June 2015
JAKE MILLER
RACHEL PLATTEN KODALINE THE NEVER ENDING
STAFF:
Editorial:
Executive Editor
Allison Lanza Layout Design & Issue Editor Addie Whelan Director of Content Gabi Talisman Photo Editor: Becca Mathias Contributors: Addie Whelan Allison Lanza Alyssa Buzzello Charlotte Freitag Chelsea Blackman Delaney DeAngelis Gabi Talisman Lauren Klonowski Samuel Israel Taylor Cleek Photographers: Addie Whelan Allison Lanza Anna Xu Charlotte Freitag Chelsea Blackman Evan Olea Gabi Talisman Taylor Cleek
LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH: Beyond The Stage is a digital music magazine based in the United States. We are on a 45 day cycle. You can read Beyond The Stage online for free or visit our website to buy a hard copy. Previous issues are always available to read online or order in print. www.beyondthestagemagazine.com
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Contents: Beyond The STage ISSue 5
06 ------- SoundSeT 2015 10 ------- Rachel PlaTTen 16 ------- The neveR endIng 20 ------- Jake MIlleR 25 ------- alBuM RevIewS 30 ------- kodalIne 35 ------- hoPe vISTa 38 ------- MIlo gReene 44 ------- SuMMeR Song PlaylIST
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Marina and the diamonds pittsburgh, pa- May 2015 Photo: allison lanza
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Bowling For Soup Houston, tx- june 2015 Photos By: Anna xu
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Ice Cube
Soundset Festival Minneapolis, Minnesota
Logic
Clockwork Indigo
Logic
Photos By Gabi Talisman
Vince Staples
J Cole
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Vic Mensa
DESSA
Dessa
BTS: What are three words to describe your music? Dessa: Authentic, aggressive, harmonic. BTS: Where is favorite place you have performed or that you want to perform one day? D: One of my favorite places was in South Africa. BTS: Why is that? D: It’s probably more as a human being than a musician but I feel like I’ve learned a lot from South Africa about what it means to be a person and a person of color and a part of that is being a woman. And South Africa is a really interesting place to be an American. It’s the way people talk about race and the way that segregation is integrated. For me, it’s a place that I really want to go back. BTS: Is there a song that is special to perform? And what is that? D: Yes, but I would say it depends on the environment. You know, if I’m in a really quiet like dinner theatre environment a slower song works really well, but if it’s a rap show then definitely like Warsaw, because its more aggressive and it fits better. If I’m in an environment somewhere between the two, I’ll go with Call Off Your Ghost. BTS: Do you have a favorite rap album that has come out recently? D: I really like the new one by Logic quite a bit. BTS: What’s next for you? D: So it’s 2015, so the focus is on Doomtree. We’ve got a record its called All Hands coming out soon and in about a month we head out to Europe on our headlining tour to support that record. And then I come home for a while, and then I go to Europe again!
Sway
Clockwork Indigo
Big Sean
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WATSKY BTS: What’s the most played song on your phone or iPod? Watsky: What do I listen to over and over again…I listen to a Taj Mahal live recording over and over again called Corrinna. It’s like a blue garden; I don’t know it’s like my happy song. BTS: If you could tour with anyone no matter the genre, who would it be? W: If I could open for Eminem I think that would be really cool. It would be so ridiculous. Outkast or Eminem. Andre 3000 I say is my favorite rapper. So that would kind of be the dream. BTS: What’s your songwriting process like? W: I write multiple drafts of most of my stuff. So I usually have a concept first, sometimes I have a beat that I really, really respond to but I always make sure that I can pair it with a concept first. Like I don’t start writing usually until I know what I want the song to be about. So it’s more like a poetry approach. Poetry is basically like rapping, so poetry had a big influence on me. Yeah, usually concept first and then writing second. BTS: Is there a song out there in any genre that you wish you wrote? W: Definitely, a ton of them. I hear songs all the time that I wish I wrote. Let me see if I can think of one off of the top of my head. A single song that exists? I don’t know like every single Beatles song that exists? Maybe like Norwegian Wood, I can’t definitely write melodies like that, but if I could, I would be really happy. BTS: Is there something you want to accomplish before the end of the year? W: Like my last stage in my life has been working on myself as a human being and not working on my music. I spent like 2 ½ years on the road and my Cardboard Castles album came out. Or even before that in 2012 I went on a big tour. And I haven’t really been to the place that I had been living in that entire time so I’m trying to get back to that and see my family and to see my friends. I want to have a balanced life. That is my 2015 goal. 2016 I’m going to put out a new album and tour again and all of that. And I’m trying to make sure that I don’t become a horrible workaholic.
Sway
J Cole
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Vince Staples
Watsky
Logic
Dessa
Ludacris
Ice Cube
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Rachel Platten Photos And Words By Allison Lanza
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“In music, there is such a thing as a breakout moment for a brand new artist. And they come out of nowhere and all of a sudden, everybody is singing their song. And last week you didn’t know who they were, and now it’s like, the number two song overall on iTunes, and you’re like, ‘This is an amazing song. This is an incredible artist. People need to know about this.’ The song I’m referencing is a song called ‘Fight Song,’” Taylor Swift announced to a crowd of 50,000 people at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on June 13th, 2015, before inviting Rachel Platten onstage to sing her hit single. Exactly one week prior, Platten performed in Pittsburgh outside Heinz Field as part of local radio station Star 100.7’s “Never Ever Land,” a set up featuring local businesses, performances from Platten, country singer Kelsea Ballerini, and
Vance Joy, carnival style food, and more to entertain fans as they waited for the gates to the 1989 World Tour to open. Platten took the stage, performing a handful of songs on her keyboard and acoustic guitar with assistance from drummer Craig Meyer to a crowd of about two hundred people. “Let’s sing loud enough that Taylor can hear us!” She exclaimed mid-song, blissfully unaware of what the follow week would bring. This newfound success, however, has been a long time coming for Platten. She released her debut album over ten years ago and has been actively working on music ever since. She signed a recording contract with Columbia Records earlier this year. “I was in college and it started to slowly dawn upon
