#I listened to this EP so much in...early 2019? I think? late 2018/early 2019

[liesonthefloordramatically]

“But they love you” Over and over, “They love you” Thousands and thousands of eyes just like mine Aching to find who they are

[thebandcampdiaries]

An interview with Mattowarrior from Pathless Land!

We had the chance to ask Mattowarrior from Pathless Land a few questions about his latest release, "Bloodlines," which is an amazing example of creativity and sonic excellence. Keep reading to learn more!

- Congratulations on releasing “Bloodlines!” This work showcases a wide variety of sounds and influences. Can you tell us about the creative process behind the album and how you managed to blend different elements of old-school and modern heavy metal?

Well, I wanted to have one singer through all the songs, unlike the last one where I used two session singers and sang a bit myself, I wanted more continuity. I almost had a local singer join the project (as it’s currently me and session musicians on drums and vocals), and that was when one of the versions of The Dungeon Master (and the EP) were done. Things didn’t go anywhere with that singer around 2018/2019, so I decided to do a full-length album with the same two session musicians, and I almost was going to do a double album. I kind of took my time with the release, but that was not the original intention. There was a lot of upheaval in my life and a lot of changes that happened between the first notes getting recorded (which technically goes back to 2017(!)) and the release. I wasn’t sure the direction I was going to go in as far as stuff like will this be a double album, what songs do I want on the album, etc. I didn’t mean for it to take as long as it did, but obviously, there was a lot that happened between 2017/2018 and now in the world as well. I decided to buckle down in 2022 and attempt to get it done; even being as perfectionist as I am, sometimes that stifles me. The process now is going to be doing a new EP for late this year or early next year and then getting a live band together. Another thing that happened to me while recording this album is that I joined another band (a cover band), so I’m having to sort out how things are going to go since I have even more projects non-music related, and juggling all of that with the various music projects I’m doing as well. 

- The album art, song titles, and lyrics of "Bloodlines" are heavily influenced by fantasy themes and games like Dungeons and Dragons. How did this connection come about, and how did it impact the overall concept and direction of the album?

Well, I grew up being interested in Tabletop RPGs and fantasy in general. The album cover is almost meant as a parody, though since it’s based on a picture from the infamous “Bohemian Grove” wherein I changed the entity being “worshipped” from “Moloch” to a dragon. The Dungeon Master was meant as a (slightly) tongue-in-cheek take on the RPG group I was in at the time I wrote it.  

Since I was really influenced by the bands I have been in, I like to have a positive message. At the time the embryonic ideas for Pathless were being formed, music in the mainstream was cynical and angst-ridden. I think Pathless sometimes explores that side as well, but as an escape, it was great to hear bands talking about self-empowerment or storming the castle, fighting the dragon, and overcoming obstacles. it inspired me at a very formative time, and I like to carry on that tradition. Don’t forget that during many of my formative years, music in the mainstream was all about how depressed you were after your heroin binge. I have darker songs (in fact, the next release will have more horror-themed lyrics as well, something I’ve not tried much before) but almost feel a need to balance them out with more affirmative messages in songs like “Believe Again”, which came from that Stratovarius/Helloween/early Nocturnal Rites school of positive life affirming Metal songs, or “The Winner’s Edge”. 

- “Bloodlines" features 12 songs, and there is so much going on in terms of sounds, from clean melodies to roaring drops and energetic vocals. Can you share some insights into how you balance these different elements to create a cohesive listening experience for your audience?

It’s very difficult to put into a category with Pathless Land. The project name itself is based on a quote from Krishnamurti: “The search for truth is like a Pathless Land.” I wrote an instrumental years ago called “Journey to the Pathless Land”, years ago, which became the basis of the project name. Inherent in the name “Pathless Land” is the idea of an openness to experiment and go into many directions as far as the music goes. I guess I can boil it down to elements: Majestic, Darkly Atmospheric, Spacey, Mournful, and so on. I see Pathless as being based on Power/Traditional Metal, though maybe a bit of Progressive Metal as well though simulataneously I don’t want to be stuck in a genre or subgenre. That said, you wouldn’t see me writing a punk song or purely industrial song in Pathless, though those are still two genres I like. I am hoping it becomes more cohesive as time goes on; on this release, I utilized only one vocalist, which helps and I didn’t do in the past (except for when I was the main vocalist). One thing I try to shoot for is to have atmosphere in most of the songs, that is, have keyboards in most of the tracks, and I have a very distinct vision of what that sounds like. 

- What sets Pathless Land apart from other heavy metal bands, and how do you maintain your unique approach to the genre?

I think I was born and raised at a unique time and got into different styles of Metal at times when there was a dearth of interest in the genre, and I like to bring elements from all those times together. In the late nineties, living in a college town where most people have an antipathy toward metal (though way more so in the past) catalyzed something within me to go in this direction. I identify a lot with the mid-late nineties German Power Metal scene with bands like Blind Guardian, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Running Wild, Rage, Grave Digger, etc, but also I got into a lot of Black Metal, Prog Metal, and Death Metal bands during that time frame so that influenced a lot of what I do. I got into Metal because of British Metal bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, though it was at a time when their fortunes were declining in the US (early nineties). Yet I’m also obsessed with stuff like classic early Pink Floyd or Sisters of Mercy, even bands like Skinny Puppy, etc.; I like a lot of stuff, Classical, Fusion, etc; I want to make music that’s epic but not pretentiously empty and lacking riffs like some Metal bands today (I won’t name names lol).  I also don’t like a lot of the production choices with today’s Metal bands. I almost like this “New Wave Of Traditional Heavy Metal” more than some of the newer Power Metal bands. Hell, I can listen to a Tame Impala album more all the way through than some of the more boring Power Metal band albums nowadays. Beast In Black and a few others are notable exceptions.

- Could you discuss any specific track from "Bloodlines" that holds a special significance to the band or has an interesting story behind their creation?

I find At Saturn’s Gate to have an interesting story behind it since much of the song goes back nearly 30 years! I wrote a lot of the riffs in 1994 and used to play a lot of the riffs with both one of my best friends in high school and my brother both on drums (RIP). The fact that these riffs made it to the album to me is fascinating, just as a testament to the fact that I would remember and hold on to riffs that are literally ancient (lol)! The fact that I wrote a thrashy power metal song, this was a challenge to get to write since it’s not something I’ve normally done. The lyrics were based on Clark Ashton Smith and then the second half, well, I’ll leave that up to your imagination. 

The other song I’d say that has an interesting story is Time Will Tell (If Our Love Is Gonna Last). I wrote a series of riffs in 2015 that I called “sounds 80s” and it got a bit of attention on YouTube since it was done with this vintage piece of recording Equipment, a Scholz Rockman. I then started dating this woman in 2019 and I was listening to the song and then in relation to the relationship we had, I just spontaneously started singing/writing the chorus. I recorded it on my DAW, and then we broke up; I wrote the rest of the lyrics and the rest of the song that was based on the relationship I had just been in. I found it funny that I started the song dating her and thinking a loud in the chorus about what would happen, and then we broke up, and I finished the song! (though I want to remix that and some of the other songs one day!) 

- How do you see the future of heavy metal evolving, and how do you plan to adapt your sound to stay relevant in the genre?

I’d like to get better at theory and composition, and not only that, I want to fully immerse myself in being a better music engineer. I outsourced a few of the songs as far as mixing and mastering but next time want to do most of it myself. I’m honestly not as satisfied as I could be with much of the production of the album, though I adore the songs. I also want to become a better singer, obviously and a better player. As for the direction, I have a lot of ideas, I have some heavier ideas for the future direction, Black/Death influenced though of course, some more retro or AOR style songs slated too. One thing though I can guarantee is that the future is going to be more progressive and technical on at least some of the tracks, or more of a proportion of the tracks than previously. There will be songs that are more extreme, more straightforward Power Metal, and even maybe in a limited way even some groove metal influences in there too, at least like the earlier Phil era Pantera (Cowboys) or Exhorder. I wrote a few riffs that were influenced by that, I don’t of course, want to play that style exclusively. 

I think the future Pathless material will have styles more pronounced if that makes any sense. It would bore me to death to write all the songs sounding the same or in the same style in all honesty, even if Progressive Power Metal/Trad Metal is the foundation. 

Another thing of course is a live band. I’ve had visions of what a live show looks like, and I want to make it happen. Is it impossible in an Indie Music (a lot of which I also like now, at least the edgier stuff) loving college town in the Midwest? We’ll see. 

As for the future of Metal itself, well, I am old enough to have seen when Metal made you feared by much of the populace and seen as rebellious, but I also remember when it made you laughed at and seen as antiquated and out of style. I don’t want the latter to come back, but maybe more of the former. It seems like there’s a lot of groupthink among the Metal crowd nowadays. I don’t mean politically per se, I just mean it just doesn’t seem to challenge the status quo as much as it did in the past. 

It used to be a genre that got your grandmother to tell your mother to get you to see a guidance counselor, or your average fan had just done a stint in juvenile detention, now it’s something that a slightly nerdier than average kid will go see the show of after watching a Marvel movie. It’s become safe and mainstream in a way that trickles down to the overly stale quantized production, autotuned, triggered drums style that can work at times but makes a lot of albums sound blasé to me. As for the attitude and culture, going back to that, I don’t mean something necessarily like Varg Vikernes or Jon Schaefer of Iced Earth (involved in Jan 6) as being the culmination of “rebellion” in Metal, but I wouldn’t mind something like Ice T when he got called out by the President in the early nineties for the lyrical content of Body Count. WASP’s Blackie Lawless scaring parents, just stuff like that I miss some of the time. The pendulum swung where Metal wasn’t accepted to being too accepted, at least there’s too many people in Metal who want to say the same thing, which is to say, not really saying anything at all. They seem to just want push the status quo/current thing whatever it is that comes up. I want more diversity of thought, diversity in production, and more rebellion, though I don’t know what that would look like as far as the coherence of that statement goes.   

Metal, unfortunately, and Rock in general, is where Jazz was by the late seventies and eighties; its time has passed in many ways. There’s not much else to go or do as far as Metal without it sounding like a gimmicky novelty, like Polka Death Metal or something. It’s become a legacy genre in many ways. But I’m fine with that, even if in the past I wasn’t. That’s why I respect someone like Ghost; they’re kind of mainstream and a lot of “normies” who would never buy a Mercyful Fate or even a more obscure Blue Oyster Cult record like them, but that’s fine. They are shocking to some, not as many as if they had been around a long time ago, but the theatricality and the lack of apology for doing what they do, I have a lot of respect for them. They’re not like a certain San Francisco Metal band who got out of Metal when it was fashionable to do so, then got back into Metal when it was fashionable to do so. They just are who they are (Ghost) and I have a love for that. 

[svvitchfoot]

I haven’t actually emotionally processed uh, any of what happened yesterday, so this is part emotionally processing and part explaining a LOT of context because this isn’t just something Grace Baldridge thought of doing this past week.

I think the easiest thing to start with is by explaining who Grace Baldridge is, and why the topic of affirmation in the Christian music industry even needs to be discussed.

In spring/summer 2020, Baldridge, in conjunction with Refinery29, released a series of YouTube videos, mostly looking at the intersection of Christianity with various topics, focusing on queer issues because, well, Baldridge is gay. I’m pretty sure they were recorded in late 2019-early 2020 because there weren’t any pandemic precautions. One of these videos (linked here) is about the Christian music industry. Short version, the industry isn’t affirming, because mainstream Christianity isn’t affirming. Towards the end of the video, Baldridge talks to Dan Haseltine, the lead singer of Jars Of Clay (will admit, haven’t listened to them), who received a whole bunch of backlash for asking why people were so opposed to gay marriage on Twitter in 2014. I will note that Haseltine mentions that there are other Christian bands/artists who would be openly affirming, but can’t because of label/distribution consequences. Baldridge talks about wanting to see an openly queer Christian artist, and questioning whether the bands, like Switchfoot, that she listened to growing up and related to as a closeted queer kid actually would be supportive of her, and queer people in general.

Now, Baldridge is a musician, releasing an album under the artist name Semler in 2018 called Six Feet Under All The Same. Semler/Baldridge calls it “creepy folk music”. Almost exactly a year ago on TikTok, Baldridge floated the idea of a “queer Christian cover band”, basically taking the songs that pretty much every early-2000s youth group played and reclaiming them for the queer people who were pushed out of the church when they came out. Dare You To Move was one of the songs, Baldridge has been pretty open about her love for Switchfoot and Dare is a very common one among Christian youth groups. Hell, I heard Dare at Christian youth events, and I was involved in that kind of stuff about 10 years later. This is when I started following her, my partner knows I’m a huge fan of Switchfoot and sent me the TikTok of Baldridge’s cover.

In February of 2021, Semler released an EP called Preacher’s Kid, written about her experiences growing up as a queer PK, and all of the religious doubts, questions, and struggles that came with it. I’m not joking when I say that EP exploded, it charted on the Christian charts on Apple Music, Spotify, and iTunes, even reaching number 1 on iTunes. Semler released a single in April with, well, two songs and a prayer. The prayer is done by Kevin Garcia, a queer Christian, kind of minister, and author of Bad Theology Kills. The first song, Thank God For That, is a queer worship song with a lot of swearing. The second song is called TobyMac, and Semler writes about the struggle of growing up with Christian music, interpreting the songs through a queer lens, but not knowing whether or not you’d actually be accepted by the people who wrote/sing the songs. Switchfoot/Only Hope get another shout out here.

“And I’m terrified, I’m terrified, they’d hate me if they knew, I’m using worship songs to say I love you”. This, unfortunately, isn’t an uncommon sentiment among the queer Christians and ex-Christians I know or follow. Now, I was raised in the Catholic Church, not Protestantism, but the homophobia, transphobia, and general queerphobia is just as present. I can’t put into words the fear that comes with being raised with this kind of constant rhetoric, and then figuring out you’re the people they’re talking about and saying horrible things about.

To bring this back to the industry, I know Switchfoot doesn’t call themselves a Christian band, and I respect that, because their music isn’t as inherently religious as bands like Jars of Clay or NEEDTOBREATHE, but they are associated with the Christian music industry. They’re held up as the kinds of people Christians should aspire to be (as long as you ignore the songs criticizing the Church on Jon’s solo projects or any of the myriad songs about doubt). That association is enough for people like me and Baldridge to doubt whether Switchfoot, or any band that doesn’t say one way or another but seems cool, is actually affirming of LGBTQ+ folks. I genuinely never thought I would hear one way or another, not because I didn’t think that Switchfoot/Jon would openly be assholes, but because that fear runs so deep. You NEVER know if the person who seems outwardly kind believes that you don’t deserve to have rights, that you don’t deserve to have a place in Christianity.

Due to Preacher’s Kid and the follow-up single, Baldridge has gained a platform on Twitter/TikTok to be a voice for queer Christians. Baldridge used this platform to ask the question: “Is Switchfoot affirming?” Her first TikTok earlier this week was her plan to go to Switchfoot’s show in LA and shout “gay rights” after Dare and see what happens. She was too far back for the band to hear, unfortunately, so nothing really happened, so she posted a follow-up TikTok basically saying that. I think Jon’s video is replying to the first TikTok, there isn’t enough of Grace’s video at the beginning for me to know.

“I support your rights and freedoms” is not a sentence I ever thought I’d hear from Jon Foreman in regards to queer people. I never thought I’d hear that queer people are accepted for who they are at Switchfoot shows. This band and this music has meant so much to me throughout my life, it’s gotten me through some incredibly difficult times, including trying to figure myself out and come out. I resigned myself to the fact that my queerness would always be something that I would hide in certain situations, including Switchfoot shows. To know that Jon accepts people like me for who we are, and thinks that we have value as queer folks and deserve a place in the conversation, it genuinely means the world to me. I was going to wear my trans pride shirt to the show I’m going to in Boston under my interrobang shirt. I think I’m gonna wear it over my interrobang shirt instead.

The other thing that gets me is Jon’s apology. Dan Haseltine does the same thing when him and Baldridge were talking about Baldridge’s experience growing up with this music and doubting whether she’d be accepted by the people behind the music. Jon (and Dan) genuinely means it when he apologizes for the hurt that Baldridge went through because of being queer and Christian. I can’t put into words what it means to hear someone with a huge amount of influence say “I’m sorry for the hurt that the church put you through”.

This truly means everything because it goes against what mainstream Christianity is saying about queer folks. It feels like the collision of two worlds, and instead of being even more hurt or disappointed, I can instead rest easy knowing the band is accepting and affirming of people like me.

