ISSUE 10
HIGHLIGHT
featuring
MAGAZINE
HEROES FOR HIRE // I, THE BREATHER // CARTEL // LETLIVE. // CIRCA SURVIVE & MORE
HIGHLIGHT STAFF co-founder – Editor-In-chief – Press – photography Ashley Osborn
Art Director – Magazine Production – Photography Cara Bahniuk
CO-founder – legal McKenzie Hughes
Features Editor – Writer Liz Brossard
Online Editor
Jenn Stookey
Digital Marketing Coordinator Misty Frederick
online media coordinator Anjel Lopez
copy editor Haley Todd
Contributing Photographers
Derrick Austinson, Tanya Gelman, Jared Kocka, Charlie Martel, Heather Phillips, Sammy Roenfeldt, Sam San Roman and Nesha Torres
Contributing writers (Online & Publication)
Ryan Argast, Haley Black, Jennifer Boylen, Colleen Casey, Tamara Fuentes, Will Howard, Logan Kant, Jessica Klinner, Taylor Pittman and Morgan Waldorf
BECOME SOCIAL WITH US website - www,highlightmagazine.net facebook - www.facebook.com/highlightmagazine twitter - @highlightzine INSTAGRAM - @highlight_mag
INSIDE FEATURES
32 The maine
INSIDE FEATURES
8 current trends
We caught up with Choonimals CoFounder, Chris Theibert, and got the scoop on this unique and DIY mentality based clothing company from Brooklyn, New York and chatted about the reasons behind the company and their top moments. We think you’re about to meet some cute and quirky new friends.
10 label highlight
Where do we begin? Portland, OR based label, Rise Records, is a backbone for several of your favorite bands. Highlight chose our three favorite up and coming artists on the Rise roster - come see our picks!
than ever and Green spoke with us about what he sees in the band’s future.
14 Holiday Gift Guide 16 Heroes for hire 36 photos In the six years this Aussie pop-punk band have been together - they’ve certainly got a lot under their belt! We’d like to introduce you to Heroes For Hire and let them show you what they’re made of.
18 I, the breather
Since forming in 2009, I, The Breather certainly has a story of compassion and dedication to share. “I just want to portray a positive message. Just give people hope to stand up for themselves and believe in themselves,” said Wright.
11 venue highlight 20 Cartel This venue began as a place for teens to escape from the pressures of their everyday life and has since grown into one of the countries most incredible venues. Oh, and did we mention it’s a non-profit, skate park, coffee bar and photography studio? You definitely want to stop by Rocketown if you can!
With a high level of anticipation felt throughout the band and extending into the depths of their fan base, Cartel is ready to self-release a brand new album and take the world by storm by going back to their roots!
12 industry Highlight
letlive. is one of the most underestimated bands on Earth. We’re keeping it simple yet complex in this feature. Vocalist Jason Butler is speaking for the band and we think you’re going to love what he has to share.
After putting down his guitar and picking up a camera years ago - this rockstar photographer has certainly accomplished more than an admirable amount of success! Being inspiration to many other photographers, he’s definitely a photographer you must check out! Meet your new favorite photographer, Jeremy Saffer!
24 letlive.
30 Circa Survive
We sat down with Highlight vet and Circa Survive vocalist, Anthony Green, in the midsts of triumphing over the bumps of their fall tour. The band is back stronger
Tours come and go so quickly! The Highlight Magazine staff caught some of the must-see fall tours. We’ve included some of our favorite shots from them to make you feel like you were front and center with us!
40 top 10 album feature
2012 is finally wrapping up! With a largely diverse staff of over 25 people we had everybody narrow down their top ten albums for 2012. From there, we tallied up the votes to bring you Highlight Magazine’s top 10 albums of the year. We’re proud of this list. Did one of your favorite bands make the cut?
44 reviews
This month we’ve got an intensely diverse set of reviews for you! Come read our opinions and find yourself a new favorite band to cozy up in bed and jam to this winter.
THank you
We would like to send out a big thank you to 81 Twenty Three Management, Ozone Entertainment, Sumerian Records, Shock Records, Epitaph Records, Stephanie Marlow, Jeremy Saffer, Adrenaline PR, Earshot Media, Choonimals, all of the bands for answering our questions and posing for photos, and all of the tour managers for organizing everything in the midsts of pulling their hair out on tour. We love you guys!
INSIDE PHOTOGRAPHS page 6-7
the maine
cartel
i, the breather
All Time Low
letlive.
Circa Survive
heroes for hire
Sleeping With Sirens
Chicago, IL, Ashley Osborn
Derrick Austinson
Chicago, IL, Ashley Osborn
Australia, Sammy Roenfeldt
Ashley Osborn
Rams Head Live, Baltimore, MD, Cara Bahniuk
Chicago, IL, Ashley Osborn
Chicago, IL, Ashley Osborn
HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 5
the maine - 32
i, the breather- 18
letlive. - 24
heroes for hire - 16
20 - cartel
all time low
30 - circa survive
sleeping with sirens
TRENDS YOU’LL LOVE COMPANY: Choonimals Clothing Co. LOCATION: Brooklyn, NY OWNER/FOUNDER: Chris Theibert: Artist, Designer, Co-
Founder; Chad Long: Logistics, Customer Service, Co-Founder; Matt Peters: CFO, Co-Founder WEBSITE: http://www.choonimals.com
Company story?
Reason you started your brand?
One day, we were all eating lunch at a local fast food chain and the cashier was an old lady named Choon. For some reason, her name struck a chord with Drew. The next time he drew one of the creatures, he dubbed it a “Choonimal.” It stuck.
Three personal favorite moments?
We have a long, weird story, so bear with me. These creatures that eventually became known as Choonimals were created in 2002 while we were all in high school. Two of our founders, Matt and Drew, started drawing them as a joke during class. They would scribble these horrific animals on each others’ homework, the chalkboard, anywhere that might disrupt the class and push the teacher to his limits.
We graduated high school and went to college and forgot about the Choons for a while. Then one day in 2006, I picked up a marker and we started drawing them again, all over peoples’ arms and walls at parties, anywhere we could reach. What was interesting to us was the reaction of people seeing Choons for the first time. They had this really confused but curiously elated look on their faces, to the point where there was a line of people waiting for me to draw them on their body. Soon afterwards, it seemed like a great idea to put them on t-shirts and try to sell them to our friends and families. Myself, Chad, Matt, Drew and our good friend Alex decided to go for it. We had just graduated college, were looking for a creative outlet, and it just kind of became something to do and be excited about. Looking back on it, now more than five years later, it’s pretty unreal to see how far we’ve come and have developed the brand.
What do you feel your brand represents?
Choonimals represents an original, do-it-yourself mentality. Myself, Matt and Chad do everything ourselves. I draw and design everything by hand, we handle and ship all our own inventory, we run our own tent at festivals, we directly communicate and respond with every inquiring fan, we do our own taxes. Really the only thing we don’t do ourselves is the actual printing, which we had originally planned to do, also. There are so many clothing companies and brands around today, and it seems the phrase “originality is dead” is something I constantly see and hear. So I hope when people see and learn about our brand - our little creatures we’ve been evolving over the passed decade - they see proof that originality is NOT dead.
