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PURE ECSTASY • SLEEP ∞ OVER
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WAX IDOLS • RAILCARS VOICES VOICES • STAR SLINGER
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DAVID GEETING • LIAM HENRY • JOHN HANSON ANDREAS BANDERAS • DEREK ALBECK • STÉPHANE PRIGENT
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Featured...
Table Of Contents... 100
Pure Ecstasy Keeping things simple and chill.
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SLEEP ∞ OVER Forever and ever and ever and...
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Wax Idols What makes you happy?
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David Geeting Shooting the hell out of his camera with no care in the world.
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Music...
Fashion... 10
Cheap Monday It’s going to be a dark Fall and Winter.
Art...
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Star Slinger This Brit belongs in California.
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Voices Voices Nico Turner is a little bit too focused. Railcars Jalali has been in a cave. What may he be up to?
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StĂŠphane Prigent
Primitive logarhythm on a road to an unknown goal.
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Derek Albeck Fresh body of work resulting in a new level of art.
112
32
Andreas Banderas Not a part of your art scene.
Photography... 42
John Hanson Idealism and Romanticism in the form of Photography.
50
Liam Henry Very, very green.
Album Reviews
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Staff...
Creative Director Brian Vu Music Editor Lisa Bielsik
Writers
Damanjit Lamba Brian Wilensky Noah Doles Iain Todd Evan Adams Stephen Barker Danny Chau Thomas Fricilone Tom Murphy Thom Lucero Brian Hunt Ace Ubas Carolyn Helmers Simon Vanderveen T. Patrick Müller Vicky Lim
Photographers David De Ridder Nate Miller Paul Rosales
Cover Images
1 – Pure Ecstasy and SLEEP ∞ OVER by Brian Vu 2 – Wax Idols by Brian Vu 3 – David Geeting
Inquiries
contact@wearerebels.com advertise@wearerebels.com submissions@wearerebels.com All Content 2010 Rebel No part of Rebel may be reproduced by any means without consent.
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M+W
CHEAP MONDAY AUTUMN / WINTER 2011
...Fashion
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Text : Brian Vu
...Art
STÉPHANE PRIGENT
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DUST. SADNESS. POETRY. When asked how he was feeling, Stéphane Prigent replied “like a wingless plane, I’m faking to look somewhere else...” When it comes to words, Prigent doesn’t have much to say. He lets his work speak for itself. Prigent is a local artist living in Paris. The artwork from this spread is a series entitled Doing You Are What, it’s essentially an upside down comic book, without any plot, boxes, or direction, only drawn poetry. The artist chooses to print his zine at home with his xerox printer. When it comes to publishing, Prigent doesn’t trust anyone but himself. Prigent’s artwork is a primitive logarhythm on a road to an unknown goal. “It’s an essence of dust, of sadness, and of poetry.” His design process starts with whatever materials are closest to him. The same goes for the colors that he chooses. “Ihe colors choose me, not the other way around.” Everything falls naturally into place right after. “I’m like a blindfolded man on the top of a cliff – I never know where I’ll go.”
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StĂŠphane Prigent...
...Art
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Text : Brian Vu
DEREK ALBECK
...Art
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BODY POLITIC
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Derek Albeck...
...Art
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Derek Albeck...
...Art
Los Angeles is known for it’s rich and distinctive culture. We’re proud to say the same goes for its artists. Derek Albeck is truly one of a kind. The artist combines traditional portraiture with graphical elements all while using the simplest of materials. Feeling constrained, Albeck changed his body of work in 2007 to what you see here. He decided to keep painting in his work, but intergrate it with realism and graphite pencil. His pieces consist of involved portrayals of photographs. These photographs are of the people who surround him each and every day, as well as any images the artist finds intriguing. It was a pleasure for us to interview Derek Albeck, our first local artist for the magazine. Here he goes more in depth about his work, and possibly exploring a new avenue of art. Where can you see Albeck’s pieces in person? The artist will be showing a piece at POVevolving in Chinatown in August and a Scion space show in October. Besides that, Albeck is taking his sweet time working on his solo show in Los Angeles 2011. First things first, where did you get those drawing skills? Did you go to an art school? I graduated from Cal State Northridge with a degree in printmaking and painting. After school, I got an internship at a gallery and learned a lot about how that part of the art world works. Since then I’ve been consistently making work and learning new things every single day. What would you say initially got you into drawing? At the end of 2007, I had been working on a body of work I had been developing since college and I began feeling really constrained with it, so I started exploring figuration in my work, still painting but working from photographs. It felt quite natural incorporating the people I surrounded myself with into my work. I spent almost all of 2008 painting but really wasn’t getting the desired realism I wanted from the work so i tried out drawing instead. I found that it was exactly what I was looking for in my work and have been doing it ever since. Most of your work is made up of graphite, color pencil, and paint. Are there any other materials or media that you’d like to work with in the future? I also do quite a bit of screen printing to create editions as well as zines. Right now I’m really interested in sculpture so I’ve been exploring different ideas and techniques for making 3D work that aligns itself nicely with my drawings.
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Why are rainbows so prominent in your artwork? I’m really interested in how symbols are interpreted and reinterpreted to create different meanings. It’s something I’ve recently been exploring in my work and I think the rainbow was just a starting point so I was using it quite a bit over the past year, but now I’m trying to broaden it up a bit. Describe your design process. Where do you get the images of the people in your work? Who are they? A lot of the people in my work are friends and people I surround myself with. I take a lot of pictures so I tend to have quite a bit of source material for my work. I’ll sort through photos and pick out the ones I find interesting, or ones that I feel capture a specific moment and work from them. Almost all of my work is from photos I’ve taken and in certain cases, found photos. I’ve been exploring new techniques and trying to expand upon the straight portraiture as well as the flannel mask drawings I’ve been doing. How long would you say the average Derek Albeck piece take to create? Depends really on size, I would say a larger drawing usually takes about three to six weeks to create working full time. It really depends. Some of the smaller drawings take a couple of days. What’s the best and worst thing about your career? Best thing is not having a boss and really just doing what you love everyday, worse thing is that it tends to be a roller coaster ride sometimes. It can be fun at times but its also quite stressful as well. Are you still in your Chinatown studio? If so, how’s that working out for you? Yes I am still working out of Chinatown. It’s pretty amazing, I share the studio with some awesomely talented folks and I just recently moved to Silverlake so I’m now five minutes away from my studio which I’m really stoked on! Are there any gallery shows we should be aware of? I will be showing a piece in a group show at POVevolving gallery in Chinatown for their three year anniversary show in August, and will also be participating in a show at the Scion space curated by my friend French in October. Other than that, I’m slowly beginning to work on a solo show for 2011 in Los Angeles.
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Derek Albeck...
...Art
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Text : Damanjit Lamba
ANDREAS BANDERAS
...Art
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AN OUTLIER IN OSLO
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Andreas Banderas...
Andreas Banderas is a twenty-four year old Scandinavian artist whose creative vision reaches beyond the confines of Oslo’s borders. Banderas’ art chronicles an unfamiliar mythical future and a present world fixated on disposable culture. When asked about Norway’s art scene, he said “Oslo has a small art-scene and I don’t really consider myself a part of it.” In Norway he’d like to see “people who do their own thing and don’t just try to make something that goes in the tradition of art that’s been done before.” Since his hometown failed to inspire him, the artist turned to the Internet. Innovative endeavors such as An Immaterial Survey of Our Peers have presented his work online to draw global appreciation. Installation images are presented on the web in the form of a virtual gallery; refuting the claim that a material relation with art is essential. Banderas’ portfolio touches on various mediums. But don’t assume that his varying interests mean his personal artistic mark is blurry. For him, exploring these different channels is a natural development in his career: “I don’t want to repeat myself and I try to take a step into unknown territory while still being true to myself. I can plan when I want to work, but not what I want to make. Maybe that’s a good thing.” It’s obvious when rummaging through press clippings of his work that whenever fans attracted to his creations compile his work, the designs always compliment one another. He is able to confer a foreign space-like feel to his drawings, collages, and physical sculptures. While studying Visual Communications at The National Academy of Arts has taught him “the importance of keeping deadlines,” it hasn’t served as a guideline for his work. Banderas stated, “Teachers found it difficult to give me feedback, saying what I did was art and not design, so it taught me to believe in myself and what I do, instead of relying on teachers for guidance. Also, it’s a lot more fun to work on my own project than doing something that I don’t really want to do for money.” Banderas’ work with paper is especially intriguing as he tried his hand at drawing after mastering digital art. He finds working with paper appealing because “You don’t have the luxury of undoing and it’s a lot easier to decide when something is finished since you can’t try out all the things you can when working on a computer.” His work with paper utilizes a range of materials from pencils and construction paper to cloth and string. What’s so interesting is that all the pieces are only available to viewers two-dimensionally; leaving us to decipher the structure of pieces with our eyes alone. In one piece, viewers can clearly see the layers of tape that overlie cut-out angular shapes – a detail most of us would be surprised to find discernable online. Shapes maintain an ongoing presence through Banderas’ work and whether hand-drawn or digitally constructed, his geometrics are mesmerizing. His photography has a murky, ominous energy running throughout as landscape pieces capture misty and unknown locations while forest shots are shrouded with the night sky, inciting the sense that something sinister lurks beyond the image’s scope. He also examines our use of everyday phrases and terms by making viewers confront their literal meanings through his designs. Who knew you could wear a “Chain of Events” and the keyboard staple “Caps Lock.” The artist believes that “Since the artwork is presented on the Internet, and not in a gallery, it doesn’t have the same status and is less formal, and leaves room for something quirky, like “Caps Lock.” I hope that people find it funny, but also that it is more then just a joke.” In the near future, we can expect to see much more from this talented Norwegian. Print seems to dominate Banderas’ attention right now as he just finished a collaborative zine with Ramus Svensson that will be released by Kaugummi Books, he is also working on a collaborative book with his girlfriend Natalie Rognsøy, and a solo mini-book he worked on with colleagues is set to be printed in four color silkscreen in Belgium.
...Art
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Andreas Banderas...
...Art
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Andreas Banderas...
...Art
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Text : Iain Todd
...Photography
JOHN HANSON
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TIMELESS IMPERFECTION
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John Hanson...
