Issue 25

tastemakers presents...

INTERVIEWS WITH

TITUS ANDRONICUS THE DODOS JAVELIN

+ BREAKUP MIX: TRACK BY TRACK RECOVERY FOR THE DUMPED

+

THE NEW GENERATION OF HIP HOP

northeastern students on music

STAFF QUOTES: “I was specifically looking for the schweddy balls.”

Suzie Conway (Communications)

“So the penis and the balls are like... separate from each other?”

Tom Casey (Music Industry)

“We’re still talking about grapefruit, right?”

Emily Cassel (Journalism)

THE TEAM: President KYLE RISLEY

Interviews Editors NICK HUGON

Editor in Chief EMILY CASSEL

Reviews Director DAVID TSCHEIGG

Art Director ANNE LATINI

Reviews Editors SUZIE CONWAY, JEFF CURRY

Web Design EDWIN MORRIS Marketing Director CAITLIN KULLBERG Features Director ALYSSA MASTROCCO Features Editor COLIN PETERS

"No, but it depends on what she thought about something."

Sachin Mitra (International Business)

"On a scale from 1 to 10, you win."

Rachel Rimm (Environmental Studies)

Interviews Coordinator CHRIS STOPPIELLO

Photo Director JENNA ROSS Video Director CHRISTINA SPLEEN Copy Editor TOM CASEY Staff Writers MICHELLE BUCHMAN, LESLIE FOWLE, DINORAH WILSON, NATHAN GOLDMAN, BRYAN BERLIN, MEL BERTOLDI, SHEA GEYER, BILL SHANER

** 2011 tastemakers music magazine all rights reserved

Art & Design DAVID TSCHEIGG, ABBIE HANRIGHT, ALYSSA SULLIVAN, LAURA CROSSIN, LACEY HONDA, BRIAN CANTRELL Marketing Staff ALEX TAYLOR, NATHAN GOLDMAN, SACHIN MITRA, RACHEL RIMM Web Team ALI UKANI, ALEX BRAGAGNOLO, JUSTINE LOWE

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Contributors NICK HUGON, ALLISON WALKER, MORGAN LAWRENCE, SAM GOLDNER, SARAH LOMBARDO, ALYSSA MASTROCCO, DREW WILCOX, AARON DECKER, CHRISTINA SPLEEN

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THE COVER: Titus Andronicus and The Dodos on the roof of Renaissance Garage on Northeastern Campus, October 2nd, 2011. Photographed by Andrew Swartz.

WHAT’S INSIDE: 04 Calendar

06

13

Blue Note Resurrected

Local Photos

Robert Glasper's Trio and Experiment

08

14

Show Reviews

10

Capturing The Moment

12

Weird Is Good And Kreayshawn is all over it

Hip Hop's Kids

16

Time To Get Real The problem with selfaggrandizing rap in 2011

17

Javelin Killed The Radio Star An interview from Tastemakers Presents

18

Name-dropping with The Dodos An interview from Tastemakers Presents

20

Monitoring Titus Andronicus An interview from Tastemakers Presents

22

Copy What?

23

Young The Giant A Q&A with Jacob Tilley

26

The Breakup Mix Using music to get you through the five stages of breakups

28

Music of Northeastern

29

Just A Taste Of The Dopamines

30 Etcetera

Nov 1 Chromeo w/ Mayer Hawthorne HOB

2 Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls w/ Andrew Jackson Jihad MED

3 The Movement w/ Supervillains MEU

4 St. Vincent RY

5 Noah and the Whale PA

6 Red Jumpsuit Apparatus BMH

7 Lil B MED

8 Blind Pilot PA

9 Scratch Acid PA

10 Wu Lyf w/ Crystal Antlers MED

11 Jedi Mind Tricks PA

12 Manchester Orchestra HOB

13 Love and Opium MEU

14 Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion w/ Winterpills TT

15 Mike Doughty & His Band Fantastic PA

16 Trampled by Turtles PA

17 Architecture in Helsinki RY

18 Deer Tick w/ The Felice Brothers RY

19 Airborne Toxic Event OR

20 M83 PA

21 Mastodon HOB

22 Chameleons Vox w/ Black Swan Lane & Curtain Society TT

23 Method Man, Curren$y, Big K.R.I.T. PA

24 Happy Thanksgiving!

25 Buffalo Tom BMH

26 Bo Burnham WT

27 Buffalo Tom BMH

28 The Borromeo String Quartet NEC

29 Latin Music and Culture Celebration with Bernardo Hernandez C9

30 Touche Amore w/ Pianos Become the Teeth & Seahaven MEU

ROC

KOM ENDS check out the latest dates online at tastemakersmag.com/calendar

Childish Gambino

St. Vincent

Touche Amore

Everyone knows Childish Gambino, they just don't realize it. Gambino is the rap moniker of actor, writer, and comedian Donald Glover (Community, 30 Rock). Don't go in expecting joke rap though, Gambino is serious, personal, and real.

With a voice that effortlessly flutters between octaves, Ms. Annie Clark aka St. Vincent is an indie darling that packs a punch.

Never a one-trick pony, St. Vincent is always leaving audiences in suspense, where she’s known to play several instruments and rock that killer voice all in one show.

Stunning and talented, she’ll put her big red lips to the mic and nothing will be the same.

Come early for the killer openers: post-hardcore heavy-hitters Pianos Become the Teeth and emo/post-punk genre-blenders Seahaven. Stay late for the gripping melodic hardcore of Touche Amore as they tour in support of their raw, introspective 2011 release Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me.

11/2 @ House Of Blues

by Chris Stoppiello

11/4 @ Royal

by Suzie Conway (Communications)

11/30 @ Middle East Upstairs

by Emily Cassel (Journalism)

Dec 1 Baths w/ Anamanaguchi MED

2 City and Colour w/ Hacendia HOB

3 David Wax Museum ASC

4 Owen GS

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6 Tori Amos OR

7 Tribes w/ DJ Carbo GS

8 Ryan Adams OR

9 Holiday Pops BSO

10 Good Old War BMH

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12

13 Dir En Grey PA

14 An Evening with Noam Pikelny and Friends BMH

15 The Marshall Tucker Band SLF

16 “Wreck the Halls” featuring Street Dogs PA

17 The Maine BMH

18 Holiday Pops BSO

19 Holiday Pops BSO

20 Holiday Pops BSO

21 Holiday Pops BSO

22 Holiday Pops BSO

23 Tramps Like Us SLF

24 Holiday Pops BSO

25 Merry Christmas!

26

27 Clutch HOB

28 Mighty Mighty Bosstones “Hometown Throwdown” HOB

29 Thursday w/ mewithoutYou, Screaming Females RY

30 Mighty Mighty Bosstones “Hometown Throwdown” HOB

31 Middle East Presents New Years Eve! MED

Good Old War

12/10 @ House of Blues

by Alyssa Mastrocco (English) Long hair, beards and harmonies.

If you're interested in any of these three items, you should get yourself down to Brighton Music Hall on December 10th for Good Old War. Don't miss it.

Key House of Blues HOB Middle East Downstairs MED Middle East Upstairs MEU Royal RY Paradise PA Brighton Music Hall BMH TT The Bear's Place TT Orpheum OR

Wilbur Theater WT New England Conservatory NEC Cafe 939 C9 Arlington Street Church ASC Great Scott GS Boston Symphony Orchestra BSO Showcase Live Foxboro SLF

L O C A L

P

P H O T O S clockwise from top left: Two Door Cinema Club

by Christina Spleen Young The Giant

by Jenna Ross Hanson

by Alisha Keshavjee The Joy Formidable

by Ryan Kehr O.A.R

by Jenna Ross The Static Jacks

by Rachel Gianatasio ---------Snapped a shot worth showing off?

Email it to TastemakersPhoto@gmail.com ----------

Jeff Mangum

with ACME String Quartet @ NEC’s Jordan Hall, September 10th Alyssa Mastrocco (English) I remember two years ago Pavement put their Summerstage tickets on sale a year ahead of time, and they sold out almost immediately. I thought people were crazy buying tickets so far in advance. But I have had a chance to reevaluate that judgment, as I was anxiously anticipating Jeff Mangum at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall this past weekend for seven long months.

ACME, the American Contemporary Music Ensemble, opened the show with an incredible (for a classical and neoclassical music nerd) selection of European contemporary classical pieces by Erik Satie & Gavin Bryars, but the hall was buzzing, waiting for Mangum.

Neutral Milk Hotel knew success throughout the nineties, but then dropped off the radar after Mangum had a mental breakdown and disappeared for awhile. When he walked on stage, admittedly looking a little scary and a little crazy, I was nervous. This wasn’t his first performance, but I figured anything was possible.

In a single chair on a wide stage, surrounded by his four guitars and a mic, he opened with “Oh, Comely” while the audience sat in silent awe.

Photo Courtesy of Amoeba Music There were no audible voices singing along, and it almost felt as if the entire hall held its breath for those first eight minutes. He finally finished and cracked a smile, saying “This will sound much better if you sing along.”

From then on, through “Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2”, “True Love Will Find You in the End” (which drew tears from even the coldest souls in the room), “The King of Carrot Flowers” in its entirety and the rest of the set, he joked and answered shouted-out questions from the audience. It felt as intimate and familial as a show akin to this could

Empire of the Sun

allow. For an encore, he played “Engine” and then, finally, “Two Headed Boy, pt. 1."

After walking off the stage to a third standing ovation, even the house lights and music couldn’t kill the vibe pulsing through the room, and after what felt like forever, he sauntered back on stage.

“I really was done that time,” he said, but he was willing to play one more: “Ferris Wheel on Fire.”

I don’t think there’s much more I could have asked of this show, other than for it to never end.

Check Out Kyle Risley's take on the Jeff Mangum show (and many other show reviews) on tastemakersmag.com!

with Miami Horror @ the House of Blues, September 11th Drew Wilcox (Music Industry) A few weeks before moving into Kerr Hall, a friend told me about this rad band called Empire of The Sun and said that I should check them out.

