Emmie Spring 2016

DAVID BOWIE BLACK SABBATH LIZZO CLOUD CULT

emmie magazine

COVER ART BY SHELBY KAHR

DEAR EMMIE READER, When I joined Emmie back in 2012, Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” was #1 on the Billboard charts. Apple had just released the iPhone 5 & “Gangham Style” was on every radio station imaginable. I wandered into my first Emmie meeting at Union South, bright-eyed and hopeful, having no idea this club would become such a huge part of my future.

Over the past four years, Emmie gave me the opportunity to attend concerts, critically review music and fine-tune my graphic design skills. But, more importantly, it gave me the opportunity to meet a whole crew of friends who love music as much as I do.

Therefore, this issue of Emmie, filled with passionate reviews and fresh feature articles, is dedicated to all the past & present staff members who have made writing & designing for this publication a tremendous privilege.

Forever Young,

Abbey Schneider Editor-in-Chief, 2015-16

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PHOTO FROM STAR TRIBUNE

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ABBEY SCHNEIDER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LAYOUT DESIGNER LUIS RODRIGUEZ MANAGING EDITOR SOCIAL MEDIA MORGAN HAEFNER DEPUTY EDITOR SHELBY KAHR LAYOUT ILLUSTRATOR KAREN FUCINATO LAYOUT DESIGNER

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FEATURES

PLAYLIST WMRC & RARE PLANT ANTI HOROSCOPES DREAM COLLABORATIONS REPRESENTATION IN MUSIC DAVID BOWIE WE REMEMBER

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SHOWS DAVINA & THE VAGABONDS HOODIE ALLEN LIZZO BLACK SABBATH SLAYER JOJO W HOZIER COHEED & CAMBRIA

ALBUMS ANTI & 99 CENTS NOT TO DISAPPEAR & DON’T YOU I LIKE IT WHEN YOU SLEEP & GOOD GRIEF MOTH & THIS IS ACTING CARDINAL & MAJID JORDAN STANDARDS POOL & EVERYTHING THIS WAY MALIBU

SHAYE GRAVES EDITOR STACI CONOCCHIOLI EDITOR MIA SATO EDITOR JAMES STRELOW EDITOR

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playlists Memorial Union’s On Fire

Middle school valentines

Stayin’ Alive (132 BPM Remix) 3 Boys

Don’t Matter Akon

Burnin’ Up Jonas Brothers

Buy U a Drank T-Pain, Yung Joc

Burn Up the Dance Dillon Francis, Skrillex

18 One Direction

Fireman Frankie Cosmos

I’ll Be Edwin McCain

Smokin & Drinkin Danny Brown

Hero Enrique Inglesias

Fire Burning Sean Kingston

Sk8er Boi Avril Lavigne

Lit Like Bid Rae Sremmurd

Grillz Nelly, Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp

Ring of Fire Johnny Cash

Obsessed with You The Orion Experience

Burning Down the House Talking Heads

Closer Ne-Yo

Fireball Pitbull, John Ryan

Kids In Love Mayday Parade

Temperature Sean Paul

I’m with You Avril Lavigne

i tried to Juke this song at plaza tavern It Wasn’t Me Shaggy, Ricardo Ducent Dear Maria, Count Me In All Time Low

DOUBLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES

DOUBLE DIGITS IN THE Soak Up the Sun Sheryl Crow MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY Hot in Here Crib

Brown Eyed Girl Van Morrison

Janglin Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

I Don’t Want To Go To School Naked Brothers Band

Siri, Open Tinder Childbirth

Leaving on a Jet Plane John Denver

Here Comes The Sun The Beatles

Party Like a Rock Star Shop Boyz

Holiday Vampire Weekend

Somebody Told Me The Killers

Steal My Sunshine Len

Trap Queen Fetty Wap

Warm SG Lewis

I Want Candy Aaron Carter

The Warming Sun Grandaddy

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GETS BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM ITS FRIENDS

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n a local band? DIY isn’t the only way to get your music noticed. Local companies like Williamson Magnetic Recording Company and Rare Plant have been hard at work pushing and supporting the careers of many local artists. In the past year, these two local music companies have helped the local Madison music scene in more ways than one.

Williamson Magnetic Recording Company, located in East Madison, allows for bands, both local and not, to affordably record full-analog tracks. Started by Tessa Echeverria and Mark Haines, this recording company also provides a space for both practicing and rehearsing. Because Echeverria and Haines both have experience with working in the world of music, it allows for a resourceful, beneficial, and welcoming space to be present for the musicians within the Madison community.

Since its opening in November 2015, Williamson Magnetic Recording Company has provided a venue for a variety of touring and local bands. This new space is an all-age, all-inclusive venue that has hosted bands such as Free Cake for Every Creature, Modern Mod, Dashounds and the Pollinators. Williamson Magnetic Recording Company is a safe space for local musicians and music lovers of all varieties.

Although they don’t provide a venue, Rare Plant, a small tape label based out of Madison, has been a great

promoter and supporter of local music. Created by Erick Fruehling and Claire Nelson-Lifson, Rare Plant has been responsible for countless tape releases and showcases highlighting the exceptional talent from around Madison.

Since the first release, “The Trouble With The World Is Me,” by Automatically Yours in Summer 2015, Rare Plant has been steadily delivering exciting releases from an assortment of local bands. The first Rare Plant Showcase served as the tape release for Proud Parents and Dumb Vision and featured Wood Chickens, Cave Curse, The Minotaurs and Tarpaulin, all of which are bands based in Madison.

While a few months have passed since the January 8 showcase, the next Rare Plant Showcase will sure be worth the wait. It will feature local bands the Momotaros, the Tea Heads, Trophy Dad and Brooklyn-based band Howardian, all of whom have releases from the label. Releases from Rare Plant can be found online and as well as in MadCity Music Exchange which is located on Willy Street.

With great local resources like Williamson Magnetic Recording Company and Rare Plant available, it is possible for countless local bands to begin to work with others in the recording, booking, and performing aspects of the music industry. As these companies continue to grow, they will continue to work with local artists; making sure the Madison music scene prospers. abby SHERMAN

RIHANNA’S ANTI

ARIES

HOROSCOPES

LEO

MARCH 21-APRIL 19

JULY 23-AUG. 22

DESPERADO

WORK

“ I CAN BE A LONE WOLF WITH YA”

“ I MEAN WHO AM I TO HOLD YOUR PAST AGAINST YOU?”

TAURUS

APRIL 20-MAY 20

“JUST SAY NOW, I’M COMING RIGHT NOW, VERY CLOSE TO YOU”

“TWO SIDES OF ME CAN’T AGREE”

CANCER

JUNE 21-JULY 22

NEVER ENDING “IT’S PULLING ME APART THIS TIME”

NEEDED ME

SEPT. 23-OCT. 22

SAME OL’ MISTAKES

“ I GOTTA DO THINGS MY OWN WAY DARLING”

KISS IT BETTER

LIBRA

MAY 21-JUNE 20

CONSIDERATION

CAPRICORN

“ TELL ME WHAT YOU’RE WILLING TO DO”

GEMINI

NOV. 22- DEC. 21

VIRGO

AUG. 23-SEPT. 22

CLOSE TO YOU

SAGITTARIUS

DEC. 22- JAN. 19

“DIDN’T THEY TELL YOU THAT I WAS A SAVAGE?”

AQUARIUS JAN. 20-FEB. 18

HIGHER

YEAH, I SAID IT

“THIS WHISKEY’S GOT ME FEELING PRETTY”

“TAKE IT HOME ON YOUR CAMERA PHONE”

SCORPIO

OCT. 23-NOV. 21

WOO “ LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU’RE READY TO BLEED”

PISCES

FEB. 19-MARCH 20

LOVE ON THE BRAIN “ I RUN FOR MILES JUST TO GET A TASTE”

mia SATO

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TH AT NE ED TO HA PP EN SAM SMITH AND ADELE

MADONNA AND DRAKE

Two excellent vocalists, the king and queen of adult contemporary seem to be a perfect fit for a collaboration. After Smith’s performance fail on the Oscars and Adele’s slightly-less-but-still-fail Grammy performance, the likelihood of a successful collaboration between the two seems more real than ever. But would a upbeat and powerful “Set Fire to the Rain” or downtempo “Stay with Me” be the right direction to go in?

After their somewhat creepy makeout sesh in spring 2015, it would be quite intriguing to see the two on a track. Rumors of them collaborating have surfaced, but it’s only speculation until it really happens!

BEYONCE AND RIHANNA One of the most infamous fan-made rivalries, these two R&B goddesses are more than overdue for a collaboration. Having competed in the same market for well over a decade now, a collaboration between the two could go almost anywhere – a sexy, slowmoving “Partition” or “What’s My Name,” an upbeat, anthemic, girl-power “Run The World (Girls)” or “Only Girl (In The World)” or even a sweeping ballad a la “Halo” or “Stay” – girls, make it happen.

NICKI MINAJ AND MISSY ELLIOTT Less-than-arguably the two top female rappers (commercially, at least) in the game at this moment in time, the two have never met on a track. The two have showed love to each other in the past – but have yet to meet on a track. A hip hop banger with a visually stunning music video is something both of these ladies are capable of. We think it’d be fire.

