Issue 1 (Suburban Rose Magazine)

ISSUE ONE

meet

“It’s hard for me to let go on stage...”

pg. 28

JENA ROSE

interviews with

THE PESKY SNAKES +

DIVES visit our website for more! suburbanrose.com

plus! exclusive photos of

DAGNY

ARTICLES / INTERVIEWS / GALLERIES / ART / PLAYLISTS / & MORE

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table of

contents interviews A Night With Dagny 12 YOUTHFOOL 21 This Is Jena Rose 28

An Interview With The Pesky Snakes 42 DIVES 54

galleries Dagny 12 Jena Rose 28 Circa Survive 37

articles Marbled 7 Heck No, Nancy 10 Africa By Toto 26 Sensuality 36 Modernity Has Failed Us? 46

“But You Don’t Look Sick” 49

other What is Suburban Rose? 2 Meet Our Team 3 Internet Indie Awards 4 Pride Posters 18 The Big Sure 20 Photos: Karoline Wechselberger, Molly McCaul

What’s Your Indie Summer Anthem? 58 Trending 60

community Sara Shikooh 8 Max Helt 9 Brandon Arlington 16 Magdalena Hart 22 Abby Chase 34 Emma Valles 35 Haley Walker 40 Jasmine Williams 52

what is

suburban rose?

want to start this off by saying that the magazine that you are reading right now has been a while in the making. Even though Suburban Rose has existed for less than a year, it’s really been something I’ve subconsciously hoped to start my whole life. See, the other day, I found something really funny in the back of my closet. It was eight pieces of paper stapled together three times along the left margin. From the date, I realized I was eleven when I printed it off, and only in fifth grade. It was my first attempt at creating a magazine.

I sort of remember that day now. My friend Angela and I were sitting at the computer in my kitchen, on Microsoft Word, fighting for control of the mouse, creating what I now recognize to be a really, really hilarious set of articles. One page was literally just a photo taken on my iPod touch, captioned “A great picture of an airplane wing.” Quality content.

As I matured, I really took up an interest in writing, both journalistically and creatively. I started a blog in middle school (that for whatever reason has mysteriously been deleted by Wordpress) where I’d write about my favorite songs, makeup products, travels, and concerts I attended. Still, my writing wasn’t really adequate, and the hundred total views I remember having on that website were hon-

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estly probably just me refreshing the page... and possibly some family members.

Once I got to high school and my writing skills (and music taste) weren’t absolute shit, I got the opportunity to write for this Internet radio company that was, in hindsight, really sketchy. The owner ran it out of his basement, and I genuinely don’t know if the music he aired online was acquired legally. Nonetheless, this was the first real opportunity I had to get my work out there, and I was probably too enthusiastic about it. I remember emailing the owner about wanting to start doing email interviews with bands, and his response being, essentially, “Um, I’ll talk about it with the program director”. Unsurprisingly, he never did get back to me. Ever.

The lack of communication on his end made me realize I was pretty much wasting my time, so I just stopped posting and, fittingly, he has still yet to contact me about my underperformance.

Last summer was when everything began to change for me.

In every place, my Twitter timeline was exploding with different independent magazines coming to life, like Heart Eyes Magazine and Honey Punch Magazine, to name two of the first that caught my eye. Of course, I began applying to these magazines like crazy (though, note, I never did apply to HEM or HPM). You’ll never guess what happened next. It was one of the most pivitol events of my life, and I’ll always be grateful for it.

Not a single magazine got back to me.

At the time, not gonna lie, this really frustrated me. It was like I was back in the cycle of dead ends I’d found myself in while writing for the Internet radio company.

But after a week or so, I kind of came into the Gen Z mindset of “hey, if I want this done right, I’m going to do it myself.” Like, why was I sitting around waiting for an approval email when I could start something?

So that’s how Suburban Rose came to be. A special shout out to our original team members (especially Gabby and Molly, the only ones still remaining) for giving me somewhere to start, and to everyone with us now that helps me remember I’m not insane and that we’re actually evolving--including our readers.

And if you’re wondering where the name “Suburban Rose” comes from, it’s the title of a poem I wrote a few years ago. And no, I’m not sharing the poem. Not my best work, funnily. -Alex

Photo: Alexandra Thomas

I

a note from alex music, founder and editor

MEET OUR TEAM

alexandra music

neariyalex

founder & editor gabrielle miranda

head of photography

staff writers ian bledsoe

molly mccaul

websiings

silvia pellegrino

houseonalake

head of writing

yrthroat

sandra garcia

mirandabeach_

made0fgiass

karoline wechselberger

karowech

staff photographers taylor brielle

taylorbrielle__

bethany camp

bastlile

sam melanson

narrating_sam

alexandra thomas

aetphotos

special thanks to Kim of @wheelygooddoodles for illustrating our magazine. all illustrations are hers unless otherwise stated. social media icons provided by Icomoon and Bogdan Rosu SuburbanRose.Com | @SuburbanRoseMag

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suburban rose magazine presents...

INTERNET INDIE AWARDS the hottest new independent artists who are finding their niche online, nominated and chosen by our readers.

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#1- Sleeptalk California indie band Sleeptalk garnered the most votes after the extremely close race, and we’re sure this isn’t a surprise to many. Suburban Rose had the chance to interview the band in January, chatting with them about their music and the many facets of touring. “My favorite thing is being able to play shows every night, ...driving with your best friends, and seeing all of the different places you’re going,” Anthony Fitzpatrick, vocalist, reminisced. You can read an exclusive note the band left our magazine below.

A Note From Sleeptalk

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Hi Guys, First and foremost thank you all so much for the support of our band. We just released released a new EP “IHYDW EP” on June 5th. The feedback has been great so far and we are extremely glad everyone is digging the stripped down versions. We have been working extremely hard on new material but wanted to put something out to hold you guys over. Please keep telling your friends about us and thank you for everything.

New music soon Love you, Sleeptalk

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#2- Babyblu Babyblu is the Tampa-based bedroom pop project of Dylan McBrayer. Unsurprisingly, his versatile music has fitting roots. “Some of my biggest inspirations for music are the people I listened to as I grew into an artist. People like Olivver The Kid, the 1975, Wet, Leon Bridges,” he tells SR. In alignment with the principles of these awards, the musical success of Babyblu has been largely internet-driven, capturing the hearts of fans all across the United States and beyond.