Rusticity is the stalwart of modern photography. It is more present, yet in many ways more difficult to capture than much of the professional portraiture and fashion photography we see so much of nowadays. And yet, it is probably still the most rewarding subject matter for both the artist and the public to conceive of. Natural photography, to use a worn out and entirely unappreciative phrase, could be seen as the elevation of nature’s imperfections into something entirely beautiful. Wilde may have disagreed, but the Romanticism which comes from idealising the everyday appears in many ways to have become the new aesthetic for photographers and their artistic peers. Somewhat ironically, this idealism and Romanticism stems from an interest in realist subject matter, and often within realist depictions. It seems there is a fine line between high art and the un-majestic; between the everyday and the beautiful. John Hanson’s work fits into this vision in a very simple sense. From a European perspective, his work seems to capture America as a singular idea and concept. But as a human being, his work captures the simplicity of life, and the artist’s ability to seek out and discover beauty in the everyday. You need only take a look at his leaves with light coming through the eye to note the almost Shakespearian appreciation for and depiction of the pastoral within his work. Hanson’s depiction of humanity is almost exclusively a positive one. Rarely is there a moment when the human form is not almost glowing, radiating beauty. His view is entirely Romantic in that even his cities are captured with optimism and appreciation. This is not to suggest, however, that there is some kind of ideological typology with regards to the way in which he expresses and impresses his view of the world. The photographs he creates are often bizarre in their subject matter, and simple in their design. There is a poignancy behind much of his portrait work, and an eeriness behind his landscapes. It appears as an everyday America; one which the rest of the world hopes to god is true. Your work seems to have a familial casualness to it. Would it be fair to say that you are interested in the everyday with regards to your subject matter? Yes, very much so. I try to use film in a way that is as close to real life as possible. I take pictures of the people and places that are around me. Often my girlfriend Maren Celest is my subject. We travel together and try to spend our time as far away from developed places like Walmart as possible, so we usually end up in the woods or a cemetery. We both take photographs and working together is fun. I don’t have anything to prove with my photography, I just want to show what life is and what life can be. Many of the photos you take capture nature at its most idyllic. Is the pastoral something you are con-
cerned with capturing? Yes. There is not enough simple and classic work anymore; especially with all the crisp digital pictures out there and photographers who are okay with tacky modern clothes and over-editing their images. Shooting in nature with film gives a more nostalgic feeling and timelessness to a picture. I am concerned about capturing the pastoral because it is here and always will be... honest and beautiful. Is the pastoral something you grew up with, something familiar? Where’d you spend your childhood? I grew up in Leelenau County and later Traverse City, Michigan. Northern Michigan is an extremely beautiful place and living on such a massive body of fresh water definitely has had an influence on me. There is something humbling and tranquil about it. Always having forest around was a privilege. I didn’t realize I had until I moved to Chicago where there are hardly any trees. The pastoral is something familiar and something that is very nostalgic for me. Many of your portraits have a nakedness to them: they show their subjects with no frills. How important is both the human body, and the human constitution, to your work? Thats true. The only frill I use in portraits is the quality of natural light. The Human body is important to me in a sense of character when it comes to image. The light and atmosphere are really what make an image good to me. I use the people as they are because I have many good people around and don’t need to jazz anyone up. They are my peers, contemporaries and friends... they are the culture as it is. I believe strongly in honesty and honestly living. My work expresses a need I have to share the beauty and sacredness of the human condition and the importance of culture. In your photography there is sense of old America: banjos, the countryside, snow laden forests. How much do you feel nationality and even nationalism affects your work? Nationality affects my work deeply. I spent two months in Mexico shooting Mayan ruins trying to expose how Mayan cities were actually North American metropolitan centers with many parallel characteristics to modern US cites such as paved roads, taverns and central plazas with skyscrapers. I find it very interesting that they are continentally considered North American but not in the minds of most Americans. I love history and believe in documenting our time accurately and classically, also living in a way that respects and embodies our cultures past. I would not say that I am an American nationalist. I love travel and embracing life and culture wherever it is. Maren and I returned in April from a three month stay in London and we loved it. The culture in England is extremely interesting to us as Americans. The at-
...Photography
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John Hanson...
titudes on the seemed to be more reserved but generally very outgoing and kind. We learned how to drink tea eight times a day and to eat digestive biscuits, it was great! You have done quite a few band photographs. Is promo photography something you enjoy doing? Yeah, I do enjoy doing promotional photography... but I also feel a certain sense of duty to help my friends out and give them a unique image in a world where digital crap dominates. Being a musician myself has drawn other artists and interesting people closer. Maren and I have made many friendships in the indie music world and love getting involved helping out artists who we believe in and genuinely want to see succeed. So these band photographs are just our friends... really good people! Are you at your happiest when given a project, or do you prefer total freedom over the pictures that you photograph? I really don’t know how to answer that. A hybrid approach is usually how my work happens. I’ll take a trip somewhere for a week with all my gear and whatever comes out is it. Doing certain projects such as portraits for people or studies of light in our studio is common for me on a day to day basis though. I enjoy creative freedom and usually don’t have a formal theme to my work other than the culture and life that surrounds me. How do you feel your work captures the industrial? Often your city scenes are as atmospheric as your country scenes. Do you always feel the need to capture your subjects in a positive light? The industrial is something that I do try to capture atmospherically. Mostly I want to show its simplicity. In the greater context of our modern time I strive to show cities in a timeless or historical sense. That is what is important to me, showing them honestly without any words, advertisements, distractions or stupid looking cars. Plain and simple. Do you feel that we live in a world where taking and sharing photography has become much easier? Do you feel that this dilutes any sense of uniqueness for photographers like yourself? Is it now harder to get your work noticed as a result of this? I do feel that the internet world is entirely saturated with photographers. That is a good thing in my opinion. The community on Flickr is outstanding, inspiring and supportive. It is definitely more difficult to get noticed and I often find myself working harder and harder to promote images I feel strongly about, by adding them to groups and strategically uploading. On the other hand, I find it much easier to get good pictures noticed on facebook, where a huge community of family and friends can see whenever new material is up. It is pretty rare for kids to be shooting and uploading medium format these days and often people enthusiastically ask me what kind of
camera I am using. There has been explosion of film culture on the web, but most, like my parents, still don’t know about it. Generally I am satisfied with the response I receive from uploading pictures to the web. Is there anyone you would describe as a photographic hero? Someone who brought the art of photography to the everday person? This question almost begs to be answered with Harry Callahan. He is one of my favorite photographers and one of the most influential to me in my early picture taking life. His images are simple and honest with a sense of the midwest culture and everyday life. He explored the human condition and also nature, taking pictures of his surroundings and his wife Eleanor. Such an honest style, no frills, just light, film and his place in time was all he needed. He is a very inspirational figure in the way of simplicity and truth in style and technical mastery. If he could haul all of his large format equipment out to the dunes to shoot photographs, so can I, right? ....So I do. Sadly, most people would cop out and pack their dslr and claim to take better pictures. I think it is important to preserve this craft that the masters of photography are handing down to us. It is important to show respect and appreciation for what our predecessors did and how they did it. That is why I think of Callahan as a photographic hero. Finally, what are your ambitions with regard to your career? How do you see your future panning out? I actually have always wanted to be involved with cinema. Growing up in rural northern Michigan did not help me with that ambition at all in terms of resources. Skateboarding and shooting video was how I got a start in motion picture. I produced a short art film in 2005 called Conerfur Crispen on video and realized how bad video was compared to film. The best I could do was shoot still pictures on film, and learn how to use a light meter until I could get my hands dirty in 8mm, super8 and recently 16mm. Still I don’t have the money or community to make any bigger or more substantial projects happen. Maren and I have recently moved to Chicago because here there are cameras, film and labs available, hopefully, we will start to use motion picture more. Maren and I are also musicians together. Our band (a two-piece) is called Photographers and we plan on recording our third album together this fall (www.photographers.bandcamp.com). I will always love using still photography to document my life and time here, I don’t think that hobby will ever leave me.I love travel and embracing life and culture wherever it is. Maren and I returned in April from a three month stay in London and we loved it. The culture in England is extremely interesting to us as Americans. Their attitudes seem to be more reserved but generally very outgoing and kind. We learned how to drink tea eight times a day and to eat digestive biscuits, it was great!
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Text : Carolyn Helmers
LIAM HENRY
...Photography
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NEW EXPOSURES TO THE ART WORLD
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Liam Henry...
...Photography
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Liam Henry...
Ethereal scenes in the woods, dream girls standing shrouded in trees, and coca cola cans staring dismally straight ahead are quickly becoming classic staples taken by the promising new artist Liam Henry. A photographer out of Leeds, Henry has been staking a name for himself in the art world within the past couple of years, showcasing his film photographs at various exhibits around England. After graduating from high school, Henry originally planned for a career in journalism. When picking courses for college, however, he formed an interest in photography through his early studies in art, media, and photography. Initially working with just a compact digital camera, Henry’s main subjects were his skateboarding friends doing their usual tricks. Falling in love with his newfound hobby, Henry studied photography for two years at college before studying for three years at University. He prefers to use multiple cameras, as it helps him figure out his preferred style. Coming a long way from his first camera, Henry is currently shooting on a Rollel AFM 35. Henry does, however, stay consistent in the subject matter of his shots. “Everyone in my photographs is either friends or family,” states Henry on his subject matter, “The last photograph I took hasn’t been developed yet, it was of my friend sitting on his bed looking very happy with himself after purchasing a very expensive television.” Drawing inspiration from his favorite photographers, Noah Kalina, Jackson Eaton, and Bryan Schutmaat can be credited to influencing Henry’s work. But as for what doesn’t inspire the budding photographer? “I think fear has the biggest effect on me becoming uninspired,” Henry admits, “sometimes I won’t shoot a good opportunity because it might get me in trouble and I always regret those moments.” Henry also mentions that being in the same town for a while can have a slightly negative effect on his work. “My hometown has become very uninspiring,” Henry says, “It’s all becoming a bit too familiar and I need a change to stay inspired.” Being in Leeds for almost six years, Henry has found ways to busy himself and find new scenes to shoot simply by hopping on a bike or a bus and escaping the urban environment. The rural scenes can be found in many of his photographs. While Henry’s shots carry similar themes, his style has become more refined since he first picked up a camera. Originally preferring to shoot in black and white, the photographer has moved to shooting in color after being inspired by certain William Eggleston shots. Henry focuses most, he says, on the composition and framing of his photographs. An intriguing new artist, Henry is constantly on the move and experimenting with new imagery and ideas. He is staying busy displaying his artwork around Leeds, with a handful of exhibitions planned. Several selected prints can be found up for sale on his website, liamhenry.co.uk. But if you are interested in purchasing a specific shot, do not hesitate to contact Henry through e-mail.
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Text : Brian Vu
DAVID GEETING
...Photography
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YOUNG, WHITE, AND DUMB
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David Geeting...
...Photography
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David Geeting...
Don’t let this article’s title mislead you. David Geeting may be “young, white, and dumb,” but he’s also a talented photographer nonetheless. Geeting recently settled into a humble little place right on the border of Greenpoint and Williamsburg. Here, he is surrounded by a peculiar clash of old Italians (who he predicts might be the Mafia, who knows), and Polish people. “The neighborhood is cool because you can still buy fresh meat and eggs from the local butcher, whose storefront hasn’t been replaced by a Starbucks yet,” he jokes. “You can also buy paint from this dude Frank (who sleeps all day among dusty paint cans until someone wakes him up to ask about mixing a color). There’s also a place that sells both gravestones and fresh baked bread. I will never ever understand it but I’m really glad that it exists. Anyway, I like taking advantage of this kind of local authenticity, but at the same time I feel I’m ruining it for being young and white and dumb.” Geeting spent the first eighteen years of his life in a town called Bethlehem, a part of the Lehigh Valley (the third biggest metropolitan area in Pennsylvania next to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh). Like many of us, he grew up in the suburbs. “There’s not a whole lot to do in the suburbs, especially for teenagers. This is why kids start smoking pot, play shitty punk rock in their rich parents’ basements, break their arms skateboarding, and lose their virginity at the age of thirteen. Everything sucks so you have to find a way to make it not suck.” Geeting spent his time playing drums for punk bands from the age of fourteen onwards, and continues to make music till this day. When college came along, it was time for him to choose a major. “I don’t know why I majored in photography, I guess because you don’t need a music degree to play basement shows. I mean, you don’t need an art degree to take pictures either, but getting a badass education in art is really satisfying.” The photographer is currently getting this badass education at the School of Visual Arts in New York. There’s nothing the photographer has to complain about. All the teachers there are working professionals. Students have access to studios, darkrooms, and digital labs. “I’m also able to take classes like water coloring and screen printing even though they have nothing to do with my major! It’s incredibly expensive but I’m paying for my tuition almost entirely with student loans and I tend to not think about the future because I don’t live in the future.” So far, he hasn’t made much money from Photography. “I’ve sold a few prints here and there but that’s about it. I hate the idea of charging people that I like money for photographs! I can’t wait to get hired by some terrible magazine so I don’t have to feel bad about shooting cheesy editorial projects and taking all their money.” However, Geeting does make money working for the audio/visual department where he makes nine dollars an hour.
