FELICITY THE UPSET VICTORY SEVEN STORY FALL NIKOL PAID VACATION
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CONTENTS
WHITE NOISE
EDITORIAL
2
SEVEN STORY FALL
4
FELICITY
10
NIKOL
14
THE UPSET VICTORY
18
PAID VACATION
22
REVIEWS
26
WHITENOISEZINE.COM
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16 EDITORIAL Welcome to our sweet sixteenth issue! It’s beyond insane to us to get to sixteen and it’s amazing to see just how far we’ve come since our very first issue.
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We have a lot of content for you guys issue and a brand new look. We had the chance to partner up with ReverbNation to find all of the artists we’ve featured in this issue and we’re sure that you’ll love every artist in here. We also have some reviews of some brand new albums from The Used, Weezer, Sleep On It, and Butcher Babies so be sure to check those out. As always, we hope you enjoy this issue! Enjoy the holidays and time with your friends and family, and we’ll see you in 2018!
DANIELLE GIT TLEMAN & CRISANNE GL ASSER
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SEVEN STORY FALL SUCCESS ON HIS OWN WORDS BY \ EMILY KLINGMAN
SEVEN STORY FALL
W
ith its latest project, Seven Story Fall proves creative sparks can take any
shape or form — in this case, a series of singles, EPs, and albums all following the same storyline. Similarly, the former four-man band now takes the form of a solo project by Hunter Kennedy — who is currently in the process of releasing the follow-up singles from his last album, Stories and Analogies.
The idea for this blend of storytelling and
music came first came from Kennedy’s interest in post-apocalyptic, “resistance vs. one world army-type themes.” The idea of, “coming back from destruction and building back up,” for him is a source of inspiration and motivation.
“I try to normalize the characters in the story
by adding these normal mundane details like a bad relationship, or not trusting someone or figuring out who you want to be,” he said. “That all inspires the lyrics and tone or mood of the songs. I mean the song has to 06
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match the visual you get from hearing the vocals.”
The current singles “I, Spy” and “We Will Fight”
are the first two of four Kennedy has released with Seven Story Fall, however the over-arching story isn’t finished. He explains that the release schedule at the moment is to just “go on and on until I feel the story should end.”
As for “We Will Fight,” “the main theme of
this song is about scaling from small to big,” Kennedy explains.
“We face problems everyday, but too many
times we push things off and it gets worse until things spiral out of control,” he said. “I think we need to fight our way back against this force that keeps us down before it’s too late. Definitely not your average love song, but there’s quite enough of those and I thought a song with more depth intellectually was overdue.”
WHITE NOISE
“I think we need to fight our way back against this force that keeps us down before it’s too late”
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SEVEN STORY FALL For Kennedy, his overall process to create music comes from his state of mind, all depending on where his head’s at that day.
“It’s really whatever I’m in the mood to play that day; from what instrument, to what mood, whether
fast or slow,” he said “And from this I’ll either have an idea in my head, or just jam until something pops up that I like.”
However, one thing that is generally the same throughout Kennedy’s process is working on the lyrics
last.
“I like writing the music before the lyrics, so when I hear the song and go to write the lyrics, I write
based on how I feel when hearing that music,” he said. “I think it gives more emotion to it then the other way around. I think it’s just preference.”
Admittedly, Kennedy says writing an over-arching story can be difficult and trapping.
“It’s a lot more difficult to do a concept album because everything has to flow and fall under a similar
concept or theme,” he said. “It can sometimes put you in a box when writing lyrics. You try to stay on theme, but sometimes the song just pulls you in a different direction.”
Kennedy himself has also been moving in different directions in recent years, most notably shifting
Seven Story Fall from a four-piece band to a solo project. Since officially becoming a solo act, he says he’s been 08
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“moving forward and finally gaining ground again.” Yet despite the long journey to where he is now, he wouldn’t change many of his decisions.
“If I didn’t go through these mishaps, then I would have never learned, so it’s hard to say if i would ever
give my past self advice,” he said.
Looking to the future, some of Kennedy’s goals for Seven Story Fall are to be “100% ready and capable
for anything again.”
