cut oct 2 by sarah gorman

M I NUS the BEAR volume6.issue1.oct2012 1

volume6.issue1.oct2012

FEATURED ARTICLES the black keys.10 caspian.12 minus the bear.16 the front bottoms.22

IN EVERY ISSUE letter from the editor.04 music news.06 lyrically speaking.07 steel city start-ups.08 cut â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em all.24 mixtape.25 concert reviews.23 album reviews.28 essay.30

LETTER from the

EDITOR Editor-in-Chief

Kristen Swanson

Assistant Editor

Zach Branson

Art/Layout Director Sarah Gorman

Photo Editor

Samantha Ward

Copy Director Mike Ryan

Marketing and Publicity Chief Dan Curhan

Public Relations Coordinator Christina Mitas

Web Manager

Jake Kushner

Writing Staff Rachel Asbel, Zach Branson, Sankalp Bhatnagar, Leela Chockalingam, Lindsay Corey, Allison Cosby, Dan Curhan, Hannah Dellabella, Vanessa Frank, Ian Go, Lisa Kessler, Will Lush, Christina Mitas, Danielle Peters, Alec Resende, Alejandro Reyes-Morales, Christopher Skaggs, Kristen Swanson, Samantha Ward, Rebecca Warshofsky

Photo Staff Zach Branson, Lindsay Corey, Dan Curhan, Christopher Skaggs, Kristen Swanson

Layout Staff Rachel Asbel, Hannah Dellabella, Ian Go, Kathy Lee, Tiffany Tse

Editing Staff

Rachel Asbel, Kairavi Chahal, Leela Chockalingam, Joshua Choi, Hannah Dellabella, Eleanor Elrich, Holly Fitzgibbon, Zaneta Grant, Sara Keats, Will Lush, Danielle Maly, Phoebe Ng, Danielle Peters, Magdalen Silberman, Jordan Stephenson, Adria Steuer, Emma Steuer, Dan Sogunro, Rebecca Warshofsky

This past weekend as I was driving to a show, I spotted snow on the ground. You know, that stuff that turns Pittsburgh into a slushy winter-fest of frozen misery? This year is going to be different, though. I refuse to associate winter with misery, and the only way to accomplish this is through music. That night on the freezing car ride home, during a sing-along session to Against Me! songs with my friend, I realized that winter is the perfect time to indulge in music. Maybe this realization came from repeating the same song 10 times and never getting tired of it. Maybe I was sleep deprived and the fact that I was losing my voice didn’t matter to me. Or maybe I’m just finally in the holiday spirit. Maybe it was even a combination of all three, but I wanted to carry over this indulgence into the December issue of <ital>The Cut</ital>. This issue is jam-packed with enough musical content to bring joy to any music lover. There are more bands featured in this issue then ever before—from the actively charged band State Radio to the YouTube sensation The Fates. If you’re still searching for something more unique, check out Fitz and The Tantrums, whose impeccable style is sure to impress. As for indie lovers, not to worry, because Real Estate will cure all of your winter blues. Not to mention Tokyo Police Club, who rocked the Carnegie Mellon stage and are some of the most down to earth musicians you will ever meet. If the holiday spirit is calling you, we have a list of some of our favorite Christmas albums that even Scrooge would enjoy. Plus, the essay in this issue will tug at your heart strings, and might even encourage you to confess your love to whomever you’ve been crushing on. This month’s mixtape was made especially for you and is the perfect playlist to start your winter break off with. The best part? There’s still so much left for you to read. Don’t take my word for it though, turn the page and see for yourself! I dare you. Okay, I double-dog-dare you! Kristen N. Swanson Editor-in-Chief The Cut Magazine

RECOMMENDED ALBUMS

10 SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR 1. Madness Muse

6. Help I’m Alive Metric

2. Frozen Lakes on Mars Ihsahn

7. Liquorice Azealia Banks

3. Civilian Wye Oak

8. Shuffle A Dream Little Dragon

4. Pretty Face Sóley

9. Ho Hey The Lumineers

5. Take A Walk Passion Pit

10. Seventeen Junior Battles 5

MUSIC NEWS compiled by Allison Cosby and Samantha Ward

• The Jonas Brothers have revealed that a new single is coming out soon, although the only thing you probably remember about them is—wait, aren’t they a One Direction cover band? • Members Redfoo and SkyBlu of LMFAO have discarded rumours about their breakup. • In a vaguely unsurprising turn of events, Fiona Apple spent a night in a Texas jail after authorities found weed and hash on her tour bus. • Bon Iver once again asserts his hip nature by asking fans to design his new tattoo based on Northern Exposure. • Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong has reported that he will still be appearing on television show The Voice despite the fact that he was recently shipped off to rehab. • PSY’s “Gangnam Style” has recently taken over the radio, dancefloors, and subconscious minds of Americans everywhere with its catchy tune and even catchier dance moves. But does anyone even know what he’s saying? • When she’s not getting mistaken for Gwen Stefani by Flavor Flav, Miley Cyrus is working on a new album with a single heading out later this year. • Ke$ha has finally released a new single, fittingly called “Die Young. • At the iHeart Radio Music Festival, Pink showed up all the pop starlets by singing her closing number “So What” while hanging upside down in a harness. Nailed it. • Lana Del Ray recently released the artwork and tracklisting for her 24-song “Paradise Edition” of Born to Die. • In other Lana Del Ray news, she made use of her real claim to fame —her hot bod— and posed in a (mostly) nude spread for this month’s GQ.