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David Geeting...
Geeting initially got into photography because of his brother’s ex-girlfriend. “She was like an older sister to me so I naturally became intrigued by whatever she was doing.” At the age of fifteen, he took black and white photo courses in high school. The class immediately became his favorite. “I hadn’t taken any sort of art class for a few years so it was nice to have some sort of creative output again. I was still making music with my friends, but music isn’t tangible, you know?” The making and holding of prints pushes him to continue shooting film, instead of wasting away on the internet. “Sure, the web is great for exposure, but at this point I am more concerned with making something physical. I don’t think there’s enough of that going on right now.” Geeting is currently shooting with a Yashica T4, a 35mm point-and-shoot camera with a Carl Zeiss lens. He also shoots with a Mamiya 7 which he rents from his school. “I’m not too concerned about “gear,” I don’t really think it has much to do with making good art.” When asked about his photographic style, the photographer is not one hundred percent sure where it comes from. “It’s always weird when you have to talk about art because I feel like the reason people make art is to communicate all those feelings that could never possibly be put into words. It’s really hard when art can’t be pigeon-holed into any sort of specific dead-end genre and diluted so fucking much that it’s easy for the masses to gulp down without coughing a little bit. ” He always carries his camera in his bag, keeping mental notes of things he has seen and finds appealing. Geeting strongly encourages people to read an essay by Paul Graham that sums up exactly how he feels about the current state of art photography and the staging of images. Right now, the young photographer is currently working on self-publishing a split zine with his good friend Alex Howard. The zine includes fresh work from both of the artists, and will be coming out in a month. He’s also working on a book of black and white photographs for Fourteen-Nineteen. “If they look like shit, you all get one for free. Other than that, I’ve just been shooting whatever. I try not to “conceptualize,” that never really works out.” Other than that, you’ll find Geeting in McGolrick Park in Greenpoint, Barcade in Williamsburg, enjoying beers on roofs, playing Nintendo 64, and hanging out with his girlfriend.
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Text : Noah Doles Photography : Zuza Grubecka
STAR SLINGER
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SOULFUL COLLAGES OF CHOPPED RECORDS
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Star Slinger...
Darren Williams, from the UK, is an instrumental hip-hop influenced musician under the name of Star Slinger. Williams has been building up a lot of buzz on the Internet these days with his souled out, fresh and funky beats of sampled greatness. The musician has an interesting way of sampling and creating music. It tends to work wonderfully with his creative, hip-hop influenced style. Star Slinger has already self-released one 11 track LP titled ‘Volume 1’, available to download for free through his bandcamp page. He has also done some remixes and collaborations with other artists you may know, such as Teams, COOLRUNNINGS and Fiveng. It’s amazing how fast Williams is able to crank out and create these addicting tunes. These songs will keep you playing them over and over again. The moment I found Star Slinger’s bandcamp page and gave Volume 1 a listen, I instantly fell in love. A personal favorite off the album is the catchy opener “Mornin’”. It automatically puts me in a good mood and is a great opener for the album. The sample meshes beautifully with the rest of the song. Be sure to check out his bandcamp page and download Volume 1 along with his collaborations so you can hear for yourself!
ence on your music? I would cite Daedelus, Pete Rock, J Dilla, Flying Lotus and De La Soul. Basically chilled guys who knew how to use good records wisely and make them their own.
You just self-released your first album this year and people are loving it! When did you first start creating music and at what point did you decide you wanted to put an album out? I’ve been creating music for so long now. I was learning keys and guitar at around age eleven. I went on to be in bands, recorded a few EP’s, did mini-tours around the country. I had a few dance records released on vinyl around twenty but I became bored of the 4/4 kick drums. I’m now twenty-four, and I’ve gained the confidence to make a full album. I’ve always been passionate about hip-hop and it just worked out naturally.
Once I have my samples chopped, I just jam them live on the pads. I use a Novation Launchpad which is great for this sort of thing. I make sure everything’s quantized to fit the bars live so it doesn’t sound sloppy! I then mould new beats around the vibe I’m feeling. I add basslines and subtle elements as I go. I have to be really feeling everything I do for the track to work, but I’m so quick at it now. I can make a song I’m really happy with in three or four hours.
Who are some bands/artists that have a heavy influ-
Are there any other non musical influences on your album? Definately the idea of beat-digging in record shops. I like the spontaneity of going out / returning home / creating something new out of something old. Bumpkin is an ode to me. I’m really curious to know, what are some songs you’ve sampled in and what process do you go through to create your music after you’ve picked out what to sample in? On Copulate I sampled Jaki Graham & David Grant’s “Mated”. Its a synthy soul song. I loved it because of the quality of the production, even though the lyrics were terrible. Prefab Sprout “Wild Horses” on Extra Time - it was just quite ethereal and sounded amazing with some added bounce, and chopped up. Mint Condition “Breaking My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)” on Minted. I sampled the song very shortly after I heard it for the first time, I was that inspired.
How’s the new album Volume II coming along? It’s going great. I have a shortlist of about six songs at the moment. Two of them are on the Internet. “Longtime” and
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“Slow N Wet” which have been well recieved and are available to download on my bandcamp page free of charge. I saw some fans have been creating alternate album covers for Volume 1. Have you considered using fans work for your next album cover? Wow yes, its so flattering! I have had a few offers for artwork, and I welcome anyone who wants to submit something to me. Its such a nice gesture for someone to make. I follow artists in my spare time too and I have a few artists I may use for Volume 2. I want the cover to be memorable. You recently told me I would be hearing you on vinyl in September and maybe a little later w/ the Teams collaborations on Brooklyn label Mexican Summer. Does this mean your album in September will be released on Mexican Summer or you will have one later on after September with Mexican Summer? Do you have any other information on this topic? I can tell you my album Volume 2 : Jetpack Jam will be self-released again around late August. The collaborations with Teams will be on Mexican Summer by September, but possibly later. The release schedule is crazy for such an independant but popular label. Of course, Best Coast have taken off too. Also Tamaryn are likely to be quite big. We’re looking at a 5 track EP including the song Close To Me. I’ve heard you’re an avid vinyl collector. What’s your favorite album you own and what will it mean to you once you have a physical copy of your very own record in hand? Favorite album on Vinyl... Hmm, I’m really fond of my Cocteau Twins “Heaven or Las Vegas”
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and also the first UK pressing of Algernon Cadwallader “Some Kind of Cadwallader”. That album is so uplifting to me. Having Star Slinger on vinyl will be rad. I love the fact there’s sampled vinyl on there going onto vinyl again. It’s like double analogue haha. Do you plan or would you like to go on tour? I definitely plan to tour and get out of the country! I really have the urge to aqcuaint myself with the states and the people there. The music scene is so much more catered to me. How would you feel doing shows by yourself? Have you thought of maybe having someone else perform with you? I’ve thought about this! Maybe if I was on tour with Teams, that would be an obvious plus side. We’d get to collaborate in the flesh on stage. Also whoever is on the tour with us at the time, I would try and get them involved too. I recently saw Small Black help out Washed Out on stage, and that was really great. What’s the music scene like in the UK right now? Do you enjoy living there? The music scene here is great, but it is mainly a lot of indie bands. The hip-hop in the UK isn’t really my scene. I’ve been told my sound is more at home in LA. Which drives me to travel even more. How do you feel your album has been perceived thus far? I feel like its been percieved as a summer album which is wonderful. So many have told me it has complemented their summers nicely. Pitchfork featured me with my track “Minted” two months after its release, so I believe it still has some life left in it. Its been a very rewarding response and I’m so greatful to everyone who’s helped spread the music around.