“I felt like I lacked that confidence in the last few years, but I’m feeling different about it now after
having my last album released and two new singles out,” he said.
After a couple of performances in early November including one at the New York City Marathon,
upcoming Seven Story Falls shows are currently in the planning process. A tour during this coming winter or spring is also in the works, with performances in the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast and other southern states.
With everything Kennedy has been through and the work he’s put into this project, he thanks his fans
for sticking by him throughout the long journey Seven Story Fall has been on.
“It hasn’t been all smooth the whole time I’ve done this, and I very much appreciate the support i have
after all this time,” he said. “Everything I have is being put into this big concept multi-album story, and at the end when it’s done I do believe it’ll be something people talk about.”
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WHITENOISEZINE.COM
MAKING FELICITY WAVES WORDS BY \ DANIELLE GITTLEMAN
WHITE NOISE
I
t’s been about a year since Florida pop-
usually then have a sit down session where we all
punk rockers, Felicity, have released
critique all the vocals and re-write as much as we
their EP, Brace Yourself!. And things have been
see fit,” explained Rapier. “Once we think we have a
something out of their wildest dreams. “It’s been
set skeleton of a song, we bring it to the studio and
better than we ever could have imagined,” said
bounce the idea off of Andrew Wade. He is such a
guitarist Andrew Rapier. “We recorded Brace
genius songwriter he is able to take some ideas we
Yourself! with legendary producer Andrew Wade.
feel are ‘okay’ and really take them to the next level.
He helped us so much in the songwriting process
Andrew Wade helps so much in the process he
and really helped us discover ‘our’ sound.”
really lets us grow and develop as we record, and
we are so lucky to be able to work with him.”
Although the EP only consisted of four
songs, it really made the band. As soon as the EP
With all of that excitement of new music,
was out, things immediately began to fall into place
and the success of their previous EP, the guys
for the band. “We began getting tour offers from
of Felicity won a spot on the lineup for Warped
all over the country and have gotten to play some
Rewind At Sea, a cruise taking place from October
“We have gotten to play shows we never dreamed of and meet some people we never dreamed of meeting. Our dream is to be able to make this band our full time life, and devote everything to it.” amazing festivals like Fort Rock and Vans Warped
28 to November 1, hosting the famous festival at
Tour. It will always have a special place in all of our
sea. Felicity played alongside bands such as Cartel,
hearts,” said Rapier.
Good Charlotte, and Hawthorne Heights. The band
entered a contest to win a spot on the cruise, they
The band is currently building off of the
momentum that the EP provided. They’ve been
made the top ten and were voted into the top three,
working on new music, and it’s all done. Fans
winning a spot on the lineup.
should keep an eye out for new music dropping
any day now, and they can expect a more mature
of their idols, it’s definitely something that they’ll
sound, but not to worry, the catchy and powerful
never get used to. “We try out best to not fangirl…
music will still be there.
but we are bursting on the insides. I feel like we
actually are trying so hard to act cool, that they
When it comes to writing and recording,
When it comes to playing alongside some
the band likes to work together a lot. “It’s a very
probably think we don’t even know who they are.
collaborative process. Once we come up with a
But on the inside I’m like, ‘It’s not a big deal.... I’m
rough structure Damien (vocals) will start coming
standing next to Jacoby Shaddix!” said Rapier.
up with vocal melodies and some lyrical ideas. We
With all of the success so quickly, it’s easy
to let it go to your head. But the guys of Felicity
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FELICITY
“We want to be able to create and share music for a life.�
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WHITE NOISE
are keeping their minds focused on what’s next for them and the goals they want to reach..
“We are a very goal oriented band. When
we first started we were like, ‘our goal is to play a show… that’s it, a show.’ Then we just kept growing from there,” said Rapier. “We have gotten to play shows we never dreamed of and meet some people we never dreamed of meeting. Our dream is to be able to make this band our full time life, and devote everything to it. We want to be able to create and share music for a life. Oh and playing an entire Warped Tour would be rad as well!”
