the-royal-concept-of-bands

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The Neighbourhood Tour

After touring their debut album I Love You for the better part of 2 years, The Neighbourhood retreated to the beach and emerged from the sandscape to bring us their new album, Wiped Out! Along with the new music, they also brought with them a tour of epic proportions called The Flood 2015. This tour was nearly 5 years in the making due to the fact that all of the bands on the bill have been friends for as long as they can remember. Joining The Neighbourhood were local indie favorites, Hunny and one of the most recent breakout bands, Bad Suns.

Opening up the show were Hunny, whose sound juxtaposed The Neighbourhood’s with heavy guitar lines and beach summer sensibilities. The six-piece band released their debut EP mid-tour and performed the whole tracklist along with 2 new un-named tracks. Whether it be the upbeat vibes of the songs themselves or the overflowing energy of the band members, you couldn’t help but be enthralled by Hunny’s performance from beginning to end. Highlights of their set for me, were their songs La Belle Femme and Cry For Me. These were the opening and closing songs, respectively, and brought the most to the table during their set for different reasons. La Belle Femme carries a slow build into the chorus of the song, which is the perfect introduction to their lively set. Cry For Me on the other hand, is an absolute banger that starts out strong and perked up the ears of the crowd because it is their first (and arguably most popular) single.Their EP entitled Pain/Ache/Loving is out now, and is a must-listen to any of those who missed out on this tour.

Following a short intermission, Bad Suns took the stage. Bad Suns have been steadily gaining momentum, as well as a passionate fan base, since their run with The 1975 (another The Neighbourhood tour album) over a year ago. Their set was filled with songs off of their debut album Language & Perspective, including their breakout hit Cardiac Arrest. Bad Suns have found the perfect balance between their often upbeat, popular tracks and their slightly melancholy B-Sides in this set. The crowd seemed to bob along to the beat of every one of their songs and rushed forward as frontman Christo Bowman dropped into the crowd for a stint during Sleep Paralysis. Overall, I feel as though Bad Suns set the stage for the grandiose performance The Neighbourhood was about to put on, without being overly similar or generally overwhelming production-wise.

In all their usual style, The Neighbourhood appeared on stage in a cloud of fog and to a brutally loud intro-the volume only matched by the eager screams of the crowd. Their debut album I Love You. was the foundation of their set, but it was also littered with tracks from their then upcoming album and split up by a jaw-dropping medley of songs from their mixtape #000000 & #ffffff. Drummer Brandon Fried seemingly carried the entire show on his back with a powerful percussion presence that is lacking in the album versions of the band’s songs. The Neighbourhood’s organization of songs for their show came off as muddled and didn’t carry the crowd’s energy along with it, but instead chopped the set up with massive tempo changes. However, the least cohesive section of the set was oddly the most successful in the case of crowd reaction. As the title track from their new album rung out, the crowd was greeted with harsh white light and a booming bassline. This ushered in Jesse Rutherford’s solo performance of the greatest hits off of #000000 & #ffffff. The medley was supported only by tracks, not the rest of the band but as he neared the end of the medley, the band re-emerged to pump out ballad-esque tune, Warm. This drop in tone then moved swiftly into The Neighbourhood’s most popular song to date - Sweater Weather. The crowd understandably went wild, and the energy kept going until the closer, which was the first single off of Wiped Out! - R.I.P 2 My Youth.

If anything, this tour was enhanced by the incredible visual effects that accompanied Bad Suns and The Neighbourhood specifically. The imagery that was coordinated with each song, or the set as a whole, added a whole new layer of enjoyment and perspective to the performances of each band.  

The show started out on an amazing note with Hunny’s beach-wave indie rock, hit a high with Bad Suns’ casual yet emotional sound, then suddenly found itself confused in The Neighbourhood’s set. Overall, I believe this was a successful tour but I feel as though the show built up its own energy and performance value just to be dropped into reliance of the crowd for the final set. That being said, The Flood 2015 was an experience of a lifetime for both fans and the bands/staff involved.

