Artist: Two Inch Astronaut Album: Bad Brother Label: Exploding In Sound Records Release Date: June 18, 2013 You ever have that moment when you listen to the just the first…
Artist: Salt Petal Album: Sea Monster Label: Unsigned Release date: 7/2/2013 We are in Puerto Rico. No, in New York. No, in Puerto Rico. Hang on! Where are we?…
Artist: Porcupine Album: The Sensation of Being Somebody Label: Hang Up Records Released: 12/10/12 Porcupine is a three-piece indie rock group from La Crosse, Wisconsin. On their second LP, The…
Artist:Veronica Falls Album: Waiting for Something to Happen Label: Slumberland/Bella Union Release Date: 2/12/2013 www.veronicafalls.com If you haven’t heard of Veronica Falls, now is the time. On Waiting for Something…
After Blaudzun’s set at our SXSW showcase, I was able to chat with Dutch singer-songwriter about the difficulty of getting into the groove at the Austin festival, his American debut,…
Jim Morrison has long been considered the face of the legendary rock group The Doors. Yet the passing of keyboardist Ray Manzarek may shed new light on a familiar legacy….
Artist: Guided by Voices Album: English Little League Label: GBV Inc Release Date: April 30, 2013 www.gbv.com I have been a devoted Guided by Voices fan for 20+ years….
Artist: Clair Morgan Album: No Notes Label: N/A Release Date: November 13, 2012 www.clairmorgan.com America…wide open spaces, suburban sprawl, cities that never sleep. Distance means nothing and everything. Blue oceans,…
On March 14, The Ridges performed at our SXSW showcase. I interviewed them after their set and discussed their own elations for being at SXSW and more.
On Friday, April 12, 2013 College Park’s Harmonic Blue played at Move the Movement 2013: Women’s Empowerment Concert at the University of Maryland. This was just one stop of the Spring Tour for the multi-genre quartet.
With a unique blend of jazz, blues and folk, Harmonic Blue embodies a soulful combination that will warm your hearts. They have a sound very similar to a fusion of Steely Dan, Alabama Shakes, Dave Matthews Band and Wilco. The band is composed of Zach Field (vocals), Gabe Bustos (producer and bassist), Anthony Ajluni (guitarist), and Sam Balcom (drummer).
Since forming in July 2011, Harmonic Blue has been quite busy in making their name known across the region. Within the last two years, the boys have released two EPs, including the most recent 2012 release of Villa Borghese, won UMD’s Battle of the Bands, and most recently were named The Deli Magazine Band of the Month for April 2013.
Harmonic Blue took time out of their schedule to speak with me after the show.
Artist: Two Inch Astronaut Album: Bad Brother Label: Exploding In Sound Records Release Date: June 18, 2013 You ever have that moment when you listen to the just the first…
Artist: Salt Petal Album: Sea Monster Label: Unsigned Release date: 7/2/2013 We are in Puerto Rico. No, in New York. No, in Puerto Rico. Hang on! Where are we?…
Artist: Porcupine Album: The Sensation of Being Somebody Label: Hang Up Records Released: 12/10/12 Porcupine is a three-piece indie rock group from La Crosse, Wisconsin. On their second LP, The…
Artist:Veronica Falls Album: Waiting for Something to Happen Label: Slumberland/Bella Union Release Date: 2/12/2013 www.veronicafalls.com If you haven’t heard of Veronica Falls, now is the time. On Waiting for Something…
After Blaudzun’s set at our SXSW showcase, I was able to chat with Dutch singer-songwriter about the difficulty of getting into the groove at the Austin festival, his American debut,…
Jim Morrison has long been considered the face of the legendary rock group The Doors. Yet the passing of keyboardist Ray Manzarek may shed new light on a familiar legacy….
Artist: Guided by Voices Album: English Little League Label: GBV Inc Release Date: April 30, 2013 www.gbv.com I have been a devoted Guided by Voices fan for 20+ years….
Artist: Clair Morgan Album: No Notes Label: N/A Release Date: November 13, 2012 www.clairmorgan.com America…wide open spaces, suburban sprawl, cities that never sleep. Distance means nothing and everything. Blue oceans,…
On March 14, The Ridges performed at our SXSW showcase. I interviewed them after their set and discussed their own elations for being at SXSW and more.
We are in Puerto Rico. No, in New York. No, in Puerto Rico. Hang on! Where are we? And that’s the first feeling after listening to Sea Monster by Salt Petal. And that’s not necessarily a negative reaction.
The band describes themselves as a mixture of different sounds, starting from The Smiths, Blondie, and ending with the folk rhythms of South America and the beaches of California. I must admit that Salt Petal’s sound is very, very interesting. Fresh and happy, combined with lovely surf pop melodies, and old-school rock with some latin spirit and folk aesthetics. With multi-instrumental melodies, which include guitars, accordians, drums and cellos (!) combined with the voice of Autumn Harrison, give us a unique taste of their work. Unique, meaning that Salt Petal tries to create a nice relationship between tradition and folkism with pop rock attitude– like a bit of ska travels to Argentina towards the main goal: to make you dance!
On the other hand, I was a bit confused upon listening to Sea Monster. I realize that Salt Petal want to employ variety in their sound in order to combine dissimilar cultures and tunes, but, in some way, I can’t understand the originality of Salt Petal’s identity, the direction that they want to take. A little less experimentation, just to clarify which path they want to follow, would be a good place to start.