#3- The Young Something

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Background Photo: Bethany Camp; Artist photos taken from Facebook

The Young Something are another Tampa Bay act gaining serious traction beyond their hometown. Still, they remain an essential part of their local scene. In May, they opened for the 97x Barbeque, featuring artists like AWOLNATION and Dirty Heads. “To be able to share the stage with amazing acts that we look up to was such a phenomenal experience,” the band tells SR. “To go from watching AWOLNATION front row three years ago at BBQ 2015 to then sharing the stage was just surreal for us.”

SuburbanRose.Com | @SuburbanRoseMag

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#4- MILKK MILKK are a self-proclaimed “emo boy-band” based out of Nashville. After just a year of putting out music, the band has already established a huge presence in the niche of internet-grown indie-pop. Their first single, “Pacific Kiss”, recently broke 150,000 listens on Spotify, and the band is awed by their supporters, as they tell SR. “MILKK has only existed for a year, and what started as an inside joke sideproject became a very real thing for us. The main factor in that is our more-than-loyal fanbase. MILKK is because of them and for them.”

#5- Flipturn

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Garnering nearly 50,000 monthly listeners on Spotify are Flipturn, a Florida born five-piece that’s growing by the day. They’ve opened for COIN, released a highly successful EP, and have toured the east coast of the US. So what are the band’s plans for the future?

“We hope to gain more traction on social media and Spotify/Apple Music. We also plan to continue touring to get our name out there!

We love playing and making music together, so we definitely don’t plan to stop doing it.”

!!! thank you to everyone who participated and voted for/nominated any band. be sure to follow our social media to find out when we have more contests. -SR 6

Issue One

Review by Molly McCaul

A

bhi the Nomad’s latest release, Marbled, is, in a word, groovy. Its beats are infectious, the songs just upbeat enough to make you smile, and the variation just enough to keep you on your toes. It further exemplifies the fact that summer 2018 is going to be and by and large already has been an excellent time for music.

For listeners who enjoyed Childish Gambino’s 2016 Awaken, My Love!, the album offers a new opportunity to enjoy a similar sound. Rap-like vocals are layered over dreamy synth, guitars, and even the occasional trumpet. The

songs take difficult subjects and turn approaches to covering them on their head, instead deciding to be blunt but accepting of the reality of it all. From drug abuse to societal pressures to family to relationships, Marbled covers just about everything, but doesn’t read like a self-help book. Instead, it’s a celebration of the good and bad about life, putting an expository over a sunshiny instrumental.

Though songs like “Mama Bling” and “So Long” are homages to the sheer talent Abhi the Nomad clearly has, the features on the album bring their own strengths

to the table. Other artists, such as Harrison Sands and Local Foster, make a handful of appearances throughout the album. Their voices add a nearly conversational layer to the introspective nature of it, and in tracks like “Sex & Drugs”, tend to break up the tension and intense emotion in a welcome respite.

Highlights of the album include, of course, its biggest single, “Somebody to Love”. The song has found its way onto a number of radios, and it begs to be played while driving down a highway on a muggy July morning; its vibes are light and carefree, much like the rest of the album. Songs like “Dogs” offer a darker insight into the connected world, but still bop with the best of them.

Overall, Marbled is a fun album, and a real album. It fits into the reality of the world, but offers a sense of hope and a brief escape from the stress of it all. It’s enjoyable, it’s well-done, and a mustlisten for all of your summer music needs.

SuburbanRose.Com | @SuburbanRoseMag

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community.

My name is Sara Shikooh.i’m I’m a a 16 oldold highschool studentstudent with a love My name’s Sara Shikooh, 16year year highschool with a longdrives drives and flowers.

Here’s Here’s a playlistaabout exactly that. exactly love forfor long andwilting wilting flowers. playlist about that.

Peach Pit - Tommy’s Party

Summer Salt - Going Native Snail Mail - Thinning Garden City Movement - Move On Chet Faker - Talk Is Cheap Cuco - We Had To End It Summer Salt - Sweet To Me Boy Pablo - Dance, Baby!

Sniffle Party - Peach Dream Elvis Depressedly - Angel Cum Clean

Illustration: @wheelygooddoodles

scan for the playlist!

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community.

photography by max helt

maxwell.helt

SuburbanRose.Com | @SuburbanRoseMag

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album spotlight:

heck no, nancy ian bledsoe

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dolescence is such a vastly changing field of experience. With certain kids being thrown out into the real world as young as 13 due to bad financial stability, or on the other hand you have people clocking in at 35 who can’t give up their one bedroom apartment and video games enough to grow up. There’s

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a certain niche that accompanies the middle of this spectrum that I think we all can relate to just a bit whether we’re fully understanding of it or not. I really do think we can all connect with nostalgia and relate to the ache of growing up and learning to get over it. I mean, why else would acts like Blink-182 and Jeff Rosenstock continue to trudge

forward far into the 2010’s and almost 2020’s? Because we can all still relate to the melodramatic bullshit and the ignorance that we encounter in some way just to come to terms with it. That’s where The Obsessives subtly affirmed Heck No, Nancy fits in; it’s so tethered to the middle and clinged to the spectrum’s centerfold that it shouldn’t work at all, but that’s exactly what makes it work so cleverly.

“Daisy” kicks off the record with the elongated clean guitars as the noname-ridden vocals kick in to describe another story about a girl. The magic kicks and explodes and you’re left waiting. It all escapes you and you’re left thinking about what you could be. The story rings unoriginal, surely, and what’s another emo revival song about a girl? Well when the energy is so unassuming and so undemanding, you can’t help but slowly embrace it with open arms, as the guitar tones grab you from the back and the odd-timed drums turn your head into ears and shoulder by the time “Nodding Off” has destroyed you as a listener. There’s nothing really beautiful or genius about Heck No, Nancy, hell i’m certain this will just relay as another generic, sad, adolescent tale of melodrama a la Dad Thighs or Remo Drive; but there’s a certain absence

Photo: Sam Melanson

“review summary: glorified nothingness”

of optimism in The Obsessives’ sound. The cymbals still ring fairly similarly, and the chords aren’t as varied as they could be, but the honesty and raw unadulterated drone that overtakes this record like a silent chokehold separates this record from its contemporaries in not necessarily a blaze of glory, but like a kid lighting a cigarette in a room already unhealthily filled with smoke.

The tale that even lies in Heck No, Nancy is not one that necessarily omnipresent. The album acts more of a representation of its themes and messages, without actually directly conveying those messages, essentially as a glorified nothingness. But the thing is there’s not many albums that

gracefully past forward this idea to the point where it almost feels like it doesn’t even know it moved past it. The album maintains quite the confidently somber and serious tone yet with music and an album title that clearly and youthfully act as a counterpart comedically that works in context to the album indefinitely. It’s not about being the next great big portrayal of intricately presented naturalistic impressions of our universe. It’s too busy in the back shotgunning beers and laughing at just the linguistics of that sequence of words in the first place. It’s making fun of the world whereas all the other albums of its kind are still caught up in the memories of getting stoned listening to The Smiths with that

girl in high school or whatever.