Honestly, we wanted to share our art. We wanted everyone to be as excited and curious about these creatures as we were. They had this really unique, terrifying and cute quality to them that people seemed to connect with, and that excited us. At the time, we had all this youthful, creative energy that we were able to collectively pour into this new small business, and it became our little Frankenstein monster. We just wanted to see it grow. 1. I feel like these kind of happened in succession actually. I think the first milestone we encountered was when we set up a booth at the 2008 Bamboozle Festival. This was our first big festival, and the fact that we all grew up going to it back in the day (when it was known as Skate And Surf), really was important for us. I remember being in high school, going to this festival and shopping the vendors, finding really obscure merchandise. To be one of those vendors now and to see in person how well our brand was being received was a huge push for us. 2. I think the biggest game-changing moment for us was when the retail chain Zumiez picked up our brand and distributed some of our shirts through its stores across the entire country. We were all personally at this weird transitional moment in our lives, roughly three years ago, and I can honestly say the future of Choonimals was looking very uncertain. Some of us wanted to move to New York, others to Mexico, and others wanted to stay in Ohio. It was a weird time. Then out of nowhere, Zumiez contacted us after one of their reps saw us at the 2009 Bamboozle Festival, and put in a massive order for us. It sold well, and subsequently they put in a few more orders, and that was enough for us continue on, only now it was to be in Brooklyn. 3. Last summer was a recent huge milestone for us. We had the privilege of being able to vend on the entire 2012 Vans Warped Tour. This would be our third time selling on the tour, but in a strange way it was the first time we were able to do it right. We had set a bar for ourselves, not wanting to expect too much out of it, but we quickly realized we were going to fly past that bar. So for me, this last summer really exposed the potential of our brand, and gave us some much needed fuel to continue to set that bar higher and higher.
Why people should check out your brand?
If you’re into original brands, animals, art, or things with really sharp teeth, you should definitely check us out!
label highlight
WRITE-UP: William Howard
Known for launching the careers of Anatomy of a Ghost and Ever We Fall, Rise Records has grown into a well-known and respected label in the hardcore music scene. Founder Craig Ericson started the label in 1991 in Nevada City, Calif., but only released a few 7” records before going on a hiatus to attend college. In 1999, Ericson started things back up after moving the establishment to Portland, Ore. The first release after the hiatus came from the band One Last Thing in 2001. Since then, Rise Records has been signing the best up-and-coming bands in the hardcore scene. Even though Rise is known for its work with heavier bands, the label also has a few pop rock bands on the roster. With such a diverse catalog of artists, 34 to be exact, Rise Records continues to display a wide variety of musical talents and gives each band equal opportunity with their music. Check out a few of its signees we find noteworthy.
Palisades -
The journey as a band for Palisades has been anything but smooth. After losing several band members, the band, formerly known as Marilyn Is Dead, found a new front man and decided to restart with a whole new musical identity. Thus, Palisades was born. The band signed with Rise Records in December of 2011 and since then has released an EP that hit the Rock Top 10 on iTunes and toured with Crown The Empire, Like Moths to Flames and Lions Lions. Even though Palisades went through a rough patch at the beginning of their career, things have certainly turned around for them. Louis Miceli’s flawless vocals bring an emotional aspect to their music that will send chills down your spine. Grab their EP “I’m Not Dying Today” now and thank us later.
Listen to: “Bury It”
Sharks - Hailing from an island across the pond we like to call
England, pop-rock band Sharks have only just begun their rise to fame in America. The signing of Sharks to Rise Records in 2010 caused quite a stir in people because they are such a far cry from bands Rise has signed in the past. Rise was looking to depart from its all hardcore ways to expand and diversify its roster. Sharks was certainly a step in the right direction for Rise Records. With their signing, Sharks also partnered with Rise to create an imprint label, Velvet Scene, on which they co-released a 14 song album featuring songs from the band’s past two years. Sharks’ sound has been compared to The Clash and The Replacements. They create feel good rock music with a pop-rock feel that brings you to your feet with a want to dance forever, but don’t just take my word for it. Check them out for yourself.
Listen To: “Patient Spider” Secrets - After forming in January of 2011, the post-hardcore
band got a quick start to their career when they were signed to Rise Records in spring of the same year. The band jumped right into the studio to begin working on their debut album. The Ascent was released in January 2012. Produced by Tom Denney, the album is packed with great songs filled with heavy guitar riffs and a great mix of clean vocals and screams. While in the midst of the Scream It Like You Mean It Tour, the band was short a member when bassist Marc Koch decided to exit the band after realizing life on the road wasn’t for him. Secrets is a great up and coming band you need to keep your eyes on.
Listen to: “Somewhere In Hiding”
venue highlight Rocketown - NAshville, Tennesee
History:
why play here?
After being founded by singer/songwriter Michael J. Smith in 1994, Rocketown began as a place for teens to escape from the pressures of their everyday lives. Following the Columbine tragedy in 1999, Rocketown was inspired to grow and by 2003 it became the facility it is today. As a non-profit organization, Rocketown survives with 50 percent of its funding from in house revenue and the other half from outside sources, but it thrives as a place for teens in Nashville to hang out and see some great music.
Rocketown has two stages; The main venue with standing room for 1500 people and the White Building just across the parking lot with a capacity of 500. Not only are there two stages hosting national touring acts, special events and benefits, there are also endless things to do. Rocketown is home to Middle Tennessee’s only indoor skate park as well as a coffee bar and photography studios. It feels so laidback and welcoming that there’s no reason someone wouldn’t want to play or attend a show at Rocketown.
MUst attend shows December 15th Relient K
REVIEW: Jennifer Boylen & Jenn Stookey PHOTO: Venue’s Instagram
December 18th Every Avenue
January 6th
We Came As Romans
January 26th
Of Mice & Men
HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 11
Highlight of
jeremy saffer How did you become a photographer?
I’ve been shooting shows since 15, and portraits since 20. After going to Berklee and hating it, I deciding to concentrate on being a photographer in music, rather than on the music side of things, so I put my guitar down for a camera and I haven’t looked back since. What are some personal career highlights? Getting to check off names from the proverbial bucket list of people I would like to photograph is always great; I got to do that a bunch last year with Alice Cooper and Robert Englund. Getting to tour on Ozzfest 06 was amazing; I was 21 and had the best time of my life on that tour even though it was a bit of a mess with 16 people in a 12 bunk bus. Being able to make a living of this I would say is my greatest accomplishment thus far, but I’m always setting goals slightly out of reach so when they are achieved I can be a bit taken back that it happened.
What you want to accomplish still in your career? Anything I haven’t yet. I guess
the dream is get a Rolling Stone cover some day in my career, and to eventually have a solid book deal where I can put out a book every year or two.
Favorite tour memory?
I think in general my favorite tour was with Ozzfest, and all the life long friendships both personally and professionally I made from being on it. I was literally told every day “this is your last day on the tour, there’s too many people, get out” by ANOTHER band’s tour manager, while the band I was with had to fight and say “he’s with us, he’s not going anywhere, stop being a dick” so that was always interesting… even though that TM was a friend of mine, he never toured with those bands again after that power trip. I still work with and talk to all of the bands I was close with on that tour. This month I shot the cover of Outburn with All That Remains (who I was on the tour with) and have toured with them a few times since. But there isn’t one specific memory; there’s too many to name… I could write a book on them.
Keep updated with Jeremy!
www.jeremysaffer.com www.facebook.com/jeremysafferphotography www.twitter.com/jeremysaffer
Name: Jeremy Saffer Location: Massachusetts Website: www.jeremysaffer.com Clients: Outburn, Revolver, Alternative Press, Century
Media, Victory Records, Fearless Records, Universal, Warner Bros., ESP, Ibanez, Intune, etc.