• While closing out their 50th anniversary tour, the Beach Boys have expressed hope for their future—lead singer (the beachiest boy) Brian Wilson said, “I’m sure by early next year we’ll be ready to rock.” • Colombian pop star Shakira has announced that she and her boyfriend, Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué, are expecting their first child. • When in Amsterdam, do as the Amsterdamians do? Lady Gaga lit up on stage while performing in the notoriously weed-loving city, and even made statements about joining the fight for legalizing medical marijuana. • American Idol has announced a new lineup up of interesting judges: Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey, and Keith Urban all join the only remaining original judge Randy Jackson for the upcoming season. • Punks unite? Surf-“punk” group Best Coast and “punk” band Green Day will go on tour together this January. • To celebrate the 45th anniversary of The Velvet Underground & Nico, musicians including Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, White Fence, and The Fresh & Onlys are collaborating on a vinyl-only tribute LP, set to drop on November 6. • The Dum Dum Girls released a new LP, End of Daze. On one track Dee Dee sings, “I’ve got nothing left to say from this day on,” but somehow I doubt that’s true. • Earlier this month Kanye West put out an underwhelming Cruel Summer, a compilation album by the G.O.O.D. Music record label, adding to the list of regrettable releases he’s put out since he peaked with Watch the Throne. • Rihanna has announced a new album set to come out in November. The currently untitled album will be her seventh album in just eight years—she should really take a break from music (maybe permanently).

digital modeling, sampling, and the rise of the home studio by Dan Curhan

With the rise of the Internet, the dissemination of music

has become dramatically easier, causing all sorts of copyright/legal problems in its wake. Computer technology has, however, also made the production of music far easier. With a few 100 dollars and a decent computer, anyone can produce studio-quality results in their bedroom. This is especially prevalent in the now oversaturated djent scene in progressive metal. Any decent musician with a good ear, a computer, and the Internet can make instrumental music that sounds professionally engineered. This jump in home studio production quality can be attributed mainly to massive leaps forward in the quality of digital modeling amplifier simulators like Fractal Audio Systems’ Axe-FX, and the availability of high-quality drum samples through software such as Superior Drummer.

One of my favorite albums last year was Corelia’s mind-blowing debut EP Nostalgia. The songs were brilliantly written, flawlessly executed, and perfectly produced. And it was all self-recorded, produced, and distributed. The main components of their massive sound were Axe-FX modeling units and drum samples from Superior Drummer. There isn’t a single mic-recorded amplifier on the album. Every guitar and bass sound was recorded using a direct input from the Axe-FX. Corelia is probably my favorite example of using modeling and sampling to make awesome music without a studio, but they were by no means the first or the most notable. Misha Mansoor (of Periphery) is probably one of the most influential members of the djent and bedroom-recording scenes. His unique progressive metal project titled Bulb broke out into the masses and started a revolution of musciains writing and recording instrumental djent in their bedrooms using similar techniques—techniques that he was happy to share. Mansoor was extremely active in many Internet forums, lending his ear, experience, and advice to fellow bedroom musicians. He also uses Axe-FX digital modeling amps. More and more artists, including Megadeth, Guns’N’Roses, Black Eyed Peas, Devin Townsend, and Between the Buried and Me, to name a few, are making the switch to digital modeling amps like Axe-FX. Digital modeling amps basically offer limitless combinations of classic simulated amplifiers, cabinets, and effects pedals. The output can run through an amplifier setup or straight into a computer. Besides Axe-FX, there are also other modeling amps from companies like Line6 and Vox. There are even guitar amp modelers that run on your computer, like Guitar Rig by Native Instruments. All of these solutions mean that with one initial investment, the possibilities are limitless, and the results will sound professional. Even from your bedroom.

lyrically speaking with Hannah DellaBella

My first poetry professor once

told me that the best rhymes are the ones that you don’t immediately notice. I tend to think this is true, both in poems and lyrics. As a writer, I can appreciate how difficult it is to make rhyming sound natural, so I understand if a song has some clumsy rhymes. But I expect lyricists to at least put a little bit of effort into their rhymes. I always find myself getting annoyed at Top 40 songs for their propensity to choose easy rhymes for the sake of catchiness. For example, here are a few lines of “Save Me, San Francisco” by Train: “I’ve been high, I’ve been low

/ I’ve been yes and I’ve been oh hell no / I’ve been rock and roll and disco / Won’t you save me San Francisco?” Sure it’s catchy, but it’s borderline nonsensical. You can tell that the lyrics are suffering from their rhyme scheme, which is pretty much a poetic sin. A reader shouldn’t be able to tell when a poet forced a line to fit the rhyme scheme. The same should go for lyrics. Sadly, music that tries to be catchy often winds up suffering poetically. On the other hand, the writer in me is very drawn to Bright Eyes, a band that consistently produces

lyrics that read like poetry. The lines usually have a balanced amount of syllables, which lends itself to a catchy rhythm. The rhymes are subtle, but still detectable enough to make it catchy. Here’s a few lines from “Lua”: “I’ve got a flask inside my pocket, we can share it on the train / If you promise to stay conscious, I will try to do the same / We might die from medication, but we sure killed all the pain / But what was normal in the evening, by the morning seems insane” These lyrics have the same mono rhyme scheme as “Save Me, San Francisco,” but they do something

completely different. The increased line length helps make the rhyming less obvious, but you can still pick up on it. The lyrics here do not sound forced or created just for the sake of rhyming. They sound like poetry. Next time you listen to a song, look for rhyming in the lyrics. You might notice something you never would have before. I’m definitely not saying that I want all songs to follow some standard format for rhymes, but a little poetic influence in your rhyming goes a long way.

