EMMIE Magazine Spring 2015

Dear EMMIE reader, And just like that, another issue of EMMIE is out. In case you are seeing us for the first time... Hello! We are UW-Madison’s student run music magazine, complete with passionate reviews and pieces about the music we love, the artists we love and the industry that we (mostly) love.

EMMIE has had one of our best semesters yet, interviewing the exceptionally lovely Caroline Smith and being able to catch up with Dolores, a local band that is making waves. We previewed some Midwest music festivals, and are especially excited to spend some of July in Eau Claire for Justin Vernon’s inaugural year of Eaux Claire’s Music and Arts Festival. Our writers had the chance to debate Mumford & Sons and question the return of the Riot Grrrl movement. And in case you are in search of some new music, we have some suggestions based on the top 40 songs you already love. Some of our favorite new bands like MisterWives, John Mark Nelson, and Hozier stopped in Wisconsin and we were lucky enough to witness their greatness from the front row. We also got to review some of the best albums yet from Kendrick Lamar’s politically powerful “To Pimp a Butterfly” to Drake’s spiteful “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” to Elle King’s catchy “Love Stuff.”

This issue has been yet another great opportunity for our staff to weigh in on the exciting facets of music culture and design one of our best-looking issues yet. This spring, our editors have stressed over revisions and toiled over articles, and our designers have made their peace with Photoshop. We gave everything we had left for this school year, and put it in this issue. We hope you love it as much as we do.

Enjoy, EMMIE reader, you’re in for one hell of a read.

This year flew by, and with that, it’s time for me to say farewell and good luck to the next generation of EMMIE. It’s been real, EMMIE. Best of luck in the future and I will miss you always.

Much love,

megan OPPERMAN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF megan OPPERMAN FEATURES EDITORS madeline KELLY molly GILBERTSON SHOWS EDITORS abbey SCHNEIDER allysa GALLONI becca MELDMAN ALBUM EDITORS collin KIRK mia SATO COPY-EDITOR ali GRIMES LAYOUT/GRAPHICS EDITOR megan OPPERMAN sunni PORPS-HUMMELL SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER lauren CHOJNACKI SOCIAL MEDIA STAFF katelyn HANSMANN lizzie RYAN CONTRIBUTORS abbey SCHNEIDER aj BECKER ali GRIMES allysa GALLONI andrew MACKENS bailey SALAMANCA bambi SHORE becca MELDMAN cameron SMITH collin KIRK emma REIFEL evan FLYNN hannah FRANK kasey MARGELOFSKY lauren CHOJNACKI lee MILNE lily HANSEN lindsay KOTTWITZ lizzie RYAN madeline KELLY megan OPPERMAN mia SATO molly GILBERTSON rachel BARUCK sarah LODUHA tamar LASCELLE tom FREDERICK LAYOUT STAFF allison GARCIA katelyn SALZBURGER

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EMMIE: Who/what influenced you to pick up an instrument for the first time?

Caroline Smith: Well I grew up in a really Irish family- my dad played guitar when I was growing up- so it just kind of felt natural. At our family get-togethers there would always be a circle of people playing guitar and singing, and I was enamoured with music and writing songs. I don’t even remember learning how to play the guitar, it just kind of came naturally.

What is the first show you remember playing in front of a crowd?

I remember I played my first show of my own songs at a pizza and mexican restaurant called Zorbaz. My mom was the one who really pushed me sing out [in public] and make a career out of it. I was fifteen and she said, “You have to start playing your own shows.”

Can you remember a time when a fan did something/said something memorable that stuck with you?

I get a lot of really inspiring letters that people give to me after shows, and I always love that. There’s always a little personal story that describes how my music may have helped them out through a hard time. I don’t think I should share any of the stories, but I get a lot of letters and it’s really, really, really special. It’s why I like to write songs in the first place- just to connect with people and it feels really good to know I helped somebody through a difficult situation.

What has been/continues to be the biggest challenge for you as a woman in the music industry?

I think the one of the biggest challenges is having to always drive home your credibility. You know, always having to reiterate that I write my own songs and I do a lot of my own production and my arrangements. I did start my band from the ground up. These are things you always have to stress, or repeat. But, when you’re a man, they just kind of assume that you write your songs or that you answer your own emails. It’s kind of strange. When I get off stage at every

EMMIE caught up with the Midwest’s own Caroline Smith to talk about music, Madison, mental health, and being a woman.

Aside from music, you have become a role model for many people, not only as a strong woman, but someone who is outspoken about mental illness. What prompted you to speak out about such a personal matter?

Well, that was really scary for me, actually. I had never spoken out about mental health. I always speak out about feminism and gender equality, but my family definitely deals with a lot of mental illness on both sides of the family. I feel like you’re never allowed to talk about it, and if you do talk about it, you’re kind of greeted with people looking at you like you have a handicap or something. I think just being more open about mental illness like it was any other kind of illness- like diabetes or cancer- helps humanize it a little bit. So, when they asked me to do it, I thought it was for an important cause and I was freaked out and thought, “I don’t know if I can do this.” But I was like, that’s exactly why I need to do it. Why is it so scary to talk about?

How has growing up in the Midwest influenced you as a musician?

Looking back on it, I’m really grateful that I grew up in a small town, and got my start creatively and musically in an isolated environment because I really didn’t have anybody to compare myself to. I really just got to be in a safe place that let my creativity kind of blossom and grow, at risk of sounding cheesy.

But, I appreciate that. It allowed me to be an individual and kind of be in a safe place.

You have such a big fan following here at UW-Madison.

Everytime you come back to campus, it just grows and grows, and it’s really cool to watch.

The Midwest is really special when it comes to the musician scene. You know, Minneapolis musicians are totally accepted as far out as Chicago. It all feels like home. The scene is so supportive.

Since you’ve been to Madison quite a bit- I have to askwhat keeps bringing you back?

I really like playing the High Noon Saloon a lot. And everybody at the High Noon Saloon is super, super awesome. We come back to Madison a lot. If there’s a supportive community that wants to have fun with us, and it’s just a great evening every time we perform- we’ll come back as many times as we can.

And that’s in Madison.

If you weren’t a musician, what profession do you think you’d be in?

Well, if music didn’t work, I think I’d still be in the music industry somewhere, whether it’s managing or being a booking manager or something like that. But, my dream job outside of being a musician is probably being a chef. I love to cook a lot.

Either that or an accountant, because I like to do math and I like to crunch numbers a lot.

If you could open for one musician, living or dead, who would it be?

I would play a show Queen. I would hang out with Freddie Mercury and get any performing advice he could give me.

If you’re willing to share- what’s on the horizon for you in terms of music?

I am diligently working on my songs for a new record. We have some songs that we have already kind of completed, now we just need a little bit more and we are going to go into the studio. But I’ve been really excited; I’ve been writing a ton of songs and choosing the perfect ones. So I’m making a new record very soon, and that’s about all I can say. abbey SCHNEIDER

single show someone asks, “Did you write all of your own songs?” And I just don’t think that question gets asked to any men when they get off stage.

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With 2,355,767 followers on Spotify already, the English folk-rock band Mumford & Sons can expect those numbers to skyrocket with the release of their newest album, Wilder Mind. After a two-year hiatus, along with their new single “Believe,” it’s safe to say Wilder Mind is going to come out with a bang. Here are some reasons why you should jump on the Mumford & Sons bandwagon faster than you can say banjo: 1) A brand new sound! Hallelujah!

According to the band, their sound this time around is heavier and more expansive, thanks to a shift in their instruments. The kick drum has been replaced with a full drum set and the banjo has been replaced with an electric guitar (sorry to all you banjo lovers). Although a general census would probably agree that the banjo played a pretty big part in making them stand out, a general census would also probably agree that the banjo isn’t really needed anymore. They’ve been nominated for 65 awards over the span of Sigh No More and Babel, and have won a total of 14 of those awards. After two albums with a similarity in sound (not that this is necessarily a bad thing), it’s definitely time for a change. In fact, a shift in sound will most likely increase their following. There’s only so much banjo a person can take before all the songs start to sound

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the same. We know you do the folk sound well, but show us what else you got Mumford & Sons!

2) No matter what they sound like, they will always be Mumford & Sons.

Yeah, they may have hung up the banjo, but so what? Their lyrics will always be passionate and intelligent, with the ability to make you feel full of warmth, like you’ve experienced life in a more vibrant and colorful way. They’ll always be good at telling a story, fleshing out those sometimes complicated feelings of young love and making sure you learn a lesson or think more in depth about issues such as depression. Their lyrics will always be relevant and call attention to the beauty and tribulations of life.

The power of their lyrics cannot be ignored and if you decide not to give their new album a listen based off a shift in sound, you are severely mistaken, my friend.

3) They were influenced by the great and incredibly influential, Bob Dylan (who was influenced by Woody Guthrie). You can bet your shiny penny that Mumford & Sons too, in turn, will influence some other great band in the future. With their enriching sound and honest lyrics, there’s no doubt that groups out there are working on their sound (or perhaps even a mixtape or album), with Mumford & Sons in mind- how could there not be?!

Mumford & Sons have such a raw sound, it’s almost impossible for their music not to have some effect on you. I firmly believe their name will be around for quite some time, whether that be through the release of another album or some beginner band telling us their story of creation.

Personal Note: I have a very different relationship with Mumford & Son’s music now than I did in high school and the beginning of college.

It changed when “Awake My Soul” was played at a friend’s funeral. It is a beautiful, chilling song about dealing with the death of someone and understanding that life and death is something that everyone experiences, but the most important lesson is “where you invest your love/you invest your life.” The song begins immersed in melancholy, but later becomes uplifting, almost celebratory. With this, the song’s meaning suddenly seems to tell you to awaken your soul and celebrate life, rather than mourn it. And while it is easy for me to see the beauty in such a sad song that is accompanied by a banjo and a kick drum, I can easily say that I am looking forward to the change in sound as less of a reminder of that February day. I would like to end by dedicating this article to Xavier. I didn’t know you well, but I know you were loved. I saw it that day. bambi SHORE

Banjos and beards: the two words synonymous with immensely popular British band Mumford & Sons.

This “folk”-rock quartet, however, has decided to abandon their trademark instrument completely in their latest album, and none of their beards are really that impressive.

What seems to have propelled this band to their massive commercial success is the fact that they impersonate old-timey folk musicians, but in reality their sound is just a bland, generic, marketable ripoff. These faux-rustic Englishmen are less like true folk artists and more like Coldplay, just with more banjo and less soul. But now that the banjo’s gone, they’ve shown themselves to be no different than any other mediocre, major-label cookie cutter band.

There was a time when it was possible to turn your radio on without having your eardrums assaulted by the frenzied strumming of a mandolin, but now it seems this watered-down version of folk music is here to stay, and it’s all thanks to a couple of Brits who decided to dress up as preppy lumberjacks, bring their upright bass into an open field, and crank out a few hearty ballads to sell to 13 year olds discovering “real music” from their Tumblrs. Yes, it’s true that this music is more interesting than the usual mind-numbing pop hits that circulate the radio waves these days.

But, as I’m sure your hipster friends love reminding you, mainstream

music is generally pretty awful, so it doesn’t make sense to use the top 40s as a standard to which you compare all bands.

The fact is, the reason Mumford & Sons has become so successful - and unleashed a wave of mediocre pseudo-indie-folk artists upon us - is because they’re different enough to be considered “unique”, but not different enough to actually be good. Any Madisonian who’s walked down State Street on a sunny day could tell you that Boo Bradley has accomplished the authentic folksiness that Mumford & Sons can only dream of - from the impressive facial hair to the use of a washboard as an instrument. The overproduced trash of Mumford & Sons’ songs is in stark contrast to the earnest, low-production-value nature of original folk music. If Mumford & Sons actually played the type of songs they try to look like they can play, there’s no way they would have reached such heights in the era of autotune and excessively repetitious lyrics.

However it would appear that inauthenticity is in these days, as tickets to arena tours are consistently bought up by hoards of fans who apparently do not mind listening to the same tempos and melodies played over and over with little to no variation. Although the lumbersexual medley of musicians that is Mumford & Sons may seem different from the majority of the

garbage that is played on the radio constantly, they are actually not that unique. There is a whole entire world of other music out there, in which Mumford & Sons is nothing more than average. This whole idea of a folk band selling out stadium tours is crafted upon the image, not the sound; alternative folk is trendy right now, but if it diverges too much from generic, predictable patterns, it will no longer be profitable.