HIGHLIGHT’S
e d i u G t f i G y a d i l o H for him
1) Vans Warped Tour 2013 Tickets - $28.50 (NOW) - www.vanswarpedtour.com 2) GameKlip - From $14.95 - www.thegameklip.com
for Her
14 - HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET
1) Fun. Some Nights Vinyl - $25 - www.ournameisfun.com 2) Lomography Diana + Dreamer Camera - $65 - www.urbanoutfitters.com 3) Frends Headphones - $149 - www.wearefrends.com
for friends
1) Tiny Instagram Projector - As little as $1 - www.getprojecteo.com 2) Jelly Camera Lens - $12 - www.urbanouttfitters.com 2) Camera Lens Mug(s) - $24 - www.photojojo.com
who doesn’t love instagram
for pet
1) LED Dog Collar - $49.99 - www.glowdoggie.com 2) Twin Atlantic Winter Bundle - £24 - www.twin-atlantic.mamstore.co.uk
GIFTS CHOSEN BY: Jenn Stookey and Cara Bahniuk
WE JK! this is . h u d , u o y r o f HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 15
HOME: Sydney, Australia NOW jamming: No Apologies - Full Length (Shock/Halfcut) CURRENTLY: Preparing to release more tour dates!
The dream of every band just beginning their career is to play huge festivals and tour with their favorite bands. Only six years since forming and two since their first full length record, the Australian pop punk band Heroes For Hire have achieved both. Hard work and tireless effort to get their name out there surely paid off for the band when they were placed on the lineup for this year’s Soundwave Festival. A few months later, the band released their third studio album entitled No Apologies and sent a message to the world that they are only getting started. “The response has been extremely positive and flattering at the same time. We definitely thought that we stepped it up for this album and that people would notice that. And from what we’ve seen and heard, people definitely have,” said vocalist and guitarist Duane Hazell. The band wanted this album to be done differently. They recruited Steve Klein of New Found Glory to produce the album. This was the first time the guys ever wrote with anyone outside of the band. It’s safe to say that Klein was a good choice for their first time. The band got most of the songs written during a week of preproduction and finished them off when they entered the studio. The response to the album has been fantastic and the guys could not be happier with their choice to recruit Klein as their producer. “Working with him was a dream come true. We all got along really well from day one and he was extremely easy to work with. He definitely influenced the album in a lot of ways by pushing us beyond our musical and creative limits and helping us achieve an album full of songs that exceeded everyone’s expectations by a mile,” commented Hazell. The influence of Klein on this album is easily heard. Heroes For Hire hold a New Found Glory-esque sound. The band has constantly been compared to NFG and after working with Klein on the new album those comparisons are far from over. Regardless of what people think or say, the guys in Heroes For Hire continue to make the music they want.
Heroes For Hire has been lucky to tour and learn from great bands such as Boys Like Girls and Yellowcard and a spot on this year’s Soundwave Festival lineup was just the exposure they needed to take their music to the next level. “Soundwave has been my favorite tour to date. Everyone was so awesome and easy going, and they treated us extremely well. I got to watch and meet so many of my favorite bands, play to thousands of people every day and live like a rock star for a week,” stated Hazell. Even with all their success the past few years, Heroes For Hire came upon a roadblock on their highway to fame. Earlier this year, the band lost two members, guitarist Alex Bonic and drummer Lee McGaritty. Though it was devastating for fans to hear of the loss, they knew it wasn’t the end of Heroes For Hire. The band called on their long time friends Anthony Curaso and Matthew “Gremlin” Gravolin to fill in the now vacant spots in their lineup. “It didn’t really set us back at all when Lee and Alex left. The only reason being was that we already had Gremlin and Anthony filling in for them for years previously whenever someone was unavailable to do any band related things. They have been our closest friends for years now, so we just asked if they’d like to join permanently when it came time, and they both of course said yes!” Although Heroes For Hire’s touring career in the United States has been limited to a few shows here and there, they are eager to return and introduce themselves into our pop punk scene. With comrades and fellow touring mates like The Wonder Years and Yellowcard, they will have no problem being accepted. As 2012 reaches an end, Heroes For Hire have high hopes for what 2013 will bring. “We will be touring our arse’s off and hopefully heading overseas for a lot of 2013. That is assuming that the world doesn’t end this year,” said Hazell. STORY AND INTERVIEW: Jessica Klinner PHOTO: Sammy Roenfeldt
“New Found Glory have been my favorite band for as long as I can remember and obviously the most influential on myself. The music we make is the kind of music that I love the most, so for me to make music that was different just to prove a point and try to be different seems stupid to me. I write music for me, not anyone else.” HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET -17
I, The Breather
HOME: Baltimore, MD NOW jamming: Truth and Purpose - Full Length (Sumerian Records) CURRENTLY: Making Spring tour plans!
“The name I The Breather comes from God allowing us to breathe and giving us the breath of life, without that we wouldn’t be able to do anything in this world. ‘Breathing is meaning’”. – Morgan Wright.
I, The Breather hails from Baltimore, Maryland and they are a band that brings a lot of energy and a diverse sound to the table. I, The Breather established themselves back in 2009 and have been pushing forward with their career ever since. They signed with Sumerian Records, been apart of countless tours and they have released two studio albums. It all started in Morgan Wright’s basement, jamming with guitarist Justin Huffman and finding the right people to put into the band, the rest is history. “The name I The Breather comes from God allowing us to breathe and giving us the breath of life, without that we wouldn’t be able to do anything in this world. ‘Breathing is meaning’,” said Wright in response to the meaning behind the name. Since the release of their album entitled Truth And Purpose they have gained more exposure. I, The Breather has been able to become a part of higher caliber tours since the release of the most recent album. They have toured with critically acclaimed bands such as; Slipknot and As I Lay Dying, both bands who I, The Breather had looked up to and only dreamed of touring with them. “For us to have toured with some of the bands we looked up to as kids such as (Slipknot, As I Lay Dying) and others is so absurd. It’s amazing to feel like hard work has paid off, getting to tour with acts like them. We never in a million years thought we would get the chance to do so,” said Wright. Even though I, The Breather released their album Truth and Purpose back in February of 2012, they don’t show any signs of slowing down. After the tours the band has already planned for the rest of this year. They plan on heading back into the studio to write and record more music for our ears to enjoy. I, The Breather will be working on their third full-length album, which they are very excited about. The albums These Are My Sins and Truth and Purpose both differentiate slightly in sound but in a good way. By listening to both albums you can sense the strong progression forward for the next album.
