts has released 9 home-recorded albums and several other projects. He has played extensively through the Southeast, both in weekend runs and through longer tours. Mixing layers of vocals, synthesizers, and various instruments, Ricketts has always sought to make each show a joyous occasion. (Photo by Daniel Perea) BRETT HARRIS (Durham) Brett Harris is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Durham, NC. In 2010 his debut LP Man of Few Words was featured by Paste Magazine’s “Best of What’s Next”, NPR’s “All Songs Considered: Second Stage”, and made several “Best of” lists, drawing comparisons to the work of Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Harry Nilsson, and Emitt Rhodes. Additionally, Brett has participated as a core band member in live performances of Big Star’s Third, playing throughout the US in addition to the UK, Spain, and Australia. He has also served as a touring member of Jangle Pop progenitors The dB’s. Brett has recently completed work on a number of projects, including 2015’s critically revered Mr. Sunshine EP and a new LP, Up in the Air, released in March of 2016. (Photo by Jeremy Lange) BUNCH (Mobile) BUNCH is the new rock outfit led by Alabama native songwriter Heath Underwood (formerly of El Cantador). This new collection of songs, featured on the upcoming 2016 full-length album: Forever My Sparring Partner, speak to the restless and dissolute, the misunderstood and the forsaken, the lonesome and introspective – it comes from the best we can give and when folks are at their worst. The tone and the sound owe a major debt to artists and recordings of the 70’s, and it has the gall to steal a wink at personal guitar/songwriting hero types like Stephen Malkmus, Nick Drake, J Mascis, and Nels Cline. (Photo by Shane Rice)

Brett Harris (top), BUNCH (left), Ben Ricketts (above)

BUNKO SQUAD (Birmingham) Bunko Squad is a covert law enforcement division of Interpol that roots out evil con-artists while masquerading as a musical act. (Photo by Marc Bondarenko) CADDYWHOMPUS (New Orleans) Chris Rehm and Sean Hart, the New Orleans via Houston duo, have been crafting avant-pop tunes under the binomen of Caddywhompus since 2008. Over the years, the band has released 4 albums, extensively toured the United States and has performed internationally in Europe, Brazil and Canada. In the last 6 months, Caddywhompus has opened for Thee Oh Sees, Parquet Courts and Dungen as well as finalized the production of their newest LP. In mid-late 2016, the band will be back on the road, beginning with an East Coast tour up to Brooklyn’s Northside Festival in June and a second European tour in September. (Photo by Benjamin Davis) CHESTER WATSON (Georgia/Florida) 17-year-old rapper, producer, playwright and collage artist born in St. Louis, MO and raised in St. Petersburg, FL. Started rapping, after his short lived ballet career.When he went into high school he began rapping and making beats again (Aug 2011). This is when the Nß Age Syndicate was officially formed by Watson and longtime friend, Kanisono.

Caddywhompus (above left), China Gate (left) Bunko Squad (above). Dear Blanca (opposite right)

CHINA GATE (Memphis) If front man Tiger Adams sounds like a ball of stress, then he is rolling down a grassy hill, and the sun is shining.

Hear the birds. Feel the dirt. It’s kind of nice, damp, between the fingers. China Gate’s debut album Hunca Munca, out now, sounds like beautiful rebirth, after winter. “I was going to the doctor once a week thinking I was dying of something new each time,” Tiger Adams says. “I wanted to write a song to help me surrender to those things in my life in a nondramatic and depressing way. The rest of the album is very much about the same themes and probably dives deeper.” (via USA Today). China Gate is Tiger Adams (Guitar and Vocals) // Walt Phelan (Lead Guitar) // Conner Booth (Bass) // Harry Neblett (Keyboard) // Kyle Neblett (Drums). (Photo by Courtney Whitlow) DEANTE’ HITCHCOCK (Atlanta) Deante’ Hitchcock is 21 years old, but its clear that his musical prowess is well beyond his years. Born and raised in Atlanta, GA he was introduced to music at an early age by his Uncle and lucky for us he’s stuck with it ever since.

His latest project “Wishful Thinking” has been spreading across the internet at an alarming rate. Boasting a mix of what some may call real lyricism with a hint of Southern bravado sprinkled on top he is a true product of Atlanta in the most Outkast-esque way possible.

DEAR BLANCA (Columbia, SC) Combining anecdotal musings and concise arrangements, Dear Blanca retrofits post-punk grit with wide ranging rhythmic feel. Led by Dylan Dickerson’s introspective warble and multi-voiced guitar lines, drummer Marc Coty and bassist Cam Powell sync to bridge obtuse folk ambling with taut grooves. The trio’s resilient musical energy lends a sense of cautious optimism, acting as an emotional life preserver that guides the listener through somber undertones. Dear Blanca’s first two full-length releases, 2013’s Talker and 2014’s Pobrecito, were engineered and produced

by Charlotte, N.C. based musician Bo White. In May 2015, the band recorded a five-song EP, entitled I Don’t Mean to Dwell, with Durham, N.C. producer Scott Solter (Mountain Goats, St. Vincent, Spoon), released March 4, 2016.