“Songs I Used to Love,” ”Stay Awhile,” and “Pico” give a feeling of happiness, while “Por La Luna” and “Cumbia de Billinghurst” amplify the Latin mood, and the sullen “Es Dificil” closes the album. Sea Monster evokes emotions, pictures, and melodies
If you haven’t heard of Veronica Falls, now is the time. On Waiting for Something to Happen, they claim a position in the indie-pop atmosphere and put forth their best effort yet.
Waiting for Something to Happen isn’t the next big thing. But the whole album will remind you of summer, love, and the lovely breeze from an open window in the afternoon. Sweet and poppy, with a great amount of alternative power, it’s a great follow-up to their self-titled debut album. Each song is a fantastical journey through dreams. The main point of all this? Of course, to make us dance.
Crazy guitars with indie rock attitude in “So Tired,” “Tell Me” and “Waiting for Something to Happen” combine with louder sounds that say, “we don’t care what comes next.” Breathy vocals and heavy romanticism in “My Heart Beats” and “Falling Out” stand out, with “Last Conversation” serving as a lovely conclusion of melodic celebration.
Waiting for Something to Happen sparkles and proves that there is a new generation of indie pop music out there. It deserves a chance to share its positive energy and give you a smile.
After Blaudzun’s set at our SXSW showcase, I was able to chat with Dutch singer-songwriter about the difficulty of getting into the groove at the Austin festival, his American debut, and more.
Not only does SXSW attract bands from locations all over the US, but the Austin festival also attracts an international crowd of musicians, like Dutch singer-songwriter Blaudzun. Blaudzun, who played at STPP’s showcase at Dogwood on March 14th, is the stage-name of Johannes Sigmond, a folk-rock singer from the Netherlands. Although Sigmond considers himself a singer-songwriter, his six-piece band supports him with lap steel, guitar, banjo, drums, mandolin, accordion, keys, and the occasional horned instrument.
Blaudzun has released three full-length albums, won an Edison Pop Award (Dutch Grammy) for Best Male Artist, performed at various European music festivals, and—although this isn’t his first time around the block— made his American debut earlier this year with Heavy Flowers. The album made waves as songs were picked up by NPR’s ‘First Listen’ and ‘All Songs Considered.’ The Dutch singer has been compared to the likes of Arcade Fire and Ryan Adams, with a hint of Irish-folk.
Although Sigmond is no longer a religious person, he still thanks God for his start in music. Growing up in the church choir, he has the pipes to prove it and seems to be on his own path of self-discovery. In our interview, Blaudzun confessed that songwriting is more for himself than anyone else. We also chatted about the difficulty of getting into the groove at SXSW, his American debut, and his musical influences. Check it out.
Photo Credit: Julio Jimenez
STPP: You guys were great. How do you feel about today’s performance?
Blaudzun: Thanks, I really enjoyed it. Actually, with these showcase performances at South by, [there’s only] about 20-25 minutes where you can play about 4 or 5 songs. It’s nice to do, but it’s like having sex without foreplay, and then not coming to a climax, you know?
STPP: It takes you a while to get into the groove?
Blaudzun: Normally, so you have to be full-on at the first song…
STPP: So do you have other showcase performances while you’re here?
Blaudzun: Yeah, we did two showcases yesterday for Filter Magazine and for Getty Images. We play an official showcase tomorrow and another one at the Convention Hall. So we have two more to go.
STPP: How has your journey been so far?
Blaudzun: It’s been really cool. We went to New York to play at the Bowery Electric. The first day I was eating breakfast and saw my ugly head on the front page of a local newspaper. I thought that was a good sign [laughs].
So we thought, “Well, we could go home now – mission accomplished.” Most of the bands and artists here are into showing what they got, so it’s fun – it’s a lot of drinking beer, meeting people, packing your car, unpacking, playing for 20 minutes, and then it just recycles and recycles.
STPP: Is this your first SXSW?
Blaudzun: First time. It reminds me a little bit of a great festival in Belgium and in Europe. The only difference is that you can drink your wine and beer on the streets [laughs]. No, but it’s fun and really inspiring to see other artists play.
STPP: Didn’t you recently release a record?
Blaudzun: My third album, Heavy Flowers, is actually my US debut. It released at the end of January. The first single, “Elephants,” was picked up by NPR.
STPP: Hopefully you guys will play a Tiny Desk Concert.
Blaudzun: I don’t know, but we played on First Listen. And I think they are going to film our showcase tomorrow night at 9 pm.
STPP: That’s great! So how has your new record, Heavy Flowers, been received? And is there a particular message you’re trying to give through your record?
Blaudzun: I’m not really a review reader, but sometimes the record company sends me some. People are pretty much energetic about it.
No message. It’s hard, because when you talk about a message, it sounds to me that you have a goal with the record, but I actually write these songs for myself. Just for myself to get me through life.
Photo Credit: Julio Jimenez
STPP: How did you get into music?
Blaudzun: I have to blame God for that. I was raised in a religious family in a Pentecostal church and they were always making music, so when you could play two or three chords on the guitar, you were asked to be on stage to play with them. I’m not a religious person anymore, but I think that’s where it came from. I used to sing in church as well.
STPP: Yeah, I was about to say, you got some pipes there! Did you have any vocal training growing up or is it all natural?
