Issue 1 // April 2015
T S U A UG D E R S N BUR + The Maine + The Technicolors + Silverstein + The Millenium + Histories
White Noise (noun) - A steady, unobtrusive sound, as an electronically produced drone or the sound of rain, used to mask or obliterate unwanted sounds.
Co-Founder - Photographer Crisanne Glasser Co-Founder - Writer Danielle Gittleman Contributing Writers Alyssa Paulsen, Tori Pisco, Danielle Gittleman, Amanda Damielo, and Kasey Seifried Contributing Photographers Sheri Berman, Alyssa Kromelis, Crisanne Glasser, Amber James, Liana Marie, Amanda Damielo, Maggie Friedman, and Sam Polonsky
Thank You 8123, The Maine, The Technicolors, Carry the 4, The Millenium, Histories, August Burns Red, Silverstein, Big Picture Media, Fearless Records, The Catalyst Publicity Group, Against the Current. We would also like to thank everyone who had a hand in making this magazine possible and for all of the continuous support over the last few months. We couldn’t do any of this without you guys! We are currently in the process of expanding our team. If you would like to become part of White Noise, please reach out to either crissy@whitenoisezine.com or danielle@whitenoisezine.com.
Website http://whitenoisezine.com Twitter @whitenoisezine Facebook http://facebook.com/whitenoisezine
CONTENTS Histories
4
The Millenium
6
The Technicolors
10
August Burns Red Festivals You Need to Know for 2015
14
The Maine
26
Silverstein
30
Album Reviews
34
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s e i r o Hist Interview by Alyssa Paulsen // Photo Courtesy of Carry the 4 How has your aesthetic morphed from I’m Still Doing Well to Fri(ends) and now to the upcoming album? With each batch of songs we’ve wrote and released, we’ve grown closer as a unit, and we are all more aware of the direction we want to take our songs. We all know now what works for us, and we have some experience under our belts as a 4-piece so now we can have relax and just have fun with it, writing together has never been hard, but with each release it feels like it gets easier and easier for us to write together. . Was there a certain gig or event that really got the ball rolling for Histories? It’s hard to say, but for me personally, I think our biggest show
we have played so far that really got things rolling for us was our Fri(ends) release show. We played at one of our favorite venues, and we managed to pack the place out. All of our friends showed up and then some, and it was such a good time. It really brought into perspective how much people cared about us and our music. Would you consider yourselves to be hometown heroes yet, or are you hoping the new record will do the trick? I wouldn’t say we are “heroes” of any kind, we have some work to do still, but we’re hoping this record is something that will bring us to the next level, and bring along everybody that got us here with it. We wouldn’t be anywhere without the support we have gotten thus far.
How would you describe the ambiance of the LP? What should listeners expect? This album as a whole really goes all over the place honestly. It has some songs that are relate-able to our previous releases, some songs that encompass where we are trying to go with our sound, and some songs that are a completely new vibe for us, but it’s all still us. We all have a good confidence level going into this record, regarding the variety we have cooked up so far. Listeners should expect a Histories record, along with a breath of fresh air, one that we are hoping everyone will enjoy, and maybe give listeners something they’ve been wanting that we haven’t done before.
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Interview by Tori Pisco // Photo Courtesy of Carry the 4 6 http://whitenoisezine.com
THE
M U I N E L L I M
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Since coming together just one year ago in February of 2014, you’ve experienced rapid growth and some awesome opportunities, such as immediately releasing an EP, opening for The Summer Set and playing sold out shows during the CKACT (Cold Kids and Campfires Tour). How would you each describe your first year together in one word or sentence? The things we’ve done mean nothing if we do not continue to pursue our endeavors and make the future imminent. Your EP, It’s So Much Friendlier With Two, was written by Matt and Culver in 2013 just before forming The Millenium. What are your plans, in terms of writing together as a full band, now that you’ve come home from your January tour? Now that the Pine Hollow Sessions are finished up, we’ve really started working on coalescing as a group in our writing. It’s been really awesome so far, we have a beautiful studio overlooking the St. Croix river, bridging the gap between Wisconsin and Minnesota. It’s quite a cathartic place to be working on material, and as such, we’re excited to be pursuing it as a unit. Do you have any unforgettable moments from CKACT to share?
