Artist Review - MAKEOUT

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I want you to think back to your younger years. Fall Out boy was considered edgy, Brendon Urie had us all writing sins and not tragedies, and we were clad with chokers and poorly dyed hair. It was a new age of rebellion in the early 2000s, and we all were excited for it. However, as the dye faded and bands separated, music sounds started to change into something less raw and angsty, but more clean and accessible to a wider audience. With the last Warped tour happening this year, many punk rock fans are saddened by the departure of this beloved practice, and will venture out one more time to the concert grounds in order to participate in a niche and exciting music community. One of the greatest parts of Warp Tour was being able to discover new artists who jumped on the tour and partnered with wider known bands in order to get their name out there. MAKEOUT is a prime example of this, and they are an example of the type of band that we all grew up loving.

Think back to punk in the 2000s, and then listen to MAKEOUT, and you will see the similarities. I actually saw this band back in march when they were opening for Icon for Hire at Subterranean. Usually opening bands are something you have to make it through to get to the main act, but MAKEOUT really made it their own and engaged with the audience. Even after the show they were very down to Earth, eager to get photos with fans and talking to fans. They were the type of the band that you feel as though you could hang out, grab a drink (if you are old enough!), and talk all night with. Each member brought an energy to the stage that made the show even more engaging and just damn fun.

Their music brings this same energy to listeners no matter where they are in the world. Some of their songs are your typical punk songs, being crossed by and ex lover, hating parts of the world, etc. But other times there are hints of comedic relief from the main singer. For example in their song “Where’s my charger” it is a thought every young person has had at some point when they crash at a friend's house and wake up after a crazy night out. Even the cover art is an homage to younger middle school or high school days with the composition not background, the “S” symbol we all drew and other little accents that bring us back in time. Personally, the song I like the most has to be “Crazy” or “Childish”, as I can relate to sometimes wanting to lost the persona and shroud of maturity and just regressing into my angsty and sometimes annoying yet fun teenage self. The reason why I like this band and I love punk music in general, is it reminds us to look at our lives and reflect on some of the injustices or some of the choices we make, and not to take life so seriously all the time.

ARTIST REVIEW-BIG THIEF

Never heard of them? They hope to change that soon. Named one of “15 Artists to Watch” for the best up and coming artists for Coachella 2018 by Rolling Stone, Big Thief made the list with artists like Greta Van Fleet. Described as “folk-tinged indie rock” and hailing from Brooklyn, the group made their big break with a performance on national television on Late Night with Seth Meyers in the spring of last year, and proved they aren’t going anywhere with a Saturday performance at Coachella this past April. They are led by lead vocalist Adrianne Lenker, who got her start at home in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2006. She went on to start a duo with current Big Thief member Buck Meek in 2014, and soon added bassist Max Oleartchik and drummer James Krivchenia. They newly formed band released their first album in the spring of 2016, and titled it, Masterpiece. It was picked up by a Rolling Stone critic who gave it a 3.5 out of 5, appreciating the musical style and feeling concerned about the content.

The songs written by Lenker and this group tell the stories of the past so horrible they have left scars to this day. Yet while one song may detail the chilling past of domestic abuse, the next is a story of a love lasting a lifetime. Each song is truly a work of art, and it is built on the foundation of a story. The lyrics of each song tell a story and draw you in, even without music. But the music really gives life to the stories that Lenker has written, with melodies that give the lyrics flight. But the music never gets so intense that you lose focus of the story. The music stays really relaxed even in its most intense moments. The music doesn’t need to get loud to put you on edge. The band plays with dissonances and the less-ordinary sounds their instruments can make. It throws you off, gives you an uneasy feeling, but draws you in all at the same time. The attention to detail and passion that is put into each song really shows. One reviewer commented that it was if the songs that made it to the album were the ones cherry-picked from the life-long repertoire of a songwriter. However, Adrianne Lenker is not near the end of her songwriting career, she is only in her mid-twenties. She has been through so much in such a short period of time, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next for the excellent musicians of Big Thief.

ALBUM REVIEW- OWEN FINN, THE DARK

In today’s music scene, a lot of rappers  work with the same old shtick of the mumble rapping lyrics about women, money, and drugs over trap beats with dark and dreary instrumentals. Yet, some musicians decide to take a leap and break away from this mold. Owen Finn is different from what you would typically categorize as a “normal” rapper. With aid from producer, Alex Fumo, Finn had recently released his debut album “The Dark”, an album full of eclectic R&B and rap songs that range from party jams to relatively deeper and more introspective songs. This release shows itself as a stark contrast from many of the releases we see nowadays from this genre.

The first thing one would notice from the album is Finn’s unique vocal style. It is not necessarily the cleanest vocal approach, but what Finn lacks in classical technicality he makes up for in pure personality and charisma. Finn’s persona is at the forefront of this LP bringing up the energy throughout the entire album. His vocal styles range from standard rapping, to calm and relaxed vocals, and even soulful/gospel-esque singing that shows off the versatility of his musicality. You can tell on each song that he is passionate about every word he’s singing and means everything he says.

This extends to the production on the album, which also has a vast array of styles that goes on within it. Songs can be very sample heavy, relying on a lot of older sounds and samples from early TV, but then extends to songs that are entirely original compositions and instrumentals, showing off the range and versatility of Alex Fumo as a producer and this gives the album a lot of character and personality. Genre wise this album ranges to being very R&B driven and soulful, it even contains  bits of influences from indie rock. This album really shines on songs like “Blue” and “The Dark pt. 2” where the quirkiness of the Finn and Fumo shines through a lot more, again giving the music more of a unique character.

Unfortunately, some of the songs do fall in the same trappings that are very typical  of music within this genre. A good chunk of the lyrics during a few songs in the latter half of the LP fall into these traps, which would be fine if Finn was saying anything different about these topics, but many times this is not the case. It is also a little disappointing because songs like “Crumble” and “Berries & Batter” shows that Finn has many interesting things to say about topics like not losing hope and crumbling due to reliance on substances like drugs.

Overall, I feel like Owen Finn’s debut showed off a lot of amazing potential from an artist that is very unique from his contemporaries. There is a lot of interesting ideas both musically and lyrically within this album that makes it  worth the listen for anyone looking to support local Chicago musicians. Even though not everything he talks about in this album is 100% “fresh and original”, there is enough on here that makes “The Dark” an interesting and fun listen for any music fan.

Artist Review - As It Is

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For the middle school emo kids who miss 2004 era My Chemical Romance, may I introduce you to As It Is. This British pop punk band was formed in 2012 and has since released two studio albums and performed headlining shows across the world. The band’s newest single takes on a heavy tone and topic. “The Wounded World” is the lead single off their third studio album “The Great Depression.” With a bit of screaming along the way, the song discusses depression and challenges problematic ways.