Blaudzun: It just came from doing it a lot and hanging out with the right people, who studied for it, but I really learned it at church and never stopped singing from that period when I was about four or five years old.
STPP: What musical influences did you have growing up?
Blaudzun: Well, in my family there was a lot of Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and religious stuff that came from the US actually, like from the Nashville scene. But when I grew up, I listened to a lot of classic stuff like The Beatles of course, Nirvana, Radiohead and that kind of stuff.
STPP: What are the rest of your plans after SXSW?
Blaudzun: We’re heading back on Saturday. Then festival season starts in Europe, so we’re doing pretty big ones there. And we have a small club tour in Germany and we’re planning to come back to the US, but there is no set schedule yet. It’s a lot of playing and working on my new record. Heavy Flowers has been out in the US for only two months, but it’s been out in Europe for almost a year.
Jim Morrison has long been considered the face of the legendary rock group The Doors. Yet the passing of keyboardist Ray Manzarek may shed new light on a familiar legacy.
I was in high school the first time I seriously listened to The Doors. Rummaging through my parents’ old record collection, I remember settling on Strange Days and spending the afternoon quietly listening to songs that I had heard countless times on classic rock radio stations. The Doors were, of course, my parents’ music, but they never seemed like “my parents’ music” in the way that other bands from that era like The Byrds, The Hollies or even Jimi Hendrix did. Nor did they have that quintessential 1960s pop sound so familiar to the period. Whereas The Beatles had numerous imitators, The Doors always seemed to stand alone, timeless and unique in their own right despite their ubiquitous influence. The group’s inimitable sound was a key factor in the making of The Doors mythology, at the center of which stood Jim Morrison, the iconic frontman whose wild stage presence and controversial behavior was destined to become the stuff of rock legend.
Yet with the passing of The Doors keyboardist and co-founder Ray Manzarek last week, critics, musicians, and long-time fans have begun to talk about The Doors in a new way. Morrison suddenly no longer dominates the limelight as a lone figure surrounded by musicians who, as Joseph Bottum recently put it, were always cast as “necessary players in another person’s tale.” Manzarek’s role in forming and sustaining one of rock’s most influential groups is being spotlighted in the numerous obituaries and tributes appearing in print and on the internet. “Ray was the catalyst, he was the galvanizer,” Jeff Jampol, the band’s manager, offered to the New York Times. “He was the one that took Jim by the hand and took the band by the hand and always kept pushing. Without that guiding force, I don’t know if The Doors would have been.” It is not too bold to believe that Manzarek’s death may prove to be another catalyst as well: a re-thinking of The Doors mythology and Morrison’s place in it.
Manzarek never commanded the spotlight like Morrison did. Yet to try and imagine The Doors without his jazz-inspired keyboard lines and psychedelic organs defies the imagination. It is true that his musical career after The Doors officially broke up in 1973 (two years after Morrison’s death) forever remained in the shadow of his former achievements, but Manzarek was consistently involved in the music industry and left a mark on the California music scene in his own way. He played keyboards for the super-group Nite City in the late 1970s, produced the punk band X’s debut album Los Angeles, sat in with musicians like Iggy Pop and Echo and The Bunny Men, and even collaborated with west coast poets—most notably Michael McClure and Michael C. Ford—on spoken word albums reminiscent of the platinum-selling American Prayer, which saw Manzarek and his former bandmates temporarily reunite in 1978 to put music to recordings of Morrison reading poetry.
These undertakings may seem like footnotes to the seven years Ray Manzarek spent playing keyboards for The Doors, but they nevertheless reveal the makings of a career musician noted for continually “stretching boundaries” in the words of Roy Rogers, with whom Manzarek recently collaborated on the album Translucent Blues (2011). Over the coming weeks, critics will be faced with the challenge of assessing Manzarek’s forty-year career on its own terms, and this will inevitably involve rethinking the self-mythologizing aura of Jim Morrison just as much as the contributions that Manzarek made to The Doors phenomenon and rock music in general. Manzarek himself was never reticent when it came to commenting on The Doors’ legacy, and during interviews often spoke at length on his relations with Morrison, the influences that shaped the group’s psychedelic sound, and its impact on the music and culture of the 1960s. With his passing, it is now the time for others—among them Los Angeles musicians like Henry Rollins, Slash, and Exene Cervenka—to reflect on and clarify Manzarek’s own legacy and place in music history.
On March 14, The Ridges performed at our SXSW showcase. I interviewed them after their set and discussed their own elations for being at SXSW and more.
SXSW is not just an opportunity for bands to showcase what they’ve got— as music lovers themselves, it’s also a chance for them to check out their favorite bands. After catching The Ridges perform at one of our showcases shared with The Deli Magazine, I talked to them about their own elations for being at SXSW, which included Austin’s Mother Falcon, as well as their musical inspirations and why they’re named after a mental institution.
The Ridges are an orchestral folk-rock band from Athens, Ohio led by guitarist and main vocalist Victor Rasgaitis and cellist and accompanying vocalist Talor Smith. The duo are joined by cast of about 14 rotating band members who play various instruments including cellos, violas, violins, upright bass, horns, banjo, mandolin, accordion, and drums. Their sound ranges from an eerie, yet worldly tone that is similar to Andrew Bird, to lighter folk-driven melodies. In the band’s darker tunes, such as “Overboard” and “Not a Ghost” off their 2011 self-titled EP, Rasgaitis’ vocal style is similar to that of The Mars Volta frontman Cedric Bixler-Zavala.