LADY GAGA AND KESHA After the two had previously battled for the pop queen crown back in 2010, this relationship has blossomed in 2016: the two divas have become great friends this year due to the #FreeKesha legal battle and have similar goals regarding the handling of sexual assault. They’ve also always made uplifting music to encourage their fans to be themselves unapologetically. We think their songwriting meeting in the middle would result in an empowering smash.

TAYLOR SWIFT AND CALVIN HARRIS Now that Taylor has taken pop full-on, it’s only a matter of time before her and her beau collaborate on a surefire club-ready banger… right? collin KIRK

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AND BRUNO MARS These might just be the most respected male vocalists of our generation, dabbling in R&B and pop from time to time, and both have some great dance skills. The only issue might be the differences in height (Bruno is just over 5 feet tall and JT is just over 6 feet tall) but it could be a cute big-and-little brother type situation at the very least! With all the classics and versatility between the two, it’s no doubt they’d have great chemistry on a duet.

PHOTOS FROM DEVIANT ART

MU SIC , W HE N YO U ’R E A W O M A N O F COLOR

PHOTOS FROM MITSKI’S YOUTUBE & DEADOCEANS.COM

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I

t wasn’t until I was 20 that I saw someone who looked like me playing music on a stage. Until then, the vast majority of shows I had been to or television performances I’d seen had been dominated by white musicians, especially men, with the occasional person of color getting the spotlight. But until last year, I had never seen an Asian woman in front of me, captivating and silencing an audience the way I’d seen so many people do who didn’t look a thing like me.

“IT WASN’T UNTIL I WAS 20 THAT I SAW SOMEONE WHO LOOKED LIKE ME PLAYING MUSIC ON STAGE.”

MITSKI

When I saw Mitski, the mastermind behind the acclaimed what other souls face, we don’t know how they feel, and we 2014 album Bury Me at Makeout Creek, who also happens to won’t truly ever be able to because we are all so different in be Japanese American (like myself), perform, I realized what so many fantastic ways. We just have to believe each other, in my relationship with music had been lacking for so many the experiences each of us say have shaped us. years. It’s easy to forget who’s making your music when you’re listening to it without having to be face-to-face with just how I wasn’t emotional just for the way Mitski’s show had moved different your world is to the artist’s — you hear your own me personally. I looked around the room and there were other experiences in their words, you project your experiences onto girls and women the shoutout also probably impacted — other what they’re singing about. That’s one of the beautiful things women of color that most likely felt similar emotions as I did about music, but it’s still a lie. (but again, not the same). The shared Who the musician is very much experience we had that night was informs who they’re singing entirely unique and more meaningful “FINALLY, I SAW WHAT about and who they’re singing than any concert I have ever been to.

MUSIC THAT INTIMATELY for, and after seeing Mitski, a sobering reality overcame me Representation matters, not just RESONATES WITH YOU — until that moment, nobody in music but in every other field as LOOKS LIKE, AND LOOKING had so explicitly told me well. When a consumer, a listener, a they were making music for student, a voter can see themselves AT HER, IT LOOKED me, with similar experiences reflected in the institutions and SO MUCH driving their art. systems that drive our world, it LIKE MYSELF.” matters to them. It matters to me. As Towards the end of the show, a woman, I get a lot of single-strained, Mitski revealed she would contrived representation in pop be playing a new, unreleased culture and pop music of what I am song (since released as “Your Best American Girl”). Before supposed to identify with and who I am supposed to be; when beginning, she proclaimed it was dedicated to “all the nonsomeone comes along who genuinely looks like me, feels white girls here tonight.” Some audience members cheered, some things that same way as me, and is willing to speak to some fell silent. Others talked over her as she tried to explain me and for me where appropriate, it is moving, inspiring, full a bit more, to which she responded by saying, “That doesn’t of strength and hope and love. It’s essential that we support mean the rest of you get to talk through it.” artists who represent the very wide range of people that exist in the world, and that there isn’t just one image of what a This moment was profoundly impactful for me. I cried musician looks like. through the song as she sang things I have never been told from someone in the position of power a musician often After the show, I bought Mitski’s record and had the pleasure is — “You’re the sun, you’ve never seen the night/ But you of talking with her for a moment to express how much her hear its song from the morning bird.” Knowing these words music and her presence meant to me. She signed it in Japanese were being delivered for me, for my experiences and pains rather than English, and I’d like to think that in that moment and hardships I’ve faced due to my identity as a woman of we connected with an openness and sincerity that didn’t need color, empowered me in a way that vague pop songs lacking words. Finally, I saw what music that intimately resonates nuance and preaching self-love could never. Although we with you looks like, and looking at her, it looked so much like can all relate and empathize with basic human experiences myself. and emotions, some things are different. At certain points, it’s necessary to accept and acknowledge that we don’t know mia SATO

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DAVID BOWIE’S LEGACY artwork by shelby kahr

1947-2016

M

y first introduction to David Bowie came from a forlorn love mixtape from my brother’s high school girlfriend. The song was “Life on Mars” and its heart-clenching melody punched my 12-year-old psyche as I secretly listened amidst the dirty socks and teenage boy stench of my brother’s room. The meaning and lyrics were indecipherable to me at the time, but the music itself carried its own message instrumentally. It struck me cold and I’ve been smitten with Bowie ever since.

Throughout the torments of puberty, I found solace with my art-kid weirdness through the music of David Bowie. He stood for those who felt marginalized and those for whom questions of identity have no easy answers. You could project into his work your hopes and sadness and find empathy in those chapters of his work that spoke to you. That such a space oddity as David Bowie could have offered a sense of belonging to so many people speaks to how common this alien feeling really is. A lyric like, “Oh no love, you’re not alone…I’ve had my share, I’ll help you with the pain,” is overwhelmingly comfortable to the any outcast kid caught within the weighing

identity crises of adolescence. Never mind being “weird” or “different,” Bowie made me more OK with secret stupidity of simply being alive.

Above all, Bowie taught me how to be an artist. He stood defiantly in opposition to aesthetic purity and explored the interdisciplinary nature of expression through his work in film, theater, art and music. On stage, he blended avantgarde performance art with rugged rock ‘n’ roll, creating gender-bending personas that defied cultural norms. Bowie was anything he wanted to be, and no matter how much comfort success brought him, he never stopped searching for something new.

The thought that David Bowie could die had never really occurred to me. His death in January of this year, age 69, shocked the world and myself, coinciding with the release of his morbidly symbolic final album, Black Star. But through this last artistic effort, Bowie proves the resounding immortality of his music and that even among the stars, he will live on within the pulses of his rebelling legacy. shelby KAHR

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We Remember Natalie Cole

Lemmy Kilmister

The art of picking the perfect song to wrap up a movie isn’t easy, but with Natalie Cole in the world, it was much easier. “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” graces the ending scene of dozens of romantic comedies. This, and more, encapsulates what Natalie Cole has brought into the world; happiness and love. The daughter of the great Nat King Cole paved her own way in the musical world.

Varying from soul to r&b to pop, the singer received nine Grammy Awards throughout her successful career.

Her happy smile and soothing voice will be remembered for ages.

Lemmy is the image of heavy metal. Having spent time in his youth exploring more psychedelic musical themes and working briefly as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix, Lemmy decided to take it back to the traditional metal style. Fast, hard-hitting, and energetic are just a few words that can describe Motörhead, the band that he formed and led. Many recognize their timeless hit, “Ace of Spades,” but Lemmy gave much more to the metal world than just that. His music laid foundation for genres such as thrash metal that is still inspiration for many musicians today.

Maurice White

Glenn Frey

Known primarily as the founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, Maurice White conceived one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed funk bands of all time. Although only contributing vocally to a couple tracks, White was the glue of the entire band. He was bandleader, songwriter, drummer, and kalimba player throughout his career. His innovativeness has helped Earth, Wind & Fire maintain relevance in the post-disco era. “September,” “Shining Star” and “Let’s Groove” are all hits that even today can get people off their seats and on the dance floor.

Although Glenn Frey grew up in the midwest, he tended to lean towards the California country-folk style that provided easy listening songs for any day. Frey was a member of the Eagles, one of the most successful bands of the 70s, and often split the lead vocals with other popular member Don Henley.

With the group, he won six Grammy awards and recorded five number-one singles. A major factor to the group’s success was Frey’s songwriting and soothing acoustic-accompanied vocals (who hasn’t sung along to “Hotel California?”). In fact, Glenn Frey himself completely dominated the airways for almost an entire decade. chris KAISER & katie THEIN

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SHO REVI

OW EWS

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davina and the vagabonds jazz up the majestiC

f you weren’t in love when you walked into the Majestic Theater on Valentine’s Day this year, you were when you walked out. Although the general audience seemed to land in the 50-year-old age range, Davina and the Vagabond’s timeless act would appeal to anyone interested in a night of both audio and visual extravagance. If their raw musical talent was not enough to make you dance and swear you were born in “the wrong time period,” their high-energy performance and polished appearance would do the trick. For two hours on February 14, the Majestic Theater transformed itself to a 1920s speakeasy and landed in presence of five musicians who, alone, had the talent of an entire 12-piece jazz band.