(Photo by Chloe Villavicencio)

DOUBLE FERRARIS (Athens, GA) A desert highway at sunset. Two Ferraris rip pavement side by side, when suddenly one side facing each begins to rise up slowly, like arms raising to touch fingertips. When wheels converge at the top of this new mobile pyramid, the two Ferraris blast forth twice as fast, together, now one unit moving faster and faster down the desert highway until they dislodge from Earth’s gravity altogether. (Photo by Chelsea Kornse) ELROY LOVE (Macon, GA) Elroy Love is a three-piece alternative country outfit from Macon, Georgia. The band is composed of Thomas Young (lead vocals/guitar), Michael Suhr (bass/vocals), and John Ewing (drums). Elroy Love formed over the summer of 2015 and released their debut EP Glitch Cowboy in April. Drawing influence from artists like Gram Parsons, Pavement, and Funkadelic, Elroy Love offers a rare form of funked-up, Southern-influenced, alternative music that is sure to provide for an energetic and engaging show. (Photo by Claire McNeely) FLOCO TORRES (Macon, GA) Floco Torres, a Willingboro New Jersey native began writing raps for and with his friends shortly after an English teacher in high school told him his dreams of being a journalist may not be the best way to go. Playing instruments like violin & trumpet as a child, music wasn’t a far-fetched path but it wasn’t his first (or second) on the list. In 2008, Torres moved from Willingboro to Atlanta Georgia for a marketing internship with a major record label. On the drive down to Atlanta, that plan fell through and this landed him in Macon Georgia with family. Floco quickly got to work and landed an opening slot during Macon’s largest music festival; Bragg Jam. In 6 years, he has released a number of projects independently which led him to winning Best Local Hip-Hop artist 4 years in a row as well Best Local album three times.

This page clockwise from top left: Double Ferraris Grammar Tree, Elroy Love, Grand Vapids.

FUTURE ELEVATORS (Birmingham) Michael Shackelford first wrote down the words “FUTURE” and “ELEVATORS” a few years ago on a rough instrumental demo. Recorded at his home studio outside of Birmingham, Alabama, the music never grew into a finished song, but that simple, surprisingly evocative phrase stuck with the multi-instrumentalist. It’s an apt phrase for one of Birmingham’s most original musical acts. Like Roald Dahl’s fictional creation, Shackelford—the group’s founder, mainstay, and guiding creative force—is something of a pop confectioner who thinks up impossible sounds and makes them a reality. His self-titled debut as Future Elevators expertly mixes whimsy and gravity, the fantastical with the everyday. (Photo by Wes Frazer) GRAMMAR TREE (Jacksonville) Grammar Tree is a hip-hop duo from Jacksonville, Florida that is made up of the highly animated rapper adj (adjective), and producer/renaissance man Brian Squillace (of Sea Cycles). Known for their exciting rapper-versus-drummer live shows, the impassioned lyrics and dark beats will not escape your psyche.

GRAND VAPIDS (Athens GA) Forming in early 2014, Grand Vapids spent the course of a year recording its debut album Guarantees with producer and engineer Drew Vandenberg (of Montreal, Deerhunter, Kishi Bashi) at Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA. On the album the sonic palette is wide. With guitars that are laboriously crafted, a driving rhythm section, and synths that are densely layered and structured. The songs are at once intimate and expansive, exploring a fevered state of fear and wonder. The album was mastered by Joe Lambert (Wye Oak, Sharon Van Etten, Wild Nothing) in NYC. Grand Vapids is McKendrick Bearden, Austin Harris, Paul Stevens, and Chris Goggans. Their debut album Guarantees was released on January 20th, 2015. (Photo by Jason Thrasher)

Michael Shackelford of Future Elevators.

GREATER PYRENEES (Water Valley, MS) Sean Kirkpatrick talks a lot about identity. For Kirkpatrick, who spent the better part of a decade as a guitarist in Colour Revolt before the group disbanded in 2012, that identity was squarely one thing. But along the way—as he became a husband, then a father—these roles began to expand and intersect. Now with Greater Pyrenees, he’s out to write a new future for himself, one that’s excitedly undefined and begging for exploration. Recorded from August to November 2014, the songs on Greater Pyrenees (Procrastinate! Music Traitors) certainly mark a shift from the sound Kirkpatrick contributed to in Colour Revolt. An army of acoustic guitars gives things a bit more subtlety here, but the set is nonetheless undercut with Kirkpatrick’s urgent passion, from the haunting harmonies of “Categorize” to the driving, hooky “Homemade Blood.” (Photo by Erin Abbott) GREY WATSON AND THE WARM JETS (Seoul, South Korea) Grey Watson has lived in Seoul, Korea, for nearly five years after growing up in Birmingham, Alabama. Initially playing solo shows under the name, ‘grey of the 80’s,’ he quickly became a part of the underground music scene and formed the band, The Killer Drones. By the time the Killer Drones quit last summer, work on his fist solo album, ‘Ruins,’ was underway. The album is now available at all your favorite music distribution outlets. He sometimes plays with the Warm Jets and the Warm Jets are all featured on ‘Ruins.’ The members are all expats in Seoul from various parts of the North America, including: Hawaii, New York State and Newfoundland. Photo by Sharon Heit) HELLO OCHO (Atlanta) Totally unrestrained creative expression is a standard that any artist would strive for. It just so happens that Atlanta quintet Hello Ocho has long since left that landmark in the rear view, hurtling through the cosmos like a psychedelic freighter with little regard for traditional song and genre forms.

The latest product of their efforts, the self-released sophomore album In Portuguese, is a sprawling, dramatic gem, a kaleidoscopic juggernaut of strange and brave proportions. Amidst the album’s warm, enveloping dissonance, subtle nods to pop, jazz, tropicalia, krautrock, and a profound cinematic Scope® find their way to the surface.

Comparisons to Can, Deerhoof, Stereolab and even Connan Mockasin aren’t unwarranted, but Hello Ocho pledges allegiance to no one sound or style – they’ve made it their mission to absorb all they can from every corner of the sonic universe, if only to see what comes out the other end.

This page clockwise from top left: Greater Pyrenees, Grey Watson and the Warm Jets, Hello Ocho.

