E
M
G A Z I
N
M
A
PHOTOS: HALSEY, KHALID, TWENTY ONE PILOTS, COIN, LIGHTS, + MORE
IC
O D L E
ISSUE 005 AUGUST 2019
CHATTING WITH
CHASE ATLANTIC + SONGS TO LISTEN TO WHEN... + DISCOVER PHOENIX, AZ 1
CONTENTS//
KHALID COLUMBUS, OH BELLA SHIRK
2
4
INTRODUCTIONS
4
CONTRIBUTORS
7
TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
10
ARTICLES
10
CHASE ATLANTIC: DOES ATLANTA
14
FAN OR STAN?
26
IN YOUR CITY: PHOENIX, AZ
20 20
COVER STORY CHATTING WITH CHASE ATLANTIC
29
SONGS TO LISTEN TO...
30
ALBUM REVIEWS
30
THE REGRETTES
32
AMAAL
33
CROWN THE EMPIRE
34
PHOTOS
3
ISSUE 004.
JAPANESE BREAKFAST BOSTON, MA ERIN CROWLEY
MEET MELODIC // VICTORIA GOODWIN FOUNDER / ezine director ANGEL ESCOBAR TWITTER CAPTAIN / photojournalist HANNAH MAYNEs INSTAGRAM CAPTAIN / photojournalist HEATHER ROGERS eZine assistant / creative designer john morrow media coordinator / photographer
KEEP UP WITH US Website www.melodicmag.com TWITTer + Insta @MELODICMAG Facebook MELODIC MAGAZINE SPOTIFY MELODIC MAGAZINE
COVER PHOTO: Jordan Knight / @jordankelseyknight
Look out for the next issue Www.issuu.com/melodicmag
Contributing Writers: ANGEL ESCOBAR, CHRISTINE SLOMAN, HANNAH MAYNES, REDWAN majumder
LISTEN WHILE YOU READ:
Contributing Photographers: ANGEL ESCOBAR, ANGELA LEUNG, ARIANA SIMON, BELLA SHIRK, courtney lankford, cDANA JACOBS, ERIN CROWLEY, HANNAH MAYNES, JANE WALLIN, JORDAN KNIGHT, JORDYN LYRIC, KELLIE WILTZ, LIZ WILTSHIRE, OLIVER SODERBERG, OREST DOROSH, SUSIE MCKEON, VICTORIA GOODWIN
4
FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS LOS ANGELES, CA JANE WALLIN 5
FOXING BOSTON, MA ERIN CROWLEY
6
TEAM MEMBER
SPOTLIGHT
ERIN CROWLEY >> AGE 21 WHERE YOU’RE from BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS WHAT YOU DO FOR MELODIC Photographer! Who are your Favorite artists The Regrettes (the energy they have is insane!), Halsey (Her stage productions and presence are out of this world and so creative, she’s easily one of my favorites to photograph) Snail Mail (Lindsey can shred and she is an overall great human), The Aces (their stage presence is electrifying and they are super photogenic), Japanese Breakfast (super spontaneous, you may never know what may happen which makes them so fun to photograph!) FAVORITE concert you’ve ever attended Oh god that’s a hard one! I feel like every show I go to is a favorite in one way or another. If I had to pick one I’d have to say St. Vincent! I saw her on her Fear The Future Tour and it completely blew my mind. I totally felt reborn after seeing her live. Her stage presence and guitar skills are unreal and not to mention the visuals that were insane. She’s definitely someone I look up to. CAREER GOALS To hopefully one day go on tour with an artist/ band that I love and document all the behind the WANT MORE FROM ERIN? scenes action. Website www.erincrowleyphotography.com Fun fact Insta @erincphotography Along with being a photographer I’m also a musiTWITTER @yagirl_erin cian on the side, so I love being able to connect SEE erin’s work throughout my love for music and photography into one! This issue Pg 4, 6, 7, 8, 22, 23, 24
7
HALSEY BOSTON, MA ERIN CROWLEY
8
9
c i t n a l t a e s a h c DOES ATLANTA, GA by A ngel E scobar