Leading the quintet with her show-stopping vocals and tremendous piano playing, Davina Sowers left the audience with more than just a concert — she left them with an experience. Her unique musical style and energetic, yet composed stage presence was only augmented by her

musical “vagabonds,” Dan Eikmeier (Trumpet/Vocals), Ben Link (Trombone/Vocals), Connor McRae (Drums/Vocals) and Matt Blake (Upright Bass). Eikmeier, claiming Wisconsin as his home state, promptly played a few lines from “On Wisconsin!” when introduced, just adding some Midwest flavor to their New Orleans’ charm. The four men, dressed in suits, graced the concert venue with booming, yet playful vocals and incredible solos.

Davina, wearing a beautiful long-sleeved black dress and festive headpiece, moved the audience by belting out both original and cover songs as she moved her hands faster and faster up and down her keyboard than humanly possible. Notably, Davina’s piano solo in “Lipstick and Chrome” off the 2011 album, Black Cloud, mesmerized the audience as they sang along, “Nothing could go wrong.” As the trumpets and trombones had a musical conversation, the drums and bass held the beat down like the sober friends that lend a hand to their drunk roommate on a slippery sidewalk. However, when it was time for a solo, McRae (nicknamed “Chops”) and Blake absolutely tore up the stage with roaring tenacity.

Other favorites of the night included the romantic “Sugar Moon,” another original off Black Cloud and “I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water” off their 2014 album, Sunshine. However, with a voice like Davina’s the band made sure to pay tribute to the jazz greats — including Louis Armstrong —­­by playing, quite possibly, the most soulful and energetic rendition of “St. James Infirmary Blues” the Majestic’s stage has ever experienced.

Overall, being quite possibly the youngest person at the concert by 30 (or so) years opened my eyes to the fact that Davina and the Vagabonds have the talent to captivate audiences that are literally decades apart in age. Whether it’s a testament to their fantastic stage presence, badass solos, intriguing swagger or witty lyrics, one thing is for sure — My parents are cooler than me for discovering Davina and The Vagabonds first. abbey SCHNEIDER PHOTOS FROM WIKIMEDIA

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PHOTO BY MORGAN JAMESON

O

hoodie allen excites the oRPHeum

f all the concerts I have been to over the years, I have never witnessed a girl throw her bra on stage. That changed the night of February 28, at the Orpheum Theater in Madison, WI. Blame it on spring fever or alcohol consumption, but I think it was hip-hop artist Hoodie Allen that had the ladies in a frenzy. From his upbeat tracks and fresh dance moves to his earnest dialogue, Hoodie is quite the charismatic performer, a quality that apparently makes girls take their undergarments off. After that first bra fell to Hoodie’s feet, it was a free for all. I think one girl even launched her little lacy thing off the balcony. Although I didn’t feel the same urge to expose myself, I did get a kick out of Hoodie’s freestyling that followed one bra’s brusque landing at his feet. It went something like, “it’s a 32-C, maybe a 32-D, FUCK YEAH!” Hoodie opened the show with “Remind Me Of,” a downto-earth jam off his 2016 album, Happy Camper. In no time, the crowd was dancing and reciting lyrics. His feelgood music is fun and relatable to the young demographic he caters to. The energy in the room grew with each passing song and peaked when Hoodie performed songs off his first album, All American. Special renditions of Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself,” blink-182’s “What’s My Age Again?” and Twenty One Pilots’ “Stressed Out” also sent waves of excitement through the Orpheum.

The 5’9” 27-year-old engaged in an abundance of crowd interaction. Hoodie spoke to fans as if they were his friends.

He made the room laugh with self-deprecating short jokes and penis humor. He invited out-of-towners backstage for drinks, crowd surfed and even flipped the room so that the fans in back could be front row. Grinning ear-to-ear with thoughtfulness and appreciation, it was clear to see that Hoodie is living out his dream.

There is definitely something to be said about independent artists. Without a record label backing him up, Hoodie is a selfmade success. A Google employee turned full-time musician, Hoodie Allen is perfect for showcasing how passion and hard work goes a long way. His genuine demeanor was a breath of fresh air. It was nice to witness some optimism in an industry that is cluttered with bad attitudes. I find that Hoodie’s songs frequently center around ideas of past, present and future.

Messages of learning from where you’ve been, living life for today and aspiring higher exemplifies how much he has already accomplished and how he is still growing artistically.

Overall, Hoodie Allen can rest happy (atop his pile of bras) knowing he turned an ordinary Sunday night in Madison into a celebration of life and music that left everyone in attendance with a smile on their face. ashley MACKENS

LIZZO H ailing from Minneapolis, Minn., hip-hop artist Lizzo crossed the state line and stepped onto the stage at the Majestic on Friday, February 19, never looking back.

called “One D” that she said, “is the only it time we’re doing this on tour. It’s about my Mom and Dad.” Lizzo’s self-love and authenticity encouraged, even dared others to harness the same kind of confidence and self-esteem she and her back up dancers — “The Big Grrrls” — carried high on their shoulders. She asked the crowd what they knew about loving themselves, and she smiled when they all screamed.

“How ya’ll doing?” she asked, receiving volumes of shouts and cheers. But the screams drowned into the background when Lizzo broke into “Ain’t I,” exploding with an energy that failed to cease throughout the show.

She fed on the zeal the crowd gave her and blasted into “Ride,” a funky hit reminiscent of taking to the road on a “You are loved,” she told everyone, and launched into night out. The party, it was the ballad “En Love,” a song apparent, had officially chalked full of genuine LizzoLIZZO’S SELF-LOVE AND begun. ness. “I think I’m in love – with AUTHENTICITY ENCOURAGED, myself!” Lizzo belted, and the As the song ended, Lizzo crowd roared.

EVEN DARED OTHERS lifted her mic and formally TO HARNESS THE SAME KIND OF greeted the crowd: Emotions were intensified CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM “Madison, we goin’ up!” she when Lizzo spoke about SHE AND HER BACK UP DANCERS yelled. It was apparent she the rough day she had. Her was simultaneously stoked sincerity rang aloud. “But as CARRIED HIGH ON THEIR and grateful to be playing soon as I’m in front of you, it’s SHOULDERS. in Madison. As if following all washed away though. This the track list on her 2015 is everything. This is the best album Big Grrrl Small World, Lizzo flowed from “Ride” energy. It’s transformative. It’s true love.” into “Humanize,” a song she dropped a music video for only a month prior.

She then dove into arguably her most emotional piece, “My Skin,” a tribute to her brown skin and, ultimately, “I try, I try to try, and see the love through human eyes,” her identity. The song is demonstrative of both Lizzo’s Lizzo sang, the lyrics bouncing through and sinking into musical genius and her ability to be no one other than the crowd. herself.

“Madison, ya’ll number one!” Lizzo shouted after, and launched into “Paris,” one of her signature hits. She was surprised everyone knew all the words, and expressed how amazed she was by her fans. She then dropped the beat with “Bother Me,” piggybacked by “B.G.S.W.” At this point, if one was not already “down,” they sure as hell “got down.”

But it would be wrong for Lizzo not to leave the crowd bobbin’ their heads crazy. She cranked it up with “Faded,” before whipping out a flute and playing a solo like it was the most natural act in the world. She then stepped off the stage, Big Grrrls in tow. No one wanted the show to end, and chanted “Lizzo” until she came back smiling, diving into one of her old hits, “Batches and Cookies.”

It wasn’t hard to lose one’s self in the presence of Lizzo — or rather, become more comfortable with being completely one’s self. She was openly emotional and real, telling her fans how the lows in her life were the reason she is where she is at now. She even played a song

Beaming, she looked out to the crowd and yelled, “I can’t wait to come back, baby!”

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Madison can’t wait to have you back either, Lizzo. morgan HAEFNER

R E H T GA S D W CRO in thousands to o t e g a m o h y a P Black Sabbath

A

single bell tolls in the distant darkness, calling witches to a Sabbath, as claps of thunder echo through the desolate hills and the sky slowly cries acid rain onto the towns below. Seemingly out of nowhere, the behemoth three-note riff that birthed a genre shakes the musical landscape and sends hippies scrambling for shelter.

I speak, of course, of the godfathers and inventors of heavy metal, Black Sabbath. The band’s eponymous debut dropped on Friday the 13th in February, 1970 and created a never-before-heard genre of music. Bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Blue Cheer had hinted at themes of heavy metal previously, but Black Sabbath was the first group to fully embrace and incorporate the macabre imagery, lyrical content and heavier-than-life blues derived riffs delivered by Tony Iommi. It is well known that Iommi lost the tips of his fingers on his fretting hand in a factory accident, leading to him downtuning his guitar so it was easier to play. This effect generated a sound that set the standard for essentially every metal band that would follow in Sabbath’s footsteps.

Since then, Black Sabbath began what would become a prolific career, marked by fame, debauchery, drug abuse and a number of lineup changes, with the most famous being the departure of vocalist Ozzy Osbourne and the arrival of metal giant Ronnie James Dio. Sabbath recently reunited, minus drummer Bill Ward, to record a well-received album entitled 13 in 2013. Unfortunately, Iommi was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2012 which drastically altered his life in and out of Black Sabbath. Citing issues associated with the condition, Sabbath announced their final tour, dubbed “The End” in which they would tour the world one final time before calling it quits.