me that I was hungry for something else,” Rachel explained, outlining how she realized that music was her calling. “I was directing my acapella group in college. I loved music so much and I felt like I wanted more and more of it. I was a little scared to say that I wanted to do it for my career, but finally it kind of just grew in my heart until I couldn’t ignore it. It was this gradual process of music kind of demanding it be the thing I listen to and pay attention to.” Throughout the years of Platten’s career, she believes that her songwriting has grown most of all. “I’ve really worked the past three years on learning how to communicate what I’m feeling but in a universal way. There’s a fine line you have to walk where you’re being honest, raw and authentic with your lyrics. But you have to say it in a way that people can also understand and feel like ‘oh yeah, I’ve been through that too, so it can’t be so specific.’ I’ve really tried to work on sharing what I’m going through in a very honest way with no filter, so that people can take that experience and apply it to their life, to see how it can help them.” Platten’s focus on writing relatable lyrics is quite clear in her hit single “Fight Song.” It is a song that stands out when stacked up against most Top 40 radio hits: this song exerts positivity and uplifts listeners. The song is more than just a fun, poppy dance song, which sets it apart from its pop radio counterparts. The song emits strong emotion and has allowed listeners to truly connect with the words Platten sings. The positive response and knowing that so many people have connected to her lyrics leaves Platten awestruck. “It’s really mindblowing. I don’t know if I’ve completely processed it yet. It feels incredible, but it keeps growing and I get these amazing messages, and I don’t know what I did to deserve it. And yet, I’m so proud that the message is one that I believe in so firmly. That what’s spreading is what’s really in my heart. I really want to empower people and help people remember their strength,” she revealed. In today’s music industry, music sales and radio spins play a small part in an artist’s career. Touring plays a huge role in the success of a musician, and luckily for Platten, she finished one tour not too long ago and has another one coming up later this summer. Platten supported Andy Grammer and past BTS cover stars Alex and Sierra on the “Good Guys and a Girl Tour” earlier this year. “They’re all amazingly talented, but they were just such good people. We all felt like a family at the end of tour and I miss them a lot,” Platten says of those tour mates. Platten can be found supporting Christina Perri and Colbie Caillat this summer on their co-headliner beginning July 10th in Connecticut. When asked about the “Girls Night Out, Boys Can Come Too” tour, Platten let us in on some secrets as to what we can expect from her live show. “I’m going to be performing songs off the new EP and songs off my upcoming album. I’m going to get to experiment more with getting off the piano and guitar and running around onstage
a little bit. We started working on a little looping technology, so I’m excited to try that out and see how it works. I love being able to actually perform a song and not being trapped behind a piano, so that’ll be fun.” In the meantime, Platten continues to work on her upcoming album. “It’s going to be similar to ‘Fight Song’ in that it’s empowering. But then, there’s also this honestly in all the lyrics. I want to tell my story and I want to tell it unfiltered. I want to share and let down these walls that sometimes we build up. And I’m talking about things that are wrong with me and that I’m not going to necessarily be proud of all the time, but I feel like at that point, you get the really good stuff and really connect. And the sounds are big, there are cellos, weird keyboard sounds, horns, and gospel choirs. It’s going to be really awesome,” she explained, grinning ear to ear. Within two weeks after Beyond The Stage sat down with Platten, “Fight Song” hit number one on the overall iTunes charts. And with a superstar like Taylor Swift now backing this genuinely talented and humble singer, it seems as if the world will be hearing much more from Rachel Platten in the future. 12 | Beyond The STage magazinE
The Script Minneapolis, MN - june 2015 Photo By: gabi talisman
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Editorial Spotlight: The Bandwagon Effect By Alyssa Buzzello I walked towards the venue, taking in the sights and sounds of the streets of Los Angeles and the eclectic people gathered on them. My destination is a few blocks ahead— one of my favorite small music venues in the City of Angels. I assumed my place in line and began the tedious wait. Doors weren’t scheduled to open for a while, so I grew bored rather quickly. I began scanning the crooked line for someone to strike up a conversation with and found my target. He was wearing a vintage, almost worn out Nirvana t-shirt. For lack of any other sign of life or willing victim, I attempted to initiate a conversation with him using the lead of his grunge inspired threads. “Oh you like Nirvana? Me too!” I offered. “What?” He replied with a confused look on his face. I tried again. “Nirvana, your shirt.” “Oh...yeah. Well, uh, I don’t listen to them that much,” he said, turning his attention back to his Frappuccino. Simply put, I had just come face to face with a poser. We all know that person— the one who walks around in classic or currently popular logoed rock gear: distressed tees, ball caps, crop tops— anything with a recognizable badge. Anything that says, “I’m a fan, look at me.” They look oh so cool, but they don’t have the slightest clue who or what AC/DC is. These people are a merchandiser’s dream because they have enough excess funds for a $25.00 tee in addition to their grande Frappuccino. 14 | Beyond The STage magazinE
Not only is music merchandise becoming a larger and larger market, it is becoming a larger and larger part of pop culture as a whole. There is now more pressure to wear the best band names, almost the same as the pressure to wear brand names. It’s causing everyone to jump on a bandwagon, while the actual music is just dragged through the dirt. This is not even a new phenomenon, just take a look at Nirvana’s 1992 “In Bloom” lyrics: “He’s the one who likes all our pretty songs and he likes to sing along and he likes to shoot his gun but he knows not what it means.” Kurt Cobain noticed it, musicians nowadays notice it, and true music fans notice it. While talking to someone well embedded in the LA indie music scene, she described this issue very well: “If you’re
“Oh...yeah. Well, uh, I don’t listen to them that much,” just going to use music for the look, you miss the whole soul of it, the whole point of the culture surrounding whatever band it is whose shirt you’re wearing.” Some music is becoming a fashion commodity, a gimmick of sorts. It’s frustrating because there is such an obsession with the hype around the music that it is diminishing the value of the music itself, and placing more importance onto the “scene” that is created. Music is exploited for the “coolness factor”. Being cool is the goal, not the result. In a perfect world, it would be the other way
around. Unfortunately, that is impossible. What is ignored is that these “posers” are crucial to our favorite music scenes. Without these people that are clueless about the music but come out to shows regardless, shows wouldn’t happen because bands would not be able to pack venues. Yes, these “posers” tend to fill out more of the market for lip syncers and artists that dominate in pop cluelessness and will do outrageous things for publicity. But would bands like Nirvana really have risen to popularity without the grunge teen posers of their day? It’s very possible that our favorite bands are fueled by posers. And that’s okay. In the end, it doesn’t really matter. Often the music brings us all together, and whether you believe it or not, it is a powerful thing. Who are we to be music elitists? Who are we to judge the purity of the importance of music to someone else? It’s possible that hardcore fans pretend to like the band to seem cool or to impress others. There will always be someone who has liked the band for longer than you have. But music isn’t a competition; it is art. We ingest it for the meaning it supplies us, and that meaning is completely unique to each and every one of us. It’s not “rock and roll” to be fake, but it sure is “rock and roll” to attend a super great show that ends up being talked about for years and becomes the most important show in the band’s history.