HOT FUDGE (Athens, GA) Depressive session musicians from Athens, GA play psyched-out, prog-tinged mid-tempo 70s rock in the vain of Crazy Horse, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, King Crimson, and Can. (Photo by Mike White) IRON GIANT PERCUSSION (Birmingham) Iron Giant Percussion, or abbreviated in the most confusing manner possible, FeGP, is a contemporary ensemble based in Birmingham, consisting of Sam Herman, Brett Huffman, Seth Noble, and Justin Wallace. Established in 2011 to perform a collaborative piece with Sanspointe Dance Company, they have subsequently presented many ambitious concerts in Alys Stephens Center’s Sirote Theater, Syndicate Lounge, and The Spring Street Firehouse, among other venues – each featuring some of the most influential and challenging percussion music from the 20th and 21st centuries. Iron Giant’s energetic and engaging performances aim to bring an answer to the most common question regarding percussion music: “Is that actually a thing?” That answer is a resounding, unequivocal “Yes it is!”

(Photo by Dustin Gilmore) JAYE JAYLE (Louisville) “Anyone who is using more than two chords is just showing off.” Woody Guthrie’s famous quote became a mantra for young musicians who rallied around folk’s austerity, and later inspired a new generation of artists who basked in punk’s primitivism. Guthrie’s songs may not be an influence on Louisville’s Jaye Jayle, but his call for simplicity as a deliberate choice versus a matter of mere ability resonated with the veterans of Kentucky’s dark indie scene. Naming themselves Jaye Jayle as a pen name or a pseudonym to veer away from a traditional band moniker, the group sought to eliminate unnecessary variables and deconstruct their compositions down to their most concentrated essence.

Jaye Jayle owe less to our nation’s roots music and more to peripheral rock bands that have taken the “less is more” attitude to its furthest reaches. Imagine Spacemen 3 without the saturated wall of distortion, or Neu! without the upbeat motorik pulse, or Lungfish without the shamanistic howls. But these reference points seem either too bombastic or too lush. Perhaps a nexus of The Troggs’ ham-fisted drumming, Angels of Light’s ominous twang, and Suicide’s swaths of negative space hits closer to the mark, but even that doesn’t do the band justice. Jaye Jayle’s debut album House Cricks and Other Excuses To Get Out is an exercise in tension and restraint, a tightrope act between singer-songwriter traditions and art rock experimentation, and an intersection of Southern cultural permutations and otherworldly sounds.

This page left: Hot Fudge, Iron Giant Percussion, below, and Jaye Jayle at right.

JEREMY SQUIRES (New Bern, NC) New Bern, North Carolina native and haunting folk troubadour Jeremy Squires engages listeners with his uniquely dark and beautifully vulnerable songs. On February 19, 2016 Shaker Steps Records (Lexington, KY) releases Jeremy’s 3rd full length album Shadows. The album represents a continued brutally honest meditation on confusion, heartache, and loss. Candid melancholy masterpieces like “Carry You,” “Hourglass,” and “Your Love” leave listeners speechless. Enjoy Shadows with a side of quiet contemplation. (Photo by Derek Feldman) JON STICKLEY TRIO (Asheville, NC) Jon Stickley Trio is making waves with the independent and fan-funded release of their 2nd album, Lost at Last, on October 6, 2015. The originality and sheer energy of this genre-bending ensemble serves as a welcome wake up call for those who experience it. With roots in gypsy jazz, bluegrass, and hip-hop in an “exhilarating all-acoustic swirl” (Acoustic Guitar Magazine), Jon Stickley Trio combines Jon Stickley’s rapid-fire flatpicking guitar with the sultry and wild, yet refined, melodies of Lyndsay Pruett on violin set over the deep groove of Patrick Armitage on drums.

The three have fused their collective styles into a repertoire of exciting and innovative original music along with some captivating covers. Lost at Last was recorded in the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC at the iconic Echo Mountain Studios under the watchful eye of producer Dave King (The Bad Plus). (Photo by Heather Hambor) JUAN DE FUCA (Athens) Juan de Fuca is Jack Cherry, Declan Farissee, Clark Brown, Jack Webster, and Howard Stewart. Originally the nomde-plume of Cherry’s solo efforts, Juan de Fuca transformed from a bedroom project to a full 5-piece in the Fall of 2015, shortly after the October release of Cherry’s solo EP Cavern Of. As the title suggests, the EP dealt with the cavernous spaces that manifest both physically and mentally when persevering through tragedy. The EP shifts through deliberate moments of shoegaze and dream-pop to more ambient meditative soundscapes and returning to sparse acoustic work all in an effort to create the isolation of these caverns. Since moving forward from that body of work, Cherry assembled a live band and began playing shows. Initially playing mostly off of the EP, the band’s live sound evolved quickly – gaining energy and shifting sonically. Since most of Cherry’s compositions on Cavern Of were written on a four-string nylon acoustic guitar, the band worked tirelessly to incorporate loud feedback guitars and interesting rhythms without losing the core of each song. Their sonic palette quickly evolved into a dynamic portrayal of frustration, tragedy, perseverance, and conquering. While one sound begins to gain speed, another comes and out-competes it. As the band continued to write together, they prepared to go in the studio and they are currently in the process of finishing their debut LP. (Photo by Matt Lief Anderson) This page (top left) Jeremy Squires, (right) Lady Legs, (below) Jon Stickley Trio.

LADY LEGS (Auburn) Just a group of sweet southern dilly’s trying to rock n roll. (Photo by Ethan Gulley) LANDO CHILL (Tucson) The 24 year old, Chicago born & raised rap artist/songwriter, Lando Chill has been making waves & turning heads in the deep Southwest, calling Tucson, Arizona his current musical home base of operation. Even whilst growing up in a choir & theatre orientated background due to his mother, music wasn’t a prerogative until, by chance, he was cast in a University of Arizona Film School short in 2013 & tasked to lend his voice. From that point on, Lando has been on an enthralling journey through music, touring the country in 2015.

