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JULY 2010
EDITORIAL STAFF Britt Middleton Founder and Editor-in-Chief Fashion and Beauty Director britt@sundaemag.com
Cameron Hubbard Arts&Culture Editor
cameron@sundaemag.com
Alisha Torrealba Music Editor
alisha@sundaemag.com
Christian BC Music Historian
christianbc@sundaemag.com
Tom Vinson Contributor
tom@sundaemag.com
Amanda McRae Contributor
amanda@sundaemag.com
Kevin Yang Contributor
kevin@sundaemag.com
PHOTOGRAPHERS Haley Barlar Contributing Photographer
PRODUCTION STAFF Jack Cusumano Art Director
jack@sundaemag.com
Asha Ellison Copy Chief asha@sundaemag.com
Like what you see inside Sundae Magazine? Tells us at soundoff@sundaemag.com Advertise With Us: Sundae Magazine offers a full range of advertising options. Contact: ads@sundaemag.com PRESS Inquiries Contact: britt@sundaemag.com FOR INTERNSHIPS/FREELANCE OPPORTUNITIES Contact: britt@sundaemag.com
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p4 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
M USIC p5 p6 p7 p8 p10 p12
MUSIC NEWS NOW HEAR THIS: WITH THAO + THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN GOOD VIBRATIONS BEST COAST: THE COAST WITH THE MOST BAND BUZZ: WITH PRINCE RAMA + FOL CHEN INDIE UNDERGROUND
p15 SUNDAE’S BEST
T HREADS p16 LIVE FREE, BUY HARD p17 EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN
P RETTY p18 DO THE WAVE
C ULTURE p19 p20 p22 p24
PLAYING THE FIELD I SURVIVED BONNAROO SWEET VALENTINE REVIVAL: PART DEUX
we’re on
page 31!
D OMESTICA p25 TWO STEP: TWO INGREDIENT RECIPES p26 CONFECTIONALLY SPEAKING
C HEAP TALK p28 p29 p30 p31
FAMILY REUNION DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT LIFE ACCORDING TO @ANDREWWK BANGS
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR “Behind every desire is another one waiting to be liberated when the first one’s sated.” -- From “Weightless” by Nada Surf Just think about it and it becomes far too clear: we’re all full of desires, incredible impulses just waiting to get through. How we handle those magnificent surges of emotion is what defines us. This month, in a nod to our nation’s historic emancipation, we are all about freedom. Welcome to the Independence Issue. One artist on the tip of everyone’s tongue right now is Best Coast. Frontwoman Bethany Cosentino, our July cover girl, is more than just a chick with an affinity for kitch and cats on the beach. Her band Best Coast, with their dreamy, SoCal sound, is well on their way to becomming this summer’s breakout band. Staff writer Jack Cusumano asked Cosentino about her affinity for Nicki Minaj and claiming her independence despite constant comparissons to other female-front bands. Oh, and he also asked her about those infamous Katy Perry comments, too! Check out the full story on page 8. Being independent also means having an opinion, and contributing writer Kevin Yang doesn’t disapoint with his play-by-play of this year’s Bonnaroo music festival (it gets filthy on page 20). We’re also throwing our support behind bands you may not know yet, so be sure to check out the exclusive (and hilarious!) interviews with bands Venice is Sinking, Cusses, and Matt Kamm of TELETHON. Our beauty and fashion coverage this month continues the spirit of freedom. Check out some great independence-inspired acceossires from ModCloth.com, one of our favorite clothiers, on page 16. Then set your eyes on some amazing (and cheap!) vintage outfit inspirations from our friends at The Clothing Warehouse (theclothingwarehouse.com for store locations) on page 17. This issue, for us, is one to raise a glass to. And speaking of, we’re bringing you another round of simple and tasty libations to whet your whistle, and Confectionally Speaking writer Asha Ellison shares another sweet recipe to help stave off the summer slump. And don’t miss a brand new adventure with “Bangs” on page 31. As you can see, we’re all about keeping it indie. We’re keeping it real. We’re free and independent -- and we’re loving it. Love and leisure, Britt britt@sundaemag.com Do you dig us? Tell us at soundoff@sundaemag.com P.S. – Have you found us on Facebook yet? Check out Facebook.com/SundaeMag for daily music news, fashion finds, and general trash talk. Just don’t ask us to plant seeds via Farmville.
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JULY 2010
MU SIC Jaill Photo Courtesy Sub Pop Records
MUSIC NEWS By: Britt Middleton
Jaill’s That’s How We Burn Positively Smolders With so much focus on the resurgence of lo-fi pop, it’s a wonder how any band can incorporate that jangly, lo-fi buzz and actually do it right. That’s How We Burn (Sub Pop), the sophomore effort from Jaill, captures all the best qualities of 90s rock fuzz without the fizzy, Sugar Ray aftertaste. Bright, surf-rock riffs support singer Vincent Kircher’s flowing choruses. That’s How We Burn is a fitting follow-up from a band that recorded their first album in the creaky, leaky basement of a funeral home. That’s How We Burn is available on Sub Pop Records July 27. Hear “She’s My Baby” on our July mix at 8tracks.com/sundaemag.
Prince Roma Photo Courtesy Paw Tracks Records
If Utopia Is Nowhere, Prince Rama Leads The Way Sisters Taraka and Nimai Larson’s family fled from Texas to escape religious persecution and found peace at a Hare Krishna commune in Florida. Not the typical beginnings for a band, but then again, there’s nothing typical about their band Prince Rama. Michael Collins rounds out the trio who met in the summer of 2007 amidst mystical, conscious-expanding circumstances. Their debut LP, Shadow Temple (Paw Tracks), is a misty, winding path to utopia which, apparently, leads to nowhere at all. “Utopia equals No [nowhere],” says Taraka Larson, “and in the process of going nowhere, perhaps you will find yourself everywhere.” That kind of loosey-goosey sentiment permeates the record, which is psychedelic trip in itself. Punctuated with tribal drums, atmospheric reverb, and transcendental lightness, Shadow Temple is for those looking to get really, really high. Shadow Temple is out September 14 on Paw Tracks Records. Hear more from the band in our exclusive interview on page 11. Zenout to “Om Mane Padme Hum” on our July mix at 8tracks.com/sundaemag.
Noun Photo Courtesy Don Giovanni Records
Screaming Females Solo Project Slightly Lowers The Volume Singer/guitarist Marissa Paternoster made a name for herself as the coarse, jolting voice behind the Screaming Females. Cuts like “Buried in the Nude” best showcase her raw power and penchant for shredding on the guitar like nobody’s listening when in fact it’s her voice -- both literally and figuratively – that is hard to ignore. Holy Hell (Don Giovanni), the first official release under her new solo project Noun, is decidedly methodical in comparison to the affected howls you’ve heard in the past. But beneath the subdued guitars and pretty, washed-out vocals lies that familiar thrash and gutsy exhibition, something we find is worth shouting about. Holy Hell is out on Don Giovanni Records July 6. Hear “Outerspace” on our July mix at 8tracks.com/ sundaemag.8tracks.com/SundaeMag. 5
JULY 2010
NOW HEAR
THIS!
FEATURING THAO + THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN By: Thao + The Get Down Stay Down, with additional reporting by Britt Middleton
Sure, we wanna tell you about what we’ve got on our playlists and which bands we saw last night. But wouldn’t it be fun to hear it from one of those bands on our playlist who were also the ones playing on stage last night? We thought so, too! Here is what is currently moving our friends Thao, Adam and Willis of Thao with the Get Down Stay Down. From Thao:
Photo Courtesy Kill Rock Stars Records
and it rarely disappoints. No description, just check it out, you won’t regret it.