Chase Atlantic, an alternative pop band from Australia, has been on the rise with their unique sound. Having debuted back in 2014, the band has dropped a total of six EP’s and one studio album, Chase Atlantic. With recent album released on June 28, Chase Atlantic promoted their sophomore project all over North America. Melodic Magazine was able to catch the trio’s show at the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, GA on their tour supporting their recent release, phases. As an intro video flashed on stage, the fully packed theatre erupted into screams. Commencing the night with a new song from their upcoming album, the band took full control of the venue as they constantly moved all throughout the stage. With so much passion and excitement, lead vocalist Mitchel Cave jumped and crouched low on the floor while effectively showcasing his vocals to the crowd. Demonstrating the same amount of energy, band members Clinton Cave and Christian Anthony passionately played while interacting both with Mitchel and the fans. Continue reading >>>
CHASE ATLANTIC ATLANTA, GA ANGEL ESCOBAR 10
c
Keeping the excitement going, the band went on to perform another unreleased song from their upcoming album, “What U Call That”. Despite not being familiar with the new lyrics, the crowd was nonstop excitement as Chase Atlantic kept performing throughout the night. With smiles across their faces, the band members had the audience going wild as they constantly reached out to the massive crowd. Transitioning to a recently released single, HER, the band’s energy amplified as fans sang along to every single word. Chase Atlantic’s stage presence is no joke. The band has the power to make you feel youthful with its dynamic performances. With each member constantly jumping or head banging, the limitless energy will keep you going. Syncing perfectly with one another, the band’s chemistry is clear. Filled with smiles and laughter, it becomes obvious that the members love to perform with each other. Filled with crazy strobe lights and smoke effects, the Phases Tour is a must attend event. With lighting effects that could compete with an EDM festival, the night is ongoing excitement from start to finish. After attending the Atlanta show, it is very clear why the band is growing in popularity.
FOLLOW THE BAND: FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM TWITTER WEBSITE
ChaseAtlantic @ ChaseAtlantic @ChaseAtlantic chaseatlantic.com
11
TUXEDO PHILADELPHIA, PA JORDYN LYRIC 12
13
FAN ? N A ST
Music brings out the Crazy passion and excitement in all of us: Most people have one or two stories of long drives or waiting a few hours for concerts... but here at melodic we wanted to find the wildest stories from super fans (or well, stans) of what they’ve done to see their faves play.
SO...WHO’S GOT THE MOST DEDICATED fans?
The 1975?
Is it The 1975 fans where they automatically see a rectangle and think of the boys or is it because they don’t have to ask anyone who Allen Ginsberg is... they already know? Spending countless hours camping to make sure a barricade is in their future, the 1975 fans know how to make a band feel special. “My friends mom flew 5 of us over to Dublin, Ireland to see The 1975 this past January. It’s one of our favorite bands, I even have a tattoo for them. We stayed there for a few days then flew home the day after the concert.” (Kristen // Somers Point, NJ) “When I was a senior in high school, I skipped my last pep rally ever and made my brother drive me 3 hours in order to wait in line for a The 1975 show. Waited 10+ hours in 40 degree weather in the middle of November but I would 100% do it again.” (Elizabeth // Greensboro, NC) “I camped out overnight in the mountains in the winter to see the 1975.” (Susie // NC) “One time during college my friend and i last minute booked a flight to Chicago to see The 1975 because they weren’t playing any shows close to us and we waited 8 hours in line for the show during the freezing cold winter but it was so worth it.” (Jamie // Cheyenne, WY)
Walk The Moon?