The time has come for the British superstars to ditch their banjos and embrace what many call “evolving”, but is really just a slow decline into selling out. Green Day did it when punk got mainstream. It’s just the natural progression of popular bands when their subgenre reaches popularity. So go ahead and listen to the banjo-strummin Brits’ poor attempt at mimicking folk music, but remember that you’re hearing a diluted version of folk made more for people who browse vintage barn pictures and mason jar drink ideas on Pinterest than for the actual folk fans of the world. In the end, Mumford & Sons is basically the sonic representation of an Instagram filter; people can try to disguise something as vintage, but we all know they’re just attempting to cover up the poor quality of the initial work. Instead of creating something authentic, they’re just selling a popular aesthetic. becca MELDMAN

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July 18th & 19th Eau Claire, WI

If you are from Wisconsin and love music as much as we do, you are most likely one of many who take great pride in knowing that your state birthed the musical genius that is Justin Vernon. If you know a little about this great state’s history, you’ll know that the city of Eau Claire, in the western corner of Wisconsin, has developed into somewhat of a hipster’s paradise; filled with quirky, underground musical talents and absolutely delicious beer. And if you’ve been anywhere on social media in the past few weeks, you’ll know that Justin Vernon has managed to create the most magical combination of all of the above and more into what will be first ever Eaux Claires Music Festival.

The arrival of a revolutionarily unique musical festival like Eaux Claires has been long overdue in the Midwest.

Vernon himself has “had a list [of performers] in his head for years” and that he has just been waiting for the right collaborators and area to take on the project. However, the lineup and layout of Eaux Claires are not like your average music festival; Vernon has worked very hard to put together an event that “encourages that music-genre-walls to melt away.”

Unlike Summerfest or Lollapalooza, Vernon has recruited a mix of artists who emulate grassroots vibes and work to produce a deeper connection with the audience rather than

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playing coming

to promote their release or latest

uphit.

Vernon is insistent on the point that Eaux Claires will not be solely a musical event. It will strive to incorporate a combination of performance acts, visual accompaniments, local artist vendors, quality local foods, and great beer (sponsored by Leinenkugel’s and Summit Brewery so it has to be good, right?). Eaux Claires is striving to place an emphasis away from the mainstream and on the relationships and cohesiveness that cover the variety of mediums under one umbrella of “art.”

A prime example of the fusion of music and art is an idea created by Madison-based group PHOX. The band revealed that they will precede their performance at the festival with a documentary chronicling how they have tried to become a successful indie band in the industry without sacrificing their integrity. The idea of visually stimulating mediums incorporated with the concert experience is exactly what Vernon is trying to achieve. In a recent interview with Billboard about the festival, he said “there’s going to be a lot of alternate performances in different kinds of performance spaces, to give you an idea of the regular relationship between the stage and the audience, and really trying to alter that.”

The collaboration between art and sound will only be heightened by the stellar lineup that is set to perform in July. With the absence of billboard headliners and the pop culture hype that typically surrounds a music festival, Vernon has been able to produce an abundance of performers that will leave you feeling like the artists are your best friends playing out on a farm—mainly because most of them are good friends of Vernon’s. With performances from the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Polica, Spoon, Hiss Golden Messenger, and Indigo Girls, let us tell you—Vernon sure knows how to pick ‘em.

Vernon has always stepped out of the comfort zone of the music industry and has done what he feels is in the best interests of his creativity: it is what he is known for and what has made his musical ventures such a success. His heavy stress on the unique characteristics of the festival and its individuality have been intriguing to many in the industry and out, all poised to await July’s arrival and check out the highlight of summer that is sure to be Eaux Claires. lauren CHOJNACKI

July 18-20th Chicago, IL

After the lineup of Pitchfork Music Festival 2014 featuring the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt, ScHoolboy Q, Danny Brown, Isaiah Rashad and Pusha T, I was pretty skeptical that Pitchfork would pull off a good lineup this year. Though it isn’t the lineup of hip-hop dreams like 2014, 2015 does feature some strong Chicago favorites like Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa and Wilco. Pitchfork is known as the festival for up-and-coming artists or the return of older artists, and that is especially true this year with a number of acts. Sleater-Kinney are a Riot Grrrl group coming back after a 10-year hiatus, Panda Bear is ending a three-year lapse, and Caribou is coming off a four-year break, despite Caribou’s leading man Dan Snaith having started yet another project during the hiatus. The big up-and-coming artists featured in the 2015 lineup are Chance the Rapper (remember when he played at the first Revelry and no one knew him?), Mac Demarco, Vic Mensa, Jamie xx (the beats behind The xx), ILoveMakonnen (of “Tuesday” remix by Drake fame), Courtney Barnett and Vince Staples (a rapper often seen collaborating with Odd Future). A couple artists kind of thrown into the lineup are Chvrches, who seemed to have peaked in 2014 with “The Mother We Share” and are on the downfall, and A$AP Ferg, who is surprisingly coming to the fest with no other members of the A$AP Mob. Fortunately for Ferg, he puts on a crazy show and the mosh pit is sure to be the highlight for many at the fest. Overall, Pitchfork Music Festival is always a guaranteed good time with great food, interesting booths and affordable art, but the lineup won’t be bringing in anyone except for the regulars and those flocking to see Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa. megan OPPERMAN

The 2015 Lollapalooza lineup offers a variety of acts, much to the dismay of many Lolla regulars, who flock to Perry’s stage for DJ sets and heavy electronica. Not only are the acts drawn from many genres of music, but each artist also has different amounts of fame. Top billed acts range from former Beatle and accomplished solo artist Paul McCartney to Metallica, Florence + The Machine, Sam Smith, and The Weeknd. Some EMMIE favorites will also be gracing the stage at Lolla, like Angus & Julia Stone, Of Monsters and Men, MS MR, Charli XCX and SZA. Two of last year’s Revelry acts, Dillon Francis and G-Eazy, will also be playing at Lollapalooza this year. Both gave memorable performances last May, and we can’t wait to see them in August. Two acts we highly recommend seeing are Paul McCartney and alt-J. McCartney is a rock legend, and at Lollapalooza you have the opportunity to see him, and several other bands in the same day, for less than the price of one of his own concerts. alt-j graced the Lollapalooza stages two years ago for an absolutely unforgettable show. We are looking forward to seeing the vitality the crowd brings now that the band has gained some more recognition.

Several of the acts at Lollapalooza this summer are supporting new music, which should make for some very new performances, considering a number of them had their big breakthrough with their previous albums. A few of those acts include Of Monsters and Men, Alabama Shakes, Tame Impala, and Marina and the Diamonds. Hopefully Florence Welch’s velvet jumpsuits, Twenty One Pilots’ contagious spirit, and Walk the Moon’s danceable new album will be able to bring high energy performances to Grant Park in August. With such diverse acts, it will be hard for anyone not to have an exciting weekend at Lollapalooza this summer.

July 31st-August 2nd Chicago, IL

rachel BARUCK

July 24th-28th | June 30th-July 5th Milwaukee, WI

The World’ Largest Music Festival, Summerfest, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is destined for another outstanding year of impeccble headliners. Headlining the Ground Stages are some throwback artists like Sheyl Crow, Motion City Soundtrack. Andrew McMahon (Jack’s Mannequin), Lupe Fiasco, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Martina McBride and Third Eye Blind. Don’t worry there are also EMMIE favorites like MisterWives, The Living Statues, Sylvan Esso, Walk the Moon, Timeflies, The Mowgli’s, Atlas Genius, and PHOX. We are especially excited to see Santigold in the line-up after a three-year hiatus from music. On the main stage this summer are The Rolling Stones, Florida Georgia Line, Kings of Leon, Ketih Urban, Zac Brown Band, Linkin Park, Kendrick Lamar and Ed Sheeran. Basically, no matter what stage you go to on any day of this eleven-day festival, you should be able to drink some good beer, buy some cheese curds, and witness an incredible show. abbey SCHNEIDER

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In January, Sleater-Kinney ended a decade long hiatus by releasing their most recent album No Cities to Love. Like their previous albums, No Cities to Love is full of hard-hitting sounds, raw attitude, and guttural emotion. Clearly Sleater-Kinney has not lost their gusto in their 10-year break, as they bring the same upfront and raw emotions and attitudes that they did during their Riot Grrrl days, where they first grew to prominence.

Riot Grrrl was a feminist cultural movement based primarily out of Washington State and D.C. throughout the 90’s. Riding on the back of 3rd-wave feminism, Riot Grrrl was founded on ideals that promoted girls to freely express themselves through “do it yourself” culture. It involved zines, meetings, concerts; anything that could be an outlet for creativity. With its punk roots and inspiration, Riot Grrrl was innovative and gave girls who felt they didn’t belong in the traditional music scene a place to be themselves and express solidarity.

Along with Sleater-Kinney, bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile became prominent and left a lasting impression on Riot Grrrl and the music industry as a whole.

No Cities to Love is not just Sleater-Kinney’s return to the making of awesome music. It is just a facet of a return to demanding

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equality. But is it still Riot Grrrl? Or has our culture evolved, demanding a new feminist cultural movement?

Since the days of Riot Grrrl, a significant number of social issues have risen to attention. Racial and cultural appropriation, gender and sexual equality, and classism to name a few have received attention for demands of equality. While the Riot Grrrl movement itself no longer exists, the message has persisted and evolved and continues to be influential today.

Feminism in music has broken out from the underground movements into the mainstream. Beyoncé proudly flaunts feminism; Miley Cyrus has been compared to and complimented by Kathleen Hanna, a founder of Riot Grrrl.

Despite the greater acceptance of social minorities, the battles have not yet been won. Pussy Riot, a Russian guerrilla-punk girl group has gained notorious popularity (and prison time) for protesting human rights issues through their controversial and shocking performances. Cyrus has been under fire for her appearances and performance routines, Beyoncé is criticized for being too perfect. Not to mention plenty of artists, male and female, still proudly proclaim that they do not support feminism.

Clearly, despite the progress that Riot Grrrl and other movements have brought about, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

No Cities to Love tells us at least one thing: that Riot Grrrl ideals are not dead, they just have evolved into something even greater. The don’t-hold-back, free expression of Riot Grrrl has spread its to other genres of music. Being a female artist who is confident in herself and other women is no longer its own genre or subculture. And even though women in the music industry are still held to a different standard, I don’t think Riot Grrrl has failed in any way to improve confidence and solidarity of women. Rather, the strides made by the movement (and any social equality movement) open doors for other unheard, underrepresented, underprivileged groups to demand equality and freedom from a restrictive and ignorant culture.

Riot Grrrl was more than a music movement; music was just a facet of the movement. Riot Grrrl made free expression and gender equality accessible to all girls. Now it’s time for the artists who have learned from this to spread their influence further. molly GILBERTSON

I’ve been killing it on the boards lately, so I had to write down a manual. As far as credentials go, I don’t really have any. But I’ve been making hiphop for years, and I’ve learned from both failure and success. I’ve heard many times that rhythm is something that you have or you don’t have. On the contrary, I think it can be learned.

“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” -Bruce Lee You’ve got to approach hip-hop (and art in general) with a clear mind. Meditate, smoke, get some exercise… Do whatever it is you’ve got to do. Just don’t hit the studio stressed out or anxious because your subconscious mind is going to block out any and all creative ideas in addition to that other bullsh*t.

Listen to funk every day of your life.

Funk is made to free the mind body and soul – it gives you the clarity you need to elevate your game. And it’s also where hip-hop came from.

Eat light meals when you’re working on music.

You don’t want to do anything on an empty stomach. At the same time, don’t order a 12-piece meal at Wingstop because then you’ll likely end up crashing on the couch.

Don’t overthink your creative process.

Hip-hop is an improvisational art form. The most rewarding sessions are those where you find your inspiration from moment to moment. Nothing wrong with having a plan, but it should remain flexible.

Don’t try to translate intellectually framed concepts into music. Just use your ears and nothing else.

Hip-hop production is chess in motion.

Just like in chess, hip-hop production starts with an opening move. And as you build around that move, what was initially an infinite range of possibilities is narrowed down until finally you have a completed track. Each element should move the track forward in a way that synchronizes with the other elements.

