FLESH & BONE In pursuit of art and music VOL.8
F&B
Submissions: If you are intertested in being featured in F&B contact: fleshbonemagazine@gmail.com All images copyright the respective contributor.
FOUNDER: Brandynn L. Pope COPY EDITOR: Donald Kimber DESIGN & LAYOUT: Brandynn L. Pope COVER LOGO: Morgan Fraser PHOTOGRAPHERS: Sara Almlah Angela Butler Courtney Cook
THE TEAM Christina Kelley Brandynn L. Pope Brittney Tambeau WRITERS: Sara Almlah Angela Butler Ashley Houston Donald Kimber Brandynn L. Pope Cale Zebedee
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CONTENT
JANUARY, 2015 | VOL. 8
ALBUM REVIEWS ARTIST VS POET
ALBUM: Medicine RELEASE: 12/16/14
Over their many years, Artist Vs Poet has gone through a lot in order to eventually arrive at the sound they are sitting at now with Medicine. They seem to have found their sound in alternative-pop, and are able to successfully play around with ballads, as well as songs that are a little more “in-your-face”. Tracks such as “Sincerely Me,” and “Leavin,” are reminiscent of Artist Vs
STAND OUT: Unbreakable
AUTHOR: Brandynn L. Pope
Poet’s previous records, addressing the topic of love and showing off Joe Kirkland’s soothing vocals. “Unbreakable” instantly stood out for its unique sound, compared to everything else. The introduction as well as the end of Medicine brings something different from the band, and shows their versatility as musicians. The pop influences, especially those reminiscent of
Maroon 5, of this album show off a part of Artist Vs Poet that could lead them to radio features.
CIRCA SURVIVE ALBUM: Descesus RELEASE: 11/24/14
This year marks the tenth anniversary of Circa Survive. Formed in a Philadelphian suburb of Doylestown, and consisting of members from bands such as Saosin, This Day Forward and Taken, this band had a time of great uncertainty in which it was doubtful whether this album would even be made. During the recording of their 2012 album Violent Waves, lead vocalist Anthony Green became dependent on prescription painkillers, which eventually progressed into a heroine addiction. Green had hit
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STAND OUT: Only The Sun AUTHOR: Cale Zebedee
rock-bottom before guitarist Brendan Ekstorm finally confronted him. In recent interviews with the band, Green was quoted saying: “I told him (Brendan), ‘I’m addicted to heroin, and I want to kill myself, and I don’t think I’m good to be around anybody in my family and they’d be better off if I was just dead.’ I was just ready to die.” Green then entered rehab and the rest of the band decided they would hold out to see what the outcome of the treatment would be before deciding to disband. The group agreed to be
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a drug and alcohol free entity from now on and kept pushing forward. At the time the band had little-to-no material ready for the new album, but already had studio time with Will Yep. Descensus is the band’s heaviest record to date, both musically, and due to the strife the band incurred.
THE RED THREAT ALBUM: Violent Love RELEASE: 11/14/14
The Red Threat’s newest album Violent Love, (produced by Daniel Carriere), kicks off with a big bang in the form of the track “Verses.” Lead singer, Ty Elgie, stubbornly spouts the lines: “I’ll just spill all my guts to the cynics, they’re held together by the threads of my dreams. I’ll read the worst of my own damn books so the world can sing back to me.” Elgie expresses the struggle of
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STAND OUT: The Myth of Man
AUTHOR: Cale Zebadee
all musicians who choose to spill themselves out onto the stage in hopes that someone will listen to what they have to say and connect with them. The album mixes a diverse spectrum of sounds. In tracks like “Lost Cause” and “The Myth of the Man” The Red Threat shows off rock with an aggressive punk edge, and vocals similar to Casey Crescenzo of The Dear Hunter. Then there are
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tracks like “Nine to Five” that has an incredibly “Popie,” almost “You Me at Six sound.” It’s an enjoyable listen from start to finish, and has not left my car’s CD player since I got it.