Walk Off The EArth Denver, CO- May 2015 Photo By: Evan olea
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The Never Ending
Photos and Words By Chelsea Blackman Beyond The Stage had the honor of sitting down with Debby Ryan and The Never Ending before their show in Buffalo, New York. The Never Ending is a trio composed of Debby Ryan, Kyle Moore, and Johnny Franco. Although the band has been around for a few years, they are finally truly raising their voices and making a mark on the world with lyrics and a raw sound straight from their heartbeats. This band is a passionate and talented group of individuals whose love and need for music is blatantly clear. However, aside from being driven musicians, they are first and foremost humans with a desire to connect with others. It’s obvious that The Never Ending is more than just a band. All three members possess compassion, wisdom, and humility. The Never Ending is a support group for each other and for their listeners. Finding music happened differently for each of the members of The Never Ending. For guitarist Kyle Moore, his discovery of music came from the influence of his father. Moore’s father is a musician, therefore music has been a part of Moore’s entire life. He’d watch his father play and he’d be inspired to learn. He’d attend numerous concerts 16 | Beyond The STage magazinE
and memorize records front to back. However, it wasn’t until high school that Moore began to learn guitar. “I was like ‘Dad, I want to learn guitar.’ He [was] like, ‘Alright, whenever you’re ready, the guitar’s in the closet. Just go get it.’ He never was like, ‘Alright, lesson one we’re doing this’. It taught me if you want something, go for it.” This is a mantra that Moore has taken into account for his everyday life. Drummer Johnny Franco started at fifteen years old when he was inspired to learn percussion by an older drummer playing at his church. Eventually, Franco saw one of his favorite bands, Dream Theatre, and was inspired by drummer Mike Portnoy. “[He] was taking the drum solo with long hair, spandex, and everything and I was like, ‘that’s sick. I wanna do that one day.’” Franco looks up to drummers such as Portnoy and wishes he played the drums for Pink Floyd’s album, The Dark Side of the Moon. For Debby Ryan, music came into her life as a shoulder to lean on. “For me, growing up, I moved around a lot. It’s very Penny Lane from Almost Famous, but like when you’re ever bored or lonely, go to the record store and visit your friends. And that’s something that is so important to me. Music has always been present as something that made everything
a little bit easier and more fun. Writing was something that I realized that I needed to do to survive.” The Never Ending met and became a band very organically. In the beginning, Franco would come in and do sessions with Ryan’s brother, who is a music producer. Franco recalls recommending to Ryan that she start a band because she was so talented at writing. To that, Ryan remembers laughing and replying “Oh no, I’m not like, a singer.” But as Ryan mulled over the idea of starting a band, she listened to various musicians that ended up influencing her sound. “Hearing Joan Jett and being like, ‘Oh, your voice doesn’t have to be pretty to be able to sing songs’ and then hearing Debbie Harry and being like, ‘Oh, you can kind of be one of the boys but be cute and punky.’” These women shaped how Ryan created her own unique voice and gave her the confidence to start taking singing seriously. Soon after, Ryan met Moore through mutual friends and the two ended up casually playing music together for hours. Moore remembers leaving that day and being secure in believing that “there was something there.” Now, The Never Ending is a group of best friends who are completely at home with each other. The song writing process is more of a natural healing tool than it is a job for The Never Ending. From everyday mistakes, to questions about existentialism, or just the overall question of ‘why’, the band blends various factors into their songs. “To write it into something is a little bit redemptive, it’s cheaper than therapy, and it gets it out,” Ryan says. Due to the fact that the band is so close, they are able to be so open with each other without any judgement. This allows them to be creative and push the boundaries. They can take a situation, imagine the ending and write it into a song without the consequence of it being real. “It gives us a place to go farther than we ever would in real life, because at the end of the day, you can close the journal and put the songs away. It’s not your actual reality.” Ryan grins. The Never Ending has a song called “The Fall” that they believe is the anthem of who they are. It was the first song that the band wrote that really set the new path for their future. It seems to be an overall band favorite, as it means something important to each member. Franco sees the song as setting the band up to be fearless; Ryan views it as an awakening; Moore believes it to be the beginning. The song is so dimensional because it is written with a complete perspective. “Kyle and I went through very similar situations but from complete opposite points of view” Ryan explains in reference to “The Fall.” As Ryan begins to speak about a song titled “Secondhand,” her voice softens. The moment “Secondhand” is mentioned, there’s an immediate aura of vulnerability associated with the song. Ryan admits that it’s the song that makes her the most emotional during the set. The band explains that without “The Fall” there wouldn’t be “Secondhand” and vice versa. The two songs correlate with each other and together form the voice of The Never Ending. Ryan opened up about some of her personal inspiration for songs such as “The Fall” and “Secondhand.” “I went through a pretty public break up that was just- it was devastating. And it was a part of a bigger thing that was happening in my life. Everything in my life was changing, and the one good thing with that is that it’s the perfect foundation for writBeyond The STage magazinE| 17
ing good songs. As everything was changing and I was navigating it, what was the same was a pen, a paper, and my best friends.” She later smiles and says, “Things make so much more sense when you write them down.” Ryan, who recently turned the young age of 22, had some incredibly wise words about the unfiltered, raw human emotions that people have that in turn determine their choices and inspire her. “For me, I’m inspired by the dumb things I do in order to avoid the unpleasant things. We all feel fear. We all feel lonely. We all feel sick. We all feel tired of people or things. We all feel insecure. And we all feel not enough. We either make decisions to work out, and eat right, and surround ourselves with people who are good for us and be the best version of ourselves, or we choose things that will just make those feelings go away in a second. Or we choose things that we think will validate those feelings. All those choices create other kinds of choices.” The Never Ending will be heading out on tour this summer to support girl group Fifth Harmony. They are excited to finally get to show the fans what they’ve been working on and to introduce themselves as who they truly are. Ryan, most known for her roles on the Disney Channel, is excited to show the world who she really is. She isn’t Bailey, Radio Rebel, or Jessie. She gets to finally introduce herself as Debby Ryan from The Never Ending; the real Debby. The Never Ending is something that all three of the members have been working on for years. It is picking up momentum and is finally giving the members something back as reward for all their dedication and hard work. Although acting is not at the forefront for Ryan, she is involved in producing three projects, one of which she is acting in. These two worlds of acting and
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music have both shaped Ryan as she best explains it as “I found my place through acting and I found my voice through song writing.” Ryan finishing her thought with “I’m shifting from being someone else’s storyteller, to really telling my own story.” Looking forward into the summer, the band is also excited to really connect with the listeners. Franco comments that the most rewarding part of being a musician is to give back to the people. Fans of The Never Ending have been patiently waiting and the band is ready to give. The Never Ending is striving to make a lasting connection with anyone who will listen. They recognize the way that music can unite a mass of strangers and fill a hole in the heart. Ryan summarized the feeling as “People finding spiritualism. People finding hope. People realizing that they are built to be so much more than just existing and dying. That’s why it was so important that we call the band The Never Ending… It was about doing something that was bigger than us that lasted longer than us. And if there’s something that we can make out of our temporary lives, it’s something that will last on.” The Never Ending is carving their name into their fans hearts and filling it with gold. This trio promises that they will always work hard and leave everything in their hearts on the stage; a noble commitment to their fans and also each other. “As long as you guys give us one set of ears to play to, we’ll play” smiles Ryan. Look out for The Never Ending this summer on tour, and keep your ears peeled and hearts open wide for The Never Ending.