From first listen, I knew I liked them: Interesting vocals, catchy synth, and a nice beat to hold it all together. When I found out that they were going to be playing in Boston a week intothe school year, I grabbed a few friends and bought tickets to their show at the House of Blues.

After a terrifying walk through the fens, we were standing about five rows back and anxiously awaiting the fun to come.

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When I asked my friends if they had ever heard of opener Miami Horror, the 30 year old man standing in front of me immediately turned around and announced that the 4-piece electronic band from Australia was the only reason he was at the show. In fact, he had plans later that night and didn’t intend to stick around for Empire of The Sun at all. I couldn’t help but to be a little skeptical, but Miami Horror delivered.

Their keyboard-based melodies had a touch of funk that had most of thecrowd dancing from the start. Having not heard any of their songs before, I was just about as pleased as I could have been as they finished their final song. Sure enough, the

man in front of me left the scene, and it was only a matter of time before we got what we (well, most of the audience) paid for.

As it turns out, I had no idea what I actually paid for. Empire of The Sun entered the stage with blaring tribal music and four outrageously outfitted dancers. The members themselves were covered in body paint. Guitarist and vocalist Luke Steele was wearing a bright blue costume that seemed to be both from the past and the future, complete with an enormous emperor–like headpiece.

I had bought tickets to a full-fledged performance. If anyone has ever seen of Montreal

We love shows as much as you do. Want to review or snap pictures at a concert?

Email us: tmreviews@gmail.com

Wavves Christina Spleen (Comp. Science & Digital Art)

Wavves

with Fucked Up @ Royale, September 23rd Aaron Decker (Communications) I have to say, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went to see Wavves this past Friday. Given their disaster at 2009’s Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, which entailed lead singer Nathan Williams berating the crowd as the set itself derailed (he later admitted to taking a cocktail of ecstasy and valium), I was anxious to see if time had smoothed out the kinks. Thankfully, it had.

Wavves’ stock in trade is lo-fi beach punk, but their more recent releases (including their new

live, they know that ridiculous costumes and nearly nude dancers make concerts a hell of a lot more fun. And Empire of The Sun was no different. Singles “Half Mast” and “We Are The People” had the crowd chanting in unison while dancers onstage changed from dolphin-people to pink-skinned guitarists. Somehow, amidst all the chaos onstage, the band still managed to keep their music organized and groovy. After encoring with fan favorite and tour-titling “Walking on a Dream,” Empire of The Sun bowed to the crowd and left the crowd mind-blown and satisfied.

It's not typical for me to go to a concert knowing so little about the band I was seeing. It is

EP, Life Sux) have seen the San Diego quartet braving the waters of mainstream alternative rock. The band, however, do not intend to make their distorted past a distant echo, as evidenced by their setlist. While many newer tracks were showcased, such as “Nodding Off,” (the band’s collaboration with fellow SoCal natives Best Coast) a good number of older, less accessible tracks found their way onto the Royale stage.

Leading off the set was “Beach Demon,” a rambling ode to ennui from the band’s 2009 sophomore album, Wavves. Other standouts included the lovelorn “Green Eyes” (which transitions from a wistful ballad to a noisy behemoth at the drop of a hat, much to the delight of the mosh pit) and “So Bored,” one of the band’s signature songs that, at the very least, failed to disappoint.

With the ferocity of the music considered, one might expect Wavves to be all over the stage, in the same vein as their punk predecessors.

However, I was surprised at the general lack of energy onstage, where Williams’ occasional jumps up and down were as dynamic as the band got.

Somehow, though, it worked. Wavves found a way to express both the crippling boredom of their lyrical content and the power/nostalgia of their instrumentation, and it was while watching this beer-sipping, profanity-laden spectacle that I truly understood what they were about.

Any lack of energy displayed by the band, however, was more than made up for by the overt enthusiasm of the crowd. When I listen to Wavves, I often hear my own thoughts being played back to me. Something about being young and bored in America—living for summer vacation, feeling apprehensive about one’s mistakes, and remembering those long nights with friends—obviously inspired most, if not all, of Williams’ lyrics. I can’t help but think that the kids at this show related in a similar way. Nostalgia is an interesting feeling, and I’m glad to have experienced it with Wavves.

Nathan Williams of Wavves Christina Spleen (Comp. Science & Digital Art)

my personal opinion that shows are exponentially more enjoyable when you’ve been following the band and know the members' names and their favorite vegetables and all that other cute stuff.

That being said, Empire of The Sun was a great time even though I knew so little about what they were all about. Perhaps in the future I will attend concerts of bands I am unfamiliar with more willingly. Who knows? What I do know is that Empire of The Sun knows how to put on a damn good show. And now you know too.

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Capturing the Moment

Written by Nathan Goldman (Computer Science/Cognitive Psychology) Illustration by Abbie Hanright (Graphic Design)

E

very day, people are looking to relive a perfect moment from the once-in-a-lifetime show they’ve been to. Others are looking to capture that magic, despite the fact that they weren’t able to attend because life got in the way. Still, others are wishing they could experience a concert from years before they were born, or one given by a brilliant artist prior to an untimely death.

For many of these desperate fans, the closest solution to this predicament lies in live recordings.

Fans have been taping performances as long as the technology to do so has existed.

The bootleg industry came into its own in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s as people sought to turn a profit by making and selling unlicensed recordings of bands to enormous groups of dedicated fans. However, at the same time, something much more interesting was happening with one band in particular. As pioneering jam band The Grateful Dead built a steadily growing obsessive fanbase of “Deadheads," they encouraged their fans to record and share their concerts, under the condition that the recordings be freely traded rather than sold for a profit. The

10 8

phenomenon became so pervasive that in 1984 the band chose to introduce a “Tapers Section” at each venue where fans could go to record, relegating the large setups of tall standing microphones to an area behind the rest of the fans.

As technology became better and more affordable, more fans chose to record video rather than just audio of performances.

In the age of the Internet, sharing audio and video recordings has become even simpler. Repositories such as Internet Archive collect thousands of recordings (free to users, in the tradition set by the Deadheads) in one place, in a variety of digital formats such as MP3 or lossless FLAC. Some serve to catalogue a specific artist, such as archives dedicated to the late Elliott Smith or Jeff Buckley. Others, such as nyctaper, are run by the tapers themselves, who go out every week and record performances of contemporary bands and then release the recordings for free. Some venues, such as New York’s Silent Barn, record every

performance they host, including special events like Bomb the Music Industry! covering Weezer’s Blue Album and Pinkerton.

This sort of dedicated site is only one part of the current tradition of live recordings. One of the biggest resources for live videos is, of course, Youtube. With the ubiquity of digital camcorders and cell phone videos, few concert moments avoid being recorded by some audience member. It’s easy to take for granted the fact that almost any newsworthy moment, whether it be an artist screaming and ranting onstage, a special guest appearance, or an impressive cover song, is nearly guaranteed to be uploaded the following day and to be covered by a host of blogs.

While ‘true’ tapers release their recordings for free, some groups are trying to prove that a market still exists for premium material. The website Daytrotter, in addition to its usual free recordings of live, in-studio sessions, has sponsored several “Barnstormer Tours” of bands including Local Natives and Ra Ra Riot, selling professional recordings of each night’s performance online. One

notable company, Aderra, focuses on recording live events which are then put on flash drives and sold at merch tables immediately afterward.

Some see services such as this as one of the necessary ways for artists to profit in a changing music industry. As Damian Kulash of OK Go wrote in a December op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, “Though [Aderra] can't provide the six-figure advances that young bands landed in the 1990s, it can be one crucial puzzle piece in a band's revenue.”

With advancements in the ease and quality of both recording and distribution, live music archivists aren’t going anywhere. Even those who started the tradition are still going strong: there are many sites specifically dedicated to Grateful Dead recordings, and Internet Archive has a section just for the band. Whether to relive a past experience or to have an entirely new one, online recordings offer new and unique experiences to anyone who is willing to put in the effort to look for them.

A Moment of Silence W

hile the risks of running a DIY venue are wellknown, few can match the crisis which struck the New York City performance space known as the Silent Barn, which had previously hosted shows by The Dirty Projectors, Dan Deacon, The Black Lips, and Woods, among many others, this July. Just one day after the venue was shut down by police in the midst of a Friday night show, thieves broke into and ransacked the space, which also served as a home to many of its most involved supporters. The damage was summed up thusly in an announcement on the venue’s Facebook page: “About $15k worth of audio equipment, house projects and personal belongings are gone.

The violence to the space is almost as upsetting as the theft. Doors were ripped off of hinges, furniture ripped to shreds, and everything in the space strewn about in a sea of debris. We’ve lost 7 years’ worth of accumulated equipment, tools, and artwork donated and built by individuals from every end of the scene’s spectrum, and we’re still reeling with what this means for our own lives and the future of the space.” As heartbreaking as this must have been, however, the

Silent Barn meant too much to the community to simply be given up.

Within a few days, a list of stolen items had been posted online, but more crucially, a fundraising campaign was set up on the website Kickstarter, aiming to raise at least $40,000 in order to reopen; new, improved, and (most crucially) legal. With the money raised, the Silent Barn community hoped to relocate to a new space where they could obtain the necessary permits to remain as a stable establishment. Money was not just coming from Kickstarter donations, either, with many bands putting on “Barn Aid” benefit shows to raise funds for the new space.

On September 12th, the fundraising goal of $40,000 was reached, marking a pivotal moment in the rebirth of the Silent Barn. While its immediate future may not be clear, the money is sure to be a start. What the venue is most concentrating on looking for now are volunteers to help as the real work begins.

Considering the circumstances, though, the community which supports the Silent Barn has already proven itself to be dedicated, and the future looks surprisingly bright.

