IS SU E 13 JA N U A R Y 2 0 17
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE!
STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ART DIRECTOR & FOUNDER JAKE LAHAH
JAKE@SAILORSTALKZINE.COM
MANAGING EDITOR/A&R REPRESENTATIVE ALEXA FRANKOVITCH
EDITOR's NOTE: NEW YEAR NEW ISSUE! Hope you all enjoy. Thanks fam for reading! ALSO! FUCK TRUMP!
ALEXA@SAILORSTALKZINE.COM
DESIGN ASISTANT TIFFANY CHACON
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
ALEX LISCIO, BROOKE LEE, CAITLYN WILLARD, DYLAN LENTON, KAMNA TALWAR, KRIS KOELEWIJN, PENELOPE MARTINEZ, RACHEAL DOWD, RICK BEAULIEU, RYAN STACEY
Thanks to AMY SCIARRETTO, ATOMSPLITTER PR, AUSTIN GRISWOLD, BAD OMENS, BEAR HANDS, BIZ3, EARSHOT MEDIA, EQUAL VISION RECORDS, FOR TODAY, LORI GUTMAN, MARIA GIRONAS, MIKE CUBILLOS, NATALIE BISIGNANO, REY ROLDAN, REYBEE, SECRET SERVICE PR, SPARROWS, UPON A BURNING BODY, WATERPARKS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY... YOU!
FOLLOW US ON /sailorstalkzine
@sailorstalkzine @sailorstalkzine Website: sailorstalkzine.com
st | 2 - JANUARY 2017
COVER BY JAKE LAHAH // BACK COVER BY ALEX LISCIO
TABLE OF CONTENTS #NeedsMoreSarcasm 4 Sparrows - Inside Look At Local Touring 6 Bad Omens - Sumerian Records Emerging & Under-the-Radar Artist 14 Upon A Burning Body - All On Their New Album Straight to the Barrio 18 Reviews 22 ST Choice - Our Favorite Albums of 2016 26 For Today - Farwell To 34 Bear Hands - Artist of the Year & On You’ll Pay For This 40
PHOTO BY JAKE LAHAH
st | 3
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE!
# NEEDS MORE SARCASM
DON’T WORRY, OUR WRITER DYLAN WILL SAY IT
So I’ve seen some headlines recently that describe Drake’s latest album, Views from the Six, as the best emo album of all time. Couple that with another article from a magazine that shall not be named saying that The Weeknd (you know, the guy who got nominated for a kids choice award for a song about cocaine) is now punk rock. In fact he’s the punk rocker only HE can be. Let’s take a minute to think about these statements, because these were written by credible magazines. They are either the ultimate trolls or they’re serious, but either way, I’m going to talk about it. So the reasoning behind Drake being emo is the ‘emotional content’ of his music and the melancholy nature of his lyrics. If that’s all it took to be emo, then every artist could be emo. Hell, even Katy Perry could be emo and she kissed a girl, which is more than I can say about myself. I think being emo requires a few stylistic elements, and I’m not talking about dyed black hair, fingerless gloves, or studded belts. First of all, emo songs have to have names that are unrelated to anything in the lyrics. For example, “Of all the Gin Joints In the World’ by Fall Out Boy, “This Jetset Life is Going to Kill You” by My Chemical Romance, and “Cute Without the ‘E’ (Cut from the Team)” by Taking Back Sunday. I mean it’s not a requirement, but it’s important that at least 65-73% of your song titles are just weird sayings/inside jokes. Second, this actually probably most important but it’s second in the tier anyway: have you seen Drake lately? The guy is shredded. He’s a greek adonis. Being a shredded beef castle is the exact opposite of emo. Emo stereotypes are far reaching, but no famous emo musicians come to mind who weren’t either rail thin, a little chunky, or just average. Emo is like a celebration of not giving a damn about your body type, or at least doing your best to not care, outside of being vegan at awkward family get-togethers (Aunt Cindy needs to learn her casserole tastes like dog barf). Now onto The Weeknd. As I covered in our last issue, the definitions of punk rock are far reaching and have more to do with core elements of not caring, not wanting to be famous, etc. Based on that alone, The Weeknd isn’t punk rock. The only thing punk rock thing about him was that he convinced parents everywhere that his first album was kid friendly when most of the songs are about cocaine or having nonconsensual sex. That in itself could be punk rock, along with his previous ‘will they, won’t they’ hairstyle that I didn’t understand. Was it dreads? Did he glue a dead sloth to his head? I wasn’t sure, I didn’t want to know, it was a mystery and I liked it that way. Now he’s cut his hair and put out an album called Starboy, which literally sounds like selling out, no matter the genre. The excuse for punk rock is that he’s wearing bomber jackets and apparently he listened to the Clash while a dozen or so writers and producers wrote his music. NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE PUNK ROCK. I mean The Clash IS a punk rock band. One of the OGs. So punk rock that no one liked them until H&M put the album cover of London Calling on a t-shirt and still, no one really cares, everyone just likes Rock the Casbah. I’m pretty sure the old lady beside me in this cafe referred to the song title when describing her sex life to her other elderly friend. Long story short, punk rock, emo, heavy metal - these are things created by ugly white people who can’t dance. Not saying that genres are race exclusive but I feel like maybe appropriating the term punk rock to describe an album called Starboy that wasn’t written by David Bowie is a lie, and maybe even a travesty. Because David Bowie straight up IS punk rock. #DefendEmoFromDrake #DefendPunkfromTheWeeknd ~
st | 4 - JANUARY 2017
MAY 2015 - MARCH 2017 THE END IS COMING SOON
st | 5
st | 6 - JANUARY 2017
TO UR IN G W IT H:
S PA R R O W S
STORY BY DYLAN LENTON PHOTOS BY RYAN STACEY
st | 7
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE!