[viandnyl]

#002-Rakiyah

Rakiyah Singer/Song writer

Based in New Jersey, United States

Genre:Alternative, Experimental R&B

Instagram:＠rakiyah

Q:How did you first start doing music? (For example: what made you fall in love with music, how did you start working with music)

It’s funny because creating music wasn’t planned in my future. My life’s long passion was maths and sciences, and I predictably attended college as an engineer major. It was a path that my family and I thought for sure would be my future. I dabbled in music a little bit during college but it wasn’t until I lived abroad in South Korea in 2018, when I really started to find a love for music, recording my first EP abroad. I returned to the US in 2019 with a different state of mind. I was already gaining professional experience as an Aeronautical Engineer but turned down job offers because I just didn’t want to do that anymore for the rest of my life. I wanted more for myself, I wanted to be a creator, a songwriter. In 2020, I officially quit engineering and decided to pursue music full time. I initially wasn’t too great at making music but with everything else, time and practice made me better. By 2020, I knew I was on the right path. I released my first Korean - English single “Like You” and released my first concept EP “Into The Cosmos”. Since then, I’ve completely fell in love with making music and have grown so quickly in my craft. Music allows me to be myself and have full creative freedom. It’s an amazing process and the best part is being proud and brave enough to share it with the world.

Q:Which of your songs do you recommend the most? (a song that represents you as an artist) and please explain the reason why you chose it.

I love the whole “Into The Cosmos” EP honestly, but I do have my favorites that stand out for me. The two tracks “Whoa” and “Mars” were probably my best songs, even lyrically. These two songs I truly challenged myself by creating music with fullness and various back up vocals, harmonies, and unique adlibs. The track “Mars” literally sets you on a magical, cosmic ride from beginning to end, with a great tempo change. I think this song really showcased my ability and uniqueness of creating a song from start to finish.

Q:Please tell us about your latest single (or album).

“Naughty x Nature” is my latest single. I wanted to release a fun, vibrant R&B track with melodic chords and keys, and a fun drum pattern. My good friend and producer DaBlackMic showed it to me early 2021 and I knew I had to have it. This was another song that I wanted to showcase my ability. So I decided to give it a 90’s vibe rap verse too and then a mellow tempo change as an outro. You get a full musical experience as a listener. It was so much fun creating this one! I think it’s a song that many of my listeners enjoy, when they’re looking for a fun, sexy vibe.

Q:What kind of music are you creating right now? (For example; a current source of inspiration, a certain sound you are into, or some other specific example)

I’m super excited to be releasing my upcoming EP “The Cosmic Queen”. I’m expecting to release it early 2022. This EP connects to my latest “Into The Cosmos” but this story is a little different. This upcoming project showcases more variety in R&B as well as my growth. This EP will be the last and final transformation of Rakiyah, the Cosmic Queen, the cosmic siren. Displaying my confidence I feel as a woman and my intelligence, as while giving sexy, ethereal vocals. I think this EP could be my breakthrough project in my new music career. I’ve been working so hard on it, and it’s coming a long so brilliantly! I think my fans are in for a huge surprise!

Q:What is important to you when making music?

Production and melody are most important for me when making music. As of late this year, I’ve become close to another amazing producer and artist, Koa Ho. He’s beyond brilliant in his craft, and plays various instruments, as he’s classically trained. His production style and ability allows me to really take chances and challenges my melodies. It’s like we make the perfect duo, and create magic every time we link up. For most of my upcoming music, you’ll hear my growth because of his help. He’s made creating music even more enjoyable for me honestly. I hold great pride in my melodies and vocal layering. I think that’s what kind of sets me apart as a R&B singer. Although I’m no longer in my engineering field, I still feel like I’m creating scientific experiments but with music instead. I don’t think I have one particular style or sound. I think the scientist side of me wants to keep creating and experimenting with my sound in R&B. I feel like I can create just about anything so why not. The duality of my brain shows immensely in my craft.

Q:Tell us about your next music release or other upcoming activities you have planned.

“The Cosmic Queen “ EP , expected to release top of 2022, is all I’ve been working on. It’s such a big step up from my latest works, and it’s so important to me. Soon after wrapping it up, I’m working on my first album too. So I’ve been quite busy creatively. Another first this year is, that I’ve been starting songwriting for other artists and groups, mostly kpop. A good friend and fellow kpop songwriter brought me in to a few writing camps. I’m most excited to keep growing as a songwriter for others. It’s really fun to write for other artists because you can be fully creative with their genre style in mind. And writing for kpop groups is very different than writing for myself. It also takes patience. Every song you write may not get chosen, and that’s just part of the game. However, you keep going until the right one hits. That’s what I’m doing now. No matter what, I foresee myself growing more and more and becoming a well known songwriting. Well, So I hope. Outside of music, I’ve also decided to continue my Korean language study, and return to South Korea just for a little while, sometime next year if I can. And if I can return for a songwriting opportunity, that would be the best case scenario. So I’m doing things to help maybe make that come to fruition. I’m also trying to create a new show on my YouTube channel “Rakiyah In Space” which has had a recent rebranding. Focusing more on my life and music but I want to create a few fun and entertaining series. I’m still working out the kinks and creative planning. I guess I just want to create in different ways as much as I can. Traveling and creating seems to be the best stimulates for me. I have so much in store to come!

Q:What is the story behind your artist name?

I decided to go by my real name, Rakiyah, because that’s what everyone knows me as. I’m actually happy I’m going by my real name because I feel like, in a way, I’m being my real self if that makes any sense. It’s the most authentic name I can go by. I was originally an YouTuber before I was a music artist, and I went by my nickname Raki since it was easier for people to say. However, now I want to be addressed by my full name instead. It just feels better. You’re getting to see and know “Rakiyah”.

Q:What is music to you?

Music to me is an outlet and a creative medium. It feels like Im turning an empty canvas into a beautiful painting. It’s a safe space for me to create a story. Outside of creating melodies and vocal layering, my favorite part is writing the lyrics that conveys the story in my mind. It’s cool because sometimes it’s my story, someone else’s story, or my pure imagination. Music is a way to tell any story you want. What makes music good, is how well a person tells that story. Seeing something go from start to finish is the best feeling for me. Using my imagination is my favorite thing to do. I’m 29 years old now, and my imagination is the most vivid and powerful it’s ever been. I thank music for that.

Q:Any music or other art that has had an influence on you.

Growing up, my mother played a lot of music by Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill. I think they definitely were my first musical influences. And overtime that influence transpired into my own thing. A reflection of what influenced me yet a lane and style of my own. I think my free spirited and sensual confidence in my music and lyricism was inspired by Donna Summer. These three ladies were the start of it all for me musically. Before music though, dance was my creative outlet for almost a decade as a child and teen. Raised mostly by a single mother, I was still blessed to get into ballet. My mother did all that she could to still keep me and my siblings creative and active and drove across towns where the resources were available. I’m so thankful and appreciative that she introduced me to the arts. My mom actually influenced my writing too. Growing up, I would sneak and look at her poems and as I got older, I started writing poetry too. In a way, it was the influence to my songwriting. Thanks mom.

Q:What do you think you would be doing if you didn’t work with music?

Honestly, I’d probably still be designing aircrafts as an aeronautical engineer currently. But I’m sure at some point I would’ve still changed my career to something on the creative side. Despite my love for maths and sciences, the right side of my brain will eventually take over haha. Which is dope honestly.

Q:What is something that makes you feel glad that you are working with music?

Seeing people listen and fall in love with my music is what makes it all worth it. As a new independent artist, I’m experiencing all the trails and tribulations that come with it. To be candid, it’s not as easy I thought it would be. I didn’t know this at the time I started, but there’s so much time, effort, and money involved. It’s a forever moving cycle, especially when you don’t have label help or influence. But no matter the difficulties I face, I still persevere. When I finish a project or song, and release it, that’s all that matters. That I did it. That I did something that many people can’t do. My fans and listeners give me the feedback I need and it just drives me to create more and more. I genuinely have a love for this. Glad I took the leap of faith and a 180 degree turn in my career. It’ll always be worth it to me.

Q:Any artists that have caught your interest recently, or any artist in particular you are feeling respect for at the moment?

I don’t listen to music often while working on a project, so that my creativity stays fresh and my own, but I can’t help but to still notice Doja Cat. She has such unique personality and is honestly amazing in her craft. She works hard and her fans adore her. She’s the current “it” girl to be honest. I have a lot of respect for her as an artist.

Q:In what kind of environment and with what equipment do you make your music? (For example a guitar in a park, in a studio using an AKAI MPC2000 etc)

I use to spend so much money at recording studios so I’m glad I now have my own home studio. It’s nothing extravagant but it’s functions beautifully. I use a Bluebird SL microphone by Blue and a Focusrite Scarlett audio Interface to record my vocals. I sometimes use an AKAI MPC or midi keyboard to produce but as of late I use the Dubler Studio Kit 2 for voice to midi by Vochlea. I’m not one to know how to play instruments and chords but my voice can. This software allows me to “sing” my production out through any instrument plugin I have, even drums.

Q:How were you as a child?

Let’s just say I was a very interesting child haha. I was the oldest of three siblings so I had to help raise my siblings with my mom. Very responsible, extremely smart in school but I got in trouble often for being a distraction or silly in school. Mostly because I was very advanced and bored but I was still a good kid. I was shy and reserved, and super “nerdy”. Was the type of student who always participated in school science and math fairs and competitions. I wore glasses my whole life and felt insecure growing up, so the shyness took a while to fade away. Everyone knew me for being really smart and creative at an early age. Once I was introduced to the arts, my personality started to unfold, contributing to the person I am today. To see how confident, bright, and bold I am now, I sometimes forget that I was the total opposite as a child. I guess your experiences really do shape you.

Q:What is something about you that hasn't changed since you were a kid?

My curiosity and ambition to learn something has never left me. Anything I want to learn about or do, I do it. No matter the challenges or how hard it might be, I always give things a try. As an adult I was curious about foreign languages, so I taught myself Korean. I wanted to get into aerospace and I did. Even though I was actually an Industrial Engineer. And now I’m making music. Crazy but I think I just do whatever my heart wants. I want to try acting and film production and wouldn’t be surprised if I do in my future. Seems like I never changed. I’m the same Rakiyah I was as a child; ambitious and curious.

Q:If you could give any advice to your younger self, what would that be?

“Do and try everything to your heart’s content, no matter the idea, no matter what others may say or think” is the best advice I would give to my younger self. I was known in my family as a busy body. Was joked at a lot in my childhood for “wanting to do everything”. I wanted to be to do and be a million different things. And the judgement of others made me hesitant to try so many things growing up. Part of it was because people didn’t want me to dream too big and get hurt. I was raised in a urban, black community with little to no resources. So for some, dreaming big was hard to fathom. “You can’t be an astronaut, a meteorologist, and a ballerina Rakiyah” is what I heard a lot. But look at me now. I’m a rocket scientist that writes and sings songs, sometimes in Korean. Was a YouTuber, lived in South Korea, all while designing aircrafts. What was so impossible? Nothing. Nothing is literally. What YOU can and can’t do is all in the mind. I wish I knew that more as a child.

Q:What are your hobbies?

I love watching anime, documentaries, and doing different types of crafts. I’ve dabbled in clay sculpting and now I’m getting into resin art. I was a big video gamer a few years back, mostly played Call of Duty. Music was once a hobby, but here we are haha. I like to try new hobbies every so often. Keeps me stimulated!

Q:Something you have been really into recently? (For example: a game, a type of food or dessert, a show on Netflix. Please share a specific example)

I watch a lot of Asian dramas and anime on Netflix. Mostly Chinese and Korean dramas. I’m really into international shows more than American dramas if I’m being honest. As of lately I’ve watched Alice in Borderland, Squid Game, Princess Weiyoung, and currently Hell Bound. Demon Slayer was really good and I’m now watching Jujitsu Kaisen!

Q:Do you think that you have changed in some way recently? And if so, how?

Absolutely. I think I’m more aware of my mortality and focus on getting the best out of life. My dream chasing has only increased in these last two years. It’s only human to question our existence and our purpose. There’s no legitimate answer to what it is, so I’m making my own purpose. I value life more, I’m more conscious of others too. I feel like my experiences while living abroad and my musical journey plays a big role in my change. But it’s all changes for the better. Guess I’m striving to be the best human I can be.

Q:What is the best news you’ve had recently?

I’ve recently been contacted by a touring agency about touring possibly for 2022. I’m super excited for that and hope it all works out. I think touring will make a huge shift my musical career. I love performing more than just releasing music. So I’m really looking forward to that. I’ve also recently wrote a song for a huge artist, one of my favs. I can’t share too much about it, but my fingers are crossed! This could be a life changing opportunity, so praying to hear back good news.

Q:What is something you bought recently that you really like?

It’s a few things. Just two months ago I remodeled my bedroom, which was much needed. My environment is super important to me so I did my best to decorate it to give myself the best vibes. I love my room so much more now. The vibes are there haha helps so much with my music making too.

Q:What do you think is important when it comes to communication?

Transparency and honesty. I feel like the more honest you are with yourself and transparent you are, the better you can communicate to someone else. I think communication is extremely important. I think it’s something I’m very good at now, but it took me some time to get to this point. I’ve experienced quite a few hurtful and difficult situations in my early 20’s and those experiences have helped me move forward better with difficult things I may face. Healthy communication is a healthy life. Now, anything that feels negative, whether that’s habits, relationships, etc, I remove it if it’s not healthy or positive.

Q:What do you do to relieve frustration or stress?

I actually want to find more outlets to relieve my stress but the only ones that come to mind is either traveling somewhere to decompress, taking a walk to think, or writing a song. Music will always be my safe haven, so whenever I’m feeling stressed, which k do often with this career, I just write. Let it out, regardless if the topic of my lyrics. Creating something makes me feel more at ease. Once I’ve started it completed a new song, I feel so much better.

Q:What is your dream?

Get ready, because this may be a lot. I dream big and I don’t put limits on myself. I know what I want, know what I’m capable of, and then I build towards it. I want to first make a name for myself as a singer-songwriter. Besides my genuine love for making music, it’s also a way to leave something behind on this earth long after I'm gone. Something my future generation can follow and see, and learn from. I want to make sure that I leave a positive, inspiring impact for different people around the world. Another dream of mine, is to see the world more and more. I change for the better every time I travel outside of my norm or comfort zone. I’m comfortable with assimilating to a new environment. I think it builds character. While I hope to stay within the Entertainment industry, there’s a safety mechanism for vehicles, that created I originally planned in college, that I want to actually invent one day. This one might be the hardest, but it’s not impossible. Remember, I’m a busy body. My dreams will only grow and change, and I’m just here for the ride.

*This interview was conducted on VI/NYL #002, which published on Dec.30th, 2021.

 *All photos are courtesy of the artists.

■VI/NYL

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[straykidsupdate]

Stray Kids Members on GO LIVE and Making the Music They Want to Make

There's bedlam in the kitchen, as K-pop disruptors Stray Kids wreak delicious havoc on a sterile commercial space. They dance around wildly, waving stainless steel pots and pans in the air and tossing freshly pressed napkins and imaginary ingredients with relish and abandon. In the forefront, fiery rapper Changbin serves up his own potent sauce with a pummeling verse, while dancer Lee Know attempts to stir fry a handful of what appear to be rose petals behind him. A marching band, their plumes high and faces unbothered, carries on amidst the mess — a visual manifestation of the heavy bass ostinato that immediately invades the senses. It sounds disorienting, maybe even slightly dangerous. It looks like chaos.

Welcome to "God's Menu" ("神메뉴").

The Korean boy group's latest single boasts a big, brassy hook laced with trap beats and an addicting refrain ("this is our tang, tang, tang, tang," they shout), a recipe that has become their signature dish. A sonic successor to last fall's explosive "Double Knot," the track teems with a tireless energy and their hallmark bravado. The video imagines the eight members as chefs who confidently concoct their own art from scratch. "Taste so good, everyone loves it," Han raps, in a mix of Korean and English. "All our dishes taste so strong."

The culinary metaphor is laid on thick, bolstered by a charismatic performance that includes Korean formalities like "네, 손님" (which translates to "yes, sir and ma'am" in English) and TikTok-certified choreography that incorporates mixing, frying, seasoning, and, most notably, chopping. But for a group that's been cooking up homemade beats and flavorful lyrics in their bedrooms long before their 2018 debut, it's a savory declaration that feels more than earned. "We just keep on making new things," leader Bang Chan sings, cleansing the palate with a sweet melody. "Because we're one of a kind."

They bring that same level of confidence and clarity to their first full-length album Go生, a title that combines the English word "go" with the Chinese character for "life" and showcases the group's penchant for clever wordplay. Pronounced go-saeng in Korean, it translates to "hardship." The English title, GO LIVE, reflects their desire to move forward without any lingering inhibition. Consider the 14-track LP a reintroduction to Stray Kids.

