Issue 29 by tastemakers

Interview with RZA | 48

Local Talent | 32

Dayglow: End of EDM | 18

northeastern students on music

SONGS of

BOND

No 29

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E- Board

The Team

President Jeff Curry

Staff Writers Runyon Colie Jeff Curry Leslie Fowle Shea Geyer Nathan Goldman Sammy Kaufman Ryan Kehr Cara McGrath Erica Moser Mackenzie Nichols Dinorah Wilson

Editor in Chief Emily Cassel Art Director Dave Tschiegg Web Director Edwin Morris Marketing Director Caitlin Kullberg

Staff

Get More Can’t get enough? Check out more original content on tastemakersmag.com Become a fan on facebook at facebook.com/tastemakersmag Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/tastemakersmag

Features Director Nick Hugon Features Editor Ryan Kehr Interviews Editor Dinorah Wilson Reviews Director Suzie Conway Reviews Editor Leslie Fowle Media Directors Jenna Ross Christina Spleen

Art & Design Brian Cantrell Abbie Hanright Ally Healy Lacey Honda Eric Lee Emily O’Brien Steve Olimpio Casey Price Wendy Schiller Naomi Stapleton Carisa Tong Contributers Tom Doherty Mike Doub Alexa Johnson Max Malsich Kyle Risely Ben Stas Amanda Yee Marketing Gus Altobello Martin Au Daniel Esmond Nathan Goldman Shreya Gurubacharya Crystal Lin Sarah Maillet Jason Moosikkamol Alex Taylor Carisa Tong Leah Zwemke

The Cover Design Lacey Honda Steve Olimpio Dave Tschiegg

Photos Lacey Honda Steve Olimpio

Meet the Staff

About

Listening to

Quote

Dave Tschiegg Position Art Director Major Graphic Design Graduating Spring 2013 Co-ops @ Wojciechowski Design and Sametz Blackstone Favorite venue Lupos Heartbreak Hotel (Providence) Tastemaker Since 2008

Flying Lotus Until the Quiet Comes Black Lips Arabia Mountain

“You know, it’s a fashion, star… clothing... get together… thing.”

Devo “Gates of Steel”

Nick Hugon Position Features Director Major International Affairs Graduating Spring 2015 Co-ops @ RefugePoint Favorite venue Paradise Rock Club OR Brighton Music Hall Tastemaker Since 2010

Rafiq Bhatia Yes It Will

“Follow the severed pig heads.”

Lambchop Mr. M Valgeir Sigurdsson Architecture of Loss

Suzie Conway Position Reviews Director Major Communications Graduating Fall 2013 Co-ops @ Orpheum Theatre, Emerald Necklace Conservancy and ARGUS Favorite venue Orpheum Theatre Tastemaker Since 2010

Van Morrison Astral Weeks Zola Jesus “In Your Nature”

“You mentioned putting the tape in the ass of the Big Bird…”

Dum Dum Girls Only in Dreams

Emily Cassel Position Editor in Chief Major Journalism Graduating Winter 2012 Co-ops @ OurStage and Universal Music Group Favorite venue First Unitarian Church (Philly) Tastemaker Since 2009

Self Defense Family You Are Beneath Me Pity Sex Dark World Adventures “Reach Out to You”

“Wait, can Amish people vote?”

Interview with RZA RZA sat down with Tastemakers Magazine to discuss Chinese cantopop, the art of WWE, cooking steaks for his buddy Quentin Tarantino and his most recent endeavor

Table of Contents Cover Story

Editorial

Reviews

Show Reviews

Album Reviews

Songs of Bond From Russia with Love to Skyfall: A 007 title sequence retrospective

Features

Dayglod: The End-All of EDM You don’t have to be a number-one DJ to deliver the music of those who are

Insound, RCRD LBL, Noisetrade

30 31

Too Cool to Quite Musicians who just won’t give it up

Pop Punk is Aliving and Kicking

Reviews of: Alt-J, Das Racist, and Dispatch

Reviews of: Mala, Imagine Dragons, The Avett Brothers, Titus Andronicus, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Mountain Goats, Ty Seagall, and Rafiq Bhatia

Musicians who just won’t give it up

Local Talent New music from Northeastern bands The New Complainers and Personal Finance

Free Legal Music: And how to find it

Too Much to Ask For? Commenters, Kickstarter and the demands of modern fandom

Etcetera

Essential Albums

Trendy Fashion Trendy Music

Some Synthesized Swinging 50 percent electro 50 percent swing

A personal take on what makes an album timeless

High-end brands and their tasteful playlists

Calendar

Local Photos

Inked

Just a Taste of

Tattoos in music around Northeastern

EARLYNINTIES

Calendar November Su

Paper Diamond Royale

Citizen Cope House of Blues

Grouplove Royale

Gary Clark, Jr. The Sinclair

Freelance Whales Paradise

K’naan The Sinclair

Jedi Mind Tricks Brighton Music Hall

Fake Boys O’Brien’s Pub

Yeasayer House of Blues

Bad Rabbits Royale

Personal Finance Sideway Café

Pinback Royale

Whigs Brighton Music Hall

Tame Impala Royale

Justin Bieber TD Garden

Ben Gibbard Somerville Theatre

Barefoot Truth The Sinclair

Converge The Sinclair

Dan Deacon Paradise

Bearstronaut TT the Bear’s

Matt & Kim House of Blues

Taking Back Sunday House of Blues

Nas & Lauryn Hill House of Blues

Horse Feathers Brighton Music Hall

Ani DiFranco Wilbur Theatre

The New Complainers Middlesex Lounge

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis House of Blues

Bob Dylan TD Garden

Of Monsters and Men Orpheum Theatre

Sum 41 Paradise Rock Club

All Time Low Paradise

Cristiano Araujo Wonderland Ballroom

Ray LaMontagne Orpheum Theatre

Streetlight Manifesto Royale

The Who TD Garden

Metz Middle East

Ray LaMontagne Orpheum Theatre

Kid Koala Paradise

The Gaslight Anthem House of Blues

Other Lives Paradise

Delta Spirit House of Blues

Tedeschi Trucks Band House of Blues

Titus Andronicus The Sinclair

Lamb of God House of Blues

Neil Young & Crazy Horse TD Garden

Sky Ferreira TT the Bear’s

MC Lars TT the Bear’s

Rockomends

Dinosaur JR Paradise

Justin Bieber w/ Carly Rae Jepsen November 10 @ TD Garden

Taking Back Sunday November 17 @ House of Blues

He’s had a rough go of it recently getting sick on stage, but the show must go on! You’ve got to beliebe the pop star’s staging and choreography will be a can’t-miss spectacle. And if all else fails, Carly Rae is there with the bro anthem of the year, “Call Me Maybe.”

In honor of the 10th anniversary of the release of Taking Back Sunday’s debut album Tell All Your Friends, TBS has decided to hit the road to play the album which launched their successful career. For TBS fans, this show will be positively kickass.

Brian Cantrell (Graphic Design)

Mackenzie Nichols (Journalism/Music Industry)

December Su

1 Art Decade O’Brien’s Pub Penguin Prison Middle East

Boys Noize House of Blues

Black Moth Super Rainbow Paradise

2 Chainz House of Blues

Japanther Middle East

New Found Glory Paradise

Sister Hazel Paradise

Marina & The Diamonds House of Blues

Band of Horses House of Blues

Bearcorpse Middle East

Simian Mobile Disco Paradise

Of Montreal Paradise

Nada Surf Paradise

Chadwick Stokes The Sinclair

Apache Relay Great Scott

Japandroids Paradise

Deadfall Middle East

Blue Scholars Paradise

The Killers Agganis Arena

Twin Sister The Sinclair

Conor Oberst Converse Hall

Blackbutton Great Scott

Badfish Paradise

State Radio House of Blues

Trans Siberia Orchestra Dunkin’ Donuts Center

Sufjan Stevens Royale

Eluveitie Royale

Kenny Rogers Lynn Memorial Auditorium

Street Dogs Paradise

Pressure Cooker Middle East

The Roots House of Blues

Starting Line Paradise

Rusko House of Blues

Hold Steady Wonderland Ballroom

Trans Siberian Orchestra TD Garden

Mighty Mighty Bosstones House of BLues

The Hold Steady Wonderland Ballroom

Deer Tick The Sinclair

Soulive Paradise

My Morning Jacket Agganis

Title Fight, Pianos Become the Teeth, & Single Mothers November 27 @ The Sinclair The words “hardcore,” “punk,” and “rock” get thrown around a lot in the alternative scene, but that is no reason that you shouldn’t go see one of the best combinations of those adjectives, Title Fight, joined by the intensely emotional Pianos Become the Teeth and raspy delight of Single Mothers.

Alexa Johnson (Communication Studies)

Dinosaur Jr. November 30 @ Paradise I asked my roommate with whom I’m going to see Dinosaur Jr. to write this Rockommends for me. Forty words, I said. To me he replied: J. Mascis. An almost perfect description. To that I might add: LOUD.

Steve Olimpio (Graphic Design)

Show Reviews Alt-J with JBM September 17 @ Great Scott

Reviews Fall 2012

Named for the keyboard combination used to create a delta symbol (∆) on Mac keyboards, Alt-J spent the better part of 2012 garnering a healthy dose of attention in their native Britain before releasing their Mercury Prize nominated debut, A Massive Wave, to American audiences this September. Formed at Leeds University but currently based in Cambridge, the quartet was able to sell out Boston’s Great Scott early in their first American tour on the back of that impressive debut. Much like 2010 Mercury prize winners the xx, Alt-J seems to have appeared with none of the hesitancy usually associated with debut albums and have captured their unique sound with startling precision over A Massive Wave’s 13 tracks, a trait on full display in their live set. Openers JBM played a solid brand of modern indie folk/Americana with none of the mawkish sentimentality that current genre leaders like Mumford & Sons have instilled in the genre, but a little more liveliness might have helped lead singer Jesse Marchant overcome what can only be described as one of the rudest audiences towards an opener ever witnessed. The general indifference of much of the crowd towards anything but Alt-J could be (lamely) excused in terms of their anticipation for the British band or as a result of the odd layout of Great Scott (which excludes everyone at the bar from the sight of the stage), but it was frustrating either way. Alt-J themselves came forward confidently, and began without much in the way of introduction, the first hint of personality coming from the band’s smiles early in the set at a number of the crowd raising their hands in the delta symbol that’s become common at the band’s UK festival dates during “Tessellate”. Songs came and went in much the same pattern as on A Massive Wave, the only difference being a moderation of vocalist Joe Newman’s unique voice. Lead single and fan favorite “Breezeblocks”, which is perhaps the best example of Alt-J’s sound with its trademark lyricism (“She may contain the urge to runaway / But hold her down with soggy clothes and breezeblocks / Germaline disinfect the scene, my love, my love love love”), subtle twists on traditional pop structure, and the sort of adventurous

