SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 1
2 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
SPF Editor-In-Chief
Janet Adamana
Contributors & Photography Credits Colin Orthmann Ally Sigurdson Dinorah Prevost Kristen Fisher Krista Rudolph Bernardo Mancebo Lena Prehal Spencer Marr Special Thanks Craig Sulken Brad Sulken Ryan Sulken Pat Bryant Drew Richter Kelly Berger Bernardo Mancebo Micah Premnath Dylan James Florian Maier Nic Herzog Dj Sangalang Matty Hallick Philipp Szalay Colin Orthmann Mark Peters Pete Coro Benny Mulliken
Sound, Phrase & Fury is a
Canadian music magazine and website out to help promote musicians not usually covered in mainstream media. All music, photos and articles used are for the sole purpose of spreading the knowledge of these artists and their music. We always encourage readers to support every act through purchasing releases, merchandise and attending live shows. soundphrasefury@gmail.com @soundphrasefury facebook.com/soundphrasefury Sound-Phrase-Fury.com
Sept/oct 2013 Anthem Part Two
4
Words from the Editor-In-Chief
Doing What’s Best
6
BoyMeetsWorld and their debut EP, Do What’s Best For You
Bring The Noise
10
Industry profile on Mexico City’s Light & Noise
Heart On His Sleeve
18
Our profile on singer-songwriter Micah
There’s No I In Team
22
We talk hardships with Winnipeg’s Distances
Young Blood
30
Austria’s newest indie-pop outfit, Farewell Dear Ghost
Party Animals
34
Outside Animals, takes us through their debut EP, Black Room
In Review We take a closer look at some releases
38
&
Sound-Phrase-Fury.com SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 3
Editor’s Note
anthem part two... Change can be a scary thing. But with our new look, new sections, new slew of talented con-
tributors and the grand new plans for the future of Sound, Phrase & Fury; I can tell, that fear will be worth it.
Our second last issue of our first year has been a wonder to create. As always, I have had the honour of meeting and working with passionate individuals within the industry, and all I want, is to see it continue to grow. But recently, Canadian music lovers have been hit with some disheartening news. This wonderful, otherwise, open and nurturing country I so very much love, has made some drastic changes that can, and most likely will, cause a negative shift within the budding independent industry. Slapped with exorbitant fees for every international artist and their hardworking crew; small venues, booking companies, and touring musicians will no longer be able to afford to do what they have dedicated their entire lives to doing. I hate to get political on our readers, but these new changes paint a far from pretty picture of the future of, not just the Canadian scene, but the independent scene as a whole. There will be much less touring opportunities, less collaboration among artists, less start-up companies, less chances taken on the little guys, and basically less chances for individuals with bigger hopes and bigger dreams. The bond between musicians, industry professionals, and music lovers, is a strong one. And like many decisions made in democratic societies, the more attention that is brought to an issue, the more these ill-informed politicians can rethink their policies. If you have a second, please read, sign and spread the online petition at Change.org. The creators have been in contact with Members of Parliament like Jason Kenney, and have been working to garner his attention. We can write letters, e-mails, make phone calls and even tweet. We live in a time where we can help keep these issues from being ignored. We really need to see this through.
Sorry for the heavy
4 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
Janet Adamana Editor-In-Chief
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 5
doing what’s best
6 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
Q&A
2013 has been a whirlwind ride for BoyMeetsWorld. From releasing their debut EP to playing Warped Tour, the Cincinnati band has been quickly climbing the ranks within the pop-rock scene. We spoke with BMW vocalist, Craig Sulken, about the power of positivity, their new single, and choosing to do what’s best for you.
photos by Krista Rudolph words by Janet Adamana
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 7
Q&A
JA: Can you explain how BoyMeetsWorld started? CS: This band started as an idea of mine two years ago when I was a freshman at an out-of-state college. I’ve been playing music with my brothers my whole life, but never really considered doing this as a profession - crazy idea, I know. I started writing all of the songs on our EP while in school. It gave me something to do with my free time. After recording “Where The Hell Is Douglas” and “Right Where We Belong” while I was home for Christmas break, I actually saw the potential in it. I spent my second semester debating whether or not to leave my crosscountry/track scholarship and education behind. I began thinking of a plan, coming up with as many ways to come out of the gate swinging and really go all out with this [music] idea. In our first year of being a band, we’ve already accomplished so much, which I’m grateful for. I’m confident that this is only the beginning of what’s to come from us. JA: I want to talk about the overall message of positivity that you, and the band, work to spread. It seems to be a very important piece to what you guys do. CS: Yeah, I mean, a huge part and belief of this band is ultimately doing what makes you happy. We want everybody who follows us to know that life is a crazy whirlwind and you never know where it can take you, so take advantage of everything that comes your way with enthusiasm and charisma. Why spend the rest of your life wondering, “What if” or, “Maybe I could’ve tried a little bit harder?’’ Put everything on the line. Be happy and grateful for what you have, so down the road you can look back and be content
with the person you are. JA: You released your debut EP, Do What’s Best For You, earlier this year. Tell me a bit about it and take me through the making of it? CS: The making of Do What’s Best For You, has been a very long, anticipated, but extremely fun, learning process. We recorded with our good friend Eric Tuffendsam at Moonlight Studios [Cincinnati] in December 2011. I couldn’t be more happy with the way everything turned out. Our friend, Jared Hensley, put together the final touches by designing the cover artwork: a cartoon boy with balled fists facing a monster-depicted earth. It basically symbolizes our name, BoyMeetsWorld. We wanted to come out with an EP that would engage a listener and leave them wanting more. Since the day we released the EP, we’ve gotten amazing feedback from our friends and fans, so we hope it’s doing the trick! JA: You guys are in the studio again. What can we expect from these new batch of songs? Do you have any sort of release date or general idea of when fans can get their hands on it? CS: Hmm, what can you expect?... You can expect to hear more of a variety of songs, with the same style as our EP, but amped up on a couple of different levels. It has been amazing being able to hear these new songs come to life and we’ll be releasing a new single once every five weeks or so. We just released our brand new single, “Become Someone” on our website on August 24th. We’re all really excited. We plan to put out another song in October, and we’re already starting pre-production for a Christmas EP in December - that’s how excited we are about it.