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JAKE MILLER Interview & Photos By Chelsea Blackman Words By Gabi Talisman
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“M
y fans have really impacted my life. They’re a big reason for the music I make and why I like to make it.” Said Jake Miller about his fans, who he affectionately refers to as the Millertary. Smiling, he added “I make a lot of deeper, more positive and inspiring songs with deep messages. I do that for them. I always hear stories from them about how my music helps them and gets them through things. Whether it’s cancer, or being bullied at school, or losing somebody, they’ve told me that my music has helped them. That makes me want to make even more songs that are deep and positive, and can help people get through certain situations. I think that it’s important if you have a big platform and a large audience to use it to spread some kind of positivity.” We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves. Jake Miller and his Millertary have become quite the force to be reckoned with ever since he burst on to the music scene near his hometown of Weston, Florida. But of course, before Jake had fans, he had to find a unique sound for his music. On the road to finding and creating that sound, many musicians from various genres inspired him. “Growing up I listened to all kinds of music. I love rap, I love Eminem, Drake and Big Sean. And I love people like John Mayer and Sam Smith. The genre that I have created, I call it hip-pop. It’s a mixture of rap and singing—it’s really more pop. But it’s a fusion of everything that I used to listen to as a kid.” “My career started when I started to put covers on YouTube during my senior year of high school, just as a hobby. I didn’t think anything would come out of it.” Jake explained when asked to recall the beginnings of his career. “But I was doing it to have fun with my friends. It started to catch a buzz around my school and in my city. And it started taking off from there and getting people’s attention.” And that it has. With nearly 600,000 Twitter followers and close to 800,000 on Instagram, Jake Miller is clearly skyrocketing toward stardom. Playing a stadium for B96’s annual Summer Bash in Chicago and now a regular playing huge crowds at sold-out venues, Jake is still concerned with how his songs make each and every fan feel. “I have a lot of songs that mean a lot to certain people. I have a song called ‘Like Me’ and that’s an anti-bullying song. I have a song called ‘Steven’ and that’s a suicide awareness song. And then I have songs that are just relative to my life and how I’m feeling, and how me and my friends are living our dreams. Those are fun to perform, but the ones that mean the most are the ones that helped the fans through and have a deeper meaning.” Like any artist, Jake has songs that are most important to him. Jake explained that it is important to him to make music that he likes and is proud of, not just music he thinks his fans would be interested in. “I have really discovered my sound. Being in so many sessions with professional writers and producers, I have kind of mastered how to write a song and what it takes to write great lines and melodies. I’ve learned what Beyond The STage magazinE | 21
the fans want to hear and what the audience is looking for.” He quickly added that, “Back in the day, I used to make music hoping that it would appeal to my fans. But now, I just make music that I would listen to on a plane ride or in a car, or that my friends would listen to. If my fans like it as well, then that’s a bonus.” Besides being satisfied with himself for his work and what songs the public will get to hear, Jake Miller should be very proud of his live performance. Long lines outside of legendary venues hours before doors open demonstrate just how dedicated his fans are to getting the perfect spot to enjoy the show. Once inside, it’s a rush to the stage, with girls who manage to get a front row spot often crying in happiness. For those farther back, all thought of their location in the room is forgotten the second Jake hits the stage. Lots of jumping, a couch (for his song “My Couch,” usually complete with food for the lucky fan to eat onstage with Jake during the song) and tons of crowd interaction are a normality for any Jake Miller show. Jake is always bursting with energy onstage, and the infatuated audience shows the same kind of excitement back to him. Fans leaving the show might be physically tired, but it is rare to see a single face not smiling as they excitedly recount their show experience.
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Although the difference between being in the crowd and being onstage could not be more so, Jake immediately lights up when we talk about his live performances. “I think the energy in the room when I am on stage is undeniable. Every song people are jumping or hands up or just dancing and having fun. Everyone is there to have a good time and one after another, every song is just meant to get people to dance.” Smiling more, he added, “The energy in the room is always amazing.” Jake counts his shows among his greatest accomplishment, and rightfully so. One show in particular, however, takes the cake as his favorite performance. “I did a huge show in the arena that I used to go to as a kid. I saw my first concert there. I’ve been to hundreds of sporting events and hundreds of concerts there. Just last year, I got to perform in front of 20,000 hometown fans on the same stage that I got to grow up watching.” Even though his career isn’t yet to the level of playing 20,000 capacity stadiums around the country, Jake is incredibly excited for his upcoming “Dazed and Confused” tour. He’ll be playing impressive venues across North America in early July through mid August. “I am looking forward to going back out and seeing the fans. I haven’t really gone out on a headlining tour in over a year, so I’m really looking forward to going to all
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of these cities again, playing some awesome venues, and seeing the fans.” Pausing for a second, he teased, “I have a bunch of surprises that I can’t really talk about much, but it’s going to be different than the last tour for sure.” We certainly can’t wait to see what Jake has in store for fans attending the tour. Jake Miller’s career has truly blossomed, partially thanks to the people he has in his life, as well as the way he conducts himself. It is very clear that Jake is serious about the way he takes care of himself and is keenly aware of the huge impact the people that he surrounds himself with can have. Upon asking what Jake does or values to remain grounded, we got perhaps the most thoughtful answer from our time with him: “The people who I travel with, we’re all just very hardworking people. We don’t do drugs, and we’re not into going to clubs. We like to have our fun occasionally, but we just stay grounded and levelheaded. We realize what’s important. We realize that we have this job and we have to take it seriously. But we also have fun when it’s time to have fun.” Thinking for a moment, Jake continued, “And my friends and family back at home, they also keep me grounded. I’m just surrounded by a 24 | Beyond The STage magazinE
lot of really good people. That’s definitely the reason why I stay grounded.” As we wrapped up our time with Jake so that he could get warmed up for his show, we asked if he had any final words for his fans. “I can’t wait to see everyone on tour, if you haven’t gotten your tickets yet go get them at jakemiller.com. It’s going to be a great tour with a lot of surprises. A lot of new stuff is coming and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!” He said with a grin. While we are excited to see where he heads in his music career, Beyond The Stage is equally as excited to see how Jake Miller continues to grow as a person. With a good head on his shoulders, an overwhelmingly apparent care for his fans, and a team that he says is integral in keeping him grounded, Jake will continue his rise, with his Millertary following closely behind him.