Heck No, Nancy is an album that’s so unapologetically familiar with its world yet so unknowingly dissociated from it, that it makes fun of itself in such a way that actually makes itself appealing. It’s content with being a joke as it is with being nothing at all and that’s what make the overall portrayal of ingenious adolescence laid out here on Heck No, Nancy so easy to embrace as it is to despise.

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a night with

DAGNY photos & interview highlights Gabrielle Miranda and Sam Melanson

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SR: Do you have any advice for new artists trying to pursue a career in music?

“I think that young artists need to follow their gut and trust what they’re doing. I think you also have to not be scared of speaking up. I’m not just talking in terms of when something isn’t right but when you walk into a room with these big music business people you really need to speak up even though you may feel small.”

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SR: What can we expect from Dagny in the next year?

“We’ll be dropping songs throughout the year. Some more touring of course. This year is going to be really good!”

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SR: Have you had any crazy things happen on tour or on stage?

Watch the full interview by going to suburbanrose. com or visiting our Youtube Channel

“This is where I should be like ‘no, no, no’— you’re getting into the secrets of touring! But a positive crazy thing is I would go on stage and the whole stage would just be covered in flowers from the fans throwing flowers on stage! I thought that was really sweet.”

SuburbanRose.Com SuburbanRose.Com| |@SuburbanRoseMag @SuburbanRoseMag| 15

community.

Behind the Lens. by brandon arlington

brandon_arlington

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Illustration: @wheelygooddoodles

There isn’t a feeling in the whole world that is quite like this one. The connection that you have with the artist and their band is something that no one else but you can feel. Being in the photo pit during a concert is what makes me encounter these vigorous emotions. The artist is literally 3-5 feet from me at all times, sometimes even closer. The music is incredibly loud and the vibrations are so strong I can feel them in my body as I take as many pictures as possible. It is a thrilling experience to be able to get to capture the pure passions that musicians experience through the lens of my camera. The crowd is wild without fail up towards the front, and knowing they’ve waited for hours on end to be that close makes getting to watch the fun they have interacting with the musician that much more unforgettable. The pictures aren’t always crystal clear but neither is the concert. Neither are the sensations. Neither is the experience. The artist is moving with the music and the crowd as if they are one. I love being able to capture this joy that others find in music because it helps me find that joy too.

pride pride pride pride pride pride pride pride

how transgressive it felt to operate eclectically, watching madly this moodiness, over-the-top and disembodied. i dreamed up something unsuitable, an obsessive eulogy layered with luxurious abandon. my mind hid memories of a pilgrimage made through fields laced with smoke, gold, struck gems:

the big sure1 found poem & illustration by sandra garcia

a soundtrack of lyrical heartbreak.

theremin solos and strings sonically evolved into rising sea walls, swept upward and stopped still in the steel sky. we cannot un-know a legacy. all around me sat a voice, lush and heavy; it drove me straight into space, held me floating in a mesmerizing vastness. when i fell, it sounded cinematic.

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Background Photo: Sidney Tep

there: a change. a change in the bold, visual fascination, little big childish horror and improvisation. that knowing—maybe i’ve lost it. my mind, impossible and surreal, loaded itself into a broken masterpiece.

Issue One

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Words taken from Dan Smith’s “The Movie Geek” published on The Line of Best Fit: https://www. thelineofbestfit.com/features/longread/bastilles-dan-smith-the-movie-geek.

rapid fire interview

What are the biggest inspirations for your music?

A lot of our inspiration stems from artist such as Tears For Fears, Simple Minds and Michael Jackson. But lately, film scoring has captured our attention immensely!

Describe your latest single “Late Nights” in adjectives.

Musically, what is your biggest goal?

Moody, sexy, romantic, vibey, wet and thrilling.

To show the world that two east coast homies in a small town can come together and change the world.

How did you come up with the name “Youthfool”?

Based out of central Pennsylvania, YOUTHFOOL create what they describe as “east coast love pop.”

Well, Joston’s obsession with being a Lost Boy and always having a knack for doing foolish things just seemed to line up into one word quite nicely!

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community.

Magdalena Hart is a freelance designer and illustrator based in Uruguay. You can follow her on Instagram @mago_42.

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@m

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_4

ago

SuburbanRose.Com | @SuburbanRoseMag

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@mago_42.

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@m

ago

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2.

SuburbanRose.Com | @SuburbanRoseMag

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We Need To Talk About The Internet’s Relationship With Africa By Toto Molly McCaul a look into how the world wide web warped a classic

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f you’ve had internet access over the past 6-8 months, you may have noticed a bizarre trend. Amidst an online culture of mass consumption centered around the quick rise and fall of easily produced media, few things have had consistent relevance that reliably appeals to their audience.

Yet, the classic smash hit “Africa” by Toto has somehow beat the odds to become the objective favorite song of the internet, for better or for worse.

What does the fact a song from 1982 has become so omnipresent even mean?

To start to look at its impact, we have to first look at how it got to where it is now. Released as a single off of Toto IV, “Africa” is a nearly 5-minute ballad that reached the number one spot of the Billboard charts by February 1983 and rocketed Toto into internation-

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al superstardom. It achieved both acclaim and criticism, but nonetheless the song ultimately won over the music industry’s heart, playing a role in the 5 Grammy’s Toto brought home that year.

However, the song got lost in the clamour of the 80’s; between Hall and Oates, Bruce Springsteen, a-ha, Scorpions, and so many more, the sheer variety of music tended to drown out some of the shining stars of the decade.

The past decade or so has seen the track swept aside, mostly reserved for classic rock radio, or maybe a forty-something’s dusty record collection. It arguably wasn’t until recently that Toto has gotten the attention they deserve from a new wave of music fans. Though hard to pinpoint precisely when it became the apple of the online community’s eye, one Buzzfeed article put the sentiment best: “‘Africa’ By Toto Is The Greatest Musical Achievement Of All Time.”

It’s been praised and worked into so many social media phenomena that it feels like forever since it wasn’t at the forefront of our social consciousness.

Seemingly, people can’t get enough of “Africa”- but is it all genuine love? As with all good things, it’s very likely that some of this positive buzz has come from the tongue-in-cheek irony that permeates subcultures. When online,

it may seem obvious or given that you’re portraying irony or sarcasm, yet time and time again is so misconstrued. This creates numerous confusions and misunderstandings, and can convolute intent. The

the original album art of toto’s “africa”, the iconic 1980s classic

Our readers took a poll on our Instagram [@suburbanrosemag] about how they feel about Weezer’s cover.