LITTLE BIG BANGS (St. Louis) Little Big Bangs formed in 2011 as a 3 piece. Lucy Dougherty, Eric Boschen, and Ryan Macias traded off guitar, bass, drum, and vocal duties between songs. Adding drummer Drew Gowran in 2011 the group recorded a demo (Easter Egg Demo) and started playing around STL as much as possible. Their first self titled full length was released in 2013 (record and CD) and the band began touring regionally. The band recorded their newest record Star Power, which was released in 2015. Little Big Bangs is planning on recording a new EP in the fall. (Photo by Louis Kwok)

Little Big Bangs.

LITTLE TYBEE (Atlanta) Little Tybee is a progressive psych-folk band based out of Atlanta, GA. Formed in 2009, the group has bridged existing genres into their own brand of calculated, creative, and technical music, which refuses to sacrifice musicality and accessibility. The release of their third full-length album, For Distant Viewing (Paper Garden Records), and the band’s touring in both the US and abroad, not only cemented their penchant for clean orchestration but also provided the meaningful relationships and experiences essential for fueling future creativity. (Photo by Russell Dreyer)

This page (top left) Juan De Fuca, (left) Little Tybee, (above) Lando Chill.

THE LOST CONTROLS (Birmingham) The Lost Controls formed in 2015 when the group’s members decided to play an impromptu first show with only a week to write songs. Deadlines can be a blessing. The band deftly careens through old school verse/chorus/verses with reverb drenched guitars and a penchant for big endings. Song subjects include road rage, enlightenment, wine fraud, and arson. Look for a debut full length in mid 2016. (Photo by BW Jarritos) THE LOUDERMILKS (Charlotte) After more than a decade fronting Charlotte, NC’s critically acclaimed alt. country pioneers, Lou Ford, brothers Alan & Chad Edwards return with a new take on their signature “rural pop” sound. Ever-present are the sibling harmonies, guitar chops, and hook-heavy songwriting that No Depression said “…sounds like the product of a childhood spent listening to a cool aunt or uncle’s well-worn copies of Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and The Gilded Palace Of Sin, with Exile On Main Street…” and led Creative Loafing to declare “…some of the catchiest, most heart-rending country rock around.” The Loudermilks carry on that tradition, but suggest a maturity and refinement in both songwriting and performance that can only come from years spent honing one’s craft. With the Loudermilks, too, comes a crack rhythm section composed of former Lou Ford drummer Shawn Lynch on bass, fellow Lou Ford veteran Jason Atkins on piano and organ, and former Jolene time-keeper Mike Kenerley on drums and percussion. Individually, these five musicians represent Charlotte, NC’s finest, with an impressive musical pedigree.

Together these gentlemen represent the Edwards’ most cohesive unit to date, and a powerhouse combo capable of both subtlety and bombast with equal precision and ethos. Named for iconic gospel and country duo Ira & Charlie Loudermilk, better known as the Louvin Brothers, the Loudermilks find a comfortable place in the unlikely juxtaposition of the Louvin’s southern gothic and sibling harmonies and the emotive and powerful Memphis Soul meets ‘60s Pop of underground rock legends Big Star. (Photo by Chris Edwards)

This page (top left) The Lost Controls, (left) Love Moor, (right) The Loudermilks.

LOVE MOOR (Birmingham) Erica Andrew ( Born October 11, 1990), better known by herstage nameLove Moor, is an American singer-songwriter. She was born in Brooklyn, NY, grew up in Miami , Fl , and later relocated to Birmingham, Al. Love Moor released her debut extended play(EP), titled Blu Polka Dots, on July14, 2015. Love Moor, through great vibes and beautiful energy became the first lady of Loner Dreamer Lover Rebel (LDLR) in 2014. Love Moor is a neo soul singer whose music can be described as Alternative R&B, with elements of soul,hip hop, minimalist R&B, a little flow, and some island flavor. Love’s lyrics can be described as “revealing”, that revolve around themes of sexuality, nostalgia, abandonment, and self love.

LYLAS (Nashville) Lylas is a Nashville based psychedelic song ensemble revolving around the compositions of singer Kyle Hamlett. For over 10 years, lylas has been weaving it’s weird web of finger plucked musings, beat driven drone poems, and ghostly textures into a strangely entrancing musical fabric. (Photo by Penny Felts) MEAN SMOKER (Birmingham) An improvisation collective, drawing from aspects of electronic music, funk grooves, rock, and free and traditional jazz. We make it up…on the spot…for you. We’re not wizards. But it is magic. (Photo by Jay Frederick) MEN’S RENEWAL (Birmingham) Born out of the inability to stay still, Men’s Renewal is an exercise in motion, momentum and, of course, repetition. From the ground up, open-ended, ambient leaning but techno driven pieces are built with a gaining intensity through subtle percussive shifts and cascading sound walls ranging from ominous to auspicious, all inevitably plateauing at a height that is TBD. (Photo by Wes Frazer)

This page (top left) Men’s Renewal, (right) Mean Smoker, (below) Lylas.

MONDAY/FRIDAY (Atlanta) Friends for over 10 years, Illastrate and Yamin decided to join forces and create records that would showcase the best elements of what they enjoy in Hiphop rather than showcase themselves as separate artists. It is the love of the craft that forged and strengthened their relationship over the years, and now that same spirit has made Working ClassMusic Group’s brand much stronger as well.Having released an LP, EP and 7” record in less than one year’s time, the two have been giving the world their best, all while priming their audience for more talent from the WCMG camp.