Surf Donnie Trumpet and The Social Experiment Independent Donnie Trumpet and The Social Experiment’s Surf is a celebration, and everyone is invited. The genredefying album is the collective work of a massive array of musicians, ranging from seasoned veterans such as Busta Rhymes and Erykah Badu to rising sensations such as Raury and Quavo. The artists draw upon several discordant genres for inspiration, weaving elements of neosoul, Latin, jazz, gospel, pop and hiphop together in a seamless, selfaffirming manner. Despite the wideranging musical influences and eclectic mix of collaborators present on each cut, the sixteentrack album runs with remarkable coherence and fluidity. Bouncy, smooth, and irresistibly optimistic, Surf dares to rid listeners of any and all cynicism they possess. One of The Social Experiment’s greatest triumphs in crafting the album is their rare ability to promote selflove and individualism without ever reverting to sappiness or insincerity. Surf is characterized by a multitude of beautiful contradictions, as it is playful yet still serious in tone, musically complex yet effortlessly cool, and innovative yet saturated with retro influences. The bending of genres and expectations that occurs throughout the album’s hourlong run sets it apart from the previous hip hop releases of 2015. While Chance The Rapper is not the official frontman of The Social Experiment, he certainly plays a prominent role in the group’s dynamic. His lyrical acrobatics are the driving force behind the album, injecting boundless charm into the album and setting the tone on nearly every track. Off the success of his 2013 mixtape Acid Rap, Chance spent the past year and a half fielding offers from major and indie labels alike. He could have chosen to direct his career in a more profitable and glamorous direction, but he instead chose to continue making music on his own terms with the artists who inspire him the most. Surf serves as a testament to the power of collaboration and the prevalence of artistic integrity in underground hip hop’s current landscape. 5/5 Charlotte Freitag
Happy Mistakes (Unplugged) Heffron Drive TOLBooth Records
Thanks to Big Time Rush, Kendall Schmidt became a household name. But now, alongside Dustin Belt, Kendall has taken on a new musical project known as Heffron Drive. After releasing their debut album Happy Mistakes, the duo decided to recreate the album acoustically, producing it under Schmidt’s own label, TOLBooth Records. Happy Mistakes Unplugged is full of catchy acoustic hits that are not only perfect for a rainy day but also for sitting in traffic on a busy highway. The album is listed in the same order as its counterpart (Happy Mistakes) and includes almost all of the same songs, but instead of synthesizer and electronic beats, it was recorded with guitars and one vocal track. While Heffron Drive’s background lies in pop and electronic music, the acoustic album soared to the top of dozens of listeners’ Top 25 Most Played. One surprise to listeners was an appearance by Logan Henderson, one of Schmidt’s Big Time Rush bandmates. Schmidt previously revealed that there would be a surprise guest on the album and has even referred to the song as his favorite track to perform live. Easily a highlight on the album, the vocal harmonies work perfectly to break down the sound acoustically. The duo, with the help of Henderson, also performed the song at their album release party, much to the surprise of much of the fanbase. Belt not only performs outstandingly on the acoustic guitar, but also has the credits for the album’s art direction. Other highlights on Happy Mistakes Unplugged include “Art of Moving On,” “Nicotine,” and “Could You Be Home.” Although the tracks are broken down acoustically, Schmidt’s vocals stand out even more against the acoustic sound and are perhaps the highlight of the album. #BuyHappyMistakesUnplugged trended on Twitter from the amount of support the album got and every Twitter user knows that Twitter never lies. 5/5 – Addie Whelan Download: “Passing Time (Feat. Logan Henderson),” “Nicotine,” and “Art of Moving On”
Download: “Warm Enough”, “Familiar,” and “Sunday Candy”
Album Reviews
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Blurryface Twenty One Pilots Fueled By Ramen
It’s hard to categorize Twenty One Pilots. The duo does not quite fit into any one genre of music. Blurryface exemplifies this even more than their previous album, Vessel. A character known as Blurryface is a running theme, taking the title of the album as well as being mentioned in tracks “Stressed Out” and “Goner.” The album contains elements of multiple genres: pop, rock, and rap. Some songs feature ukulele, while some are more electronic. There is truly something on this album for everyone. Like Mumford and Sons? Listen to “We Don’t Believe What’s On TV.” Want the perfect song for a trip to the beach? Check out reggae-influenced “Ride” or “Lane Boy.” Blurryface is a cluster of many genres: while some may say it’s a hot mess, this blend of genres is really what makes Twenty One Pilots such a unique and innovative band. Twenty One Pilots is highly regarded for their lyrics, and Blurryface is no exception. A majority of the album talks about what Twenty One Pilots is known for —songs about fear, insecurities, anxiety, and feeling alone. These lyrics may be highly personal to lead singer Tyler Joseph, but the everyday fan can relate to the lyrics in a broader sense. In addition to his personal struggles, Tyler Joseph also wastes no time throwing shade at the music industry in “Lane Boy.” A first for the band is love song “Tear in My Heart”—written for Tyler’s wife, Jenna. Twenty One Pilots has a knack for taking a really upbeat melody, yet having lyrics that aren’t so. This is even acknowledged in the lyrics of “Not Today:” “I know this one’s a contradiction because of how happy it sounds, but the lyrics are so down.” It’s not everyday a band like Twenty One Pilots becomes successful— people don’t typically like things that they can’t quite label or wrap in a neat package. Twenty One Pilots is comparable to a really awesome, yet oddly shaped present that takes a little bit more creativity to wrap. 4.5/5 - Delaney DeAngelis
Wilder Mind Mumford & Sons Glassnote Records
It has been almost a whole three years since Mumford and Sons have graced the ears of listeners with new material. In May, the quartet released their latest effort, Wilder Mind. This album explores different sounds in a way that easily relates to previous albums, but still shows the growth the band has gone through. In previous albums, it was easy to say that Mumford and Sons were strictly a folk-rock group that would most likely be heard in a Starbucks somewhere; and while there are songs on this record like “Just Smoke” and “Cold Arms” that do reminisce back to earlier albums, most of the tracks are more upbeat and closer to being folk-pop. Songs like “The Wolf,” “Ditmas,” and the opening track, “Tompkins Square Park” really hint at a new direction for the group. The pop beats in these songs may broaden their horizon; maybe even cultivate a Top 40 audience. The band also showcases its unique talents in “Broad-Shoulder Beasts.” This haunting song incorporates their traditional folk sound infused with pop beats with some guitar to fill in the gaps. “Only Love” is a stand out song both lyrically and musically. It begins with a raw lone voice that will be sure to draw listeners in. Finally, the album closes with “Hot Gates” which features great harmonies and a Springsteen-esque sound that gives the album a sense of finality. Overall, Wilder Mind is a big step in the right direction for Mumford and Sons and is their best album yet. 4/5 - Lauren Klonowski Download: “Tompkins Square Park,” “The Wolf,” and “Broad-Shouldered Beasts.”