Bands I like very much who are touring this summer, I hope: Horsefeathers: Our labelmates at Kill Rock Stars-- incredibly great musicians who can silence a room with all the beautiful sounds they blend together. Justin’s voice will ache your insides. I haven’t seen them in a while because they are touring machines. Please tell them I say hi. Hope For A Golden Summer: A band out of Athens, Georgia [editor’s note: we have a thing for Atehns, Ga. this issue!]. I have loved them for years but have never had the chance to see them live. Will you go for me? Beautiful, painful songs and awesome instrumentation. I must thank them for their influence.
Now check out these brilliant Portland beauties: Y La Bamba: It’s music for when you’re stuck in a Cormac McCarthy-novel Mexican town and there’s a party happening. Maybe more of a celebration, a wedding. Drink up and sway, but when the heat comes you must move your feet with precision. ylabamba.com Ages and Ages: Um, Mamas and Papas and Zombies and young Who? But they really know how to make you believe you are in heaven, and the Monkees are there, and you can say “groovy” casually. They will be releasing a record on Partisan in the near future. myspace.com/agesandages On repeat: Brawlers by Tom Waits.
Des Ark: Sometimes solo sometimes not-- we were on the same bill with Des Ark over 3 years ago and were blown away. I think she is from North Carolina? She is an incredible songwriter and guitar player. After I saw and heard her I wanted to stop. You know when people are so good you think you should stop trying? I decided to keep going, but I am still happily humbled.
From Adam: Hi, my ears have been soaking in the dreggs of my iPod, very little new music has come my way as far as records are concerned, however a recent move to the greatest place on earth( Portland, Oregon) has done my band-watching body good. This move also resulted in the parting with of all vinyl/CDs I jointly owned. The other owner has them. They are safe, and I am OK with it. Sometimes you need to start fresh. I must also remind you that we are in the information age and that downloading music and sharing digitally reproduced sound is part of everyone’s life. With that said, check out crudcrud. blogspot.com. I have been an on and off follower for a few years 6
JULY 2010
From Willis On Tour: On tour this Summer are my Texas friends The Diamond Center (psych-folk desert dwellers). If Clint Eastwood rode a scooter it would be this band. I normally play with them , too, but can’t be on this tour. So see them on the road and say hi for me. www.diamondcentermusic.org Crank it up: The new Broken Social Scene’s Forgiveness Rock Record feels good so far. Hope to see them this summer. I like to ride in my car, pass Texacos and sing along to “Texico Bitches.” On repeat: Bluntmuffin’a new record Hot, A Lot, & Close, [especially] “Univere(less)” and “Drunk at your Wedding (I’m Gonna Be).” Like a 2010 Joy Division/Pinkback band with uncomfortably odd lyrics. The jams are so good, though. They’re on facebook, even. dangggg! Some other summer recs: Best Coast, Joanna Newsom, Local Natives
GOOD
VIBRATIONS By: Alisha Torrealba
More Music To Move You Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti: Before Today Thus far, the journey of Ariel Pink (real name: Ariel Marcus Rosenberg) has led us into his world of time-warped influences, desolation, and awkward pop. Before hearing Before Today, I would’ve told you that a large part of the mystery and warmth associated with Pink was his lo-fi style. This album will certainly appeal to a larger audience only because it’s simply more audible. That’s about it. In this case, more polished does not equate to squeaky clean. Most tracks (“Round and Round”, for example) are led with Pink’s unpredictable transitions onto a completely different wavelength. A few songs have been reincarnated from previous releases, but Before Today’s new takes are more sonically expanded along with the cover of “Bright Lit Blue Skies” from the Rockin’ Rambods. Ariel’s (and his band’s) new direction is one that won’t leave any previous fans disappointed.
David Cross: Bigger and Blackerer
The ascent of David Cross, Patton Oswald, and Zack Galifinakis into more mainstream entertainment outlets blurs the lines and expands the definition of alternative comedy. David Cross has always walked a fine line, somehow avoiding being just a grouchy, yelling comedian. Bigger and Blackerer is by no means a shit storm, but many of Cross’s jokes fall short. Cynicism has always been Cross’s strong suit, though, and he still maintains hearty content with plenty of pedophilia, organized religion, and conservative hacks. Still, his execution lacks the aloof and naïve tone to his anger.
Viernes: Sinister Devices The album art of Sinister Devices should give you some idea of what Sean Moore and Alberto Hernandez introduce in their debut full-length. The album’s sweeping melodies and subtle beats create a spacious, twinkling landscape. Yet while Moore’s harmonies are some of the most beautiful I’ve heard in a long time, they can be obstructive and excessive. The duo seems to become aware of this as the album progresses and much more textural balance come “Glacial Change of Pace”. The weaving of mysterious sounds bring a floating, droning drive, but some tracks like “Empire Empire” still feel stagnant and lack big enough changes to woo me. The guitar’s distortion in “Regressive Soul Pollution”, however, creates a slight discomfort against the hazy melody that leaves me yearning for a tinge of chaos. I suspect and hope that Viernes will continue to utilize their strong orchestral-type arrangements while shaking up their structure.
The Cool Kids: Tacklebox
*albums rated on a scale of 1 to 5.
While anticipating their debut album, When Fish Ride Bicycles, sometime this year, The Cool Kids have graciously released a free mixtape with LA Leakers to take the edge off. Tacklebox’s hype was not in vain. The duo’s slick-silly rhymes are spat in their signature tongue, including some more mature references – all without being too predictable. I was especially blown away by “Going Camping”. The beat ranges from something straight-laced and chill to a series of synth meltdowns. Overall, Tacklebox has a shown a respectable growth in The Cool Kids sound with some darker, grimier beats. Also make sure to check out “Flying Kytes”, “Great Outdoors”, and “Systems”. 7
JULY 2010
“Which bitch you know made a million off a mixtape?” The quote, from Nicki Minaj, follows a series of photos of the Young Money rapper in a recent post on the Best Coast blog. While Best Coast frontwoman Bethany Cosentino might not be able to claim that exact distinction, she does stand a good chance of riding a wave of positive internet buzz to summer success with her impending Crazy For You LP.
After dropping a handfull of sunny singles that set the
blogosphere ablaze, Cosentino and collaborator Bobb Bruno are preparing for the release of Best Coast’s debut full-length. While some might expect an album half filled with re-recorded offerings from their provenly popular EPs, Cosentino challenged herself to create a record of “12 songs that no one’s ever heard before.” “It just seemed like a cop-out if I did it the other way,” says Cosentino. It’s a gamble that some might worry won’t pay off, but Cosentino was never too concerned about the doubters. “I try really hard not to pay attention,” says Cosentino of the internet chatter that increasingly fuels the rise and fall of emerging musicians. “I’m really happy with the record, as
THE COAST WITH THE
MOST By: Jack Cusumano
Bethany Cosentino, frontwoman of Best Coast, chats about the new LP, Nicki Minaj and what really makes a California girl.
is Bobb.” As they should be. The new material explodes with life, bouncing from Beach Boys to Ronnettes to ‘90s slacker rock with gleeful abandon.
Listening to the sun-drenched fuzz of said material, you
might have a difficult time guessing where Cosentino found herself not so long ago. Studying at The New School’s Eugene Land College in New York, Cosentino was caught in the depressing throes of a bleak, North Eastern winter. “I had never experienced real winter before, and it really affected me physically and emotionally,” recalls Cosentino. “I was really tired all the time and really depressed and didn’t really have the motivation to do anything.”