Well, the idea of a few selling out was an unforgettable feeling. The kids that came out were outrageously supportive, a feeling that is unparalleled. Selling out 7th Street Entry (First Avenue) in Minneapolis, as well as Fitz Spare Keys in Chicago, were both amazing events. Columbus, Ohio nearly did as well. The tour itself was equally as amazing; we challenged ourselves to change up our acoustic set, in differentiation to our normal high octane, no-holds-
bar full band set. This allowed us to be centric on the musicality, and add intricate elements that we never have previously. For example, throughout the entire set, we had a faux campfire set up, including crackles over the loudspeaker. It’s small elements like that, that we really cherish.
the option to Name Your Price. You mentioned on your Tumblr that “pay as you want” is the direction the music industry is headed. As artists relying on content and merch sales aside from (sometimes unreliable) show comps, how do you feel about this? I (Kyle Culver) think you need to embrace the inevitability of change. As we run our musical operation much like a business, it’s just like any company; you must adapt to the changing paradigm shift and capitalize on marketing aspects that others aren’t, whatever they may be. The live show has never meant more to a surviving band, though, which is widely apparent. And that’s okay. With the potentiality of making material go viral, the idea of getting your music into as many hands as possible is the most integral portion of it all. The more people that hear it, the more likely you are to continually reach a wide audience. It challenges musicians to get out of their comfort zone, and embrace the idea that you aren’t just an instrumentalist or vocalist, you are the CEO, you are the marketer, you are the board and chair. You can’t just be a musician anymore, and that’s fine by us.
And back to the EP... it was released on Bandcamp with
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THE TECHN
Words by Danielle Gittleman // Photo by Ryan Fanizza
NICOLORS
It was November 2012 when The Technicolors released their last full-length, Listener. Three years later and the Arizona-based band hasn’t released any new music since. Grueling tour schedules and having to find the time to write and record new music is enough to make any band grow tired. As for vocalist and guitar player Brennan Smiley, keyboard player Troi Lowney, and bass player Mike (Nico) Nicolette, they’ve been working hard to get some new material out for their fans. “We’ve been writing and recording a lot lately since last summer,” said Smiley. “We’ve got a lot different compilations, and we’re trying to figure out what to do with them all. We’ll probably have an EP coming out in the very near future. We’ve got some stuff coming, we’ve just been working out what we want to release.” In a fast-paced business like the music industry, there’s no time to waste. The Technicolors had a lot they needed to figure out since Listener, and not just creating music. Since then, the band has switched their management to 8123 — a company that manages artists such as The Maine, Nick Santino, and This Century. Just a year ago Smiley wasn’t sure which direction his band was going to go in, and they had so much to figure out. Joining the 8123 family seemed like it would be a good step in the right direction, and really was a good fit for the band. Smiley felt like everything really fell into place easily, and enjoys being able to work closely with musicians that make such good music. He feels the band can only go up from here. While writing, the band is still trying to find themselves. The Technicolors are just focusing on writing songs right now, regardless of their sound. Making music is their priority. “I feel like everything we write is different,” said Smiley. “I think overall we’re a rock ‘n’ roll band with an alternative side to it as well.” Smiley has really been influenced by Oasis and he’s a huge fan of Britpop bands in the 90s, which might add another element to their sound and contribute to their writing and recording process.
The band is still in the midst of making new music, and in the mean time, they’ll be hitting the road in the spring on The American Candy tour, which runs from April through May. The band will be one of the supporting acts for The Maine, and will also be joined by Knuckle Puck and Real Friends. “The guys in The Maine are our really close friends, so that’s going to be a lot of fun and it’s good to be out with friends,” said Smiley. “Honestly, I’m just excited to be back playing music and being on the road since it’s been over a year.” Smiley thinks that getting back into the swing of things and getting back on the road to play shows in some of their favorite places will be a fresh start for the band. The band’s really looking forward to playing in Vancouver, Toronto and New York City. Every band has that one song that they look forward to playing, and that their fans are excited to hear. For The Technicolors, that song is “Hollywood,” and Smiley ensures that it will definitely be on the set list every night. “We have the jam that we close with every night called ‘Hollywood,’” said Smiley. “It’s really my favorite because we kind of just let everything go. Even if we have a really bad set we can turn
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it around with that song and still call it a good night. It’s probably one of my favorite tunes to play.” Since The Technicolors only have one full length, it’s hard not to get bored with the same songs over and over, but “Hollywood” is a song that they love and fans can always look forward to hearing it.
challenges — some that many bands face as well. “I think to be an independent band in this day and age, you have to figure out a way to invest in what you’re doing without letting it completely kill you,” said Smiley. “I think that’s the biggest thing, trying to maintain that.”