                                           http://thenbhd.com/wiped-out 

                                           Written by Ashton Carr 

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Maudlin Strangers - Sunny Day Rain

Sunny Day Rain is the latest single from California four-piece, Maudlin Strangers. Their sound, with infectious synth underlying the guitar lines of each song, has been labeled as ‘Dark Disco’. This brand of unique pop/rock has brought them to the forefront of the SoCal indie scene, and rocketed them onto their most recent tours alongside Cold War Kids and Strange Names.

 Sunny Day Rain challenges the classic verse structure of songs, which keeps it unpredictable and exciting. The bassline progresses the song while the rest of the instrumentation embellishes it’s subtle changes and brings everything together. My favourite part of the track is the introduction of a sound clip towards the end, which further alters the song’s structure, and truly focuses your attention. This brought the song into it’s last major shift; which was the perfect precursor to the final chorus and eventual end of the track.

 This song is going to become your new anytime jam-out song, so I definitely recommend you give it a listen ASAP.

Stream Sunny Day Rain on Soundcloud

                                 http://maudlinstrangers.com

                Written by Ashton Carr

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Ashton’s Top 5 Albums of 2015

As 2015 is coming to an end, I’ve taken time to reflect on the releases that have shaped the year for me musically. I’ve strayed away from the traditional album countdown due to the fact that I’ve found myself consuming EPs and singles more so than full length albums as of late. It would be a shame to leave off some of my favorite tracks/bodies of work solely due to their place not on an album. Boring explanation aside, here is my list:

                                                      5. Light Is Gone - Field Medic

Field Medic is quickly becoming my new favourite artist, and this album is exactly why. Accompanied by usually no more than a voice and an acoustic guitar, every song on this album brings emotion that I have never heard before in music. The lyrics to each song are their own beautiful brand of poetry, and turn mundane feelings and life events into ethereal melodies. If anything, this album will make you reconsider every feeling you’ve ever experienced, then bring you down to the most peaceful state you have ever, and will ever, be in. The music that Field Medic produces, Light Is Gone in particular, is the type of music that will change your life in the most subtle way. You’ll never be the same after listening to this album, and it’s one of the most beautiful things that could happen to you.

                                                        4. Pain/Ache/Loving - Hunny

Putting all of my bias towards this particular band aside, Hunny really brought it this year with their debut EP Pain/Ache/Loving. These guys have fully established their sound with these 5 tracks, and it’s a sound you can’t easily find nowadays- at least not done this well. This EP is a collection of some of the best ‘beach-wave’ indie rock songs coming out of Southern California right now, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t translate well outside of that area. Catchy choruses seem to be the staple of this release, but I mean that in the best way possible. Every song is an ear worm that will stay in the front of your mind for the longest possible time. That being said, these songs are so much more than a few catchy hooks, and you can really hear it in the instrumentals of each track. Pain/Ache/Loving is an extremely solid release, and I couldn’t even dream of leaving it off of this list.

                                               3. The Balcony - Catfish and The Bottlemen

I know that the official release date for this album was last year, but it wasn’t widely available in the USA until earlier this year, so I’m still going to count it. The Balcony is my favourite release, composition-wise, of almost every release I’ve heard in my life. The tracklist starts out soft with a perfect build, has breaks in the most appropriate places, and ends abruptly, basically forcing you to repeat everything you’ve just heard. I’ve listened to this album on vinyl more than any other that I own due to the immaculate pacing and energy of the album as a whole. There is not one bad/underwhelming track on this album, so even the slight breaks from the overall explosive energy bring you a different but just as strong feel. I can not commend the boys of Catfish and the Bottlemen more for how enamoured I am by this album.

                                           2. The Boy Who Cried Wolf - Olivver The Kid

The Boy Who Cried Wolf is the second EP from Olivver the Kid, and boy, it does not disappoint. This EP fit into a lot of categories, but was not defined by any of them in particular. It is a fluid, concept, sophomore release EP with pop sensibilities, but it was not boxed in by any of the stereotypes or expectations of any of those labels. The Boy Who Cried Wolf is the perfect example of how an artist should create a completely fluid body of work without it being overplayed or extremely obvious. Subtle uses of sound effects or slight changes in the instrumental brought each track into the next in a way that made perfect sense and was still pleasing to the listener. As for the storyline behind the EP, it’s a very personal and (personally) relatable situation of feeling the need to help someone with something you’ve struggled with before. If you have not heard Olivver the Kid’s music, you absolutely must, and you might as well start with this.