Try finding sounds with a similar texture. For instance, if you build a track around ambient fender Rhodes swirls and wind chimes, perhaps the next step is to find a metallic snare, or a deep,

compressed kick. It’s impossible to know the science behind music, and how certain frequencies and harmonics mesh/don’t mesh. So you have to trust your ears and the science will fall into place.

In addition, it’s helpful to analyze the sounds in your music, and how everything fits together vis à vis established music genres. So if your beat features syncopated guitar strumming on the offbeat of the rhythm (the snare), you’re working with a reggae groove. You can then listen to Reggae tunes and incorporate some of those elements.

The basic components of visual art (unity, contrast, symmetry, repetition, etc) apply just as easily to hiphop.

Repetition is in rhythm. Symmetry also stands out, as any audio engineer will tell you. The key to a good track has to do with how you balance high and low frequencies. Each sound you use should have a distinct sonic footprint, and ultimately you should use the full range of the sonic spectrum.

By slowing down/speeding up samples, you can create your own custom instrumentation If you slow down a sample of a violin by, say, 60%, it becomes an entirely different instrument, because you’re working with a different range of frequencies. What started out as a violin now sounds more like a cello. This is key when you’re trying to find your own style. Certain instruments sound aesthetically pleasing at certain frequencies, and the best producers identify those patterns and use them to their advantage. For instance, by speeding up soul samples, Kanye West mastered a technique known as the “chipmunk vocals” – he littered his beats with pitch shifted vocal samples. East Coast producer Harry Fraud does the same thing – one of the trademarks of his sound is dazzling pitch shifted electric guitar samples.

So that’s about all I have time for. Maybe I’ll do a follow up and cover some technical ground. Anyways, you can find me on SoundCloud under the name “The Sorceror is Stoned”. Peace. nik HEINEMANN

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“UPTOWN FUNK” BRUNO MARS “Old Thing Back” - Matoma “I’ll Be Fine” - Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rocketts “Real Love” - Clean Bandit & Jesse Glynne “Our Own House” - MisterWives

“FIVEFOURSECONDS” - RIHANNA, KANYE WEST, PAUL MCCARTNEY “Sobriety” - SZA “Magazine” - Caroline Smith “The Pressure” - Jhené Aiko “Under the Influence” - Elle King

“TAKE ME TO CHURCH” - HOZIER “Paris” - Magic “No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross” - Sujfan Stevens “Crystals” - Of Monsters and Men “Crazy in Love” - Sofia Karlberg

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“I DON’T F**K WITH YOU” - BIG SEAN “Fruit Snacks” - Kyle “Grief” - Earl Sweatshirt “Drip Drop” - Empire cast “King Kunta” - Kendrick Lamar

“LAY ME DOWN” SAM SMITH “How to Dress Well” - Repeated Pleasure “Talk is Cheap” - Chet Faker “Without” - Sampha “Time Travel” - Daley

“THINKING OUT LOUD” - ED SHEERAN “White Picket Castle” - Theo Katzman “I’ll Be Young” - James Young “18” - One Direction (RIP One Direction as we know it) “Georgia” - Vance Joy

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LOCAL ARTIST ALERT:

Emmie was lucky enough to sit down with all four members of Dolores for an interview that left us smiling for a week.

Have you ever had a conversation so entertaining, you kind of wish you’d brought a tape recorder along just to document the hilarity? No? Well if not, sit down and have a chat with Dolores sometime… or just read this article! Delivering excellent psychedelic jams and an amazing, high-energy live show, this up-and-coming band has captured the attention of local fans and established musicians (PHOX!) alike.

EMMIE: First things first, and I’m sure you guys get this a lot...

What made you choose the name Dolores?

Javi: Well, it just kind of came up… and no one had a problem with it. There were a few other options that just did not fly. We briefly considered “Mom” and “Thumper”.... not okay. *collective laughter* Dolores is definitely a catchy choice. Going into your music, your EP, Nectar Fields, is super impressive for a first album.

I understand you guys are self-produced, and the sound you have definitely doesn’t make that evident. Who is the main force behind song writing and production? As far as songs go, do any have a particular personal meaning?

Adam: Javi is the one behind the lyrics.

Javi: They all have loose meanings. The lyrics themselves may not seem to make sense, but there’s a general feeling or sense that each one gets at. They’re all very open ended and open to interpretation.

And as far as production goes?

Adam: I do a lot of it.

Javi/Willie/Teddy: It’s all Adam.

Adam: Haha, alright. Mostly.

What would you say is the hardest aspect of finding success as an up-and-coming band? Any major frustrations?

Willie: Definitely finding time, especially time that works for all of us to meet up.

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Teddy: Balancing the band with work and school! And nerves, at first.

Javi: It’s also kind of difficult to find shows to play in the first place. We got incredibly lucky with our first show at the High Noon back in October. They had an opening at the last minute.

Adam: Well, a few weeks in advance… which is still relatively last minute. It was a Monday show, so not really a big night, and we were playing with two other bands… but it was an amazing opportunity for us.

I was lucky enough to see that show, it was such a great time!

That leads me to my next question… for such a new band, you guys seem to be having fantastic success! What do you attribute to this?

Teddy: Lots of practice!

Javi: Stunning good looks…. *laughter* Javi: Don’t write that! No, in all honesty it’s been a lot of hard work and we’ve been incredibly lucky to have had awesome opportunities.

Willie: We definitely have a great comfort level with our songs too, which has come through by playing them a lot. And we try to bring a smiley vibe to everything we do!

Javi: We laugh a lot, even laughing at each other or ourselves.

We just try not to be assholes.

All of the hard work and smiles definitely come across! But now, going back a bit, how did Dolores begin?

Javi: Well, way at the start, we just kind of started recording for fun… when we heard ourselves on tape we were all really happy with the sound!

Willie: We were just three guys who wanted to play music and it was fun to collaborate with each other and make something that sounded great.

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Adam: It didn’t necessarily feel like an actual “attempt” to break into the music scene at first, it was all for fun.

And when did Teddy join up?

Javi: Well, we were searching for a drummer back in August when Willie was still playing the drums… and we just couldn’t find a good fit. Then Teddy came along, through a mutual friend!

Willie: The first time he played with us, he asked, “So… what are your goals?”

Javi: It’s fun to get in a huddle and get excited!

Willie: Sometimes we sing R. Kelly!

Javi: We just keep it really present and remind each other we’re in it all together.

Moving on to Madison’s music scene… it’s been pretty excellent in recent years. What’s the best part of being involved in it? Any downsides?

Teddy: Everyone’s just really, really nice!

Javi: It just felt funny to hear that since none of us were really in that mindset at the time.

Javi: It’s not a cool contest

Once you guys were a fully formed band, how would you say you found your sound? Any particular musical inspirations?

Willie: And it’s just a young culture.

Willie: Well, we all listen to very different stuff and we’re all willing to listen to each other’s ideas Javi: Yeah, we like what everyone’s bringing enough to push the various influences together, kind of combine everyone’s preferences.

What artists in particular do you each take inspiration from?

Javi: I love the Beatles, Ty Segall, Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala…

Teddy: I’m a big Unknown Mortal Orchestra fan.

Willie: Bluegrass is a huge inspiration to me.

Adam: Weird stuff…. *laughter*...Styx, CCR, Herbie Hancock…

Continuing on inspirations… You guys put on an amazing live show and have such an awesome energy! How do you bring such consistent energy to the stage- what inspires that?

Javi: Seeing everyone’s reactions!

Willie: Practicing a ton and just having a good time on stage.

Adam: Stupid inside jokes *laughter*... we just laugh a ton on stage.

Javi: We all get the giggles.

Adam: It’s also great to watch Willie; he brings such a genuine energy of his own.

Teddy: Also since we’re not really actively touring, we aren’t crazy stressed all the time. It allows us to be energized for shows!

How do you get ready for shows? Any weird habits/ techniques?

Javi: Well, we’ve been doing “Oh Fo REALZ” before the show… *laughter*. Really though, we just say “oh fo realz” to each other and laugh about it and that psyches us up.

Adam: Javi really spread the “get hyped idea”.

Adam: It’s full of supportive people, fun audiences…

Adam: It’s helped us a ton to be around such open minds and supportive musicians Willie: Hopefully we’re helping shape the local sound a bit… gee, that would be awesome! *laughter*

“It has helped us a ton to be around such open minds and supportive musicians.”

Well I’d say so! On that note though, is there anything you’d to do improve Madison’s music scene?

Javi: More venues, especially on State Street. For the longest time I thought City Bar was a venue, it just looks like one. It should be one!

Adam: It would be great if the general population saw music as a more critical component of our culture! We’re considered a capital city, a college town… Music would maybe be 11th or 12th on the list. I’d love it if it rose a few pegs in how people think of us- if we could be an Austin or a Minneapolis. It’ll take time but that would be ideal.

What’s your favorite venue so far… Madison or anywhere!

Collective answer: The Pabst! It was so fun and a sold out show! 7th street entry was kind of fun too. As far as Madison goes, the High Noon is amazing! There’s also something so awesome about playing the Majestic.

Willie: It’s amazing to go from seeing shows at Majestic to be on stage, playing the show… it’s such a cool feeling.

Thank you guys so much for taking the time to talk with me, it’s been great. ali GRIMES

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SZA STEALS THE SHOW AT SKYWAY THEATRE

While most people were driving out of town for the holidays, I was headed to downtown Minneapolis for a night of late sets, slow jams and narcissism. That’s right, I was going to Jhené Aiko’s “Into the Void” tour, featuring Odd Future’s The Internet and SZA. I was mainly at the show for SZA. Her sweet slow jams and powerful voice provided a helping hand through the roughest finals of my college career so when I saw she would be in Minneapolis right after finals, I knew it was fate.

The venue was the Skyway Theatre, a dark and dirty venue right in the heart of downtown. It was surprisingly packed for a Sunday night, but a little empty for Jhené Aiko, a Grammy-nominated artist for her hit “The Worst”. A DJ started the night out playing more upbeat hip-hop hits, only really getting a response from the crowd when he played Kendrick Lamar’s “m.A.A.d. City”. The Internet was next. Labeled as ‘neo soul’ and led by a barefooted Syd tha Kyd, the group had more a jazzy sound than expected from a band made of two of Odd Future’s main producers. They kept their energy high despite the crowd being pretty indifferent to their set.

The Internet played hits like “Dontcha”, “Cocaine” and “Fast Lane”, even covering James Brown before running off the stage to a half-hearted applause.

Next up was Solana Rowe, more known by her stage name SZA. She floated to the stage in a haze of smoke and to the obnoxious “T-T-T-T-TOP DAWG ENTERTAINMENT” “DJ drop”, making sure everyone knew that she was the newest (and the only female) artist of TDE; a label that also showcases the talents of Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul and Isaiah Rashad.

SZA was all smiles as she jumped right into her first song, “Ur”, a dreamy slow jam about losing yourself. Though the crowd didn’t seem to know any of her songs, they were very engaged because of SZA’s extremely apparent passion for performing. SZA was all over the stage, making it possible for music that seemed only suited for swaying to be danced to. With 45 minutes of stage time, SZA was able to dive deep into her

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repertoire, playing favorites from her debut album, Z, such as “Warm Winds”, “HiiiJack”, “Julia”, “Child’s Play” and “Sweet November”. She was even able to “throw it back to the old stuff” from her 2013 mixtape S and 2012 mixtape See.SZA.Run like “Ice Moon”, “Bed” and “Time Travel Undone”. Right before her final song, SZA played her newest single, “Sobriety”, a song she told the crowd she wrote after being inspired by the energy of the audience at her show in Minneapolis at the Fine Line Café in September. SZA ended her energetic and unforgettable set with “Babylon”, a hit off her debut album featuring Kendrick Lamar. After a solid set full of slow jams and dancing, I wasn’t sure how Jhené Aiko was going to top SZA. After Jhené Aiko made everyone wait an hour, even making her band wait on stage, ready to play, for 30 minutes, I knew SZA was going to be the highlight of the show by far. When Aiko finally graced everyone with her presence, the only thing I seemed to notice about her was the way she carried herself and talked, like she thought she was the greatest artist to grace any stage, ever. Despite being incredibly late to her set, Aiko played almost all of her EP Sail Out and her debut album, Souled Out. The highlights of her set were “Bed Peace”, a song featuring Childish Gambino, and “Drunk Texting”, where she even had someone in the crowd call up their ex and Aiko sang the song just to the phoneadding a nice “f**k you” in the end before hanging up. She ended her set with “The Pressure” and “The Worst”, the two songs the crowd was clearly most excited to hear. Though Aiko has a beautiful voice and an enchanting stage presence, her actions on stage – like snapping her fingers for a cup of tea and then making the guy come back on stage 15 seconds later to set the cup on the ground two feet away from her (this happened multiple times), was off-putting and made her seem like a diva. When the show ended, I knew that I would never see Jhené Aiko again, but fortunately, SZA’s phenomenal set saved the show and guaranteed me as a life-long SZA fan. megan OPPERMAN

As Cold War Kids’ vocalist, Nathan Willett, belted out, “I wasn’t raised to shoot for fame,” a line from the Californian band’s song, “Miracle Mile,” the sold-out nature of their January 27th concert proved the band has, indeed, achieved fame in every sense of the word.

