Issue 32

A Guide to Summer Festivals | 10

INTERVIEW WITH

BOB HERTIG

An Interview with The Antlers | 20

TURN AUDIO

Judge a Band by Its Cover | 30

northeastern students on music

No 32

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E- Board

The Team

President Jeff Curry

Staff Writers Runyon Colie Suzie Conway Tom Doherty Mike Doub Shea Geyer Amanda Hoover Cara McGrath Ben Stas Dinorah Wilson

Editor in Chief Nick Hugon 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 Editor Ryan Kehr Interviews Editor Dinorah Wilson Reviews Director Suzie Conway Reviews Editor Leslie Fowle Media Directors Jenna Ross Christina Spleen Senior Writers Nathan Goldman Erica Moser Senior Designers Brian Cantrell Abbie Hanright Carisa Tong

The Cover Tastemakers Music Magazine 232 Curry Student Center 360 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 02115 tastemakersmag@gmail.com © 2013 tastemakers music magazine all rights reserved

Design Dave Tschiegg

Art & Design Laura Crossin Eric Lee Stephanie Lee Cara McGrath Emily O’Brien Wendy Schiller Naomi Stapleton Contributor Alisha Keshavjee Marketing Gus Altobello Martin Au Nathan Goldman Shreya Gurubacharya Crystal Lin Sarah Maillet Jason Moosikkamol Alex Taylor Carisa Tong Leah Zwemke

Meet the Staff

About

Listening to

Quote

Ryan Kehr Position Features Director Major English Graduating Fall 2016 Favorite Venue Paradise Tastemaker Since Fall 2011

Yo La Tengo “The Point of It” The National “The Geese of Beverly Road”

“If blood starts coming out of my ears...don’t worry about it.”

Bellewoods “Blood and Wine”

Cara McGrath Position Staff Writer/Designer Major Graphic Design Graduating Spring 2016 Favorite Venue The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ Tastemaker Since Fall 2011

Filligar The Nerve

“Never have I ever been obese”

The Hold Steady “Sequestered in Memphis” Chadwick Stokes Simmerkane II

Dave Tschiegg Position Art Director Major Graphic Design Graduating Spring 2013 Co-ops @ Wojciechowski Design, Sametz Blackstone Favorite Venue The Middle East Tastemaker Since Fall 2008

Jimmy Cliff The Harder They Come Soundtrack

“Deadlines?

What deadlines?”

Alice Cooper “School’s Out for Summer” Daft Punk “Get Lucky”

Dinorah Wilson Position Features/ Interviews Editor Major Journalism/Law & Public Policy Graduating Spring 2015 Co-ops @ Smithsonian Student Travel Favorite venue Governor’s Island (NYC) Tastemaker Since Fall 2010

Depeche Mode “Stripped” Sun Ra “The All of Everything” The Knife “A Tooth For An Eye”

“You don’t want Ganja Lion to get you...”

Table of Contents Cover Story

Editorial

Reviews

26

36

It’s Not You, It’s Me

08

Show Reviews

42

Get Me to the Greek

48

Album Reviews

45

Gazing at Shoes

An Interview with Bob Hertig Northeastern grad and co-founder of U-Turn Audio

Features

10

Summer Festivals

30

Judge a Band its Cover

Your guide to this year’s summer music festivals

Cover art stereotypes, starring Northeastern’s own Brian Cantrell

Interview

20 34

06 15

When artists put their main projects on the backburner

An American’s exploration of the music of Greece

A brief history of rock's haziest subgenre

Local Talent

Sigur Rós, Animal Collective, The Postelles

Reviews of David Bowie, Bastille, The Strokes and Justin Timberlake’s new albums

Etcetera

23

Dipping into G. Love & Special Sauce A look at the prolific work of G. Love & Special Sauce

18

YET Northeastern graduate Ryan Fleming took to the road to pursue his dreams

39

In Rhyme We Trust

58

Just a Taste of

Hip-hop’s ghostwriting phenomenon

The Antlers We sat down with Peter Silberman from Tastemakers Presents headliner, The Antlers.

Groupmuse A Boston startup bringing classical music back from the brink

Calendar Local Photos

Mark Gilday Jr.

Calendar May

1 Wednesday

7 Tuesday

12 Sunday

19 Sunday

Pretty & Nice Great Scott

Doldrums Great Scott

Flying Lotus Paradise Rock Club

Andre Nickatina The The Middle East

Electric Guest Brighton Music Hall

Foxygen Brighton Music Hall

Yeah Yeah Yeahs House of Blues

21 Tuesday

2 Thursday

8 Wednesday

13 Monday

Jeff the Brotherhood Great Scott

Eksi Ekso, Spirit Animal The Middle East

James Blake House of Blues

Crystal Castles House of Blues

Of Montreal Paradise Rock Club

3 Friday

Teebs Paradise Rock Club

14 Tuesday

23 Thursday

Kingsley Flood Brighton Music Hall

9 Thursday

Feelies The Sinclair

The Thermals The Sinclair

Tallahassee The Sinclair

Foals House of Blues

15 Wednesday

25 Saturday

4 Saturday

Screaming Females The Middle East

Vampire Weekend Agganis Arena

Johnny Marr Paradise Rock Club

Ghostface Killah Wilbur Theatre

16 Thursday

Boston Calling Day One fun., The Shins, Portugal. the Man, Matt & Kim, Cults, MS MR, St. Lucia, Bad Rabbits, Marina & the Diamonds City Hall Plaza

Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite Orpheum Theatre

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper Brighton Music Hall

The Hush Sound Royale

Boris Brighton Music Hall

10 Friday

17 Friday

Mudhoney Paradise Rock Club

Iron & Wine Berklee Performance Center

Telekinesis Brighton Music Hall

18 Saturday

Boston Calling Day Two The National, Of Monsters and Men, Andrew Bird, Ra Ra Riot, Dirty Projectors, The Walkmen, Youth Lagoon, Caspian, Young the Giant City Hall Plaza

11 Saturday

Anamanaguchi The Sinclair

Fall Out Boy House of Blues

Alkaline Trio House of Blues

29 Wednesday

5 Sunday Stornoway TT the Bear’s Place

6 Monday

Shout Out Louds Paradise Rock Club

Palma Violets Brighton Music Hall

26 Sunday

Gold Panda Brighton Music Hall

Rockommends

Ghostface Killah Wilbur Theatre

Boris

Baths

May 4–5, Brighton Music Hall

June 12, The Sinclair

Japan’s most versatile sludge/doom/drone metal band returns to Boston for a two-night residency at Brighton Music Hall, performing a set of “all time classics” on Saturday and a front-to-back rendition of their 2000 epic Flood the next night.

Ben Stas (English/Journalism)

Electronic artist Will Wiesenfeld is coming to town, and there’s sure to be plenty of new material, coming shortly after the release of his new album, Obsidian. While his previous work has been relatively peaceful and relaxing, he has indicated that, true to its title, the upcoming album will be somewhat darker. The album’s great first single, “Miasma Sky”, has shown that this change in mood hasn’t resulted in a loss of quality, and his performance at the Sinclair is sure to be a memorable experience.

Nathan Goldman (Sociology)

June 1 Saturday

7 Friday

13 Thursday

21 Friday

Tomahawk Paradise Rock Club

Ariel Pink The Sinclair

Son Volt Paradise Rock Club

Sting Bank of America Pavilion

2 Sunday

Devendra Banhart The Wilbur Theatre

Fucked Up The Sinclair

22 Saturday

The Dandy Warhols The Wilbur Theatre

Sea Wolf Brighton Music Hall

14 Friday

The Boxer Rebellion The Sinclair

3 Monday

8 Saturday

Down By Law The Middle East

23 Sunday

New Kids On the Block, 98 Degrees, Boyz II Men TD Garden

The xx, Grizzly Bear Bank of America Pavilion

15 Saturday

Say Anything Paradise Rock Club

9 Sunday

Atlas Genius The Sinclair

26 Wednesday

Milk Music TT the Bear’s Place

16 Sunday

Bruno Mars TD Garden

11 Tuesday

CHVRCHES Paradise Rock Club

27 Thursday

Fu Manchu The Sinclair

17 Monday

Come The Sinclair

12 Wednesday

Selah Sue, Bushwalla The Sinclair

28 Friday

Baths The Sinclair

18 Tuesday

Cold Cave TT the Bear’s Place

Twin Shadow Paradise Rock Club

Why? Brighton

The Postal Service Bank of America Pavilion

Jacuzzi Boys The Sinclair

4 Tuesday Hands Great Scott

5 Wednesday Butch Clancy The Middle East Downstairs Filligar TT the Bear’s Place

6 Thursday Best Coast Royale Cœur de Pirate Paradise Rock Club

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yelton The Middle East Downstairs

29 Saturday José González Brighton Music Hall

19 Wednesday

The Rolling Stones TD Garden

Big Boi Paradise Rock Club

CHVRCHES

Big Boi

June 16, Paradise Rock Club

June 19, Paradise Rock Club

If there’s one show you definitely shouldn’t miss this year, it’s this one. Creating a massive buzz across the pond, CHVRCHES will get your hips swinging madly to their infectious electropop tunes.

Shea Geyer (Pharmacy)

Big Boi, one half of the polaroid-shakin’ duo Outkast, will be stepping out solo at the Paradise.

He’s been making waves with his surprising collaborations with artists like Little Dragon and Phantogram on his latest album Vicious Lies & Dangerous Rumors. So check him out, without Andre 3000, but with an arsenal of rhymes.

Suzie Conway (Communications)

The Fab Faux Wilbur Theatre

Show Reviews

Reviews Sigur Rós

Ben Stas (English/Journalism)

Sigur Rós March 26 @ Agganis Arena

Spring 2013

8

Post-rock heroes Sigur Rós returned from a hiatus last year with the polarizing Valtari, an ambient-leaning record that largely traded in crescendos for floating soundscapes.

The pop tendencies found in 2008’s Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust and frontman Jónsi Birgisson’s 2010 solo album Go seemed a distant memory in the grip of Valtari’s dreamy, enveloping atmosphere. The band’s brief run of shows in 2012 acknowledged the un-performable nature of those songs, and focused on more concert-friendly material from Ágætis byrjun, ( ) and Takk…instead.

2013 has already seen the band change gears dramatically, embarking on their largest U.S. tour yet and road-testing a set of intense, aggressive new songs.

Just a day after a massive Madison Square Garden show in New York City, Sigur Rós played Boston’s Agganis Arena in their first venture to the city since 2008. The core band is now a three-piece consisting of guitarist/vocalist Jónsi, bassist Georg Hólm and drummer Orri Páll Dýrason, following the departure of multi-instrumentalist Kjartan

Sveinsson last year. They’ve filled in the gaps this tour with eight additional touring musicians, including a second guitarist and miniature string and horn sections. The resultant sound at Boston’s show was grand, sweeping and truly arena-filling.

The night began with a half-hour set from experimental ambient noise artist Tim Hecker, who conjured rumbling bass tones, ghostly piano loops and flashes of static from behind an enormous curtain shrouding the stage. His understated set was a lovely, meditative counterpoint to the headliners, even if the chatty crowd didn’t take much notice. The curtain stayed in place as Sigur Rós took the stage, now illuminated by projections and backlighting which cast dramatic shadows and silhouettes of the band in time with the music. Midway through second song “Ný Batterí” the curtain dropped, revealing the full 11-piece band in all its glory.

Press releases for this tour promised the band’s most innovative visual show yet, and between the silhouettes, the artfully considered lighting and the abstract visuals displayed on a huge curved screen at the back of the stage, they delivered. The visual accompaniment felt carefully constructed to fit the mood of each song, from the sunny imagery of “Hoppípolla” to the chaotic, multicolor assault of “Popplagið.”

While the visual dimension certainly added to the performance, the band would have sounded just as stunning without it.

Sigur Rós’s brand of post-rock has always felt cinematic, and seeing it performed live only amplifies that feeling. Jónsi’s pitchperfect falsetto and otherworldly bowed guitar-playing often stole the show, but the contributions of Hólm, Dýrason and the talented touring band were just as impressive. The music was rich and expansive, contrasting intimate moments (the choral coda of “Varúð”) with towering, breathtaking crescendos (the aforementioned “Popplagið”).

The new songs peppered in amongst older favorites provided a tantalizing look at the band’s forthcoming Kveikur LP. The percussive title track and set-closing “Brennisteinn,” with its growling, electrotinged hook, characterized this new record as a huge departure from Valtari, and an intriguingly heavy direction for the band.