Interestingly, 65% liked it.

Photos: Spotify

problem with this when it comes to music is that it undermines the fact that “Africa” is a genuinely enjoyable and well-produced song; it’s technically sound, features a variety of instruments and techniques, and is a lyrically refreshing take on storytelling in music. It swells and flows and has tangible emotion, something that’s hard to find and even harder to find in such a total-package song. The prevalence of a “toocool” attitude among today’s listeners causes a problem because it clouds genuine opinion, and begs to ask if people who hype up “Africa” do so because of the big joke it’s become or the beauty of the track.

Yes, the bottom line is that all of this attention is bringing more streaming revenue in for Toto and sparking important conversations about the value of older music in a forwardlooking industry. All publicity is good publicity, after all. The only complication is when quantity begins to supercede quality. Covers of “Africa,” such as that performed by St Lucia on their fall 2016 headline tour, can have heart and soul and elevate a live performance. Other renditions (for example, that by none other than Ninja Sex Party) feel empty, devoid of all that Toto invested into the original and lacking of originality.

The issue came to an apex with the recent release of not one

but two Toto covers by Weezerfirst, “Rosanna”, and subsequently “Africa.” The “Rosanna” cover was refreshing; it had a twang of originality and felt very much intentional, as though the band chose to reimagine it for genuine reasons.

“Africa,” however, rings hollow.

The release has inspired a media

firestorm, even reaching NBC. But frankly, we need to recognize that it’s not the greatest cover. It serves up a take-for-take mirror image of the track, with no innovation or rethinking. Take into account Weezer’s reputation for ingenuity and the immense skill they have that has allowed them to successfully innovate their style for decades, and the fact they did so little with the track is almost disappointing.

This isn’t to say that all covers, or all songs at that, have to always be good. Music is an expres-

65%

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sion of the self, and is allowed to be funny, light-hearted, and sometimes simply the result of playing around with an idea. It’s very likely that Weezer could have simply released “Africa” for kicks. The timing is simply unfortunate; had the internet not already been abuzz with humor based around Toto, it probably could have become so much more, possibly even reintroducing the track to a new audience. However, when one of the biggest rock bands of the 90’s and 00’s just so happens to cover a song like “Africa” at a time like this, the gesture seems more like a pander towards a trend than a genuine homage.

In short, we as a collective unit need to step away from “Africa” by Toto. Give the song some space, let it regain its footing and then revisit it. At its very core, the song is a masterpiece, a true ballad for the ages that just so happened to be so niche that it became funny. By flooding the internet with videos, posts, covers, and references to the track, people are in effect removing the beauty of the song. If we want to really, truly, give Toto the praise they’ve worked so hard to earn for creating such a classic, we need to remind ourselves of its value. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, after all; maybe it’s time to do the things we never have and stop blessing the rains down in Africa.

SuburbanRose.Com | @SuburbanRoseMag

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from the cover

THIS IS

by alexandra thomas

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Tell us about your new EP. What was your inspiration for it?

I always try to tell a story with every song I write, so this EP is a collection of songs written solely by myself and [about] things in my life and other people’s lives. I hope everyone can connect and relate to the EP! You’re currently on your first U.S. tour with Echosmith; what’s that been like for you?

It has been incredible! Touring is so fun and rewarding and I am so grateful to have this opportunity to share my music with new and old fans.

What’s been your favorite moment, on stage or backstage, on this tour?

It’s hard for me to let go on stage and not overthink things, so my favorite moment on stage from this tour has been performing in NYC. I let all go up there and focused on having fun. It was magical.

Do you have any plans once tour is over?

I have more performances coming up and hopefully more tours in the near future. I’m also going to continue to write and record new music!

So, you’ve been involved in music since early childhood. What’s your first musical memory?

My first musical memory is getting a guitar for Christmas when I was four. It had five songs on it including “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5 and “Hit Me Baby One More Time” by Brittany Spears. I loved it!

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Did you always know that you wanted to have a career in music?

By the time I started singing at nine, I knew I wanted to be involved in music in some way. My dream was to open up a music school for underprivileged kids and I still hope to do that someday.

What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t a singer/songwriter?

I’d most likely be a realtor! I love finding the perfect houses for people and so that’s something I would do.

What would you say is the most difficult part of being a musical artist?

Probably trying to please everyone. There are so many people on my team and so many fans that as much as I would love to make every single person happy, it’s just not feasible. Being a musical artist, that is something that I’ve had to learn and overcome in order to stay true to myself.

What’s your favorite song you’ve written and why is it your favorite?

My favorite song I’ve written is “Boy With The Balloon” because it was like an out of body experience writing it. I put my heart and soul into it in order to create such a meaningful story.

What advice would you give to others who want a career in music?

Never think that your opinion is not valid. It can be hard to speak up and say what you feel is right, but it is so important to do so! Also, practice like crazy and always be open to advice and feedback!

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“how do i get involved?”

community.

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sign a petition

by Abby Chase

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I’m fragile, but I’m not that type of fragile.

I am delicate not in the way eggshells and champagne glasses are, or in the way that flowers wilt so easily.

My fragility is like a bomb’s.

Destruction lives in my palms and when I hear of things like these the storms inside surge.

donate to a legitimate source

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call your representatives!

00:00

I am a child, you tell me.

I must be uneducated regarding the horrors of this world.

I am a child, a fragile one; my brain can’t grasp the idea of having a bullet through it.

Maybe you’re right.

Maybe I’m wrong when I talk of corruption as if it is a commonplace item, an heirloom on a shelf in every American home, as if it exists free of repercussion.

Corruption is immortal to consequence, is it not?

We are a society held captive to campaign donations and crime and the color red and I am done.

I am a child, but this bomb went off long before you told me my age would would defuse it.

Time is up for red.

This generation is made of children, and yes, we are fragile.

We are fragile but unbroken and we will exist louder than the gunshots that created us, and staring down the barrel of a gun is not on our agenda.

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abbyjanechase

photography by Emma Valles |

emmasophiavalles

community.

Illustration: @wheelygooddoodles

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sensuality sandra garcia

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y cat lies on the second stair from the top, brown and cream fur matching the carpet. She stretches her back leg, resting her head on the ankle. She has white socks and a single brown toe that peaks beside her cheek. I squint at her, and she squints back, blinking several times before shutting her eyes completely for a nap. *** John Stuart Mill talks about higher and lower pleasures, stating that lasting fulfillment comes from high pleasures, even if there is discomfort involved. Low pleasures are fleeting; I can go to a concert and feel rejuvenated, motivated, and it can bring me out of my lethargic state, but this is ultimately irrelevant in the grand scheme of creation. Its sensuality makes it so.