However, after nearly eleven years since their formation, the Cold War Kid’s concert at the Majestic confirmed, once again, that the band’s fame is well deserved. Opening the show with “All This Could Be Yours,” the first track off of their latest 2014 album, Hold My Home, the Cold War Kids demanded attention.

Although they were dressed like they were headed to a family cookout with beanies, plaids, and grays, their sound was far from ordinary.

Willett’s shiver-inducing voice rang through the concert hall, inviting anyone to whisper the age-old truth, “He sounds even better live.”

The Cold War Kids’ set appealed to fans of any duration, playing songs of Robbers and Cowards (2006), Loyalty to Loyalty (2008), Behave Yourself (2009), Mine Is Yours (2011), Dear Miss Lonelyhearts (2013), and Hold My Home (2014). In the midst of the show, songs such as “Miracle Mile,” “Hang Me Up to Dry,” and “Loner Phase,” stood out as crowd favorites.

However, it would be hard to forget Willett’s heart-felt performance of “Tuxedo’s,” a song I’m comfortable liken to the genius and sound of John Lennon’s “Instant Karma.” Coming off as passionate and excited, Willett kept the audience, comprised of an eclectic mix of college students and millennials, feeling the same way. Joining Willett on the stage were co-members, Dann Gallucci (guitar/percussion), Matt Maust (bass), Joe Plummer (drums), and Matthew Schwartz (multiinstrumentalist). Together, their chemistry on stage lead the audience to believe they were having as much fun performing as the crowd was singing along.

Closing the show with “Audience” off their 2009 EP Behave Yourself, and “Something Is Not Right With Me,” off their 2008 album Loyalty To Loyalty, it became clear that the Cold War Kids not only have a long history of success, but with every new album, continue to attract new fans with their hard-hitting lyrics and dynamic sound. abbey SCHNEIDER

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On the snowy evening of February 5th, the moon shined big and beautiful on The Frequency as music lovers packed into the intimate venue.Indie folk-pop wonderboy John Mark Nelson thanked the audience for spending their “Thirsty Thursday” at his show, assuring everyone they were “sticking it to the man” by being there, before continuing on to play a bright, bubbly jazz-pop indie song. The whole night was filled with fun, infectious music played by immensely talented artists.

First to take the stage were The Ragbirds, a delightfully original folk fusion ensemble from Michigan. Their wonderfully energetic set incorporated many different types of music, including a lively tango number. Violins, accordions, and traditional African drum pieces added to the unique, charming, and complex style of the band.

Minnesota-based musical prodigy John Mark Nelson was next. Amazingly talented and brilliant, the young singer/ songwriter has an incredibly natural stage presence. Right from the start it was clear he enjoyed being on stage. Rarely does an artist have such an affinity for live performance.

You can’t help but feel cheerful when listening to his sweet melodies. Maybe it was his inherent charisma or the heartfelt lyrics of his songs, but whatever the reason it was clear that Nelson’s performance captivated the audience. Everyone who packed into The Frequency that night was treated with a phenomenal show and an all-around fun night of music.

(John Mark Nelson, if you’re reading this, please circle the first letter of each sentence in this paragraph and get back to me).

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Seriously though, this kid’s got skills. He made writing and performing music look easy. And there was also a tremendous amount of chemistry between him and everyone else on stage. By the way, have you ever wondered what angels sound like when they sing? It’s probably a lot like Kara Laudon, Nelson’s fellow vocalist, who blessed the crowd with a preview from her new solo album.

Nelson’s songs were sophisticated and sincere, with a sound that would appeal to music-lovers of all genres. Influenced by the great Midwest, his crooning melodies were refreshingly original and satisfying. In case you didn’t read it before, I’ll say it one more time: this kid knows how to perform.

Some highlights of his set included the hearty crowd-pleaser “The Moon and The Stars” and the sweet, effervescent tune “Reminisce”. He also played “Boy”, a spectacular song from his most recent album Sings The Moon. “Rain Comes Down” was a fun, upbeat jam that had all the feet in the room tapping along to the beat. The night eventually drew to a close, and a group of particularly vocal gentlemen in the back implored Nelson to sing one more song. They toasted the young musician in unison, and I think it’s safe to say everyone in attendance left the cozy venue with a smile on their face.

becca MELDMAN

-becca MELDMAN

LOTUS TAKES OVER THE ORPHEUM On a blustery winter night, the multi-talented, genre-bending, space-funk explosion known as Lotus took the stage at Madison’s beloved Orpheum Theatre.

The five-piece band consisting of Mike Rempel (guitar), Jesse Miller (bass), Luke Miller (keyboard, guitar), Mike Greenfield (drums), and Chuck Morris (percussion) ripped through two sets, during which they dazzled the crowd with their dance-y, space-funk vibes. Accompanied by Turbo Suit, an electronic, sax-y trio from Indianapolis who graced the audience with sax-filled, strung-out, hazy hip-hop beats. Between these two acts, the crowd was simply hypnotized into moving and grooving for the entirety of the night.

Lotus’ origins can be traced back to Indiana where the collective began playing percussive, electronica jams and have since blossomed into massive success, often embarking on extensive tours and acquiescing top slots at major music festivals like Summer Camp Music Festival (Chillicothe, IL), Electric Forest Festival (Rothbury, MI), and Bonnaroo Music Festival (Manchester, TN), among a long list or others. Now in their sixteenth year as a band, the five spacemen have released twelve albums, the latest of which is 2014’s Gilded Age. Lotus have been know to have a devoted following due to the jam band nature of their music and performance, and by achieving the incredible feat of performing around one hundred shows in a given year. As a result of this hard work, Lotus

have carved out a place in music for this beautiful hybrid of genres to thrive and blossom like a precious flower.

When the band took the stage, the crowd let out resounding roars that reverberated throughout the theatre. From the first note, the ebullient audience got down and bounced happily to the disco-funk beats and lustrous electronic licks. A key element to their sound is the strong intermingling of Rempel’s crisp guitar melodies that seem to float delicately and delightfully through the air to the joyful recipient’s ear. In a seemingly hypnotic manner, Rempel effortlessly picks and plucks to the groove laid down by the Millers and Greenfield. The groove is even more fully fleshed out and embellished upon by Morris and his various shakers, toms, and tambourines.

Between songs, Luke Miller engages the crowd the most. During songs, he can be seen using the microphone instead as a funky vocoder that modulates his voice with a signature synth-y crunch.

Jesse Miller and Mike Greenfield continuously keep the ever-shifting beat, ready to flip genres on a dime. These two effortlessly flip hip-hop beats into drum and bass bangers, and space-funk odysseys into beach-y riff rock anthems.

These genre explorers took the audience on an adventure to which they happily bopped along with the first set, before breaking briefly for intermission.

The warmth and energy of the crowd was palpable and one could see the

self-proclaimed “jamtronica” band’s numerous devoted followers at every turn. Thankfully, after a short trip to the bathrooms and bar, the audience was returning to place to behold the band’s second set, which was everything the first set was and more. The light display was and continues to be a critical factor in the live Lotus experience. The lights may go from very minimal, vibrant squares of LED for and underground discotheque feel, to bright spotlights that shoot out from the stage and provide just enough soft light to see the fogged out stage. Truly the radiant colors and shimmering lights made the experience feel like a spectacle to see and added an ambience unique only to a Lotus concert. Never missing a beat, the band basked under the lights, rocking and raving for about another hour before the colossal finale brought the beloved journey through space to a finish.

After the smoke cleared and the band had played their last note, the flock of fans filed out of the Orpheum doors into the Wisconsin cold with their hearts warm and their souls satisfied. Lotus embodies and exudes the sheer joy embedded in music, and refracts this with their own flavor of funk. Without a doubt this night filled many grateful Madisonians with anticipation for the next dazzling Lotus experience. evan FLYNN

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PHOX AND DR. DOG INSPIRE THE TWIN CITIES, TWICE As a writer for EMMIE, it can be assumed that I enjoy music. I love quite a few bands, and I’ve seen a good amount of shows.

It’s incredibly rare to experience a concert that leaves me speechless, without much more to say than “Oh my God.” One weekend in February, PHOX and Dr. Dog did just that. Twice.

About a year ago, I saw Dr. Dog for the first time at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. They blew me away. One of my favorite bands to begin with, their live show solidified a permanent spot for them in my heart. But if you asked me today who opened for them last February? I honestly have no clue- the opening act paled in comparison to the headliner.

PHOX, on the other hand, is a band that can hold their own next to an impressive live band.

With a healthy dose of quirkiness and crowd interaction, there’s something special about PHOX that makes you think, “I could be friends with all of these people.”

Their music is somehow relaxing yet incredibly fun, and lead singer Monica Martin does an excellent job relating to her audience.

Introducing the song “Evil” as “a song for anyone that’s ever been cheated on”, and dedicating the final song of their set each night to her “tall as f**k” sister, Monica has an incredibly down to earth vibe for someone with such nat-

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ural talent. I loved both of their shows, and can guarantee that their performance, filled with ring pops and miniature xylophone riffs, will not fade from memory as opening acts so often do.

So now, Dr. Dog. I’ll start with the first night, Friday, February 6th.

I arrived early to secure a good spot, and it was well worth waiting outside in the cold- we found ourselves front row on co-lead singer Scott McMicken’s side. Waiting for the show we were surrounded by equally passionate Dr. Dog fans. One fan, Michael, had driven from Ames, Iowa just for the show, but he’d come without a ticket only to find it had sold out.

As he stood outside the venue, sadly smoking a cigarette, Scott happened to walk by. Joining him for a moment, Michael shared his ticket-predicament with Scott and found himself added to the list.

It’s a beautiful thing when your favorite band is also full of good people.

Finally, 10:15 rolled around and Dr. Dog took the stage. With festive, Flamingo-themed decor setting the mood, the crowd went wild as the band jumped into one of their most popular songs, a cover of Architecture in Helsinki’s “Heart it Races”.

The rest of the first night was amazing- the band touched on all of their hits, as well as a few

lesser-known, personal favorites of mine, such as “Mirror, Mirror”.

“Be the Void” was another excellent surprise. Beyond that, Shame, Shame and Be the Void were played heavily, along with a solid amount of their latest studio album, B-Room.

When talking about night one, I cannot fail to mention the band’s incredible performance of Fate’s “The Beach”. Combine Scott killing it on the guitar and Toby pacing the stage, snarling out the lyrics, “Fate has a funny way, of coming around”. It’s breathtaking.

It’s so good you just don’t know quite what to do.

Full disclosure, I am not someone who dances at concerts.

I’m one of those mildly intrigued head-nodding, slightly-swaying hipsters. But Dr. Dog is the exception. I cannot fathom how a single concert-goer could resist the urge to absolutely lose it with the music. I certainly did. Post-concert, we agreed: best show we’d ever seen. But would night two live up to the high standard set by the first night?

Oh my goodness. It did. Let me tell you, it absolutely did. Going into the second night, I was slightly pessimistic. For their first night in the cities, Dr. Dog played the Turf Club in St. Paul- a small venue that had sold out almost immediately. There they performed

some incredibly deep cuts, playing heavily from early albums. I assumed they made this decision due to the crowd: a small group of avid fans who’d appreciate and remember their lesser-known music. I figured the second night at First Ave would be similar to the first, with a focus on their popular songs and a bit from Fate and Easy Beat, likely nothing from the wacky Toothbrush or Passed Away, Vol. 1. Oh, was I wrong.