As for the upcoming months, fans should
stay on their toes. Things are just getting started for Felicity. “New music, new music videos, tours, shows, shows, shows! New merch, new everything! We aren’t slowing down anytime soon,” said Rapier.
Be sure to follow the band on social media,
@wearefelicity for updates on new music, and what’s next for them in the upcoming months.
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NIKOL
WNZ: YOU GUYS RELEASED YOUR EP, WHITE LIES IN 2016. HOW HAS THE RECEPTION BEEN OVER THE PAST YEAR? I would say people have reacted well to White Lies, and a lot of opportunities have come our way because of it, and I’m so thankful for that. WNZ: HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN WORKING ON ANY NEW MUSIC? WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT? WHEN CAN WE EXPECT IT? We are always working on new music. Currently, we are working with Dan Korneff, which has been beyond incredible…I am so honored that he even considered spending his time on me and my music. And maaaan, singing into the same microphone that Hayley Williams recorded the Riot! record with is just insane!! I already know what I’d like the next release to be called (and the one after that), but you’ll have to wait and see. We don’t have a release date set as of now, but hopefully it won’t be too far away. WNZ: WHAT’S YOUR WRITING AND RECORDING PROCESS LIKE? CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH IT? For me, writing happens when it wants to — at work, in the car, at the gym, watching a movie, etc. — I love that about it. Recording has been different each time around. Every producer I have worked with has their own amazing way of doing things. One thing that has stayed the same (so far) is that my lyrics are where the song starts and the music is written around them. Being in the recording studio is one of my favorite things, I really love pushing myself and growing through the process. WNZ: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR INSPIRATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING MUSIC? Life. Relationships. Experiences. Conversations. I love when a song is relatable, it gives me hope — it reminds me that there’s someone else that’s gone through something and made it out alive, and hopefully even stronger from it. WNZ: WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR MUSICAL INFLUENCES? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY MAKE AN IMPACT ON YOUR OWN MUSIC? Paramore, Paramore, Paramore. Hayley Williams is just an amazing vocalist and performer overall. They have definitely made an impact on my own music (Riot! is my all-time favorite). Pvris is one of my other favorite bands — I love her lyrics.
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NIKOL
WNZ: WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A FEMALE-
WAS IT LIKE HEARING YOUR SONGS ON THOSE
FRONTED BAND IN A PRIMARILY MALE-
POPULAR SHOWS?
DOMINATED INDUSTRY?
I am honored that they offered licensing for our
Females in the music industry are sometimes
songs!
overlooked, especially in the rock genre. I love changing somebody’s mind about what they thought
WNZ: WHAT ARE SOME GOALS THAT YOU HAVE
we would be like.
FOR YOURSELVES AS A BAND? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH?
WNZ: DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO TOUR
We would like to put out an acoustic record at some
OR PLAY SOME SHOWS IN THE UPCOMING
point. We would all like to play overseas, get on
MONTHS? WHERE CAN FANS EXPECT YOU?
some more music festivals and release our next
We will be playing some local shows in the coming
record.
months, and maybe you’ll see us near you when the new year hits. We are always on social media, so feel
WNZ: WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU NOW THAT THE
free to shoot the Nikol Facebook page a message,
YEAR IS COMING TO A CLOSE? WHAT CAN
we always love to hear from fans!
FANS EXPECT FROM YOU? The year may be coming to a close, but the passion
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WNZ: YOU GUYS HAVE PLAYED SOME MAJOR
never stops. We have a lot in the works and hope
FESTIVALS LIKE SXSW AND WARPED TOUR.
you’ll be there for the reveal!
WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE FOR YOU? Surreal. Playing Vans Warped Tour was a dream
WNZ: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO
come true, a goal I had for myself for so long, I still
TELL YOUR FANS?
look back and can’t believe it really happened. We
Thank you — you guys keep us going and we
hope to play again, and hopefully for more dates.
wouldn’t make it anywhere without your support.
SXSW seemed beyond out of reach, however Jon
Thank you SO much!!