As It Is has always addressed issues of mental illness in their work, but it delves deeper into the subject on the upcoming record. In a statement the band says the album “is about the societal romanticisation of depression, the disrepair of present-day human connection.” The theme is tackled head on as the single and music video work together to push the message forward. The video portrays frontman Patty Walters leading a tour group through the artifacts of today which include a shattered tablet and virtual reality glasses. The spectators stare at phones and ignore the tour, emphasizing the problem that people would rather be engulfed in their own personal device than pay attention to the world around them. Because of this mindset people seem less interested in interacting with and checking in on each other.

Once Walters realizes the crowd isn’t listening, he aggressively sings, “I know this isn't something you're going to like to hear / Which is exactly why you need to hear this.” No one wants to be told that they are a part of the problem, but drawing attention to the causes of the negative consequences is often necessary to bring an end to that negativity. The song repeatedly states, “we’re all to blame for the wounded world,” meaning we all share responsibility for what has happened and for fixing it. It challenges the listeners to be more aware of their surroundings and more connected to the people in their lives.

As It Is have not created the happy, carefree song of the summer, but as they tour the U.S. on the final run of Vans Warped Tour this summer, there will be fans at their set screaming the lyrics back at them. The frank lyrics and emotionally charged message speak to fans who struggle with mental illness providing them an outlet and helping them to know they aren’t alone. While one single can’t strip away all of the stigmas surrounding mental illness or the problems the world is facing, opening up the conversation is certainly a step in the right direction.

Artist Review - Brynn Cartelli

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At just 15 years old, Brynn Cartelli has won over the hearts of the nation, and secured her future in the music business. If you haven’t heard the name Brynn Cartelli yet, you probably will soon, and if you’re looking to feel unaccomplished, you can go ahead and google her.

At just 14 years old, she changed her life forever with a two chair turn in her blind audition of NBC’s hit show The Voice. Her effortless rendition of Labrinth's “Beneath Your Beautiful” won over both seasoned coach Blake Shelton and first time coach Kelly Clarkson. Even though they didn’t turn their chairs, Alicia Keys and Adam Levine were floored when they found out she was just 14 years old. Adam remarked, “You sound like a 36 year old who’s been through it. It’s crazy that someone can feel that much.” With two coaches wanting Brynn on their teams, she had a decision to make. And after a couple of the biggest names in music fought to get her on their team, Brynn ended up choosing the coach she has been a long time fan of: Kelly Clarkson.

Self described as a “soul/pop singer-songwriter” Bryn chose to perform a variety of different songs as the weeks went by. Refusing to get locked into one genre, and supported by her coach, Bryn performed selections by everyone from Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts, to Coldplay and Lady Gaga. Perhaps the peak of her season performance wise was when she got the chance to perform a song she co-wrote with one of the most prolific pop songwriters alive. The collaboration was on the song “Walk My Way” with Julia Michaels made it to the No. 2 bestseller on the iTunes charts. This comes as no surprise from someone like Michaels, whose songs have been Grammy nominated and certified triple platinum. Despite the huge success of the original song, her future was uncertain as she was beat out on the iTunes chart by her fellow finalist, Britton Buchanan.

But that’s not where the story ends. For first time coach Kelly Clarkson, success came quickly; not only did she win on her very first season, but she won with the very first person she ever turned that big red chair around for. On Tuesday night, America watched as 15 year old Brynn Cartelli was announced the winner of The Voice season 14. Clarkson told America that she really didn’t have to do much because of how ahead of the game Brynn was, but Brynn credited Clarkson’s experience of being a contestant and winner on American Idol as the factor that gave her a competitive edge.

Winning The Voice is not just an exciting end to a life-changing experience for Cartelli, it is just the beginning. Her win comes with a recording contract with Universal, and a whopping $100,000. Brynn could not be more excited to get her career as a musician started, and plans to put her winnings back into her music. She may be one of the most successful 15 year olds around, but for now, she still has to go back to school.

Album Review - Wide Awake

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Parquet Courts is a vibrant indie-punk revival band based in Brooklyn, although all members of the quartet originally hail from Texas. Wide Awake is their sixth studio album, recorded and produced with Brain Burton (aka Danger Mouse). This album sits in an interesting place in Parquet Courts discography, each song moves a bit farther from their classic sound but somehow still holds fast to their original roots. Songs like “Almost Had to Start Are a Fight/In and Out of Patience” are reminiscent of their earlier album releases like Light-Up Gold and Monostatic Living but other songs, obviously pushed by Burton’s production are foreign to Parquet Courts sound. This wide array of sounds and themes, held together by lively punk influences and wrapped in beautiful production results to an exciting listen. Listening to this album for the first time leaves you sitting on the edge of your chair, waiting for the next track, chorus, or verse, as literally anything can happen.

Wide Awake’s lyrics are contemporary, biting, and well needed. Songs on this album address a wide array of problems in the United States, from poverty in New York City, white guilt, violence and school shootings in America, emotional reactions to the right-wing, the obliviousness of extreme climate change, and the oppression of minorities. For example, the song “Total Football” decries America’s treatment of blacks and the controversy of football players kneeling during the national anthem, with singer Andrew Savage stating “It is dishonest, nay, a sin to stand for any anthem that attempts to drown out the roar of oppression”. The song “Violence” is an analysis of the constant fetishization of violence in America, while simultaneously and hypocritically being a call to arms to dismantle the profit of violence through police and prison T.V. shows. Andrew Savage addresses this irony, screaming

“Allow me to ponder the role I play

In this pornographic spectacle of black death

[Violence] once a solution and a problem”

While this album is punk at its core, there is so much more to it than fast paced guitars and aggressive drumming. Each song exists within its own personal sonic world. That’s not to say that each track is completely isolated in the album, the album as a whole flows beautifully, each track is connected by its contempt and grievances of American society. However, each song is distinct with its own palette of sounds. Thanks to the production from Danger Mouse, the wide arrange of sounds is simultaneously full and energizing. Even arguably the worst song on the album is interesting; “Before the Water Gets Too High”, a gloomy krautrock punk song about climate change, is filled with a heavy droning Omnichord throughout the entire song, an obvious metaphor for the constant, ceaseless threat of climate change.

Wide Awake is one of those albums that I wish I could listen to for the first time, every time. It’s exciting, it’s motivational, it’s devastating, it’s depressing, it’s whiny, it’s grumpy, it’s happy, it’s angry, it’s brilliant. I will venture to say that Wide Awake is Parquet Court’s best release so far, and the best punk rock album of this decade –nay– century.