                                                                          1. Dopamine - BØRNS

Besides the fact the BØRNS put on one of the best shows that I’ve ever been to in my life, Dopamine has commanded my attention from the first listen. BØRNS’ brand of music is new but carries an air of nostalgia and familiarity that makes your heart feel right at home with his tunes. Almost every song on this album is laced with synth, powerful guitar, and to-die-for melodies, which make for an overall cohesive yet differentiated tracklist. As previously mentioned, I am a sucker for great album composition, and this tracklist is a perfect example of using the different energies and similar components of each song to tie together the album into one almost fluid piece. The highs and lows of this album are properly placed as to lure you into the next track, and subsequently leave you wanting to listen to the album, in it’s entirety, again.

                                             Written by Ashton Carr

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THE 1975 - UGH!

The 1975 are back again with another track off of their highly anticipated sophomore album, I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It. This time they’ve unleashed the anti-single UGH! with an accompanying music video.

UGH! is a song that is completely contradictory of it’s title. A groovy guitar line is the basis of this song, and the melody gives it an almost Jackson 5 or Prince-type vibe. Vocal layering gives an interesting progression, as well as adding emphasis to the hook of the song.

The design of the video is minimalistic, focusing mainly on the new stage setup that is being utilized on the most recent and future tours for this album. James Turrell’s artwork was the basis of the inspiration for the new stage look; and it’s evident through the choice of color and reliance on light instead of an elaborate physical setup. The other main focus of the video, as always, is frontman Matty Healy, with his numerous outfit changes, flirty disposition, and care-free dance moves.

My favourite part of the video was how quick cuts and differing light configurations were used to make the video seem more complicated than it actually was. Although there were very few camera angles, and shots in general, the slight change in background and quick transitions between shots kept the eye interested.

Overall, I am in love with this song and video, and I can’t wait to see what else the new album holds for The 1975.

                                                                                                http://the1975.com/

                                                                                           Written by Ashton Carr

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Ones To Watch - Strange Names

2016 is already promising to be full of stellar new music, but I may be most excited about the prospect of touring and new music from one band- Strange Names. Strange Names are a three-piece band originally from Minneapolis that are now residing in New York City. Liam, Fletcher, and Francis create effortless electronic-based music that will immediately uplift your mood wherever you are.

 I was introduced to Strange Names in late 2015 as they toured with one of my favourite bands, but nonetheless, I’ve fallen deeply in love with their sound. They have a handful of EPs and a full-length album under their belt, so there was plenty of music to dive into. My personal favourites are off of their album Use Your Time Wisely and are also the tracks that left the most impact on me after seeing them perform twice.

 Right off the bat, Ricochet grabbed my attention in person, and listening to the track off the album isn’t any less exciting. This is the lead single off of the album -for good reason- and also has an accompanying music video. The chorus and hook are insanely catchy and will be bouncing around your head for weeks. This song is extremely colourful and layered with a lot of electronic elements, but the bass line and guitar make everything come together effortlessly. This is a common theme throughout the album, which makes it a very pleasing listen.

 Only Boy is the next track that struck me immediately. This song seems to be a study in the art of crescendos, and I mean that in the best way possible. The instrumental as well as the vocals is riddled with small build-ups that make this track a very interesting listen. You can really hear frontman Liam’s signature vocal tone through the chorus of this song, and I find it very charming.

 My last highlight of this album is Supernatural Silence. This track in particular takes advantage of guitarist Francis’s beautiful and perfectly complementary vocals. The use of 2 vocalists in this song adds a layer of complexity to an otherwise simple sounding song. This song is a prime example of how Strange Names utilize catchy hooks in most of their songs to grab and keep your attention.

