Indie Monday Archives

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a...

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 10:10:00 -0400

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://joehertler.bandcamp.com/track/ego-loss-on-grand-river-avenue-2” data-mce-href=”http://joehertler.bandcamp.com/track/ego-loss-on-grand-river-avenue-2”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Ego Loss On Grand River Avenue by Joe Hertler &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; The Rainbow Seekers&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

website / bandcamp / youtube / facebook

Joe Hertler and The Rainbow Seekers bring a refreshing take to the whole acoustic-guitar-wielding-lead-singer table. With interesting song structures, thickly layered accompaniment and beautiful melodic pop hooks, they craft songs that grab hold of hearts and wrestle them to the ground like some sort of aural Dwayne “the rock” Johnson.

(Editors Note: work on subtlety.)

Joe Hertler’s voice is gorgeous. It’s intensely personal and intimate and draws the listener deeply into the song. You feel what Mr. Hertler feels and with the intensity that one can imagine Mr. Hertler feels it. This weeks’ featured track, Ego Loss on Grand Avenue, is a perfect example of this emotional control. It courses with the kind of deep sadness that lives in your bones, and mixes it with the kind of fist-to-the-skies-in-defiant-rebelliousness hope that comes from joining with a large group of likeminded defiantly rebellious people.

Like in this music video, for example:

“We are heroes with a thousand faces.” Raise any goosebumps for you?

Check out the full album here: http://joehertler.bandcamp.com/album/on-being

Joe took some time to answer a few questions for us about songwriting, this week’s featured track and, believe it or not, poop.

IM: Desert Island Top 5 All Time Favorite Records:

JH: Pretty stereotypical list for me, but here we go!
1. Cursive: The Ugly Organ
2. D’Angelo: Voodoo
3. The Beatles: Sgt. Peppers
4. Tycho: Dive
5. Tribe Called Quest: Midnight Marauders

IM: How do you approach songwriting?

JH: Songwriting, for me, is completely random. Various concepts will boil for months in my brain - and every now and then, generally at very inconvenient times - a moment of “inspiration” comes along. An hour later I have a song. If it takes any longer than that, the song will most likely never be played again. I can almost never go back and work on an old song, granted it’s something meaningful. For someone with pretty intense ADHD, it’s the one time I can seemingly sit still and devote myself entirely to one task. It’s almost meditative in some ways. There is no external stimulation. Only myself, an instrument, and a feel driving emotions.

I also write in huge spurts. I went to Mexico all through June this summer for an Elementary Education study abroad trip, where I experienced the most intensive writing binge of my life. Traveling, with all the fresh experiences, has a way of doing that. I think over a month long period I wrote over 20 complete songs. To be fair, most of them suck (just ask my band), but these “spurts” generally introduce a few strong tracks. They all tend to revolve around a central theme lyrically, but certain ones express those themes much more thoroughly and efficiently. Out of this batch, I’m shooting for four of them to be introduced on our next record. It’s some of my favorite stuff I’ve written to date!

IM: What’s more important, lyric or melody? Does one typically inspire the other for you?

JH: They’re both equally as important. The lyrical content is always there, but as far as songs go, finding melody is the first step to a good song. It’s what is going to first draw people in, and then the lyrics are what will eventually connect people emotionally to the song. As a prospective English teacher and a big fan of all things Language, phonetics are huge for me. I absolutely love the sounds of words as much as melody. There’s nothing better than finding a line that just flows perfectly with the melody… Maybe that’s why I’m such a fan of hip-hop. I should also mention that melody - and I think this is true for most vocalists - comes very naturally. It comes almost instantly, with very little conscious thought. I can’t shred innately on any instrument. I’m no instrumental virtuoso. I get jealous of how well my band can Jam with each other…They just know exactly what to play. However, I’d like to think I can sing as intuitively as they can play. At least that’s what I tell myself late at night to calm my tears…. haha

IM: You recently returned from teaching in Mexico, did that process influence or shift how you’re approaching your music?

JH: I never directly wrote about my experiences in Mexico, but it stimulated a massive creative welling. For some reason though, I was for the first time, writing slightly more traditionally structured songs - with easily identifiable verses, choruses, hooks, and bridges. It wasn’t something I was deliberately trying to do, but the songs were just falling into their respective grooves in such fashion. Maybe I evolved a level or so as a songwriter, or maybe it was Mexico. Maybe I even devolved. I can say I was very pleased with the stuff I wrote down there. I can also note that I wrote a song called “Everyone Poops”, because that’s what happens in Mexico.

IM: Can you give us a few thoughts on Ego Loss on Grand River Ave?

JH: For the sake of many things, I probably shouldn’t dive into too much detail on this one. But we’ll just say I realized a few things during a pretty ridiculous journey through Lansing one day. The song laid the groundwork for that entire album… What it means to be human: To love, to hate, to consume, to create, and to even have faith - in something or nothing. That’s where the needle fell on that track.

IM: Any advice for new bands and musicians starting out?

JH: Be honest with yourself (especially in the songwriting process) and don’t give a fuck what people say. Soak up every moment. Take pleasure in the acknowledgement that it is your moment and learn from it. Lastly, work harder than everyone else and make a quality product. However, don’t abandon people you care about. The performing arts are often laced in egocentricism. Always remember that without everything you’ve ever experienced and every person you’ve ever met, you wouldn’t be writing songs. You don’t write your songs. A lifetime of experiences does that for you. You’ve just found a way to articulate those through music. The feelings are the same ones that people have been feeling since humans started existing. That’s my rant for now.

.matt tanaka

What: The 9 @ The Gibson Guitar Showroom, Washington,...

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 10:29:52 -0400

What: The 9 @ The Gibson Guitar Showroom, Washington, D.C.

When: Wednesday, July 25th at 6:30 p.m.

How much: $10 in advance; $20 for “drinks included” VIP ticket. Buy them here.

Watch the video to learn more about The 9. Read below to learn about the artists appearing at this week’s installment and hear a track from each artist.

Justin Trawick: As a both a solo artist and with his band, Justin is an eclectic musical mash-up. He possesses the agility to combine folk song craft, the beauty of bluegrass, and the powerful rhythms of funk and hip-hop. All these elements are on display in “Back of My Mind.”

Andy Zipf: Andy has held close to a “play anywhere, for anyone” mentality, performing at coffee shops, house shows, and standard venues. For this D.C. artist, music is about the connection it brings and the bond it creates.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/run-away-little-sister” data-mce-href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/run-away-little-sister”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Run Away, Little Sister by Andy Zipf&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Molly Hagen: Molly is a D.C. based singer-songwriter who credits musical influences such as Otis Redding and Bonnie Raitt for inspiring her to write songs that are a hybrid of folk and soul. Molly has performed at locally-known venues such as the 9:30 Club, Black Cat, Rock & Roll Hotel, Jammin’ Java, and Iota Club & Cafe. To find out more, visit www.mollyhagen.com.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/tightrope” data-mce-href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/tightrope”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Tightrope by Molly Hagen&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Luke Mitchem: The window into Luke’s soul is through is soft, soothing guitar, his raspy voice, and his honest, soul-bearing lyrics. Calmness and emotional storms are juxtaposed in his work. Luke sings of cold, dark, desolate places where love grows old, the hopefulness of new encounters, and the strong feelings and memories for family and home. Letting listeners into his music is letting them into Luke’s soul.

Ken Wenzel: Washington, D.C. based Ken Francis Wenzel has been gaining attention locally and regioinally with his midwestern-accented musings, telling stories spun from a life of moving from town to town. He’ll be heading into the studio in July to begin work on the follow up to his 2010 EP, This is Cross Kentucky.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/potomac” data-mce-href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/potomac”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Potomac by Ken Wenzel&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Charlie Harrison: Charlie grew up in Texas listening to the lyrically driven country/roots music of Jerry Jeff Walker and Guy Clark. He wound up in D.C. where he now is trying to sneak this flavor of country music into the clubs and ears of Washington with his group, Charlie and the Countraband. “Don’t Know Why” is making its world premiere today on Indie Monday!

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/dont-know-why” data-mce-href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/dont-know-why”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Don’t Know Why by Charlie &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; The Countraband&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Ben Hofer: After graduating from college with an art degree, Ben moved home to Gainesville, FL. Scrapping all his old paintings, he began to hone his storytelling through songwriting. He is influenced by musicians such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Gillian Welch, and visual artists such as Joseph Cornell. Ben now lives in Washington, D.C. and continues to write and record.