Or Walk The Moon fans where they all know the shiver shiver dance or maybe even that the bands name was inspired because of an album by the police? Maybe it’s even the fact that they love the boys wear face-paint (on stage and casually walking down the street) like they’re ready to go to war. “In summer of 2018 I followed Walk The Moon’s Midwest Summer tour for a week, which concluded with seeing their set at Lollapalooza in Chicago and then going to their aftershow the following night. In 6 days I did over 45 hours of driving through 7 different states, pulled a couple all nighters, made so many friends, and had the time of my life!” (Hannah // Toronto, ON) “I once woke up at 2am on 3 hours of sleep to see Walk The Moon on Good Morning America.” (Kai // New York, NY) “I have seen Walk The Moon 67 times (and counting). I’ve flown many times, taken late night busses, driven through the night, taken trains, all just to see them. I’ve followed them on tour twice in the winter... braving very cold weather (hit the negatives once & snowed many times). I’ve slept on the streets, braved some terrible opening acts (festivals, ugh) and made so many amazing friends.” (Chelsea // FL)
14
Fall Out Boy? maybe it’s Fall Out Boy. where fans know that emo is not an insult, instead they embrace it for everything fob is, awesomeness. FOB fans have probably thought about painting their face with a flag at some point, too. let’s be honest - fob fans are special, they’re unique. they’re fob-sessed! “When I was in high school, Fall Out Boy was doing a Christmas show for the local radio station. They were also giving away meet and greet passes if you were the first caller each day. Well it took me a few days to win tickets, but I had alarms set. I would take the phones of anyone who was in the vicinity of me and use them to call - even if I was in the middle of class I would ignore everyone and everything and just call away. I ended up getting suspended for a week, but after 1000+ calls I was able to win the tickets! The concert landed on the week I was suspended, so that gave me the free time to wait in line all day!” (Xochitl // Austin, TX) “Back in 2013 I went down to New York City with a friend and her mom to see Fall Out Boy play the NBC Today Show, the first time since their hiatus. This was in July on the hottest day of the summer and NYC is 5 hours away from where I live but it was totally going to be worth it for a free show! So I ended up being the FIRST PERSON in the queue, arriving at 2pm with the intentions of staying overnight. My friend and her mom did not want to pull an all-nighter but sat with me for a few hours. Soon enough, other people started showing up and I became friends with the group of people waiting behind me. That night was one of the most fun ever with lots of laughs, Monster, Chicken Nuggets & Pizza (we even invited Pete Wentz to come through and he tweeted me back saying that I was his “dawg”!). The concert was great the next day and I appeared on TV about 5 times!.” (Ashley // Utica, NY)
Twenty One Pilots? orrrrrr- maybe it’s twenty one pilots fans; the fan base that is willing to wait hours upon hours to see their favorite duo perform and that the fans know that ‘blurryface’ is based off of a persona that tyler joseph created that represents his (and other people’s) insecurities. there is no doubt that twenty one pilot fans may be some of the most dedicated... “I’ve done some pretty crazy things for Twenty One Pilots, starting off with seeing them a total of 24 times. I’m from Boston, and the farthest I’ve traveled to see them was Grand Rapids, MI. I’ve seen them multiple times in a row, the most is 5 shows in a row. I’m a body painter on the side and my artwork actually caught the eyes of the band and led me to becoming friends with Josh Dun and his family. I now travel to their hometown shows and hangout with his sisters and brother in the pit. The craziest was probably in 2016 when I slept on the streets of New York City for 3 days just to get barricade two days for their MSG shows. They’re def a band I admire and although I’ve retired from camping, I still go to as many shows as I possibly and financially can! I’ve become friends with a lot of the crew members as well over time just from attending so many shows. Next time they’re in your city/town, I recommend dropping everything and seeing their show, you won’t regret it. Maybe then you’ll be counting your 24th show.” (V // Boston, MA) “In March I traveled to London and Paris with 10 of my friends to see our favorite band, Twenty One Pilots. In the past, I have traveled all over the US for them while sleeping on streets and camping up to 4 days for their shows. I met some of my favorite people along the way.” (Taylor // Cleveland, OH) the battle for the biggest fandom may never truly be answered completely, but we want to hear from you; what’s your craziest F/Stan story?? we wanna know: @melodicMag
15
TWENTY ONE PILOTS ORLANDO, FL VICTORIA GOODWIN
16