Artist Review - Portugal. The Man

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To me the best kind of music is the kind that seems to transcend generations. Everytime that I go home to visit my parents, what music to play in the car always plagues me: they don't like rap music, they hate what's on the radio, and my sad indie music usually isn’t palatable either so we mostly stick to the oldies. But lately, I’ve been playing Portugal. The Man and they really like them maybe even more than me. Having been a part of the music scene since 2004 after forming in Alaska, its surprising to me that a band as good as Portugal. The Man has remained mostly under the radar until their hit “Feel It Still” in 2017. This band has a special kind of sound that is both retro and modern making them enjoyable to both younger and older generations.

Portugal. The Man was formed in 2004 in Wasilla, Alaska by lead singer John Baldwin Gourley, Gourley's partner & back-up singer Zoe Manville, Zach Carothers, Kyle O'Quin, Jason Sechrist, and Eric Howk. Portugal. The Man originally started as a side project for Gourley and Carothers but it wasn’t long until the other members found their way to the band and they then relocated to Portland, Oregon. Portugal. The Man got its name from a that Gourley had planned to write about his father and his adventures and is also based on the larger than life fame that David Bowie had.

Throughout all eight of their released studio album there is a late 60’s rock vibe with a modern twist. Their newest album Woodstock is named after the iconic music festival and much like the content of that festival, their album tackles all of "the crazy shit happening in the streets here and around the world." The song “Noise Pollution” deals with social media and how it has affected the news, Carothers says that "The entire planet is now a bunch of news anchors, but none of it's news, it's all opinion." The standout on Woodstock is of course the retro “Feel It Still” which became Portugal. The Man’s biggest song yet and won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. “Feel It Still” was the hit of 2017 and even though we are almost halfway through 2018 you can still hear the track on the radio, in advertisements, and even in the trailer for on the the biggest movies to be released this summer: Ocean’s 8.

Because I grew up in a beach town, in order to be on my summer playlist I have to be able to see myself listening to that music while going by the beach, and Portugal. The Man encompasses everything that good summer music needs to be.

Concert Review - Peter Hook & the Light

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Peter Hook, the legendary former bassist of the hugely influential bands Joy Division and New Order, took to the stage with his band The Light this past Friday to play an epic 27 song set of classics spanning the brief Joy Division years (tragically cut short in 1980 by the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis) through the 80’s new wave mega-hits from the surviving lineup, renamed as New Order.  Hook, or Hooky as he’s known to fans, looked remarkably fit and trim (for a man of his, ahem, experience) with his signature bass guitar slung low in his trademark style. Playing a double set covering the two compilation albums titled Substance released for each band, the show was a study in contrasts between the dark, raw, guitar-driven post-punk sound of Joy Division and the synthesized, driving dance beats of the international sensation, New Order.  

The evolution of Joy Division and New Order was defined by the push and pull between the creative instincts of bass player Hook and Bernard Sumner, the guitarist and keyboardist who assumed lead singing duties following Curtis’s death.  Hook, firmly rooted in guitar heavy, punk influenced rock and roll was often at odds with Sumner’s ever growing interest in electronic dance music. Yet they found a formula that produced some of the best music of the 80’s and 90’s. Hook, with his distinctive bass playing, infused Sumner’s electro-pop with a brooding rock edge that came to define the band’s style and turned them into one of the most popular and influential alternative bands of their era.  Over time however, the conflict and near constant battling between Hook and Sumner took its toll ultimately leading to Hook’s departure in 2007.

Still, the catalog of music created by these two bands has stood the test of time and can pack venues today.  Friday night at Metro was no exception with a sold out crowd of enthusiastic, largely middle aged fans dancing and singing along with Hook and company’s masterful renditions of Joy Division and New Order classics.  Hook was joined by his son, Jack, also pulling bass duty (playing just as well as his old man by the way) along with former bandmates from his earlier side projects Monaco and Revenge. This collection of veterans and pedigreed musicians was able to deliver a performance that in many ways was tighter and better executed than the original band’s often hit or miss efforts.  But it was the dual set format separating the New Order songs and the Joy Division songs that highlighted a distinctive difference in Hook’s approach to the two bands.

The first “act” covered New Order’s Substance album, including classics such as Blue Monday, Temptation, Bizarre Love Triangle and True Faith.  Hook, whose voice is largely absent from the original recordings, ably handled most of the singing duties which is impressive considering his deeper vocal range as compared to Sumner’s consistently higher notes. He did hand off some vocals to his lead guitarist when the range was just too high for him, but the effect was still good and true to the original.  While the music sounded fantastic and got the crowd jumping, it became apparent that there was more music coming from the pre-recorded backing tracks than the musicians themselves, as one might expect from songs by a synth-heavy band like New Order. The drummer essentially sat out a few songs while the recorded synth-drums pounded away and even appeared to “air-drum” at one point seemingly out of boredom.  Hook’s demeanor was also somewhat subdued, not engaging with the crowd much and even letting a yawn slip out mid-way through set. Not a good sign.

After completing the New Order set and taking a brief break, the band returned to the stage with an energy and passion largely missing from the first set.  Simply put, Peter Hook playing Joy Division songs is his sweet spot. Not only do the songs better match his rock style, Hook’s vocals are impressively close to Ian Curtis’ deep and melodic tones.  More importantly, the songs being played have been dormant far too long. New Order’s live performances over the years would always include one or two Joy Division songs, but the rest of the songs on Joy Division Substance needed to see the light of day again.  These are brilliant tracks that set the stage for generations of bands that followed.  Seeing an original band member perform them, while accepting the fact that the surviving Joy Division members will probably never re-unite to play them, made the moment truly special.  Peter Hook honored Ian Curtis’s legacy better than anyone else ever could have and delivered a very memorable experience for fans.

In the end, the performance by Peter Hook and the Light was gift for long time fans of both Joy Division and New Order.  It was a refreshing take on timeless songs without becoming nostalgic or derivative. It was hard to not be reminded of Hook’s acrimonious split from New Order and imagining what could have been, but Hooky seems to relish his role as a front man and guardian of a great musical legacy.  After more than 40 years in the music business, Peter Hook is still able to deliver and showing no signs of slowing down.