OUT THIS MONTH
Snakepit Dan Mangan Jazmine Sullivan Meghan Trainor Marilyn Manson Enter Shikari Fall Out Boy Petrify Ne-Yo Fifth Harmony Papa Roach Periphery
3 Track Split Club Meds Reality Show Title The Pale Emperor The Mindsweep American Beauty / American Psycho Petrify Non-Fiction Reflection F.E.A.R. (Face Everything And Rise) Juggernaut: Alpha
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GALLERY
We Came As Romans Brittney Tambeau
Chiodos
Brittney Tambeau
Four Year Strong Holiday Show Four Year Strong, A Loss For Words, & State Champs Brittney Tambeau
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GALLERY
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GALLERY
Playlist Live Playlist Live hosts three-day gatherings for fans, creators and supporters of online video in both Florida (Orlando, FL) and the Tri-State Area (Secaucus, NJ). The Playlist Live experience is truly yours to create. At Playlist Live, you can learn more about online video production from experienced creators, make new friends and hang out with old ones, dance along to your favorite song with thousands of other people, and much, much more.
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Mason Graff I always grew up in small towns. My dad and grandparents have been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. I think seeing them drawing and painting is how I became interested in art and pushed me to create my own work. _______ Instagram: @masongraff
HOW HAS YOUR ART PROGREASSED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS? My work tends to make large strides week to week. I usually can’t do the same thing for too long without getting bored, so five years is tough. If I had to answer, I would say I have become more conceptually aware when making work.
IS THERE A STORY BEHIND YOUR CURRENT WORK: “Metaphysical Representation”? I am really interested in things that exist, yet have no physical representation. I find it interesting how something such as geometric shapes arranged in a certain way can provoke many different types of readings on the work.
IS THERE ANYTHING OR ANYONE THAT PARTICULARLY INSPIRES YOU AS WELL AS YOUR WORK? I think that being in a place like ACAD [Alberta College of Art + Design], and the people I am around on a daily basis is a huge inspiration. We are always pushing each other to create good work, and I think that is part of the reason I am making the work I am making now.
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HOW DO YOU LIKE TO APPROACH YOUR WORK OR A PROJECT?
I am usually thinking of what I have done in my previous pieces of work. Sketching in my sketchbook is something that I have to do as well. After I have a general direction I feel confident in pursuing I start to make the work.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WISH YOU WERE BETTER AT, OR WANT TO EXPLORE? I think I am always just trying to be better all together. I am constantly looking for new techniques and materials that will allow me to make progression as an artist: make my work better.
CURRENTLY YOU ARE ATTENDING ARTS SCHOOL. WHAT DO YOU FIND ARE BOTH THE BENEFITS AND DRAW BACKS OF GOING TO SUCH AN INSTITUTION? I feel that being at a school like ACAD is positive. The instructors and my peers are open and willing to listen to ideas, and I think that is huge when dealing with new ideas and creating work.
“I think I am always just
trying to be better all together.”
OF ALL YOUR PROJECTS, WHICH IS THE ONE YOU ARE CURRENTLY CLOSEST TO? I’m not sure if I have a certain project I am closest to. I think the work I am producing now is the closest I have ever been to my art though. I am close to each piece in different ways, they all serve their own purpose, which is equally important to me.
WHAT WOULD BE PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU? I’m not too sure. I think I’m a pretty open person.
