Unplugged Magazine November 2013 (#11)

UnpluggedM a g a z i n e

n o v e m b e r 2 0 1 3

INside: - Frank Turner talks about his progression

- The Get up kid chats about slowing down

- top 5 songs for makin’ love

- Introducing new generations to old music

- reviews of The Swellers, Shad, echosmith & more

The Speed of Sound In Seawater

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Five

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Letter from the staff:

The Legacy

It’s difficult to think of music without thinking of legacy. Artists are granted praise for “originality.” Grammys, RIAA certifications and other tangible validations are one of the primary ways history ranks great musicians.

More importantly, every music lover has artists, albums and genres they associate with their passion. We call them “our” artists, we tell people they are the “reason” we chose to take one path or another and almost subconsciously impose our passion on others.

I once complemented Alisha on a shirt which reads, “Stop listening to music that’s fucking stupid.” Simple, poetic and poignant. (Alisha’s note: it’s a tank top from Topshelf Records which reads: Stop listening to awful fucking music.)

Like her shirt, I often impose my musical ideologies on those less critical than me, which brings me to my legacy, my passion: hip-hop.

Hip-hop was my first musical love. I grew up on ‘90s West Coast, made my way to Eminem as a pre-teen, and stuffed my school bags with “backpacker rappers” through high school. It spoke to me at a personal level.

My relationship with the genre that sparked my passion, now soiled with an obnoxious concoction of 2 Chainz and something called a Dougie, is a nostalgic one.

With a teenage sister, I have felt obliged to share this legacy, but how does an older brother reconcile the vulgarity?

How am I to lecture her about boys, and then send her off to a dance after having her listen to Dr. Dre rap about going home “with something to poke on”?

Well, hip-hop resounded with me throughout my youth because of its power to capture authenticity. I obviously don’t condone misogyny or violence against others, but hip-hop evoked an appreciation for the human condition.

Honoring our social contracts can be challenging, and sometimes a group of young teens are frustrated to the point of screaming “fuck the police,” the same way a 14-year-old cheerleader might feel smitten enough to run away with her homecoming date.

“My” hip-hop did not resonate with me because it was reasonable. My music taught me that what I feel won’t always be convenient or socially ideal, but I have a right to my own experiences and should always remember what they evoke in me, even if my perspective changes.

That is the legacy I want to share with my sister.

Top 5 Albums On Repeat

“Civil Wars”Civil Wars

“Magna Carta, Holy Grail”

Jay Z

“Prism”Katy Perry

“Little Broken Hearts”

Norah Jones

“More Than

Just A Dream”

Fitz & the Tantrums

Editors in chiefSteven Condemarinalisha kirbyWritersJosh Jurssdaniel RomandiaIan La Tondre (columnist)InternJorden Hales

Copy editorsRobert AguilarMegan Houchin PhotographersAllen DubnikovContributorsKendra beltranEric Delgado

Table of contents

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PG05Alisha talks about her favorite records from Count Your Lucky Stars Records

Drop the needle again

PG11Ian gives the run down on the top five love makin’ songs

Staff picks

PG08Jorden starts a three-part series about introducing a new generation to old music

Sharing My Legacy PG15

Unplugged talks to local musician Zack Lee about his previous projects and his current one

artist spotlight

PG17OME talks about his upcoming release and

about his roll in Hellfyre Club Records

Open Mike Eagle

PG12The band talks about their

new intimate album “Headswell”

Sainthood Reps

PG06Scottish John concludes his band series by talking about the inner-workings of singers

And the record rolls on

PG18Echosmith, Kevin Devine,

Red City Radio, Shad, Tancred & The Swellers

Album reviews

PG13

PG09Matt Pryor talks about living a modest life while working on side projects

The Get Up Kids

PG10We ask: What’s the most popular genre taking over your region?

My scene My Music

PG16We catch up with Turner about performing at the

Olympics in 2012 and playing Wembley Arena

Frank turner

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I’ve always referred to Count Your Lucky Stars Records as “the little label that could.” You could say that the overarching genre here is emo, but only sort of. In fact, more like sort of—not really. The label is like the island of misfit toys, and two of my favorite releases from them are wildly different from one

another. These favorites exclude Empire! Empire! – I’m saving them for a later date.