The Ridges – Photo by Julio Jimenez
Although Rasgaitis can be compared by voice, the band’s all-acoustic instrumentation is what truly stands out. According to Smith, the compositions of their songs are built around the cello. “We treat string instruments and orchestral instruments as the main voice, instead of having them as background,” explained Smith. “It’s kind of like a solo guitar, except it’s a cello.”
Rasgaitis and Smith were raised on classic rock, but their sound also reflects Smith’s love for classical music and Rasgaitis’ childhood memories of his mother’s love for movie musicals. “If you listen to anything from the ‘40s, like Ed Pryor, it’s all massive orchestras and strings. And those are pop songs,” said Rasgaitis. “I heard that with the rock and roll, and [thought] we can write pop song structures, we can write choruses and verses, and I can be into that kind of lyrical element of it, but we can also have this real sweet, lush instrumentation.”
Their mission is to create anything that a rock band can, but without the use of electronic instruments. While The Ridges continue to work on their forthcoming record, expected to be out later this year, they will also be making their first appearance in DC. The Ridges will be headlining at The Sunshine District (formerly Ghion), DC’s newest music venue located across the legendary 9:30 Club, on Saturday June 1st. Click here for tickets.
The Ridges – Photo by Julio Jimenez
STPP: How do you think your set went at J. Blacks tonight?
Victor Rasgaitis: Oh, it was a blast. We had a lot of fun playing here. We’re playing seven showcases over the week here at SXSW. We played one on Tuesday, tonight, two on Friday and three Saturday. Saturday is going to be crazy.
We’ve been on tour. We were on tour for a week before we got to South by. I think it’s safe to say this was one of the best on-stage sound we’ve had. When you can hear yourself, it’s a lot of fun. We’re not an easy band to work with either. We got a lot of instruments.
Talor Smith: It’s hard with the cellos. Most sound guys don’t know what the hell to do with it. He did a great job.
Rasgaitis: But we had a cool crowd tonight. They were attentive, fun and receptive. We had a blast playing.
STPP: That’s great. Is there anything that you’re looking forward to while at SXSW?
Rasgaitis: This is our first time.
Smith: We’re looking forward to everything.
Rasgaitis: All of our showcases are obviously a priority and our highlight, but we’ve seen a couple of amazing bands. We saw Mother Falcon play, which I’ve been wanting to see for years. They played at the Parish. They’re an Austin band. They’ve got like 20 members. It’s like a mini orchestra.
Smith: It’s the most incredible thing. You’ll never see anything like it.
[Oddly enough, I ran into Mother Falcon shortly after this interview. You can read their interview here.]
Rasgaitis: And we were excited to see Lord Huron play yesterday. We saw our friends The Seedy Seeds, who were our tourmates for the tour down here. We’re excited to see them play. They’re playing a lot of showcases with us, so it’s pretty fun.
The Ridges – Photo by Julio Jimenez
STPP: What do you guys think about being here at SXSW? The fact that everyone is here for one common reason: their love for music.
Smith: It’s an overwhelming, incredible experience. I can’t even put it into words how incredibly cool this is.
Rasgaitis: Everybody is super receptive, which I mean, is just the best thing ever. From anyone you talk to on the street to anyone who comes to a showcase or even wanders into a showcase, has been really cool. It’s just been like “I don’t know you, but I want to check it out.” Like I really want to “find my new favorite band” kind of thing.
Smith: Yeah, so many people are here to look for new music and that’s really cool because we want to provide that new music.
STPP: So what are your guys up to now? Is there a new record coming out?
Rasgaitis: We have an EP that we released a little over a year ago, a five-track EP. And we just spent the summer recording a full-length album, which is slated for a 2013 release, sometime this year…We haven’t actually released any information about it yet other than that it will be out this year. We’re hard at work mixing it, but it’s been an absolutely massive project… [The new album] really captures our live energy. We couldn’t be happier with how it’s turning out and we can’t wait to release it.
The Ridges – Photo by Julio Jimenez
STPP: I can’t wait to check it out. How’d you get together?
Smith: We got together through Ohio University. He was playing a show…
Rasgaitis: Athens, Ohio, our beloved hometown. Everyone reading this should go to Athens, Ohio and play there. There are a lot of great venues for all different sizes of shows. The one we play most often is Casa Nueva. It’s just a cool, vibed-out venue. It’s great. Right in town on the one street we have. It’s in a cool college town that’s really music-supportive. It’s gorgeous. It’s in the hills of Appalachia. There’s a giant, old abandoned mental institution that overlooks the whole city. It’s this old Victorian-esque architecture. That’s actually what we’re named after – it’s called The Ridges.
STPP: Why name the band after a mental institution?
Rasgaitis: There’s a couple reasons; the classical architecture is kind of like our strings section, and it’s built in the middle of these Appalachian hills, which is the folk rock side of us. So it kind of perfectly embodies that. Also, it’s one of the most haunted places in the country.
Smith: 13th most haunted in the country.
STPP: Scary! Have you guys been there?
Rasgaitis: We recorded our EP in there. We spent five winter weekends there.
Smith: In the abandoned lobotomy room with electroshock therapy.
Rasgaitis: It definitely added a vibe to our music. Aside from us being named after the place, and thinking we should play there and that it’d be great, we’d played a show in there and thought it was amazing and that we should record there. But we were also looking for that not-able-to-be-replicated sound of a room that was distinct, unique and special.