Download: “Stressed Out” “Hometown” “Not Today”
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Album Reviews
Beneath The Skin Of Monsters & Men Republic Records
In 2012, Of Monsters and Men released their debut album, My Head is An Animal. The album spurred two hit singles, “Little Talks” and “Mountain Sound.” Three years later, Of Monsters and Men are back with their second album, Beneath the Skin. Though Beneath the Skin shouldn’t be considered a sophomore slump, it is not a standout album compared to My Head is An Animal. Beneath the Skin is a lot like its predecessor. There is not a drastic change in musical or lyrical direction. While instrumentally the band has not necessarily changed, they clearly put a lot of work into the instrumentals. There are subtle sounds throughout the songs that really make the album, such as the baseline in “Slow Life” and the sound of wind in “Thousand Eyes.” The only noticeable difference between the two records is that the lyrics to this album seem to be a lot darker than the lyrics on My Head is An Animal. With Beneath the Skin, none of the songs really seem like they could make it as mainstream radio hits, especially to match the success of “Little Talks.” There is not a single bad song on the album, but none seem quite catchy enough for the radio. Beneath the Skin really does seem like an extension of My Head is an Animal. While there doesn’t seem to see much growth from the previous album, it’s still an enjoyable album that any new or old fan will enjoy. 3/5 - Delaney DeAngelis Dowload: “Wolves Without Teeth” and “Slow Life”
Multi-Love Unknown Mortal Orchestra Fat Possum Records
Some say that the psychedelic side of music may be rock music on drugs. But it has become so much more than that in 2015. Artists are using reflective lyrics, bluesy guitar riffs and creative production to develop the tools the greats invented. Portland band Unknown Mortal Orchestra has always been a group that has made waves in the psychedelic genre with their woozy and revivalist sounds. Their third LP Multi-Love, however, breaks away from the tones of their previous albums by kicking itself with a bouncy drumbeat and guitar work on the title track. Sure, the song itself discusses Ruban Nielson’s heartbreak and poly amorous love, but the grooviness of the synth drums and guitar make this song sound like happy psych-pop. Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s work in the past really centered around the guitar and production, but Multi-Love has a lot more surprises within, especially with the instrumentation. “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone” starts off with trumpets, there’s a great saxophone solo in the track “Extreme Wealth and Casual Cruelty,” and the backup voices in the track “The World Is Crowded” make it a soulful highlight. All of these songs could be great pop tunes, though the production work does go a bit harshly over Nielson’s voice at times and masks some of the great lyrical themes in MultiLove. The range from Nielson’s individual fears of heartbreak to some of our own societal fears like immigration and paranoia are all discussed in the songs “Puzzles” and “The World is Crowded.” Songs like these show a really reflective side to this psych-pop LP. But in use of the psychedelic woozy sounds used in producing this album, Nielson’s voice and lyrics are damped out as a sacrifice and these lyrics can feel as though they are background noise. But overall, one cannot deny that Ruban Nielson and his crew have created a heartfelt and joyous album. As this album does use quite a bit of production, seeing some of these songs played live would definitely be interesting. And that will be possible, as the band will be touring worldwide through November. 5/5 - Samuel Israel Download: “Can’t Keep Chekcing My Phone, “Extreme Wealth and Casual Cruelty,” and “Puzzles”
Album Reviews
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CARTEL Denver, Colorado Photos By Evan Olea
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Kodaline Photos and Words By Addie Whelan When the first thing a band comments to the audience is “you have really cool bathrooms here,” that has to be a sign that it’s going to be a great show. But when we had a chance to sit down with Kodaline, they had more than just bathroom compliments. If you’re unfamiliar with the name Kodaline, there are a few things that you need to know. First, the Irish band will do anything for good chicken wings. Second, they prefer tea over coffee, almost always. And three, their song “All I Want” was not only featured on the soundtrack to “The Fault in Our Stars,” but also topped the U.S. and U.K. charts. If this starts to ring a bell, you might be familiar with Steve Garrigan (vocals), Mark Prendergast (guitar), Jason Boland (bass) and Vinny May (drums). Together, they are Kodaline: a name adapted in 2011, the band is actually unsure of their own genre. “Are we alternative?” asked Prendergast when we sat down with him. “I think we are linguistic rock. We’re always stuck when we answer that question, because we always just say indie,” elaborated Garrigan. “Maybe like alternative indie.” When the band took the stage that surprisingly warm Minnesota night, their genre became apparent. If it was possible to push away the formal genres of “rock” and “pop,” Kodaline would be labeled as inspiring and thoughtful. Between songs about love and songs about war, on their most recent release Coming Up For Air, the band has written about almost everything. “Most of the time, when I write a song I’ll have 30 | Beyond The STage magazine
something in mind. It’s usually the inspiration. Sometimes its personal stuff, but sometimes just a concept I’ll write about. The One was written for a friend, but you can also just make up stuff. I think for the most part we write about personal experiences,” replied Garrigan when asked about their inspiration. Once their sophomore album came out, “The One” climbed quickly to U.S airplay, finding a top five spot on some of the biggest XM stations. The song also sparked numerous engagements at shows, even words of congratulations from the band to some of the audience members. But just when you think that “The One” is their favorite song to perform live, the band challenges that thought. Prendergast says, “My favorite song to [perform live] is Ready, it’s the opening song and it just feels really good.” But Garrigan disagrees, citing “Love Will Set You Free,” a song they wrote with Johnny McCaid of Snow Patrol. “Working with Johnny was cool because he [writes] for a living. He works with artists. We were in Malibu on the beach and I would say he brought out the best in us,” said Prendergast. Garrigan agreed adding “He made us feel really comfortable, and the fact that we got along so well meant that we were writing a song that never really would have happened for us. He’s a great guy.” Not only has the band worked with McCaid and other notable writers, but it was also confirmed earlier this year that Harry Styles of One Direction had written lyrics for a Kodaline song. The song is unreleased, but it did spark dozens