It’s amazing to know that so many people enjoy what we’re doing. 8 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
Q&A
JA: You guys haven’t been a band for very long, but have already gotten to be a part of a lot of really cool things, like the Unsigned & Alive compilation, your music video, and even playing Warped Tour in Cincinnati. What has the past year been like for you guys? CS: We can’t even begin to explain how grateful we are for all of the support and love this band has gotten since the beginning. It’s amazing to know that so many people enjoy what we’re doing and appreciate the efforts of this band. This past year has been so surreal, especially with playing Warped Tour (even if it was just one date), and things have all fallen into place, almost perfectly. It feels like we’re definitely on the right track.
JA: I was reading through your bio, and I found it funny that under band interests it says, “girls and rock and roll.” So here’s your chance... give me (and all our female readers) your absolute best pick-up line. CS: Definitely did not make this up, nor is this original but it’s my favourite, “Is that a mirror in your pocket? Because I can see myself in your pants.” Sorry mom!
&
Like BoyMeetsWorld on Facebook.com/BoyMeetsWorldBand. Their new single, Become Someone, is available on iTunes.
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 9
bring the noise photos by Bernardo Mancebo story by Janet Adamana 10 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
Industry
The sweat and screams. The rhythm and rumble. The heightened beat in your chest. The cracking voices; pumping fists and the eloquence of those lyrics you swear you could listen to over and over again. The forgetting of time, the hanging of these moments. People, once strangers, are friends until the last song ends. This is the essence of every great live show, the essence captured in every Light & Noise produced video. We spoke with Light & Noise photographer/videographer, Bernardo Mancebo, about his love for the independent music scene, and the story behind one of the most visually stunning concert footage collections on the internet.
Trash Talk
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 11
Industry
JA: Tell me all about Light & Noise. BM: Light & Noise is a website dedicated to promote the bands we love through video. We have various programs on the site: Live TV - A show dedicated to covering bands live. Into The Folk - Features bands in an acoustic setting. Ligeramente Desenfocado - Inspired by Robert Capa’s book‚ “Slightly Out of Focus,” and his pictures. We set out to create a webseries that explores the raw power of music in a visual way. We wanted to bring the attention to the music itself, not so much the artist behind it. Besides regular programming, we’ve done special projects for various festivals, record labels, clothing brands, and various bands.
all began; just 2 guys with cameras trying to create something. We weren’t prepared. We didn’t have all the right equipment, but we pulled it off. We brought back a bunch of live videos, a couple of interviews and plenty of pictures. At the time, the plans for the website were pretty ambitious. We had various people who wrote about music, comics, television and movies. We had a guy making some great comic strips for the site, a couple of podcasts, music recommendations, videos and photos. We wanted to do as much as possible. We were all excited about the project, but everyone had regular jobs and other things going on so some people started to loose interest. The editor, who supervised all the writing, had some personal problems and left. We JA: How many people run and work for the com- were left with the guys who did photo/video so we pany? restructured the whole thing, got rid of everything BM: We are a group of 8 guys. We are photographers, except video and redesigned the website and logo. graphic/web designers, musicians, and friends. The way we run the company, and the way we approach We relaunched the website last year debuting with it, is as if it was a band. We’re all musicians and have videos of Refused, Descendents (full set at FFFFbeen in bands so that’s the way we know how to do est, it was the first time they played in 10 years), and things. We get together, create something, go on a full set/documentary of Thrash Talk’s first visit the road, shoot some videos, sell some merch, come to Mexico City. The change in direction of the site, back, edit and plan our next move. It’s a process that the new logo and all this great content, helped get feels very natural to us, and it comes from the heart. the site noticed and we started getting a pretty good We are very passionate about it. following. JA: How did you get started in all of this in the first place? BM: The idea of Light & Noise came about because we wanted to create an internet TV station, with various channels/programming. At first we were looking for a media outlet to help us create this thing, but no deal ever got finalized so we decided we could do it ourselves. DIY is a big part of our philosophy.