Album Review - Flowerrs

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Like most people who grew up listening to music in the mid-2000s, I’ve been a huge fan of the band Paramore. Whether it be the pop-punk jams from albums like Riot! or the new-wave stylings of After Laughter the band has continued to deliver some of my favorite songs for many years now. Many people mostly know the band for their front-woman, Haley Williams, who has remained the face of the band since its inception. However, the band’s other members are just as talented as Ms. Williams herself, especially drummer Zach Farro. When not playing drums for Paramore, Farro is more focused on his other musical project, indie-pop outfit HalfNoise.

This project had started in 2012 from the collaboration of Farro and fellow Tennessee musician Jason Clark. They have released numerous albums and EPs since their inception and their latest release Flowerss is proving to be some of their most catchy and consistent work to date.

Starting right from the title tracks the listener can already tell their in for a very psychedelic tinged pop experience through this EP. All the songs throughout are very much driven by clean and crisp guitar chords couple with a variety of guitar riffs from crunchy and distorted to jangly and clean. HalfNoise have managed to take a very consistent sound that they use throughout this record and explore different ways to use that sound, which adds to their appeal. You hear this on the summery piano and guitar arpeggio tinged track “Every Single Time” to songs like “She Said” which is more groove based with on the beat chord changes and tight rhythm section.

The instrumentation on this EP has a very tight and polished sound throughout thanks to the very clear production. None of the instruments are too forward or too far away within in the mix giving everything its own time to shine. The vocals, however, have a tendency to get  drowned out by the instruments, at the very least to the point where some of the lyrics become inaudible within a few of the tracks. It is a shame too, because Zach Farro’s vocals add a lot to this release. He maintains a very smooth tone with a slightly darker timbre that makes his singing very enjoyable to listen to. This is sometimes even contrasted with some nice falsetto tones, especially on “Every Single Time”. Tracks like “My Girl” shows him going a little breathier and lighter with his voice, but this never really detracts from his performance.

Lyric wise, HalfNoise takes a very simplistic approach. Verses tend to be on the shorter side and choruses are a bit more repetitive than typical, and the lyrics themselves create straightforward songs about love and relationships. This makes an EP like this very easy to digest during listens but rarely is there anything all that “deep” within it as a result. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but don’t listen to this release expecting anything all that profound.

For those who are fans of Farro’s other projects (i.e. Paramore), you’ll find this release to be fairly different from most of his known output. However, I believe HalfNoise proves themselves through this release as a solid band in their own right, without having to draw comparisons to anything else. They’re a fun and catchy group and this EP is a perfect pick for anyone’s summer playlist.

Album Review - Voicenotes

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The Charlie Puth we all know and love may have finally found his place in the world of pop, finally gaining the favor of critics with his new album, Voicenotes. It had already been certified Gold just five days after being released, thanks to the heavy lifting of its pre-released lead single “Attention”. The 26 year old singer-songwriter produced most of the songs on the album himself, and included a few high profile collaborations. The song “Done for Me” features the young artist Kehlani, and “Change” features the renowned James Taylor. The final one is a moving acapella collaboration with Boyz II Men called “If you leave me now”, an emotional plea to keep a relationship alive. It is an album filled with these kind of heavy emotional songs that put to music the pain of Puth getting his heart broken and getting through everything, but also songs on the other side of love like the feeling of a new crush.

Long loved by the public since his rise to fame on youtube and his relatable awkward first appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show in 2011, Charlie Puth has a strong educational background in music. He attended the upper-west side Manhattan School of Music Pre-College, where he was able to major in jazz piano and minor in classical studies. From there, he was accepted into the elite Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he met the duet partner that would would help launch his career. It was Emily Luther and Puth’s cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You” that landed them on Ellen and signed to her record label. After spending a couple years working on smaller projects with her label, and graduating from Berklee, Puth signed with Atlantic Records in 2015. It was there that he rocketed to the top charts with his debut single with Meghan Trainor, “Marvin Gaye” was certified double platinum. “See you Again” then went No. 1 and 9× Platinum. But his first studio album Nine Track Mind, which was released in January 2016 was met with harsh reviews from critics. Even though America had fallen in love with Puth, Metacritic rated it 37/100 which made it the 15th worst album ever reviewed on the site.

After the harsh reviews, and his occasional public struggles dealing with fame, he went back to basics for his new album. Citing the problem of too much producer influence and a lack of true emotion and music, he stayed true to himself this time. He spent a lot of time working alone on this album, and it shows. I think his own style comes through more in these songs then the overproduced ones, and the critics agree. Voicenotes almost doubled the metacritic score on this album vs his previous, giving it an actually favorable 67/100.

I honestly didn’t realize how badly his first album was received by critics. Since he first surfaced, I have been captivated by his smoothness in his sweet high range, his perfect pitch, and his musicality. I’m glad the critics are finally coming around to the rest of America’s point of view. But maybe they were the push he needed, because now Puth is really coming into his own as an artist. Give Voicenotes a listen, and let us know what you think.

Artist Review - LANY

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The best music is the kind that transports us to an alternate dimension away from our own. Music has the ability to make us forget our current problems and issues. It is  alluring and unique, it allows us to focus entirely on the daydream with each note and beat. The band LANY has the amazing ability to do just this. Hailing from Los Angeles, California, the indie-pop band consists of Jason Klein, Charles Leslie "Les" Priest, and Jake Clifford Goss. The band’s synth-pop style is dream like, with a soft and meandering melody present in each song. One cannot help but be overcome with a feeling of calmness while listening to LANY. Their songs flow from note-to-note, lyric-to-lyric, with no sharp changes or jumps to interrupt the sinuous progression. Personally, this makes me feel light and carefree. The image of driving down the California coast during the sunset always comes to me while listening to them, and it makes me feel free.

LANY was formed in 2014 when the three members of the band met in Nashville, Tennessee. They all had separate solo projects they were working on, but they gave up on them in favor of forming the band, LANY. Each band member took the different projects they were working on and combined them into one cohesive project; the band LANY.  The name “LANY” is a combination of the acronyms for Los Angeles and New York. There music has elements of pop, synth, and R&B to create the dreamy pop sound I described above.