It’s been a long road for The Technicolors to get to where they are now. Sometimes Smiley looks back on everything they’ve been through and still can’t believe how surreal everything is. There are some moments when they sit back and kind of confirm that they’re doing the right thing being a band and making music that they love. It hasn’t always been easy, though. The Technicolors have faced many
As for this year, The Technicolors are putting all of the hardships behind them and focusing on what’s really important — the music, and getting out there and touring again. “We’ll see everyone on the road. We really can’t wait, it’s going to be fun!”
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August burns red Words by Amanda Damielo // Photos by Crisanne Glasser
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wo of the hardest things for a band to achieve, especially in the changing climate of the digital age, is longevity and recognition. August Burns Red has managed to attain both. “I know exactly what makes everyone in ABR tick.” says guitarist JB Brubaker when addressing the band’s approaching anniversary. “Over the last twelve years or so, we’ve all learned a lot about ourselves and how we interact with each other. We are more than friends. We are a bunch of brothers who loves each other like crazy and drive each other nuts from time to time.” Despite their longevity, it has not been exactly “business as usual” for the band. In August of 2014, August Burns Red announced that they would be signing to Fearless Records as opposed to renewing their contract with Solid State. “Fearless has been fantastic,” says Brubaker. “They have a great team of knowledgeable and hard working individuals.” While he says he is excited for what the label and band can accomplish together, he is quick to assure fans of the band that it will not hinder the creative process. “A new record label doesn’t mean a new band. We’re the same band as we were when we were on Solid State.
Fearless hasn’t interfered with our creative process in any way. They wanted us because of the band we are, not so they could change us.” Aside from the new label, 2015 promises to be a busy year for August Burns Red. The band are currently on the road as part of the Frozen Flame Tour. “By our typical standards, it has been along time since we’ve been on the road. We hadn’t toured since August of 2014. I think all of us were getting a little itchy to hit the road.” However, if the Frozen Flame Tour isn’t coming to your town, there’s no reason to despair. When asked what fans could expect out of 2015, JD made it crystal clear that touring was number one on the agenda. “Touring will be the name of the game! We’ll be hitting a lot of places around the world starting this summer and continuing into the fall and next winter.” There was also a bit of a surprise that will definitely please fans that are musically inclined. “We’ll be putting out a guitar tablature book for Rescue & Restore, and hopefully our new record, so guitar nerds should have a nice reference if they’re interested in jamming our songs at home.”
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Along with a new label and a heavy touring schedule, August Burns Red is preparing to release their sixth studio album. “The studio has always been a mix between good times and hectic times.” says Brubaker. “It’s always really cool to hear your songs coming to life in the studio, but it’s also a very tedious process with long days.” Along with the band, Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland headed up the effort. “This is our third full length with Carson and Grant. We are very comfortable working together.” And an added perk: the album was recorded in the band’s home of Lancaster, PA. “It’s nice to be able to go home after an exhausting day in the studio, versus going to a hotel. Even after six albums, it’s clear that there is no lack of inspiration with this group. “I’m excited for people to hear all of the surprises we have on the new album. Every song has something that I look forward to hearing when I listen to this album. There are special moments all over the place. We found a solid balance between the really heavy parts, the techy parts, and the pretty parts. It’s a really cool record and I just can’t wait for people to hear it!”