Drop The Needle Again

Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson - "Small Changes We Hardly Notice:" Black/ 150

&Snowing - "I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted:" Opaque green/ 300

YPOFH is Norway’s pride and joy in my mind. They released four songs that define what it takes to make a perfect, atmospheric indie record. The album is home to some stellar musicianship and fits any mood brought on by the evening, morning, or grey sky days. The gatefold jacket is sturdy and the matte finish is so much more fitting for the art and liner notes than any amount of glossy finish could be. There’s a good chance I’ll have to pick up another copy when this one wears out.

by Alisha Kirby

I was able to buy this record a few months ago off some girl in Connecticut through the magical combination that is Tumblr and Paypal. It was pure luck that she was willing to part with it, pay for shipping, and that she continued to answer my nit-picky emails questioning the condition of the record. Snowing is the sort of emo-punk band you always miss once it’s gone. This record was pressed wonderfully and I couldn’t be happier to finally have it in my collection.

06.unplugged.Nov.2013

“I don’t want to wait for our lives to be over.”

Do you want to know why I chose this quote to start this wonderful journey inside the realm of singing? Because I be-lieve that maybe not all, but a lot of you readers out there read that the way it’s sung; just like in the beginning of every episode of “Dawson’s Creek” ever. And even if you didn’t get it on the first try, as you are reading through this paragraph you’re thinking, “Dammit Scottish John, now I have to deal with this being stuck in my head during this entire column.”

Singing is powerful, and so are sing-ers. They are the stars, the divas, the faces to which we attach ourselves as young children and cult fan members. Why do you think little girls love bands like One Direction? Because there is not one, not two, but five singers to attach their brains and hearts to. Now, let’s metaphorically slide down the throat of singers every-where and see what, besides just their

gorgeous golden voices, makes them special on the inside.

Here’s the usual disclaimer: I’m going to speak in general for the majority of the piece, if not the entire thing. Mean-ing that these are general rules of thumb and stereotypes that I believe fit the average singer in a band or pop singer or whatever the hell they might be.

Well, let’s start here: We all know what singing is, so I don’t really need to explain it more than just saying it’s the process of using your voice as an instru-ment to express music. Simple. But what isn’t simple is what makes a great singer. It’s not the same as what makes a great drummer. A great drummer can practice for 10,000 hours and be considered a master drummer. A singer can put in the same amount of technical practice and even still not be considered nearly great, and here’s why.

Singing is extremely, undeniably and almost unfathomably emotional. It is physically rooted within you and because of that you are forced to portray emo-

tion in it whether you like it or not. Now don’t get me wrong, if you do decide to sing for 10,000 hours, chances are you will get better at emoting your voice to a point of satisfaction. But doing the physi-cal exercises isn’t enough.

I’m a believer that singing is 20 percent skill 80 percent confidence, be-cause the average band isn’t doing crazy melodies but in fact simple ones that are just done really, really well. Take Oasis for example. That band has the simplest vocal melodies, but that motherfucker has attitude. No crazy runs or belting screeches; just emotion, confidence and attitude. It’s cool, it’s sexy, it’s rock and roll.

Also, when you hear someone sing, you can hear their emotion almost no matter what. What I mean by that is, when a singer sounds unconfident, you can hear it. When they sound nervous, or afraid to get vulnerable, you can hear it. Singing is vulnerable; you have to let it all go.

The stereotypical singer is supposed

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“to be a diva. They make an ass of themselves about water that isn’t the exact temperature it’s supposed to be and Lord knows if you get in the way of their pre-show ritual, they will tear your nipples right off of your chest in a furious rage. For the most part, I don’t totally believe this is true.

I believe that singers can be a little dramatic. They’re sup-posed to be. You need a little over-dramatization when you’re the lead singer of a rock band or a pop star. To be completely honest though, singers -- nine out of ten times -- are frontmen and frontmen (or women) have an innate star-like quality that makes them likable. They have star power, at least on the surface. It’s the combination of lovable talent and confidence with a dash of weird to make each individual star shine.

Singers are (supposed to be) that. Now, that was me speaking a little on the singer outside of the music and outside the involved members of their musical act. That’s what singers are supposed to portray, at least on a surface and interview level. A good friend of mine told me this once and I believe it’s quite fitting: “A star is someone who can do an interview and by the end of that inter-view, the interviewer will want to fuck them without question.“

Singers can be a different story within a band. They are undoubtedly wild cards. I’ve been in bands with the sweetest, coolest mothafunkin’ frontmen and they were super chill and

wanted to hang out and smoke weed and just practice and party. All good. I’ve also had my share of singers where I am kind of just like “Bro, you need to jump off that soap box your standing so proudly on.”

