Issue #32

ISSUE 32

HIGHLIGHT

MAGAZINE

FROM INDIAN LAKES – ALEX & SIERRA – CITIZEN – THE MADDEN BROTHERS & MORE

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editor-in-chief jenn stookey

IGHLIGH

co-founder – art director cara bahniuk co-founder – photographer ashley osborn online editor nick yacovazzi copy editor courtney dondelinger digital marketing oivia adams co-founder mckenzie hughes contributing photographers

cara bahniuk, matt burke, dan deslover, brendon donahue, courtney dondelinger, tarina doolittle, jordan fischels, brad heaton, megan leetz, anjel lopez, nicole mago, charlie martel, david mullis, laura murray, ally newbold, savana ogburn, ashley osborn, heather phillips, petey place, sam polonsky, danny raybon, sam roenfeldt, sam san roman, kaiden seven, daniel shippey, nicole fara silver and amy willard

contributing writers (online & publication)

haley black, jennifer boylen, geoff burns, haley buske, colleen casey, madison convey, rebecca del castillo, trevor figge, tamara fuentes, jessica klinner, catt kruger, jordyn lockwood, daisy marietta, zoe marquedant, bridjet mendyuck, theresa pham, christina santamaria, annette schaefer, alyssa schmidt, elizabeth tolbert, abby welsh and nick yacovazzi

digital marketing team

olivia adams, kelly basdavanos, geoff burns, megan shea and catie suliga

news posters

tegan burkhard, caroline hall, jordyn lockwood, samia mirza and sarah akomanyi

_________________________ website twitter highlightmagazine.net @highlightzine facebook instagram facebook.com/highlightmagazine @highlightzine _________________________ thank you

set it off, natalie bisignano, equal vision records, u music, brixton agency, talia miller, ashley buenrostro, columbia records, stunt company, ryan feldman, eyal levi, the catalyst publicity group, big picture media, major bob music, and every single person who reads our issue and believes in our magazine. thank you!

_________________________ 06 set it off tarina doolittle

07 tiny moving parts kara smarsh

the madden brothers justin coit

citizen kara smarsh

alex & sierra cara bahniuk

the features sam polonsky

modern baseball kara smarsh

from indian lakes jordan fischels HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 3

october

05 this or that 08 clothing highlight 10 label highlight 11 venue highlight 12 highlighted artists 13 film highlight 15 industry highlight 16 koi fest 20 riot fest toronto chicago 26 the features 28 tiny moving parts 30 paradise fears 34 from indian lakes 38 modern baseball 40 citizen 44 alex & sierra 48 madden brothers 50 set it off 60 tour round up twenty one pilots 64 reviews

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THIS

OR

50%

THAT

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25% 75%

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SET IT OFF - 50

THE MADDEN BROTHERS - 48

ALEX & SIERRA - 44

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MODERN BASEBALL - 38

28 - TINY MOVING PARTS

40 - CITIZEN

26 - THE FEATURES

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34 - FROM INDIAN LAKES

HOW DID THE FELLOW COMPANY BEGIN? We wanted a name that represents how everyone in the world is a part of the same fabric; hence Fellow Threads was born. Very recently, however, we began developing all-natural and organic beauty products, and a company name change came about out of necessity. We decided on The Fellow Company as it’s not entirely different from our previous name but is definitely more encompassing of a wider range of products.

The Fellow Company was founded by Lauren, and quickly became a family business when younger sister, Annie, cousin, Ashley, and mom, Lynne, joined the ranks as partners. We each wanted to create a working environment that prioritized open-mindedness, flexibility, creativity and a sense of humor.

We literally do everything ourselves. Every piece of clothing purchased has been handpicked, screen printed, packaged, and shipped by one of us. While it’s definitely more labor intensive to do things this way, we love the idea of paying special attention to every item that leaves our office. It shows people that we care.

COMPANY: The Fellow Company STAFF: Lauren Koontz, Owner & Designer; Annie Koontz, Lead Model & Production;

Ashley Morgan, Public Relations 8LOCATION: - HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET Orlando, Florida WEBSITE: thefellowcompany.com

WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOUR BRAND REPRESENTS? We are endlessly inspired by pop culture and social media, and we are always intrigued by what today’s younger generation deems worth their attention. So, we pull from these ideas, develop designs around them, and let them shine on clothing. It’s the idea of representing a creative generation, but also the various subcultures within: the nerdfighters, the YouTubers, the festival-goers, the fashionistas and sartorial-minded. We identify so proudly with so many of these groups, and it’s important that what we design is something we would love to wear and incorporate into our own wardrobes.Ultimately, we create pieces that allow people to wear something that shows their personality to the world. We’re using the same ideology for the beauty products: simple is best, which is why we are only using allnatural ingredients that people recognize, and can feel safe about using in their everyday routines. Keep an eye out for the November launch!

Our company motto “Give Happy” essentially has two meanings: giving happiness and giving happily. When you purchase anything from The Fellow Company, $2 from each item goes directly to support our partner organizations in Kenya and countries throughout Africa that come alongside communities to help them build themselves up. You are, essentially, helping people build a happier life which, in turn, will always make you feel truly happy (and you get awesome stuff in the mail).

WHY DID YOU START YOUR BRAND? This all started with the desire to give back. In the summer of 2011, Lauren took a trip to Nairobi, Kenya where she visited the Mathare Valley slum. The people she met, despite living in extreme poverty, were hopeful, happy, and, consequently, deeply inspirational. Once she was back in the states, Lauren began brainstorming creative ways to support

these communities in their efforts to build themselves up from within instead of simply giving money without addressing the root issues. Lauren returned to Kenya in 2014, and plans to broaden her travels in coming years and explore new ways to mesh the growing company with her passion for the people of Africa.

THREE PERSONAL FAVORITE DESIGNS? WIFI, TEAM INTERNET, I LIKE YOU. While it’s insanely hard to choose just three favorites, we went with three of our newer designs that really speak to what we’re doing at the moment. Lately we’ve been greatly inspired by all things internet and social media related, mainly because we are preparing for Playlist Live in November and again in February.

The WiFi tee is interesting; we honestly didn’t think it would be as popular as it is. We believe it’s doing so well because it resonates with a generation of people who prioritize creativity in their lives. The Team Internet and the I Like You tees are brand new designs and are personal favorites because they’re both literal and symbolic. They’re abstract while maintaining a simplicity that we appreciate in design.

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CHECK OUT YOUR BRAND? We believe our company speaks for itself. We don’t pretend to appeal to just one type of person but, instead, are proud to identify with so many different groups. We are forever inspired by people who aren’t afraid to pave their own ways in life, and we can only hope our designs reflect that. Our brand is ultimately about celebrating the simple things in life, and not forgetting that while the world isn’t a perfect place, we can definitely do our part to make it better. f fellowthreads t @thefellowco

YOU MAY WANT TO LISTEN TO...

Huntington Beach, usually known for surfers and puka shell necklaces, is also home to the tiny powerhouse No Sleep Records. The label was formed in 2006 by Chris Hansen. It began “as a project to bring back originality and uniqueness to a seemingly watered-down scene, and has quickly risen to become one of the most respected labels in the industry.” The label has met this goal ten-fold. Acts like The Wonder Years, Toche Amore, The Swellers, Minus the Bear, Manchester Orcestra and I Am Alaska have called No Sleep home at various points.

Check out these bands from the label’s current line-up:

ALLISON WEISS

The folky tunes of this singer-songwriter have been winning hearts since 2007’s An Eight​-​Song Tribute to Feeling Bad & Feeling Better. Weiss has come leaps and bounds since her early days of releasing music via YouTube.

In recent years she launched two successful Kickstarter campaigns, played the Warped Tour’s Acoustic Basement and premiered on MTV. Weiss’s most recent EP, Remember When, proves that her autobiographical songs are a new, better breed of break-up song that just keep getting cleverer and more heart-wrenching with each release.

(Grab the tissues and) Listen to: “The Fall”

DAISYHEAD

Michael Roe (vocals/guitar), Curtis DuRard (guitar), Zach Chiarizzio (bass/ vocals) and Chad Burroughs (drums) form the Huntington Beach’s rock band Daisyhead. The band formed in 2012 and made their musical debut with the edgy alt-rock EP I Couldn’t Face You the following year. The release is to be followed up by a yet-to-be-named full-length, which the band is currently in the process of recording. The album is due out in 2015.