STPP: Well, you certainly accomplished that goal.
Rasgaitis: We used two rooms to get different sounds. One room was a bigger room that we used for probably most of our stuff, and then for special things we had an old tiled lobotomy operating room. They had really bad lights in there, so you couldn’t have the lights on because it would get really hot. It was one of those experiences that nobody else has had. It was totally unique and weird.
STPP: Did you guys record the forthcoming full-length record in an odd location as well?
Rasgaitis: The full-length was recorded mostly in this church that had really sick acoustics. You can get natural reverb that you don’t have to mess with.
The Ridges – Photo by Julio Jimenez
STPP: What musical inspirations do you have?
Smith: Well, I’m a classically trained cellist and I went to school briefly for cello. So yeah, I’m definitely influenced by classical music. I’ve listened to it my entire life so that’s a big influence for me. That and ‘60s and ‘70s.
STPP: A lot of bands today seem to be inspired by those decades.
Rasgaitis: It’s got to be a part of our age group right? Like all our parents handed us the music and said this is awesome, and we said “you’re right.” We were both raised on that classic rock. You know, she was more into that classical scene, and my mom raised me on movie musicals and stuff, which actually has an odd overlap with classical. If you listen to anything from the ‘40s, like Ed Pryor, it’s all massive orchestras and strings. And those are pop songs. So there was this bizarre thing. I heard that with the rock and roll, and it was like “Oh, we can write pop song structures, we can write choruses and verses, and I can be into that kind of lyrical element of it, but we can also have this real sweet, lush instrumentation.”
Smith: The way that we do it is very unique because we treat string instruments and orchestral instruments as the main voice, instead of having them as background, which is what a lot of other bands that have strings do. So yeah, we’re kind of different in that sense. It’s kind of like a solo guitar, except it’s a cello.
Rasgaitis: The cello is definitely the definitive element of our sound. We build the whole band around the sound of the cello. We’re all acoustic, nothing electric. Kind of our mission statement of our band is to do anything that a rock band can do without the electronics. You listen to classical music and it’s the most powerful stuff you’ve ever heard. It’s intense; it’s powerful; it can be angry; it can be exciting. It can be whatever you want it to be, and that’s kind of what we’re trying to harness. The idea that we can make whatever emotion we need to make with acoustic instrumentation.
STPP: Where are you guys going after South by?
Rasgaitis: Tour ends with South by. We did like a two week kind of stint. Then we’ll be back in Ohio and finishing up the record. Next tour is yet to be slated.
STPP: One last question, sweet tea or pumpkin pie?
On Friday, April 12, 2013 College Park’s Harmonic Blue played at Move the Movement 2013: Women’s Empowerment Concert at the University of Maryland. This was just one stop of the Spring Tour for the multi-genre quartet.
With a unique blend of jazz, blues and folk, Harmonic Blue embodies a soulful combination that will warm your hearts. They have a sound very similar to a fusion of Steely Dan, Alabama Shakes, Dave Matthews Band and Wilco. The band is composed of Zach Field (vocals), Gabe Bustos (producer and bassist), Anthony Ajluni (guitarist), and Sam Balcom (drummer).
Since forming in July 2011, Harmonic Blue has been quite busy in making their name known across the region. Within the last two years, the boys have released two EPs, including the most recent 2012 release of Villa Borghese, won UMD’s Battle of the Bands, and most recently were named The Deli Magazine Band of the Month for April 2013.
Harmonic Blue took time out of their schedule to speak with me after the show.
STPP: Great show tonight guys! I downloaded the Villa Borghese EP and loved it, but I was blown away watching the show tonight. It was not what I expected at all. There are so many bands that sound exactly like their albums, but you guys definitely brought the EP onto the next level.
Zach Field – Wow, thank you so much.
STPP: I saw everyone else dancing and having fun. There were a lot of fans that came and talked to you guys afterwards. How do you feel the show went tonight?
Anthony Ajluni – Better than I thought it was going to go. This was just a different show for us because we didn’t use any of our own equipment. So, I’ve been telling people it’s like cooking in someone else’s kitchen, you don’t really know right where you want to be with the sound because you’re not familiar with the equipment.
Field – Sam didn’t have a hi-hat.
Ajluni – My guitar amp broke right before the start of the set.
Gabe Bustos – A lot of times when stuff falls apart, you end up getting a better show because you scrap any preconceived notion and go out there and give it what you got.
Ajluni – I think that’s what happened, it was just like definitely not going through the motions, just kind of had to listen to each other.
STPP: Zach, was there a reason you weren’t playing guitar tonight?
Field – Well, I haven’t been playing guitar for a while because I injured my hand. I don’t skateboard, but I was skateboarding and I fell off and messed up my hand. It really sucks. I haven’t been playing guitar for almost a year now.
Ajluni – Indirectly I think it has actually made us a better group, not because I’m happy that Zach can’t play, but it threw a kink in what our regular plan was so we had to adapt some of the songs. It’s allowed Zach to be a really dynamic singer because his head could be 100% in the singing game and it has allowed me to have a little more breathing room sonically with the guitar. Gabe can shine through bass more. It’s more stripped down so every element can be a little more potent I think
STPP: Yeah, absolutely, that’s something I did notice while I was watching the show.