of rumors of whether or not Styles would be featured on the track. This wasn’t the first time the band saw a glimpse of pop culture and it certainly will not be the last. In May of 2014, Kodaline was touring the United States with their first album. Little to the bands’ knowledge, producers from the upcoming movie adaption of the book The Fault In Our Stars were in attendance. “[John Green], the guy that wrote the book actually pushed for [the song]” said Prendergast, “I think with the movie the song kind of went crazy.” “It was just something else,” agreed Garrigan, “It was crazy. All of the producers came to one of our shows in LA and we were given the book. I read bits of it. It’s a sad but great movie.” After the soundtrack album was released, “All I Want” rapidly moved to over 40 million plays on Spotify and was named BBC Radio 1’s Record of the week. British pop superstar Ellie Goulding even covered the song on SoundCloud— her cover reaching over 5 million plays, not including downloads. Numerous Kodaline songs have been featured in popular TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Catfish and The Vampire Diaries and “All I Want” was even selected to be the background music for Google’s 2012: Year in Review video. From this fame, Kodaline has sold out numerous tour dates, including performances at V Festival, T In The Park, and even Glastonbury. The Irish band has also participated in Record Store Day and has done numerous BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge covers. “We quite like doing that. With the Live Lounge you have to pick a song that is quite new, or on the Top 40 songs chart in the U.K. We like picking songs and mixing them with other songs. “Latch” [by Disclosure and Sam Smith] was really cool. That was fun and it’s a cool song. We definitely Beyond The STage magazine| 31
will do [Live Lounge] more in the future,” said Garrigan. But not only has Kodaline toured most of Europe and played festivals there, the band was recently on a North American tour that drew fans from all over the Canada and the United States. “The biggest thing we’ve noticed about our fans [in the United States] is that they queue up really early, like first thing in the morning. In the U.K. they don’t really tend to go until doors open,” explained Prendergast. An enthusiastic Garrigan agreed, “We love touring America so much more than touring Europe because every state is like its own country. It’s so much bigger. We’re in a different city every day. Last week we were driving in Canada in the middle of the night, and one of the guys spotted something in the sky and said, ‘what the hell is that?’ We got
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out, and it was the Northern Lights. Another time, we were driving to Chicago and we’re going through this field and there were fireflies just hovering everywhere.” When Kodaline took the stage, the crowd rushed forward to fill the space. Besides talking about The Varsity Theatre’s incredible, jungle-like bathrooms (which you can Google if you don’t believe us), the band played an incredible set. Fans swayed along with their significant others as “The One” rang through the venue’s space and cheered louder as the opening chords of “All I Want” began playing. Kodaline wouldn’t leave without a surprise: opener Gavin James was brought on stage for the band’s most popular song. A blend of harmonies instantly gave the audience chills, meaning that the show was successful, and one that the members of the crowd will remember for years to come.
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NOEL GALLAGHER’s High flying birds Cleveland, oh - june 2015 Photos By: Allison lanza
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Hope Vista Photos And Words By Charlotte Freitag
Hope Vista struts across the Williamsburg Bridge with a winning smile and enviable confidence. With heartshaped sunglasses covering her piercing blue eyes, she exudes the swagger of a bonafide celebrity while maintaining an inherent friendliness and approachability. The vivaciousness of her personality is apparent in the way she interacts with the pedestrians around her, aiming warm smiles in the direction of complete strangers and stopping to pose for goofy photos with her fans, or “hurBeyond The STage magazinE | 35
Center, where her mother was working on the 48th floor. During her teenage years, she was relentlessly harassed by bullies. Her most recent struggle is the loss of her father, to whom she dedicated a heartbreakingly stunning song entitled “To: Daddy.” Instead of letting heartbreak and depression debilitate her, Hope opted to turn her pain into art. The aforementioned traumatic experiences influence her work on a more profound level than merely providing songwriting material; they inspire her to use her music as a means of helping other people. She has worked closely with a charitable organization called Superbands, which is an initiative that utilizes the power of music to brighten the lives of people who suffer from depression. Hope Vista is bold and resilient, and the world is hers for the taking. We got a chance to chat with her career trajectory and her thrilling plans for the future. BTS: What sparked your interest in music? Hope: I first got into music when I was a baby. My dad was a classical musician, and I grew up seeing him constantly playing the guitar. There was sheet music all over the house. His passion for music inspired me, and I wanted to be just like him. BTS: How did you develop your sound? Hope: I grew up listening to classic rock, and Joan Jett was my absolute idol growing up; she’s still one of my favorite musicians to listen to and get inspired by. The rock aspect of my sound stems from that. I also just love electric guitar and those really heavy sounds; they have so much energy. I find a lot of inspiration in that as well. BTS: Where do you see yourself fitting into the current landscape of rock music? Hope: I spend a lot of time researching the industry, and I’ve found that there isn’t really a solo female rock musician out there anymore. There are a lot of femalefronted rock bands, but I would love to have the chance to solidify myself as a solo female rock musician. I hope to fit into that landscape as the one person who can break through as opposed to following a more typical path and being part of a femalefronted rock band.
ricanes,” as she likes to call them. As the sun sinks deep into the foggy Brooklyn skyline, Hope makes a conscious effort to enjoy every second of this ordinary Wednesday night. She is fascinated by the world around her, but she never allows it to overwhelm her. Despite having faced several hardships throughout her 21 years, the rock singer radiates a remarkable amount of positivity and determination. As a child, she was faced with the trauma of nearly losing a parent during the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade 36 | Beyond The STage magazinE
BTS: Moving forward with your career, how are you planning on handling representation? Hope: I was using the DIY model up until a year ago. I used to book everything for myself: shows, interviews, literally everything. Last year, as things started to grow, I realized that I couldn’t do it all by myself anymore. I really wanted to have some help in order to expand my horizons and see what I could do outside of my own little world. In terms of management, my manager has done so much for me. He’s been a really great adult figure in my
piece. BTS: Do you like working with other songwriters or do you prefer to write by yourself ? Hope: I used to absolutely hate writing with other people, because I like being able to tell complete stories in my own words. When I was writing with other people, I felt as if I wasn’t able to say everything I wanted to say; my work felt incomplete. This past winter, I wrote a song with two other people and they had more control than I did. The final product was great. That experience broadened my horizons a lot, and I’m slowly getting over my whole “writing everything by myself ” mentality. Working with other people opens your mind a lot and allows you to experience new things.