The band produced their first works with the release of two singles, “Hotlights” and “Walk Away”, to Soundcloud in 2014. These singles generated significant interest in the band online, and led them to release their first EP, Acronyms. The EP was a hit in the Indie and alternative scene, and LANY soon went on tour with various big artists like X Ambassadors, Troye Sivan, and Halsey. The released their second EP I Loved You, right before making an appearance at Lollapalooza, and the band signed to Polydor Records soon after this. The released a handful of EPs after they joined the label, and they put out their self-titled album LANY in June of 2017. The band has experienced large amounts of success since their formation  

LANY has released some amazing music since their formation in 2014. It has been my go-to band to listen to during the summer, because of their dreamy, calming, and warm sound. Listening to them on chill summer evenings is such and affirming experience. That situation perfectly matches the sound of their music. The song “pink skies” encompases all of LANY’s music in one perfectly crafted track. The dreamy and understated instrumentation blends with the falsetto vocals and the minimalistic, but impactful lyrics, which all culminates into an incredible listening experience. The track “Good Girls” on the album LANY has a different feel to it than a majority of their songs. It is more upbeat and isn’t as minimalistic. It is not a dance song, but it has more of a dance feel to it. However, it still has the same sound and musical structure to it. It has synth instrumentation and the notes still flow together. This shows that LANY can experiment with the music they create and still not lose the soul of their unique sound.   So, I would absolutely recommend adding LANY to your summer playlists.

Artist Review - The Academic

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With summer right around the corner, people of all ages are excited to lose the layers and hit the beach. The smell of sunscreen in the air (and a shit ton of aloe for yours truly)  summer entices every one of the senses, especially summer music. Artists love to release their music in anticipation for the warmer more carefree months. For the average listener, it is important to find that one album or artist to relax to on those long summer drives or hangouts at the beach. The Academic is the perfect discovery for this summer-long search.

The indie rock band hailing from Ireland creates a relaxed atmosphere that can get anyone's’ feet tapping and head nodding. Formed in 2013, this band has previously released singles, but this year the album dropped their LP “Tales from the Backseat” which reached the number one album in Ireland back in January. The band consists of four members: Craig Fitzgerald on lead vocals and guitar, Matthew Murtagh on guitar, Stephen Murtagh on bass, and  Dean Gavin on drums. They have previously released many different singles and on EP titled “Loose Friends” back in 2015. They are currently signed with the label Downtown.

So why listen to these guys? What makes them different from the hundreds of other indie rock bands scattered throughout the globe currently? What they manage to do is create a sound that brings about a carefree and happy feeling. Often times Indie music can be more somber and frankly depressing, but these guys remind listeners of happier times and times when they felt at peace or just relaxed. This band makes me want to be driving with my windows down singing along with friends, which is what I believe they were going for.

My favorite song on the album has to be “Fake ID” the small riff at the beginning hooks listeners. Like many songs, the singer is in pursuit of a girl, that is holding something back, probably her age, and he tells her to bring her fake ID along so they can get into the club and have a good time, but nothing seems to go right for them. This is something that I believe every young listener can identify with, age restricting them from doing things that they truly want. While I do not condone using a fake ID, the song is very catchy and just an upbeat jam that gets everyone who is listening to it on their feet.

“Bear Claws” was the first song that I listened to on this album and got me hooked. With a certain aesthetic that is very reminiscent of other rock groups like The Strokes and a little bit like The Killers, this song has the pop-esque intro with the vocals, but the guitar solo later in the song reminds the listener they are truly listening to rock, and this combination is what makes this band so endearing and enjoyable to listeners of all different musical tastes and backgrounds.

The Academic is currently touring the The Kooks and will be in Chicago at the Vic on Wednesday May 30th.

Artist Review - Birdtalker

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Birdtalker: the feelgood indie folk band you’ve probably heard but have never heard of. Formed in 2012 when guitarist and singer Zack Green asked his wife, keyboardist and singer, Dani Green to help him write a song. After members Andy Hubright, Brian Seligman and Jesse Baker joined the band, Birdtalker was complete. Birdtalker has created a refreshing and vulnerable telling of life with a sound that can best be described as poetry set to music.

Their debut EP Just This launched in 2016 and was not only a musical triumph but also an emotional one. This EP is among the most fantastic I’ve listened to. Each song contains its own complete story about life and are often packed full with purpose. Songs like “Heavy” and “Blue Healer” are not only motivation but seem to take a weight of your shoulders with lyrics that inspire positive action. “Heavy” is currently their most streamed song on Spotify with almost 22 million listeners; this is not surprising as it is a favorite of mine and with good reason. The lyrics are woven in and out with the different voices from the band and their instruments.

Following their debut EP Just This, Birdtalker has launched several new singles starting in 2017 including “One”, “Autodomesticated Animal”,  “Looking For Love”, and most recently “Free Like A Broken Heart”. The most beautiful thing about Birdtalker is that their songs are genuine, real, and relatable. In “Looking For Love”, a heart warming song about--you guessed it--looking for love, the lyrics say, “But she says she loves me/Oh when she loves french fries” which may seem quirky at first but when you look beyond the comparison to a greasy fast food, it is actually a beautiful way to describe the love that exists between two people--either romantic or platonic--and how it can be felt by someone. Their most recent release follows suit with Birdtalker’s signature vibe of steady drum and percussion to create a groovy beat to accompany poetic and inspiring lyrics.

For me, I can feel Birdtalker in my heart and in my soul which does not really happen all that often but there is something special about this group. Their sound is innocent and idyllic but their lyrics are mature and bring beauty to ordinary aspects of life. Birdtalker uses music to examine delicate moments in life and their deeper meanings. Their songs need to be listened to carefully in order to truly appreciate their original themes and musical innovations to fully understand the rare quality of this group known as Birdtalker.

Their first full length album One features eleven tracks and will be released June 22nd of this year and is now available for preorder.

Album Review - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

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After 5 years of no releases, Arctic Monkeys released their sixth full-length album, “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino,” May 11. A divergence from their established rock sound, the highly anticipated album takes on a more relaxed tone exploring a different side, musically and lyrically, of the British rockers.

With the opening track “Star Treatment” Arctic Monkeys welcomes its listeners to the “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.” The slow tempo and smooth instrumentals transport the listener to a swanky hotel lobby, setting the tone for the album. To achieve this unique sound, the band used a variety of instruments from the organ to the harpsichord. While the album still has its fair share of guitar, those looking for the face-paced ruckus that is “I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor” or the deep, full bass of “Do I Wanna Know?” are in for a shock. “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” maintains a mellow but dynamic and, at times, dissonant, sound with the help of lead singer Alex Turner’s Bowie-reminiscent voice and compelling combination of instruments. The musical departure allows Arctic Monkeys a chance to grow. It proves the band is willing to experiment not just rely on the success of “AM” sticking to what they had done before.

The explorations do not end musically as the lyrics take on societal topics such as the effects of technology on interpersonal communication and the odd occurrences of society. The seemingly disjointed “Batphone” addresses the obsession with social media saying, “life became a spectator sport.” It continues, discussing the irony of consumerism and personal character saying, “I launch my fragrance called ‘Integrity’ / I sell the fact that I can’t be bought.” The band critiques gentrification in the track “Four Out Of Five” as Turner sings, “I put a taqueria on the moon / it got rave reviews / four stars out of five.” This critique of the intricacies of society allows listeners an opportunity to view their actions from an outside perspective and see their flaws.