Honorable Mentions: “Drove 4 hours to Cardiff to meet and see All Time Low, drove back the same night and then drove to London the next day for their O2 show!” (Anonymous // UK) “I skipped out on prom to see BTS play Metlife Stadium.” (Kst // New York, NY) “I flew to LA to shoot Swanfest, drove to San Francisco to shoot Dance Gavin Dance, and I got robbed there. Then I went to San Antonio, Texas to shoot Dance Gavin Dance there. Then flew back to Tampa to shoot Dance Gavin Dance there.” (Isabelle // Tampa, FL) “my mom and I drove several days and made a 2-3 week road trip out of a trip from Boston to CO to see Frank Turner perform at Red Rocks! (We even stopped in Custer, SD along the way to see the wild buffalo!) It was our first time at that venue and such a blast!” (Angela // Boston, MA) “I’m from Canada, and our winters get extremely cold. My favourite band, Marianas Trench, was playing a special New Year’s Eve show about 15 minutes from my home, so of course I had to go! The only problem was that it was outdoors and it was approximately -30 degrees Celsius that night. Because I’m dumb, I layered up in about six layers of jackets, sweaters, etc, and stood outside for almost 10 hours to see the show from barricade. I couldn’t feel my feet for a week.” (Meg // St. Catharines, ON) “For Marina and The Diamonds’ Neon Nature tour, my best friend and I bought the literal catsuits she wore to her festival shows, and recorded ourselves doing the choreography to her “Blue” music video to try and win a meet and greet. We slept in front of the venue and waited in line for 18+ hours while wearing these ridiculous metallic catsuits. Unfortunately she canceled her meet and greet system 2 shows before our show, but while on stage she called us out and laughed at us saying she’s seen us online.” (Hailey // Ellicott City, MD) “First, I took an overnight Greyhound to Chicago to see Thursday play. Then, I flew from Chicago to LA to meet up with some people I met up with online to catch a few dates of the final Warped Tour. I got to see Taking Back Sunday in Ventura and catch Sundressed in Phoenix, then I caught a last minute ride with more strangers up to Vegas to volunteer at the show there. Stayed at a super cool Airbnb with a guy who told me stories about when he worked Warped back in ‘99, and for some reason his yard was so decorated that his house was a Poké stop in Pokémon Go. Looking back, the whole trip feels like some weird fever dream, but hey, it was fun! I also will be making my first solo trip to London and the Netherlands this fall to catch Thursday again!” (Stevie // Pittsburgh, PA) “Did a 30+ hour roadtrip with no air conditioning in the middle of summer to go to Las Vegas Warped Tour.” (Kristin // Edmonton, AL) “Traveled 4 hours and camped out for three days in intense rain and storms for my favorite band!” (Lilly // Charlotte, NC) “I flew from Maryland to Houston, TX to see Waterparks at their hometown show in December 2018. I bought the tickets not even having a flight or knowing what I was going to do when I got there. It all ended up working out and it was the best show I’ve ever been to!” (Piper // Baltimore, MD)
17
THE TREWS HAMILTON, ON OREST DOROSH
18
19
c h a t t i n g with
c i t n a l t chase a erin crowley sat down with clinton and mitchel cave of chase atlantic to chat about their recent release, “phases”and what it meant to them to record a full length album
ERIN CROWLEY: CONGRATS ON THE NEW ALBUM PHASES! CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM AND HOW IT HAS IMPACTED YOUR LIFE SO FAR? Mitchel and Clinton Cave: Thank you! Mitchel: There wasn’t really any form of inspiration for the album. It being our second body of work we kind of went out on a whim and said let’s make an album. We didn’t really actually plan on making a second album. Clinton: The inspiration was to make an album; we were inspired to get into the studio and make art. The lyrical inspiration comes from past experiences, possible future experiences, a little bit of storytelling but it’s all just art. Mitchel: We’re always making music though, it wasn’t like we needed to go to the studio to make a second album, it just felt like the right time. There’s always going to be a right and wrong time to make an album, but sometimes the wrong time is the best time because that’s when the most honest music comes out. ERIN: HOW DOES IT FEEL HAVING THE ALBUM OUT NOW? WERE YOU NERVOUS AT ALL TO RELEASE IT? Mitchel: Of course, it’s our second body of work. There’s always going to be nerves thinking about if things went downhill after a release and how de-motivating that would be, but luckily, it’s gone the opposite way so it all pays off in the end. Clinton: We usually don’t care about that stuff. We care if it happens. We just put on a brave face. Before the album came out though we were all stressed and we were like what is happening, but once the album is out it’s kind of a relief in a way. We’re always thinking about what’s gonna happen after a release, but the response has been amazing. People already know all of the lyrics when the album just came out not too long ago. ERIN: IS THE PROCESS DIFFERENT WHEN RECORDING/PRODUCING AN EP VS. A FULLLENGTH ALBUM OR DO YOU GO INTO IT WITH THE SAME PROCESS? Mitchel: EPs are different. This is the first time we actually sat down and said we wanted to make a full-length album. We are always making music, so it’s never really focused toward any one thing. When we made the EP we had this collection of songs that were perfect for an EP. For an album we had songs that were conceptualized specially for an album. 20