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And Kr e

aysh aw n is

all o

O

Written by Leslie Fowle (English/Journalsim)

I

f you haven’t heard of Kreayshawn, and want to continue reading this article, I suggest you first watch the viral Youtube music video for her song “Gucci Gucci.” I promise you, you will have one of two reactions: either “wow, this chick sucks and is not worth another precious moment of my internet-surfing time,” or, you will develop a strange sort of fascination with the girl who can simultaneously wear an oversized pink Minnie the Mouse bow on her head and also talk about toting around a .45 revolver which she lovingly calls her “pearl-handled kitty-cat.”

Like I said, the most common and innocent beef people

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Illustration by Anne Latini (Graphic Design)

have with Kreayshawn is her lack of actual talent. Many have said her rise to fame was more similar to that of the trashy pop star - a la’ Ke$ha - than that of a legitimate rapper. Like Ke$ha, Kreayshawn talk-raps about drugs and booze and ambiguous sexuality. At best, her criticisms are along the lines of, “Oh yeah, that one song ‘Gucci Gucci’ is kinda catchy. The rest is crap.” More interestingly, though, Kreayshawn has given something both the anti-pop and anti-hipster crowds can hate together in one unique package. Kreayshawn certainly oozes irony: a tiny white

girl from the predominantly black city of East Oakland who smokes a lot of pot and raps about guns and her friends being in jail.

If that wasn’t enough, Kreayshawn received credit from the hipster-bible music magazine, the Fader, when they premiered the “Gucci Gucci” video with the headline, “Kreayshawn Is Good and Weird, Odd Future Guys Agree.” What the headline refers to is Kreayshawn’s apparent relationship with Left Brain and Jasper Dolphin, members of the young L.A. musician collective whose eyebrow-raising lyrics

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ve ri

t

W

E

S I G D O IR

and antics led them to become web media darlings seemingly overnight back in the spring.

It seems fitting that the Fader would wait for a nod from a group like Odd Future to label Kreayshawn as worthy. What both their headline and Kreayshawn and Odd Future’s rises to fame seem to say about the last few years of music in this country is “weird equals good actual talent be damned.” Where the public sees shock value, record companies see dollar signs.

This leads me to our next question - is Kreayshawn just doing her thing? Or is her image a calculated attempt to reap the most money by boldly going where no white girl (sorry, “Lady Sovereign”) has gone before?

I say, it’s a little of both.

F E ATU R E

Photograph courtesy of EMI Music

BLUE NOTE RESURRECTED: Robert Glasper's Trio and Experiment Written by Dinorah Wilson (Journalism)

Robert Glasper, a jazz pianist (who bears a remarkable resemblance to T-Pain) has managed to create quite a stir in the alternative music world, making some unlikely allies along the way.

As a graduate of New York City’s prestigious New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and the son of a professional jazz and blues singer, Glasper spent his early years studying music theory and honing his knack for creating soulful harmonies on the piano.

Until that point, Glasper seemed focused on perfecting the styles of jazz greats like Herbie Hancock and Bill Evans; the jazz musician had formed his own musical project, the Robert Glasper Trio, which consists of Robert Glasper (piano), Chris Dave (drums), and Vicente Archer (bass). Glasper seemed content organizing arrangements for his trio and performing popular jazz standards, such as Victor Young’s Stella by Starlight and John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme.

A fateful meeting with another student, future neo soul/jazz

singer-songwriter Bilal, during his college days at the New School would deeply impact the jazz performer’s career.

Glasper’s musical collaboration with Bilal led him to veer off the traditional path of other contemporary jazz musicians.

During this time, Glasper befriended and worked alongside J Dilla, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli and Common; he also joined Mos Def as musical director of Kanye West’s Late Registration and Q-Tip’s The Renaissance. Over time, hip hop and R&B influences helped to rekindle Glasper’s love for these genres since his early days as a fan of Pete Rock.

Eventually, Robert Glasper’s affinity for hip hop and alternative rock (he seems to enjoy recreating jazz arrangements of Nirvana’s Nevermind and Radiohead’s In Rainbows) seeped into the musical arrangements he composed for the Robert Glasper Trio. Not too long afterward, Glasper began arranging jazz standards that included blues arrangements of songs by well-

known indie artists. Composing a jazz/blues remake and mash-up of Radiohead’s "Everything in its Right Place" and Herbie Hancock’s "Maiden Voyage" catapulted Glasper out of relative obscurity and resulted in instant online interest about the trio’s live performances.

To preserve his dedication to jazz music and nurture his newfound talent of synthesizing jazz, blues, underground hip hop and experimental rock, Robert Glasper created a separate musical project, the RCDC Experiment. An entirely different entity of its own, the RCDC Experiment comprises Robert Glasper (piano), Chris Dave (drums), Derrick Hodge (electric bass, upright bass), and Casey Benjamin (saxophone, keyboard).

Without a glimpse of their live performances, the RCDC Experiment may seem like the run-of-the-mill cover band.

Nevertheless, the live performances of Robert Glasper’s contemporary compositions appear to be remarkably unique from anything seen on a stage of the 21st century.

As if it did not take enough genius to compose a jazz arrangement of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or recreate Madlib’s production of Madvillain’s “Rhinestone Cowboy” for an instrumental quartet, Robert Glasper’s professionalism and musicality transforms the live performances of the RCDC Experiment into an urban symphony.

With as much finesse as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, both of Robert Glasper’s musical ventures apply a heavy emphasis on instrumentation, which seems to be a lost art in much of today’s modern music. Staying true to his roots, Robert Glasper shows the true mark of a jazz musician by maintaining an air of tranquility and simply turning each performance into a jam session with enough improvisation to keep each show interesting.

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Hip-hop is growing up. The faces are getting younger, which means the genre is getting older. It’s an important moment in the genre’s history. It represents the staying power and longevity of a relatively new sound. Odd Future is taking hip-hop by storm; group leader Tyler the Creator just won MTV’s best new artist award and he’s only 20.

His group’s oldest member is 23 and their youngest is 17. These are young kids that are being credited with changing the game, but they’re not changing the game. They’re breathing new life into it; they’re developing and redefining. They’re taking what started on the streets and continuing it on the Internet.

“They articulate their impressions of the world, their identities and hopes, fears, anxieties, whatever in a way that is in tune with their times and relevant to their primary audience and age group,” explained Dr. Murray Foreman, Northeastern professor and author of several books on hip-hop.

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Just now, we’re seeing the first wave of hip-hop artists that grew up listening to the first wave of commercially popular hip-hop artists.

The second generation has arrived.

Of course, this could arguably be the third or fourth generation, it depends on whom you ask. I’m calling this new wave the “second generation” from a commercially successful perspective. Rappers like The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, Wu-Tang Clan, Jay-Z, Nas, Dr. Dre, N.W.A and Eminem are arguably the most influential artists from the “first generation” of hiphop. They didn’t invent hip-hop, but I’d argue they were the first artists that baby-boomers might recognize. These guys paved the way for up and comers today.

“We really do need to consider age and aging in hip-hop,” said Dr. Foreman, “Especially since so many people still regard it as a youth oriented scene.” Whereas the Rolling Stones are still playing music well into their late 60’s, it’s yet to be seen how long a hip-hop career can last due to its young nature. Luckily, the rapidly

developing genre is seeing the second generation rise while the first generation is still around.

More interestingly, the titans of hip-hop are enthusiastically embracing this young generation and capitalizing on their talent. Odd Future’s Frank Ocean was featured on two tracks from Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne.

J. Cole just cut an album that has been called a “classic” by Jay-Z. The establishment is embracing and, in some respects, establishing those that threaten them. Hip-hop came into being as a culture of rivalries and competition. Now, artists scoop competition by joining forces. Jay-Z might praise the work of J. Cole, but it’s not competition for him; he wants Cole to succeed because Jay signed Cole to his Roc Nation label. Rapper Yelawolf has cited Eminem as a huge inspiration. The Detroit legend is now working on Yelawolf’s major label debut, set to be released on his label, Shady Records, a division of Interscope.

Smooth, croon-rapper Drake launched his own career with a slew of successful mix tapes and

then got picked up by mix tape mastermind Lil Wayne and his Young Money label. It’s an interesting new system that promotes collaboration over competition. Both have always been an element in every genre, but it seems that people are collaborating by making brands and then competing with others.

Musical development and discovery are evolving so quickly now that artists relatively new to the scene are already starting to pay it forward.

Drake’s endorsement of R&B singer and fellow Canadian, The Weeknd seemingly launched the guy’s career.

He’s still without a record deal, but signing contracts isn’t nearly as important as it once was. He has hype, attention, mystery, and most importantly, genuine talent.

Drake is certainly popular, but doesn’t have nearly the influence of Jay-Z or Eminem or Lil Wayne.

And yet, he’s already realized the Midas-like touch of his influence.

Odd Future is a unique case

because they are, in many ways, blazing new trails. The content of their music is graphic, shocking and offensive to many, but that isn’t new.

Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA) worked the Internet with incredible success. Without image consultants, professionals, management or anything else, they launched themselves into the mainstream spotlight. Their name might be hardly recognizable to a casual music listener; but they’ve been steadily gaining steam. “I wouldn't go so far as to suggest that what they are doing is either new or transformative,” said Dr. Foreman, “But it is really important that they are out there doing what they do.”

Now that Tyler the Creator has been on MTV, doing what they do is going to be even more important.

They’re not changing much about music, but they’re undeniably changing the business. Tyler the Creator’s album Goblin debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold more than 100,000 copies.

The album was entirely produced

by Tyler, released on their own label and distributed through XL recordings. Tyler and his gang are proving that young artists have power, and they don’t need anyone to help them gain that power.

Hip-hop isn’t new, but it’s still

young. Mac Miller, a Pittsburgh based rapper, sells shirts with his likeness that say: Mac Miller- Fresh Since 1992. To be clear, he didn’t start rapping in ’92, he was born that year. New artists get in the game every day. Naturally, there will always be younger musicians.