When it comes to drawing inspiration a lot of musicians look to personal experiences they have had or even listen to other musicians that have inspired them. Drawing inspiration from those two things alone could be good, especially when the listener can relate to the lyrics. Wright, the drummer of I The Breather, has a different approach.. He gains his inspiration from just a mere feeling. “Me personally, I get inspiration for my drum parts by the type of song we’re writing, it all comes down to a feeling for me that the song gives me, whether it’s dark and ominous or something uplifting,” He said. “ Those feelings inspire me, and what I do on drums.” Listening to his drumming throughout the album, Truth and Purpose you can gain an understanding of the way he was feeling during the writing process. “I just want to portray a positive message. Just give people hope to stand up for themselves and believe in themselve,” said Wright. Giving people hope to stand up for themselves along with believing in themselves is the type of message I, The Breather hopes to portray with their music. They hope that they can relay this message and spark some sort of an emotion in their fans through the music. “I would hate for a listener to listen to our music and feel absolutely nothing. Music is supposed to stimulate you and offer something so much more than just notes and chords and beats. So I just hope they feel some sort of an emotion from out songs,” said Wright. I, The Breather just finished up their most recent tour with Born of Osiris, The Word Alive, Norma Jean and Crown The Empire. The bands played this crosscountry tour in the course of a month. If you were not able to attend a show on this tour, you surely missed out on great performances and high-energy sets. As I stated previously, I The Breather will be heading into the studio to write and record their third full-length album with Sumerian Records. No details as to when exactly they will be hitting the studio or any indication on when their album will be released, but most likely expect it in the middle or end of next year. STORY AND INTERVIEW: Kristy Siciliano PHOTO: Derrick Austinson
“But this next release we want to do so much more and change things up. I’m so excited to be in the position to where we can do so,” Wright said. HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET -19
cartel
HOME: Atlanta, GA NOW jamming: In Stereo - EP (Self-Released) CURRENTLY: Preparing to complete their new album!
As a band that has seen both the highs
Q: What would you say the most difficult part of your career together has been, overall?
Q: How has this album process been different than those in the past? Was anything really unique about it?
WP: I would say the adaptation. We’ve been through so many different levels of the music industry. It’s kind of like “Dante’s Inferno.” We’ve gone through the indie label thing to start with then to the upstream with the majors then to a different somewhat major label but they’re indie, so it wasn’t quite the same then realizing we could put out our own record. So I would say the most difficult thing is just survival and adaptation. None of us has lost the drive to create music or play music. It’s easier when you don’t have one guy who’s like, “Man, fuck it. Let’s just go home and get some barbecue.”
and lows of the music business, Cartel is certainly no rookie when it comes to making albums and selling out shows. With a constant momentum that any band would envy, the Atlanta-based band seems to have their success strategy down pat. Will Pugh, Kevin Sanders, Joseph Pepper and Nic Hudson sat down with Highlight Magazine to discuss what fans can anticipate from the new album and how they stay relevant in the always changing music industry.
WP: It’s probably the most collective record we’ve done just because of the way it got put together. We were on tour overseas, we were tired when we came home and had to take a couple weeks to decompress and feel like human beings again. Every day we were in this practice space just writing and getting it together. It’s a very organic record in that way. Everything just kind of made itself happen. We didn’t try to get in the way of anything or overthink something for the sake of radio or what our fans want to hear. It was more “What do we want to hear?” That’s where our band started and that’s where we feel the most energy and momentum came from. As far as process, it was self-produced. No one was in the studio but us. We engineered it. Everything is exactly the way we wanted it to go down. Q: How do you think this new record is going to represent you guys, as you are now? WP: It’s “Chroma” people music. I think if you’re a fan of where the scene was when we started like Saves the Day and those kinds of bands before everything…there’s not a nice word for it, but you know where I’m going with that. We felt like that wasn’t being represented and that’s what we love the most about when we started the band. That’s the scene we derived ourselves from. So we wanted to get back and represent what that sort of music was like. Q: You guys have been a band for so long. What keeps you going? How do you say so close knit and bonded and how have you stuck it out together? WP: We’ve been in bands together since I was 15. We already got all those bullshit band arguments out of the way when we were in high school, and it didn’t matter. Cartel is probably the third or fourth band we’ve been in together. We’re all friends. We all lived together at one point. Some of us still do. It’s one of those things where you’re so use to each other that you know when to give somebody space. It’s just like any relationship. As far as the longevity of our career, I think it’s based a lot on that because there’s no inner turmoil or arguments consistently getting in the way of the music. Besides just being able to find dates and keep people coming to shows, that’s really the hard part now.
22 - HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET
KS: I mean we’re not stupid. People are stupid and they just think they have to have other people to put their music out for. It’s not that hard. The Internet has taken a lot of jobs away, but it has also made things a lot easier for bands like us to just go “Okay, we have our fans, we have the knowledge to record it and the resources to make it happen, so let’s do it.” Q: Do you have an estimated release for the album? WP: We’re mixing the first week of December. It depends on what we do with it. Because we’re not on a label, we have a publicist and a PR company and we’re working together with them to create a streamline release. With our EP, we were just like, “Let’s just do it.” It was pretty much just an experiment because it was our first self-released record. We were going to do a shorter record so we didn’t spend a lot of time and spend less money. We were just going to put it out, not spend a whole lot on it just to kind of see what happens and create our baseline. Q: How was that? WP: It was pretty easy. We’ve already gotten all of that out of the way so knowing what steps we have to go through for a record will allow us to pinpoint and date more efficiently and really work it out. I would say it’s probably going to be no earlier than mid-January just because you gotta get Christmas out of the way and let people forget that all that happened. I would say that probably, given that we’ll have it in our hands mid-December, late January or early February is what we’re looking at before Valentine’s Day. Q: Can fans expect anything else from you guys? WP: There will be more videos. There will be more of what you would normally expect from a band releasing a record whereas with “In Stereo,” it was kind of like, “Oh, we’re just going to put it out.” So knowing all that and already having a timeline set up, there’ll just be a more concerted effort around, a more in-depth release. Cartel will play a Christmas show at the Masquerade in their hometown of Atlanta, Georgia on December 22 followed by the completion of their new album and a supporting tour next year. POSED PHOTOS AND INTERVIEW: Ashley Osborn STORY: Taylor Pittman LIVE PHOTOS: Jenna Ross
“
Music’s never going to stop and I believe that. The only universal languages we have are music and numbers.
”
letlive.
HOME: Los Angeles, CA NOW jamming: Fake History - Full Length (Epitaph Records) CURRENTLY: Touring the world and finishing their new album
I’m going to go ahead and simply state
that letlive. has to be one of the best and most unrecognized bands on planet earth right at this very moment in time. I recently sat down with vocalist Jason Butler in Chicago and I want to let his words speak for the band because, I’m nearly positive, that my writers or myself could not come up with story that would sufficiently provide a true grasp on who letlive. is, where they come from and what they stand for as artists, as a band and as a single entity. We’re positive that letlive. will be coming to a town near you over the next year. So as soon as you read this interview, hop on over to your social network of choice. To completely get a grasp on who this band is – you’ve got to experience their live set. Now, enjoy getting to know: letlive. Q: I’ve had a hard time digging up history regarding the band. We’ve got to ask about the history of the band. How did this line-up come about? You’ve been at this for so incredibly long. A: Yeah! I was a young, angst ridden teenager and I started a band when I was like 15 with some of my best friends in high school and we were like a punk band. After that band, I started letlive. at the very end of high school. We wrote a CD and we thought we were doing something like, you know, fantastic. But in reality it was just a misrepresentation of what we really wanted to do. Then we wrote another CD, which as of recently, it seems people are starting to find out about. It’s called ‘Speak Like You Talk’ and the members that were apart of that, that are currently in the band now, is just Ryan.But everyone in the band are people I’ve been playing music with whether it was in other bands or friends that I’ve played music with before, since I was 18 – and I’m 27 now. So we’ve all been with each other for almost a decade. The lineup, as you know it now, got together about five years ago and we wrote ‘Fake History.’ It just made sense. It worked as fluidly as any other band I’ve ever been apart of. Q: In regards to the line-up as is, what would you say has been the biggest accomplishment you’ve experienced today? The ‘Highlight’ of your career. A: Yeah, I mean I guess if I had to say anything that would be on paper, it would have to be sort of the pathology of it all. I mean we were touring for like three and a half years by ourselves. We would just meet up with local bands and be the touring band. We wrote ‘Fake History’ and we got signed by a smaller label called Tragic Hero – which served as this launching pad for us.