Delange got us there and playing right in the middle of it all. Music festivals are such a cool environment — you’re surrounded by so many people who LOVE music. I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunities, and I hope to return again soon (maybe even next year!) WNZ: SOME OF YOUR MUSIC WAS LICENSED FOR SHOWS LIKE KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS, AND THE REAL WORLD. WHAT
WHITE NOISE
“I love when a song is relatable, it gives me hope — it reminds me that there’s someone else that’s gone through something and made it out alive, and hopefully even stronger from it.”
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THE UPSET VICTORY SAILING ON TO SUCCESS WORDS BY \ CASEY WOLFE
WHITE NOISE
“The world around us inspires as well as personal stories and music we admire”
B
ig things have been
our supporters were very much
happening for
a big part of the album creation
Cincinnati alt-pop band, The
process. Without their support,
Upset Victory. The band recently
we don’t think we could have
released a full-length album, Life
made the album we ultimately
Like an Anchor, and fans of the
wanted to make.”
genre are taking notice.
“Don’t Give up the Night,” a
The reception has been
The band’s first single,
overwhelming, according the the
hyped track with a high energy
band. In their hometown alone,
and fast movement, has
the band has been nominated
been described as having a
for awards like artist of the year
“spunky, dance-punk vibe that
and best live band for the CEA
recalls some of the strong
awards. “This is a huge honor
characteristics of Panic! At the
for us as we have a lot of love
Disco, yet retains our unique
for the Cincinnati music scene.
flair and remains faithful to the
Our supporters, fans, friends,
sound we’ve carved out over the
and family have been extremely
years,” according to the band.
supportive of this new record,”
said guitarist Stephen Campbell.
for anyone who has ever been
“In fact, we did a fan funding
criticized on their journey to
campaign via Kickstarter and
happiness; a reminder to never
“The song is an anthem
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THE UPSET VICTORY
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WHITE NOISE
give up hope and keep your chin up high in the face of scrutiny or rejection,” said lead vocalist Jason Dill.
The finished album did not originally start as the work of alt-pop art it is
today. Like so many others who approach song writing, it all began with a guitar and a voice. Then came the studio to perfect the process.
While the album is still a cohesive work of upbeat alternative pop music, it
was inspired by a variety of genres. “Each track represents a different theme and
“[It’s] for anyone who has ever been criticized on their journey to happiness; a reminder to never give up hope and keep your chin up high in the face of scrutiny or rejection” genre in a way. This album is a slight departure from our previous release, the Wall Street EP, but it’s still in the same vein,” said Campbell.
Just as it is for almost anyone in life, reality is The Upset Victory’s biggest
muse. “The world around us inspires as well as personal stories and music we admire,” said Campbell. “Jason typically writes all of the lyrics so he may write from a very personal standpoint but at the same time make it universal enough for all to relate to.”
When it comes to putting everything together when writing, the band
stresses that the process is pretty cut and dry. “If a song idea sounds compelling stripped down with one or two acoustic guitars, and Jason singing along, then we know we’re onto something because it’ll only get better once we add the embellishments and production that a studio can bring to a song,” explained Campbell.
With the release of a new album comes new plans for The Upset Victory.
The band plans to expand things to Europe in 2018. “We actually inked a deal with a label overseas,” said Campbell. “So we are formulating plans to tour Europe in 2018 to promote our new record. Life Like An Anchor will be released overseas in Europe before the end of the year.”
The main goal for the band is essentially to keep on keepin’ on. “We want
to continue writing great songs and honing our craft as songwriters all the while having fun with The Upset Victory,” said Campbell. “We’ve been doing this band for a long time so we want to continue pushing ourselves.”
Fans can keep up with The Upset Victory on Instagram and Facebook, as
well as by streaming Life Like an Anchor on Spotify. Be sure to keep an eye out for updates on theupsetvictory.com.