Listen To: “I Couldn’t Face You”

MOOSE BLOOD

This Canterbury quartet represents what 90s emo sounds like in the modern age. Eddy Brewerton, Mark Osborne, Glenn Harvey and Kyle Todd formed the group in 2012 and released the EPs Moving Home and Boston/Orlando in quick succession soon thereafter. Thus far their music has not only been reminiscent in sound, but also lyrically hyperpersonal. Their lines steeped in references to literature, music and of course coffee, all of which leaves the listener equal parts intrigued and excited for their debut full length I’ll Keep You In Mind, From Time to Time, due out in early October.

Listen to: “Orlando”

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WORDS: Zoe Marquedant

VENUE HIGHLIGHT THE VERA PROJECT - SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

HISTORY

WHY PLAY HERE?

The Vera project is an all-ages volunteer based music and arts venue. Since being founded in 2001 by Jamed Keblas, Shannon Stewart and Kate Becker The Vera Project has a target audience of people ages 14-24 and their mission is to ‘foster a participatory creative culture’.

Not only does The Vera Project host weekly concerts and art exhibits but also allows its youth volunteers to learn through the hands on experience of working at the venue. By playing The Vera Project artists are helping fans live out their dreams of working in an industry they love, which is a chance most people don’t get.

TWITTER: @veraproject FACEBOOK: facebook.com/theveraproject WEBSITE: theveraproject.org OCTOBER 9TH

OCTOBER 11TH

OCTOBER 13TH

NOVEMBER 8TH

Carnage the Executioner

Caroline Rose

Gossling/Eggshells

Driver Friendly

REVIEW: Jennifer Boylen

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HIGHLIGHTED

ARTISTS EMILY KATTER Location: New York, NY Current Single: “Comfortable”

Singer/Songwriter, Emily Katter, is a showstopper. Based out of NYC, Katter’s melodies are a mix of dance productions and infectious pop hooks reminiscent of Jessie J. With her career on the rise, Katter is staying true to herself as a performer and singer.

MY SILENT BRAVERY Location: Boston, MA Current Single: “On My Side” Boston’s My Silent Bravery symbolizes persistence, perseverance, and inner strength to overcome obstacles in the face of adversity. Front man Matthew Wade released his record, Diamond From Coal, this past August, and will be performing all over the northeast this fall. Combining warm melodies and provoking lyrics, My Silent Bravery echoes influences of Daughtry and Maroon 5 to create his own unique sound.

THE LAWSUITS Location: Philadelphia, PA Current Single: “Sweet Marcelle” Members: Brian Dale Allen Strouse – Songwriter/Vocals/ Guitar/Piano, Vanessa Winters – Vocals, Brendan Cunningham – Bass, Josh Friedman – Drums, Joe Bisirri – Guitar/Piano The Philly natives, The Lawsuits, are good music. They have that tone, instrumentals, and melody that a little part of you always wants to hear and you might not have known it but once you listen to their music it’ll all come rushing to you. The band released their new EP, Tumbled, on September 23rd, and make sure to listen to their single “Sweet Marcelle.”

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WORDS: Nick Yacovazzi

HIGHLIGHTED

FILMS

THE MAZE RUNNER

In an era in which dystopian futuristic novels and films are immensely popular, it can be difficult for rookies to stand out. The Maze Runner manages to do this within the first thirty seconds.

As soon as the theatre lights dim, the audience is grabbed by the collar and thrown into the world James Dashner created with his best-selling novel and director Wes Ball brought to life on screen. The first scene shows the protagonist—played by MTV Teen Wolf’s sarcastic heartthrob Dylan O’Brien—waking up in an underground freight elevator which is being rocketed upwards. With no memory of his life leading up to that moment, he is just as confused and panicked as the audience. When the elevator reaches its destination—a field surrounded by skyhigh walls concealing a colossal maze and a small group of castaway-looking young men—he learns that each month, an amnesiac boy is sent up to live with them, though they are unsure as to why. They have set up a society for themselves in order to survive and everyone plays a different role. After remembering his name (Thomas) and getting acquainted with the group, the central character takes his position as a “runner” and is responsible for mapping and running the dangerous maze daily in hopes of finding a way out.

On top of life-threatening obstacles including nocturnal monsters called Grievers, the boys experience personality clashes and power struggles à la Lord of the Flies, which the impressive cast pulls off brilliantly. Casting is key in book-to-film adaptations and can often be make or break to devoted fans. This film features a refreshing talent pool of young, up-and-coming actors including Kaya Scodelario of the popular UK television show Skins, Will Poulter of last year’s comedy We’re The Millers, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster of Game of Thrones fame, all of whom deliver genuine and respectable performances. The Maze Runner will undoubtedly be the springboard which leads several of these rising stars to bigger and better things by giving them a platform to showcase their acting abilities. O’Brien does not disappoint as Thomas, and fans will enjoy seeing him in a more serious role.

Unsurprisingly, the audience is left with a thought-provoking cliffhanger that will make them want to buy the second novel in the trilogy, The Scorch Trials, to hold them over until the film sequel’s release date is announced. Fans of the genre will enjoy the thrilling, mysterious plot and edge-of-your-seat suspense. Refreshingly, the storyline is not driven by a romantic relationship, but on the other hand, the film does not even remotely pass the Bechdel test (there are only two female characters, both with limited dialogue). The film’s sequel will presumably answer some questions and further character development. Impressive first week sales suggest that even though this franchise lacks the hype of other teen post-apocalyptic series like The Hunger Games, it is certainly much closer to a hit than a flop. No, The Maze Runner may not be breaking any new ground, but it keeps viewers gripped for two solid hours and leaves them craving more, which is exactly what a movie of its kind should do.

REVIEW: Christina Santamaria

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INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHT

NAME: Eyal Levi LOCATION: Orlando, FL JOB: Producer

WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL STORY/WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE INDUSTRY?

Honestly, I never intended on being a producer. My father is a wellknown symphony conductor and I’ve been playing music since I was a small child. After years of classical, I eventually got into metal and started a band called Daath, which got signed to Roadrunner and Century Media. As the band started to wind down, I began to focus more on recording, became part of the Audiohammer family, and the rest is history.

WHAT DOYOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT PRODUCING HEAVY METAL?

I grew up on basically a steady diet of classical music via my dad, and I rarely listen to metal (it’s usually film scores or Muse), so my musical palette has always been broader than metal. That said, what I love about producing metal is that it’s probably the single most challenging genre from an engineering and mixing perspective.

Finding that perfect balance of polished-without-being-fake is a very tough but rewarding challenge.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF PRODUCING A HEAVY METAL ALBUM?

What makes music “heavy” isn’t how fast it is or how loud the guitars are, it’s when it makes you feel something – like how when the breakdown comes in “Raining Blood,” you want to kill someone. I think a lot of the feel gets killed in the sterile, overly-edited recordings you hear these days, and keeping that feel is the most important aspect in my opinion. Even if that means leaving in some of the rawness and “mistakes.”

WHAT ARE THREE OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE CAREER MOMENTS?

Not in order of importance. These are the three events that I would say were the major turning points in my career. 1) Getting signed to Roadrunner Records. 2) Becoming a Partner at Audiohammer Studios.

3) Giving my first CreativeLive class. There’s lots of things that are memorable that have happened along the way, but without those three things taking place my life would be completely different.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH?

My goal is to be an entrepreneur who just happens to have roots in music, like Russell Simmons or Dr. Dre. I’ve started two new ventures this year with my partner Sergeant D under the name of Unstoppable Killing Machine: we have a webstore that sells digital goods for DIY producers (ukm.bigcartel.com), and are about to host our first Unstoppable Recording Machine boot camp (unstoppablerecordingmachine.com), a 3-day hands-on class with Rob Arnold (ex-Chimaira). I’ve always said that I want to “make lots of money working with my friends,” and these two things are a big step toward that goal!

THREE ALBUMS EYAL HAS WORKED ON Chelsea Grin – “Evolve” The Black Dahlia Murder – “Everblack” Monuments – “The Amaneusis”

INSTAGRAM: /unstoppablekillingmachine TWITTER: @TheRealEyalLevi WEBSITE: audiohammerstudios.com HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 15

WITH THE ARRIVAL OF FALL COMES

the end of music festival season for 2014. However, Highlight had the pleasure to assist in KOI Music Fest September 19th through 21st in Kitchener, Ontario.