Q: They are an amazing label. A: Yeah! They are so fantastic. Funny thing about that is the owner, Tommy, is who I spoke with the most. He was like ‘Look, I feel like I just want to be a stepping stone for you guys. I want to get you on a label that I think you should be on, like Epitaph.’ Now a couple years later we are on Epitaph and we’re touring. That all happened in a spurt. Like an explosion. We got signed; we finally got an agent and management. It just seems as though everyone believes in what we’re doing. It’s a very very authentic and passionate project for everyone involved. Which I think is very cool. So I think that’s the biggest accomplishment – just getting everyone in line. Q: So after so many years what would you say is the backbone that’s kept you together for so long? A: I think that it’s just knowing, like truly, that the foundation of this is knowing what we’re actually doing. We actually feel that this is worth something not only for us. It’s not as selfish as other things in people’s lives. A lot of us went to school. Something like school or a nine to five job is a very direct benefit. You’re like, ‘Well I get my bachelors or my masters, or I get a paycheck,’ so on and so fourth. But the band is not just for us anymore, which is cool. I’m really glad that other people can feel this sense of it, like palpable for others. I think that’s what keeps us grounded and inspired at the same time. Q: All right, so you spilled that you took the summer off to work on new music. Share with us what it’s been like, the process, anything I can pull out of you to share? A: It. Was. Nuts. When we wrote ‘Fake History’ we had time because we weren’t touring as much. Where as this, we were writing on the road and in different countries. You know? Like I said, it was like an explosion. We went from being home and touring domestically on our own, to traveling the world and touring 10 out of 12 months of the year. We’ve been just insanely busy and always on the move so we had to sort of reshape our means of writing and how we communicated and functioned as a band. At first I think it was a slow start and towards the end of this tour cycle, which was around spring time of this year, we got it. We figured it out and we were writing all the time and always on our phones writing parts, writing together or in a bathroom for better acoustics or even under a tunnel because I thought it sounded cool when I was singing – so I could get an idea of what I wanted it to sound like on the album. Like, weird strange ways to feel most comfortable with the material we were writing since we weren’t in a studio setting. So we did that, HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 27
got home and immediately started writing in a studio. We got everything together and fleshed out about fifteen or sixteen songs and then we started recording our album in the ides of July. We’re still working but we have friends along the road that have studios and pro tools set up so we can bring our harddrives with us so we can work on the road if we feel that we’re inspired in another way or something else has inspired us. You know? Dumb artsy bullshit *laughs*. Q: *Laughing* It’s not bullshit if it’s real! A: Yes! Well we hope for it to be real or at least perceived as such. We’re just writing until we’re done. It will be out next year, spring? Q: So you said you’ve been writing everywhere. Where would you say you pull lyrics from the most? A: Good question. I’ve never really thought about it too much so I don’t feel like I have a structure or like I’m forcing myself to do anything. But I think that in the ‘Fake History’ era, I was writing about and I still am very intrigued by social dynamics and the way that we work as people, as a society and worldly. I was writing a lot from an observer’s standpoint. Where as this album I sort of stripped myself of the insecurities that I’ve carried around with myself for X amount of years and tried to write about myself in hopes that it will relate to someone on a much more personal level than just talking about a vast subject. And, also hoping that if I show that the ability to expose yourself in such a way can be helpful, then that’s just the most important thing for me now ,I think, as a lyricist or as a writer is to present yourself as candidly as possible in efforts to give people that notion that it’s okay to be sad. And just like it’s okay to be sad, it’s okay to be happyI was trying to balance that dichotomy on this CD. Q: It’s awesome that you’re able to do something so unique. Which kind of brings me to my next point, the industry is changing so now. In what ways do you feel it has changed and how have you, as an individual and as a band felt you’ve had to adapt the most? A: That’s a really, really good question. I love speaking about this because I feel as though as a band – we were granted something very beautiful and advantageous to us because we’re a band that’s extremely DIY based. Just like you had to be back in the ‘80s when you were a punk band or any band for that matter back in the ‘50s, ‘40s or ‘20s when you were trying to do music and you had to be a fucking refugee or you had to flee to France to be a black singer. You know? It’s very similar or very akin to that because this was all we knew. When the industry introduced itself to us, we were like; ‘Well we’ve already done all of this. The things the industry likes to hustle and
bustle – we already knew all of it. I really, really am excited to see the industry flip on its back and offer itself to the artist again. I think that’s all there is left. Now it’s so fleeting and there’s such a minute and small group of artists that are really reaping the success of big industry that it’s almost inevitable. It’s back in the artists’ hands with the internet and knowledge that we’ve been granted at once I feel as though there’s a very big wave that’s been carrying music ,artists and non-artists that claim to be artists. I think it’s going to crash and there’s going to be a lot of us on the forefront that are on the shore clapping and ready to set sail, go out and do music the way we want to do it. Q: So this is the big broad question. Where do you see letlive. in a year? With the album coming out I’m sure there are huge plans in the works. What do you want to be doing? A: I’m going to speak ambitiously! I see us just very similar. As far as our personality and as individuals I see us exactly where we are today When people begin to understand the band a little bit more, I would really like to know that we’ve done something.So people are like, ‘Wow, letlive. has become ‘a bigger band and I’ve met a person at their show that has become my best friend.’ Or ‘something that Jason, or Jeffrey, or Jean or Chris or Ryan said onstage or to me at a show has changed my life.’ I just hope that we have more opportunities to reach individuals as well as the masses in a year. That’s all I want. I don’t give a fuck about money. I don’t want money. I don’t give a shit. The only reason I’d want money is for my girlfriend, or my mother or my sister. I don’t think anybody in the band gives a shit about that. All of this is more so what we can do for people way before the money, and I think again, going back to the industry, if you’re real enough and you’re in this for the right reasons people will realize that and they will recognize that, and in turn money will come because we’re in a capitalist based society. People focus so much on their guarantees, the fucking busses they’re in and the merch they’re selling. They completely forget about that visceral thing. Q: Like what they felt when they first started? A: Yeah! Like the genesis of the music when you were fucking playing with your homeboys in a garage. And I feel bad for you if you never got that experience but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience what real music is. No matter how you started, no matter how you think you’re going to end, music’s always going to be there. Music’s never going to stop and I believe that. The only universal languages we have are music and numbers. And I choose music way before I choose numbers. STORY, INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS: Ashley Osborn
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HOME: Doylestown, PA NOW jamming: Violent Waves - Full Length (Self-Released)
Over the past seven years Circa