Bustos – It’s like what we were talking about earlier, about doing something in studio and trying to do something different, but recreate it live. Zach’s written a lot of songs where we do want two guitar parts and it’s a challenge.
Field – It frees you up while limiting you at the same time.
Bustos – So it’s been a good learning experience to feel each other out more dynamically, but it’s definitely still a challenge we have not solved yet.
Ajluni – I don’t think you ever solve it, just get better at dealing with it. With a song like “Silver Spoon” I’ve tried to take Zach’s part, and my guitar part and make them into one. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
Sam Balcom – The most important thing is that Zach can now do a kick flip.
STPP: I know you’re halfway through your spring tour. How has that been going? Any good stories?
Field – Well, Anthony got pregnant.
Ajluni – No, it’s just been regular debauchery that happens.
Field – A bar fight here or there. Sam coked somebody with his drumsticks, it just happens sometimes.
Ajluni –We’re not very wild people.
Bustos – Next week (April 19th) we’re opening up for Tigerfest
Field – Maybe we’ll party with Wiz Khalifa.
STPP: What are your upcoming plans for 2013?
Ajluni – We’re doing a summer tour and we’re going to go from DC, New York, out west to Chicago, Detroit and as far south as Atlanta. We’re also hitting a bunch of places in the south like Nashville, Columbus, Wilmington, and a bunch of other places in between. I think we’re going to get 15-16 cities in about 3 weeks. It will be the first time that we get off the East Coast.
STPP: That’s great. I know you released Villa Borghese in November, any chance for a full length this year?
Ajluni – Not in 2013. The big development is we are getting a house together in October. It’s going to be a recording studio also and we’re going to cut a full length. So you can expect a full length the first half of 2014. I still think there’s a lot more to get out of the songs we have.
Field – We may drop a 3 song EP in between, we’ve been entertaining the idea.
Ajluni – Something live maybe.
STPP: I do have to ask about the new “Silver Spoon” video and the location of the warehouse.
Field – That’s in Southeast DC, Sam’s backyard. Basically we just slid underneath this giant garage door. We shouldn’t have been there.
Ajluni – It’s near the Naval Yard. I think it was a bomb factory actually, but they’re starting to clear them out and turn them into apartments and restaurants. This one is still in renovation mode.
STPP: It looked like it didn’t have a floor.
Ajluni – It was just straight dirt. We definitely were not supposed to be in there. There was a hinge door on chains, it was only like 3ft open. It was just enough for Sam to put his bass drum through and we crawled in this place, looked up and said this is the place, bring the cameras in.
Field – There were just windows everywhere and the sun coming in.
STPP: It looked like a great location.
Ajluni – It wasn’t legal.
STPP: How does it feel to be back at University of Maryland?
Ajluni – It’s always great to come back. We all have so many good memories here. This is our home; this is where we started the band. Zach met Gabe in the dorm rooms. I played with Gabe at an open mic here. It was a natural progression where it was a bunch of friends that met in college that were playing music. We played a few parties, thought this was fun, and people liked it. It was this combination of events that went from freshman year meeting in the dorms to playing in front of a football stadium 4 years later.
Artist: Naam
Album: Vow
Label: Tee Pee Records
Release Date: June 4, 2013
I have a history with metal/heavy music. My first true musical loves were metal bands like Metallica, Anthrax and Slayer. As I grew older, my taste shifted to indie rock and I buried that first love in my musical backyard. But like a dog with a bone, I sometimes go back and dig it up. Bands like Naam keep me in touch with my past.
Naam’s newest release, Vow, is a sludgy, persistently pounding brand of psych-rock metal. Naam are proficient in their craft and have some high points in Vow, but the experience is marred by unnecessary filler tracks and tonal repetition. Vow’s twelve tracks will test your patience.
There are three tracks that stood out to me: “Of the Hour,” “Midnight Glow” and the album’s final track, “Beyond.” Add “Vow” and “Pardoned Pleasure” and this would have been an interesting EP that I could get behind. But the remaining tracks caused me to lose listening steam. “Beyond” is the strongest track; when the song began, I thought I was listening to a heavier version of Pink Floyd’s “One of These Days.”
Pink Floyd’s influence can be heard throughout the synthesizer-heavy album and if you are a fan of the sonic drone of The Black Angels and Black Mountain, this Brooklyn-based heavy psych band may be for you.
Listen if you like: Black Mountain, Black Angels, Pink Floyd, and The Warlocks
Artist: Blackstone Rangers
Album: Into The Sea
Label: Dallas Distortion Music
Release Date: June 8, 2012
EP’s are a difficult art form to master. Even when done well, they can come across as a collection of tracks intended to demonstrate the scope and breadth of a band, seeming more like a sampler intended to whet the appetite in anticipation of the eventual LP. Their brevity rarely allows for the complexity and internal logic that a good album tends to possess. That said, Blackstone Rangers has managed to offer up an EP that is both complex and compelling.
The self-proclaimed “distorto-pop” trio from Dallas has a distinct sound which, while reminiscent at times of notable acts like Interpol and Le Tigre, never gives the impression of blatant imitation. The opening track, a densely-layered soundscape punctuated by the simple refrain “Into the Sea”—the title of the EP—sets the tone for the ambient noise and resonating guitars of later number like “Hollyglen” and “I Won’t Tell.” The upbeat “Sheen Machine” indicates that Blackstone Rangers is a band that refuses to be pigeon-holed into any single category and can, as the lyrics advertise, induce listeners to get out on the dance floor just as much as lose themselves in the reverb-drenched guitars and dream-like synth riffs that pervade Into The Sea.