st | 8 - JANUARY 2017
Sparrows is an echo of an era in music that has passed. A time when Thrice was a skate punk band and Refused was playing their last show in a basement; it was a time when the internet was still exciting and positive, before comment sections were allowed. “I don’t know what that band is,” vocalist Dan Thompson says, responding to a comment about Asking Alexandria. The Canadian foursome, self identified as spacey punk post-whatever, are intent on creating the music they grew up loving; staying true to their grungy, pure punk roots. Their influences are made up of mostly now defunct bands: Moneen, Cave In, Quicksand - bands that, to Thompson, make it seem as if modern day music has become irrelevant to him. Well, maybe not all modern day music. “I love Vanessa Carleton! Lieberman is such a good f***ing record!” Contrasted strongly are the other member’s tastes: drummer Jon Busby loves Deftones, bassist Kevin Dennison loves pop music, and guitarist Justin Sears listens to a lot of Every Time I Die, but you could also find some Black Dahlia Murder and the Flatliners in there too. It’s not that modern music has lost its touch with Thompson, it is more that he’s looking for the songwriters - people with something to say beyond the cheap clichés that have become inundated in the 21st century. This attitude can be found in the often cryptic lyricism in the band’s new record, Let the Silence Stay Where It Was. The intent in Thompson’s lyricism is not to broadcast the ideas in his head; he wants people to find their own meaning. “You get your thought out there and someone gets their interpretation, and to me that’s better,” said Thompson. To be clear, the songs are not devoid of theme. “For me the focus has changed throughout the years. When I was younger, I always found issues with certain things. Organized religion used to be a big thing for me. I had a great growing up, but there were things I saw as a kid that I didn’t question at the time and as I got older, I realized were not okay. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that there’s only so many times you can rehash things. I can’t write songs about breaking up or love. It feels fake to me, not that people can’t do it, but it doesn’t feel genuine to me. I’ve always just felt like there’s more important things to talk about. Paying attention to things in my life relating to me as an individual and the world around us and how it all affects my life has become more of an interesting topic.” Although lyricism tends to be the lead singer’s game, Sparrows approaches songwriting as a collaborative process.
st | 9
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE!
“The writing process has changed obviously because I’m not the sole writing member of the band, everybody contributes,” Thompson said. “Kevin obviously brings something so different with his pop influence; Jon looks at drums in ways that I don’t think about when I’m writing riffs.” Many bands that go through member changes can sometimes end up with just the remaining founders being the sole songwriters. When the band added Sears as lead guitarist two years ago, songwriting has moved on from Thompson writing riffs and bringing them to the group. Live, in-practice collaboration is the method that was used most throughout the conception of their recent LP. “The first song for the record we wrote at practice and we loved at first, and then three months later we decided it was the biggest piece of s*** we had ever written and trashed it,” Sears said, chuckling. When asked if they even remembered how to play it, all of the members said they don’t even recall how the song went. Being a strong critic of one’s own music is a byproduct of knowing that everything has to be excellent to break through the glass ceiling of being a touring band. When a band is still at the level of booking tours themselves, opportunities to make an impression can be few and far between. The quality of songwriting has to be top tier, and the live execution of the songs has to exceed the performance on the recordings if there are to be returning fans at shows. So while it may seem silly to ditch a perfectly good song that’s already been written, bands like Sparrows have to ensure that it’s the best representation they can give. Although there’s a lot talked about when it comes to internet following to help bands gain fans, it often comes down to touring. Sparrows are road dogs, spending massive amounts of the time on the road. The reality that comes with touring as a small band is that connections usually haven’t made in new cities that are needed to help out with simple everyday things. Beds to sleep in, showers, laundry, even WiFi are hard to come across, and these things are far more valuable than someone may realize when you’re spending a month in a van without a guarantee of any of those necessities. A month sounds like a lot, but it’s often much longer.
st | 10 - JANUARY 2017
“Statistically, we spend about six months of the year in this van, which isn’t necessarily bad, we just wish the air conditioning worked.” Touring is generally looked up as the most fun a band can have. An adventure with friends, playing music every night - what could go wrong? What’s so bad about that? Mentally, touring can be one of the most demanding tasks. The smaller a band is, the harder it generally becomes to do. In making less than $100 per show and spending 24 hours a day with the same people on little to no sleep, everyone often forgets the lows in favor of the highs. One of the big realities that is rarely discussed is the strain it puts on relationships. Half of the members of Sparrows are married. WiFi is like gold to touring bands, not because of entertainment reasons, but because if they are touring in another country, they usually don’t have cell service. This means that all those hours spent in the van between shows, there is zero communication with the outside world. All interactions with significant others become important because they are so hard to come by. “Touring while being married comes down to something like, ‘ok, I’m leaving for two weeks. I’ll see you when I get Wi-Fi... maybe… if it works.’” Communication struggles aside, touring has become more and more difficult in recent years. Thompson himself does all of the booking for Sparrows. “The biggest struggle of a touring band right now – I’ve noticed a shift in the way people do business in the last four to five years,” Thompson commented. “I’ve just seen an increase in the level of flakiness. You can book a show with somebody and they’ll be like ‘I got this’ and you follow up and follow up and then you get nothing, a wall of silence, and then you find out the show was never booked. This never used to happen. Unless I’m booking with someone I know and trust, I’m usually looking at booking with other people the same night. The odds are in favor that one of those two people will bail. I feel like at a certain level that doesn’t happen anymore, but we’re not at that point in some places we’re trying to get to. This is the nature of being in a small band - you’ve gotta take the lumps. The advantage, though, is that if you get those days off you didn’t expect, it means you have an opportunity to play those other shows a little harder and use that as an opportunity to sell yourself a little better.”
st | 11
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE!