BEAR CUB by Leela Chockalingam

ear Cub made the move to Nashville, Tn. around two years ago. This small hardcore folk Pittsburgh startup is making quite the name for itself in what is arguably the music capital of America. The ‘Burgh still actively claims the Bears as their own, an appreciation the Bears reciprocate. One of the catchiest tunes on their latest album is “For Pittsburgh, With Love & Squalor (Let’s Go Out).” An up-beat riotous tune, it describes how to go out in Pittsburgh for an unforgettable night. The song captures the gritty details of the city’s spirit, leaving no question the Bears hold the three rivers in their hearts. The nucleus of Bear Cub’s formation was lead singer Jesse Hall’s fateful trip to Austin, Tx. a few years ago. Leaving his treasured music and his beloved city, Jesse followed a girl to Texas. Leaving heartbroken, Jesse soon came home from Texas with the rich emotional seeds for Bear Cub’s first album. He got together with four other musicians he had known for many years, and Bear Cub was born. They started putting together their first eponymous album under Jesse’s father Buddy Hall, a local legend and music producer. After being extremely well-received by the local Pittsburgh scene, they quickly built up a loyal fan base. Since that time they have released two albums, and they added their final band member in Nashville. When asked why they relocated, Jesse said, “I have always had a crush on Nashville since I was a baby dude.“ No one can really blame them for falling for Nashville, “Music City”, which has seen the talents of artists as varied as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and even Paramore.

STEEL CITY 8

Their latest album, Good Morning, Every Morning, was released in September. Moving away from Jesse’s breakup source material for the first two albums, Good Morning, Every Morning encapsulates the stories of the new beginning in Nashville. With much more varied emotional tone, the songs are generally full-force forward with rollicking beats and humourous lyrics. Bridging the gap between folk and rock, their songs are head-thumping while still having the universal feeling of folk. In one song a listener can feel the sing-a-long pop influences of the Beatles as well as the story-telling folk influences of the Counting Crows. While these influences can definitely be felt, Bear Cub takes them and twists them together into an entirely unique beast. Listeners quickly realize that this isn’t the folk of their grandparent’s generation, but the music still weaves rich stories. This folk is thicker, heavier, and faster, but still down to earth lyrically. Their song “I’ve Been Around” starts with the lyrics: “‘What’s the worst that could happen?’ I said to my friends as I pack up my old truck and I begin to leave again.” These are obviously words from the heart of a band trying to start anew in a strange city and making the most of the situation. Their genuine lyrics stick in the heads and the hearts of listeners. Fans of the Avett Brothers, Bright Eyes, or NOFX might benefit from checking them out.

Their hardcore nature becomes especially apparent at live shows. Energetic and rowdy, the band tries to bring the house down. “My favorite songs to perform live are ‘I’ve Been Around,’ ‘3 Records Deep,’ and ‘Free At Last.’ Each one, in its own way, seems to move the audience, and I get to scream a little bit, which I enjoy,” said lead singer Jesse. It is this live energy that pulses through their latest vivacious album. Bear Cub put a lot of work into their latest album, which has a fuller sound enhanced by intricate vocal harmonies. Jesse advocates this dedication to the craft to other artists, saying that aspiring musicians need to work in order to do their music justice. In a world where young artists often fall into the trap of shock factors or crowd pleasing, this advice is extremely relevant. Bear Cub also believes that an aspiring musician’s lyrics should stem from their personal experiences and emotions. Their approachable yet unique lyrics show the success of this attitude. For more information about the band, their website is www.bearcubclub.com and their Facebook page is facebook.com/bearcubspage. Their latest album is for sale off their website. While there probably will not be any concerts in Pittsburgh any time soon, there is no reason you have to miss out on Bear Cub’s unique blend of music.

CAS Interview by Alejandro Reyes-Morales Photos by Dan Curhan 10

SPIAN Caspianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique blend of crushing crescendos and soaring harmonies has allowed them to become one of the most important bands in the post-rock scene. The Cut recently spoke to Phil Jamieson about their new album, Waking Season, and what has kept the band going for almost 10 years of nearly non-stop touring. 11

The Cut: You guys are currently on tour with Minus the Bear and Cursive in support of your new full length album, Waking Season. How is the tour going so far, and how has the crowd reacted to the new material? Phil Jamieson: Incredibly well. In fact, I really think it just couldn’t be better. Minus the Bear and Cursive are both bands that we really respect and appreciate, and it’s an honor to share the stage with them. They are all really mellow guys just trying to play music, and it’s really been a dream come true so far. So far the crowd has been responding positively. We’ve been making up a new set each night, but we’re starting to settle down on one that we like. People need more time to get familiar with our new material since it isn’t as “face-melty” or intense as some of our previous albums. The Cut: When your previous album Tertia came out, you guys did a lot of touring in the US and abroad. Is that something you are looking to continue to do in support of Waking Season? Phil: We really write our music to have the opportunity to play in front of an audience, and I imagine we’ll be doing just as much touring for this album. Back in 2010 we did something like 170 shows in support of Tertia, and we all realized we needed time to take a break. It was really nice to get that time to recharge and get enough distance to find the perspective we needed before we started writing and playing music again. We are definitely going to try to hit the road as much as possible. The Cut: Like I said, you guys were able to play shows all over the US, Europe, Russia, and even China. Were there any shows that were particularly memorable? Were the crowds’ reactions different depending on which country or continent you were in at that time?

Phil: I think it really varied night to night more than anything, but it was great to be in all these different places. Eastern Europe was really inclusive and the crowd was really into the music. China doesn’t get a lot of rock shows, so they were really hungry for it and their reactions were very positive. They were able to really get lost in themselves, and it was really awesome to see that. As far as which places or shows were most memorable, it’s really hard to say. I have so many incredible experiences percolating in my head that I don’t even know where to begin. [Laughs.]