Alt-J

Jeff Curry (Behavioral Neuroscience) indie instrumentation that should help push Yeasayer’s terrible third album from your mind, came midway through the set and kept the audience engaged. Ballad “Matilda”— inspired by Natalie Portman’s character in Luc Besson’s Léon: The Professional—was another mid-set highlight. The most frustrating thing about the set was just how tightly Alt-J hewed to their album. They have a tendency to change tempo dramatically when moving between chorus, verse, and bridge, which made it difficult even for a genuinely invested audience to dance—basslines and kick drum beats would come and go before the crowd could really move. It isn’t a problem on the album, where the quick changes keep a listener from growing complacent, but it can be jarring in a live setting. The setlist itself was also a little

disappointing—“Taro” works well as an album closer and A Massive Wave full circle with perhaps the most relaxed non-instrumental tune on the album, but in a live setting (especially a lively one like Great Scott’s) one of the band’s more upbeat songs would have ended the evening on a stronger note. Hopefully Alt-J finds the confidence to preform to the crowd (rather than to the ideal of their album) as they spend more time touring, but in the meantime their show is certainly still worth investigating—they’ve got a sound worth spreading and there’s little reason to believe they won’t continue to do so. Runyon Colie (History)

Das Racist October 1 @ Royale While I had never seen Das Racist live before this night, I can imagine that the antics that took place at the Royale on October 1 are fairly typical of just about every live show they’ve done—ever. The Brooklyn-based rap group, comprised of Victor “Kool A.D.” Vasquez, Himanshu “Heems” Suri, and multitalented hypeman/spiritual advisor Ashok “Dapwell” Kondabalu, are known for combining a literary background with a lackadaisical attitude that has led to songs such as 2008’s “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell,” which, depending on your outlook, can either be viewed as spry social commentary or proof of the degenerating quality of music in the 21st century. Adherents to the former theory turned out in support of Das Racist and friends for their trip through Boston on their current “American Rap Songs Tour 2012.” Things started off with Safe, a downtempo-electro-gospel-RnB outfit whose shout-out to his grandmother proved to be one of the more endearing moments of the night. But things quickly got more rowdy as rapper

Lakutis took to the stage with a profanity-filled ode to Dennis Quaid. Then LE1F, a Brooklyn native, awed the crowd with a set that fused the traditionally disparate skill sets of fast paced rapping and erotic booty popping. And then, they came. The crowd rejoiced as Kool A.D. entered, Tecate by his side, and leaned over them, exposing the curly locks of his beard to the hands of many ecstatic fans. Dapwell, appropriately dressed in a one-piece jumpsuit and a beanie, coolly prepared his evening tea next to the soundboard. And finally, Heems stumbled onto the stage already playing his favorite instrument, the air guitar, to the raucous, bass-heavy thump of their opener, “Who’s That? Brooown!” And so it went. Over a self-made background video that combined Rorschach tests, rotating nuggets of marijuana and the best elements of ‘70s workout tapes, Das Racist did what they do best—had a fucking blast. In between songs, Dapwell entered stand-up comedian mode, sharing hilarious off the cuff stories about buying used Volvos online and hoarding the decomposing bodies of his long-deceased parents. Heems continued his dabbling with the air guitar and made a new friend with an auto-tuned microphone, opting to perform his verses through the annoyingly

Dispatch with Good Old War, The Parkington Sisters October 6 @ Agganis Arena Dispatch’s homecoming show at the Agganis Arena on October 10 marked my second time seeing the trio, and although they did not zip-line from the top of the stadium to the stage like they did in New Jersey last year, their performance did not disappoint. Supported by Good Old War and the Parkington Sisters, Dispatch put on a show that no one in Boston will soon forget. The Parkington Sisters began the night with a brief but enjoyable performance, followed by Philadelphia natives Good Old War. The three-piece band opened their set with “Window,” followed by “Looking for Shelter.” Other highlights included “Weak Man,” “Calling Me Names,” “Coney Island,” and finally their closing track, “Loud Love.” Good Old War’s stage presence was impressive, along with their harmonies and full acoustic sound. The arena electrified when Chad Stokes, Brad Corrigan, and Pete Francis took the stage for what would be over a two hour set. They opened strong with

Dispatch in New Jersey

Cara McGrath (Graphic Design) two familiar songs, “Time Served” and “Bats in the Belfry,” followed by their 2012 release’s title track, “Circles Around the Sun,” which featured a killer harmonica solo by Brad. Classics such as “Two Coins,” “The General,” “Passerby” and “Elias,” and new favorites like “Josaphine,” “Get Ready Boy” and “Melon Bend” all thrilled the crowd. But the two songs that stood out the most were the beloved “Flying Horses” and, to my surprise, “Flag,” one of the less memorable tracks from Circles Around the Sun. Both were unforgettable due to the array of extra instruments utilized on stage, including ukulele, violins and accordion on “Flag,” and bongo, harmonica, banjo, violins, accordion and extra percussion on “Flying Horses.” The Parkington Sisters contributed the violins

incomprehensible medium a number of times. Meanwhile Kool A.D. just sat back, took it all in, and laughed. Eventually, as Tina Turner’s classic hit “The Best” blasted from the loudspeakers and cued the group’s resignation from performance for the night, the group mates said their final goodbyes in their own respective ways. Whether they were combining uninhibited physical involvement in the music with steeping a teabag to create one fashionably unique dance or nearly tripping off the stage while trying to squeeze out a few last air guitar riffs, it was clear that the fun was not starting and the fun was not ending, the fun just simply was. For Das Racist, this was just another show on just another night, but for those in the crowd, it was an opportunity to peek into the lives of three of the most interesting people in the music industry and to take what they would from it. Perhaps it was a life lesson about the perils of taking oneself too seriously or the troubles with a dichotomous work and play relationship. Then again, maybe it was just one hell of a good time. Max Malsich (Sociology)

and accordion for multiple tunes, while Good Old War rejoined the stage only to sing backup on “Josaphine.” Dispatch’s decision to hire supplementary musicians really paid off. The band sounded great, and Brad was not constricted to the drums for the entire set. Seeing Dispatch live really allowed me to get a clearer sense of what each member adds to the group’s eclectic sound; Chad brings rock, Brad brings folk, and Pete brings blues. It also became somewhat obvious who the weakest member of the trio is. Although it pains me to say it, Pete’s vocals were not quite there, and nor was any sort of engaging stage presence. It is evident that the years have not treated his voice well, and rather than fully holding out his notes, he bordered on speaking the words instead. Although he usually plays bass, his guitar solos on “Bang Bang” and “Beto” were his shining moments. Still, they were not totally redeeming. After such a long hiatus, it is important that Dispatch paid attention to both new and old material. They did overlook a few vital classics like “Hey Hey” and “Steeples,” and surprisingly omitted “Not Messin’,” the first single off their newest album. Nonetheless, Dispatch’s show at the Agganis proved that the trio was not insensible to reunite a decade after their breakup. Cara McGrath (Graphic Design)

Local Photos

Purity Ring Tastemakers Presents, Fall 2012

Christina Spleen (Comp. Sci./Digital Art)

New Found Glory Warped Tour, Summer 2012

Jenna Ross (Music Industry) 14

Twenty One Pilots

Penguin Prison Tastemakers Presents, Fall 2012

Jenna Ross (Music Industry)

Ryan Kehr (English) 16

William Beckett afterHours, Fall 2012

Amanda Yee (Inter. Media/Graphic Design) 17

Swans

Ben Stas (English/Journalism)

Feature

DAYG L O W

Fall 2012

“ YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A NUMBER-ONE DJ TO

DELIVER THE MUSIC OF THOSE WHO ARE. ”

It’s hard to turn on any nominal form of media without receiving an invite to some “friend’s” newest DJ gig. From the kid who sells weed next door to the renowned heiress Paris Hilton, it seems like these so-called DJs are popping out of the woodwork each day with the newest take on electronic dance music (EDM). Originally emerging in the late 80’s, EDM did not begin to rule the radio until a few years ago. Inspired by both the discos of the 80’s and the rave scene in the 90’s, EDM has devoured two decades of culture and spat out a number of sub-genres rooted in bpm, community and the desire to dance. Fans of almost any musical style can attest that such popularity does not come without those looking to exploit it. Case in point, EDM’s promiscuous little sister: Dayglow. Most recently rebranded as Life in Color, this music-event-turned-party combines half-naked college kids, standard

The End-All of EDM dance music and, most noticeably, massive amounts of paint continuously shot at an audience of thousands. Starting in 2006 on Florida college campuses, Dayglow became the first EDM party to exercise the idea that original artists are not a requirement for creating a successful EDM performance. The most popular EDM songs can be played by anyone with a computer, so you don’t have to be a number-one DJ to deliver the music of those who are. Armed with this fact, the creators of Dayglow poured the money that would have gone towards featuring well-known artists into enhancing the production of the show instead. Music was put on the backburner while “the experience” moved to the forefront and attendants basked in loud music, intense light shows and a crowd of color (much of it in the form of paint). With the emergence of shows like this, many EDM fans have become frustrated with the direction they see their community going. “You’re not going there to listen to music, you’re going there to get drunk with a bunch of 18 to 22 year old kids and dance around in the foam,” explains local DJ and EDM fan Steven Ford, “There’s a bunch of people just

trying to make money off a lucrative industry right now.” With events that hold little appeal to the original fans entering the mainstream, more and more people are suiting up in their glitter-bombed bras and neon yolo hats to be a part of this newest craze. But how upset do fans really have the right to be? EDM, in its essence, is a genre that naturally invites a more spectacle-based performance. As a result, newer DJs become legitimized by emphasizing giant light shows, engaging graphics and all the smoke and mirrors that come with them. Like any genre of music, there will always be the posers and band-wagoners who are judged by the early adopters for coming late to the game. The socalled fans who jump on the most popular acts without knowing anything about the genre. So, what makes an act like Dayglow anything more than just another subpar, subgenre of EDM? Is it any more than a cheap imitation that puts more weight on the escapades surrounding the music than the music and the DJ him/herself? The answer is, these events provide the universal escape and sense of community that all good musical events embrace. The dress code is just a little different. As with all new music that has been criticized across

Sammy Kaufman (Communications) Photo Credit: Life In Color

the ages by those who came before—from big band, to rock, to disco, to punk, to rap, to country, to whatever—if you don’t like it, you don’t have to go. Some hardcore fans may feel threatened as they see and hear their music turn into what looks to them to be the depraved offspring of what they used to know and love. But these fans need not plan the wake and funeral of their beloved EDM, for those that founded the genre are not calling it quits just yet. In fact, it is only rousing these original DJs to up the ante and integrate a live element not originally found in EDM. These artists are now dismissing the idea of prerecorded sets and introducing an unpredictable energy to the art of the performance. Both Nero and Deadmau5 are finding new ways to showcase live synth work in their shows while the three-piece electronic group, The Glitch Mob, performs an entirely live set with touch screen controllers. Although it appears that, for now, the experience may trump the music in the newest acts of the EDM scene, dance music is constantly changing and evolving, and those original performances that are founded on talent will only continue to flourish, with or without paint.