"We tried to not think too much," Bang Chan tells Teen Vogue from Seoul, South Korea, where he's currently huddled in a room with members Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. It's late June, and they're in the middle of their first week of promotions for the album, which means early mornings, long nights, and a whirlwind of music show performances, interviews, radio shows, and virtual fan engagements. And yet, even as it nears midnight, the members, ranging in ages from 19 to 22, are still easily excitable. Australia-raised Bang Chan acts as the group's tireless translator, and despite recent concerns, his accent sounds as prominent as ever as he explains how Stray Kids adopted a fresh mindset in preparation for Go生. "Of course, we thought a lot about what to put in the album and how we wanted to make it, but we went with the flow," he says. "We wanted everything to feel a bit more raw."

Stray Kids made their official debut under JYP Entertainment with the riotous and self-produced "District 9," an angsty blend of hip-hop and EDM that would ultimately define the group's characteristic intensity, both musically and lyrically. It laid the foundation for 2018's I Am… trilogy of EPs, which focused heavily on the theme of identity as they charged away from systems that sought to control them. The Clé series followed in 2019, which threw Stray Kids head-first into the thorny, often exhausting labyrinth of adulthood. Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han, who comprise the group's in-house production trio, known as 3RACHA, write about their own experiences, etching their personal dreams and worries into a diverse discography that spans six EPs, multiple mixtape singles, and special releases. But with Go生, they've emerged with newfound perspective.

For years, their music was fixated on the idea of bulldozing through obstacles that stood in their way. They wanted to outrun their problems. Now, it's clear: Growing up isn't about overcoming anxieties and struggles. Instead, it's learning to live in spite of them — to run freely alongside them.

As a result, Go生 is a release bursting with color and vitality, a celebration of life's mercurial nature. There's a song for every craving, and a tracklist that demonstrates the members' prismatic talents as rappers and vocalists. "Easy" delivers boundless swagger over a trap beat (and it's already been immortalized on stan Twitter); "Airplane" is Stray Kids at their most relaxed, a chill summertime vibe that's also a tremendous showcase for singer Seungmin; main rapper and all-rounder Han lets his voice soar on "Phobia," an electronic-synth track that examines the paranoia of losing someone (it was also the final song added to the album); "TA" is all high energy and thunderous chaos, perfect for a future encore set; and "Blueprint" shines with its funky bass line, bright verses, and fierce optimism ("I'll proudly achieve my dream," Felix sings in Korean, as translated to English).

"We wanted to show what Stray Kids is really about," Bang Chan says. And in doing so, Felix adds, they "experimented with a variety of genres." The fellow Aussie, who Bang Chan affectionately calls his little brother and who fans (known as Stay) refer to as their "sunshine," speaks with a warm timbre. His flow is even deeper and more distinct, and it's been a solid entry point for Stay and locals alike. Felix is a commanding presence on "God's Menu," a testament to his growth as a rapper and performer. When asked about his five-star performance, he gets shy. "I think everyone put their all into this song and into the album," he says. "Sit down, be humble," Bang Chan jokingly sings beside him, a reference to Kendrick Lamar's 2017 manifesto "Humble" and a demonstration of the leader's persistent playfulness.

"We've all improved a lot in terms of our performance," dance captain Lee Know says, much to the surprise of his members. It's not that they don't agree, it's just that his eager contribution to the conversation catches them off guard. He's not always so talkative during press interviews. And there's an audible cheer among the group as he continues. "Our dancing has gotten stronger. Our vocals have gotten stronger as well. But we're still honing those skills. And we'll continue to grow."

Hyunjin, whose own development as a rapper, dancer, and vocalist with a mellifluous falsetto is well-documented on the internet, agrees. "As we get older, we want to show Stay more sides to us," he says. The lithe performer's strength is his versatility. He's highly adaptable, so it's not surprising that he's been working on writing and composing his own music under Bang Chan's watchful guidance. "I want to show [Stay] something different," he adds. (And that's a promise he intends to keep.)

Youngest member I.N thinks they're maturing in other ways too. "We've all gotten a lot more good-looking," the lively vocalist says, very matter-of-factly. Laughter erupts in the room, and Changbin's cackle is unmistakable. Undeterred, I.N carries on. "When it comes to performance, I've personally gotten a lot faster at recording and memorizing choreography," he says. Lee Know is quick to jump in. "I.N's performance in 'TOP' really surprised me," the elder says. "He's in the center position for the hook, and watching him I saw just how much he's improved. He's more confident now."

I.N is happy he gave off such an aura. "When we were preparing for this album there were times when I didn't feel so confident," he says. So he turned to his members, who listened to his concerns and offered him feedback. He feels much lighter now. "One thing I realized after watching our 'God's Menu' stages is that we all look like we're enjoying ourselves more. We feel more free on stage. And it just feels easier."

The album's most surprising and reflective moment comes at the halfway point, courtesy of Han. Written by the teen multihyphenate, "Another Day" is soft and simple, but no less introspective than his previous cuts ("19" and "Sunshine"). It depicts a feeling of restlessness caused by burnout and the inability to "rest without worrying."

Han's inspiration for the song was largely himself. "It's been a tough year, and I knew it wasn't just me who felt that way," he says. "So I wanted to put those emotions into the song."

In front of the camera, Han exudes relentless charisma. He's quick-witted and wickedly funny. Off stage, he's one of the group's two MBTI-approved introverts (the other being Hyunjin), and he prefers to relax in a controlled environment: his room. In fact, if he doesn't have a schedule or a song to work on, he'd prefer not to leave his bed at all, choosing instead to watch YouTube and anime on his phone. As someone who's deeply inspired by visual mediums, it's in these calmer moments where creativity often strikes.

"Everyone goes through times where things don't work out the way you want them to," he says. "But I think it's important to remember that while you're going through a difficult time, you need to take a breath. Go do something for yourself … Break out of that negative mindset and open yourself up to new possibilities."

Each of the members has their own way of dealing with feelings of stress and anxiety. Changbin works on music. "It's my healing," he says. And he hopes it can be healing for Stay too; he teaches fans the basics of rap during semi-regular streams on V Live. Lee Know prefers to do nothing at all. This is why the members often say the self-assured performer is like water — whatever is bothering him just washes away by morning. But I.N needs time away from the older members. ("Leave me alone!" oldest member Bang Chan whines, mimicking the moody teen.) Hyunjin finds comfort in sentimental music and Korean dramas, and he's especially adept at communicating with fans on Instagram and V Live, where he addresses their worries and offers support in both Korean and English. "That heals my heart," he adds softly. Felix has taken up cooking and baking, even going so far as to buy an oven for their shared apartment's kitchen. His brownies are already beloved by the members and JYP staff. "Making something for someone and getting to share what I make… even a small compliment will make me feel relaxed and good about myself," he says.

Meanwhile, Bang Chan has a bad habit of "brainwashing myself into thinking that I'm not restless when I actually am." So he relies on the members, or "the kids" as he calls them, to help keep him in check. "Our first week of promotions was really tiring, but when I look on stage and see them — see Hyunjin, Changbin, Lee Know, see them all — it gives me a lot of strength. They make me feel at home." (The kids coo in jest beside him. "That's right!" Han shouts.)

Seungmin doesn't often feel anxious, but when he does there's nothing that a long walk and a good playlist can't fix. Lately, he's been listening to "Another Day." "Han surprised me [with this song]," the dynamic vocalist says. "I listen to it often, and it has inspired me a lot." Han, never one to pass up a compliment, replies, "Thanks, man."

While 3RACHA are largely responsible for crafting Stray Kids' music, the members are all integral to the process. "It's not 3RACHA's music, it's Stray Kids' music," Changbin says in English. "So the members' feedback is very important. I feel the best when they like it."

Case in point: "God's Menu." The group had originally recorded a different lead single, and they were in the throes of comeback preparations when Changbin played a demo of "God's Menu" for some of the members. According to Bang Chan, this happens a lot: "We go home, we play a demo, and we party to it." It's as simple as that. But then something unusual happened: Upon hearing "God's Menu," Hyunjin immediately knew he wanted to perform it. This was Stray Kids. The other members felt it too. "The lyrics expressed our music and confidence best," Changbin says in English, as his members cheer him on. ("Go, Changbin!" Bang Chan encourages.) "It's a song only Stray Kids could perform.”

And it was a theme that personally resonated with Bang Chan. "Back in the day, when we were releasing songs as 3RACHA, I always liked to relate my producing process with cooking and science," he adds. "It's just a really fun concept." (Astute fans might recall the 2017 3RACHA deep cut "Alchemistry," in which the industrious leader declares himself a "mad scientist.")

So 3RACHA went straight to the top — to the company's founder J. Y. Park — and asked if they could change the single to "God's Menu." They didn't expect much; the single had already been locked. To their surprise, however, JYP agreed with their judgement. And so have Stay: "God's Menu" is the group's fastest music video to reach 60 million views, and Go生 broke their previous first-week sales record.

"It's a really funny and very warm feeling knowing that he believes in what we do," Bang Chan says of JYP's support. "And it makes us want to try out even more of our various ideas."

Producer Mike Daley (Baekhyun's "Candy") experienced 3RACHA's creative process and various ideas first-hand in Los Angeles last May when Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han spent a day with him in the studio following the U.S. leg of the group's Unveil tour. They worked on two tracks, one of which would eventually become "Easy." Daley played an unfinished demo for the trio, and the reaction was immediate. "A few of the guys just started rapping," he tells Teen Vogue. Bang Chan workshopped the hook and melodies with a few of Daley's friends and collaborators, while Changbin and Han wrote the verses. "Spear [Changbin] and Han were in their own zone on their phones, writing," he recalls. According to Daley, Spear — a reference to Changbin's 3RACHA moniker SpearB — laid down the first verse, and the atmosphere was electric. "He was going crazy in the booth," he says. "It had a ton of energy. And that got everyone amped up to make the hook have as much energy as the verses were bringing."

Daley, a veteran of K-pop songwriting camps, was surprised by just how involved 3RACHA were in the studio. "They knew how to produce really well, so we were all arranging it together," he says. He also observed their teamwork. "It seemed like they each had their role and worked together well," he adds. "Spear and Han were focused on the verses, but when they heard a melody they liked, they'd look at Chris [Bang Chan]. They knew how to get the song done."

And that sense of creative autonomy isn't just exclusive to 3RACHA. Through self-produced digital projects like "SKZ-PLAYER," all of the members are encouraged to express themselves through their art. "It's a really good platform for us to showcase what we want to show Stay, something that they haven't seen before," Bang Chan says. In May, he surprised fans with "인정하기 싫어," which translates to "Don't Want To Admit," a vulnerable piano ballad that laid bare his heartache. Last year, Lee Know released "Dawn," a slinky dance performance he choreographed himself. Seungmin covered his favorite band, and fellow JYP artists, DAY6. "I am very grateful that we are able to sincerely connect with Stay through music," the floppy-haired vocalist notes. As for Changbin, he recently dropped "Streetlight," a solo track in which he wrestles with feelings of loneliness. And Hyunjin released his own video — a contemporary dance he produced and choreographed to Billie Eilish's "When The Party's Over." He titled it "Empty."

"I wanted to express a different feeling, one that I couldn't show through our own performances," the perceptive dancer says. He choreographed the piece to convey his longing to perform. That loneliness that comes at the end of a party, he says, is the same emptiness he feels when he leaves the stage. "That void I feel sometimes, I wanted to express that through choreography."

Han's "Close" was inspired by the 2004 film Closer, specifically its opening scene, in which a young woman locks eyes with a handsome stranger across the street. The idea of human connection, of seeing someone and wanting to know everything about that person, struck Han, especially at a time when people feel farther apart than ever. But it was too raw to share. "I didn't originally want to release 'Close.' I wanted to keep it to myself," he says. "But after showing it to the members, they encouraged me, and that motivated me to share it."

And they continue to share their artistry with Stay. Fans are getting an intimate look at the members' songwriting and melody-making prowess in "Two Kids Song," a web series that splits them into pairs and challenges each team to write, produce, and record an original song. For Stray Kids, the desire to keep learning and pushing themselves — as songwriters, as performers, and as young adults navigating the world around them — both inside and outside of the practice room, comes naturally. "We're artists," Bang Chan says. "It's right for us to express whatever we want through our creative process."

However, with unfiltered access also comes moments of real humility, a reminder that the relationship between idols and the community they foster isn't defined in scenes of uncritical loyalty and fan service, but rather in instances where they hold one another accountable. In a June livestream, Bang Chan reminded fans, "I don't want you guys to spread negative energy around. Stays, you guys are better than that." That sentiment was recently reciprocated when the group participated in a July variety show segment that many Black fans deemed racially insensitive. Stray Kids apologized in a personal statement posted to the members' shared Instagram account, in which they rejected all types of discrimination with a promise to do better by their fans everywhere around the world. "We are still lacking in many things and we are trying our hardest to become better," they wrote in Korean and English. "We would like to apologize to anyone if we have stepped on a rake. It was never our intention but due to our lack of understanding."

It's this honesty that resonates most with their fans. It's woven into heartfelt lyrics, tearful ending ments, social media posts, virtual hugs, home-cooked meals, and earnest reminders to deal with — not run away from — things that are difficult. It is the lens through which Stray Kids see themselves: never perfect, but always sincere. Mainly, it's how they expel their innermost thoughts and feelings, the joy and the agony of everyday life. Whether that's by working on music, or choreography, or refining a new dish, or bettering themselves, that's ultimately up for them to decide. It always has been. Their appetites are insatiable, after all. "The fact that we have the chance to make the music we want to make and talk about the things we want to talk about is really special," Changbin says. "It makes me more excited for what's next."

A day after talking to Teen Vogue, Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han set the KCON:TACT stage ablaze with an opening performance that showed the world just how hungry they are. “They always say the same excuses, while they’re complaining we’re producing," Bang Chan sings, the Auto-Tune heavy. "The passion I give it, nobody can kill." It's a bold statement for any group to make, especially one as young as Stray Kids. And yet, it's that measure of determination that's defined their careers since they were teens trapped on a hellevator with nowhere to go but up. One day they'll reach the penthouse. For now, they're learning to savor the ride and embrace the mess.

"We're going to enjoy this freedom," Bang Chan says, "and eventually we'll fly high."

[andrewdz]

Favorite Albums of 2019

2019 was a big year for me in music. According to my Last.FM stats, it’s the most music I’ve listened to in one year. That played a big role in why I have a top 50 albums list for the year. There was a lot of stuff I really enjoyed.  

I tried to find new bands this year because I’m over 30 now which they say is around the time you stop seeking new music and I want to prove that wrong. 14 out of my top 50 were brand new artists to me, which I wish was higher, but that’s a goal for next year now. 

I also reignited my love for some bands. I got really into the Go-Betweens in 2019. I bought a documentary about them, a book about the two founders of the band, and got a box set of their last three albums that is now one of most prized music possessions. I also found some Deerhunter records in Nashville that I listened to quite a bit. I also got to see them live this year which was a real treat. Other artists I got really into this year was Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Bombay Bicycle Club, Chris Isaak, Hightide Hotel, The Brave Little Abacus and Titus Andronicus (who I was already into, but got almost all of their albums on vinyl now).

It was another terrific year for live shows as well, as I got to see a lot of artists I loved as well as ones on my bucket list. Kacey Musgraves, Sharon Van Etten, Priests, mewithoutyou (2nd time), Tigers Jaw, Titus Andronicus (2nd Time), Angel Olsen (3rd Time), Deerhunter, Trampled by Turtles, and Miami Horror. The best month was late April to late May when I got to go to five amazing but very different shows. It was one of the most fun months of my life. I got to see the Drums (2nd Time), PUP, Ratboys, Doomsquad, Operators, Desire, Chromatics, and Passion Pit! All of them were some of the best shows I’ve ever been to.

Now enough about my music year, let’s get to the list. I only wrote things about the top 30 but wanted to highlight some other ones so expanded the list to 50. Like I mentioned earlier, it was a really great year of music. Not sure if I will release a list of favorite songs this year, but we’ll see. I’ve lately become more of an album fan instead of singles. Let me know what you checked out this year!