c
CHASE ATLANTIC JORDAN KNIGHT
21
ERIN: DO YOU GUYS PREFER PRODUCING ALBUMS INDEPENDENTLY? Mitchel: Absolutely! We prefer it because it keeps our sound our own, its honest. Clinton: We try and work with other people but its just sort of hard. It’s different if we’re featured on a song but if we try and work with someone it usually just doesn’t fit and doesn’t sound like Chase Atlantic. ERIN: IF YOU COULD WORK WITH ANYONE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW WHO WOULD IT BE? Mitchel: We’re really drawn to a lot of artists with artistry like Travis Scott, The Weekend, Billie Eilish. We’re not even necessarily drawn to the music but them as artists, the art they make is inspiring, they are doing their own things. ERIN: WHAT ARTISTS ARE YOU GUYS CURRENTLY JAMMING TO? Mitchel: Currently Lauren Sanderson haha. *She was sound checking in the background* She’s great though. But actually, I don’t tend to listen to a ton of music while on tour because it’s all around you every day. We’re probably gonna go deaf at some point. Clinton: I sit in bed and think about listening to music and I can hear ringing in my ears and I’m like nope. But when not on the road we tend to listen to modern hip hop and rap, just upbeat stuff because it’s fun. In particular we tend to gravitate towards Travis Scott and The 1975. ERIN: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ALBUM IN 2 WORDS? Mitchel: “Chase Atlantic”. Those are my two words for the album today, but I change them every time. It’s an honest album. Clinton: If you want like picturesque words then I’d say “Purple Galaxy”. Visually that’s what I see but what Mitchel said is probably better haha Mitchel: (laughs) “Good album”, those are my two words. ERIN: WHAT ELSE IS IN STORE FOR 2019? Mitchel: Lots, so much stuff. We’re doing two more tours and then seeing maybe if we can put together another EP or album. Clinton: Retirement haha Clinton: We’d love another album or EP but we can’t guarantee it. We have an Australian tour and Europe tour coming up. This year has been all about self-care and self-prevalence and focusing on ourselves and touring. Last year we were constantly touring, and we played over 200 shows and it was tiring, we were trying to figure out how to balance everything on the road as it was only our first tour.
22
CHASE ATLANTIC BOSTON, MA ERIN CROWLEY ERIN: YOU GUYS ARE FROM AUSTRALIA, WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE LIVING IN AMERICA NOW AND GETTING TO TOUR THESE LARGER VENUES? Clinton: At first when we saw the venues and booked them we thought whoa this is gonna be stupid no one is gonna fill these places, but then almost every show has been sold out which is amazing. Then every night the crowd sings every lyric back to us which is also amazing. We can go into 2020 and have a really good support system. Mitchel: I think it’s important to be able to build a real fan base. It’s a support system that we are always gonna have with us which is important down the road. They are people who truly enjoy the music so they will come back and always support us. Clinton: We’re not part of the blowup culture, we’re the slow rise culture. ERIN: NOW COMING FROM AUSTRALIA, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU THINK IS WEIRD THAT US AMERICANS DO? Clinton: We’ve been living in America for like 4 years now we feel like things in Australia are weird now. Mitchel: Your guys metric system is pretty confusing compared to ours I don’t get it. ERIN: LASTLY WHAT’S A FUN FACT THAT SOMEONE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU? Clinton: We’re scared most of the time, but I guess everyone already knows that. Honestly just freaking out 24/7. I think the internet already knows too much about us. Mitchel: I can actually blow air out of my right eye. Found that out by accident
23
THE REGRETTES BOSTON, MA ERIN CROWLEY
24
25
IN YOUR CITY >>>
Phoenix, AZ WHEN YOU HEAR “PHEONIX” YOU MIGHT THINK OF DESERTS OR VALLEYS. HOWEVER, PHEONIX IS
THE FIFTH MOST POPULOUS CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. WE TRACKED DOWN THE PHEONIX
NATIVES TO ASK THEM THEIR FAVORITE MUSIC REALTED THINGS ABOUT THE CITY.
INPUT FROM LOCALS OF PHOENIX>>> KRISTEN BOURDEAU • KELLY FOX • VICTORIA HUDGINS
FAVORITE LOCAL ARTISTS >>>
FAVORITE LOCAL RADIO STATIONS >>> 93.9 KWSS •
Sunday at Noon
93.3 • Alt AZ
Constellations The Maine
FAVORITE LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER >>>
Doll Skin
Jimmy Eat World
BILLIE EILISH • PH O
Wyldflwr Creative Co. • Olivia Khiel • Kelly Fox
FAVORITE LOCAL VENUES >>>
EN IX
,A Z
•
DANA JAC OB BY S
Crescent Ballroom The Van Buren Ak-Chin Pavilion
FAVORITE LOCAL PERSONEL >>> Jack VanDerPol
26
WHAT ARE SOME OTHER AWESOME MUSIC RELATED THINGS LOS ANGELES HAS TO OFFER? KELLY SAYS: I ABSOLUTELY LOVE FIRST FRIDAY’S. YOU CAN WALK DOWN ONE BLOCK AND HEAR
THREE DIFFERENT ARTISTS— IT’S MY FAVORITE WAY TO NETWORK BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE SUCH A PARTY!