Given the final product, it would make sense that Arctic Monkeys would take one more opportunity to do things differently. The band chose not to promote the album with a series of singles before the release. The only peek into the “Hotel” the fans got was a Twitter teaser video that ended with an “AM” era reminiscent guitar riff present on the track “Four Out Of Five.”

The album’s closer, “The Ultracheese,” is arguably the most conventional song of the piece. The piano-based ballad offers a clean way to close out the album. Turner sings, “still got pictures of friends on the wall,” contributing to the overall nostalgic feel of the album, but the critical nature of the lyrics continues as he questions if those were real friendships at all. This track takes the listener to the swanky hotel’s bar for the final song of the night.

Arctic Monkeys’ “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” defies expectations in every sense. This most recent effort pushes forward the band as a whole while also giving an opportunity to expand their fan base with the new sound. By building their own musical hotel and casino, it’s clear that even after a 5 year break Arctic Monkeys still know what they’re doing.

Album Review - Graffiti U

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The new album that Keith Urban announced at his surprise show in Nashville on January 17 has finally come out from Capital Records in Nashville. Titled Graffiti U, the new album that intentionally bears his initial has topped the chart as the #1 country album this week. His album takes the place of Jason Aldean’s Rearview Town which held the number one spot last week, knocking it down to number two. The album has thirteen songs, one of them being his single from November of 2017, “Female.”

Now let's talk about the music. Normally, I like my country and pop separate (yes it is possible to like both pop and country), especially now that most of the new country songs coming out aren’t really very country at all. But I think I might just give Keith Urban a pass because his new album bridges the gap for some pretty cool songs for the summer. But Keith, I’m only allowing this for summer, so after this you gotta start doing some real country. One of the reasons that I’ll allow it is because this album is made up of a lot of cool collaborations. Some of his collaborators include triple platinum and grammy nominated singer-songwriter Julia Michaels, the rising country singer Kassi Ashton, talented singer and multi-instrumentalist Lindsay Ell, and songwriter Shy Carter. Carter and Michaels are very accomplished songwriters, but looking at their resume, what I don't see are very strong ties to country. They are predominantly pop writers, and it shows in the songs in this album as well as their client list. They have worked with the likes of artists Meghan Trainor, Jason Derulo, Charlie Puth, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Billy Currington, Justin Bieber, songwriter for The Weekend Benjamin Levin, Johnny McDaid of Snow Patrol, and Ed Sheeran collaborator Amy Wadge.

Speaking of Ed Sheeran, he collaborated with Urban to write one of the songs on this album. The showcase of Urban’s upper range and falsetto, “Parallel Line” is an emotional love song that might be one of the best songs on the album. It is a really beautiful song, but I’m a little lost on where it fits into country music. Ed Sheeran’s influence on the song is pretty clear, which I don’t mind because I like Ed Sheeran, but this song may belong on the pop charts not the country ones. And with Keith Urban and other country artists continuing to attempt to bridge the gap between country music and pop, they may have inadvertently crossed over to the pop side. But I’m worried these efforts made to increase the popularity of the country genre may have made it lose its roots. Only time will tell if they will pay off or not. In the meantime, we have some cross genre songs that are perfect for the summer.

Album Review - Panic Blooms

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Pennsylvania’s enigmatic synth-indie-psych-vocoder band, Black Moth Super Rainbow remains one of those bands that skirts the line of genius and insane. Their most recent release, Panic Blooms is no exception to this. While their previous releases Cobra Juicy and Seefu Lilac, demonstrate Black Moth Super Rainbow’s penchant to deliver accessible upbeat, heavily distorted, rock-synth fusion, Panic Blooms depicts a much darker and melancholic depth within Black Moth Super Rainbow’s wheelhouse.

Slippery distorted saw tooth synths abound, Panic Blooms is a commentary for current world affairs, and boy-OH-boy is this soundscape uncanny. With lead vocoder-singer and album producer Tobacco (Tom Fec) at the helm of this ghost ship, the album as a whole is a journey through a desolate wasteland, its ecosystem made of indescribable disintegrating synths, echo-slapped compressed beats, ethereal ahhhs and ooohs and the occasional whispery guitar sample. Because of vacuum sucked hard hitting snares and consistent hi-hat beats in the background, its hard not to feel like the foreground is spiraling away from you. Songs like New Breeze and Harmlessly deploy synth lines that seem to slither out of your speakers, coasting the ground below like a warm digital mist. The production on this album jumps from one end of the spectrum to the other. A song like To the Beat of a Creeper requires only a guitar and pink noise for most of track while other songs like Sunset Curses and Bottomless Face are created with such precise production that it’s impossible to distinguish which digital blips are real and which are your mind playing tricks on you.

Peering past the veneer of the Tobacco’s vocoder reveals the albums lyrics to be especially gloomy. On Rip on Through, in between resonating digital screeches Tobacco laments

“For you, for you, there's nothin I can do/

The sun went black and your hand came back/

But your garden never grew”

And while this already may be a bit on the nose for some, other songs like Bad Fuckin Times take it a step further; as synths howl in odd rhythms, the vocoder robot pilot of this ghost ship sighs “You’re even better than depression” in mantra.  

Overall, this release is a great addition to BMSR’s discography. It’s strange, haunting, and oddly reminiscent of one of an overbearingly hot summer day. When compared to previous great releases such as Cobra Juicy and Eating Us, Panic Blooms might not meet expectations on the first couple listens. However, like the album title implies, when the ghostly sounds on this album are nurtured with careful repeated listening, they bloom like a visually off-putting but beautifully smelling flower. Sure, it wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice for a Black Moth Super Rainbow bouquet or corsage, but if you ever take your time to smell the roses, Panic Blooms will always be a wonderful choice.

Album Review - K.O.D

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The trajectory of hip hop music has changed drastically in the past couple years. With the arrival of new and revolutionary albums such as Damn by Kendrick, the entire hip hop community has followed behind and started to release albums with more meaning than simply sex, drugs and rock and roll. J. Cole continues this trend, but doesn't merely follow it, he adds to it in a way that reflects his artistic identity and beliefs. Make sure not to hit shuffle when listening to this album, in continuing with the trend of narrative style works, J. Cole’s new album is in a chronological style, with different classical influences like interludes and intros and outros. It really gives a more clean and polished look and feel to the album overall.