The other side of this is intellect: A neurosurgeon who has just witnessed their patient seize and then die may suffer from the loss, but they have removed enough pituitary tumors to make a significant difference in enough people’s lives to not consider themselves a failure. No matter their losses, their impact is more far-reaching than my musical appreciation would ever be. *** Where can we find bliss? My cat is no more than a needy, hairy, fourlegged baby. She meows when she is hungry, and I crack open a can of saucy chicken mixture to feed her

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midday. I give her fresh water several times a day and refill her dry food bowl when it’s clean. When she looks at me through half-slanted eyes, I scratch the underside of her chin and neck till her eyes fall shut and she begins to purr. I let her make biscuits on my chest at night, feeling the weight of her tenpound body pushing down against my lungs, her long wiry whiskers itching at my upper lip.

“A house cat doesn’t know much about anything,” says my professor, who sits cross-legged on a table in front of the room. “It lives its life sheltered and in a repetitive routine: it eats, sleeps, and shits. It may love you,” but it doesn’t know about the world or the rain or the stars in the sky. *** When I look up into the November darkness, I can identify the formation and imagined tidy lines of Cassiopeia. Its place shifts over several months. My cat, one-tracked, saunters outside with me in the summertime and chases the yellow-plump fireflies, pouncing from the wooden deck into the shortlytrimmed grass.

The queen cared no more about selflessness than she did modesty.

After angering the water nymphs and the gods (“you are not as beautiful as I”), she was chained to a chair and the image was mirrored in the sky for eternity. Cassiopeia, lover of beauty, felt aesthetics more important than life itself. She suf-

fered for being capable of a genius that she could never achieve.

I wonder: Is it worth being momentarily happy? *** I should so want to be a house cat.

If a cat cannot feel higher pleasures, then it cannot feel higher displeasures, and I wouldn’t feel sunken into my own, removed from those around me. I can be loved unconditionally despite my not-knowing, that it wouldn’t matter what I did. Still, my cat cannot feel sensuality like I do. She can find relief in my nose against her furry forehead, but she cannot find the post-work-stress relief of being held tightly, tightly by someone blindingly warm. Of finding bliss someplace snug alone.

Cassiopeia, prideful and vain, suffered. Yet she was happy before, caring enough about her family to recognize their goodness, even when she hadn’t the knowledge about anyone outside of herself. & so maybe for all I don’t know, for everything sharing the air beside me and the earth below me and everything above what I can still see, there’s still happiness in knowing as little as I do. I don’t have to know everything to be happy, to sacrifice myself for the better good.

Maybe I’m allowed to be selfish and sensual and not-knowing.

Maybe I’m allowed to feel it guiltfree.

california ventura, california

circa survive circa survive circa survive circa survive circa survive circa circa survive survive by taylor brielle

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community.

Cotton Candy Dreams

by Haley Walker bold decision to follow my heart and pursue writing would’ve taken me, I would’ve laughed in your face. It was just a cotton-candytextured desire off in outer space.

Key word being was. Today, it’s my reality.

I’ve gotten to cover Night Riots (and interview Nick Fotinakes), COIN, Quinn XCII, The Oh Hellos, and The Greeting Committee (and interview Addie Sartino) all within a blurry sixmonth period. It’s a lot of driving and sleep-deprived weekends, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the whole universe. It’s the most priceless experience every time, and I just want to scream it to the world, so here is my attempt to scream my musical journey, and

encourage you to never ever sell yourself short or give up on your cotton candy dreams.

Ah, where do I begin?!

When it came to my first time being on the beloved list, my confidence turned out to be the only roadblock. My friends wouldn’t exactly describe me as assertive. I think that’s the only roadblock to most dreams, actually. You have to believe in yourself deep down in the core of who you are, and then just go for it. Spring forth and make your visions your truth.

The first time I waltzed up to a box office to cover a concert as press, which happened to be Night Riots, I was beyond excited, but I was so nervous. I hesitated, so they did as well. Double-checking my

“It’s time to rock and roll.

Literally.”

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Illustration: @wheelygooddoodles

M

y heart always pounds like I’ve never done this before, even though I totally, definitely have. “I’m a professional,” I whisper to my heart, but we both secretly know I’m not.

I double check my lipstick and mascara in the passenger side mirror and slam it shut, grabbing my fully charged phone and tiny but mighty, faithful yellow memo pad.

It’s time to rock and roll- literally.

Every concert, every interview, every photograph, is nothing short of a wish come true. For just a few months shy of a year now, I have been actively chasing my biggest, wildest dream of covering bands as press and telling their story. If you’d told me a year ago this is where my passion for music and

ID and their list alike, making sure I was actually Haley Walker. I felt like I had no authority, I’m only 20!!!! Just take my word for it: if some really tall buff guy dressed in all black with a very authoritative walkie talkie questions your name, you do too.

After they marked our hands, gave us our tickets, and set my fellow avid concert goer and photo pit expert Brandon Arlington up with his media pass, we were ready for action. The nerves were gone! Or so I thought, I was literally shaking while interviewing Nick.

I mean come on, he’s a famous rock star touring the world with other famous rock stars, and he’s talking to me??! Are you kidding me?! But once again, it’s about conviction!

After my first music journalist concert experience, I was head over heels in love. Confidence is key, and the music industry has given it to me. It turns out “on the list” are the three words every girl wants to hear. And the rest is his-

tory. By now we’ve got it down to a science.

I am confident in the power of music, the importance of meeting new people, all these passionate artists and their awesome managers and press contacts, people who are different than you are, older than you, are experiencing life in ways unfamiliar to you. I am confident in writing because it is important to write this stuff down, to get that word-for-word interview, those up close and personal pictures, to capture the essence of a night in such a way as to remember it forever. When people read my press coverage articles, I don’t want them to just get a summary of the concert, I want them to feel like they were there. I want them to be overcome with the melodious grace that music so freely relishes onto us all, I want them to just barely be able to hear the crowd roaring in the background, I want everyone to have the opportunity to experience any and all music in any and all ways possible.

Something clicked in me that night. Every concert feels like coming home to me, without fail.

No matter the location or artist, I just feel like I belong. And I want to come home for the rest of my life. I want to experience the vivid colors of music and re-articulate them for the world to see and read and hear about.