JA: You’re based in Mexico city. Can you describe what the music scene is like there and how that may have inspired Light & Noise? BM: The music scene in Mexico is very unique. There’s always been very talented people, but the scene itself comes around in cycles, at least for our taste in music. The scene was really good in the early 2000’s, then it sort of faded but it has been coming back really strong in the past couple of years. We’d like to think we’ve helped with that, or at least we We teamed up with a bunch of friends and set out are trying to help. to create this website. We bought some tickets to New York and went to the last edition of Siren Music When we started Light & Noise we wanted to showFestival in Coney Island. We caught up with Vans case the bands we loved. That mostly meant catchWarped Tour in Scranton, Pennsylvania and New ing bands in festivals in the US or in the off chance Jersey in the summer of 2010, and that’s where it
12 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
Caravels
Industry
someone decided to bring a band we liked down to Mexico. We wanted to support local bands too, but we quickly ran out of bands to shoot here, which was a little sad. We were trying to find new talent, asked people to send us recommendations of Mexican bands to no avail, so we pressed on and tried to make as many trips as possible. It was all out of our own pockets, because we loved the project and we really believed in it.
cause we love music, we have a real passion for it and we created it with our best friends; so when we travel it’s like taking a vacation with 3, 4 or 8 of your best friends. We get to see our favorite bands, become friends with them, create some great videos and get to know different places. This project also began as something we did for ourselves. We create what we want to see and share it with the world, so in a way, travelling is also a reward for our efforts; a chance to get away from everyday life. It’s a great Fast forward to now. Just a couple of weeks ago experience and we’re incredibly grateful that we we threw a showcase with 15 amazing punk/hard- have been able to do what we do. core bands, all from within Mexico. A lot of people showed up, old and new friends, it was great! The JA: Can you go into your creative process from scene right now is really strong. There are tons of start to finish? You guys have a pretty distant great bands, and we are really happy to be a part of style to your photography and videos. it. We will continue to support the bands we like BM: I guess this was an unconscious process. We in any way we can, either by creating a space where were all photographers before becoming videograthey can play or by creating some good quality con- phers, so we had that sense of the aesthetic, framtent for the site with them. ing, being quick, spontaneous, etc... When the new DSLRs came out, they were capable of shooting JA: What was it that drew you to start travelling videos and it was the perfect solution for us. We around for shows? could still be photographers, but now we could BM: Well, as I mentioned earlier, travelling to fes- shoot beautiful footage with those same cameras. tivals or shows in the US was the only way we could They are compact and unobtrusive so we were able get the content we wanted. It was the only way we to get away with a lot under almost any condition. could get footage of the bands we grew up listening to or smaller bands we really dig. The travelling We learned to be really quick, since at a lot of fespart has gone way beyond that, and it’s become a tivals/venues you are only allowed in the media pit more personal thing. We started this project be- for the first 3 songs. What we did was shoot the first
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 13
Industry
two and take pictures on the third. I believe limita- big role nowadays. People are discovering or retions make you better. You have to work with what discovering the joy of purchasing a physical record you’ve got and make the most of it. and taking the time to listen to it. It’s a whole experience, and they usually come with a digital downI think the editing has also played a big part, since load, so you can put it on your device and listen to we are all musicians as well, we have that sense of it anywhere as well. It’s a great time to be a music timing and rhythm, which a lot of video editors lover/consumer. lack. That puts us a little ahead of the curve. Our role in all of this is trying to capture as many JA: In your bio you say that you don’t claim to greats bands as we can, create some great quality make any changes within the industry, but is content and promote them. Hopefully, because of there anything you see happening in the in- the work we do, people will find out about these dustry that you wish you could? Or at least, bands, go to their shows, and buy their records. wish that the industry itself and the fans could help fix one day? JA: What does the rest of the year look like for BM: I don’t think the change can come from one Light & Noise? company, one band, one label or one individual. BM: Our next festival is The Fest in Gainesville, It’s got to be a collective idea, a shared experience. Florida. It’s probably one of our favourite festivals The industry is changing a lot for the good. Thanks we’ve ever been to. The people and bands that play to the internet, any band can get their music out there are just great. There’s this really awesome there. Bands can tour and have fans in a lot of dif- feeling seeing almost everyone walking around ferent places without even releasing a physical re- with band shirts and a bag full of vinyl that they cord, all they have to do is record some songs and just bought. Everyone is really supportive. It’s a upload them to Bandcamp and start building their great community overall. fanbase. We’ll continue supporting our local scene by throwThere is a new movement with great bands that are ing our various parties. We’ve been throwing these really good friends and are very supportive of each parties called “Fuck The Venues” in which we find other; spearheaded by labels like Topshelf, Count different spots where we can make a show and help Your Lucky Stars, Tiny Engines, Friends For Life, promote new bands we find interesting. Flannel Gurl, Broken World, Run For Cover, and many, many others. They are small independent We’ll also be launching an online store to help with labels that really care about the bands they put out. some of the costs of operating the site. We’ll have They’ve formed a great community of bands and t-shirts, stickers, patches and stuff like that. followers. There are also more and more festivals popping up everywhere that feature these types of View Light & Noise videos and photos at bands. I think the resurgence of vinyl is playing a www.lightandnoise.tv
&
Dads
14 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
love m
Industry
We started this project because we
usic, we have a real passion for it SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 15
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN BANDS IN NEED, AND FANS WHO WANT TO HELP.