The Cut: How have you developed musically since your previous album? Was there anything specific that you were trying to achieve with this album? Phil: Whenever we do a record, we want it to be a new experience. We aren’t looking to completely reinvent ourselves, but we like to think about it in terms of a new chapter in the book of our band that lets us communicate something new and true musically. Back in 2011 when we started trying to piece the new material together, it felt like too much of a direct continuation of what was on Tertia. It took us a couple of months of trying different things until we found something that really resonated. We really wanted the music to be more impulsive - to let it be more open. It wasn’t about being ambient but rather about stretching the music to see how wide we could make it, sort of like a rubber band. More so than any of our previous albums, Waking Season is more introspective and personal musically, and if people can get that from the album, we would consider it a success. The Cut: Were there any artists that influenced you during the writing process? Phil: Personally speaking, I am usually more inspired by non-musical experiences when I am coming up with new material, but I would say that I remember listening to the new Bon Iver album a lot. It’s a brilliant album that felt really complete. In this day and age I think a lot of albums have a good song here and another one over there, but the

idea of an album being an experience from front to back is disappearing. I liked how from beginning to end it was one very solid, nuanced idea that was explored throughout. Listening to that album was a really inspirational experience. As far as other artists go, I was also listening to this really dense ambient electronica group called Blanck Mass. I don’t know if ambient is the right word, but there were a lot of layers and it was really intense music to listen to. The Cut: You mentioned being inspired by nonmusical experiences. Could you elaborate on what some of those were for this album? Phil: I think a lot of it came from being on the road pretty much throughout all of 2010 and seeing how the road gives and takes away. It was about dealing with the changes that went with that - losing touch with people, having friends move away, and then the process of trying to reconnect. When you are going through things like that, you really need to find an anchor, find some sort of permanence that you can hold on to. For us our music is our one constant, permanent presence, and we try to treat it with the respect it deserves. Being on the road means living a really transient life, and that really impacted us. What guided our thinking on this new album was

this whole process of wandering, returning, and trying to stay connected through it all. The Cut: Are there any particular songs or riffs that you were really proud of how they turned out? Phil: The third song on Waking Season, “Gone in Bloom and Bough”, is a favorite song of ours. It was the first time we ever incorporated vocals, and even though it is the same progression for ten minutes, we kept trying to come up with new ways to keep it fresh and add new textures that we had never tried before. The entire time we were writing, recording, and editing the song it really felt like it could be a failed experiment, but it came out really incredible, and we’re very proud of it. The Cut: Caspian has been around for almost 10 years now. What has kept you guys going? Phil: Oh man, there are so many different reasons that I feel like I could easily spend hours just trying to answer this question. I think what it comes down to for us is the simple things—getting a note from a fan, talking to people after our shows, or hearing how our music is helping them go through tough situations. At the end of the day, making people happy is one of the main reasons we do this, and it’s really difficult to turn away from that. We feel like we’re always chasing something, and sometimes it’s hard to know what it is or how to communicate it through our music, but as long as that feeling is there, we’re going to keep trying.

SUNDAY 07

MONDAY 08

TUESDAY 09

OCTOBER

WEDNESDAY 10

Lagwagon, Dead to Me Altar Bar

Converge Altar Bar

21 Fiona Apple Stage AE

Lara Marling Club Cafe

Touché Amoré Altar Bar

A Rocket To The Moon Altar Bar

Fenster Garfield Artworks

Flobots Stage AE

31 New Found Glory Altar Bar

Red City Radio South Side Warehouse Zammuto, Lymbyc Systym Andy Warhol Museum

FRIDAY 12

SATURDAY 13

Signals Midwest, Smith Street Band 222 Ormsby

Jars of Clay, Sleeping at Last Altar Bar

The Misfits Altar Bar

Why? Altar Bar

Title Fight, Pianos Become The Teeth The Smiling Moose

27 Karin Stage AE

Grouplove Altar Bar

NOVEMBER Craig Owens Altar Bar

CALENDAR

THURSDAY 11

Falling In Reverse Stage AE

MINUS TH

Interview by Zach Branson 16 Photos by Dan Curhan

HE BEAR Minus the Bear is a consistently weird fivepiece rock band from Seattle, Wa. Starting off with song titles like “Monkey!!! Knife!!! Fight!!!” and a band name that comes from a friendly joke about fellatio, Minus the Bear is now acclaimed by fans and critics alike. For years, they’ve been touring endlessly with bands of different genres, and now their new album Infinity Overhead cements them as an established force in the world of innovative music. The Cut had the chance to talk with Minus the Bear drummer Erin Tate about producers, balancing weirdness with pop, and what it’s like to be the drummer of a band that’s known for its guitars.

The Cut: Minus the Bear recently released its fifth studio album Infinity Overhead, and now you guys are touring with Cursive and Caspian. The band has been touring almost non-stop for 10 years, and have played with all sorts of bands. Do you plan to still keep up the touring pace? Erin Tate: Yeah, we’ll keep touring, but three of us have kids now, so we’re doing smaller tours. We’re out for six weeks, but instead of doing six weeks in a row, we’re doing three weeks on the road, two weeks at home, and then three weeks on the road again. We’ll keep touring as much as possible. The Cut: It seems like a lot of times when you’re not touring, you’re recording; so is a lot of your songwriting done on the road? With all the layers of instrumentation on your songs, how does Minus the Bear songwriting even work? ET: We don’t write when we’re gone—it’s too hard. We just write when we’re at home. Dave [Knudson] plays guitar, I play drums, and the two of us usually write everything together. Dave and I set the whole songwriting foundation, and then Cory [Murchy], Alex [Rose], and Jake [Snider] come in and finish the songs with bass, guitar, and lyrics. The Cut: Let’s talk a bit more about your new album. Matt Bayles used to be Minus the Bear’s keyboardist, but now he came back and produced Infinity Overhead. What was it like to have your former keyboardist now be your producer? ET: Yeah, he actually helped produce all of our records except for Omni and our first album—when he was the keyboardist— so it was very much returning to what we were familiar with. Recording with Matt was like going back home. The Cut: Do you think Matt is going to continue being your producer after having a different producer on Omni? ET: I don’t know. We attempt to do different things on each record, so it just depends on what we feel like. This new group of songs just felt like they had Matt written all over them, and it was obvious to us within three or four songs that we were going to record with Matt. With Omni we just wanted to try to do something different. We wanted to record with a different producer, different studios, we signed to a different label.