To keep herself afloat, Cosentino retreated to the music
of the Beach Boys and 60s girl groups, music that reminded her of her former home. Soon enough, those same songs inspired her to pack up her things and return to California to seriously pursue music herself. “I think it was probably the best decision I’ve ever made,”
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says Cosentino. The decision didn’t come out of nowhere; music has
California Girls, she draws up images of “Laurel Canyon, The Mamas
always been a part of Cosentino’s life. In fact, you may have seen
And The Papas, Joni Mitchel and sort of the stuff that was going on
her singing backup vocals on the Ellen show when she was 17, or
in the ‘70s in LA, because there were a lot of women that were doing
caught her touring with Sonic Youth in her former band Pocahaunted
really awesome stuff then.”
in 2007.
Perhaps her affinity for women “doing really awesome
Of course, music isn’t the whole picture with Best Coast.
stuff” leads to Cosentino’s appreciation for Nicki Minaj. “I think she’s
From the cat-on-the-beach album art for Crazy For You, or the Ronald
one of the best female rappers to come out in a really long time,”
McDonald treatment of their “When I’m With You” video, imagery is
she says. “I feel like she’s, like, the Lil Kim of this generation.” And
a major part of the fun. The album art, by artist David Rager, not only
while Cosentino’s successes at the moment may seem modest in
features Cosentino’s cat, but an image of a beach at sunset, a vintage
comparison to Nicki’s “million off a mixtape” boast, she still stands
postcard font, and a map of Los Angeles. “I wanted it to include to
on the verge of releasing what has the potential to become the official
include all these things that I think people probably think of when
soundtrack to the summer of 2010 -- and that’s
they think of Best Coast,” says Cosentino. The video treatment was
some pretty awesome stuff.
pitched to Cosentino via e-mail by Pete Ohs. “I wrote back to Pete, because I knew that he had done Nathan’s (Wavves) video,” says Cosentino. “He wrote back to me, like, ‘I have this idea that your boyfriend is Ronald McDonald, and he takes you to an In-N-Out,’ and I was like, ‘This is the most bizarre, weird concept ever, but it sounds so cool!’” The video was shot shortly thereafter in Santa Monica and is currently viewable on YouTube.
“This is the most bizarre, weird concept ever, but it sounds so cool!”
With an identity so inseparable from The Golden State,
it’s only natural that self proclaimed “born and bred California girl” Cosentino might have a strong opinion on Katy Perry’s recent single, “California Gurls.” Of course, when Cosentino’s disapproving tweet wound up on Pitchfork’s front page, she was a bit surprised. “I forget sometimes when I tweet things that five thousand people are reading it,” says Cosentino. Far from daisy dukes and bikini tops, when she thinks of
Illustration by Jack Cusumano
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*ZOMG!*
BAND BUZZ Q&A for the curious and inclined.
By: Britt Middleton
Who The Hell is Fol Chen?
kids, were you into tree forts or were you cardboard box connoisseurs?
Samuel Bing of Fol Chen, the most enigmatic band on the planet, answers some of our probing questions. Sort of.
SB: Neither. Couch cushion forts.
Sundae Magazine: Where does Part II: The New December pick up from your 2009 debut, Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune’s Made? And are you already thinking about Part III? We’re sensing a theme here… Sam Bing: We were a little uncomfortable with how we left the story last time. It was too heroic. It was like we were superheroes fighting an evil force (John Shade). So this time we wanted to show the aftermath of our victory over John Shade -- instead of entering a new paradise, we end up as bureaucrats lost in sub-committees, trying to clean up the mess we made during the struggle. Winning doesn’t always work out so great! SM: Yeah, we can see that. For this new album you brought on board a motley crew of guests including Kárin Tatoyan, Angus and Aaron of Liars (with whom you toured this summer), and singer-songwriter Simone White. With such a mixed bag of personalities, we’d love to know what the recording process was like. SB: I wish I could say there was a decadent, party atmosphere in the studio, but I can’t! It was no fun! All of the folks you mentioned are good friends and awesome to hang out with, but they mostly came in, did their thing, then took off, leaving us to wallow in our sonic quicksand pit. SM: What a bummer! We were expecting something extraordinary, since you guys seem to revel in the eclectic. Some might even call your music weird. How do you describe it? SB: Discosis. SM: Of course. Well, escapism is certainly a motif. When you were
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SM: We’ve been trying to do our homework about Fol Chen, you know, so we could come up with some really profound questions. We like to show off. But it was a total waste because you are the most elusive, enigmatic band on the planet. Why is that? SB: Sorry to send you off on a wild goose chase. And obviously we can’t answer your question ;) Part II: The New December is available on Asthmatic Kitty Records July 6.
Eat. Pray. Love.
SM: You teamed up with Avey Tare and Deakin of Animal Collective.
Be your own spirit guide with the help of the ever-ethereal Prince Rama.
the collaboration process like?
Those guys are trip on their own. So when you got together, what was
Nimai Larson: Super fun, super chill. Lots of making cookies, making Sundae Magazine: Before we get into those probing questions
jokes, mixing music...like a slumber party. We spent 10 days in
about production value and all that stuff, we can’t help but question
isolation with them at their church in upstate New York. Those two
how you met and came together. At a Hare Krishna commune, in
guys were the only people we talked to during that time, so as you can
Florida? Please, discuss!
imagine, we all got pretty close.
Nimai Larson: Me and Taraka’s parents moved us to the Hare
Taraka Larson: We made mandalas out of dead lady bugs, had drum
Krishna commune in Florida. We met Michael in high school and
circles, and compared ghost sightings over breakfast in the morning.
started playing music together. The music wasn’t always that good.
And meanwhile probably worked harder than we have on any other
But we had fun.
album. Those dudes are the sweetest of sweethearts.
Taraka Larson: The music was terrible! We literally just formed a
Michael Collins: Josh and Dave are true wizards of sound. We
band with the sole intention of trying to beat out the local Sublime
camped out at their wizard church and they transformed our sonic
cover band in our high school battle of the bands. We didn’t even
disasters into aural epiphanies. I have so much respect for those
know how to play instruments. We weren’t necessarily psyched to be
dudes.
there at the time and would rebel by sneaking out late to go to punk rock shows. I met Michael at one and we immediately clicked and it
SM: When we listen to Shadow Temple, we feel like we’re going
just made sense to make music with each other.
somewhere...where are you taking us? And more important, is it legal?
Michael Collins: Yeah, all my friends warned me about Krishna girls,
Nimai Larson: We are taking you to Utopia. We only have 34 minutes
but I went for it! Taraka brought me to the temple and after the first
to do it. This kind of utopia is completely legal.
kirtan I was hooked -- pounding drums, clapping, dancing, singing -- it had more energy then all the punk rock shows I was going to at
SM: There are so many bands out there making “experimental” music;
Wayward Council in Gainesville.
you’ve even got bands making “spiritual” music. What kind of music are you making?
SM: On Shadow Temple, it’s pretty evident that time at the commune was influential. Very spiritual. What was the process of transferring
Taraka Larson: We’re just trying to make honest music.
such emotional energy into an album? Shadow Temple is available on Paw Tracks Records September 14. Michael Collins: The emotional energy evident on Shadow Temple is influenced as much by our spiritual heritage as the driving need to invent a new language with which to worship God.
Photo Courtesy Paw Tracks Records
Taraka Larson: Totally. I feel like music has always been this way for us to sort of synthesize our external and internal environments to connect in a more individualized, personal way. The spiritual rituals at the Krishna temple are always centered around mystical participation through sound vibration, which I’ve always found to be extremely moving and not just limited to religious services. I definitely feel like sound can be an amazing vehicle for those kind of inter-dimensional encounters, and I try to approach the music-making process with this openness in mind. Nimai Larson: I think the way it transfers is through the fact that the music we play is our spirituality. We were raised on this Krishna farm, but we aren’t really practicing anymore in the traditional sense. Our practice is letting spirituality flow through us as we play music.