st | 12 - JANUARY 2017
Sparrows is still at the level where they’re mainly booking their own shows. The risks of touring are many - from vehicle failure to financial ruin - and the unglamorous side of touring can be far worse than going a couple weeks of just sleeping in a van. Even these big obstacles still aren’t the biggest risks a band like Sparrows can face. Injuries and illness are a very real risk for touring bands when they aren’t able to pay for a replacement musician on short notice. It can also mean a blackout period for touring since most injuries make live performances difficult or impossible. If Murphy’s law of “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong” is to be believed, you can bet that injuries always pop up at the worst possible moments. After the release of their 2014 EP Dragging Hell, Sparrows began a tour to support the release to try to ride the wave of publicity and buzz they created. Two dates in it was revealed that their bass player had a broken knuckle and the tour was cancelled. They tried again to tour in the fall. A three week tour was set up and on the first date, Thompson, through a freak accident, injured his tricep muscle and was not allowed to touch a guitar for two months. Essentially, all of 2015 was a write-off for the band. Even now, the bassist Kevin spends most of his day with a boot on for a fracture in his foot, and even though the band jokes about these experiences, it’s easy to tell listening to the new LP that it wasn’t without struggle. “This record especially is a direct result of what happened last year, and how much doubt it put in my mind on what I was doing and whether this band was worth pushing anymore,” Thompson said. Sparrows, despite these obstacles, remain overtly positive, taking it one show at a time and committing to putting on a big performance for each one. They know that although their story is not an easy one, it still comes with highlights. “One of the best tours we ever did was opening for Misery Signals on their Canadian summer dates,” Thompson added. “Not just specifically that run of 3 shows. We had a show in Seattle afterwards cancel, and we ended up being stuck in Seattle with no performance. One of the bands that was playing hit us up and set up a living room show for us to play in. Everyone in attendance knew that the show was cancelled so they were super grateful for us to be there. We got treated better at that show than many of our good shows.” When asked about what his favourite part of touring was, Sears answered without hesitation. “Anytime we make friends with other bands, they don’t have to sound like us, but good people who make good music. You just find that instant bond with other people.” In many ways this band is a reminder of what it really takes to get somewhere in the music scene, it isn’t always about instant success. It isn’t a flashy promotion or playing into the current trend that’s popular. It’s a good work ethic, rolling with the punches, and staying optimistic about the future, if not a little cautiously. Despite many obstacles standing in their way, Sparrows still finds positivity in the moment. Being in a band and touring is still a dream come true; it’s still an adventure for them even if it’s stressful and sometimes frustrating. In overcoming injuries, self doubt, and countless miles, Sparrows continues in their pursuit of bringing their music and passion to anyone who is ready to listen. They’re staying authentic and true to themselves, and focused on what matters most. Touring for many is “the path less traveled,” as Robert Frost said, though “that has made all the difference.” ~
st | 13
STORY & PHOTOS BY KA
MNA TALWAR
st | 14 - JANUARY 2017
It really doesn’t matter what your favorite subsub-genre under the vast umbrella of metal is; if you are into heavy music, you know who Sumerian Records is. The label has been around for a decade, and they have commemorated this milestone in a very in-your-face way by running three consecutive anniversary tours throughout the year. So even if you didn’t know about them (somehow), it’s been nearly impossible to avoid them after this year. Although each of the 10-Year Tours had different bands and headliners, there were a few flagship Sumerian bands that were on each of the tour rosters, including Born of Osiris and After the Burial. Each of the tours also consistently featured one band newly added to the Sumerian family. Thanks to relentless touring and dropping their debut in the middle of the year, that band has rapidly risen to a prominent spot in the heavy music scene. That band is Bad Omens.
“Having our name on such a cool tour and being a part of it has definitely benefitted us a lot,” said vocalist Noah Sebastian about being on all three of the Sumerian 10-Year Tours. “Three times in one year! It’s like you know who we are by now even if you don’t like us.” The opportunity to tour with some of the biggest and seasoned bands in the scene had several advantages, and it definitely didn’t hurt to have experienced people around to show Bad Omens the ropes with touring when starting out. “Being on tour with these guys, not only for the sake of getting new fans, it’s taught us a lot about touring and the do’s and don’t’s of stuff,” explained Sebastian. “Between transit and loading on stage and even performing, there’s always a lot of knowledge and things you acquire from bands who have been touring for 10 years. I think that’s definitely one of the best pros about it.”
SUMERIAN RECORDS’ EMERGING & UNDER-THE-RADAR ARTIST On first glance, you can easily see the connection between Bad Omens and Sumerian: all black outfits, evil-sounding name, dark live atmosphere. They look the part for sure. However, their music doesn’t really fit in the technical deathcore vein like so many other bands on the label, making their appearances on the anniversary tours stand out. “I think their music is a lot different than ours,” said Sebastian of some of the other labelmates. “After we’ve toured with them three different tours this year, it’s given us a way to show our music to their fans over and over again because we hit a lot of the same cities and same states... It’s really given us a way to broadcast our music to a much larger demographic than the people that would usually listen to us.” But it took a lot more effort than just repping Sumerian and constantly being on the road to get Bad Omens to where they are now. “This past year we put a lot of work into everything at all times,” said Sebastian. “I don’t think that this band, the work that goes into this band, is limited to just touring, or writing, or recording an album,” he said. “No; it’s between all the digital strategy and the video content and the contests… all the stuff that we do to either engage with our fans or get new fans every day.” That determination and constant focus on creating interesting music videos, developing an effective engagement strategy, brainstorming captivating live visuals - basically everything that goes into being a successful artist aside from the music itself - has been paying off for Bad Omens. The idea behind this constant stream of content is not only grabbing initial interest and attention - Bad Omens intends to sustain it. “In this music scene, it’s a lot of short attention spans,” said Sebastian. “I don’t want to be someone’s flavor of the week, you know? I want the long term fans.”
st | 15
st | 16 - DECEMBER 2016
Arguably the most interesting thing about Bad Omens is that their growing fan base was living off of singles the band had been dropping over the first half of the year. Bad Omens didn’t have an official fulllength release until August of this year. Despite the misconception that they were writing the album while touring, the entire thing was already done a year prior to the release. “I saw a lot of comments that seemed like they were under the impression that we were recording them as we went,” said Sebastian. “But we wrote and recorded the record last year [in 2015].” That being said, the full length self-titled debut showed sides of Bad Omens that people may not have expected based solely on the singles. The release covers several fronts of the heavy music scene, from rock to industrial to metal. Bad Omens even draws in other foreign elements, like theatrical synth and tribal drums, that most people might not expect from this type of a band. One of the most illustrative examples of a song heavily rooted in industrial vibes is “F E R A L.” “‘F E R A L’ came out really cool and unique,” said Sebastian. “It sounds like a vampire club scene. It’s like Blade music.” Meanwhile, other songs have aggressive tones (check out “Malice”) and even spiritual, meditative elements (“The Fountain”). “I wanted to have a song on the album for everyone, even if you’re not into metal or heavy music,” said Sebastian. “I wanted us to treat every song that we wrote as if it were to be a single. So every song was good and it wasn’t just a filler track and it wasn’t halfassed, you know?” Even lyrically, the album conveys a range of emotions and atmospheres. Some songs are angry, while others are hopeful, and a couple have themes of defeat. “I want to display and convey those emotions… to show people that we’re strong but we’re also weak and you need to accept that. You need to appreciate that honesty and not pretend to be one thing,” explained Sebastian. “We’re real and we’re doing everything that we feel.”