Between this promising new material, a healthy number of classic songs and a set of stunning visuals, Sigur Rós put together a seriously impressive show.

Ben Stas (English/Journalism)

Animal Collective with Dan Deacon March 7 @ The House of Blues

Of today’s indie rock juggernauts, critical darlings Animal Collective have had one of the stranger rises to fame. The band has always been one to follow its own muse, as with the childlike folk of Sung Tongs or the underwater alternative of Feels, and when the band took the spotlight with 2009’s pop-influenced Merriweather Post Pavillion it was on their own terms. Last year’s Centipede Hz was a noisier outing, and one that some fans understandably chaffed against. The transition from pop-sheen to chaotic earthiness was an abrupt change of course from the band’s growing affinity for melody, and left many-alistener scratching their heads.

Animal Collective brought that same level of unpredictability to their House of Blues show on March 7th. With the exception of “everyone’s favorite Animal Collective song” contender “My Girls,” their songs began and ended with dense instrumental muscle-flexing. The night’s

The Postelles with Arkells and Ambassadors March 4 @ Brighton Music Hall

With its great black doors and a sleek façade, Brighton Music Hall is cool from the moment its accesses are spotted between Bravo Pizza and Sunrise Market. The subtle entrance ushers you into an intimate room that perfectly fits the small crowd for indie acts. Just past the stage lies another room with a bar on the right side and two pool tables to the left. By the time The Postelles’ frontman Daniel Balk started singing “Running Red Lights,” no eight balls were left un-pocketed; everyone was looking at the stage.

The other bands rounding out this indie-rock trio are Canada’s Arkells and The Postelles’ Brooklyn brothers, Ambassadors.

It was a trifecta of charismatic lead singers.

Ambassadors’ Sam Harris poured every last ounce of emotion and energy into his singing, whether it be his own “Unconsolable” or a cover of the Ramones’ “Beat on the Brat” onstage with The Postelles. Effortlessly cool Max Kerman helped his Arkells steal the show, whether he was dancing, singing or stopping mid-song to discuss Boston-based movies.

And, of course, there was The Postelles’ Daniel Balk, drinking whiskey and serenading the crowd late into the night.

setlist also pulled some surprises, with songs like Merriweather’s “Bluish” and the follow-up EP Graze’s “I Think I Can” making live debuts.

However, much of the show (for better or for worse–mostly better) was what one might expect from a band touring a new album. The brunt of Animal Collective’s songs that night were from Centipede or singles (the fantastic, fast-paced “Honeycomb”) released around the same time. Even the visual aesthetic was cribbed directly from Centipede’s artwork, with a huge, unseemly mouth swallowing much of the stage.

So your enjoyment of the show, to a certain extent, came down to your feelings on Animal Collective’s most divisive record (or something).

At any rate, the concert was lively and energetic enough to win over naysayers of the new material. Recently-returned guitarist Deakin played a swirling mix of chords and fast-paced guitar notes, while singer/drummer Panda Bear (known on his birth certificate as Noah Lennox) anchored the band with precise drum work and took lead vocals on “Brother Sport.”

Elsewhere, the stage was constantly aglow with different lights and images dancing across

the surface of the large centipede mouth. And main singer Avey Tare, despite canceling several shows following the Boston date due to a bout of strep throat, sounded simultaneously confident and playful. His fast-paced cadences on songs like “Todays Supernatural” and “Lion in a Coma” were used to great effect.

Opener and electronic artist Dan Deacon also played an excellent set. Last year’s album, America, was a 2012 highlight, and Deacon’s performance was stacked with new material.

His songs were varied in style, from the propulsive “USA I/II/IV” to the sweeping, cinematic “True Thrush,” and Deacon played flanked by two talented drummers.

The set was also heavy on crowd participation and dancing, and worthy of note was the glowing skull perched on Deacon’s synth array, all of which made a solid warm-up for the blissed-out, fun psychedelia that was Animal Collective. If both artists maintain this level of energy and bounce when they play their rescheduled tour dates on the west coast, then Centipede -fans or not, concert goers will find little to gripe about.

Mike Doub (Psychology)

Ambassadors were the first act for this show of old school rock and roll. Sam Harris and his fellow New Yorkers don’t yet have much of a following in Boston and the room was only about half full at the time of their performance. Those who were in attendance swayed to the groovy beats along with Harris, and everyone really got into it when Harris joined percussionist Adam Levin on his own small drum set by his mic. As the music started to sound more like R&B than rock, Harris’ voice took on a more velvety sound without losing its strength and his hands seemed to move to the music with a life of their own (think Napoleon Dynamite, but cooler). The set was a consistent one that was well-received by the crowd.

But it was Arkells who were the most impressive of the three. There were sparse cheers when Kerman asked “Any Canadians here?” There was no doubt, though, that this crowd came to Brighton Music Hall for The Postelles. But when the show was over, it was Kerman and his bandmates who worked their way into the audience’s heart. From the singer’s leather jacket and Star Wars t-shirt to the cover of The Clash’s “Rock the Casbah,” the performance was a throwback. Although The lyrics were nearly impossible to decipher throughout the set, the music had each audience member dancing.

Kerman hopped around stage, flashed a smile, and pantomimed the lyrics. His energy and pure joy were infectious. Much of the audience was unfamiliar with Arkells, but danced nonetheless. To further appease new listeners, Arkells did two impressive covers.

Halfway through their set, which spanned more than an hour, they covered “Stand by Me” and urged everyone to belt out “Darling, darling, stand by me.” And as the performance came to an end, their “Rock the Casbah” cover, well, rocked the casbah—whatever that is. After a jaw-dropping keyboard solo

by Anthony Carone (his hands moving so fast it’s incredible his cardigan didn’t catch fire) Arkells left the stage to hearty cheers, considerably raising the show’s quality and gaining plenty of new fans in the process.

With a second album on the way, the evenings headliners, The Postelles, played a few new songs that the crowd tolerated, but didn’t seem to love. Once they delved into their debut album, rife with danceable hits and plenty of guitar, the crowd got into it. It seemed everyone knew the words to “123 Stop” and “Sleep on the Dance Floor.” When The Postelles performed “White Night” during their encore, Balk encouraged a callback with the audience, and when he told them to “make the floorboards shake,” everyone, even those who had been standing for the last three hours straight, jumped up and down to the music.

This was a show for those with an affinity for guitars. All three of the bands heavily featured that classic weapon of choice for rockers in their high-energy sets.

The singers were in the spotlight, but these are complete bands with the talent to make names for themselves. They certainly made an impression on those at Brighton Music Hall.

Tom Doherty (Journalism)

9

Feature

Summer Festivals 2013 A Guide 20,000

Sasquatch!

The Gorge Amphitheater George, Washington Notable Acts Mumford & Sons, The Postal Service, Sigur Rós, Vampire Weekend, Macklemore, Elvis Costello, Arctic Monkeys, Cake, Dropkick Murphys Andrew Bird, Grimes

Summer is just around the corner, and for music fans everywhere, it’s time to start thinking about sweat, mud, crowds and dehydration—otherwise known as the festival season.

While some people look at festivals and immediately feel an oncoming headache or wave of nausea, those who really love music are willing to trade a few days of showering and air conditioning in order to see their favorite bands and make some new friends. Whether you’re into camping and the traditional, crowded and sweaty field full of famous headliners, electronic music in an urban atmosphere, or camping in the desert for ten days, there’s something this summer for every taste.

• Amanda Hoover (Journalism)

$340

CAPACITY

2,000

Austin Psych

Carson Creek Ranch Austin, Texas Notable Acts

PRICE

$150

20,000

The Moving Sidewalks featuring Billy Gibbons, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Deerhunter, The Raveonettes, Os Mutantes, Warpaint, Black Mountain

City Hall Plaza Boston, Massachusetts Notable Acts

$130

DATES WHY GO?

Spring 2013

10

Boston Calling

Fun., The National, The Shins, Matt and Kim, Of Monsters and Men, Young the Giant, Andrew Bird, Ra Ra Riot

April 26–28

May 24 –27

May 25–26

Austin Psych Fest is a gathering of modern psychedelic rock enthusiasts. It’s been held in a different location every year, moving from its humble beginnings in a barn, then a decommissioned steam power plant, and adjoining clubs in downtown Austin. This year, the festival will be entirely outdoors for the first time at the 58-acre Carson Creek Ranch. The larger space has opened up more room for local vendors and multimedia exhibits and installations. While the festival grows in capacity and length each year, it manages to maintain its roots in psychedelic rock and gives support to many unknown artists.

With a stage set up in front of the Gorge, it’s definitely the prettiest venue around.

Sasquatch! is nestled between the Columbia River and the Cascade Mountain range where you’ll be doing some serious camping. George, Washington is about 2 ½ hours from Seattle and most other forms of civilization.

It’s Boston Calling’s inaugural festival and anything could happen. Starting out on the smaller side, with two stages and only about ten artists on each day, you don’t have to worry about overlapping acts and stampedes from stage to stage in between the sets.

230,000

Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nevada Notable Acts

80,000

TBA

Bonnaroo

Great Stage Park Manchester, Tennessee 25,000

Notable Acts Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Wilco, The National, David Byrne and St. Vincent, Pretty Lights

$330

Governor's Ball Randall’s Island NYC, New York

$270

Notable Acts

$220

Kanye West, Kings of Leon, Grizzly Bear, The XX, Feist, The Lumineers, Kendrick Lamar, Beach House, Animal Collective

June 7–9

June 13–16

June 21–23

They’re not just giving you music, but also some activities and an unlimited supply of free water.

There’s ping pong and a silent disco where everyone dances to music on headphones rather than from speakers. Just outside of NYC, the festival is neither urban nor completely rural, giving you a nice mix of both worlds.

Even though it’s huge and crowded, Bonnaroo has been deemed festival of the decade. They’ve got comedy and cinema tents as well as unique vendors for shopping to keep you entertained between sets. There’s no need to worry about braving any community showers with the water slides and gigantic fountains that promise conditions at least better than those at Woodstock for bathing. If you go this summer, you get to see one of the two remaining Beatles—an opportunity that probably won’t be around for the next generation.

While the largest electronic music festival in the country, it still advertises a culture immersed in the rave principles of love, respect and unity. Due its wild popularity, New York and Chicago know also play host to the festival, but the Vegas location still parties the hardest. Music plays from sun down to sun up in traditional club style, unlike many festivals where you sweat through the day and get booted out by midnight. They have free carnival rides, art installations and hundreds of performers in costume, true to Las Vegas form.

11

A Look into Niche Festivals Feature

The biggest festivals may be unmatched in terms of budget and lineup diversity, but smaller, niche festivals could be the answer to jaded festival-goers this year. Coachella, Bonnaroo and Sasquatch, among many others, have made their names by featuring numerous high-caliber artists at one place, at one time. But many smaller-scale festivals are nipping at their heels in terms of acclaim as well as quality.

Each festival over the years tries to set itself apart from its opponents— Coachella stretched its lineup to two weekends, Governor’s Ball scheduled its festival last year to include

no overlapping sets. With these structural setups aside (Coachella’s two weekends remain, Gov Ball’s set schedule has not), it seems like the bigger the scale of the festival, the less likely it is to differentiate itself from its peers.

Perhaps this leaves room for many smaller niche festivals to take center stage. For those looking for a more unique experience outside of traditionally constructed festivals that are a dime a dozen (or $150 a dozen), consider the many niche festivals in production this summer, including local festivals Wanderlust and the one that started it all— Newport Folk Festival.

Newport Folk Festival July 26–28 2013 in Newport, RI

Newport Folk is the quintessential niche festival despite being the first music festival of its kind, starting in 1959. Tastemakers spoke with Jay Sweet, the producer of Newport Folk (as well as the editor of Paste Magazine) about Newport Folk and the festival landscape in general.

Newport Folk is steeped in the tradition that birthed it over fifty years ago.

“When I’m setting up the lineup, there are three main considerations: whether [we] as producers want the artist to perform, whether the

audience would want them to perform and whether the artists themselves want to perform,” says Sweet.

That last consideration is key— Newport Folk’s entire budget is less than the price of one sub-headliner at most major festivals. “Artists who perform at Newport Folk aren’t in it for the money. For smaller acts, it’s a way that they can get noticed and play a big stage. For larger acts, it’s more for the experience and atmosphere of performing at the festival,” Sweet says.