When following J. Cole’s career, it is interesting to see the shift in his type of music and his sound. I can remember an 8th grade Margaret dancing to “Work Out” not really understanding the subtext of the song. His earlier career consisted of following the traditional rap subjects: sex, money, and fame. However, his evolution in his Forest Hills Drive shifted from this to a more personal level. Whether it was "no role modelz" talking about his plights in life and how he didn’t have anyone to sway his actions, or him being nervous about having sex for the first time in “wet dreamz” it really gave us some insight into the mind and psyche of Cole. In his new album, KOD, he dives even deeper into his experiences in the world, with the overall messages and alarming situations appearing in society today.

The jazz influenced intro song sets up the mood from a traditional hip/hop and rap beat into something more. With the female narrating about how a baby would communicate with the world, “laughter” or “crying”, which shows the fundamental emotions all humans fear. Joy and fear, and how everything stems from these two emotions. It is a concept that resonates throughout the entire album as he discusses love, fame, temptations, etc. It sets up a rhythmic bass that persists through the album.

The song the KOD, which the album is named after, is an abbreviation of “Kiss of death”. J. Cole makes the comparison that his fame, money, success, and everything that it brought has actually brought him more hardship. People are coming after him now that he is famous, and he is tired of all the unwarranted attention. The final line in the song talks about how “love is the strongest drug of all” and I have to be honest, when I heard this I chuckled a bit. It almost seems like a bit preachy and way too much of a cliche, like he is trying too hard to be edgy or different. While the song has a good beat and attempts to have a meaningful message, I do believe the preachy tone and cliche messages are a bit too much and it feels like I am being taught how to live not inspired to live differently.

Right now the album is breaking many records on Apple music. According to CNET, “J. Cole's KOD snags title from Drake for most-streamed album. More people in the US listened to the rap album on Apple Music and Spotify in its first 24 hours than any other.” Showing that obviously his work is resonating with the public and being heard. J Cole is known for being very lyrically sound and a master wordsmith, however, I am on the fence on the album. While the message is strong and clear, all the songs tend to blend together, whether that be the intention or not. I did like the storytelling style, but besides KOD, there wasn’t one song that really stood out. On Kendrick’s Damn album, one could easily point out songs they love from the first few notes, however in this one, I think the individual nature of each song is lost in the overall composition of the album. However, I do like the sound of the album, and I do believe it highly showcases the intensity and ability of J. Cole as an artist. I will continue to listen to this album, and I look forward to more of the work J. Cole will out forward.

Album Review - Czarface Meets Metal Face

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The rap duo of Esoteric and Inspectah Deck, also known as CZARFACE, is teaming up with the villainous MF DOOM on this new album. CZARFACE’s style is a dark and funky vibe that borrows the comic book persona that DOOM pioneered. As someone who never really listened to Eso or INS up until recently, but is a major DOOM fan, this album is a banger. When first listening to the album, it took me a little bit to get into the groove of it . The intro titled “Take Your Medicine” is disorienting, with its echoey and ghostly vocals that have spacey lyrics that trail in and out of the track. After that it kicks in with “Meddle with Metal” that starts with an almost military style loop and then crashes in with a bang. The booming and crunchy bass gets right in your face and is followed up by the repeating “CZAR. DOOM.” vocals in the chorus making this song remind me of a villain’s theme.

The lyrics on this song and the rest of the album are not necessarily meaningful or conceptual but instead focuses on lyrics that will leave you with your jaw on the floor. I was really impressed by the lyrics Doom brought to the album as it is some of his best work yet. Esoteric and especially INS have some of my favorite bars in the album. In the previously mentioned “Meddle with Metal” INS says:

“What I'm stompin' to harder than an inmate on a conjugal

Launchin' you with rocket fuel, live at the barbecue

Rebel I-N-S provide a spark for you

And I ain't even dig into my arsenal”

Other songs on this album that have some solid and hard hitting lyrics include Captain Crunch, Bombs Thrown, and Stun Gun. Some of the performances though kind of felt like they lacked  some energy but still made for great tracks.

My favorite part of this project is the instrumentals. I love the funky vibe that some songs bring, such as “Stun Gun” that completely contrast other gritty and brutal sounding tracks like “Mf Czar”. The thick bass that is laid on “Mf Czar” makes it impossible not to nod your head paired with the dirty yet crisp drum loops. “Captain Crunch/Brunch” was very fun to see on the album. It is two separate tracks with the same vocals and lyrics but different beats underneath that change the feel of each track. Captain Crunch having a more energetic and aggressive sound makes for an interesting double take towards the end of the album when they change to Captain Brunch, which is a more laid back and jazzy track.

There are also a few sketches between CZAR and DOOM that I find to be very entertaining and help break up the album. I really enjoyed listening to “Close Talker” which was pretty funny and set a good mood for the rest of the album. However, “You Masked for It” fell a little short and ran on a tad long in my opinion, but was still enjoyable. The outro was fun and kept the aggressive momentum from the back end of the album and was a good contrast following “Captain Brunch” leaving the album on a high note. Overall, with its bangin instrumental and lyrics, I highly recommend this album to everyone who is a fan of Doom and CZARFACE or anyone who is into dark and funky rap styles. It was a great album to listen to front to back and definitely made the top of my monthly playlist.

Artist Review - Little Tybee

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Little Tybee is a unique feel-good band that fits every season. As Chicago is transitioning to warm weather, the band’s self-titled, most current album is finding itself on repeat. Little tybee is a experimental, progressive folk-rock band. They are energetic and enamoring, and they opened my eyes to the grace and versatility of the violin. They are unimaginable until you give them a listen.

Their most recent full album, Little Tybee, appeals first with its album cover. It is simplistic and innocent, with a little pop of cover. It represents an album that is nothing less than a work of art. Little Tybee definitely has a distinct sound and style, but each track on the album manages to be it own entity. I always hate having to describe their sound to my friends, because they are the perfect example of genre benders. Excited drums give them subtle but palpable energy in their music, and all of it is smoothed out with a glossy violin melody. Also memorable is their vocalist Brock Scott. His charming high notes is the last piece of the puzzle for this band. No song on Little Tybee is hesitant or conformant, but it is obvious that each lyric and note is chosen with perfect care.

The lyrics hidden in Little Tybee are real gems. Firstly, the lyrical focus of the album is incredibly balanced. There are definitely songs that are more instrumental like “The Alchemist”, “As We Grow”, and “Languid”,  and they are placed very tastefully between their more lyric-heavy songs. The entire album is nearly poetry, there is never a lack of adventurous metaphors. They are done gorgeously and with purpose. Each song sends the listener on an adventure, even if it's the most mundane message, Little Tybee spins it into a masterpiece. If you look closely, Little Tybee incorporates quite a bit of social commentary, but never without a smile. The album tells several stories, some about love, some about nostalgia, even some about business. They definitely leave a lot to interpretation, and that is if you can even get past absorbing in their overwhelming collection of sound.