I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Chicago, where Black Sabbath played the second show of their North American tour, at a completely packed United Center.

Despite the original three band members all approaching 70 years old, they were all lively and engaging as ever and still displayed competent musical prowess while Ozzy’s solo ran around the stage as if he was 25. Ozzy solo drummer, Tommy Clufetos, filled in for Bill Ward who had a well-publicized spat with Ozzy and bassist Geezer Butler

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regarding Ward’s financial compensation and physical ability to complete the tour. A final tour of the original four lineup would have been more than ideal, but the close to 20,000 people that filled the United Center seemed not to mind that only three quarters of the band was present.

The majority of the crowd was filled mostly with older fans who could afford the steep ticket prices to attend the show.

The show began with Ozzy posing the haunting question, “What is this that stands before me?/ Figure in black which points at me,” a line from the opening song of the debut album Black Sabbath. He then told a of a demonic figure that came to Geezer in a dream to collect a 16 century book of black magic he received from Ozzy. The band played a close to 90-minute set stocked full of their staples featuring most of the album Paranoid with “War Pigs,” “Fairies Wear Boots” and “Iron Man” as well as other classics such as the ode to cocaine “Snowblind” and the Lovecraft influenced “Behind the Wall of Sleep.” Geezer delivered a funk-heavy bass solo on “N.I.B.” along with the bass-tastic “Hand of Doom,” which hadn’t been played on a tour since 1978. Deep cuts “After Forever” and “Under the Sun/ Every Day Comes and Goes” were a pleasant surprise to hear featured in the set list as they had not been played live for a number of years. The set also included the single “God is Dead?” off the most recent album 13. Drummer Tommy Clufetos delivered a lengthy, blistering drum solo on the instrumental “Rat Salad” that was reminiscent of Bill Ward’s style but dragged on a bit long. Clufetos no doubt played an excellent solo, but I was there to see the performance of Black Sabbath, not a session musician.

However, from atop his elevated drum throne, Clufetos faithfully replicated the intricacies of the jazz-heavy stylings of Bill Ward that sounded similar to Ward’s early days with Sabbath.

Despite an aging band, I was thoroughly impressed with the performance Black Sabbath gave, especially on the second show of the entire tour. Ozzy’s vocal delivery left a bit to be desired, but he playfully interacted with the audience, telling anecdotes about the band’s history and encouraging participation with cries of “FUCKIN’ LOUDA!!” in his thick English accent. If I had one request, it would have been that the band could have delved deeper into their catalog and played more songs that haven’t been frequently featured on tour.

Following the encore, “Children of the Grave,” which featured superb pyrotechnics and apocalyptic animations of death and destruction, the band took center stage to an intensely applauding crowd and took a collective bow while the words “THE END” were boldly displayed on the screen behind, reminding the audience that this will likely be the last time they will have the opportunity to see Sabbath live. It was sad to hear that Black Sabbath would finally be calling it quits, but I’m glad I got the opportunity to make the pilgrimage to pay homage to the godfathers of heavy metal. james STRELOW

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artwork, a depiction of Jesus Christ crying blood alongside et me begin by saying that the arrival of the an impaled seraphim surrounded by a lake of fire. In total, paramedics to the Orpheum before the main six songs from Repentless dominated the first half of the set act took the stage signaled to me that I was in list while the second half was filled with Slayer staples such for one hell of a concert. Slayer (commonly as “Seasons in the Abyss,” “South of Heaven” and “Black pronounced FUCKING SSSLLLAAAAYYYEEEERRR) Magic.” The closer “Angel of Death” was accompanied passed through Madison on tour promoting their latest by the unveiling of a giant Heineken-esque banner that studio release, Repentless, along paid tribute to the man that with supporting acts Carcass and helped create a band that is Testament. I previously offered still reigning over thirty years up my thoughts on Repentless (see later. The audience appeared Emmie Fall 2015 issue), but Slayer “METALHEADS KNOW to be more interested in the is entirely a different beast when older material, but this is THAT THEY ARE MUSICAL seen live. Few bands in metal, or usually the case with a band any genre for that matter, have a OUTCASTS; THEY DO NOT that has been around for fan base as devout or as extreme multiple decades. as Slayer. Slayer fans can be found SUBSCRIBE OR FIT IN WITH carving the band’s logo into their POPULAR MUSICAL TASTES As the circle pit began forearms (see “Live Intrusion,” during the stormy intro of 1995). Go to just about any metal AND CULTURE AND THEY “Raining Blood,” I couldn’t show and, invariably, someone will KNOW THAT THIS WILL help but appreciate the sense yell, “SLAYER!” at some time during of community that metal the concert. Slayer’s influence and LIKELY ALWAYS BE as a whole fosters amongst standing in the metal community its subscribers. For many THE CASE.” remains unrivaled even after more people, metal is not just a than 30 years in the music industry. genre of music, but a way of life. Metalheads know that Following the death of founding they are musical outcasts; they do not subscribe or fit in member and guitarist Jeff Hanneman, Exodus guitarist with popular musical tastes and culture and they know that Gary Holt joined Slayer both on the road and in the studio. this will likely always be the case.

And we, as metalheads, Former drummer Paul Bostaph also returned to the revel in that fact.

The pit at a Slayer show may be a violent band’s lineup following Dave Lombardo’s departure in place, but everyone there is simply looking to have a good 2013. Although Hanneman is undoubtedly irreplaceable time and appreciate the music and artists that unite them as a creative and musical force behind Slayer, Holt did an as a community.

This sense of community is perfectly excellent job live at faithfully recreating and expanding exemplified by the unspoken rule that whenever someone on Hanneman’s guitar work. The band thrashed through falls in the pit, everyone around immediately stops to help selections, both fast and slow, from throughout their get the person back on his or her feet.

The goal in the pit career along with several songs from the new album Repentless. may be to thrash your ass off, but everyone is still looking out for one another.

The show began as a giant veil covered the stage featuring crosses that slowly inverted while the doomy intro of I may have awoken the next morning feeling sore and “Delusions of Savior” bled out of the monitors. After the bruised, but every injury sustained in the pit was well worth shroud fell, the racing riff of “Repentless” accompanied the experience of seeing Slayer live. the unveiling of a giant display of the Repentless album james STRELOW

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t’s been a long 10 years without music from JoJo. A horrible deal with her record label kept the R&B singer’s voice out of the studio and out of the ears of her young fans. Now in late 2015, JoJo regained control of her voice and she is back to show it off.

Performing at Milwaukee’s Turner Hall Ballroom on November 16, JoJo Levesque hit the stage 15 minutes late, a delay that felt like nothing to the fans in the audience who waited years for this moment. Black jeans, black shirt and a golden microphone, she started off the night with “Baby It’s You”, a song she released back in 2004. Although the lyrics of her old song stayed the same, her band’s new beats combined with her provocative dance moves clearly separated the artist JoJo was in 2004 from the artist she is becoming.

“I fucking love you guys,” JoJo said smiling at the small audience of fans all around the same age as her. “We’ve grown up together. You were there for my first kiss, my first love and my music has been there for yours.

We all know what we’re going through now, so let’s keep that going.” JoJo gave the audience what they wanted by performing “Leave (Get Out)” and “Too Little Too Late”, but with that, she was done with the past. Moving on to her song “Demonstrate” and a twisted cover of Drake’s “Marvin’s Room”, JoJo took off her jacket and turned up the maturity level. As the songs she performed got more explicit, JoJo made it even clearer that she meant every word that came out of her mouth, f-bombs and all.

It’s hard to believe that anything could outshine JoJo’s remarkable vocals at Turner Hall, but the singer’s vulnerability as she performed her song “Save My Soul” became the most memorable moment of the night. The song, written as an open letter to a drug addiction, was undoubtedly dedicated to her father who passed away just two days before the concert.

Forcing the microphone away from her lips, JoJo’s cry for help could be heard with no support from the sound system. As the song came to an end, JoJo placed her head in her hands, unable to finish the last line of the song, “You got what you wanted, didn’t you?”

The ballroom filled with silence as the lights turned out, but it didn’t take long for the crowd to roar with support for the 24-year-old to help her finish the show.

If JoJo’s performance at Turner Hall Ballroom is any predictor of what’s in store for her future, she is on track for a career full of longevity. Her nearly flawless vocal performance matched with the exceptional lyrics of her new music proved that her time out of the spotlight has come to an end and she is ready for a new beginning. ross SRODA

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MAKES A COMEBACK

cloud

cult mystifies the barrymore

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fter walking through the doors of the Barrymore Theatre, gazing into the faces of the Celtic masks that line the wall and losing oneself in the twinkling stars that are lit upon the ceiling in the show room, one can feel the impending energy indie rock band Cloud Cult was about to bring to the stage on February 20.

This Minnesota band frequently hits Madison on its tours due to the fact that the majority of the band members permanently reside in Wisconsin. This concert, a part of the 2016 Seeker Tour, was the debut of their newest album, The Seeker, released only a week before on February 12.