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INDIE
UNDER GROUND
In honor of our Independence Issue, here’s three unsigned artists striking out on their own. Take note: by this time next year, you might see their names in lights.
us, driving back and forth to North Carolina, and then finding out that we were going to make another record when we hadn’t even finished AZAR! I think that focusing on our performances in the studio helped get us ready, but we also had to rehearse a lot [for Sand & Lines]. We spent a lot of time onstage [at the Georgia Theatre] practicing, feeling out the room and its unique acoustics. We had to get very tight because one mistake could ruin a whole take. SM: I know you guys aren’t native Athenians, so what kind of connection did you have to the venue going in? Were you nervous at all? James Sewell: Most of us have lived here for a decade, at least, so I think at this point, we consider ourselves semi-native, and all of us consider Athens our home. Everybody has a connection to the Theatre in Athens. It was a wonderful place to play and it had a bit of an undeserved hippie reputation, even though they booked all kinds of bands. We played a lot of great shows there, and the sound was always phenomenal. It was the heart of the Athens scene in a way, and it bridged the two halves of town, the townie/hipster-y side and the more fratty/college-y side. The significance of what we did has grown with the destruction of the Theatre, but even then I think we knew we were doing something pretty cool. Lucas Jensen: I really think that Daniel and Karolyn nailed the vocals on this record, which has to be the hardest thing to do. If they’d been super-nervous you would hear it in their voices, and I think these were the most confident vocal performances they’ve ever done. SM: Can you walk us through the songwriting process for you guys? Is there someone who takes the lead, or is it more of a team effort? Do you tackle writing the lyrics or the music first? Is it spontaneous or planned?
Photo by Mike White
Maps and Paths By: Cameron Hubbard
Last year, when the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Georgia burned down, the town’s past, present and future music community was in a state of shock. But before the beloved venue was destroyed, Athens-based Venice is Sinking recorded their upcoming album, Sand & Lines at the Theatre, just them and two microphones. The band shares their Athens connection and why this record might be their favorite one yet. Sundae Magazine: With this new album, I keep reading that you basically went in to record at the Theatre at the tail end of recording AZAR, your second album. The two processes sound remarkably different and certainly the sound of each album is different. What sort of effect did it have to record the new album so soon after the other? Daniel Lawson: AZAR was a stressful album to make. It took us almost a year to record it, and we had to drive up four hours to Charlotte almost every other weekend for eight months. We even spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve there! We obsessed over every detail and [producer] Scott Solter demanded a lot from us. Sand & Lines was kind of the opposite for us. Instead of studio manipulations, it was about putting yourself out there in a naked, live setting. The two processes couldn’t have been more different, really, but it was a nice antidote to the AZAR experience. Karolyn Troupe: It’s all kind of a big blur to me. It was a really stressful time for
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JULY 2010
LJ: Our songwriting process is pretty ill-defined; I can’t say it works one way or the other. Around the time of our first album, Daniel used to bring in songs that were nearly complete and the rest of us filled them out with our parts. Some of them he’d had kicking around since high school even! But now the process is a lot more democratic. Someone might offer up a riff or chord progression or half a song or something, and then we hash it out from there. It’s still more Daniel than anyone else, but everybody’s gotten in on the act lately. We collaborate on lyrics, too, often because they’re the last thing we put together. Man, it’s hard to quantify the songwriting process because after a year or so of playing or recording a song, you kinda forget how you wrote it. It’s like a long car ride on vacation...once you get to your destination, the journey sorta melts away. Sand & Lines is available for preorder at veniceissinking.net.
“It’s like a long car ride on vacation...once you get to your destination, the journey sorta melts away.” – Lucas Jensen
Photo by Andrew Bodhead AB: Most of my songs are about my mother. They just speak about personal struggle, but being positive about it. And helping others get through it as I help myself. SM: You guys lived in bustling LA before moving to the sleepy town of Savannah, Georgia. Are we talking a fish-out-of-water type experience or what? AB: LA was one of the longest places I had been, and that was three years. But I love Savannah! It’s the best place to start a band. Everyone is really supportive and it’s completely different from LA and New York because there [isn’t] that sense of competition.
You’re Cussing Right!
BL: Everybody is thirsty out there.
By: Britt Middleton SM: What’s your take on the LA music scene?
Angel Bond and Brian Lackey of Savannah, Ga. noisemakers Cusses shoot the s&%* about LA, dating your bandmates and why rock needs more cowbell.
BL: Being out there in California, you saw that huge wave of retro and hard techno out there. I loved it. It’s like instant party! But until I’m actually out there banging on the drums, it’s just not as gratifying for me.
Sundae Magazine: Who is Cusses? SM: What’s your take on Savannah? Brian Lackey: That’s a good question! Angel Bond: Everyone asks us that… SM: Are you still figuring it out?
AB: I think being in Savannah has helped me come into my own and have more confidence. SM: When you’re on stage you look pretty damn confident. Were you always that way?
BL: It’s hard to say what you are. AB: It’s hard to say what you look like. When I look in the mirror it’s not what I think I look like, so what I think other people interpret my music as is so hard to say. It all boils down to my personal experiences and influences growing up.
AB: I always wanted to sing, but I was too scared, so I would just create in any other medium -- like photography, sculpting, or painting -- where I wasn’t in the limelight. SM: You’ve certainly let loose since then.
SM: Such as? BL: [Cusses Guitarist Bryan Harder] and I are like, “Damn! Who is that?” AB: My dad was a drummer, so he was a real big Pink Floyd, U2 and Yes fan. Classic rock… BL: I think you could boil it down to a category: classic rock. It’s timeless, in a way. It’s Cars and Joan Jett to icons like Ozzy Osbourne.
AB: A lot of it was acceptance… BL: [interrupting] Of being with me!
BL: It’s just the old school approach. Really simple…
AB: We live together, we hang out together. I didn’t want to tarnish anything we had. Creating something artistically or musically together with someone you’re intimate with…that’s something that was hard to get over. It was hard to let go in front of him.
AB: Dance-rock!
SM: What changed your mind?
BL: As long as it has that iconoclastic touch… like a cowbell! You know what that sounds like. You know that’s music!
AB: Finally, I just let go and said let’s see what happens…and it did.
SM: So, how do those influences work their way into the Cusses sound?
SM: A lot of rock and roll is these days means electronic samples, walloping bass...even auto-tune has snaked its way in. Is that a bad thing?
The Cusses EP Thurst is available on iTunes. Hear more at www.myspace.com/cussesmusic.
AB: Not at all. Actually, it adds a lot of flavor. In order to get what we do live we have to add some effects to get the “live” feeling across -- which is what we want.
“It’s hard to say what you
SM: Angel, going back to your personal experiences, in which way do they play into your songwriting?
are.” - Brian Lackey 13
JULY 2010
Dialed Up By: Christian BC
Matt Kamm talks about his split personalities and new project TELETHON. Sundae Magazine: Why don’t we start by giving the folks at home a twosentence synopsis of your band and try to included the word “quixotically”. Matt Kamm: TELETHON is an experiential experiment in which we try to meet the visually fantastic worlds of Jim Henson and the raucous rock-punk of David Bowie, quixotically. Even though that has already been done in the film The Labryinth, we do it differently - OUR WAY. SM: Thank you. Now, you have a number of releases out to date, and almost every one of them was released under a different moniker. Many of those were solo albums, but you’ve recently been recording with a number of other people in the band. Tell us a little about the origins of TELETHON, and the significance of those various nom de plumes. MK: In its inception, the project began as a world that takes place in a different realm than ours. It started out as the story of a regular boy, “Tele,” (full birthname: Telethon Veginald Cheeseburger) who was possessed by a ghost of the past, present, & future, who he named “The Ghost of Our Lord,” or T-GOOL. T-GOOL forced Tele into a trance in which he finished his debut album, Tele & The Ghost Of Our Lord’s Beach Party Blast/Quasi Immaculate Deception [in 2007] in a period of 24 hours and released it online for free. Even though Tele was pissed about his masterpiece being released for free, he understood that T-GOOL did most of the raddest work on the record and gave Tele the credit, so he was thankful and bit his tongue... off. SM: Ouch. MK: The second record, released as Tele & Big Tie Moldies’ Future Frontier [in 2008] is an album set in a post WWIII 2015, looking back at a simpler, more naive way of life. It was recorded at gut-wrenching volumes through the shittiest equipment possible and as a result is the loudest album on Earth and elsewhere to date. SM: Please, continue! SM: The third release, Tele V. Cheeseburger’s Hydrophonia [in 2008] is an expose based on the present, as opposed to other realms, while still showing that our world does contain a layer of magic that we are unable to see that rests in the back of our minds, beckoning us to answer its call. I was experimenting with tribalism, the Beach Boys as synth-pop, and songs that were a little bit closer to dealing with our present world than on the previous works. It was around this point that the full character Telethon Veginald (or “Veggie”) Cheeseburger was born.