With slightly less excellent spots (second row, so still on the raised platform, towards the middle this time), the second night began about the same as the first. The same amazing set, the same excellent opener (with an even tighter set than the night before).

And again, around 10:15, the curtain rose and out walked Dr. Dog. They opened the show with “Stranger”. And with that, any shred of doubt I had immediately flew away.

Yes, B-Room was touched on throughout the second night, and of course Be the Void and Shame, Shame. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. What Dr. Dog fan doesn’t love those albums? But countering that, there were so many purely nostalgic, obscure songs. With each one I looked around disbelievingly and screamed like a 12 year old girl at a One Direction concert.

“Army of Ancients” came next, followed by “How Long Must I Wait?” By this point, I was losing my voice, and had thoroughly outdanced most of the hipsters in my vicinity. With such an amazing set list, how could I not?

It just kept going. My favorite moment of the night was hearing the very first Dr. Dog song I’d ever heard, almost six years ago: “The ABC’s” from the ridiculous 2003 album Toothbrush. As Scott himself said at one point, “We used to be a lot creepier.” Creepy in the most ovable sense of the word.

If you listen to the studio version of the song, it is indeed quite an eerie track. But live? It’s the most danceable, excellent song you can imagine. So strange, but so wonderful.

The goodness just kept coming.

“Take Me Into Town”, a bonustrack from Shame, Shame followed “The ABCs”, and Dr. Dog closed their main set with “We All Belong”. But of course, with Dr. Dog, there is always an encore.

An extensive, five-song encore, in the case of Saturday night, that fittingly ended with a song from Easy Beat: “Oh No”. They never play this song live. Trust me, I’ve checked. It was a perfect ending to an incredible night.

Post Saturday concert, I wasn’t just impressed and “sort of” tired from dancing around. I was left fully exhausted with a goofy smile that would not go away, dying to get outside and cool off, and also dying to go purchase some merch.

As one of those aforementioned head-nodding hipsters, I don’t think you truly know musical love until a live band makes you dance so much that everything hurts.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it’s love.

I’ve now seen Dr. Dog three times, and I would see them three more.

They’re an incredibly talented bunch of musicians, with an unbelievable live show and big hearts.

Our friend Michael’s story, as well as a bartender at The Depot, First Ave’s adjacent bar, confirms this, saying, “They’re all awesome guys. We really love them here.”

If you’re a fan of good music, give these guys a listen. You will not be disappointed. ali GRIMES

The first truly impressive deep cut was “I Hope There’s Love” from the 2007 album We All Belong.

While the album version of this song is heart-wrenchingly sad, their live version is somehow more upbeat, but it still holds onto all the feeling that song initially imparts.

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KEVIN DEVINE, DADS, AND FIELD MOUSE TAKE THE FREQUENCY photos by bailey SALAMANCA

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KACEY MUSGRAVES

WARMS UP THE ORPHEUM

It was the coldest day of winter when Grammy-award winning country starlet, Kacey Musgraves, brought her desert trailer park charm up to the tundra of Wisconsin. Booking out the Orpheum with twangy, charming opening act John & Jacob, the up-andcoming singer songwriter brought a hint of her Texas sunshine… and a little heat!

It wasn’t too late when an array of neon cacti and trailer-themed stage props were set aglow and the crowd’s low energy turned to a roar – out came Kacey in a glimmering dress, opening her show with the cutesy energy everyone had been so patient to see, showcasing herself as quite the crowd pleaser. Although many artists shy away from the calmer, peaceful side of their discography while performing, Musgraves soared effortlessly through ballad album cuts “Keep it to Yourself” and “I Miss You” among others; her vocals were surprisingly polished and impressive constantly throughout the show. Of course, stompers like “Blowin’ Smoke” and “Stupid” kept the audience’s interest piqued in between the heartfelt, down-tempo offerings.

Seeing an artist like Musgraves live this early on in her career may be a questionable choice for the fact that her hits are minimal – singing along and knowing every song is only a widespread success when everyone owns the album (which, with Kacey’s Same Trailer Different Park, is slightly more true than some other acts) – however, this was not a reason for the show to grow even slightly bitter. Musgraves performed many covers including the song she wrote for Miranda Lambert, “Mama’s Broken Heart”, and also an unexpected Bob Marley classic, “Every Little Thing’s Gonna Be Alright”. At one point in the concert, she asked the audience to choose between TLC and Britney Spears, prompting her to sing the R&B hit, “No Scrubs” – and it was surprisingly flawless and cheekily seamless in the progression of the show.

Kacey also performed a plethora of new music to tide her fans over and give a sneak peek for the future – the tongue-in-cheek tracks “Cup of Tea” and “Rainbow” give an energy similar to the singer’s hit “Follow Your Arrow” (which closed the show on a beautiful, energetic note as a precursor to her own cover of the classic hit “Happy Trails”). One other unreleased track Musgraves performed was her new single, out now – “Biscuits”. Expect to hear the uplifting, empowering anthem on country airwaves this summer and keep on the lookout for her sophomore effort, as well – if the show was any indication, it will be worth checking out. collin KIRK

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HOZIER IS NO ONE-HIT WONDER IN MILWAUKEE

There’s an awful lot of pressure facing singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Andrew Hozier-Byrne -- “Hozier” -- at the moment. With his Grammy-nominated smash hit “Take Me To Church” coming in as Spotify’s number one most shared song of 2014 (with an astounding 218 million) and still remaining stuck in everyone’s heads in 2015, it is up to Hozier to prove he is not just some one-hit-wonder with a politically charged single. But fear not: Hozier put these worries to rest with his bang-up sold out performance at the beautiful Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee on Saturday, February 21.

Asgeir Trausti set the stage for Hozier, bringing a debonair and sprightly ambiance to the Riverside. The twenty-twoyear-old Iceland native performed his electronic-folk music with a mellow feel.

Asgeir (pronounced Aus-gear, for the few who may not be fluent in Icelandic) sang a thirty-minute set with songs in both English and Icelandic. Between beginning with “Að grafa sig í fönn” (“Head in the Snow”) and ending with his most popular song “King and Cross,” Asgeir wooed the audience between sets with his Icelandic accent and soft spokenness.

Asgeir left the stage leaving the crowd excited for what was to come next. As soon as Hozier appeared, the crowd began to roar with applause and cheer.

The twenty-four-year-old Irish musician wowed the adoring Milwaukee crowd from the start. Kicking off the show with a powerful rendition of “Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene,” Hozier delivered his contagious energy and soulful voice to the audience. Not a song passed where the devoted fans in the audience were not singing the lyrics right along with Hozier.

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Hozier’s incredibly talented seven-piece band including the fellow Irish-born celloist Alana Henderson -- brought depth and the perfect accompaniment to Hozier’s bluesy and romantic voice as he sung “Someone New,” “Jackie and Wilson” and “Foreigner’s God,” among others. Though Hozier’s voice was just as crystal-clear as it is on his albums and EPs, the melodious harmonies coming from his four female backup singers were what really brought his songs to life.

Perhaps the only songs the audience did not seem to connect to were “Arsonist’s Lullaby” and Hozier’s cover of “Illinois Blues” by Skip James. These brief lulls were overpowered by the emotion brought on by the heartfelt performances of his other songs, most notably the duet “In a Week” with Alana Henderson and the acapella rendition of “Work Song” with only the claps of the band and the beat of the drum to back up his voice.

This Riverside performance also showed Hozier’s range -- he somehow managed to turn “1 Thing,” a 2005 bubbly pop/R&B song by Amerie, into a cello-backed blues song.The concert did not pass without him performing “Take Me To Church,” of course. Though an awesome rendition with emotion and Hozier’s booming vocals

resonating throughout the venue, it was not the standout of the concert proving he has far more to offer than his top hit song.

Hozier seemed to appreciate the audience at the Riverside that night just as much as they appreciate his music (and for many of his female fans, his trademark man bun). The crowd paid no mind to when Hozier flubbed the words of a verse in “Cherry Wine,” laughing along with him as he said, “Imagine forgetting the words. Imagine that.” The overwhelmingly positive response from the crowd caused him to say this performance was one of his most unforgettable nights of the tour.

At the end of the concert, Hozier showed his Irish p’s and q’s with sincere appreciation to his band and crew. He thanked everyone on tour with him by name from Asgeir and his bandmates to the audio engineers to Alana Henderson to the vocalists to the merchandise sellers and everyone inbetween.

“I only wish every gig could be like this,” Hozier said after his performance.” “This is the best of everything. Thank you so much. This was unforgettable.” lizzie RYAN photo by lizzie RYAN

CANNIBAL CORPSE AND BEHEMOTH AT THE ORPHEUM A longtime dream of mine finally was granted in seeing Cannibal Corpse at the Orpheum. To me, CC had always been that one mythical death metal band that was so over the top that they almost seemed other-worldly. The extremely graphic lyrical content and artwork along with intense guttural vocals took me aback upon first hearing CC. If you are not familiar with the bands’ work, it is music that you wouldn’t dare let your parents find out you had been listening to. I had watched many interviews and videos of their live performances, but never thought I would be able to see the death metal titans in a live setting.

For someone not into the metal scene, the music may seem extreme, but the concert atmosphere was welcoming like that of a metal family. George, “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, long-time CC vocalist, engaged in humorous dialogue with the audience by challenging anyone to out head-bang him (spoiler alert: no one could). The set opened with one of my new favorite CC tracks, “Scourge of Iron” off the 2012 album Torture. The slow, chugging riff caught me off guard as all members of the band synchronously head-banged to a song atypical of what one would expect from CC. The rest of the show was filled with CC classics such as “The Wretched Spawn,” “Hammer Smashed Face,” and “Devoured by Vermin,” these being some of the less gruesome titles that were performed. The band also played some material off the most recent albums including the 2014 release A Skeletal Domain.

I was highly in awe of the extreme technical ability of Pat O’Brien on lead guitar as well as Alex Webster’s virtuosic bass shredding. Overall, CC put on a very good show for a band that has been in the death metal game for over twenty years.

Following CC, Behemoth was the closing act for the night. Doused in much more symbolism, pyrotechnics, and theatrical aspects, Behemoth provided for a much different atmosphere. The set began with Nergal entering the stage carrying a large burning torch with the members dressed in full corpse-paint. Filled with tasty harmonic minor riffs, The Polish blackened death metal group put on a solid set that I thoroughly enjoyed. james STRELOW

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“RAVE OF THRONES”

DISAPPOINTS AT THE MAJESTIC I have never watched an episode of Game of Thrones.

I didn’t need to. Regardless of anyone’s level of fandom for the critically acclaimed HBO series, if you were at DJ Kristian Nairn’s “Rave of Thrones” in the Majestic Theater and have ever listened to music, you would know that this was a subpar show at best.

Of course, the individuals who opted to dress up for this event did not disappoint. Shirtless men with face paint, women with long medieval dresses, and foam or lesser-quality imitation weapons comprised the cosplayer demographic. Unfortunately, this did not make up a majority of the event’s attendees. The crowd seemed to mostly consist of college-aged Game of Thrones watchers looking to have the club go up on a Wednesday, but regardless of anyone’s altered state of consciousness, the turn up was never going to become real.

The opener, DJ Lovecraft, performed for what felt like an eternity. It had to be an hour and a half at least, and

the incessant looping beats augmented by vocal samples and inaudible production effects did little to keep my attention. I also could not get over this middle-aged European man just jamming out to his music the same way he would dance at the club if this beat was what you heard all night, but let’s not allow someone’s birthday to overshadow the overall lackluster quality of their music. One attendee I spoke to did say, “This guy is killin’ it for a no-name,” so I guess the noname has that going for him.

Once Hodor err… Kristian Nairn finally took the stage to the tune of Fatboy Slim’s “Right Here, Right Now,” I got a little excited. But Nairn didn’t really take the beat anywhere, and he didn’t do much else throughout his set either. The looping beats and seldom amount of drops maintained the vibe of the show as infinitely more ‘chill’ than what was expected. The visuals also repeated, and were a much lower quality than what a Game of Thrones actor’s assumed pay grade would reflect.