Etcetera

12 Essential Albums

1977â&#x20AC;&#x201C;today Jeff Curry (Behavioral Neuroscience)

Fall 2012

Essential WTF Concept Album The Mars Volta—Deloused in the Comatorium

Fraction of ever enjoying this album if you’re a blind Pitchfork follower: 4.9/10 Timeline of how much you’ll enjoy this album: AAPL over 5 years Reviewer’s tilt: 100 Best Track: “Cicatriz ESP”

Essential Crying Yourself to Sleep Album Hospice—The Antlers

Essential One Album Wonder Album Bloc Party—Silent Alarm

Likelihood of crying before reading the lyrics: 32% Likelihood of crying after reading the lyrics: 98.6% People who prefer Burst Apart: are wrong Best Track: “Wake”

How much better this album is than other Bloc Party albums: Bloc Party had other albums? Number of plays I have on “Banquet” divided by the rest of the album: 1.447 Most underrated aspect of this album: The letter ‘k’ Best Track: “Banquet”

Essential George Orwell Album Pink Floyd—Animals Number of tracks: 5 Number of tracks titled with animal names: 5 Number of pigs in the track names: 5 Best Track: “Dogs”

Essential The 80s Weren’t Entirely Shit Album The Smiths—The Queen is Dead

Fall 2012

Probability that The Smiths were the best 80s band: Yes Probability that this is the best Smiths album: Yes Probability that Morrissey will sue you if you disagree: Yes Best Track: “The Boy with the Thorn in his Side”

Essential Introduction to the Best Band in the World Album Radiohead—In Rainbows

Essential Non-English Album Sigur Ros—Takk

Essential Instrumental Album Animals as Leaders—s/t

Best Easter Egg: The use of the golden ratio If you loved this album: Listen to Kid A If you hated this album: Slap yourself in the face with moderate intensity Best Track: “Bodysnatchers”

Number of discernible English words: 0 Number of discernible words in total: 0 Amount it matters: It does not matter. Best Track: “Hoppípolla”

Number of time signature changes: ∞ Number of guitar strings used: 16 Equivalent musicianship: Jimi Hendrix with a doctorate in mathematics Best Track: “Tempting Time”

Essential 4/4 Album The Strokes—Is This It

Number of songs between 3:07 and 3:36: 7 Number of drum fills: drum…fills? Number of drummers: questionable Best Track: “Someday”

Essential Most Improved Album Mute Math—Odd Soul

Essential Tastemakers Presents Album Purity Ring—Shrines

Essential Elementary School Angst Album Linkin Park—Hybrid Theory

Mute Math’s second album: pop for deaf cows Mute Math’s third album: The Black Keys + New Orleans Primary reason for improvement: the return of interludes Best Track: “One More”

Tracks on the album: eleven Dictionary-recognized song titles: one Total song title words: eighteen-ish Best Track: “Lofticries”

Chances you told your parents you liked this album: low Chances you tell your friends you still like this album: lower Chances you still like Linkin Park if you still like this album: lowest Best Track: “Crawling” 23

Editorial

FREE

LEGAL music

and how to find it Cara McGrath (Graphic Design)

Fall 2012

But why do stores give out free food? It’s a great plan to get you hooked, and you have to hand it to them, it’s smart. If you like your treat, you ultimately buy the product. Or maybe you don’t, but you still just made out with a free scoop of mango sorbet, and Costco earns a positive reputation as an establishment that gives out free samples. If you consider music in terms of food which we Tastemakers folk love to do), it’s pretty silly for bands NOT to give you a free download of a track here or there. Better yet, if the artist is really cool and you know where to look, maybe you’ll get to download a free EP, LP, sampler, or live show. Whether it results in increased ticket, album and merchandise sales or just gets a band’s name out there, it’s a win-win situation all around. So yes, there are ways to acquire free mp3s online that do not involve pirating. Countless websites provide an occasional track, but digging through blog posts and articles to find them is hardly worth it. There are a handful of sources out there offering easily accessible free downloads of bigname artists, including Florence and the Machine, Kanye West and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (rcrdlbl.com), Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and Nirvana (insound.com), Nada Surf, Dispatch and The Lumineers (noisetrade.com), and Purity Ring, Regina Spektor and Flogging Molly (amazon.com). I cannot begin to tell you how many (legal!) concert downloads there are of artists like My Morning Jacket, John Butler Trio and The Smashing Pumpkins on archive.org. Anyone looking to download 1,800 Umphrey’s McGee shows? You now have your link. Downloading tracks from familiar artists is great for cushioning your existing collection, but the best part of

these websites is not finding free mp3s from bands you already know. It’s discovering endless volumes of music you may have never heard before, and it’s these groups that appreciate the newfound publicity and fans the most. This summer I poured over noisetrade. com, where I came across a free, ten-song music sampler from an unfamiliar band: Shovels & Rope. Their description stated that the male-female duo acquired their drum kit from a junkyard and is for fans of the Black Keys and The White Stripes. I downloaded it. I dug it. I told my friends. They dug it. When their newest album was released at the end of the summer, I bought it. So there you go: profits for the band, and a new I-can’t-stop-listening-to-this-band band for me. Win-win? Absolutely. And I can guarantee that whenever they headline in town I will be purchasing tickets to their show. Had this duo not given away a free music sampler, I’d have never even heard of them, let alone purchased their newest release. What made it so effortless for me to happen upon this talented twosome was NoiseTrade’s “Featured Artists” section. In addition to sorting artists into categories like “New & Notable” and “Top Downloads,” NoiseTrade has regularly changing “Featured Artists.” This aspect of the site is a beneficial way for up-and-coming artists to gain attention. It proves to have helped acts like The Lumineers, whose hit single “Ho Hey” is now on the Top

40 chart. Shovels & Rope was a featured artist back in June, and just recently landed two gigs opening for Jack White. There are no alphabetical lists of artists or tracks on noisetrade.com, rcrdlbl.com, or insound.com, which could definitely be considered a downside and a speed bump in your search for free music.But this forces you to click around, try to get lucky and essentially judge books by their covers. The process can yield variable results, but it’s fun and bound to reveal at least a few hidden gems. I encourage you to select an artist with an interesting name or a curious album cover and give them a shot. It’s fast and doesn’t cost you anything, so why the hell not? You wouldn’t go to Costco without scarfing down some free hummus, would you? There’s free music out there; go find it.

Cover Story

SONGS Fall 2012

BOND This October EON Productions and MGM are set to release Skyfall, the 23rd film in the official James Bond series, to mark the 50th anniversary of the seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 1962 debut Dr. No. One of the most iconic and successful film series of all time, the Bond movies are known for a number of recurring themes that have soaked into the public consciousness over the years, perhaps none more so than the seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; theme song.

More enduring than any Bond Girl and more powerful than any villain, the theme has become a symbol of the intrigue, class, power, and sensuality that the films themselves are known for.

The second 007 movie, 1963’s From Russia With Love, began the tradition of the now well-known musical title sequence that combines the silver screen’s traditional orchestration with popular songwriting. It didn’t take long for John Barry, the series’ composer for its first 25 years, to perfect the combination—1964’s “Goldfinger” by Shirley Bassey remains possibly the most iconic Bond song. Tom Jones’s Thunderball was a worthy follow-up, though the Johnny Cash theme that was recorded before being discarded in favor of the Welshman’s would have been

a braver, more intriguing choice. Another particular highlight was Louis Armstrong’s contribution to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service; while not the official title sequence accompaniment, Armstrong’s song has since become the most famous piece associated with the film. This strong run of themes continued until Bassey and former series star Sean Connery returned for Diamond are Forever, 1971’s rather campy and negatively-regarded entry in the series.

diabolical

rogue

dangerous

arrangements with electronic elements overwhelmed the song itself. Madonna’s “Die Another Day” was actually a decent piece of electroclash but it failed to instill any of the drama of a Bond film in audiences. Jack White and Alicia Key’s collaboration for Casino Royale was disappointing, as much of a missed opportunity as the film it accompanied.

We Have All the Time in the World (from O.H.M.S.S.) – Louis Armstrong

Live and Let Die – Paul McCartney & Wings

Goldfinger – Shirley Bassey

A View To Kill – Duran Duran

Nobody Does it Better (from The Spy Who Loved Me) – Carly Simon

From Russia With Love – Matt Munro

entries in the series, though the highlight of 1980s remains Duran Duran’s title track for 1985’s A View to Kill, the only Bond theme to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and a quintessential piece of 80s power pop. The past two decades have proven not only that Bond’s cachet has not diminished, but that big name contributions do little to ensure success. Sheryl Crow’s attempt at Bassey-style drama for Tomorrow Never Dies would have been more fitting as a dirge, and while Garbage may have been an inspired choice for The World is Not Enough their attempts to modernize traditional Bond

You Only Live Twice – Nancy Sinatra

Thunderball – Tom Jones

The World is Not Enough – Garbage

The Living Daylights – A-ha

Moonraker – Shirley Bassey

All Time High (from Octopussy) – Rita Coolidge

You Know My Name (from Casino Royale) – Chris Cornell

Fall 2012

Goldeneye – Tina Turner

For Yours Eyes Only – Sheena Easton

Die Another Day – Madonna

Another Way to Die (from Quantum of Solace) – Jack White and Alicia Keys

Tomorrow Never Dies – Sheryl Crow

The Man With the Golden Gun – Lulu

Diamonds are Forever – Shirley Bassey

License to Kill – Gladys Knight

The next film saw Paul McCartney take the first steps outside the traditional ballads that had defined the series, with the frantic and youthful “Live and Let Die,” a perfect introduction to the Roger Moore era. Moore’s time as Bond saw the character lose some of the gravitas that it had originally possessed in favor of slapstick, but in many ways the theme songs seem to have suffered more in quality than did the films themselves. “Moonraker” and “The Man With the Golden Gun” proved the be some of the worst musical

killer

Photos by L acey Honda (Graphic Design) Steve Olimpio (Graphic Design)

1964’s “Goldfinger” by Shirley Bassey remains possibly the most iconic Bond song.