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Text : Stephen Barker Photography : David DeRidder
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NICO TURNER OF VOICESVOICES
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Nico Turner is one half of VOICEsVOICEs alongside Jenean Farris. The band is like My Bloody Valentine wrapped in candyfloss. An analogy that could reflect the innovative bands which VOICEsVOICEs follow in the footsteps of; School Of Seven Bells, Telepathe, and even Pocahaunted. But VOICEsVOICEs approach this kind of music with a very open mind and create a more raw and atmospheric sound. VOICEsVOICEs sets a beautiful backdrop to a starry night, or perhaps a night of drug enhanced pleasure confined by four walls of tie-dye. Their EP covers are not one bit deceiving with the bedazzling and hypnotic galaxies. Turner met Farris at a Xu Xu Fang show. Since forming in 2008, the two have been exploring their sound live as well as in the actual studio. Turner experiments with whatever instruments she sees fit; various keyboards, borrowed guitars, and effects pedals that happen to be at hand. Visually, their songs presents a dreamlike landscape that complements the music perfectly. Their music fits smoothly into the Los Angeles scene. The two aren’t trying to be something they‘re not. They make what they want, not ever caring what the haters think. Nico, who finds inspiration in anything, has played at the well-known LA venue The Smell, released numerous EPs, and has even appeared on a David Bowie tribute album. But that’s all in the past. The future beholds many things; She’ll be lending her voice to Prefuse 73 for his next album. Turner is starting a lot of new musical projects, and will be touring again soon. Their last EP, Origins, was a mix of luscious hazy electronics and mind warping loops. It was produced by none other than Prefuse 73, and it is going to be followed by an album that will be produced by the same person. Nico talked to us about what it was like to work with the proficient electronic musician, what motivates her to produce music and how she ventures into creating music. Prefuse 73 produced your EP Origins, which was released earlier this year. What was it like working with him? And how much input did he have on the end result? Working with Guillermo was like watching a mad scientist at work. Awe inspiring. Amazing. I definitely learned a lot about music and a lot about myself in working so closely with him. It was really a great exercise in collaboration. He didn’t try to take over or tell us it had to be a certain way. If he heard something he would say “Try it this way...” or “let’s layer that!” and if we had an idea we’d describe it to him, but he was usually two steps ahead or already onto the same idea. It was really a perfect match. Because you’ve had an electronic mastermind produce your last EP, are there any plans to work with any one else of high authority on a full length? If not who would you love to work with? I’m looking forward to working with a bunch of LA musicians and again with Prefuse 73. There are a lot of people I’d like to work with or collaborate with... I was recently thinking Neon Indian would be fun to collab with, or The Gaslamp Killer. Any of the Brainfeeder cats coupled with my style of music would be an interesting mix I think. Your sound is similar to bands like School of Seven Bells and Telepathe, but where they have catchy hooks, you focus on a more spacey, atmospheric and unconventional sound. Is that just what comes natural to you? Oh, Catchy hooks and how they elude me. The spacey atmospherics definitely come natural
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to me. When I pick up any instrument (apart from drums), I tend to venture into the sound not looking for anything in particular, no turn or climb, those things always come after. What naturally happens is a melodic meandering, like slow moving colors into darkness. I’d love to be able to write something catchy or at least something more immediately palatable. It would be a challenge, and I like challenges. Because your music is so experimental, what is the thought process you go through when recording or making new music? And what inspires you? Making new music is always inspired by a new sound discovered on any instrument or piece of equipment; a note, a simple melody, sometimes inspiration comes from a photograph or word or color. A lot of it inspired by live shows I see around LA. There’s so much music here and it’s all so fucking great and in your face, and these kids aren’t trying to be cool or sound like anyone. The feeling of pure rebellion, making music just because you can and you love it and you have something to say? That’s brilliantly inspiring. When writing or recording, it’s really a process of taking the world in, shutting it out, then finally listening to yourself in silence and sound. Something like that. Becuse there’s only two of you, and you seem to be pretty close, I wouldn’t think there’s many creative differences. Have you come across any of those yet? Or am I totally wrong and you’re pulling each other’s hair non stop? There’s a lot of hair pulling and disagreements. While we may have had the same idea at one point, it’s always ventured from a completely different angle. We hardly ever look at things with the same point of view. The magic happens when we stop talking and listen to each other. Now your Last.fm biography is very interesting. It explains your live act as “Part performance, part sexual experience” and compares it to “a pod of whales singing to each other in the sky” would you care to explain this? or is that just some over eager fan with an odd fetish? I think those reviews were written early on when there was a lot of sexuality in what we were doing on stage, a lot of what we were doing was new to us so it was exciting and there was a bit of fervor mixed in. There are a lot of whalelike, under water sounds in the music, so that could be considered fairly accurate. I look to inspire people to feel something or to have a visual experience when listening to the sounds I create, so however that happens, eagerly or by fetish, I think it’s good. You’ve recently been getting quite a bit of attention from press. Has this had much of an impact on your live performances or the way that you work? I think for VOICESVOICES it created a lot of pressure. If you begin to think about money or impressing people, as an artist, it completely thwarts creativity. I think the best way to handle attention is to regard it as simply something that’s happening. Accept it, be grateful for it, learn from it if you can, then set it aside and continue in pursuit of your craft. Finally, what’s next for you? You seem to tour alot, is that what you’ll be doing for a while? Keep your eyes open for the tour dates! A lot of new music happening. I’m playing drums for a band now, and Corridor (from Manimal Vinyl) and I are starting a new project. I’m also really excited to be playing with James and Rachel (of Howard Amb, and Dub Bumba). Looking forward to creating new sounds.
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Text : Brian Wilensky Photography : Brian Vu
RAILCARS
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HELLHOUND ON MY TRAIL
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Aria Jalali claims to find inspiration in the, “lack of tight shit,” on his iPod these days. But it’s his deep-seeded passion for medieval history and resurfaced love for 1980’s pop that has fueled the train pulling his current shitgaze project, railcars. Jalali was opening for Montreal’s synth-punk band, Handsome Furs, in 2008 when he put railcars together at very short notice. “The name was picked at the first show because it was unassuming and didn’t give away the genre of music.” Jalali and Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart connected through some mutual friends to work together on his 2008 EP, Cities Vs. Submarines, on Gold Robot Records. “He is one the the most dank producers in the world,” Jalali said. “It was a lot fun, knocked out five pop songs in a nutty three days.” On railcars’ most recent release, October 2009’s, Cathedral with No Eyes on Stumparumper Records, Jalali added even more fuzz to his noise pop and wrote about a man that has always fascinated him - Saint Edmund. “I’ve always been into him, others like him, and that era; it’s what I studied in school,” he said. “I think he had a fascinating and insane short blip of a life. It’s hard to believe people lived these lives we read about.” Earlier this year, Jalali was receiving flack from people on Kickstarter when he began asking for funding for his current project: a cover of Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love. While it’s projected to be finished this year, Jalali claims to be about “fifty percent done.” “Before recording a single note, my inbox was flooded with hate mail,” he said. “I’m aware there was no way I could have made it as good as hers. That was never my goal. [I wanted to] Just ‘pay tribute,’ but more specifically, to outfit the brilliant pop cores of her songs with more modern textures and sounds so that the narrow-minded indie kid of today who would totally discount her jams because they ‘sound so ‘80s’ could listen to it and say, ‘oh man, she really did write some gems, huh?’ I regret even bothering with it everyday.” railcars’ tracks will be set in a couple directions at once for the rest of 2010. In addition to his Kate Bush recreation, Jalali has two other albums in progress: the anticipated first full length railcars album and Jalali’s first band from seven years ago, Gypsy Treasures. “Between these three albums I’m recording, I’m basically banking on living in my hermit cave until the end of the year wrapping them up. If it all goes well, maybe I will make some money, I’ve had my eye on a pair of shoes at the local Foot Locker.”
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Text : Simon Vanderveen Photography : Brian Vu
WAX IDOLS
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Stop for a moment and think about what makes you genuinely happy. This is a something you should ask yourself each and every single day. Heather Fedewa cannot wrap her head around why people aren’t pursuing what they love to do, why they’re married to someone they cannot stand, why they have kids that they don’t pay attention to, or even buy things that they just don’t need. After recently getting kicked out of a couple bands, Fedewa knew it was time to get serious with a solo project she’s been working on more or less since the age of eighteen. Fedewa is the brains behind Oakland’s noise-punk solo project Wax Idols. With influences from The Fall and Joy Division to her guilty pleasure, Justin Timberlake, she fits naturally in the current rock niche. For Fedewa, music is the only thing that makes her happy. It’s an outlet to express her feelings, which she jokes as always being miserable. With first listen, it is evident that Fedewa is passionate about making music for herself and and doesn’t believe in holding anything back. She isn’t afraid to say what is on her mind and advises you to not take it so seriously. Wax Idols have only played five shows with the recruitment of a prior band-mate and friends Paul Keelan, Ashley Thomas, Courtney Gray, and several other drummers coming in and out for the role. With an upcoming release on cassette / flexi-disc with PSYCHIC SNERTS and a debut LP in the works, Fedewa has been keeping herself busy. The group recently traveled to Southern California where the band played a couple of shows and a local music festival. This interview took place right when Fedewa returned home. Hi Heather, how was your trip back to San Francisco? What were some highlights during your stay in Southern California? Hey dude, the trip home was great! Our air conditioner works, we stopped at In-n-out, listened to The Troggs and stuff, it was chill. I got stoned and forgot how to drive for a while, but it was fine. Just got home. Best part of our SOCAL adventure was playing with THE ZEROS for sure. JJRADFEST in general was a total blast, who knew San Diego was so cool? I honestly didn’t. We played beach volleyball. Paul went boogey boarding. Our show in LA was weird, we played in a pirate themed bar and Ashley and I’s amps went out on stage at the exact same time. Cass McCombs was there, that kind of made me nervous. I know he’s just “a guy” but you know, he’s kind of amazing. we broke even, which is a huge relief because I’m really poor. The trip was an overall success! What bands did you play in before Wax Idols? What instruments did you play for them?I played drums in Bare Wires and I played lead guitar in Hunx & His Punx but I got kicked out of both of those bands. It’s cool. HUNX RULES! I technically started BLASTED CANYONS with my friend Matt Jones before I got Wax Idols really put together, we do musical
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chairs so I play guitar, drums, and synths. I’m still in that band though. Love it. Where, when, and why did you start Wax Idols? How did you form your live band with Ashley and Paul? Also, You’ve had a few live drummers, are you looking for a set drummer right now? Well Wax Idols is my solo project, and I’ve been doing it in some shape or form since I was 18. But earlier this year I had this burst of creativity/ productivity and wrote all these new songs that I really loved so I figured it was time to put a live band together. Ashley and I kind of knew each other from shows and stuff, she was looking to join/start a new band because her other band The Splinters, have gone on a sort of hiatus for the time being so she joined Wax Idols on guitar. Paul and I were in Bare Wires together, but he got kicked out too so I asked him to join because he’s a great bass player and all around cool guy. The drummer thing is weird, yeah. Courtney (also from The Splinters) is technically the drummer but she recently got this job that prohibits her from playing shows Wednesday through Saturday, so I’ve had to find people to fill in for her lately. It sucks but she’s such a great fit and I love her to death, so I don’t know what’s going to happen! Can you name some particular bands in the garage, post-punk scene that inspire you? Lately I basically only listen to Wire, The Fall, Killing Joke, Joy Division, Wipers, and The Screamers... not sure why. Dead Like You is such an all-powerful and gutsy song, could you tell us what it is about? It’s a pretty straight forward song. Someone I loved died, and it was fucked up and hard to deal with. I went through a period of time where I was scared to sleep because I felt so haunted, and I basically lost my mind. It felt like I was dead too. It’s about that. What was your most memorable Wax Idols show you’ve played so far? We’ve only played five shows and they’ve all been pretty memorable! We played in the middle of a half pipe at Strange Dog 3, and we just played with The Zeros. I still can’t get over that. What would you say is the best and worst thing about doing what you love? Well it makes me really happy, you know? Music is basically the only thing that has ever made me happy, or it at least makes me feel better about the world. Everyone should do what they love. I don’t understand how people spend their lives working piece of shit jobs that they hate, married to someone they can’t stand, having kids they don’t pay attention to, buying things they don’t need, etc. It’s never made any sense to me. I don’t know how to do anything other than what I’m doing, there’s no back up plan. The shitty thing is that I am usually pretty miserable when I write songs, I don’t think I’ve written a “happy” song ever actually. It’s a catch 22 [laughs].
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Text : Vicky Lim Photography : David DeRidder
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PURE ECSTASY
IS PURE ECSTASY.