The Koi Fest was held in the heart of Kitchener, directly on the main street of downtown. With the pleasant temperature and warm ambiance, the day was perfect to accomodate a large crowd for a perfect weekend expierence. In this Koi Fest the Headliners were USS, Everytime I Die, Chiodos, Four Year Strong, Miss May I, and Foxy Shazam. Many other bands preformed on the seven different Koi Fest stages in addition to these headliners. All musical tastes were appeased with the acoustic stage, the main stage outside, and more intimate stages inside. Koi Fest even went so far as to offer an acoustic brunch with Four Year Strong and Courage My Love to start Sunday off in the right way. Keeping the festival going with several other performances on the various stages, including Protest the Hero, and Silverstein.

All artists that had been invited were extremely excited to perform in the Koi Fest, including both local and “big” acts. The energetic performances under the sun, and some under the rain, were all greatly enjoyed by all fans present. If the Koi Fest’s goal was to help put the Kitchener-Waterloo area on the national music map, it was certainly taken great steps in that direction. For the fifth edition of this festival, Koi has something to be proud of, as they set the bar extremely high for next year. Until then, see you next year Koi! PHOTOS AND WORDS: Charlie Martel

COURAGE MY LOVE

CHIODOS

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FOXY SHAZAM

MISS MAY I

COURAGE MY LOVE

FOXY SHAZAM

THE WORLD IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE

FOUR YEAR STRONG

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COURAGE MY LOVE

FOXY SHAZAM

TEXAS KING

FRONT PORCH STEP

COUNTERPARTS

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PHOTOS: Kaiden Seven

SILVERSTEIN

USS

THE FRONT BOTTOMS

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PROTEST THE HERO

COURAGE MY LOVE

TORONTO AFTER A NIGHT OF TORRENTAL

downpour, crowds stormed the muddy fields of Downsview Park for this year’s Toronto offering of Riotfest to see thier favourite band on any of the 4 stages. This year is the first in Downsview Park since moving from the now outgrown Fort York which held the festival the previous two years since bringing a branch of the now famous festival to Canada with help from Union Events.

This year the crowds have increased significantly in size, as have the headliners that are gracing the festival’s stages, and i can only see them getting bigger as the festival matures much like it’s American counterparts.

Bands such as Circa Survive, Bring Me The Horizon, Title Fight, Somos and Glassjaw opened the first day before Death From Above, The Flaming Lips and Rise Against took over the night making way for a beautiful Sunset

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performance from Brand New, and having main headliner The Cure close out day one.

Day two saw Metric, Clutch, Die Antwoord, The National and Death Cab For Cutie headline with such up and comer’s as Seaway, Wounds, Dead Tired, and Nostalghia play to quite sizeable crowds. I don’t know if think of a better way to wind down after a busy (and noisey) two days than having Canada’s own City And Colour close out day two and the entire festival.

Favourite sets were Die Antwoord (i am still trying to comprehend this one), Hamilton’s Dead Tired, and The Flaming Lip’s long psychedelic trip. Overall lots of mud, food, great bands, and an experience I’m sure no one is soon to forget. Be on the look out, because this festival is only going to get better.

PHOTOS AND WORDS: Kaiden Seven

GLASSJAW

TITLE FIGHT

CIRCA SURVIVE

DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979

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RISE AGAINST

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DEAD TIRED

DIE ANTWOOD

CLUTCH

LEMURIA

CITY AND COLOUR

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE

WOUNDS

METRIC

DROPKICK MURPHYS

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THE NATIONAL

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CIRCA SURVIVE

TAKING BACK SUNDAY

SOMOS

NEW FOUND GLORY

METRIC

CHICAGO

BRING ME THE HORIZON

PHOTOS: Kara Smarsh

DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL

TOKYO POLICE CLUB

THE HOTELIER

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PUP

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HOME: Sparta, TN NOW JAMMING: “Good Old Days” CURRENTLY: On their fall tour

THE FEATURES ARE CERTAINLY NOT

new to the indie pop scene, but they seem to be breaking out of it recently. Their mix of indie and psychedelic rock take you on a ride like never before and it’s amazing that many haven’t heard of them until now.

“We started playing in Murfreesboro, we all went to school at Middle Tennessee State University and just sort of met up through that and started playing that scene and then moved to Nashville and have been playing here a long time as well,” said guitarist and vocalist Matt Pelham.

They certainly have come a long way since their debut days in Sparta, Tennesse. The band was the first to be signed in Kings of Leon’s label Serpents & Snakes and it’s no surprise why.

The Features recently played Lightning 100’s Live on The Green along with Capitol Cities and All Them Witches an experience that Matt says is “really nice. It’s great that Lightning 100 puts something on like this. They play our music and they ask us to do these things. We’re really grateful for that.”

They just released a new single, which is only available on Spotify, titled “Good Old Days” which is one of the best tracks taken out recently and an album is currently in the works. “We’re working on one [album] so we’re hoping on getting it out pretty soon,” said Matt.

While many artists take months, even years to prepare before they start recording an album, that’s not the case for The Features. For their last album, which was self-titled and taken out in 2013, took them two weeks to get everything down before they started recording, something Matt said will probably not be different this time around with their next album. “Well, we haven’t really figured everything out so were sort of waiting and are probably going to do something similar. Just to keep us on our toes and make it a little more spontaneous.”

But like with any artist, sound can change throughout the years, depending on inspirations and what is currently affecting them musically at the time. “I’m sure it will be quite a bit different,” said Matt about the new record. “Most of our records tend to be quite a bit different from the last.”

The Lightning 100’s Live on the Green also marked a couple of firsts for them. It was their first time playing a Live on the Green show as well as the first time they performed their new single in Nashville. That’s not all though. It was also their first stop of their fall US tour, which is taking them to

big cities like Los Angeles, Dallas, and Chicago. Despite all of this, there is something more excited to be looking forward to. “I think we’re most excited to just get back to working on new music and get our album recorded.”

Even with all of this exciting stuff happening, it still isn’t easy. There are always some downsides to it all, especially if you’re on the road as often as they are. “[The most difficult thing is] probably balancing home life, work, and those things with the band. Because we’ve been doing it for quite a while so it’s always been a juggling act. That’s probably the toughest thing. That and being away from family.”

They still make it work though and they try their best to keep in contact with everyone as much as they can. “[We don’t keep in contact] probably not every day but family absolutely [we keep in touch]. But friends and stuff it does happen where you lose contact and then you come back home and you almost feel like you’ve been detached from everyone’s lives and you have to catch up on everything.”

However, even with the hardships that come with touring and being away from loved ones, there is still so much positive that comes along with it. They are currently the “best local band” for Nashville, a feat that is not easy to gain especially with how many bands are in Nashville alone.

“There’s bands that have worked a lot harder than we do, that’s all I can say about that,” said Matt about winning the title. “We’ve been sitting on it I think. We hold [the title] really tight and anyone that tries to come up [and take it] we’ll fight.”

Even with all this stuff that has happened to them and that is yet to come, Matt noted that they’ve already had that special moment when they noticed they made it and are living out their dreams. “We’ve been able to sustain ourselves with doing this and figure out a way to continue doing it so that’s about all we can ask for.”

Whether it’s by checking them out in their fall tour or by checking out their music, this band is definitely one to listen to. With the signing to their record label to their amazing music and writing skills, this band is one that is certainly to blow up the charts one day and that’s when the world will realize what they have been missing out on and everyone will talk about that band from Sparta, Tennessee, that made it.

PHOTO: Sam Polonsky INTERVIEW: Jenn Stookey STORY: Tamara Fuentes HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 27

HOME: Benson, MN NOW JAMMING: “Sundress” 28 - HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET CURRENTLY: On tour with Dads

THE “EMO REVIVAL” HAS SLOWLY

been growing in popularity; more and more bands are roped into wearing the label. Most bands take it as a bittersweet entrance into the cycle of popular subgenre.

The cycle has transitioned back into fashion as of late with “twinkly emo” bands like Into It. Over It. gaining popularity.

Tiny Moving Parts, the three-piece self-proclaimed family from Benson, Minnesota, were picked up in that cycle.