There is the classic argument of singers not really doing anything in bands. For example, guitarists getting upset that the singer doesn’t really write anything, even the lyrics and vocal melodies, happens all the time. Then you have people like Freddy Mercury who, if you look at the credits for “Bohemian Rhap-sody,” is considered the main composer (along with his mighty fantastic band) of the classic track. So either way, a singer really is a wild card and that’s a good thing. If anyone should be unpre-dictable it should be them. Because unpredictable qualities in singers give you people like Jim Morrison. Everybody wants to be Jim Morrison.

That’s the end of the series folks; we’ve dawned on the major-ity of your typical rock band members. I didn’t include piano, because I don’t think it’s as common in rock and roll as it used to be. Sue me if you disagree.

With peace and love,

Scottish John

I believe that singers can be a little dramatic. They’re supposed to be. You need a little over-dramatization when you’re the lead singer of a rock band or a pop star.


Reaching into the crate for an old goodie felt like reaching back in time. I’ve felt disconnected from my old favorites for a while now. But in that moment – shuffling through CD and programs – it was right in my face.

The weight and historic impact, the gratuitous vulgarity and, most importantly, the person I was when I enjoyed it. For a moment I thought to my-self, “Is this really a good idea?” As it turns out, it was one of the best I’ve had.

My sister, Ryleigh, is about the age I was when I began rapping. While I had already loved West Coast “gangsta rap” for years, this was when I be-gan dissecting it and understanding it thoroughly.

It felt like a rite of passage, being consumed by my passion. Seeing her immersed in it validated everything I felt at the time.

“Minus all the gang violence I feel like (experi-encing those) things would have been better.” she said after weeks of familiarizing herself with the culture, nearly as fascinated as I was years ago.

“(Gang life) was part of them,” she continued. “Even if they didn’t get to make that choice, they accepted it and that’s pretty much what their music was about. I could see (it as if) they wrote in a diary, just ripped (pages) out and that was their song.”

She credits the production for giving her an experience that she never had, the experience of actually “feeling” music.

“I got a really good picture. I think what really helped was the (sound effects in the) background,” she said. “The kids playing, someone being shot, tires screeching, I could just picture it in my mind.”

In sharing this era, I hoped for her to under-stand how I related to it. Though often thought of as boastful and pompous, gangsta rap was rich with insecurities.

The insecurities of the artists and the people they represented were what made it. The most prominent feature of gangsta rap was one unan-swered question: “Why am I stuck in this life, and why am I condemned for it?”

“The songs made it sound like gang violence and cussing wasn’t a big deal, it was just a part of life. It probably didn’t help the killings die down, but I feel like it also helped some of the youth that were struggling, (making them think) ‘I shouldn’t be ashamed (of where I’m from)’ ... whether they wanted to join a gang or get out.”

Ryleigh gave thought to this era’s social impact, concluding that it allowed a society at a crossroads to make moral amends.

“The way I’ve seen it in history, if one group of people is poor or (others) think less of them, they sort of get pushed aside and ignored if not killed,” she reflected. “(Things) were still bad, but at least they couldn’t be ignored anymore.”


Sharing My Legacy Part OneBy Jorden Hales

Photo by Allen Dubnikov

Sharing music with younger loved ones can be a memorable bonding experi-ence – or foster preclusion of them. In the case of me and my sis-ter Ryleigh, it will at least make for some good light reading. Here’s part one.

“I got real burnt out. I wanted to quit playing music.” Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids) is talking about

being on tour. Touring last year kept Pryor away from his family, and the desire to be back home took a toll on him. “You start doing these things where your passion becomes your job and it stops being your passion. I wanted to do something else.”

He did just that and worked on a farm for several months, then worked in a food truck and even worked with autis-tic children for a while. It was during his time working on the farm when he first thought of starting a podcast. “I’ve always been into [podcasts] but more into them in an NPR radio show sort of way,” he said. “I started realizing, especially with the stand-up comics, that they basically lead a parallel life to what I do. We’ve got just as crazy stories as they do, so why not give it a whirl?”

Thus began “Nothing to Write Home About” – Pryor’s weekly podcast, which has featured a wide roster of musicians such as Max Bemis (Say Anything), Chris Connley (Saves The Day), Will Noon

(Straylight Run) and Jim Adkins (Jimmy Eat World).

“I knew I wanted it to be conversational and I knew I wanted it to be honest and I knew I wanted it to be about an hour.” NTWHA follows these exact guidelines, creating one of the most compelling weekly views into the lives of Pryor and his guests.