GET INVOLVED WITH SNAG! 16 Sound, Phrase, & Fury •
• SNAGHELPS.COM • TWITTER.COM/SNAGHELPS SEPT/OCT 2013 • FACEBOOK.COM/SNAGHELPS
Facebook.com/AestheticHeartPromotions SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 17
Profile
HEART ON HIS
SLEEVE WORDS BY JANET ADAMANA
18 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
Profile
Love and loss are the building blocks of American singer-songwriter, Micah. Through his touching lyrics and a taste for instrumental experimentation, the upand-coming acoustic act, walks us through his attempts to swoon the object of his affection; giving us a peek into the inner workings of his heart. Heartbreak. It is like a match to a wick that starts a flame. It is an unfortunate experience that undoubtedly occurs, every second of every day, in every country in the world. It is the international language of humanity; universally felt, universally known. And although, more often than not, it is a harrowing experience, it is also the spark that inspires many of the greats to grab a guitar and strap to the path of musical stardom.
from a hard rock band and the drummer had more hip-hop roots. “I kind of wanted to draw off of every one of their specialities to mix into the arrangement.”
His current release, Coast to Coast, explores these thoughts and themes of love and failing in the chase, creating a lyrical blend of delicate confessions, garnished with some gentlemanly charm. Micah melds his soft acoustic elements with an impressive blend of pop, soul, country and even a reggae vibe; a move he says was derived from those around him. “Buddies of mine played on the record and they all came from different genres and play in other bands,” Micah explains of his 2010 release. His bass player came
Micah will spend the next few months touring all over the United States, mostly playing colleges and coffee shop shows, playing about 30 dates from September to December.
His next album, set to be released this September, is also slightly influenced by his surrounding environment. Recorded at Ronnie’s Place & Sound Stage Studios, he borrows some elements from the world-famous music town of Nashville, Rochester-based singer-songwriter, Micah, be- Tennessee, where he recorded the upcoming gan his career in a similar way. Although the now, seven-song release. “I think on the new record 25-year-old started singing in choirs as a young you can definitely hear the warm tones and a boy, it wasn’t until his early teens, did Micah be- more country influence,” he begins, “not country gin to pen his lovestruck teenage thoughts to pa- twang, but I listened to a lot of heavier country per. “As a younger singer-songwriter, you haven’t stuff and I think that came out with the sound.” really experienced much of life,” he explains, “the most you’ve experienced is relationships and Inspired by a recent break-up, the upcoming love, so being in relationships or break-ups in- release, aptly-titled, Just A Little Heartbreak, spired me to write. It was my outlet.” touches on similar love and loss themes, but boasts a more mature outlook and writing style Fast-forward almost a decade later, and Micah to Micah’s work. “I was just honing in on my is a full-fledged touring musician, and a Music songwriting. I think it has gotten better,” he says. Business graduate of Northeastern University. “It was supposed to be a solo, acoustic and vocals With two releases under his belt and a brand thing, but once we started, I thought it would be new album on the way, it’s not a bad exchange interesting if we added a few textures and gave it for a little bit of heartbreak. a little extra something.”
&
Visit Facebook.com/MicahMusic. Coast To Coast and Just A Little Heartbreak are available through Micah-Music.Bandcamp.com. Listen to the full Micah interview later this month on Sound-Phrase-Fury.com
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 19
D A E R U O Y N CA ? E T I R W AND & ABSOLUTELY LOVE NEW MUSIC?
THEN DO WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING, AND WRITE FOR US! HIT UP SOUND-PHRASE-FURY.COM FOR MORE INFO.
20 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 21
There’s no i in Team
22 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
Local love
One of the greatest challenges for up-and-coming bands in the year 2013, is being able to stick it out when times get tough. Tour life and loss of members can turn into a make or break moment, and many artists crack under the pressure. For Winnipeg’s own Distances, these challenges are nothing new. The five-piece pop-punk band has seen and dealt with many surprises and hardships in their past few years together, and have always been able to stick it out.
Photos and story by ally Sigurdson
We talked with the boys about hardship, tour, cuddling, and everything in between.