Sweet is involved with every step of the booking process and has become perfectly adept at understanding the Fest’s voice in his 5 years as producer (“I can’t define folk,

40,000

Electric Forest Rothbury, Michigan Notable Acts

18,000

The String Cheese Incident, Pretty Lights, Passion Pit, Yeasayer, Empire of the Sun, Dispatch

Firefly

The Woodlands Dover, Delaware Notable Acts Tom Petty, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Lumineers, Dr. Dog, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Passion Pit, Matt and Kim, Dan Deacon

2,000

Solid Sound Mass MoCA North Adams, Massachusetts

$260

$260

Notable Acts $150

Spring 2013

12

Wilco, Story Pirates, The Relatives, Al Madrigal, Foxygen, Jen Kirkman, Reggie Watts, White Denim

June 21–23

June 21–23

June 21–23

In a state that has to use tax-free shopping as a lure for tourists, there’s finally a cool festival making Delaware a travel destination. Firefly brews their own special beer for the festival, and even offers some hot air balloon rides and a light installation in the forest.

Solid Sound is curated by Wilco and takes place at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. This year, Wilco will headline both Friday and Saturday night, with Saturday’s set composed entirely of fan requests. In the past, highlights of the festival have included a falconry demonstration and Jeff Tweedy in a charity dunk tank.

Located in the Sherwood Forest, the Electric Forest Festival is known for putting on the most elaborate light show of any festival. Each night, the light show brings the forest alive and visitors are likely to find surprise performances when meandering down different paths. During the day, fans also have access to a water park, lake, and horseback riding.

exactly, but I know it when I hear it,” he says). It’s this attention to detail and mission to maintain the tradition of Newport Folk that set it apart from larger-scale and less-storied festivals.

Wanderlust Festival June 20–23rd in Stratton, VT; other dates and locations

Another festival that has broken from the limiting, accepted festival format is the Wanderlust Festival.

Tastemakers asked festival cofounder Jeff Krasno a few questions about the inception, process and challenges of putting on the Wanderlust Festival.

10,000

Wanderlust takes place in several cities including its flagship event in California, attended by 20,000 and its New England event in Stratton, VT. Instead of the traditional, multi-stage barrage of performers, Wanderlust’s events are comprised of performers, guest speakers and yoga. Krasno says of Wanderlust: “While combining music and yoga may seem counterintuitive, musical festivals tend to bring people together who share similar values in an environment that's all about music, dance and fun.”

Wanderlust is attempting to achieve a particular atmosphere in terms of audience and feel. Krasno seeks an intimate gathering with common-minded folks. “There’s a growing cultural movement toward more mindful living and concepts such as ethical consumerism and fairtrade. We wanted to provide a place for people who share these values to come together and commune.” The union of yoga and music may not seem like a natural one, but listening to music on a picturesque mountain in Vermont may just be the perfect location to explore oneself.

Two local festivals are breaking the traditional festival mold in a variety of ways—whether it is keeping up with the folk tradition or fostering spiritual healing. If you’re looking for a more intimate feel than the festival behemoths, check out these and other smaller events for a different take on what a festival can be.

• Suzie Conway (Communications)

High Sierra Quincy, California Notable Acts

30,000

Forecastle

Louisville, Kentucky

Primus, Thievery Corporation, moe., Steel Pulse, Leftover Salmon, White Denim, The Greyboy AllstarsSun, Dispatch

Notable Acts The Black Keys, The String Cheese Incident, The Avett Brothers, The Flaming Lips, Alabama Shakes, Jim James, Animal Collective

18,000

$190

Pitchfork

Union Park Chicago, Illinois

$165

Notable Acts $120

July 4–7

July 12–14

High Sierra features jazz, funk and bluegrass artists primarily, and was originally launched as a small roots-oriented festival. The rural, mountainous setting gives attendees the opportunities to camp, swim, bike, fish, hike and get in touch with nature in between sets.

Forecastle is a waterfront festival is Louisville that places a strong emphasis on the theme of sustainability. At night, fans have a chance to ride on the oldest operating steamboat in the world during the festival’s after party.

Belle & Sebastian, Bjork, R. Kelly, more TBA

July 19–20 Located in the heart of Chicago, the festival turns Union Park into a community within a city. Last year Pitchfork featured a record fair hosted by a Chicago-based independent radio station and a book fair full of up and coming authors, both sure to draw in crowds of drooling hipsters.

13

Feature

48,000

Burning Man

Black Rock Desert, Nevada

Newport Folk

Newport, Rhode Island Notable Acts The Mountain Goats, Tift Merritt, Father John Misty, JD McPherson, Iris Dement, The Lumineers, Rayland Baxter

10,000

60,000

Outside Lands

Golden Gate Park San Francisco, California

$380

Notable Acts TBA

$280

$215

July 26–28

Spring 2013

14

Right on the water, it’s a classic, scenic, New England-style venue and one of the oldest festivals in the country, drawing in both young and old acts.

The festival definitely sticks to its folk roots and hasn’t sold out for huge headliners over the years, yet has managed to keep itself relevant and appealing.

It’s also a lot smaller than your average mega-fest for those who aren’t interested in being herded like cattle from stage to stage or in and out of the gates.

August 9–11 Located in the most visited park in the country, Outside Lands has managed to score the ideal location in San Francisco. Known for its diverse organic food and wine tasting, the festival embodies the California mindset and focuses on remaining eco-friendly.

August 26–September 2 There’s no other festival like Burning Man. Every year, almost 50,000 people come to the desert and build an experimental community. There aren’t any scheduled performers—you bring the music and art with you. It’s a festival with zero rules and expectations, other than that it’s going to get weird and there’s going to be some nudity. Burning Man is a chance for art appreciation, soul searching and bike riding in the desert. It’s completely noncorporate, and chances are you won’t miss all the sponsored tents and obnoxious logos.

Local Photos

Sigur R贸s (right) Agganis Arena, March 2013

Ben Stas (English/Journalism) Lady Lamb the Beekeeper (left) afterHours, March 2013

Ryan Kehr (English)

Tyler, the Creator Paradise Rock Club, March 2013

Ben Stas (English/Journalism)

Local Talent

YET members

Driving across the country and performing in a different city every night is to a musician what kissing in the rain is to a starry-eyed schoolgirl...

Ryan Fleming c o l l a b o r at o r s

Mitchell Stewart (Friendly People, Infinity Girl) Pat McCusker (Friendly People)

Local Talent

Jeff Butcher (Friendly People, Whiskey Boys) Davis Rowan (Friendly People) sounds like

Bob Dylan vs. Black Flag; 70’s Punk/Garage/Soul r eco m m e n d e d t rac ks

“L’Avenir,” “Don’t Need It All”

Spring 2013

18

...what shacking up in a rundown Parisian apartment with only a typewriter and bottle of whiskey, à la Hemingway, is to a writer. It is a romantic notion, a quixotic crusade, but rather uncommon and unrealistic.

However, to Ryan Fleming, the man behind YET, this idealized notion was too tempting a departure from everyday life. After spending seven years in Boston and graduating from Northeastern, Fleming grew restless: “I wasn’t growing fast enough, wasn’t writing well enough, wasn’t living hard enough.”

So he took his music to the road, drove 6,000 miles, and sang in bars from Tennessee to California along the way.

Having completed his cross-country trip, Fleming feels he is a better writer and more complete artist than when he left Boston. One night in Nashville, Tennessee, he played in a bar called Dino’s. He tested out several new songs that he had never done live before. As he sat in an adjacent bar the next night, a friend told him Jack White had just left Dino’s. Fleming had been this close to playing in front of “Jack Fucking White.”

Under the name YET, Fleming has released eight tracks, six on record s/t and two more on Optimystic. He has the type of gritty voice that immediately draws comparisons to Bob Dylan. It is a voice best described as a howl, a voice that toes—some might say crosses—the precipice of ugliness. It reaches its emotional peak in “L’Avenir,” when Fleming sings, “I swear to fucking God, girl, you’re all I dream about.” The music is driven by distorted guitars on s/t, where it sounds like a fusion of blues and garagepunk. The two tracks on Optimystic are cleaner, especially vocally, but it lacks the palpable identity that is felt in the lo-fi s/t.

Fleming is driven by performance and by risk. He says, “I bring a little bit of the theater to the stage. I’m constantly on the edge of having everything fall apart, but playing on that edge is really where I feel really alive.” He has settled in San Francisco where he is working on a new EP. Tom Doherty (Journalism)

albums

s/t, (October 2012)

Optimystic, (June 2012)

check out yet

ryanfleming.bandcamp.com

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Interview Spring 2013

20

peter silberman

of the

with

INTERVIEW

ANTLERS

It’s been two years since melancholy Brooklynites The Antlers released their last album, Burst Apart. One would be remiss in calling it a happy record, but it was surely a departure from their heartbreaking, crushingly sad 2009 breakout, Hospice. Last year, they released a dreamy four-song EP that saw them once again shifting gears. According to guitarist, vocalist and lyricist, Peter Silberman, 2013 has found the band in an exploratory between-tours state, slowly but surely shaping the direction of their next full-length.

Lucky for us, they took a break from studio exile to headline this Spring’s Tastemakers Presents. On the chilly spring afternoon of the show, Silberman sat down outside afterHOURS to discuss the value of on-stage jamming, cross-band collaborations and what’s next for The Antlers.

Tastemakers Magazine (TMM): So this is a one-off show for you guys, correct? Between tours?

Peter Silberman (PS): We’re between touring cycles, really. Whenever we release an album we go out on tour for a pretty long time. Like a series of tours, basically. It means traveling a lot and then there will be, ideally, stretches of time for us to go home, be home, go back to our lives. And to work on new music and do the same thing again.

TMM: What are you up to as a band right now? Writing?

Recording?

PS: We’re mostly writing right now, playing a lot of music.

For us writing is never a process of sitting down and [saying] “time to write a song.” It’s kind of playing music as much as humanly possible, pulling ideas from that. It gives you a lot more to edit from. It’s just jamming a whole lot of ideas. Now we’ve been doing that for a couple months. It’s kind of in the whittling-down process, turning jams into something that more resembles a song. It’s all pretty vague and open ended right now.

TMM: How is the next record shaping up, in terms of sound?

Is it a departure from Burst Apart?

PS: It is really early and I can’t really say, just because it’s in such formative stages right now that I think it’s just too early to say how it’ll be different or similar to anything in the past.

My approach right now is really different than it used to be.

This is the first time I’ve forced myself to take more time on something and to not push through and rush. This is the first time I’m kind of committing to that as part of the creative process, letting things germinate for a while. It’s affecting the music, in what I think is a good way.

When you have time to sit with your ideas, you go through periods of second-guessing them, and then feeling great about them, and then second-guessing them again. The more time you have to sit with something before you call it finished, I think the better you know if you even like it; if it has staying power for you.

TMM: What is your songwriting process like? Is it a collaborative thing?

PS: It’s very collaborative. It wasn’t always very collaborative; the process is constantly changing. With Hospice, a lot of it was me working on things in my bedroom, writing and recording as I went, just keeping notebooks for lyrics and words and phrases and things. I have always kept doing that but it’s a weird kind of habit that I have to train myself to do constantly. It’s very easy to stop thinking about it and stop writing down an idea that you have because it just feels like a passing idea.

Over the years I’ve just tried to get better at having a lot of fluidity to the lyrical part of it. Lately for me that means just trying to write constantly, to always be taking notes to myself. And musically, it has really become that process of us playing whatever comes to mind for a while and amassing a lot of material and then editing. There’s a lot of stream-ofconscious[ness] involved in what we do. It is in a lot of ways how what we make appears.

TMM: Hospice was a concept album, Burst Apart not so much. Do you see yourselves ever making another album in that sort of storytelling mindset?

PS: It’s possible. I’m not really ruling anything out. The way my vision for this stuff feels a lot of the time is, I’m always looking at the thing directly in front of me and trying to put everything into that, as opposed to being like, “maybe two or three albums down the line, what am I gonna to do?” So much changes between every record that it’s just so hard to predict that, in the same way that life changes so much that to make a prediction about yourself in 10 years is hard to do by any account. That goes for the way we make records too.

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Peter Silberman (previous page), Michael Lerner (left) and Darby Cicci (right) perform at Tastemakers Presents in afterHours on 3/16.

Photos by Ryan Kehr (English) and Ben Stas (English/Journalism)

Interview

TMM: You released an EP a while back featuring some exploratory collaborations with Neon Indian, Bear in Heaven and Nicole Atkins. How did that come about?