Through his podcast, Pryor learned of another way he could make a living as a musician: Downwrite.

Downwrite is a site started by Bob Nanna (Braid) that allows fans to connect to songwriters and hire them to compose an original song about anything they want. It can be extremely personal or completely ridiculous. “It was something I had wanted to do for a while. I had talked to Max from Say Anything about his song shop that he does,” Pryor said. “It’s basically the same concept. I reached out to Bob and said, ‘Hey, I want to do this,’ and it’s been going great.”

Each song is completely different from the next. “[The songs are] unique in that the more details [fans] give me, the more

details I can put into the song to make it even more personal.”

As if the podcast and Downwrite weren’t enough, Pryor recently released a split with frequent podcast guest and bandmate James Dewees and his solo record is due out this November. “I did this EP with James and it was really fun to scream. Just to sing loud and aggressive,” Pryor said. “Where I was at in my life, I didn’t want to write something sad. I want-ed to write something that at least sounded uplifting even if the lyrical content wasn’t.”

Pryor will head out on an East Coast tour with Max Bemis this December and will be touring Europe. He will also be playing some festivals in Tokyo with The Get Up Kids.Don’t forget to pick up Pryor’s latest album, “Wrist Slitter” on Nov. 11. He’ll be heading out on an East Coast tour with Max Bemis this December and will be touring Europe. He will also be playing some festivals in Tokyo with The Get Up Kids.

The Get up kids’ lead vocalist, Matt Pryor talks about the start up of his podcast and

about his simple lifestyle post-touringStory by Josh Jurss

Taking a breather


Check out The get up kids’ facebook page and stay

up-to-date on their music and other projects


My Scene, My Music What’s the most popular genre taking over your region?

Josh JurssChicago, IL

Unplugged Mag. Staff Writer

@JoshJurss

A vast majority of my friends listen to punk and emo music, but I’m positive that genre is not the most popular. From working security at a bar/club, I’m in the know of what songs are popular throughout the Chicago late-night crowd and top 40 charts. Unfortunately, there’s no way I will ever admit that Miley Cyrus, Pit-bull or Robin Thicke* are taking over my re-gion. Rap, rock, country and pop are all popu-lar, but none of them stood out above the rest.

I resorted to asking strangers on the street what music they personally thought was tak-ing over the Midwest. I received several dif-ferent opinions, but the one that intrigued me and was mentioned slightly more than most was my answer: EDM**.

I knew this was a popular genre, but I didn’t realize the extent that its popularity reached.

I’ve found a multitude of websites and Face-book pages dedicated to the EDM scene just in the Midwest. Shows are booked at venues and clubs every single weekend and a decent amount of weekdays. I was hard pressed to find a weekend when there were no EDM shows happening and they were months ahead, so I have no doubt one will eventually be booked. EDM is a genre that’s been around for a long time now, but is still growing and gaining fans and respect throughout musicians and fans alike.

*Robin Thicke’s song “Dreamworld” is beautiful and I am so sad that “Blurred Lines” exists.

**Electronic Dance Music. Get with the times.

This is likely the hardest question I’ve been asked recently other than, “So what do you do for a living?” I wrestled between mu-sic you listen to while wearing glow-in-the-dark body paint, and music that sounds like the Appalachian Mountains (Mumford & Sons and bands that followed in suspenders, playing moonshine jugs), and debated until I came to the following decision: I can’t say either-or is more popular on my side of ‘Mer-ica, because I know their popularity spans. So I split it right down the middle and talked about both.

That Electric Daisy Carnival has existed for years but I feel that it and others like it have gradually grown thanks to the emer-gence of the things people refer to as a Skril-

lex, Diplo and Avicii. Friends who used to spend all their energy lamenting about the likes of Fall Out Boy now can’t imagine their existence without those aforementioned art-ists.

Then there’s that Prohibition era-sounding music. I still haven’t heard another “hit” from The Lumineers, but they somehow played the Hollywood Bowl numerous nights recently. It really helps to pimp your music on a Star-bucks counter. The reasoning behind the West Coast grabbing hold of these things is simple: We’re trend whores. If the world’s talking about it, we have to be on top of it. What’s possibly the biggest music festival? Coachella. Where is that, and what kind of music do you get for an expensive ticket? Exactly.