In their own words, Blackstone Rangers claim that they seek to pay homage to the experimentation of late-70′s and early-80′s while “approaching the dawn of something new.” After listening to Into The Sea numerous times, however, one is tempted to ask whether the band has achieved its goal of creating a fresh and original sound… something we have not, in fact, heard before? This is never any easy feat for a band, especially one showcasing its recording debut. Into The Sea hints at the promise of a band that will, no doubt, find the unique sound it craves through its ability to blend varied influences and sculpt haunting sounds capable of drawing in listeners.
_______
Similar artists: Interpol, Phantogram, Nerves Junior
The Spyrals, who played at our SXSW showcase, have a rock and roll vibe with a garage-psych feel. The three-piece band from San Francisco is made up of Jeff Lewis on vocals and guitar, Elliott Kiger on drums and newest member Dylan Edrich on bass. Their sound is composed of jangly guitar riffs, heavy reverb and hallowed out vocals that pay homage to ‘60s rock and roll.
Although their heavy use of reverb is more prominent in ‘60s surf rock, The Spyrals fall somewhere between Eric Burdon and the Animals and 13th Floor Elevators. There is also a heavy Kinks “You Really Got Me” feel in their song “Calling Out Your Name.” Not only do The Spyrals take you into another decade with their style of music, but Lewis says their lyrics are also written to “take someone into another world and escape from reality.”
The Spyrals – Photo by Julio Jimenez
While The Spyrals’ self-titled first album delves into a more psychedelic realm of rock and roll, their forthcoming LP, Out of Sight, will feature a more stripped back version for their sound. Although there is no set release date, Out of Sight is expected to be out later this summer.
After their set at SXSW, I was able to chat with The Spyrals about Out of Sight, their inspirations and the lack of mysteriousness in today’s rock and roll. Check it out.
The Spyrals – Photo by Julio Jimenez
STPP: Can you tell me how you guys got started?
Jeff Lewis: I started the band about 4 or 5 years ago. I got a couple people together and made an EP. I found Elliott about three-and-a-half years ago to play drums. And then we had another bass player who played with us shortly after that. He just left the band a couple months ago and moved down to LA, so we got Dylan to come on bass. We’ve done two EPs, a couple singles and a full-length album. And we have an album coming out in a couple months.
STPP: How does your forthcoming album differ from your previous album?
Lewis: It’s more stripped back. Our first album has a lot of reverb. Our new album is just more direct.
Elliott Kiger: The vocals are more present too.
Lewis: There’s also a bit more swing to it. The songs are more bouncy and fast. Our first album is more of psychedelic sound, with trippy extended stuff, and our newer album has shorter songs.
Kiger: They’re definitely brothers though.
Lewis: Yeah, it’s like an extension of the first album. It was just the next place to go.
STPP: What inspirations drive the style of music you play?
Lewis: I think the inspiration is just from real rock and roll. We’re not trying to go for any particular sound, [but] the ‘60s music is a big influence because that’s the definition of real rock and roll.
STPP: Any bands in particular?
Kiger: I would say that if Creedence, The Stones and 13th Floor Elevators had a baby – we’d be that baby.
STPP: What has been the most difficult issue being in a band?
Dylan Edrich: There’s just so much music, it’s hard to get it all seen together, you know? It would be sweet if nationally people could just hear about a band, but it’s not that easy. The hardest thing I think is getting the word out about a band you really believe in and get people to [check them out]. Once they go see them, it’s like “duh, that’s awesome.”Until they do, it’s like “whatever.” It’s kind of annoying.
The Spyrals – Photo by Julio Jimenez
STPP: Obviously the market for music has changed since the ‘60s. It’s a lot tougher now for bands to make money, but at the same time, more bands are becoming noticed. I mean, what do you guys think? Has the market become worst or better for bands these days?
Lewis: I think it’s harder and easier. I mean, it’s harder because there’s not a lot of money getting thrown around to bands like it used to be; when you get signed to a label and they give you a bunch of money to make a record and send you out on tour. Now you got to do all that stuff your own at first until people take notice; then you can get more opportunities.
Edrich: Yeah, I think it’s harder to separate out different types of bands. Everyone is trying to pigeonhole bands. It’s so hard to get out from under the publicity you do get. You know, what reverberates on the internet is sometimes a determent. [There will be] some bullshit like we sound like Guided by Voices. What? No. Never. That’s not true. And you just want it to go away.
Lewis: I feel like the internet is a distraction in a way. It’s great that people can find out about us, like we have a lot of people in Europe and other places that really like us and buy our records, but at the same time, [that instant accessibility] gives away some of the mysteriousness of a band because you can just YouTube anything and just watch all their videos, instead of having to search for it. Or to just find out about a band from listening to the radio. So it’s like this really underground thing. I don’t think there’s a lot of mainstream music fans who take the time to search out bands that much anymore. Or [if they do], they just eat them up really quick.
Kiger: Yeah, and you’ll just burn yourself on a band in like a day. You can spend three hours listening to all their stuff and watching all their videos and be like “Ah, I’m done.” That’s not good.
The Spyrals – Photo by Julio Jimenez
STPP: I think music being consumed digitally adds to that as well. If you listen to vinyl, you’re more engaged with the music.