According to Dr. Foreman, the current wave is “a steady reminder that hip-hop is not static and it has always been highly adaptive to new scenarios and conditions.” How hip-hop reacts to this new wave is yet to be completely realized, but so far it looks pretty good.

15

Get Real TI M E TO

the trouble with self-aggrandizing rap in 2011 Written by Melanie Bertoldi (Journalism)

M

“

an I’m so tired of ballin’/ I sleep a

lot now,” says Lil Wayne on his and

Drake’s 2010 single “Gonorrhea.”

Taking this statement out of context and applying it to the lives of listeners, it resonates with myself and other hip-hop heads now more strongly than ever. We, the conscious hip-hop listeners, are beyond ‘over’ rappers rapping about themselves, their wealth, and how much flashier they are than us. Is there any substance in store?

It’s only fitting that I compare the other music I mention here to that of the most monumental collaborative hip-hop album of the new decade, so let's use it as a microcosm. Jay-Z and Kanye West exemplify self-gloating and near pointless (yes, I said it) raps on their joint effort entitled Watch the Throne, an album that topped the Billboard 200 chart for two weeks upon its August release.

Admittedly, I do enjoy some of the album’s more clever samplings and verses; however, my friends and I can’t bear to listen to 90 percent of it. Here’s why: All we hear is “blah blah blah/ I’m one of the most successful artists in the world and you can’t hold a candle to that/ yada yada yada.”

It seems that these two tried-and-true rappers must repeat the “I-will-notforget-whereI-came-from” mantra so much

14

that it’s meaningless. Have they forgotten what hip-hop is about?

One could argue that since The College Dropout, Kanye’s always been about himself, and I would agree. However, at this stage in his career his self-loving image needs a lift, perhaps in the form of a cause. He’s certainly not rapping about a “single black female addicted to retail” (“All Falls Down”) anymore.

As for Jay, I’m not sure he can use the same excuse. To be perfectly honest, when I randomly met him while running an errand during co-op this spring in New York, I was taken aback by his in-person style, swagger, and kindness. That doesn’t mean that he should have gotten lazy and resorted to straight-up bragging all the time on Watch the Throne. I’d (barely) prefer to hear him rap more about his past as a crack dealer than just about how rich and famous he is. The 2000s are over, and maybe he needs a new shtick, perspective, or purpose in mind while composing his rhymes.

If you haven’t heard the album yet, here’s an example. On “HAM,” perhaps its biggest banger, Jay boasts that “n****s fantasize about the shit that I do daily...I’m like really? Half a billi’, n****/ Really, you got baby money.” The only reaction that I can produce to lines like this can’t be expressed in words, because it’s just silence, raised eyebrows, and a nod. I almost feel embarrassed for Jay’s digression into this bullshit type of ‘lyricism’. In my head, I’m thinking, “Ok. We get it. Shut the f**k up.”

Perhaps he’s more cog-nizant of this issue than he generally lets on, explaining on the Beyoncé - assisted “Lift Off” that “when you Earnhart as me eventually you hit a big wall.”

AMEN, but why choose to rap about this instead of taking the time to actually climb that wall?

He’s a veteran of the game after-all! And again, this is coming from a fan’s perspective. Ouch.

On the flipside, at least the remnants of the Maybach destroyed in the duo’s over-the-top video for “Otis” (which even made the guys of BBC’s “Top Gear” cringe) will be auctioned to charity after its display at the Watch the Throne exhibition in New York last month; thusly pseudo-annulling the video’s message. We get it: they support the people of East Africa (and not just themselves) in at least that one roundabout way. Can additional

atonement for the album’s overcooked, underthought theme be found elsewhere? Without hesitation, I say no.

Looking at more up-and-coming artists on the scene, the same trend is palpable. Take RocNation’s first signee J. Cole, whose debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story dropped September 27. I truly enjoy his flow and most of his music, but unfortunately, he is often a product of mentor Jay-Z (who should perhaps adopt a “do as I say, not as I do” mentality). Listen to the Hov-inclusive “Mr. Nice Watch” for an idea of what I’m talking about. There, not only does Cole tolerate what many have interpreted as a Wayne diss on Jay’s part, but he personally adopts Hov’s concept of life as a famous MC on this. “No more Mr. Nice Guy/ Hello Mr. Nice Watch…Make it rain with no care/ Like I make that back, I make that back,” he says.

Almost-non-tainted Cole aside, there is some hope for the future. Currensy and Wiz Khalifa come to mind as a couple of clever and unique stoner MCs who floss more subtly with their lyrics, which often support entities other than themselves (See: “Black and Yellow,” Khalifa’s ode to his hometown of Pittsburgh’s major sports teams’ colors).

On the other hand, let’s examine another Pittsburgh native, Meek Mill. Ushered in by Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group, this new face in the game has transitioned from having a lack of attitude on his 13 mixtapes to emulating the pure conceit spit by Jay and ‘ye on his first full debut, Self Made Volume I. On one track, he raps, “Yeaa I'm the king/ Now where my mu'f*ckin' crown?”

(See: “I’m a Boss”). Yawn.

Fellow rapper (and ex-felon) Young Jeezy once said he’s got a “hundred karat bracelet” that he uses “like some super bait” (See: “I Put On”).

Presumably, he’s fishin’ for fans (or custies? bitches? same thing?), and it’s awesome that he recognizes an oft-unacknowledged money making tactic to aid in the commercialization of modern hip-hop artists.

So yes, flossing can be part of one’s marketing plan, but once people know who you are, it’s time for the old bait and switch (i.e. offer listeners substance, not just more shiny attractions). The 2000s are over along with the “bigger is better” attitude. 2011 may have marked the end of an era, but no need to weep; change is necessary.

So, artists, take note. Do something about it.

Here’s hoping that next-generation artists get the memo.

Illustration by Laura Crossin (Graphic Design)

Javelin

Killed The Radio Star

L

By Suzie Conway (Communications) istening to Javelin and eating a Hawaiian pizza inspire similar conclusions. Ingredients so disparate shouldn’t yield such a delicious concoction, but they do. In Javelin’s case, the parts comprising their sound mixture range from 80s pop and hiphop to country and western influences. A band avoiding being pigeonholed into a single genre, Javelin’s trademark technique is sound mixing little-known or long-forgotten music on MPCs. I talked with Javelin before their set at this month’s Tastemakers Presents show to discuss their unique sound, finding inspiration in bad covers and what you get when you combine saran wrap, mayonnaise and a Providence, RI nightclub.

Tastemakers Magazine (TMM): Thanks for stopping by. For those out there who aren’t familiar with you, how would you describe your unique style, generally speaking?

Tom Vanbuskirk (TV): Let’s see, well we started out in Providence, Rhode Island [and] we had sort of our own production team going for a while where it was just the two of us and we sent things back and forth. I think we got going on this and that at that time we’d kind of formulated this identity without knowing it…

George Langford (GL): We work with MPC samplers and we were making stuff that was kind of like instrumentals for rappers vaguely to rap on but we didn’t know any rappers and we actually realized that we didn’t really want to do that at this time.

TMM: So, you often seem to repurpose old songs. Do you see it as more giving forgotten hits new life or as an original creation?

TV: Well we don’t sample hits really. Maybe in a live setting we reference hits a lot, but when

we use samples in songs a lot of times we intentionally look for stuff that nobody knows.

GL: But nothing is off limits…

And in the end it’s sort of like bringing a collage to life.

TV: And you wind up going to the same sounds like how a painter would go to the same palates.

Like, this snare is in every song we ever made but it sounds different in every song, that kind of thing.

TMM: So going off of that, do you have like a really awesome obscure find that stands out?

TV: Well we were in Mexico and George found all these great records.

GL: We were in Chiapas and we found like the only record store that still had vinyl. This woman brought me to the back room and there was this whole bin of records that were unopened from like the early 70s, all sealed, of weird – I don’t know what kind of music it was. It was kind of a lot of marimba stuff, but with synthesizers and kind of funky sounds.

Above photograph by Andrew Swartz (Music Industry) Below photograph by Jenna Ross (Music Industry) TV: And there were pop covers too. There was a cover of “Video Killed the Radio Star.”

GL: Oh right, that might be my best.

TV: All the words are different.

GL: It’s just the melody, the words have nothing to do with “Video Killed the Radio Star.” (Laughs) TV: It’s like (singing) “Ooooh aaahhh, nuestra amor” (Laughs) They just like took the whole song and repurposed it.

TMM: So what’s next for you guys?

TV: We have new songs for a new album and I have new ideas for performances that are more interactive. We’ve sort of been

afraid to bring too much equipment on the road because we want to be able to do it ourselves if we need to. But you know, I guess stepping up to the plate if you’re in a big crowd, like today [TM Presents] for instance. It’s a great opportunity to learn how to work a large group of people better.

(Laughs) Don’t make that the headline! (Laughs) But yeah, new tracks, new approaches to…

GL: …Doing better. (Laughs) For the full interview (mayonnaise included) go to tastemakersmag.com

17

Name-dropping with

The Dodos 16

By Alyssa Mastrocco (English) Listening to The Dodos may not tell you much about how Meric Long, Logan Kroeber and Chris Heimer are in person. With strong vocals and driving drum beats, The Dodos have existed on the outskirts of the Indie scene for years now. They sat down with me before their performance at this fall’s Tastemakers Presents show.

Tastemakers Magazine (TMM): I wanted to start out by asking, I saw in a previous interview that you’re a hot sauce freak, I believe it was you, Meric. As a fan of hot sauce myself I just wanted to see what you’re in to – Franks or Tabasco?

Meric Long (ML): Well, we were just discussing this the other day with Jessie from The Leahs who we’re touring with and we arrived – I arrived - at the conclusion that the best hot sauce in /ze/ world is this one from New Zealand called Kaitaia Fire, and I think you can order it overseas but it’s hard to find. I’m sure these guys have plenty more to say Logan Kroeber (LK): I just really want to taste hot sauce right now. I watched like eight episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives yesterday on the plane and there’s usually a lot of hot sauce going on in the show.