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Austin’s Pure Ecstasy knows how to shape a mood of lazy, feel-good noise by recording on lo-fi with heavy reverb. The trio is led by Nate Grace and band mates Jesse Jenkins and Austin Youngblood who formed in the spring of 2009 after a few jam sessions. Since then, they have released a series of singles, including Voices on Acéphale and a split 7” with SLEEP ∞ OVER on Light Lodge Records. Their debut fulllength album is scheduled for release this year. Performing their songs with a tone of non-chalance, Pure Ecstasy invites listeners to join them in a figurative high, to become drowsy in a wash of sunshine, and to experience their music simply and without much thought. How was your west coast tour? What was your favorite show to play? Jesse Jenkins: My favorite shows were in Los Angeles. We played an instore at Origami Vinyl up on this fifteen foot tall ledge balcony thing. I tend to close my eyes when I play, but I had to keep opening them to see how close to the edge I was. Nate Grace: The tour was chill. I really dug the UC Irvine show. Kids were getting dirty on the dancefloor. Real positive vibes. Plus I love skating the crazy hills on that campus. Austin Youngblood: Show Cave in LA was a nice way to kick the whole thing off. Really casual space. ‘Cassette-Jockey’ Matthew David dished out the perfect vibe. Some other bro was doing the best improv projections. All the bands held it down. Couldn’t ask for more. Why do you prefer to play house shows rather than venues? What was your most memorable house show and why? NG: House shows generally have chiller vibes and people seem more receptive. But you never know. I used to go to these house shows at my friends house in Denton when I was in high school. They called it The People’s House. Those shows were always insane, people wasted everywhere, and naked dudes. AY: Seems pretty simple. House shows are generally free, and you don’t have to blow twenty-five bucks to get drunk. People are much more positive when they’re not getting ripped off. How’s the current music scene in Austin, TX? NG: It’s fine. 100,000 bands going at once like always. AY: Once you figure out what to ignore, it sounds great. How did you guys all meet? AY: We started skating and jamming together. Can you tell us about your songwriting process? NG: I have a ritual where I light three candles- one for Jean Genet, one for Kim Kardashian, and one for Henry Rockafeller. Then I stand on my head for six minutes while reciting
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the only religious scripture I know, “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one; for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.” Then I eat a Slim Jim and shit out a song. What are some non-musical influences that you have? NG: Pluto (the planet), A Natural History of the Dead, Scrooge McDuck, and Tupac’s acting skills. AY: Dale Jr. What bands in particular are you currently into right now? AY: NIKE7UP isn’t really a band, but he’s worth being into. JJ: We got to play with Speculator in LA. They’re killing it. Their whole vibe sounds like a rusted gold camero blasting across the sky. This other band we played with in San Francisco called Melted Toys has a similar thing going on. Look out for them. NG: I’m way into Silent Diane from Austin. They’re gonna smash. That and OFWGKTA. Why do you choose to record live rather than track by track? JJ: We try to record songs as soon as possible after they are written. The only way i’ve found to capture the freshness of a new song is to record live. Trying to track stuff and get every part perfect kills a lot of the excitement and personality thats in the room when you’re just playing songs. we try to get the vibe right in the room, get a good take of the song, then move on. NG: Yeah, I used to think that recording track by track was the only way to do it. Like everyone I knew assumed that recording like that was the only way. There are certain advantages but I think you lose so much more than you gain. Shit sounds too sterile, like it is recorded in a hospital. How did your release with Sleep ∞ Over come about? Was it your idea or the labels? JJ: It was our idea. Ours and SLEEP ∞ OVER’s. We’re all friends and both of the bands sort of started around the same time. We wanted to do a masculine/feminine, yin/yang record. You guys have released a few 7 inches and tapes. Is there an album in the works? If so, what can you tell us about that? What’s your ultimate direction for the band? NG: An album is in the works and with any luck it will be out before the snake finally gets hold of it’s tail. Our ultimate direction is up, up, down down, left, right, left right. And after all of this, how does it feel to finally return to Texas? NG: It feels good to eat Tamale House again. JJ: We were only gone for a week and a half. Feels hotter.
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Text and Photography : Brian Vu
SLEEP ∞ OVER
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Christa Palazzolo, Sarah Brown, and Stefanie Franciotti make up Austin’s SLEEP ∞ OVER. The band just finished their first tour throughout the west coast with fellow Texans and best friends Pure Ecstasy. “We’ve been here before in other bands, but this was our first SLEEP ∞ OVER tour to the west. Some of the people we met were totally wild, but we also got to hang with a lot of our friends the whole time so it was great.” Palazzolo, Brown, and Franciotti made a list of possible band names and decided upon SLEEP ∞ OVER. Having been around for only a year, the band is in it’s early stages. However, the three have known each other since they were young teenagers. “We all played in a soccer team together while in middle school. We have been jamming together for awhile, so it wasn’t a big deal to get this band together.” The band is known for their alpha psychedelic dream-pop sound. When it comes to songwriting, SLEEP ∞ OVER’s process is very natural and organic. “Our recordings capture what our songs sound like fresh off the dome. I feel like recording while you write forces you to make creative choices super quickly, and that excitement is very important for us to get on the recording. Performing live wavers between states of total nervousness and release. It just depends on what’s happening and the vibes.” The band’s themes and lyrics are based upon whatever ideas float around in their minds. “It varies, but we have tried to record songs as soon as we get the idea for them, which helps us arrange it in ways that wouldn’t be immediately apparent otherwise. We’re not writing an essay, they’re lyrics. Each song is different. We start singing and the words appear.” Whether on vinyl or cassette, the band have been selling out release after release. SLEEP ∞ OVER’s first release was on NIGHT PEOPLE, a four track cassette. They had two songs on the sold out Dark As Night compilation cassette on Bathetic alongside oOoOO, TERMINAL TWILIGHT, and S U R V I V E. SLEEP ∞ OVER quickly sold out the preorders of their latest 7” on Forest Family Records. They also released a 7” split with Pure Ecstasy on Light Lodge that is still available for purchase. SLEEP ∞ OVER just started working on writing a full length album that will be out this winter and will continue playing as many shows as possible.
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ALBUM REVIEWS Text : Damanjit Lamba Tom Murphy Danny Chau
Noah Doles Carolyn Helmers Simon Vanderveen
Thom Lucero Evan Adams Thomas Fricilone
Stephen Barker Brian Hunt Ace Ubas
Brian Wilensky T. Patrick M端ller
November & the Criminal EP Self-Released Text : Tom Murphy
British guitar bands have been in a dire state of listless introversion and tireless self-referencing for a long time. Bands like Joy Division and the Stone Roses have been stylistically plundered so thoroughly that it sometimes seems like existing styles of indie music are nothing more than pastiches of clichés. However recently, from this wasteland of regurgitant disrespect for fellow musicians and general creative laziness have arisen a few heroes with more novel and composite approaches to music which are serving to revitalise it somewhat. November & the Criminal, a young band hailing from Worcester whose dynamic genre blending and relentless work ethic, may well become one of these rare few if this EP is anything to go by. To massively oversimplify things, their sound is an admixture of epic, shimmering guitar landscapes inspired by post-rock bands like Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai and accessible but smart indie pop with dashes of gritty Slint-esque discord. In practice this allows them just the right compromise between the transcendental and ethereal force of more experimental forms of music and accessibility and honesty. The music can therefore be ambitious without being pretentious, complex but listenable. In short this is a tremendously promising release from a band that, while not quite yet at the absolute top of their game, have already managed to sculpt out their own place in the world of music without sacrificing their integrity. With this EP they have produced three songs way above the standard a lot of far more established names have been producing. Blitzen Trapper Destroyer of the Void Sub Pop Text : Simon Vanderveen
Blitzen Trapper is known for their signature alt-country rock sound and their new album Destroyer Of The Void drifts slightly away from what the indie-stars are known for, but still are able to keep up with a competent album. Lead lyricist Eric Earley of Blitzen Trapper shows no dulling of the proverbial songwriting sword, with tracks like the genre-bending album opener “Destroyer Of The Void”, talking about the temporal-nature of all our earthly possessions. And the rest of the album reflecting the rest of Earley’s usual topics of love, religion, and general storytelling. Though the lyrics seem to be up to par, the sound of the new album varies from Blitzen’s previous style to a point where some may be turned off, despite containing a near copy of “Black River Killer”. The power-country twang that existed before, has since been changed into a sound that makes my mind bring up other bands like The Band or Sufjan Stevens, which some may enjoy. I adored the ability to nearly blow my car speakers with the hits on the other albums, this album suffices as more of a chill-out record. Though, Destroyer Of The Void carries a different flair, lacking the now-past rock band element, this may help push their now more easy-to-listen-to sound into a more mainstream market. Which is probably the audience where it will get the most enjoyment from.
Best Coast Crazy For You Mexican Summer Text : Brian Wilensky
Best Coast’s leader, Bethany Cosentino really misses someone. Really misses someone, a lot. She can’t get him out off of her mind throughout Best Coast’s entire first album on Mexican Summer Records, appropriately titled, Crazy For You. As the primary songwriter, she sounds very juvenile in a young adult sort of way with power pop songs that have more catchy vocals than musical movements. But it’s undeniable strength is that songs like, “Boyfriend,” title track “Crazy for You,” “Our Deal,” and “When the Sun Don’t Shine,” among others, get their hook from being super sing-alongs. The problem within singing along with this album is that it may get a little weird (unless you’re female of course) when songs like the aforementioned, “Boyfriend,” gets stuck in your head- “I Wish He was My Boyfriend/There’s Nothing Worse than Sittin’ All Alone at Home/And Waitin’ Waitin’ Waitin’ Waitin’ Waitin’ by the Phone/I Hope that He’s Home Waiting by his Phone/I Wonder if He Knows that I Want Him.” Singing all the “Ooohs” and “Aaahs” on, Crazy For You in your car with the sun in your face, beach somewhere nearby, knowing there’s nowhere to be on this Saturday afternoon, will fill void of not having found an album in recent years with quite as much “Ooohing” and “Aaahing” as this one. It’s everywhere. Just as one thinks the album is going to take a new turn, the space is filled with more “Oooh” and “Aaah.” Which creates a problem: There’s no variety here. Also, Crazy For You is a far cry from the fuzzy, stoned-gazing-into-the-floor rock we saw on past releases such as their 7” singles release, The Sun Was High(So Was I), on Art Fag Records. Although this album is extremely catchy, making it memorable as a debut, it falls short of musical variety. This short, thirtyone minute album is missing something: That someone Ms. Cosentino is “Ooohing” and “Aaahing” over. Please, come back, whoever you are, so Best Coast has someone to get as high as the Sun with again.
Wolf Parade Expo 86 Sub Pop Text : Stephen Barker
If you’re looking for the second rotting Canadian collective’s painstakingly awful new album this year after the Dissapointing new Broken Social Scene, look elsewhere. Possibly my favourite Canadian Band has managed to keep their crown and reign over the rest. When an album with such high expectations is released, anything can happen, unless you are someone with so much respect from critics, like James Murphy, or Joanna Newsom. Or Spencer Krug. But Spencer Krug is an acquired taste and I can tell you right now, not everyone is going to like it, no matter how much you try. Expo 86 demands repeat listens, if you reject this album upon hearing it once, your opinion is invalid. It is by all means a ‘grower’ album. Despite long waits between albums, everyone knows the Parade is always busy providing fans with extortionate amounts of music in epic proportions. This, their longest album, is very scattered in sound. If you’re listening on headphones, so many things are going on in each corner. This isn’t always a good thing, and in parts, there’s just way too much happening. Subtlety isn’t Wolf Parade’s greatest forte. This is because of the amount of brain power and cooperation that goes into every song, It’s unreal and very unique but can on occasion clash. It’s rare that Spencer Krug goes more than just a few months without releasing more creative songs with his signature trademark(s) all over them, whether it be 20 minute opus’ about dream sequences (Marimba and Shit-Drums) or a rendition of one of his older songs (Paper Lace). Although not full on concepts, Krug likes to take on recurring themes throughout albums. For me, Spencer Krug’s whimsical music has become more of a religion than anything else. The opening song gets straight to the point, there’s no building or slowly easing you in to it like “You Are a Runner and I am My Father’s Son.” It’s harsh delivery and Krug’s deliberate high and low pitch yelping makes it comparable to Frog Eyes. It also has classic Krug lyrics. As always, Arlen Thompson’s drums on the Wolf Parade albums are pretty beast like. They guide the spirit of the song along at whatever atmospherically positioned point the song is in. There’s always the heart pounding drums alongside it. The drums make the already well crafted songs broodingly bodied. A trick that will pull any Wolf Parade fan’s heartstrings. Two minutes into “Little Golden Age” an epic guitar riff takes over your whole body in an uncontrollable way. If you’re on the bus, you can’t help but bob your head. If you’re elsewhere, bobbing your head is the least you’ll be doing. The album is full of moments like these, dotted around in small corners. They’re short bursts of energy. You can throw away your morning Red Bull or Relentless and replace it with any song off Expo. People are saying that the batch of songs on this album sounds just like the front men’s side projects (Handsome Furs/Sunset Rubdown). Whereas Handsome Furs is more electronic and Sunset Rubdown has more of a rock vibe, Wolf Parade has always sat nicely in the middle. People are forgetting that this was the band that formed first and that if it sounds similar to sunset rubdown/handsome furs, it’s because they are the same members; they have their own style of musicianship. Nothing can be done about that. After At Mount Zoomer, I had a theory that Wolf Parade would return with their sound. They’ve made two pretty different albums; next, they’ll return with something that combines the best of both worlds. This is exactly what Expo 86 does, but it isn’t necessarily better. No, it isn’t as good as At Mount Zoomer or Apologies, but it does have some of Boekner’s best writing. And in that respect, some of his best crafted music to date. Cave-o-Sapien isn’t the best closing track, but does have the potential to be something epic. The band didn’t take advantage of the song’s obvious aspects. Overall, a worthy sequel. It’s lacklustre Lucozade. The world the band has created is evolving. Also, the artwork is fucking amazing.