“I’m realistic and I know that things can go south, but I wanted to write a record the way that I wanted to write it, and I wanted it to come out how I wanted it,” said Sebastian. “I think that the first priority when it comes to making a record is you have to be happy with it, because if you’re happy with your product, you’re willing to put the work and the effort into it.” Overall, the album is a journey that showcases pieces of each of the members’ artistic interests in a cohesive, well-crafted way. Everything down to the order of songs was taken into careful consideration, which contributed to a polished final product. “I’m sure not everyone does this,” said Sebastian, “But I like to listen to albums - at least the ones that I really care about - front to back to see what they were trying to say.” So it makes sense that the tracklist on the debut was “entirely intentional,” explained Sebastian. “We put a lot of thought into it.” Translating the wide breadth of musical and lyrical tones to a live show has been a little tricky for the band, considering the array of non-traditional instruments and other elements - especially since Bad Omens hasn’t had a headlining tour with a massive production budget. Nonetheless, they have been able to pull off incredible performances that bring their large, towering atmospheres to life, and fans are ecstatic. “Everyone loves the diversity and they love all the atypical ideas and instruments that we use,” said Sebastian. “Everyone loves it so I’m excited about that because I want to keep exploring genres and pull influence on the next record and make it even weirder.” It’s that weirdness that makes Bad Omens so great, because ultimately the larger picture here is more than Bad Omens. It’s bigger than Sumerian Records. It’s even bigger than the heavy music scene. The main point that Bad Omens hopes to convey is to have an open mind when it comes to music and artistic expression. “I like to encourage open-mindedness when it comes to music,” asserts Sebastian. “I think there’s a lot of elitists kind of clubhouse vibes when it comes to the alternative music scene and I like to encourage anyone that reads or listens to interviews to give more music a chance than they let.” ~
Of course, there were hesitations with adding so many unconventional sounds to the debut. Ultimately, Bad Omens decided to stay true to their intuition and put their effort into writing the music that they wanted, not for anyone else.
st | 17
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE!
N LENTON STORY BY DYLA N STACEY PHOTOS BY RYA
st | 18 - JANUARY 2017
Upon a Burning Body is more than just a deathcore band in suits yelling motherf***er. When they rose to success they had a look and sound that was very distinctive. Every member of the band wore a three piece suit on stage and they played some of the most extreme deathcore anyone had heard. With this most recent release Straight From The Barrio there is a noticeable departure from that extreme deathcore sound. Their music hasn’t lost its intensity, it instead feels a lot more like it was written to be played live; to make people bang their heads and sing along. Songs like their lead single “BMF” features a much catchier and bouncy rhythm, rather than straight blast beats and breakdowns featured on other singles like “Sin City.” This musical change in direction is a result of having the time to be able to sit down and think about what they really wanted to do with this new album. “We have always felt rushed in having to tour, write, and record,” said lead singer Danny Leal. “This is the first record since our first that we felt we had the proper time to write and record an album.” Straight From The Barrio features an aesthetic change though. The band no longer wears three piece suits, instead opting to wear clothing inspired by 80s and 90s hip hop - Adidas track jackets, throwback San Antonio Spurs logo designs, just among the few changes. There is importance in this change though: they’re representing their hometown San Antonio in almost everything they do with this new album. In the past, they made references to latino culture with things like the title of their sophomore album Red. White. Green. This is a much more direct and unapologetic approach, and specifically very much about their hometown pride. “San Antonio is the reason we were able to get a jumpstart to touring,” Leal said. Lyrically, almost every song features references to San Antonio, either specifically like in
“Straight from the Barrio (210)” or “‘Til the Day I Die,” or features spanish lyrics like their second single “Already Broken.” This is a departure from earlier lyrics that have dealt with more generic topics like nihilism, not giving a f***, and world issues, with occasional references to Texas. “We are who we are and have finally been able to showcase some of our San Antonio culture in this new record.” They also found ways to inject their culture tonally as well. So far, their new singles “BMF” and “Already Broken” feature Latin music inspired interludes which effortlessly blend in with the rest of the song. Upon a Burning Body put a lot of effort into really showing how proud they are of where they’ve come from. It’s not uncommon for bands to make references to where they have come from; some bands will even go as far to make direct references to specific locations or write a song about their hometown/state. “The album is 100% percent San Antonio,” Leal stated. “The colors of the city’s culture are that of the album cover.” This is also an interesting shift because many bands don’t have much pride in their hometown, often opting to leave for larger markets or better opportunities found in cities like Los Angeles or New York. We see trends like this in cliché lyrics from pop-punk bands looking to leave their small town roots. In fans, it’s easy to feel like better tours go elsewhere, and as musicians, it’s easy to think that there will be better opportunities by moving to a different area. By staying and investing into their local scene, it creates a relationship. A relationship that, in this case, both helped gain the San Antonio metal scene recognition and also boost the popularity of the band. In the case of Upon a Burning Body, San Antonio supported them from day one and never gave them a reason for them to leave.
st | 19
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE!
“The scene in the early days of Upon a Burning Body was incredible and has obviously grown in a great way for us so far,” said Leal. The “why” behind writing an album about their hometown is obvious at this point. “It’s just being proud of the support the people in San Antonio have shown us for the most part,” he added. “Like I said, it was the early scene that allowed us to start touring and become known.” Upon a Burning Body have reached a point in their career where they can focus on really simple goals. It’s not about reaching certain album sales targets, or touring certain cities or with certain bands - these are factors every band considers, regardless of their status. This band’s vision is simpler. “All that is cool, we just want to make music and support our families.” It’s easy to see that at this point in their career, Upon a Burning Body’s focus isn’t on the glory or the glamour of fame. Writing an album on their hometown and their pride within it really shows where their hearts are. In a genre that largely focuses on lyrical and theme content that really doesn’t stray outside of nihilism and anger, it’s refreshing and fun to see a band take the time and care to showcase what they value most across a whole album. It will be fun to see if they continue with their future releases to make references to their hometown. For now we can enjoy one of their best albums yet and get to enjoy a little piece of their culture. Long Live San Antonio. ~
st | 20 - JANUARY 2017
st | 21
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE! Waterparks - Double Dare Released via Equal Vision Records on November 4th, 2016
VI E WS
RE st | 22 - JANUARY 2017
PHOTO BY ALEXA FRANKOVITCH
Just one year ago, Equal Vision Records signed Texas natives, Waterparks – the weird, quirky, and all-around hilarious pop punk trio who are currently making waves in the music industry. Made up of vocalist/guitarist Awsten Knight, guitarist/vocalist Geoff Wigington, and drummer Otto Wood, the group has gained an incredible audience, garnering slots as a supporting artist on tours with Never Shout Never, Good Charlotte, and Sleeping With Sirens, as well as a coveted spot on the 2016 Vans Warped Tour. On November 4th, Waterparks released their first full-length album, Double Dare, taking their pop punk sound to another level. With the release of previous EPs, fans have come to know the poppy rhythm that Waterparks provides, and with Double Dare, that staccato sound is certainly not lost, just improved. From start to finish, the album has a much more mature sound than previous recordings, both vocally and instrumentally. Songs like “Hawaii (Stay Awake)” and “Royal” provide fantastic vocals that prove Awsten Knight is more than a blue-haired goofball, while tracks like “Take Her to the Moon” and “Dizzy” balance the feisty punk with some cheeky experimental electronics. While many pop punk artists are moving out of their comfort zones, trying out a bolder sound, Waterparks is moving in on the classic, youthful anthems. Fans of artists like Boys Like Girls and Good Charlotte are sure to feel a ting of nostalgia as they listen to songs like “Powerless” and “It Follows.” Beyond the music itself, part of what makes Waterparks so endearing is their full-frontal personality: silly, self-deprecating, and totally one-of-a-kind, these bubblegum pop-punkers are taking something well-worn and making it completely their own. From cleverly written lyrics, to music videos depicting them as a choreographed boy band, Double Dare is exactly what you expect, and something you didn’t know you were missing. The album has stripped traditional pop-punk to its core, only to rebuild it in a delightfully new way. [Frankovitch]
st | 23
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE!