Brothers Matt and Billy Chevalier and their cousin Dylan Matheisen formed the band after they picked up instruments and just started jamming together. Happy to just be playing music, Matheisen said that they just go with the flow.

“We’re just like any other band, we don’t want to be thrown into a certain genre,” said guitarist Matheisen. “We don’t dislike it, we don’t like it, we just kind of go with it because people are going to categorize everything we do as well with other bands.”

Nonetheless, Tiny Moving Parts has been making quite the name for themselves since the release of their debut album, This Couch is Long and Full of Friendship. The spoken word indie rock resounded with “twinkly emos” and fans of bands like La Dispute. Soon after it’s release, the band set out on a 54 day, full US tour.

“We came home breaking even,” said Matheisen. “That was honestly the highlight of our lives. We never thought that would happen so now at this point everything is just kind of a bonus. We’re very satisfied with everything and we can die happy.”

With that success as fuel, they went in to record their second album, Pleasant Living, with J Robbins (Against Me!, Jimmy Eat World, The Promise Ring). As they wrote the album part by part, they could tell something was different. Every band goes into a new album with maturity in mind, but they could feel a different vibe in their writing coming out.

Heartfelt, relatable sing-alongs began to take shape. They were designed to give listeners what the title promised, a pleasant living.

“The whole album is pretty different yet the same. You can hear how it’s still pretty weird for an average listener but it’s also slightly catchy and melodic and that’s the intentions of the album that we were trying to write,” Matheisen explained. “It just didn’t feel natural to write some spoken word-ish stuff for those songs. It’s not like we will never do that stuff ever, it’s just it didn’t work.”

Even drummer Billy tried his hand at writing lyrics. Billy came in with a blueprint of “I Hope Things Go the Way I Hope,” allowing Matheisen to polish them up. Matheisen views it as a standout moment of maturity on the album, “He basically started off the song and he wrote the vocal melody and that’s a melody I would have never have written ever because the guitar does not make sense with it, it’s like two completely different things.”

Before the release of Pleasant Living, the band signed with Triple Crown Records. Between the “emo revival” trend, being signed and their increasing popularity, it could’ve been enough to cripple their creative efforts. Most fans become skeptical when a band changes their sound, so it would’ve been easy to show away from the risk. But Tiny Moving Parts aren’t about appeasement.

“You know you’re not going to satisfy everybody with your music,” said Matheisen. “There was definitely a little more pressure because the previous album we did we just kind of put it up online on a Sunday when we were bored. But with Pleasant Living, we got signed to Triple Crown Records, we have a manager, and a publicist and everything is just more professional.”

The family band has also put a lot of emphasis on hard work. It’s easy for a band to become jaded. But they have managed to keep their excitement over the little things, like breaking even on a tour or even just writing music.

But Matheisen noted that in the long run there’s even more pay-offs, “I think the benefit of it is it’s so much fun. A lot of people will think it’s considered work but we don’t think of it like that at all, we think of it like a fun time and a vacation more than anything.”

But sometimes, the benefit isn’t just having fun. Sometimes big opportunities, like playing Riot Fest. The hard work of long tours and building a fan base showed their assets when Tiny Moving Parts walked out to play their set. A substantial crowd stretched out before them. “No words can describe how much fun we had,” Matheisen said. “It was just a very special moment.”

A fulfilling moment for sure, the band will be leaving soon to start another full US tour with Dads. For them, it was another opportunity to do what they enjoy. Matheisen expressed, “We truly love what we want to do and we know there’s nothing else we would rather be doing then to go on tour and just being a band.”

PHOTO: Kara Smarsh INTERVIEW & STORY: Alyssa Schmidt

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HOME: Vermillion, SD NOW JAMMING: “You To Believe In” CURRENTLY: Just finished the Live Forever Tour

EVERY CAREER PATH IN LIFE IS

composed of fears, dreams, ambition, and doubt. Even an intense passion for something can experience seasons of skepticism. Paradise Fears have been on a roller coaster that’s been on the up for quite some time now, transitioning from starving artists who brought their iPod’s to lines at venues on other artist’s tours, to wrapping up their headlining North American Tour just last month. Though there are so many things for the quintet to look forward to, they still have dealt with fears about devoting their lives to a sink or swim industry.

“I think that part of being a part of a creative industry is always having to wake up every morning and wrestle with crippling self doubt. Worrying that there will be a time in your life when nobody will be there to hear what you have to say, which is really [a part] of doing anything. That would be probably the biggest fear is that people would stop caring or stop listening, and I really shouldn’t care as much as I do,” frontman Sam Miller confessed.

With the recent decision of drummer, Lucas Zimmerman, to pursue other endeavors, the band has been experiencing an array of emotions on behalf of his departure. The parting, however, was not the typical story of an artist going solo and partaking in new creative beginnings. Zimmerman felt that his heart was no longer in the music industry, and has since chosen to return to school to acquire a degree in Civil Engineering. In his explanation to fans, he shared his compassion and empathy on social and economic issues, and that his passion is to help those less fortunate.

Specifically, he would like to use his prospective degree for humanitarian work in third world countries, enhancing water sanitation and providing people with clean water, a luxury that we often overlook and take for granted. It is almost impossible for this mutual understanding and change of dreams to result in any negativity, and the five other members fully support their life-long friend’s decision.

“Fortunately it wasn’t like most band breakups you read about where it’s kind of boiled down to really vapid and meaningless reasons and then they get covered up with useless rhetoric like, ‘amicably parted ways to pursue different creative endeavors,’ and normally when that happens I would imagine it leaves the remaining members of the band kind of confused about it,” Miller stated. “He wasn’t leaving because he was dissatisfied with the band, he was leaving because he thought he should be doing more for the world and that has always been a mission of Paradise Fears. But he tried to put more of it on his shoulders because he felt like with Paradise Fears he wasn’t doing as much as he should be, and that’s cool!”

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The recent change of events has left the band both excited for new adventures as a five-some, as well as Zimmerman’s pursuit to make an impact on the world, but has had some lingering feelings of apprehension as well. However, the band has declared that they do not necessarily have to be held back by their current career and lifestyle, and recognizes the endless opportunities in front of them aside from music.

“I think the rest of us for continuing other endeavors, working on other things, pursuing other missions that would make the world better, but doing it while simultaneously doing Paradise Fears, because it’s 2014 and we can always do a bunch of shit. We have so many opportunities for shit now, it’s crazy! Anybody in our band could be running a startup business just from their laptops from the van every day. I think we all have kind of sided together and said, let’s keep our energy here but also let our energy be other places and just try to produce as much energy as possible,” Miller explained.

Involved in passions other than music, Miller is an avid writer who frequently blogs about his thoughts, whether the subject be on the band, or more general ideas. Fans of Paradise Fears have the luxury of constantly feeling connected to the group in one way or another, which involves their social media accounts, and frequent updates on their tumblr. Many consider Miller a storyteller, which is something that he aspires to succeed at. In a digital age, it is very convenient for him to get out his emotions while living a busy life on the road.

“You feel moved or motivated in one way or another and there’s a thought process going on in my head that I think would be cool to be shared publicly then I will attack it regardless of when it comes to me. Other times I’ll sit down and I’ll be like, okay I feel like writing a blog, I want to talk to people and have a conversation about something, and that’s kind of the way I try to approach the question of what to write about is what do I want to have a conversation with people about, what do I think is something I can share with the world that can be at least in some small way unique or life giving.”

If there is one thing music enthusiasts should know about Paradise Fears, it is that they never have time to be bored because they are constantly releasing new music. Still in the semi-early stages of their careers, they like to do what comes naturally rather than plan out every song, EP, or album as a strategic career move. They simply aim to connect with fans and to continuously add fuel to their creativity.

“If we’re not releasing music all of the time then what the hell are we even doing? We do have a bit more of a target strategy, there is some validity in terms of clarifying the story of the band, there definitely is value in putting songs together for an album that feels like a full body of work and a full chapter in a band’s career and we are moving towards one of those albums, but right now we’re in the first couple of chapters for whatever that story ends up being.”

Coming from a small town, living in a technological era has gotten this band many places that they may not have had the leisure of during a different time. With the ability to network with fans and other artists, share original music and videos, covers, stories, and blog posts, they have continuously been surprised and thankful for positive feedback. They have come miles and miles from several years ago, crossing state lines, pacing up and down lines of people in cities away from home, approaching strangers who became fans, just trying to get one person to listen.