If you like Ben’s music, you can listen to more songs here, and “like” him on Facebook, too.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://benhofer.bandcamp.com/track/in-the-early-hours” data-mce-href=”http://benhofer.bandcamp.com/track/in-the-early-hours”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;In The Early Hours by Ben Hofer&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Kate Charnock: With a penchant for poetic lyrics and heartfelt melodies, Kate has traveled from Pennsylvania to D.C. by way of coffee shops, pubs, and various festivals. She is an acoustic-indie singer/songwriter currently living in Silver Springs, MD. More information, songs, and videos can be found on her website, www.katecharnock.com.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/a-slight-pause” data-mce-href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/a-slight-pause”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;A Slight Pause by Kate Charnock&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Nathan Robinson: Nathan is the singer/songwriter for Roof Beams, an indie-folk band that has been playing the mid-Atlantic for eight years. He writes lyrically focused melodic folk influenced by Bob Dylan, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Beirut. The songs’ themes range from cynical struggles with personal failings to child-like wonder at the complexity of relationships. Roof Beam’s new album Poison Arrows will be released August 16th.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/drunk-dreams” data-mce-href=”http://gregayers.bandcamp.com/track/drunk-dreams”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Drunk Dreams by Roof Beams&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a...

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:21:00 -0400

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://castorandpollux.bandcamp.com/track/chasing-giants-2” data-mce-href=”http://castorandpollux.bandcamp.com/track/chasing-giants-2”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Chasing Giants by Castor &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Pollux&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

website / bandcamp / facebook / twitter / youtube

Castor & Pollux’s Chasing Giants is a beautifully disjointed lullaby. Thickly layered and constantly shifting forms, it’s as if the song can’t quite decide whether it’s sweet or sour (to borrow the title of a popular kids road trip game this writer hasn’t exactly grown out of) — and it’s the reason I can’t stop listening to it.

The melody is as dreamy and gorgeous as Brittany Moffitt’s (Castor & Pollux’s lead vocalist) voice, and, like her vocal performance, shifts from a lilting dreaminess to a just-on-the-verge-of-breaking power-belt with ease.

Chasing Giants is also thickly layerd, so pay close attention to the way the bass, drums and guitar play off each other and take the song in directions you didn’t necessary expect it to go. Never content to play anything the same way twice, they make sure the song is always interesting but never distracting, the way a good rhythm section should.

Brittany Moffitt, the band’s lead singer, took some time to talk to Indie Monday about Castor & Pollux, the writing process and their new album.

The Interview:

IM: How do you approach songwriting?

C&P: Unlike other bands who’s songs are written by one main songwriter or bandleader, we all share in the writing process. For real, it’s a true democracy! We’re lucky because we all have pretty thick skin and can really work together without getting personal

Usually, one of us will bring in a short skeleton of an idea, whether it be a guitar riff, lyrical idea or just a mood that we all have in our heads. Every song we’ve written definitely comes together piece by piece, often times we’ll come up with several ideas for sections of a song on our own, bring it in to a writing session and figure out a way to piece everything together.

IM: What’s more important, lyric or melody?

C&P: For me (Brittany Moffitt - vocals) I find both are equally important, but the way I approach the two tends to be different with every song idea we bring to the table.

Sometimes, I’ll listen to an idea and, without having a melody first in mind, just start writing as the spirit of the situation moves me. Whatever mood I feel from what I hear or whatever mood I am picking up from the moment, I’ll write about it. Sometimes the band, after completely or almost completely arranging something instrumental, will all sit together and discuss what kind of lyrical content the music is calling for.

When it comes to the melody, I can’t really put the lyrics to anything, not even rhythmically, without some kind of melody in mind…so I guess the melody is the core! Lately I’ve been coming up with melodies that are more free-flowing though. Sometimes our process can get real specific and intricate musically, which is wonderful and we love getting creative and complex like that, challenging ourselves and each other, but with all of that going on I’ve tended to just melodically float, especially if the lyrics or the feeling call for that kind-of vocal simplicity…the lyrics require special attention, people want to relate to something when they listen to a song, you know? It’s very important that the lyrics go hand-in-hand with the music in our band. They all call and respond to one-another and depend on one-another: the music, melody, and lyrics.

IM: How would you characterize the Chicago music scene? What do you like? What would you like to see change?

C&P: That’s a pretty loaded question, Chicago is a vastly diverse city with a niche pocket for pretty much any kind of music. So that in itself is great, however there a lot of things lacking. Specifically having to do with the relationship between clubs and musicians. The way Chicago is so saturated with bands who are so desperate to get any sort of recognition gives power to the club owners and tastemakers. It seems like there not a whole lot self worth that bands are allowed to have, I mean if you want to play at a club and negotiate for better compensation, the club is more inclined to simply seek out another band who will deal with a shit deal for the opportunity to get in front of a few people. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of good people and great places to play in Chicago, we’ve had a lot of great experiences here. I can say the best experiences have been having space to create your own niche crowd with your music and watching it grow and sort of making a stand for a type of music that you believe in, and not having to conform to what the hot sound of today is. I would like to see bands make a stand for themselves, we need to get the power back from the clubs. Our local music, friends, fans and fellow musicians are what keeps there doors open. I think they need to be reminded of that.

IM: What can listeners expect from the new EP? What differentiates it from your last release?

C&P: The new EP is pretty much a new band. Compared to Wake Up! we have a new front woman and have changed our sound a lot. I feel like the Chasing Giants EP is a stepping stone, actually more of a diving board! We’re going off the deep end in our next EP which will be recorded in the fall. Also, Chasing Giants is coherent, our last release was more of a cluster of ideas that we threw together. It was an experiment, to see what potential we had as a band and as a collective group of people. Now with Chasing Giants being out, I feel like its a reflection of what our band is about, from the art work associated to the songs themselves. I don’t really know what to tell listeners to expect, your best bet would be to check it out for yourself!

IM: Advice for new bands?

C&P: It’s a job, plain and simple. Just like anything else, if you want to be successful you have to work hard and hustle. There are no hand outs, there’s no secret to landing the big gig. Its pretty simple, if you don’t put in the time to honing your craft why should anyone put in the time to listen to it? Its just a matter of good old fashioned hard work, and being friendly. Be nice to people, you never know who you’re going to meet along the way. Also the easiest way to make a new fan is by being genuinely nice, people appreciate that and will remember it.

.Matt Tanaka

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Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:13:00 -0400

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://volcanoesmakeislands.bandcamp.com/track/time-to-run” data-mce-href=”http://volcanoesmakeislands.bandcamp.com/track/time-to-run”&amp;amp;amp;gt;Time to Run by Volcanoes Make Islands&amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

website / bandcamp / facebook / twitter

Each a Chicago music scene veteran in their own right, the members of Volcanoes Make Islands make up a special kind of aural delicacy that can’t really be pinned down into any conventional genre… so we’re not even going to try.

The point is, a Volcanoes Make Islands song has a lot going on, but nothing the detracts from the overall listening experience. They write the kind of music that deserves multiple listens, each uncovering new melodic layers and textures that help you realize why you loved the song so much in the first place.

The Interview:

Henry Bianco took a few minutes to answer some questions for us about the new release, the direction of the band, and to show how adept he is at stringing the words “practice” and “show” together a whole buncha times.

IM: Band members, their instruments and favorite NES/SNES game:

Henry Bianco - Guitar/Vocals (The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past… I asked the rest of the band this question and the responses spiraled into a multi-thread cacophony of Master System/Mega Drive supernerd, so you can just say that.)

Todd Hill - Bass

Brad Sawicki - Guitar/Vocals

Alan Takaoka - Drums

IM: Tell us a bit about the direction of the new album, where does it differ from Sick City?

VMI: The easiest difference is that this will be our first full length LP, whereas in the past we have only released 2 EPs. Stylistically I see it as a natural evolution of the writing methods Brad and I honed in on with Sick City, but hopefully more developed and matured and all of those things writers hope upon their work. We spent months working on “pre-production” this time around, aka practicepracticepracticeshowshowshowpracticepracticepractice, as well as recording our own round of fairly fleshed out demos before entering the studio with Dan Smart at Echo/Normal. Tonally it should be in the same ballpark as the last release, but because we have the luxury of working within the full length format there are perhaps more opportunities to experiment with dynamics and the natural ebb and flow of a listening journey.

IM: How would you characterize the Chicago music scene? What do you like/what would you like to see changed?

VMI: I have a lot of trouble characterizing “scenes.” The Chicago music scene, whatever that might mean, from my point of view has at least maybe a few hallmarks: an insular, almost incestual core of musicians playing in many bands; an aggressive “fuck you, just give this a chance and listen” attitude [even (especially?) held by what might otherwise be called a singer-songwriter balladeer]; and a willingness to experiment within the bounds of whatever given genre so chosen. This isn’t LA, this isn’t New York, and to an extent I think that has always put a chip on our collective shoulder. Or maybe (read: probably) I’m totally full of shit.