life. As far as labels are concerned, I would love to eventually get a record deal. That’s been a big goal of mine since I began making music. BTS: Where have you found more success, with live performances or digital media? Hope: I’ve definitely found more success with my live performances. That being said, my social media presence is very important. I spend a lot of time working on that, because I think it’s really important to build interactions with my followers. I don’t really like to call them “fans;” I prefer to call them “friends” because I really get to know those people and they come to my live shows and support me. The live shows are so much fun, and I always get a really great response to those. The energy is very high, and people gravitate towards that. I love getting to put on live shows and interact with my online listeners in real life. BTS: What does your songwriting process look like? Hope: I kind of do everything backwards. People always choose their title last, but I like to come up with a title first and build a concept around it. Once I have a title and a concept, I’ll start messing around on one of my guitars and record little melodies into a voice memo on my phone. I do it piece by
BTS: Can you tell us about your work with Superbands? Hope: I was approached by a fellow Rowan University graduate and she had asked me about getting involved with Superbands. She explained the concept to me, which is basically that music is always there for you, and if you’re in a dark place, you can always rely on your favorite bands to save you. I loved that idea because it promotes positivity and health in a way that I could really relate to. I’ve been through a lot, especially this past year, and whenever I turn on music, it’s like instant medication. I was the original face for the organization, and the girl that reached out to me designed my merchandise for a show in Philadelphia. We had a poster made with the Superbands logo on it and my picture. We were promoting the organization and spreading information about the site. We were promoting the idea of using music to help you instead of succumbing to depression. The organization actually approached me recently with some more ideas, and I’m very excited to continue working with them in the future. BTS: What other projects are on your horizon? Hope: This summer is going to be a busy one. There will definitely be regional shows in the Northeast, and there will be some new music coming out. We’re still working on the details, but a lot of work is getting done each and every day. BTS: Can you give us an idea of what your new music will sound like? Hope: The new music is going to sound like Hope, which is the best answer I can give. It’s taken me a lot of time to get access to the resources I need to create the music that I want to create. I haven’t had the proper resources that fit for me in the past, but withthe help of my manager, I’ve been able to contact people who can assist me in creating the music I want to create. I like being in the “pop punk” part of industry, because even though I’m not part of a pop punk band, I am a rockoriented artist and that’s the sound I want to cultivate. I want my music to be something people can dance to and jump to at shows, and I want them to be able to jump and sing along with me. It’s going to be very guitaroriented, upbeat, heavy, and just a lot of fun. I’m very excited about it. Beyond The STage magazinE | 37
Milo Greene Photos and Words By Taylor Cleek 38 | Beyond The STage magazine
It’s a cool evening in Cleveland, Ohio, but the downtown streets are red hot with energy. Thousands of people excitedly fill the streets, dressed in wine and gold, eager to cheer on the Cavaliers during game three of the NBA Finals. But amongst all of the madness, there’s a crowd lining up and waiting for something entirely different: Milo Greene. The California based five-piece has traveled across the country on their
headlining tour supported by Hey Marseilles. As local openers Midnight Passenger began to soundcheck, Beyond The Stage had the chance to chat with members Graham Fink, Marlana Sheetz, and Robbie Arnett in the corner of a nearby sports bar. “I don’t know how many people know who we are in Cleveland just yet,” Fink said when asked about being so far from
home. “But it’s fun. This tour has been a lot of smaller markets that we’ve only played once or not at all. We started the tour in Montana, and having 120 people come to a show in the middle of Montana is a good feeling.” Milo Greene isn’t a stranger to crowds as of late, having just recently wrapped a tour supporting Foster the People. “[The Foster The People tour] was awesome. I wish we could have toured with them Beyond The STage magazine | 39
longer,” said Marlana Sheetz. Fink added, “Their fan base is super rabid. They’re receptive, they’re energized, which is always fun. It’s a fun type of crowd to get to play for.” The band certainly is multi-talented; all five members of Milo Greene sing on their latest record, Control (released this past January), as well as play a multitude of instruments. We wondered, is there a strategy to that, or is it organic? Fink answered, “Organic, for sure. We’re all writers and that’s the nature of the band. As far as changing instruments, every time we finish songs and start to rehearse them it’s just passing things around until it starts to feel right. We’re all naturally guitarists, so bass is something we all take turns filling in on. I think we all enjoy having our little moment to hold down the rhythm section.” As for the songwriting process, “It’s a little bit of everything. Every song is different. A lot of them, one person would have started and everybody else chipped in on. Some of them, we start together and each add different things. It’s always different.” The band’s latest record is a step in a somewhat different direction. Control is more upbeat, easier to dance to, and as seen later that night at the dimly-lit Grog Shop; a lot of fun to sing along to. When asked about what inspired the departure from their earlier folk-inspired sound, Sheetz said, “Probably being classified as a folk band,” she laughs. “We never really want to be pigeon holed, and I think we just wanted to do something different. Every band should strive for something different, otherwise you’re just putting out the same album every time.” Arnett added, “I think it was a pretty natural evolution. When we first started the band, a lot of the refer-
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ences were more in line with this album as far as who we were influenced by and who we were listening to. I think the folk element of the first album had a lot to do with where we were writing and recording the record. We were doing a lot of it in rural areas. We did the majority of the recording in Washington state, which is very…” “Woodsy. Secluded,” finished Sheetz. “And the new record was done in LA, and has a very urban feeling… gritty. I think we are very influenced by our surroundings.” Milo Greene’s sound is self-described as “cinematic pop,” and one of the band’s big goals is to score a film someday, as the band is inspired by certain filmmakers. “Sean Durkin, Terrence Malick, anything dark and disturbing,” said Sheetz. “Carax, Kubrick, Hitchcock. We’re all big movie fans and have a pretty wide spectrum of things we appreciate,” Fink included. But with their second full length record now in Milo Greene’s rearview mirror, what’s next for the band? “We’re still touring a lot on this record, through this summer and the early fall. We’ll probably start writing again when we have the time, but we’re trying to ride out this album and keep turning people onto it. We’re playing ACL [Austin City Limits], Firefly, a handful of festivals. So we’re just going to keep touring and enjoy the festival season,” said Fink. Sheetz added, “It’s a little confusing. It’s stressful. It’s exciting. It’s every emotion you can think of. There really is no prediction. We don’t really have any idea what’s going to happen. We really don’t.” Control is now available everywhere, and Milo Greene can be found all throughout the US on their current tour.
Gavin James Minneapolis, Mn - May 2015 Photos By: Addie whelan
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Big sean - Soundset festival Minneapolis, Mn - May 2015 Photo By: Gabi talisman
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Playlist: Summer Songs We asked our staff for their favorite summer songs. here are just a feW. catch the full list on our spotify @btspress Beautiful Now (feat. Jon Bellion) – Zedd Upper Echelon – Travi$ Scott California Roll – Snoop Dogg & Pharrell Fly - Sugar Ray Never Let You Go – Third Eye Blind Running Behind – Holychild Flowers In Your Hair – The Lumineers Miles Away – The Maine Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People F*cked Up – Young Rising Sons The Judge – Twenty One Pilots Octa Hate – Ryn Weaver Be Okay – Oh Honey Karaoke – Smallpools Turnin – Young Rising Songs Mountain Sound – Of Monsters & Men Make Out – Rixton Parallel – Heffron Drive
Coldplay 2012- Photo By Addie Whelan
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Photo By Chelsea Blackman