Fit For A King - Deathgrip Released October 7th, 2016 Solid State Records If there is any album I encourage people to listen to, it’s Fit For A King’s Deathgrip. Deathgrip has the ability for a music critic to really dive into how form and function of an album matches the lyrical content and meaning in a release. When listening to this album, I am puzzled with the amount of credit this bands doesn’t get for their music. Maybe there are just less music journalists that really know how to analyze music, because this release is phenomenal. The album opens up immediately “The End’s Beginning,” that instantly sends you spiraling into an album that it is heavy (and it’s weight actually matches the lyrical contents). It rushes into “Pissed Off,” their most popular song from the album, which is a public statement on the reality of life. As a listener, you are instantly able to grasp onto what your own concept of a deathgrip (the centerfold of the album). As it drags you further and further into the aggressive nature of it, it suffocates you in the most complimenting way possible. Songs like “Disease” and “Shadows & Echoes” really pull the album together in the way that they act as bridges to connect the theme of the release across other songs. Seeing songs that features collaborations from previous artists they have toured with is also nice too (such as Jake Luhrs of August Burns Red and Levi Benton of Miss May I). But the most critical thing about this album, is that it makes me prominently think of the structure of the songs in relation to the lyrical content. It opens up questions about what a deathgrip actually is in terms of its prescense in reality and in each and every person’s metaphorical understanding the term. It brings up questions about confrontational ideas and how they can be a battle for both the listener and the band to think about. These become sort of climaxes in the album that can push the boundaries of a theme in different directions. The fact that Fit For A King has crafted a space for their listeners to really reflect on these questions is what makes this album SO SO SO crucial to the progression of music. Because honestly, if you have created an album to just b*tch about your hometown and write about how crappy and lonely your life is, you already know the answers to what you are exploring. You’ve created, simply, a dead end album! But having that engaging question about life to explore, is what can drive your music to be anything you want it to be. Each step of the writing process becomes one step closer to the answer, even if you never fully solve the question. It’s all about your exploration of the hidden truths in life through the process of writing music that make your art interesting, rather then just a documentation of what you have already done. Fit For A King does something that is rarely done: they make the album relatable to the listener while also keeping a portion of their art true to themselves by revealing parts of their investigation in a mystery like fashion. It becomes a precious work to both the band and the listener. [Lahah]
st | 24 - JANUARY 2017
Crystal Lake - True North Released December 2nd, 2016 Artery Recordings True North starts with a blistering pace and ends with the same ferocity that it opened with. Crystal Lake manages to find ways to innovate a few new styles and borrow elements from other genres in a way that’s fresh in today’s scene. The core base sound of the album is rooted in metalcore. The elements that come to mind would definitely be classic 90s Nu-Metal sounds with some of the groovier tracks on the record, and a few nods to other metalcore heavyweights like Parkway Drive in terms of production. Listening to this record makes you feel as if you were watching it on a massive stadium stage. You can tell by listening that this album was written to be played live and to get the crowd engaged. The album really kicks into gear with the track “Omega” opening with an aggressive and drawn out blastbeat. The vocals on this album are really top notch with deep guttural lows and strong mid/high range screaming that doesn’t sound strained. The lyrical content is in generally fairly aggressive. Some of it written to bigger concepts like the future of the world and our role in its destruction. Other tracks like “Hatred” have a personal touch with some enjoyable tough guy lines. “You wanted war? Well I am war Motherf***er!” in many ways feels like a throwback to the days of when the Acacia Strain and Emmure were writing smack tracks to each other. One thing that stood out as a completely unique sound that I haven’t heard yet in metalcore was the use of vocoded background vocals. This gave the album a distinctive extra-terrestrial feel contrasted with the screaming vocals offers a really cool dynamic. The intensity they have paired with these operatic (almost alien) vocals is sure to draw copy-cats; however, I doubt any other group could execute like they have on this album. There’s a level of polish that they have on this releases that really shows that they knew what they were looking to accomplish when they went into the studio. It’s an aggressive album that is recorded with ferocity and lyricism, and it makes it an intense and almost overpowering live experience with enough unique elements to making it really standout in a genre that is really oversaturated with bands and talent right now. Thankfully the album is a great listening experience without the live component. [Lenton]
st | 25 - OCTOBER 2016
Sundrug - Exit Wounds Released October 31sr, 2016 Mind Over Matter Records Exit Wounds is one of those albums that you might not get the first time you listen. With each listen though, you appreciate the time and effort put into this nuanced and complex recording. The layering of filtered vocals on top of electronic and acoustic drum beats with classic organ sounds to crack open the album gives the listener cues of what is in store for them. The album opens with “White Ladders.” At first listen it feels a little like you’re listening to an LCD Soundsystem and Bon Iver collaboration. Until you realise that the lyrics are inherently dark, and although hard to make out the snippets you do hear give you that chilling feeling of longing when the first cold of autumn grips you. The album quickly transitions into “Denial” which you can pick up a little on the varied backgrounds of the members. With ex members of Norma Jean and Spitfire it makes the few songs that have an up tempo and aggressive stance feel a lot more natural than they should in an album that can mostly be described as down tempo and demure. As the album continues the listener is taken on a journey that can only be compared to listening to Bon Iver’s first album For Emma Forever Ago. In reading the background to the album you can discover that they had similar creation points. Jimmy Reeves started writing the album as a 10 year relationship began to fall apart at the seams. Connecting with friends and former members of other bands allowed this haunting and beautiful record On albums like these that almost exist more to be an outlet rather than to be actually enjoyed by public, it’s almost easier to envision the band in the room toiling over each detail. Each ebb and flow as the songs grow and quietly or quickly fade into the background bleeding into the next track. All in all, this is an album that is best listened to on a quiet sunny afternoon while the seasons change. I recommend a coffee and a nice view, because you need to lock in to the layers and the sounds of this album and read the lyric book and enjoy the emotional journey that Sunndrug executes on Exit Wounds. [Lenton]
st | 25
st
CH
2016 Album Releases
st | 26 - JANUARY 2017
OICE
st | 27
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE! RICK BEAULIEU / PHOTOGRAPHER Expire - With Regret