PS: It all happened in one day, where we basically just decided that we wanted to invite our friends in to play on some songs, and that we wanted it to just be this really free, open, expressive thing. At that time we were getting really into jamming ourselves and extending songs and creating these long segments of improvisation and repetition. We wanted to see what happened when we brought our friends in to join us in that and see what they came up with and how they affected the whole.

It was just one long day of us being in our studio and having our friends show up and play with us for a long time. I really like what came of it. I think it really preserved what was a really cool day, a special moment that was sort of thrown together on a whim, a little bit.

I’d love to do more of that. There’s a lot of musicians around where we live and a lot of them are within walking distance of our studio or each other’s houses. The thing about collaboration is that it can be a very fluid, easy thing if there’s a bit of an open-door policy with the place where you create, and you want your friends to be there.

TMM: On the subject of jamming, are you still working a lot of extended versions of songs into your live show?

PS: Yeah, but in varying degrees. When we first started doing that, we really stretched stuff out, and I think our sense of time was just, for some reason, different than it had been in the past, and us jamming on something for 10 minutes did not seem weird, or too long. I think we became more aware of what the purpose of it is. Sometimes it’s just for fun.

Sometimes it’s just to let your mind go.

It is kind of a therapeutic thing too, actually, especially with our songs. For me at least, some of them are so lyrically intensive, and there are times on stage where I am on and when I am…kind of out. That kind of helps me with endurance, to not constantly be singing and talking. Sometimes it’s really good to take a breather. You get to stop thinking about certain things and start thinking about how you’re feeling that night, and what you play a lot of the time is based on how you feel.

It helps the shows feel like every one of them is different from another.

TMM: How did your last EP, Undersea, come about?

Were those leftover songs from the Burst Apart sessions or an isolated burst of something?

PS: It was an isolated burst of something. It was during a gap of touring, but it was a shorter one. We had a couple of months off that we could use as we wanted and I think we had a lot of stored up creative energy that we needed to do something with, and that we wanted to do something with.

We just let our minds go and stopped thinking about what we had already done and what we’d just done, which was a lot of touring on Burst Apart, and not long before that a lot of touring on Hospice.

I think we wanted to just kind of say “fuck it,” in a way that wasn’t out of distaste for what we had already done, but more so just a big exploration in a short period of time, committing to that kind of free feeling. It just kind of felt like suddenly, we had let ourselves have no rules and no boundaries. I think we were very surprised with what we came up with, and just excited about it too. It was very liberating.

• Ben Stas (English/Journalism)

Spring 2013

The degree to which that sense of liberation will extend to The Antlers’ next full-length is still up in the air, but

22

too long. It’s already exciting to speculate where they’ll end up next.

if there’s one thing we can expect from the band, it’s that they’re unlikely to stay rooted in one sonic space for

Dipping into

G. Love & Special Sauce Ever since Garrett “G. Love” Dutton left Philly, dropped out of college and planted his feet on the ground in Boston, he has toured and churned out music almost non-stop.

Working in the music industry for over 20 years has yielded not only a lengthy discography, but also an impressively eclectic one. Whether he is with his band or sansSpecial Sauce, G. Love is known for producing a sound that blends hip-hop, blues, rock and most recently, folk. With countless LPs, bootleg albums, EPs and live recordings dating back to the early ‘90s, it can be tiresome for a newcomer to pinpoint the golden moments.

Take some of these suggestions for the best places to dip into the discography.

Whether recording independently, with Sony, or most recently with Brushfire Records, G. Love and Special Sauce has produced solid releases time and time again. There are only a few weaker albums here and there, such as the relatively boring Electric Mile (2001) and the borderline-pop-sounding Superhero Brother (2008), but the former gave birth to the not-too-shabby “Free At Last” and the latter to one of their greatest tracks to date, “Soft and Sweet.”

But rather than dwell on the weak, let’s begin with the best. G. Love and Special Sauce’s 1999 LP, Philadelphonic, is certainly one of the group’s finest albums, if not their

paramount release. Philadelphonic is such a standout because it is the most comfortable mix of the band’s various genres. Songs like “Numbers,” “No Turning Back,” “Gimme Some Lovin’” and especially “Rodeo Clowns” make this collection well worth a new listener’s time.

“Rodeo Clowns,” was written by and recorded with a then-unknown Jack Johnson and became the first single off of Philadelphonic.

Dutton and Johnson have collaborated several times since, but “Rodeo Clowns” remains the most memorable outcome.

If the production quality isn’t a bother for your ears (it’s not that bad, I promise), then feel free to start back even closer to the band’s inception with their self-titled album, released five years before Philadelphonic. Remarkably, some of the band’s earliest tracks from G. Love and Special Sauce remain their most popular, including “Baby’s Got Sauce,” “Cold Beverage” and a personal favorite, “Rhyme for the Summertime.” This 1994 album is certified gold and probably their most acclaimed to date, predominantly thanks to “Cold Beverage.” The raw, hip-hop infused feel of this album reveals one of Dutton’s biggest influences, The Beastie Boys.

It is difficult to recognize any major differences between Dutton’s work with his band and without. So after you’ve had a taste of the aforementioned albums, try some G. Love without the Sauce, beginning with

The Hustle. Released in 2004, The Hustle is not only one of G. Love’s most blues-driven albums, but one of his most entertaining.

Like any artist with such a large discography, there are inevitably some better entering points than others. If you give Philadelphonic, G. Love and Special Sauce and The Hustle a spin and are longing for more, take a listen to Lemonade (2006) or Fixin’ to Die (2011). Lemonade is a bit softer and is filled with various collaborations, while Fixin’ to Die has a prominent folk-rock tilt since it was produced by The Avett Brothers. If you really fall in love with Dutton’s music, you will find a treat in his raw and gritty 1992 demo recordings, released under the title Oh Yeah in 1998. This and other bootlegs like Front Porch Loungin’ can be streamed on the band’s website at philadelphonic.com.

• Cara McGrath (Graphic Design)

Discography 23

“­Kiss and Tell” Coast to Coast Motel (‘95)

“Key Tracks” Solo Albums Etcetera

Back in the Day (‘93)

G. Love and Special Sauce (‘94) “Baby’s Got Sauce” “Cold Beverage” Yeah, It’s That Easy (‘97) “­I –76”

Oh Yeah (The Original Demos: 1992) (‘98) G. Love Has Gone Country (‘98)

Front Porch Loungin’ (‘00)

Philadelphonic (‘99) “Rodeo Clowns” “Numbers” Spring 2013

24

Rappin’ Blues EP (‘99)

“Soft and Sweet” Superhero Brother (‘08)

Playlist: The Very Best of G. Love & Special Sauce (‘13)

Fixin’ to Die (‘11) “­Fixin’ to Die” A Year & a Night with G. Love & Special Sauce (‘07) “Astronaut” “Booty Call”

The Hustle (‘04) “Can’t Go Back to Jersey” Lemonade (‘06)

Electric Mile (‘01)

The Best of G. Love & Special Sauce (‘02)

Kickin’ Back EP (‘03) 25

Spring 2013

In an age of digital music, cloud storage and streaming, Northeastern

TURN AUDIO

BOB HERTIG

INTERVIEW WITH

P L AT TE R

MAT

COVE R

Cover Story

26

27

easy to set up.” Joey Dussault (Journalism)

accessible as possible—affordable, sounding good,

“Our mission statement is to make vinyl as

recalls the company’s purpose:

scale manufacturing and high demand, Hertig

Woburn, Mass. Now faced with the task of large-

$233,940 and U-Turn Audio had set up shop in

A month later, the campaign had raised

preliminary run.

campaign to fund the $60,000 necessary for a

December 2012, the three began a Kickstarter

other high-fidelity, entry-level turntables. In

audiophile-approved sound at half the cost of

According to Hertig, the $150 Orbit would offer

co-founders Ben Carter and Peter Maltzan.

what would become the Orbit turntable with

In 2011, Hertig began building proto-types of

graduate Bob Hertig still believes in tangible ownership. That is why he co-founded U-Turn Audio— to create a turntable that offered high-quality sound and affordability to vinyl listeners.

P L I NTH

MAI N BE AR I N G

FO OT

P OWER

M OTO R

TON E A RM

BE LT

Tastemakers Magazine (TMM): Where does your interest in vinyl come from?

Bob Hertig (BH): I think I first started listening to my dad’s Beatles records on this plastic Fisher Price player. In middle school I got a used one and started up my record collection, then in my freshman year of college I got a decent turntable. I listen to almost all of my music on vinyl now.

TMM: How did your partnership with Ben Carter and Peter Maltzan begin?

BH: We actually went to high school together— same homeroom. Me and Pete were roommates in college; Ben wanted to start a company and we reconnected.

TMM: Could you walk me through the conception of U-Turn Audio?

BH: A year from last summer, we were listening to this player and it had all these knobs and speakers—and it couldn’t play a record! So we started working. I had built tube amplifiers and audio stuff before and I always wanted to try building a turntable.

TMM: What part, if any, did your time at Northeastern University play in the development of the Orbit?

BH: It had a huge impact. I wouldn’t have been able to do what I’m doing now if I hadn’t done it on co-op before. Then I took an entrepreneurship class which really helped; I still talk to the professor. The IDEA venture accelerator helped us get off the ground.

TMM: How did you react when you surpassed your funding goal on Kickstarter by nearly 300 percent?

BH: It was relieving. The biggest relief was pressing the launch button and getting it out of our hands… it was amazing. We definitely played it safe and picked a number we could work with but I designed this with the thought that people wanted it. I thought maybe we would hit $150,000.

TMM: So in a way, you expected that kind of response?

BH: It was kind of surprising. We had a $150 model and a $250 model. We thought we might sell one $250 for every two $150 but we actually sold more $250 models.

TMM: What goes on in here in your office?

BH: Right now, we’re sourcing our parts for the first run. We’re working on the site, too, but mostly the focus is manufacturing. We also do listening tests here. We’ve been working on a remote control system so we can switch back between the same record on two different turntables and compare.

Spring 2013

28

TMM: Do you anticipate running into any problems in this first run of turntables?

BH: It’s definitely going to be a scaling issue. We

Bob Hertig of U-Turn by Dave Tschiegg (Graphic Design)

Cover Story

Tastemakers sat down with Bob Hertig at the newly-leased U-Turn office—still little more than a warehouse—to discuss their parents’ record collections, customizable turntables and the feasibility of vinyl in the digital age.

were building these in my basement and now instead of 10 we’re building 1,000. It’s going to be a lot of trial and error but I think we can handle it and do it well. The whole project has been trial and error. We’ve been through so many iterations so I expect to repeat that process.

TMM: Can we expect a full commercial run in the near future?

BH: That’s what we’re trying to figure out now. The backers come first but we’re taking pre-orders. We’re hoping to have new Orbits this summer. Part of our business is making it easy to buy turntables online. We’re working on making this build-your-own turntable feature.

Buyers could customize and color tonearms, other hardware and buy upgrades.

TMM: How does the Orbit compare to other players?

BH: I got a high-end turntable for a graduation present. Its cartridge alone costs more than the Orbit and that has been our reference point for quality.

TMM: Some accuse vinyl of being outdated or simply a fad. Why do you think vinyl is feasible in the modern world of digital music?

BH: I think music is so easy to access. You don’t even need to store all of your music on iTunes anymore. So having your favorite albums in a room—tangible—is a backlash to that. And people who listen to vinyl don’t only listen to vinyl. It’s complementary. But if I have it on vinyl, I listen to the vinyl!

Visit uturnaudio.com or follow U-Turn on twitter and Facebook for updates on preorder availability.

TMM: What’s the next step for U-Turn Audio?

BH: The master plan? Long-term, we want to get into retail stores. We want to get into Newbury Comics and Amoeba Records and other cool record stores. We want to build the brand as much as possible. Keeping the online brand as interesting as possible is important.

We joke that we’re going to set up a brick and mortar store on Newbury Street but they’re just that—jokes.

29

Feature

judge a band by its cover written by Brian Cantrell photography by Alisha Keshavjee cover art by Brian Cantrell

Just as every genre has a certain sonic quality, each lends a particular aesthetic to an album’s visual accompaniments. Before hearing any given music, album artwork can be the listener’s first interaction with a band.

The visual language used on a particular album cover can provide immediate insight to the music itself.

There’s a reason for this trend. Most people wouldn’t expect to hear “Float On” if Modest Mouse’s cover art looked like that of Skrillex, whose stylings are far more aggressive than Modest Mouse’s. In a way, cover art tends to match the large themes that similarly describe the sound of the album. A country album appears straightforward, using basic photography. The sound of country music matches, with few guitar effects and straightforward, accessible lyrical presentation. Conversely, it is harder to find the human element in EDM album art; text tends to be the main mode of representation for these artists using beat machines and synthesizers.