TMM: That’s how Guy Fieri gets his hair like that, I think. I could be wrong.

LK: I’m Guy Fieri [in a faux-Italian accent].

ML: What’s that TV show host who drank the whole bottle of hot sauce? Was that on Jimmy Kimmel? It was like, some beefy dude who ate a ball of wasabi and then drank a pint of hot sauce.

Chris Heimer (CH): It was disgusting.

LK: He apologized to his mother on TV before he did it.

TMM: That sounds terrible. Tell me about the transition from Dodo Bird to The Dodos. Was that an organic thing? Or to incorporate a second member?

ML: Well, as you can see there are three of us now.

TMM: I don’t mean to leave Chris out. I apologize.

LK: No, you’re going in deep.

ML: We didn’t want there to be any confusion as to which one of us is, was THE Dodo. So

yeah, that was pretty much it.

TMM: I apologize if I butcher this name but you are trained in Ewe drumming?

ML: It’s pronounced ay-way drumming, and I’m not trained in it. I studied it for a very short period of time. It informs some of the musical ideas that ended up in this band but by no means would I tout to be trained.

TMM: Does that ever clash with the musical styles of you other two gentlemen, or does it go with the flow?

LK: No clash.

TMM: No clash?

ML: The only thing I took away from that is the idea to actually not clash. Like when thinking up rhythms and parts to try and make them basically play where other people aren’t playing; to fill it in so we don’t step on each others’ toes.

TMM: How did you guys get hooked up with Yuri Landman? (all laugh) LK and ML: The Sandman.

TMM: Sandman? Is that a nickname?

ML: Yeah, it wasn’t so much of a hookup as he found us.

CH: Yuri finds you.

LK: Yeah, he’s a hunter.

ML: He was at a festival we were playing in Holland [or] Belgium, I forget. But he kind of found us backstage and had this presentation of an instrument that he wanted to build, and we were easily convinced to just go along with it. Actually, we thought we had the only one. He made this instrument, he was like “I’m going to make this instrument for you, it’s for your band” and we thought that it was the only one and then Chris, who used to play in a band called Women, turns out he has the other one.

CH: We have the prototype. You got the, like, fancy, huge one.

I’ve got like – it’s red, but it’s the stripped down version.

TMM: Do you guys enjoy playing festivals? Do you have a favorite festival experience that you’ve played so far?

LK: Festivals can be super fun but I was just reminded today about borrowing gear from this festival.

It’s such a pain, like tweaking something, especially drums, to try to get them to sound the way that I want them to sound. I had forgotten

Photographs by Jenna Ross (Music Industry)

about that because we’ve just been touring ourselves in a band for such a long time. But if all that technical stuff works out and the crowd is awesome they can be super fun.

We’ve played a lot over the years.

CH: And if it doesn’t rain.

LK: Yeah, and if it doesn’t start pouring.

TMM: Sometimes rain can be fun.

CH: Yeah, it gets kind of muddy and crazy.

TMM: If you’re wearing the right clothing.

LK: I was just thinking about the one in, like, rural Germany the other day and I can’t remember the name of it.

(ML making some guttural sounds, none of which sound like words) CH: That’s going to be easy to transcribe TMM: Thanks guys, that’s what google is for.

(Turns out it was the Haldern Pop Festival) LK: There are so many in Europe it’s hard to remember all the names, but the one in the middle of nowhere in Germany that I just remember

we played in 2008 and we were setting up our stuff and there was nobody there and by the time we were ready to rock there was like three or four thousand people totally going crazy. I don’t even know if they knew our music or if it was their first time hearing us but they were just very enthusiastic.

ML: Especially lately, when we’ve been playing a few festivals and it never ceases to amaze me how this thing occurs. You arrive at a site and there are these huge stages, there’s so much equipment, so many truckloads of stuff. Even just today, like the semi that‘s parked and just created the stage. It’s pretty insane.

TMM: We put that together this morning. It’s like a transformer, it’s a new adventure every time.

ML: Jerry Bruckheimer is sitting behind.

TMM: We actually enlist Michael Bay to get the right explosions ML: Bay, Bruckheimer.

TMM: it’s all the same.

19

Monitoring

Titus Andronicus

Photograph by Jenna Ross (Music Industry)

By Jeff Curry (Behavioral Neuroscience) Titus Andronicus, the New Jersey powerhouse that performed this October at Tastemakers Presents, certainly will go down in history at Northeastern. The show's monstrous amount of blisterinducing riffs, vocal chord-rupturing chants, and bruise-inducing mosh pits effortlessly made it the most successful show Centennial has ever hosted. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to sit down with lead singer and songwriter Patrick Stickles and company to discuss some of the band's most pivotal matters.

Tastemakers Magazine (TMM): I've wondered about the answer to this first question since I started listening to you guys.

If there was a Titus Andronicus sandwich, what would be on it?

Amy Klein (AK): That is an awesome question.

Julian Veronesi (JV): We really range in the palate of vegetarians to meat eaters.

AK: It's hard to choose just one.

20

Patrick Stickles (PS): We can't have any meat on this sandwich.

We could put pizza on it.

AK: A pizza sandwich? Pizza?

Now that's what I call a sandwich.

PS: Maybe it could be a chipwich.

JV: [Patrick was] eating one of those yesterday.

AK: Does everyone like chipwiches? The chipwich has to have the chocolate chips around the outside of [the] vanilla ice cream. Sometimes you just have a cookie sandwich with two cookies and vanilla ice cream.

What really makes it is the extra chips around the perimeter.

TMM: Excellent choice. Very few of your songs are straightforward.

Quite a few of them are long and take on different forms.

How do you usually go about the writing process?

PS: You've just got to keep writing them until they’re done. That's why they're sometimes so long.

Sometimes it takes a long time to do all the stuff you want to do. You know, stocking up riffs that are in the same key and stuff. Sometimes, you go on a little longer that way.

TMM: Do you find that it is easy for you to translate live to capture all of these various sounds?

PS: Live? Not really, you know?

JV: Not if you practice.

PS: But after a lot of practice I wouldn't say so.

JV: That's the thing. There's a pretty good focus on this group maintaining its place as a rock and roll band. It seems like [we're] not trying to worry. Obviously the record is different than the live show, with studio tricks and things. We're just trying to keep it to the essence of playing songs on guitars.

PS: That's true.

AK: We don't play with a backing track.

PS: And no samples!

No computers.

TMM: As a New Jersey native going to school in Boston, I can't help but relate to your lyrics of "A More Perfect Union". What's the story behind that song?

PS: That song is about moving to Boston from New Jersey, so it makes perfect sense that you would understand. That's

something [Eric] did once too.

AK: I also moved to Boston from New Jersey.

PS: It's just about thinking about if you'd be happier some place else.

How much of your happiness that's around you as compared to what's inside you. Our hero: dreaming about finding a place that's more magical and more conducive to his happiness. Boston in this case.

TMM: Do you have any hard feeling about being back?

PS: No, it's still cool.

It's a great city!

TMM: In the beginning of the music video for "No Future Part Three", you begin with a short piece about how you feel that people kind of have misconceptions about what the real New Jersey is. How would you describe the real New Jersey?

PS: Well, Dave, you're going to be moving to New Jersey pretty soon, even though you're from Pennsylvania originally, so maybe you've got a good perspective. What do you think New Jersey's about?

David Robbins (DR): I think

New Jersey is probably a lot more like most any other state than people realize.

PS: Like you said, it's been said a million times about the Jersey Shore and all that kind of stuff.

DR: And being someone not from New Jersey originally, you know, I kind of wondered how much of that culture existed and how centralized it was, how much of it is wide spread throughout the greater state. But, it's a great place, you know? Like where this band formed and where I spent a lot of time in North Jersey [is] very nice, rural, great homes, great people.

You know, it's like anywhere else.

There's wonderful people there, there's wonderful parts of the state.

Parts of it are a bit forgettable, but that's true of anywhere.

PS: You said it, Dave. You're going to be moving to Hoboken, New Jersey soon.

DR: Yeah, officially changing my driver's license and everything. I'll be a full-blown Jersey resident.

PS: The Jersey Boys. Julian, aren't you from Massachusetts originally?

JV: That's right, I'm a masshole.

PS: How do you feel about being in Boston for the show?

JV: I lived in western Mass, so I don't really have too many feelings about it.

TMM: Do you feel that through your shows and touring you've properly shown how New Jersey is to your fans?

PS: I don't know. There might still be a lot of work to be done. But, little by little, we try to do our part. Right, Eric?

Eric Harm (EH): Yes. PS: You're a Jersey boy too.

EH: I am from New Jersey. I never lived in Massachusetts, though.

PS: No. That makes you pretty unique. Except for Dave, of course.

TMM: Obviously you guys pull a lot of different genres together when you write your music. What did each of you grow up listening to and what really influenced you the most in your childhood?

PS: Probably some punk music for me. Pop punk, like Rancid.

EH: I ended up going in the emo direction for a while.

PS: A lot of bad stuff, emo.

JV: Also, Weezer. I really liked them.

PS: Weezer, emo, pop punk.

It all sounded pretty familiar.

AK: I liked punk and I liked

Photograph by Andrew Swartz (Music Industry) Radiohead a lot for a long time.

I don't really listen to them anymore but when I was in high school I really wanted to play the guitar because I loved the Radiohead guitarist.

JV: What about you, Dave?

DR: Mostly country. When I was growing up–a little less now–but I liked a lot of country music. I listened to a lot of '50s music when I was really young, probably up through age ten or twelve because my dad listened to that.

PS: I'm hearing a lot of punk, emo, pop punk, some country, and some '50s music. And of course, some Radiohead. And Weezer. And there it is. That covers it, just about.

TMM: Would you guys be down to do some word associations?

PS: Sure, let's do it.

TMM: I'll say a word and you guys can say the first thing that comes to mind.

JV: All at once?