Little Tybee shys away from no musical idea and style, but at the same time, perfects its own. They feed the ears and the soul, and I catch myself swaying to their violins as I commute. This small group deserves a spot on your adventurous playlists. Do yourself a favor and go follow their musical endeavors.

Artist Interview - Edward and Graham

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In The Loop was lucky enough to be able to interview duo Edward and Graham before their show on April 26th. With roots in the Chicago Music Scene, this group was excited to be playing Schubas Tavern, and we were interested to hear their take on the scene here in Chicago.

What are your musical backgrounds?

Evan: That’s an interesting question for us, because I’m actually in a progressive tech, metal band, and I grew up listening to metal and all kinds of stuff really, Beatles and whatever. My dad played music also, I’ve always been into heavier bands, but I produce and engineer bands as well, and I’ve always worked with [Johnny], so over the years I did his first EP and did some guitar and stuff on it, and the next one I did even more, and then I was like ‘hey why don’t we play together live and [then] after awhile it was like, we should just change the name and hit it hard.

Johnny: And my background and influence really comes a lot from the Beatles, I think both of our fathers raised us on that stuff, but during high school I sort of deviated into more like John Mayer, really pop/singer songwriter thing, not to say Evan wasn’t into it, but I knew him more as the ‘Metal Guy’, I mean he likes Coldplay and everything, but I think our sound really comes from putting our two areas together.

Evan: I do love Coldplay

Johnny: He does

What is your take on the Chicago Music Scene Right Now?

Johnny: I don’t really know who’s doing so much similar to our sound, but a lot of what I think the Chicago music scene I think of hip/hop, uh, I hear that metal is big here too, or hard rock is pretty big here.

Evan: Yeah there’s a lot of metal, but it’s weird I feel like, I mean this went on a few years ago, but it got really competitive and like not in a good way, I think that a lot of bands realized it wasn’t the best way to go about it. Like selling the most tickets, going back to presale style shows and stuff like that. And personally, shame on venues for even doing that kind of stuff, but like, I think Chicago is back on the up and up with helping each other out, really caring about the shows, getting people out for all the bands and what not.

Johnny: That was such a good answer

Evan: That’s what it’s all about, you know?

Who are some musicians that inspire you?

Evan: So I’ve been teaching music for over a decade, so I listen to everything, I mean I had to and I finally realized I could learn to appreciate everything. It sounds kind of snobby, but it’s my job, I have to sit there and study Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa, and I'm like, ‘oh wait a minute this little chord change is cool’ but yeah, I grew up learning every Metallica song that I could, Beatles absolutely, out of the crib, Coldplay is one of my favorite bands, I went on a huge Yanni kick, just total nerd stuff. But yeah, Beatles and Metallica would probably be the biggest for me.

Johnny: For me, definitely John Mayer, like I would have to imagine Blink-182 and fall Out Boy come through somehow in my writing. I have to be influenced by it in someway from high school. But then when I discovered John Mayer I got into songwriting more.

What was your first gig like?

Johnny: I played drums in high school and that’s fine, cause you’re in the back -not to take anything away from drummers-, but the first time I sang I was terrified, because I didn’t know how I would respond to it, but I actually found myself feeling incredibly comfortable. And I didn’t like public speaking and stuff like that so I thought it would translate to the stage, but it didn’t, and it actually turned out to be ok.

Evan: I um, gosh I don’t remember, i mean, I think I actually got paid in 8th grade to play a pool party, with my metal band

Johnny: An 8th grade metal band..

Evan: Yeah we just did like Ozzy Osbourne covers and like, we threw in Hotel California and your standard old hits. Uh yeah, I just have played forever, it’s just something I’ve always wanted to do, you know? For money or not. At that age, it was just like, you play anything you could.

Johnny: And I think we both had just like super musical families, I mean both of our dads were in bands growing up, so it was just something that was always around you.

Evan: We actually found out later, our dads, both filled in for a band at the same time and we were both at the show, it was an outdoor summer festival thing, and we were probably 2-3 years old when it happened so we were with our moms. Cause the Beatles cover bands often borrowed members from other Beatles' cover bands.

Any advice to up and coming artists?

Johnny: It’s so hard not to give a cliche answer to this, but I’ll let Evan go first cause he will say something profound.

Evan: Coming from someone who is an educator, because I teach kids, high schoolers, and adults, I help people record, produce, and then I’ll tell you what you’re supposed to do after that, because I feel as though there is so much misinformation out there. [Nowadays] you can record a song on your iPhone and put it up on Soundcloud, and people are becoming more entitled to things. So if I were to offer any advice, it would be to be more open to all kinds of music and bands, and get out there and do the world. Because if you don’t, you’re not promised anything. No one is going to come listen to your song just because it is a good song, you still have to prove that it is good.

Johnny: I would say, don’t be afraid to write bad songs, because it will happen. You can’t get discouraged. Further down the road, good ones come, but I feel like it is so easy to get discouraged if it’s not great right away, or people don’t respond to it right away. I mean, I’ve written so many songs that looking back, that are so laughable. It’s easy to get discouraged if you're not what you envisioned. And my other piece of advice would be to finish the song you are writing. I can tell you that I still do it. I have a thousand verses not attached to choruses, or choruses I haven’t attached to verses. I think that seeing it through for the sake of seeing it through is important.

Evan: I think that goes along with don’t be afraid to write a bad song, because sometimes you just have to keep going and keep the wheels moving in order to finish it.   

What are your future plans for the band?

Evan: I think we are going to do more shows in this format, we have a full band around us now, we are super excited about that.

Johnny: We want to broaden the fan base through that, and in some point in the future we want to do an 8 song thing, something, a bigger collections of songs as a full band. Cause at the end of the day that’s how we envisioned ourselves to be.

What are you currently listening to?

Johnny: I really like the new James Bay stuff, I always have a steady diet of the Avett Brothers going, John Mayer. Also Tom Niche and Daniel Caesar

Evan: Lord Huron, I went and saw him on Riviera on the day his new album was released.

If you could perform with any musician, dead or alive, who would it be and where would it be?

Evan: It would have to be opening for John Mayer or the Avett Brothers at Tinley Park or Alpine Valley.

Johnny: See, I would have to say I would want to play Red Rock, the acoustics out there are just fantastic, cause it’s all natural acoustics.