Either record labels are running out of ideas for cover art, or we just need really obvious clues as to what we’re about to hear. In any case, if you ever see any of these in real life, you’ll know the industry has stopped trying altogether:

female pop singer This one’s all about the artist. She’ll be gracing the cover with her beauty, but not in the same way as the country singer; she’s not looking back at you with a warm smile. Rather, she’s staring over her shoulder, staring off to the side, deep in thought, or just trying to look fierce. If it’s the artist making light hearted and fun pop music, expect fun bright colors. If it’s a more serious style for them, they’ll make it black and white.

Spring 2013

30

Guilty artists: Emeli Sande Adele Beyonce Ellie Goulding

country You could safely bet the music will have that country twang if the front cover has a southern boy dressed in blue jeans and a simple, one color t-shirt or a shirt with the top button undone and the sleeves rolled up. He’ll be facing front or turned slightly from the camera, or maybe even holding his guitar. If there’s a cowboy hat, take the hint: you’re in for a song about trucks and beer.

Guilty artists: Blake Shelton Luke Bryan Gary Allan Hunter Hayes Tim McGraw

singer songwriter The artist is interacting with the nature that surrounds them. Whether walking down a path, standing in a field looking around, leaning against a tree, or feeling the rain hit their face, the artist connects with their immediate environment. It’s this moment that tells you they are thinking about life, their surroundings, their emotions, and writing it all into beautiful, deep songs.

Guilty artists: Ben Rector James Vincent McMorrow Jack Johnson

metal Metal records get heavy, grungy, distorted, and fast— too much to put into one portrait. Instead, the album art tends to be illustrated. Whether representative or abstract, it needs to be something that can portray the grit that typifies album. It’s safe to assume a skull on the cover points to metal inside. Another genre that utilizes original typography, with rough and illustrative typefaces.

Guilty artists: Gojira Megadeth Anthrax Cannibal Corpse Volbeat

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Feature

shoegaze These covers are just as glazed over with effects as the instrumentation on the album. If there was ever a photograph beneath it, the cover has certainly had some work done over it. Likely featuring a saturated color with some blurs, cover art for shoegaze seems as lackadaisical and relaxed as the genre’s name might suggest. Don’t be fooled, though, neither the album cover nor the songs songs held within were as simple to make as applying simple effects to something mundane.

Guilty artists: My Bloody Valentine Ride Slowdive

edm Artists in the Electronic/Dance genres are very into branding themselves. Not only do most usually invent a name, but they also turn their name into a logo. This means their name will appear in some type that was made up for them or is used uniquely, and it will appear that way everywhere as the focal point of the cover. If there’s neon glow around the type, you can bet a synth or two is involved. Expect their brand, but don’t expect a photo as the cover art. Even the likeness of a face tends to be illustrated or layered with effects in this genre.

r&b R&B has become identified with some intimate moments. If the music is setting the mood for you, why wouldn’t the album cover be doing the same? These artists are going to be giving you some sensual looks as you gaze upon their close up on the album cover. It’s the look in the eye that cuts to your core, but also says, “Baby, let’s get it on.” And when you see it, you know that this will be the album to have queued up after the next big date.

Spring 2013

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Guilty artists: D’Angelo R. Kelly Usher

Guilty artists: Avicii Zedd Madeon Skrillex deadmau5

punk rock You have to be able to recognize that these guys at these trying to rebel. Whether by going against music industry or cultural norms, they will show you visually that they don’t care and work hard musically to prove it. Expect elements to clash with each other by using rugged fonts, bright and saturated colors, high contrast imagery, or an illustration of something totally bizarre.

Guilty artists: The Ramones The Clash The Sex Pistols

hip–hop / rap legend Old school rappers were gangsters. There were legitimate fights between these artists. East coast against west coast, wasn’t just a clash of egos; it was turf war. Take a look at some Hip Hop albums to find the hardest, toughest looking people in the music industry. No frills, just a bad ass staring you down, sizing you up, already knowing that you’d lose any fight.

Guilty artists: Dr. Dre Notorious B.I.G. Tupac Jay Z

reggae Red, Green, and Yellow everything. Though the music is not exclusive to the Rastafarian culture, Rastafarian artwork is firmly entrenched in reggae. The Rasta flag won’t always appear in its iconic three bands of color, but these colors will permeate the album and be the only colors to make the cover. Marijuana may or may not be referenced—most people know what goes well with Reggae music, and artists know how to target their fans.

Guilty artists: Bob Marley Jimmy Cliff

christian rock Don’t expect a big old picture of Jesus or the Bible.

These are not made to be overtly religious, just hinting at elements of Christianity. Nature plays a role, and the artwork will try to make you see the beauty of what has been created. However, if the lead singer is holding his arms up straight to either side, you have to recognize the most obvious icon of the culture and expect some subtle, and some not so subtle, lyrical references to Jesus.

Guilty artists: Creed Faith Plus One

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Interview

High Art Lost & Found

Groupmuse Northeastern University’s neighbor to the east is an imposing brick building that seems squeezed uncomfortably between Huntington Avenue and St. Stephens Street. It’s pretty enough when given its fair share of attention, but its aesthetic appeal is understandably dwarfed by the open grandness of the neoclassical Christian Science compound just across Massachusetts Avenue.

Spring 2013

34

This brick giant is, of course, Symphony Hall—nothing more than a rarely-used stop on the E-train to most Northeastern students. Most of these students do not recognize what is common knowledge in the classical music community: that Symphony Hall is almost universally considered one of the world’s finest concert halls.

In fact, Symphony Hall was the first concert hall ever designed solely according to scientific acoustic engineering, and is home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, one of the most prestigious groups of its kind in the world. Why, then, is this veritable treasure perched right on the edge of Northeastern’s campus almost completely overlooked by the university’s student body?

This same question has been eating away at Sam Bodkin for years, although in a slightly different context. Bodkin is a Columbia University graduate who grew up on The Beatles while somewhat rejecting the classical music cherished by

his parents. That all changed at age 19, when a good friend and cellist insisted that Bodkin listen to Beethoven’s Op. 133, the “Große fugue.” According to Bodkin, that single piece opened up an entire universe of classical music in which he has found more than a simple infatuation over the past few years.

With the discovery of this passion, however, came the inevitable and altogether less amorous realization of the classical music world’s imminent extinction. Perhaps the art form most divided in popularity along generational lines, classical music became as much a conundrum for Bodkin as it remained a form of entertainment. Bodkin recognized early on that the entire establishment is carried by a few generous patrons, but that those individuals do not reflect the art’s potential audience. The demographic constraints, as well as the physical constraints of the concert hall, are artificial and entirely unnecessary structures keeping younger generations from enjoying classical music. Bodkin is right to fear for classical music’s continued longevity considering the inevitable growth of the currently 20-something generation to comprise the future donor demographic.

At the same time, however unsurprisingly, the longview for classical musicians themselves didn’t appear any brighter.

Sebastian Bäverstam, a lifelong cellist, was nearing the end of his time at New England Conservatory. He, like many of his peers, was facing the reality of life after his formal education.

“It’s tough, you can either join a large establishment like the BSO or it’s just up to you to create your own career,” says Bäverstam. Between NEC, Berklee College of Music and the Boston Conservatory, there are thousands of classicallytrained musicians in Boston competing for a minutiae of opportunities.

From this intersection of apparent dead ends for an aging art form and its young, gig-less constituents, Groupmuse was born. Bodkin contrived a social network designed to revive old traditions of chamber music, wherein classical music was appreciated in people’s homes, by connecting musicians with hosts and venues that would provide a socially attractive environment for engaging with the music. Key to his plan was the physical relocation of classical music from the concert hall to the home. Bodkin points out, “What 20-something thinks, ‘Hmm, let’s go see what student recitals are happening at NEC tonight?’ It just doesn’t happen.” His project thus far consists of a website with free membership that provides access to a list of upcoming Groupmuse events.

Groupmuse has an astronomically tall mission: to save classical music from going the way of the dodo. However, Bodkin’s project is actually working in its nascence. By engaging a younger demographic and removing classical music from the concert hall, all while connecting musicians to their own opportunities, Bodkin is actually making classical music a legitimate social pursuit for young people—something even the BSO has been failing to do for years.

The difference between a Groupmuse event and the BSO is effectively as simple as it sounds: one takes place in an elegant setting, the other in a casual one. By moving classical music to an environment with no associations of elitism, no defined etiquette and a generous BYOB policy, Groupmuse provides an enriching alternative to Boston’s underwhelming and overhyped nightlife culture.

To those wondering why and where to begin appreciating classical music, Bodkin offers advice: “Find something, listen to it a bunch, and you will know what I mean, I promise you.” The more Bodkin invested, the more he discovered the many parallels between classical music and the rise of western civilization (his education was in international relations); how history is recorded in music and how emerging nations transmitted idealized nationalism through the scrawling of their greatest composers. “Classical music gets better the more you put into it,” he says. “It is not about instant gratification.”

But as a universally relevant and hyper-reflective art form, classical music can harmonize with any variety of passions. So if you are ready to start listening, go to a Groupmuse event or email Sam (sam@groupmuse.com) and he’ll make you “a dope classical music list.” Chances are, you’ll understand what all the fuss has been about for the last handful of centuries.

• Nick Hugon (International Affairs)

opposite page: Sam Bodkin, founder of Groupmuse left: A Groupmuse event in Newton, featuring Sebastian Bäverstam on cello, Emily Smith on violin and Yannick Rafalimanana on piano 35

It’s not you, it’s me:

When musicians form side projects Editorial

Written by Shea Geyer (Pharmacy)

A break from the band. A yearning to test out a different sound.

Whatever the reason, some artists place their main project on the backburner to explore a new outlet for their creativity. Some artists collaborate with one or two others, form a supergroup, or just go solo. But how do the side projects measure up to the main projects that made the artists so well-known in the first place? And what becomes of the side projects; are they a one-time deal or do they run alongside the main project, releasing albums periodically and going on tour? Here, I attempt to shed some light on these questions concerning a few high-profile artist/side-project pairings:

the last shadow puppets vs. arctic monkeys Arctic Monkeys burst onto the music scene in the U.K. with the fastest-selling debut album in U.K. history, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. Their subsequent rise has created a cultish popularity for frontman Alex Turner, who thereafter announced that he would be collaborating with Miles Kane (The Rascals) and James Ford (Simian, Simian Mobile Disco) on a side project. The result was The Last Shadow Puppets, a project that

took inspiration from ‘60s Scott Walker and early David Bowie; a drastic departure from the Arctic Monkeys’ sound. Fans flocked to purchase The Age of the Understatement, which debuted at #1 on the U.K. charts. The Last Shadow Puppets have taken the back seat as Arctic Monkeys have continued to release albums and tour, but there is talk of an upcoming second album.

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Ben Gibbard is most notably the lead singer for Death Cab for Cutie, but back in the early 2000s, he got together with Jimmy Tamborello (Dntel, Figurine) and formed The Postal Service. Unlike Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service were heavily electronic and more optimistic, both lyrically and instrumentally, and debut Give Up was very well-received by fans. But by the time Death Cab for Cutie’s Plans came out in 2005, The Postal Service were quiet. There was a glimmer

of hope for a second album in 2007, but those rumors proved unsubstantiated. Fast-forward to 2013, though, and The Postal Service are making a resurgence in honor of the 10-year anniversary of Give Up. Long-devoted fans will be able to see them live when they tour this year, and with the promise of new songs, the fabled second album could loom in the future.

desaparecidos vs. bright eyes Best known for his melancholic songs with Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst took a different route with his side project, Desaparecidos. In stark contrast to Bright Eyes’ quivering vocals, Desaparecidos showcased Oberst as an aggressive post-hardcore vocalist. Fronting a band so removed from his main project, Oberst was able to attract the attention of

those who were not fans of the Bright Eyes’ acoustic folk. Although Bright Eyes has been consistently active over the years, Desaparecidos was, sadly, a short-lived project in the early 2000’s. In 2012, however, Desaparecidos reunited, went on tour and have released a couple of new songs.