Though the first two themes in the Daniel Craig era were forgettable, EON has signaled their ambition on Skyfall by hiring Adele. As the biggest star in British pop, her sound could have climbed the charts just as easily when the series began as it does now. Skyfall’s theme harkens back to some of the series’ best ballads and, happily, Adele does a fine job of sticking to the sort of sensual, dramatic tone that John Barry and Shirley Bassey mastered in the 1960s. Runyon Colie (History)

Too Cool to Quit Editorial

Ryan Kehr (English/Journalism) Illustrated by Wendy Schiller (Animation/Graphic Design)

I’ll be completely honest: I was under the impression Bob Dylan was immortal. And I don’t mean the ‘he will always be remembered’ immortal, I mean the ‘any-thought-of- himgetting-older-is-absolutely-ridiculous’ immortal. Unfortunately, I’ve recently been informed that this isn’t the case; apparently even this legendary singer-songwriter is winding up to kick the bucket. While it’s not uncommon for fans to put their favorite artists on a pedestal like this, we can’t forget that after all is said and done they’re just as human as anyone else. Artists like Dylan, or the recently reunited Black Sabbath (not to mention the nearly reunited Led Zeppelin), got me thinking about the span of a modern-day musician’s career. Do they ever retire? And if not, should they? Bob Dylan is approaching the age of 72. For some added perspective, this means he was born in the early 1940’s during the first years of World War II, before the invention of household items like the microwave or Frisbee (this invention was by all accounts the true inspiration for “The Times They Are A-Changin’”). Yet despite his age, the debut of his latest record, Tempest, has been met with quite a bit of critical acclaim. Dylan’s trademark craggy vocals have aged well over the 53 years he’s been in the business; they seem to gain more character the older he gets. But on the other hand, his performance during last year’s Grammys completely took me by surprise. He looked as though he could barely stand at the mic while he rattled off songs with folk-favorites Mumford and Sons and The Avett Brothers. With tour dates lined up for the rest of this year, one can only wonder how much longer he can keep going, regardless of how good he sounds. Now Black Sabbath is a different story. Reuniting for three shows in 2012, and an alleged record for 2013, critics from all over are

Fall 2012

wondering if they could pull it off. I managed to catch a few songs of their set at this year’s Lollapalooza and while I wouldn’t call myself a fan, I couldn’t deny the energy coming from both

“Bob Dylan is approaching the age of 72. ...this means he was born ... before the invention of household items like the microwave” the stage and crowd. The band, all in their sixties, were bouncing around as if they were half that age. However, even with this energy (and I won’t deny that guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler held the band together with an ease that only comes from decades of touring), Ozzy’s noticeablylacking vocals were the downfall of the set. As Black Sabbath is allegedly

back in the studio, the jury’s still out as to whether the reunion was a bad call, but in my book it might just be time to throw in the towel. Obviously, each artist is going to age and mature differently depending on their particular sound. Singer-songwriters with distinctive/ trademark vocals (Tom Waits, Neil Young, and Ani DiFranco all come to mind) are likely to have more longevity than acts based around highenergy, head-banging sets. In the end, the real deciding factor for whether a band should retire or not is their passion. If a couple guys in their sixties can put out more energy than I can in a given week, look like they’re loving every second of it, and play for a crowd that’s just as into it as they are, then nothing should stop them from doing what they love. And hey, I can’t help but be a little excited for the potential Watch the Throne or Jonas Brothers reunion tour forty years down the road.

10th Anniversary Album Tours Sweep the Nation

Written by Shea Geyer (pharmacy) Illustration by Casey Price (business)

years ago, when most of us college undergrads were in middle or elementary school, some of the most defining albums of the pop punk scene were unleashed, putting bands on the map that we have grown up listening to over the years. This fall, some of pop punk’s most notable bands are going on tour in honor of the 10th anniversaries of their bestreceived albums. The incentive to go? They will play the albums in their entireties. Taking Back Sunday has released five studio albums to date, but their debut, Tell All Your Friends, was their golden ticket to fame. Tell All Your Friends was THE soundtrack to the woes of our pre-teen love lives. AIM away messages with lyrics from “Cute Without the ‘E’ (Cut From the Team)” or “You’re So Last Summer” abounded. Lyrics covered tattered Converse sneakers and notebook covers alike. Taking Back Sunday continued to release albums full of angst when we were in high school, but Tell All Your Friends always remained a steadfast album in our music

collections. Nostalgia will take full swing this fall when Taking Back Sunday goes on tour with Bayside in honor of ten memorable years of Tell All Your Friends. Watch out for Adam Lazzara’s antics with the flying mic. New Found Glory didn’t hit it big until they dropped Sticks and Stones, and from there, it was all uphill. Sticks and Stones wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but the raw energy it possessed added a certain newness to what it meant to be a pop punk band. “My Friend’s Over You,” “Understatement” and “Head On Collision” were defining moments on the album, full of angst and middle fingers to heartbreakers. Watch out for the mosh pits when New Found Glory takes the stage, with support from acts The Story So Far, Seahaven and Candy Hearts. Sum 41 was Canada’s Blink-182 with the debut of All Killer No Filler back in 2001. A punk sound, shenanigan-filled music videos and goofy lyrics made for instant popularity in a time where everyone was trying to catch a ride on the Blink-182 wave. Instead of falling into the infamous Sophomore Slump, Sum 41 released the well-received, slightly edgier Does This Look Infected? “The Hell Song” and “Still Waiting” were the tops hits

from the album and helped pave the way for Sum 41 to experiment with other sounds on future albums. Although the tour this fall is in support of their latest album Screaming Bloody Murder, expect to hear Does This Look Infected? in its entirety on some of the tour stops. Joining Sum 41 on tour this fall is IAmDynamite. Say It Like You Mean It marked The Starting Line’s formal debut on the pop-punk scene, and catchy choruses and relatable lyrics were key to the band’s success with a younger demographic. “Best of Me” was, and still is, their most popular hit, despite having released two other studio albums since Say It Like You Mean It. The Starting Line haven’t released a new album since 2007, as they had been on hiatus until this year, so expect some new tunes in the near future. In the meantime, relive your fondest memories from Say It Like You Mean It when they are on tour this fall.

Local Talent Feature

The New Complainers Members Jon Palmer—Lead Vocals, Guitar & Writing Andrew Jaques—Bass Justin Cotellessa—Guitar Jacob Rosati—Drums & Producing

From suburban PA to the streets of Allston, The New Complainers have definitely been around the block once or twice. Formed circa 2009 as the brainchild of vocalist Jon Palmer, this four-part group has rocked out locales ranging from their old dorm rooms in Kennedy and Davenport B to venues like the Middle East and Great Scott. They walked away as winners from NU’s 2011 Battle of the Bands and have opened for groups such as Hellogoodbye and Steel Train. Their debut record I Am Home was recently released to a sold-out crowd and with several bookings well into the end of 2012, it doesn’t look like this recent success is dying down any time soon. The New Complainers’ roots can be traced back to Jon’s freshmen year on the 3rd floor of Kennedy hall, where he met and started jamming with bassist Andrew Jacques. While probably driving Jon’s neighbors crazy, the duo blasted out some of the first tracks the band would be playing for years to come. A year later the two moved across campus and rounded off their line-up with the group’s final members: guitarist Justin Cotellessa and drummer/producer Jake Rosati. What started as a bunch of ideas Jon cooked up in high school had by then turned into a collaborative process, with each member pulling their own weight and bringing a fresh and creative piece to the puzzle that is The New Complainers. With a gritty yet approachable rock-and-roll edge and enough soul to go around, The New Complainers have been steadily rising within the Boston music scene. The band’s clever marketing approach for I Am Home (involving instant film and some heavy drinking) helped them stand out from the pack. Rather than coming out with a universal album cover, the band collectively decided on a more unique and DIY approach: “For this release, instead of making CDs, we took hundreds of instant film photos of places we’ve been, things we’ve done, and the people we’ve done them with.” They used these photos as album covers, resulting in a distinct and homey physical album. Check out The New Complainers on their website or live at one of their upcoming shows!

Fall 2012

Sounds Like Alt Indie Rock with a bit of an Americana influence. Put Dr. Dog, Nick Lowe and Dawes in a blender and it might taste something like The New Complainers.

Recommended Tracks “Prom” “5 O’Clock”

Upcoming Shows November 14th@ Middlesex Lounge

Links thenewcomplainers.com thenewcomplainers.bandcamp.com

Personal Finance

Patrick Orr—Lead Vocals, Guitar & Writing William Stadtlander—Guitar Tony Alcala—Bass Zacharie Lanoue—Drums

Silver Jews Pavement Grateful Dead Destroyer

“Sunshyne” “Perfect Combination” “Mass Griz”

November 9th @ Sidewalk Café East coast tour dates tba

personalfinance.bandcamp.com

Looking for tight guitar harmonies, quirky writing and some crunchy lo-fi charm? Then Gross Domestic Product, the debut from locally based Personally Finance, just might be the record for you. Started in early 2011, Personal Finance has been honing their craft over the past 2 years, playing everywhere in Boston from the local bar and art-house scenes to the occasional abandoned houses. Throughout this period the group prepared and refined material for their first LP, and this was time well spent. Recorded painstakingly on analog, Gross Domestic Product screams of the charm often sought after but rarely achieved by bands across the globe. Contributing to this might be the decision to only allow each recording a max of three or four takes, allowing for the feel of a gritty “live” performance to come across on the recordings. And, since no digital effects were added to any of the tracks, the album plays like vinyl and isn’t complicated (or “lost in the rabbit hole” as the band puts it) by excessive after effects and glossing. With the successful release of their debut, Personal Finance has big plans for the future, including an east coast tour in the coming months and some new recordings due out in 2013. Check the band’s website for a free download of Gross Domestic Product as well as specific tour dates to come!

Ryan Kehr (English)

The New Complainers Ryan Kehr (English)

Fall 2012

trendy clothes trendy music By Leslie Fowle (English/Journalism)

Etcetera

We expect Jeremy Scott and Diane von Furstenberg to set the trends when it comes to fashion, but it turns out these major designers are tastemakers in the world of music as well. Perhaps these fashion moguls have figured out what the rest of us already know: that a the perfect playlist can make or break just about anything, whether it be a party, a roadtrip—and now a trip down the runway.