IM: Why, in today’s music world, should people listen to Volcanoes Make Islands instead of, say, Taylor Swift Bieber [insert animal name] Collective?

I dunno man. As a group of musicians, I don’t think there is a genre at least one of us doesn’t have some passing familiarity with (short of top 40 country), and personally I go out of my way to listen to as many different styles, popular or not, as I can track down. Now, that doesn’t mean I actually _like_ everything, but hopefully the world is willing to give us at least a similar chance. The music we’ve made on this record is the music we as a group want to listen to ourselves, and beyond that it’s anyone’s guess as to what happens with it.

IM: What the hell is in that album art?

VMI: It’s a test shot of an astronaut testing out a new space suit, taken sometime in the mid 60’s. Pretty far out.

*This is a lie.

.Matt Tanaka

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Mon, 18 Jun 2012 10:15:00 -0400

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://bravenoise.bandcamp.com/track/so-much-for-forever” data-mce-href=”http://bravenoise.bandcamp.com/track/so-much-for-forever”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;So Much for Forever by Bravenoise&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Bandcamp / Website / Facebook / Twitter

Once, in the ‘90’s, Guitar World magazine used the term “bravenoise” in an effort to describe Sonic Youth. GW was attempting to make sense of how the band had refined punk, no wave, and other rock elements into a unique style of their own.

Years later, one prescient GW reader would take note of the term, using it to name his own band and brand the group as “sound and style refined.” Bravenoise, a D.C./MD based trio, is earning their namesake as they build buzz around their refining of alternative rock, pop, reggae and jazz influences into something wholly different.

Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Andrew Bell began Bravenoise as a solo project, writing demos of nascent Bravenoise songs as a London/Sire Records intern and then recording them in the home studio his brother built in their parents’ basement.

Bell fleshed the band out into its current incarnation, featuring bassist Garron Marsh and drummer Brett Schatz. The group usually builds songs out of jam sessions. “I always try to record rehearsals because often times there are so many ideas that pop out of nowhere that get forgotten otherwise,” Bell explains.

Like diamond cutters, Bell and his bandmates take those ideas and fashion finished gems out of them. “So Much For Forever” is one such nugget of refined songcraft. The tune is carried along by an impeccable, insistent groove and guitar parts reminiscent of The Police.

“Different timbres evoke inspiration, and the particular tone I was getting just made this melody pop into my head,” Bell offers. “I spent a lot of time meditating on where I wanted to go with the lyrics. I ended up choosing a story about the end of a relationship.”

If the quality craftsmanship of “So Much For Forever” is an indication of the rest of the band’s debut album, Everything Was and Everything Will Be, your relationship with Bravenoise shouldn’t end anytime soon.

In the D.C. area tonight? Head into Chinatown/Gallery Place to hear “So Much For Forever” and other Bravenoise songs live - the band is playing the Atrium tonight from 5:30-8:00.

.Greg Ayers

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Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:20:00 -0400

&amp;lt;a href=”http://music.sissymena.com/track/planets” data-mce-href=”http://music.sissymena.com/track/planets”&amp;gt;Planets by Sissy Mena&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Sissy Mena has been playing all over the city of Chicago over the last two years and released their debut full length—Record Machine—in the fall of last year. Across the ten tracks, the record features one consistent quality: volume. Tyler Brinegar’s guitars crush laptop speakers, Adam Bonich’s drums shatter headphones and Taylor Brigg’s bass catapults subwoofers from the trunks of sedans and they do it all day long with ease and aplomb.

Today’s featured track—“Planets”—exemplifies much of what Sissy Mena is all about. They take a nice ballad complete with baby-faced lyrics (Old boys love countries/Red white and blue /Young boys love planets /I just love you ) and distort all the subtlety in oblivion. Tyler Brinegar brings his melody to a whisper while heavily processed riffs, heavy drums and jumpy, melodic bass crash around him. Its a love song played by an apocalyptic band which is more interesting than a love song played by a guy with a ukulele. ”Planets” is both parts beautiful and harsh and it proves to deliver an enthralling four minutes. This Record Machine has soul.

Sissy Mena’s Tyler Brinegar took some time to answer a few questions for us about the band, their songwriting process and his inspirations, musical and otherwise.

Q: Who’s in the band and how did you first get together?

A: Adam Bonich, Taylor Briggs and myself. We met on Craigslist. I searched for several years and finally found the right guys.

Q: How does Sissy Mena start writing a song and how do you know when it is finished?

A: I usually make a demo at home and send it to the guys. It can take several weeks for us to finalize the arrangement. Then we play it for a month or so to tweak it. Each song takes on a story feel since we use lots of changing sections. We play it till the flow feels consistently right.

Q: Your record sounds like you’re all playing together in a room. Do you prefer playing live or recording in the studio?

A: Does it? I’m glad because I don’t think we did that once. If recording were quicker and easier I’d prefer it by a mile. I like experimenting and building things. But playing live is far easier.

Q: What’s your favorite venue to play in Chicago?

A: I think Schubas sounded the best. But I’ve only played there once.

Q: Your top musical influences.

A: I’ll try this chronologically: Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Dinosaur Jr., My Bloody Valentine, Jesus & Mary Chain, Sigur Ros, The Radio Dept, U2, Massive Attack, Annie Lennox

Q: Your top non-musical influences.

A: Steven Spielberg, David Lean, Tim Duncan

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Mon, 28 May 2012 10:09:37 -0400

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://ryantennis.bandcamp.com/track/coming-home” data-mce-href=”http://ryantennis.bandcamp.com/track/coming-home”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Coming Home by Ryan Tennis&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

&amp;lt;a href=”http://ryantennis.bandcamp.com/track/wake-me-up” data-mce-href=”http://ryantennis.bandcamp.com/track/wake-me-up”&amp;gt;Wake Me Up by Ryan Tennis&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Ryan’s Website: http://www.ryantennismusic.com/

“This is a no-bullshit city,” Ryan Tennis says of his native Philadelphia. “If your music isn’t genuine, people won’t buy it.”

He’s calling from inside a Philly studio, where he and his group, the Clubhouse Band, are recording their first full-length album.

“At the same time,” Ryan continues, “Philly is a great city for musicians.” He appreciates his hometown more after honing his songwriting chops at open mic nights in San Diego. After playing football for Davidson College and coaching his old high school football team, he moved to San Diego to get out of dodge and pursue music full-time.

He began making his mark holding house concerts with his cousins once he returned home. “There are a lot of great players in Philly,” Ryan explains. “A lot of hanging out, jamming going on.” Dubbed the Clubhouse Concerts, Ryan and area musicians gather in Ryan’s backyard and entertain audiences with short sets and longer jam sessions lasting until two or three in the morning.

“My artistic vision has always been to develop a sense of community gathered around great music,” Ryan shares. He serves his folk with a side of funk, a unique blend heavily influenced by his hometown.. “Philly has a strong folk scene, but the music also has a strong sense of groove.” Call it “roots ‘n’ roll.”

Ryan’s classic songwriting skills are on display in two choice cuts, “Wake Me Up” and “Coming Home.” The former is a carefully-crafted, rootsy rumination on appreciating simpler pleasures and seemingly insignificant moments. A lush arrangement of guitar, piano, and muted horns bring forth the song like the mind draws up old memories.

In contrast, “Coming Home” is a stomping celebration of returning to one’s roots. The tune marches forward on the legs of heartily-strummed guitar and persistent percussion. It sounds like a song Ryan might have written while traveling home from San Diego.

“I try to write songs that relate to whatever people are going through. Like with this new record, I want to make an album that people love to listen to, that doesn’t take itself too seriously - you know, music that makes you feel good.”

And that’s no bullshit.

.Greg

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Mon, 21 May 2012 08:58:00 -0400

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://thesaturdaygiant.bandcamp.com/track/when-death-comes” data-mce-href=”http://thesaturdaygiant.bandcamp.com/track/when-death-comes”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;When Death Comes by The Saturday Giant&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Philip Cogley, the sole member of The Saturday Giant is more one-man-band than a solo artist. Using a looper and his multitasking brain, he performs drums, guitars, keyboards, bass and vocals… all live, all at the same time. As a result, his songs are thickly layered and made from simple melodies and parts that exist together to create an interesting whole. Every drum beat, every bass line, and every guitar riff is its own independent melody that, when woven together, makes for a very simple yet complex song.

He recently took some time to answer a few questions for Indie Monday about his songwriting process, complicated performance style and the pros and cons of working alone.

Q: How do you approach songwriting?