With talk like that, it’s clear that this new album will be a major moment in the life of August Burns Red. But beyond that, there isn’t a clear line of important points along JB’s memory. “It’s hard to pick one moment that would define our career.” He says. “ABR has grown slowly but steadily over the years. I don’t recall a time where we had a huge spike of success or a ton of hype behind us. We’ve always just done things our way and been fortunate enough to have loyal listeners who stuck by us album after album.” And those loyal listeners are not lost on August Burns Red. “We are so grateful to have such loyal fans who grow with ABR and our ever evolving sound. It’s cool to meet someone who says ‘this is my 8th ABR show, I’ve been listening to you guys since 2007.’ We see a lot of people like that and I think that is rare in this scene. Thank you for letting us continue to create and play music for you.”
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LETLIVE. PHOTO BY ALYSSA KROMELIS
ECHOSMITH PHOTO BY SHERI BERMAN
TAKINGPHOTO BACK SUNDAY BY AMBER JAMES
Ultra music festival Taking place from March 27 – 29 in Miami, Florida. One of the most famous electronic dance music festivals, this year’s headliners promise Avicci, David Guetta, Afrojack and Steve Aoki. For more information on the festival and full lineup visit ultramusicfestival. com.
Coachella This famed festival located in Indio, California is held for two weekends in April, 10-12 and 17-19. This year’s headliners include AC/DC, Brand New, Drake and Florence + The Machine. For ticket information and other details on the festival, visit Coachella.com.
Skate and Surf Festival Back for the third year in a row since taking an eight-year break, the Skate and Surf Festival is back in Asbury Park, New Jersey on May 16 and 17. Headliners include Dropkick Murphys, The Wonder Years, The Gaslight Anthem and Manchester Orchestra. For more information visit skateandsurffest.com.
Counterpoint festival Zedd, Widespread Panic, The Roots and Kygo are a few of many artists playing this year’s Counterpoint Festival in Kingston Downs, Georgia on May 22 to the 24. More information on the lineup and tickets can be found on counterpointfestival.com. 24 http://whitenoisezine.com
Sasquatch! Located in Quincy, Washington, the Sasquatch! Festival runs from May 22 through 25. This year’s headliners include Kendrick Lamar, Lana Del Rey, Modest Mouse and Twenty One Pilots. For more information on this festival, visit sasquatchfestival.com.
Electric Daisy carnival This famed EDM festival is taking place in New York on May 23-24 and Las Vegas June 1921. The festival will also take place in Mexico and the U.K. The performers for the festival stateside are still to be announced, but with previous lineups featuring Calvin Harris and Avicii, fans should expect nothing else. For more information visit electricdaisycarnival.com.
Governors ball Located in Randall’s Island Park, New York City, this festival will take place from June 5-7. Headliners for this year’s festival include Drake, DEADMAU5, The Black Keys and Lana Del Rey.
Bonnaroo Mumoford & Sons, Billy Joel, Childish Gambino and My Morning Jacket are just a few of many artists that will be playing this year’s Bonnaroo Festival. The festival will take place in Manchester, Tennessee on June 1114. More information can be found on bonnaroo.com.
Firefly From June 18-21 in Dover, Delaware, the Firefly music festival will be taking place for fans once again. Some of this year’s headliners include some really big names such as Paul McCartney, Kings of Leon, The Killers, Snoop Dogg and Foster The People. For further ticket information and full lineup visit fireflyfestival.com.
Lollapalooza Taking place form July 31 – August 2 in Grant Park, Chicago, Lollapalooza is one of America’s most talked about music festivals. Although no lineup announcements have been made yet, some of last year’s include Eminem, Outkast, Arctic Monkeys and Skrillex. For more information as acts are announced, visit lollapalooza.com.
Riot fest On September 11- 13 Riot Fest will be returning yet again to Chicago, Illinois. Last year’s headliners included Wu-Tang Clan, Weezer, Tegan and Sara, and New Found Glory. No announcements have been made for this year’s lineup yet, but fans can buy presale tickets on riotfest.org.