DID YOU KNOW? Phoenix has been called a “rock mecca” by Jim Adkins (from Pheonix band Jimmy Eat World). In the
early 1960’s Phoenix bands were inspired by bands such as The Beatles. Bands of all varieties and
genres came from Phoenix or spent several years in Phoenix making music and in the late 1990s and
early 2000s, Phoenix saw an emerging rock scene.
Timeless bands from Phoenix include: ALICE COOPER, CHESTER BENNINGTON (LINKIN PARK), JIMMY EAT WORLD, AND STEVIE NICKS (FLEETWOOD MAC)
Modern bands from Phoenix include: ALEC BENJAMIN, GIN BLOSSOMS, DIERKS BENTLEY, THE WORD ALIVE, AND JORDIN SPARKS.
FUN FACTS ABOUT THE VALLEY OF THE SUN: • Pheonix is often referred to as the “Valley of the Sun” due to the climate of the region (of course) and also the valley in which the city lies on. • It is the only state capital with a population over one million residents. • There is NO daylights savings time in Phoenix, which means you don’t have to worry about “falling back” or “springing forward”.
27
PRETTYMUCH ATLANTA, GA ANGEL ESCOBAR
28
. . . n e h w o t n e t s i l o t s g son With Chase Atlantic feeling Toxic - “Into It” Chillin - “Even Though I’m Depressed” feeling Lonely - “Friends” Crushin - “Lust” Lost - “Angels” Confident - “Too Late” feeling Used - “No Rainbow” Getting over it - “Love Is (not) Easy” Over it - “Numb to the Feeling” Making moves - “The Walls” Hopeless - “Stuck In My Brain” hopeful - “gravity” having a Fun night - Drug & Money Dancing - “Heaven and Back” Good - “Why Stop Now” Away from home - “You Too” Over thinking - “Okay” Working out - “Dancer In The Dark” Reminiscing on the past - “23” Happy with life - “greengreengreen” Hype - “Like A Rockstar” 29
//ALBUM REVIEWS HOW DO YOU LOVE?
THE REGRETTES
Artists You May Like: wallows, potty mouth, swmrs Recommended Tracks: California Friends, I Dare You, Dead Wrong, Go Love You How do you love? You might feel a range of emotions, from the first time butterflies, to heartbreak, to peace. Love in todays society can be tricky and its hard to be vulnerable and put your feelings out there. The Regrettes flawlessly detail the experiences you go through in a relationship in How Do You Love? . The Regrettes consist of singer Lydia Night, guitarist Genessa Gariano, bassist Brooke Dickson, and drummer Drew Thomsen. The highly anticipated sophomore album from The Regrettes is all about the highs and lows of being in a relationship and being in love. Night wrote a majority of the songs and draws inspiration from her own past experiences. The album is concept album that tells a story of love and the trials and tribulations of a relationship.
Night describes the listener as being infected with love in the opening song that is actually a spoken word poem. Opening the album with a spoken word poem really sets the tone for the rest of the album and how the story unfolds. “If you said yes to all the things above, then yes my friend i’m sorry it appears you are in love”. Night describes the feelings one goes through when they are in love before going straight into the groovy track “California Friends” in which Night sings about the excitement and nerves that overcome you when you meet someone new for the first time and you are not sure about your feelings towards them. The way the album comes together so smoothly and tells a story is draw-dropping. Each song tells a story. The first half of the album talks about the first feelings of falling in love and being in a relationship, while the second half tells the tales of some hardships with being in love in a relationship. “Stop and Go” is the dividing song of the album where things start to get heavy and tensions arise in the relationship, while realizing that the relationship isn’t perfect. “Stop before we lose control, let’s take a breath before we go, go ,go”. As the album progresses the songs get punchier and the story takes a bold turn. Tracks like “Go Love You” and “Has it Hit You?” are like a punch in the gut. “You can’t love me so go love you”, “I hope you know this is your fault don’t try and pin this on me”. By the albums conclusion with the title track “How Do You Love” the story ends with the listener being alone, but that doesn’t mean the story ends up being sad. The track as well as the album as a whole is about love but also about self reflection and what you learn about yourself along the way in the trials and tribulations of a relationship. Although Night describes the listener as being infected with a love disease, it doesn’t mean that it’s all that bad. In a way its good because you learn more about yourself and that no matter how you have or haven’t experienced love (in a platonic or romantic way) it doesn’t mean that you’re alone. How Do You Love is an album about love but also about finding yourself and self acceptance. The Regrettes continue to break all of the boundaries and are quickly taking the world by storm so you don’t want to miss out on this amazing journey!