50. Chromatics – Closer to Grey  

49. Hatchie – Keepsake

48. Nilufer Yana – Miss Universe

47. Denzel Curry - ZUU

46. Pedro the Lion - Phoenix

45. Proper. - I Spent the Winter Writing Songs About Getting Better

44. Turnover – Altogether

43. Jay Som – Anak Ko

42. Big Thief – Two Hands

41. Jimmy Eat World - Surviving

40. Titus Andronicus – An Obelisk

39. The National – I Am Easy to Find

38. Priests – Seduction of Kansas

37. DIIV – Deceiver

36. Mildura - Mildura

35. Jamila Woods – LEGACY! LEGACY!

34. Doomsquad – Let Yourself Be Seen

33. Charly Bliss – Young Enough

32. Operators – Radiant Dawn

31. Black Marble – Bigger Than Life

30. The Get Up Kids – Problems

I was late on the Get Up Kids (I know, I know, I’ll turn in my emo card after this article), and I’ve been trying to catch-up these past couple years. And what perfect timing because it’s the first album in eight years (They also had a terrific EP in 2018). It’s a really good return album from them. They can still write amazing pop punk anthems, and few bands leave songs stuck in my head as often as the Get Up Kids do. It’s interesting that the early wave of emo are now elder statesmen of the scene and they touch on that a little in this album. Reflecting on the past and what it means to be a band in 2019. It’s always good to see a band not only not just rely on nostalgia to tour on, but still release relevant music that stands up with some of their best material.

Favorite Track: Satellite

29. Bon Iver – i,i

It’s interesting where Bon Iver has gone in the past decade. First bursting on the scene with the perfect story of going to a cabin and recording a heartbreaking breakup album. Since then he’s won some Grammys, been featured on Kanye West songs, and embraced the synthesizer. For some reason, however, this album reminds me more of “For Emma, Forever Go” than his previous couple albums despite still using the more electronic approach. It has that same raw honesty that his debut had. He’s not alone in the woods anymore. He’s commanding a large group of musicians now, creating this huge sound without losing any of his heart. He also sounds more assured in himself. It’s seems like the beginning of a new era for Justin Vernon and the last song “RABi” sounds like his “riding off into the sunset” moment. Awaiting the next adventure.

Favorite Track: Faith

28. Yola – Walk Through Fire

A really strong debut album from singer/songwriter Yola. It’s really soothing with a nice wall of sound production that just sweeps you away. It also helps that she has such an amazing voice. Songs like “Faraway Look” & “Lonely the Night” feel like songs I’ve known my entire life, but was just waiting for Yola to record them. Really excited to see what she does next.

Favorite Track: Lonely the Night

27. Prince Daddy & the Hyena – Cosmic Thrill Seekers

“Cosmic Thrill Seekers” is an ambitious album, like “The Monitor” level of ambitious. It’s written almost entirely by Kory Gregory about his cycles of struggling with mental health with allusions to Wizard of Oz. They take you on a journey on this album. The feelings of self-destruction, to wanting to escape from people who aren’t even your friends, and not quite fitting in with rest of the world while also playing the most anthemic guitar riffs and crashing cymbals.  I can only imaging what the experience is like seeing this album performed live. It would have to feel like a sonic tornado, and you would wonder what just happened after you’re walking away on the street. This album didn’t make it number one on any charts, but this album is going to mean so much to so many people. Also, the last track goes right back into the first one to begin the cycle again.

Favorite Track: Lauren (Track 2)

26. Strange Ranger – Remembering the Rockets

It’s amazing how much this album reminds me of 90’s indie rock. It is so easy to picture Strange Ranger playing this album in between sets of Mazzy Star and Teenage Fanclub. I had not really clicked with Strange Ranger’s earlier stuff, but this album just seemed to make sense to me. It sounds like a fully formed album with a band that is confident enough to be more adventurous. There are some incredibly poppy hooks, but also some interesting synth beat choices. Also the switch of singing songs about the end of the world to being excited to go on a date gives the album a little extra something. A good mixture of despair and hope.

Favorite Track: Leona

25. Lost Under Heaven – Love Hates What You’ve Become

I love when a band just says “F*** It! Let’s make songs meant to be heard in a stadium,” even though they will never get a chance to. This is one of those albums that is meant to be turned all the way up with you screaming along to every chorus in your car. They are definitely wearing their hearts on their sleeve on this one, encouraging you be the best version of ourselves so by the time the album reaches it’s colossal closer “For the Wild,” you are ready to take on the world. It’s fun when a band decides to be super sincere on an album. You actually feel like rock and roll will save us, just like you did when you were a teenager and first found music for yourself.

Favorite Track: For the Wild

24. Mark Ronson – Late Night Feelings

I think my favorite thing about a Mark Ronson record is how much they seem like an awesome compilation album, and this one lives up to its name and is a perfect soundtrack for late night out on the town. He’s got a great ear for collaborators creating the perfect songs to best suit their voices. Lykke Li, Angel Olsen, Alicia Keys, and even Miley Cyrus have some terrific showings on this record. There’s no super hit like “Uptown Funk” on this album, but it is a fun listening experience, and I cannot get enough of Angel Olsen’s “True Blue” on here (Which really should have ended the album. It’s a perfect end credits song).

Favorite Track: True Blue

23. The Drums – Brutalism

The Drums are a group that has had quite a decade. They’ve released four albums, and every member but Johnny has left the group. “Brutalism,” however, is still a strong album in one of the best indie rock discographies of the past 20 years. There are some throwback songs to the early Drums days (Body Chemistry), a rare acoustic ballad (Nervous), and one of the catchiest songs they’ve ever written (626 Bedford Ave). The Drums get overlooked, but they’ve quietly created an impressive catalogue that is just begging to be reevaluated with “Brutalism“ adding a lot to that conversation. Not many indie rock bands make it to five albums, let alone having songs on that fifth album that fit along their biggest hits.

Favorite Track: 626 Bedford Ave.

22. Brittany Howard – Jaime

When I first heard this album was coming out, I thought it meant that Alabama Shakes were done as a band and Brittany was going to be an exclusively solo artist now. However, after listening to this album, I understand why it was not an Alabama Shakes record. This is a very personal record that just wouldn’t sound right as a band collaboration. This is Brittany’s story. She’s singing about life on the road, her faith, first crushes, family, and making sense of what it’s like growing up in the south. This solo record also gave her a chance to explore some different sounds than she would have on an Alabama Shakes record. You can hear some Prince influence, especially on the final track “Run to Me.” Not sure if she plans to release more solo records, but I hope this isn’t the last.

Favorite Track: History Repeats

21. (Sandy) Alex G – House of Sugar

“House of Sugar” has probably got my favorite Side A of any record this year. It just gives a chance to showcase what I love about (Sandy) Alex G so much. You’ve got the psychedelic drone style and that fast almost folk-punk style. It’s just filled with this fun eclectic sound and his voice, while probably viewed as limited in sense of range, just captures so much emotion in the music. I found this record to be one that rewards you the most the more you listen to it. I feel like I’m always discovering something new with each listen. I always enjoy checking out the latest (Sandy) Alex G record because his albums are always adventurous, and “House of Sugar” is definitely that. I would have a tough time describing this album. It’s like when you’re in a dream and there are those moments that completely change the scenario and location, but for some reason it makes sense to you in a way you can’t explain. That’s what this album is like for me.

Favorite Track: Gretal

20. Angel Olsen – All Mirrors

If I had to describe this album, I would say it’s Angel Olsen’s “Nebraska” if she had Bauhaus as her backing band. This is a big sounding record, and it’s easy to let the emotional crescendos take you away. You feel every emotion she’s putting on this record, and it is a wild ride. It’s a breakup record, and this album does a good job of capturing that feeling fresh off a breakup that just feels like a tornado of feelings. It’s a storm of emotions, but sometimes there’s a beauty in a storm as well. She said there’s an acoustic version of this album that will come out next year, but I’m glad we got to hear this version first. We get to feel the real raw emotion on this, and then when more time has passed a chance to be softer with a more reflective look back.

Favorite track: All Mirrors

19. billy woods + kenny segal – Hiding Places

It really sounds like Woods is letting it all out on this album; frustrations with music, other people, the current state of things, and his intensity is only amplified by the beats from Kenny Segal. The samples on this album are not catchy, and they shouldn’t be. This is an album that wants you to reckon with what Woods is saying. That’s what makes the final album so impressive. It’s a perfect blend between Wood’s lyrics and Segal’s beats. Complimenting each other in frustration and uneasiness. I was not familiar with either artists before this album, but I’m definitely a fan now, and I hope they will collaborate again in the near future.

Favorite Track: Red Dust

18. Truth Club – Not an Exit

There is something very old school about Truth Club. They’ve got this post-punk nasty guitar riff energy that just make this an album a delight to hear. They sound like a band with something to prove, delivering exactly what you want from a post-punk record. Sweet riffs, monotone vocals, and done in less than a half-hour. Love it.

Favorite Track: Student Housing

17. Helado Negro – This is How You Smile

Sometimes records just feel like a dream as if you can just see the music and travel in it. That’s how I feel every time I listen to “This is How you Smile.” The mixture of electronic and folk makes such beautiful music and Roberto Carlos Lange’s voice is perfect on top of these amazing collections of sound. Apparently he invited a lot of different musicians to play on this record and it really sounds like a group of friends got together and had the perfect jam with Lange’s artistic vision taking the lead. Some songs tackle today’s issues with even some field recordings from an Abolish ICE March in Brooklyn and singing about being proud of being Latinx, but not being confrontational about it. It’s beautiful music with a message.

Favorite Track: Please Won’t Please

16. Deerhunter - Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?

You’ve got to give credit to Deerhunter for continuing to make really interesting albums throughout all of the 2010s, and this one seems like a good one to end the decade with. When so many of their contemporaries have disbanded or walked away from music, Deerhunter has kept going. Not resting on their past success, but creating new sounds and challenging their audience to go somewhere new with them. They can still write an amazing hook and the lyrics are as sharp as any previous album. It’s an ode to a world that seems to be on the brink of destruction by its own design.

Favorite Track: Plains

15. Anderson Paak – Ventura

Anderson Paak is on quite a creative streak with this being his fourth album in five years and I think this one may be my favorite. He’s got some amazing guests singers on this album including Andre 3000, Brandy, and the legendary Smokey Robinson. It just sounds terrific too. The 70’s soul-funk inspiration makes for some of the best grooves I’ve heard this year, and it’s a perfect album for a night drive.

Favorite Track: Jet Black

14. PUP – Morbid Stuff

Few bands do “ANGER” as good as PUP, but Morbid Stuff is not the typical angry record either. It’s like “I’m angry. You’re angry. Let’s be angry together” kind of record which is perfect for the general attitude of 2019. PUP inspires a real passionate fan base, and on this record it’s easy to see why. They packed it with cathartic anthems for the disenfranchised. Not getting along with your family? Not quite over your ex? Feel like you missed that turn you were supposed to take in life about four years ago? Get over here and let all that anger out by singing along with us. This album is community even though you can’t be with this group in person. It also helps that this is a band that can PLAY. The musicianship is just fantastic which is probably helped because this is a band. These four guys have been PUP since the beginning and they sound better and better on each album. So let’s get angry!

Favorite Track: Kids

13. Raphael Saadiq – Jimmy Lee

It’s been eight years since the last Raphael Saadiq album, and it’s understandable because this album is dealing with a lot of heavy issues; addiction, incarceration, faith, and losing family. It’s also an album that Raphael Saadiq could have only made after being a bit older with some life wisdom to look back at. Sometimes it can be uncomfortable to listen to, but also necessary. It feels like a very personal album, and you can tell how much work must have been put into producing it. The album sounds terrific, which makes sense for how much experience he’s had producing other projects in-between albums. I also forget how talented of a singer he is. This album is a real showcase of his vocal skills. Some songs sound like he’s pouring his soul into it, and just somehow keeping his voice from breaking. You get swept up in that anger he feels. This album will make you really think about where the world has been, where it’s at today, and where it’s going. A powerful and necessary album for 2019.

Favorite Track: Rearview

12. Orville Peck – Pony

Orville Peck’s music is the kind of music that would sound just as perfect being performed on stage at the Grand Ole Opry as it would hearing it off a jukebox in a dive bar in the middle of nowhere. Peck’s really tapped into that timeless country sound that just seems to sounds good anywhere in any situation. Feeling sad? Perfect. Feeling that freedom you get from just hitting the road alone? Perfect. That baritone voice is so beautiful to listen to as well. It’s a new generations Roy Orbison or Chris Isaak. Beautiful but haunting, and it wouldn’t sound out of place in a David Lynch film. The storytelling in the lyrics are also astounding. I can picture the desert riding while listening to “Dead of Night.” It’s fascinating to know that this is Peck’s first album because it’s so well formed in terms of lyrics, vocals, and hooks. Makes me even more excited for what the next album will sound like.

Favorite Track: Dead of Night

11. Great Grandpa – Four of Arrows

“Four of Arrows” sounds like a level up album from Great Grandpa after their terrific debut “Plastic Cough.” It’s a great example of a band expanding their sound without losing the identity that made their first album special. The band sounds tighter, richer (especially with the addition of strings and synths on some songs), and more ambitious. It also helps to have the amazing Alex Menne vocals. She really conveys an energy that escalates these songs’ emotional payoffs. Especially on a song like “Digger” where she sings (almost screams) “That’s why I hate you,” “That’s why I love you” with almost the same energy. You may not know what each song is about, but you certainly know how it feels.

Favorite Track: Treat Jar

10. Holy Ghost! – Work

Sometimes all you need is great dance album in your life, and Holy Ghost! provided that for me this year.  They have a kind of style of dance music that has fallen out of critical favor by the end of this decade, but I still love to hear it. They continued the tradition of Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” of applying their flavor to 70’s dance music, and it’s terrific fun. This album is super catchy, has wonderfully danceable grooves, and features a 7-minute plus dance closer. A perfect dance record.

Favorite track: Do This

9. American Football - American Football (LP3)

With emo revival being a big topic of conversation this past decade in certain music critics’ world, it’s only fair that one of the greatest emo bands ends the decade with a terrific album. After reuniting a couple years ago for an okay album, I’m glad they went back to studio to create an album worthy of comparison to their first album that influenced so many amazing artists. The musicianship on this album is just stunning, with a rich tapestry of melancholy permeating throughout. They also happened to create possibly the best duet of the decade by having fellow emo legend Haley Williams join them for “Uncomfortably Numb.” Just beautiful. #defendemo

Favorite Track: Uncomfortably Numb

8. oso oso – Basking in the Glow

To be honest, I feel invested in oso oso. I remember a few years back he released “the yunahon mixtape” as a pay what you want on Bandcamp and planning to walk away from music. I checked it out, and loved it on first listen. Then the album got some nice shout-outs from critics and other artists and eventually found an audience. So to see not only oso oso stick with music, but to release this terrific follow up record as well, feels like a win for everyone. There is a common misconception that emo=sad music, but this album shows that is not the case. There’s a joy on this album that is super infectious. He wants you to feel a part of his joy. It’s an album of positivity that we needed in 2019, and it helps that so many of these songs are very catchy. This is the “dance around your bedroom” kind of album, and just let yourself go for a half-hour. I’m so happy that this album is getting recognized on so many year-end lists. It feels like a win for the entire emo scene that usually gets ignored. The fact that it happened to oso oso makes it all the better.

Favorite track: The View

7. Big Thief - U.F.O.F.

I always thought of Big Thief as a perfect band for fall. Something about their music feels like the end of something before dealing with something that will be tough but necessary. That they’re the ferryman taking us into the next stage in life, and the cost is you’re going to feel a little sad listening to some heartbreaking tales. U.F.O.F., their first album of 2019, can break you down. In the first track “Contact” we hear lead singer Adrianne Lenker let out these howling screams. Giving ua permission to let yourself go. Be your most pure self as this album takes you on a journey. I don’t mean to make this album sound depressing, because even though there’re numerous allusions to death it is quite hopeful. You get to LIVE because one day you will die. It makes life more important because it has an ending.  This album doesn’t have a lot of hooks on it, but it just makes it more important to listen to it as an album. It’s one big piece that feels so right together. It’s hard to imagine anyone having as creatively successful year as Big Thief did in 2019. Kind of apt they got it in right before the end of a decade. A necessary end, I think.

Favorite Track: Cattails

6. Mini Dresses – Heaven Sent

Listening to Mini Dresses’ “Heaven Sent” feels like I found some hidden album demo from the early 2000s that was secretly a masterpiece. I truly do not know why hardly anyone seems to be talking about this album. If it came out in 2008 it feels like it would have been huge on indie blogs. This album is so catchy and a style of indie rock that doesn’t seem to be big anymore, which is a shame because it’s too good to miss. This album reminds me of Blondie if they would have been part of the indie wave of the mid-2000s, which if that sounds cool to you, please check this album out.

Favorite Track: Rank and File

5. Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center

After hearing “Would You Rather” on Phoebe Bridgers’ phenomenal debut album “Stranger in the Alps,” I suppose we were all secretly hoping for more songs from Conor Oberst and Phoebe. There are few songwriters that can capture the feeling of loneliness and emptiness, but still have that sense of hope that it can somehow get better like these two can. “If you’re not feeling ready, there’s always tomorrow” on their last song “Dominos” really hits that point home. Their voices sound great together and the production on this album is fantastic. They’ve got the hooks, they’ve got the ballads, and they’re ready to make you cry, but they will be the first ones to help pick you back up. This album feels like an old friend that knows you get sad sometimes, but is always there for you when you need them.