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E N I A M E H T
8123 f o y s e t our c o t o h P // n a m e l t t i le G l e i n A D y words b
“
TIME TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF FOR
a bit and get to work….” The message was sent from Arizona-based band The Maine’s social media accounts on Halloween night. The band— vocalist John O’Callaghan, guitarists Kennedy Brock and Jared Monaco, bassist Garrett Nickelsen and drummer Pat Kirch all turned their profile pictures to nothing but black. The Maine have been a band since 2008 and have been known to tuck away and write their music, but never under the radar as much as this. The band took this opportunity to take a break from the craziness of social media for a few months to record their fifth album. During their “blackout,” the band was hidden away in Joshua Tree, California writing and recording the album. “I think it did help just to clear our heads a little bit and to not have any distractions. The focus was only on the music, and being away from the Internet allowed us to not feel as much pressure because we kind of forgot that people were waiting to hear what we were doing,” said Kirch. The guys made their return to social media to announce the upcoming release of their album, American Candy. Since their 2011 release Pioneer, The Maine have approached recording and writing differently, and have released all albums since then — 2013’s Forever Halloween and upcoming American Candy — independently. The process this time was no different, and recruited producer Colby Wedgeworth who also produced Pioneer. The band worked with Wedgeworth in Joshua Tree day in and day out to ultimately create American Candy. “Joshua Tree is a really special place and the house we recorded in and lived in could not have been more perfect. We only left the house a few times over the month we were there, but we never felt like we had cabin fever,” said Kirch. “Everything just felt so open and free. The house was in the middle of the desert and we had this huge deck outside of the control room. Being able to get out of the house and be outside helped us never get burnt out.”
The Maine haven’t burnt out. They’ve been going and going for over eight years now. As the band has progressed since their 2008 debut Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, each one of their albums have had a different sound to them, and The Maine really makes that work for them. “To me this album is the most timeless in relation to our catalog. It sounds like it could come out at any point in our career so far and work,” explained Kirch. “We always put ourselves in different situations with each album allowing them all to sound different, and this one is no different. I think if it would have come before Black and White, it would make sense, and if it would have come after Pioneer it would have made sense just as much as it does coming out now.” The Maine have that ability to change things up and do so seamlessly, which allows all of their music to be versatile. For American Candy, the band wanted to make sure that it had a good energy to it. Growing up in the 90s had a heavy influence on the guys of The Maine, and that transfers into their new music. These influences gave American Candy the sound that the band really wanted this time around. “I really just can’t wait for people to hear the music. We are so proud of it and feel good about what we were able to do. There were times when we were writing that I was a little scared because I didn’t know where the record was going to go, and it sounded better than I could ever have dreamed up in my head,” said Kirch. American Candy is a title that has been thrown around for quite some time, as Kirch explains that O’Callaghan originally came up with. The title track has been floating around since after Pioneer, and Kirch along with his band mates believe that the vibe of this album was a perfect fit for both the title and the track. All of it is currently up for pre-order, and lists 10 tracks including the recently released single, “English Girls.” Kirch has a really hard time picking a favorite song from the track listing, since he really loves the sound that this album has. “Every
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time I hear the album I could have a different answer,” he said. “But I think ‘Miles Away,’ the opening song on the album is some of John’s best writing. I think that song probably gives you a good blend of all the sound on the album in one song.” While The Maine was tucked away in Joshua Tree, they were thrown for a loop when Brock discovered a tumor on his thoracic spine. Since that scary discovery, Brock has had surgery to remove the tumor and is doing well despite the tricky operation. It was something that the band definitely wasn’t expecting, but he is almost back to 100%. Brock didn’t miss a single day of writing or recording while the band was in Joshua Tree, despite the tumor, Kirch explained. Brock even took to the band’s instagram to inform fans of what was going on, saying that they should still be a bit gentle with him whenever they may see him on the road this Spring. The American Candy Tour kicks off this April in the band’s hometown of Tempe, Arizona and runs through May, ending in Orlando, Florida. Joining The Maine will be Real Friends, Knuckle Puck, and The Technicolors. “I am just hoping that everyone has a good time at the shows and hears some music they might not have given a chance to before,” said Kirch. “It seems like our fans are excited about all the bands, which is always a bonus. We are just going to go out and put on the show always
*
try and put on. We are going to try and push ourselves to do new things, and play songs we don’t always play. I think it’s going to be a special tour.” No doubt that The Maine’s fans will agree with Kirch. The Maine has always been a band that’s all about their fans. They really and truly care about them, and are willing to do whatever it takes. For The American Candy Tour, The Maine waived all extra fees when it came to ticket sales so fans were able to afford tickets at a low price and a flat fee. The band hasn’t toured since Warped Tour, and they’re really excited to get out there and see their fans again. “I just wanted to say thank you for all the support and for being a part of the family,” said Kirch. “This is a really exciting time for our band and there is a lot of energy going around right now. Everyone is excited and ready to make this a year where the album can really take on a life of its own. We feel like this could be the best year we have ever had as a band.”