As I started to form a band to help me re-create my albums live, the perfect scenario happened for me... A gang of some of the chillest dudes I’ve ever known in my life wanted to help turn my musical masturbation into a full-on orgy. The band was so steadfast that I knew I could no longer go “solo.” The concoction was too strong... we had to be a full unit. So simplicity came around and I stopped changing the name. As I have been reborn as a bastard, so has the band. We are now and forevermore simply TELETHON. SM: That’s quite the harrowing tale. Now, what does the phrase “butter my mustache” mean to you? MK: Whatever you want it to, baby. SM: I would have loved to see a two-paragraph answer for that one. Oh well. As many of our readers know, you used to front indie-pop darlings Dodger before mutating into Tele V. Cheeseburger. MK: Do people know that? I try to mask the past with illusions/allusions. SM: How much of Dodger exists in what you do now? MK: The spirit of Dodger lives on although no members play with me in TELETHON. Although, Philtholomew “Jenius” Pizza, Dodger’s bassist, did play with me for my first tour. The focus of my music still lies in weirdo-pop inspired by what I consider to be the greats... The Kinks, Prince, T. Rex, Gary Numan, David Bowie, Wendy Carlos, R. Stevie Moore…the list goes on. SM: Do you find that you’re free to explore and experiment more with TELETHON? MK: Music, to me, is exploration and experimentation. Am I free to explore and experiment MORE with TELETHON? No. Today’s the same as yesterday, only awesomer. So in a way, today’s also awesomer than yesterday. Never stop. Don’t you ever stop. I know I won’t. SM: You played SXSW this year. What was that experience like? Have you ever been there before in either a performance or audience capacity? Were you chased by any monsters hungry for your blood? MK: It was an amazing experience. I had never been for sport or as spectator. The only monsters we ran into were the cops, a lady of Austin who now lives with the band, and Tobacco of Black Moth Super Rainbow - he tried to proposition me for solicited sex... I declined… Hate cliffhangers? Find the rest of the interview with Matt Kamm (including his preference of having buck teeth over a baby’s arm) on our blog! [sundaemag. wordpress.com, keyword: matt kamm]
Photo courtesy Matt Kamm
SM: Wowzers. So, how did the band get to the point you’re at now? MK: Since those releases, I have shed a few of the delusions I was carrying with me - the desire to save the world spiritually, for example, because I realized I too am extremely flawed. Every perspective is flawed. So what do we do with that? We party, organize, dance like a jerk, throw bricks into windows, escape reality as much as possible while still loving the personal differences that make living on Earth beautiful and worthwhile. And how does that fit into this weird-ass story of a possessed ghost boy, you ask? Simplicity. Humans. Organization. Thought. Rock & Roll. Evil. Good. TELETHON.
“Today’s the same as yesterday, only awesomer.” – Matt Kamm
14
JULY 2010
SUNDAE’S BEST SUNDAE MAGAZINE AND 8TRACKS.COM PRESENT SUNDAE’S BEST, YOUR ANSWER TO THE BEST PLAYLIST, EVER!
PRESENTED BY:
This is beach music. This is party music. This is the stuff you need to get the most from your summer. Enjoy the insanely cool grooves. Learn more about the bands at SundaeMag.com. LISTEN @ 8TRACKS.COM/SUNDAEMAG 1. “Om Mane Padme Hum” - Prince Rama 2. “This Is Real” - Best Coast 3. “16 Military Wives” - The Decemberists 4. “Hold Yuh (Remix)” - Gyptian ft. Nicki Minaj 5. “Yo’ Side of The Bed” - Ready Trey Songz 6. “I’m Not Your Toy” - La Roux 7. “Chain My Crib” - White Ring 8. “Not Sick” - Tokyo Police Club 9. “Up All Night” - Best Coast 10. “Going Camping (Prod. Chuck Inglish)” - The Cool Kids 11. “Butt-House Blondies” - Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti 12. “Enjoy the Silence” - Nada Surf 13. “Summer Holiday” - Wild Nothing 14. “Make It Real” - Pocahaunted 15. “Me and the Moon”- The Drums 16. “Dead Hearts” - The Five Ghosts & The Seance Stars 17. “Candlewax” - TELETHON 18. “The New December” - Fol Chen 19. “Know Better Learn Faster” - Thao 20. “She’s My Baby” - Jaill 21. “Skelebones” - Rachels Secret Stache 22. “Firefly” - Saves the Day 23. “Pieces of What” - MGMT 24. “Die” - Bratmobile 25. “Miami Knights” - Mahjongg 26. “Do The Panic” - Phantom Planet 27. “Miss The Hell Out of You” - CUSSES 28. “The Specialist” - Interpol 29. “The Fear” - Lily Allen 30. “Now We Can See” - The Thermals 31. “Your Contact” - Male Bonding
15
JULY 2010
THR
LIVE FREE, BUY HARD
EADS
Susan Gregg Koger
Guest Fashion Editor Susan Gregg Koger, Chief Creative Officer and founder of ModCloth.com, shares her favorite freedom-inspired accessories to help you march to your own beat this Indepednce Day. By: Susan Gregg Koger
Ravishing Ruby Necklace Oh old Hollywood glamor, how we love thee! This necklace screams vintage, beauty, and shine.
Shoe Clips Away
Star Light, Star Bright Bag
Just the idea of a shoe clip excites us; it’s such an easy way to transform any shoe! These nautical inspired ones are so on trend for this summer.
We love this bag because it is animal-friendly. The cuteness of the bow on top is really balanced out with the star shaped studs, adorable!
SOS Brooch Another example of a vintage take on the nautical trend! We love that this pin can carry you from season to season.
Goldfeather Ring We love that this ring can easily be paired with a pretty dress and tights or a rocking tee and jeans!
16
JULY 2010
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN
Photos Courtesy The Clothing Warehouse
1.
Love vintage but have no cash to burn this summer? Try on these super cute (and thrifty!) ideas from The Clothing Warehouse in Savannah, Georgia. Check out theclothingwarehouse.com for store locations across the country. By Britt Middleton
Outfit 1:
2.
Shirt: 1990s Jean Bustier Tank $14.95 Skirt: Betsies New Vintage Skirt $ 36.00 Belt: 1980s Elastic Abstract Buckle Belt $14.95 Bag: Red Snakeskin Foldover Bag $ 22.95
Outfit 2: Dress: 1980s Sea Life Summer Dress $38.95 Belt: 1980s Tan Wrap Belt $14.95
3.