Cloud Cult is known for their experimental music and orchestra of instruments played sporadically throughout the songs. This consists of the strings (guitars, a violin, and cello), the brass (trombone, trumpet, and french horn) and a xylophone, piano and drums to top it off. The musicians are accompanied by two artists, Connie Minowa, who is the wife of Craig Minowa, the lead singer and founder of the band, and Scott West. The two artists painted on spinning canvases to the beat of the music with bright colors, giving life to majestic masterpieces that are auctioned off at the end of every show for thousands of dollars. And in the unique style of the band, they have a fun ritual of doing the hokey pokey backstage before every show.

The opener was the comical BB Guns, who had many songs named after states and had a way of joking around with the crowd. The two-man band played vibrantly with soulful guitars and sang in harmony, one as the melody and the other in a flawless falsetto. After a few songs, they invited Cloud Cult’s newest member of the band, Jeremy Harvey, onto the stage to drum for the rest of the set.

After much anticipation, the members of Cloud Cult ascended the stage and gazed upon the thrilled fans that pressed up close to catch a glimpse. Craig Minow stood at the heart of the stage, barefoot and sporting his signature headband with painted-on eyes that he wears for every concert. He strung out the throbbing chord on the electric guitar headlining with “The Great Unknown” from their new album. He called

out and invited the audience to leave behind our worries of life and journey with the band out of this world into the bliss of the unknown.

This journey was powerful, even life-altering, as we found our wild side as they continued their set with “Running with the Wolves” from Light Chasers (2010). This heart-racing song picked the audience off their feet and made everyone want to seek out the light and “feel something different for just a little while.” The audience showed their appreciation at the end of the song by literally raising their heads and howling like wolves, united as one pack.

Craig explained they tried to make their set list all over the board, going way back to earlier albums and indeed they did.

This included “Story of the Grandson of Jesus,” “Transistor Radio”and “That Man Jumped Out The Window.” However, songs from The Seeker were the biggest hits, playing off their excitement from the recent release “Days to Remember,” “Everything You Thought You Had” and “Time Machine Invention,” and ending with “No Hell” and “Living in the Agest.”

The night became particularly special when Craig announced to the crowd that the next song was dedicated to his wife, Connie, for their anniversary. He heartfully transitioned into “Meet Me Where You’re Going,” a song about running away and getting married.

The most powerful song of the night, “You Were Born,” truly captured the hearts of this amazing band. The song is about Craig and Connie’s son, who unexpectedly passed away at the age of two. This tragedy impacted the dynamic of the band and led to many songs being dedicated to the special child. Throughout the progression of the song, you could see the tears shimmering in all the band members’ eyes as Craig’s voice started shaking in the sadness of loss, but also in celebration of life.

Cloud Cult’s music makes you feel free, alive and in the moment. They pour their souls into their singing and playing and the crowd can only follow their lead and sing mightily along. Together, we find the passion and joy of life. We find courage to “chase the light” and chase our dreams. staci CONOCCHIOLI

HOZIER BRINGS A WHOLE LOTTA LOVE TO MADRID 26

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h, studying abroad — the grand tradition in which many UW students embark on a journey to foreign lands, often putting more emphasis on the “abroad” component rather than the studying. It is truly a unique opportunity to fully immerse oneself in another country’s language and culture - or, on occasion, get together with a group of other American expats to go see a concert. Thus I, along with throngs of other English-speaking exchange students, found myself in Madrid, Spain, attending Hozier’s January 17 concert at La Riviera.

First on stage, British singer-songwriter Rhodes brought out his guitar and serenaded the audience with his sweetly enchanting melodies.

Though short, his set showcased his incredible talent as an artist; his decadent voice rang throughout the building as he serenaded the audience. The song “Breathe” stood out as a heartfelt and warm tune on the chilly January night.

Next, lanky Irishman Andrew Hozier-Byrne, with luscious brown locks pulled neatly into a manbun, stepped onstage, joined by several other immensely talented musicians. Hozier jumped right into his set, beginning with the heartfelt “Like Real People Do.” Then, without so much as a pause to let the anyone catch their breath, he launched directly into the hearty “Angel Of Small Death”, to which the crowd enthusiastically clapped along. Sipping from what appeared to be a thermos full of tea, Hozier remarked that this was his “first proper show in Spain,” and thanked the audience for “one hell of a welcome.”

Song after song was met with the same excited energy as he flew through his dynamic setlist, playing crowd-pleasers “From Eden,” “Jackie and Wilson,” and “Someone New.” About halfway through his show, he threw in a cover of Sir Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird”, which was a slight change of pace. Before singing the deliciously gentle “In A Week”, he explained that it was inspired by his home of Wicklow Hills, which “you only hear about before or after the words ‘a body was found’”. Hozier’s strong, hearty tune “Sedated” got everyone pumped up for the closing song, which of course was his internationally famous hit “Take Me To Church.”

After leaving the stage for approximately one hot minute, Hozier returned for his encore with an acoustic guitar in hand, and crooned the soft, silvery ballad “Cherry Wine”, with a voice so earnest and sweet that it could make even the most cold-hearted person in the room believe in love. And then, for the grand finale, he played “Work Song” to the ecstatic crowd. It was an electrifying ending to the evening, and as everyone filed out of the venue and into the brisk Madrid air, it was clear the extraordinarily gifted artist had left his fans feeling more than satisfied. becca MELDMAN

coheed & cambria

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oheed and Cambria brought The Color Before the Sun Tour to the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois on February 26. Supporting their most recent album that goes by the same name, Coheed reveals that even if they step outside the realm of the Amory Wars concept and put out more personal tracks, they can still put on one hell of a show. Glassjaw, I the Mighty and Silver Snakes joined them on this tour as opening acts and created some insane energy that was able to build up from setto-set.

slowed it down a bit with “Here to Mars.” Claudio Sanchez has never been much of a talker during live shows, but here he took a moment to speak about the experiences that shaped the new album and the dedications to his wife and son, Atlas. It’s always fascinating to see how Sanchez can go from a soft-spoken fluffball one minute to melting the crowds faces off another. The rest of the set was filled out with “The Hard Sell,” “No World for Tomorrow,” “Atlas,” “The Audience” and “Peace to the Mountain”.

The incredible vocals and great set lists Silver Snakes took the aren’t the only aspects stage first. The lighting that makes a Coheed THE LIGHTING AND PRODUCTION wasn’t exciting, but and Cambria show an THAT WENT INTO THE SHOW, musically their sound was amazing live experience, solid and captured the but the performance AS WELL AS THE SYNCHRONIZATION praise of the audience. as a whole adds to OF THE LIGHTS TO THE MUSIC, Second on stage was I the the excitement. The CREATED A STUNNING VISUAL Mighty who brought forth lighting and production PRESENTATION THAT YOU a ton of energy that really that went into the got the crowd hyped up, show, as well as the DIDN’T WANT TO RISK MISSING even causing a few mosh synchronization of the

BY HEADBANGING TOO OFTEN. pits to break out. Glassjaw lights to the music, came out third and created a stunning managed to squeeze in a visual presentation that powerful nine-song set. you didn’t want to risk They emerged on stage missing by headbanging without any spectacle and immediately went right into a too often. The band members themselves also contributed hard-hitting sound that set the tone for the rest of their set to the theatrics by playing guitars behind their heads, and the remainder of the evening. playing guitar strings with their teeth and throwing drumsticks.

Coheed and Cambria took the stage, opening with the acoustic “Ghost”, under delicate lighting. The crowd quickly The encore kicked off with “You Got Spirit, Kid,” which went from docile to wild as soon as they transitioned into featured confetti exploding from both sides of the stage “In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3”, accompanied by an out into the crowd, “The Running Free” and the classic impressive amount of backlighting and smoke. You could Coheed-finale “Welcome Home,” played with Claudio on a sense the crowd feeling a nostalgic euphoria as everyone double-necked guitar. It’s easy to see how much these guys screamed “Man your battle stations!” in unison as bodies love playing music and how dedicated they are to their rushed towards the stage. fans. I wholeheartedly recommend checking out a Coheed and Cambria show to every single person, because it will The 16-song set was filled with tracks from almost every leave with goosebumps and a whole new appreciation for record, including seven tracks from The Color Before the the band. Check them out the next time they’re on tour.

Sun. “Blood Red Summer,” “Island,” “Everything Evil,” You won’t regret it.

“Key Entity Extraction V: Sentry the Defiant” and “A Favor House Atlantic” came quickly in progression, before they kasey MARGELOFSKY

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ALBUM REVIEWS

Anti

7.8 riHanna

Recently, Barbadian princess Rihanna hasn’t been doing what we’ve come to expect from her. Yearly album releases hit stores each November from 2009 to 2012 yielding a massive amount of success for the icon and her team. After a break, a new woman has emerged – a more powerful, in charge and sure-of-herself Rihanna than ever before. Anti is an LP that goes where no Rihanna album has dared to go thus far.

Lead single offering “Work” perhaps offers the most pure-form Rihanna the world has ever seen: West Indian patois carried straight out of Rihanna’s cultural roots, a feature from long-time collaborator Drake and a smooth-flowing and infectious beat. The sure fire “Needed Me” is also another unsurprisingly huge Rihanna offering, riding a near-ballad DJ Mustard beat in which she self-proclaims her “bad bitch” status – what we all have come to love most about the woman who has made everything out of nothing. It’s not these songs that make Anti the impeccable body of work that it is, however.