In all my apathy, I was able to pull something of value from this show. When I closed my eyes, I was able to feel the music; the sound waves of the bass clashing with my body. I’ve read before about how deaf music fans will go to festivals and ‘listen’ by simply feeling the vibrations of each song. It’s engaging if not Zen-like, and I encourage any concert goer to just close their eyes during the next show they’re at. Maybe you can derive the same value from this stunt as I did, but with a better band at the helm.

andrew MACKENS

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MISTERWIVES ILLUMINATE THE HIGH NOON SALOON

The venue: simple. The light show: rudimentary. But the performance: magnificent. MisterWives relied on nothing other than sheer talent and the energy in the venue to render an unforgettable concert.

I have been to countless shows at the High Noon Saloon and never have I seen as packed as it was on Wednesday. As a small, intimate venue, the High Noon Saloon is known for staging up-andcoming bands and artists who bring in a smaller number of dedicated fans. However, by the time MisterWives stepped foot on stage, eager audience members had crowded shoulder to shoulder. The authentic smiles and sighs of disbelief coming from the five musicians made it very apparent that the Madison crowd far exceeded their expectations.

MisterWives is an indie pop band out of New York City. Consisting of one girl and four guys, the group cleverly named themselves after a play on the term “sister wives.” With a voice comparable to that of Florence Welch, lead singer Mandy Lee gives the group their unique sound with her rich tone and extensive vocal range.

While Etienna Bowler on percussion, William Hehir on bass guitar, Marc Cambell on guitar, and multi-instrumentalist Jesse Blum come together to create the band’s distinct harmonies.

For their first headlining tour, this indie pop group could not have been more comfortable on stage. Opening bands Handsome Ghost and BØRNS set fore shadowed the tone of night. Handsome

Ghost led off the evening with their chill, electronic alternative sound. BØRNS followed with their electric rock, folk infused set. By the time the two acts warmed up the stage, MisterWives leapt onstage to an already enthused audience. Kicking things off with a bang, the band jumped right into “Our Own House,” the title track of their newly released album. At the drop of the first note, the mustered up energy exploded from the crowd. Tambourine glued in hand, Mandy Lee danced around stage, consistently interacting with fellow band mates and the audience. The vibe that filled the venue was contagious.

MisterWives proceeded to perform several tracks from their new album; some of which included: “Box Around the Sun,” “Oceans,” “Vagabond,” and of course the crowd pleasing single, “Hurricane.” Not once did the vivacity of the audience waver. Even upon slowing things down mid show with the performance of “Coffins,” where the paced dropped and the sound softened, the crowd sang along with an unchanged passion and vitality. Transitioning into “Queens,” a track written in tribute of their hometown, Queens, NY, Mandy Lee voiced how the song secures a spot in their hearts. Emotion rushed through each and every chord as crowd witnessed the sense of nostalgia felt by the band. This momentum carried through song after song; a beautiful symbiotic relationship between the band and the fans. It is an incomparable feeling to be apart of a crowd where the musicians can feed off of the energy and enthusi-

asm resonating throughout the room.

As the concluding chord of their final song faded out, the admiring crowd burst into roar of approval. Powered by the elated fans, Mandy Lee and her misters retook the stage for their encore. Performing a cover of Bruno Mars’ beloved “Uptown Funk,” the group exhibited their versatility and synergistic style as typical lead, Mandy Lee, dropped back onto the drums while Mike Murphy, the bands at hand saxophonist, took control of the stage. Choosing the upbeat, high-spirited track, “Imagination Infatuation,” as the finale piece, Lee, Bowler, Hehir, Cambell, and Blum, left a sensational lasting impression on the Madison crowd.

MisterWives bowed, gave their final thanks, and the growing hum of satisfied music fans circulated the venue. As concertgoers filed out of the door and merchandise line grew, everyone was left in total euphoria. The performers and the listeners coexisted on cloud nine. A taken back by their mind-blowing performance, I found myself at a loss for words. MisterWives had taken Madison and the High Noon Saloon by storm. emma REIFEL photo by cameron SMITH

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SOFT MOON AT THE FREQUENCY photos by aj BECKER

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THE MAINE TAKE MINNEAPOLIS

On April 23rd, The Maine’s American Candy Tour made a stop at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. Prior to the tour’s first stop, The Maine released a cover of “The Drugs” by Weatherbox featuring each of their tourmates; Real Friends, Knuckle Puck, and The Technicolors.

From the amount of praise each band gave one another throughout the show to the surprise appearances from other band’s members during their sets, it’s clear that since then, these bands have all become even better friends. This tour stop was a 16+ show, sparing the high school upperclassmen and college twenty-somethings in the audience from frantic middle-schoolers attending their first concert. Many dedicated fans arrived early to stand as close to the stage as they could, though the majority of the crowd trickled in later on in the evening.

For the show’s early-comers, The Technicolors, an alternative rock band from Arizona (The Maine’s hometown state) played a few of their heavily-guitar-laden tracks. Several audience members seemed to already know the band and sang along, while others only joined in during a cover of Tal Bachman’s “High Above Me.” To the surprise of the audience, Kennedy Brock, one of The Maine’s guitarists, even joined The Technicolors onstage to rock out during the extended guitar solo in the band’s final song. Next up was Knuckle Puck, a Chicago-based emo/punk rock band that hyped up the crowd, getting audience members to fist pump and crowd surf. One rowdy group of guys even worked their way up to the stage front where they jumped atop one another and chanted back to the shouts of Joe Taylor, the band’s lead singer.

Following suit from Chicago, Real Friends took to the stage and kept the so-poppunk-it-could-be-Warped-Tour feeling

alive with old favorites and tracks from their latest album Maybe This Place Is the Same and We’re Just Changing. During their well-known track “Loose Ends,” the crowd went crazy when Joe Taylor reappeared onstage to shout along with Real Friends’ lead singer Dan Lambton.

Between songs, the band entertained the audience by light-heartedly poking fun at one another, at one point even mentioning their love for using the Varsity Theater’s award-winning bathroom and requesting the audience “Give it up for the bathroom here!” resulting in a round of whoops and hollers. Despite the falllike weather outside, with the amount of people packing into the venue, the place was soon stuffy and over-heated as the band finished their set.

While each opening band was well received by the enthusiastic audience, the crowd was giddy with excitement after three lengthy set changes. Finally, each member of The Maine walked onstage as a dark blue misty fog surrounded them and they began to play “Miles Away,” the second single from their new album American Candy. While the band only performed half of the tracks on the new album (“Miles Away,” “My Hair,” “Same Suit Different Tie,” “English Girls,” and “American Candy”), old favorites were well-performed and the audience sang along to them all. The band has a recognizably dynamic stage presence as the members are always jumping around, laughing, waving at fans, and boasting giant smiles. To add to the entertainment, John O’Callaghan, the band’s main vocalist, even changed his inflection, at times singing in an impressively high squeal or a deep, barrowing tone. He also poked fun at himself during “Inside of You,” when he disregarded the lyrics “I’m 21, so you’re getting’ off, I’m coming over,”

instead saying “I’m 26… I’m kinda old, I am kinda old...” before trailing off into a hearty laugh as the crowd laughed along with him.

By the middle of their set when the band performed “Same Suit, Different Tie,” the audience could not have been more energetic. The venue was filled with the sound of off-key voices singing along as everyone head-banged to the beat. The hype continued into the next few songs before O’Callaghan asked the audience to quiet down and the other band members left the stage. He then played an acoustic version of “Into Your Arms,” a 2008 favorite, as the crowd swayed side to side in the dimly lit room. To bring back the upbeat vibe, the full band returned onstage and covered “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones before performing several more tracks including “Let’s Eat Grandma,” an unreleased, mock-screamo song of their own. At one point, The Maine, too gave recognition to the Varsity’s award-winning bathroom, again resulting in applause and laughter from the audience. On a more serious note, O’Callaghan offered the audience his best advice; “Eat your vegetables, drink your milk, wear your seatbelt, and be nice to one another.” As the crowd erupted into applause and confetti exploded from the ceiling cannons, The Maine rocked to an extended version of “Right Girl,” a long-time favorite for both fans and the band themselves. With the ending of the song and a wave of goodbye, O’Callaghan once again reminded everyone, “Be nice, it’s so f*cking easy to be nice.” as the other band members threw their guitar picks and drum sticks into the crowd. From the opening track to the final chord, The Maine once again put on an incredible performance. lily HANSEN

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Kendrick Lamar finally released the long anticipated follow up album to his 2012 debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, and it is already difficult to imagine anything better than what To Pimp A Butterfly has achieved. As good kid, m.A.A.d city focused on Lamar’s personal upbringing and tragedies he faced during his youth in Compton, Butterfly expands on his personal experience while relating it to life as an African American in modern day America.

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KENDRICK LAMAR to pimp a butterfly [INTERSCOPE RECORDS]

In both m.A.A.d city and Butterfly, Lamar has been focusing on the revival of the concept album. No one song on Butterfly is radio material (with the exception of the single version of “i”, which won Lamar two Grammys this February), but rather the album itself is his canvas, where he flawlessly collides and coerces topics such as racism, political deception, black on black crime, etc. to create a masterpiece.

Musically, he primarily infuses jazz and funk with his words, expanding on the West Coast style he dabbled with in m.A.A.d city. The album’s scattered rhythms and vibes, including samples from the likes of Radiohead and Sufjan Stevens to The Isley Brothers, reflects the disorder of which Lamar is trying to make sense. His use of African American literature, incorporating and revolving the album around excerpts from The Color Purple in “Alright” and Roots in “King Kunta”, is indicative of his pure genius and dedication to his work. By recalling the prejudices these works contained, Lamar assumes the role of preacher, delivering a message proportionally effective to these classics.

In “Hood Politics”, Lamar bridges the gap between his personal experiences on the streets and the government’s institutionalized hindrance to progress. “From Compton to Congress/ Set trippin’ all around/ Ain’t nothin’ new but a flow of new DemoCrips and ReBloodlicans/ Red state versus a blue state, which one you governin’?” The metaphorical link between gang territory and political territory is a strong claim. Lamar believes that politicians are crafting these gangs, dividing people, displaying the hypocrisy that the aversive stereotypes set against African Americans in this country claim. However, this theme of hypocrisy continues in

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one of his more controversial songs “The Blacker The Berry”, where he criticizes black on black crime. “So why did I weep when Trayvon Martin was in the street?/ When gang banging make me kill a n**** blacker than me?/ Hypocrite!”

As society reels in the recent tragedies of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown, Lamar has given us perhaps the most socially relevant commentary in music. In a period of great turmoil and racial unrest, Lamar understands the impact that his voice, his music can have. The sheer nerve of addressing the corruption of American politics as well as recognizing the “hypocrisy” behind black on black crime is a testament to the respect and admiration Lamar has achieved, and earned, in his short career.

Lamar rants on these political and social guidelines that have been set against African Americans, but always brings it back to his personal life. As he addresses these dark subjects, he restores balance with tales of self-appreciation, equality, and hopefulness in “i”, “Complexion”, and “Mortal Man” respectively. In “Mortal Man”, the album is carefully, beautifully completed via a conversation between Lamar and Tupac Shakur. The turmoil and racial war that he and Tupac discuss is an apocalyptic inevitability. However, Lamar argues that music is what truly holds everything together. Without music to bind and bring us together, this world is lost.

Bringing this social-conscious approach into the scheme of a concept album is rare in the music community nowadays. Not since perhaps Kanye’s The College Dropout or Biggie’s Ready to Die has an album with such ferocity and mindfulness appeared on the popular music plane. By addressing these corruptions of our society, Lamar has reminded us what hip-hop is all about and in the process, leaving all other artists in a race for second place for album of the year.

tom FREDERICK

At the turn of the year, news came of Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk and her return to music. Vulnicura, the follow-up to 2011’s dynamic, earthy Biophilia, was announced in mid-January; not even two days later, the entire album leaked on to the internet sparking a rush-release of the album. Given a hand by up-andcoming producer Arca (and Haxan Cloak on “Family”), Björk created an orchestral, apocalyptic and eclectic album about something so relatable and real-life you almost wouldn’t expect it to work – heartbreak.

Björk has sang about many things in her 22-year-long [solo] career, most masked in lighthearted, poetic lyricism; the lyricism stays on Vulnicura but this time you can’t miss the prominent themes responsible for the inspiration of the album. Björk and her husband, artist Matthew Barney, recently split after a decade-long marriage – the album spans the series of emotional landscapes she saw throughout the experience. The instrumentation present throughout the LP is the often electronic, fast-pace and jittery (“History of Touches”, “Mouth Mantra”) but also gets very minor and soulful. The album tastefully and cohesively blends elements of glitchy, machine-emulating electronica and classical orchestral influences – a task not easily accomplished.