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PAID VACATION
WNZ: CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BAND? HOW DID PAID VACATION BECOME PAID VACATION? About a year ago the band was playing a couple shows for our singers solo project under the name Eddie Island. Eventually, the chemistry was so good and we enjoyed playing together so much we wanted to form a band which led to Paid Vacation. WNZ: YOU GUYS RECENTLY RELEASED YOUR SINGLE “BLACK CAT.” HOW HAS THE RECEPTION BEEN SO FAR? It’s been AMAZE. It’s really been encouraging to hear the positive feedback. We’re just so happy that we had our great friend Natalie Simmons help us have a proper first release by directing, producing and filming our music video for Black Cat. The reception on the video has been great. Our first D.I.Y. was really fun, but a disaster. Thank GOD she helped us. You can check it out on YouTube. WNZ: ARE YOU GUYS PLANNING ON WORKING ON ANY NEW MUSIC? CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT IT? WHEN CAN WE EXPECT IT? Yes absolutely! We have two songs coming out. We have a new song called “Like You” being released later this month. No exact release date yet but fans can keep up with us with all our releases on our Instagram @ Paidvacationband. We’ve recently gone back to Smoakstack studios, where we wrote “Black Cat,” with a very exciting new song. Fans can expect that release around late November or early December. We are super mega excited about that one. F R E A K I N G O U T S N E A K I N G O U T. WNZ: WHAT’S YOUR WRITING AND RECORDING PROCESS LIKE? CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH IT? Our writing process definitely varies every time, I wish there was a simple answer to that. Sometimes it’s Eddie dancing in the shower. Other times, it’s Luke sitting shirtless playing guitar on the hood of his car. We’re a wild bunch of crispy bois. WNZ: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR INSPIRATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING MUSIC? Ultimately, I think we all are a little crazy, but super passionate about the
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PAID VACATION
things we love. First and foremost it’s each other
FANS EXPECT FROM YOU?
and then the music. We’re all just inspired by writing
Shows, shows, shows.. and more releases, fans can
positive, upbeat and affirming music. We just want
expect an EP or album in the coming year. We are
our listeners to irradiate the word “boring” from their
going to be in your FACE in 2018 and we couldn’t be
vocabulary.
more excited.
WNZ: WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR MUSICAL
WNZ: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO
INFLUENCES? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY MAKE
TELL YOUR FANS?
AN IMPACT ON YOUR OWN MUSIC?
WE LOVE YOU ALL THANK YOU FOR LOVING THE
For sure. All our members come from different
CRUSTY SAD DADDIES (Paid Vacation).
backgrounds of music, for example, our singer Eddie Island is influenced by Frank Ocean and Alvvays. Our guitar player Patrick Gleeson is influenced by Coin and... Meshuggah. We’re all over the place but that’s the magic. WNZ: YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PLAYING A FEW SHOWS RECENTLY. HOW HAVE THEY BEEN 24
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SO FAR? DO YOU GUYS PLAN TO TOUR OTHER PLACES? WHERE CAN FANS EXPECT YOU? The reception has been rad. We would LOVE to play out of state and are planning to ASAP. Our goal is to play some unconventional places and ultimately headline a show at our favorite Espanol supermall Plaza De Mariachi. WNZ: WHAT ARE SOME GOALS THAT YOU HAVE FOR YOURSELVES AS A BAND? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH? Our goal is to make people say “me too”. We want to bring people together from all background to just dance it all out. We’re all on Paid Vacation. WNZ: WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU GUYS NOW THAT THE YEAR IS COMING TO A CLOSE? WHAT CAN
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WHITENOISEZINE.COM
REVIEWS
5/5
Los Angeles metalcore rockers Butcher Babies are back and stronger
than ever with their third album, Lilith, that was released on Oct. 27.
Immediately, the percussion and unique vocals pull you in on the
first song, “Burn the Straw Man.” The aggressive beginning to the album previews many aspects of the band that make them stand out among others in their genre — heavy guitars, the one-of-a-kind vocals of frontwomen Heidi Shepvherd and Carla Harvey, and soft percussion swelling into a more
BUTCHER BABIES // LILITH
abrasive rhythm as the song begins. “Light a match and watch it burn,” they say, just before the choppy guitar line and spoken vocals transition to an intense frenzy.