Everything at that time was just, “Let’s do something different.” We realized that it wasn’t as much fun as we thought it was going to be. I personally feel like on Omni I was shut down a bit and my drums weren’t very exciting. I think they’re solid and good, but I didn’t get to do a lot of the drum fills that I normally do. The producer thing was a huge role on Omni. We worked with Joe Chiccarelli, and it was cool, but it was like having someone tell us what to do. Without trying to talk shit, because I’m honestly not, it just wasn’t as much fun. Matt worked with us, and we worked with Joe. The Cut: Minus the Bear is pretty experimental in nature— there are a ton of studio-made sounds and recording tricks going on in all your albums. How do you transfer that experimentalism to the stage, or do you do something completely different than what you do in the studio? ET: We attempt to recreate what we do on record live—sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. We use backing tracks if there’s an important keyboard element to the song that Alex can’t play because he doesn’t have four hands, or if there’s a percussion part that I can’t play because I don’t have four hands. I’d say we accomplish whatever we want to accomplish. Anything we put our minds to we just go ahead and do. The Cut: The band seems to be a conglomeration of different genres. Does everyone in the band have different music tastes, or are everyone’s music tastes as diverse as Minus the Bear’s sound? ET: We all get along on certain levels, but there’s definitely some clashing going on in terms of musical taste. One dude likes reggae, one dude likes metal, one dude likes hardcore, one dude likes hip-hop, and one dude likes electronic. So, we go through these phases of, “Did you listen to this Slayer song? Did you listen to this Dr. Dre song? Did you listen to this M83 song?” You can musically butt heads that way for sure. I’m the dumb hiphop and R&B kid—shit, nevermind, I’m an old man—I’m the dumb hip-hop and R&B old man. I love R. Kelly. I love Dr. Dre. I love Eric B. & Rakim. I love De La Sol.

“

The Cut: So is there a certain kind of sound you want that’s not quite there yet or that you feel you’re not playing enough on your albums?

laying down a rhythm network for the interesting, creative guitar-work that the other guys come up with.

ET: No, I think my drumming comes across in a way that has some hip-hop and R&B rhythm to it, but I don’t want to be a rock-rap band by any means—that’s just terrible. I’m into what we do. I wouldn’t put it out if I wasn’t into it, personally. I was excited about the last record and I’m more excited about this record. I don’t think any of us would put our name on something if we weren’t excited about it.

The Cut: It’s amazing how your music can be so experimental, but at the same time incredibly accessible. How do you all balance experimental sound with pop?

The Cut: I heard you never stick to one drum sponsor and that you use a lot of different drum sets for different shows and tours. Can you tell us a bit more about how choosing your equipment affects both the sound and dynamic of a show? ET: Well, I never had a sponsor until two weeks ago. I started talking with people from Tama drums, and now I use their drums. They’re great. For the past 15 years I’ve been asked by almost every drum company out there to get sponsored, and Tama—it sounds cheesy when talking about it—they’re just great. The sound is flat-out better. My drum tech, Chris, and I have been able to experiment and get different sounds out of them, and my drums just sound awesome right now.

ET: Oh, we fight to keep the creative side going. There’s a song on Infinity Overhead called “Toska,” which is just a bizarre fucking song—am I allowed to swear on this? Fuck it, it’s a weird fucking song. There was definitely some stuff from our label and our management that was like, “Do you want to put that song on the record? It’s really weird, and we have four other songs that are way more accessible,” and there was no question within the band. We run everything we do, and there has to be a certain amount of coolness or weirdness with everything we do. I feel like we did it on Omni with that song “Animal Backwards.” There’s some oddball tracks and stuff, but I just can’t imagine doing a record that doesn’t have one or two songs that are slightly fucked up.

The Cut: Minus the Bear is especially known for its highly technical guitar-work. What is it like to be the drummer of such a guitar-oriented band? ET: Oh, it’s fun—I get to try to prove myself all the time. [Laughs.] No, I’m totally joking. My biggest thing with this band is to try to not overplay and lay a foundation down for the amazing guitar-work that Dave and Jake do. I think Cory, our bass player, and myself are very concentrated on doing what we want to do, but also on

I just can’t imagine doing a record that doesn’t have one or two songs that are slightly fucked up.

”

Photographs by Lindsay Corey Location Date and time

THE BLACK KE Y S 21

Cut ‘Em All Unusual Instrumentation in METAL \m/

Dan: Metal has traditionally been about pushing boundaries: making the heaviest, fastest, most abrasive and extreme music possible. In the last decade or so, this boundary-pushing has expanded beyond the songwriting and arrangements to include instrumentation as well. Alejandro: Although the stereotypical heavy metal sound is based on ferocious guitar riffs, pummeling drums, and thunderous bass, there are a few prominent bands that try to experiment with this formula by adding unexpected instruments to the mix. Dan: I tend to gravitate toward interesting music, which is why I enjoy progressive metal so much. Progressive metal is consistently on the cutting edge, with innovative genre combinations and juxtapositions, and unusual instrumentation. Every time I hear a saxophone in metal, the sax player in me is proud. Saxophone really contributes an incredible, unique feel to metal when done well. Alejandro: I think what I find most interesting is how the vastly different textures of sounds are played off each other to make really fascinating, yet coherent combinations, that simply couldn’t be made with another guitar. In this month’s column we’ll talk about our favorite examples of bands pushing the boundaries in terms of instrumentation. EXAMPLES: Dan: One of my top three albums of all time is After by Emperor frontman Ihsahn. It features prominent saxophone throughout by Jorgen Munkeby of Shining (another unique band you should check out!), mixed with phenomenal progressive blackened death metal. Ihsahn plays every instrument on the album save for the drums and saxophone. Must-listen Track: “Undercurrent” Alejandro: The Ocean is a band that consistently incorporates different instruments into their complex blend of forward thinking metal. Horns, violins, pianos, glockenspiels, xylophones, and synths are woven expertly into their signature sound, which flows from brilliant melodic interludes to crushing sludge 24 metal. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Pre-