Favorite Track: Dylan Thomas

4. glass beach – the first glass beach album

There’s nothing better than when a band just goes for it on an album. I haven’t listened to an album that has made me think of emo, Disney, Hellogoodbye, and Playstation video game soundtracks all before I’ve even made it to track 5. It’s like they threw everything on the wall and everything stuck. I would not be surprised to find out that this band is around my age. It sounds like an album that only someone who grew up in the 90’s and early 2000’s could make.  Just picking sounds from everything in that era and making an album out of it. It’s pure chaos, but somehow completely makes sense. This album is not for everybody, but if it clicks with you, it’s like it’s looking into your soul.

Favorite track:  cold weather

3. Slaughter Beach Dog – Safe and Also No Fear

I was a big fan of Modern Baseball, like all good emo revival fans should be, and was super sad to hear they were going on indefinite hiatus. When I heard Jake Ewald was starting a new project as Slaughter Beach Dog, I checked out some songs from his album “Birdie” but didn’t really connect with it. Probably because I wanted something more like Modern Baseball. Then when this album came out, it had some buzz from critics whose opinions on music closely line up with mine, and I checked out this album. Whatever opinion I had on the first album, this one was the exact opposite. I really connected with. Listening to it feels like those times where you visit your old hometown, driving around the old spots you used to hang out. Then you realize these spots don’t mean what they did to you anymore, and they never could. No matter how much old friends want you to be that old person again, you can’t go backwards and you’re fine with that. This is also a beautiful sounding record. It sounds like Jake let the other musicians have a bit more say in the sound, and it does sound like a band collaboration. It’s a sweet indie/folk/alternative sound that just pierces my soul. If we don’t get another Modern Baseball reunion, that’s fine. It sounds like Jake has moved on, and I’m ready to follow wherever his new music takes him.

Favorite Track: Black Oak

2. Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow

It’s always exciting to witness an artist make the album they were always meant to. All of her work has lead up to her masterpiece. You feel her soul on this record. Not one moment feels faked. She’s not hiding anything from the listener. Talking about letting go of your past self (I Told You Everything), making a new version of yourself (Comeback Kid), letting yourself love again (Jupiter 4), and what it’s like to be a mother (Stay). Also, on this record she embraces the synth and it makes for some tremendous production. The anthems have an extra kick to them. Not only is this a terrific album for 2019, but one of the standouts of the decade from an artist who already had an impressive discography these past ten years. I’m not sure where she will go next, but I’m hoping this is a sign of what to expect from her in the 2020s.

Favorite Track: Seventeen

1. Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains

This is my favorite album of 2019, and it’s not even close. I was not familiar with David Berman until I heard the first couple singles before the album came out. His name was one that I heard critics tweet about or referenced by other artists, but had never really checked out his music. However, after hearing “All My Happiness is Gone” and “Darkness and Cold” I could not get enough of this music. The melodies were incredibly catchy, I thought the lyrics were super memorable, and they just felt like they really connected with me. He sounded like a natural storyteller, and I was hooked on every word he said. I’m not usually a lyrics person, but I paid attention when I heard these songs. Then when the album came out, it was a treasure trove of an album that I could really dive into. This heartland country sound with a terrific backing band, Woods, complimenting David Berman’s unique voice. I loved it immediately. Then when the tragic news came out of David Berman’s passing, it hit me hard. It’s difficult to talk about this album without acknowledging David committed suicide shortly after it was released. However, I don’t think of this album as a suicide note. This really felt like an album about life. There are struggles, but there are the good moments too. Find the happiness where you can. Margaritas at the mall, that lovely connection of a child with their parent, and if the snow is falling and it’s looking bad, enjoy how warm it will be inside. Berman’s legacy will be everything he contributed to culture; his poetry, his wit, his dark humor, and especially the music. Every once in awhile now when I hear “All My Happiness is Gone” on the radio or if it comes up on a shuffled playlist, my eyes start to well up. Not because I’m sad, but because I’m happy David shared a piece of his soul with us. That’s the real power of music.

Favorite Track: All My Happiness is Gone

[nakamina]

How similar are Hanyu Yuzuru and Katsuki Yuri? - The Never Ending Debate

Hi all,

Nakamina here again with a long blog post. Now before ya’ll get triggered from this title please read the following.

So about a year ago I made a Yuzu fan video (which you can find below) and I have received many comments since comparing him to Yuri from the anime ‘Yuri!!! on ICE’ (YOI) which is a figure skating themed anime that aired in the fall of 2016.

The kind of comments being:

“Yuzu is the real Yuri!“ (<- pretty much got about 10+ of these)

“He is the inspiration of Yuri”

“He looks so much like Yuri”

“He reminds me of Yuri”

“Yuzuru Hanyu and Javier Fernandes look like Yuri and Viktor!”

Now, this is really no surprise since I used the anime’s opening song ‘History Maker’ for this video, although the video itself really does not make any reference to the anime. But it got me thinking…how similar/different are they actually??

DISCLAIMER: I would just like to say that this comparison is purely for fun and I am not here to put down Yuzuru Hanyu nor YOI. I became a fan of Yuzu long before YOI came out and I am also a massive anime otaku. So obviously, I support both fandoms and am not here to discredit one or the other. I thought this would be something interesting since so many people point it out and I genuinely want to nut out their differences and similarities in a neutral and unbiased manner for once, since this topic seems to only ever bring in a cat fight between the figure skating fandom and anime fandom… Let’s change that!

Yuzuru Hanyu vs Katsuki Yuri

SIMILARITIES

Race and Cultural Background

I guess this is an inevitable similarity since they come from the same country and culture. Yes, they are both Japanese and have black hair, black eyes, wears glasses…etc the list goes on. I mean Yuzu probably also likes Katsu-don too (maybe). These similarities are applicable to most Japanese men really, and hence why I think this is the main aspect that a lot of people tend to focus and highlight on.

Idolising a Russian Skater

What a lot of the people also point are the two’s idolisation towards a Russian skater. This is also no surprise. When I first saw YOI I too thought that this was very reminiscent of Yuzu’s idolisation towards Evgeni Plushenko. They both grew up watching their Russian idols on TV and consider them as their ultimate inspiration. Yuzu also has formed quite a friendly relationship with Plushenko since, and has even gone far as to use one of his iconic pieces for his 2018-2019 free program - ‘Tribute to Nijinsky’. Much like how Yuri skates to Viktor’s choice of music and choreography, and wears one of his previous costumes for his short program in the anime. 

Hometown Support

This is probably a less obvious one but in YOI there is a decent sense of “Jimoto ai” - hometown love. There are a number of scenes where it depicts the support Yuri receives from his home town. As many would know Yuzu also receives a lot of support from his hometown in Sendai/Miyagi, and Yuzu himself has also raised many funds for the recovery from the 2011 earthquake. They are both from different prefectures, but their love for their hometown are quite alike.

Relationship with Family

With all that being said, I think the most noteworthy thing the two have in common is their family bond. Yuri is shown to have a strong relationship with his family, and from what I know Yuzu also does with his family, notably his mother. Family & love is a reoccurring theme in YOI. Yuri’s quote from ep 4: “...my family never treated me like a weakling. They all had faith that I’d keep growing as a person, and they never stepped over the line.”.  Yuzu has also stated in an interview after his second Olympic win that the people he feels the most gratitude towards is his family, for their unconditional support throughout his whole skating career. I personally think this is the most significant alikeness between the two that a lot of people seem to undermine. Yuri’s family has unconditionally loved and believed in him (as quoted from the anime), which I think is very similar to that of Yuzu’s relationship with his family.

DIFFERENCES

Track Record

In terms of track record, the two are quite different. Yes, the two are Japan National Champions but when speaking at an international level the differences are apparent. Yuri is more of a late bloomer as a competitive skater while Yuzu is very much an early bloomer. Yuri first medalled at the GPF at age 24 (Re YOI ep12), whereas Yuzu first medalled at the GPF at the age of 17. Also, Yuri first qualified for the GPF at age 23 (Re YOI ep1) while Yuzu first qualified for the GPF at age 16. By the age of 23 Yuzu has also won numerous other international titles such as 2x World Championship golds, 4x GPF golds and 2x Olympic golds. So there are some stark differences in terms of their career progression. Now I know the Olympics and Worlds were not mentioned in the anime; however, judging from the whole tone of the anime and what was heard from Yuri’s monologues, the likelihood of him winning one of these titles in the past is very low. Although I would say Yuri winning the 4CC (Four Continents Championships) is a possibility.  

Side note: Actually looking into their track records has made me realise how rapid and incredible Yuzu’s achievements were… no wonder he is called a living legend. Yuri’s track record by all means is very impressive as well, as it is a lot more than what most figure skaters can ever achieve in their life time.

Personality

Another major difference is their personality. Yes, they are both very competitive and hate to lose, but from what I have seen Yuri easily gets anxious and lacks confidence. We can see that from the way he desperately avoids to even listen to the other performances in episode 7 in order to calm his nerves. Of course this gradually changes in Yuri, and we see that he learns to handle the pressure better in competitions. As for Yuzu, he lives off pressure and gets motivated the more his competitors do well. Yuzu has stated that his “ideal” way of winning is for him to defeat the other competitors when they are are at their best. 

Skating skills/style

Yuzu, at this point in time, can jump the quad salchow, quad toe-loop, quad loop & quad lutz. Yuri is able to do the quad salchow, quad toe loop and…the quad flip, which just happens to be the one quadruple jump (excluding the axel) that Yuzu cannot do. Interesting aye? 

Also, Yuzu is very much an all rounded skater, and has been for the majority of his senior career. He is well renowned for possessing great artistry and technical skills that are on par with each other. Whereas Yuri’s strength leans more towards the components/artistic side of skating (Refer to YOI ep 4). Yuri is very expressive in the way that he performs and interprets music quite well, but he has the tendency to flop when it comes to his jumps. However, this too gradually changes following Viktor’s coaching as he starts to polish up Yuri’s skills in other areas too. 

New York Times Article on Yuzuru Hanyu:

Body Type, Physical Condition   

Yuri, in the anime, is very susceptible to binge eat and gains weight easily. His love for food, especially Katsu-don, is clearly depicted in the anime, and it’s apparent that the act of eating brings him joy. Yuzu on the other hand really has no interest in eating, and suffers from the total opposite concern of being unable to gain weight. 

Another stark difference is their stamina. Yuri’s stamina has always been one of his strengths; whereas Yuzu suffers from asthma and has struggled with stamina especially during his early senior years. 

Final Verdict/Thoughts

So I think we can see that Yuzu and Yuri are somewhat similar in terms of race, background and upbringing, but are quite different in terms of personality, skating skills/style and track record.

I like to actually think that bits of Yuzu’s traits are shown through not just Yuri but multiple characters in YOI. He has the charisma of Viktor, drive of Yurio and love/affection of Yuri. Just like how we see bits of Yuzu in lot of these characters, the character of Yuri was inspired by various iconic skaters; noteworthy ones being Machida Tatsuki and Takahashi Daisuke.

Many people worked hard to create this anime, just like how Yuzu has worked his butt off to get to where he is now. I think it is okay for people to compare the two, just as long as you respect and acknowledge the fact that Yuri is his own character and Yuzu is his own person. I think it is great that a lot of people found out about Yuzu and Figure Skating through this anime. I’m also sure that there are people who got into YOI as they were initially part of the figure skating fandom or were Yuzu fans (like myself!). 

I sincerely hope people have not been offended by this blog. I tried being objective as possible. Adios until my next post! 

[fuckyeahqueermusic]

FY!QM’s Favorite Albums of 2019 Part 2

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, here have a list of my favorite albums of 2019. You can click here to read part 1 if you missed it, but part 2 is all my absolute favorite releases from the year. Two of them aren’t even EPs, let alone full albums, but it is my list and I am the boss so I can do what I want!!

Obviously a ton of great music was released this year, but I think compared to 2018 it was a little lacking. Which is understandable, that was a bonkers killer year for new music, but I’m already psyched for all that’s coming out in 2020, and I have a feeling I am going to have a hard time doing a round up of everything I loved come next December (or January....or February, who’s to say!)

Anyways, onto my favs of 2019!

Carly Rae Jepsen — Dedicated Okay, so first off we have to talk about how one of the first working titles for this album was “Songs To Clean Your House To”, and how it is a CRIME we were deprived of that. Well, it will always be the real title in my heart.

So, Dedicated is not Emotion. It was never going to be Emotion, and that is okay. It is still an absolutely meticulously crafted, nearly perfect pop record. One that’s not only is full of great singles and individual certified bops (”Julien” anyone????), but actually works as a whole record, an increasing rarity in the mainstream pop landscape. But you can feel how much CRJ cares about what she puts out, and while some songs are weaker than others, there is no filler, and every track has something to enjoy on it. She is still the QUEEN of mid-tempo jams, with ��No Drug Like Me,” “Too Much,” and “Automatically In Love” already up in the pantheon of all time mid-tempo jams. Some folks might have been disappointed we didn’t get Emotion 2.0, but I am thrilled CRJ wants to keep growing as an artist, and that she isn’t content to keep releasing the same thing over and over again, even though she very easily could.

Telethon — Hard Pop Telethon is hands down one of the best rock bands in the game right now, and I am thrilled they finally seem to be gaining a bit of traction outside the extremely cult following they’ve been building over the past five years. They have hooks for days, their music a master class in power pop song writing, combined with some of the densest lyric writing I have ever seen. Lead singer and lyricist Kevin Tully crafts each song like a short story about millennial mundanity and quarter life crises: using the exhaustion of finding a new apartment to examine long simmering anxiety, or trying to figure out if contentment is settling, and being too tired to know if you can tell the difference, while getting asked if you have weed at a terrible house party. It’s an album that feels like your late 20’s and early 30’s, with just enough optimism from a synth line to let you know that maybe everything will be okay in the end, maybe not, but it’s not stupid to hope.

Also they are not afraid of a ska influenced breakdown, and for that I must salute them.

Great Grandpa — Four of Arrows This is far and away my most listened to album of the year, and it only came out in October. Every song is masterfully crafted to stick in your head, and whenever I put on “Bloom,” “Rosalie,” or “Treat Jar,” I HAVE to listen to it at least three times in a row. The songwriting on this album is just fucking astonishing, and it completely runs the gamut from acoustic driven indie to 80’s big power chord pop rock, without feeling incongruent at all. It is incredible that this is the same band that made Plastic Cough only two years ago. Not that their debut was bad, but this album is just such a massive leap in skill and sound that it is truly amazing. Just a completely beautiful record from front to back, and I am so excited to see where this band goes next.

that dog — Old LP For the last 3 years that dog’s one semi-hit from 1997, “Never Say Never,” has been in my top 5 played songs of the year on Spotify (it currently has 186,000 plays. I would wager about 100,000 of those are me). I would argue it is the catchiest song ever written. It was on an album, Retreat From The Sun, that is back to back to back catchy jams. that dog should’ve been one of the most famous bands in the world, and I have been lamenting hard for some time that we never got more music from them. They broke up in 1997, scattering to the winds to be involved in making some of your favorite music (Josie and the Pussycats soundtrack anyone???)

Until last year. Anna Waronker got the band back together and that dog released their first album in 22 years, Old LP. And it’s like barely any time has passed. Old LP is practically perfect 90’s pop-rock, insanely catchy with enough of an edge and interesting flourishes (they credit basically a whole orchestra in the liner notes) to make you want to put the whole thing on repeat for a few hours. Or maybe that’s just me. Either way, I am so happy that dog is back in some capacity, and here’s hoping this is not the last we hear of them. 

(Also I picked this live performance of “Bird On A Wire” cause Allison Crutchfield from Swearin’ is there???)

Fireworks — Demitasse single This is not an album, or even an EP, but this is my list and I can do what I want and that includes fawning over a single from what is sure to be one of my top albums of 2020. Fireworks’ reunion was my biggest surprise of the year. They are a band that defined the last decade for me, their lifespan cut too short due to a crowded market and evolving too fast for their audience (they should be The Wonder Years level of famous and beloved, as they were, no offense to Soupy and the boys, the superior band). But after four years away they returned with a 6 minute slow burn of a song, solemn and sparse, until the full band crashes in more than ¾ of the way through. The first time I got to 5:08 in the song, the mix of pure catharsis and active anger that they disbanded in 2015 and we were denied new material from them until now I felt guaranteed Higher Lonely Power will almost certainly be THE album of 2020.