Anyone can agree that their ambition and determination is finally paying off and that people are listening.

“In the Internet era where you don’t ever have to leave your smartphone to have an incredibly interesting and enlightening time, the fact people are engaging with us to be coming to every show, or to be getting tattoos, or to be writing a letter, buying merch, buying music, telling their friends about us, all those things, every single act of many of those people is to me, a marvel. Our band is at this point only what it is because it is made up of hundreds of thousands of miracles.”

PHOTOS: Jordan Fischels INTERVIEW: Haley Black and Jenn Stookey STORY: Haley Black

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HOME: Yosemite National Park NOW JAMMING: Absent Sounds CURRENTLY: Gearing up for a fall tour with Relient K 34 - HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET

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JOEY VANNUCCHI DIDN’T WANT TO

go out on a headlining tour. After years of opening for larger bands and playing shorter sets, the lead singer of indie rock unit From Indian Lakes was nervous to step out at the top of the bill. Who wouldn’t be? There’s certainly more pressure and more responsibility that comes with headlining. But as soon as the band stepped out on stage in Santa Ana, California, on the first night of their first-ever headlining tour, they breathed a sigh of relief. All of their worries slipped out the door as they glanced out at the hundreds of smiling faces, who had waited through the opening bands to watch them perform. The project that started out of experimentation and boredom in Vannucchi’s electricity deprived home near Yosemite National Park some odd years ago had transformed into something much bigger than the five guys occupying the stage.

Fast-forward a few months to present day, and From Indian Lakes—Vannucchi, Justin Stanphill (guitars, vocals), Chris Kellogg (bass, vocals), Tohn Ifergan (drums) and Enrique Gutierrez (keys, vocals) – have managed to survive their first headlining tour with flying colors and are currently on the horizon of welcoming their third studio album, Absent Sounds, into the world.

Recently, music media outlets have been abuzz with anticipation about the band’s debut on Triple Crown Records after signing with them earlier this year. Many of these outlets have gone so far as to label the new record as the most anticipated album of the year, and that’s with only a few singles being released. “The response so far has been sort of unbelievable really,” Vannucchi said. “You just never expect people to care about what you create so all of the positivity surrounding the new record has been really great.”

So what is it about this new chapter of From Indian Lakes that has everyone buzzing? For starters, it’s honest. From Indian Lakes is not a band that beats around the bush.

The songs have a purpose, and that is to connect with the audience, whether aesthetically, emotionally or musically.

Vannuchi’s voice is ever present, but not in your face. It’s a dynamic that puts From Indian Lakes’ music on a different level. There’s a perfect balance between the subtle vocals and fluctuating rhythms and beats. Not only is the music haunting, but the lyrics also stand alone as beautifully poetic. From Indian Lakes’ music is not for the head banging rock and roll fan, it’s meant for those who enjoy painfully honest lyrics and brilliant accompaniment. It’s the kind of music you go to shows to get lost in.

“I was trying to think of the best way to sum up the idea of absence in a lot of different ways,” Vannucchi spoke of the new album. “Absence meaning, absence of loved ones, and love and all of the sad things the album deals with.

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Absent Sounds just kept sticking out to me. Not to say the whole album is sad. Absence of negativity and all of that comes into play as well.”

2012’s Able Bodies was released independently, but only because the band didn’t want to sit on the album any longer.

They received several offers from record labels, but none that really stuck. Once Able Bodies started gaining success, From Indian Lakes saw an influx in labels wanting to sign them. After shopping around for a while, they settled in at Triple Crown Records.

Unfortunately, negative stigmas have been attached to bands and artists who go from being independent to signing a record deal, but From Indian Lakes didn’t want their fans to view their situation in the same light, “Creatively it doesn’t change anything really, unless you signed up for that.”

And it doesn’t. In fact, From Indian Lakes worked with Dryw Owens, who produced Able Bodies, on their new release not only because he is a great producer, but also to show fans that being signed to a label doesn’t necessarily have to change the creative process for a band. Labels can be used as a crutch for bands to lean on when their albums don’t necessarily sit well with their fan base.

What you see is what you get with From Indian Lakes.

No gimmicks, no facades, just musicians with an acute knowledge of how they want their career to pan out. So far, they’ve made all the right decisions to further their career on their own terms. When you talk to Vannucchi about the success of the band, he seems genuinely surprised by how well they have managed over the years. To outsiders, it comes as no surprise at all, but the band sees it otherwise.

Sure, there have been struggles over the years, but From Indian Lakes have been persistent in their musical pursuits.

“Feeling so lucky to be able to make money while doing what you love in an artistic and honest way is a wonderful feeling that not everyone gets to experience, even if they are the biggest band in the world,” Vannucchi expressed.

With a spot on tour with Relient K this fall (in celebration of their album Mmhmm’s 10-year anniversary) and the release of Absent Sounds, From Indian Lakes are ending 2014 on a high note. They’re finally receiving the attention they deserve and taking it all in.

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HOME: Philadelphia, PA NOW JAMMING: “Pothole” off of You’re Gonna Miss It All CURRENTLY: Preparing for their first headlining tour starting in November

FOR MANY, COLLEGE ITSELF IS A BUSY time. With classes, studying, socializing, extracurricular activities, internships and possible outside jobs, a student’s world pretty much revolves around college. For the former and current college students that make up Modern Baseball, there was apparently some wiggle room in their schedules to, not only make their band a priority, but a success.

Members Brendan Lukens, Jacob Ewald, Sean Huber, and Ian Farmer came up in true punk rock fashion with DIY roots. The band have chased after their musical desires without having to sacrifice their desire for higher education.

The road is not without a few bumps and turns, but the guys have managed to keep trekking and moving forward in both endeavors. The band has managed to find a balance between creating and sharing their music while still keeping up in their classes.

“Whenever we’re home from tour, we’re in classes, recording other bands, writing and preparing for more tours.

There’s not much free time, but we’re given the wonderful opportunity to be a touring band and still graduate, so we can’t really complain,” expressed Farmer.

Being a touring band means sacrificing weeks, even months of your schedule for traveling and playing shows. It seems like it would be next to impossible to fit a class schedule, let alone time to do homework, around such a break in the typical routine. With a little help, the band has managed to keep it all together.

“Education is important to us. Although Sean [Huber] already graduated, the rest of us are still in school and have worked out a plan with our advisors to graduate and still be able to tour as much as possible,” explained Farmer.

Despite being young and having to coordinate a schedule that would cause most 20-somethings to buckle under the pressure, the band is more that grateful for the road so far.

Being in a budding rock group brings about new stresses, but also amazing opportunities that some can only imagine or dream about.

Farmer described the positive side of his situation, “The best thing for me is definitely being able to travel the world with my best friends at 21-years-old. I can’t think of anything I’d want more in the world.”

band formed, they have kept a very DIY mindset to writing and recording. In more recent years the band has gotten some help from indie labels Lame-O Records and Run For Cover Records, but have still kept a very raw and self-made determination with approaching the writing and recording process.

“When we first started as a band, we did as much as we could on our own. We’ve written, recorded and produced both of our full length records, though for time management reasons had other people mix the records,” explained Farmer, “Being in school we don’t really have the time to do everything ourselves and honestly we have people working with us who care as much as we do and are much better at what they do than we are.”

It’s only been three years since the band formed in 2011 and since then the band has been buzzed about in the music blogosphere and have been an increasingly featured band in music publications. With the internet being a major catalyst for musicians and artists these days, it’s less shocking to see bands go from nobody to somebody in almost no time at all, but the phenomenon is not less of an adjustment for the artists themselves.

“It feels really exciting to be a part of something like this where things seem to be going so right. It’s something that is definitely not taken for granted. When we started we didn’t think anyone would care really,” Farmer confessed.

Clearly Modern Baseball is doing something right and people are starting to care. For a band that has experimented with other projects and with other sounds, the group seems to feel like something just clicks when it comes to Modern Baseball and the music they’re making. “We’ve all done other musical things that all sound nothing like [Modern Baseball], but the music we make now is the music we want to make now,” said Farmer.

The band seems completely focused on moving forward in both their education and musical career. With classes still a priority and a headlining tour in their future the band seems to be headed in just the right direction.