A: I do a lot of experimenting while writing. Things tend to start with a riff or a beat or a melody that I like, and then I’ll work to flesh out the arrangement around that … As for the form of the songs, I can’t say I usually start with the big picture in mind. Normally sections kind of naturally grow into the next. I’m not sure I can explain it better than that. I’ll be working on one section and then I’ll “hear” the next. My brain now sort of naturally starts to connect the dots. I don’t mean to make it sound like I’m some kind of savant, though. I generate a lot of bad ideas along with good ones, so more than anything else I try to be really smart about self-editing and jettisoning any sections that don’t move the song forward.

Q: Because you play all the instruments, you don’t have the luxury of bouncing ideas off of other instrumentalists as you write. How do you think your songwriting is different than if you were to write with a band?

A: There are pros and cons to working alone. If an idea isn’t working, I don’t have anyone else in the room to tell me that it’s crap to begin with and not worth trying to refine. And since I have very little formal training as anything but a guitar player, it may require a bit more experimentation on my part to come up with a keyboard line that works than it would an accomplished pianist.

Mostly though, I think it works in my favor, because I don’t have to indulge anyone else. I don’t have to let the bassist play an annoyingly busy bass line, because that’s what he came up with and he really likes playing it that way. I can concentrate on the arrangement as a whole and the way the layers are interacting with each other; I can leave out certain instruments for certain sections if it’s appropriate without someone’s feelings getting hurt; I can write really simple and repetitive rhythmic parts without anyone complaining about being bored.

Q: What inspires your lyrics? Do you tend to use songwriting to process life events as they’re occurring to you or do you need space to write some of the personal material you have?

A: In general, I’m not very good at writing about things when the emotions are immediate. At least, I’m not good at writing about them in an interesting way. There are exceptions to that, but for the most part lyric writing for me is a process of taking a raw emotional moment or experience and then polishing it into something more meaningful than saying, for example, “you’re dead and I’m sad.” A good example is the song “Who Can Recall His Past Lives?” That’s a song about the death of my 19 year-old cousin in a motorcycle accident, which was a truly horrific event for my entire family. And there was really no way to write directly about how terrible it was without cheapening it. So instead I talked about it by referencing Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, a fascinating Thai film about death and reincarnation I had seen a few months before. And that enabled me to reflect on what it means for someone to leave the world prematurely without, I hope, exploiting this awful event.

On the other hand, some of the lyrics on When Death Comes are much more direct and personal than anything I’d written before, and it’s a little weird having that stuff out there in the world. But I had a little more distance from some of those things. And I don’t know, I was feeling confessional. At the end of the day, you have to be honest if you want to connect with people.

Q: What’s your favorite town/venue to play?

A: That’s really tough. In terms of my hometown, I love playing at Kobo Live—most of the people who work there are in bands who are touring or have toured, so they really understand how to treat musicians. And I think the management has an interest in furthering the music scene in Columbus beyond just what’s happening at their bar, which is kind of rare.

Otherwise, I’ll take a good house show any day. If you have a good group of kids who have the trust of their friends and aren’t just throwing shows for an excuse to get hammered, it can be really awesome. There’s a level of enthusiasm that’s just way more exciting than playing for a bunch of people in a bar with their arms crossed.

Q: Any advice for new bands?

A: Unless you are based in Brooklyn or LA (and probably even if you are), start playing out of town as soon as you possibly can. Way too many bands focus on getting big in their home city, when that eventually develops naturally anyway. Make the best sounding recording you possibly can, press some copies, get a mailing list, and start playing shows in every nearby city you can. Get a good online presence together, too.

.Matt

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Fri, 11 May 2012 09:30:00 -0400

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://maryalouette.bandcamp.com/track/o-be-i-your-bluebird” data-mce-href=”http://maryalouette.bandcamp.com/track/o-be-i-your-bluebird”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;O Be I Your Bluebird by Mary Alouette&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Mary Alouette is composing music at the crossroads of classical, electronic, and jazz music. Mary is an Artist-in-Residence at the Strathmore, a performing arts center in Bethesda, MD. She released her new EP, “Midas,” two weeks ago. The record is heavily influenced by gypsy-jazz, a guitar-based form of swing music pioneered by jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt in the 1930’s.

“With the EP, I hope to bring gypsy-jazz to new audiences and to open a path of new musical direction and instrumentation for the genre,” Mary explains.

Mary spoke with us shortly before the release of “Midas”, and discussed the new record, her eclectic musical background, and the resurgence of gypsy-jazz on the musical landscape.

Q: You’ve got quite a diverse musical background. Can you explain how gypsy jazz became an interest of yours?

A: I was studying opera at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, when I was first introduced to the music of Django Reinhardt. Having grown up doing a lot of musical theater and pop since I was very young, I found his melodic approach to be familiar.

I was in Maryland for a few months and stumbled across an ad in Craigslist posted by the Hot Club of DC (a gypsy-jazz group). They needed a singer who could sing in French for a Christmas party at the French Embassy. I auditioned, joined the band as a singer, and the ball kept on rolling.

Q: You’re seen as bringing about a renaissance in gypsy-jazz. What is this movement all about, and what’s it like to be at the forefront of this growing musical genre?

A: I’m flattered to be considered as such. After Django’s death in 1953, his family followed the Romani gypsy tradition of burning his worldly possessions and forgetting that which belonged to him. Since the 60’s it’s slowly been coming back, though in very small pockets.

I’d say there’s been a resurgence in the ’80s and another in the past 10 years, though now it’s more popular than ever. It also helps that Woody Allen has featured this music in three of his past four movies. In fact, ‘The Sweet and Lowdown’ was about a gypsy jazz guitarist that was second in the world to Django.

Gypsy jazz is definitely a growing musical movement. I find it’s an inclusive community and is growing in popularity. Generally, when people hear it, they like it. It has to do with its infectious rhythms and beautiful melodies.

Q: Can you tell us more about the incorporation of electronic elements into your music?

A: I became interested in electronic music and its fast drum beats in high school, but really fell into it in the scene in Montreal. I’m really into Berlin techno, UK dubtsep, and post-dubstep producers.

At first, it was hard imagining my voice in different musical contexts, since I was so used to a classical approach. I felt the lines were very segmented. Opera. Musical Theater. Pop. R&B. Jazz. Blues. But now, I say, screw it. all I want to do is sing and compose what I hear.

Q: What insights can you offer about “Oh Be I Your Bluebird?

A: “Oh Be I Your Bluebird” is a love song. It’s very organic and is about freedom. There’s the gypsy jazz “pompe” (rhythm guitar) and there’s also the solo guitar. I also feel myself really singing in this song - being the bird and singing the song. It’s about someone very close to me who is Native American.

The song actually came about as I was riding a bus back from Montreal to NYC. I was messing around with Pro Tools loops, and found this sweet violin chordal pad. The following day, I sat down to write a melody to a poem I had already composed, and Imogen Heap’s vocal lines (like “Just for Now”) came to my mind. As a singer, I’m drawn to melodies that cover larger ranges and manners of expression.

I took the violin loop, figured out the chords on the piano, then transcribed them to gypsy jazz chord shapes (using a chart a fellow player gave me). Because I love electronic music and classical music, I want to bring aspects of them into the style. That brings music that is thoroughly-composed and doesn’t necessarily follow a standard format or other instrumentation.

Greg Ayers

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Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:22:00 -0500

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://indiemonday.bandcamp.com/track/mercenaries-by-beer-hockey” data-mce-href=”http://indiemonday.bandcamp.com/track/mercenaries-by-beer-hockey”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Mercenaries by Beer Hockey by IndieMonday&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Beer Hockey

blog / facebook / bandcamp / youtube

Here’s the thing about instrumental music: if it can’t hold my interest as more than just background music, I give up on it pretty quickly. If I’m going to enjoy a band without a vocalist (and I know I’m not alone in feeling this way), that band needs to be tighter, more intentional about melody and structure, and more interesting than it’s vocally-endowed musical counterparts.

Beer Hockey, despite their funny name, is all of these things.

Beer Hockey has that perfect balance of impressive musicianship and groove. They’re heavy, the kind of heavy that feels good on the inside, and they certainly know how to solo…but they also know how to lay so deep into a groove that you can’t help bobbing your head. The chords are interesting, the drumming is understated and delightfully groove-heavy, and every now and then you’re treated to a short burst of metal guitar solo.

Unlike many of their contemporaries, when you listen to Beer Hockey, you get the sense of relatable song structure without being bored by repetition. This is because the band treats their music like songs, even without a vocalist to guide the listener with repetitive lyrics or melody. In other words, the music flows so naturally from one part to another that you hardly notice (and certainly don’t care) that there isn’t a singer.