30
THE GROWLERS HOUSTON, TX OLIVER SODERBERG 31
BLACK DOVE AMAAL
Artists You May Like: Clairo, SZA, Raveena Recommended Tracks: Coming & Going, Later, Not What I Thought
Without a doubt, 2019 has been the biggest year of Somali-Canadian singer Amaal’s career, and this project is the metaphorical “icing on the cake” which solidifies this. The first track is a very smooth intro that sets the tone of the project and what is to come. “Let Go” cleverly relays the theme of freedom; a theme which Amaal made clear was central to the concept of Black Dove. The most standout feature from this track is the unique approach to the music engineering in conjunction with her vocals. The subtle lowpasses, digitization, and reverb, trade in the usual raw unfiltered approach — which Amaal is known to utilize — and implements a very textured sonic experience. Not to say that Amaal’s usual approach is not brilliant on its own, however, it is very intelligible for Amaal to experiment with a new style for the intro to her new project. The second track — “Not What I Thought” — is one of two previously released singles. This track effectively demonstrates Amaal’s vocal range and power to create a song with little help from much besides her voice. Our full review for this song can be found here. Where “Not What I Thought” excelled in showcasing Amaal’s talent as a soloist, “So What” shows Amaal’s power with numerous other incorporated sonic entities. This demonstration of both talents provides a good set of contrast on the EP. “So What” is the third song and most effectively represents the harmony present in this project. This is done through the birds chirping in the introduction of the song and the wide range of background vocals which are incorporated throughout the peaks of the song. The relevance of this song in Black Dove is to show the power that Amaal’s voice can have in unison with other voices and sounds alike. Furthermore, it physically incorporates the figurative nature imagery, creating something as tangible as it is metaphorical. It is also important to note that, in collaboration with Red Bull Music, Amaal released a live performance of this song which definitely should be checked out. “Later” is easily the most standout track from this project. The first listen of the song reveals a ballad that perfectly transitions from slow song to dance-inducing melody. The kick of the drum drop and switch of vocal style/harmony provides the listener with an experience like none other. The second and third listens, however, attentively reveal the song’s true meaning. Rather than attempting to explain the entirety of the song’s thematic nature in words, it is best to watch the Kat Webber directed visual here. The video, shot on 16mm film, is definitely Amaal and Kat’s best work yet — a bar which we previously thought could not have been broken after the “Coming and Going” video. The video also makes special recognition to organization F.E.A.T, for which more information can be found here. The outro comes in the form of “Scream”. This is a previously released single which somehow perfectly fits into its place in Black Dove. The familiarity of this song — which resonates with her core fan base — provides a nostalgia inducing outro that ends on a very strong and positive note. Furthermore, new fans of Amaal are in for a song which explores Amaal’s cadence like never seen before. Speaking on the inspiration behind Black Dove, Amaal shared, “this EP represents the me that I was afraid to talk about. The me that I kept hidden out of fear of judgment. For the longest time I’ve put on this front of what a strong woman represents and what it means to me. But as I’ve maneuvered through my womanhood alongside other women going through similar things I realized true strength is in breaking down to rebuild. Showing vulnerability and being real about adversity. Getting in front of your fears and allowing yourself to grow regardless of the outcome. Black dove to me means freedom. Freedom from my own captivity. Freedom from the shackles society and I have placed on myself. The freedom of no longer committing a disservice to myself and owning every part of me.” All in all, it is hard to contest that Amaal released one of the best projects of 2019. It is hard to find a certain aspect where Amaal did not deliver, and therefore, Black Dove is a strongly recommended listen.