Thank you Night Riots for unlocking this passion within me. Thank you Nick and Addie for letting me use your valuable words and experiences, thank you to every band manager who’s ever let me cover a concert, thank you Peyton Marek, Michelle Greco, and Columbia Records, thank you Odyssey for being my writing outlet, thank you Brandon Arlington for chasing this dream with me, thank you mom and dad for believing in me every step of the way, and thank you Suburban Rose for giving me this opportunity to share my words and passions. Life is alright, but life with music is pure magic.

haless_yeahhh_

The Ultimate Summer 2018 Indie/Alt Playlist check out the music haley is digging!

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an interview with

THE S E K A N S Y PESK by alex music

The Pesky Snakes are an indie-pop band from Orillia, Ontario.

Suburban Rose Magazine had the chance to chat with member Ayden Miller about their origins, inspirations, and plans for the future.

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SR: You guys have an extremely interesting backstory. Give our readers a recap of how the two of you met.

Was there a reason why the name “The Pesky Snakes” manifested, or do you think it just was catchy in your minds all those years ago?

Ayden: Daniel and I met at daycare. We were probably somewhere between the ages of 4-6 I would think. Our parents had strong music backgrounds which gave us something to connect with. I mean, I don’t think our music tastes were very developed between the ages of 4-6 but I guess it was enough for us to become friends. We formed an imaginary band called “The Pesky Snakes.” Danny came up with the name, not exactly sure how...

His brother was also involved. We planned to have a practice at my place and I’m pretty sure we just ended up playing computer games that day. When we had moved past the daycare days we became pretty distant but luckily reunited in high school and have been really good friends since the 10th Grade.

A: When we finally decided to start making music together it seemed like the most obvious choice for a name. Our producer thought it was silly and wouldn’t catch but we stuck with it anyway and now he’s come to like it as well. We’ve received good and bad feedback about it but at the end of the day our music is what’s most important anyway and we figured that we’d rather have a name that meant something to us personally than to have something that just sounds more appealing. Plus c’mon, it’s a fun name!

Do you think the fact that you’ve known each other since daycare has enhanced the dynamic of this project and has given you two a rare connection musically?

A: In a way, yes. I think it’s cool that we became great friends in high school. I wasn’t sure if we’d ever become close again but we ended up spending most of high school making up those lost years before we started making music.

We both have our strengths and we rely on each other in different ways which has allowed this project to go in the right direction pretty quickly!

Moving on from the past, your band has certainly grown a lot in just the few months you’ve been on the scene. As of now, you already have 25,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and have been successful on your other platforms as well. What do you think is the reason for this?

A: Well for starters, we have been working with a fantastic producer named Andy Parish. The music we have been able to create could not be possible without him. I also

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think Danny and I are always on the same page when writing a song and Andy has really been able to help bring the tunes to life. Another thing that’s really important is promoting your content and building a following. I think we created our social media accounts in November of 2017 and worked on building a small following before releasing anything. Following fans of similar artists and creating an aesthetic is what helped us right off the hop. There is so many brilliant musicians out there that don’t get the recognition they deserve and it’s likely because those artists have a hard time promoting their music and branding themselves. It’s just kinda the way things work now. I think if you are making good music and also treat it kinda’ like a small business, you can be very successful. We are still far from where we want to be but I think we are headed in the right direction.

Your Spotify also states the top locations for your listeners are all in the US. How does it feel to have a relatively large audience outside of your country?

A: I honestly look at Spotify stats way too much, I just find it so fascinating! Being able to see exactly how many listeners you have from each city/country is pretty wild. It’s really cool that our first two tunes are doing well in the US and other countries too. Apparently Bangkok is the leading listening city for our song “Lately” which doesn’t make any sense to me but I mean like, that’s so awesome. Seeing results has definitely been a big confidence boost as we continue to work on new music.

What are some artists do you draw inspiration from? Do you think their influence can be seen in “I Need You” and “Lately”?

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Artwork for “I Need You”, The Pesky Snakes’ first single A: Ou, this is a fun one. We have made so many new discoveries in the past couple of years. I’d say that together our biggest inspiration would come from BØRNS. We discovered him a few years ago while he was out touring his debut album and have been huge fans of him ever since. Finally saw him live in February, he was amazing. The synthy/dreamy vibes are something we are heavily influenced by. I play the keys so I think synths will always be apart of our music in some way. However, our first two songs don’t exactly sound similar and we are pretty cool with that. We aren’t too worried about having a certain sound right now so we take inspiration from several artists. Cage The Elephant, MGMT, Arkells, Hippo Campus, Coin & Blossoms are some other artists we’ve been listening to a lot lately.

“Lately”, your second single, premiered this March and has reached the ears of many. In your opinion,

how does it differ from “I Need You”?

A: “Lately” is more of an acoustic jam whereas “I Need You” is more bass and synth driven. Danny does a lot of solo stuff and has released two solo projects that both fall under the singer/songwriter genre.

I think Lately brings out that side of Danny’s songwriting which is awesome because we were able to show people that we were capable of making two completely different vibes right away.

Do you have any releases planned for the near future? [as asked in early June 2018] A: We are currently in studio recording and EP called “Fancy Red” that will be released at some point this summer. We will definitely have music out this summer, we just don’t know when. In the next few weeks we will begin promotion!

Along the lines of the future, are you hoping to do live shows soon? What are some of your dream venues to perform in, if so?

A: The plan is to play a few shows this summer and see how it goes.

Our hometown show will be at the end of July and hopefully we’ll do some small venues around Ontario to prepare for that gig. Right now putting more music out is more important to us than the live shows. We both have a lot of experience playing live so I do think we will enjoy playing together when the time comes. Haven’t thought about venues too much yet but I think playing big festivals eventually would be a dream come true.

What would you like to say to the readers of Suburban Rose Magazine?

A: Thanks for checking out this interview and please continue to support Suburban Rose! Indie platforms are super important for new artists!

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(?)

By Silvia Pellegrino WELCOME WELCOME BOYS AND GIRLS INTO A MORE DISTRACTED WORLD ---

never really left their scene despite the fact that after their last show of the I Like It When You Sleep era at the Latitude Festival on July 14th 2017, their activity in both the internet and media fields became basically non-existent.

The 1975 is a band of progress, of progressive sentiment, and of musical sentimentality. Their presence

As usual, their comeback was not precisely anticipated at all—at least not this way. Towards the end of April, posters started appearing around the UK, followed by the official Twitter account of the band posting an enigmatic text titled “A BFIEF INQUIRY INTO ONLINE RELATIONSHIPS”. The boys, in their latest BBC Radio 1 interview (which premiered the day of the release of their brand new single, “Give Yourself A Try”), revealed that that title is also the one of their new album, coming out this October. “Music For Cars”, they explained, is the overall era which contains this upcoming album and another one titled Notes on a Conditional Form, which, on the other hand, should come out in May of

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next year.