PHOTO: Kara Smarsh INTERVIEW & STORY: Annette Schaefer

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HOME: Toledo, OH NOW JAMMING: “Silo” CURRENTLY: On tour with Hostage Calm, You Blew It! Praise and True Love 40 - HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET

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A FEW YEARS AGO CITIZEN WAS

playing crowds of 20 people who would jump, mosh, face dive, and sing along to their emotional and real lyrics. If you remember them from back then, then you probably saw them in the living room of your best friend’s house. But in just a few years time, that young band you saw in your best friend’s living room is now playing crowds of thousands. The largest crowd to date was 2,400 people in Philadelphia with The Wonder Years, says guitarist Nick Hamm.

“It’s sick, but I think doing smaller venues like we have been is a little more of our element,” Hamm said. “Our live shows, when we’re on stage, we are also having fun. We’re not just standing there and staring down at our shoes or something.”

And if you have gone to one of their shows then you know that staring down at your shoes is absolutely not an option.

However, before a live show can happen, an album is created from the minds of talented musicians who turn their thoughts and emotions into something multiple people can feel.

With two albums and an array of tours under their belt, the band has grown a lot since the release of their first album, Young States, in 2012. With the constant hustle of making music and playing shows, Hamm said the band had a great deal of weight on their shoulders when they were young because they yearned for the band to make it farther than their local scene.

“The hardest part was probably the decision to [play in a band]. Eric [guitar] and I had full rides to college and we chose to do the band instead,” Hamm explained. “I always tell myself that there’s not a more perfect time to start doing this than right out of high school and [to] do it while we’re young. We still have a lot of time ahead of us so I’m not too concerned yet.”

Citizen’s albums, Young States and Youth, via Run For Cover Records both have distinctive sounds. The former a more poppunk sound while the latter holds larger melodic tones. Hamm said when the band started to tour and make Citizen a full-time commitment, their perceptions of how a band is run changed dramatically.

“I always say that when we were writing Youth we were just 18-year-olds just going for it and trying our best at writing an album for better or for worse,” Hamm explained. “I think just in the past year and a half, two years since we wrote Youth we’ve changed a lot as writers, what we’ve listened to has changed a lot. I think that there’s going to be a lot of influences that we’ve never tapped into before.”

For fans that have loved the two different sounds the band has developed over the years, they will be ecstatic to discover that Citizen’s musicianship has continued to flourish. Even with the contrast between the two albums, Hamm said Citizen is going to be tapping into even more uncharted territory for their newest material, which they will be recording in 2015.

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The band has already given us a taste of the sounds they will be exploring in the next release; their latest single, “Silo,” blends post-hardcore and post-grunge sounds together seamlessly.

Some lucky fans got to hear it for the very first time when it was performed in August at the Fashion Meets Music Festival in Columbus, Ohio.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be a very reactionary song just because of the nature of it and I think it’s one of our songs that doesn’t necessarily need to be reactionary,” Hamm said. “We were outside and it was raining and the sun was going down, it was the perfect environment for us to play that song. That was really cool and I think that playing it every night since then has been really cool. It’s a very different vibe from the rest of our songs.”

As the feeling of playing a new song for the first time can be exciting and memorable, they have a different thought for the highlight of their career, according to Hamm, which was being able to record Youth with producer Will Yip (The Wonder Years, Circa Survive, Title Fight). Hamm described that time in his life as “the best month” of his life.

“I feel like everything else a band does, or at least what we do, there always seems like something is wrong at all times, but that month there was nothing,” Hamm said. “It was just us doing whatever we wanted to do and writing whatever we wanted to write and hanging out with our friend.”

Currently, Citizen are on tour with Hostage Calm, You Blew It!, Praise, and True Love until mid-October before they hide away for a while into the studio. The dynamics of the touring bands are perfect according to Hamm. “[Our] first night in Detroit, everybody hit it off immediately. We get along really well with every single person on the tour and I just think that the bands themselves, the music, and how it continues throughout the show is really cool.”

With such a great tour dynamic, it’s difficult to see where anything could go wrong. But Hamm noted that playing shows can get strange, in a good way, “A lot of times people will be face-diving to songs that I can’t believe they can stage-dive to.

Sometimes we will look out and people will be moshing. It’s really crazy, but it’s cool that people want to get into it and have fun. I’m really happy with every decision we’ve made on this tour.”

Citizen has the type of music that flows through listener’s veins days after seeing them live and the band recognizes that. As they travel the country until mid October, they will continue to grow, create memories with their tour mates, and have the time of their lives. They feed and thrive off of the energy every night.

All fans can do after seeing them on tour is wait patiently until they rise from the studio with their next album in hand, gracing us with their passionate music.

PHOTO: Kara Smarsh INTERVIEW & STORY: Bridjet Mendyuk

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HOME: New York, NY NOW JAMMING: It’s About Us (Releasing on October 7) CURRENTLY: Just finished tour with Colbie Caillat

WHILE MANY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

are focused on sports and academics, musicians Alex Kinsey and Sierra Deaton just wanted to create music.

Now, six years later, the duo is getting ready to release their debut album, It’s About Us, on Columbia Records.

Their career started by Kinsey playing his guitar on the back of his truck at a beach in Florida. Deaton remembers Kinsey was with his best friend playing a cover of a Jason Mraz song. She was with a couple of her girlfriends at the time and the group ended up hanging out together.

“He was with his best friend though, so it wasn’t completely like I was walking by trying to randomly hit on a guy,” Deaton laughs. “I was with my girlfriends and they knew his friend. We didn’t plan on hanging out, but we walked by and ended up all hanging out. That was back in high school, so five or six years ago.”

After success on The X Factor, signing to Columbia Records and writing with Jason Mraz, the duo had the opportunity to work with John Legend for the record too. Deaton remembered working with Legend the night before the Grammy’s. Legend started talking about how he was kind of nervous for his gig the next day, but excited. At the time, she thought he was only talking about his own concert and was silently hoping for a concert ticket, she says with a laugh. But little did Deaton and Kinsey know he was talking about the Grammy’s.

“We were both in awe and inspired because [Legend and Mraz] are extremely successful and they are also really down to earth and normal people,” Deaton said. “They were just such good people and that’s really inspiring to us because you hear so much about how the music industry is going to change you and they both have been in it for a very long time.”

The conversation transitions into the duo’s success with The X Factor. After being mentored by Simon Cowell, the duo won the show’s third and final season. Deaton and Kinsey admit to realizing how very little they knew about the music industry and the show helped them gain more insight into how things work.

While the album will be released on October 7th, they finished a tour with Colbie Caillat at the end of September and they aren’t stopping now. The duo wants to become better at performing live. Starting out, they performed to little to nobody at bars in their hometown and now they are playing to 500 or more each show. The duo just wants to be the best musicians they can be.

“The show kind of gave us a direction of where to go with the songs because if people liked what we did on the show then we should at least try to stay kind of true to that too,” Deaton says.

“As long as we can play music and that’s our job,” Kinsey said. “If nothing more happens that would be awesome.”

After the show ended with a sweet victory, the musicians announced their work on a new album. It would be their first album together. Deaton and Kinsey began conversing about the meaning behind their album title, It’s All About Us.

PHOTOS: Cara Bahniuk INTERVIEW & STORY: Geoff Burns

It derived from spending a weekend at Jason Mraz’s house to write together. Kinsey still had disbelief in his voice while speaking about the opportunity they had because of how much of an inspiration Mraz has had on him as a songwriter.

While hanging out with Mraz, the songwriter had already written a song called “It’s About Us.” He showed Deaton and Kinsey the track and the duo loved it. After re-recording the vocals and turning it into an a capella track, it is now an interlude on their new album.

“Right after we got that song and recorded it, they started asking us what are we going to name the album,” Deaton remembered. “All of the songs are about us and our experiences or about us and people we care about.

Everything comes back to us on the album. It fell into place and that almost was like it was meant to be.”

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HOME: Los Angeles, CA NOW JAMMING: “We Are Done” CURRENTLY: Released debut album Greetings from California on September 16 via Capitol Records

ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING

things for a musician can be living up to the fans’ expectations. They say that change is a good thing, but fans were certainly surprised when Benji and Joel Madden announced their side project, The Madden Brothers, earlier this year. They announced their side project after announcing that Good Charlotte was working a new record after being on hiatus for quite some time.