IS THERE ANY DREAM PROJECT OF YOURS THAT YOU ARE HOING TO PURSUE IN THE FUTURE? There isn’t really one specific dream project, but I can say there are dream materials and scales I am hoping to achieve. F&B
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Elicia Edijanto
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Tumblr & Instagram: @eliciaedijanto
“I was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, the second child of four siblings. I started to paint when I was little: my parents said, I was the most introverted, artistic, yet stubborn among the four. I graduated from Tarumanagara University, majoring in Visual Communication Design, and have been working as a graphic designer for years. My work brings me closer to computer and digital media. That’s when I started to feel the longing to paint again, manually: to feel the texture of the paper, canvas, the brush, the wet paint drops, everything!�
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WHAT IS IT ABOUT WORKING WITH INK THAT YOU ENJOY THE MOST? I enjoy working with ink (watercolor). It is LIGHT and transparent! Although the colours are vibrant, people would not feel like they’re overwhelmed with colours. I love the diffuse effect produced by watercolor, and it doesn’t give a “pasted-on” feeling. I love working with watercolor because it has that surprise moment. You don’t have absolute control when paint is applied to wet paper. Sometimes you just learn to let it flow, let it make it’s own shape. Glorious shape. And most of all, what I love about working with watercolor, (as well as other manual medium), is there’s no CTRL-Z.
HOW DO YOU LIKE TO APPROACH YOUR WORK OR A PROJECT? Basically, it’s a simple process, I sketch my ideas on the paper before hand. The most significant part is the size of the subjects. I want to present the right proportion. How big is the tree? How big is the deer compare to the tree? Different sizes will give out different feelings. When the feel is right, the next step is to start painting with watercolor. In this step, I usually accompany myself with music. A good music can brings you such an energy that you put into your artwork.
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VIA YOUR INSTAGRAM YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT YOHJI YAMAMOTO IS AN INSPIRATION OF YOURS. WHAT IS IT ABOUT HIM THAT YOU RESONATE WITH? I love his sexless design. How his design has the ability to bring out the sense of arrogance, but at the same time, also modesty. The sense of sexiness, but at the same time, also intelligence. He inspires me to make design in the most simple form, with no need to overdo it, but has a timeless message. I don’t have to overdo my painting to make it look great. People’s imagination, your imagination, is the one thing that makes any painting look great!
A LOT OF YOUR WORK IS REFLECTIVE OF NATURE. IS THIS WHERE YOU DRAW MOST OF YOUR INSPIRATION FROM? WHERE ELSE DO YOU FIND YOUR INSPIRATION? I can say yes, mostly my inspiration is from the nature: the connection of humanity to nature, or other living things. My other inspirations are usually from music, books, or mere ideas that pop up in my mind.
“I want people to feel again the long lost connection between human and nature.” OUTSIDE OF WORKING IN WATERCOLOUR IS THERE ANY OTHER MEDIUM THAT YOU LIKE TO USE? IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU HAVE NOT TRIED BUT WANT TO TRY OUT? Besides watercolor, I also love to work with pencil. In the future, I would love to try wood cutting. IS THERE A SPECIFIC PROJECT OR PIECE OF WORK THAT YOU HAVE MADE THAT YOU FIND YOU ARE CLOSEST TO? Every piece is unique for me. I experience unique processes and emotions with each piece. IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY OR EXPLORE IN YOUR ART? Through my art I want people to feel the long-lost connection between humanity and nature again: the relationship between man and animals that once brought harmony in our surroundings. My subjects are often children and animals, they are innocence, yet their emotions are honest. We will find it easier looking through the eyes of the children, that is, how we, human, and the animals and other living things are connected. Through the eyes of children, animals are not animals, they are friends :) F&B
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Gardens
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Facebook: facebook.com/gardenschi Instagram / Tumblr / Twitter: @wearegardens
“Gardens was formed in the summer of 2013 in the suburbs of Chicago. J.R. Glyman (vocals, guitar), Jackson Mills (bass), Jordan Brasko (guitar), and Aaron Foster (drums), wrote and recorded their EP, Everything Looks Different In The Daylight, that fall and it was released January 2014. With a desire to see their distinct raw guitar tones, driving rhythms, and weighty lyricism progressed and captured to fullest extent, the quartet immediately began writing for their first full-length record, which was recorded at The Panda Studios in June 2014. Death In The Family was released on November 25, 2014, and the band will be touring as much as possible during 2015 in support of the new album.�
HOW DID YOU ALL COME TOGETHER AS THE BAND YOU ARE NOW? We were all pretty good friends in high school and played in different bands together; we had always talked about starting a project together after we finished up college. We all went off to our different schools and three years later we all realized that playing music was still very much a priority, so we started writing together again and it just turned into something we all became really invested in.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD YOUR MUSIC BEFORE, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT? I guess this question could be answered from both a sonic, and an emotional perspective. I would say it’s ambient, driving, and dynamic. Somewhat of a general description, but I think you’ll find in listening through our EP and fulllength that we don’t necessarily lock into one niche. I think those descriptors stay true throughout. From the emotional perspective, we talk a lot about allowing yourself to feel again. I think a lot of that stems from my personal experience. When we started this band, I was in a place where writing these songs was really the first time I allowed myself to process, and I let go of the things going on in my life. So with that, I’d say our hope is that, that mentality would extend to the listener, and that someone who had never heard it before would be pushed to engage in that personal process as well. 34 | Flesh & Bone Magazine
SINCE RELEASING YOUR EP, EVERYTHING LOOKS DIFFERENT IN THE DAYLIGHT, HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE PROGRESSED AS A BAND? The songs on Everything Looks Different In The Daylight still mean a lot to us, but I think we view the EP very much as a jumping-off point. I think releasing it was a sign of commitment to all of us, because it took a lot of writing and a lot of being broke in a pretty short period of time. But I would say we’ve grown exponentially since that release. We’ve grown a lot, most importantly, as people and as friends, but our writing process has definitely become more fluid and effective as well. We’ve just learned to understand each other as well as understanding our vision for this band a lot better over this past year.
HOW DO YOU ALL LIKE TO APPROACH WRITING NEW MATERIAL? I usually write a bare-bones version of the song with the basic progressions, melody, and lyrics. Then I bring it to the guys and if everyone is on board with it then we all work on the structure and different parts together. From that point, we just play it over and over until we can determine what we love and hate about it, and we keep doing that until we have a product that we’re proud of.
“ From the emotional
perspective, we talk a lot about allowing yourself to feel again. �
WHO ARE SOME ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS THAT YOU LIKE TO LOOK TO FOR INSPIRATION? We’re all over the board really. From a songwriting’s or lyrical perspective, I draw a lot of inspiration from guys like Noah Gundersen, David Bazan, and Jesse Lacey. I love the way they construe their metaphors. As a band, we’re definitely influenced by bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, Brand New, Radiohead, Seahaven, Balance and Composure, and Underoath. They all perfected the blend of driving intensity and emotional ambience in their own way.
BUILDING YOURSELVES AS A BAND, ESPECIALLY IN THE BEGINNING, CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT. HOW HAS YOUR LOCAL SCENE HELPED DEVELOPE AND PUSH YOUR PASSION SO FAR? The scene in Chicago is very unique, and it’s definitely driven us to be the band that we are. Typically, you think of the scenes being strongest on the coasts, and I believe that’s true as well. I think what makes Chicago different is that there are still a ton of incredibly talented bands, but finding a place to play where people will come and listen is harder to do. With that dichotomy in place, I think it pushes us, and a lot of the bands here, to be as unique and interesting as possible.
ALL YOUR TRACKS ARE QUITE EMOTIONALLY STIMULATING, BOTH IN LYRICAL CONTENT, AS WELL AS MUSICALITY. IS THERE ONE TRACK IN PARTICULAR THAT STICKS OUT TO YOU?
I’m biased because most of the songs, especially on the new album, are based on intensely personal experiences. The song “Architect” is about how my uncle was an architect, and my favourite line in that song, and probably on the whole album is: “we can build a house with all of your plans, where our family could live.” I think it sums up the album, because despite awful circumstances, there is still this very human and very literal hope to hold on to. We wanted to end the album in the most bare, raw, and honest way we could, and I think “Architect” does that.