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 23
Local love
distances sets a prime example for young aspiring musicians: if you want something badly enough, keep trucking through and nothing can hold you back. Hard work and cooperation are taken very seriously among the guys, and it’s proven through their success and talent. Members Dylan James, (vocals) Florian (Flo) Maier, (guitar) Nic Herzog, (guitar) DJ Sangalang (bass) and Matty Hallick (drums) have had a very successful 2013. With a summer tour, a new record on the way and getting to play some incredible shows with extremely influential artists, Distances is quickly becoming one of the most well-known local bands. AS: So how did Distances begin? NH: Flo [Maier] and I met years ago through a mutual friend, and at the time I was playing in a metal band called, Waster. We basically just got together to play the worst noise, smoke a bunch of cigarettes and call it a day. At the time, we didn’t even know we wanted to play in a band together, considering we were both involved in other projects. As time went on we decided we should try playing. First, we found DJ [Sangalang], who used to be in Common Lives. He came to some of our jams and played some bass. Without a drummer, we put together a demo of some aggressive, punk-rock music we had been working on and sent it out to drummers we knew of in Winnipeg. We ended up sending a copy of our demo to Dylan [James] while he was in Dangercat. He declined our offer at the time. So, we found drummer Chris Ferguson, who helped us put together our first EP. A few months later, we played a show with Dangercat. Dylan was on drums as well as doing back vocals and then it hit me, he would be a perfect fit for our band. He tried out, and just like that, became our singer. Shortly after, Chris left for personal reasons, which left us in a bit of a tricky situation. With no other options at the time, Dylan sat down and wrote the whole album for us on drums, did the pre-production, all on top of the
24 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
double duty of creating all the lyrics. I would say, without a doubt, Dylan has probably invested more time and energy into this record than all of us. We were beginning to panic about our lack of percussion. Thankfully, Flo mentioned Matty [Hallick] as a good candidate to come on tour and drum for us, and at least help us get the album out. Considering we had already dished out our time and money, we knew we had to make this album work. Two days after we had asked Matty to fill for us, he sent me a recording of him playing our songs perfectly. We decided to try practicing with him in person. In under 48 hours he had learnt our EP, from front to back and knew some of the stuff we had done on our demos. It easily fell into place and when we asked Matty to be our permanent drummer, he instantly agreed. Since becoming a five-piece group, we’ve all brought so much to the table. It’s changed our sound and made it into what it is today. That’s one of the great things about our band; we all come from different places musically, which leads us to look at things differently. All of our music has a touch of our own musical background. Our influences are all over the place, and it’s amazing.
Local love AS: What drew you guys towards being a poppunk band then? FM: I don’t even think we are a pop-punk band. (Laughs) NH: The best name to put on it is definitely poppunk, but like I said before, the great thing about our band is how much our individual musical background affects our overall style as a group. It’s got some rock in there, it has its pop moments, it definitely has its pop rock moments, and its hard core moments. We’re basically a punk band, a punk… anything band, really. AS: Who do you guys believe are your influences for this new record? NH: It’s hard to say… I listen to music, like anyone does, to match however I’m feeling. Sometimes I listen to aggressive and heavy music, and sometimes I play some hard rap. (Laughs) You just want to listen to something that matches your emotions, and that is exactly how I write music too. I don’t necessarily draw out my influences from what I’m interested in; it’s more like where my life is at. DJ: If I had to narrow it down, I listen to a lot of Polar Bear Club, mostly because Jimmy [Stadt], the lead singer, has some pretty intense lyrics. They’re deep, they’re different, and they’re great stories. They’re completely different from any other band I have ever heard, and it’s definitely because of him, and his vocal style, that I am where I am. FM: I’m very much like Nic in the sense that I listen to so much different music that it’s rather difficult to choose. I’ve noticed, whenever I am picking up my guitar to write something, I always end up listening to old, nineties punk rock, like Jawbreaker or The Get Up Kids. So I think those are the bands that make me want to write music, the ones that spark ideas.
I would hope that when somebody listens to our records, they understand it`s not all for show. what we play and sing is truth.
AS: Tell me about your Vancouver experience? MH: It was awesome. We recorded all the drum parts for the album in Winnipeg. Our producer, Stu
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 25
Local love McKillop, flew in from Vancouver and we did all of my work here at home. I got to go to Vancouver with my friends, hang out and play lots of video games. The nice thing about this band is that we are a team. We all wrote lyrics and melodies and had great ideas to add. We all stepped outside our box and got the job done by any means necessary. FM: The experience was unreal for me. It was the first full-length I had ever recorded. That was definitely a bucket list experience for me. It was also nice to travel and not worry about work, and all the daily chores you usually have to do. Our only focus was music and that was nice to have for a while. DJ: We had a lot of ups and downs. Constantly working together got difficult and we bumped heads a few times, but at the end of the day, when we were finished and listening to what we had created, we were all so stoked. I think this is a really good group of guys who came together and got the job done. NH: It was a very challenging experience for me personally, mostly with my own confidence. Being in the studio is so different from a live performance, in the sense that it brings out all of your flaws very quickly. It was pretty tough at times, and my challenges became the bands challenges. Having such a good support system, like these guys, is super important when you’re in a small space for two weeks. It may sound like a vacation, but it’s a full time job. It’s mentally and physically exhausting. It was a challenge, but anything worth doing, should be.