We got the chance to talk to Benji about this exciting new project in their life, and this opportunity they’ve been given with their new album. With a new project comes an entirely new set of ears and a new chapter. After having been part of the Good Charlotte family for so long, and putting so much time and heart and soul into it, this was an entirely new experience.

There’s really something to be said about change. It can truly do a soul good, and for Benji and Joel, it has certainly opened new doors for them as musicians. Their new project has given them a new feeling, which is being incredibly inspired by the new beginning they have. “It energizes you and makes you feel like you have something to prove. The new possibilities has been one of the most enjoyable and fun things,” Benji explained enthusiastically.

After taking a couple of years off to figure out what they wanted to do, they realized that after being in a band for so long with certain rules, creating a new project would give them something different. With The Madden Brothers, there are no rules. There was no certainty of what they needed to sound like, because nobody was forcing certain expectations on them. There was a feeling of being able to do anything, which was incredibly freeing and amazing.

“It’s a really freeing feeling. It’s really amazing and we don’t take it for granted. After being in the music industry for so long, when you do feel that feeling, it’s a blessing.

We’ve had a really great time with it,” Benji mused about creating this new music.

Although when they were in Good Charlotte, they did most of the writing, things were slightly different this time around.

They brought in Eric Valentine (who produced The Young and the Helpless) along with John Feldmann, who helped write some of the songs. Because of their newfound freedom, the brothers decided to take a bit of creative liberty. They also brought in Pharrell, who wrote two of the songs on the album with them. “That was fun and new for us,” Benji explained, going on to tell us that they had helped write a song for Pharrell in the past, so it was interesting to have the tables turned. Benji also spoke of another surprise guest vocalist, “Ryan Adams sings backing vocals on ‘California Rain’ He’s one of my favorite song writers. If you had said

Ryan Adams was singing with Good Charlotte, that wouldn’t make sense. But with The Madden Brothers, it makes sense.

It doesn’t sound like a stretch or weird. Same with Pharrell.”

With great freedom also comes great responsibility, and with the tunes we’ve heard so far, we’re certain the brothers will not disappoint fans, “That was one of the awesome things,” he said, “the possibilities make you feel like a kid again, the freedom that comes with it as a musician. I’m sure that the public and the fans don’t want to take it [the freedom] away from you, it’s just one of those things that happens after time. People have a hard time wrapping their brain around you doing something different. So when you take the name [Good Charlotte] away and put your name on it, you’re not hiding behind a brand name or a name everyone knows. There’s just something there that you’re really proud of. Really freeing and fun to have it work and have people acknowledging it. It’s been one of the happiest times in our career.”

They chose to release the track “We Are Done” as their single because of its positive message, and it was well received. When they were thinking about what would be the best song for their single, they realized it was perfect, because the lyrics are all about empowering people who haven’t had the strength for themselves. They realized, “If we’ve got one shot, let’s make it count.” And that they did. It’s incredibly different from the rest of the music on the album, so far in another direction, with its old school vocals, real drums, and its old 60s style guitar. It’s certainly the perfect message and song to show how Joel and Benji Madden are still totally bad ass rule-breakers.

PHOTO: Justin Coit INTERVIEW: Jenn Stookey STORY: Daisy Marietta

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HOME: Tampa, FL NOW JAMMING: “N.M.E” CURRENTLY: Preparing to release their new album Duality and heading out on the Black Mass Tour

OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS, TAMPA

based pop-rock quintet, Set It Off, has been climbing their way to the top, releasing multiple EPs, signing to Equal Vision Records, and touring non-stop, sharing the stage with some of the scene’s finest. Since catching up with them in August, Set It Off is now preparing to continue their whirlwind journey with the release of their second full-length album, Duality.

“Cody, Austin, Zach, and myself grew up playing in different bands in our local scene around 2004/2005,” shared guitarist Dan Clermont. Before Set It Off formed, vocalist Cody Carson reached out to a member of one of the scene’s top bands and made a discovery, as Dan told.

“Cody, while in school, started posting vocal covers and had done one of an All Time Low song. He reached out to Alex and asked to sing on stage with them when they came through Cleveland. He said yes and after that, Cody decided he wanted to be back in a band.” It wasn’t long after that that Set It Off came to be. “He came home to 52 - HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET

Florida and contacted Austin and Zach, then I came into the picture a few weeks later and we played our first show in July of 2008.”

Since 2008, the band has been working as hard as ever, coming a long way and growing immensely. “I feel like we’ve accomplished a lot in the past six years but there’s always so much more room to grow and progress,” Dan expressed. Part of that journey includes watching their fanbase grow and knowing their work is paying off. Cody shared a moment of his career that exemplifies just that, “It was an emotion that overcame me at a show we played in Chicago at a venue called the Bottom Lounge. It was a packed show and every kid was screaming our words and I was overtaken and immediately washed over with a feeling of assurance that we are on our way. We work and fight so hard and it is moments like that that make it all worth it.”

That work and fight includes the passion the band puts into their records, including their upcoming, full-length record. “I feel like Duality will help us take that next step that we are

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all striving for,” Dan said. But this record isn’t just about Set It Off, it’s about the fans, too.

“My goal with this record is to encourage people to be themselves and not hold back,” Cody expressed. “It took me too long to learn that lesson and I don’t want anybody else to have to wait so long to feel how liberating it is to truly find yourself. These are the most honest lyrics I have ever put together and I know people will connect to and appreciate that.” That connection is crucial, not only for the band to grow, but also for their fan base as well. Finding a band whose lyrics you can connect with can change your life for the better. Dan shared how Set It Off’s lyrics can help fans, “I feel a lot of the songs we write are based off personal experiences but set in a tone that can be relatable to anyone who may be going through those moments in life.”

Their fans have heard the various sides and sounds that Set It Off is capable of producing, and still love and relate.

Cody reflected on this and discussed creating the sound for Duality, “I feel with each record we had a very polarizing sound. We started out very poppy then we went very dark and we realize that our fans were fond of both sounds, and so were we. So this album allowed us to write without any sort of notion of what to create. We just drew from our deepest influences of music we listened to growing up - all the way from Destiny’s Child to Michael Jackson. It was a really fun mindset to have going into writing for this record.”

The band has been working towards developing a sound that truly makes people feel. Cody explained the process; “I will usually write the instrumentals with Dan and then listen to that and derive the vibe of the song solely based on that.

Then I will allow that mood of the song to take me back to a time in my life of something that I haven’t completely found closure in. After I have done that, then I begin to write lyrics.

Then it just becomes a story with the soundtrack.”

Now that’s not to say that the band just has a one-track mind or method to creating their work; they are always looking for new and exciting influences to make sure that they don’t release the same record twice. “We don’t try to sound different on each record necessarily, with the exception of Horrible Kids. Now it’s just a matter of growing as writers and as a band. It’s a natural progression, in fact I feel most bands get into trouble when they try to force a change. This record is the most ‘us’ than we have ever been,” explained Cody.

This “story with a soundtrack” will be the second full-length record the band is releasing on Equal Vision Records, a New York based label that the band signed with in mid2011. “We had talked to a couple of different labels over the years at that point but Equal Vision really hit the factor we were looking for, which was a family atmosphere,” Dan recalled. “We have never been able to work with someone 54 - HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET

S I C I S U “M W T I AND H T T U B , BE E V O L E TH

E F I L Y M L L I T SS S Y A W L A L L I W S I D N A B HIS ” .

E F I L Y M F O

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we aren’t close to and they really have shown us how much they care and even when we may get a little wild with our ideas and what not they always have our back and trust us.”

Along with a second album on a great label, Set It Off will be spending fall sharing a stage with Falling In Reverse and Black Veil Brides, as a part of the Black Mass tour. “We are beyond excited,” Dan gushed. “It will be our first time playing to crowds of that size so we’re really excited to be able to share what we love to do with a room full of people.

This tour will be our first run with Duality out, so we will be playing a lot more new songs and we’ll have a lot of new production just to round off the new sound.” But this tour isn’t where the band stops. Dan shared some of the band’s 58 - HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET

upcoming plans, “Lots and lots of touring. We are hoping to do a lot of overseas touring, along with some major US tours. So you’ll see a lot of us everywhere!”