“Moments of clarity are so rare, I better document this,” croons Björk on the opening song of Vulnicura, the string-heavy, anthemic “Stonemilker” (a song that is charmingly reminiscent of Homogenic highlight, “Joga”) – an analytical, retrospective Björk recurs often on this album, mapping her experiences and

The title track of Our Own House starts with a slightly eerie, breathy singing with the music slowly building in the background. The build is complete by the dance-ready chorus, complete with pop vocals and beats that beg to be clapped along to. I can picture MisterWives playing this song in concert, and I can tell it would be nothing but fun.

Many songs on Our Own House build in this fashion. The tracks are made for concert dancing and are sure to be crowd pleasers. They are also generally very catchy; by my second time listening to the album I already know most of the words and am unwittingly bobbing my head around and mouthing the lyrics to myself.

Our Own House is pure ear candy. I would gladly listen to this album on my way to class or while getting ready to get myself a little more excited about where I’m going. “Hurricane” makes me want to drive around with my windows open and belt lyrics out the window. “Our Own House” and “Reflections” have already convinced me to get up and dance around my room.

MisterWives has created a strong, distinctive sound for themselves on Our Own House. This is crucial for MisterWives, as Our Own House is their first full studio album. The consistency of the music will help with band recognition, and the pop-dance beats and exciting builds will likely get the band significant radio play. Through and through the album is fun to listen to, and this will give MisterWives a strong start to their career.

Though most of the album has a very consistent sound, there are a few exceptions. The first is “Coffins.” The track begins with a sad sounding keyboard and a very sweet voice. This is followed by a violin and then an upright bass.

emotions accordingly through the crackling and dissolving of her marriage. “These abstract complex feelings – I just don’t know how to handle them,” she sings on the shimmery “Lionsong”, a song particularly genius at capturing clichés and converting them into grandiose moments of human nature. The 10-minute “Black Lake” serves as a near autobiographical catalog of despair and confusion in the ruins of what was once love. Expanding beyond relationship guidelines, Björk ties in her other loved ones – the haunting, brooding “Family” draws her child into the mix and the succulent closer. Concluding the album are the worst-is-over, post-traumatic releases that sum up the ultimate result of everything Björk went through. An optimistic Björk comes to her senses and realizes she must learn a lesson and make the best out of the situation (no regretting or forgetting) in the disjunctive “Notget”. The album ends on a positive whim with “Quicksand”, a percussive and borderline dance-ready salute.

Vulnicura has been speculated to be derived from Latin words for “wound” and “heal”. The album tells a story that Björk needed to tell to heal. Vulnicura is an album that seems to serve as a relationship index for others seeking guidance – it could be described as Björk’s answer to Adele’s 21. In the sharing of the travesty of hopeless heartbreak, it acts as an outlet for the debilitating darkness of a broken family. From start to finish, the album tells a story of love, loss and recovery, creating the entity that is Vulnicura. collin KIRK

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BJÖRK

vulnicura [ONE LITTLE INDIAN RECORDS]

The song remains at fairly steady emotional level, unlike most of the other tracks on the album. The bridge is the only real deviation, and it still fits in with the song quiet easily. There are harmonies that add to the emotion of the song and an incredibly subtle addition of a tambourine.

“Coffins” is a beautiful song to listen to; it is one of my favorites on the album. However, when it first came on I was caught off guard. The track feels out of place in an album of dance hits.

“Imagination Infatuation” and “Vagabonds” break out of the album’s mold as well, though in a less jarring way. The jazzy vocals on “Imagination Infatuation” are easily one of the highlights of the album.

“Vagabonds” is possibly the most powerful song on Our Own House. Rather than building to a bouncy chorus, MisterWives slows for emphasis at the end of the chorus on this track. This gives room for the moving lyrics “You’ve been flying so high/Avoiding the road/Pretending to not feel alone/Pretending to not feel alone.”

Our Own House is a great first release for MisterWives. The album does a fantastic job of developing a sound, and nearly every song is enjoyable individually. However, on future albums I would like to see MisterWives incorporate slightly more variety. The few tracks that deviate from the pattern of the album are some of the best. The problem is they seem out of place without context. If MisterWives allows themselves to experiment with different styles on more songs, it will make the next album more interesting to listen to and help it flow better than Our Own House.

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MISTERWIVES

our own house

[PHOTO FINISH RECORDS]

rachel BARUCK

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“The hoot of an owl in the sky/sad though his song/No bluer was he than I”: the iconic singer-song writer Bob Dylan grieves in his latest album Shadows in the Night, a title which epitomizes the melancholy gloom that pours from the tracks in this collection of Frank Sinatra covers. Shadows in the Night is a successor to Dylan’s 2012 album, Tempest, which is also an allusion to Shakespeare’s last play (and was rumored to be his farewell album). The rumor is nulled with this release.

Despite these songs simply being covers, they evoke feelings from his past. A reminiscent album, he implores for his love to be his once again.

BOB DYLAN

Shadows In the Night opens with “I’m a Fool to Want You”, effectively coming across as greatly intimate, as he reveals his pain and emotion through the words of the ballad. It is worth noting that Dylan utilized a suave vocal quality for this album, and although it is nice to hear a new smooth sound, it is hard not to miss the distinct raspy voice he has come to be known for. His calming voice melts

with the small orchestra to create an alluring sound. Despite this tranquil sound remaining constant throughout the LP, the monotone style works well for this album.

Dylan closes the record with “The Lucky Old Sun”, which he has performed before; a classic song that has been covered by such renowned artists as Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, Willy Nelson and Johnny Cash.

Despite being a popular song to cover, he makes it his own by creating an intriguing original harmony from the first note. Bob Dylan, the musical and lyrical genius, has yet to disappoint and this album is no exception as he accomplishes the challenging task of mastering the music of another artist. lee MILNE

shadows in the night [COLUMBIA RECORDS]

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DRAKE

if you’re reading this, it’s too late [CASH MONEY RECORDS]

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If you were a fan ofthe teen drama series “Degrassi,” you probably know that Drake has come a long way since his acting days.

Throughout the past 10 years, he’s gone from small, semi-known mixtapes to platinum selling albums. With his new surprise album already debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, the Toronto born rapper has taken over the music industry yet again.

If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late was originally recorded to be released as a mixtape, the format that initially brought Aubrey ‘Drake’ Graham his fame back in 2006. But wanting to profit off of the album, Drake’s label, Cash Money Records Inc., insisted that he release it through retail. Drake agreed, and according to Billboard, the record sold more copies than any other artist so far in 2015 (besides T-Swift, of course). As if that wasn’t impressive enough, Drake plans on releasing another album titled Views from the 6 later this year.

In the past seven years, Drake has come from the bottom (pun intended) and ended up earning countless awards, a net worth of $55 million and a solid reputation free of hate and excessive criticism. His music is lyrically driven, and as is the case with his previous records, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late delivers a plethora of different subject matters. Drake expresses the strain he feels from being back in the spotlight in “Used To” (“I ain’t felt the pressure in a lil’ while, it’s gon’ take some getting used to”), and his judgment toward frenemy and fellow Cash Money artist Tyga in “6pm In New York” (“You need to act your age and not your girl’s age”).

PARTYNEXTDOOR, an artist signed to Drake’s OVO Sound record label, is featured on If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.

He gives “Wednesday Night Interlude” a sensual and relaxed tone (similar to The Weeknd), and complements Drake’s voice and melodic verses. And of course, it’s no Drake album without a song dedicated to

his self-perseverance and reign as one of the best rappers alive, as seen on the track “Legend” where he raps, “I’m too good with these word/ Watch a n**** backtrack/ If I die, all I know is I’m a motherf**king legend.”

Drake even reveals his frustration toward his label in “Star67” saying, “Brand new Beretta, can’t wait to let it go/ Walk up in my label like ‘Where the check, though?” in reference to the $51 million lawsuit filed against Cash Money Records. Needless to say, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is far from subtle.

With four immensely successful albums behind him, expectations were high for album popularity and sales for this new release.

Thank Me Later (2010) offered a few more upbeat, celebratory songs, but conveyed related themes like the power of success and the loneliness that accompanies it. Although If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late has a difficult time living up to the 2011 release Take Care, it echoes the sound mixing and vamps.

Whereas Nothing Was The Same (2013) instantly clicked, If You’re Reading This might take a few listens to fully grasp the feel of the album. While If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late sheds light on the burdens of stardom, So Far Gone (2008) depicts pre-fame anxiety. Listeners will notice Drake’s artistic and personal growth across his albums, especially in this most recent release.

Setting aside any fan girl bias, Drake made a great album with If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. His surprise release à la Beyoncé paid off, and the new record dominated the charts without so much as a warning. For listeners who aren’t avid Drake fans, the record may seem slow and repetitive, but the sonic aesthetic and lyrical quality will be obvious a few listens later. Regardless of how If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late will be remembered, Drake isn’t going anywhere. He plans to take 2015 by storm, and there’s no doubt he’ll come out on top, just like he always has. sarah LODUHA

It has been four years since we last heard from The Decemberists, and with their time off has come some unexpected changes. In the past, their albums typically pertained to one steady flowing style accompanied by beautiful imagery and ultimately some degree of ambiguity. This all changes in What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World, which frontman Colin Meloy hints at in the opener “The Singer Addresses His Audience” with lyrics “we had to change some, you know, to belong to you.” With much more narrative, realistic lyrics, we already find the album to take on a new edge for The Decemberists.

No longer is Meloy hiding himself behind the lyrics of his music, as we now hear more personal emotion and hints of a darker, intimate side.

It can definitely be said that The Decemberists new album is significantly more diverse than previous works. With songs ranging from the deeper side of Meloy, to witty lyrical tunes, catchy pop songs, and traditional Decemberists with hints of a celtic feel, it is hard to determine one specific steady flow or theme to this album. However, this could be interpreted to ultimately encourage two differing opinions from their traditional fan base.

Either The Decemberists are truly improving and maturing in their writing, or they are taking a few steps back in order to broaden their listening audience.

At some points, the lyrics - while less vague and visually descriptive as heard in their older imaginative tales - are too realistically narrative, causing some tracks to have a bit of a lighter tone that cannot truly be taken all too seriously. This mainly occurs in the opening track with quirky lines referring to selling out to Axe shampoo, or in “Philomena” rather immaturely stating “all I wanted in the world, was to live to see a naked girl.” While both of these songs have the musical support, especially with “Philomena” and its nostalgic, fifties beachscape sounds accompanied with boppy vocal backups, these lyrics honestly detract a bit of respect from the album. At the same time, we continue to hear the traditional Decemberists sound in “Carolina Low” as

If you thought former SNL cast member Rob Schneider’s greatest accomplishment in life was his role as Gus in “Benchwarmers,” or Rob Hilliard in “Grown Ups,” you may be sorely mistaken. In fact, Rob Schneider’s greatest gift to this world is his musical daughter, Elle King. Born in Los Angeles and growing up in Ohio, King has made a smashing entrance into the music industry with her full-length album, Love Stuff.

Preceding Love Stuff, King released her debut EP in 2012 entitled The Elle King EP. After one of the tracks entitled “Playing for Keeps” was chosen as the theme song for the Mob Wives Chicago series on VH1, it became clear that King had made a lasting first impression. Therefore, when King released her anticipated album Love Stuff in February 2015, she did not disappoint in the least.

The bluesy album, mirroring the styles of her musical influences such as Otis Redding, The Donnas, and AC/DC, also has hints of country and bluegrass as well. From the to catchy bluesy melody of “Where The Devil Don’t Go” to the dark banjo-driven chorus of

Meloy again places himself back to older times and paints an ominous story of a young soldier’s love for his country.

More than anything, there is a great deal of first-person narration heard in What A Terrible World. In “Anti-Summersong”, a somewhat rebuddel to their “Summersong” from The Crane Wife (2006), Meloy critiques his old style of writing. At first, this song is somewhat similar to classic Decemberists, as it places the listener in an Irish pub with its traditional fiddle, violin, prominent drums, and deep, male back-ups. The listener can actually feel as if they were right there chanting along with a beer in hand when the song ironically bashes the band’s older style in stating “I’m not going on just to sing another sing-along suicide song.” Definitely a more humorous and crafty way to bring out this message than previously heard, “Anti-Summersong” ultimately embodies the confusion of the album in one song.