PS: Okay, one at a time.

You first, Eric.

TMM: First word: Somerville.

JV: Is that where we are right now? [laughter] AK: No! PS: We stayed there last night.

EH: Oh! Somerville! Uh.. houses? [laughs] I'm just thinking of things.

AK: That's not how word association works!

You've gotta be fast.

DR: Somerville.

JV: Somerville. [laughter] DR: Just [say] what it

makes you think of!

PS: Somerville! Anything!

JV: Sucks. [laughter] DR: Are you kidding?

JV: What is Somerville?

AK: We just stayed there last night!

JV: Yeah, we were there last night!

JV: There are kind of cool people there.

DR: You are missing the point of this game, big time!

EH: I just don't think about it.

DR: Let's just skip this guy.

JV: Houses.

PS: There's definitely houses there. That was good.

DR: There you go. That's all you had to do.

PS: Eric's next. What's his word?

[Amy's] word association.

TMM: Taylor Ham. PS: And cheese. Old school sandwich, Jersey style.

TMM: Snooki.

AK: Awesome. [laughs] The first thing I thought was the word 'awesome'. What does that say about me? I don't even think that I've ever seen Jersey Shore.

PS: But you've been conditioned to associate her with awesome.

AK: I've been conditioned to think Snooki is awesome.

JV: She has an image of being the worst, doesn't she?

PS: That makes it the best.

The worst is the best.

AK: Everybody hates Snooki. I guess I feel bad for those who are loathed by the general population.

PS: Yeah, how bad could she really be?

AK: I mean, I don't know. I don't know anything about Snooki.

EH: I'm pretty sure everyone on that show is horrible.

JV: So she can't be much worse than the other people.

AK: I probably should have said a cookie, because that's more about what I'm usually thinking about: eating food and dessert.

TMM: Quickchek.

DR: No clue. Quickchek? I'm thinking of QuickBooks..

JC: It's like Wawa.

AK: Yeah, it's like a 7-11.

DR: Oh! Quickchek! Again, I'm not from Jersey. I would think Sheetz or Wawa.

AK: We just got Wawa in north Jersey for the first time.

PS: Quickchek. It's time for

TMM: Last but not least, what's next for Titus Andronicus?

EH: More of the same. [laughs] PS: We're gonna do this Northeastern concert today, go back home, get back to our current practice regiment already in progress. Just keep practicing, making some new songs.

JV: Keep doing the same thing but hopefully, continually improving that.

TMM: Shoegaze.

EH: Pedals.

PS: That's a good one.

AK: When you gaze at your shoes, sometimes there are guitar pedals.

PS: I'm next.

21

Suzie Conway (Communications) Illustration by David Tschiegg (Graphic Design)

mmmmm, these samples are free

right?

22

Clipping and looping, slicing and dicing: today’s musicians have made a veritable house salad of many artists’ previous work. Creating the perfect balance of original content and familiar songs can provide a wink and a nod to the audience, but it’s an achievement that can be hard to come by.

While the pay-off of sampling effectively can be big, getting caught doing it without permission could be the kiss of death.

It’s hard to believe, with all the recycled beats and repeated choruses throbbing through the speakers at any debauchery-filled shindig, that unauthorized samplers can still get hammered by the law. One famous case dates back to a certain Beatle who “subconsciously” sampled without permission. George Harrison wrote the #1 hit song “My Sweet Lord” but nearly lost it all after The Chiffons claimed he stole three distinctive notes from their song “He’s So Fine.” The case, which was in and out of court for ten years, ended when Harrison’s manager actually bought the rights to “He’s So Fine.” Even though Harrison maintained that he didn’t knowingly steal from The Chiffons, even John Lennon expressed his doubts by saying “He must have known, you know. He’s smarter than that.” But Harrison had the last laugh—he wrote “This Song” about the court case, which reached #25 on the charts. Apparently George Harrison was one enterprising dude.

Towards the end of the 1970s into the 1980s, sampling became a much more widely

practiced and embraced technique. Bands such as Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five sampled everyone from 70s disco band Chic to Queen, and Blondie, and even each other. These two, particularly Grandmaster Flash, sampled so frequently, their hits could be mistaken for the mash-up masters of today.

Despite the passing of time, copyright disputes haven’t become less frequent. Arguably the two most widely lambasted artists of the 90s, MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice, both had to face the proverbial music. Ever notice how similar “U Can’t Touch This” and “Super Freak” are? Well Rick James did, bitch—and he filed suit against the Hammer for copyright infringement. But James was indeed able to “touch this.” By settling out of court with Mr. MC, James was credited as a cocomposer and thus got a cut of the multi-million dollar profits. Vanilla Ice had a similar complaint lobbied against him by David Bowie and Queen for stealing the bass line to their song “Under Pressure.” Laugh all you want at Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby,” but the track was the first rap song to top the charts, so there was certainly money to be made. Once it became a hit, Ice owned up to the plagiarism and Bowie and members of Queen were credited as co-composers.

With all of the precedent for sampling gone awry, today’s brand of mashup artists have to toe a fine line. Back in 2004, Danger Mouse was producing tracks that mashed up the a cappella tracks from Jay-Z's The Black Album with instrumental tracks from the Beatles' White Album. Lo and behold, EMI ordered a halting of production of The Grey Album. Danger Mouse stopped releasing it, but his fans organized a free download of the album on what came to be known as Grey Tuesday. According to the LA Times, this act of sticking it to the man showed how ingrained sampling had become in the digital age.

Now, with the popularity of mashup artists like Girl Talk and Super Mash Bros, many artists are finding safe haven under the idea of “fair use.”

Fair use acts as a limitation to absolute copyright, which in music terms means if the music is repurposed effectively (hence the fine line) it falls under fair use and one cannot be sued. Girl Talk maintains in a NY Times article that his cuts of songs fall under this category.

With mainstream artists continuing to push the boundaries of copyright law, finding a completely original song may become a thing of the past. But hey, why pay for the cow if you can get the milk for free?

YOUNG THE GIANT: A Q&A with Jacob Tilley

T

By Lauren Moquin (Journalism)

he chilling excitement and awe was heard through the words of Young The Giant’s guitarist Jacob Tilley as I spoke to him about their recent surge in popularity. That night they were to open for Incubus at The Comcast Center. Just this past January, I had the opportunity to see them play the little bar of Great Scott in Alston. I remember my friend looking over to me, insisting that the band would be “big” within no time. After such a free-spirited satisfying set, it was not hard to believe. They opened for Dispatch at TD Garden, played the main stage at Lollapalooza and played at MTV’s Video Music Awards. It is refreshing to see such talent with such deep appreciation get the credit they deserve. Jacob Tilley humbly explained the work that went into all of it and the comfort they have received in return.

Tastemakers Magazine (TMM): This past year you were playing a show at Great Scott and now you have opened for Dispatch and Incubus. How has the popularity and MTV airplay affected the band?

Jacob Tilley (JT): It’s just surreal to see how fast things move. This time last year we were having the best time playing college shows and just happy to be touring the nation and headlining. Now we’re on MTV. We are so very grateful.

Just on the horizon is the new record now and everything feels really good. We’ve been very lucky this year. It jumped from the 200 people we were playing in front of to the big crowds we play now.

TM: All this popularity has come from your debut album. Were there any demos in the beginning that you passed around to get the word out?

JT: We released an album online in October and that was our first actual LP release on the label.

There have been demos done on the west coast where we are from, but it was the playing that we did this past year that brought the popularity to a national level.

TM: How has your crew changed in the last year?

JT: It really hasn’t changed too much. We’ve been a band now for

four years and a year and a half into our college experience we kind of made it happen with local tours. It’s a lot of organization.

I don’t think people realize how much touring and doing smaller tours that you have to do to gain traction in the industry.

TM: This summer you played Lollapalooza. How do you feel about festivals now?

JT: It’s amazing. Lollapalooza was our fourth festival. We came from Australia and flew to Chicago and I didn’t actually realize how big Lollapalooza was. It’s one of those things. You get there and get up on stage and you get a quick line check and you’re playing. It was crazy when I looked back at the footage and I am just very happy and surprised that I could do this.

Actually, my little brother came out. We were the only guys with siblings. They (our siblings) were kind of looking at just how many people were actually there.

TM: Did you get the chance to hear any other bands on your time off at the festival?

JT: We got to see Phantogram live and I’ve been a fan of theirs for a long time, but seeing it in full production, the sound was just amazing. Then we saw My

Morning Jacket. I’m a huge fan and it was pretty cool. You can hear a lot of things you like in the distance, but you can’t get there and you have obligations.

TM: Who would you dream of touring with at this point?

JT: I would love to be on tour with My Morning Jacket and just learn from those guys. We shall see what happens.

TM: What do you guys tend to do on the road with all of this touring?

JT: This is actually the first time on tour that we’ve been on a bus, so we are kind of still getting used to the lifestyle. We’ve only been on the bus for a week and we’ve already done way more stuff. Before that, we were driving ourselves in a van and trailer. Now, we wake up and we’re already there. I think we’re still learning how to adapt.

We just play a lot of games. We’ll play soccer after riding all day.

TM: Thank you and good luck opening for Incubus.

JT: Thank you. We actually just played Boston last night and I could definitely get used to this cushiony, easy bus-tour lifestyle.

We just wake up and we’re there.

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The Breakup Mix

Using Music To Get You Through The Five Stages of Breakups

Break ups suck: there’s no denying that, especially if you’re on the receiving end of them. If you’re on the other end of a break up, then fuck you. You’ve completely ruined this person’s life, and now I’m here to swoop back in and get them on the rebound. How, you

ask? With a break up playlist, taking the five stages of grief and crafting the perfect songs for each of them. By listening to this, you can experience all the emotions in the five stages and be over a break up in forty minutes.