Outfit 3: Dress: 1970s Striped Summer Dress $38.95 Belt: 1980s Creme Wrap Belt $14.95 Bag: 1980s Pink Clutch $14.95 Shoes: 1980s Wrap Strap Heels $22.95
Outfit 4: Shirt: 1980s Geometric Sweatshirt Top $22.95 Shorts: 1980s Mustard Highwaisted Short $18.95 Belt: 1980s Black and White Elastic Cinch $14.95 Bag: Black Ostrich Bag $24.95
4. Outfit 5: Shirt: 1970s Printed Western $32.95 Shorts: Vintage Wrangler Cutoffs $24.95 Hat: 1970s Wool Cabbie Hat $18.95
5.
Boots: Vintage Gray Western Boots $56.95
17
JULY 2010
PRE TTY
DO THE WAVE Plan on doing the wave this summer… with your hair, that is? Start with these fool-proof products. By Amanda McRae
1.
1. Aussie Catch the Wave Sprunch Flexible Hold Hair Spray $3.99, walgreens.com Use this to ensure curls last all day. Humidity tends make tresses to go limp, but this spray keeps curls looking fresh. The scent is great, plus gives hair shape without fear of helmet-head.
3.
2. TRESemmé Flawless Curls Mousse Extra Hold 2.
$3.99, walgreens.com Start with damp locks and a handful of this lightweight mousse and you’ll be on your way to gorgeous curls. We love that it doesn’t weigh our hair down but still keeps it under control. This mousse can be used on its own for beach-y waves or with other products to really hold the curls in place.
3. Garnier Fructis Style Curl Shaping Spray Gel $4.29, drugstore.com We like to use this after applying the TRESemmé Flawless Curls Mousse for added control. A few spritzes nixes frizz and defines curls. Plus, these products are amazing whether you air dry or diffuse your strands. 18
JULY 2010
CUL
PLAYING
THE FIELD
TURE
Get The Dirt On The Filthy Fun That Is Field Recording. By: Alisha Torrealba
Photo by Alisha Torrealba
Field recording is a dirty, filthy slut. It beckons you in the moment, and could disappear to some unknown place. Sure, sometimes you can capture it, and sometimes the sound you listen to is absolutely magical. Other times…shit. It is a finicky bitch; you never know what equipment will pick it up. Some days it requires something big, juicy. Something hi-fi. Other days it’s pleased with the simplistic, fun mechanics of your cheap recorder. Engineer and recording innovator Pierre Schaeffer first flirted with field recording in 1948. In those days, it was all about experimenting. “Musique Concrete”, he called it. Recording trains and doin’ em’ backwards. Alan Lomax got involved with field recording around the same time, but mostly they were just into watching and recording other people. From the 40s on, everything became a possibility. Nowadays, the practice likes to use all sorts of toys: contact mics, shotgun mics, windscreens, iPhones. It wants all frequencies, all over. I remember back in 1981, it was running around with Brian Eno and David Byrne talkin’ about “my life in the bush of ghosts”. They would go around capturing a bunch of hairy found sounds off the street. Picked up some nasty shit down there. Then there are all those scientist nerds that are into the whole bestiality thing with it- recording animals and shit. I guess it’s interesting… in a sick way. I’ll admit I’ve had my fantasies. Like a gangbang with different equipments recording the same sound, creating my own choir with varying timbres. Or fisting a piano with contact mics to hear a different sound. It’s tempting because it’s just so easy. You can just hit record and manipulate all night long. Each time like the first time. Field recording feels good because it’s spontaneous. It brings you in a moment you want to share or just have to replay in your head on lonely nights; your own personal phonograph. You just can’t get that level of intimacy with studio recording. It just feels too forced sometimes. I’m just not into that shit.
19
JULY 2010
Photos By Kevin Yang and Brittany Beatty
I SURVIVED BONNAROO
Photo by Haley Barlar
Yes, There Was Mud. By: Kevin Yang
Josh, my good friend from college, and I went to Bonnaroo for the first time. It’s an annual music festival that has an insane – to the membrane – music line-up leaving festivalgoers overwhelmed. Combined with legit stand-up comedians to mix into the onslaught of acts, it’s hard to take it all in. Jay-Z, Boy Crisis, Weezer, Margaret Cho, and The Gossip were definitely our favorites. Imagine a modern day Woodstock minus the inclination to mud wrestle and lighting pieces of wood on fire. Despite the amazing acts we were also greeted by the top five things about Bonnaroo we weren’t ready for. As two gay guys who have no experience in camping, the situation rendered us hopeless.
5. The wait to get to Bonnaroo. We left Gainesville, FL on Thursday at 7 a.m. and arrived in Manchester, TN at 2:30 p.m. and waited on the shoulder of the highway for five hours on an eleven-mile stretch. Thus making a total of twelve hours just to get to Bonnaroo.
4. Unsanitary conditions. This includes the Port-a-Potties, the ground, anyone I touched and the two of us. By the end of my first Bonnaroo experience, everything seemed to be in a state of disrepair. The number of times 20
JULY 2010
Photo by Haley Barlar
inside the Port-a-Potty, I would be tempted to look into the toilet to
music performances based on the fact that shade and AC was readily
find what treasures I could unearth, but opted it out. Hand sanitizer
available. The sun would beat down and drain the living crap out of
became my best friend. Though we never showered in the course
everyone. I returned home looking as if I spent my weekend picking
of four days – because showers cost $7 – it was imperative that we
rice.
didn’t look like the majority of the patrons: disgusting.
1. Camping.
3. Mud.
Not only was camping out in 85 degree heat during the summer in a
Honestly every gay guy’s worst nightmare. The two of us aren’t flat
two person tent a bad idea, but it got so hot at around 8 a.m., Josh
out flamboyant, but there’s definitely a limit when it comes to mud.
and I walked into his car, turned the AC on blast, and passed out. I also
There would be trails of mud everywhere and looked more like feces
did not appreciate having to set-up camp when we got to Bonnaroo
than water mixed with dirt. Water stations had free water and required
at eight o’clock at night and then sleeping in the car anyway because
us to tiptoe though the mud like scared boys. What made me cringe
we didn’t know how to set up a tent.
more than the things forming inside of the toilets were the people walking around barefoot in the mud. It made me wonder what was
Nonetheless I had a great time.
important in life, clearly mud not being one of those things. Get the full play-by-play on Kevin’s blog at http://thedrunxter.
2. Heat.
wordpress.com/2010/06/17/bonnaroo-2010-surviving-it-and-
More time was spent in air-conditioned tents, napping under
after-it-all/
trees, and trying to avoid the sun during the times of nine to five. It seemed like we saw more comedy acts than actually watching
“It made me wonder what was important in life, clearly mud not being one of those things.”
“The sun would beat down and drain the living crap out of everyone.” 21
JULY 2010
SWEET VALEN TINE Meet Brandy Valentine, a burlesque performer with Charleston, South Carolina’s Bizarro Burlesque. By: Britt Middleton
As far as my beauty I have to say thank you Mom and my Dad. Who I look up to in my life now is COCO FRAMBOISE, and Honey Cocoa Bordeauxx; they are great, beautiful and intriguing performers. I want to strive to do more; no one should limit himself or herself. Always want more and you’ll get more. SM: With performers like Dita Von Tesse now in the spotlight, do you feel burlesque has become more mainstream in recent years? And if so, is that a good thing? BV: I feel that Dita Von Teese has put burlesque back on the map, especially in recent years. It’s bigger and reformed in so many ways. I believe the beauty of burlesque would have made its way one way or another. Burlesque, I feel, will never die. SM: In the tradition of burlesque, the curvier the body the better. But today’s standards aren’t so forgiving. Do you feel pressure to be thin? BV: I feel more pressure being healthy than being thin. I don’t want to be super thin. I love my curves, but for me, I like to be tone. I don’t feel pressure to be thin or curvy [which is] one of the reasons why I love burlesque.
Sundae Magazine: How long have you been performing? Brandy Valentine: July 2009 is when I started.