My favorite release of 2016 is Expire’s With Regret. For a band to quit at the peak of their career and leave on the highest note possible, their final record they are leaving us with is in my opinion the best material they have released in the 8 years they have been a band. With Regret incorporates everything I have loved about Expire’s music in their past albums. Start to finish this is a perfect hardcore record. Honorable Mention: Exalt - The Shape You Took Before The Ache After The Burial - Dig Deep Mizery - Absolute Light Nails - You Will Never Be One Of Us Eternal Sleep - The Emptiness Of Knocked Loose - Laugh Tracks
ALEXA FRANKOVITCH / MANAGING EDITOR Dance Gavin Dance - Mothership; Emarosa - 131
If nothing else, the universe at least offered the world some really great music to offset the dumpster fire of a year that was 2016. And so with all of those great releases, I am bending the rules ever so slightly to offer my two favorite albums of the year. They’re of drastically different sounds, but oddly similar in their creations, thus slotting them next to one another in a tie. Dance Gavin Dance’s Mothership and Emarosa’s 131 are two brilliant recordings released this year: DGD managed to create something more technical and experimental than ever before, breaking boundaries in the post-hardcore world yet again, and Emarosa brought a raw, earthy passion to every track on their record. While the two may not seem similar in style, both bands have had similar histories changing styles, an uncertain placement in their respective genres, and switching out lead vocalists every few years. But this year, both bands have proved to everyone that they are worthy of their place in the music world; that their current vocalists are the best they have ever had, that their lyrics warrant every emotion possible, and that they are both only going up from here. Honorable Mentions: Young the Giant - Home of the Strange Bastille - Wild World Two Door Cinema Club - Gameshow Panic! at the Disco - Death of a Bachelor Blink182 - California Crown the Empire - Retrograde The White Noise - Aren’t You Glad
st | 28 - JANUARY 2017
RACHAEL DOWN / PHOTOGRAPHER Boston Manor - Be Nothing
Boston Manor’s Be Nothing! This was the debut full length and the writing and production behind it was so well executed that it didn’t feel like a debut album at all. Boston Manor’s able to mold together pop punk and emo music elements to create their own sound and they really just created a banger with this album. Each song adds something different to the record and I find Be Nothing to be an underrated album from an underrated band that’s going to blow up in the next year. Honorable Mentions: Daughter - Not to Disappear Catfish and the Bottlemen - The Ride Moose Blood - Lush Anthony Green - Pixie Queen Mat Kerekes - Luna and the Wild Blue Everything
ALEX LISCIO / PHOTOGRAPHER
Young The Giant - Home of the Strange; Two Door Cinema Club - Gameshow
For me, it was hard to choose between Two Door Cinema Club’s new record and Young the Giant’s new record. TDCC came out with such a brilliant album, and YTG’s Home of the Strange really delivered well to me. If I had to choose, I’d say Home of the Strange took the cake for 2016. Whenever I’m doing homework or just want to relax, I can count on that album to keep me focused. The songs are smooth and soothing and can really bring a listener in. The opening track “Amerika,” “Jungle Youth,” and the ever-so-popular “Something to Believe In” are great hits, but my favorite from the album has to be “Silvertongue.” The beat, the lyrics, and Sameer’s vocals blend perfectly and really takes the record to a whole new level. That being said, Two Door Cinema Club’s new release Gameshow is my runner-up record of the year. Honorable Mentions: Moose Blood - Blush Catfish & the Bottlemen - The Ride Emarosa - 131 LANY - kinda
st | 29
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE! RYAN STACEY / PHOTOGRAPHER
Real Friends - The Home Inside My Head
Real Friends have always given me the real feels. With 2016 being a huge pop-punk year, they always stood out above the rest. This album was a change, in my opinion, for the band. It wasn’t all corny lyrics/metaphors and classic pop-punk lines. The lyrics this time were well put together and was straight to the point without making you have to think about what he meant. The music was still catchy but it changed from faster songs to slower songs throughout the album, creating a well balanced mix of both. To me it was the only album of 2016 that hit home. Honorable Mentions: VANNA - All Hell
KAMNA TALWAR / PHOTOGRAPHER & WRITER After The Burial - Dig Deep
The album maturely fuses the melodic bits from releases like Rareform with the more bass-heavy, djenty grooves that they have been exploring increasingly with their discography. Beyond the music itself, Dig Deep demonstrates the triumph of After The Burial following the tragic death of guitarist Justin Lowe and is the first release without him as well as the last release with bassist Lee Foral. Each song on Dig Deep has its own dynamic feel, making them all equally significant. Most of the songs are heavily bass-driven with a lot of staccato instrumentation during verses. That’s not to overlook the beautiful guitar melodies that string the individual sections in the songs together. There is also a lot of vocal variation on the release, be it tone, pitch, or pace of the words. “Mire” is one of my favorite songs on the release. From the relentless opening riff with clashing drums to the sick ending guitar line, there is not a dull moment in the energetic, aggressive song. The quick musical changes and varied vocals keep it intriguing and pumps me up every time I listen to it. Another highlight is “Deluge.” It’s one of the more melodic songs on the release, and perfectly blends this sound with more bass-heavy atmospheres. If you listen to anything on this album, make it this song. Honorable mentions: Every Time I Die - Low Teens
st | 30 - JANUARY 2017
DYLAN LENTON / WRITER Polaroid - Lush
This band is going to remain underground as they have no desire to tour. However, this is the best emo revival album that I’ve ever heard. It’s probably in my top 25 albums of all time. It was on repeat for me all summer. Just a beautiful, catchy and haunting release. Honorable Mentions: Night Verses - Into The Vanishing Light Like Pacific - Distant Like You Asked Deftones - Gore Saosin - Along The Shadow Thrice - To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere Knocked Loose - Laught Tracks
JAKE LAHAH / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Grouplove - Big Mess
If there is any group that really knocked my socks off this year, it would have to be Grouplove’s newest release Big Mess. Big Mess is not your typical fun album, it’s crafted in a way that shows the progression and development of Grouplove. Having the pleasure to see them playing a majority of songs from the album live, I’ve see how complex and intricate the album actually is on the inside. Many of the jams such as “Good Morning” and “Cannon Ball” make you take a moment to listen to the music, and really comprehend the power that music has on your mood or feeling. Honorable Mentions: DIIV – Is the Is Are M83 – Junk Bear Hands – You’ll Pay For This Flume – Skin Too Close To Touch – Haven’t Been Myself Crown The Empire – Retrograde Zhu – Generationwhy Crystal Castles – Amnesty (I) What So Not – Divide & Conquer
st | 31
TIFFANY CHACON / PHOTOGRAPHER Emarosa - 131
The feelings you felt throughout this entire album was so real. And true to life. This is something I bowed down to during the entirety of the album. I love lyrics where you, or anyone can relate to, and 131 was the album that made it for me or 2016. Bradley Walden is so passionate with his strength of voice and the power of the vocals tie so well with the power of the music. ‘Helpless’ is the track to start off with if you haven’t listened to it yet! Runner ups: Anderson Paak - Malibu Childish Gambino - “Awaken, My Love!” Capsize - A Reintroduction: The Essence of All The Surrounds Me Jimmy Eat World - Integrity Blues I See Stars - Treehouse Drake - Views
st | 32 - JANUARY 2017
ST ALBUM OF 2016
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE!
