THE RADICAL ISSUE #3 // JUNE 2015

THE RADICAL FEATURING:

ISSUE #3 // JUNE 2015 THE-RADICAL.COM

JACK GARRATT // AVA LUNA // BØRNS // FRANK TURNER // BULLY

THE-RADICAL.COM twitter.com/theradicalzine facebook.com/theradicalzine instagram.com/theradicalzine theradicalzine.tumblr.com soundcloud.com/theradicalzine

ARTISTS

3 Alex Winston 5 Great Good Fine Ok 9 Courtney Barnett 11 Clean Bandit 17 Bully 19 Secret Someones 21 Wolf Alice 27 Ava Luna 35 Jack Garratt 39 Phoebe Ryan 41 Voyageur 43 BØRNS 47 Jay Brown 49 COIN 53 Frank Turner

REVIEWS

29 HOLYCHILD 31 VÈRITÈ 31 Hop Along 32 Girlpool 33 Aquilo 33 Torres 34 Wolf Alice 34 Leon Bridges

FEATURES

55 Gregory Nolan 8 Independent VS Signed 15 A Love/Hate w Spotify 51 Impact of Josh Schwartz 59 Road Trip Playlist

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53 FOUNDER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF April Salud

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LAYOUT Robert Jackson April Salud CONTRIBUTORS Allegra Rosenberg Heather Mason Katie Collins Rochelle Shipman Joyce Jude Lee SPECIAL THANKS Kasturi Shan Catina Dickson Vaneza Pitynski Kirsten Stubbs Gregory Nolan Interscope Records

CONTENTS

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EDITOR’S LETTER We’ve been extremely lucky over here at THE RADICAL. Only 3 issues in and we’ve had wonderful conversations with some of our favorite artists. The first two issues, though hard to complete, seemed pretty obvious to lay out. The first one clearly needed to be a recap of 2014 and the second one just had to be an all female issue. But what was next?

When I was in DC to see the last show of Jukebox the Ghost’s winter tour, I thought about how having a theme helped build out each issue — even if it the theme was loose. I came up with the concept of “freedom” for Issue #3. The initial idea was to talk about music and how it made us feel and how these artists helped free our minds or some thing like that. You know, really deep stuff. At the beginning, we were sort of forcing the theme upon our artists with direct questions like “What does artistic freedom mean to you?” After a few of those, I realized…we didn’t have to ask anymore. We didn’t have to ask because of course artistic freedom is something everyone wants. The freedom to do what you want and be who you want is the dream.

The common thread each of the artists featured in this issue is that they are themselves, despite whatever trends the industry tries to thrust upon them. It truly clicked for me when I sat down with Frank Turner. Unlike a lot of the other artists in this issue, Frank is on his sixth album. He’s not a shiny new hyped up artist.

During our chat, his passion still burned and was evident. He has the opportunity to continue making the music he wants to make because people still want to hear. Instead of feeling pressure, he feels more of a release. He’s free.

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APRIL SALUD EDITOR

THE RADICAL, ONLY THE FUNDEMENTALS @THERADICALZINE @APRILSALUD

NEVER LOOK BACK. NEVER GIVE UP.

BURN. “COMBACK” ELLA EYRE “GODDESS” BANKS

“FALLING” HAIM

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CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS ISSUE

“FLAWLESS” BEYONCÉ

“YELLOW FLICKER BEAT” LORDE

“WE CAN’T STOP” MILEY CYRUS

FIND ALEX WINSTON: twitter.com/IamAlexWinston www.facebook.com/AlexWinstonOfficial www.iamalexwinston.com

ALEX WINSTON

WORDS & INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD PHOTO: EMILY KNECHT

has been one of the most promising artist since her debut in 2011. After a taking few years to recuperate both vocally and emotionally, Winston made her triumphant return to the music scene with the anthemic, “Careless”. There’s an endearing quirk about Winston and her music.

With distinct vocals and colorful lyrics, that bit of odd has landed Winston in the same ranks of Lykke Li and Charli XCX in this world filled with alt-pop females sassing their way to the top.

Women are creating far more interesting music than men nowadays and Alex Winston is a prime example.

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You suffered from a vocal hemorrhage... was there anything you realized took for granted? What do you appreciate now that you previously didn’t?

I’m taking care of myself now. I used to be way more lax with pushing my voice and not warming up and generally being negligentbecause I’d never had a problem, but after seeing my vocal chord filled with blood and immobilized, it really put things into perspective. Its crazy that two tiny muscles in my throat have that much power over my entire career! Also not being able to sing was very depressing. I don’t take it for granted anymore.

How did you overcome your writer’s block after your first album?

I think I needed to give in to the fact that the album was going to be personal. I was trying to be inspired by things that weren’t inspiring me and it just derailed my creativity.

How was the process of making this album versus your first one? Was it more freeing than the last?

It was freeing in a very different way than you’d expect. I think the second album is kind of tricky...it was sort of a double edged sword for me. I had experience under my belt, but with that experience, there were a lot of expectations that I put on myself that I didn’t necessarily have the first time around because I didn’t really know what I was in for. I was a lot more uninhibited when writ-

ing King Con, but I’m not sure I had a very clear direction. I’ve grown a lot since the last record and the vision for this album is much more cohesive, but the pressure to deliver something very personal and honest was a lot.

How did it feel once you were able to get your emotions out? Do you feel like the emotional exposure is a good or bad thing?

At first I was very uncomfortable...hence why it took me two years to make this record!

But I feel like maybe this record is more relatable on an emotional level and if the listener can identify with it, then its worth it to me What are your essential things and steps to get over a break up?

Whiskey and time....sorry, I know that sounds like a country song.

This album is more personal and about very sad experiences, do you feel relief that you were able to write it down? Or do you feel almost trapped having to relive the experience every time you perform it?

I’m in a very different place now. It was very cathartic for me, so I look back on those experiences and I am super grateful, so for the most part it makes me quite happy.

How do you define happiness? Do you think it can ever be achieved?

God I hope so, I’ll let you know when I figure it out.

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FEELING

GREAT GOOD FINE OK WORDS: ALLEGRA ROSENBERG // INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD // PHOTOS: GREAT GOOD FINE OK & APRIL SALUD

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ith an evocative name like Great Good Fine OK, the energetic and upbeat vibes of Jon Sandler and Luke Moellman can start working their magic on your mind before you even hit play on one of their songs, and once their contagious tunes hit your eardrums, it’s only a matter of time before you’re singing along. Enigmatic and unknown when they blasted to the top of the blog charts with their vibrant debut single “You’re The One For Me” back in 2013, the duo have since ascended through the crowded field of upstart electro-pop bands to garner a loyal fanbase and impressive opening spots for established acts like Betty Who and X Ambassadors. With two short, sweet, and sparkling EPs under their belt and a major-label deal recently inked, the world has slowly but surely started taking notice of GGFO. Backstage at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles before their performance opening for Magic Man, the buzz around these Brooklyn boys was practically palpable.

As Moellman cradled a newly-purchased inflatable bike pump (more on that later), he spoke candidly about how the laid-back aspects of their local scene contributed to the kind of cooperative atmosphere that sparked GGFO’s origins. “We have our friends who are all doing music, and you make bands with your friends and you’re like, ‘Yeah, we should collaborate on something!’” he explains. That’s basically how GGFO got started, with Moellman (a producer) and Sandler (a vocalist) knowing each other for years through mutual friends and simple proximity before a chance encounter on a Manhattan street prompted their first-ever collaboration, which eventually became “You’re The One For Me.” “New York City’s such a great place for bands to thrive,” says Sandler, “and Brooklyn is just kind of like a good escape from the hustle bustle, so it’s a good place for artists.” A playful back-and-forth over whether Brooklyn really counts as an “escape” ensues, ending in an agreement to disagree that’s a perfect encapsulation of the creative counterpoint that the two provide to each other as both friends and band members.

When questioned about their non-musical influences, Moellman cites the dark and inspiring cult TV show “Twin Peaks,” a classic cultural standby of artists the world over. “If we’re talking TV shows, I’m more of a ‘Sopranos’ kind of guy,” Sandler says.

“But just like, being in the city, and all the things going on inspires me.” It’s apparent from the continued appreciation of their hometown that Moellman and Sandler feel they owe a great deal of their experience with success to the community they are surrounded by when they create. As we delve deeper into their relationship with the Big Apple, though, some more complex feelings emerge. “There’s no mystique around it, or anything. It’s just our home,” Sandler makes sure to qualify. Similarly, Moellman concedes that “sometimes I get [a trapped] feeling living in New York, just like, being there… I don’t have a car, so to get out of there is a pretty crazy process…. so sometimes it feels like that, there, but sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it feels awesome.”

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Like so many pop duos, Great Good Fine OK divides the responsibilities of production and vocals between members. Moellman handles the beats and instrumenta-

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“New York City’s such a great place for bands to thrive.”

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tion, while Sandler writes and sings the melodies and lyrics.

The pair had a good laugh at the idea of switching musical duties. “It would probably sound like Phish meets Steely Dan,” Moellman says. Sandler contemplates it further: “Luke plays a lot of keyboards and synths and stuff, and I’m like, not a good piano player…. so it would be folky, bad chords on a piano, and—” “And me trying to sing.” “And Luke trying to sing. Which isn’t bad!” Sandler defends his bandmate.

“But let’s be real here,” Moellman defers, and though jokey, a deeper meaning is made clear: the reason GGFO turned from a one-off collaboration between two acquaintances into a successful touring band is because it allows Sandler and Moellman to showcase their talents, and to pass on their enthusiasm for doing what they do best to the rest of the world.

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Great Good Fine OK’s music, expertly produced and endlessly repeatable, can definitely be described as “feeling awesome,” but these days that’s not always enough. To get noticed and gain the affection of an increasingly mercurial and opinionated pop audience, bands need to have a little something more— and GGFO pretty much defines that 21st-century “something more,” a complete package of personality and talent and social know-how whose upward trajectory demonstrates not only their sonic appeal but

their consummate lovability as not just performers but as real people. In today’s era of neverending internet hype cycles and constant promotion, it’s easy for up-and-coming acts to blend into one featureless sonic blob of synths, coolly-posed press photoshoots, and tweets that fall just short of being edgy and relevant. But Great Good Fine OK gives their fans a myriad of refreshingly genuine ways to fall in love, from off-kilter music videos (“You’re The One For Me,” in which Moellman and Sandler dress in drag for a slow-mo spin class) to a daily-updated Snapchat account (featuring quick, intimate clips of tour life and band hangouts). And that’s not even getting into their sublime live shows, which showcase not only the group’s transcendent musicality but also their grandiose and graceful aesthetic sensibilities, with Sandler’s truly unique kimono-and-gold fashion sense on full display alongside Moell-

man’s neon-LED-lit percussive accoutrements.