There were so many things that made it seem like the universe just didn’t want us to be a band. 26 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
AS: What was touring life like for you guys? DJ: There was one point on tour where we had two shows in Edmonton, our van had broken down, and we had driven for two days straight. We were exhausted and had to get the van fixed, and still had two shows later that evening. Sometimes, I wonder if we bit off more than we could chew, but it seemed to work out all right for us in the end. NH: Dylan and I ended up doing the last part of the driving… and that was something else. When you`re sleep deprived like that, you can`t be held responsible for what you say anymore. We honestly were on Mars at that point. We put our whole heart and soul into each show, and that got exhausting, but we gave it our all. MH: Flo and I cuddled a lot on that trip. I wore the same Essentials shirt throughout the whole tour too, and that got pretty disgusting after a while. AS: What do you guys believe is your greatest accomplishment as Distances? MH: The full-length is the greatest accomplishment for me in this band, considering the short time I`ve been with these boys. Our team work was awesome and it was a new experience for us all. We haven’t been a unit of five guys for very long, so to get through that process with basically new brothers, is really cool. FM: I think the fact that we are still a band is a huge success for us. There were so many frustrating moments where we all wanted to be like “screw this.” There were so many things that made it seem like the universe just didn’t want us to be a band. But every single time we sat down and made it work. Every single time, we found a solution. DJ: It`s been heavy, for sure. Deciding to be in this band and wanting to make it work so badly, we had a lot of important decisions to make. We`ve been faced with some deal breaking moments, and we`re still here, and that’s awesome. AS: What do you hope people take away from your music when they listen to it? NH: Our music really reflects our lives. We want
Local love AS: What are your future plans for Distances as of right now? NH: We’ve been kind of dealing with stuff since we got back from tour, family stuff, girlfriend stuff…. you know, life stuff. We’re enjoying the little bit of free time that we have now. I think our next step is figuring out when to release the record, how to release it, and how we will support it. We have a lot of good ideas right now, and our next move is dealing AS: You guys recently got the opportunity to with all the business aspects of the band. I believe play with A Day to Remember, who is without that 2014 is going to be a busy year for us, and we’re a doubt, one of the biggest influences to young going to be working as hard as we can to establish musicians, what was that night like? ourselves on a bigger level. NH: It was definitely the biggest show we’ve ever played; both as Distances and in our individual mu- Keep an eye out for the new Distances record sical careers. It was a great feeling to play in front of coming this fall. Like them at 1800 people from our own city. That kind of sup- Facebook.com/DistancesMusic port is mind-blowing. people to have as much fun listening to our record as we had writing it. In 2013, people are doing music because they love it, and that’s the only reason. I would hope that when somebody listens to our records, they understand that it`s not all for show, that what we are playing and singing is truth. I think the one thing people could take away from our music is the honesty in it.
&
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 27
28 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
facebook.com/Next2NothSEPT/OCT 2013
• Sound, Phrase, & Fury 29
Q&A
young blood
photo by Lena Prehal story by Janet Adamana The chaos and confusion of youth; the overwhelming and unforgettable medley of hopes and fears, joy and despair. This inspired the work of Austria’s newest indiepop outfit, Farewell Dear Ghost. We talked with 24-year-old Philipp Szalay, the one-man musician behind FDG, about his current EP, Cool Blood, his upcoming album, and the impact he hopes to make with his new music.
30 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
JA: Can you explain how Farewell Dear Ghost came about and how you got involved in music in the first place? PS: I guess the initial spark for my interest in music was when my brother introduced me to Oasis’ “Go Let It Out” in 2000. This song just did something to me and I started to excessively listen to their music, and, of course, thought about becoming a rock star. I guess that’s a fantasy nearly every teenage boy has at some point. However, it took me another 5 years to actually pick up my first guitar. At around the same time my musical preferences started to switch from Britpop to singer/songwriter music. Here, Ryan Adams had the most influence on me. I started to write my own songs and naturally, I wanted to sound just like him. Of course, my songs weren’t anywhere near a decent folk song, but I kept at it. In the end, it took me until 2008 to become comfortable enough with my songs and my
Q&A voice to take my music more seriously. This was also the time I moved to Graz for university and from that moment on, everything began to take shape. I got my first gig and what followed were great years full of playing concerts, meeting new people who have had a big influence on my music, releasing an EP and evolving as a songwriter. All this time I was performing under my real name, but at some point last winter, I realized that the album I’ve been working on for the last 2 years marked the next level in my process of evolving as a musician. We finished recording it in January 2013 and with a complete new set of songs in my pocket, I decided to give myself a new direction and a new name, Farewell Dear Ghost. JA: Was there any other reason you decided to play under this new moniker? PS: Your own songs are always something extremely intimate and personal and therefore, I wanted to keep it as authentic as possible back then. I worked and played alone most of the time, so it wouldn’t have made any sense to use another name but my real one. That changed with all the new songs that would become my first album for FDG. I was beginning to feel stranded between my songs. A singer/songwriter approach didn’t quite do these songs justice anymore. From the beginning, I had this concept in my head of overwhelming pop songs. I needed a full band for it to work and for this, my name wasn’t enough anymore. I decided to play as FDG because it gives me a lot more room to evolve and the opportunity to not worry about being something someone expects me to be. I mean, it’s still my solo-project as I do all the work of writing and stuff, but it allows me to be more flexible with how I present it. It doesn’t matter if there’s five people on stage or just me doing a solo show. It will always be more about the music and not the person behind it and that’s a good thing, I guess.