Menomena Mines Barsuk Text : Danny Chau
It’s been 10 years since Menomena was formed, seven years since their debut album was released. Then, they were brash youngsters making inventive tunes, dabbled in the playfully absurd. 10 years forward, with the release of Mines, the trio of Danny Seim, Brent Knopf, and Justin Harris are older, but not necessarily wiser—something that grows increasingly evident as the album pushes through. Though, that’s not necessarily a fault. Who says we ever learn from our mistakes? Shades of vintage Menomena peek through every once in a while, but Mines is a notably different experience from any of their two previous full-length albums. The band’s first two albums housed labyrinths in no rush to be solved. Mines reads much like an open book. They have nothing to hide, and for any longtime Menomena fan, that could be a bit hard to swallow. Opening track, “Queen Black Acid” is a straightforward ballad, detailing the fear that inevitably sweeps a relationship in an undertow. It’s honest and vulnerable. It’s hard to restrain the empathy that grows with every listen. These guys aren’t conquering the day anymore. Songs like “Bote” (My wit’s getting weak / The sea’s on the rise / And here I sit exposed / A toppled ironside) show that they’re grounded in reality, and wading through the muck, just like the rest of us. Fourth and fifth tracks “Dirty Cartoons” and “Tithe” serve as the album’s most promising package deal. The songs don’t boast the most complicated choruses (“I’d like to go home,” and “Nothing sounds appealing,” respectively), but brevity has no bearing on poignancy. The trio strikes an improbable balance of mundane and grand, making the mundane sound so dire. But what set these songs apart are the swarming harmonies of moans and coos. Menomena have left their labyrinths at home, and have emerged with their hearts on their sleeves. And they find out, as we all do, that sometimes, words don’t do emotions justice. In regards to how different Mines is compared to their prior work, “Oh Pretty Boy, You’re Such a Big Boy” is perhaps the most telling song on the album. Harris, who sings lead, finds himself as bare as he is in the album’s opener. He is quick to point out his slow deterioration (Hold my hands, feel them shake / I fear I’m showing my age). The band’s awareness of its increasing frailty is, frankly, a bit overwhelming. But growing old isn’t all bad. “Sleeping Beauty” is a bittersweet look at life at a step back. A look at the odd and memorable, of the sad times, and hysterical. The song is a moment of clarity, where memories converge right before they’re laid to rest. Mines is a concession. After a decade, Menomena aren’t coming of age anymore. They are of age. And they aren’t so much coming to terms with it, as they are trying to figure out why. This isn’t a journey with a conclusion. It’s an ongoing process marred with confusion and disgrace. They don’t find all the answers, so neither do we. We can only listen and empathize. Because we’re either stuck in the same rut, or we’re bracing for what will inevitably come too soon.
Wavves King Of The Beach Fat Possum Text : Simon Vanderveen
You may have heard of Wavves before. In previous albums, he’s shown us that he really enjoys his band name, keeping certain track titles on different albums the same, and getting high. Wavves’ third LP entitled King Of Beach certainly shows that they still follow through with showcasing two of those things. Wavves’ first albums could be described as lazy surf rock with an ear-rattling lo-fi effect, which turned out to be really enjoyable. King Of Beach differs from Wavves’ earlier product with a distinguishable voice and the introduction of a variety of new effects. The result is an album that sounds great and stands out in the noise-rock scene due to how fun and catchy every track is: “I won’t ever die/I’ll just go surfin’ in my mind” yells front man Nathan Williams in the song “Idiot”. The lazy, yet ohso-meaningful lyrics add a novelty that seems to come from a sort of “summer fun” mood from the band. That mood carries the rest of the album and really amounts to a careless attitude; exampled in the tracks “Convertible Balloon” and “Baseball Cards” where Williams just sings about simply, not wanting to do anything or the act of just lying in his Convertible Balloon. But somehow they kept things fresh on each track, demonstrating how creative and talented the members of Wavves really are (or is it all just weed-fueled?). It may seem I’m just a Wavves shill, but I’ve truly enjoyed this record to no foreseeable end. Some may dislike the constant up-tempo mood or the sometimes-nonsensical lyrics, but this is surely an album-of-the-year contender for myself. Ceremony Rohnert Park Bridge 9 Text : Carolyn Helmers
After firmly establishing themselves in the hardcore world, San Francisco band Ceremony has released Rohnert Park, their third full length. Their previous two were blasts of heavy hardcore punk, mixing thrash with angry breakdowns. Rohnert Park, however, is by far their most experimental endeavor. With more tuneful songs, Rohnert Park takes a sharp turn from their short and to the point one-minute anthems. Each song has a discernible and catchy melody, a far cry from their usual noise assault. The album even holds their first slow song, “The Doldrums,” a droning and subdued track that describes living in a state of perpetual boredom and apathy. Yet the energy of Ceremony has not changed at all. The lyrics are angrier than ever, with singer Ross Farrar loudly describing everything he hates in the first song (“sick of hearing lies/sick of mankind”). Many of the songs are more autobiographical, a sharp turn from the anti-religion chants and social commentary, although that can be found “The Pathos.” Rohnert Park is an unexpected release from Ceremony. While their style is changing, the subject matter is still their signature brand of angst and frustration. As the bleak lyrics mesh with harmonious music, Ceremony establishes itself as one of the most compelling bands in hardcore today.
Ty Segall Melted Goner Text : Noah Doles
There’s no doubt about it, the psychedelic garage rock scene has been growing drastically and Ty Segall, from San Francisco, California, is among many other talented garage rockers from the bay area, though he’s arguably creating some of the greatest music from the scene. Melted, is his 3rd album and also sophomore release on the Memphis based record label, Goner Records. The album is short at just thirty minutes long and like past albums, packs a fast, yet heavy punch. Out of all the tracks on the album though, not one packs a punch quite as heavy as the opening track ‘Finger’. It starts off slow and breezy but quickly picks up and turns into a psychedelic cesspool abundant in distortion and reverb. ‘Finger’ is like a blast from the past, bringing you right back to the 60’s, while making you feel as if you were slowly suffocating in the thickness of quicksand while tripping on acid all at the same time. The next couple of tracks bring a slight change of pace to the album, switching from the heavy distortion on ‘Finger’ to the much easier on the ears, quick strumming of the guitar in ‘Caesar’ along with hand clapping in ‘Girlfriend’. Both also include usage of the piano which is a nice addition to the album. The self-titled track couldn’t have a more suitable name than Melted. Right from the beginning it opens up with an extremely high pitched screech of reverb and is soon followed by some serious amounts of fuzz coming from Ty on the guitar. Put this together with that amazing loop a little more than half way through and you have the perfect recipe for a very psychedelic 2 minutes and 13 seconds that will “melt” your face off! Then you have a song like ‘Imaginary Person’, where the catchy riff along with the tambourine are key elements in forming the most pop-like song throughout the album. This is a perfect example of the albums diversity, in both sound, and style, though it all sounds similar enough for the tracks to work great together. Along with many other albums out there in the genre, Melted also tends to have that sort of care free vibe that’s really big right now. Even the lyrics are very concise. Some people may frown upon that, but what other way is there to do it when you’re in a garage rock band!? That being said, Melted does seem to be a bit more finished from a production standpoint compared to the past two albums. With his most recent only being thirty minutes long, Ty cranks out some seriously good quality stuff; trying a few new things and even bringing some different instruments into the mix this time around. If you’re into the garage rock/lo-fi scene at all, you’ll more than likely find this album near the top of your list by the end of the year because Ty Segall did a great job on this one!
Conspiracy of Owls Conspiracy of Owls Burger Text : Thom Lucero
I don’t think a day passes in which I don’t marvel at how rich the world is with great music right now. With healthy dose of political and economic strife, new forms of media, and the near-universal presence of exciting new technology, our generation is poised on the verge of a mammoth wave of creativity on par with that of the mid-late ‘60s psychedelic boom or the late ‘70s/early ‘80s post-punk revolution. Thanks to laptop recording technology, almost anyone has the ability to record whatever’s going on in their head; thanks to the internet, instantaneous sharing of art can be done in a few mouse clicks; and thanks to rising unemployment, an increasing number of people now have excess time to kill. The result is an overwhelming, all-encompassing musical presence. With this massive proliferation of aural art jockeying for the internet-surfer’s attention, it can be quite a daunting task for a band or musician to stand out, to really reach out and blow someone’s mind. Detroit, Michigan’s Conspiracy of Owls, however, did just that for me. Prior to picking up their self-titled tape on Burger Records, I didn’t know much about them. I hadn’t even heard any of their music. All I had were a couple nuggets of information and some recommendations from a few select, trusted friends; I believe their statements went something like, “This is the best thing I’ve heard in a long, long time.” As it turns out, that’s no exaggeration; every time I listen to this album, it completely blows me away. The precedents are there: the pummeling drums and rolling basslines of opener “Puzzle People” and “Let the Sirens Go” recall golden-age ‘70s rock; there’s a little Beach Boys in the vocals and arrangements of “Ancient Robots” and “The New Me”; and the soaring guitar solos and drifting synth parts scattered throughout the album are reminiscent of Pink Floyd at their peak. But to go through a list of influences is a futile exercise indeed, not to mention it completely misses the point. All great works of art are a balance between influence and originality, between past and present (and future); a great artist filters the innovations of the past through their own tendencies to create a unique vision of the future. Conspiracy of Owls does this and more. It is a stunner back-to-back. It’s a perfect amalgamation of rock and roll energy and swagger, psychedelic texture, and pop songwriting as they have existed and progressed over the last 60 years. It’s probably my favorite album that’s come out this year, and maybe last year too. And, lastly, it’s one of the many reasons why I’m so unbelievably grateful and excited to be alive and conscious at this time in musical history. Go out and get it now, and don’t stop listening until their next one comes out. I know I won’t.