The duo, alongside their equally charismatic touring band, make the most of their opening slots, and audiences who show up solely for the headliner find themselves in the midst of a set so memorable that they can’t help but go up to the band afterwards and shake their hands. At the Los Angeles show, Moellman used the previously-mentioned bicycle pump to construct a massive makeshift T-shirt cannon, launching merch into the audience in a free-wheeling, devil-may-care gesture that stood out as a symbol of GGFO’s trademark infectious energy.

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New York City’s music scene might be claustrophobic at times, but Great Good Fine OK has managed to break free of the trappings of the ever-more hegemonic electronic genre to create something shimmering gold and wonderfully inviting. There’s no pretense about them, no indie-edge facade or mystery—just two guys, some amazing music, and good times for everyone.

poster WOULD YOU RATHER

Studio or Tour Luke: Studio.

Jon: Tour!

Jon: I don’t want to know either of those! [pause] I would want to know how. Because even if it’s like you’re going to get cut in half, maybe that’s when I’m 90, so I’m not going to be afraid, you know?

this whole thing. We are, we’re like yin and yang.

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No arms or no legs Luke: Uh, no legs.

Jon: Oh my gosh. That’s horrible.

Luke: You could still do everything with no arms.

Jon: I could? How am I going to hold a mic? I guess it could be on a stand...

Luke: You could have, like, a head piece?

Jon: ...Okay, yeah, no arms.

Luke: You could just have little fake arms attached and swing them around.

Know how you’re going to die or know when you’re going to die

More time or more money Luke: More time.

Jon: Yeah, I’ll go with more time.

Unlimited respect or unlimited power Jon: I’ll take respect.

Luke: Respect is power!

Jon: But also you could say that if you have unlimited power, you get respect….

Luke: No, not necessarily— Jon: Yeah… yeah.

Nickelback or Creed Jon: Oh, god.

Luke: Death?

Jon: I pick Creed.

Star Wars or Star Trek Luke: Star Trek.

Jon: Wars!

THE RADICAL: You guys are so opposite!

Jon: Maybe that’s the beauty of

FIND GGFO: twitter.com/GreatGoodFineOk facebook.com/GreatGoodFineOk www.greatgoodfineok.com

INDEPENDENT WORDS: KATIE COLLINS

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hose who write and perform music have a level of freedom of expression that draws them into this as a field for work and pleasure. But does that freedom dissipate as they move up in the ranks, from independent to signed artists? Or does their freedom expand? It all starts with what you believe the definition of “freedom” to be in regards to being a musician. Does it mean you can perform whatever you want? Or perform wherever you want? Or does it mean being able to get your music to whomever you want? Or does it mean none of that?

Being an independent artist is a tough lifestyle choice: long nights on the road, writing whenever you can while possibly working another job, crowdfunding to record an album, and publicizing it all yourself (and with your closest friends that may even be in the band with you). You work hard to have some of those freedoms listed before because you control your own destiny; you don’t have someone to answer to because in the end - you’re your own boss. But accomplishing everything you want to do is tough when you’re an independent artist: getting your music out to create a fan base, selling records...everything is harder when you’re starting from the ground up. That’s one of the privileges that being signed can bring along: help.

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Freedom and privilege can go hand-in-hand. Being signed is a privilege, and it comes with certain freedoms. There’s a team to help you accomplish these dreams you have, you get help booking shows, there’s more people rooting for your success in the recording studio. Having all those jobs off your back can help you enjoy the experience more. It’s a domino effect: you get help making your album and promoting it, more people hear your work, more people come to your shows at bigger venues, you (and/or your team) writes more songs, you make another album and do it all over again. Do you lose some control over every little piece of what you’re doing, sure. Do you gain a lot more from being able to share your work with more fans and play a different set of shows and enjoy the growth that comes with that, you betcha. That’s a whole different kind of freedom.

I wouldn’t say one has more freedom than another, I would say they have different types of freedoms that come along with them. One doesn’t make you a hipster and the other doesn’t make you a sell-out. One does leave you in complete control while one takes a bit of control away to offer bigger opportunities. One thing is certain: being able to perform music should give you the feeling of freedom every time you get on that stage or behind a mic to record. You’re getting to do something incredible that some people only dream of. You found your proverbial (and literal, I suppose) voice to share you thoughts, views, dreams, love, worries, and everything else with those around you. You have a platform to speak your mind regardless of being independent or signed. Use it wisely.

SIGNED

FIND COURTNEY BARNETT twitter.com/courtneymelba facebook.com/courtneybarnettmusic www.courtneybarnett.com.au

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’know, if Courtney Barnett was from Brooklyn instead of Melbourne, she probably wouldn’t be as big of a deal as she is.”

This is what someone explained to me after Barnett’s interview and performance at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. An interesting theory. What I think she meant was that Barnett’s knack for writing literally the best clever, witty, sad songs would be lost in the sea of hipster musicians in Brooklyn.

Plus, her Australian charm and humbleness seems to help. On the heels of her extremely successful and extremely awesome debut Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, Barnett was in midst of a sold out headlining tour in the US when she sat down to talk about her artistry with The Grammy Museum. There’s no doubt that everyone in the industry is completely enamored with her.

The most impressive thing about Barnett though is how exactly she’s able to write such resonating songs. She has a rare talent to see the most mundane thing and create a rich and complex metaphor about the weirdness of life then turn that into a brilliantly crafted song. A constant balance of looking and listening to everything around her, Barnett is sponge that soaks in all the intricacies of life and packages them into a perfect listening experience. Everything about Barnett is endlessly fascinating… with the right amount of sarcastic charm added to the mix.

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COURTNEY BARNETT

AT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM WORDS & PHOTOS: APRIL SALUD

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STRONG

WORDS & INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD PHOTOS: JOSHUA SCHULZ & APRIL SALUD

GER THAN EVER

FONDA THEATRE // 04.15.15

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lean Bandit has had a massive year.. As one of our top artists in Issue #1, the British band has been touring all over the world, releasing hit song after hit song, and revolutionizing dance music in the process.

Having one of the most streamed songs of 2014 with the undeniably infectious “Rather Be,” Clean Bandit’s 2015 has been arguably even more successful. The Grammy award winners have been circulating the festival scene as well as producing innovative music videos for their songs. With a killer lineup of collaborators and a creative drive that is hard to escape, Clean Bandit is pushing forward to prove that they’re more than dance music with a classical gimmick.

In between Coachella weekends, Clean Bandit played to a sold out audience at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. Their biggest headlining show in the city to date, the band was energetic as ever and the audience has never been more engaged. “It’s been amazing to come out and tour in the US,” cellist Grace Chatto told THE RADICAL. “They’re obviously much smaller out here than in the UK but I rather like that because it’s more intimate. It’s nice to see everyone’s faces rather than just a big mass of an audience and see how people are reacting to the music.

Playing Coachella made us suddenly feel like there were more people out in America who listened to our music. I think there was about 45,000 people that came out in the middle of the day. I don’t really know why people are connecting but there must be something about ‘Rather Be’ that is touching something with people around the world.”

There is something about Clean Bandit that is resonating with audiences everywhere. Even in the UK where dance music flood the airwaves, they have made an impression by being the perfect blend of accessible pop anthems and slightly left of field. They have a signature sound without all the pretentiousness that comes with a buzz band. That formula has translated into critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base.

When you listen to a Clean Bandit track, there’s

so pieces and layers to it. All four members are vital in their creation. Starting from their formation at university, Clean Bandit came about when brothers Jack and Luke Patterson joined forces with longtime friends Chatto and Neil Amin-Smith. From there, they found their niche when they collaborated with vocalists around campus that would eventually flesh out their debut album. “We usually found [our vocalists] in organic ways. A lot of the singers on New Eyes are old friends of ours or people who’ve met through community projects in London. We would teach people about music production and then also turned out to be great singers.”

Since the release of New Eyes, Clean Bandit has gone back into the studio to crank out two more hits with “Stronger” (originally featuring Olly Alexander from Years & Years and now with Alex Newell and Sam Bass) and “Real Love,” a reunion with Jess Glynne. Both videos for the singles have continued to showcase Clean Bandit’s unique approach to the art of the music video.

“Jack directs all our music videos and I produce them and I love doing that,” Chatto pointed out.

Creating that visual accompaniment to their music has been a top priority. “It’s important and it’s just what we do.”

With sold out tours, respect from their peers, and admiration from their fans worldwide… where do Clean Bandit go from here? “At the moment we’re thinking about making a second album. We’re making new music and see where that goes. We’d love to make a film. I don’t know about writing it but would love to produce one. I have talk to a friend of mine about creating sci-fi TV series.”

You can always count on Clean Bandit to take the unconventional route. And we wouldn’t have them any other way.

FIND CLEAN BANDIT: twitter.com/cleanbandit facebook.com/cleanbandit www.cleanbandit.co.uk

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A LOVE / HATE

R E L AT I O N S H I P WORDS: HEATHER MASON

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love music. It’s probably safe to assume that you do as well. But I also, as someone working in the creative world, understand the need to assign value to “art” in order for artists to, you know, eat and stuff.

That’s why I have a very complex relationship with Spotify and the rest of the free music streaming services out there. While I understand the need to pay artists, I also love the freedom to listen to whatever I want, whenever I want. And because I love so much, I simply couldn’t afford to purchase each album individually that I enjoy. What’s even more difficult is paying to try new music that I’m not even sure I’d enjoy.

Before internet piracy and the various legal ways to get large quantities of music for free, we lived in a very different world. I remember getting up early to buy an album the day it came out at a store. Then I remember using Kazaa to illegally download files. But it wasn’t a quick and pain-free process, which is why the iTunes store became so relevant.

When given the opportunity, we’ll pay for something that’s quick and convenient over something free but more complicated to get. Here’s where Spotify came in, providing something both free and easy to get.