SM: Take us back to your first performance. What went through your mind before you went onstage? What have you learned since?
SM: What first inspired you to perform burlesque? BV: I had always been interested [in burlesque], watching Josephine Baker Dance as well Ditta Von Teese. [I was] always curious and just wanted to know more and do more. I’m now a burlesque performer as well as a model. SM: Do you ever get nervous before a crowd, even if it’s only a small crowd of people? BV: Always, always, always before I start! It doesn’t matter how small or how large. I always get the butterflies before going on stage. My friend Nendrin told me [something] when I was just starting Burlesque: “you never know who is out in the audience”. I must say, when I’m on stage I’m not fully present. So, my butterflies are gone when I perform. I think it’s mostly because I don’t like waiting.
BV: I can remember like it was yesterday! I was performing at the Mill in North Charleston on July 25. What went through my mind before I went onstage? “I hope my pasties don’t fall!”, and “I hope I don’t trip!”, and “Is the song going to play?” I was so nervous before going onstage I was seeing stars. When I was on stage, I felt so relieved. I felt so good and liberated, I wanted to do more. I learned you have to face your fear, it’s not that bad majority of the time. And even if it is bad at least you have the strength to do it. It feels so beautiful when you can just do it. SM: When asked why you do what you do, what is your answer? BV: I do what I do for myself mostly. I love what I do. I love putting smiles on people’s faces; I have had people cry in my performances. I love taking dress up to a new direction. I also love to tease -- I’m not going to lie!
SM: What do you find to be the most attractive thing about what you do?
SM: What would you say is the biggest misconception about burlesque?
BV: To dress up and be anyone I want to be. It’s very liberating to let yourself be. That, to me, is attractive.
BV: That all burlesque performers are strippers. Now, I love strippers! I have some friends who are stripers. In my mind, strippers are erotic dancers who performs in a strip club and dance for money. And burlesque artists combine dance, comedy, music, allusion, feathers, fans -- and okay, sex appeal -- to tantalizing effect. It’s about the art of the tease. Not saying burlesque is better, and I’m not saying that burlesque performers don’t want money, but we’re not doing what we do just for money. We do it for preserving the art.
SM: A lot of women (and even men) look up to you for your grace, confidence and beauty. Who do you look up to? BV: It’s funny; I don’t really think people look up to me. However, my confidence as a burlesque performer is the strength of my girls in Bizarro Burlesque, Dolly Dee Macabre and Skye Paige. 22
JULY 2010
“I love taking dress up to a new direction. I also love to tease -- I’m not going to lie!”
Photo by Carolina St. Jane
23
JULY 2010
REVIVAL: PART DEUX
Our Music Historian Christian BC continues this exploration of rock and roll history. By: Christian BC Illustration by Jack Cusumano
The 1980s get a bad rap. Most people remember nothing more
Conversely, shoegaze and jangle pop have seen some interesting
than silly hair and coked-out businessmen. And when they think
innovations. The dreamy sounds of shoegaze have been fused
of 80s music, it’s often synth-pop and New Romanticism that
with the reverb-drenched zeitgeist of 2009 to create some truly
comes to mind. Or worse, hair metal. All of these images depict
introspective outfits. While groups like TV On The Radio have
the 80s as a decade of excess and grandiose self-indulgence. In
been reviving and mainstreaming the tones of shoegaze for years
this sense, it mirrored the over-the-top music and culture of prior
now, new hordes of artists aren’t just incorporating them; they
decades: disco in the 70s and hippies in the 60s. Yet, in both
are fully embracing their hazy prospects. Real Estate are true
those time periods, there were threads of culture that reacted to
masters of the listless sound, mixing astral guitars that hearken
these bloated styles of music and fashion. It was proto-punk in
back to Felt in the early 80s, with atmospheric vocals evoking a
the 60s, punk in the 70s, and post-punk after that. This led us
cleaned-up Jesus & Mary Chain. Even electronic acts like Bear In
into the 80s where new strides were being made in the world of
Heaven and Pantha du Prince recall the equally blessed-out and
rock and roll. Post-punk straddled the line, often times focusing
somber tone of the downward-looking genre. Running parallel
on the cerebral, with less of a focus on the hormone-driven,
in the underground is jangle pop, which has emerged through
visceral energy of young rock. But it inspired a slew of new genres
a number of artists who weave it in and out of their revivalist
steeped in the blues. Running right beside it was hardcore, but
palettes. Best Coast stir it into their 50s and 60s girl-group sound,
that’s a story for another day.
Surfer Blood add it in with their modern garage punk, and the Happy Hollows manage to meld all of those sounds together into
From post-punk came new waves of college students interested
a blast of power-pop. Though electronics and studio-production
in art and music. They began fusing styles together and creating
still play a large role in many of these sounds, a shift towards
new genres like alternative, jangle pop, shoegaze, and emo. It’s
more rock-based music is clearly rearing its head. These artists
often these styles that indie bands today pull from when they shy
are hearkening back to the cusp of the 80s and 90s, where a
away from electronic music and embrace the rock revival.
similar shift occurred as new revivals of rock and punk began to take the forefront in the underground and mainstream music
Over the years, emo and alternative are embraced less as they’ve
scenes.
mutated into insipid bastardizations peppered throughout pop music, but groups like Titus Andronicus and Vampire Weekend
Christian BC continues this rock odyssey in the August issue of
still attempt to spin their sound and fury into buzz and marketing.
Sundae Magazine
24
JULY 2010
DOME TWO STEP STICA
Two Ingredient Recipes For The Lazy Chef By: Jack Cusumano
Radler Ingredients: • Beer • Sparkling Lemonade
“After all,
This one gets a few looks when explained to the unconverted. Invented in Bavaria in 1922, this a perfectly refreshing sumer treat. You can buy pre-mixed, imported, bottled versions at fine food stores, but if you’re like us you may have to improvise. Just pour half beer, half sparkling lemonade and enjoy!
the taste is the reason
people drink
absinthe,
right?”
Horchata Con Ron Ingredients: • Horchata • Rum Got some Rice Dream™ pre-made horchata left over from last month’s recipe? Well, pour it over some ice and add rum to taste. Whether you’re too lazy to make an actual White Russian, or, like us, you never need an excuse to drink more horchata, this is a summer must. On colder nights, try it warm for a different experience. Hell, add some cinnamon if you’re not afraid of breaking the sacred rules of Two Step™!
Photos by Jack Cusumano
Pernod + Mineral Water Ingredients: • Pernod • Mineral Water
25
Pernod started out as an absinthe, but as wormwood fell out of favor, Pernod tweaked its recipe to maintain the taste of absinthe with none of the pesky hallucinations. After all, the taste is the reason people drink absinthe, right? Fill a small glass of ice one fifth of the way with Pernod, and the rest with mineral water for a strange treat with a strong licorice flavor. For a little extra kick, try using sparkling mineral water. JULY 2010
CONFECTIONALLY
SPEAKING
Beat the heat with these tangy, summer-spiked treats! Words and Photos by Asha Ellison
In the South, we cherish being able to quench our thirst during the hot summer months with citrus that grows in our own backyards. We are infamous for tangy lemons, sweet oranges and the ripe goodness of our grapefruit. We even eat lighter in the summer, leaving room to really enjoy dessert and after dinner drinks with friends and family. Well, let me tell you, it is hot down here in Florida. It’s the kind of humid heat that makes your hair lay flat across your forehead and makes it seem as though the sun is super-glued to your skin. I like to spend my free time indulging in occasional siestas and whipping up sweet treats for my closest friends. Allow me to share one of my most delightful desserts with you. If you’re a citrus lover (like me!) and want to try a confection that is filling and goes perfect with bourbon or a Mint Julep, my Summer Lemonades are the perfect recipe for you. And if you don’t fancy a drink with these cupcakes, that’s fine. A scoop of vanilla or mint ice cream can take these babies to a whole other level. Let’s get those juices flowing!