Both producers, Yamin Semali and Illastrate leave no stone unturned nor vinyl unplayed in the quest for the perfect beat, while Yamin adds his cuts, scratches and rhymes to Illastrate’s hypnotic, layered production.

THE MONASTERY (Birmingham) The Monastery is a hip hop collective founded in Birmingham, AL, in 2010, centered around the up -and-coming duo Paco (22) and Carlos Charm (21). “We chose the name “The Monastery” because the monastery is a facility where monks live, meditate, and reach enlightenment. We felt that music, a universal language, was the channel we could strongest help those around us come together and attain a higher understanding of the world, of others, and of ourselves. “Since the birth of the group, the rappers have shown growth and promise in their aspirations, each dropping two solo mixtapes. Paco released “Tales of a High School Nothing,” during the fall season of 2011, and Carlos Charm, who was going by his real na me, Kieron, dropped “The New Testa ment” shortly after, at the beginning of 2012. After changing his name to Carlos Charm, Kieron released “The Feast and the Famine” during the spring of 2014, but Paco would not release his second effort, “By Any Dreams,” until early 2015.

MOTEL MIRRORS (Memphis) In 2013, John Paul Keith & Amy LaVere formed Motel Mirrors – a duet project born out of a mutual desire for new artistic challenges and what might’ve just been a long overdue collaboration between two artists whose styles so clearly complemented one another. JP and Amy put out a 10” EP, Motel Mirrors. It was incredibly well received (named one of the “10 Essential Albums of 2013” by No Depression and selected as one of the best Memphis albums of the year by The Commercial Appeal) and they had a blast touring together to support it. Now they’ve added noted Austin, Texas guitarist Will Sexton to the mix and they’re cooking up a new album. With the three songwriters and three singers, the dynamic and the possibilities have changed – what was a duet is now a full band. Then, on June 9, 2015, The Monastery released the collaborative effort, “The Genesis” with strong hits such as “Move (Whack N*ggas) and “Just Goin’ In” as crowd favorites. In light of the Valentine’s Day holiday, Carlos Charm released his official EP “The 5 Stages of Heartbreak,” which chronicled the emotions he conveyed while dealing with his first breakup.

This page (left) Monday/Friday (above) Motel Mirrors.

NEST EGG (Asheville, NC) Nest Egg has already made a name for themselves with their amazing fog-heavy, zoned and honed live show. Warping minds and winning fans with their heady, atmospheric take on progressive, ethereal vibed-out rock music. Psychedelic when the mood turns mellow, but driving when they hit the gas and float the cosmic flux. Really, when you get right down to it, Nest Egg are bringing on a sound that few have had the ability to channel and refine with this level of mastery. On Respectable, Nest Egg put their talent upfront, weaving in and out of time and space, with a heavy control of their dynamic. While they wear their influences on their sleeves, that of Popul Vuh, Amon Duul, early Pink Floyd (“Set The GPS To The Heart Of The Sun”, anyone??), Neu, and the like; they’re passionate about presenting an extremely modern take on the endless motorik jam. This is music for finding your way through the galaxy, with the intent of never coming back. (Photo by Bob Forte) NO SUH FOSTER (New York) Mobile, Alabama has birthed a gem with No Suh Foster, a lyrical talent often unheard in the southern region, No Suh depicts vivid stories and observations with a spoken word-esque flow and production that blends the golden age hip hop sound with both current and abstract influences.No Suh’s sound can be attributed to a somewhat unique background. .He released his first two projects: “Above The Influence”and “Grassroots” in 2011. While both gained him some hometown notoriety in Alabama, it would be Grassroots ode to golden age hip-hop that really got people talking. It was also around this time that Foster won the second “Who Got Bars” competition in Alabama.After a brief hiatus from music, he dropped another project entitled “X The Street From The Church”. The album: produced mostly by in house production team, Robot House, is a multilayered observation of the role of the Church in the Black community. It has been featured on DJBooth.net, as well as nominated by Atlanta Hip-Hop Site, Str8outDaDen for indie album of the year.

This page (top left) Nest Egg, (bottom left) The Monastery (top) No Suh Foster.

NULL (Birmingham) Formed in Birmingham nearly a decade ago by Kevin Wright and Carter Wilson, NULL is a fixture in Birmingham’s rich underground music community. With the addition of Plate Six members Brad Davis and David Hickox, NULL releases their first LP, Sleepwalking Days, via IFB/Social Cancer Records in May 2016. The album showcases the down tempo, melodic, yet densely heavy sound that has been the calling card of this current line up of the long running Birmingham band. (Photo by D Smith) ONA (West Virginia) Ona, West Virginia is a small sliver of unincorporated ridges, creeks, and floodplains. It sprawls across Route 60 on its southern border and stretches up like a thick thumb almost reaching the Ohio River. It’s home to one stop light, an Exxon, and a consolidated high school. Driving out its roads, you snake through shadowy hollows past rural suburbia. People’s homes are tucked here and there where the folds of the land permit. A community of private property. Mortgaged acres. You’ll see some trailers. You’ll see some estates. You’ll see a dog with one eye. You’ll see the Beulah Ann Baptist Church.

Ona makes songs that take place in these spaces. Bradley Jenkins and Zack Owens write about passions slamming into roadblocks. They write about longing, resentment, searching, and waiting. They are backed by a tight rock and roll band comprised of Zach Johnston, Max Nolte, and Brad Goodall. The five of them create music that pulses and buzzes and echoes and rolls. It feels like standing with sweat in your eyes in grass up to your knees. It feels like getting your tennis shoes wet walking along the banks of the river. It feels like catching a buzz off a bottle your buddy stole from his brother and skipping track practice. It feels like taking a long walk into the trees when you can still hear them arguing inside the house. (Photo by Max Nolte) THE POWDER ROOM (Athens, GA) The long, low rumble of “Disappointment” is as good a place to start as any. The lead track from The Powder Room’s debut album, “Curtains” functions as both calling card and warning sign. There’s nothing lighthearted about them. There’s also nothing extraneous. Each piece is necessary. And the truth is there’s not very many pieces.