I joined Spotify as a free user in 2011. Long past buying CDs at Walmart the morning they were released, I was mostly using iTunes to purchase entire albums of a select few artists. However, one thing that iTunes lacked (at the time) was an easy way to discover and listen to new music, something that Spotify basically rules at. Being introduced to new

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music on a consistent basis is an invaluable feature of Spotify, adding a new layer to my struggle with the service. Doesn’t it benefit smaller artists for them to possibly be discovered on Spotify for free than to never have been heard at all?

About 18 months after I started using Spotify for free, I began using the Premium paid service for $9.99/month. I’d like to say that it was because I felt guilty for all of my free listening but I really just hated the mood-ruining commercials that popped up on the free service. Spending $120 per year on music wasn’t something I took lightly, but I really felt it was worth it. So in my mind, I’m now spending more on music than ever and gaining access to everything I want to listen to, except Taylor Swift.

When Taylor Swift took her music off of Spotify in late 2014 it seemed like a stunt. Her latest album was coming out and while I agree with her general points, not everyone is Taylor Swift. She makes money on concerts and merchandise. Swift is perhaps the most successful artist at the moment, so of course she can buck the new “system” and rail against Spotify for providing music for “free”, thus devaluing it and making it an unsustainable system for the artists.

But what’s the answer? It’s now unrealistic to expect people to buy each album (or track) they want when they can hop on Netflix for $7.99/month and watch every movie ever created.

No, it’s not free but it’s still pretty cheap. TIDAL entered the field in early 2015 claiming to pay artists more than any other streaming service and giving “power back to the artists”. (It won’t because labels own the music, not the artists.) But what if you’re a new artist struggling to get an audience at all? Many musicians are willing to give their music away for free in hopes of gaining new fans thus new concertgoers and new merchandise purchasers. Is it wrong to want free music? Where does the industry go from here? As much as I love Spotify personally, being an artist myself should I hate what it’s done to my fellow artists?

I’m proud to say that I haven’t illegally downloaded music in years. Morally, it just feels wrong now. However, is paying my monthly low fee to Spotify really that much better? Free (and uber cheap) music seems here to stay and I kind of hate that I love it.

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“I COULD BE MORE IN CONTROL OF IT MYSELF”

BULL WORDS & INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD // PHOTO: DANIEL TOPETE

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can’t recall exactly how I found out about Bully.

It might have been the result of some deep internet searching or it might have been from simple Twitter stalking (omg so-and-so is talking to so-and-so and they casually mentioned this super cool band, I think). Regardless of how Bully came into my life, it’s been one of my greatest musical discoveries.

Bully’s origin story begins in Chicago where lead singer Alicia Bognanno began her internship at Steve Albini’s studio, Electrical Audio. This is where Bognanno honed the craft of audio engineering and started writing material for what would eventually become Bully.

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“I was interested in music and audio engineering in high school and the internship came after that. To me, they work hand in hand. I like audio engineering and I feel like if I pursued it, the music thing would come easier to me or I could be more in control of it myself,” Bognanno told THE RADICAL.

Later, the Nashville four-piece would return to Electrical Audio to lay down what would become their proper debut album, Feels Like. Bognanno has perfected song writing with her ability to build the simplest tracks that are raw, honest, and feel like old classics. They’re nostalgic in feeling and infinitely relevant.

FIND BULLY: twitter.com/bully facebook.com/bullythemusic www.bullythemusic.com

Being able to combine the creative and the technical aspect is something most musicians haven’t been able to tackle let alone master.

With Bully, Bognanno prefers to have full control over their sound, not because of any weird ego but simply because that’s the only way she sees it getting done. “I like to not have to count on anybody else to make it happen for me and not have any excuses to not do something,” she admits.

While all the music blogs have been comparing Bully to the likes The Japandroids and Nirvana (plenty have said Bognanno delivers the same growl and angst as Kurt Cobain), their execution reminded me more of a different 90s rock band. With Bognanno’s ability to range from sugary sweet to unapologetic grit in her vocals mixed with the emotionally charged, autobiographical lyrics, Bully and Feels Like is reminiscent of No Doubt’s musical triumph, Tragic Kingdom. After hiding behind meanings, Bognanno has found the strength to step forward and expose herself to anyone willing to listen. “I find it very therapeutic and it’s the way I’m maturing as a musician. Maybe somewhere, I’m trying to think, I started to appreciate the simplicity of honest lyrics and realized it doesn’t have to be super esoteric, fancy lyrics to get the message across. It sometimes takes more guts to just say what you mean and not hid behind something. It’s something I believe and care about.”

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“MY GOAL IS FOR US TO KEEP GROWING AS MUSICIANS AND ME AS A SONGWRITER. I JUST WANT TO KEEP GETTING BETTER.”

Bully has been able to stray from the pack of carefully crafted electronic music that has dominated the past couple of years and bring back the garage band in a big way. “I’m not technically trained on guitar so I don’t have that much control, it just kind of happens,” explains Bognanno. “I don’t know it well enough to sit down and go, ‘I’m going to write a country song’ and what the chords are to make it sound like that or replicate any genres because I never did covers so I don’t have that knowledge.” This lack of “knowledge” on Bognanno’s part has defined Bully’s sound and has breathed life into the staleness of the current state of the industry.

Now with their debut album ready for the masses, Bognanno isn’t daunted by the band’s introduction to the world. In fact, she’s pretty stoked to finally get everything out there. ”’Trying’ and ‘I Remember’ are two different songs and the entire album ranges between the two.

I just listened to it the other day and I hadn’t listened to it in awhile because you have to take space from it. But I listened back to it and I was still happy with it. I don’t feel like there’s any filler on the album. It goes a couple different places but this is fully where Bully has been so far.”

Charging into the music industry with an intimidating, strong name and sound to match, Bully is everything we’ve been wanting out of a band for ages. Honesty that is simultaneously carefully constructed and beautifully spontaneous. Bognanno has created songs that are endlessly relatable and cathartic for anyone who has been through shit but is willing to rise above it, learn from it, and evolve. Despite their advances, Bully isn’t done yet.

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SECRET

WORDS: & INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD // PHOTO: REID - CHERRYTREE RECORDS

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f I was going to start a band, I would want to sound like Secret Someones. One of Brooklyn’s buzziest bands, Secret Someones is comprised of powerhouse talents Bess Rogers, Hannah Winkler, Lelia Broussard, and Zach Jones. With a self-titled EP currently out via Cherrytree Records, and their full length debut due out in late summer/early fall, they have a sound that has been compared to the likes of Weezer with their unapologetic blend of pop and rock that is bursting with melodic beats and empowering lyrics. The combination of Rogers, Winkler, Broussard, and Jones has been referred to by their peers as a “musical supergroup,” especially since each of them experienced success on their own.

Officially coming together to form Secret Someones has unleashed a vibrant release of pure, honest rock. “We acted as each other’s backup bands and played each sets as if they were the same band but performing our individual songs. After the shows, we’d have people come up to asking where our CDs were as the band. By the end of the second tour, we decided that’s what we should do,” Rogers explained to THE RADICAL. “We were listening to heavier stuff like Nirvana and Ben Kweller and we thought it’d be fun to join forces and did more of a rock thing,” echoed Winkler.

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S O MEO NES

FIND SECRET SOMEONES: twitter.com/secret_someones facebook.com/SecretSomeones www.secretsomeones.com/

Their self-titled EP is the perfect encapsulation of those ideals. Masterfully crafted and executed, Secret Someones is one of the few bands that have been able to translate their recordings into the live setting. A live performance from Secret Someones is skillful, exhilarating, and non-stop fun. Their presence is energetic and charismatic and is elevated by their catalogue, which is filled with tight harmonies and rock anthems. The only downside to seeing Secret Someones, is that their stage is usually too small to contain the awesome. What commands your attention as an audience members is not only the catchy songs and undeniable musical talent, but the rare chemistry the four of them produce on stage and in their re-

cords. There is never a doubt that Secret Someones requires each member, completely.

“I think we all had an inkling many years ago that is what we wanted to do in life. I know I’ve always wanted to be in a rock band, especially a female fronted one,” said Rogers. “It’s nice to be a part of a team instead of having my own project and then hiring a band. It’s fun but you don’t really feel like they’re as invested as you are. With this, it’s really collaborative and a team effort and we all care really deeply about it. We all feel more comfortable taking risks because we have each other. We’re less afraid to take the risk. We all bring different styles and tastes and strengths to the table. We all love what each other does musically that we create something brand new that is a cool combination of all of us.” “We’re freer to take the risks.

We’re having a great time making this music right now,” Winkler described. The community they’ve built between the four of them, as well as the Brooklyn music scene has also been a part of their foundation. “I immediately felt inspired and challenged by the community that I was exposed to. There was a fire to make the best music you can possibly make.”

Despite only having a four tracks “officially” out into the world, Secret Someones has already garnered much deserved attention for their honed in style and sound. They already know who they are and they’re going full force with it. “We released the EP as a sort of teaser. The full length has been completed for about a year and we’ve playing these songs live but we’ve holding onto them and we can’t wait to finally release them into the world,” revealed Rogers.

“It’s kind of daunting because it’s the first major thing we’re putting out into the world,” Winkler admitted. “But I haven’t felt really nervous about it, I’ve just feel really excited. We feel really confident about the sound and the album has a whole. We’re super proud of it. After a long process like this, you lose perspective but we’re all still really excited about it.”

With a major label, a solid fan base, and impeccable talent, it won’t be long before Secret Someones goes from under the radar to one of the most talked about acts in the industry.