Team Dresch — Your Hands My Pocket “7 Perhaps even more important than Fireworks comeback, the biggest music news of 2019 for me was Team Dresch’s reunion. They are a band that I trace pretty much all my modern musical tastes to, and they are hugely influential to me and so many others in what they proved was possible for queer music to be. When that reunion ALSO came with new music, I about lost my mind. “Your Hands My Pocket” sounds like no time has passed since Captain My Captain came out: perfect hooks, heartfelt earnest lyrics, the vocal trade off between Jody Bleyle and Kaia Wilson, and all the queer pop-punk jubilation I want. The b-side “Baskets,” is classic Team Dresch emo (and yes I will argue to the ends of the earth that Team Dresch is one of the best emo bands of the 90s), with big volume shifts and longing vocals (and that bridge!). The only bad thing about this release is that there’s not more! Maybe if we all beg hard enough, they’ll make one more album.

[kestrelmarr]

I don’t know if this has been done before

But I was getting very annoyed at the knee-jerk anti-arguments, so I decided to do a little research. And I gotta say, I did not start this journey as a 2Nu shipper, but I sure as fuck ended as one. Frankly, the more I dug into the canon backstory of the band, the more ridiculous the anti-2Nu arguments seemed to become. The gist of them seems to boil down to this: 

1) 2Nu is pedophilia (AKA, “ew, he’s too old for her!”)

2) 2Nu is incest. (AKA, “he practically raised her/he’s like her older brother!”)

3) 2Nu will never be canon, “the creators have already said so, so knock it off!”

 To which I reply-

1a) Noodle is legally an adult from mid-Phase 3 on, period. If Jamie Hewlett wanted to, he could have kept her a little girl, you can do that with cartoon characters, you know? There’s no rule you have to physically age them. Stewie Griffin has been a one-year-old baby for 20 years. Conversely, the male members of the band do not appear to have aged much at all. Murdoc is supposed to be 54 years old, and he looks fucking great for his age, aside from being a pickle. However yes, I will agree that shipping Phase 1 or 2 2Nu is pedophilia, but shipping them now is definitely not.   

1b) A twelve year age difference is not the catastrophe you all seem to imagine it is. It’s more common than you think for people to date outside their own ages, especially when they’re in their 20s, 30s, and above. If it seems gross to you, honestly that just indicates to me that you’re just... really young.  

2a) 2D was an active drug addict with brain damage for most of Phase 1 and 2. He could not “raise” Noodle. For fuck’s sake, he looked catatonic half the time back then. If anyone raised Noodle, it was Russel. 

 2b) Chronologically, the band spends more time apart than they do together. I know, I checked. Please see the chronological break-down of pertinent events in the canon Gorillaz timeline I have provided below (because I put a lot of time into it), but the gist of it boils down to: from 1998 - 2020, Noodle and 2D spend less than 10 years together, the longest stretch of continuous time being during phase 1 (5 years.) Coincidentally, this is also the time when 2D is *the most fucked up* from drugs and being brain damaged by Murdoc. After the ‘El Manana’ incident, they are separated for 9 years (from 2006 -2015), which means that 2D sees Noodle last when she is 16 and then not again until she’s 25. 

And finally, 

3) It’s shipping. It doesn’t matter that it’s never going to be canon- THAT IS WHAT SHIPPING IS FOR. So that we can create the content that we know we’ll never get from the source. I’m willing to bet that 90% of ships will never and have never been canon. And no, it doesn’t “upset them,” because at the end of the day, they’re not freakin’ real. Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett are real, however, and they chose to age Noodle into an adult, and then put 2D and her into various promo pictures together being adorable, and ships have been founded on WAAYYY WAY less, let me tell you. 

Anyways, here’s the timeline. I’d say feel free to use it to beat 2Nu antis down with canon facts, but we all know they probably won’t listen, anyways. 

Phase 1 (1998-2003) Noodle starting age (born 10/31/90, age 8) 2D starting age (born 05/23/78, age 20)

1997: Murdoc gives Stu Pot 2 dents in his head, puts him in a coma/wakes him up/convinces him to join his band.

1998: Kong Studios. Russel joins the boys/Paula Cracker gets kicked out/Noodle arrives via FedEx crate.

2000:EP Tomorrow Comes Today is released.

2001: Debut album Gorillaz is released. Toured Europe and Asia.

2002: Toured North America. Took a break for six months in LA at the end of tour to engage in talks for a film project.

2003:"Everyone was too concentrated on doing drugs and hanging out with celebrities." Murdoc tries to kill 2D. Gorillaz break up. 

First hiatus: duration 1.5 years. 

Time together during phase 1: 5 years. Ending ages: 13 and 25

Phase 2 (2003-2006)

2003: 2D works at his dad's fun fair in Eastbourne/ Russel stays in LA/Murdoc goes to Tijuana/Noodle goes to Japan.

2004: Noodle gets her memory back, goes back to Kong Studios, starts recording Demon Dayz. Band reunites in late 2004.

2005: Demon Dayz is released.

2006: Noodle goes missing after the windmill island in the El Manana video is shot down. When they can't find her in the wreckage, Gorillaz go their separate ways  

Second hiatus : duration 2 years. 

Time together during phase 2: 1.75 years. Ending ages: 16 and 28.

Phase 3 (2006-2012)

2006-2008: Murdoc went on a bender around the world and creates Cyborg Noodle/2D on retreat in Beirut/Russel's whereabouts unknown.

2008: Murdoc burns down Kong Studios and cashes in on insurance money, buys Plastic Beach, kidnaps 2D to force him to write album/Russel starts swimming to Plastic Beach.

2010: Welcome to Plastic Beach is released.

2010-2011: Noodle is found on a ship and rescued from pirates by Russel (now giant from consuming toxic waste and trash). They continue to Plastic Beach, defeat the Black Cloud pirates and destroy malfunctioning Cyborg Noodle.

2011: Band is separated after the battle of Plastic Beach due to several outside factors. 

(2012: Video for Do Ya Thing shows the band living together at Wobble Street, but this was deemed non-canon because it contradicted events as told in Rise of the Ogre and thus is not included in this timeline)

Time together during Phase 3- NA. Ending ages: 21 and 33.

Phase 4 (2012-2018)

2012-2015 Murdoc: escapes Plastic Beach but is caught by EMI and thrown in Dungeon Abbey until he agrees to make a new album, moves to West London.

2012-2015 2D: eaten by a whale and stranded on Guadalupe Island, spends time there on vacation before reuniting with Murdoc in West London.

2012-2015 Russel: separated from Noodle, captured by NK, eventually shrinks back to normal due to malnutrition and rejoins Murdoc and 2D in West London

2012-2015 Noodle: washes up in Japan, spends time working as a pearl diver, accidentally releases a demon, spends years tracking demon and kills it in criminal underground Tokyo. Rejoins the band in West London.

2016: Band is all in one place together for the first time since 2006, spends the year recording.

2017: Humanz is released, world tour, Demon Dayz Festival is held in Margate, England.

2018: Murdoc is arrested.

Time together during Phase 4: 2 years. Ending ages: 28 and 40.

Phase 5 (2018-2019)

2018: Ace joins the band as Murdoc's replacement. The Now Now is released, and the band goes on tour again.

early 2019: Noodle embarks on a journey to Patagonia to see if 2D’s soul has been stolen by El Mierda.

late 2019: Murdoc gets out of prison and meets Noodle in Patagonia after she discovers the truth about El Mierda and Murdoc’s prison sentence, promises to be a better man and rejoins the band for the last leg of the tour.  

Time together: less than one year.

Phase 6 (2019- current)

September of 2019 the band was on hiatus the whole month in separate locations, in preparation for the release of the  Song Machine.

Ending/Current ages: 29 and 41.

Total amount of time spent together between 1998 and 2020: Less than ten years.

backstory source #1

backstory video source for phases 1-4

backstory video source for phases 4+5 

[benthemusicalbeard]

30 Oct 2019

Evening all, trust you are in fine fettle. I’m not playing games tonight. Three songs that you need to let into your life. I will confess at this stage that two of them are relatively new picks as I have only heard them for the first time this week so have had to do a little bit of research in able to fill a blog posting, just posting three YouTube links and telling you to get on with it is, at best, a little underwhelming! So.....

Opening song tonight comes courtesy of King Princess. This is actually the stage name of Mikaela Straus who was born in New York and has just released her debut album titled ‘Cheap Queen’. I first heard her singing as a guest vocalist on a track from the new Mark Ronson album, the track being called ‘Pieces Of Us’ which is a great track (more to follow on that...!). Her album was released last week and I’m still getting to grips with it but the song I’m sharing was the first single she ever released, as part of her only EP release in 2018 titled ‘Make My Bed’, which I have listened to this week you’ll be pleased to hear. Her style on the EP is indie pop and even with the strength of the songs on the EP none of the tracks have made it onto her debut album so I await and see how impressive these are. The song I’m sharing was introduced to a wider audience, not only because it’s very good, but also because Harry Styles tweeted a lyric from the song which evidently alerted people to the track. I look forward to listening to the debut album but on the strength of the EP, as well being signed to Mark Ronson’s label, a huge prospect!

King Princess - 1950 - https://youtu.be/LNxWTS25Tbk

Second tonight and following on from being mentioned above I share with you the talented Mr Mark Ronson. I recently saw a documentary on him discussing all things musical as well as insight into his upbringing and introduction to the music scene in New York in the early 1990′s. I would like to share his latest album with you which I listened to after watching his documentary and it is a definite change in styles from his earlier album releases. I brought his second album ‘Version’ in 2007 on the basis I was obsessed with his version of ‘Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before’ by the Smiths. His version was perfectly accompanied by the vocal talents of Daniel Merriweather and was a track and album I listened to a lot, also containing as it did the Amy Winehouse version of ‘Valerie’. His latest album ‘Late Night Feelings’ is a perfect title for the song style and lyrics which you are introduced to from the opening track. All vocals on the album are provided by female vocalists, and some talented lot they are! In addition to King Princess, we are also introduced to the harmonic Lykke Li as well as a great song with Miley Cyrus, ‘Nothing Breaks Like A Heart’. Best vocalist for me just so happens to appear on my favourite song on the album, the one I’m sharing. Her name is YEBBA and she has a voice which Ronson himself rates as one of the top five he has had the pleasure to work with. If you get chance to watch the documentary it is worth a watch to see how much the music industry means to him, and to see what he means to other people in the musical industry.

Mark Ronson feat. YEBBA - Don’t Leave Me Lonely - https://youtu.be/FQT1gVMUmdw

Finally this week and some Welsh indie courtesy of Boy Azooga. Formed in Cardiff in 2017 they are Davey Newington on vocals and guitars who is joined by ‘other’ members when playing live. They are another act who are only one album into what we all hope is a long music career for them. Their album ‘1, 2, Kung Fu!’ has been described as dreampop, another one of these pissy genres they keep inventing! Genre aside, the album is a great listen and contains tracks which will stick in your mind instantly, just listen to the synth intro and bassline from ‘Face Behind Her Cigarette’. I was introduced to the song I’m sharing after it featured on my new music weekly thing-a-ma-jig on Spotify and the slight melancholy in the opening guitar chords precede an easy listening indie ballad. A close second favourite on the album is ‘Taxi To Your Head’ which would not be out of place on a Tame Impala album. According to an interview following on from supporting Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds, Liam Gallagher claimed Boy Azooga to be one of his favourite up and coming artists. I am now on the lookout for future works which will be a follow up to what is an impressive debut album.

Boy Azooga - Jerry - https://youtu.be/T3EfrGJNIVA

Three more songs for you to deliberate, cogitate and digest (all said in a Lloyd Grossman voice). See you in two weeks!

[futuresandpasts]

Futures & Pasts | MRR #429

Nearing the last of my columns for the print version of Maximum Rocknroll; this one was from #429 (February 2019) & if y’all are quick, you still might be able to pick up some back issues. 

Since I just finished putting together my requisite top ten of 2018 list for MRR, which always feels so unnatural and stresses me out way more than it probably should, I feel like I’ve earned the right to mentally shift gears here for a bit and start my final column of 2018 by talking about what I’ve actually been listening to as this year is about to end, even if it’s mostly things that came out almost four decades ago…

Fringe post-punk resurrectionists Bunkerpop Records are back with their first release in two years, a reissue of the 1985 four-song 7-Inch Round Black Thing EP by Auckland, New Zealand’s art-damaged provocateurs ?FOG. Vocalist Sam Swan landed in the group after her stint in the short-lived LIFE IN THE FRIDGE EXISTS (whose “Have You Checked The Children?” remains one of the most eternal classics of ‘80s Kiwi DIY), and both projects shared a decidedly shambolic approach with inclination toward performative theatricality. ?FOG ultimately took things into a much more confrontational direction—deep, propulsive bass lines colliding with urgent drumming, stuttering razor-wire guitar, and deadpan lyrical recitations marked by pitch black, tongue-in-cheek sarcasm (especially on the fiery feminist take-down of “Fatman With a Big Dork”). The choppy rhythms and dueling male/female rant between Sam and guitarist Lindsay Fog on “Five Heads of State” puts ?FOG on a very EX-like axis of agitated skronk, and there’s even some distant echoes of the Rough Trade school of spiky AU PAIRS/DELTA 5-style UK femme-punk in “Move Your Brain,” if that particular sound had then been refracted through the cracked lens of harsh-edged avant-noisemakers like the GORDONS over on New Zealand’s South Island. Between this single, the two recent NOCTURNAL PROJECTIONS LP collections, and the THIS SPORTING LIFE CD anthology, 2018 has been a pretty solid year for bringing renewed attention to some of the weirder and less musically linear products of the early-to-mid ‘80s NZ underground, but this one is an especially obscure delight to have been rescued from the archives. (Bunkerpop Records, bunkerpop.bandcamp.com)

French coldwave group COLDREAMS released a two-song 7” that’s since become one of the formative (and most highly sought-after) touchstones of the genre’s mid-’80s second wave, so the straight reissue of the original single that just recently turned up on Parisian label Camisole is a nice end-of-year surprise for any Factory Records-meets-4AD freaks out there. While COLDREAMS borrowed from the detached presence and bass-anchored minimalist post-punk rhythms associated with the early Euro coldwavers like CHARLES DE GOAL and KAS PRODUCT, their approach was also much less mechanical and dystopian, instead leaning toward gauzy, ethereal melodies not entirely dissimilar to those of goth-tinged dream-pop combos like COCTEAU TWINS or even Faith/Pornography-era CURE. You can almost picture frost forming on some dimly-lit window as the swirling synths in “Morning Rain” blur right into Géraldine Sala’s sweet-yet-somber vocals, but there’s an almost breezy undercurrent amidst all of the longing and gloom that spares COLDREAMS from any overly melodramatic darkwave pretensions. While that song is great, but the sparse B-side “Eyes” is the real gem here, quietly drifting in the same mysterious and otherworldly minimal wave/synth-pop atmosphere as cult heroes SOLID SPACE, and it’s just as chillingly beautiful as anything on that group’s much-beloved Space Museum. (Camisole, camisolerecords.bigcartel.com)

Not reissued (at least not yet), but something that I’ve been playing a bit lately: RAZOR PENGUINS were from Columbus, Ohio, and their debut two-song 7” from 1981 was an exercise in bleak, incisive post-punk that largely deviated from the sort of warped and deconstructed weirdo sounds generally associated with late ‘70s/early ‘80s Ohio DIY (think ELECTRIC EELS, DEVO, PERE UBU, et al). There’s definitely some psychic connections to be drawn between the post-industrial decay of the Rust Belt and the grey, brutalist urban landscapes of London and Manchester, so in that sense, it’s entirely fitting that RAZOR PENGUINS would have turned to the early output of 4AD and Factory Records for their primary source material—JOY DIVISION, obviously, but also slightly less canonized groups such as CRISPY AMBULANCE or IN CAMERA who had a similar affinity for sinister bass throb, martial beats, and vocals delivered with a desperately anxious edge. The single’s frantic A-side “Paris” is a perfectly dark discotheque smash for the black peacoat and clove cigarette crowd, all needling guitar, loping bass, busy hi-hat, and anguished shouts like they were trying to come up with an American response to SECTION 25’s “Girls Don’t Count”. On the flipside, “Indifference” gives in to the band’s starker goth leanings, existing in some parallel universe where Ian Curtis never died, NEW ORDER never existed, and JOY DIVISION had simply gone into semi-secrecy to come up with a follow-up to Closer after relocating to the middle of Ohio. RAZOR PENGUINS wound up putting out one more 7” in 1986 before totally falling off the radar, but it couldn’t reach the same heights at this one. Midwest post-punk gold!