The three-piece of Gene Woolfolk (guitar/vocals), Bubba McDonald (bass guitar) and Patrick Ferguson (drums) provide everything needed. The past three years have fostered the initial growth spurt for The Powder Room and it’s completion of its debut signals the group’s next era. Recorded with the estimable Kyle Spence (Harvey Milk) in the band’s hometown of Athens, GA the record is a gut punch of noisy sludge that declares its malaise and disgust immediately. Just dig the song titles: “Alcoholics and Meth Addicts”, “Frayed”, “Dead Pet”, et al.

This page: Null (left), Ona (bottom left), The Powder Room, right.

ROCKWELL KNUCKLES (St. Louis) Known for giddy, left-field lyricism with a heroic baritone, Rockwell Knuckles continues to carve a lane all his own.

Riverfront Times critic Christian Schaeffer states: “Rockwell Knuckles stands tall as St. Louis’ most capable and adventurous hip-hop artist.” Influences range from Brotha Lynch Hung, Beatles, Prince and UGK to name a few.

His latest project hosted by “It’s All Happening” comes on the heels of Mike Brown/Ferguson, which almost lead to a hiatus because of the chaotic atmosphere of the city. Rockwell was fortunate enough to be featured Apple Beats1 Radio WRTJ (Run the Jewels/DJ Trackstar) frequently with songs “Holy Ground”“Play Catch”“It’s All Happening”.

“Yet as huge as Rocky’s It’s All Happening is, it’s also full of calming soul and generally chill backyard barbecue vibes, particularly on songs like “Just Livin,” featuring frequent collaborator Tef Poe, and the funky interlude of “Orange Glow.” From Breaking Bad-referencing shit-talking to smooth, soul-sampling nostalgia, It’s All Happening is a rich, varied project well worth your time.” – Noisey Music by VICE Dec. 2014.

SEMINOLE STRUT (Huntsville) Seminole Strut started as a group of long-time friends loosely jamming in their spare time in late 2012. These six Huntsville, AL natives had been in various bands growing up, but had never played together as a group prior to the formation of the Seminole Strut. Influenced by a variety of different music styles, they meshed together to forge a unique sound with a modern touch on raw rock and soul music. Backgrounds varying from classic sounds, such as Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Thin Lizzy, and Derek and the Dominos, to the stylings of new sounds like My Morning Jacket, The Snake The Cross The Crown, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Alabama Shakes, and various southern-souding soul and rock acts. After garnering more experience, they began writing and learning original music until they had enough material to start playing open mic nights around Huntsville. In May 2013, after playing their first full gig in Florence, AL in a now-defunct pool hall, Seminole Strut traveled to Nashville to record songs for their EP at Sound and Audio Engineering (SAE) Institute. Taking three songs away from those sessions, they recorded and produced three more songs on their own to complete their self-titled six song EP, available on bandcamp.com. In June 2014 they began recording an album’s worth of music at King of the Jungle Productions in Birmingham, AL, for their first full length album, Clatter & Howl. These tracks contain a unique and raw sound that captures the band’s energetic live sound. Clatter & Howl is available on CD, as well as most online music markets, including iTunes, Spotify, and Band Camp. By consistently playing shows in North Alabama, they have made a name for themselves as a raw and entertaining live act filled with a big rhythm section powered by three electric guitars. Make no mistake, this band will show up and make you move your feet and nod your head. (Photo by Adam Robinson) This page: Seminole Strut.

SKYLAR GUDASZ (Durham, NC) “This is what I remember: two twin beds covered in my grandmother’s quilts, four windows opening out to the ghosts in the dark green Virginia forest, and a wooden crate of my parents’ vinyl one room away from my father’s decaying, prized, ancient Steinway upright.”

Skylar Gudasz offered up this childhood memory recently to D.C. blog The Vinyl District, by way of introducing herself to its readers. It’s a splendidly intimate window into the enchanting work of a singer, lyricist and composer whose balance of musical talent and artistic vision comes along only once in a very blue moon.

A native of Ashland, Va., Gudasz started playing flute at age 5. Her brother taught her to play guitar in elementary school, and she began learning piano on her own a few years later. “I was too impatient with authority to listen long enough to learn how to properly play an instrument, so I worked my own way through them.” Such individualism helped shape her distinctiveness as a songwriter from the outset.

Gudasz studied theater and creative writing at the University of North Carolina, then stuck around in Chapel Hill and Durham post-college after connecting with some of the area’s most promising young musicians. Early work with the likes of producer Jeff Crawford (Old Ceremony) and bassist Casey Toll (Mount Moriah) resulted in the 2011 EP “Two Headed Monster” and a follow-up of B-sides. Together, they served notice of a major new voice in the N.C. Triangle’s music community. (Photo by Roxanne Turpen) SLEEPWALKERS (Richmond) Sleepwalkers’ debut album Greenwood Shade gained the Richmond, VA-based band high profile fans including singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, who tweeted “this record is like the lost friend I was looking for but didn’t know,” and their upbeat, infectious melodies and raw instrumentals led to incredible organic growth fueled mainly by word of mouth. As they gear up for a label release of the initially self-released Greenwood Shade, Sleepwalkers have hit the road hard, channeling their unparalleled live energy into shows across the country.