✂ by. Dan Curhan/Alex Reyes-Morales

cambrian, their groundbreaking two-disc concept album, which featured performances from members of the Berlin Philharmonic. As the album progresses, song arrangements become increasingly expansive and dynamic, mirroring the process of evolution from primitive life. Must-listen track: “Mesoproterozoic - Ecstasian” Dan: Another noteworthy band is UneXpect. The six current band members include a violinist nine-string bass player. The uniqueness of their music goes far beyond the instrumentation, but it wouldn’t be UneXpect without those gratuitous strings. Imagine what chaotic, out of control “circus metal” would sound like. Now make it actually awesome. You’re probably on the right track. Must-listen track: “Megalomaniac Trees” Alejandro: Perhaps none can surpass Maudlin of the Well when it comes to sheer genre-bending experimentation. Though firmly rooted in the realm of heavy metal, the band incorporated jazz, post-rock, chamber music, and new age elements all at once to craft some of the most unique music in any genre. To aid them in their sonic experiments, the band utilized trumpets, clarinets, violins, pianos, flutes, organs and saxophones. Eventually the band reformed itself into Kayo Dot, which has continued to push the envelope in far more experimental ways than its predecessor. Must-listen track: “Gleam in Ranks”

HONORARY MENTIONS: ++Botanist (black metal about plants played on a hammer dulcimer) Must-listen track: “Helleborus Niger” ++Ne Obliviscaris (phenomenal progressive black metal with prominent violin solos) Must-listen track: “And Plague Flowers The Kalei doscope” ++Turisas (fun battle metal with accordion & violins) Must-listen track: “To Holmgard and Beyond” ++The Mass (progressive metalcore with saxophone)

MIXTAPE ACOUSTIC AUTUMN

The Graveyard Near The House The Airborne Toxic Event

Corpses, graveyards, and contemplating your own mortality- are there any better representations of autumn than that?

There’s something about autumn that makes you want to curl up with some hot chocolate and listen to the sound of acoustic guitars. Maybe it’s the falling leaves, maybe it’s the sweater weather. Here are some of our picks for acoustic songs that will get you in the spirit of the season.

Blackbird The Beatles The Beatles are the perfect soundtrack to anything. With its lonely guitar and thoughtful lyrics, “Blackbird” has always sounded like fall to me. Hannah Dellabella

I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light Brand New That chilly autumn air has a distinct bite to it just like Jesse Lacey’s voice. His heartfelt lyrics make it clear that leaving home is just as hard as leaving those long summer days behind.

A Song for Milly Michaelson Thrice The sound of a light breeze tickling some wind-chimes is the main source of percussion in this song. This song makes you feel like a lonesome, chlorophylldrained leaf floating farther away from your home tree and towards the sun setting over the city skyline. Rebecca Warshofsky

Dueling Guitars Doug Smith & Heitor Pereira The playful, organic sounds of this guitar duet from the film August Rush never fail to get me excited about the crisp autumn atmosphere. Just whip this one out on a jaunty stroll down the orange leafladen sidewalks and you’ll see what I mean.

Golden My Morning Jacket The perfect afternoon-daydream-while-you-layon-the-grass-and-gaze-up-at-the-sunlight-peekingdelicately-through-the-dark-red-leaves-above-andtremble-in the-cool-fall-breeze kind of song.

Christina Mitas

Wait So Long Trampled by Turtles

Music The Beautiful Girls

Bluegrass and autumn go together like, well, something that goes together really, really well.

If you’re feeling blue about the summer ending, just listen to some Beautiful Girls. They can make even the coldest fall day feel like a sunny day at the beach! Will Lush

Turn Me On Norah Jones

Apple Blossom Esperanza Spalding

Norah Jones’ voice, a cup of tea, and a sweater are the perfect things to go with the drop in temperature.

I think the upright bass is one of the most wonderfully mournful instruments; I’ve always thought of it as embodying the voice of autumn. Christopher Skaggs