Just one look at the music from the lastest New York Fashion Week shows that these playlists were not just slovenly thrown together, but instead specially crafted with inspiration from the clothing itself. Some playlists represent a time gone by, like the ever-classy Zac Posen’s homage to the jazz age, which include songs from the soulful Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James. Others go for a theme, like the jungle-chic beats that accompanied Tory Burch’s tribal Spring 2013 collection. Many others seem to foretell of music trends for the coming season. If that’s the case, this year will be the year of the alternative female pop star, as Grimes, Niki & The Dove and POLICA made appearances on several designers’ lists. Still, every show has it’s own feel, and with that comes unique music you may never have heard of— yet. We’ll let the playlists speak for themselves.

Rachel Roy 1. Porcelain Raft - “Put Me To Sleep” 2. The Do - “Gonna Be Sick (Mylo Remix)” 3. Logo, Icona Pop - “Luvxick” 4. Charli XCX - “Nuclear Seasons” 5. Magic Wands - “Black Magic” 6. Polleyester - “Beuys Boys” 7. Blonde Redhead - “Oslo” 8.Niki & The Dove - “The Gentle Roar” 9. Slove - “Flash” 10. Teengirl Fantasy - “Vector Spray” 11. Ladyhawke - “Girl Like Me” Fall 2012

Tory Burch 1. Amadou & Mariam - “Bara (Joaquin’s African Dub) ” 2. Manu Chao - “Bong Bong” 3. Laurie Anderson - “Kokoku” 4. Grimes - “Beast Infection”

Zac Posen 1. Etta James - “A Sunday Kind of Love” 2. New York Philharmonic & Zubin Mehta “Love Is Here To Stay” 3. Nancy Wilson - “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am” 4. Gene Krupa and His Orchestra & Anita O’Day “Skylark” 5. George Gershwin - “Someone to Watch Over Me”

Marc Jacobs 1. Time - “Can’t You Feel It ” 2. High Powered Boys - “Mind Games” 3. The Fall - “Copped It” 4. Gesaffelstein - “Control Movement”

Topshop

Etcetera

1. POLICA - Wandering Star 2. Ornette- Crazy 3. Grimes - Vanessa 4. Darius - Maliblue 5. Blondie - Heart of Glass 6. Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Jim on the Move 7. Audision - Yellow Sunset 8. Chromaticss - Birds of Paradise 9. Francesca Lombardo - Sofiel

Jill Stuart 1. The xx - “Angels (Bodhi Remix)” 2. Grimes- “Vanessa” 3. Purity Ring - “Obedear (Magic Sword Remix)” 4. Asaf Avidan & the Mojos - “One Day / Reckoning Song (Wankelmut Remix)” 5. Alison Valentine - “Peanut Butter (Moon Boots Remix)” 6. Azari & III - “Into the Night (Nicolas Jaar Remix)” 7. Niki & The Dove - “Mother Protect”

Fall 2012

Editorial

TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR? Commenters, Kickstarter and the Demands of Modern Fandom When Amanda Palmer

decided to fund her latest album Theatre is Evil through the online fundraising site Kickstarter, she set the goal for funding at $100,000. However, her enthusiastic and loyal fanbase ended up being far more generous. She ended up making a record-breaking amount of nearly $1.2 million, which made a lot of people start paying attention. So when she made a blog post asking for “professionalish horns and strings” to join in with her band on tour dates for the promise of ‘beer, high fives, and merch’, eyebrows were raised, claiming it’s wrong for someone with so many resources to be asking people to play with her for free. Perhaps it seems like a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity to a fan, with the chance to meet and perform with someone they idolize. But to many others, particularly working musicians, it seemed to devalue their work and exploit her fans. What does it mean to be a “good fan”? Do you just need to be passionate about an artist and their work? Is there room to be deeply critical of them and still consider yourself a fan? Some people today take it to mean supporting them emotionally and financially in everything they do, and even attacking those who they see as “competition”. Every pop artist today seems to have a group of dedicated fans who make it their job to support the artist with all their might. They all have to have names for themselves: the Little Monsters, the Beliebers, the

their fans isn’t limited to musicians, with Directioners, the Barbies. Yet sometimes it all cases such as the popular webcomic Penny feels like too much of a marketing ploy, like Arcade raising half a million dollars to remove it’s just something drummed up by the label the ads on their site, with rewards such as to increase sales. When we are told that in the paying $500 to get a retweet from one of the name Marina and The Diamonds that ‘The comic’s creators. Diamonds’ are not her backing band but her As for Amanda Palmer, while she initially name for her fans, isn’t it implicitly saying resisted the pressure, acting like the criticism that from the moment she first came up with was coming from people members of the the name, that people were expected to be record industry who felt threatened by her following her with an obsessive devotion? independent model (a blog post of hers Earlier this year there were reports that stated: “no doubt about it: my band has hit a Lady Gaga fansite was offering small a DEEP, PAINFUL cultural nerve.”), she payments for fans to strategically comment eventually agreed to pay the musicians an on reviews of Madonna’s new album MDNA undisclosed amount. Ultimately, while the across the web talking about how it was a flop and that she’s past her prime, in some attempt relationship between the consumer and the artist is an inherently financial one, the to fight the competition. In a strange twist, the fansite turned out to be a hoax—organized relationship between the artist and the loyal fan has to be treated with care, as these are by a Madonna fan. people, not commodities. After all, the reason Amanda Palmer isn’t the only artist to that Palmer was able to find so much success get criticism for a Kickstarter. In another with her Kickstarter in the first place was the high-profile case, Deakin, a member of uncommonly intimate relationship she had Animal Collective, raised $25,000 in late built up with these fans in the first place over 2009 that was supposed to fund efforts to end years of close communication with them, so slavery in Mali, promising rewards to backers to turn around and swindle them feels like an such as a CD recorded during a trip there and exceptional betrayal. an art book inspired by it. Almost three years have passed, and there has been virtually no update on the project. Deakin recently confirmed that the money was all donated upon the Kickstarter’s conclusion, yet none of the promised rewards have been sent out. This sort of questionable behavior enabled byWritten by Nathan Goldman the hero worship these artists receive from Illustrations by Eric Lee (Sociology)

Album Reviews

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Mala Mala in Cuba Release date September 11, 2012 Label Brownswood Genre Dubstep Tasty tracks Changuito, Cuba Electronic, Curfew, and Noches Sueños

‘Hello!’ is the first message shared by Mala in Cuba, the second full length release of Mark Lawrence aka Mala, a dubstep producer hailing from London. Given the organic treatment of the record, this welcoming, everyday gesture feels appropriate. Since 2003, Mala has been a key influencer of the dubstep scene as half of the Digital Mystikz production outfit and brain trust of the seminal record labels DMZ and Deep Medi. His second full-length release finds him once again charting new territory in a genre that has recently been struggling to push new boundaries. Over the course of hours of sessions with local Cuban musicians, Mala accumulated a sonic treasure chest of samples

Fall 2012

to populate his chest-rattling landscapes. Though Cuban percussion has popped up alongside dubstep’s cold minimalism from the genre’s early days (see Hatcha’s “Conga” or Loefah’s “Beat Them”) and more tribal drum patterns have been recently pushed by producers such as Killawatt and V.I.V.E.K. and record labels like Blackbox and Tribe 12, never has the fusion been more fully realized than on Mala in Cuba. The album’s introduction serves as a sampler of the key sounds utilized throughout the course of the record—jazz piano moves from smooth to stuttering, hipshaking percussion keeps the temperature high, and subtle low-end weight ties the entire production together while slowly moving foreheads down and up and down and up. “Mulata” enters with springy piano, falls into a bass laden freefall surrounded by graceful female sighs, and finally levels out before the track fades, leaving behind an anxious listener. This is one of the crossover strengths of Mala in Cuba. While many may criticize dubstep tracks as being repetitive in structure or sterile in nature, these productions are neither. Loosely guided

session musicians provide human twists and turns that feel more like a jazz band jamming out in a cramped club than a producer building loops in his bedroom. The stylistic overlap between dubstep and contemporary Cuban music works because both rely heavily upon the tension created by the expectation of what is coming next. In this way they are complements, the jazzy improvisational music providing the response to the call of dubstep’s blank canvas of bass dying to be painted upon. The versatility of the album is revealed as its layers unfold to reveal harrowing lows and jubilant highs. The dreadful horns of “Changuito” stand toe-to-toe against the singing trumpets of “Calle F.” “Cuba Electronica” stands out for its basementready growl , fantastic conga break, and menacing hi-hat-heavy second drop. “The Tunnel” features a bassline reminiscent of 2006 Digital Mystikz singles, while “Curfew” pairs up mechanical, claustrophobic hisses with piano glissandos. “Noches Sueños” ties up the album with a seductive vocal track driven by Danay Suarez and ragga-esque upstroking guitar that guides Mala in Cuba back towards the Jamaican roots that Digital Mystikz injected into dubstep back in 2004. Mala in Cuba serves as a landmark recording not simply for its inventive use of Cuban music, but for its crossover potential with different types of dubstep listeners. While the scruffy, red-eyed 20-somethings will certainly find much to cheer about throughout the album, don’t be surprised to see the khaki-clad accountant across the street testing out the volume of his speakers in the evening time as rolling rhythms and spastic trumpets spill out of his windows. Just as James Blake’s forlorn songwriter structure helped listeners contextualize his bassdriven productions, Mala’s incorporation of palatable Cuban improvisation, while atypical, punctuate the grooves that most producers never leave. The result is an album every bit as adventurous as it is effective. Kyle Risley (Marketing)

If you would like to submit a review to be considered for publishing in print or online, e-mail: tmreviews@gmail.com

Imagine Dragons Night Visions Release date September 4, 2012 Label Interscope Records Genre Alternative Rock Tasty tracks Bleeding Out, Nothing Left to Say

Name aside, Imagine Dragons does not have much imagination going for them. The Las Vegas-based alternative rockers are this year’s Young the Giant on their debut album Night Visions. In other words, they are the new band producing what has been done before. A listen to the record evokes a déjà vu-like experience of thinking you heard an element of a song before but being unable to place it. The album opens with “Radioactive,” a cry to revolution and “the new age” in which the cause is unknown. Perhaps revolutions don’t need causes, but they at least need conviction, an element lacking here. There are artists out there whose raw anguish makes their emotion-spiked lyrics sound genuine—Kurt Cobain, Thom Yorke, Fiona Apple—but lead singer Dan Reynolds, like many, sounds forced in his wailing. Their single is “It’s Time,” which has reached no. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart

The Avett Brothers The Carpenter Release date September 11, 2012 Label Republic/Rre Genre Folk Rock Tasty tracks I Never Knew You, February Seven, Pretty Girl from Michigan