On a more contemporary tip, Manchester’s clattering and clanging combo D.U.D.S. (formerly known as, uh, DUDS) are back from last year’s apparently brief foray on Castle Face with a new LP called Immediate, and it’s an even more controlled exercise in walking the tightrope between spiral scratched post-punk and the kinetic danceability of the early ‘80s post-No Wave downtown sound (think LIQUID LIQUID or pretty much anyone on ZE/99 Records). The clash of rubbery bass and wiry, minimalist guitar definitely still harks back to GANG OF FOUR, but without that band’s tendency toward dryly caustic lyrical commentary on the effects of capitalism on interpersonal relationships—the shouted (and somewhat buried) declarations that D.U.D.S. throw out seem to be much more abstracted and cryptic, with a good number of the songs this time around dispensing with words altogether, leaving just a skeleton of knotted and frenetic rhythms behind. The occasional sharp bursts of brass that were scattered across their previous record have also been more fully integrated into the D.U.D.S. equation this time around, with “Humour and Friction” and “Same Device” in particular recalling the horn-spiked harsh funk and mutant disco commotion of early A CERTAIN RATIO. Shack up, y’all. (Opal Tapes/Red Wig, opaltapes.com)

[quippingwithquyne]

This is un-edited for now.  I am leaving it as a Stream of Consciousness until then.

             In 2013, I stumbled upon a cheeky video called Disney Dudez by Todrick Hall in collaboration with the boyband IM5.  It was cheesy but in an absolutely enjoyable way.  I remember that Dalton Rapattoni (Cinderella/Prince Henry) and Will Jay (Mulan/Shang) stood out the most to me; Will Jay for his great control and Dalton for his purpose voice.  I don't know if a term yet exists for this concept but for now, I call it a “purpose voice.”  After a recent manic episode, I finally found a way to articulate how I’ve always felt about music and why my support and love for Dalton’s music still hasn’t wavered. To this day, his music is able to make me feel things and think long and hard about it.  I like to think of my voice and songs as a mosaic of inspirations, whether it be celebrities, musicians, friends, family, or memories. He didn’t help my find my voice but Dalton’s influence since 2014 has heavily impacted my journey through finding my own voice and purpose as a singer-songwriter, which is why my “re-imagined” cover of his song “Heaven” was important to me.

             A purpose voice is almost like a purpose statement. When we apply for some colleges, we are expected to articulate exactly what makes us stand out from the thousands of applicants who want to succeed in the same field of interest.  To me, it’s the same difference as seeing someone who’s singing for the attention versus using it as a vice to strip into a vulnerability that connects with the audience.  Some artists have the luxury of being able to write their own lyrics to tell the audience their story with purpose.  Others may have difficulty doing this with covers of other people’s songs but even so (and like Dalton), they sing it with their own purpose that may or may not have anything to do with the original version.  

             And then there’s a purpose song sung with a purpose voice.  These are usually the profound tear-jerkers or emotionally driven songs like “Shallow” by Lady Gaga, “By Now” by Will Jay, or one of my favorites: “Music” by Jojo (stylized “Music.”)  “Music” is quite literally about Jojo’s purpose and why she does music.  It starts out talking about singing as a young girl to escape from overhearing her parents’ arguments, then later on growing up poor, watching her mom at work, and singing the troubles of poverty and hardship away.  Music is the subject the love song is dedicated towards and the way Jojo articulates her lyrics is chilling.  She is parched and longing for a sip of music to hold onto during hard times.  The last part hits home for those who have lost a loved one and she dedicates the bridge to her late father, “went on the road to make my daddy proud / but I lost him and so I sang to the crowd / my only hope is that he’s looking down thinking, ‘oh my god, my daughter’s doing it now.’”  There’s almost never been quite the song that describes the relationship between music and musician.  I think “Music” does this so well in making it as holy grail as water is to survival.  Overall, this song exemplifies the perfect matrimony between meaningful lyrics sung with vulnerable conviction – purpose.

              Somewhere in Sunnyvale, Texas and approximately fourteen years ago, a nine year old boy was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  It was difficult understanding every emotion he experienced as he grew up no matter how many times a doctor or his mother would explain.  His grandma later gifted him guitar lessons and he enrolled into a nearby music camp, School of Rock, where he and his peers and mentors discovered he could sing. He formed the band Fly Away Hero and it was clear music saved him every time he performed.  At age fifteen, he ended up in a boyband where he was singing things he didn’t like and after a few years, he left to reunite with Fly Away Hero and sing with his whole heart again.  This was the era in which I discovered Dalton Rapattoni.  

             I was going through a writer’s block and had not yet been aware about my bipolar disorder at the time but I remember watching these pixelated videos of a carefree Dalton rocking out with some of his best friends and instantly became hooked to his songwriting style.  “Hercules” was one of the most inspirational songs that kicked the fire of my songwriting spree that spawned my debut album “It’s a Wacky World” (still available on iTunes and all other streaming platforms!)  Whenever I get excited about anything, I scream it to the heavens and I must have done it so much, made so many covers, painted so many obscure memes about Dalton to the point where it could have been an obsession. The parasocial relationship became a nice banter-and-exchange when I met him in Texas at his EP release party.  It was a magical moment for me.  He moves like he was born for the stage in a way that television or YouTube could never fully display.  After that Texas trip, I definitely made some posts for attention and had to remind my fangirl self that he’s human, too.  But like my respect for Charlie Puth, Ed Sheeran, Beyonce, and other inspirational artists, my dreams about Dalton were closer to sharing the stage and nothing more.  I knew nothing about his actual personality but I felt so connected in our music styles, songwriting style, and artistry.  It was like his music breathed life into mine again.  

             I didn’t understand why I struggled so much inside. I thought I possibly had ADHD or was just plain stupid compared to my peers in schools.  I didn’t get the best grades but I was well-read and teachers still described me as “smart.”  Music was where I felt like I could go anywhere with it despite it not giving me anything back in return other than a mental dose of amphetamine.  It wasn’t until I talked to one of my doctors about my thoughts about ADHD, to which he said, “actually…it’s bipolar disorder.” You never know what you have until you ask and I was always afraid to ask but the manic episodes were becoming more and more frequent.  Years later, I started shutting myself in my room and locking the door whenever I pleased.  My very Asian parents had never let me lock the door before 2018 and while some will think it’s controlling, I was used to that.  However, I was in my early twenties now so they stopped questioning my choices to lock the door.  

             I started writing again.  Even though years have passed since I flew over to Texas to meet Dalton, I felt even more connected to him upon learning about his bipolar disorder. I was always curious about what “Heaven” was about (but honestly, I’m curious about pretty much all of his songs) and perhaps there was some deeper meaning than learning how to pray again after a breakup with a “heavenly” girl.  Maybe it isn’t his purpose song but it was his first solo single and it hit home for me when I listened again in 2018.  I had the same feeling that I felt when I listened to “Music” by Jojo. Whatever it means to Dalton, I interpret it as his ode to music (“I found my heaven in you, coming back to your embrace.)  It is 2019 and I experienced another writer’s block so I returned to binge his music once again.  I sung Heaven in harmony with voice but this time, with purpose.  It fulfilled a long ago dream of sharing the stage with him, even though it wasn’t real. I locked my bedroom door, closed my eyes, and felt like I was just sharing a moment with someone who understood my struggles and coped with them through a similar outlet.  

          Dalton mentioned years ago that perhaps maybe we could share the stage sometime and I don’t think it’ll ever come true but “Heaven” is as close as I can get.  I was just overjoyed enough to receive such kind words from him.  I wrote It’s a Wacky World after taking some inspiration from the Fly Away Hero “Lost and Found” era and I like to think that my writing spree catalyst – his music – will always somehow be a part of me.  It definitely started out sounding like his work until I found my own voice and I think I found something that works for me that incorporates Charlie Puth, Ed Sheeran, Max Milner, and of course, Dalton Rapattoni.  I know I found my purpose voice so thank you, Dalton.  I hope that my future works can do the same for others well. 

[onestowatch]

Multi-Talented Japanese Wallpaper Talks Past Successes, New Sound, & Upcoming Album [Q&A]

Photo Credit: Giulia Giannini McGauran

Melbourne-based artist Japanese Wallpaper has had a rather unorthodox first few years of his career. Having burst onto the electronic-music scene by winning a 2014 high school producer competition hosted by national Australian radio station Triple J, it seemed the only direction to go was up for the then 17-year old Gab Strum. After racking up a solid 20+ million plays on his 2016 self-titled debut project, and subsequently finding fans in Charli XCX, Flume, Gotye, Lily Allen, Chet Faker and Bombay Bicycle Club, the past few years have seen a relatively infrequent trickle of releases for Strum.

Yet reclusive as he may have been, Strum’s hard work and silent planning has started to come to fruition. Along with some considerable changes to his production style, workflow and overall sound in light of a near two-year break, we now have the pleasure of bearing witness to Japanese Wallpaper’s triumphant and unconventional return.

The late 2018 “Fooling Around” was Japanese Wallpaper’s first single since 2016 and two separate tours with Shallou and Lily Allen. We sat down with Strum to discuss his changing musical style, discovering his voice and the heaps of new music he has in the works.

OTW: It’s been a while since your first big track “Breathe In.” Obviously that song was of great importance for you and your career - I’m curious though, what are your thoughts on it now? Has the emotional significance changed?

JW: It’s interesting... Songs kind of lose their emotional significance every time I play them live. They become associated with work and touring, but also gain a different sentimental value. That song was me when I was 16 - it opened a lot of doors for me.

OTW: That release does seem to mark a time of change and growth for you. How did you deal with that sort of transition from being a high school musician to touring indie-electronic artist?

JW: I think the more music I’m exposed to, the older I get and the more confident I get in what I’m doing... I feel like the music changes as a result. My goalposts have shifted basically. I guess doors are still opening to me that haven’t been in the past and I’m meeting more people and playing more shows and all of that. I feel like on this new record there’s a sense of boldness and confidence that there might not have been in the past.

OTW: After your self-titled EP you dropped a few remixes, your deluxe album, and then your single “Cocoon,” but then 2017 is a bit of a sparse release year for you aside from “In Motion” with Allday. Was this a big writing year for you?

JW: Yeah, 2017 was the first year that I had a big chunk of time to get stuck in writing and producing. 2016 was my first year out of high school and I was traveling a bunch. “Cocoon” came out and we did a lot of festivals but at the end of 2016, I was like, “Cool time to make a record.” 2017 was just a year of every day opening up Ableton and spending like eight hours experimenting and messing around with stuff. After touring, I had a bit of money so I bought some equipment and set up a little studio space and that was the biggest learning experience - just having a year to write and mess around which turned into finishing an album and narrowing down ideas into what would make up the record.

OTW: Was that collab with Allday incepted around that time?

JW: The Allday track came about early 2016 actually. The first iteration at least came about early in 2016. We’d never met before, he just got in touch with me on Twitter and came around to my studio. We talked about Jamie xx, ate a really good falafel, made the beat, and started messing around with ideas for the chorus and that was it - I left him with the beat. Then a year later he hits me up and says, “Hey here’s the song. It’s the lead single on my record; it’s coming out in a few months. Hope you like it.” And it was wild! Like, it was something that going into it, I had no expectations and it was a good lesson in just saying yes to things and being open to meeting people.

OTW: Now fast-forward to 2018 and you’re working with swim good now and remixing Charli XCX! Both awesome releases, but the Charli remix definitely seemed like a bit of a departure from your normal collaborations. How did that one come about?

JW: That remix came about definitely around the time of my first EP. I think something happened with her and the label? They decided that the song wasn’t going to be a single and that there wouldn’t be any remixes coming out... But I had already done it (laughs). So then two years later, I was in New York in June, and I randomly met the head of her label and he said, “Man, (those remixes) were one of our favorite things we’ve worked on. We’re doing this compilation; could we put yours out on that?” It was weird because like, then I was going into the start of an album cycle I guess with music that feels so different to that remix. I was a bit like, “How is this going to fit in with my stuff now?” But it’s cool, and I’m really proud of it. Charli is one of my favorite artists so I’m just stoked at the fact that it exists.

OTW: Amazing, such an incredibly opportunity to reach larger audience. I guess now going back to “Cocoon,” that transition from your self-titled EP to you introducing your own vocals into a more indie-electronic sound makes sense. Your music seems to be much more emotionally intentional at this point. What inspired that sort of evolution?

JW: In hindsight, a lot of the shifts that have happened in my writing and producing have been brought about just by touring and playing live. Singing was something I never thought was for me - I’ve always been self conscious about it. I got to a point in my live shows where I realized playing vocals over the backing tracks was really boring for the audience. But it’s also monetarily restrictive to bring all these guest vocalists from the record on tour so I had to figure something out which was when I started singing in the live show. That was a year of basically just building my confidence to where it felt like it was something I could do. At that point I had written “Cocoon” and I had made a big list of people who I thought I wanted to sing it, but I played it for a friend and they actually really liked my vocals on the demo and just persuaded me to keep it. That was kind of it, I was like, “Alright, I’m doing it!”

OTW: It seems a bit like you’re going in the opposite direction of a lot of electronic artists nowadays. By that I mean that there are a lot of prevalent solo artists that played in indie bands for the first part of their career and branched out to electronic music, but you’re doing it in reverse?

JW: Yeah, it’s interesting! I feel like indie-alternative is something I’ve always been drawn to and always wanted to do. I mean there's times when I feel like the solely electronic route would be a lot more convenient, but I’m really fascinated with this other sound at the moment and I guess I’m just trying to follow it.

OTW: It’s apparent you’ve got a passion project on your hands. Which I guess leads us to the big question, what’s next for you? What can listeners expect in 2019?

JW: Album’s gonna come out sometime in the first half of this year, hopefully we’ll be able to come back to America and play some more shows. Just finished a tour with Lily Allen and then I’m already halfway through another record so hopefully lots more music, lots more touring and yeah. We’ll see!

[marksseagulleyebrows-blog]

a (really late) list of my favorite albums in 2018

In the year of 2018, I listened to many new songs and albums, and also discovered new artists and groups as well. However, there were some albums that really stood out to me in 2018, that I listened to many months after its release. This blog post will be a (long overdue) list of my favorite albums of 2018.

NOIR : “Airplane Mode”

“Airplane Mode” was NOIR’s first official comeback, and it surely did not disappoint. The album was amazing, showing the group’s growth in rap, vocals, and dance since their debut. I find all of the songs to be very catchy and fun to listen to. Also, in this album, Yunsung really got to shine a lot more, which is great, because him, Seunghoon, and Yeonkuk are currently my bias wreckers!

The Rose : “Dawn”

Wow, I was in quite the pickle choosing between The Rose’s “Dawn” and “Void,” seeing that The Rose has never put out a single bad album or song. However, I ended up sticking with “Dawn,” since many people have theorized that this album is all connected, and that if you listen to the album in order, it tells a story of a boy and girl falling in and out of love. “Dawn” is perfect album to listen to if you’re in the mood for slow songs and ballads.

VIXX : “Eau De Vixx”

I’m not really a VIXX stan, or Starlight (fandom name), however I sure can appreciate their music. This album had me sh00k. I remember simply watching the music video for “Scentist,” simply because I thought it looked pretty, and thank goodness I did. Listening to VIXX’s music sends you into a whole other dimension; their music and sound I find very unique and addicting.

Monsta X : “THE CONNECT : DEJAVU”

This album was, to simply put it, perfect. Every song was so unique, and showed Monsta X’s amazing rap and vocals. More importantly, who can forget about Yoo Kihyun’s high note in “Lost in the Dream”? All of the songs in this album are incredible, it’s nearly impossible to choose a favorite (although “Crazy in Love” will always have a special place in my heart).

NCT 2018 : “EMPATHY”

Although “EMPATHY” was much less of a new album rather than a huge repackage, it still remained as one the albums that I couldn’t get enough of in 2018. With songs from each unit, along with new members and new units, each song on the album was very different from the song before it. I guess that’s what made the album so loveable, the many different sounds in it.

DAY6 : “Shoot Me: Youth Part 1”

Not to be dramatic, but this mini-album, along with “The Story of Light” (which I will be talking about next) saved my summer. This era was when I really started to stan DAY6, which is a part of the reason why it is so special to me. In addition to this, this album was the album that I listened to on the five hour drive to go camping. The songs on this album are all very beautiful and also bring back many happy memories, which is why it was one of my favorite albums in 2018.

SHINee : “The Story of Light”

I was really happy that SHINee was going to release one more album before all of the members began to enlist. This album also holds a very special place in my heart; it brings back many happy memories of the summer and early school year. “The Story of Light” contains a variety of songs, from slow ballads, to more upbeat love songs.