Tracks to check out English Girls Miles Away 24 Floors
American Candy releases on March 31st
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SILVERS TEIN Words by Tori Pisco // Photos by Maggie Friedman
It
has been a privileged few years for the music scene, celebrating some monumental ten year marks and tours with some of the bands that bred this generation of punk rock and the subgenres that have come of it. Among those to honor have been memorable hits like, Tell All Your Friends (Taking Back Sunday), Say It Like You Mean It (The Starting Line), They’re Only Chasing Safety (Underoath), and Commit This To Memory (Motion City Soundtrack). Joining these classics of the 2000’s, Silverstein started their year off touring #DTW10- a decade since we were blessed with Discovering The Waterfront. The North American tour of Discovering The Waterfront visited 38 cities with the album played front to back, and some newer hits for fun too. Included in the experience options were some surprisingly personal (and pricy) VIP packages which included loads of merch, meet-and greets, pre-release listening parties in the tour bus, and each night one lucky pair had a preshow dinner with the band. Silverstein is not shy to this type of fan exposure. In fact, they have been known to prefer it. “Well you know, some bands try to be mysterious with their fans. We’ve never been like that. Maybe it’s because we grew up in a punk scene where band members were moshing for
other bands before they went on stage... We decided to really make ourselves available to our fans even more than usual. For us, it’s actually pretty fun. The listening party on the bus with just 2 people a day is really cool. It’s great to get some feedback about our new record from some of our biggest fans before the album is out.” Silverstein was the respective grandfather of the tour, bringing along My Iron Lung, Major League, Hands Like Houses, and Beartooth. The supporting lineup differed significantly from the original DTW tour, which featured Aiden, Hawthorne Heights, and Bayside. “It allows us to kind of learn from the classic bands and the new bands at the same time. I love [how] Beartooth is all about this raw power and feel, Hands Like Houses have great songs, Major League have a vibe and My Iron Lung are just super talented. It’s a great mix. We’ve done a lot of package tours and this is best group of people and musicians we’ve ever been with.” Silverstein hit 15 years as a band in 2015. Revisiting Discovering The Waterfront was an opportunity for the band to give back to the loyal fanbase that has stayed with them, and gave their younger fans a chance to experience this record live. Since they’re still in the game with new music, it’s safe to assume the band itself is older
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than some of their newer fans, and that’s pretty rad. Their newest single, “A Midwestern State Of Emergency”, left some original fans excited to hear the sound of “the old Silverstein” again. “We aren’t trying to lift things or ideas verbatim from our old stuff... I think we’re making new classics here,” Told said of their upcoming full length, I Am Alive In Everything I Touch. Silverstein brings it back to that beautiful era when screaming emo lyrics the audience could understand was still cool and if you didn’t find a band’s music on their MySpace first, you were too late to the scene. Told says that in social media today, as much as he hates to admit it, Facebook is really important for bands to reach maximum exposure. Being able to pull a physical off the shelf is still his favorite medium of listening to new music, though, and he always stays on top of pre-orders and vinyl grabs from his local record store. He’s one of those people who collected records before UO mass produced the Cromley’s, which lends to the age of the band, in a good way.
grab I Am Alive In Everything I Touch on 5/18. The US/CAN release is set a day later for 5/19 (AUS 5/15). Preorders, CD release tour tickets, and new merch are being offered through their current worldwide label, Rise Records. The band has also partnered with Canadian label, New Damage Records, for this release throughout their homeland. “The record is very sad but the message is positive. The record is about leaving your mark on this world, not so much in what you do or make or write, but in the eyes of people that know you, that you love, that love you. It’s those memories that are more important than some kind of legacy.”