st | 33
FAREWELL TO:
F O R T O D AY PHOTOS & STORY
BY ALEXA FRANKOVITCH
st | 34 - JANUARY 2017
It takes something special to convince dozens of people to stand outside on windy night, temperatures barely reaching 25 degrees. Flannel shirts lined the side of the former-church-turned-concert-hall in Pittsburgh, PA, as the marquee cast a yellow light around the letters “For Today Farewell Tour.” After 11 years together, the Christian metalcore band For Today is signing off, saying goodbye with one last tour around the world. In an old living space in the back of the venue, vocalist Mattie Montgomery sat on a leather couch, cushions cold from frigid air leaking in through the window seams. Members of the band tuned instruments and rehearsed for the show, though by this point, their day to day tour routine was so habitual, practicing was almost unnecessary. “I think it’s t-minus nine shows until the band is done, which is crazy and surreal, but it’s been exciting,” said Montgomery. “It’s been a really humbling tour to go all around the world. We played in 61 cities, four or five continents, and being able to see people who have been touched by our music all over the planet has been really cool.” For the past four months, For Today has been touring non-stop, giving people in North America, South America, and countries all across Europe the chance to sign off and say goodbye in person. “Every day its new people, everywhere that we go,” Montgomery said. “Every day we get to meet new people, just incredible, amazing people; beautiful people with great stories and great hearts and there are plenty of them in the world, but I think out on tour you’re sort of forced to meet them a lot more than you are in real life.” Since forming in 2005, the Christian metalcore band has become somewhat of an anomaly in the scene. In a genre that is seen by many on the outside as aggressive, Montgomery, along with Ryan Leitru, Brandon Leitru, and David Puckett have woven strong messages of compassion and faith into their music. Their lyrics unabashedly profess their love of God and their performances toe the line between concert and sermon. And while many might assume this places them into a niche category, shows throughout the entirety of the Farewell Tour have totally sold out, the audiences packed with hardcore music fans, and faithful Christians; young children at their parents’ side, and dozens of adults ready to mosh their hearts out. When the band announced over the summer that they would be embarking on one final tour, the fanbase was struck surprised. Just over a year ago, For Today
released what would be their final album, Wake, which was met with impressively positive feedback. The band toured successfully in support of the album, but announced just months later that they would be disbanding at the end of the year, leaving many fans wondering why. “God said it was time to stop,” Montgomery said. “We’ve been saying for years that this isn’t a religion where everybody has to comply to a set of rules, it’s a relationship and that means that God can speak to us specifically, regarding specific things in our lives, and so toward the beginning of this year God began to speak and just said that it’s time to move on for the band. There’s nothing wrong, we all still love each other, we’re still having a great time, shows are still great, we just got a strong sense that God was saying that we had done everything we were called to do. We decided to do one last long tour, and call it a day.” Many fans speculated that something else caused the breakup, that it couldn’t be such a simple resolution. Why would a band, seemingly still in their prime, decide to simply call it quits when they could easily continue creating and touring for years to come? “People have been asking, even before we announced, ‘so what’s next for the band? Any goals for the future?’ and I was like, no,” stated Montgomery. “Everything I ever dreamed of when we started, we’ve done it. So we were just in uncharted territory, just hanging out, seeing what was next. We’ve done everything I could have asked for or hoped for.” For Today has had great success in the kind of music that they create - their lyrics and compositions are something for other bands to lust after, but the one thing that has consistently kept fans coming back for more is their moral stability. The band has kept fully grounded in their beliefs from the very beginning, going so far as to end their time together honorably; to not drag on simply to make money or continue a journey with no destination. They have always made a point to create for others and though their music is what has solidified their place in the scene, For Today has never been in it for the recognition, but solely the intention of helping fans. “We wrote a lot of songs about who we could be or who we hoped to be and who we’re working to become, but the album Wake I think was the time we really sort of jumped into where we’re at right now and into the lives of struggling people, hurting people. We sort of helped to hopefully give them the words to express their desire for help, their hope for justice.”
st | 35
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE!