To place the Avett Brothers in the same category as the leviathans of the folk world like Fleet Foxes and Mumford & Sons is to pigeonhole this awesomely talented group. Don’t get me wrong, those two bands are great at what they do. Fleet Foxes are excellent at their brand of harmonic, acoustic folk music. Mumford & Sons’ consistently structured songs (gradual build-up, climactic crescendo, short denouement) get me hand-clapping and foot-stomping with the best of them. But the Avett Brothers succeed at much more than just one thing. The Carpenter, the latest album from Seth, Scott, and their band mates, exemplifies their wide-ranging excellence. The Carpenter is the seventh full-length album released by the Avett Brothers. Its songs, vacillating somewhere between full-blown folk music and anthemic rock, showcase this band’s multi-faceted talents. The impressiveness of the Avett Brothers does not, however, end with their genre bending. In fact, it doesn’t even begin there. The single best quality of their music lies in the lyrics and their ability to convey deep, piercing meaning in the simplest of terms. The Carpenter, however, only

and was featured in The Perks of Being a Wallflower trailer. On a surface level, the lyrics are inspiring, but this is due to a triteness that makes them relatable. The following song, “Demons,” would be perfect in a soundtrack if Lifetime did a rip-off of Twilight. It’s also hard to believe Imagine Dragons has demons, given the positive, effervescent vibes on most of their songs. (Seriously, the next one is called “On Top of the World” and sounds like something out of a Disney animated movie.) Their low moments come on “Every Night” with the nauseating lyric, “I’m the wind that’s in your hair that ruffles you up,” and on “Underdog,” which has an unabashed resemblance to Passion Pit. Throughout the album, Imagine Dragons struggles to create something cohesive, instead sounding scattered. The beginning of “Tiptoe” is ambient while “Underdog” sounds both calypso and electronic. Reynolds’ voice sounds very country on “On Top of the World,” while the feel of “Every Night” resembles a Christian ballad. By not being anything in particular, Imagine Dragons has become not everything—but nothing. One of their more focused—and more convincing—songs is “Bleeding Out.” This indicates their greatest potential lies at the

occasionally attains the gravity that past albums by the Avett Brothers achieved regularly. “The Once and Future Carpenter” is the album’s opening track and immediately introduces the theme of death, one which persists throughout the rest of the songs. This song, more than any other on the album, displays the Avett Brothers’ wonderful storytelling. It tells the story of a journeyman worker and ponders the meaning of life and death as Scott Avett sings “And my life is but a coin pulled from an empty pocket / Dropped into a slot with dreams of sevens close behind.” “Live and Die” and “I Never Knew You” are the trademark banjo-filled Avett Brothers songs that will make the listener both dance to the music and ponder its meaning. “Pretty Girl from Michigan” is undeniably fun and “Geraldine” is an unabashed rock tune, even if it lasts only ninety-seven seconds. Where this album begins to fall short is in the originality and significance of the lyrics. The Avett Brothers have always been revered for their lyricism—from the gravity of “Road Full of Doubt / Head Full of Promise” to the cleverness of “A Slight Figure of Speech” and the poeticism of “The Ballad of Love and Hate.” The only song on The Carpenter that approaches the lyrical genius previously exhibited by the band is “February Seven,” which declares in despair that “There’s no fortune at the end of a road / That has no end.” The other songs that attempt to resonate with pure emotion simply fail to do so, such as “Through My Prayers,” which merely regurgitates hackneyed sentiments.

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indie-folk-rock crossroads. The album has a few other nice moments. The quickly spoken lyrics “simmer down, keep your head down low” create a nice groove on “Tiptoe.” While the beginning of “Nothing Left to Say” is humorously 80s, the subsequent string parts and harmonies are strong. The album is very catchy, which has made it commercially successful, but it is too fragmented and unoriginal to be considered good. Erica Moser (Journalism)

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The Avett Brothers have proven capable of producing superb folk songs for much of their career, and have turned out more and more stellar rock riffs since the release of their previous album I and Love and You. The Carpenter lies somewhere between its almost-soft-rock-predecessor and 2007’s folksy Emotionalism. The Carpenter does a litany of things well as it shows flashes of the Avett Brothers’ lyrical brilliance, provides catchy melodies, and balances elements of folk and rock music, but falls short of where the band’s last two albums neared perfection. This album is an enjoyable listen and I recommend it to anyone and everyone. But if you were hoping for the next I and Love and You or Emotionalism, The Carpenter just isn’t it. Tom Doherty (Journalism) 41

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Titus Andronicus Local Business Release date October 22, 2012 Label XL Recordings Genre Indie/Punk Rock Tasty tracks N/A

I’ve been listening to Local Business a lot. I’ve played it essentially every moment where playing music could be considered appropriate (or sometimes inappropriate) in the life of a junior-and-a-half behavioral neuroscience major. In the last week or so, I’d reckon that just about three-quarters of all sound waves that have passed through my ear canal and into my cochlea to be converted into interpretable nerve impulses have been from the New Jersey punk band’s third album. After all of this borderlineobsessive listening, which has ranged from a level of homework accompaniment to eyes closed, lights off deep analysis, there is but one question that I want to ask, that I am dying to

Fall 2012

know the answer to, that I want Patrick Stickles to look me dead in the eye and respond to: “Are you fucking kidding me?” Okay, okay. That sounds harsh. I should take a moment to immediately stipulate that Titus’ second album, 2010’s The Monitor, a concept album about comparisons of the American Civil War with various types of internal struggle, annihilated any competition for my favorite album of the last five years , so it’s obvious that I went into this radically different third studio album with my dukes up. But my negative bias has subsided (read: been beaten out of me) and only the objective truth is left exposed: Local Business is a 49 minute embarrassment for a band with two previous albums that both bordered on the rank of masterpiece status. Even as a standalone record, this album has a multitude of fatal flaws, both musically and lyrically, ranging from G-rated guitar riffs to incessant vocal lines that mince the eardrum. While the highs of this album aren’t very plentiful and are only high for the sake of relativity (somewhat notable moments include the chord progressions of “Ecce Homo” and “My Eating Disorder”), the lows are widespread and trench-worthy. “Titus Andronicus vs. The Absurd Universe” is a single lyric repeated over the first song written by a band exclusively using Rock

Band instruments, while “Food Fight!” actually does sound like a bunch of hillbillies tossing fists of jelly at each other. Miles ahead of the pack for worst song on the album, though, is “(I am the) Electric Man.” This song is four minutes of pure, unadulterated vomit, topped off with some armpit fart noises. The track begins with a guitar lick that would be more fitting for the theme music of “Full House” (my apologies to Jesse Frederick). After Danny and the twins spend a few moments slow dancing around the living room, the track takes a turn for the worse when Patrick Stickles begins regurgitating the song title in various accents and octaves. It’s at this point in the episode that Danny scolds his kids for not doing their homework before dinner. As indicated above, the lyrics on this album are such an abomination that many ridiculous theories could easily be raised for an explanation. These theories include, but are not limited to: Patrick Stickle’s grasp of the English language is actually stored exclusively in his now shaven facial hair, Abraham Lincoln was employed to write previous song lyrics, or that the entire band was intoxicated for an entire month straight, writing stanzas ad-lib. The three songs with lyrics limited to just one repeating line (with “Electric Man” adding just a few more gems) are actually more appealing than some other tracks, but the gold mine song is easily “In a Big City”. The entire song is full of humorously bad gibberish, but the line “from Jersey I come, but I pump my own gas; I’m a dirty bum but I wipe my own ass” really does a good job summing it all up. Just as a head’s up, pumping your own gas in New Jersey is illegal. Yes, it’s clearly an attempted metaphor, unless of course Titus is just full of loosecannon rebel gas pumpers, though somehow, I don’t think that’s the case. At the very beginning of the opening drone of The Monitors’s “A More Perfect Union”, a simple question clears the air: “Are we ready to go?” At that precise moment in time, Titus Andronicus had never been more prepared for what was to come. As if to take on the Confederacy itself, The Monitor explodes with musical and lyrical brilliance far beyond the boundaries of a single album. Its 10 tracks scream sagas of love and hatred, call for reassurance when words can no longer save, and destroy the wall of flames dividing an emotional struggle and war. Local Business does no such thing; its cold assembly tells no tales, inspires no emotions, and takes an enormous amount of momentum and stops it. Jeff Curry (Behavioral Neuroscience)

Godspeed You! Black Emperor ‘ALLELUJAH! DON’T BEND! ASCEND! Release date October 1, 2012 Label Constellation Genre Post Rock Tasty track Mladic

As bands go, Godspeed You! Black Emperor has done a particularly great job of creating a cult of personality around itself. They are all the more notable for their somewhat inaccessible style of music: mainly instrumental compositions of the sort that generally get classified as postrock even though their style—particularly the use of larger pieces divided into smaller movements—in many ways seems more like a return to classical musical forms. But the band’s deft integration of found sound, ambient/drone music, and apocalyptic/ anti-capitalist imagery have found them a loyal audience. Perhaps of all bands it was unsurprising that this one would, without warning, start selling their first new album

The Mountain Goats Transcendental Youth Release date October 2, 2012 Label Merge Records Genre Indie Rock Tasty tracks Amy (AKA Spent Gladiator 1), Cry for Judas, In Memory of Satan

It’s been twenty-plus years since John Darnielle began recording cassettes of lo-fi folk music on an ill-functioning Panasonic boom box and releasing them as The Mountain Goats. Transcendental Youth, the 14th official album under the moniker, is perhaps the most lush and polished to date. Darnielle’s piano and guitar compositions are backed by his usual cast, bassist Peter Hughes and drummer Jon Wurster, and accented throughout with horn arrangements from new collaborator Matthew E. White. Beyond being a gorgeous sounding record, it’s also a showcase for a set of often dark but unceasingly brilliant Darnielle lyrics. Transcendental Youth doesn’t tread new ground in its subject matter, but takes on trademark Mountain Goats stories of the disturbed, the depressed and the downtrodden with a renewed sense of

in ten years after a concert one night, and announce its upcoming wide release the next day. You don’t need to do much publicity when you know your fan base is dedicated enough to do it for you. ’ALLELUJAH! DON’T BEND! ASCEND! is that album, and now all that remains is what to make of it. There is only a minor return to the elements of found sound that were absent on their last album Yanqui U.X.O., with a vocal sample at the very start of opening track “Mladic” repeating, “With his arms outstretched.” Thereafter, the album’s four tracks follow an alternating format, with tracks one and three being twenty-minute-long post-rock compositions, and tracks two and four being shorter drone pieces. The album, much like previous Godspeed You! Black Emperor works, rewards the patient listener, with long crescendos and rich instrumentation. It is a good album. However, ’ALLELUJAH! DON’T BEND! ASCEND! still lacks the highest points of their earlier works—the moments of fascinating beauty and breathtaking clarity, the emotional

cohesiveness and purpose. The characters populating these songs exist in similar mental spaces, struggling to operate under the confines of paranoia, depression, loneliness and general despair. They’re drawing chalk Baphomets on altar cloths in “Cry for Judas,” digging through trash and scribbling ciphers on the walls of a library bathroom in “Counterfeit Florida Plates,” and literally holding their hopes underwater to watch them drown in “Until I Am Whole.” Darnielle never revels in their misery though and manages to wrangle humanity and hope from the most bleak of stories. “Do every stupid thing that makes you feel alive,” Darnielle sings on the album opener, introducing an undercurrent of optimism that runs through the often despairing proceedings. The splashes of color provided by White’s gorgeous and expressive horn arrangement and the warmth of Darnielle’s sympathetic voice serve as reminders of the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel for even the most hopeless among us. Transcendental Youth is no radical reinvention for The Mountain Goats, but it is among the prolific band’s most probing and sonically engaging set of character studies yet. Ben Stas (English/Journalism)