Many moments on Anti see Rihanna at her most vulnerable and self-reflective. We’re used to hearing the stadium-filling bops – Anti departs from this, mostly, in favor of a personal direction that sees Rihanna taking herself, and her music, more seriously. “I’ve got to do

things my own way, darling,” Rihanna croons on the thumping album opener, “Consideration.” The reigns of her career have long been in question, and it’s obvious this has come to bother the star – but it’s no doubt that Rihanna is the one in charge at this point, a message she is sure to deliver through many songs on the album.

Left-field Tame Impala cover, “Same ‘Ol Mistakes,” is a massive step for Rihanna as well – somehow, everything from the lyricism to the instrumentation seems to suit her impossibly well, making the song one of the most outright highlights on the album and even her entire career. The heart-wrenching “Never Ending” showcases a lost Rihanna, one that most casual listeners would not expect to hear from the boisterously confident woman she has become.

Of course, a Rihanna album would not be a Rihanna album without a few carefree, soulful anthems. “James Joint” and the vocally-proficient and breathtaking “Higher” are new staples for hitting-the-bong playlists.

The classic-sounding, shimmery “Kiss It Better” and retro ballad “Love on the Brain” are also huge moments for Rihanna the musician, effectively making songs about ‘pouring it up’ and ‘finding love in a hopeless place’ seem like bland misfires.

In totality, Anti is the result of a musical luminary’s frustration following years of commercialized output and creative restriction. Rihanna takes the reigns, and the end result is a product closer to the star’s glowing, beautiful heart and soul than ever before. collin KIRK

99 ¢

7.6 SANTIGOLD

Santigold’s self-titled 2008 debut was a hit amongst critics and fellow musicians alike, earning her a spot on the tours of alt-pop icons M.I.A. and Björk. Seven years later, she has emerged more confident than ever with her colorful and energetic third album, 99¢, which surely holds the award for the best album cover so far this year.

Enlisting help from several alternative music colleagues including Charli XCX, Santigold has managed to create an album with pop sensibilities as well as a noticeable flare for the abnormal.

The album starts off strong with “Can’t Get Enough of Myself,” a funky, feel-good jam that would be a number one on the charts in any just world. “Big Boss Big Time Big Business” is the album’s strongest cut, combining hip-hop swagger with a refreshingly light electro-reggae

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backdrop. However, things come to a screeching halt with the trap-inspired “Walking in a Circle” which falls flat and disrupts the blissed-out vibe of the first four dancehall-inspired tracks. The remainder of the album is a hodgepodge of wildly different ideas ranging from 80s pop (“Rendezvous Girl”) to atmospheric rock (“Outside the War”).

Although the album was a valiant effort, only a few tracks have the “it-factor” needed to demand a second listen. 99¢ is a daring album with a wealth of creativity that is often plagued by inconsistency. Despite a laser focus on pop perfection in the first few tracks, the album meanders somewhat aimlessly in the second half. Still, with the weather warming up, songs like “Can’t Get Enough of Myself” and “Banshee” should be staples on any poolside playlist. While this album is a worthy listen, Santigold should probably venture out of the 99-cent store for her next effort. michael SAJDAK

Not to Disappear Daughter’s sophomore album, Not to Disappear, brings simmering intensity to the melancholy of their earlier work. It can take a while to warm up to the chilling sadness that propels this ambient indie band, but each listen brings more nuance to the tragic and delicate tracks.

The Londoners released their intimate debut album, If You Leave, in 2013, to critical acclaim but nominal mainstream attention. The album heavily relied on singer-songwriter Elena Tonra and her guitar, with the other two members — guitarist Igor Haefeli and drummer Remi Aguilella —acting more as accompanists.

However, on Daughter’s latest releases, Tonra’s vocals fade into the texture of distorted guitars and synthesizers. Brooding sadness still lurks beneath the lyrics, but the tracks are fuller and more confident. If their first album was subtle and softly miserable, Not To Disappear is driving and menacing.

“Doing The Right Thing” takes on the perspective of someone with Alzheimer’s who is aware that their mind is deteriorating, and who must confront their own mortality. Tonra murmurs choppy phrases with very little melodic range, emphasizing the despondent lyrics.

Don’t You

7.0 wet

Forget your relationship status, Don’t You is the breakup album that will make you wish you were single.

Or at least you’ll be creating fake super dramatic break up scenarios in your head after listening to it.

Don’t You is the debut album released by synthpop trio Wet. Featuring the soft, dreamy vocals of lead singer and songwriter Kelly Zutrau, listeners are serenaded with brutally honest stories of heartbreak and complicated relationships. It’s relatable and it’s sad. The Brooklynbased band went all out to hit you in the feels, using gentle instrumental backgrounds to add to the lonely, woeful feeling Zutrau’s vocals evoke.

Throughout all 11 songs, there is a repetition of lingering chords, slow rhythms and generally sorrowful lyrics.

7.6 daughter

The 26-year-old whispers, “Then I’ll sit in silence/ Let the pictures soak/ Out of televisions/ Float across the room/ Whisper in one ear/ Out the other one.”

Contrasting with the six tracks that come before it, “No Care” sizzles with ferocious energy. It is a welcome break from endless atmospheric hymns, even if the frantic percussion and dizzying guitar riffs feel sharp and out of place on the rest of the album.

Tonra is at her most heartbroken, yet powerful on the sweepingly beautiful “Fossa.” The last two minutes are wordless, giving room for Haefeli and Auilella to build to a shimmering climax that reveals a glimpse of the promising direction that Daughter is headed.

Not to Disappear is an album of conflicting themes: confidence mixed with self-doubt, crippling anguish mixed with persistent hope. Tonra says it best when she insists, “I’m trying to get out/ Find a subtle way out/ Not just cross myself out/ Not just disappear.” rose LUNDY

While the album lacks sonic versatility ­— seriously the songs flow so well together that the album is over before you know it — it’s definitely not boring. Each track pulls out the vulnerability in listeners, demanding they feel what they’re hearing with lyrics like “I still feel lonely/ Lonely when you hold me,” and “I don’t wanna be your girl no more/ I won’t hide the ways, I’ve tried/ It’s just it not right/ It’s killing me tonight.”

Even through its final moments, the album continues to pull at listeners’ heart strings, closing with the softest heart-wrenching track, “These Days.” If 11 emotionallycharged songs are too much for your little heart, stick to these standout tracks; “Deadwater,” “It’s All in Vain,” “All The Ways” and “Move Me.” Note: they’re still pretty sad.

With smooth and quiet songs, Don’t You is a hauntingly beautiful album that leaves a wistful feeling sure to resonate with listeners, though the songs may fade away. lily HANSEN

I LIKE IT WHEN YOU SLEEp After a successful first album, artists have a choice to make. They can continue producing the sound they’ve established for fear of change, or they can take a leap of faith and change what music gets sent out to millions. With an album title as long as I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, the 1975’s sophomore album was either going to be incredibly strange or an album so good that the mouthful of a title doesn’t seem to matter. Luckily, for the 1975 fans, I Like It When You Sleep features a little taste of both. The album, whose name originated when lead singer Matt Healy said the lyrics out loud to his girlfriend, was released on February 26.

The album’s combination of genres and experimental sounds is what makes I Like It When You Sleep stand tall among the rest of 2016’s great albums. Songs like “The Sound” and “She’s American” build off of the classic sound The 1975 established in their debut album, but other than that, the band successfully dipped their toes in a few other genres. “If I Believe You” is one of the stronger songs on I Like It When You Sleep, featuring a gospel chorus and a jazzy saxophone solo. Questioning the validity of religion, the song moves the album into

8.8 1975

a darker territory. Immediately following “If I Believe You” is the first of two instrumental tracks on the album.

“Please Be Naked” starts with just a piano and builds into a synthesized work of art, calming any tension the previous song created. Similarly, the album’s title track features only a few words, and in just under seven minutes is able to give the listener a transformative experience.

The two final songs on I Like It When You Sleep, “Nana” and “She Lays Down” give listeners a softer side of the 1975 that we didn’t know we needed until we heard it. The combination of simplistic and complex lyrics in “Nana,” a song dedicated to Healy’s grandmother, shows the combination of maturity and innocence that one feels when they experience loss. “She Lays Down” is recorded similar to a demo, which only adds to the raw emotion that is ever-present in the album’s closer. The 1975 took many chances on their sophomore album and that is exactly what makes I Like It When You Sleep a sequential and cohesive sophomore record. ross SRODA

GOOD GRIEF lucius 8.3

Lucius takes a turn for the synth on Good Grief, the sophomore album from the Brooklyn-based quintet.

Contrasting 2013’s Wildewoman, Good Grief is quintessentially indie-pop in its finest form. While retaining their theme of emotional availability and transparency, Lucius’ vocal duo electrifies the words to resonate with the listener.

Half of the album feels like a perfectly coordinated battle between vocals, each pleading for their sake. The other half focuses on new ways to envision musical harmonies. In either case, the vocal performances prove to bring the content and instrumentals of this album to a new level of excellence.