Denial

You’ve just been heartlessly dumped, but it still hasn’t set in. You’re waking up in the mornings clinging onto your body pillow and eating for two even though you’re not pregnant. For you, the relationship is still happening, and these songs keep you clinging onto that good old relationship feeling. “Annie Dan” has upbeat optimism paired with hopeful lyrics. If you read into the lyrics at all though, you quickly understand that the relationship is over, but you’re choosing to ignore it. “Maybe Maybe” also pairs that optimism with the realization of what’s going on, but does it against much sadder music. This sets up the moment the breakup really kicks in and you decide to hate their stinking guts.

Anger

“Molly Connolly ruined my life, I thought the world should know.”

“Every Man Has A Molly” – Say Anything

“Give me my money back, give me my money back, you bitch.”

“Song For The Dumped” – Ben Folds

TRACKLIST

1. “Annie Dan” – Speechwriters LLC 2. “Maybe Maybe” – Nico Stai 3. “Song For The Dumped” – Ben Folds 4. “Every Man Has A Molly” – Say Anything 5. “Nothing Better” – Postal Service 6. “Against All Odds” – Phil Collins 7. “Hand On Your Heart” – Jose Gonzalez

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There are two main elements that take place in the ‘anger’ stage of a break up. The first is you hating everything you did for him or gave to her, so you pretty much resent him for everything, even the thing he had no hand in. This causes you to move into the second element: going onto a rooftop and cursing their name at the top of your lungs. These two songs effectively convey both of those emotions, and the second you finish cursing their name you realize you want them back.

8. “Fuck Was I” – Jenny Owen Youngs 9. “Say A Lot” – Buddy 10. “This Is How It Feels To Have A Broken Heart” – Guster 11. “Get Better” – Mates of State 12. “Trying To Put Your Heart Back Together” – Slow Runner

Written by Bryan Berlin (Media Studies) Illustration by Chris Bowers (Graphic Design)

“Maybe maybe, you’re gonna save me, maybe maybe, but I don’t know, I don’t think so.”

“Maybe Maybe” – Nico Stai

“But it'll be a cold day in August by the time I know what's going on, and while the meantime weighs upon us I can act like nothing's wrong.”

“Annie Dan” – Speechwriters LLC

Bargaining

‘Bargaining’ begins the first of the two longest segments of the break up cycle. Yes, they threw you out of your house in the middle of the night, posted naked pictures of you on the Internet, and slept with each one of your roommates, but you still have the stupid desire to get back with them. “Nothing Better” is the ultimate bargaining song: the verses are a back and forth between a guy trying to save a relationship and a girl telling him to move on and shut up.

“Against All Odds” has Phil Collins becoming totally vulnerable and putting himself out there in order to get back the one he loved (he actually wrote this after his first divorce). In “Hand On Your Heart,” Jose Gonzalez forces his ex to look him in the eye and tell him they are through.

In all instances, they fail. Cue depression.

“If we weren’t such good friends I think I would hate you. If we weren’t some good friends I’d wish you were dead.”

“Fuck Was I” - Jenny Owen Youngs

“Never really takes a lot to lose you, I don’t have to say a lot to lose you.”

“Say A Lot” – Buddy

“Said you’ve never be the guy with an ordinary life, now this is how is feels to have a broken heart.”

“This Is How It Feels To Have A Broken Heart” – Guster

“So just say how to make it right, and I swear I’ll do my best to comply.”

“Nothing Better” – Postal Service

“And you coming back to me is against all odds, but that's the chance I've got to take”

“Against All Odds” – Phil Collins

“Put your hand on your heart and tell me, that we’re through.”

“Hand On Your Heart” – Jose Gonzalez

Depression

Screw the pint of Ben and Jerry’s: you’re going for the 5-gallon industrial-sized tub paired with a bottle or two of Johnnie Walker (The Black Label, because you’re worth it) and an entire Costco-sized box of tissues. You may not leave the darkness of your room for a week, but at least you have these three songs to hold you over. “Fuck Was I” begins with the moment right after you lost in your ‘bargaining’ and presents the rawness of something being over. “Say A Lot” takes you into your full-fledged depression, realizing how easy it was to lose the person you cared most about. Guster takes all the depressingness of a break up song but sets it to catchy dance music, so you can at least be getting down for a while before you stop mid song and start to bawl your eyes out. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel though. No, it’s not a truck coming to run you over - its ‘acceptance.’

Acceptance

You’ve made it! Please make sure you throw out the multi-purpose tissues you’ve been using and get rid of that tub of melting ice cream. And stop wearing those sweatpants with the broken waistband out in public. “Get Better” gets you out of bed and let’s you get on with your life. Once you become a real human being again, “Trying To Put Your Heart Back Together” combines reflection of your past loves with a push into the future.

“Everything’s gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better.”

“Get Better” – Mates of State

“Spend your whole life, trying to put your heart back together.”

“Trying To Put Your Heart Back Together” – Slow Runner

There you have it. The definitive way to get over a break up: music. At the very least it’s something to drown out the sound of broken glass and tears. These songs are here to wingman you out of a break up and get you back out there to find another true love (or at least a solid one night stand).

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Music of Northeastern

By Jeff Curry (Behavioral Neuroscience)

Using survey data collected over a two week period, the following graphs/ charts represent the general music taste of the Northeastern University undergraduate community. The survey asked 100 students to submit their hometown, major, year of graduation, and favorite artist and album.

The results were drawn from interpreting and relating these values. * Most popular genre = album genre + artist genre

Classic Rock

Electronic

Hardcore

Hip/Hop

Indie

Modern Rock

Pop

Years 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 College Arts, Media & Design Science Business Administration Engineering Computer Science Social Science & Humanities Location Mid Atlantic New England South Atlantic Central Pacific Europe Asia Canada

most popular genre

BY YEAR, COLLEGE & LOCATION 26

MOST POPULAR ARTISTS (OVERALL)

MOST POPULAR GENRES (OVERALL)

MGMT

Indie

The Black Keys/Drake

Modern Rock

John Mayer/Passion Pit

Hip/Hop

MOST POPULAR ALBUMS (OVERALL)

Oracular Spectacular

[MGMT]

Man on the Moon [Kid Cudi] Manners/My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy [Passion Pit/Kanye West]

genre popularity

BY ARTIST & ALBUM 7

Classic Rock [artist] [album]

10 7

Electronic [artist] [album]

10 14

Hardcore [artist] [album]

10 17

Hip/Hop [artist] [album]

18 24

Indie [artist] [album]

23 22

Modern Rock [artist] [album]

23 9

Pop [artist] [album]

6 5

10

15

20

25

27

[cd]

REVIEWS If you would like to submit a review to be considered for publishing in print or online, e-mail: tmreviews@gmail.com

Nick Hugon (International Affairs)

Lil Wayne Tha Carter IV Release Date: August 29, 2011 Label: Young Money, Cash Money, Universal Genre: Hip hop

One of the more prominent opinions in the aftermath of the release of Tha Carter IV is that people should not be surprised at how disappointing many find this album because we’re talking about Lil Wayne, who has always been a mediocre artist.

Let me make one thing clear. For the past 14 years, Lil Wayne hasn’t been fooling the world into overlooking some underlying mediocrity. I’m willing to wager that those maintaining that Lil Wayne has always been making music like what is featured on IV have no idea that the young rapper has nine studio albums out, and that’s not counting the innumerable mixtapes floating around the internet or his five full-length collaboration albums with his Young Money posse, Birdman, and Hot Boys. I don’t pretend to be familiar with Wayne’s entire catalogue, but I wouldn’t dare renounce his whole career without giving it a fair listen. He has his enormous following because he has been, and still

Allison Walker (Journalism/Cinema Studies)

Laura Marling A Creature I Don't Know Release Date: September 9, 2011 Label: WayOutWest, Virgin Genre: Indie folk

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British folk singer Laura Marling has finally given us a glimpse into her genius—something we have tried to crowbar our way into for three years. Her first two albums had us guessing about her thought process and even what archetype she was trying to represent. Her new album, A Creature I Don’t Know, unveils her twisted journey through being a woman in the 21st century.

The sexy mustiness of Marling’s voice masks a dark mind that is clearly fueling her songwriting.

Her first tune, “The Muse,” grabs the listener’s attention by showcasing her fantastic vocal range with a powerful hook and Bob Dylan-esque singspeak.

Marling’s strong personality is also apparent in “Night After Night." Her soft voice and whispering guitar make a powerful impression—a quality that artists with sincerity can solely pull off. Standout track, "The Beast," must have required some ambition. It sucks the listener down an electric

is, a very strong artist. And it’s for that reason that Tha Carter IV is so disappointing, not because Weezy’s fans might just now be realizing that the man who once called himself the “best rapper alive” might not be worthy of the name.

The album features a whirlwind of childish beats and canned thematic posturing that materializes most in the ticklish “How To Love” and the embarrassingly political “President Carter.” Lil Wayne’s lyrical contributions on the whole don’t plunge to such levels, but they don’t approach the kind of creativity he wielded on Tha Carter’s “This is Tha Carter,” for example. An impressive contribution by Nas leaves a decent aftertaste, and the Bruno Mars-led bonus track “Mirrors” holds its own as a pop hit, but there is no track on the album where Lil Wayne made all the right decisions. It’s a disappointing effort from an artist who has proved throughout his career that he can perform, but has comprehensively failed to do so this time.

Recommended Tracks: Mirrors (ft. Bruno Mars)

guitar-fueled vortex that violates the album with a disturbed story of lust.

“Salinas” is a clearly cut song inspired by John Steinbeck and the simple lyrics could also serve as a eulogy with lines that plead to angels. “Sophia” proves to be one of the folkiest songs and reminds us of her previous associations with Noah and the Whale and Marcus Mumford.

Laura Marling is a woman with fair and delicate physical features but her music is able to shine a light on death, deep desire and betrayal. After the album has finished she has definitely taught you a few lessons—ones that stay with you long after you’ve finished pressing ‘repeat.’