st | 36 - JANUARY 2017
And while the end of the group may be bittersweet, the band members are ready to move on. Brothers Brandon and Ryan Leitru have formed a new band, Nothing Left, with members of Silent Planet and A Bullet for Pretty Boy. Montgomery himself has just launched Anchor Print Company, a clothing and brand development organization. Though it may seem like an obvious statement, Montgomery said that he definitely wouldn’t be where he is today if not for his time in the band. “It’s such a foundational part of who I am,” he says, attributing that time to his growing up. “I met my wife while I was in the band, got married, had two kids, bought a house - I became a man while I was in this band, so this is kind of my launching place. This is my point of origin for everything else, so I think it’s totally going to change everything about the rest of my life, which is cool because I’m going to approach life with a different perspective now and a different history than I would have otherwise. And I think I’m going to carry those things with me through everything.” As fans thawed their frozen limbs in the jam-packed concert hall, the band took to the stage for the very last time and the crowd all but exploded. For Today played songs old and new, but as the show neared the end, Montgomery took a moment to thank the audience. “This is so much more than any one of us could have ever asked for or dreamed for, and to be able to come to places like this and to have people care is more than anything we could have asked for - we thank you guys. We decided to do one last tour to come here and really be able to look you in the eyes and say thank you. To everyone who ever cared, to everybody who ever bought a shirt or a CD - you believed in what we’ve been trying to do and we are just so, so, so, so grateful. Grateful to God; we are so grateful for every one of you guys for being here, for believing in this thing. If we did this right, this thing can be a lot bigger than For Today.” As the show inched towards the end, so did the tour and the discernable existence of For Today; audience members could feel the band take off their crowns to hand the title to someone else. The group has been a mentor to other bands in their league, of whom will certainly pick up where For Today leaves off, and beyond them are the fans who will definitely carry on. “I’m grateful that it’s not just been the five of us, but that we stand here with a room full of people that carry that same flame inside of them.” After more than a decade, For Today has said their final farewell, but that flame stays lit, and it headed out into the cold winter night. ~
st | 37
"If we did this right, bigger than
this thing can be a lot For Today." - MATTIE MONTGOMERY
st | 39
Artist of the Year
st | 40 - JANUARY 2017
PHOTOS &
STORY BY
JAKE LAHAH
st | 42 - JANUARY 2017
CREATING A WORK OF ART IS DIFFICULT ENOUGH AS IS; WHEN YOU CONSIDER FAMOUS WORKS OF ART THAT YOU SEE IN MAJOR GALLERIES, YOU ARE OFTEN CONFRONTED WITH QUESTIONS AS
TO WHAT THE PIECE MEANS AND HOW THE ARTIST PUT THEMSELF
AND THEIR FEELINGS INTO IT. NOW IMAGINE CREATING A WORK OF ART THAT TAKES THE FORM OF A MUSICAL RECORD, AND
HAVING TO CREATE ARTWORK THAT SEAMLESSLY TIES INTO THE CONTENT OF THE ALBUM. WE’VE SEEN IT DONE BEFORE
WITH MY CHEMICAL ROMANCES “THE BLACK PARADE,” WHICH
MAKES ABSOLUTE SENSE FOR THE MOOD AND TONE OF THAT RELEASE. BUT SOMETIMES, YOU SEE A PHOTOGRAPH OF A
GIRL ROLLING DOWN A HILL AND ARE INSTANTLY PUSHED AND PULLED IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS - YOU GET A SENSE
OF LIGHTHEARTEDNESS, BUT WITH A TINGE OF AGGRESSION.
THIS GIRL, THIS FEELING - THIS IS THE ARTWORK OF BEAR HANDS’ NEWEST ALBUM.
st | 43
“My good friend Andre Schwartz took this photo of his girlfriend when they were on a road trip,” guitarist Ted Feldman said. “And when we were trying to pick album art, we had the title first: ‘You’ll Pay For This.’ We were trying to figure out an image that could tie into the themes that we thought the title could evoke from lyrical themes of the record.” Released in April of 2016, the experimental rock group released their third studio album, You’ll Pay For This. But creating an album’s artwork is often more difficult than people think. “I asked Andre if he had anything lying around that fit the mold. We had a bunch of stuff and I love his work. That picture to me, sort of feels like it evokes that dual revenge or playfulness that the title holds. I think it allows for all the meanings to come through,” Feldman explained. You’ll Pay For This transverses a much larger range of topics and ideas. With this album release, the listener is able to sense a much more developed artistic vision, through a complex sound palette and the inclusion of more diverse elements. A bunch of the songs have hit the radio, making it to some of the alternative music charts, like their hit single “2AM.” But this doesn’t define the album’s intricacy and stance as an innovative rock album. The album begins promptly with “I Won’t Pay,” offering a new side to Bear Hands’ sound. “The first song a little bit has some mechanical elements,” Feldman said. “Some of the production elements that I think we can attribute to James Brown who worked on it with us. I think he brought a lot of that into the album.” “He worked with Nine Inch Nails before,” vocalist Dylan Rau stepped in. “Maybe some of it seeped in - I hope so. I love the record and the way things worked out.” “I don’t know, there wasn’t much of a discussion about those two kinds of elements,” Feldman explained. “I think we were just trying to make a deeper broader palette of sounds. We recorded a lot in my parents’ house in this big living room. So we used the rooms as much as we could. Maybe that space made it into that sound.”
st | 45
st MAG // WHERE GOOD MUSIC REACHES GOOD PEOPLE! Songs such as “Too Young” and “The Shallow” mimic that sense of recording in a large room, leading the listener to the feeling of being isolated and desolate (which ties into the theme of the album title and artwork). The visual language and landscape Bear Hands has crafted with this release is made to showcase how feeling and intuition are important components. Creating an album that marries tracks like “Déjà vu,” which has an experimental edge, with “Winner’s Circle” which is, for lack of a better word, a “bop,” can be very difficult. The band describes the writing process as a struggle. “We are pretty much a total partnership at this point in terms of writing songs,” Rau stated. “Ted and I, before the album was recorded, were generally writing between us. We’ll sort of give birth to something on our own and we’ll help each other finish it.” “It’s a constant struggle, accounting everyone’s opinion,” Feldman explained. “We have a really good relationship in that it’s not like a painful process. So it’s this good give and take that we have. Inevitably, we come up against walls.” “Sometimes we like different things,” Rau said. “If it gets down to it and it feels differently, it’s not like there is a right answer. It’s not like you can keep working on it and be like ‘I told you, I proved to you this is better!’ You know?” Even with a writing process that can be difficult accounting for everyone’s opinions, the writing process in the end was overall rewarding. “Well I think the writing process for us was very rewarding for us with this album,” Feldman explained. “I think the record came out great and the people that are fans of our band are very pleased. It’s been cool to see immediately as soon as we started touring, people knew the songs. That was a new thing for us.”
st | 46 - JANUARY 2017
New surprises can be a good thing though. With their previous release, Distraction, getting tons of radio time along with the fact that the band can often be identified from their hit song, “Giants,” it’s safe to say that the band has clearly developed with their unique sound, making You’ll Pay For This a monumental album. “Distraction was the first record that got national radio airplay. So that was a major step up for us. It definitely broadened the appeal of the record across America. You’ll Pay For This has definitely has gotten some good radio play with songs like ‘2AM,’ etc.,” Rau stated. “I think the big comparison with Distraction is that it was a big shock that anyone knew any songs,” Feldman explained. “It was sort of this rebirth of the band. This [You’ll Pay For This] is our next development of the band. I feel like we are building on that audience that followed us through Distraction.” Bear Hands has worked hard to build an audience, not just through their music, but through their cohesive aesthetic as well. Building and developing an aesthetic is something all artists do in order to create meaningful works of art. Just as visual artists are driven by a question of interest, so too are musicians. “I don’t know if I have a really good answer for that,” Feldman asked in response to what could possibly be the one question that influenced the creation of the album. THAT response in itself, speaks of the complexity of the album. It intuitively explains how the band has constructed an album full of inspiration and how that inspiration creates a dialogue with the lyrical content. It exists within the realm of vengeance and liveliness, and it’s just one of those things that you have to listen to the album yourself to understand. ~