Supergroup Collaborations monsters of folk Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes), and M. Ward comprise the supergroup Monsters of Folk. The main projects of each member have been very successful, so combing the heavy-hitters into one group was a promising prospect. Each member has a folk background, but they demonstrate various styles that are shared with classic rock. Not only are Monsters of Folk a very successful supergroup, they are masters of

experimenting with different instruments to create songs that stand out from one another. Monsters of Folk absorbs the typical sounds associated with each member, meshes them together and spits out a sound that cannot be immediately pinpointed to one specific main project of a group member. Although Monsters of Folk have only released one album, the members are eager to create more music together in the future.

atoms for peace vs. radiohead There is no denying the major impact Radiohead has had on alternative rock. Frontman Thom Yorke doesn’t use Radiohead as his only creative outlet though, having gone solo in 2006 for The Eraser.

Yorke’s most recent project, Atoms for Peace, is a fusion between the jagged synth beats of his solo project and elements of Radiohead. The supergroup

consists of Yorke, Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Nigel Godrich (Radiohead producer), Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M.), and Mauro Refosco. Their debut album, AMOK, was released at the beginning of 2013, and its upcoming tour will ultimately determine for how far this supergroup will go.

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broken bells vs. the shins Editorial

The Shins are known for having those two ridiculously good songs in Garden State, but few know that they actually emerged as a side project of James Mercer’s other band, Flake. The Shins are an example of a side project that has been far more successful than the main project, which is why Flake seems to be pretty much forgotten nowadays. Just as The Shins were gaining a larger following in the mid-2000s, Mercer and producer Danger Mouse desired to collaborate on a new musical endeavor. The collaboration between the

two went by the name of Broken Bells, and in 2010, they released their self-titled debut, which was highly praised and received a Grammy nomination.

Musically, Broken Bells is The Shins’ darker, moodier brother; a linkage that tremendously aided in the overall acceptance and successfulness of the project. Despite efforts being placed back on the main projects, Broken Bells are still active, having released a follow-up EP in 2011 and a promise of a second album in the near future.

Solo Side Projects julian casablancas vs. the strokes The Strokes gathered a cult following for Is This It and Room On Fire, the band’s first two albums. But when First Impressions of Earth dropped, there were mixed feelings concerning the redirected sound, and The Strokes took a hiatus so that the members could focus on other projects. The members reconvened in 2009 to begin working on a new album, but lead singer Julian Casablancas was in the midst of working on his solo album, Phrazes for the Young. This made for a slow creative process for The Strokes’ new album, and Phrazes was

quite a departure from The Strokes’ roughness.

From new wave synth to mutations of postpunk, Casablancas proved that he could be musically versatile, but the reception wasn’t strong enough to set him apart from The Strokes. Eventually, The Strokes released their fourth and fifth albums, Angles and Comedown Machine to lukewarm reviews. Perhaps Casablancas will return to his solo endeavors in the future to regain the fans he lost with The Strokes.

brandon flowers vs. the killers The huge success of debut Hot Fuss propelled The Killers into instant stardom, which was followed by the release of a new album nearly every year through 2008. After touring for Day & Age, The Killers took a breather, allowing Brandon Flowers to experiment with a solo project, 2010’s Flamingo. Flamingo’s sound was reminiscent of The Killers’ second album, Sam’s Spring 2013

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Town, and Flowers failed to distinguish himself as a solo artist. Flowers went on tour in support of his solo effort, but went running back to the studio with The Killers when his tour wrapped up. There hasn’t been any mention of future solo endeavors from Flowers, so it’s safe to say that The Killers will be his primary focus for a while.

In Rhyme We Trust: Hip-hop’s Ghostwriting Phenomenon

“I am a ghostwriter. I have been helping you. That’s why I can say I’m arguably one of the best,” says rapper Consequence, known for his collaborations with A Tribe Called Quest, responding to claims that he wrote for Kanye West on Power 105.1’s morning radio talk show, The Breakfast Club.

“If you run around here talking about you’re the best on the planet…then how are you the best on the planet when you have my pen?”

Who could imagine that Q-tip and Phife Dawg had ghostwriters? Even more daunting, who could possibly fathom that someone other than Kanye would write such a brilliant line as “Are you into astrology 'cos I'm tryin to make it to Uranus?” (That, ladies and gents, would be from Jadakiss’ 2004 song with West, “Gettin’ It In”)

Ghostwriting, the practice of rappers and R&B singers commissioning other, lesser known artists to write songs, clear up lyrical delivery and lend their production talents to create tracks for larger, mainstream artists, is hardly new in hip-hop and R&B production.

The earliest claim of ghostwriting traces back to The Sugarhill Gang’s classic 1979 joint, “Rapper’s Delight,” which was followed in 1986

by The Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere,” written partly by D.M.C. (Which should sound like Run D.M.C, because it is!) To be fair, “groupcollaboration” within early hip-hop crews served as an important function whereby lyricists aided each other in improving rhyming flow. A system of checks and balances on the block, at one time rappers commonly borrowed, referenced and lent out catchy punch-lines for community use.

Yet clearly, under the table rap-sharing hasn’t been left in the 80’s with gold chains and finger rings. With hip-hop’s huge influence in the 90’s–about as huge as Biggie

in a 3XL Coogie sweater–ghostwriting for well-known artists opened up a gateway into the entertainment industry for relatively unknown rappers and singers aspiring to break into the business. In a decade of no Youtube, Bandcamp or Soundcloud, penning an established MCs rhymes meant access to studio time as well as generous payoffs in exchange for the contribution. It was a potential offer of a lifetime, one that many artists—including Cam’ron, Ma$e, Ice-Cube— did not fail to take advantage of.

One of the great present-day archaeological findings of delving back into hip-hop’s golden age was the surfacing of an original recording of Lil’ Kim’s “Queen Bitch”—only rapped by the Notorious himself, confirming the popular allegation that Big Poppa was Lil’ Kim’s ghostwriter for the initial parts of her career.

But it’s a new millennium, new school, new Harlem Shake. Both the old tapes sold out of car trunks and rumors passed by word of mouth of what goes on in studio sessions have gone digital.

At one time considered career suicide (as evidenced by the hidden nature of incriminating 90s demos), now it is common for the process of ghostwriting to be made public knowledge via social media sites like Twitter and online blogs. Yet, having a mystery MC, whether credited or not, carries a stigma in hip-hop circles, making artists and producers reluctant to officially confirm many allegations. Ghostwriting can also be written off as group collaboration–something Drake made a point of during an 2009 interview with Complex magazine. "You know, we're all great artists, great minds, and we all just contribute to each other,” the rapper said, laughing off claims that he ghostwrote for Lil’ Wayne before signing to Young Money Cash Money Billionaires (YMCMB).

While the short term rewards of ghostwriting can be blinding, the payoff isn’t enough in the long run.

In most cases, ghostwriters and anonymous producers have sold themselves short and lost profits for songs that became prolific commercial successes. They may be signing on to a writing team for a superstar, but at the expense of not being properly acknowledged or credited for their work.

In the age of the internet, where artists no longer need the promotion of a mainstream label for success, the above scenarios end up constituting the worst decisions ghostwriters could have made for their career in terms of losing out on royalties.

Which brings us back to the original accusation of Consequence, long-time speculated to be a ghostwriter for what is arguably the best alternative hip-hop album of all time: A Tribe Called Quest’s Low End Theory.

Though Cons confirmed the widely accepted rumor that he ghostwrote for Kanye West in his early career, it’s not likely for him to be compensated and even less likely that his claims would be believed by newer hip-hop fans that regard Kanye as a game-changing MC. The whole debacle underscores the issue with finger-pointing when concerning ghostwriting: unless explicitly outlined by artists, it’s nearly impossible to know how much of a rapper or producer’s catalogue is truly his/hers and what belongs to his/her “writing teams.” And if it were determinable,

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Etcetera

would your Top Five Dead-or-Alive change?

If Jay Electronica really did ghostwrite Nas’ 2008 Untitled album, does that make Nasty Nas any less…nasty (at the mic)?

In the midst of all the controversy, even the truest hip-hop fan might dare to ask the question, “Who really cares?”

The startling fact of the ghostwriting phenomenon is that most hip-hop fans of this generation don’t. Decades have passed with artists/producers building successful careers, cult-followings and nearly god-level statuses as legendary artists in the hip-hop community off the backs of less fortunate performers.

One thing can be confirmed, though: the sacred rhyme, the last bastion of realness in an industry that has clearly become more Hollywood than street, has been compromised.

•Dinorah Wilson (Journalism)

“Don’t worry if I write rhymes, I write checks.”

Diddy

a Honorable Oldheads: Darryl McDaniels of Run D-M-C partly wrote Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” off 1996 License to Ill. To have connects like that, Mike D, Ad-Rock, and MCA must’ve been heavy in the streets indeed!

Beastie Boys

Darryl McDaniels

a Consequence co-wrote songs off first four Kanye Albums, including the Freshman Adjustment mixtape

Lil' Wayne

?

Drake: Nearly every track he features on with Lil’ Wayne

Drake Kanye West

a

Consequence

Rhymefest co-wrote “Jesus Walks”

Rhymefest

Kid Cudi

a

?

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Roscoe Dash wrote “To the World” off Kanye’s Cruel Summer mixtape

Kid Cudi co-wrote Kanye’s “Heartless”

Roscoe Dash

x Jay Electronica ghostwrote for Nas on his 2008 Untitled album. Ultimately denied

by Jay Elec, Nas and Dead Prez’s stic.man.

a Confirmed Jay Electronica

Will Smith

a Nas actually wrote Will Smith’s “Gettin Jiggy With It”

?

Allegation

x

Denied

Nas

Lil' Kim

Cam'ron

?

Jay-Z co-wrote Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize”

Cease

Notorious B.I.G.

a Cam’ron: “From collabos, ghostwritin’ for assholes.

Wanna use my brain, then give Killa mad dough.”—In a Hot 97 radio interview with Peter Rosenberg and DJ Cipha Sounds, Cam’ron admitted to writing Cease’s verses on the 1996 hit “Crush on You,” one of the most known tracks off Lil’ Kim’s groundbreaking first album, Hard Core.

?

Jadakiss co-wrote Notorious B.I.G’s “Mo Money Mo Problems” with Ma$e.

Jadakiss

a Ma$e co-wrote Jay-Z’s “I Just Wanna Love You” with Pharrell off The Black Album

Ma$e

Foxy Brown

Jay-Z

a Pharrell

Jay-Z ghostwrote for all original members of Roc-A-Fella including Foxy Brown and Memphis Bleek while excluding Freeway and Beanie Siegel

Memphis Bleek 41

Editorial

get me to the O

n March 5, I entered the Berklee Performance Center to see green light illuminating a stage of largely unfamiliar instruments. The members of the Greek Music Ensemble entered the stage and began to play these instruments, later identified as the oud, santur, quanun, daoul and bouzouki. In a two-hour set— with an interlude from the Berklee Balkan Choir—the group performed songs from Asia Minor, Constantinople and the Aegean Islands. Audience members clapped and sang along to traditional songs with titles such as “Mi mou ksanafiyis pia” and “S’agapo yiati eise orea.” For an American like me, the experience was akin to being in a strange but beautiful dream—enchanting, otherworldly and fascinating.

“The lyrics speak about the passions and the pains and the joy and the fear that every person lived through, in their daily lives… there are love songs, there are wedding songs, there are songs that talk about the hardships of cultivating the land, and there are songs that discuss even the drug culture.”

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– Panagiotsis Liaropoulos, Music Director and pianist for the Greek Music Ensemble

GREEK An American’s Exploration of the Music of Greece

Seeing traditional Greek music performed live gave me a fresh perspective on the genre. I had spent several weeks listening to Greek music in the comfort of my dorm room, and while I enjoyed some of it, I found much of it inaccessible. The vocals reminded me of religious chanting and even yodeling; the scales and chord progressions sounded unusual. This was so unlike my familiar music that I didn’t know what to do with it. But I would later discover that it just took some time–time that was well worth it.

The idea to immerse myself into Greek music and write about it formulated sometime in January or February. This summer, I will be going on the “Greece: Then and Now” Dialogue of Civilizations to Athens, Santorini, Crete, Corfu and Cephalonia. On days when snow is flying in sideways and the wind seems insurmountable, it’s comforting to know that on July 8, I will be touring a Cretan pottery studio, presumably in 90-degree weather. In coming to understand the resplendent culture that is Greece, music seemed a good place to start.

I began with what appeared the most basic, generic and easily approachable: looking up the Greek Top 20, as of midFebruary. The list included several songs that have been hits in America: “Locked Out of Heaven,” “Diamonds,” “Try,” “Hall of Fame,” “Skyfall,” and “One More Night.”