The Carpenter The Avett Brothers With The Carpenter, The Avett Brothers have shifted away from their previously acoustic, raw style, towards a sound that is more carefully crafted and embraces the use of digital techniques unheard of in their earlier albums. There is the genre hopping that is typical of the Avetts with tracks that sound shockingly poppy or almost punk, but despite these outliers, the album really is well-seated in a style that draws a lot from their bluegrass-folk beginnings. The tear-jerking lyrics of “A Father’s First Spring” and the overall pensive theme of tracks such as “The Once and Future Carpenter” show that the band is maturing thematically, as well as musically. While many fans might be disappointed with this more electric sound and the lack of banjo, a closer listen reveals that The Carpenter contains all of the wholesome lyricism and catchy songwriting that one would expect from the North Carolina brothers. –Rachel Asbel 4 SCISSORS The Carpenter G.O.O.D. Music If you weren’t aware, Kanye West has enlisted artists like Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Common, John Legend, Kid Cudi, Pusha T, and Cyhi Da Prynce for his new hip-hop label known as Getting Out Our Dreams or G.O.O.D. Music. Their collective album, Cruel Summer, is filled with unparalleled production quality and an unexpected level of lyrical sophistication as it combines powerful beats (“Clique”, “Sin City”), addictive hooks (“Don’t Like”, “Cold”), and casually extensive verses (“New God Flow”, “The Morning”, “The One”). Though the album may capture the raw essence of swagger (“Mercy”), or offer refreshing hope to fans of hip-hop everywhere (“Higher”), some of its mediocre moments (“To The World”, “Bliss”, “Creepers”) leave the listener unsatisfied. G.O.O.D. Music’s inability to deliver consistency throughout this entire debut curbs it from excellence. Even so, Cruel Summer will remain one of the most definitive albums in recent hip-hop memory. –Sankalp Bhatnagar 4 SCISSORS Cedar + Gold Tristan Prettyman After a four-year hiatus, an extremely public breakup with fiancé Jason Mraz, and a risky vocal surgery, Tristan Prettyman emerges full force with Cedar + Gold. The former Roxy model brings a darker side to this new release, deviating from her usual carefree surfer girl vibe. Throughout the album, Prettyman poignantly and quietly depicts the trials and triumphs over her loss, from the initial shock and devastation of the breakup to optimistic notes of growing away and moving on. With beautifully simple lyrics and tender chords, “Glass Jar” and “I Was Gonna Marry You” stand out by painstakingly expressing her heartbreak. While the album mostly echoes similar themes, “The Rebound” is a cute, tongue-incheek track, while “Bad Drug” is a bass-heavy, groovy song that shines outside her comfort zone. This album serves as a testament that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger – her strength in the situation shines through in her growth as an artist. –Lisa Kessler 4 SCISSORS Come of Age The Vaccines West Londoners the Vaccines have been busy over the last two years. After forming in 2010, they released their first album, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?, in early 2011. Now over a year later, the Vaccines have put forth their second effort, Come of Age. For someone who loves the first album, this release certainly maintains the elements that made that record great while also expanding on some of the areas that were previously played safe. For example, the songs “I Always Knew” and “All in Vain”, as well as the single “Teenage Icon”, all start with infectious and prominent guitar riffs, something their first album lacked. Even if you were not a fan of their first album or have not yet experienced the Vaccines, you may enjoy that Come of Age has more of a 60s pop/glam vibe than post-punk. Either way, this album appeals to old and new fans alike and is guaranteed to leave a song stuck in your head after each listen. –Danielle Peters 5 SCISSORS

CONCERT REVIEWS METRIC

by Christopher Skaggs

Metric put on an awesome show last month at Stage AE. The opener was Half Moon Run, a surprisingly modest band from Montreal. They had an Easter-egg member who was never credited or introduced to the crowd. Despite this, the crowd was into them. Metric began with an ambiently-lit “Artificial Nocturne,” a song from their most recent album. The band formed in 1998, and their recent album Synthetica is their fifth. With such a vast catalog, the band unexpectedly stuck to their more recent work. Their set list included seven tracks off of their most recent album. It seemed that many fans were disappointed by the band’s set list, ignoring their pre-stadium rock sound that long-time friends would have been glad to hear. Metric singer Emily Haines is the rare breed of performers who consistently rocks with confidence. When her electric organ malfunctioned, she laughed, made jokes about her mistake, and made up for her misstep by killing it on the next song. Ms. Haines stands out for her ability to balance musical talent and theatricality. When I saw her in August at Lollapalooza, she demonstrated a similar ability to work a crowd, engaging 90,000 lethargic, sundrenched people milling around waiting to see other bands. Ms. Haines closed the show with a really cool, sort-of, philosophical tidbit on how she felt that songs had their own essence, “that you could dress them up in production and effects, but at their core there was something there.” The band then closed the set beautifully with an acoustic version of “Gimme Sympathy.”

MONO

by Zach Branson

I didn’t know what to expect when I went to see Mono. The Japanese instrumental rock band consists of two guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer, but a lot of their songs feature a chamber orchestra and a couple glockenspiels, so I had no clue how they would play their multidimensional 10+ minute songs. Their albums always made me emotionally unstable in the same way a beautiful film or novel makes me emotionally unstable, so I wasn’t sure if I would have a breakdown right there in Mr. Smalls, which I can tell you is the wrong place to have a breakdown. Mono’s instrumental nature eliminated any possible language barriers between the Japanese band and the American audience, but Mono didn’t even let their bodies communicate. The bassist was the only one who didn’t sit down for most of the show and she was completely expressionless. It was bizarre to see a band do literally nothing but play music, but from the first note I understood that anything else would have been a distraction. Their music alone communicated more than any words I put here now.

Photo by Christopher Skaggs

Photo by Zach Branson

Mono played non-stop during their 90-minute set, but the crowd that came to see a Japanese band on a Tuesday night found every chance they could to erupt in praise between the explosions of guitar, bass, and the occasional gong. Mono replaced all of the orchestral elements of their songs with layered-upon-layered guitars—they may as well have had an orchestra of guitarists on stage. This guitar orchestra made listening to them live a very different journey than listening to their albums, and it was beautiful. I had one breakdown.