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insights and feelings of eschatological dread. There are few, if any, particularly memorable or novel moments. This sounds like more of an insult than it is; the album is certainly worth hearing, particularly for fans of their previous work. But to anyone who’s been waiting years for it, it’s hard not to wish for a little more. Nathan Goldman (Sociology)

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We publish album reviews online too! tastemakersmag.com

Ty Segall Twins Release date October 9, 2012 Label Drag City Genre Rock Tasty tracks The Hill, Gold On the Shore, You’re the Doctor

Reviews

Ty Segall’s had a heck of a 2012. In a year of diminishing returns from quasiunderground giants (Animal Collective and The xx come to mind), the prolific garagerocker released two superb new albums—one a psychedelic collaboration with folkie White Fence (Hair), the other a relentlessly heavy collection of songs made with his touring band (Slaughterhouse). While these albums had a unifying aesthetic, Segall’s new record Twins is more a summation of the sounds he’s done so far than a step forward. As such, it’s something of a victory lap, albeit a very good one. In terms of sound, Twins owes more to the blistering Slaughterhouse than any other Segall release. What’s charming about Twins, though, is Segall’s predilection to

Rafiq Bhatia Yes It Will Release date October 23, 2012 Label Rest Assured Genre Jazz Tasty tracks Background Music, Open Space, Open Minds, Once, A Change Is Gonna Come

Fall 2012

There’s a certain sure-footedness to Rafiq Bhatia that belies his relative newness as a band leader in the jazz scene. Armed with his own label called Rest-Assured, which produced his first LP called Yes It Will, you get the feeling that even in uncharted musical territory, Bhatia knows exactly where he’s going and how he’s going to get there. This project (which thus far has only produced one other EP, Strata), is Bhatia’s first, but in this case, newcomer-status in no way equates to inexperience. Such confidence is presumably informed by Bhatia’s academic approach to music, and is bolstered by exhausting years of deliberate scrutiny on the part of Bhatia and his bandmates. Yes It Will is a direct product of this calculated approach in that Bhatia’s research has afforded him the confidence to make some pretty progressive musical decisions. The result of Bhatia’s daring is an often discordant amalgamation of melodies that seem to wind about erratically, parallel to one another, uniting only to unite briefly before shattering again. Bhatia’s gift for interwoven instrumentation is obvious; each instrument seems to play lead on every composition—

avoid wearing one hat for too long, and how successful he is at hitting the mark with each stylistic shift. The vicious “You’re the Doctor” is two minutes of gorgeously frantic riffing, and “Ghost” is a haunting garage-dirge, punctuated by a wonderfully wailing vocal. Equally successful is the gorgeous pop nugget “Gold On the Shore,” which could pose as an early Beatles cut if it were so inclined. And elsewhere, the hazy psychedelia of “The Hill” recalls the post-Beatles John Lennon (and features a guest vocal from garage compatriot Brigid Dawson of Thee Oh Sees, whose album Putrifiers II is really something). Lyrically Segall delivers the same sort of love platitudes. “Would You Be My Love” doesn’t have much to it beyond the title, but listeners don’t go to Ty Segall for his lyrics. What keeps Twins from standing up to Ty Segall’s other titanic 2012 albums (as well as 2011’s stellar Goodbye Bread) is the lack of surprise. Each of those albums featured an addition to Segall’s color pallet, and while Twins features Ty Segall doing some of the things he does best, it’s hard not to long for more after two highly successful curveballs.

strong and independent of other instruments, but never so much as to dominate. Bhatia exercises his band’s stamina on “Background Music,” “Annihilator Gators,” “Try” and “Endogenous Oscillators,” four thunderously paced tracks, but his most impactful moments are found in his slower compositions. “Open Space; Open Minds,” “Once” and Sam Cooke cover “A Change Is Gonna Come” are markedly less lively, but the slower pace allows Bhatia to play more with negative space, cutting into silence with the groan of synth bass or deep strings. The measured pace adds to the efficacy of the instrumental interplay, highlighting Bhatia’s artfully dissonant orchestration, with instruments trading off responsibilities mid-note. Yes It Will is by no means crafted for universal accessibility. In fact, Bhatia’s website calls the album (arguably too soon, but his point is well-taken) “one for the crate diggers of today” and “for the album adherents, the champions of the LP format.” Its shortest track is just under five minutes long, yielding an average track length of around six and a half minutes. It’s certainly not a compilation of singles, but to call the record inaccessible to someone (like me) not well-traveled in progressive jazz spheres wouldn’t quite be fair. Yes It Will can’t be tied singularly to jazz; in the record’s unorthodox production can the most tangible links to other styles (most notably post-rock) be drawn. In contrast to the other six tracks, Yes It Will closes with a familiar melody, Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” famously

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What we have in Twins is just another album from the most productive, and nowadays most consistent garage-rocker around. But if his 2012 track record is any indication, we won’t have to wait long before he wows listeners again. Mike Doub (Psychology)

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covered by Otis Redding and Seal. Bhatia’s version is breathtaking; saxophone wails the timeless melody backed by percussive guitar scuffs and lush, atmospheric strings. “A Change Is Gonna Come,” historically a harbinger of transformation?), once again signals Bhatia’s confidence in his position at the cutting edge of progressive jazz. The song’s placement at the conclusion of the record is telling. Yes It Will is Bhatia’s launching point into the undiscovered void, not his final destination, but it seems that he is one of the gifted few who knows where he’ll land. Nick Hugon (International Affairs)

D E K N I

astern e h t r o und N o r A c i of Mus s o t t a T

Mackenzie Nichols (Journalism/Music Industry)

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Mark Hickland

Morgan Lawrence

Music Industry

Journalism

Hickland’s music-inspired sleeve of tattoos on his left arm is dedicated to his mother, who he said introduced him to music and tragically died after battling cancer. The sleeve features music notes surrounding the breast cancer awareness ribbon which is designed to replicate the music staff.

Lawrence has two tattoos of Green Day vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt’s signatures on her left wrist. Green Day is her favorite band and she has followed their tours all around the country and abroad to Europe this past summer. She said that their music is especially meaningful to her because she started listening to them at the young age of 11 during a period when their music helped her when she needed it most. She plans to get drummer Tre Cool’s signature to finish off the collection sometime soon.

Elyse Crescitelli Psychology and Education The lyrics that Crescitelli has tattooed on her ribs are from Jason Mraz’s “Details in the Fabric.” She went to get the tattoo with her father and she explained that the song has helped her through hard times in the past. Perhaps more importantly, she said, the tattoo now constantly reminds her to stay true to herself and what she stands for.

Editorial Erica Moser (Journalism) Illustration by Abbie Hanright (Graphic Design)

The electronic drumbeat picks up to whirlwind speeds, mirroring the pulsing heartbeats of excited listeners. The DJ looks out over a sea of sequin miniskirts, gyrating and beads of sweat that will go non-wiped. These people are his disciples. The music grows louder and louder. A white noise builds in the background as the vocals skip in wild succession. There is a fleeting pause as the crowd waits with knowing anticipation. In a typical American dance club that “spins electro, house and top 40,” the bass drops.

Fall 2012

Thousands of miles away, at a White Mink : Black Cotton event in London, the trumpet drops. This is what might happen if the DJ is spinning electro-swing. The genre is nothing new, and it certainly has its cult following, but mention of it still elicits many confused looks. (That, or the “I can’t believe how hipster you are” stare.) Electro-swing originated in the mid-90s with experimental tracks not characterized as such at the time. An early example is the 1999 release “Get a Move On,” sampled from Moondog’s 1969 song “Bird’s Lament,” by Mr. Scruff. The emergence of the genre is inextricably connected to a resurgence of interest in vintage culture. The process the DJs and bands go through is part restoration, because tracks and artists from the 1920s–40s might be forgotten otherwise. Electro-swing saw its most significant growth in 2009, when London opened its first electro-swing

club, now known as ESC London. Nick Hollywood—DJ, producer and general mastermind of the electro-swing business— released the compilation series “White Mink : Black Cotton (Electro Swing versus Speakeasy Jazz)” on the label Freshly Squeezed Music at the venue’s opening. Another notable compilation release was “Electro Swing Vol. 1” from Wagram Records in France. Its first song is “Jolie Coquine” by Caravan Palace, a premier electro-swing band. The thumping drum beat and percussive flourishes are reminiscent of house music, while the syncopated strings, scat singing and vivacious rhythm add the swing. Naturally, some of the tracks are not as good. When it comes to electro-swing, minimalism is not the way to go. Any “DJ”— a term used too loosely—can layer swing samples on a house beat and market it as electro-swing, and some of these artists have

done just that. Instead of being a balanced electro-swing hybrid, it becomes swing with electro as an afterthought. It’s like drinking an Arnold Palmer in which the lemonade or iced tea becomes the dominant flavor—still tasty, but a lesser experience. Other key tracks are Chinese Man’s “Artichaut” and Parov Stelar’s “Libella Swing,” which reflects swing in the trumpet and clarinet parts, and electro in the stutter edits, synthesized claps and trance interlude. What both have in common are transitions so seamless it’s easy to forget the music is cross-genre. Their style is the closest to 50 percent electro, 50 percent swing, giving the music the greatest levels of depth, intricacy and fluidity. Stelar, who lives in Austria, is regarded as the grandfather of electro swing. His song “Chambermaid Swing” was featured in the

2012 “The Party” Bacardi commercial. Stelar does live DJ sets that feature Max the Sax (Markus Ecklmayr) on saxophone and Jerry di Monza (Gerd Rahrstorfer) on trumpet. He also does programming with a live band, which includes these two along with a singer, drummer and bassist. This flip-flopping is a unique approach, as most electro-swing musicians define as either a band (i.e. Caravan Palace, Movits!) or DJ (Mr. Scruff, Madame Summit), not both. Others, such as G-swing, are simply dubbed projects. An electro-swing song that became a European hit was “Why Don’t You” by Serbian DJ Gramophonedzie. The single sampled Peggy Lee’s “Why Don’t You Do Right,” adding a house beat, synthesized claps and scratching. Check out the music video—it’s like a reverse Pleasantville infused with Mary Poppins’ unconventional cleaning methods.