We asked Beer Hockey’s guitarist, Justin Dodge to answer some questions for us. And, even though we asked him some pretty dumb things (re: Scooby Doo character resemblance) he managed to grace us with some interesting thoughts about their music, the local scene and what it’s like to be a band without a singer.

Band members, their instruments and which Scooby Doo character they most closely resemble:

Justin Dodge (Guitar), Mark Debenedetti (Guitar), Kevin Kreller (Drums), Danny Levy (Bass). Kevin is perfect for Freddy. Straight shooter and always on the task. Even kinda looks like him too. I guess I’d be Shaggy. Just so I could chill with the dog all day. Danny would be Scooby Doo, because I don’t understand what the hell he is talking about most the time. Mark is Old Man Johnson trying to spook us away from the haunted museum.

How would you characterize the Chicago music scene? What do you like/what would you like to see changed?

What makes the Chicago music scene great is that it is filled with really talented and diverse groups and individuals. I started my music career in San Diego, California. In San Diego, there are basically punk bands and metal bands. At least they are the bands with the biggest following. So moving to Chicago a few years ago was a real eye opener. However, this is also the bad part about Chicago. Since there are so many talented and diverse musicians it is really hard to grab just anyones attention here. You have to do something that people aren’t expecting you to do. This also makes it extremely competitive amongst one another. Though it seems like a healthy and friendly competition so far.

How do you approach songwriting?

Its been all over of the place for us. Three years ago when I first started this project with our first drummer Nino I wanted to start a metalcore band. So our original songs, which never really got popular, sounded a lot more like things you probably already heard before from other bands. Now that we have a different drummer, Kevin Kreller, things have changed a lot. We spend five to ten minutes sometimes just jamming one riff. Just to see how many different ways we can play it. What little accents can we add, or even take away to make this interesting. I think its easier to write a song when you understand what directions it can go first. When we were writing our EP “Low Budget” it was different because all those songs were written when we had planned on finding a vocalist. Plus Nino, our old drummer, was a much different drummer. He really liked to move around and be all over his kit. Kevin kinda sits back and goes over the top when needed. So its been a lot of different processes actually.

What’s more important, Beer or Hockey?

Cant have one with out the other. The name comes from a drinking game my friend Matt taught me. Its a game involving a quarter, a beer bottle, and your friends. The game essentially is supposed to be like a shoot out in hockey. One person shoots and the rest of the people play goalie in front of there bottle with only two fingers. If the bottle gets hit then some one spins the quarter and you drink until it stops spinning. It became an addicting game for a while. Its is a really good ice breaker to meet new people because you have to learn everyones name to play. So we figured if we went around playing Beer Hockey with friends and at parties then people would love the name and not forget it. Not sure how successful it has been going for us yet but I love the name.

Why instrumental? What can you express that a band with a vocalist can’t? OR. How do you approach music differently than a band with vocalist might?

If anything there are a lot things we can’t express because we don’t have a vocalist. But we are okay with that. The one complaint I hear the most from people who aren’t metal or hardcore fans are about the singer being irritating and the lyrics being idiotic. In many cases I agree with those people. In our generation of musicians, we have a small handful of good lyricist. Music, rock music mainly, from 1960-85 was often known as rebellious and crude. By the late 80s early 90s, producers and labels figured out, they can basically take any band make a few hits out of them, then move on. By the 2000’s you could write anything as lyrics and people will say its art. Look at the thong song for example. So instead of trying to say we have a message with our music, we just want people to enjoy themselves. That’s pretty much what we are all about. Come to our shows, get loose and just have a good time.

Favorite venue to play in the city?

Subterranean is always fun.

Advice for new bands to Chicago, how/where should they start.

Stick it out! Its been three long years for us and three different member changes. Finally things are coming together for us though. Have respect for your fans and have respect for the bands you play with. All it takes is one or two people to make music. If you have a guitar and a drum set, just have some drinks and a smoke. Thats how Beer Hockey was started.

.Matt Tanaka

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Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:36:00 -0500

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://indiemonday.bandcamp.com/track/ash-ketchum-can” _mce_href=”http://indiemonday.bandcamp.com/track/ash-ketchum-can”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Ash Ketchum Can… by The Gentlemen’s Guild&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

The Gentlemen’s Guild (Bryan Wilson on drums and Derek Craig on guitar) is a sometimes-heavy-sometimes-pretty-sometimes-both instrumental duo from Chicago. Except, you wouldn’t really know they were a duo unless you saw them live (or read some random Chicago music blog that told you so) by the amount of sound they make. Derek Craig is a master of layering. He plays one beautiful and endlessly moving line on top of another, producing a thick layer cake of intertwined melody. Yum, layer cake.

One of the best parts of the band is how they use repetition and variation to establish melody. Any given melodic idea is repeated just enough to establish a theme and then varied to a completely different part that retains some of the original melody’s feel. Their songs grow, instead of just blindly shifting from one part to another as is sometimes the case with instrumental music.

Add to this a drummer with a wonderfully melodic style, one who treats his drums with the same controlled intensity as his six-stringed counterpart and it becomes clear what makes this band so good. The two lock in with a carefully planned and well executed exactness that we wish we heard more of these days.

The guys from The Gentlemen’s Guild let us pick their brains about their music, the Chicago scene and old school video games, scroll down to read more.

Gear Check

Derek plays a Fender strat with seymor duncan pick ups, elixer mediums and a fender hot rod deluxe amp.

Bryan plays a Gretch renown maple jazz kit with Evans heads, Vic Firth sd2 bolero sticks, a Zildjin armand ride, HHX medium crash, Zildjian medium thin crash, Sabian hand hammered fusion hats, Pearl eliminator double pedals and tama stands.

What are your favorite NES/SNES Games?
We take our NES and Super NES pretty seriously. We have a few songs named after some games such as “R-TYPE” and “Turtles in Time” in addition to my lucky toy goomba from mario that sits perched upon my amp at every show. I would have to say my favorite NES games would be double dragon II, mario 3, ninja crusaders and paper boy. For super nes, I’d have to go with turtles in time, nba jam tournament edition, battle toads and street fighter turbo. There are so many others though, it’s super tough to narrow them down. I still play my old systems non-stop too, the nostalgia is pure bliss.

How would you characterize the Chicago music scene? What do you like/what would you like to see changed?
I think there’s a stalemate where there are so many good bands with such great potential that never really get recognized. It seems like the whole live show scene has kind of plateaued since the early 2000s, but there are still a lot of good bands representing the chicago scene like The Names That Spell, Noumenon, Tortoise and Joan of Arc, etc. I love how chicago has produced it’s own “sound” and perpetuates that style of music which, in turn, influences so many other bands and genres around the world with bands like Toe (Japan) and This Town Needs Guns (UK). If I could see anything change with the chicago scene, it would be for it to never cease to exist.

How do you approach songwriting?
They way we write our songs is kind of weird. There are so many bands that sound just like their precedents and you can hear it right away. It kind of deters their authenticity in a way and adds them into the melting pot of sounds. I personally have to be in the mood to write a song, it’s never something I seek out to do, it just sort of happens. I don’t like to listen to a lot of new music either because I try to find what sounds good and different to me and write from there. But that isn’t to say we don’t have influences— because we have tons. The writing process is kind of a blur, I’ll be messing around with a riff and the next minute I’ll have a song almost completed. I sort of black out in a sense, it’s hard to explain, but it’s always been that way. Then I bring it to bryan and he writes groovy beats with ease, and thus a song is born.

What sets you apart from the million other bands in this town?
What I feel sets us apart from other bands in chicago is our style. I never took any lessons and taught myself how to play when I was 13, and bryan’s drumming is all his own. You don’t really hear anybody else drum like he does, he’s like animal from the muppets personified.

Favorite venue to play in the city and why?
Our favorite venues to play would have to be the Beat Kitchen or the Empty Bottle; great sound, great crowd and always a good time.

Advice for new bands to Chicago, how/where should they start.
I’ve never been one to give advice to bands, but the best I could give would be have fun. Once the thrill is gone, there’s nothing left really. B.B. king for life!

.Matt Tanaka

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:21:00 -0500

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://thefiretapes.bandcamp.com/track/sister-machines-2” _mce_href=”http://thefiretapes.bandcamp.com/track/sister-machines-2”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Sister Machines by The Fire Tapes&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

The Fire Tapes are all about atmosphere. Regardless of whether you’re listening to their new album Dream Travel with a casual ear or an extremely attentive one, you’ll find a lot to take away from it.

Spacey, loose and washed out, listening to The Fire Tapes feels like floating in a Bacta Tank of soft melodies and heavy guitar effects. The band crafts the kind of music you can get lost in, drifting through an aural landscape, comfortable and relaxed. And yet, unlike the majority of bands who claim the same aural properties, The Fire Tapes write actual SONGS with pretty melodies and interesting guitar work. It’s this wonderful combination of elements that makes Dream Travel an album you want to listen to more than once.