Survive has become one of the most inspiringly pure and powerfully unique bands to hit our ears here at Highlight. The five piece band fronted by Anthony Green, has inspired a generation of musicians and fans alike. Now in its seventh year, operating without the help of a label, Circa Survive push on creating the bands fourth full length record Violent Waves. An expansive and daring record, Violent Waves pushed Circa Survive and fans outside of their comfort zone. Now just a few months after the release of Violent Waves the jury is in; “I feel like people are really digging it. We really dig it,” said Green in a recent interview, and I must agree. The band recorded this fourth full length on its own. Working with friends at a studio in Pennsylvania, the band recorded the entire project in under three weeks. The fun and personal vibe of the recording process protrudes through every track of the record. “We were doing about a song a day. That was pretty much how we did it everyday from 11 to 11. It was fun,” said Green. Currently headlining a tour to support the bands self released album, Circa Survive has a habit of doing things the way they want. Touring alongside acts like Balance and Composure, O’Brother and Touché Amoré; Circa Survive not only creates unique records but they also build unique and incredible tours. “It’s really inspiring,” said Green “going out every night after watching bands you love play their hearts out, ‘it makes you amped to play’. “ The Violent Waves tour also brings a new vibe to the Circa shows. Bringing out the primal wild man side out of fans and bands alike after watching a “straight up hardcore band” like Touché Amore. This tour also is very impressive due to its incredible light production that accompanies the talented and diverse lineup. “We’re all back lit and it’s kinda like something we’ve always liked, having a bit of mystery there instead of having lights on everybody,”said Green. The show does not stop here; however, in an attempt to bring each listener, concert goer and fan the unique and personal experience they want, Circa Survive makes a different set list each night. “Its hard to pick what to play. A lot of times we’ll look at our twitter and see if someone like requests something,” said Green. These past seven years have not been all fun and games for the band, things haven’t always been so easy. Like any other band Circa Survive didn’t come together with the intention of becoming famous or making a living touring the world. They started for the same reasons you
or I would start a band, for the love of making music with friends. However, things don’t always work out the way you plan, people grow older and have kids, wives and families to support and at some point in the day every person needs a paycheck. “Trying to keep the band going and not compromising it creatively or artistically and still be able to get people into this room and listening,” said Green. “ We didn’t start playing music to make money.” Green then continued on to describe the struggles of growing older and being faced with the daughting sights of bills: “as you get older you have to make money, and that’s a challenge to do what you love and do it your way and make a living off of it”. Everyone comes to an age where there forced to choose between there dreams and a paycheck, Circa Survive are some of the few who are given the opportunity to have both. These past few years were not all bad though. Circa Survive has accomplished quite a feet for a band still so young and the doors are still opening. “I think being able to put out a fourth album and put more people in the room at a consistent basis like this is an awesome thing.I mean we’re not on a label and were doing everything ourselves and were still able to pack rooms, “ said Green. “I feel like there’s been these consistent fuck yeah moments. Were just really grateful for people choosing to make a connection with our music.” The reason why so many people love Circa Survive and connect with their music is because they write songs about the emotions, the events and the situations that we all encounter and struggle through. They write about family, friends, love and death, they write about life, they write about their personal lives. A band like Circa Survive who have always stayed true to their art, to creating music the way they want, will always connect with their fans. They’ve developed a tight knit, passionate community that loves and supports them like family. Although their paychecks may not be as large as Lady Gaga, and they may not play to football stadiums of fan, they will always have this community, the community they’ve earned creating the music they love themselves. “There’s still pressure there [from being unsigned] it’s just a different kind. Its never really from anywhere, but like an internal thing,” said Green. Ultimately every band dreams of being big enough, strong enough and passionate enough to create something by themselves that friends and fans will love. Circa Survive has achieved this and so much more, but what is next for the band? “I don’t know. I can’t tell you because I don’t know,” Said Green. INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS: Ashley Osborn STORY: Will Howard
HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 31
HOME: Tempe, AZ NOW jamming: Pioneer - Full Length (Self-Released) CURRENTLY: Preparing to record their fourth full-length album.
There’s only so much a band can
accomplish in a year. After The Maine left their record label they soon took on their successful third album, Pioneer, independently, in late 2011. They then went straight to touring throughout the year, visiting various countries in the process. From Brazil to United Kingdom, they played sold out shows and wowed fans with their music. However, as it is with any band, it wasn’t easy for them to accomplish this. But, they never let anything stop them along the way. Now, fresh off their tour and ready to head back into the studio, The Maine is ready to come back with a fourth album and has just released a live DVD, Anthem For A Dying Breed, on Dec. 6, the one year anniversary of Pioneer. Highlight Magazine was able to sit down with lead singer John O’Callaghan and lead guitarist Jared Monaco during the start of their tour with Mayday Parade this fall. We were able to find out more about their future album, what they hope to accomplish in the future, and what they had to face to be, in our eyes, Band of the Year. Q: So the DVD Anthem For A Dying Breed is coming out soon correct? JO and JM: Correct Q: How did it come about? What ideas were behind it? JO: The whole process for our most recent album was pretty much DIY. We fortunately had a camera pretty much running the entire time, kind of by our own accord, so there’s kind of an unfiltered inside look behind the scenes as far as what it took to make the album. Kind of, the struggles we had to endure along the way. So I think that, for us, it’s kind of cool, cause it’s not just b-roll footage of, you know, a tour or something like that. It’s footage of what was actually happening and it pertains to all of what was going on. JM: Yea, we have piles of footage. Garrett was filming the entire time, from day one right to the end of the process. That’s only the first half of the DVD. The second half is a live concert that we filmed in Sao Paulo. So, there’s about 18 songs that’ll be on there. You know, we just thought that the vibe down in South America was so awesome and unique for our band so we tried to capture it. Q: It must be so different because, they never get a lot of people that come there from the US. JO: Yeah, yeah. I mean, I don’t know, for some reason there’s quite a few people that like us down there, which isn’t half bad.
JM: Yes, yes, no complaints. (laughs) Q: So you guys have been a band for years, how have you all been able to stick together after so long and have you guys had any hardships? You guys seem really close and all. JO: I’m mean, we’ve definitely have bad things happen. JM: Oh yeah! Q: Diva moments? (laughs) JM: No, not so much that. Just us being, I mean, when we started this band I think the oldest people were 19 so for the last five years it’s been a learning process. JO: On the front of the emotional aspect of individuals, I don’t think anyone would allow someone to get to a point where they’re just being ridiculous. We keep ourselves in check as far as that’s concerned. But there’s definitely been times when collectively as a band we’ve gone through hardships and it’s been tough but, fortunately there’s people, not just in Brazil, but people in Chicago and people around that enjoy what we do and they’re very vocal about it and we like to keep up with everybody online so you know, I think that’s the huge reason why we’re still a group, I mean, if not the reason. You can be a band and just play local coffee shops and still have as much fun but, that’s not where we see ourselves at this point and I think that’s what drives us every day through the shitty times. Q: Since you have been around for quite a while now, what do you think your biggest accomplishment has been altogether, thus far, as a group? JM: I think for me, I don’t know if I can speak for everybody else, it was the entire process of recording our last album. I think, a lot of it was new territory for us since we did it all ourselves. Even our label was kind of fighting us on putting it out so it was one of those issues. Throughout our entire career, we had to fight for what we want and, for us, it was the biggest and most important fight that we’ve had. I just feel relieved that we came out on top and we were able to put the album out and I just see it as a huge victory because everyone in our camp wanted it to happen and it seemed like a lot of people didn’t want that. JO: I feel like that that’s definitely something big but, for me, I just think that the fact that we’re still here and we’re still a band and things don’t feel different is big. We’ve got the opportunity to take out three full albums and we’re, hopefully, going into the studio in January to record