‘DON’T YOU MIND’ REFLECT UPON A RECENT TIME – WHERE YOU AND I WERE BOTH ONLINE AND PART OF A COLLECTIVE MIND But don’t be fooled just yet; this isn’t meant to be a standard article. Modernity has failed us. This is what one of the 1975’s posters read, along with “Poetry is in the streets in full living colour”, “First, disobey; then look at your phones”, and my personal favourite, “If I don’t get to see the beauty of the end of culture; then at least I’ve seen the culture of the end of beauty.” These are all very symbolic and totemic mottos, reminding the audience of the Situationist Movement, which recognizes that capitalism has changed and is absorbing our society. Another im-

Hell by Huxley, we can come to the conclusion that this was planned all along.

IN GROUPS WE SEARCH IRONICALLY TO FIND OUR SELF IDENTITY

portant element is the references to the Revolts of Paris during 1968 that followed the ideals of a return to aestheticisms and freedom of thought.

Thanks to all the Easter eggs that the band members have been hiding behind their media activity— such as the use of a book written by Simon Ford called The Realization and Suppression of the Situationist International and Of Heaven &

The world is losing its characteristics because everyone is too self-absorbed and concentrated on futile things. Superficiality is eating our personalities, which have no shape if they are not in a context of collectivity. “The music wave of the future” is one of the old photos lead singer Matty Healy posted on his Instagram, referencing how salvation can be achieved by people thinking out of the box; “First disobey, then write on the walls” – “First disobey, then look at your phones.” Parallelisms are drowning their fans to encourage them to have a more parallel view on life, observing and living not horizontally, but vertically and diagonally.

“I never did understand – the dual-

ity of art and reality”, their lyrics shout loud and clear. Community is as important as individualism, but there is something about our society that obsessively haunts the band’s mind.

IT’S EASY WHEN YOU’RE MADE AWARE A MORE AUTHENTIC CAPTURED STARE Nowadays, a luminous screen can capture even the most real moments, still encaging our life’s events into a virtual dimension.

The world is changing. Our generation is transforming its ideals into a more caring yet materialistic version of a happiness that can be achieved just by clicking “ADD TO CART”. But is that really happiness? Do we even look at eachother when we have a conversation?

Do we even have a conversation?

This authentic stare is about how genuine one is being, but how can someone distinguish spontane-

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ity from wishing to not be alone?

It is true that we might happen to “delete all civility” and “fear most proximity”, but this is just because we can’t recognise ourselves anymore in a society full of “obviously” and “programmed time delays.”

RIGHT SOME WRONGS WHILST STREAMING ALL OUR FAVOURITE SONGS The 1975 is confusing. I can’t lie here. What exactly are they trying to tell us?

I think the juxtaposition of the heavy, ringing sounds of the instrumental part of “Give Yourself A Try” against the song’s introspec-

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tive and intimate lyrics is the perfect visual representation of what they have become. All these continuous changes of heart, all these weak messages that create bad situations are part of a premeditated path that our band is building from scratch. The poetry and the beauty are not in the streets anymore and are far from being in full living colour, but maybe, just maybe, The 1975 are getting ready to bring them back.

Modernity has failed us? Modernity is us.

-

WELCOME TO THE REVOLUTION.

“But You Don’t Look Sick” a photoseries by Bethany Camp

My twin sister Brianna has had Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome since middle school. POTS is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system and causes an abnormal heart rate increase when standing up, as well as nausea, fatigue, abnormal blood pressure, and more. These symptoms are often invisible to other people, so the phrase “but you don’t look sick” is something that people often say to her. The invisible nature of POTS and other invisible illnesses can make it even harder to deal with these illnesses since it makes them more difficult for other people to understand. Brianna had to spend part of middle school and high school doing homebound and online school because of her chronic illness, so this has really impacted her childhood. With this syndrome there is usually an underlying illness that causes the symptoms and Brianna has been going to doctors for almost ten years now trying to find out what is causing this. She has spent all these years going to different doctors and having different tests done, but no doctors have been able to give her a concrete diagnosis. POTS patients are advised to consume more salt in order to lessen their symptoms because increasing salt intake also increases blood volume. These portraits of Brianna have been manipulated with Himalayan pink salt, which is the kind of salt that is a large part of Brianna’s diet. The photographs gradually deteriorate throughout the series due to being exposed to the salt and water. This manipulation represents the plethora of tests that Brianna has had throughout the years and how going through this illness without finding a sufficient treatment has impacted her life.

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community.

ART BY JAZZ

“Will He” Jazz (Jasmine Williams) is the person you picture when you imagine an artist– seated quietly in the corner, watching with her observant artist’s eye while she sketches her latest creation. She began drawing in third grade, and while she went on to major in Studio Arts and explore many mediums– sculpting, photography and graphic design– drawing has always been her first love. Wanting to further her artistic abilities, she moved to Seattle where she gained a love for digital arts and continues to pursue a career in digital and print design.

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“Korndog Kenny”

“ThisIsAmeriKKKa”

DIVES

interview by karoline wechselberger

The Viennese band DIVES was formed in 2016 during the Pink Noise Girls Rock Camp. Over the course of the following year, Dora De Goederen, Tamara Leichtfried, and Viktoria Kirner recorded their first self-titled EP. It was released on Siluh Records in fall 2017. The three of them are currently playing shows all over Austria, promoting their music and inspiring new fans. Suburban Rose’s writer and interviewer Karoline Wechselberger had the chance to ask them a few questions about their first encounter and their life as a fairly new band.

SR: The three of you met at the Pink Noise Girls Rock Camp. What was your first encounter like?

DIVES: We got to know each other in this empowering and special atmosphere where one week feels like a month because it’s packed with [so many] experiences and impressions. It’s funny, but our first encounter wasn’t that special; we hadn’t been really close during the camp because we were—and still are—very different in many ways. We didn’t even listen to the same musical genres when we started to make music together.

Being in a band together happened

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accidentally and we would have never expected that this “experiment” would [turn] out this way.

In fact, we got to know each other through playing and experimenting with music together in the following months. That’s what created a strong connection between us strangers.

What was your experience there like?

DIVES: You don’t have to “know” anything [there], and there is no need to have musical skills—you just do it and see what happens.