A lot of Set It Off is exactly what we want, though Cody shared that we could have been seeing even more of them, “There was a tour a while ago that we were be considered for, basically in the finals of the deciding process, that we were certain would take our band to the absolute next level.

In the end, we did not get that tour and our heads hung a little low for a couple days.” He continued on the positive note though, “But if there is anything we have ever learned from it, it’s that for every few failures there is one success and you cannot let adversity keep you from pressing on.

One of the many life lessons we have learned and hold

close to our hearts. If you are a pessimist you should never enter the music industry. How else do you expect to chase a dream with that kind of a mindset constantly telling you it will never happen? I know Set It Off is going to be something big someday and that belief keeps us going.”

For Set It Off, the success will come in time, but the passion and excitement for music will always be there. Dan expressed, “Music is the one thing in life that I can create that nobody can tell me if I’m right or wrong. It’s more of an escape than work in my eyes.” And Cody continued, “If I’m being honest, it doesn’t have as wide as an effect as it used to anymore on me because I’m constantly surrounded by it. Whereas before listening to music was my therapy, now writing and performing music is my therapy. Music is

still my life and it will always be, but this band is the love of my life.”

Set It Off’s adventure has been a long way coming but shows no sings of slowing. The band’s second, incredibly honest and musically mature album drops on October 14th.

Be sure to grab your copy of Duality and experience all that the guys have shared for yourself. Also, look for the band on the road this fall when the Black Mass tour hits your city.

PHOTOS: Tarina Doolittle INTERVIEW: Geoff Burns STORY: Rebecca Del Castillo

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TOUR ROUND UP

PHOTO: Sam Polonsky

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P

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IT'S A SHAME THAT TWENTY ONE PILOTS

never won the Best Live Performance skully at the APMA's this summer. Every show they go 110% and blow the crowd away, especially those who have never seen them before. They create their own atmosphere and the crowd reacts to it in ways that I have never seen. Between the flips and climbing onto things that "shouldn't" be climbed by Tyler Joseph, and the crowd literally crowd surfing Josh Dun and his drum set as he plays with such intensity, they have created and maintained a real show and a real performance in the truest sense of the words.

The duo has been traveling with their Fueled By Ramen debut album Vessel for almost two years. After this tour wraps up they are said to take a major break from touring and head back into the studio to record new music. We can only hope that the time they take off will go by in the blink of an eye so we can be apart of their live shows once again.

WORDS: Jenn Stookey

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album

reviews ARTIST

Alive Like Me ALBUM

Only Forever RATING

SOUNDS LIKE Sleeping With Sirens Pierce The Veil Hands Like Houses RECOMMENDED TRACKS “Start Again” “Searching For Endings” “Never Looking Back” TRACKS 1

Better Off

2

Slip Away

3

What Did You Expect

4

Our Time Down Here

5

Start Again

6

Wreckage

7

Searching For Endings

8

Lost Without Me

9

Meant For This

10

Never Looking Back

RELEASE DATE October 7th, 2014

WEBSITE alivelikeme.com

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Alive Like Me fans around the world can finally rejoice! After waiting for what felt like “only forever,” Oregon-based Rise Records band Alive Like Me’s debut album Only Forever is a strong effort. Alive Like Me kicks off the album with “Better Off” which immediately sets the emotional tone and high energy of the album. But it is not until midway through with “Start Again” and “Only Forever” that Alive Like Me truly show their potential. From the driving drum lines to the quick guitar riffs, the songs are the perfect balance between hardcore and pop-punk.

Only Forever then slows a bit right before closing with “Searching For Endings.”

“Searching For Endings” is exactly what I envision an Alive Like Me ballad would be like. The band also throws in a key change towards the end of the song that is a bit unexpected. The then album closes with “Never Looking Back”, an anthemic and empowering call to action. As the instrumentation dramatically fades and Kersey sings out “Side by side, we are a storm that they can’t control. We’ll sing this, until they hear us. We’re never looking back”, it is a commanding and raw end.

Overall, Only Forever is a solid debut album. Alive Like Me is able to showcase their potential and has a couple powerful songs listeners will connect with. Though their music could easily be confused with other bands in the genre, vocalist Jairus Kersey is consistent and shines in each heartfelt track. Kersey has an impeccable range that is by far one of the strongest points of the band. The other strong point of the band is their balance. You can hear how in tune the band is with one another by how harmoniously their parts fit and work together. Only Forever has solidified Alive Like Me’s place on my list of best new bands to watch.

REVIEW: Theresa Pham

ARTIST Andrew

McMahon in the Wilderness ALBUM Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness Andrew McMahon doesn’t like to sit on one genre for very long. Over the years, he’s played in punk rock maven Something Corporate, piano-rock staple Jack’s Mannequin and gave a shot at a pop-driven solo project. Now, with his latest solo project under the name Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, McMahon proves once again that anything he touches turns to gold.

One factor that has persisted throughout his projects is the piano-driven tracks. It’s his signature style, and seeing him step out from behind the piano would be like watching a fish out of water. Now, the piano-driven tracks are accompanied with more production and electronic accompaniment.

While catchy pop tunes “Cecilia and the Satellite” and “Canyon Moon” showcase McMahon’s new approach to music, it’s the slower jams like “Driving Through A Dream” and “Rainy Girl” that reveal these new songs aren’t far off from the classic McMahon sound fans know and love.

The album passes in the blink of an eye, and only one question comes to mind after listening to the ten-track release: When will there be more? Lately, McMahon can’t seem to commit to a project.

Whether more releases from Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness loom on the horizon or not, it’s safe to say that whatever McMahon creates next will only further solidify his name in music history.

RECOMMENDED TRACKS “Halls” and “Canyon Moon” REVIEW Jessica Klinner ARTIST From

Indian Lakes ALBUM Absent Sounds With their third studio release, Absent Sounds, From Indian Lakes sets out to reassure fans that they are still the same band despite changes happening outside of the music. 2012’s Able Bodies was released independently, and after signing to Triple Crown Records earlier this year, the California indie rockers wanted to make sure their fans understood their newfound home does not mean that any distinct changes will be made within the music.

The songs on Absent Sounds possess an electric energy that can only be explained by From Indian Lakes’ live show. What you hear in each of the songs is exactly what you’ll hear at a show. The smooth guitars, velvety vocals and jangling drums combine to create an ethereal auditory experience.

Absent Sounds possesses the same melancholy tone found in Brand New’s The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me. There’s conviction and sadness in lead singer Joey Vannucchi’s voice, but it’s not a depressing sadness, rather it’s a kind of universal sadness that translates honestly through the music and into the individual lives of the listeners.

From Indian Lakes’ decision to stay true to their music is one of the reasons people continue listening to their albums. Absent Sounds is the most cohesive compilation of songs to date from the band. The album lives up to the hype surrounding its release and will definitely be a driving force for anyone who hears to run out and catch the band’s set during their upcoming fall tour with Relient K.

RECOMMENDED TRACKS “Breathe, Desperately” & “Ghost” REVIEW Jessica Klinner ARTIST Shakey

Graves ALBUM And Then The War Came Alejandro Rose-Garcia also known as Shakey Graves, combines dissonant, agile acoustic riffs and grungy electric guitar parts with gruff vocals and sly lyrics for a tenacious folk-rock fusion. An impressive range from soothing to whiny, and rugged belting throughout the album provides an endless variety of character and diversity to keep you on your toes.

Denver songbird, Esme Patterson, lends her velvety voice on three tracks: “Dearly Departed,” “Big Nashville Star,” and “Call It Heaven.” The fluidity of her melodies in accompaniment to Shakey Graves’ raspy tune creates a sort of yin and yang balance of perfection. “Dearly Departed” is perhaps the catchiest of the ten tracks, full of character and clever lyrics, translated by upbeat instrumentals and fluctuating cadences. The fuzzy, vocal driven audio of “Call It Heaven” sounds as if it is beaming through an old record player. The unique vintage vibe of the track is both comforting and ensnaring.

Shakey Graves is a soon-to-be breakout artist who will impress folk, rock, and country music enthusiasts alike with his melting pot of genres.

RECOMMENDED TRACKS “Call It Heaven (ft. Esme Patterson)” & “Family and Genus” REVIEW Haley Black HIGHLIGHTMAGAZINE.NET - 65

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