a fourth so four albums in five and a half years well, for me, be a huge accomplishment and hopefully that will be kind of the model on how we run things by, almost an album a year. I would really like to work towards that, we’re headed that way and I think it’s attainable. But the fact that we still get to tour and people still show up is a huge accomplishment in my eyes. Q: Since Pioneer, it seemed like you guys were headed in the right direction. This album is way more mature and really good, but also very different. How has this new direction helped you find out where you wanted to go next? JO: It seemed like we got the creative freedoms that we kind of enjoyed and toyed with and it opened up a lot of doors for us as a band. JM: The biggest difference was that nobody was saying no at that point. JO: I feel like, when we started out, you can kind of be complied with a sound or culture or whatever and I feel like we are slowly but surely trying to create and form an identity of our own. Who knows where that would take us as far as the next batch of songs go, but the fact that people have been supportive of our last effort definitely is gonna make us strive to work that much harder for the next group of songs. Q: Have any ideas or anything been thrown out there for the next record? Or anything at all? JO: As far as songs, some songs have been written, but not as a band yet. There are some songs that I’ve been goofing around with. There are some details where there are no details, as far as who with we’re recording with or when. JM: We have no idea right now. JO: Since we gave a try at doing it on our own and made it happen and I feel like that’s something that we know is possible, but I feel that, for our band, we need somebody outside to come in and tell us that things suck or stuff. We need that constructive criticism. Have we had that for the last album opposed to our label telling us that we just had to write different songs, things would’ve been totally different. I think its imperative, at this point that we need somebody to come in and do what a producer does and we have a lot to learn still and I think that’s very desirable
to want a producer. Q:In regards to music, is there anything that you guys haven’t done yet that you’ve been wanting to do? Like a collaboration or some kind of experiment that you’re kind of hoping to do? JO: It’s not something that I really think about as far as collaborating or anything like that. We got to do a song with Adam from Taking Back Sunday which is going to be out in November. JM: It’s a cool cover song. JO: Yeah, I believe those songs just kind of are born. You can’t force them. JM: If it makes sense then we’ll do it, but it’s really hard for things to make sense when we’ve had such a vision for your band and you kind of know what you want. Collaborations are the things that if the time and everything lines up we could do it. JO: But there are tons of things that we would like to do and experiment with as a band and I think that the songs are, hopefully, the keys for more opportunities in the future. I think that’s why there’s going to be, starting in December, a focus on new material. Q: Last question that we have. When this band first started was there a particular vision that you guys had for it or has it kind of spawned? JM: I don’t think so. I think we knew how we wanted people to see us at every given time in our band but there’s no endgame vision that we’re trying to go for. We’re just trying to grow our band in every way possible. JO: I think that’s why we’re so lucky, because to still be able to be a band allows us to try things that we’ve never tried before and it allows us to try to expand and grow because, I feel, me at 30 will write different songs than now as much as the songs that we write now are going to be much different than when we started and, Lord willing, we’ll get to do a little bit more. INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS: Ashley Osborn STORY: Tamara Fuentes
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Band - @themaine Garrett Nickelsen - @garrettmaine Kennedy Brock - @kennedymaine Jared Monaco - @jaredmaine John O’Callaghan - @johnmaine Pat Kirch - @patmaine
Band - @themainesetlist Garrett Nickelsen - @themainegarrett Kennedy Brock - @corsseyedtiger Jared Monaco - @jaredmaine John O’Callaghan - @thefifthjohn Pat Kirch - @patmaine
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Pierce The veil
WHERE: House of Blues, Chicago, IL PHOTOs: Ashley Osborn
WHERE: Rams Head Live, Baltimore, MD PHOTOs: Cara Bahniuk
all time low
glasscloud
WHERE: House of Blues, Chicago, IL PHOTOs: Ashley Osborn
WHERE: House of Blues, Chicago, IL PHOTOs: Ashley Osborn
lights
HIGHLIGHT’S Top 10 Albums of 2012 Our staff looked at and listened to every album release this year and we were devastated when we all had to narrow our favorites down into a TOP 10 list. To say the least 2012 was really great to the industry. We firmly believe that some of the albums released this year are the best of several artists’ careers. Here is our list!
number 10
Artist: Taylor Swift Album: Red
I’m going to admit it; I’m a Taylor Swift fan. But one thing that I love about her is that she is one of the few artists that is able to put so much passion and effort in one album without much help from others. Her songwriting skills shine through as well as her versatility to various genres, making her one of the best artists in the game right now. – Tamara Fuentes (Writer) Taylor Swift has secretly always been my ‘go to artist.’ I had a hard time adjusting to her new music, but as always she writes those girly lyrics we all aspire to express. – Mckenzie Hughes (Co-Founder)
number 9
Artist: Of Monsters & Men Album: My Head Is An Animal
I just love this album. They have their own sound and it really works because it’s different. – Jenn Stookey (Online Editor) This debut album is strong from start to finish. While this record has a live feel to it that transports me back to summer and festivals, My Head Is An Animal still seems to fit a variety of moods. The beautiful and relaxed but pensive sound makes it perfect for road trips. – Logan Kant (Writer)
number 8
Artist: Go Radio Album: Close The Distance
This is what mainstream music should sound like. This is music. No matter if you like a certain style there is no denying this band has insane talent. – Ryan Argast (Writer) This album has been on repeat since the day they put it up for live stream. It’s absolutely phenomenal and easily the best album of the year. – Misty Frederick (Digital Marketing Coordinator)
number 7
Artist: Now, Now Album: Threads
Of course I’m going to have these guys on there. Aren’t they everybody’s favorite band? Threads was overall the soundtrack of my year. I listened to it non-stop. Now, Now is captivating in nearly every way possible and this album was just another layer of proof. I really hope more people get a chance to be hit by their crafts in 2013. – Ashley Osborn (Editor-In-Chief) Threads is a beautifully crafted record and a standout sophomore effort. With a cohesive sound throughout the entire album and excellent lyrics the band shows extreme talent and direction. They make me proud to be from Minnesota! – Morgan Waldorf (Writer)
number 6
Artist: Imagine Dragons Album: Night Visions
Arena-rock bands, as they’re dubbed,are a guilty pleasure of mine, but I have absolutely no guilt in listening to this album over and over. I find that I get sick of a lot of songs once they start being used in commercials and TV/movie previews, but I have yet to find that true with Imagine Dragons, who have accumulated a few singles on TV already. – Taynya Gelman (Photographer) I became familiar with Imagine Dragons after their spot on the Riot Fest line up in Chicago this summer and bought Night Visions soon after. Normally I wouldn’t buy an album right away unless I really love the band, but this one was worth every penny. Everyone I play it for at parties or in my car loves it. Night Visions is consistently my go to album when I want something good to listen to. – Jennifer Boylen (Writer)
number 5
Artist: All Time Low Album: Don’t Panic
This album went back to the punk rock roots that kick started All Time Low’s career. It was just what they needed as a band to keep them on the radar. There isn’t one song on the album that I hate. It was on repeat for weeks in my car. I just can’t get enough. – Jessica Klinner (Writer) If we’re being completely honest, I’ve listened to this album on repeat for the past month. It’s awesome to hear All Time Low going back to their sound heard in 2007’s “So Wrong, It’s Right.” The album has such a variety of contagious guitar riffs and catchy lyrics that “Don’t Panic” could be, dare I say it, their best album to date. – Taylor Pittman (Writer) HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 41
number 4
Artist: Mumford & Sons Album: Babel