JA: Can you tell me about your upcoming release, We colour the night? PS: My debut album will be released this November and I can’t wait for people to hear it. I’ve worked on this album for 2 years. The biggest thanks go out to Christofer Frank (MARTA) and Georg Hartwig, who worked their asses off to make this album sound how its supposed to. Christofer helped shape me and my sound in the best way possible. He produced my very first EP in 2010 as well, so he basically knew me and my music from the start. It was great working with him, as we had the same vision of how the songs should sound. We recorded the album almost entirely in his own studio in Graz, and the mixing was done in Iceland, in Helgi Jonsson’s house studio in Reykjavík. The title is a line from a song on the album, called “Fire.” This line basically sums up what it’s all about. All the songs describe one aspect of the state between youth and the beginning of adulthood. It’s about all this uncertainty that you have as a twenty-something, when responsibility and recklessness collide. And, of course, there’s heartbreak too. It’s about those nights where you either lie awake in your bed, trying to fight your demons and fears in your heart and mind, or have a fantastic night out with your friends, one that you never want to end. JA: Is there anything you hope people will take from listening to your music? PS: Basically, I hope people will find something in my songs that they can relate to and get the same feeling I always get when I hear a great song for the first time; when I think to myself, “Yeah! That’s awesome!” I hope people find something in there; may it be sadness, happiness or the feeling you get when you’re out on the town with your friends, having a blast. I just hope that people will listen to my stuff and come to one of my shows and end up dancing their heart away.
&
Farewell Dear Ghost’s debut EP, Cool Blood, is available at FarewellDearGhost.Bandcamp.com
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 31
RecklessSerenade.Bandcamp.com
32 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
DIY LABEL www.facebook.com/mayflowercollective SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 33
party animals if you were wondering where the rock went in today’s music,
Black Room
this is
is our debut EP. I don’t think any individual in the band has ever
put their effort into something so mutually gratifying. The four of us entered into this project with literally no recording experience, but we had an intense desire to make it on our own. We didn’t want to pay a studio to get something done “professionally”, because the quality of a “professionally” produced recording can be debatable on an indie budget. We didn’t want to feel restricted by our dollars ticking away on a clock. So we got the gear, set up shop in the attic of a chimney company, and we got to work. We’re beyond happy with the result.
Black Room
It comes from the very frustrating experience of trying to find somewhere to crank up my guitar. Since moving to LA I’ve set up my guitar and amp in a number of different places including an out-ofcommission RV, an apartment common room and a number of spare rooms. It’s not very free finding a space to play, so “Black Room” is an ode to a perfect spot to capture creativity.
34 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
Adrian
I met a buddy at a party, and he told me an incredible story about a lost love of his. I’m not sure how much I want to give away about this one, because I think it’s a good story that could mean something different to each person that hears it. I will say it’s very visual. Pro listener tip: grab that gal or guy you have a crush on and listen in the dark....
LA-based indie-rock band, Outside Animals, brings us a lively, passion-fueled record, set to inject the fun back into rock & roll. Frontman/guitarist, Colin Orthmann, takes us through their dance-inducing debut EP, Black Room.
sound spotlight
coli n our answer. Orthmann Right One
RED
One True Love
Song 12
This is one of the oldest songs I’ve written. It has an innocent vibe. For the first time it actually felt right when Pete [Coro] and I started the duelling guitar lines. It’s a very bouncy song, but you get a sense of longing that really sets in at the end and starts tugging a bit. There’s a part at the very end where I just want to yell, “Darling, we were meant to be!” I still do sometimes, but Pete plays too much cool stuff on the guitar during that part.
This was the first song I wrote after moving to Los Angeles. I was really inspired by Nada Surf. I don’t know how much that influence comes through, but for me, it’s always there. I like singing “Your reservations held you back all these years”. The meter of that line is fun and unconventional. It was also great to record because Pete and I pulled apart the guitar tracks to make some wonderful parts. It probably would not have worked if we rushed through the recording process. Instead, we recorded drums and bass, tried some things and let it rest for a bit. Then the inspiration came.
by
“RED” makes you think of Taylor Swift, so maybe we can get some confused Swifties to buy our album. (I’m not against that.) If you haven’t noticed yet, RED is one of those songs that I don’t explain the meaning of. It means something to me, but it’s always created wildly different meanings for different listeners, and I love when that happens. Usually what people think it’s about is way better than what it’s actually about, anyway.
This song heavily features Mark [Peters] on bass and Benny [Mulliken] on drums. I wrote this for a different band that I was in, but Mark and Benny put their own spin on it, and they just kill it live. This song is the most fun to play because it gets the audience pumped. We close the EP with it just like we close all our sets with it. As for the name? Well, a former bandmate of mine told me that I couldn’t name the song after anything in the chorus. I thought, “Well, ‘Song 2’ is taken by Blur, so the only other option is ‘12’.” Which is odd, because 12 is not one of my favourite numbers.