26
JULY 2010
“How you survive the summer months is completely up to you.”
Asha’s Summer Lemonades
Use an ice cream scooper to help spoon batter into cupcake cups. This often yields a perfect size cupcake and makes application
3 cups all-purpose flour
clean and easy.
4 large eggs 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
Bake cupcakes for 20-23 minutes until done. Insert a wooden
2 cups sugar
toothpick in the center of a baked cupcake. If the toothpick comes
1/2 tsp. salt
out clean, cupcakes are done and can be removed from the oven.
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Allow cupcakes to completely cool in pan or on wire rack before
1 cup milk
applying frosting.
4 oz. plain sour cream 1 Tbsp lemon zest
Yields: 26-30 cupcakes
3 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice (preferably fresh squeeze)
Lemonade Buttercream Icing Directions: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line two cupcake pans with
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
baking cups. Set aside prepared items.
1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 Tbsp lemon juice (again, fresh preferred)
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Make sure
1 Tbsp milk
all items are mixed well by using a whisk or spatula.
Yellow gel food coloring (optional) **pinch of salt (about 1/2 tsp or less) optional (helps bring out flavor)
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until a mixture becomes fluffy and light.
Directions:
Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating mixture
In a medium bowl, cream butter and salt together with mixer. Add
after each addition. Keep adding eggs until the mixture becomes
confectioner’s sugar to mixture. Add vanilla extract and milk. Whip
smooth.
on high speed until light and fluffy.
Alternating, add both the milk and dry mixture to the butter mixture,
Add lemon juice to mixture and whip for an additional minute. Add
starting and finishing with the dry the mixture.
a few strokes of gel food color and mix in until you achieve a sunny, bright hue.
Finally, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and sour cream to the combined mixture. Beat all items for additional minute or two until
Frost cupcakes as desired.
all ingredients are combined into a smooth, fluffy batter. 27
JULY 2010
CHEAP
TALK
FAMILY
GATHERING By: Tom Vinson
Now my uncle’s gonna hear about it...hell, my aunt will, too...and then my uncle will.......again. Bea, that’s no way for an eleven-year-old to talk... Sorry, Sheila... Grandma..I’m your grandmother, call me grandma, Bea... Sorry Sheila... Where are Ben and Bob....? Where could Ben and Bob e...? The cousins Temple are out on the porch. Well, Ben is actually a Sturgis. His mom married John in 1981. He was Ben’s pre-school guidance counselor. His mother was instantly smitten. I’d rather have beans than corn on my plastic, red plate... Bea, say please... Sorry, Sheila... Bea go get the jar of tea from inside and bring it out onto the porch... Uncle Roger and his dog Pal, lay in a hammock. Roger, the Supreme Court Justice. Recently quoted in the New York Times. I’ve only been quoted in the New York Times once, says Uncle Terry standing over a plate of hamburger and potato salad. More than one person thinks to Google it... There is always the shy relative, too. He, or she, will hide in front of the house and watch as fire trucks and pick up trucks ride along in a line one after the other. ….and there is pie on the table cooling ….and there is grass that needs mowing ….and there are knives that need sharpening ….and there is an oven that needs to be turned off.
28
JULY 2010
Photo by Amanda McRae
DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT
Since that night, I have made a promise to myself to try new
Life is way too short to sit at home thinking of all the things you could be doing. Get out there and try it.
the worst that could happen? That I am left feeling hungry? For
By: Amanda McRae
and nervous but happy to expand my knowledge of food. Just
things. There have been far too many times when I would lie and say I did not like something just to get out of doing it -lame, I know. I even plan on expanding my taste pallet. What is the remainder of the summer I want to try cuisines that I have never had before, everything from Moroccan to Thai. I’m excited because I watch “Top Chef” does not mean I would actually eat a quarter of what they whip up, but that could soon change.
Summer is quite possibly one of the best times of the year,
Now I need to find someone to join me in my culinary taste tests.
with the exception of those days that seem to stretch on for far too long because there seems like there is nothing left to do. Instead of watching re-runs of “America’s Next Top Model”, get out there and try something new. Grab some friends and venture out to try a new cuisine, go to a play at a local theatre or take a class at an art studio. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain from doing something out of the ordinary. Recently, I was convinced to go to an art studio with one of my dear friends. I was apprehensive to say the least because we would be painting. I have never in my whole life painted anything aside from walls in a home. Intimidation set in when I sat down
“You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain from doing something out of the ordinary.”
in front of the easel. Thankfully, this particular night at the art studio included cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. The subject for the evening was high heels, score! The night went on and we
Trying something new does not have to be scary anymore; you
chatted, painted and had a great time. I could not believe how
really have nothing to lose. Life is way too short to sit at home
much fun I had doing something I was so utterly scared to ever
thinking of all the things you could be doing. Get out there and
do on my own. It didn’t matter that my painting did not look
try it. Surprise yourself and others by doing something you
as great as the others there, it mattered that I broke out of my
never thought you would do. Make this an incredible summer
comfort zone and thoroughly enjoyed it.
since they don’t last forever.
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JULY 2010
LIFE, ACCORDING TO
@ANDREWWK
“PARTY TIP: Somewhere in the world, something awesome is happening, and that’s reason enough to PARTY RIGHT NOW!” This is one of my favorite W.K.-isms. In fact, there’s hundreds up on Andrew W.K.’s official Twitter page. Some are about burgers, some about playing shows (like this summer’s Warped Tour excursion; he’s playing every single date)...some about puke. But all of them
More than 55,000 followers can’t be wrong about the man who says that even when life gets you down, you gotta party it up.
trail back to ritualistic partying, a pastime so cherished, Andrew W.K. has built an entire empire upon it. But peel back the sophomoric veneer and you’ll see that this party pied-piper is on to something. Life is way too short to not be who you really want to be. Below are
By: Britt Middleton
some pearls of wisdom gleaned from Andrew W.K., the man who, amongst other things, taught me it is far more noble to “party until you puke” than to not. If a guy’s messing with you, just party him. If a girl’s annoying you, just party her. IF SOMETHING’S WRONG, JUST PARTY IT. Thu Jun 24 16:58:30 2010 via web
ANALYSIS: This is not “The Hills”; there is no time for scripted drama. Let go of grudges and invite that asshole to a party. If you hate your job, I want you to quit TODAY. Tell your boss, “Andrew W.K. told me to!” Then report back to me so we can party. Mon Jun 21 13:19:33 2010 via txt
ANALYSIS: In the past, I’ve had a lot of crappy jobs and I wish I had the guts to walk out much sooner than I actually did. Is quitting always the best option? Not really. But never force yourself to settle. You might miss something even better waiting on the other side...like a party.
When everything else fails, music succeeds. 11:22 AM Jun 14th via txt
ANALYSIS: When I was a kid, I would put on Blink-182’s Enema of the State, lay on my bed, and just escape from it all. Bad days, bullies, mom and dad on my case…all the major bummers of growing up. However, it’s our jobs as adults to always remember how to find that powerful, music-induced nirvana. That’s where we need to go when things get intense. PARTY TIP: We are what we repeatedly do. Therefore, I am literally a party. And you can be too. 11:22 AM Jun 14th via txt
ANALYSIS: To be or not to be: famous words uttered by the doomed Prince Hamlet, yet made so much more clear by W.K. Now it all makes sense! If you want to be someone else, go out and be that person. Don’t think about it. Don’t dare secondguess it. Just do it…over and over again.
Illustration by Jack Cusumano I Get Wet album art credit Island Def Jam 30
JULY 2010
Š2010 Jack Cusumano
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JULY 2010