This album is undoubtedly a mixture of new versus old, mature versus frivolous, and critical versus playful, making it rather hard to set a strict, objective reaction as a whole. Nevertheless, there are definitely aspects of the album that cannot be questioned, such as the grungier rock sounds in “Make You Better”, the upbeat horn sections of “Cavalry Captain”, and the classic Decemberists accordion accompaniment in the easygoing folk rock of “The Wrong Year”. Thus, while What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World may not be the best or most cohesive work we have heard from The Decemberists, it definitely shows strength in incorporating new musical styles into older sounds. Consequently, the album seems less of a 100% strict change for The Decemberists. Rather, it is more of a muddling around into different areas to truly find what fits best for this band as they begin to veer away from their established romantic story-telling songs into new, more sophisticated grounds.

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THE DECEMBERISTS

what a terrible world, what a beautiful world [CAPITOL RECORDS]

allysa GALLONI

“Kocaine Karolina,” King delivers a dynamic, yet beautifully intact album. With her rustic, edgy voice guiding every track into the next, King asserts herself as a force to be reckoned with.

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While “Under the Influence” and “Ex’s & Oh’s” seem like tracks that could fit in swimmingly with a Black Key’s album, tracks such as “America’s Sweetheart” and “Make You Smith” may call for a collaboration with Mumford & Sons. King’s unique style shines through in her debut album, and reflects that fact that she has toured with groups such as Train, Of Monsters and Men, and Michael Kiwanuka.

Overall, Elle King’s debut album Love Stuff, is one of kind. Her diverse style may leave the listener surprised with every new track. abbey SCHNEIDER

ELLE KING love stuff

[RCA RECORDS]

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IMAGINE DRAGONS

smoke + mirrors [INTERSCOPE RECORDS]

Like a popular older sibling leaving behind a plethora of accomplishments at your high school long before you, Imagine Dragons’ 2012 debut Night Visions indeed left big, multiplatinum shoes to fill. Smoke + Mirrors, the sophomore release from the group, may be just the phrase to use in describing the band’s popularity and vision. While it is not quite fair to impose a comparison between the two albums alone in judging the quality of the second, the dichotomy is also somewhat inevitable.

With the turn of the first decade in the second millennium, it has become pretty apparent that the stark, inventive differences in every decade of the previous century (60s drug bluesy folkrock, 70s disco, 80s hairbands) are no more, as current artists struggle with employing the bravery of invention without going off the deepend and thus choose to over-indulge into retro sounds as they straddle the fence between your friendly-neighborhood hipsters’ backyard, or the boasting Top 40. Coming up to 2015, no longer are peppy-poppy songs about California Girls and Friday; instead, almost everyone seems to be searching for a little more grit or edge.

Where does Imagine Dragons fit in with all of this? It seems as though it may have a mini-identity crisis of its own. While the band initially swept in with some initial ‘wow’ factors, it takes much more than differing slightly from the first album to carry on momentum as a whole.

Smoke + Mirrors has a reminiscent vibe still focused on depressing lyricism, intermittent and dramatically indulgent anthems, and explorations into subdued electronic sounds – all sometimes smash-boxed into the same song.

Smoke + Mirrors, without being compared to their massive debut, just barely misses the cohesion needed to reach a premium rating, as it goes out on a limb touching just a few too many bases of genres to please all listeners. Take

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FALL OUT BOY american beauty/ american psycho [ISLAND RECORDS]

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Ten years ago, Fall Out Boy released From Under the Cork Tree, their first foray into the mainstream. Four albums, one EP, various solo projects, and numerous music styles later, their sixth studio album, American Beauty/American Psycho, was released on January 20th. As a follow-up to 2013’s Save Rock and Roll, this album is dedicated to the last “100 years of popular culture,” and it can be heard in both the lyrics and the style of the album. American Beauty/American Psycho consists of high energy from the first trumpet blast in the opening “Irresistible” to the final story of dying in a hotel in the closing “Skeleton Twins.” The band’s sound has matured as well as their lyrical content; however, one thing that has remained the same is the lead singer, Patrick Stump’s, soulful falsetto.

An interesting trait of American Beauty/ American Psycho is the wide variety of sounds and styles between each track. Between the grand horn-blaring sounds in “Irresistible,” incredible angst of the title track, dance-pop beat of “Uma Thurman,” and robotic sounds of “Novacaine,” the album hits a variety of styles that never leave the listener bored.

album cut “I’m So Sorry” - with remnants akin to garage-rock punk, the chorus switches gears back into the apocalyptic-pop realm, making you not sure whether you can sing along in a chimed-in all-around ballad, or venture back to your high school/early college days and bring out the grunge factor. Lowlight “Friction” is so horrendously strained that Reynolds sounds like he is stammering in unison with the trembling Eastern strings and melodramatic angst. At first, the promising “Dream” begins with some pleasant and peaceful piano plinking – out of nowhere comes the overbearing need to prove: “Ta-Da! I can make a climactic impact!” This happens so frequently throughout the album that one may find it difficult to take seriously some of the more poignant issues discoursed in the lyrics (eg. “am I just a shadow you drew?”, “all my life I been livin’ in the fast lane, can’t slow down just rollin’ like a freight train”.)

What does the band still have going right? It still reigns with Reynolds and his powerful set of pipes with dead-on pitch delivering just as well on stage as on an album recorded. Daniel Sermon (guitarist) instrumentalizes magic, and the jivey beats of drummer Daniel Platzmann are prevalent, driving the catchier sounds on the album.

When it all boils down, Imagine Dragons fortunately (yet possibly unfortunately) hit a major growth spurt at debut, filling in their britches a bit too soon, right in the midst of musical mayhem in current trends – where the lack of true identity is detrimental. Have they spontaneously combusted? Will everything the Imagine Dragons touch actually “turn to gold?” We’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, fans aren’t quite going anywhere yet - we’re still rooting for you cloudy, smoke-emitting, oversized, mystical lizards. tamar LASCELLE

What’s truly remarkable about this album is its ability to include numerous pop culture references within each track. The first single of the album, “Centuries,” pulls from Suzanne Vega’s song “Tom’s Diner.” “Uma Thurman” contains guitar riffs and horn arrangements from the theme song of television series The Munsters, as well as various Pulp Fiction samples. “American Beauty/American Psycho” has a sound that closely resembles 90’s rock and includes cheerleader-like chants. One of the slower tracks of the album, “The Kids Aren’t Alright”, gives a nod to Peter Bjorn and John with its whistled hook and the title alludes to The Who. Fall Out Boy’s sound has matured from their earlier days of pop-punk to something much more complicated, and by doing so American Beauty/American Psycho’s sound is more tailored to Top 40 hits and is also able to reach an older, more mature crowd. Fall Out Boy doesn’t disappoint with this album and they show that even after nine active band years and six studio albums, that they can still produce new sounds and yield positive results. kasey MARGELOFSKY

Following the critical success of their debut album Shrines, Purity Ring has released their newest album, another eternity. Prior to the release, Purity Ring members Megan James and Corin Roddick said they were going for a different sound with this album.

That of course, is to be expected. No artist tries (or at least should try) to reproduce the same sound over and over. another eternity, while sounding distinctly different than Purity Ring’s prior music however falls short of any positive evolution.

The key identifiers of Purity Ring are still present: Megan James’ light, beautifully child-like voice, Corin Roddick’s strange, dark dance beats - the ethereal beauty that is signature to the group. But what made Purity Ring stand out before was their novel sonic aesthetic. another eternity simply fails to push the listener out of their comfort zone.

There is still an other-worldly, dark aura to eternity, but it stays within a safe zone of catchy pop melodies and familiar dance beats. Shrines captured a bold new sound that was strange and different and beautiful. another eternity sounds like an attempt to make Purity Ring more marketable, taking away from the best qualities of their music.

The melodies on Shrines were unconventional but catchy, creating a strange appeal that was both scary and pleasurable. This sadomasochistic draw is noticeably missing from eternity. The songs have a more melodic, pop appeal that the average listener can

Who is J. Tillman, really, and is he… for real?

The former Fleet Foxes drummer, now performing under the moniker Father John Misty, has recently left behind a trail of peculiar antics. He opened his performance on Letterman sitting solemnly at a grand piano, a spotlight bathing his seemingly heartbroken face. A minute into the song—lead single “Bored in the USA”—Tillman swings around on the bench, the camera revealing he wasn’t playing the piano at all. He jaunts up onto the piano and lounges for a moment, streams a fake audience laugh track between lyrics like, “They gave me a useless education / a sub-prime loan on a craftsman home,” all while maintaining the dramatic façade of nihilist who’s just realized the myth of the American Dream. The album art for Honeybear features a hilarious doodle of his face replacing the infant Jesus Christ in a colorful recreation of the Virgin Mary and Child. When the first pressing of his LP was noticed to be defective from the pop-up art in the sleeve, he “[promised] to be less ambitious in the future.” He also asked Marilyn Manson, “How long have you been in the gay Navy?” when he was wearing “sideswept bangs and this pea-coat thing.” These things all add to the enigmatic, comical figure that Father John Misty has evolved into in recent months.

Following Tillman’s debut as Father John Misty with 2012’s Fear Fun, this new release surely sends listeners more than a few mixed signals. Having an extremely Christian upbringing that he has since renounced, even his stage name brings to question Tillman’s sincerity. Dripping his lyrics with self-aware irony, it’s difficult to pinpoint how much of I Love You, Honeybear is meant to move listeners, and how much is just Tillman playing along with the image and narrative he

enjoy. I understand Purity Ring wants to sell more music, but they shouldn’t compromise their creative strangeness for the sake of mass-appeal.

The best songs on another eternity are the ones that don’t quite fit the formula of the album. “Repetition” is a slower, more sentimental heartfelt take on Purity Ring’s other-worldly sound, and it totally works. Without the overly dubby beats, it’s a strangely good change up from the rest of the album. While uncreative lyrics leave much to be desired, it has an overall sound that I can get behind.

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Another diamond in the rough, “Sea Castle” is arguably one of the best songs to come off this album. It veers from the traditional Purity Ring sound, making it one of the more unique tracks on the album. The lyrics are hauntingly attractive, and the lack of typical beats leaves the track stripped down so the listener can experience Purity Ring in a way that is more bare, but still interesting.

Despite my overall disappointment, I can’t say another eternity is bad. I enjoy listening to it and it’s still a good album, but it doesn’t have the risk-taking boldness that Shrines captured. If Purity Ring wants to create a more lasting mark in music, they’re going to need to stop playing it safe and return to pushing boundaries as they did before. molly GILBERTSON

PURITY RING

another eternity [4AD]

envisioned; after all, he himself has described the work as a concept album.

Whatever his intention behind the sometimes-misleading lyrics, Honeybear shows musical and artistic growth from Fear Fun. In “True Affection,” an electronic leaning jab at having to interact through modern technology rather than face-to-face, Tillman finds the happy medium of wit and sincerity—“When can we talk with the face / Instead of using all these strange devices?” he sings over a twinkling downpour of sound, all birthed by the very technology we all admittedly wish we didn’t rely on sometimes. It’s complicated.

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When he recounts meeting his new wife Emma for the first time and goes on to imagine the rest of their lives spent together on “I Went to the Store One Day,” listeners are left with yet another aspect of the artist to sort through. Is this Tillman speaking honestly, or just another part of the “concept”?

Somehow, despite the sarcasm, the laugh tracks, and the previous comparison of his wife to a blow up doll, when Tillman sings, “For love to find us of all people / I never thought it’d be so simple,” you believe him, consider that all this might be just another way for a person to process a life that has surely had its ups and downs, just like most of ours. Music, in the end, is a thought process just as it is an art, and if life imitates art, then how fitting that I Love You, Honeybear is a contradiction, indescribably raw, a product of adoration and confusion and honest-toGod trying. Trying to live freely, love honestly, sometimes to just survive. Moments like these bring Father John Misty closer to listeners; you can’t help but identify with him, whoever he really is. mia SATO

FATHER JOHN MISTY

i love you, honeybear [SUB POP]

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