It also had a minor Brit invasion, with “Beneath Your Beautiful” by Labrinth and Emeli Sande, “Let Her Go” by Passenger, “Impossible” by James Arthur, and “You Bring Me Joy” by Amelia Lily.

A decent amount of songs from other European artists made the list.

Sultry-voiced Danish songstress Aura Dione sounds like a Rihanna-Natasha Bedingfield hybrid (actually better than it sounds) on “Friends.” Alexandra Stan, Romanian, follows up on her Euro dance hit “Mr. Saxobeat” with “Lemonade.” National Fanfare of Kadebostany soars with neojazz and sinks with rap on “Walking with a Ghost.” One of the best tracks is Jutty Ranx’s “I See You” (think spaced-out Grizzly Bear), also a hit in Italy and Poland. The other highlight is “One Day” by Asaf Avidan, of Israel, who repeats, “One day baby we’ll be old / oh baby, we’ll be old / and think of all the stories that we could have told,” in an Alabama Shakes-worthy twang. It’s an indie folk take on EDM that, unfortunately, has not made it to the charts in the U.S.

The remaining five songs are from Greek musicians, and sadly, these are the worst of the bunch. The number one song is “I Agapi Erchete Sto Telos” (“Love Comes to an End”) by Antonis Remos. This is about as dramatic a love anthem as they get, that said not even knowing the lyrics. If this song were popular in America, teenagers would be belting it to each other at high school dances, akin to such showings of “Livin’ on a Prayer” or “Don’t Stop Believing.”

“Pote Ksana” (“Never Again”) by Konstantinos Argyros is also unbridled passion over a generic beat. Michalis Hatzigiannis’ “Se Enan Ticho” (“A Wall”) is flat and features a stale attempt at a westernized rap. Rec’s “Edo” (“Here”) is another dramatic ballad, with a video featuring an anguished-looking girl

Bouzouki

Tzoura

Kithara

Askomandoura

pulling at her hair, shots of melodramatic screaming, and lovers floating upward toward some cosmic light (yeah, it’s one of those). With its retro-funk beat, Demy’s “I Zoi” (“Life”) is slightly better, but the chorus lacks inspiration.

These musicians fit under the genre of modern laïkó, or laïkó-pop, the word ‘laïkó’ meaning ‘song of the people’ or ‘popular song.’ Much of Laïkó, which is the primary genre of the Greek nightlife scene, holds few compositional merits. I felt disheartened that mainstream pop music in Greece is even worse than in America.

“A lot of it—a big percentage of it—is garbage, basically. It’s highly commercial,” said Panagiotsis Liaropoulos, music director and pianist of the Greek Musical Ensemble. “The modes of expression and the whole concept has actually degraded, to an extent, the quality of Greek music.”

So I decided to look elsewhere, starting with traditional Greek folk music. A popular subcategory is Nisiótika, or folk songs from the Aegean Islands. Singer Mariza Koch, who represented Greece at the Eurodivision Song Contest in 1976, is credited with reviving this ancient genre. Koch has a strong voice with some operatic elements; it wavers and is heavy on the vibrato, like other popular Nisiótika singers.

Instrumentally, Greek folk music dominantly uses the lyre, but also the laouto (a long-necked lute), violin and askomandoura (a type of bagpipe).

The songs rely heavily on the Phrygian dominant scale, also common in Jewish, Turkish, Persian, Arab and Flamenco music. (If that means nothing to you, start humming “Hava Nagila.”)

Oud

A significant period in the history of Greek music arrived in the aftermath of the Turkish-Greek war in 1922, when two million refugees from Asia Minor flooded Greece.

These outcasts—stricken with poverty, using drugs and engaged in crime—turned to the hashish dens of Pireaus and Thessaloniki, creating a new type of music: Rebetiko.

“The armies were really developed, so they brought with them a lot of politically progressive ideas,” said Liaropoulos, “but at the same time, because of the fact that they were immigrants and they did not really belong into the main population of Greece, they were not necessarily received.”

One dictator even went so far as to ban the genre, but its popularity grew until it became somewhat mainstream by the 50s-70s.

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LISTENING

Editorial

RECOMMENDED

“Meneksees ke zouboulia” (traditional song from Asia minor) “Frangosyriani” (Rebetiko) “Omorfi Thessaloniki”—Vassilis Tsitsanis (Hasapiko dance song) “Zorba’s Theme”—Mikis Theodorakis “Skaros”—Petro-loukas Halkias, clarinet virtuoso Sakis Papadimitriou, jazz pianist Kostas Tournas (Greek rock)

Rebetiko relies heavily on the bouzouki, a long-necked lute related to the mandolin. The song “Synnefiasmeni Kyriaki” (“Cloudy Sunday”), by Greek songwriter and bouzouki player Vassilis Tsitsanis, became an anthem for repressed Greeks during the Axis occupation of Greece during World War II. Tsitsanis’s voice, though nasally, and the bouzouki part are aptly majestic and declaratory.

The best-known Greek song outside of Greece, “Zorba’s Dance,” also utilizes the bouzouki. The renowned composer, songwriter and political activist, Mikis Theodorakis, wrote the song for the 1964 movie: Zorba the Greek. The fast and plucky tune has also been featured in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Prison Break.

It is a common dance song in ‘tavernas,’ or small restaurants serving Greek cuisine.

While Greek folk music and Rebetiko are both culturally significant and technically impressive, they’re not for everyone. So, I set about trying to find something unique to Greece but with a more relatable western sound. Thus began the search for Greek rock.

I discovered an unusual number of bands with Billy Idol-esque vocals, including bands such as Matisse and the Barb Wire Dolls, who are decent but have clearly assimilated into western culture. Along that same vein, Aphrodite’s Child is nearly indistinguishable from American rock

Spring 2013 Winter 2012

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music, especially with their Paul Simon-like vocals. While they have an impressive guitar solo or two, it’s not something to listen to if you’re looking for music with a distinctly ‘Greek’ quality.

Dionysis Savvopoulos bridges eastwest elements by combining traditional Greek folk music and rock elements, producing a surprisingly tranquil sound.

He pulls this off through a unique blend of western vocals coupled with eastern guitar scales and harmonies. A prominent Greek rock musician in the 70s and 80s was Pavlos Sidiropoulos, recognized for supporting Greek lyrics while other Greek rock groups were switching to English. He formed the group Spiridoula, who produced the acclaimed and influential album, Flou.

Another surprising standout is the seven-member group Locomondo: who produce an eclectic fusion of reggae, ska and traditional elements of Greek music. “Magiko Hali” features the easternsounding Phyrgian dominant scale, but on electric guitar, and the vocals, while Greek, are comparable to those of Sublime’s Brad Nowell. They also did a reggae cover of the Rembetiko song “Frangosyriani,” by composer Markos Vamvakaris, and their anthem “Goal” became the unofficial soundtrack for the Greek National Football Team qualifying for the final phase of the World Cup in 2010. For a bunch of guys who don’t seem to take themselves

too seriously, they’re pretty talented.

Locomondo uniquely combines eastern and western elements into something that is relatable across the board, without losing finesse or credibility.

In browsing for more information online, I stumbled on a page detailing the Greek Music Ensemble’s upcoming show at Berklee Performance Center. So that brings us back to the beginning. While I learned a lot on my journey into the throes of Greek music, I had barely skimmed the surface.

There was a deluge of jazz and classical artists I left untouched. I didn’t listen to much Éntekhno, a genre that became mainstream by the 1960s but is less commercial than laïkó; and, even now, I still hear instruments I cannot identify. Yet by being open-minded and stepping outside the comfort zone of what I usually hear, I found music worth giving a chance—music with value.

• Erica Moser (Journalism)

gazing at Shoes a Brief HIstory of rock's haziest subgenre This past February, a band called My Bloody Valentine released an album that you may have heard about. The record, simply titled m b v, was the album that mastermind Kevin Shields had been promising to fans for upwards of 20 years. It was also the follow-up to Loveless, one of the most acclaimed and adored alternative rock records of all time. Predictably, it made some waves.

It also got a whole lot of people to start using the term ‘shoegaze’ again.

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Editorial

"““Shoegaze—————so-named for the tendency of its performers to remain stationary on stage while staring shoe-ward at their vast arrays of effects pedals— is one of alternative rock’s most intriguing and influential variants.”

m

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b v’s masterful manipulation of swirling psychedelic atmosphere, layers of distorted guitar tones and dreamy vocals underpinned by catchy pop melodies exemplifies the style of music that My Bloody Valentine helped pioneer back in the early 90s. Shoegaze–sonamed for the tendency of its performers to remain stationary on stage while staring shoe-ward at their vast arrays of effects pedals– is one of alternative rock’s most intriguing and influential variants.

Few bands of today would primarily be called shoegazers, but the genre’s fingerprints are all over modern indie rock.

In many ways, Loveless represents shoegaze’s ultimate summit.

The guitar tones are unreal, the melodies genius and the layered atmosphere an absolute marvel of nuanced production. Lore surrounding the album’s troubled production tells of Shields’ perfectionist tendencies nearly driving his label, Creation Records, into bankruptcy. In the end, though, few would begrudge him for obsessing over a record that’s widely considered one of the 1990s’ finest. If the entire shoegaze genre were to be summed up in a single, 50-minute statement, Loveless would certainly be it.

Large as My Bloody Valentine looms over the scene, however, shoegaze does not begin and end with them. Throughout the 1980s, bands like Cocteau Twins and The Jesus and Mary Chain were laying the groundwork for the genre-to-be. Cocteau Twins spent the decade producing ethereal, reverb and chorus-laden songs distinguished by uniquely unintelligible vocals. The notorious Reed brothers of the JAMC, on the other hand, made their name through confrontational live shows and Psychocandy, a debut album equal parts pop charm and headache-inducing feedback. The blending of these two poles of 80s UK alt-rock, along with a dash of American influence via distortion-heavy bands like Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth, was the recipe for shoegaze’s emergence.

My Bloody Valentine released their well-received debut Isn’t Anything in 1988, and by then a shoegaze scene was already starting to develop in the United Kingdom. The late 80s and early 90s saw the formation, and sometimes rapid dissolution, of numerous bands experimenting with hazy layers of guitar-driven sound and unconventional, often de-emphasized vocals. Among the most notable of this first wave of shoegazers were Ride and Slowdive. Ride debuted in 1990 with the classic Nowhere, a set of propulsive rock songs drowned in a sea of wah-wah pedals and fuzz. Slowdive released a palatable debut in 1991, but perfected their brand of downbeat dreaminess on 1994’s Souvlaki.

Numerous other bands of the UK scene have been largely forgotten over time, but plenty still offer up something worth hearing. On the more pop-oriented end of the spectrum, groups such as Moose, The Boo Radleys and The Telescopes brought some spacey, psychedelic vibes to the table. Bands like Catherine Wheel and Swervedriver, on the other hand, infused some of the rhythmic muscle of conventional rock with dense sheets of distorted guitars to shape their sound.

The shoegaze trend never properly caught on in America, but there were still a few adherents to the church of Kevin Shields across the pond. Boston’s own Swirlies succeeded at aping Loveless’ wall-of-noise guitar sound on a budget with 1996’s They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons. Over in Los Angeles, Medicine presented a harsher take on shoegaze characterized by a wavering layer of high-end guitar feedback, most fully realized on 1992’s Shot Forth Self Living. Elements of early Smashing Pumpkins records, namely the innumerable layers of guitar tracks on 1993’s Siamese Dream and 1995’s Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, were also heavily influenced by the shoegaze movement.

With its flagship bands mostly dormant or disbanded by the end of the 90s, shoegaze entered a period of dormancy as a standalone genre. Indie and alternative rock were heading in a thousand different directions at once, and few bands in the UK or elsewhere kept themselves entirely shrouded in a shoegaze haze.

Today, the genre’s gentler side can be heard in the dream-pop leanings of The Radio Dept., M83 and Beach House. Its signature walls of noise are kept alive in the pummeling, howling squall of A Place to Bury Strangers and Deerhunter’s ambient-garage. Yuck’s 90s-in-a-blender throwback and the sugary noise-pop of The Pains of Being Pure At Heart are also in its debt.

Shoegaze is still a part of the DNA of modern indie rock in 2013, but there’s no denying that it’s long past its heyday. The mere existence of m b v, then, seems incongruous with the time and place. Ultimately though, that displacement works to the album’s advantage. My Bloody Valentine are among the last shoegazers standing, and even after a multi-decade break, they’re still showing everyone how it’s done.