AWOLNATION

by Ian Go

Headlining on what is only their second major tour, AWOLNATION put on a high-energy show for a packed crowd at Altar Bar on September 13. Along with up-and-coming group Imagine Dragons, the pair gave the audience their money’s worth despite both having a catalogue of only one album each. The evening kicked off with opening bands White Wives and Zeale. White Wives, a rising local punk band, did a good job of blending angst-ridden punk and more mature alternative rock together. Zeale, an Austin-based rap group, had the crowd bouncing on their toes with fast-flowing lyrics being delivered over electro-house beats. Despite contrasting styles, both bands pumped up the crowd. With the Pittsburgh crowd waiting in anticipation, Imagine Dragons came to the stage. Singer Dan Reynolds came out with his giant bass drum in tow—an instrument reflective of the band’s large, multi-dimensional sound. Despite almost canceling their act due to Reynolds’ having a cold, Imagine Dragons had the audience erupting by their third song “Radioactive.” The band members just stared at us in disbelief as we yelled out in deafening applause. It was one of the most honest moments I’ve felt at a show. In their eyes you could see a band coming to terms with their quick rise to success after only just releasing

LESS THAN JAKE

their debut album days earlier. Imagine Dragon’s talent shined by interweaving multi-level harmonies with unconventional instrumental combinations in songs like “It’s Time” and “Demons.” They proved themselves worthy of their sudden appearance in the musical spotlight. Ending the show was the act everyone was waiting for: AWOLNATION. The band came up to the stage in a dramatic fashion: Smoke filled the stage while a large fluorescent sign with the letters “AN” illuminated the haze. It certainly did not take long for the band to get the audience moving and shaking. They played their more popular songs, “Not Your Fault” and “Jump on My Shoulders,” early, the latter causing many to start crowd surfing and lead singer Aaron Bruno to dive into the crowd. I was impressed with how well AWOLNATION’s electro-punk sound translated to the live stage. When the heightened synth tones and punchy bass lines of “Sail” started to play, I felt goose bumps appear on my body. During their whole act, AWOLNATION had the entire crowd (including me) off its feet. In the past I’ve often felt ripped off when watching bands who’ve just started out. Usually they come off as inexperienced, or their lack of songs leave you unsatisfied. But at this show, the bands’ presence and talent left me hungry for more.

by Kristen Swanson

I’ve seen Less Than Jake play around 10 times now, and I have to admit, seeing them at Altar Bar this past month has been one of my favorite times. For a band that’s reaching their 20-year mark together, they show no signs of wear and tear. The opener band, Junior Battles, really grabbed my attention with their first song “Seventeen”. I’m a sucker for complementary dual vocals, and Junior Battles pulls it off effortlessly. Plus, they had an energetic spirit throughout their whole set that made me want to keep watching them. Next up was, A Wilhelm Scream, a melodic hardcore band from Massachusetts. I was a little biased on their performance, because just months ago I saw them play a headliner show in Cleveland that was perfect. Obviously they had less time on stage for this show and it didn’t live up to that previous experience, but I commend them for playing a tour that puts them outside of their element. Most of the crowd was there for LTJ, and there were people lined along the barricade who stood like statues throughout AWS’s set. I stood off to the side of the stage and Nuno, the lead singer, caught me singing along with him. He then took his thumbs and forefingers, made circles with both of his hands, and put them around his eyes while smiling at me. That’s what kind of band they are—they have heavy lyrics and amazing breakdowns, but they will still make silly faces at you on stage. Speaking of fun, LTJ are no strangers to it. The downside about seeing them play 10 times is that I get unimpressed

Photo by Kristen Swanson with their onstage antics. This set was more straightforward, more music-oriented—they are getting older, they have kids now, they don’t have time for stupid fucking games—and I appreciate that. The songs sounded solid, the crowd was so into it that bras were flying onstage, and even the encore songs didn’t feel like enough. They ended the set with their classic trademark song “Plastic Cup Politics”, and as confetti fell onto the crowd, I thought to myself, “This is the band I’ve seen since I was a teenager, a band who I once stood in a backstage huddle with as they chose which encore songs to play, a band who I have nothing but complete respect and love for.”

ESSAY

MUSIC & MEMORIES T

he first chord is strummed. That bow is drawn across the strings. The bass drops. Waves of pressure flow from that plucked string, that drum head, those vocal cords. Carried by gas molecules, the waves dash themselves against the membrane in your ears. Neurons fire in your brain, electrochemical impulses carrying thoughts, emotions, and memories dredged up by the music. That first kiss outside of her house after the track meet, with “Black Dog” pouring out of the open door of the old Jeep. The wind pouring off of the stormy Pacific Ocean, kicking up sand around the ratty old soccer ball as K’Naan plays over the old boombox under the rusted tin roof. That winter road trip, singing along to “Fuck You” as snow melted off the skis in the trunk. Jack Johnson through the headphones as the jet banks right over the Gulf of Mexico. Coming around the corner of that foggy Maine road with Eddie Vedder on the radio to see the waves pumping down the beach. It

by Will Lush

could bring up other memories. Hymns played on a church organ when you were young. Beastie Boys hammering out of the shitty speakers in your friend’s garage as you kill that first illicit beer. Listening to Brad Paisley while fishing off your grandparents’ dock. Mowing the lawn while Robert Johnson filters out of your open bedroom window. The Fleet Foxes whispering out of the radio as your friend drives that back road the night before he leaves for school. Or maybe it brings up something darker. Violent Femmes blasting out of a busted speaker while you drive down the road after screaming at your boss and storming out of work. That one Raphael Saadiq song stuck in your head for no reason as you pick your childhood dog up off the highway, her head caved in. Rage Against the Machine blaring while you puke on the grass after a mile. Listening to Incubus on the back porch after finding out that your dad was cheating on

your mom. It might not be a whole memory, maybe just part of one. Waking up in a strange bed. The smell of weed filtering through the crowd at a concert. The sun coming up over the mountain, glinting off of the frost on the treetops. The smell of her hair, damp from the shower. The breeze that comes before those huge summer thunderstorms. The crack of a breaking broom handle. The taste of blood in your mouth. Perhaps there’s no memory associated with the song. You listen to the lyrics, feel the notes flicker through the air. Maybe you think of the future. Quitting that job. Working up the confidence to tell her how you feel. Leaving. Maybe you start tapping your foot. Maybe you turn off the radio, scowling. Maybe you start singing, or dancing, or air-guitaring with recklessness. Maybe you cry. The song winds down. The beat stops. The last chord is struck. The amp buzzes in the silence.