Sister Machines

The album’s opening track, Sister Machines is a layer cake of pounding tom-heavy drum ostinatos and multiple distinct guitar lines playing independent-to-the-point-of-almost-clashing squeals and harmonics. On top of all this, the voice of guitarist/vocalist Betsy Wright teeters on the edge of speaking and singing before bursting into a lazy-cadenced belt and then falling back into a whisper. The overall effect is very nice, like a lazy chaos, if you can imagine that. In other words, it’s like a war between the ever-anchored rhythm section with the slightly chaotic dual guitars, wrapped in a blanket of sweet vocal melodies.

.matt

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Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:44:00 -0500

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://thecanoes-hospitalgarden.bandcamp.com/track/kid-brother” _mce_href=”http://thecanoes-hospitalgarden.bandcamp.com/track/kid-brother”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Kid Brother by The Canoes&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

The best rock ‘n’ roll gets straight to the point. Sam Durkes, drummer and manager for Chicago garage-rockers The Canoes, wastes no time in telling what his band is all about:

“We’re nice guys – we show up on time, play for about thirty minutes, say our please and thank-you’s, get drunk and go home - not necessarily in that order.”

The Canoes carry on all the best rock ‘n’ roll traditions. They’re direct and humorous, much like their musical influences the Replacements, Husker Du, and the Kinks. The also hold a strong sense of community.

“We like to help out our friends and bands we like and promote them any way we can. The goal is to try and find a sense of camaraderie and community in the Chicago scene wherever you can. It’s the only scene we know, but it certainly isn’t easy,” Sam shares.

None of these qualities would matter without the music. “Kid Brother” is a slice of shambolic, heartfelt garage rock that proves the Canoes have the tunes to back up the traditions.

The Canoes “Kid Brother” is their half of a split single with fellow Chicago rockers Hospital Garden. “The split was cool – it was definitely a trial run but worked well for both bands,” Sam explains.

Regarding the song, Sam says that “A big inspiration was “Sixteen Blue” by the Replacements, in the sense it’s got that older-brother-giving-advice kind of concept. It’s gotta be our most sentimental song and one of the only ones with a story that makes any sense.”

“Kid Brother” and The Canoes are worth listening to - just like the best rock ‘n’ roll.

.Greg Ayers

The Man You know that scene in High Fidelity where that...

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:38:00 -0500

The Man

You know that scene in High Fidelity where that character that isn’t John Cusak or Jack Black gives that vaguely-emotional speech to convince Rob to release a record by a pair of techno-loving skate punks? Remember? She says something about him having the “chance to contribute something to the musical landscape that he’s obsessed over as an observer for so long.”

Yea, Dan (founder and owner of Artistic Integrity Records) is actually nothing like that.

I guess the only reason I wrote that (besides the fact that it allowed me a “professional” reason to watch High Fidelity clips on YouTube) is that there is one similarity: Dan is a passionate and borderline obsessive record collector who has the opportunity to turn his obsession, his encyclopedic knowledge into a brilliant new Chicago record label.

This is what’s behind Artistic Integrity Records. It’s not some dude who woke up one morning and decided it’d be fun to distribute his friend’s band’s album… it’s a project born from meticulous collecting and a deep passion for the product he’s putting out.

The Label

The “about me” section of the Artistic Integrity Records website has this to say about Dan: “I like Michael Jordan, Alkaline Trio, and Seinfeld.” As it turns out, this is a massive understatement.

Dan doesn’t just like Michael Jordan, Alkaline Trio and Seinfeld, he loves them. He’s obsessed with them. I mean, Dan has what he believes to be the single most complete Alkaline Trio record collection in existence. And what do you do if you have what you believe is the single most complete Alkaline Trio record collection in existence? You start a vinyl-centric record label and base every single detail of its existence on the kind of excruciating detail that both Star Wars and Star Trek fanboys can relate to.

Let’s break it down.

The label is called Artistic Integrity Records, an obvious Seinfeld reference. Oh, you don’t get it? This should help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f54HHWY6GFk. With that in mind, AIR’s logo should be recognizable as a nod to Seinfeld as well.

Also, now that you’ve seen the label’s name written in its abbreviated form, the Michael Jordan reference should be clear. AIR, the first half of Sir Michael’s famous moniker (AIR Jordan) will be the call number for each release: AIR-001.

AIR will release all of their albums on real, physical, collectable, what-the-music-scene-was-missing-for-the-past-decade-or-so vinyl. However, “There needs to be an incentive for people to spend $10 to buy a record,” Dan explains, “especially for those that can’t play it… so I’ll include a digital download code with every release I do, filled with really cool stuff.”

And by “really cool stuff,” he means downloadable digital content that goes way beyond the standard track list. There’ll be extra features, rare songs, rehearsal recordings and other limited-edition content.

The First Release - AIR-001 (or the reason you’re reading this article in the first place)

Indie Monday has been given the privilege of announcing Artistic Integrity’s debut release and let me be the first to say, “holy, freakin’ crap it’s awesome.”

Dan’s first release with Artistic Integrity Records is an Alkaline Trio fan’s dream release. We’ll let him explain: “Dan Andriano did a split record with Mike Felumlee ten years ago on Mike’s record label called “Double Zero Records” and it only came out on CD. I’ve been talking with Mike for like two years, and we’ll be putting it out on vinyl.”

You get that?

Dan Andriano (Alkaline Trio) and Mike Felumlee (former drummer for Alkaline Trio and Smoking Popes) released a small-print split CD in 2002. After two years of talking with Mike Felumlee, Artistic Integrity Records will be releasing this album on vinyl on January 1st 2012.

(there are like, a million Dan, Mike and Alkaline Trio reference in this artwork, comment on this article if you can find any of them)

But he won’t stop there. The real gold in this release comes in the form of a plethora of rare and collectible extras available in the digital download. Including but not limited to:

1.) Digital CD book with an insert and lyrics (not included with the original CD version)

2.) A live acoustic set by Dan Andriano from 2001, 9 months before the album came out. The performance includes an early version of the song ‘Every Thug Needs A Lady’ the DAY AFTER HE WROTE IT. It was originally planned for the split but ended up on Alkaline Trio’s, Good Mourning a year later.

3.) Updated, extended and limited edition versions of songs from the split.

So yea, that’s a pretty big deal.

When it’s ready, you’ll be able to buy it here: http://artisticintegrityrecords.com/airstore.cfm

Future Releases

While Dan is looking for bands to put out records with in the future, as with everything in his life, he won’t take it lightly. “It takes more than just an email to say like “yea, I’ll put out your record.” I mean, I put months and months and months into following Devon Kay and the Solutions and, The Ambulance Review and A!A!A!… To me, everything I put out is going to sell because I only put out things that I want to buy. So there’re going to be people like me that want to buy it.”

Devoted to the DIY mentality, Artistic Integrity Records helps the bands it releases organize and promote Kickstarter campaigns to raise the funds necessary to press the records.

Dan and Artistic Integrity Records in a nutshell

Dan Wallach is a record collecting, music devotee who’s turned his passion into an exciting new label— the kind of label that the Chicago scene has been needing for some time. He will release all of their albums on honest-to-goodness vinyl with digital content packed-to-the-gills with rare and limited edition extras. He will only put out albums for bands he truly loves and will stand by that release with all of his energy.

In other words, Artistic Integrity Records is going to be one of those labels that will attract local music fans who will buy every record he releases simply because they believe in Dan’s taste, passion and infectious energy.

I know I certainly will.

.Matt Tanaka

AIR-001 - Mike Felumlee split w/Dan Andriano
Release date: 1-1-2012
Format: 12”
Speed: 45 rpm

AIR-002 - Devon Kay & The Solutions split w/The Ambulance Review
Release date: spring, 2012
Format: 7”
Speed: 33 rpm

Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dkands/charity-ball-for-tba

AIR-003 - An Aesthetic Anaesthetic
Release date: summer, 2012
Format: 12”
Speed: 33 rpm

Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/triplea/help-an-aesthetic-anaesthetic-release-1st-vinyl-fu

Wells-next-the-Sea(bandcamp / facebook / twitter) I met Dann...

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:11:00 -0500

Wells-next-the-Sea(bandcamp / facebook / twitter)

I met Dann Morr of Wells-Next-The-Sea via the musician section of Craigslist, that vast ocean of flaky 40-somethings, hand-drum enthusiasts and diamond-in-the-roughs. I was looking for a bassist for my own band, Mooner, and I spent the first three weeks answering emails from a gaggle of dudes who could not be more different from one another. It’s hard to believe that a Korn-loving slap expert, a retired upright jazz player and a Robert Randolph and the Family Band mega-fan all read the same ad. However, when Dann sent me a message, a light shone on a dark place.