 On a more personal note, Liam is openly gay (and had a wonderful featuring in Out Magazine), and that to me and many others, is extremely empowering. As someone that is deeply in the LGBTQ+ community, it’s wonderful to see someone open and giving a much-needed positive look into fame and success in this community. Much love to Liam and all of Strange Names.

 I am looking forward to everything this year will hold for Strange Names, and I hope you will watch and support them as well. Go grab Use Your Time Wisely and add a little more sunshine to your music library and your life.

                          http://www.strangenamesmusic.com/

                                  Written by Ashton Carr

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Casinos ft Derek Ted - Catacombs

Catacombs is the latest single from Casinos, a four-piece SoCal band whose trademark is quirky indie rock. This single departs from the band’s trademark oddness, and features vocals from Derek Ted (Owl Paws). This single is a precursor to the band’s upcoming album, which should be released early this year.

Lyrically this song isn’t particularly cluttered, which leaves room for an amazing build up in the instrumental. Background vocals reiterate the main chorus, helping to create the drama that brings you into the big crescendo. Everything about this song embodies the delicate balance between raw and polished, where Casinos and Derek Ted managed to find the sweet spot and pump out an expert track.

The guest vocals on Catacombs give a completely different feel to the track compared to the rest of Casinos’ discography. This new feel is extremely welcome to me, and I’m excited to see if the band will be following through with this vibe change in their new album.

Casinos will be opening for The Neighbourhood alongside Hunny on The Drought tour in early February.

                               http://casinosband.bandcamp.com/ 

                                    Written by Ashton Carr 

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Panic! At The Disco - Death Of A Bachelor

If you’re anything like me, you associate Panic! At The Disco with the quirky and catchy pop-punk of your youth. However, with this new album, the band has matured in both sound and general concept.

Death of A Bachelor is the title track off of their upcoming album, and is a brass-driven, crooning tune. The combination of traditional brass instrumentation and electronic sounds is in no way subtle, but is far from overwhelming. The instrumental is deceivingly simple sounding, but is actually filled with layers of percussion soundbites and repetitive brass hooks.

The video is a classic performance style video focused on frontman Brendon Urie as he serenades an empty bar. The style of the video compliments the lyrical content of the song perfectly while also showing Urie’s onstage charisma. Black and white is used to enhance the vintage of the song and setting of the video, but doesn’t look cheesy.

With something as powerful as Urie’s vocals, you really don’t need much by way of production for a music video like this. I think they made the right decision of highlighting the song and not going for shock factor or a high budget video (see Emperor’s New Clothes).This is my favourite single that they’ve released in preparation for the album so far, and I will most likely be buying the album thanks to this. Another great push from Panic!

                                  http://www.panicatthedisco.com/

                                         Written by Ashton Carr

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Field Medic - That Beer Called Becks Reminds Me Of A Haiku I Wrote

Field Medic is back with a Valentine’s Day EP titled, That Beer Called Becks Reminds Me Of A Haiku I Wrote. This 5 song EP features a dreamy, love-struck vibe and details the mixed emotions that come with a long distance love.

The first song and lead single, titled Powerful Love, is an endearing and light-hearted tune that will instantly brighten your mood. Powerful Love ties into the title of the EP with the line “That beer called Becks, it reminds me of a haiku I wrote, and it goes; My beverage of choice/clearly resembles the face/of powerful love.” The accompanying music video features Field Medic and a bunch of his friends putting on a DIY performance of the song and having a genuinely good time together. The video fits the song perfectly, and makes you want to smile and jump right in.

The lyrics of the next track, Like A Feather or A Pawprint, evoke the feeling of two souls brought together by fate but kept far apart by distance. Not very often do you come upon a song that feels perfectly composed and produced, but this song is definitely one of those. The lyrics and melodies bounce perfectly off of the guitar line, and the vocals are layered flawlessly to add depth but not seem heavy.