WORDS BY \ GIANLUCA D’ELIA TOP TRACKS // “KOROVA” “LOOK WHAT WE’VE DONE” “BURN THE STRAW MAN”
“Lilith” serves a great purpose as the title track, showing off the talent
for variety that Butcher Babies has, with a mix of screaming, growling, and singing especially. The high notes they reach in melodic sections are a great contrast to the discomforting growls.
“Korova” is also a stand-out track. It’s one of the most atmospheric,
and the variety of tempos and sounds tell a story, with a gripping ending on 26
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the last note as they sing, “run with me.” It’s a nice breather before the chaos returns on “#iwokeuplikethis,” which is, needless to say, nothing like Beyonce’s “Flawless.”
“The Huntsman” definitely stands out melodically, with both haunting
and beautiful qualities. Similarly, “Look What We’ve Done” is one of the tracks that is most accessible for those who might not be the biggest metalcore fans. Altogether, Lilith is a diverse album that displays a wide arrange of abilities in this band. It ends just as chaotic as it starts with “Underground and Overrated,” but this time the instrumental parts are even more captivating than before. The guitars and screams soar, but soon, everything fades, leaving you to quietly process the sonic, thrilling experience of the past 11 tracks.
WHITE NOISE
5/5
Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, pop-rockers Sleep On It, have just
released a new album, Overexposed. The LP features twelve songs, packing in hit after hit — perfect for any pop-punk lover. The album kicks off with “A New Way Home,” a high energy track that really sets the tone for the album. It just has that pop-rock feel to it, and as my personal favorite music, it’s like coming home, in a way. It gives me that nostalgic feel, and I loved it. The breakdown toward the end of the song was the best part of the song for
SLEEP ON IT // OVEREXPOSED WORDS BY \ DANIELLE GITTLEMAN
me. I’m a sucker for a good breakdown and Sleep On It definitely supplied one. The following track, “Window,” opens with some emotional lyrics, and I admired how raw it was. I felt the emotion in the song. I really enjoy when a band is able to do that successfully.
“Distant,” and “Hope” continue to bring us the pop-punk. Both tracks
keep the energy flowing, without faltering once. These are the types of songs that you’re really excited to hear live; the types of songs that you scream back
TOP TRACKS // “ALWAYS CRASHING THE SAME at the band while you’re jumping around in the crowd. These are the best CAR” types of songs, and definitely carry the album forward. “PHOTOBOOTH” One of my favorite tracks off the album was “Always Crashing The “A BRIGHTER SHADE OF BLUE”
Same Car.” I thought this song was so damn catchy, it’s as simple as that. I loved the push and pull aspect of the song, it’s a great dynamic, and made for one of the best songs on the album. “Photobooth” follows in the same pattern. When the song first started I thought it was going to be more of a slow ballad, but I was pleasantly surprised when the energy went up during the chorus, and then back down again. I love how seamless it sounded to go back in forth in tempos, and it really worked flawlessly.
“A Brighter Shade Of Blue” was the acoustic song I was waiting for. I
feel like every good album should have a slower acoustic song, and Sleep On It ticked off that box for me.
Bringing the album to a close is “Autumn (I Wish I Was Better).” It
was also pretty full of energy, but you could definitely feel that this song was the end. The song comes to a close, leading you to believe that the song was over, but the silence fades back into instrumentals for a few more moments, ultimately ending the song. The track made it feel like the album was finally over, and I thought it was a perfect song to end things on.
Overall, I absolutely loved this album. There wasn’t a single song
that I didn’t like, each bringing something even better to the table. I honestly thought Overexposed was an amazing album, and whether you’re a fan of the band or not, you should definitely give it a listen, I’m sure you’ll love it. I will definitely have Overexposed on repeat for a while!
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REVIEWS
3/5
For their eleventh studio album, Weezer’s Pacific Daydream hits all
the typical Weezer notes, bringing easy-going pop rock to listeners’ ears. Over a more modernized and pop-leaning sound, singer Rivers Cuomo sings about nerdy love and rock and roll classics. It’s an album made for Weezer lovers.