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WOLF

SOAPY, FLU

ALICE

UFFY, COOL WORDS & INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD // PHOTOS: JENN FIVE & JORDAN CURTIS HUGHES

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enres in music only exist to help someone who hasn’t listened to an artist have some sort of reference point. Everyone knows what “hip hop,” “rock,” and “pop” sound like. Or at least, everyone has their own idea what they think it sounds like. As music has evolved and become more accessible (both to consume and attempt), genres have essentially become meaningless. Mainly because of acts like Wolf Alice. While most music blogs have lumped them into the “grunge” category, they’re much more than that. Yes, they’re grunge in the sense they have a raw grit to them that feels vulnerable, honest, and unapologetic which is what grunge is, I suppose. However, even with their dirt, they have the ability to float between the big, screaming anthems to the soft acoustics to the bright and airy pop songs. (“It goes to show that you shouldn’t have any expectations good or bad before you listen to anything,” points out lead singer Ellie Rowsell.) Wolf Alice has been able to pull off what most take years to perfect. With their debut album, My Love is Cool, ready to be unleashed onto the world, it’s not a new thing to say but we’ll say it regardless: Wolf Alice is going to HUGE. “We’ve had time to think about the album and our experiences in the studio and experiences in writing,” said Rowsell. “Each recording was different from previous ones that we did. When it came down to recording the album, we tried not to think about it too much. We weren’t concerned about being mismatched or playing it safe. We didn’t really choose anything specifically, we just recorded whatever song excited us next until we ran out of time. We just didn’t overthink. Maybe that’s the best way to do a debut album.”

My Love is Cool is a curation of the band’s most pivotal songs of their career thus far. Mostly new versions of old tunes, there’s a wonderfully nostalgic element to the album that still feels innovative and alive.

“No one has ever really told us what to do nor have we have ever done anything we didn’t want to do. The debut album is incredibly important because it’s a sentimental thing. You’re only rewarded one. It’s almost the pinnacle of your career. It’s a lot of pressure but we’ve eliminated that by making sure we were extremely happy above anything else. It is what is it.”

“I’m proud of all of it really. We delivered the best album we could at this stage of our lives.”

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TURN TO DUST

I sing in a different way on this song and I wasn’t trying to…it just happened. It’s one of those songs that I didn’t really think too much about and it just wrote itself. I guess it’s about being scared.

BROS

It’s quite a sentimental song and a broad topic that most people can relate to. It’s nice to see people sing along to it and grab their friends and sing it together. We wanted to keep it for people who just discovered us and haven’t experienced that song just yet.

YOUR LOVES WHORE

We used to play this as an instrumental, which was really bad but we thought it was cool. I took lyrics from an old song and built it around that phrase.

MOANING LISA SMILE

This started with a riff that Joff came up with and we used to sing “Old Man” by Neil Young over it as a joke to make it this really heavy version. Then we just like, “hey, why are we singing someone else’s song?” and decided to make it our own. So we wrote it together and based around this character.

YOU’RE A GERM

It’s a very unserious song. It’s an exaggerated, teenage story about seeking revenge on a…dick [laughs]. A very typical bad guy. A lot of our songs are quite serious but you want to have fun on stage and this is the one we relieve tension with.

LISBON

Joff made a demo of this song on his phone, which is a really cool. The lyrics are inspired by The Virgin Suicides.

FREAZY

This is one of our oldest songs but it’s changed so much. We have like five different versions.

It’s so different from anything we’ve ever done before. It’s very shimmery and pop. I’m sure people who like our harder stuff are like, “What the fuck?” but it’s such a fun song. It’s one of those songs that you’re a bit apprehensive to release but I enjoy listening to it so why not?

GIANT PEACH

We needed something in our live set that was a bit of a typical 3-minute rock song so we can up with this. It’s a bunch of old ideas combined to make it.

SWALLOWTAIL

We wanted to slow it down so the lyrics didn’t get lost. When we play it live we like to make a bit heavier at the end. It’s much more fun to play than to sing. Plus, it’s a shame not to use other people’s amazing voices.

SOAPY WATER

This was originally an acoustic song that we had.

I enjoyed writing this one. We decided to make it more electronic because it would be fun to record in the studio.

FLUFFY

This is like coming full circle. We didn’t like an old recording of it so we wanted to give it new life. Plus, it’s a bit cheekier.

FIND WOLF ALICE: twitter.com/ wolfalicemusic facebook.com/ wolfalicemusic www.wolfalice.co.uk

SILK

This is the newest song on the album. Even though it’s quite poppy, it’s a new thing for us. We experimented more than we previously did in the studio.

This is the one main song where I did become a character and it was full storytelling. I was inspired

by Edie Sedgwick’s autobiography and how she was this special and unique person without having done anything.

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THE ROXY

25

// 05.18.15

PHOTOS: JOYCE JUDE LEE

Y

ou should never try to pin Ava Luna down in terms of anything. The band has been to cross genres and bend the rules without any question from their colleagues, the industry or their audience. In fact, Ava Luna has had some of the top praises from everyone imaginable.

It’s hard to escape the pure awesome that they bring to table with their unique outlook on music creation. A euphoric explosion of funk, soul, and punk, Ava Luna was the brainchild of Carlos Hernandez. We spoke with Hernandez about the evolution of their sound, the definition of it, and his confidence to tear down what he’s created.

HOW DO YOU COLLECTIVELY DECIDE WHAT SOUNDS LIKE AVA LUNA? After several lineup changes and working with different people, what ended up happening is that we just played live songs. With the five of us as it currently stands, we’ve been able to stabilize our sound by just playing a lot and touring a lot. It seems like it was a natural progression.

There are different ways we approach songwriting. Sometimes I write something completely on my own. Other times, they’re created from jams sessions and improvising. And then there’s a combination of the two where I bring a song to the group and everyone elaborates on their parts. It’s great because while I consider myself the primary songwriter, it ends with pure collaboration. Over time, we’ve established a sort of language and aesthetic and we’re all comfortable with it and with each other because we all formed it.

DOES THE COHESIVENESS OF AN ALBUM IN TERMS OF SOUND OR GENRE CONCERN YOU? I think we’ve built enough of a framework that we wouldn’t stray too far away from it anyway.

It’s funny because I just had a conversation with someone about what “punk” means. We’re not really a punk band…or maybe we are, it depends on what your definition of punk is but one of the things that is definitely an aspect of punk is you’re essentially bucking the system. You’ve

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got a system, whether it’s an oppressive one or otherwise, and you reduce it, you discuss, and this is what we’re going to do to oppose it. The interesting progress as far as this band goes is that the system was there, I was the one who made it. It’s this dualistic thing. On one hand I said, “I’m going to start a band and try to navigate it with these rules of what Ava Luna is and what Ava Luna isn’t.”

But then of course, the only thing you can do is take that system you’ve created is to tear it apart.

That’s the beauty of what’s happening now with the group. While the songs sound different, it still feels cohesive because it’s existing or opposed to this one thing whatever that one thing happens to be.

WHAT IS THE EVOLUTION OF AVA LUNA? My full trust in my bandmates has allowed the doors to open for a group dynamic to supplement my vision. I’ve also grown more comfortable with myself. I used to have this thing where no section of a song couldn’t repeat, no chorus, no verse, nothing could be repeated. If you listen to something two albums ago you’ll hear something of that idiom but to me now, that sounds a bit too modernistic and sometimes off putting? I don’t want to insult an old version of myself because I really did believe that at the time. In retrospect, it seems to important to have done that so we could later destroy it. Being more comfortable with your instincts allows you to do what you feel as opposed to being more rule-oriented.

AVA

LUNA

WORDS & INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD // PHOTO: RENAUD MONFOURNY

FIND AVA LUNA: twitter.com/ avalunaband facebook.com/ avaluna www.avalunamusic.com

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Album Reviews

I

ALBUM REVIE

f Taylor Swift hadn’t gone country at such a young age, she probably would have ended up making something very similar to Holychild’s first full length The Shape of Brat Pop to Come.

The LA-based duo’s debut album is dripping with sass, synth, and piercing vocals that teeter on the edge of annoyance but ultimately rest on highly addictive.

There’s no question that Liz Nistico and Louie Diller went into the studio with a clear idea of what they wanted to produce—it wouldn’t be surprising to learn they wrote the album title before the songs themselves. Each track fits so well into the album concept that they almost blend together seamlessly as one hyper-energetic epic.

Carefully orchestrated over cotton candy pop melodies, mentions of Barbie, diamonds, drugs, and money put the glittering touches on an al-

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bum that perfectly encompasses pop music at its strongest: a superficial, impossibly catchy exterior draped over revealing lyrics that dig deeper and deeper upon repeat listens.

NOTABLE NUMBERS:

2. Nasty Girls: The second track is our first introduction to the helium-high that Nistico’s voice reaches on occasion. If you can’t handle the whiny quality, this album may not be for you. If you can, however, you’ll be rewarded as soon as the chorus kicks in with a fun, anthemic, “We’re all just dreamers / Living like we’ve won / Riding so high until we’re done.” The only way you can’t sing along to this one is if you’ve never had a dream in your life.

3. Happy With Me: Although it was originally re-

WORDS: ROCHELLE SHIPMAN PHOTO: GLASSNOTE RECORDS

EWS

leased as a single in 2014, “Happy With Me” slides right into this album just like a missing puzzle piece. It also premieres the marching band beats that drive the entire album forward. Even if brat pop isn’t exactly up your alley, as soon as you hear the commanding cadence kick in (and in and in and in on the following tracks), you’ll have a hard time turning Holychild off.

5. Running Behind: Perhaps a spot-on summary of the entire album, “Running Behind” combines that persistent, catchy beat; almost a full range of Nistico’s vocal strengths; and some of their strongest lyrics throughout: “We’ll grow apart, baby let’s blame the planets / Make a new start, changing as if we meant it.”

A-

rest of the album, but Nistico’s syrupy style and lyrics bring a whole new strength to the track.

Plus, you can’t have a brat pop album without a brat pack, so it’s only right to pay tribute to your tribe.

12. U Make Me Sick: The grittiest track on the album mixes shock factor and some killer guitar to end The Shape of Brat Pop to Come with a bang.

Nistico proves her fearlessness by calling herself a weirdo and a loser but she carves a permanent impression with her impeccable delivery of the line, “Won’t you eat me out at lunch?” There’s no hiding from Holychild—judging by their attitude and the capture factor of their debut, this is just the beginning for them.

9. Best Friends: This is the only song that doesn’t capture that sugar-high energy present on the

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Her follow up to the wildly incredible, Echo EP, VÈRITÈ released her second offering, Sentiment that makes ache for her debut full length. The four-track EP extends the New York synth-pop artist’s ability to perfectly articulate the human psyche. With precision production value and thought-provoking lyrics, Sentiment further proves that VÈRITÈ isn’t just a fluke, she’s the real deal. Starting with her two singles “Wasteland” and “Colors,” which are both vibrant and rich in their execution, the two new tracks “Rearrange” and “Sentiment” bring forth a softer, mellower side to VÈRITÈ. Sentiment as a whole develops the brand and persona VÈRITÈ created with Echo but also establishes her growth as a songwriter. Her quiet power continues to resonate with audiences and Sentiment is a must listen.