My personal favourite off of this EP is the next song, OTL. This song is slower compared to those before it, but brings a subtly romantic and honest feel to the tracklist. There isn’t much to say about this song that isn’t said by the song itself, but to get the full experience of this song, I recommend watching the living room performance video of it. Simple songs like OTL sometimes leave the biggest impact.

With this next track, gentle guitar and dreamy vocals put you right in the middle of the love story that inspired this EP. UR The 1 4 Me keeps the slower pace going, and fills your heart up with Field Medic’s memories of a New Year’s day with his one true love. This song seems especially personal, but i feel that anyone who has found their one true love can relate.

The EP comes to an end with Not A Normal Boy. The recurring theme of separation is brought up one last time in this song with the line, “I hold a torch for you here on Geneva, hope you could see it down in Woodland Hills”. This leaves the love story wide open for elaboration while also calmly closing the chapter that is the EP.

I honestly don’t have enough words to describe how much I love this EP and Field Medic’s entire body of work. I may not have found my one true love, but this EP makes me overwhelmingly happy and hopeful that they might really be out there for me.

You can see Field Medic perform at Noise Pop Festival in the Bay Area on February 27th and 28th.

                               http://fieldmedic.bandcamp.com/

                                     Written by Ashton Carr 

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Olivver the Kid - BBblue

Olivver The Kid is starting to follow up his EP, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, with music videos. The first of which is for one of the lead singles from the release, BBBlue.

The styling of the video is very unique, from the progression of the color pallette to the film borders around the video that recede as the video goes on. There’s a powerful storyline implied, but we’ll have to wait and see if the plot comes to fruition with the looming release of a World On Fire video.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf is a fluid EP where the end of BBBlue leads directly into the beginning of World On Fire. Olivver The Kid’s choice to use the EP version of BBBlue, as opposed to the single version, leaves the video open-ended to the possible continuation of a World On Fire video.

Fans are eagerly awaiting the next video release as well as the album that Olivver The Kid has been working on for quite some time now.

                                    http://olivverthekid.com/

                                    Written by Ashton Carr 

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Coasts - Coasts Album

Coasts have broken back into the new music market with their debut self-titled album. The album was highly anticipated by fans due to a minor push back of the release, but the wait was well worth it. If you were previously a fan of the band, you’ll recognize most of the tracklist of the album. Coasts decided to fill the most important release of their career so far with revitalized versions of past songs. This move was a very smart one on their part because their older music truly embodies their sound and the core of even their newer music.

The album opens up with the massive tune Oceans. This song has been Coasts’ biggest success so far, and for very good reason. If there was one song to epitomize Coasts and everything about their music that is ‘right’, it’d be this one. Oceans is a rare ear-worm that doesn’t lack substance in the lyric department and portrays a fully formed narrative. Upon the first listen you’ll find yourself smiling and dancing along to this infectious tune, and immediately seeking the song out in your everyday life.

Immediately following Oceans are two brand new songs exclusive to the album. The first new track, Wolves, is a great representation of where Coasts’ sound is heading. Layered vocals and electronic elements of this track progress and build the song up. Letting go of your fears and inhibitions is the main theme of this song, but is also a common thread throughout the entire album. You immediately grabs your attention from the instrumental alone, but the lyrics will drag you into the song with no reserve. The entire track is a prime example about how the build of a song can make or break it. Everything about this song screams anthem. Wolves and You both evoke the feeling of a stadium filled with people belting along word for word.

Highlights of the album include See How, a slower and less busy track that brings the general intensity of the album down a notch. It’s softer sound lyrically as well as instrumentally adds more depth and variety to the album. Lions has always been a favorite of mine when it came to Coasts’ discography, and this new version has continued to do the song justice. The anthemic chorus will resonate with you even long after the last chord has rung out.

This album is very well-rounded and one of the best debut full-length records that I’ve heard while. I’ve been a fan of Coasts for almost exactly a year now, and throughout that period of time, they’ve struck gold within their own personal sound and found their groove. I absolutely cannot wait to see this album iterated in a live setting, and I encourage you to see them live at least once.

Coasts will be embarking on a European tour in March after a headline gig at The Roundhouse in London on February 26th. USA tour dates TBA.