The first few tracks off the album are solid and typical Weezer
songs. “Happy Hour,” “Mexican Fender” and “Beach Boys” all sound like what listeners have come to expect Weezer to sound like. “Happy Hour”
WEEZER // PACIFIC DAYDREAM WORDS BY \ EMILY KLINGMAN TOP TRACKS // “HAPPY HOUR” “FEELS LIKE SUMMER” “WEEKEND WOMAN” “SWEET MARY”
sounds like a classic party-song, but listeners who pay attention find a really interesting perspective of being so unhappy with one’s life the only thing that makes it better is going out for the night. After that unique start, “Mexican Fender” comes next as the song about nerdy love Weezer regularly brings to the table, following the first moments of a singer and a physics major turned computer programer. The band shifts a little more to the pop side of things with the track “Feels Like Summer,” bringing in a super catchy hook and blending it with Cuomo’s laid-back vocals.
“Weekend Woman,” the halfway point between the two halves of
Pacific Daydream, follows a typical love song structure, but uniquely in a way that sounds like Weezer and dreamy. As for the later half of Pacific Daydream, there’s nothing much that brings a big spark to the album. Tracks
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like “QB Blitz,” “Get Right,” and “La Mancha Screw Job,” aren’t striking in any way, mostly just providing transition to the couple of tracks that can stand on their own. “Sweet Mary” and “Any Friend of Diane’s” are both good tracks, and definitely not as snooze-worthy as the tracks around them. “Sweet Mary” plays off as much more of a love song than “Weekend Woman” does, as a quiet and sweet track for the album.
Overall, I think Weezer put out a typical Weezer album in Pacific
Daydream. It doesn’t feel as if there was anything special or striking about most of the songs, but for a Weezer fan that probably won’t matter. There’s good in enough of the songs to cancel out anything negative that can be said about the album as a whole.
WHITE NOISE
5/5
The Used recently released their latest album, The Canyon in late
October. The 17 song piece begins hauntingly (and beautifully) with “For You,” a track about the loss of a longtime friend by suicide. It then transitions smoothly into the acoustic song, “For You.” It has a haunting echo that brings listeners into the past, whether it’s vocalist Bert McCracken’s past or one of their very own. This track is hands down the best opener on a punk album in a long time.
THE USED // THE CANYON WORDS BY \ CASEY WOLFE TOP TRACKS // “RISE UP LIGHTS” “FOR YOU” “OVER AND OVER AGAIN”
The next noteworthy song on the album (although they all deserve
so much praise) is “Rise Up Lights.” It has a creepy scary vibe, very fitting for the October release date. “Pretty picture” begins ominously, and then come the vocals, low and haunting. It picks up some aggression by the chorus and maintains it throughout the rest of the song. Like a lot of The Used’s music, this song has a quality that will stick with listeners during the most unexpected times.
“The Divine Absence (This is Water)” picks up the tempo and then
delivers a ballad like chorus, making for a beautifully mastered track of sounds that should not be cohesive but somehow are. The chorus, however, picks up the intensity, creating a smoother transition throughout the song.
“Over and Over Again” has more of an upbeat pop punk vibe than the
rest of the album. Although the overall theme of the album so far is getting through negative situations, this song is uniquely optimistic.
Then, an odd thing happens on the album. “Moon-Dream” starts out
with a child babbling an unrecognizable song, and then jumps right into a classical orchestra song with a soft vocal track. The Used seems to waver between heavy, intense tracks and soft, artful moments in other songs. This song is basically a lullaby before the nightmare vibe of the next track kicks in.
The album finds its landing in the last track, “The Mouth of the
Canyon.” Another ballad tempo song, this is the mildest listen. Between the slow, dream-like illusion and powerful lyrics, this track is one of the most powerful in the 17-song-long album. The tempo picks up suddenly, however, about four minutes in with an instrumental breakdown and more intense chorus vocally. It picks up the energy, before settling down again to leave listeners on a calm and relaxed note.
The Used has created yet another album with something different,
but equally compelling in each track. The album will lull listeners while haunting their thoughts subconsciously. Every song on this album has an almost eerie quality that The Used has been so good at in the past, but with a refreshing new energy.
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