• Ben Stas (English/Journalism)

Ride Nowhere

The Jesus and Mary Chain Psychocandy

“In many ways, Loveless represents shoegaze’s ultimate summit. The guitar tones are unreal, the melodies genius and the layered atmosphere an absolute marvel of nuanced production.”

My Bloody Valentine Isn’t Anything My Bloody Valentine Loveless

“Throughout the 1980s, bands like Cocteau Twins and The Jesus and Mary Chain were laying the groundwork for the genre-to-be.”

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“Bands like Catherine Wheel and Swervedriver, on the other hand, xmuscle of conventional rock with dense sheets of distorted guitars to shape their sound. “

Medicine Shot Forth Self Living

Catherine Wheel Chrome

Swirlies They Spent Their Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons Slowdive Souvlaki

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Album Reviews David Bowie The Next Day Release date March 8, 2013 Label Columbia Genre Alternative/ Indie Rock Tasty tracks The Stars (Are Out Tonight), Where Are We Now, Boss of Me

Reviews

David Bowie doesn’t owe the world anything; in his five-decade career, he delivered enough classic rock gems to keep DJs content for the next century. He’s made albums as stylistically varied as Lady Gaga’s clothes, from glam-rock standards (Hunky Dory) to rock-operas (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust) to collaborations with Brian Eno decades before U2 or Coldplay (Low and "Heroes"). Bowie also pioneered the concept of an alternate stage persona, which manya-frontman has since copied (I’m looking at you, Bono). Following a heart attack on stage in 2004, Bowie retreated from attention and stopped touring and releasing new music.

Fans assumed he had retired, and no one would have blamed him if he had.

Then in January, Bowie announced his return to music with new album The Next Day. After years of silence, hearing new songs from Bowie is a pleasure indeed. Even better, his new album is far from a money-wringing vanity project (now I’m looking at you, Rolling Stones). The Next Day is arguably the best

Bastille Bad Blood Release date March 5, 2013 Label Virgin Records Genre Indie Pop Tasty tracks Bad Blood, Laura Palmer, Pompeii

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It wouldn't be hard to write off Bastille and their arch brand of indie pop as a tad too disposable. “Flaws,” released when Bastille meant lead singer Dan Smith’s solo output, spawned a number of relentlessly amateur YouTube covers for good reason – Smith’s soaring voice is eminently listenable and the song’s “All of your flaws and all of my flaws” refrain is especially easy for a particularly romantic section of the internet generation to grasp at. His next releases were equally melodramatic, and their subject matter was designed to capitalize on the resurgent popularity of David Lynch’s enigmatic early ‘90s drama, Twin Peaks. Smith’s populist approach to indie music was quickly realized

by Virgin Records, and Bastille was picked up before they’d even put out their first full-length.

Luckily for Smith and his listeners, those early songs proved that he was onto

collection of new Bowie songs since his 1970s heyday. There aren’t any revelations to be found here, but there’s something reassuring in hearing him do what he does best.

Things get off to a confident start with the title track. “Here I am, not quite dying,” sings Bowie, a cheeky reply to fans who thought him finished. Not quite, anyway. The Next Day is split between songs that recall a more youthful Bowie and songs sung by the man who had a brush with death nine years ago. In the former category, “Boss of Me” and “If You Can See Me” could almost be outtakes from Bowie’s glam period; the singer even gets delightfully weird on alien abduction rocker “The Stars (Are Out Tonight).” Conversely, the wistful first single “Where Are We Now” is pensive and melancholy, and Bowie sounds weathered as he sings about the narrator’s aimlessness. Closer “Heat” also sees Bowie conflicted, and over the course of the song he stumbles through an identity crisis and daddy issues over a slow, brooding synth groove.

The artwork for The Next Day, the iconic cover of Bowie’s 1977 album “Heroes,” is probably an attention grab (and an improvement on the abysmal art for previous record Reality), but the music of “Heroes” is also The Next Day’s main inspiration. The bossa nova romp of the title track is a deadringer for “Heroes” “Beauty and the Beast.”

On “Heat,” the eerie backdrop recalls an ambient piece from Bowie’s late ‘70s period, with an operatic wail of a vocal performance.

something more interesting than his image and approach seemed to suggest. “Laura Palmer” was spectacularly ominous ( Twin Peaks inspirations were especially entertaining) and heartfelt, while “Things We Lost in the Fire” was similarly engaging. Having honed his style with two surprisingly worthwhile mixtapes of covers (Other People’s Heartache parts 1 and 2) Smith unleashed the first single from his group’s debut LP, the eponymous “Bad Blood.”

“Bad Blood” encapsulates everything that Bastille’s early output promised (cinematic atmosphere, melodramatic, ‘80s inspired tones and shimmery instrumentals) and upgrades Smith’s sound to match his ambition for the first time. “Pompeii,” the album’s opener and second single, is equally impressive, showcasing Smith’s ability to make bombastic pop exceedingly relatable.

Unfortunately, not everything lives up to these high standards. The album features an equal mix of remastered versions of a number of early releases (including “The Weight of Living pt. II,” which was part of FIFA 13’s soundtrack) and newer tracks, but both sets of songs have their weaker moments. Early release “Overjoyed” would be best forgotten, while the previously unheard “These Streets” could have used a couple of rewrites. Some

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Comfortingly, Bowie continues to expand his horizons: “Boss of Me” and “Dirty Boys” feature prominent and much-welcome saxophone lines.

The Next Day ’s entirely beyond reproach.

Song production is too immaculate, and Bowie’s voice, while not in a Dylan state of decay, sounds every one of its 66 years. More important is the fact that Bowie is back, which renders any of the album's minor flaws inconsequential. The Next Day is the comeback album fans never expected to get, the equivalent of Bowie approaching you, handing over a crisp $20, and saying “have one on me” with a wink.

Mike Doub (Psychology)

of Smith’s metaphors can be heavy-handed and there are moments on the album that use Smith’s impressive voice to paste over clumsy lyrics or awkward passages, but when everything comes together there are spectacularly entertaining, emotive results.

Bastille has already begun to play the British festival circuit and it seems inevitable that they’ll be doing equally well on American shores soon.

Runyon Colie (History)

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The Strokes Comedown Machine Release date March 25, 2013 Label Rough Trade Genre Alternative Tasty tracks Tap Out, All The Time A distinct self-awareness is the greatest theme pervading The Strokes' career, surprising as that may be considering the band's wayward characterization. But remember, they were dubbed "saviors" in 2001, which requires a precise knowledge of who they were saving, and from what. Accordingly, The Strokes knew exactly what they were doing when they came stumbling out of New York's petri dish of up-and-comings and ventured to revive garage rock.

But the nature of The Strokes' rise hid their own self-awareness. Julian Casablancas sang with no restraint, consistently garbling lyrics and muffing his delivery. How could anyone committing such assaults on the norms of professionalism have any sense of self, or any plan? But they had created the ultimate trend– the rugged, punkish delivery, the immaculate fashion. It was all too perfect an orchestration of appealing factors to be accidental. I would argue that The Strokes' amateurism–which made them so appealing–was real; I don't mean to contend that The Strokes faked their way through the 2000s. I merely suggest that they were distinctly aware of their vogue aesthetic, its limitations and, most of all, its value.

In other words, The Strokes knew that everything from their chord-progressions to their nicotine reeked of fleeting novelty, and

Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience Release date March 19, 2013 Label RCA Genre Pop, R&B Tasty tracks Strawberry Bubblegum, Blue Ocean Floor, Tunnel Vision

Justin Timberlake is finally back, and everyone who has been clamoring for a follow-up to 2006’s FutureSex/LoveSounds can finally rest. Sort of. Justin, who was so involved in doing everything BUT recording new songs that it had become a running joke among fans, is finally focusing on his music career. While this is something of a relief, Timberlake’s new album The 20/20 Experience is irksome in new and interesting ways.

The album opens with one of its weaker tracks, “Pusher Love Girl”, which reveals some immediate issues. Timberlake and his usual collaborator Timbaland weren't afraid to take risks with the album; no tracks cling to current trends and extended intros, outros, and interludes stretch most tracks past seven

they had to evolve. So after two classic albums in as many years, The Strokes' self-awareness drove them toward the dangerous pursuit of retaining the popularity they first captured so perfectly.

That quest seems, with the luxury of hindsight, to have been misguided. Comedown Machine clocks in as the third album on The Strokes' tailspin out of relevancy. Its tracks are the work of songwriting hit-machines obligated to write outside of a comfortable genre. Tracks like "Tap Out" miraculously fashion freakishly catchy choruses from crummy, Toto-esque instrumental hooks.

Guitarists Albert Hammond Jr. and Nick Valensi find that the only accentuation they can offer to a muted synth line is a stuttering progression of hacks at their respective strings, and this stiffness shows just how uncomfortable they are. Both are exemplary rock guitarists, but neither possesses the grace of Wilco's Nels Cline nor the chameleonic guile of Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, two guitarists who appear equally at ease with Zeppelin riffs and harmonic subservience.

2006's First Impressions of Earth marked the beginning of The Strokes' turn off-course, due to the rise of bands like Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys that picked up musically where The Strokes left off. Pressured by their own recognition of indie's trail-blazer requirement, The Strokes attempted to innovate, osmosing the the revival of 80's synth-pop. No matter The Strokes' virtues, however, no one has ever accused them of originality. Their well-intended evolution drove them into the kind of genre-bending territory they didn't have the chops to tread in. minutes. Justin recently said that he should be able to write 10-minute songs if Queen, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd could. While that’s an admirable statement in a world where pop music is often unfairly maligned, a lot of the songs here don’t merit their length. “Pusher Love Girl” is an eight-minute song built on a weak foundation; the ‘your love is my drug’ metaphor is such a tired one that Timberlake himself seems to acknowledge it (“there’s a million names for your kind of chronic”). Even the four and a half minutes that make up the core of the song seem to drag on for ages.

This isn’t to say the format is inherently broken. Justin’s made tracks this long work for him in the past: in fact, two of the best tracks on FutureSex/LoveSounds were over seven minutes long. The issue here isn’t how long the tracks are but how long they feel.

Tracks “Strawberry Bubblegum” and “Tunnel Vision,” make their length feel natural and necessary, while “Let the Groove Get In” and “Mirrors” place their catchiest hooks behind songs that are five minutes long and don't feel worth the wait. The album is beautifully produced, and there are some really great

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The sad thing is, The Strokes didn't have to do anything in order to succeed. All they had to do was keep quiet after Room On Fire, let their successors redirect modern alternative rock and pop up ten years later with another album that sounded just like Is This It. In the process, time would forgive their sound not moving an inch, but the music would change to more honestly reflect the band's maturation than Comedown Machine's content does. Critics would heap praise upon the band that revived rock once, and then kept their sound where it belonged–a foil to indie's requisite multi-genre-ness. Instead, Comedown Machine features The Strokes playing songs that drip with all the good intentions of a band convinced that everyone expects them to stay the course, speeding blindly down a dead end street without stopping to acknowledge that the only way out is behind them.

Nick Hugon (International Affairs) bits, such as a the latter part of “Strawberry Bubblegum,” which seems to slyly reference part of *NSYNC’s “Pop,” and closing track “Blue Ocean Floor,” a deceptively relaxing song that might be about suicide by drowning.

However, it feels like the album could have turned out better, and instead it ended up less than the sum of its parts.

Nathan Goldman (Sociology)

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Etcetera

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CROSSWORD ACROSS

3 Week long festival in the desert 4 “Song of the people” 6 Tastemakers Presents headliner 7 Quintessential niche festival 8 Wrote “Getting Jiggy With It” 9 Garrett Dutton 11 Julian Casablancas vs. _________ 12 James Mercer + Danger Mouse DOWN

1 High-quality, affordable turntable 2 Beastie Boys song co-written by Run DMC 4 Shoegaze’s ultimate summit 5 Electric __________ Carnival 10 NU grad Ryan Fleming

ZOOMED Can you tell which six album covers we’ve zoomed in on here?

Lil’ Kim Hard Core, Chadwick Stokes Simmerkane II, Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience 2nd Row:

G. Love & Special Sauce Electric Mile, Jay-Z The Black Album, Catherine Wheel Chrome 1st Row:

FIND BIEBER

CRYPTOQUOTE We’ve hidden Justin Bieber somewhere in this issue. Find him and maybe something cool will happen...

Crack the code to finish the sentencte.

“ ABOUT AS HUGE AS BIGGIE IN A

”

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