WORDS: APRIL SALUD PHOTO: ERIC RYAN ANDERSON

B+ There’s a lot to like about Hop Along. As can be heard on their newest release, Painted Shut, the Philadelphia based band has the musical chops in every aspect in their arrangements. Every instrument is shines through and speaks volumes to the band’s abilities both as technical musicians and creative beings. The real focus of Painted Shut and the band as a whole is the vocals courtesy of Frances Quinlan. It’s a unique for sure but not because in the way you would think. It’s not necessarily Quinlin’s cadence that sets her apart but rather her pure balls-to-thewall delivery. She has a distinct range but she’s not afraid to reach outside of it, sometimes ripping it to shreds. It creates a mood of pain and rawness that you can actually feel in your throat. Painted Shut sets up an energetic and vibrant twist to punk. Also, guitars for days.

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WORDS: APRIL SALUD

B+

WORDS: APRIL SALUD PHOTO: ALICE BAXLEY

AArmed with a guitar and a bass (and no drummer), Harmony Tividad and Cleo Tucker have stated in several interviews that their debut album Before the World Was Big is about the pains and optimism of growing up and they do so with absolutely no exposition. The duo have always had a talent for the simple construction of a song, with this album, the tracks are much more straight-forward and clear but still maintain that raw essence that they built up in previous releases.

What’s incredibly impactful about the subject of Before the World Was Big is the universal but intimate perspective that Tividad and Tucker have put forward. Both at the end of the teenage years, they’re in that weird in-between of childhood and adulthood, which makes the nostalgic feelings of their songs all that more apparent and real. The stories they weave through their lyrics become more vivid with the accompaniment of guitar riff and swelling harmonies. Taking a page from bands like Waxahatchee (who they opened for on their recent tour), Girlpool is swimming with vulnerability that explores the idealism of the past and taking the time to reflect back without losing who you’ve become.

Before the World Was Big clicks perfectly with its production, lyrics, and vocals. It flows easily that the rush of sounds becomes both comforting and exhilarating. The title track captures the sentiment of the album, which is a look back at the concept of childhood, the current fears of the now, and the great unknown of the future. At the core, it’s an analysis of a relationship and how it evolves throughout the years. Most of all, it might be the most sincere and honest debut of the year.

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WORDS: APRIL SALUD PHOTO: JACK DAVISON

Aquilo’s R&B groove tends to glitter and shine the more you listen. Full of soul and intent, Calling Me is an intimate experience. A softer and more straightforward R&B follow up to their previous EP, Calling Me echoes with elegantly executed vocals and painfully emotional. Slight hints of electronics that subtly bleed into the background, Aquilo can tap into something you didn’t know you were feeling in your core. Complex and rich, the tones that fill Calling Me hold the listener’s attention. Calling Me is another showcase of the band’s potential just waiting for the right track to unlock it fully.

B

Torres dropped her sophomore album Sprinter, and it dove into unchartered territory for the lyricist. The album is deep and dark, evoking emotions you weren’t sure you were ready to deal with. With lyrics about her struggle with her baptist faith to the freedoms of life that can be dissonant to the relationships with friends and family. Torres took this album on step further than the past, revealing a raw version of herself unknown to her fans before.

The most effective track was the closer, “The Exchange”. It’s just Torres with a guitar and background noise telling a story of mortality and retelling the story of an adoptive child and her parents. At eight-minutes long, there is a full story that pulls you in so deep that you feel like a piece of the story is yours, creating something that everyone could attach to: maybe the story isn’t the same, but the lonely, confusing, and overwhelming emotions of loss that are told are something everyone feels at least once.

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WORDS: KATIE COLLINS

WORDS: APRIL SALUD

A

Wolf Alice’s album might be one of the most anticipated debuts of recent memory. Five years after the band was created, My Love is Cool is a best of compilation of the band’s catalogue thus far. Opening with the trippy and haunting “Turns to Dust,” the rest of the album is an explosion of sounds that entices all of your senses.

Easily transitioning from different genres, Ellie Roswell’s vocals also change with the mood of the song. My Love is Cool is an impressive accomplishment for any artist and infinitely more from a young band like Wolf Alice. Speaking to the masses and shaking something within your core, My Love is Cool is jus fully satisfying to listen to. It awakens your senses and makes you want to take on the world.

WORDS: APRIL SALUD PHOTO: COLUMBIA RECORDS

A-

A

The moment you start Leon Bridges’ Coming Home, you’re instantly taken back to the sweet sounds of the 1960s. It’s actually like stepping into a time machine.

There’s no modern twist or reimagining of the soul era, it’s a genuine homage to it. Often compared to the style of Sam Cooke, there’s a warmth and silky quality to Bridges’ execution and construction. Hailing from Fort Worth, TX, Coming Home features some local talent that Bridges met during his bar performing days. While most of the album boosts the best of that era with bright horn arrangements, impeccable doo-wop harmonies, and dance vibes that you could easily visualize on American Bandstand, its true masterpiece lies in the last track, “River”. For “River,” Bridges eliminates all the bells and whistles and let’s his vocals takeover. The vintage touch that Bridges brings with Coming Home will bring those “They don’t make them like they used to!” exclamations to a halt.

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VERY GENUINE

WORDS & INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD // PHOTO: WILLIAM SELDEN

YOU DON’T KNOW JACK SHIT ABOUT JACK GARRATT. MEET THE 22 YEAR OLD SENSATION WHO IS MORE THAN HIS ARSENAL OF INSTRUMENTS AND PERFECTLY GROOMED BEARD.

D

o a simple Google search on Jack Garratt and here’s what you’ll discover:

• he’s a one man band that grew up in a musical household aka he knows how to play ALL OF THE THINGS • in addition, he writes and produces all his own stuff not in an attempt to show off but rather just because…I mean, why not?

• something about junior Eurovision • he’s got a great fucking beard There’s tons of other things you can find out about Garratt, who has been turning heads and gaining the attention of everyone the UK, Europe, and in the States. When an artist has any sort of hype surrounding them, every music publication is clawing over each other to get that scoop, that new angle, to essentially write that perfect profile that all other publications will reference. As one of the most in demands artists of the year, it’s clear why there are so many of these pieces floating around about Jack Garratt. So when I walked into the Troubadour in Los Angeles for my interview with him, I was admittedly extremely intimidated…for multiple reasons. Not only was the pressure of my questions to be unique and refreshing ever present but my pure adoration for Garratt was as well. To be blunt: Jack Garratt is easily my favorite artist of the year.

When I walked in on Garratt backstage, he was right at home on the couch (probably the most comfortable backstage couch I’ve ever sat on), shoes off, and putting together his pre-show playlist. I hit record immediately as we instantly bonded over how exactly to construct what you get to force upon the audience waiting to see you perform. Garratt is kinder and uses his playlist to showcase music he’s listening to and artists he believes should get more attention. I, on the other hand, said I would use mine to mess with the audience and play the entire cast recording of West Side Story…the Spanish version.

“Oh dude, that’s the shit I want to do but know I couldn’t get away with,” he admits. “Or the Angela Lansbury/Len Cariou recording of Sweeney Todd but you play every other song so no one understands the storyline.”

After I unsuccessfully prodded Garratt to include labelmate, Carly Rae Jepsen’s “I Really Like You” on his pre-show playlist (“that sounds like a terrible idea”), we jumped right into the concept of lazy journalism something that has become more apparent to him since interviews and publicity is now a requirement.

“I loathe lazy journalism and it’s totally inexcusable. I haven’t rehearsed these answers. Everything is very genuine. If the question is interesting enough, I’ll go on forever because I’m exploring the answer as I’m saying it.” While I felt extreme pressure after that statement, it also weirdly put me at ease. There was no use trying to come up with questions that Garratt has never been asked about his past or musicality… because there aren’t any. I was confident enough in my admiration and knowledge of his career thus far, that I just wanted to talk to the guy. Plain and simple.

ON SONGWRITING

None of my songs would ever get finished if wasn’t for something saying, “You have deadlines.” The idea is to not stop just because the structure is there. I’ve already started talking more about the production of the song rather than the actual song itself. So to me, when a song is finished it’s been written, recorded, has gone through post-production and is ready to go out to the public. But when is the song itself — like the chords and melody — when is that completed? When strip it down to its bare bones, the actual songwriting is never finished because I continue to go out and play it. The songs itself can be altered and changed. Lyrics can be made more relevant and complex depending on the scenario. In 2008, I saw Stevie Wonder and he changed the lyrics of “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” from “Peace has come to Zimbabwe” to “Barack Obama is going to be the next President”. Even though the song has existed for nearly four decades, the song was continuing to change. I love that.

ON IMPROVISING

A lot of people who are doing the type of music I’m doing work with clicks and have things gridded and sequence. The music reflects that because it’s very rigid and in its place. But for me, the songs always change, the moment is different, and the atmosphere becomes its own thing but the feeling and emotion behind everything is the same. My intention with this is how can I do this without a grid? I’m not giving myself the freedom to improvise or adapt.

I’m giving myself the freedom to make mistakes. It’s an intense set and I have to accept that I will make mistakes. I’m only human and I’ve tried to eliminate machines as much as I can so things will go wrong and I need to know that I can fix them without stopping the song or continue the song without fixing it.

And that’s fucking difficult to plan for. I have freedom over every single little change. I have to be in control of all of it.

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ON USING “JACK GARRATT”

Someone at a publishing company a few years ago suggested that I go under a different name and I did think about it for a little while. At the end of the day, I’m not an electronic artist, I’m just doing electronic music at the moment. This is in no way negating anyone who decides to have an alias but for me, I felt the minute I did anything that wasn’t under my own name that I would start disrespecting the audience I was trying to build. I don’t write with other people, I write on my own. I feel like it would be disrespectful to then go to a group of people and say my name is….The Velvet Wanderlust or whatever. No, my name is Jack Garratt. This is who I am.

ON RESPECT

My biggest pet peeve is a disrespect for your audience. The only times I’ve ever been turned off by an artist is the way they behave with their audience.