&
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 35
36 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 37
In Review
Ego Ella May The Tree
r&b/soul
Review by Dinorah Prevost
Britain has done it again! Its rich music scenes have
an ambient center. Haunting vocals and spacey churned out countless legendary acts during the production are heavy in “Frank,” making it a really past decade and show no signs of slowing down. interesting track. “Pay My Bills” follows with conSouth London native, Ego Ella May, has set herself scious lyrics about seeking stardom. Though simiup to continue the trend with her strong debut, The lar to “Frank” in instrumentation, a few aspects, Tree. Drawing influences from R&B, jazz and soul, such as its hushed but noticeable acoustic soundthe singer-songwriter and guitarist puts her own ing drums, set it apart. “Being Loved,” a laid back neo-soul stunner, breathes life back into the beat twist on the genres with her unique production. and completes the whirlwind journey. This track The album starts off with “Intro”, an R&B influ- happens to be my all-time favorite from the album. enced clip which describes the concept of The Tree. “Rush Hour Crush” carries on the R&B sound Overall, Ego Ella May’s The Tree, is a solid debut while painting a picture of an unexpected relation- effort, proving we can expect great things from this ship. Reminiscent of a 90’s slow jam, it’s definitely young singer in the future. It’s definitely worth a lisa highlight of the album. Also making a significant ten for fans of the R&B and souls genres. mark is “Waiting,” which contains a prominent hiphop beat. Immediately after, the album slides into (EgoEllaMay.bandcamp.com)
38 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
In Review
Born
Without Bones has been making waves of sound in the Milford area of Massachusetts. On the Animal Style Record label, the band, consisting of Scott Ayotte (guitar/vocals), Jonathan Brucato (guitar), Burton Wright (drums) and Jim Creighton on bass; have found where they belong. Their new album, Baby, strikes all the right notes, bringing together the heartache of teenage revulsion and harbours both fun and serious tones. “Rough Terrain” opens the album with a soft lullaby beginning that beckons us to listen closely. About 40 seconds in, the fast repetitive pace begins, which could easily make the song become a pop-punk classic. “Rough Terrain (Reprise)” second from the last song, receives the rough, raw and scream treatment. Instead of just using screams as a back vocal, they up the degree to a well held note that resonates with everyone. “Suffice” barrels through, unafraid of speaking the truth. Ayotte’s voice shakes a bit to get the point across. As ‘What if I told you my soul was cruel?’ comes through the speakers, noth-
ing more real has felt more prominent. “Slow Motion” rears through as an explosion of melodic revenue. As the boys crash in uniformed sanction, you hear the dynamic between these band members. It’s hard not to want to play “Slow Motion” over and over again but honestly, once you hear, “Baby” your soul will ache. Songwriting has never been so close to the truth as in “Baby”, and once you’ve discovered a song or band that perfectly represents a feeling or memory, that band holds a higher light in your eyes. The guitar reminds me of a Jandek eerie quality that you just can’t play, you have to be able to encase that feeling through the strings of the instrument, making it a second limb to the meaning you want it to portray. This is not a sad list of tracks, this is a balance between what happens in the moment and what happens afterwards, a bit of regret, nostalgia and a hope that everything will be all right. (BornWithoutBones.bandcamp.com)
Review by Kristen Fisher
born
without
bones
pop rock
Baby
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 39
In Review
Chelsia lynette Uncovered r&b/soul Review by Dinorah Prevost
I’ve yet to encounter a debut attempt as ballsy as
dubbed vocals and the piano break completely captivated me.
Chelsia Lynette’s Uncovered. The singer-songwriter puts all her cards on the table by releasing an acoustic cover EP starring her and a piano. While I Then a cover of “Love Is You” by Chrisette Michele applaud her effort to push boundaries, I don’t think rounds out the EP. This track is given to mediocrity, especially in terms of vocals. it served her well. Overall, the effort was rather in vain. While there were some highlights, the awkwardness that was ever present overshadowed them. However, I do think she has a future. She has a unique voice that has a likeable raspy ting to it. It would be put to better use with some original music and more inThe next track is a different story. A combination strumentation. of Erykah Badu’s “On & On” and Rihanna’s “Only Girl in the World,” turned out to be a keeper. I loved (ChelsiaLynetteMusic.Bandcamp.com) her take on “On & On;” the beautifully done overThe first track, a cover of “Breathless” by Corinne Bailey Rae, was ironically my least favorite. Although, the arrangement of the music was well done, the vocals did not live up to it. They sounded limited and strained.
40 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
Stick to what you know. Stick to what you love. Stick to what you know you love with every ounce of your existence.
stick to your guns because in this fight they call life, they’re all you’ve got.
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 41
42 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013
[YOUR TOUR AD HERE] SAVE THE TREES. SAVE YOUR MONEY. ADVERTISE WITH US.
SEPT/OCT 2013 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 43
44 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • SEPT/OCT 2013