Superhumanoids Urgency Hit City Text : Thomas Fricilone
Superhumanoids’ debut EP, Urgency, is a slow drift through a semi electronic dreamscape. The melodic lines of each song keep you floating without ever fully touching the ground. Occasional small steps can deliver some significance of path or direction, but as a whole, the tracks end exactly where they’ve begun. Dynamically there are some golden moments, especially on Cranial Contest, the timid verse blasts into a rewarding chorus, unfortunately this trick can only get you so far as proven by the later song’s imitations on the same theme. The drums seem well produced for what is considered a “bedroom” recording. The combination of live drums and samples give for a unique sound, hopefully future recordings will delve into more interesting patterns. Several track’s drums seem to be distorted, unsure if this was a compression or aesthetic choice, but it gave too abrasive of a sound for a genre not meant to disturb the ears. The biggest drawback of the record is the difficulty in understanding the lyrics. Although on-pitch and beautifully performed, they drift between comprehendible words and ambient sounds. What the listener can make out of the vague lyrics leave little to explore. All I wanna do is feel / but sometimes I feel too much, give no insight into the singer’s emotion or experience of life. Words for filler greatly obstruct what could be a wonderfully heartfelt song. The standout instrumentation comes from the cleanly produced electric guitar. Consistently strong with solid parts that lead the song if not completely guide you through it. The keyboards seem to have the job of wrapping innocent melodies around the song’s outer edges to hold everything together like a thick glue, or perhaps syrup on a pancake. For a debut EP the Superhumanoids have not done a bad job, the tracks show a lot of promise for the future. However, their path involves many artists making music very similar to their sound, it will be a struggle to stick out from the pack. The band must find the reasons they’re unique, find the individuality ever band needs to be considered for higher success. The Superhumanoids have a good start, now they must land their feet on the ground and choose to move forward.
The Radio Dept Clinging to a Scheme Labrador Text : Evan Adams
If you’ve followed Swedish pop outfit the Radio Dept. at all through the last few years, you’re well aware by now that the group is not afraid to try new things. Although their catalogue includes only three full-length albums, each release marks new directions the band has taken during its career; from the lo-fi shoegaze of 2003’s Lesser Matters to the 80s-inspired fuzz-pop of 2006’s Pet Grief, the Radio Dept. are known for experimenting with their sound. Here’s the fundamental question, however: why change a reliable and ultimately satisfying formula? If it isn’t broken, in other words, why “fix” it? Yes, the Radio Dept. have used perfectly successful devices on each album for creating atmospheric melodies and charming hooks - approaches that didn’t necessarily require altering or improving. They don’t seem interested in change for the sake of change, though; rather, any adjustments in sound have helped forward the band’s natural evolution. On their third album, Clinging to a Scheme, for instance, it is evident that the band is continuing to mature organically, retaining their idiosyncratic sensibilities but adopting new techniques that complement and expand upon them. That is, while their newest release is wholly distinct from previous efforts, it is unmistakably a Radio Dept. album. Every song still highlights the airy, gorgeous, and seemingly effortless vocals associated with the Radio Dept. - arguably their greatest strength as a band - and the dreamy quality of their sound is still safely intact. Furthermore, their unique and subtle brand of shoegaze continues to underlie their melodies in songs like “This Time Around,” “The Video Dept.,” and “Four Months in the Shade,” as if paying homage, in playful twee fashion, to bands like the Jesus and Mary Chain and New Order. This time around, however, many of their tracks are accented by sunny Balearic beats and rhythms, namely the delightful and catchy “Heaven’s on Fire,” an effect that brings to mind fellow Swedish acts like jj, the Tough Alliance, and Air France (jumping on that bandwagon was inevitable, I suppose). And album highlight “Never Follow Suit” even samples reggae stylings - while the excellent “David” forwards a type of 90s house-funk. That being said, sampling such new, disparate styles and proving their willingness to mature musically - while staying true to their original vision - makes Clinging to a Scheme their most exciting album to date. It’s as dense as it is light and breezy, and in only ten songs the Radio Dept. leave an indelible impression that will likely resonate and lend itself to many of 2010’s “best” lists. And even though it’s too early to predict a release date for the group’s fourth release, I’m already curious about the direction it will take.
Coma Cinema Stoned Alone Self-Released Text : Evan Adams
On title track “Stoned Alone,” South Carolinian Mat Cothran, aka Coma Cinema, repeats, amidst soulful backing vocals, the simple but compelling phrase, “I don’t believe in what I believed in for such a long time.” As this song and the rest of the album, Stoned Alone, seem to suggest, Cothran isn’t afraid to bring his introspection to the forefront; and fortunately for the listener, such personal reflection produces great art. What is immediately noticeable on Stoned Alone is Cothran’s ability to make songs – despite their poignant subjects and deeply delicate lyrics – sound light and uplifting. He accomplishes such a feat, I believe, through his keen sense of pop arrangement, which feels inspired - at least in part - by pioneers of tight hooks and melodies like the Beach Boys and the Beatles, as well as more contemporary, introspective pop outfits like Yo La Tengo, the Magnetic Fields, and Elliot Smith. In opener “In Lieu of Flowers,” for instance, the gentle guitar strum and subtle trumpet track allow the song to soar to impressive heights, and the subsequent track – “Black Birthday Cake” – chimes in triumphantly with a strong piano lead and cheerful hand claps. And in tracks like “Only,” “Come on Apathy!” and album highlight “Sucker Punch,” Cothran maintains his tight grip on structure, using well-placed vocal techniques and driving and varied percussion to make the contrast between somber and joyful all the more striking and effective. With no track exceeding the three-minute mark, the album moves along quickly and cohesively. I’m not sure if that type of delivery was deliberate or not, but it would make sense if it was; such emotive songs, forwarded so concisely, encourage repeated listens. And frequent, mindful plays of Stoned Alone will reveal the underlying theme that the interplay between the music and lyrics so beautifully highlights: hopefulness during life’s bleakest moments.
Tame Impala Innerspeaker Modular Text : Damanjit Lamba
The last Aussie band I was really into was The Vines. This sad revelation made me even more elated when listening to Australia’s latest assemblage of gangly two-bit tokers, Tame Impala. Psychedelic rock tends to garner little interest these days as most of us have enough Pink Floyd to light up to for a lifetime. However, Tame Impala can be seen as a hybrid band of classics such as Floyd but with added flourishes of innovation and grunge. Their output has a dream-inducing vibe but their suspension of consciousness isn’t permanent. They’ve perfected a musical formula that allows for a lot of atmospheric noise and a hint of jazz-infusion to ensure their songs don’t get lost in a sea of psychedelia. Kevin Parker has a beautiful understated voice that is a crossover between Syd Barret and John Lennon. Even when he says “The only one who’s really judging you is yourself” in “Alter Ego” you can’t help but fall for the guy. It’s always impressive when a vocalist can come across strongly while concurrently battling musical embellishsments. Specks of The Beatles are sprinkled throughout the album and hit you at certain verses. “Solitude Is Bliss” is a party for one that erupts with gurgling guitars and rattling drums. Conversely, tracks like “The Bold Arrow of Time” maintain burgeoning Hendrix-fuelled strumming backed with drawn out vocals and an unhurried bass line. You’ve got to love a psychedelic group that refuses to veer off into hazy oblivion.
Cut Chemist Sound of the Police A Stable Sound / Soul Kitchen Text : Damanjit Lamba
Cut is an LA-based disc jockey who was a member of Jurassic 5 before he went solo to refine his turntable skills. His second album, Sound of the Police, cements his position among the mavens of turntablism as the live mix was born out of only one Technics turntable, a Rane mixer, and a Boss RC50 loop pedal. Only original 7-inch and LP pressings that encapsulate a mix of African and South American tunes were used. Sound of the Police was put together from Cut’s opening set for Mulatu Astatke’s first Los Angeles performance; a set that wasn’t meant for the ears of anyone outside the venue housing Astatke and Cut that night. Known as the father of Ethio-jazz, Mulatu Astatke is renowned for his combination of jazz and Latin American influences with Ethiopian folk music. This record was clearly influenced by the scope of Astatke’s infusions and the bombastic nature of Ethiopian military bands. The two 20-minute mixes are titled “West Side” and “East Side” and are suited to the day and night respectively. While “West Side” brings up thoughts of drinks on the beach, “East Side” captures a dark gypsy aesthetic with a sense of mystery surrounding every scratch. On “Adidas to Addis,” we see Cut completely infiltrating the original piece as vocal and wood instrument distortions make your head spin, something he’s a bit hesitant to do with some of the Ethiopian gems on the mix. “East Side” on the whole is a lot more experimental than the first session that channels the West. Sound of the Police also put Cut’s creativity to the test as he’s used to playing around with more devices. Cut Chemist’s concerts with DJ Shadow this past year showcased his manipulation of eight turntables at once. Having to scale down to just one turntable tested Cut’s ability to be innovative in a live setting. Sound of the Police draws intricate connections between genres like samba and jazz and hip-hop’s roots in various musical movements. The album finesses between these influences with ease, resulting in a mix that’s all inclusive. Here’s an endeavour that proves music can cajole you to the dance floor and be didactic in the way it illustrates how styles of African music have been picked up by artists in other parts of the world.