If you’re disrespectful to the crowd that is giving you a chance to have a career in this ridiculous industry, then fuck you. What are you there for other than to share music with people? It comes across

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in many different forms. The way people act on stage, the way people present themselves via their names, or their music. It just has to be genuine. You have the opportunity to fulfill your own desires to make that music and be creative but you also have the opportunity to fulfill the desires of others and of people who want it. It’s really important to me that the audience I’m trying to build sees that respect from me in the hopes that they return that respect towards me when I go out on stage.

ON SOCIAL MEDIA

It’s a game. Here’s 140 characters, be funny, be poignant, and don’t waste my time. It’s hard to do that consistently and lot of people do that really well. I see every single thing even if people don’t tag me. I’ll do it specifically after shows. You can immediately find out their reactions. Yeah, people cheer in crowd but it’s a totally different experience when they leave the atmosphere of a room. It’s a great way for me to read an audience. I want to see what was the moment in the set that people felt they needed to take a picture of it and also what bits that no one took a picture. When was it the set that either they were too involved or too bored?

LIVE AT THE TROUB

You get to create moments. Every evening has a different moment because every evening is different.

ON COMPARISONS

It’s a difficult when it becomes a fine line of it is a compliment…or is it not. One of the main things I want to do with this ridiculous opportunity I have is to introduce a large audience to the idea that you don’t have to pigeon hole somebody. Just to know that the freedom is there to do things. I can understand someone taking the sounds and comparing them to other artists because that is out there to be judge for what it is. I am not there to be judged for who I am.

intent, sentimentality, and hopefully is original to progress our thoughts and help us deal with shit so we can get to the next day. I think artists forget all they’re doing is creating moments for people to live through. I try not to make it about me because I’m not interesting. I’m kind of funny, I guess, and I’ve got a great beard…or so people keep reminding me. It’s nice to do interviews because I get to say, “I don’t have any opinions.” And I shouldn’t. Maybe in 10 years, I’ll have something interesting to say but for now, I know jack shit about anything. I can make cool beats and people are reacting to it. I get to enable a good time and that’s fucking great.

ON JOURNALISM

Journalists are trying to do something other than review music. They’re trying to write a piece of work. You have to come up with a point for all of this. When you write this up, you have to decide whether or not you enjoyed this and that will define the mood of the piece. The point of music is you’re sharing something that has emotional

FIND JACK GARRATT: twitter.com/JackGarratt facebook.com/ jackgarrattmusic www.jackgarratt.com

BADOUR // 05.31.15

THE FUTURE OF PHOEBE RYAN WORDS: ALLEGRA ROSENBERG // INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD // PHOTO: SHERVIN LAINEZ

P

hoebe Ryan isn’t afraid to be herself. Unlike so many buzzy acts of the alt-pop scene, with their all-caps mononyms and enigmatic, carefully-crafted aesthetic personas, the turquoise-haired Ryan goes by her real name, and isn’t afraid to speak freely about everything from her origins to her daily routine.

Forthright and with a bubbly charm that sometimes seems at odds with her sleek and blazingly contemporary look and sound, Ryan is approachable yet arresting. When speaking to her, you almost forget that she’s 2015’s most promising up-and-comer, and not just an old friend from high school .

But though her honesty is endearing, it’s her unforgettable music that’s been sending up shockwaves throughout the notoriously temperamental Spotify-SoundCloud-social ecosystem. With only one mashup cover and two hauntingly catchy singles to her name, all self-released, the 24-year-old NYU graduate established herself as a solo artist with a finesse that would seem supernatural if you didn’t know her background as a music industry pro. “I started actually playing guitar, like around seventh, eighth grade… I was thinking about writing songs, but I guess I didn’t actually start until I was a freshman in high school. That’s when I was playing coffee shops with all this bad music I was writing,” Ryan recalled, backstage at the Bardot in Hollywood before her Los Angeles live debut.

Phoebe Ryan is standing at the vanguard of the converging domains of singer-songwriter and cross-genre pop star, but the petite and down-to-earth artist definitely won’t have a problem keeping things fresh moving forward. Performing at the Bardot, she bounced around on the balls of her boots like a musical pixie, spreading the good word of R. Kelly to a packed house. Nothing about her is traditional, and that should be intimidating, yet Ryan effuses a warm and inviting presence that lends her artistry an extra layer of allure. You just want to be her friend— but for now, you’ll settle for listening to “Mine” on repeat.

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FIND PHOEBE RYAN: twitter.com/ph0eberyan facebook.com/ PhoebeRyanMusic

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Y

ou’ve probably never heard of Voyageur.

You’ve probably never heard of him because he hasn’t really made his presence wildly known. The latest project from Liam O’Donnell, Voyageur harnesses the best elements of the electronic movement and blends them with songs that are honest and truly heartfelt.

A recommendation from Gregory Nolan via Twitter brought me to Voyageur. Cut to a couple months later and I met O’Donnell for lunch at The Pikey in West Hollywood. We sat and chatted before had to go off to a writing session with [insert really popular singer you’ve definitely heard of].

Donnell’s “day job” is writing some of the biggest tracks for the most popular artists of the moment.

“It’s great that I’m still able to make a living off of music,” he mentions. While writing catchy tunes for other artists helps him pay the bills, Voyageur is where his real passion lies.

O’Donnell was previously in Various Cruelties, an alt-pop band that made a big splash in the UK and the US, particularly with a spot in a Zales commercial. “I never stopped Various Cruelties but it just felt like it had come to an end for whatever reason,” he explained. “From starting in London and now living in LA and meeting new people, the way you look at the world and your ideas change. What I was doing felt too different from Various Cruelties that I needed to start something new to have the freedom to make what I wanted to make.”

With 2 EPs available for streaming on SoundCloud, Voyageur is something that O’Donnell wants to fully flesh eventually but isn’t a main concern for him at the moment. Which means he hasn’t done tons of promotion, or interviews.

“This is more for myself. I don’t really worry about the other stuff that comes with it. I’m just doing it because I want to do it which I think the best way to approach it. It’s the only way I’ve ever done it.”

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V OYA

THE NEXT

WORDS & INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD //

GEUR

T BIG WAVE

// PHOTO: DAVID UZZARDI

We spend the majority of our conversation analyzing artists and audiences and their relationships and expectations of one another.

Social media is ever present in our society and has become a way of life both personally and in a business sense. The concept of accessible at all times is something that O’Donnell understands but slightly rebels against. He says it’s “a British thing perhaps.” While communicating with your audience is important, it shouldn’t be the main priority. “In an ideal world, the music should speak for itself and people will relate it.

I don’t want every song to be so cinematic and conceptual. I want things to be honest.”

O’Donnell has a plan for Voyageur despite not heavily promoting it just yet. A live setting already conceptualized in his mind, he’s ready to unleash it onto the world once he’s ready.

Until then, he’s soaking up all that he can working with other artists as a writer/producer and seeing how the music scene is constantly evolving.

“Why music is so exciting nowadays is because there are so much cross genres. Artists are combining things that we’ve never heard of before. They’re able to stay underground but still have an impact. But at the same time, music is at a very vanilla state and people want something new and interesting. Everyone is so quick to judge a band like Coldplay, who they think is just singing songs over a piano but at least they’re not afraid to change up their sound even if it means alienating some.

They’re always ahead of the curve. It’s good for artists to have that confidence to push that envelope, which is something a lot of bands are missing. It’s all about writing something that isn’t perfect as long as it’s genuine. Music is about having the confidence to not do what everyone else is doing.”

FIND VOYAGEUR: twitter.com/voyageurtv soundcloud.com/voyageurtv

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BØRNS S I M P LY L O U D

WORDS: HEATHER MASON // INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD & HEATHER MASON // PHOTO: NICK WALKER

A

fter getting up at 4am and jumping on a plane back to steamy LA, I was ready to call it a day. But I injected coffee into my veins for our interview scheduled with Garrett Borns (better known simply as BØRNS). In person interviews are a rarity for the newcomer (I’d interviewed him on the phone in January) so I drove through the thick heat of the city from the airport to Dinosaur Coffee in Silverlake, which has a strange amount of street traffic (sirens interrupted us a couple times). After grabbing an iced coffee (have I mentioned how hot it was?!), April and I sat outside to wait awkwardly for this person we’d seen but never actually met.

A few minutes later, Garrett walked up ending a call on his phone, introduced himself (I have no idea how he knew what we looked like) and asked if we needed anything as he went inside for a tea.

There’s been much ado about his treehouse writing, flowing locks, and psychedelic sounds so while all of those came up in the interview, we spent a long time just chatting about the normal things you would when meeting a stranger. The sense of ease and normal dudeness was immediate and before I knew it, we were taking a selfie in front of an all white building and saying goodbye.

It’s ironic that across the street from our coffee spot was an all-white building, which struck each of us as we sat down to start our interview. It reminded us of BØRNS’ “stark white” cover for his Candy EP, to which he mentioned “it’s just really kind of bold but it’s also very simple.” To demonstrate the vibe of his debut EP, BØRNS had an event in Los Angeles designed purposefully “so people could see how the songs came to be...walking through the different parts of [my] brain.” Each song was an element from the ocean floor to the stars above (Ocean: “10,000 Emerald Pools”, Air: “Past Lives”, Electricity “Electric Love”, Galaxies: “Seeing Stars”. The effect was dreamlike, as most of his songs feel.

About halfway through our conversation he stopped mid-answer to a question about whether he hesitated signing to a major label because he “just got a really inspiring text message ‘Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live.’ Thank you Ryan.” He then proceeded to explain a lesson he’d learned through a photo of a fortune cookie in a magazine that said “You won’t get what you deserve, you’ll get what you negotiate,” which

was an important lesson he considered when he signed with Interscope.

“If you’re kind of waiting for something to happen that you’re wanting to happen it’s probably not going to happen exactly how you want it to unless you really put out what you need.” He met with several labels but wouldn’t settle for just any one. “I was pretty reluctant until found the right fit because I just care a lot, you know?”

He’s in the studio recording his first LP and working with producer Tommy English. “I’m just really trying to push myself to write things that are gonna take it to the next step.” The songs on the EP were more storytelling while on the LP we can expect songs from more personal experience. When it comes to the songwriting process, BØRNS finds it “interesting seeing an idea from its first initial point and then seeing what it kind of grows to.” That evolution and his ability to let it happen is probably what draws so many to his stories. When asked if he feels the pressure after his EP was so well received, he feels “good pressure” and has a “fun kind of competition with [my] former self”.