Dann said he was usually just a songwriter but he had a nice Rickenbacker and would love to take on a side project. I was ecstatic, but when I listened to Wells-Next-The-Sea, I thought that I was the one who should be in a supporting role. In the weeks before Dann joined me on stage for the first time, Wells-Next-The-Sea’s last release, “Guest House” was in constant rotation around my apartment. Needless to say, Dann Morr is a very good songwriter, as his new track “With Our Eyes Closed” makes patently clear.

The first strains of “With Our Eyes Closed” evoke a subdued Tom Petty on the morning after a bad break up. “I use most of my days now / for sleeping…” is a counter-intuitive and downbeat way to open a rock song, but Morr—who takes sole lead vocal credit on this track—immediately sets the tone with his melancholic whisper of a voice and matter-of-fact lyrics. Over the course of a three and a half minute run time, the song shifts quickly back and forth between a Byrds-esque simmer, a harmony and violin drenched wordless chorus and a tense dB’s inspired bridge. Morr’s unwavering voice and careful melodies firmly ground the quick turnarounds and false builds in a comforting sense of intimacy. It’s the kind of meat-and-potatoes songwriting that is increasingly rare; a pleasantly arranged song that reveals thoughtful and troubling lyrical content upon multiple listens. Also, the talent of Dann’s band members cannot go ignored. Liz Barnett’s weaving violin lines and Brennan Mackey’s classic guitar jangle give the track a warmth that cuts against all the doubting: “You’re wasting my light / you’re wasting your life.”

Listen to “With Our Eyes Closed” on your next 8:45AM train to work and there will be one thing you won’t be wasting: your time (ha-cha-cha)

.Lee Ketch

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp...

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:59:00 -0500

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://indiemonday.bandcamp.com/track/the-great-mistake” _mce_href=”http://indiemonday.bandcamp.com/track/the-great-mistake”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Great Mistake by Justin Trawick&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://indiemonday.bandcamp.com/track/back-of-my-mind-featuring-flex-matthews” _mce_href=”http://indiemonday.bandcamp.com/track/back-of-my-mind-featuring-flex-matthews”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Back of My Mind (Featuring Flex Matthews) by Justin Trawick&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Justin Trawick

Riddle me this: what wears an old-school tweed newsboy hat and plays bluegrass, folk, funk, reggae, and rockabilly? Answer: the eclectic musical mash-up that is Justin Trawick.

Justin performs with his trio the first time I meet him. They’re a tight unit, possessing the agility to combine folk song craft, the beauty of bluegrass, and the powerful rhythms of funk and hip-hop.

“I’d hate to play the same songs the same way,” Justin shares before the show. “I’ve got one song, ‘Kool Kids’, that I play in at least five different genres depending on who I’m playing with.” In addition to his trio, Justin performs with a larger band and also as a solo artist.

Justin’s musical eclecticism is born of an entrepreneurial energy. “Growing up, I was an unwilling loner. If I wanted something done, I had to do it myself. If I didn’t do it, nothing would happen,” he explains. In his own unique way, Justin brings musicians together.

In 2008 Justin founded The 9, a concert series he uses to showcase multiple artists in a single show. “If you’re one singer-songwriter, it can be hard to fill a club by yourself. The 9 allows each artist to gain exposure to larger crowds and venues. It’s given me and a lot of other musicians the opportunity to travel to new cities and play venues we could not have played by ourselves.”

One of the artists Justin performs with regularly is Flex Matthews, a D.C. area MC who freestyles a few verses on “Back of My Mind,” one of two featured cuts from Justin’s latest release, a live, acoustic/hip-hop hybrid titled “You & I.” “Back of My Mind” displays Justin’s funky side. A jazzy acoustic groove provides a solid foundation for the intertwining of Flex’s verses and the mandolin solo that caps off the song.

“The Great Mistake” showcases Justin’s songwriting and storytelling talents. Its subdued tones and sparse arrangement frame this tale of a couple’s survival through years of trials and disappointments.

“You & I” is full of gems like these, each song expertly executed with deft musicianship and plenty of soul. It’s a good introduction to Justin’s style and his work. You can see both on display December 16th when Justin plays the Artisphere in Arlington, VA.

.Greg Ayers

CD release party:

Friday, Dec. 16th / Artisphere in Arlington, VA / 7:30p

Justin’s CD Release Show & Celebration for his new album, “You and I” 7:30 PM at the Artisphere in Arlington, VA.

Tickets here: http://tickets.artisphere.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=122&c=2&pg=

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Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:37:00 -0500

Download, “Not Ready”

Mutts

I originally set out to write a short, to-the-point review but it’s proven to be harder than I thought. There’s a lot to say about this band. Mutts frontman, Mike Maimone, and bassist Bob Buckstaff met while playing in renowned Chicago band Company of Thieves. While on a tour opening for the Plain White Ts and hearing “Hey there, Delilah” every night, they developed a relationship founded on eclectic tastes in music and hatched a plan to start their own project. The result was the hard-hitting, fuzz-drenched Mutts, forming in the summer of 2009.

For a three-piece, Mutts make an astonishing amount of noise. Mike plays keys, running his sound through multiple layers of guitar pedals, creates a sound so full and diverse it’s shocking it’s one instrument. Bob rotates between upright bass, electric bass, and guitar, providing as many hooks and leads as the keyboard, while somehow maintaining the heavy grooves so characteristic of Mutts’ sound. Joe Mullen, the newest Mutt, fits in perfectly, providing a backbone of aggressive and creative drumming.

To balance how many times I said things like “noisy” and “aggressive,” it’s important to understand these guys’ influences. Ranging from 90’s grunge (Nirvana) to Tom Waits, to prog godfathers King Crimson to Randy Newman, I’ve never met a band that fuses so many genres into a sound uniquely their own. You can hear the grunge in the sounds they choose for their instruments, along with the heavy drumming. You can hear King Crimson in the odd time signatures they effortlessly move through. And you can hear Tom Waits meeting Randy Newman in Mike’s whiskey-soaked melodies. The result is a band who has been placed on bills with metal bands (albeit a tad awkward), while also having a residency at Uncommon Ground, a hushed, coffeeshop environment. Nowhere can the range of their sound be heard better than on their new album Pray for Rain, due out in December.

When talking about the album, the band said that it was truly a collaborative effort. All members were involved in the writing process, each bringing ideas that got worked in to songs. The fact that they play big venues as well as coffeeshops also played a role in how songs were written. Songs like “Throwback” are full of riffs, half-time grooves, and snarled vocals, while “Real Bright” is a bouncy, piano based pop song. The title of the album also provides an interesting contrast to the cover picture. It shows a barn, completely flooded. Why “Pray for Rain?” Mike says, “I knew I wanted that title and that image because we live in a time when we are completely flooded by news and social media. Regardless of which political or religious side people find themselves on, everyone is yelling to get their point heard, but no one is listening to what the other side has to say. So nothing is getting done.”

Just to add depth to an already deep band.

With so much going for them, Mutts is still a hard-working group of guys. All of them work during the day, and rehearse at night, do interviews, play shows, and plan weekend tours. In Chicago, which is saturated with bands wanting to be heard, Mutts has formed an amazing sound, easily setting themselves apart from the crowd. With an exhilarating live show and a sound as exciting as it is unique, Mutts are poised to move to the next level as a band. Pray for Rain may just be the catalyst for that move.

Come to its release this Thursday, December 1^st, at Subterranean. Pre-order the album here (http://download.muttsmusic.com/), and jump on the Mutts’ bandwagon. I guarantee they will rock you harder and move you more than a band has in a long time.

.Dan Hawthorne

Mutts has a show at SubT on Thursday, Dec 1 @ 11pm

Mutts is online here, here and here

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Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:26:00 -0500

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Download, “Old Sun”

Old Fashioned War

When Chris Anderson of Old Fashioned War first emailed us to let us know about his latest project, he did so with the intention of bringing attention the bands of the musician’s he recorded with… not to himself. It was as if promoting his own CD was secondary to the friends and community that helped him write, record and perform it. This is what I love about Chris, his commitment to a community-minded approach to music seems to permeate his whole creative process.

The Writing Process

The songs on Old Fashioned War were written while Chris was part of the Songwriting League, a songwriting club he joined with a handful of Chicago’s notable songwriters.

“Every Sunday while we’re in session we are responsible for posting a new song idea on our little music blogs” says Chris of the experience, “it was huge for me to have that sense of urgency to complete things… most of the people involved in the Songwriting League put out albums in 2011. I think that says it all.”