M.I.A /\/\/\Y/\ Interscope / N.E.E.T. Text : T. Patrick Müller
Indie-star Mathangi Arulpragasam (codename: M.I.A.) does not subscribe to the belief that one should have mercy on the listener. With two critically-acclaimed records under her belt, the Sri Lankan hell-raiser has established herself as an opinionated quasi-MC with a style and attitude not seen in a female hip-hop artist since Queen Latifah was preaching about u.n.i.t.y. With just as much violent, distorted imagery in her own music, M.I.A. takes no prisoners with her tattered style, which is the epitome of a sampling catastrophe: bleeps, bloops, blips and demented sound-bytes comprise her trilogy of releases. Her distinct sound ensures that the listener is always well aware than he or she is listening to an M.I.A. product; what the listener will never be sure of are her intentions. After the highly political and clever Arular and Kala, it’s difficult to decipher whether or not this Asian songbird is interested in changing the concept of music or getting her message out into the world, and this facet of her music has certainly not been solved with Maya (stylized as /\/\/\Y/\), her latest full-length effort. Although the common themes one would expect from Ms. Arulpragasam are on this record (sex, politics, war, crime), they seem to have taken a backseat, and in its place are a slew of intelligently stupid and highly technophobic songs. Her erratic musical style is graphically well represented by the chaotic mess of her album artwork-- something she’s been doing since day one. Her gorgeous, sun-kissed face has been wiped of all color and covered by a swarm of YouTube time bars, her name written in gold bricks proudly slapped across the lower half. After a few listens of Maya (a self-titled project), it’s evident that the record is catchy. It is not clear what she is preaching for, nor is it clear if the record is good; however, with time, the dust cloud that is the sound of M.I.A. begins to all make sense. Track to track, this album is worthless. It is not one that is truly meant to be analyzed and decrypted (although I’m sure M.I.A. would fight to the bone that it could be). Rather, this record is a collection of themes of alienation and confusion, which suits the insane method of songwriting to a tee. Arulpragasam is neither a stellar songwriter nor singer. What she lacks in traditional skill she easily makes up for with attitude, style, and a honest-to-God point of view-- that last one has been eluding pop music for quite some time now. Although her dramatic antics can be quite exhausting (a common issue with her previous efforts), it cannot be said that she isn’t serious about what she is saying. Unlike on the previous Kala, known for the resident hit Paper Planes, there is far more singing than chanting and rapping, although there is plenty of the latter pair to go around. Unfortunately, much like what happened on Kanye’s last record, auto-tune rears its ugly head to help M.I.A. match the music surrounding her. It’s impossible to take one single from Maya and use it to define the project as a whole. The first glimpse of the project came in the form of Born Free, accompanied by a provocative and dangerous music video where red-headed males bomb an army. Although we get what she’s driving at, reactions to the video and song were lukewarm. I must give the song itself praise, although it must be separated from the mini-drama that comes along for the ride. The song sounds like nothing else the woman has ever done, a rock song through and through. Her vocals are distant and inflamed while the production takes heavy inspiration from the British Invasion of the 1960s: crunchy guitars for all. The following snapshot manifests as XXXO, which, in comparison to Born Free, isn’t nearly as difficult to swallow. The beat is stable, while the electronic hip-hop swirls that ping around her voice give the listener an aurally delicious update on the Arular sound of yore. In fact, this entire project couldn’t be more removed from the popular Kala album. The production has a distantly primitive vibe to it, and the songs on this record bring us right back to the days when she was “missing in action on the side of a carton.” Above any of the paranoid themes of Maya, this record is just fun to listen to. Her sarcastic, snarky style is empowering and bratty-- she represents that balls-to-the-wall personality we all wish we could have. Lyrically, this album has great one-liners, but her style is not poetic or fluid. She taunts the listener with her words, and her inspiration can be as innocuous as partying or as complex as her Internetfearing motif; the Internet seems to be something which she both praises and insults. The general message of Maya seems to be the feeling that this digital era of Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter has made things very open and wide-spread while simultaneously distorting truth. Although this is only speculation, it’s more than just a stab in the dark with lines like “I’m down-- like my Internet connection!” to support such a theory. If there are albums that one should hear this Summer, alongside Robyn’s Body Talk series and the leaked previews of the upcoming Blondie LP Panic of Girls, M.I.A.’s third record is sure to make the remaining days as fun as they can possibly be.
The Roots How I Got Over Def Jam Text : Brian Hunt
The keybs and bass are back. Jamal Gray, whose electric piano was shelved in favor of buzzy synths and electric organs on the darker Game Theory and Rising Down, finds himself back in producer-drummer ?uestlove’s favor for How I Got Over, The Roots’ ninth studio album. On it, the band returns to its jazz and blues-based, um, well, roots, with Gray and bassist Owen Biddle carrying the majority of the arrangements. The Roots have always preferred instrumental interludes to the sketches found on other rap albums (excluding the airing of record-label dirty laundry that filled space on Rising Down), and the interludes on How I Got Over are indicative of the band’s shift in focus. Autotuned scats and docile bass and piano tones accompany ?uestlove’s beats on opener “A Peace of Light”, centerpiece “DillaTUDE: The Flight of Titus”, and “Web 20/20” lead-in “Tunnel Vision”. The band, however, seems to be rediscovering its identity at exactly the same time that MC Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter is struggling with his. The mood of How I Got Over ranges wildly across its fourteen tracks, with Thought tackling depression and alcoholism on “Radio Daze” (“I’m going through things; headaches, abdominal pain / Try’na numb it with that Ketel like I’m from the Ukraine”) and questioning his faith on “Dear God 2.0”. The mood trends more positively after title track “How I Got Over,” where the band critiques the apathy endemic to the urban African-American community: “Out on the streets / Where I grew up / First thing they teach us: Not to give a fuck / That type of thinking can’t get you nowhere / Someone has to care”. By the end of the album these concerns seem to have been left behind; on closer “Hustla” Thought hopes for and dispenses wisdom to his children: “Hope my baby girl grows up to be a hustla / Let her be a hustla, baby be a hustla / If not, then you’re only a customer”. How I Got Over, however, is not likely to change the minds of critics who find Black Thought’s raps technically proficient but his delivery cold and lifeless. Though his wordplay is deft and his rhymes often impressive, there never really seems to be any joy or energy – aside from the occasional righteous anger – in his performance. That said, he dominates his peers on “Web 20/20”, a track which recreates the manic energy and incessant drive of The Tipping Point’s “Web.” Despite his and Truck North’s rhymes the track provides the album’s biggest disappointment, as Philly rapper Peedi Peedi, whose features on Game Theory’s “Long Time” and Rising Down’s “Get Busy” were easily their albums’ highlights, delivers a tiring verse that finds him rhyming “get busy” with. . . ready for it? “Get busy”. Truck North, Dice Raw, and P.O.R.N. are effective but not outstanding throughout the album, and Thought pens perhaps the best line of the record on the John Legend-featuring track “The Fire”: “You came to celebrate / I came to cerebrate / I hate losing I refuse to make the same mistakes”. But The Roots have always been about the hook, and as usual they deliver on How I Got Over. While not as theoretically interesting as the more experimental Game Theory it’s a clear step forward from the hit-or-miss Rising Down and proof that gigging for Jimmy Fallon has sapped neither the band’s energy nor its artistic integrity.
Beach Fossils Beach Fossils Captured Tracks Text : Tom Murphy
At the first listen, Captured tracks latest one man bedroom-pop prodigy is prone to sounding a little unremarkable faced with the torrential amount of similar sun-drenched and woozy records we’ve been getting recently. It’s thus surprising that even while championing all the trendy gimmicks of a surfy name, sepia photos and DIY production, Dustin Payseur has crafted a truly robust debut. The drums are simple but immensely functional, recalling the driving but practical styles favoured by bands like the Jesus & Mary Chain and New Order (further rooted in Phil Spector girl-pop groups). This kind of ethos carries through to most levels of Beach Fossils’ sound, catalysing fleeting moments of genius such as the intensely catchy vocal hooks of Twelve Roses and certain guitar lines which really shine through the dense miasma of twinkly guitar-noodling. Payseur’s vocal style is similar to many of his peers in this scene – a super bored drawl enveloped in reverb. However he never manages to end up sounding annoying, again this proves to be a most practical means of delivering the apparently enormous amount of catchy vocal lines in this man’s head. Lyrically, song titles like Daydream, Vacation, and Lazy Day say it all – ranging from odes to chilling out in the sun to dreamy and vague laments that could pretty much be about anything. The albums only downfall is its self-indulgence. It seems as though after finding a formula that worked, its basic template was exploited in every song there after a little bit and the record suffers a slight sameness as a result of this. Then again the sense of pervading déjà vu and congruity this creates could be interpreted as lending to the overall oneiric atmosphere. All in all this for a first album the quality of the song-writing is phenomenally high and as a showcase of raw talent and feeling it doesn’t disappoint in the slightest; the only way from here on is up.
Autolux Transit Transit ATP Recordings Text : Ace Ubas
In 2004, Autolux made an impact in the indie music scene with their acclaimed debut, Future Perfect. Six long years passed, and the Los Angeles-based shoegaze trio has finally released their long-awaited follow-up album, Transit Transit. On the self-titled opener, “Transit Transit,” a hint of Sigur Ros can be found while bassist Eugene Goreshter sings over piano chords, choral melodies, faint horns, and a slamming fridge door as percussion. While guitarist Greg Edwards whispers over electronic drum patterns on the hypnotic, Radiohead-like “Highchair.” The piano ballad “Spots” is haunting and brooding due to the soft vocals, layered soundscapes, brush strokes, and a minimalist-like piano arrangement. Six-minute closer “The Science of Imaginary Solutions” emphasizes drummer Carla Azar’s technique as she plays with precision and hits her notes hard, while her singing gives off a euphoric sensation. However, the album is not without its hitches as tracks like “Census,” “Supertoys,” and “Audience No. 2” sounds as if they’re more appropriate on Future Perfect. Overall, Transit Transit does show its fans that patience pays off. The musicianship by each member is nearly flawless and the album exhibits that the band is not afraid to broaden its sound, albeit cautiously. For fans old and new, this album brings about an excitement to see what else Autolux does next. Hopefully, it won’t take another six years.
Kurt Vile Square Shells EP Matador Text : Brian Wilensky
Philadelphia’s psych-folk songwriter, Kurt Vile, clearly feels comfortable in his own style on his latest EP from Matador Records, Square Shells. Released in May, Square Shells bridges the gap between his critically acclaimed initial album from Matador in late 2009, Childish Prodigy and whatever is forthcoming. Although Vile takes little from the “surprise” jar, he still shows strength with what he’s put out. In the opener, “Ocean City,” Vile stands at the corner of “Neil Young Ave.” and “Devendra Banhart St.” with this tune’s singalong lyrics and catchy guitar line. “Invisibility: Nonexistent” has the trippy drone feeling that Vile has built his name on. The electronic beat throughout is very similar to that in “Deep Sea” from his 2008 release on Gulcher Records, Constant Hitmaker. As the song progresses, Vile steps out the way of Floyd-like phaser effects flying by, after some of the most psychedelic lyrics on the EP and lets the drumbeat take you down the rabbit hole almost eight minutes deep. The echoing guitar doesn’t stop and long list rhyme scheme lyrics are back on the bedroom pop song “I Wanted Everything.” For this one, think back to “Space Forklift,” also on Constant Hitmaker. It truly has a “do it yourself” feel since the track is bookended by sounds of Vile turning the tape on and off. Things stay lo-fi as the loopy droning acoustic guitar strum on “I Know I Got Religion” is right up in the front with some flat sounding vocals as he makes up words like psychedelical. Kurt hasn’t lost his tongue in cheekness. The last song, “Hey, Now I’m Movin,” is very spacey, almost dreamlike. The harmonica at the end is reminiscent of Prodigy’s “Inside Lookin Out” and creates layers to the song equally lucid. With Square Shells, Kurt Vile is staying strong in his psych-folk, bedroom pop realm and can do no harm if he doesn’t change the formula to his very addictive elixir. With the consistency of his work on Matador Records, he’ll have us all back for more.
128
Index...
Fashion… 10 Cheap Monday cheapmonday.com
Art… 32
22
16
Andreas Banderas
Derek Albeck
Stéphane Prigent
58
42
50
David Geeting
John Hanson
Liam Henry
andreasbanderas.com
derekalbeck.com
flickr.com/photos/stephane-prigent
Photography…
flickr.com/photos/davegeeting
flickr.com/people/johnhanson
liamhenry.co.uk
129
Music… 100
78
69
Pure Ecstasy
Railcars
Star Slinger
106
74
88
SLEEP ∞ OVER
VOICEsVOICEs
Wax Idols
myspace.com/gracenate
myspace.com/sleepoverforever
myspace.com/railcarsmusic
myspace.com/wearevoicesvoices
starslinger.net
myspace.com/waxidols
www.wearerebels.com