At the core, Sleepwalkers are a band of brothers from Richmond, Virginia. As with any pair of brothers, there’s always a mythology.In other bands with other names, Michael and Austin York wrote and performed songs years ahead of their chronological age. The band broke up and the brothers locked themselves in a studio every night for god knows how long. In 2014, they reemerged with Greenwood Shade: a perfect-sounding album that makes you feel like Todd Rundgren should have toured with Whitney Houston. (Photo by Sergey Golub) This page: Skylar Gudasz (left), SleepWalkers (right).

SNACKS (Huntsville) Formed from the scattered ashes of garage rock nobodies, Alabama’s three piece SNACKS bring primal, violently catchy, unschooled jams to a thirsty southern audience where beard toughness and brewery rock reign supreme. The hypnotic, end of times single, “Kingdom” keeps an infectiously doomed view on life as we know it. Songs like “Anthem of the Dogs” & the Ted Bundy-influenced grunge jam “Bunny” could end up somewhere in the ending credits of a True Detective episode. (Photo by James Simpson) SUN SEEKER (Nashville) Sun Seeker started out as Stripes when all the members were still cherubic high-school doughboys. They were inspired by the likes of Wilco, Real Estate, The Band, and local Nashville rock and roll to ditch their adolescent softness and evolve into a bigger machine complete with ornate riffage and backbone-solid rhythm. Lyrically, lead singer, Alex Benick muses on lost relationships, death, and losing faith in God at Wave Country. Musically, the band symphonically structures individualistic instrumentation around the impeccable kick drum of Ben Parks, which beats more in time than the human heart. Sun Seeker will make you fall in love, then break up with you, then have break-up sex with you, then have a long conversation with you over coffee after which all will be laid to rest and your friendship will be strong as ever, after which you will both call each other on birthdays and get together when in you are both in town, having grown in different directions perhaps, but still just as amorous and appreciative.

(Photo by Diana Zadlo) SYDNEY ELOISE & THE PALMS (Atlanta) In the wake of coverage at NPR’s All Songs Considered, The Village Voice, Paste, CMJ, PopMatters and many other tastemaking outlets, Sydney Eloise & the Palms have finally released their critically acclaimed debut LP, Faces (available now on LP & CD from The Cottage Recording Co., and on cassette from Bear Kids Recordings). The new group also just received a glowing 4-star review from Creative Loafing, and has been compared by the music press to a stunning list of iconic artists and indie-press darlings including Jenny Lewis, Natalie Prass, George Harrison, Neko Case, Best Coast, Phil Spector and Fleetwood Mac. Sydney Eloise & The Palms embarked on their first tour this October with a bon-voyage hometown album-release show at Mass Collective in Atlanta, followed by a sprint up the East Coast, including a stopover at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York. (Photo courtesy of The Cottage Recording Co.)

This page: Sun Seeker (left), Sydney Eloise & The Palms (right).

TEF POE (St. Louis) Born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri, Kareem Jackson has been honing his weaponry in the war for music supremacy. Through his unwavering integrity, genuine rhymes and expansive delivery, Kareem—better known as Tef Poe—is proving to the world that he is the commander-in-chief. Poe encompasses and continues to perfect the artistry and performance skills necessary to go the distance in today’s entertainment industry. Originally building a reputation as one of St. Louis’ elite battle rappers, Poe has risen through the ranks and positioned himself as a seasoned veteran. His solo projects have been well received by the public, critics, and media outlets alike. Poe has commanded large crowds opening for Lupe Fiasco, Talib Kweli, and Big Boi. His hits have successfully cut through the propaganda and reached the masses via radio play in multiple markets. Poe has been featured on major media outlets such as BET’s Freestyle Friday, TheSource.com, XXLMag.com, ThisIs50.com, The Smoking Section, RawRoots.com and several more. In addition, Poe has graced the pages of XXL’s The Break and The Source’s Unsigned Hype. Poe continues to lead his own offensive collaborating with diverse artists, performing throughout the country, writing for the Riverfront Times, & advocating for human rights as an official performer for Amnesty International.

For Tef, there is no option other than complete and total victory. This mindset propels him beyond commander-in-chief… To the War Machine.

THAYER SARRANO (Athens, GA) Thayer Sarrano is forging her own path into a southern- psych-dreamland, bottling up ghosts and bringing them to life through her ethereal desert rock hymns. The tones tremble and bend, layered in swirling atmospherics. The angelic voice will pull you in close to share devastatingly beautiful and heart-breaking secrets, while shadowy figures dance in the background. This is music that envelops the listener and may transport you to another world or time.

A magical place that is melancholic and haunting, yet bursting with heavenly light.

With her latest release, Shaky, The Athens, GA multi-instrumentalist sounds, more than ever, like where she is from. She grew up in a monastery and then the swamp in southern, coastal Georgia. Classically trained as a child, awakened by Grunge in the 90s, with chanting forever in her subconscious, she had always written instrumental compositions and poetry. Songwriting came when she landed in the vibrant musical community of Athens, GA and began to collaborate with friends to form her own band, as well as establish herself as a studio/touring session player (Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven, T. Hardy Morris, of Montreal, Dave Marr, David Barbe, many more). Debut album, King was released in 2009 dubbing her “The new Queen of Shoegaze” – Americana UK. The sparse and raw album was recorded live in her living room in one day. Her follow up LP, Lift Your Eyes to the Hills , (2012), enters