Except Mary Poppins is a raven-haired Rachel McAdams look-alike in a black sequin dress.) An even more popular song with electro-swing roots is the platinum dance club hit “We No Speak Americano.” Other groups, such as The Correspondents or Mestizo & Mike Gao on “Pick up 52’s,” throw in hip-hop. Electro-swing continues to evolve. Last year, electro-swing acts performed at festivals such as Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Bestival and Big Chill, while White Mink and Electro Swing Club hosted the first electro-swing festival, at London’s The Queen of Hoxton. On Oct. 17, ESC is set to open a club in Hollywood, its first in the U.S., where electro-swing has not taken hold as strongly as it has in Europe. There are copious

The emergence of the genre is inextricably connected to a resurgence of interest in vintage culture. resources online for people looking to stay posted on electro-swing. DJ incontrol has been posting tracks, downloads and interviews on electro-swing.com since September of 2010, and Electro Swing Revolution Radio allows listeners to stream their station through iTunes. The genre of electro-swing—and its corresponding nightlife scene—is appealing for various reasons. There are many people who want to go out and dance, but in a nonsleazy environment where dancing does not look like a primitive mating ritual. There is also a certain appeal to fusing two genres that are each already incredibly danceable. Electro-swing could give birth to a new dance style altogether, one that merges hip-hop and swing (search “tsc – forsythe” on YouTube). Electro-swing also eliminates choosing between “old” and “new” sounds. It’s a style that effectively reminds us where society has come from and where it’s going.

Key Listening “Get a Move On” Mr. Scruff “Jolie Coquine” Caravan Palace “Artichaut” Chinese Man “Libella Swing” Parov Stelar “Chambermaid Swing” Parov Stelar “Why Don’t You” Gramophonedzie “We No Speak Americano” Yolanda Be Cool “Pick up 52’s” Mestizo & Mike Gao

RZA Brandon Shigeta

Feature Fall 2012

During a recent student panel at Boston’s Royale nightclub, the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA sat down with Tastemakers Magazine to discuss Chinese cantopop, the art of WWE, cooking steaks for his buddy Quentin Tarantino and his most recent endeavor—the release of his directorial debut, The Man with the Iron Fists. “I’m a fan of superheroes,” RZA unabashedly admitted under the glow of the club’s dim lights, casually running off the comic book influences in the film’s opening trailer. “You see it and you’re thinking ‘Is this some X-Men shit?’” The Man with the Iron Fists does indeed feature throwback references to Marvel Comics character Shang Chi, bringing to mind iconic John Woo-inspired kung fu cinematography, which American audiences have been eagerly anticipating since the success of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill franchise. The Tarantino-endorsed project, co-written by RZA and Eli Roth, conveys the tale of a crew of warriors and assassins acting to defend the livelihood of their village in a hybrid community based on 19th century China. “I was so honored to see him come in and bless the set,” said RZA of Tarantino, shifting in his armchair. Tarantino remained a mentor throughout the experience, offering invaluable technical advice to the first-time director. Rather than go through traditional physical training in preparation for his role as The Blacksmith, RZA opted for an unorthodox approach. “You know,” he said, adjusting his glasses as he explained the merits of studying fighting philosophy, “Once you master the mental principle, you should be able to do anything.” Greg Nicotero, notable for his special effects work on AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” also lent his expertise to many of the film’s scenes, as RZA wanted to keep use of CGI to a minimum. Though its plot and mechanics may seem true to kung fu form, RZA stressed that the film was unique in its incorporation of western elements into the popular genre of Asian cinema. “This film was inspired by sixties and seventies martial arts films but it has an American sensibility to it,” he said. “It’s unique. This film is not done by Asians; it’s an American film with elements of spaghetti westerns and American hip hop.” When asked where the idea to include the eclectic talents of Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, WWE/MMA star Dave Bautista and himself originated, RZA said, “Like

in Star Wars, when you see all these contrasting elements but they make sense anyway? I wanted the film to reflect this.” Initially, RZA was hesitant to compose the film score for his own directorial debut. “I’m a vegetarian, but I was cooking a steak for Quentin,” the rapper said, recalling a conversation he had with Tarantino, “but Quentin just said, ‘Bobby. Whose music do the fans want to hear? Yours.’” While composing the film score for The Man with the Iron Fists, RZA drew influences from Turkish litanies, often listening to them on set and irritating crew members in the process. While writing, he also borrowed elements from classic Wu-Tang Clan cuts. “Every time it would play, everyone would be like,” he laughed, making a motion to cut it off, “But I loved it. And you know ‘North Star?’ Off Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…? I would write to it too.” The score for “The Man with the Iron Fists” was completed after four months of collaboration between RZA and American film composer Howard Drossin, whose expertise was tapped after RZA expressed interest in his earlier work. RZA was also granted reorchestrated Isaac Hayes master recordings from Stax Records for the score. Cantopop singer Sally Ye’s “Hell, Heaven” was also a principle influence on “The Man with the Iron Fists’” soundtrack, which features Kanye West, The Black Keys and Ghostface Killah, among others. Nevertheless, RZA’s Wu-Tang Clan experiences remain the greatest influence on The Man with the Iron Fists. By far, the nine strong personalities of his Wu-tang brothers, as RZA called them, helped form the characters who are set to hit American screens on November 2. “We would go into the movies, just sit and watch these old kung-fu films. It’s something that helped me escape the everyday poverty that was around me,” he said, recalling early days with fellow Wu member Ol’ Dirty Bastard. “You have to go Ol’ Dirty,” said RZA, laughing while recalling his strategy for directing Russell Crowe’s character, which is loosely based on the late rapper. “One day he calls me up and says ‘Bobby?’” RZA paused, giving his most convincing Russell Crowe voice, “I’ma go Ol’ Dirty.” “Good fiction rooted in reality,” said RZA, leaning back and relishing in the opportunity offered to him, “Music and cinema, man can meld these two arts together.” Dinorah Wilson (Journalism, Law and Public Policy)

just a taste of

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EARLYNINETIES Mackenzie Nichols (Journalism/Music Industry)

I’m sure we all can agree that the essence of the 1990s is characterized

Fall 2012

by the popularity of fanny-packs, boy bands and one hit wonders, but Adam McGinn claims his band, EARLYNINETIES, is much more than that: “The name comes from the nostalgic childhood feeling a lot of us can relate to when anything from the 90s comes up in conversation, TV, or fashion. It’s a ‘forever young’ statement,” he said. After speaking with both members of EARLYNINETIES, who say their music is a combination of electronic hip-hop infused with R&B influences, it seems as if they expect to only move forward after their show at the House of Blues on September 21st. Andy Nagashima, the other piece of this 90s duo, described the experience as incredibly rewarding and euphoric, particularly because the crowd was larger than expected and the duo played all original work. “House of Blues was a trip,” said McGinn, “The fact that in one calendar year, since the inception of EARLYNINETIES, that dream became a reality is amazing, and it happened playing the music close to my heart. E90s is my most personal musical venture.” McGinn has been playing music since a very young age, and most of his work for E90s began almost 6 years prior to their show at

the House of Blues. Nagashima met McGinn through his younger brother, as they had been friends throughout high school, and was enamored by McGinn’s catchy beats and original name. Once Nagashima showed interest in McGinn’s work, the two decided to collaborate on the project. “I started making the music because I was harboring a bunch of emotions and lyrics I couldn’t inject into my projects at the time. I needed to branch off and start making music that didn’t pigeonhole me or keep me from saying exactly how I felt,” said McGinn. E90s music features varying genres put together into something unique and catchy, and they don’t see themselves changing anytime soon. “We want to keep a certain theme and faithfulness to what E90s was all about in the first place,” said Nagashima. That “certain theme” applies to much more than the music, and the duo intend to maintain that “low-fi” feel of their set and multimedia. The most recent fall teaser, released on YouTube, was taken on McGinn’s iPhone, which he then sent through an app called “Viddy”. The result is incredibly effective and the low-fi feel which resonates with most indie-rock artists of today’s music culture seems like a good route for E90s as they plan to promote for the future. In terms of this promotion, McGinn says that they aren’t trying to rely too much on social media to get their names out there. They do have a Facebook site and a bandcamp site, which both Nagashima and McGinn agreed has helped their promotion, but they also like to go out and sell hard-copy tickets to their fans to maintain that personal feel.

“We take an old school, door-to-door sales approach to promotion,” claims McGinn, “For this House of Blues show we accounted for about 400 tickets with our efforts”. In terms of what we can look forward to from E90s in the future, they have a show at the Royale on November 1st opening for Paper Diamond, a DJ who was on the most recent lineup for Lollapalooza this summer and now has a full US tour coming up this fall. “It’s definitely a very exciting opportunity to go back to focusing creatively, and we really love Paper Diamond’s style,” said Nagashima, who spoke about how the House of Blues show was about making sure everything went smooth logistically, whereas the Royale show will showcase the music and their creative growth. “To say we are excited is a huge understatement. We plan to make this our most intricate show to date,” said McGinn. Nagashima backed up this statement by discussing how E90s’ changing sets and stage presence corresponds to a shift in the members’ lives. After this HOB show, fans can definitely expect to see more from them. When asked what is in store for EARLYNINTIES’ future, McGinn said, “Our show is exciting and the more people that see it, the more momentum E90s is going to have to propel us into the future. I don’t see E90s stopping anytime soon. It’s way too much fun.”

Check out EARLYNINETIES at yourearlynineties.com and on twitter: @EARLYNINETIES

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_____ Coquine Shirley Bassey Life in Color Skyfall Sigur Rós best track Online fundraising site The Man with the _____ Fists Playlist with POLICA Canada’s Blink-182

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Clockwise from top left: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco. Coexist, The XX. Shrines, Purity Ring. Visions, Grimes.

find bieber We’ve hidden Justin Bieber somewhere in this issue. Can you find him?