(Some examples: Josh Siegel & Ren Mathew of Bailiff, Will Phalen, and Dirty Pigeons).

Even though he’s been playing music since he first picked up the guitar in junior high, it wasn’t until being a part of this league that he found the confidence to use his own voice. “The idea of singing in front of people made me really nervous until I was a part of the Songwriting League. I trusted the people in it when they told me I was ready to share my voice with others.”

The Recording

Not that I’m breaking any new journalistic ground by saying this but computers have changed the way we approach music. Songs are built piece by piece and tweaked until they sound exactly right, sometimes resulting in cold and sterile performances. Like his musical influences, Chris took the opposite approach. “Preparation for the album was about as minimal as possible. I was listening to lots of 50’s music and just thinking about how those recording sessions must have gone. Recording songs they learned 10 minutes before with the charts in front of them. The musicians had to be intuitive and sharp and creative on the spot in addition to being really talented at their instruments. Thats what I wanted for this project.”

To achieve this Chris assembled a team of some of this town’s finest players, sent them demos a few weeks ahead of time and staged the recording sessions in a friend’s living room, without holding rehearsals. “The day of the recording we ran through the changes a couple times and then recorded it all live… traditional chord changes played by really good musicians, mostly improvised.”

The Album

From the opening moments of the opening track, the album evokes memories of lazy summer sunsets on southern porches, with a stiff whiskey on the table and a shaggy dog on your lap… even if this isn’t an experience you’ve ever actually had.

The songs are slow, lazy and lethargic and massage your brain into a full-on relaxation mode. The warm and rich guitars, syrupy organ and lapsteel and rootsy percussion aid to that feeling as well. As the album progresses, it draws your closer and closer in until you could swear you were right there in the studio, taking deep swigs from jugs of moonshine in between un-rehearsed takes.

This affect is achieved partially from the comfortable, laid back songwriting and partially from the production itself. The floor creaks and band members talk before takes. “The only things I knew I wanted in this album” says Anderson of the sessions “was lots & lots of room sound, natural reverb and distance. And I knew I didn’t want anybody to be too polished, I wanted simple parts.”

Old Fashioned War, in summary

Old Fashioned War, the album, is summed up in its title. It was created the old fashioned way – in a room, all at once with talented musicians in a few takes. Beyond that though, Old Fashioned War serves as a test for what makes good music good. It strips away the production and the flash and dares to just… be. Because, when talking about music, what it really boils down to is this: are the songs good? In this case, they absolutely are. The melodies are gritty but catchy, the lyrics are sharp and relatable, and, even though they’re based on chord progressions and structures you’ve heard a million times before, there’s just something fresh about it. Maybe Chris is right when he says “the blues is about as ‘indie’ as it gets right now, nobody considers it dangerous. Maybe its more indie than ‘indie.’”

I don’t really know. I just know that this is a damn good album and I wish more people were still making music this way.

.Matt Tanaka

Old Fashioned War is Chris Anderson (vocals, acoustic guitar, writing), Will Phalen (bass), Josh Siegel (electric guitar), Ren Mathew (drums), Quentin Hirsley (blues harp, percussion, background vocals), Mike Maimone (upright piano, keys), Dan Ingenthron (upright piano, keys, acoustic guitar), Brian Morrissey (acoustic guitar), Ryan Juravic (drums), Adam Przybyla (pedal steel), Julie Meckler (background vocals)

Old Fashioned War will be playing @ SubT on Wednesday (11/30) @ 8p

Old Fashioned War is online here and here

/ website / facebook / an afternoon with Phantom...

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:07:00 -0500

/ website / facebook /

an afternoon with Phantom Note Productions

Last Friday, we hung out with Sam Edgin, founder of Phantom Note Productions. The idea was just to get to know him a little better, hear how things were going, and get enough info to write a good feature for his website. We drove around for a couple hours as he showed us the venues he books for, and as we chatted, we realized that what Phantom Note is up to is way way cooler than we’d thought.

Sam, a Chicago native, has been part of the local music scene since high school. He’s spent the last several years working for different production companies around the city, booking for well-known venues including Subterranean and Beat Kitchen. Though enjoying his job, he became increasingly frustrated with how the industry interacted with bands. In this city, a band is bookable if they draw a good crowd, not if they’re a good band. From a venue’s perspective, this makes perfect sense, but for new bands, it’s a very difficult thing to navigate. You have to get your foot in the door somehow, but if you take a show and don’t draw the right amount of people, you hurt your chances of getting booked again. And if you’re just starting out, you most likely won’t draw enough people.

Sam also plays in a band, and knows exactly how that feels. It is this tension that led him to start his own company, Phantom Note Productions, and to found it on a love of music and Chicago, not numbers. Using his connections, Sam landed a few nights he books weekly at clubs around the city, including the Volcano Room at the Bottom Lounge, and the legendary Fireside Bowl.

Volcano Room

Fireside Bowl

He has also turned a neighborhood dive bar, El Mamey into Chicago’s newest venue. El Mamey is a block from Humboldt Park and is as inauspicious as could be. With no stage and filled with kitschy decorations and Christmas lights, it seems an unlikely place to host bands most nights of the week. It works, though, and largely due to Sam.

El Mamey

The vision behind Phantom Note is to put together a bill of good bands every night. It’s to draw together the Chicago community based on their love of music and desire to support each other, instead of focusing on which bands bring the biggest crowds. It’s a mindset that goes back to the pre-internet days, where you had to see a band live to know if you liked them, and bought their CD if you did. Of course, those days are long gone, but what Pandora and Spotify can’t offer is the sense of community that is shared by a crowd at a live show.

This isn’t the kind of thing that just happens, though, which brings us to the second value held by Sam and Phantom Note. He is a huge believer in doing it yourself. And it’s not easy. Because of the commitment to helping the local scene, Phantom Note does not generate a lot of profit, meaning Sam also works two separate jobs. “I’m a big believer in doing it yourself,” says Sam, “but I’m coming to realize how important it is to do things together.” And then we realized that Sam doesn’t just want to start a production company. He’s not trying to just book shows. He wants to change the face of music in Chicago. Because Phantom Note has the power to books shows, it’s the perfect tool to give bands a foot in the door and make them a part of a Chicago family. And even though the shows are at dive bars with 100 person caps, the point is to build something together. On any given night, Sam wants people to show up at one of his venues just to see who’s playing, even if they’ve never heard of them. That is truly supporting local music.

If you’re part of a band in Chicago, you’re invited to be a part of this. If you’re not in a band, you’re still invited. Phantom Note wants to do it together. And if you question how committed they really are, we happened to a go to a show at El Mamey after the interview. Sam was the doorman. He spent most of Friday night sitting at a table by the door, checking IDs. No one other than the bands knew that he’d put all of it together. So how’s that for doing it yourself? Sam’s all over that.

Now it’s up to us to support our local shows, support Phantom Note online, and get in touch with them to book a show. But become a part of what’s going on and let’s do it together.

.Dan Hawthorne

*all photography by Kimmy from Birchblue Photography (click)

Mothershipman Today, Chicago is very cold. Yesterday...

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:16:00 -0500

Mothershipman

Today, Chicago is very cold. Yesterday morning, it was very warm (and very rainy). Tomorrow it could snow, or rain, or, heaven forbid, THUNDERSNOW...and Chicagoan’s wouldn’t really be all that surprised. We live in a city that seems to be either smotheringly hot or unfathomably cold, a feeling which Midwestern natives Aktar Aktar have taken as a form of inspiration.

“The Midwest lives with a kind of restlessness unique to the rest of the country” says singer/guitarist/keyboardist Jacob Swearson, “because no one can get very comfortable with any kind of routine. The only constancy I live with is one of reinvention, that desire to keep up with what’s going on outside my window.”

Aktar Aktar’s new album, Mothershipman is an aural exercise on that concept — it re-invents itself from one track to the next, never allowing its listener to settle down and get comfortable. Catchy and lighthearted turns into dramatic and moody which turns into head-bobbin’ groove… yet it’s all tied together with an impeccable sense for strong melody, a quirky undertone and a zipper-tight rhythm section.

A few words on the title track, Mothershipman from Jacob Swearson:

“The term “Mothershipman” is simply a play on words I made up goofing around. I love doing that. The song is in the perspective of a man persuading a girl he fancies that he is better then the man she is currently with and better then anyone she will find in the future.

“Girl, let your lover pass by / I’m your mothershipman / I’ll love you in the sunshine, love you in the twilight, love you in the dark.”

Mothership usually means the “home-ship” It’s also obviously alien or “out of this world” I thought it was hilarious.”

.Matt Tanaka

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an afternoon with Phantom Note Productions

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