Up next for BØRNS is a summer tour with Bleachers and Charli XCX which is sure to “be a fucking party” where he’ll likely toss out some pill bottles filled with candy to the audience. After his music video for “Electric Love,” he had “residual sparkles” for a week afterward and was “totally cool with it.” “I think I can bring them back for this tour. I think some mesh shirts. Some crop tops.

Some weird gloves. It’s gonna be fine cause those guys just seem like they want to party and have a good time. It’s gonna be awesome.”

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THE SWEET STORY OF

CANDY

I was just scrambling to make a cover and I called up my friend Cory who goes by Titanic Sinclair.

He’s a friend of mine from Michigan and we just happened to move out here at the same time. So I called him and was like “Dude, I need to make an EP cover and it needs to be in by tonight.” All of the EP covers I was coming up with...nothing was really gelling. And he’s like “let’s glue candy to a piece of plexiglass.” the idea is that we were just gonna hold it over a California sunset. So the sunset would be behind it but you could see the candy over top and we would take a picture of it.

By the time we got up to Griffith Park that night, the sun had already set. There was just barely any color anymore so we’re like “shit, now what do we do?” so we just literally put it up against his TV, I think, a white screen and snapped a shot.

FIND BØRNS: twitter.com/bornsmusic facebook.com/bornsmusic

BUY TICKETS HERE

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J

ay Brown is one of those artists who speaks to your soul. With her debut EP My Name is Her, she has built a very powerful and contemplative piece of work that resonates with you on multiple levels. Raised in a musical family, the singer-songwriter fell into music almost as a requirement. "In this school that I went to, it’s compulsory to learn an instrument,” Brown shared. "I started out with piano but then I picked up a guitar at 14 and haven’t put it down since.

Then I started joining bands playing a lot rock and emo, that whole moshing and screamo scene. After I went to uni, I started writing on my own and gigging on my own and just kept to doing that for the next five years.”

Going from a hardcore scene to the intimate artist she is now was a pretty natural transition. She explained that at the core of emo and punk music is a genuine message. Emotional intent is something that has always been a part of her goals, no matter what genre she happens to be writing in at the moment. "Every single song that you hear is a real experience. It has real feeling behind it. Whether they’re my experiences or people close to me.” With those real experiences as the backdrop to her music, Brown has been able to articulate each situation she presents. There’s a sad optimism that echoes throughout her catalogue that is extremely comforting. It’s vulnerable and intimate without being too heavy.

Working with friend and cellist Valeri Ballgand for nearly five years now, Brown has honed in a humble but assertive perspective on her career. Her music is both powerful and subtle swimming with texture and complexity. Her unique cadence brings forth another dimension that makes the listening experience that much more enjoyable. Her message is clear and we’re ready to listen.

"I don’t have one thing to say. I want people to hear the music and relate to the experiences. I just want people to take something away from it. That’s it."

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J AY B R

FIND JAY BROWN: twitter.com/jaybrownoffic facebook.com/jaybrownofficial www.jaybrownofficial.co.uk

WORDS: & INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD // PHOTO: JAY BROWN

ROWN

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T

he music of Nashville’s COIN rings with an unbridled optimism, its sunny synths and buoyant bass lines resonating with the kind of heartfelt desire that can only spring from a band as young and full of possibilities as this quartet. The three tracks of their debut self-titled EP seem to go by all too fast, tumbling forward over effortlessly catchy harmonies and lyrics of wanting and wishing. “Something tells me that you’re never gonna stop till you get what you want,” sings lead vocalist Chase Lawrence on “Run,” detailing an all-or-nothing philosophy that seems to drive COIN itself just as much as it drives the protagonist of the song.

After a successful set of SXSW showcases and tours opening for Jukebox the Ghost and Grizfolk (among others), the members of COIN are still figuring out how to make sense of the increasing hype surrounding them and their music. “It’s definitely weird and surreal to be thrown into that sort of ‘up and coming’ category that we’ve so closely followed just as fans of music,” reflects drummer Ryan Winnan. “It’s humbling to know that more and more people are getting to finally hear us and see us live, so if that’s what ‘buzz band’ treatment is, we’re excited to have that visibility and hopefully deliver.”

COIN’s journey began in 2013, when the members met at Belmont University in Nashville, and settled on the moniker “COIN” as inspired by a fortuitously-named racehorse. Quickly building up a fanbase in Nashville, the band gained a reputation for their exuberant live shows as well as their love of all things 90s. “It was a fantastic decade for pop culture in so many respects, as well as the decade that we were all born in and grew up in,” muses Winnan. COIN’s affinity for sitcom Saved By The Bell is particularly strong, with Winnan even going so far as to draw parallels between band members and show characters. “I mean, at this point, Chase (our singer) kind of IS Zack Morris. One of the guys from Grizfolk told me that he thought Chase had a ‘Zack Morris vibe’ in private on tour, so sharing that comment with Chase was probably the best thing I’ve gotten to do so far in 2015. He loves Zack.”

But as much as COIN takes inspiration from their youth, it’s definitely still not easy finding solid footing as adults in the chaotic world of touring, recording, and promoting in an increasingly crowded and

49

cutthroat industry. “It’s tough traveling (as much we will now) and it’s easy to lose perspective of what exactly you want your adulthood to look like when you’re gone so much,” says Winnan. Staying grounded is important to COIN, and they make sure to never lose sight of what’s important to them during their busy days on the road. “I think we’re all excited about this new-found independence, but we also miss our families and the time we spent with them as kids.

Cheesy as it may sound, coming home for dinner is so underrated when you’re under the same roof as your parents. When you get to do it as an adult, you’re reminded how amazing it actually is. We try to do this often when we play shows near home.” By keeping close ties with their past through both their creative process and their day-today life, COIN maintains a tricky balance between nostalgia and innovation, and that’s a big part of their appeal.

//

“If that’s what ‘buzz band’ treatment is, we’re excited to have that visibility.”

The band draws inspiration from some diverse places alongside their 90s affinity.

On their SoundCloud, alongside the original tracks that brought them to the attention of music blogs and pop sites, they’ve uploaded a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s classic song “Cecilia,” which has racked up a respectable number of plays. “Lately, I think that the Tobias Jesso Jr. record wrecked all of us in the best way,” Winnan says, referring to the recently-released and criticallyacclaimed Goon. “We got to see him live at SXSW this year in a completely packed church, playing piano and singing by himself. It was unbelievable.” It’s apparent that COIN is a band that collectively knows their stuff. These guys are the real deal, and

C O I N WORDS: ALLEGRA ROSENBERG // INTERVIEW: APRIL SALUD // PHOTO: COIN

their goals are as simple and true as their songs’ hooks— they just want to get out there, and put on a good show. “The goal is to get to play in front of as many people as possible,” Winnan says, before clarifying: “hang on, though... not for ourselves, or to be ‘popular,’ but more so to get to share some sort of joy with a large amount of people every night.” The human element is top priority for COIN. “We get tweets and emails from people sometimes saying that we brightened their day with the music, or simply by spending some extra time with them after a show. That means more to us than trying to be a mysterious band that fans (friends, really), don’t really ever get to see unravel as humans.”

They’re just starting out, but COIN is realistic about how long they can expect to maintain their characteristic endearing friendliness. “We know we won’t be able to do this forever if we do get

a larger fan base, but we’d love to try. We love everyone we’ve met so far on tour. Even if we meet someone who didn’t initially/doesn’t love our music, we hope they will come around once they meet us and understand the culture we’re trying to present when we come to play for them.” It would be easy enough to fall in love with COIN just from their music, but it’s their upbeat attitude that seals the deal. “What you say / Can always get better, if you try,” their song “Better” proposes, and after conversing with the band behind the tune, those words have never rung more true. And even if they do go big, it’s a sure bet on their namesake lucky horse that they’d still find a way to make each and every fan understand what COIN is all about.

FIND COIN: twitter.com/COIN_music facebook.com/thisiscoin www.thisiscoin.com

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THE IMPACT OF JOSH SCHWARTZ WORDS: HEATHER MASON

M

y first musical love was the Backstreet Boys. Like any young girl in the late 1990s, I chose my side and I stuck with it. I remember listening to Britney Spears on my CD player on the school bus and creating a choreographed dance to ““Get Down (You’re The One For Me)”. My parents played Peter, Paul & Mary and Neil Diamond during Christmastime but I don’t remember any other significant musical influence (until my later years when I was introduced to Paul Simon’s Graceland and my whole world changed). I listened to Top 40 mostly, which transitioned naturally into some pop punk like Green Day, Good Charlotte and Sum 41 in my teenage years.

In 2003 a new show began airing on FOX called The OC. As a pop-culture obsessed aficionado (and pretty unpopular kid), I quickly loved the show and adopted Seth Cohen (played by Adam Brody) as my teen “cool” guide. On the surface, The OC was a teen soap opera but soon became an indicator of what was “cool” musically. Slowly Seth’s indie band references started popping up in the show and volume one of the soundtrack featured everyone from Spoon to The Dandy Warhols. In 2007, as The OC said farewell, another Josh Schwartz show featuring upper-class teens and their “problems” (only on the opposite coast) appeared on The CW. Gossip Girl followed in the footsteps of The OC featuring up and coming indie bands early on, including The Kills and Vampire Weekend. By 2008, Chuck was on the scene continuing the track record of musical discovery started with The OC. These shows were like a gateway drug for me (and the audience as a whole) to be introduced to and discover new artists. I went from listening to only Top 40 to attending Rooney concerts and buying Death Cab for Cutie albums. My musical tastes evolved and expanded through the combination of auditory and visual storytelling. Through this, these shows were able to associate certain songs in my mind with not only scenes but also distinct feelings that carry on to this day.

Many other shows have become musical tastemakers including Grey’s Anatomy, Parenthood, Veronica Mars, Girls, and many more. Artists can breakthrough simply by having a single on a mainstream TV show thus building a small cult following. And for an indie band, sometimes that’s all they need.

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“N

ow that’s a sound bite!” Frank Turner exclaimed after we wrapped our interview at Dirty Laundry in Hollywood.

At his album listening event for his upcoming release Positive Songs for Negative People, Turner was in great spirits after the first listen that took place in New York the night before.