WHAT IS SOME OF THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED AND WOULD RECIPROCATE TO OTHERS? Something I just heard recently that has really stuck with me is how important it is to create an atmosphere. No matter how well you play, or how good your songs might be, the listener needs to have an experience, because experiences are what stick out to us. We’ve really started embracing that, and I would certainly pass that on to any band, because I think it remains true in any style of music.
ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR GARDENS IN 2015? We have a tour booked with our friends in Armslength for January. Other than that, just being on the road and playing as many shows as we can. That’s what we really love doing. F&B
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Colour in the Clouds __________ Facebook: facebook.com/ColourInTheClouds Instagram & Tumblr: @colourintheclouds Twitter: @colour_official
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FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH YOUR MUSIC, HOW WOULD YOU BEST DESCRIBE IT? Just really melodic post hardcore. We take a lot of inspiration from emo and punk bands we all love, and really are just trying to make music that we would like listening to.
HOW DO YOU REACT / FEEL WHEN YOU ARE COMPARED TO OTHER BANDS? We react by saying, “Thanks, but we are not as good as Alexisonfire,” despite drawing influence from them. It’s good being compared to an artist we love as long as we know the person comparing can still see something stand-alone about us.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC? Yosh: I was twelve, and got really into KISS. From a young age, I’ve always liked the songs that were played at church too. Craig: The first time I heard Appetite for Destruction. Josh: When I first listened to Blink-182. Travis Barker has really inspired drumming over the years. Dave: When I first learned how to play “For Whom The Bell Tolls” by Metallica. Sho: Probably just watching my Dad play guitar in church.
OUTSIDE OF MUSIC AND COLOUR IN THE CLOUDS, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LIKE TO PURSUE? Music and Colour In The Clouds consume most of our lives. Outside of that we don’t do a lot except hang out with each other and our friends. Dave sits at home and plays WoW.
IS THERE ANYTHING OR ANYONE THAT PARTICULARLY HAS PLAYED A ROLE WITH INSPIRING YOUR WORK?
WHAT ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?
Yosh: Kurt Cobain, and our parents, but specifically our Dad for getting us into the music we love and introducing us to playing guitar. Craig: Mike Little, who’s been my piano teacher for 10 years, and Jory Kinjo, who helped with bands I’ve been in a lot. Josh: Fellow musicians, whether that’s bands like Blink-182 that I’ve always looked up to, or just local friends, have taught me a lot and influenced my playing. Dave: Expressing things I’ve experienced in life. I just want to play what I like to hear. Sho: Mostly, it’s different experiences and emotions I feel that inspire my songwriting.
Yosh: I was born in Japan, and have a paper mache version of my own head. Craig: I was an original member of Cease & Desist. Josh: I like to listen to Mozart, classic jazz, and I love Frank Sinatra. Dave: Guitar is my main instrument, not bass. Sho: I guess that Yosh and I do all the art for Colour In The Clouds and I am passionate about acting and theatre.
IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE PROGRESSED BETWEEN THANK YOU KINDLY AND CREATING YOUR SELF-TITLED ALBUM? We’ve all grown a lot since we put out Thank You Kindly. With the self-titled it feels like we really figured out what we want to sound like, and I think the biggest differences came with adding Craig and Josh to the band. It’s like we’ve found out ‘sound’ and that’s a big reason as to why it is self-titled.
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WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING, HOW DO YOU LIKE TO APPROACH THINGS? One member will normally come up with a skeleton on a song or even just a single idea, and then bring it to the rest of the guys. From there, we all add to it and work on it as a group.
WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED FROM YOU GUYS IN THE YEAR 2015? We’re putting out a split with another local band, a new release from just us later on, more merch, more tours, and more shows with our friends! F&B
In pursuit of art and music Do you want to join our team? You can contact us at fleshbonemagazine@gmail.com with your application.