Lewis: It’s good to have the physical thing in your hand. It’s exciting that people are buying vinyl more than ever now. I mean, in the last five years, it’s just been increasing. That’s hopeful for bands like us; for people to buy our vinyl.
STPP: What inspired you to play music?
Edrich: I mean, it’s all I can really do. It’s awesome that I have the opportunity to because it means the most to me. I believe that music can heal the world.
Lewis: Yeah, pretty similar to that. It’s the only thing I’ve wanted to do for a long time. My dad taught me how to play some chords on the guitar when I first got one.[My parents signed me up for piano lessons when I was like five years old, which gave me a [sort] of backbone, even though I hated it. I eventually made the teacher quit. I think it was during my birthday and I didn’t want to play piano, so I made a fit. And she was like, “I’m done. He can go home.” [laughs]
Edrich: I wanted to play the harp when I was four. My mom gave me a violin instead. I’m thankful for that. I’m the only musician in my family though.
Kiger: A lot of people play piano in my family. I play some piano and guitar, but drums came about because I was a rambunctious 14-year-old boy, and my parents thought it would be good for me to beat on something, besides my younger brother, so they got me a drum set.
STPP: What would success be for you guys?
Kiger: To support ourselves and to be able to dedicate the majority of our life to [making music]. We’ve done pretty well by piecing things together with the time we do have, but if we could focus on this all time [that would be success]. I sometimes daydream about all the stuff we could do and how often we could put out records and all the cool stuff, but we’ll see.
STPP: What do you think when people say that you should follow your passion and do something you love as your job?
Kiger: Uhh, I gotta eat [laughs]. It’s easy for someone else to say that. Some gigs you get paid 60 bucks, and that goes straight to the gas fund. So then what are you going to eat? I love that when people say “You guys should be on the road all the time.” Yeah, yeah, yeah – you’re at home eating. … Food is important [laughs].
Lewis: I think a lot of people say the opposite though too. Like when you’re growing up and people say “that [being a musician] is a bad career move; there’s no money in that.”That’s kind of the consensus with the parental figures it seems like. I think when they see that you really enjoy it and are somewhat a success in your own mind, they become more supportive.
I think a lot of people are really scared to take hold of something like being an artist or a musician because their afraid of being poor all the time. But, you have to take that chance to find any kind of success.
Edrich: I’m really lucky because I’m a teacher, so I teach music when I’m not performing. I could do that forever and be one of those frumpy old piano teachers. I believe in the future of music, and teaching is like the other side of the coin of performing. I’m lucky to be able to eat totally from music.
The Spyrals – Photo by Julio Jimenez
STPP: Is there any sort of message you’re trying to give through your music?
Kiger: I think it’s just us playing music we would like to hear. I don’t think that there is one overall message. We just like music and we want people to like the style of music we do. It’s been really cool to meet other bands that like what we’re doing and to see other bands doing stuff we like too. I think that’s the reason I do it. We play music that I want to hear.
Lewis: For me, from the perspective of writing the lyrics, they’re written to take someone into another world and escape from reality and to suddenly introduce questions about the world we live in. Not to be overly political or anything, but just to [point] out what we’re doing. Our album is a general map. Our first album is like an adventure. There’s loneliness and trying to find something – those sort of themes. It’s more than just each song is about a certain thing. I think when lyrics come out, they come from somewhere [deeper]. You’re not trying to do something specific. It just kind of happens and you’re like “oh, that makes sense to me and I hope other people understand it too.”
Artist: Ravenous
Album: Splendid
Label: Self-released
Released: 21 July 2012
I am a big fan of ‘90s indie rock. It all began in 1991 with a cassette tape of the Pixies’ Doolittle. From there, I jumped onto Pavement, Built to Spill, Guided by Voices… you know, the stalwarts of lo-fi and American indie rock. The band Ravenous reminds me of those glory years. To be more precise: if Sam Coomes of Quasi fronted for Ultimate Alternative Wavers-era Built to Spill, you would know what this band sounds like.
Splendid is a fun, fuzz-soaked and rocking trip back to my beloved era of indie rock. If the blurb about Sam Coomes puts you off (many of my music friends cannot take his unique nasally delivery), you are missing something special. The vocals grow on you. Trust me.
After a short intro, the fun begins rather quietly with “Hiway, Holmes” but the track quickly spirals into a beautiful calamity of guitars and a jam-worthy rhythm. The dramatic shifts that Ravenous employs with great effect in their songs keep you guessing, and ultimately keep you listening.
“Miami Viceroys” is a beautifully off-kilter song. It resonates in that familiar ‘90s indie rock guitar sound that Built to Spill made famous. The same can be said for “WWBMD” (What Would Bill Murray Do), a punchy and lurching song that captures the feel of BTS but morphs into a stunning and screaming guitar explosion that would be quite welcome on an Archers of Loaf record.
I have name-dropped a few of my favorite ‘90s bands; therefore, I will not be bucking the trend when I compare “The Dock” to a Robert Pollard song. It has the rocking atmosphere and characteristics of some of Guided by Voices’ more rollicking and drunken tunes. It is a rock and roll anthem that chugs along and makes me want to grab a beer. High praise, indeed.
Ravenous delivers a wonderful homage to my favorite era of indie rock. I am looking forward to what they do next.
______
Listen if you like: Quasi, Built to Spill, Guided by Voices and Archers of Loaf