NCT 127 : “Chain”

I’m not usually one for Japanese albums from K-Pop artists; most of them just being Japanese versions of their Korean hits, however that wasn’t the case with “Chain.” This Japanese EP contained only the Japanese version of “Limitless,” while all of the other songs on the EP were new, not simply Japanese versions. Each song off of this EP was so addicting and, honestly, I think I’ve listened to each off the album at least one hundred times each. More importantly, this EP has the Japanese version of “Chain,” which will forever remain superior to the Korean version.

These are just some of my favorite albums that were released in 2018, that I was able to remember. In 2019, I hope to listen to for more groups and soloists.

[landlordrecords]

Best of 2018

  I fully intended to carry on doing monthly charts this year, but each month it went way too late & I just gave up in the end. Couldn’t not do an end of year one though. Bad year here in real life (again), for various reasons. I kept listening to stuff, but perhaps not with my usual enthusiasm for several months in the middle. Still some great stuff, as ever, of course, & I think this is a pretty hot list, the usual mixture of serious contenders & goofy bits n bats. I’ve included reissues if they’re comps or issued with extras.

  1)     Let’s Eat Grandma - Hot Pink (Transgressive) - extremely moreish single, produced by SOPHIE.

  2)     Let’s Eat Grandma - It’s Not Just Me (Transgressive) – another SOPHIE-touched piece, this one more 80s-tastic.

  3)     v/a - Strictly Rhythm Underground 90-97 TCD (E Archive) – was always a bit wavery over Strictly, with tastefulness on one side & cheese on the other, but Bill Brewster dug out a peerless selection here, barely any fat at all.

  4)     Soft Cell – Keychains & Snowstorms 9CD Boxset (Mercury) – too many versions of the same tracks, but practically everything is here, including illuminating obscurities. What a group!

  5)     Ceramic Hobs – Black Pool Legacy DLP (Harbinger Sound) – wonderful to see this happen, & so well done – track selection, mastering, sleeve art & liner notes all excellent.

  6)     Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids – An Angel Fell CD (Strut) – lovely straight-up cosmic jazz album. I’ve not really been following all the new jazz stuff, but this did seem to epitomise it.

  7)     R Kelly – I Admit It (YouTube) – obviously a deeply reprehensible human being, but his music still (sporadically) transfixes me. A 19 minute trap beat, autotuned (which I usually hate), with the musical equivalent of OJ Simpson’s (If) I Did It dumped on top. Gobsmacking audacity, but a fascinating piece of self-denial.

  8)     Flying Lotus feat Busdriver – Ain’t No Coming Back (from Brainfeeder X comp) – Brainfeeder skates between bland & astonishing. Here, rapper Busdriver acts as jazz narrator.

  9)     Espen Lauritzen – Cid B (Fiedeltwo, from Appendix Double Mixpack EP) – bludgeoning acid techno, from a great compilation. Just discovered it’s originally from 2014, but…whatever.

  10)  DJ Taye – Roxxanneee (from Teklife VIP 2019 bundle) – late entry: footwork-style Police rework.

  11)  BCUC – Emakhosini CD (Buda Musique) – great (& mildly bonkers) long-form South African tuneage.

  12)  v/a - For Discos Only TCD (Craft) – had to pull out of doing a piece on this, but it’s great anyway…prime long disco mixes from Fantasy & Vanguard. Hands-down classics from the Blackbyrds and Sylvester; production jobs from Roy Thode, Shep Pettibone, Bobby Orlando, Patrick Adams and Patrick Cowley; and endless Mecca, Casino, Loft, Paradise Garage, Warehouse and Music Box tunes.

  13)  Hilary Woods – Colt CD (Sacred Bones) – I can be a little suspicious of overly adult work, but this one made me ashamed in the presence of its dignity & maturity. A real grower, well worthy of investigation, & virtually out of nowhere.

  14)  El Chombo feat Cutty Ranks – Dame Tu Cosita (Ultra) – not the first tune to worm its way into my head care of those daft dance challenge videos, but one can hardly argue with a rerub of an obscure reggaeton tune, featuring Cutty Ranks.

  15)  SOPHIE – Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides album (Transgressive) – pop’s cutting edge?!

  16)  v/a – The Man From Mo’Wax (Mo’Wax) – funny and not entirely wrong slating for this/Lavelle in the Wire, but there’s a whole stack of great tunes here, & some of the ones I rolled my eyes at at the time sound pretty smart now.

  17)  Let’s Eat Grandma - Falling Into Me (Transgressive) – not got quite the edge of the SOPHIE ones, but still very high quality pop. I’ve selected tracks rather than just the album, as I think the quality doesn’t hold up over the whole thing; the good ones are really good though.

  18)  Chrissy – Resilience bundle (Chiwax) – Chrissy Murderbot goes pretty faithfully old skool rave.

  19)  Akito – Gone Again album (Tight Knit) – the offbeat grime stuff seems to have dropped out of fashion, but I still like it. Impressively high quality collection of it here.

  20)  Will Saul - Inside Out (Aus Music) – don’t listen to enough mixes these days, but this one covered all bases early in the year.

  A special mention for the Mansur Brown album. I’ll admit that I snorted with derision at the promo sheet stuff about Jimi Hendrix-meets-trap, but…it wasn’t far from the truth. Intriguing stuff…

  And a new feature, which I should have been doing for years now…

  Promo trends…

  Still a lot of alt pop coming through, mostly pretty bland. Seems to be angling mostly towards dream pop and synthpop now.

  So much ambient music (coming from all angles), that it’s getting ridiculous. Post-classical as well. I was initially pleased to see the revival, but, honestly, do something else now…

  Breaks revival now looking like a ‘thing’ (I suppose I would know if I was in any clubs these days)…with the ex-dubsteppers clearly now having rinsed out…

  Techno, of all kinds. I get sent so much of this it’s staggering, but I’m not complaining, as it’s often very good.

  Plenty of deep house around as well, although not as impressively weird as some of the stuff from recent years.

  Much of the guitar stuff I get sent is risible, but there’s obviously a cartload of that as well, as ever. I can discern a reasonable amount of post-metal stuff now as well, and I don’t get sent much metal. That stuff is…OK.

  Witch house slight return?

[doomedandstoned]

Gandalf The Green Returns with ‘A Billion Faces’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

Hailing from Leeds, England, this is GANDALF THE GREEN. The stoner-doom trio is one of a handful of younger bands comprised of members in their late-teens and early-twenties that have been impressing us lately, joining company with Montana's Wizzerd, Toronto's Horse Lung, Portland's SAOLA and Ape Cave, as well as Witchers Creed from Sweden.

Something interesting I've observed about what I'll dub the Dopesmoker generation is their affinity for large-scale compositions. Horse Lung shot for Bach-like complexity with their fugal composition Rattenkönig and have just released a pair of tracks clocking in at 18 and 28 minutes respectively on 'ἔσχατον' (2019). Likewise, Ape Cave released the massive double album, 'Language of the Earth' (2018), with Sleep producer Billy Anderson, who actually invited these kids to come in and record it after hearing their 2016 album Pillars of Evolution.

With Gandalf The Green's latest single, we find them similarly thinking on a grand scale. The near fourteen-minute epic "A Billion Faces" is the foretaste of the glory to come, as the band readies to release their full-length via APF Records this fall. Staged in three interlocking segments, the track is a real trip and holds up well to repeated listens. Execution-wise, Andrew Flint (guitar, vox), Jack Walker (drums, vox), and Danny Wrigley (bass guitar) have never sounded tighter as a unit. Compositionally, the fuzz-trippers show they can achieve balance and depth within a big-picture framework, without betraying flow or nuance. Fans of Slomatics and Conan will surely find this a joy to listen to from start to finish.

I think the band describes it best: "A 13-minute psych-infused stoner doom filth fest. All the tone. All the distortion. Titanic-sized knuckle-dragging gnarly riffs amped into pure oblivion through a Matamp rig of doom. We are excited for you to hear it." Look for "A Billion Faces" out Thursday, March 28th, as a digital download via APF Records, with artwork by Dominic Sohor Design.

Give ear...

An Interview with

    Gandalf The Green

For those new to Gandalf The Green, tell us about how you formed and your history.

It started with Andy writing a bedroom demo for 'The Right' in 2015, we'd previously been in a deathcore band together (we know, we were 16, cut us some slack) and knew we all liked slow and heavy music, so got in touch and we started rehearsing with ghetto equipment in Andy's bedroom in Huddersfield. The name came from a friend who'd just bought a Gandalf style pipe and we found the pun hilarious for a Stoner Doom band, so we used it. We released our Debut EP 'King of the Ashes' in September 2016 as a 4-piece band with two guitarists, though soon after we split with our drummer and put Jack behind the kit as a trio. After that things began moving properly. Since then, we've been gigging more, collecting more equipment, and worsening our tinnitus by turning up louder. In the last year or so we've finally started getting proper slots on festivals and local gigs, though we're still yet to play a headline show!

What music has influenced your sound, and who are your musical heroes?

Our philosophy is that we want to play stupidly low-tuned, crushingly heavy music, but not in a way that sounds too evil or miserable, then combine that with trippy, ambient cleans for a huge dynamic change. Someone once put it eloquently as 'The brutality of Mordor with the serenity of the Shire.'

From a writing perspective, our main influences are Conan, Sleep, YOB and Elephant Tree. Though with all the spacey ambient bits it's quite difficult to pin exactly where a lot of that comes from, mainly just going a bit nuts with effects and seeing what comes out.

AF: My musical idol is forever Dave Grohl, even if this band doesn't sound much like his stuff. My favourite guitar players are the ones for the bands listed, plus Tony Iommi, of course.

JW: We all listen to very varied stuff, so there’s all sorts, but for this genre my influences are, Yob, The Body, Elephant Tree, Khanate, Om, Weedeater, Windhand, BongCauldron. Musical heroes? Fenriz, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams III, Mike Scheidt.

DW: My influences change around a lot but probably The Body, Sleep, Conan, Thou and Full of Hell. As for heroes the first that comes to mind is Jordan Dreyer.

What’s been your favourite gig to play so far?

AF: I'd say Gizzardfest 2018 as it was our largest crowd, but one of my amps blew up during sound check so I was a bit miffed. Other than that, the Holy Spider Promotions show Terence Larkin booked at the Mulberry Tavern in Sheffield last year was brilliant. A tiny, sweaty venue crammed with people who were really digging the music.

JW: Yeah Gizzardfest was really cool, but for me I'd say that Sheffield gig, it was Mulberry Tavern with Khost, Oak, Ritual King, Regulus and Stonelung. When we went onstage the venue was rammed so the atmosphere was great for us, it WAS proper sweaty but that's the best way.

DW: Got to agree with Gizzardfest I was amazed by the amount of people there and the reception we got cancelled out the problems by a long shot for me.

King of the Ashes by Gandalf the Green

How do you look back on your 'King of the Ashes' EP two and a half years on?

We recorded it for £0 in Andy's bedroom with whatever mics we had on hand and did the drums with some University students. Other than 'The One Ring', it's not very representative of our sound these days though, as we were finding our feet and trying lots of writing styles, with speedier Stoner Rock tracks like 'King of the Ashes' and 'The Right', which we don't really play these days.

It's fun to see how the tracks have evolved for our live performances though, 'The One Ring' now screams with feedback, has reverb swells and washed out cleans, while 'Old Toby' has a massively slowed down outro riff and stereo panning oscillating delay at the beginning. If you enjoy the debut, definitely come check us out live to see how it's evolved.

AF: I'm still pretty happy with it and loved the super DIY bedroom recording. I felt the production quality came out great, given the circumstances. Seeing how I’ve changed my vocal style and tuned my guitar down so much lower makes comparing the new and old material interesting.

JW: I have a lot of fond memories from that time writing and recording, but since we were so new to it all it doesn't quite have as good sound quality as I'd like. It's alright, but we've grown as a band and the stuff we're writing now has a way more unique sound and is better in every way I can think of.

DW: I still listen to it a fair bit honestly. I think it still holds up, but I'm excited to start showing how we've developed over the past few years and how we come across out of a bedroom. What music are you digging right now?

AF: Right now I'm on a massive hype for the gnarliest, darkest stuff I can find, such as Grey Widow, Coltsblood, Ommadon, Bismuth, and Glasghote, and I imagine these bands are going to work into my writing style for our next release.

JW: I listen to a shit load of country, like every day, maybe even more than I listen to metal. Artists like Benjamin Tod, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams III, Jesse Stewart, Crywank, The Native Howl, etcetera. But for this genre the stuff on rotation right now is bands like Windhand, Grime, The Body, Yob, Bell Witch, Ommadon, Bismuth, Sloth Hammer, Primitive Man, Elephant Tree, Goblinsmoker, Tuskar.

DW: I've been binging on grindcore and hardcore recently, a lot of Full of Hell and Wormrot on repeat. Other than that the new Body Void EP has been blowing me away every time I listen.

You’ve recently signed with APF Records. Which bands on the label do you share an affinity with?

AF: The reason we approached APF to begin with is because we love so many bands on the roster, it's hard to pick out a few! Personally, I'd say BongCauldron, Battalions, and Under, though there really isn't a bad band on APF.

JW: BongCauldron, since they were the main influence on me (and I think the others too) when starting this band. They were one of the first bands to help me get into this kind of music, since I found them when Andy's old band supported them in Bad Apples years ago and through that found more doom/stoner bands.

DW: Yes, BongCauldron, for pretty obvious reasons. Also I've been listening to Under- Stop Being Naive a lot since seeing them at Gizzardfest they've got such a unique and crushing sound.

photo by aevjohnston

Tell us about "A Billion Faces" -- what’s it about, and how did the track come together?

AF: It was the first track I wrote after we tuned down to drop F and bought a bunch of new effects, so I was really playing with all the new toys and trying to make something with a big dynamic change from the gentle intro to when it kicks in. We've been performing it live for a while, so the song's evolved over time to include the sexy wah solo and, because Jack and Danny love noise music, we added the noise/screaming section in the outro. The original demo was only 9 minutes compared to the final 13!

We were approached by a friend of a friend (Alex Tune, assisted by Jake Bonnett) who needed a band to record for his University coursework, it seemed mutually beneficial, and we'd get to record in the gorgeous Phipps Hall and borrow a bunch of Huddersfield Uni's Matamp equipment for free to use with ours, so we took him up on it. We live recorded the track in December 2018 and mixed and mastered the track ourselves, so again got away with paying £0 for the release. It sounded lovely in the room, but we really didn't expect the final product to sound quite as good as it did. Lyrically, the track is about parallel universes and how, if they exist, every different possible version of you exists somewhere in a big infinite tree of possible yous, experiencing the best and worst things all at once. I was wondering where I'd be if I'd taken a different turn in life and moved to a different city, and I realised that there'd be a version of me in a parallel universe where I did move there, wondering right now where he'd be if he took the turns I did. We're both thinking about each other amongst a billion different versions of ourselves, but unable to know who the other is and what their life is like.

The song comes with a cracking video. How did that come about?

A friend of the band, and vocalist/guitarist in Andy's other band, Andrew Johnston (he uses the moniker 'AEVJohnston' for music) offered to help. We thought it'd be a crime to not get video footage of us performing in such a beautiful venue, so he came along free of charge, brought his fancy lighting rig, bathed the room in green light, rented a couple of cameras from the University, and filmed us while we recorded. We edited the footage ourselves cut from various different takes we did. Again, we paid nothing for the video because we're cheap (do you see a theme?).

JW: Shout out Johnston for being a sick bloke, nice one mate it turned it really well, thank you. Sadly though, I don't think the video shows just how beautiful that room really was. Like the video is great, don't get me wrong, but actually being stood in that room with that lighting rig made it look gorgeous. Such a great atmosphere for it. Again, cheers Johnston, that was a huge help, I think the video of it really brings this release together.

What’s your plans for the rest of 2019?

We're working on our next release, of which we have over half an hour written already. Andy is busy with University, and the other two of us with real life things. Put simply, in 2019 we want to push to play more gigs and write more music. Hopefully we'll have another release done or out by the end of the year. We're aiming not to fuck about as much for it as we did for this one, because it took a long time to get going.

If your house was on fire and you could grab one thing from it before it burned down, what would that be?

AF: My Green Matamp GT1 amplifier, it's like my child.

JW: My bong, it's like my child.

DW: My cat, it's like my child.

Finally: anything to declare?

JW: Yeah, we just want to say how much we appreciate everything that's happened to us since finishing the single. We love every one of you who's checked us out or gave us a chance. Big shout out and lots of love to Andrew Field for signing us to APF, to every promoter for putting us on and every one of you for listening. It means the world to us, thank you.

AF: We also love all the sound guys who keep telling us to turn down on stage, even if you don’t love us.

☮

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