Playing an instrument and making

the stage yours is very empowering. To create music, there has to be solidarity, respect, and trust. We learned that during the Pink Noise Girls Rock Camp but especially later on when we continued on our own.

What’s the story behind your band name?

DIVES: [laughs] We had a deadline! We were searching and discussing potential names for several weeks, and the final decision was made in less than two minutes because it was needed fast for the poster of our first gig. In the end

they forgot to put us on the poster, but we finally had a name!

one now. Maybe [it would be] playing in a band.

musicians [we would] each like to make music with one day.

Have you always dreamed of being musicians? What were your dream jobs when you were younger?

You released your first self-titled mini album in 2017. Are there any plans for another EP or full length album?

When and where did you first hear one of your songs on the radio?

Dora: I wanted to become an illustrator, children’s book writer, pedagogue, and development aid worker—all at once!

Viktoria: I never really had a dream job or, later, a specific idea of my profession. I still don’t have one. But what I really never imagined is being a musician. It still feels strange to even write it down: Being a musician. Me being a musician. I am a musician. Oh my God. Tamara: I [took] piano lessons when I was younger but I never really thought of playing in a band or [even] defined myself as a musician. And, [like] Viktoria, I never had a dream job and [I don’t] have

DIVES: Yes, there are plans to record a new album. This time we want to make a full-length LP with more than six songs. But since our [EP] release we’ve been playing a lot of concerts and have hardly written new songs, because there’s been simply no time for it. But we plan to take one or two months off for writing new stuff in the fall.

And we are also going to have our first band vacation in [the] summer where [we’ll] have five days of making music together.

Is there any artist who you would like to collaborate with?

DIVES: As [a band], not at the moment. But of course there are

Tamara: It was about October last year, and me and Viktoria were on our way back from a concert by car—Dora headed back to Vienna the day before. When we heard “Shrimp,” we immediately tried to call her, but she didn’t pick up, so we recorded [the] moment for her [so we could] experience it together in some way. Quite cheesy.

Do you have a favorite place to write music?

DIVES: In our rehearsing room, at home, or at “Yppenplatz” in the 16th district [Vienna]. Our rehearsing room is next to “Yppenplatz,” so we often go there to eat, discuss, plan, and decide things. For example, Tamara finished the lyrics of “Tomorrow” in one of the pubs.

And we finally agreed on our band name in a restaurant there. But sometimes lyrics of a new song also get finally finished in the car just on our way to a gig.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?

All Dives Photos by Tina Bauer

Viktoria: We do. From our first show on, it was very important for Tamara that we do kind of a group hug right before we go on stage. I tried to resist at first—group hugging [isn’t] really my thing—but from show to show I got more used to it. Now, I refuse to play if I don’t get my group hug. We also started a new ritual for bigger shows: It’s called “fake it until you make it,” but we’re not gonna explain that one.

Is there a song that is your favorite to perform live?

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agree on that. For me [it’s] “Waiting,” [which is] our “freshest” song [and] not on our EP. Dora: It depends on the day; I often really enjoy “Roof” but sometimes it makes me too nervous or I’m not in the mood. “Concrete” and “Waiting” are always fun to play too.

Tamara: I also like “Concrete” because right now it’s our first song in our set and it gets me in the right mood for our concert. But I think I like “Tomorrow” the most because my guitar playing part is done after I record the loop and then I can concentrate on singing and playing shaker.

I watched you perform at the Siluh Records anniversary concert, and I was very impressed with the outfits you wore. Do you coordinate your stage outfits?

DIVES: [It’s] funny that you especially noticed that at this gig. Normally we do at most of our shows, but that evening, Viktoria was very sick. [A few] hours before the show she decided to completely drop our matching-outfit-plans in favor of wearing something completely different [that] she felt comfortable [in]. So we last minute decided that each of us should wear whatever she liked. [Surprisingly], our outfits still matched in some way in the end.

What music are you listening to at the moment?

Viktoria: For cheering me up, L.A. Witch because we’re going to play some shows with them in June.

La Sera because so many people compare us to their music; I didn’t really know them, and I [tried] to figure out why people compare us.

Body Type, [who I] saw last year in Sydney. They started making

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music the same time we did, and they are currently working on their debut. It’s going to be huge. And I was listening to the first Die Nerven album recently, [but it was] mainly because I was disappointed by their new one.

Dora: I listen a lot to Sonic Youth, Karen O, M.I.A., Coco Rosie, Anika. And of course to other Austrian acts like Beach Girls and the Monster, Crush, Aivery, Marloe, Lady Lynch, Bruch, Just Friends and Lovers. For cheering me up my all-time favourite sing-along music is still Wir Sind Helden. And I love all of Viktoria’s playlists!

Tamara: Right now I don’t have a favorite band; after Bon Iver, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Angel Olsen, and Bombay Bicycle Club, I haven’t had the same magical moment listening to a band again as I had with them. But I have various songs in my Spotify playlist that make me happy: I love Febueder’s “Brazillia” and Ty Segall’s “fist heart mighty dawn dart.” Still, I really like to listen to a lot of Austrian underground bands, [like] the ones Dora named and a lot more.

And not to forget my evergreen songs: “Crimson And Clover”—my dream came true when we played a cover of it in a special set for a concert—and “All Night Long” by Lionel Richie!

What do you want people to take away from your music?

DIVES: Whatever they want to take away from it. Any kind of feeling [or sensation] that our music causes makes us proud. Even if somebody thinks it sucks. At least [they] had to listen to it!

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what’s your indie summer anthem? pick an aesthetic, get a song.

1 Tanning poolisde with your best friends, not a cloud in the sky, music festivals in the sand, pink guitars, round sunglasses, cherry limeade slushies to cool off

2 Breezy Brooklyn nights, holding hands walking downtown, stargazing, slowdances in your room, slowly burning candles, coming to terms with who you are

3 Beaches of the north, black and white pictures, stormy weather, nodding along to your favorite song, lonely evenings, brown eyes, looking at the sky and dreaming of somewhere else

Roadtripping up the California coast, creating mixtapes, camping in the desert, journals to keep track of everything, string lights, bonfires and roasting marshmallows European cities, badass girls, wearing bright red lipstick, going to dozens of concerts, exploring new places, partying with people you love, pushing around your friends in shopping carts Photo: Bethany Camp

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4

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Aesthetic 1 H O N E Y M O A N - We Aesthetic 2 Yoke Lore - Fake You Aesthetic 3 Communions - Hymn Aesthetic 4 Goth Babe- Sometimes Aesthetic 5 Gurr- Hot Summer

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SILVIA PELLEGRINO

ALEX MUSIC

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