First of all, this album sold a record-breaking amount within its first week, which was absolutely astounding for a band of this genre. Props to them because it was completely deserved. – Jenn Stookey (Online Editor) Mumford and Sons have not only put out two incredible albums in the last three years, but their sound has stayed consistent throughout both of the albums. No matter how mainstream they have become they have never veered away from the sound that they began with. I anticipate that they will only get better. Babel was not only well made, but it was everything I wanted to hear from Mumford and Sons. Liz Brossard (Features Editor)
number 3
Artist: Pierce The Veil Album: Collide With The Sky
The introduction to this album, “May These Noises Startle You In Your Sleep Tonight,” alone is just mind blowing. I love how it explodes into “Hell Above” and from there the album just goes from hard, to powerful, to angry - you literally experience every emotion the band felt during the time they wrote these songs. It has this ability to just get me incredibly pumped the second I hit play. It’s haunting in the best way. Pierce the Veil, we waited a while for this release and it was well worth the wait. - Ashley Osborn (Editor-In-Chief) Every time I think of this band I think of the word theatrical. From their albums to their live show, the sounds they produce are just so epic. This album was one of my most anticipated albums of 2012 and there was not a single track on it that disappointed me. – Heather Phillips (Photographer)
number 2
Artist: fun. Album: Some Nights
Some Nights is hands down my favorite album of the year. The album has its ups and downs in the perfect places, and makes you feel every range of emotion while listening. It’s well rounded, and a bonus that fun. can perform every song live to the same effect as on the album. – Anjel Lopez (Projects Coordinator) Some Night’s is the second album release for fun. and it’s electrifying sounds keep me wanting more. Not only is this album taking fun. to the next level, but they are also extremely talented when performing live. I’ve been a fan of Nate Ruess since The Format days and I’m still impressed with his vocals today. He can do no wrong. – Colleen Casey (Writer)
number 1
Artist: Yellowcard Album: Southern Air
This album made me love Yellowcard even more and I wasn’t even sure that was possible. That is all. – Tamara Fuentes (Writer) There’s no doubt Yellowcard is one of the most unique bands out there, but “Southern Air” truly showcases their talent. From “Always Summer” to “Awakening,” the entire album is catchy and packed with powerful hits from beginning to end. – Taylor Pittman (Writer) YELLOWCARD WILL NEVER PUT OUT A BAD ALBUM. I can’t decide what’s more incredible about this band. It’s probably either the fact that they continuously one-up themselves album after album or the fact that they have been around for years and are still the most down to earth people in the industry. All hail Yellowcard. – Ashley Osborn (EditorIn-Chief) Southern Air literally has everything you could have asked for in a Pop Rock band. This is easily the best album of theirs since Ocean Avenue. - Ryan Argast (Writer) HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 43
review: Will Howard
artist:
Pentimento album:
Pentimento rating:
sounds like: Young English Daytrader Misser Forever Came Calling
recommended tracks:
“The Bridge (Acoustic)” “For Winter”
tracklisting:
Unless 2 Circles 3 Conscience (Consequence) 4 The Wind 5 No One Lets You Know 6 Days Away 7 Almost Atlantic 8 Subtle Words 9 For Winter 10 On Summer 1
release date:
November 13th
website:
facebook.com/pentimentoNY
Buffalo New Yorker’s, Pentimento have done what every band dreams of, taking the leap and releasing music on its own. Taking a honest kick ass rock sound to heart, Pentimento spent 2012 perfecting the self titled record with every fiber of its being. Now on its own, and on tour with Such Gold and Drug Church, Pentimento is showing the world that nothing will stop them from achieving success, especially when they do it their own way. The album begins with a banger of a track. Pentimento kicks off the record in the perfect way. The track, “Unless” kicks in with fast palm muted chords, coupled with the exciting powerful cracking of a snare roll from drummer, Michael Hansen. As the static builds momentarily before releasing into the rocking full band sound, it is apparent Pentimento has arrived. Accompanying the full band sound is the harsh but honest melodies of Jeramiah Pauly, the bands vocalist and guitarist. A band focused on the whole sound of the band and the powerful message behind the music, “Unless” as well as the entire rest of the record is far from perfect. Pentimento is allowed to breathe and express honest emotions letting the minor and slight imperfections of the band add to the power of the record instead of destroying it with over produced edits. The most incredible and my personal favorite track on the record is an acoustic rendition of the bands song, “The Bridge”. Originally released on the bands split with Young English, this new stripped down version of the song allows Pauly to create and express the true emotions of the song. As Pauly sings “All we are is blood and bones and some times a soul” the emotion is apparent in the song. Arguably better than the original, this new version of “The Bridge” also serves as a good way to show the diversity and incredible talent of the band. I fell in love with Pentimento when they released its split with the band Young English last March. As the year has gone by I’ve fallen more and more in love with it after every listen. Now six months later it is apparent to me, as it is apparent to any fan of the band, that Pentimento is destined for independent success. Facing one of the most difficult hardships any band can face; copyright disputes and discovering the passionate fan base they have supporting them. Pentimento’s self titled debut record is a gem in a pile of rocks. The band that shows the world nothing can stop incredible art.
Artist: Crown The Empire Album: The Fallout
Crown The Empire’s first LP, The Fallout, is infused with a combination of hardcore instruments and vocals with theatrical elements. The intro, “Oh, Catastrophe” is eerie and mesmerizing, leading into the single, “The Fallout,” which is also an epic two-part music video with a Romeo and Juliet-forbidden love vibe. Each song transitions into each other smoothly and the whole album flows together. The presence of sinister laughter can be heard in the background of a few songs, especially in “Johnny’s Revenge.” The sound of melancholic piano melodies that give the album another dimension can be heard rather frequently throughout. The themes and theatrics of The Fallout are vivid and powerfully driven showing how this band exudes talent and ingenuity. They are definitely a force to be reckoned with. Keep your eyes and ears open, because they are sure to be the next big thing in the world of hardcore music.
recommended tracks: “Makeshift Chemistry” & “Two’s Too Many” review: Haley Black
Artist: Ke$ha Album: Warrior
It’s hard to believe that Ke$ha’s debut album came out just three years ago. In that time she’s provided us with countless guilty pleasure dance songs and she doesn’t disappoint with her latest release, Warrior. With infectious club banging songs like the title track “Warrior” and the fun anthem “C’Mon” the album is sure to get stuck in your head. The highlight of the album is no doubt “Dirty Love” which features an unlikely collaboration with Iggy Pop. However strange it may seem the combination makes for a great song that’s fun and sassy with more of a rock vibe then the rest of the album. After that the record slows down with songs like “Wonderland,” “Supernatural” and “Love Into The Light” with “Only Wanna Dance With You” standing out with a memorable beat and quirky verses. Overall the album is exactly what one would expect from Ke$ha with a surprising mellow twist at the end of the record and a great collaboration with a punk rock legend. Definitely check it out if you’re looking for a new guilty pleasure, carefree, pop record.
recommended tracks: “Dirty Love” & “Only Wanna Dance With You” review: Morgan Waldork
Artist: Phillip Phillips Album: The World From the Side of the Moon
American Idol has produced yet another amazing artist, but not a country or a pop star this time; just a man and his guitar. Phillip Phillips’ style of music is simple yet refreshing. His debut album is jam packed with heartwarming lyrics and of course a few love ballads here and there. “Home”, his first single, which was featured during the 2012 Summer Olympics, is lighthearted and not to mention captivating. Phillips’ personality shines through each and every song, and it is obvious that the stories and emotions he is expressing through his music are completely genuine. It is nice to hear a solid album without the distraction of synthesizers and obnoxious dance beats, but instead the clean sound of an acoustic guitar. Fans of Train and Jason Mraz will definitely fall for Phillip Phillips and his charming tunes.
recommended tracks: “Man On the Moon” & “Gone, Gone, Gone” review: Haley Black
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