32
SUDDEN SKY CROWN THE EMPIRE
Artists You May Like: Hands Like Houses, I See Stars, Pierce The Veil Recommended Tracks: BLURRY (out of place), Under the Skin, March of the Ignorant Post-hardcore band, Crown The Empire, has been on the scene for almost ten years now, accumulating massive amounts of fans, captivating hearts, and blowing minds. After releasing their third album in 2016, the boys are now back to continue their reign with Sudden Sky. While it isn’t full of your typical upbeat jams for summer, it does contain tracks that will get you through some of the more emotional, complex parts of summer.
The album begins with the short intro, “(X).” This intro is split into two parts that prepare us for what we will hear on the album. The first part of the intro is more of a monologue that reveals some of the topics that are explored in the tracks. We hear questions, such as “What am I afraid of?” and “How many times can I refresh the same page before I realize that I’ll just get the same outcome?” Once the monologue finishes, a frenzy of different beats takes over and instills in us the adrenaline we need to take on the album. It becomes obvious that the album focuses on mental health and emotional stability after hearing the first track, “20/20.” It pinpoints the way that social media can take a toll on a person. We can get so lost in what we see and who we talk to online that we lose sight of what it means to really live. One of the more powerful lines in the track happens in the second verse, “I found myself in the sun no longer bleeding / connecting so I can feel something with meaning,” suggesting that it is critical to make time for ourselves to go outside every once in a while and be reminded of what is real. The next track, “what i am,” is not as musically direct and intense as track two, but it does pack a punch. The verses are stirring, with the pounding of drums and the relentless guitar strumming, leading up to huge, all-embracing choruses. The lyrics focus on not losing yourself while dealing with difficult people or situations. It makes a great anthem. One of the highlights on the album is the track, “BLURRY (out of place).” The band has mentioned that this track is about how they feel once they come back home from tour, as they try to settle back into society. It is a major change to go from life on the road, where you are around loads of people every day, to life at home, where you may be surrounded by silence. For those of us who do not live this kind of life, we can still relate to the song, as there are probably times when we feel “lost,” “out of place,” or “far away.” After the invigorating, “Red Pills” and “MZRY,” we arrive at another one of my favorite tracks on the album, “Under the Skin.” It is a little more subdued than the other tracks, but it has a very dramatic feel. Accompanied by strings and pronounced drumming, the lyrics portray a conversation that we might have had with ourselves, where we try to make sense of ourselves. What is it that we want? What are we willing to change? All of the song’s elements work together to represent the internal battle. Closing the album is the title track, “Sudden Sky.” Finally, after everything we have experienced, it looks like the clouds are parting and a clearer sky is suddenly appearing above us. This track is unapologetic, as the music and the lyrics come at us with an unwavering spirit. It is a culmination of the lessons we have learned in each track, reminding us that if we can become active participants in life, we are sure to have brighter days. Crown The Empire has done an amazing job with Sudden Sky and with the messages that they wanted to convey through its songs. We need to spend less time trying to mask our emotions and more time connecting with people and the environments that surround us. It is then that we can embrace and value the true meaning of life.
33
FAST ROMANTICS HAMILTON, ON OREST DOROSH
34
FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS LOS ANGELES, CA JANE WALLIN 35
BLEEKER HAMILTON, ON OREST DOROSH
36
37
CHASE ATLANTIC ATLANTA, GA ANGEL ESCOBAR
38
NORMA JEAN OKLAHOMA CITY, OK KELLIE WILTZ 39
COIN LOS ANGELES, CA JANE WALLIN
40
41
CHASE ATLANTIC ATLANTA, GA ANGEL ESCOBAR
42
43
FIT FOR A KING OKLAHOMA CITY, OK KELLIE WILTZ 44
45
LIGHTS NEW YORK, NY ANGELA LEUNG 46
47
GIN BLOSSOMS CHATTANOOGA, TN COURTNEY LANKFORD 48
49
PETAL CHARLOTTE, NC SUSIE MCKEON
50
RA RA RIOT BOSTON, MA LIZ WILTSHIRE 51
WAR ON WOMEN ATLANTA, GA ARIANA SIMON
52
53
THIRD EYE BLIND BOSTON, MA LIZ WILTSHIRE
54
THE MOWGLI’S CHARLOTTE, NC SUSIE MCKEON 55
MORE MUSIC MORE MELODIC
MELODICMAG.COM #supportlivemusic 56