People had been responding positively to the album, though he says with a disclaimer it could be just because he happened to be in the room.

I sat down with him at the beginning of his promotion of the album and he admitted that this was the fun stage of a press tour. “What I love about long press schedules for albums is you get to figure out what concise terminology you want to use for it. We’re right at the beginning of this one and it’s nice finding out exactly how you feel about an album.” The next thirty minutes was spent discovering what his latest album meant to him. And it might have been the most rewarding thing I’ve experienced with an artist.

As the follow up to 2013’s Tape Deck Heart, Positive Songs For Negative People is a turning point. “This new record is reacting against everything from the last record, which was about failure and fucking up a really important relationship,” explained Turner.

“I spent a lot of time thinking about how album number six is inherently not an exciting album.

After album two, bands tend to start repeating themselves. It was important to justify its existence.

I started thinking about debut albums and why it’s the most exciting thing a band does and it’s they’re most often borderline live records. It’s a collection of songs that these kids have played live for the last two or three years and it’s honed in a live environment.”

With Positive Songs For Negative People, Turner and his band The Sleeping Souls rehearsed the entire album until they were perfected and set out to record them as quickly as possible. Working with producer Butch Walker, who he says was the

WORDS & INTERVIEW:APRIL SALUD PHOTO: GREGORY NOLAN

NOT DEAD YET

FRANK TURN

key to the whole project, helped him unlock the full potential of the album.

Recorded in nine days, the process of making Positive Songs For Negative People goes back to the way albums used to get made. While most artists nowadays use the studio as another member of the band or an extra instrument, Turner uses it in a traditional sense. “I wanted a record to capture what we’re able to do live. Before Sgt. Pepper, that’s what all albums were…to capture that lightning in a bottle of a live performance. In some corners of the music world, that is still the ultimate goal.” He also had a personal achievement during it. “Something that I’m really proud of is that every vocal take on the album is a single take. I’m not a particularly a good singer. I’m not a trained singer. I’m essentially a punk rock kid so I was proud I was able to pull that off.”

Despite the technical achievements made, at the core of Positive Songs For Negative People (or any Frank Turner recording, in fact) is a genuine insight into the human experience. As he’s discussed plenty of times, Tape Deck Heart was about a very low point in his life and with his latest offering, he didn’t want to sulk in that defeat. “This is a record about standing up after a fall and seeing the optimism in the ruins. The title of the album came from a drunken late night conversation with a friend when I just kept tapping the table with one finger. You know, when you’re literally making a point. I said the words, ‘Positive songs for negative people.’ But at the same time, it’s not like ‘don’t worry, be happy.’ It more like, ‘Worry…but fight back.’ This feels like a redefinition of what I’ve been trying to say for the last five records. Currently, I feel like it’s been such a success that I have to rethink everything I do after this. Certainly, I haven’t written a lot of a new music since this because I felt like I emptied out everything I had.”

NER

After spending this much time with Turner and talking about much more than his album (he’s goes off on tangents a lot, an annoying quality in most but an absolutely endearing one with him), the thing that became most apparent is Turner’s complete infatuation with music as a whole. From being inspired by the first two Weezer albums, books that finally turned him into an Elvis fan, and his favorite lyric about drug addiction (written by Kurt Cobain), Turner tries to articulate what exactly resonates with him as musician. “Honesty is a quality I love most about musicians. The moment I love in music is the intractable moment.”

Positive Songs For Negative People could be seen as the next chapter in Turner’s career but it could also be the start of a whole new book in general. As people were starting to be let into the party, I asked Turner what he wanted the world to learn about him with this record.

“It’s not really about what people learn about me, it’s about what they learn about themselves. Art is empathy. Art is connection. It’s about taking my personal experiences and channeling them to make them more universal. I’ve never been interested in art as a monologue. Art should be a dialogue. It’s about what we can learn about each other.”

FIND FRANK TURNER: twitter.com/frankturner facebook.com/ frankturnermusic www.frank-turner.com

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GREGORY WORDS & INTERVIEW:APRIL SALUD PHOTOS: GREGORY NOLAN

T

here’s something incredibly powerful about capturing a certain moment. The ability to anticipate something while simultaneously having the reflexes to preserve it. You’re not only creating a memory but telling a story with a single image. Though it seems like anyone with an iPhone and decent eye can be a “photographer” nowadays, there is obviously more to it then pointing and shooting. And while all photography is something to marvel at, because of our line of work and interests here at THE RADICAL, we’ve been particularly blown away with concert photography and you’ll find no one better at it than Gregory Nolan. His photos are more than just a moment in time. They are representations of the artist, the trajectory of their career, their relationship with the audience, and of course, a reflection of Nolan himself. Snapping some of the world’s most engaging artists, it’s no wonder Nolan is becoming one of them most indemand photographers in the business.

Y NOLAN

ON PHOTOGRAPHY AND MUSIC

I never had much of a clear idea of what I was going to do with myself before I sort of stumbled into photography. I was doing some web design while living in London, trying to figure out next steps. Then I met some guys who ran a London live music indie club called Frog. I was interested in photography anyway, and they gave me the chance I needed to get a start.

All the London bands went through, and lots of international bands as well. I basically blagged my way into being their house photographer, taking photos of the live shows and backstages and the scene in general. Things things just grew from there.

I basically started as a music photographer before I even really was able to call myself a photographer.

It was really lucky, but then I worked really hard to improve. I tried to capture the chaos that happens in crowds, and the grittiness of live music. I practiced photographing lights at night, both in concerts and by wandering London at night. I had to work really hard to learn the settings and technique to capture fast movements in low light without flash to get the look of a concert as it exists in the audience.

The best thing I think I did was to build relationships.

I loved being around the whole scene--the people running the night, the musicians, the crew, the crowd.

I worked for free for a long time, and did the best I knew how to do. That way when I started working with bigger and better acts, I had a solid ground to start from. That’s how it worked for me, and the way many people I know make their careers happen.

ON WHAT INSPIRES HIM

I don’t know how to say this without it sounding totally cheesy and awful, but a lot of my inspiration comes from the bands themselves. It is such an intense thing to build a show, to learn how to perform, to interact with fans, to write music, to keep moving day after day. I love live music, and I love watching it all happen around me. I want to capture a piece of it and make it permanent in an image. And that’s what inspires me to keep pushing, keep improving, and to branch out in new areas.

ON THE FUTURE OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography is getting to be more and more something that many people do, and can sometimes do very well. I like to think that we are moving toward

57

new ways of telling stories and better technology to capture important moments. I enjoy those changes, and look forward to whatever comes next.

I am always looking to learn and do more. I pay a lot of attention to what’s going on with the world, and like the idea that I could document some of that as a photographer. I’ve really enjoyed travel photography and am doing more wilderness photography as well.

I’ve also started working as a volunteer with a nonprofit, trying to capture their organization in the same way I work with bands backstage--looking for those little moments of interaction and connection between people. In some ways it’s a totally new direction for me, and in other ways it’s a direct next step from what I’ve done to what I hope to do.

ON HIS FAVORITE SHOT

I’ve got to say that my photo of Frank Turner at Wembley from behind the band is an all-time favorite. I love the color, energy, and composition of the photo.

But even more than that, it was a massive turning point for Frank’s career and mine as well--I created a video documentary with that photo on the cover...and what I learned over the course of that tour about my trade and being on the road really shaped me into who I am now.

ON SKILL VS. LUCK

Luck plays a big role in getting the perfect shot. Everything has to all come together in the right moment, in the right frame.

But all the luck in the world can’t create a great shot.

You’ve got to be there, with the right settings, the right eye, the right muscle memory for capturing things just exactly in the right way. Then you have to know what to do in editing to take the shot to the next level.

The Irish aren’t great at saying things like “I think I’m good at what I do.” We are easily embarrassed by that kind of thing. But yes, I guess I consider myself to be a good photographer. And plan on getting better every chance I get.

FIND GREGORY NOLAN: twitter.com/GregoryNolan instagram.com/ gregorynolanphotography www.gregorynolan.com

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ROAD TRIP

Ready to head out on the journey of a lifetime? Whether you’re hopping yourself (or find The One), this custom playlist will cover all of your mood Shamir - “Call It Off” Kick things off in the sunny afternoon with this jam from North Las Vegas’ newest star. “It’s time to walk out the door / It’s time to get gone,” he croons, setting the stage for your escape from your dreary day-to-day.

Lower Dens - “To Die In L.A.” Lower Dens’ evocative, uptempo jam is perfect for long stretches of desert highway, heading west into the setting sun. Lynchian and moody, Jana Hunter’s claim that “time will turn the tide” ensures your road trip will be a life-changing experience.

Torres - “Sprinter” Let your evening drive be scored by Torres’ furious alt-rock declaration of independence. Her move away from home will inspire yours: “‘Cause I was a sprinter then / Leaving the sea den.”

Mitski - “Townie” It’s midnight and it’s your turn at the wheel, so stave off sleep with this heartfelt anthem from the impossibly talented Mitski. Sing along enthusiastically, yelling “I want a love that falls as fast / as a body from the balcony,” and you’ll forget all about all the miles to go.

P PLAYLIST

g in a cramped van with your best pals or traveling alone in order to find ds as you engage in the time-honored tradition of the Road Trip.

Great Good Fine OK - “Not Going Home” Watch the gorgeous landscape pass you by to the sweet refrain of this morning groove. “I remembered if you noticed / that I’m not going home,” sing the Brooklyn electro-poppers, a fitting sentiment for your journey.

COIN - “Run” Feeling a bit discouraged? Flat tire, out of gas? Pump up this tune and reenergize on the roadside, reminding yourself that “something tells me that you should never gonna stop till you get what you want!”

Lucius - “Until We Get There” You’re almost at your destination, and you’re feeling pretty zen about it!

Spin this relaxing track and let the drive drive you. “Cause everybody’s gotta get there somehow / And I won’t wait another day, another day”— it won’t be long now!

Best Coast - “The Only Place” At last, you’ve arrived! “Got the sun, we’ve got the waves / This is the only place for me”— have Best Coast’s beachy embrace soundtrack your journey’s end, and relax in the knowledge that you’ve made it.

WORDS: ALLEGRA ROSENBERG // PHOTO: GREGORY NOLAN