Most recently, David Bazan, Frank Turner, Northcote, and Deafheaven have rotated through Told’s listening sphere. These artists have influenced the new record in some ways, but Told admits that he, “can’t erase the influences I had from when I was 17 to about 21.” After all this time, the writing style of the band hasn’t changed much either. “Really there is no formula. When things start to come together we make sure whatever we do is the right thing for the song, not just following the same pattern that has worked before. I think that’s the key to keeping it fresh and also putting the real work in to make every song special.” #DTW10 will close with a short European tour in April. Following the nostalgic experience, these fans can http://whitenoisezine.com
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THE MILLENIUM
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It’s Much Friendlier with Two
U Words by Tori Pisco
M R E
There is no doubt this record makes you dance or at least shimmy in your seat. Or, maybe bounce in your barstool if you’re one of the nostalgic mid-20’s fans jamming It’s So Much Friendlier With Two because it reminds you of blasting power-pop-rock through the subwoofer in the back of your best friends Honda Civic when she finally got her license in 2007. (Or is that just me?)
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In February of 2014, The Millenium released their first EP, It’s So Much Friendlier With Two. Matt Hasenmueller and Kyle Culver had the album written and ready for production when joining Kyle Featherstone and Sean Koran and becoming The Millenium.
I E W S
While The Millenium should certainly be applauded for their talented showcase of their cleanly produced, not complicated but nicely layered sound, my hesitation is in whether or not their hype promises any longevity. The band has been quoted for saying, “We often feel like a pop band in a punk world.” And, well… that they are. There will always be teenyboppers but they will eventually grow up and realize life isn’t all dance beats and band boys with flippy hair. It’s So Much Friendlier With Two reaches this young and enthusiastic (sometimes obsessive) audience, nonetheless!
I love the acoustic intro to the record that is “No Knocks Tonight.” This is that guilty pleasure song that you’ll relate to on a coming-ofage level. When the choruses drop in songs like “Take Me,” I imagine the bright, blinding flash of lights leading into an explosive vibe that most likely consumes the room if The Millenium is orchestrating their performances right. “TONE!” you might exclaim for the first 3 seconds of Ghost Town. Then, it sounds like something you’d hear on the Hollister, Co. soundtrack. That’s not a bad thing! A lot of those songs end up on the radio a few months later. Like in “Take Me,” the repetitive chorus lyrics are catchy, but less impressive up against the poetic lyrics surrounding it. “Not Enough Rain” is dangerously repetitive. I just wanted more from it. More emotion, more closure to the record...more something to leave me anxious for another record. In short, based on this release, one might say The Millenium is for fans of: The Morning Light, The Rocket Summer, Jack’s Mannequin, Panic! At The Disco. “Uh… who’s The Morning Light?” says probably 99% of their fans- which is kind of my point.
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L B
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AGAINST THE CURRENT Gravity
U Words by Casey Seifried
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Pop-rock trio Against the Current is quickly becoming the band to watch, especially after their recent release of their new EP, Gravity. The band has been making waves over the past year after the launch of their first EP Infinity and their handful of top 40 covers, but it is clear they’re here to stay with this album.
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As their best release yet, Gravity showcases the overall growth of the band at all angles. The six tracks stand their ground and carry a consistent theme through the entire EP, which Infinity ultimately lacked. The band seems to have finally discovered their musical niche, finding a pleasant balance between pop and rock, catering to everyone.
rasp; next is my personal favorite, “Paralyzed,” which introduces us to some riffs we’ve never seen from the band. They speed things up again with, “Fireproof,” which I consider the albums low point, containing juvenile lyrics and chanting with some faux rock and roll guitar solos thrown into the mix. The band ends the album with a bang with the inspirational ballad, “Brighter,” that stands out among the other tracks. It is clear that Against the Current is leaving their bubblegum pop sound behind them and will continue to grow and mature as musicians.
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It starts off strong with the title track “Gravity,” showing off how well front-woman and new comer Chrissy Costanza can really belt it, and it doesn’t hesitate to get stuck in your head all day. The first single leads into my new favorite break-up jam, “Talk,” which is dripping with rock influence leaving you wanting to scream at the top of your lungs on the car ride home.
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Halfway through the EP the band slows it down a bit with, “Dreaming Alone,” which is a nice change of pace, really showcasing Costanza’s angelic voice with the perfect amount of
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