Opening track “Madness” starts where Wildewoman left off; a simple, vocal-driven ballad to love lost. From

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there, it travels into an upbeat, electric-tinged style. All the emotions culminate into “Gone Insane.” This standout song features a strong deviation from the vocal synchrony that extracts sympathy from the listener.

The album then settles down into the aftermath and takes on a lighter theme. Highlighted by their previously released single “Born Again Teen,” Lucius brings back the fun. They send listeners off with “Dusty Trails,” another tune reminiscent of the Wildewoman days, orienting itself to uplift the listener from all that has taken place.

All 44 minutes of Good Grief are used to tell the complex story of love in peril, love lost and life after love. It leaves you begging for them to tell you more.

But, I guarantee, this won’t be the last you’ve heard of the story from Lucius. katie THEIN

MOTH

7.6 chairlift

Chairlift, a band you may have last heard of from their 2008 Target commercial cult classic, “Bruises” (‘I tried to do handstands for you – but every time I fell on you’), returned at the turn of the New Year with their third studio effort, Moth. Since their sophomore effort in 2012, the members have released some solo material as well as successfully pitching a song to Beyoncé (“No Angel,” from the diva’s fifth and self-titled visual album).

The duo, consisting of vocalist Caroline Polachek and producer Patrick Wimberly, returned to the scene midway through 2015 with a string of hard-hitting, twitchy-yet-dreamy offerings.

In Moth, Chairlift mixes a plethora of musical influences into the 10-track offering: the end result is a warm, lush and bouncy set, each song covering a different base than the last. Singles “Ch-Ching” and “Romeo” are Chairlift at their most kinetic and high energy, as well as titleborrowing “Moth to the Flame” — the duo covers new bases in these songs, providing silky, soaring pop hooks built as earworms. “Show U Off” takes the formula of a basic pop song, but adds an alternative touch, resulting in something reminiscent of sunshiny bliss, just left of

a formulaically prosperous Top 40 hit like “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry or Rihanna’s “Umbrella.”

The album’s softer moments, “Crying in Public” and “Unfinished Business,” showcase a bright, glorious Polachek demonstrating her stunning vocal ability, but falls short in replay value or excitement (although successfully establishing a superb lyrical style). The midtempo “Polymorphing,” building off the theme of the album, works in the duo’s favor, but another midtempo, “Ottowa to Osaka,” generally lands as the album’s bleak misfire moment, albeit well-executed incorporation of East Asian musical influences.

Behind the concept of the album, vocalist Polachek explains in an interview with Pitchfork: “We liked the idea of the moth as a metaphor for vulnerability, for something that’s fragile but relentless at the same time.

It goes towards the light; it beats its wings until it dies.

There are risks everywhere, but it doesn’t question them.” On Moth, a variety of wing-beating occurs with little apology: the driving guitars and snares in “Romeo,” the blaring horns in “Ch-Ching,” the club-ready EDMlite in “Moth to the Flame” and soft-glitch electronica in brilliant closer “No Such Thing As Illusion” demonstrate the duo’s wide musical palette. Especially the successfully-executed foot-tappers, Chairlift’s experimentation on Moth works out in their favor. collin KIRK

this is acting sia

8.3

On her latest album, This Is Acting, Australian singersongwriter Sia embodies different personas on tracks she wrote for other artists. The album is a collection of songs that famous singers rejected, reimagined in Sia’s crackling, powerhouse voice. Sia released her first solo studio album, OnlySee, in 1997, but found success in later years writing radio hits for stars like Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Shakira and Beyoncé. The 40-yearold eventually reached international solo fame in 2014 with her sixth solo album, 1000 Forms of Fear.

Despite Grammy appearances and performances on The Ellen Degeneres Show, Sia has remained an enigma. Famously shy, Sia wears various disguises on red carpets and when she performs — notably a short, platinum-white wig with bangs that cover her face.

And yet, Sia’s music is raw and honest, even when she writes for someone else. This Is Acting is filled with Sia’s incarnations of various artists: on upbeat dance track “Move Your Body” she emulates Rihanna and she belts “Bird Set Free” like Adele. But even as Sia transforms her voice into another’s style, the emotion is clearly all her own.

At times This Is Acting can lapse into forgettable radio tunes, but standout tracks like “Alive” — originally written for Adele’s record-breaking album, 25 — prove that Sia still has the power to make pop music heartbreaking.

Underneath the synthesizers and percussion on each of Sia’s radio hits are the very real themes of insecurity and loneliness, strength and defiance. Even as her voice cracks, Sia insists, “You took it all/ But I’m still breathing.” rose LUNDY

cardinal pinegrove 7.5

After the success of 2015’s compilation album Everything So Far, New Jersey-based band Pinegrove had a lot to live up to with their latest album release, Cardinal. With only eight catchy, dynamic songs to jam to, Cardinal might be shorter than their previous album but it holds just as much kick.

Genre-wise, Pinegrove is tough to pin down. They’ve been labeled by fans as variations of indie rock, altcountry and emo. Regardless, their sound is uniquely their own. Pinegrove’s guitarist, singer and songwriter himself, Evan Stephens Hall, has described their sound as “if Virginia Woolf hallucinated the midpoint between math rock and Americana.”

The difference between Pinegrove’s earlier music and Cardinal sonically is minimal. Hall’s warm cadence and the smooth, stylistic bends in his voice continue to drive Pinegrove’s sound in Cardinal, along with the band’s signature wiggly guitar parts, banjo-playing and general twang. However, a seemingly newfound confidence creates an overall more fine-tuned album than their previous works. This is especially evident with tracks “Size of the Moon” and “New Friends,” which appeared previously on Everything So Far and come back rerecorded, open for new interpretation, in Cardinal.

That said, Hall’s introspective lyrics are really the highlights of Cardinal. He mixes a refreshing combination of realism and resolve to vent about life’s disappointments but then also put his angst into perspective. Lines such as “It’s all illogical/ There’s nothing you can do,” in the song “Then Again” are refuted with glimpses of optimism via lines like “Stick around/ I’m thinking things will be all right,” and “Things go wrong sometimes/ Don’t let it freak you out,” in the song “Aphasia.”

As a point of criticism, Cardinal could admittedly be longer considering fans have seen a few of these songs before.

But, as usual with this band, it is clear that Pinegrove wrote these songs first and foremost for Pinegrove, as a sort of mental re-charger. Of course, fans are along for the ride and likely feel a lot of the same emotions that Hall sings about, which is great. In this way, Cardinal might help many people put concrete forms to their feelings and in the end feel a little better about them — all in the 30 minutes it takes to listen to this album.

Through heavy reminiscing about the past, a little musing about the future and a prevailing theme of being okay in the present, Pinegrove continues their upward trajectory with Cardinal. shaye GRAVES

MAJID JORDAN majid jordan 8.1

Majid Jordan, a Toronto duo, released their first studio album, Majid Jordan, via Drake’s label, OVO Sound. The album is produced and performed by Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman. The duo’s popularity surged in 2013, when they co-wrote and co-produced Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home.” After Drake’s desire for “hot love and emotion,” Majid Jordan released A Place Like This EP in 2014. Between their EP and LP, they sprinkled singles on their SoundCloud account. Majid Jordan’s latest album continues their theme of lost and potential love that is mixed with mid-tempo cuts, dance/R&B beats and sound effects from the 80s.

The album is full of delights, from “Pacifico,” a promising upbeat track that is layered with rhythmic bass and laser like chords to “Warm,” an experimental tune that sounds like a dark echo cry with a piercing bass line. Majid Jordan received some help from The Weeknd’s producer Illangelo on the album’s beginning track “Learn From Each Other” and its single “Something About You.”

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Drizzy Drake is featured on “My Love” because it would not be an OVO album if Drake was not featured. “Shake Shake Shake” seems to be inspired by Daryl Hall & John Oates’ “Maneater.” The track that takes the cake is “King City.” The elongated vocals, distorted snaps, and echo claps blend perfectly for a city fit for a king.

Even though the album’s hit single “Something About You” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album gets help from superstar Drake and artsy Illangelo, it was not a commercial success. The album has not entered the Billboard’s Top 200 Albums as of February 2015. However, Majid Jordan’s ability to produce mad decent singles ensures a growth in popularity.

Overall, Majid Jordan conveys the tone and lyrics that subtly echo Drake’s introspection but their R&B and dance genre positions them to a different subset of listeners. With the ability to generate hot singles that are and are not “Drake blended with a stronger promotional strategy,” Majid Jordan would be destined for greatness. luis RODRIGUEZ

STANDARDS

W

7.0 INTO IT. OVER IT.

herever there’s discussion of Evan Weiss’ indie rock moniker Into It (IIOI).

Over It., the word “emo” hangs out nearby waiting for someone to inevitably include it. Just this past year, Rolling Stone named IIOI’s sophomore album, Intersections (2013), one of the 40 greatest emo albums of all time (fun fact: Intersections is the only record from the 2010s included in this list). While this level of name and scene recognition is great for IIOI, no one wants to be pigeonholed, am I right?

Cue IIOI’s third and latest album release, Standards.