                                   http://www.coastsband.com/

                                      Written by Ashton Carr 

[the-royal-concept-of-bands]

Interview with Derek Ted

We recently sat down with Derek Ted, Owl Paws front man and solo artist, to talk about his upcoming album Wilted in Summer.

Where do you find your inspiration?

DT: From a lot of things. I think just living, existing, and going through shit. I feel like it’s essential for anything that I’m going through, whether it’s good or bad, to come out in a song. They’re like milestones of different things in my life.

Do you think that the environment in San Francisco affects your writing?

DT: Definitely. I think anywhere you live does. And I feel like when I’m collaborating and creating with my friends, it’s how we’re feeling in the moment - and how the city makes us feel through our day to day lives .

How is it different to write solo compared to writing as a group with Owl Paws?

DT: In Owl Paws we work really hard to craft each song and spend hours demoing and running songs in rehearsal. Whereas when I record solo it’s just kind of a live thing where I’m in my room. It’s a completely different creative environment. It’s focused on that exact feeling that was channeled when writing the song raw and real- imperfect emotion. I pretty much wrote this entire record with my friend Wayne Mills by my side… I’d get the live take on cassette then we’d run different ideas piano/guitar/harmonies and just do it live in the moment; no practice just feeling it and letting it go.

How did the collaboration with Casinos come about?

DT: We’ve been friends just from randomness and our friends Hunny- then they moved to San Francisco and we were just hanging out all the time. I do audio engineering and make records at a few different bay area studios, we did a song at my house then went to the studio and recorded their whole record.

What’s the difference for you between audio formats (cassette, vinyl, digital, etc.) and do you have a preference?

DT: I honestly listen to most things streaming on my phone, but I think it’s about how you record it that makes the most difference. Cassette has a specific sound that even if you’re streaming it off of Spotify, it’ll sound like a cassette recording. But when im chillin’ at home I mostly enjoy listening to music on cassette/ vinyl. When it comes to making a record, I still always prefer analog recording techniques and overall approach.

How did you pick the title for your album? ‘Wilted in Summer’ is a line from Cascade Spilling, so did you mean for that to be the lead single?

DT:  When i wrote that line it just stuck out to me, that verse of a song is a very specific memory of mine. Summer was just when the album came to fruition- that line was just a subtle homage to the all encompassing theme of the record. I picked that song as a single because of the general feeling it wasn’t too dark and defeated or weird haha.

Was it difficult to determine the final tracklist?

DT: No, it kinda just all fell into place. I didn’t want to put that much thought into it. To me it was just all a live thing where none of the songs bleed into each other. With Owl Paws’ record ‘Reservoir’, we tried to have things going between each song. It was more strategic.

Did you make the album art? How does it relate to the album?

DT: My friend Keenan Grawe did it. He just draws a lot of characters that i really relate to, and is also a close friend of mine. I just asked him to draw me something and listen to the album and he sent me that. The record to me was about overcoming a certain force of violent and dark energy i was going through at the time- this drawing is a character that embodies that feeling for me.

Do you have a preference between house shows and bigger shows?

DT: There’s different reasons as to why which one is good. I feel like you can really connect with people during a house show. Especially when you’re not using any amplification or microphones. There’s some sort of magic when you’re in a room full of people hearing your fingers hit the strings and your voice shake the air, you can really take in a whole new perspective of a song. Bigger shows are fun, but ultimately not as emo.

Check out Derek’s bandcamp to pre-order Wilted in Summer and listen to his latest single Cascade Spilling. Look forward to the release of his album on Danger Collective Records on April 20th!

                                      Written by Ashton Carr

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this is so not okay

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President Obama after Oregon shooting: “Our thoughts and prayers are not enough.”

Hours after today’s massacre in Oregon, President Obama took the podium for the 15th time after a mass shooting. Sounding stern and appearing frustrated, Obama challenged Americans to respond more forcefully to this shooting. His full, impassioned statement is one every American needs to hear. 

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its nine in the afternoon and ur eyes are the size of

very big