Recommended Track: The Muse, Night After Night

Morgan Lawrence (Journalism)

Bush The Sea of Memories Release Date: September 13, 2011 Label: Zuma Rock/eOne Genre: Rock

It’s been nine years since Bush released a majorlabel effort, crumbling not long after the pressure of declining album sales and a seeming lack of creative direction. The Sea of Memories attempts to tackle the unanswered questions of these lost years and simultaneously propel the band forward. However, it ultimately falls flat, lost somewhere between the two and failing to fully address either.

“She’s A Stallion” starts strong, leading with a bass hook and urgent vocals vying for attention. It falters as the barking-dog-like “hey”s" inexplicably pepper the track, but the double-take-inducing lyrics (“He’s a madman/he’s a madman/he’ll drive you mad”, Rossdale at one point insists) seal its fate.

“All Night Doctors” is a standout track, introducing a methodical piano and Rossdale’s vocals at the forefront. Overall, though, it exemplifies the album’s central fault: the conflict between a band’s established history and the need to progress.

Sarah Lombardo (International Affairs)

Scroobius Pip Distraction Pieces Release Date: September 19, 2011 Label: Strange Famous Records Genre: Hip hop/rap

Scroobius Pip has earned a reputation for being an acute critic of society, who can be discursive in his details without sacrificing his message. On July 31st, the master of satire released “Introdiction.” The song surges a newfound fire through his trademark wit and wordplay, with lines like, “You see a mouse trap, I see free cheese and a fucking challenge.” Distraction Pieces, ripe with beat-driven battle cries, has lived up to “Introdiction’s” hype. Aggression and intelligence rarely coexist, but Scroobius Pip is undoubtedly out to innovate with smart songs that sear like a slow burn. He rages like a well-read rebel, untainted by overhyped or undercooked angst.

Pip says as much with his tone and structure as he does with his words, which could provide a feast for thought on their own. Most of the lyrics, beats, and melodies recur frequently, building energy and emotional weight, like the swelling repeat of “who’s that waiting down by the graveyard” in “Try Dying”

Sam Goldner (Music Industry)

Wilco The Whole Love Release Date: September 27, 2011 Label: dBpm Records Genre: Alternative, folk rock

There’s a reason people call Wilco the American Radiohead. Over the course of two decades, the band has built a name for themselves as one of the most consistently entertaining and acclaimed rock bands in the alternative music scene.

That being said, their past two albums have been my least favorite out of a 17-year body of work. While Sky Blue Sky and Wilco had enough epic tracks to fill one great record, each album on its own gets bogged down by too many laid-back folky snoozers.

This is why for any diehard Wilco fan, The Whole Love sounds like the most fun the band has had since their 2004 album A Ghost Is Born. From the second space-rock opener “Art of Almost” eerily warbles into motion, it’s clear that this is not Wilco (The Sequel).

The rest of the album is smooth sailing from there. “I Might” thumps along with fuzzed-out bass and 60’s organs, while “Dawned On Me” and “Born

The entrance of an electric guitar, for example, is not itself worthy of protest. The blatant theft of their own riffs from the mid-90s is. This ballad is not the next “Glycerine,” but apparently the band sought to construct blatant similarities between them and hope for the best. As expected, it does not quite deliver.

This is where the album as a whole takes a wrong turn. In many cases it is unclear whether artists can successfully make something new out of the old, and reconcile the legacy of their beginnings with the pull of relevance and creative evolution. With The Sea of Memories, Bush tries desperately to compromise the two. Unfortunately, sometimes what stands between one side and the other is not a safe middle ground, but a ravine. What it lacks is momentum- the unbroken stride of years of collective effort, of trial and error and trial again. Or maybe 2002 was just longer ago than we realized.

Recommended Tracks: The Afterlife, All Night Doctors

and “how can a lie be a lie if you mean it at the time?” in “Broken Promise.” “The Struggle” stands out for its confessional content without losing the sardonic, yet insightful tone of the album. “Feel It," a Kate Bush cover, twists the archetype of romantic duets with the dissimilarity between Scroobius Pip’s voice and Natasha Fox’s elegant singing, which seems plucked out of a country anthem. Even the thoughtful two-minute intro rant of “Broken Promise," complete with a steadily rising interplay of rhythms, maintains the power pulsing through the rest of the album. The repetitive melodies beneath his words are not a slow clap. They are rioters walking one by one into the streets.

Recommended Tracks: Introdiction, Broken Promise

Alone” are as catchy as any pop song frontman Jeff Tweedy has ever written.

Though these tracks are amongst the highest ranks of the Wilco canon, forgettable folk ditties like “Open Mind” or unrealized rock tunes like “Standing O” tend to undercut their presence.

Songs like “Rising Red Lung” shuffle along harmlessly but seem downright lifeless compared to the beauty and emotion behind the sprawling album closer “One Sunday Morning.”

The Whole Love, like its two predecessors, suffers from a case of inconsistent writing. Despite this, the highs are some of the most ambitious songs Wilco has written in the past decade. These songs serve as a reminder that, though Wilco may be considered an old band, they’re still finding new ways to push the boundaries of rock sound – and clearly having a great time along the way.

Recommended Tracks: Art of Almost, Dawned On Me, Born Alone, One Sunday Morning 29

J U ST A TA STE O F

Artwork courtesy of The Dopamines

Written by Emily Cassel (Journalsim)

W

e can almost always get behind good old-fashioned punk rock that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s exactly what the Dopamines do best. Since they came together in 2006, the Cincinnati-based band and self-proclaimed “punk rock drunkards” have been achieving pop-punk perfection with songs about drinking, fighting and just not giving a fuck. Oh, and Mark Ruffalo. It all adds up to some high-energy, low-maturity, crazyfun music, so we caught up with bassist/vocalist Jon Weiner and guitarist/vocalist Jon Lewis to learn more about these drunkards and the livers that hate them.

Tastemakers: Can you give us the Dopamines' origin story?

Jon Weiner: The idea came about in the basement of my house, the Glendora House (RIP). I had sang for a Lillingtons cover band for a Halloween cover show, and our old drummer Matt was like, "Dude, lets start a pop punk band brah." He wanted to be called “The Division One Dodgeball Champs,”

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I wanted to be called “The Big Red Machine,” and Jon L probably wanted us to be called "Breaking Chains" or something nu metal.

Anyway, the idea was just to be a party Ramones-core band, but we got serious. Well, serious enough to potentially write a good song.

TMM: If your band had a mission statement, what would it be?

JW: The Dopamines’ mission statement: Never stop having fun, fuck you, and we don't care.

We might play like shit and suck, but that's not the stuff that you remember. Like the soundtrack to a great friendship, full of ups and downs...? Thats the worst thing I've ever said, probably.

TMM: How do you spend your time when you aren't making music or drinking heavily?

Jon Lewis: I work in architecture and hang out with my wife and dog. I also love to play board games. I'm pretty much a loser.

JW: Shit, I spend it listening to music and drinking heavily. Literally.

I work at a rock club called the Southgate House. That's pretty much my life. At least I'm not some norm wearing a tie, right punks?

TMM: Could you maybe explain where you got the song title "Waking Up In The Monroe House With Cat Hair In My Mouth"?

JW: We used to party at our friend Chris' house way out in the middle of nowhere suburbs between Dayton and Cincinnati. It’s kind of a fun time of our lives, now that I think about it. A lot of friends from then have moved away or changed. In my own head it's kind of a nod to that time of our lives, but in reality it’s a song about Jon L getting totally twisted and waking up with cat hair in his mouth.

Monroe, Ohio. That's what's up.

the "scene." I know that comes off angry, but I'm not. Or am I?

TMM: You obviously identify pretty strongly with Ohio – what are some of your favorite things about the Cincinnati scene?

JL: I like that many of the bands stick together. I mean, it's a bit cliquey, but what scene isn't?

I also like that we're more or less ignored by the major local music organizations and hence ignored by the majority of the city. Not that we're unwilling to work together, but it's fun in a way to be completely overlooked by the people that supposedly have their finger on the pulse of

TMM: Do you have any insane tour stories you'd care to share?

JW: The first time we played with Dillinger Four I woke up the next day without hair on one side of my head. This was a combination of scissors and fire.

Apparently, it was even my idea.

TMM: What are you guys working on now/what are your plans for the future?

JL: We just finished up a dozen or so songs and they're being mixed right now. We haven't really settled on the fate of the material just yet but that is going to change in the next week or so i think. The future? Well, we're all pretty poor right now, so we're just chilling out and trying to pay our bills on time. I'm sure we'll be getting off our asses soon enough though.

Check out the Dopamines’ latest album Expect the Worst, out now on Paper + Plastick!

CROSSWORD PUZZLE The answers to this puzzle can be found throughout the issue!

ACROSS

2. One "first generation" hip-hop artist 7. The second stage of grief 8. Live recordings are now sold on flash _________ 12. Recommended track for Scroobius Pip 13. November 4th show at Royale 14. "Say A Lot" artist 15. New York City DIY Venue 16. Pianist of The RCDC Experiment 18. The "Titus Andronicus Sandwich" 20. George _________ of Javelin

DOWN

ZOOMED

Which albums have we zoomed in on here?

1. Artist accused of stealing from the Chiffons 3. Most popular genre amongst Engineering students 4. Rick Ross' _________ Music Group 5. Donald Glover's rap moniker 6. Young The _________ 9. Home to The Dopamines 10. Mac Miller's home city 11. The Carter IV, according to staff writer Nick Hugon 17. Third most popular genre overall 19. Venue for this fall's TM Presents

CRYPTOQUOTE Unscramble the letters to find the hidden message from Tastemakers Presents artist Titus Andronicus...

GWO O K O Y C O P O N C U WO N O

FIND BEIBER The one and only Justin Beiber is hidding somewhere inside this issue... Find him and maybe something cool will happen...

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Clockwise from top left: The Radio Department Clinging To A Scheme, The Smashing Pumpkins Gish, Wilco Summersleep, TLC Crazy Sexy Cool