While making this latest album, Weiss made a conscious decision to disregard any direction that critics and fans thought the project should go. Instead, he let Standards come together organically. On the “not fun” experience of making Intersections, Weiss has said in interviews that writing its songs in his band’s Chicago practice space made it hard to separate his dayto-day life from the creative process. So, for the purpose of writing Standards, he and his current touring drummer Josh Sparks isolated themselves during January 2015 in a remote Vermont cabin called Rebel Yell, built specifically for musicians. This productive and laidback writing experience would set the tone for the rest of the album’s production, as producer John Vanderslice later had them abandon digital recording in the studio. Compared to IIOI’s last works, where Weiss engaged in perpetual attempts to improve each track, this came as a welcome change for him. Without the ability to tweak or micromanage the music, Weiss was able to “accept chaos in a way [he] couldn’t before,” he said in a conversation with Spin.

Notably, Standards contains both the slowest and fastest IIOI songs to date. This is only one way in which the album achieves new levels of wow-factor for IIOI. Weiss’ distorted guitar riffs are a little less eccentric than they were in Intersections, making room alongside Standards’ fuzzy tones and odd textures for the album’s unexpected star: percussion. The addition of drummer Josh Sparks to the project pushed IIOI in an exciting, fresh direction, as Sparks drives songs such as “Vis Major,” “Adult Contempt” and “Bible Black” with racing precision.

I just wish Standard’s lyrics were as strong as its instrumentation. The album has all the right intentions, paying no attention to predetermined standards for where it should go, but lyrically it feels a little forced. Weiss and Sparks resort to a few clichés in this album that I actually found distracting to my listening experience. For instance, Weiss conveys confusion regarding a certain “cryptic” someone who “changed the locks,” in the song “Closing Argument,” and actually uses the metaphor of being lost at sea, singing that his “mind’s an island” in “Old Lace & Ivory.” These concepts are too worn to do the album any favors. Additionally, where I’m usually emotionally affected by Weiss’ songwriting skills, there’s not as much for me to connect with in Standards. None of the songs have concrete interpretations (aside from a general sense of post-youth vulnerability), and the album as a whole has no lyrical theme. Admittedly, though, neither of these last two points are necessarily flaws. There are certainly listeners who enjoy the interpretive possibilities of vague lyrics and/or have an easier time relating to them.

If you’re a fan of the angst in previous IIOI works, don’t worry — Standards continues Weiss’ streak of shameless self-pity. The main attribute that sets this album apart from its predecessors is the apparent good time Weiss had making it. He said in an interview with Billboard that he’s more proud of the song “Anesthetic” in particular than anything he’s ever made; it’s the answer to the question, “How fast can you play it?” followed by, “How slow can you play it?”, trialed during their time away in the cabin. The positive experiences Weiss and Sparks had making Standards, and the resulting inviting energy the end product exudes, is a refreshing throwback to the sometimes-forgotten reason that bands should be making music: for the fun of it. shaye GRAVES

POOL

7.6 PORCHES

Pool is Brooklyn-based songwriter Aaron Maine’s fourth release under the moniker Porches, and his first since signing to Domino Records last year. The record is the follow-up to 2013’s Slow Dance in the Cosmos, which featured less than 30 minutes of guitar and synth-based and emotionally-driven songs. The songwriting was superb and often deceivingly complex, and its lyrics ranged from being cryptic, to painfully honest, to funny.

As soon as Pool’s opening track, “Underwater,” begins, it is apparent that Maine’s sound has taken a huge departure from that on Slow Dance. While guitars remain present, wavering synthesizers and electronic drums dominate the instrumentals. The listeners’ focus is diverted away from the songwriting and onto the groove and the production. While the track begins slowly, a grooving bass line inspired by contemporaries such as Blood Orange begins. This is followed by electronic drums, and perhaps more unexpected, autotuned vocals. I thought it was strange when Porches’ ex-labelmates on Exploding in Sound utilized autotune on their album, Sugarwater, that came out late last year, but here it seems to fit the mood of the track; though the song is danceable and grooving, a layer of desperation and profound sadness lays not far below the surface.

The single “Be Apart” is certainly danceable and contains a melody that seeps into your subconscious. The lyrics deal with the dilemma of both wanting to stay in and “be apart,” and also socialize and “be a part of it all.” The song is emotionally driven, with Maine proclaiming, “I will go out tonight!” with an air of impending doom.

Much of the album deals lyrically with the visual of a swimming pool and water in general. However, the mentioning of water never evokes calming feelings, as one might expect, but rather is always anxiety inducing.

On the title track, Maine watches another character slip and fall into the pool in what seems like slow motion, and on “Be Apart,” black water is found by the singer’s side as he is forced to face an inner dilemma.

The entirety of the album exhibits Maine in the middle of New York City in his 20s, going out, drinking, smoking marijuana, hanging by the pool and trying to have a good time, and this is illustrated by the production: driven by electronic drums, synths, and autotuned vocals singing infectious melodies. However, Maine is disillusioned by what should be the time of his life; he finds himself overwhelmed with an underlying sadness and desperation, yearning for a break from the craziness in his life. On the album closer, “Security,” Maine, while in an autotuned voice, sings, “Man, I wish there was a place/ That I knew I could always stay/ ‘Cause all I want and all I need/ Is some security.” This juxtaposition makes Pool an incredibly unique record. jordan ZAMANSKY

EVERYTHING THIS WAY For Irish alternative rock band, Walking on Cars, it has been a four-year journey from the release of their first single to the release of their debut album, Everything This Way, this January. Walking on Cars formed in 2010 by five school friends living in Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland. After a couple of years playing gigs at local pubs and venues, Walking on Cars released “Catch Me If You Can” in 2012, which eventually topped the Irish iTunes Charts.

Walking on Cars promotes an elevated version of alternative radio rock. Their catchy, anthemic songs could be the soundtrack to a heartwarming indie movie, yet have cloaked themes of defeatism. “Two Stones,” originally released in 2012, considers self-destruction in sweet, uplifting harmonies.

Throughout the album, the group’s celtic roots seep out of each track. “Tick Tock” alternates between

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7.8

walking on cars

Sorcha Durham tinkling a lullaby on the keyboard that sounds like the tin whistle, and Evan Hadnett pounding out an uneven rhythm on the drums that is reminiscent of the traditional Irish hand drum. Dan Devane and Paul Flannery add cinematic guitar and bass parts, respectively, to build the song to a sweeping finish that is as vast and impressive as Ireland’s expansive green hills.

At its heart, Everything This Way is romantic and sentimental. On “Hand in Hand,” Sheehy celebrates the potential of a new relationship. His voice strains as he sings, “Strangers connect tonight/ But we don’t know why/ And we don’t know how/ But we can fall into each other now.” Despite being a debut album, each song on Everything This Way seems designed to be played for thousands of people. Walking on Cars are now poised for a 2016 tour of Europe, but it won’t be long before this small-town Irish band is playing around the world. rose LUNDY

malibu .paak 8.9

“The bird with the word came to me, the sweetness of a honeycomb tree” rolls through the first three minutes of Anderson .Paak’s third album Malibu, as does the sentiment of sweet and smooth throughout the entire 16-track album. The latest protege of Dr. Dre, Anderson .Paak was a multi-feature on Dre’s latest Compton, creating a unanimous plea for more. After months of waiting, .Paak lives up to all of the expectations and more. .Paak quickly draws you in to his smooth, soulful style, but takes his time and uses his lyrics to tell you his story. His music strays from the hard-hitting, fast lyrical style but plays on multiple, diverse influences, including Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick feels very present throughout, but most glaringly on “Your Prime” that plays on the common rhyming style used by Kendrick himself. .Paak eases into the music and makes seamless transitions from singing to rapping.

“The Waters” and the aforementioned intro track “The Bird” are smooth, head-bobbers that feature the signature sound and style that underlies the album as a whole. Retrospectively discussing addiction and loss, .Paak doesn’t shy from talking about where he has come from. However, he doesn’t try to invoke pity, but rather inspire dreams for a better future. Beyond that, .Paak isn’t afraid to turn it up “James Brown style” in his track “Come Down” where he encourages the care-free party lifestyle. “Lite Weight” goes hard on the beat and bass and creates another upbeat dance track.

Although the stories are his, they transcend through the music to make every listener feel as though it is their own. Anderson .Paak is the mediator of greater themes of resilience and growth through his music. Malibu is a masterpiece of personal stories and sweet, smooth beats that will have you captivated from the get-go. .Paak doesn’t try to impress; he already did that on his 6-track Compton feature. Anderson .Paak’s Malibu is nothing but him expressing himself which, in turn, is nothing short of fantastic. katie THEIN

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Go. Serve. Learn.

Who we are: Wisconsin Union Directorate’s Alternative Breaks Committee is a group of University of Wisconsin-Madison students that is dedicated to planning service-learning trips for winter and spring breaks.

What we do: We provide as many UW-Madison students as possible the opportunity to make a difference for a community in need somewhere in the United States. Since 1990, we have sent over 4,500 Badgers across the country on our volunteer trips.

For more information: Website: http://www.union.wisc.edu/wud/altbreaks-info.htm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WUDAltBreaks Twitter: @WUDAltBreaks

Join WUD Alt Breaks during the 2016-2017 school year!

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