more complex arrangements and features the single “The Bend,“ written for Groninger Museum, The Netherlands, leading to consistent European touring. (Photo by Emilia Pare) TIM LEE 3 (Knoxville) Tim Lee 3 was founded by guitarist/singer/songwriter Tim Lee (who’s history dates back to the ‘80s with his band the Windbreakers and as a touring member of Let’s Active, the Swimming Pool Qs, and Marty Jones’ band) and his wife, bassist/singer/songwriter Susan Bauer Lee. The group also features Chris Bratta on drums. Since its inception in 2006, TL3 has released four full-length studio albums (including the 2010 double-CD release, Raucous Americanus), two limited-edition live recordings, and an EP of previously unreleased and live material, in addition to various contributions to compilation records and substantial touring. The 2015 release of their new record, 33.1/3 (03.06.15), coincided with the 33.1/3 wedding anniversary of the Lees. (Photo by Bil Foster) VULTURE WHALE (Birmingham) Out of the indie punk bomb shelters of Birmingham, AL beheld the inevitable union of local heroes The Ohms and Verbena. Purveyors of hero status records that just about every Southeastern kid worth his snot in rocknroll would give a nod to as an influence in one way or another. Originally coined as Wes McDonald and The Fizz, the quartet featured Verbena’s drummer and later guitarist, Lester Nuby III, the formidable backline of Keelan Parrish on the low end with Jake Waitzman keeping time behind the drum kit, with front man Wes McDonald aka Terry Ohms of The Ohms holding court lyrically and playing rhythm and lead guitar. They were simply too well-versed to not be tagged as a cohesive unit, a dream of a vulture eating a whale by Nuby birthed a new creative vehicle and a band was formed.

Vulture Whale’s 2007 freshmen self-titled effort, released on Nuby’s Ol’ Elegante stamp, was a nearly perfect southern indie rock record — tapping the same vein as remarkable debut records by McDonald’s Ohms and Nuby’s Verbena in 2000 and 1997, respectively. McDonald’s vocal stylings straddle the gap between The Jam’s Paul Weller and Philadelphia’s G.Love, a slight nod to Mick Jagger, and a shit ton of Wes McDonald. Nuby and McDonald trade guitar work and form an impervious front with Parrish and Waitzman, each upholding their end like a jack stud supporting a header in a stick framed house.

Each member bringing their own paint to the proverbial canvas, the ship calmly steered by McDonald and his musical genius come bar stool comedian take on songwriting –equally drenched in Parliament Funkadelic , Marc Bolan and T.Rex, as the Ramones. That’s been the “plan” from day one, take it everywhere and nowhere at the same time. They’re better than steroids were for baseball and OJ was for Ford Broncos, beautifully exotic yet weaving the basket between perfect indie pop and obtuse punk funk. Ever entertaining and genre bending, Vulture Whale is a cornucopia of styles and permutations, draped in the critically acclaimed shroud of indie rock and its rags.

WIEUCA (Athens, GA) Wieuca first appeared in a sweltering Atlanta basement in 2012, and has since moved to Athens, GA and released several attempts to translate life’s general misgivings into the .WAV format. (Photo by Elliott Wiegand) WILL STEWART (Birmingham) Like the tides under the Gulf of Mexico moon, like a sea of bodies undulating under the strobing lights of some clandestine New York city disco, Will Stewart’s Faultline EP is in constant motion. It’s the sound of transition, persistent and occasionally chaotic, of inevitable change in the wake of charting bold new directions in life and music, past projects and pre-ordained centers of musical cool be damned.

Late last year, just as Stewart’s Nashville retro-soul outfit Willie and the Giant seemed poised for a breakthrough— having been named “New Band of the Week” by influential London newspaper The Guardian—the band broke up, unable to reconcile its creative differences. “Until recently, the idea of being in a band was always more appealing to me than being a solo artist—that feeling of camaraderie, of being brothers in arms,” Stewart says. “But these days, I feel more confident in my music and songwriting. I feel confident in being in complete creative control. It’s liberating.”

Striking out on his own also inspired Stewart to move from trendy Nashville back to his old hometown of Birmingham, Ala. “I don’t want to sound cynical,” he says, “but Nashville was just a sea of poseurs. The things I’d originally found charming about the city have been pilfered and castrated by every industry entity in town. All the coolness is being co-opted right out of it. I mean, there are still a lot great bands and people I love, but it’s honestly killing the vibe.”

WRAY (Birmingham) Wray is one of those rare bands that effortlessly blend smart sonic pluralities into a seamless whole without losing any of their DIY grit. Based out of Birmingham, Alabama, the trio– comprised of lead singer/bass player David Brown, guitarist David Swatzell, and drummer Blake Wimberly– have a shared history that reaches back over a decade in the Birmingham music scene. Expectations for this compelling act continue to grow with the groundswell of support and patronage they’ve received since they first made their debut in 2013 They toured throughout 2014 and 2015 with Man Or Astro-man?, J Hernandez and Native Lights. Having received accolades from everyone from The New York Times to MOJO– alongside appearances on MTVu and Daytrotter– their penchant for adventurous music-making will pay big dividends in the years to come.

Following 2014’s self-titled debut on Communicating Vessels, Wray has spent the better part of the past year developing the ideas and sonic palette that would become their sophomore LP Hypatia. Through experimentation and a robust full-length band, Wray has finally come into its own as a distinct entity. (Photo by Wes Frazer) YANI MO (Atlanta) Melodic, smooth, sensual, and profound – just some of the words folks have used to describe Yani Mo. She’s a creative and collard green enthusiast from Lithonia, Georgia, with artistic influences ranging from Toni Morrison, Al Green, Lauryn Hill, and Dilla, to every artist she’s met since her spoken word days. The Lithonia native has commanded the growing subculture of Atlanta since her 2013 debut, EP “Compound/Words”, a jazz-hop fusion record. Mo is on the verge of releasing a series of projects including her second project “Space & Simplicity” with Decatur-based producer ProRow.

This page: Wieuca (right), Wray (bottom).

Opposite page: Will Stewart.