Kendra BeltranLos Angeles, CA

Founder of Golden Mixtape

goldenmixtape.com

Eric DelgadoAbbeville, SC

blessyerheart.com

I don’t believe there is one genre of mu-sic dominating my region. On any given night, you can find rock, country, death metal, funk and various flavors of indie at any major city in the Southeast. That said, I would say that is not the impression one would get if they were to read the popular music blogs (very biased) that cover the Southeast.

Instead, one would get the impression that the Southeast is becoming a hipster mecca. How do I define hipster? Well, you know, the people who list Neutral Milk Hotel as an influence (but never listened to their records), can’t sing (in tune), their musicianship leaves a lot to be desired and are more concerned with how they are per-ceived instead of providing honest autobi-

ographical tunes (the pretension is usually pretty obvious by their song titles).

The biggest offenders use reverb instead of talent to make albums. Not all hipster music is bad, mind you. Some of it is stellar (Washed Out!). I’m just saying that some-where along the way, more of the non-stellar shit began exceeding the stellar shit. The problem is that the music blogs don’t separate the shit nuggets from the stellar. Nope, they promote that one style of mu-sic and grade anything within the genre as groundbreaking and amazing.

OK, my rant is over. If you want to pick up a great “Southeastern” album today, then I suggest picking up a copy of “South-eastern” by former Drive-By Trucker’s gui-tarist/vocalist Jason Isbell.

Contributing Writer

What did YOU say?This is where we grab our favorite answers from Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr!

What is the biggest misconception “outsiders” have about your music scene?

NEXT MONTH:

Hit us up on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #myscenemymusic and we’ll publish our favorite answers in next month’s issue!

fb.com/sacunplugged

@sacunplugged

Joshua Unitt@JoshuaUnittSacramento, CA

I think we’re definitely seeing the birth of a new math rock/post-hardcore scene in the Sacramento area. It’s pretty exciting!

Moodie@MoodieOnTheBeat Oakland, CA

Trap Music has been slowly easing its way over here . I don’t think [it] has a place out here, I mean it’s okay to listen to, but we have a unique style/sound out here. Originality is key.

Wesley Butler@wesbutler11 Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

I’ve discovered that metal appears to be taking Waterloo Region’s music scene. Overall, our region is very open to any kind of music. Whether you’re into country, punk or hip hop, there’s a place for you in Waterloo.

Staff picksTop 5 songs for makin’ love

R emember now, there’s a difference between mak-ing love and getting down and dirty just knock-

ing boots. If I was doing that list, there sure as hell would be some Metallica in here. Metallica has no place in this list.

by Ian la tondre

The reason this is the top of my list is simple. I think it’s a perfect start to any love making experience. It’s “good, bad, happy and sad.” It’s one of those songs you can be at home with your lover and just put on and it fits no matter what. It makes you smile at your special one.

1. Al Green – “Let’s Stay Together”

Do you and your lover enjoy drugs along with sex? Here you go. Dark room, candles lit, and high out of your mind -- this is perfect. It’s got depth and emotion to fit just right.

2. Radiohead – “Nude”

Yes, this made the list. I know it’s on every sex music list ever but there’s a reason, dammit! I don’t even have to explain it.

3. Marvin Gaye – “Sexual Healing”

This song is sexy. It’s also in the list about taking poops and I wasn’t joking. This song fits perfectly for both. It’s slow and sensual and the beat doesn’t even come in until over halfway through the song. Gives you room for build up.

4. Frank Ocean – “Pink Matter”

Tell me there wasn’t a time in high school when playing this song didn’t get you laid. This is a classic and the reason I put it at number 5 on this list is because I believe this is one of those songs where despite it being just about the sex, you can definitely fall in love long and hard with this track in the background.

5. A Tribe Called Quest – ”Electric Relaxation”

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Head over to Sainthood Reps’ facebook and check

out their new album “Headswell”


Sainthood Reps is a band name you’ve most likely seen on a number of tour posters with some of your favorite bands. This year alone, they’ve shared stages with the likes of A Great Big Pile of Leaves, Tigers Jaw and Pianos Become The Teeth, and are about to head out on the road with Polar Bear Club.

You can see Sainthood Reps on any number of lists of bands and if you like the rest of them, you’ll surely like Sainthood Reps. But this band seems to adapt to so many changes with such short notice; who’s to say they even sound like they did from one record to the next?

The band recently made the sort of life-change every band eventually goes through. “We enjoyed our time with Tooth and Nail [Records],” said vocalist/guitarist Francesco Montesanto. “But we felt that No Sleep was just a better fit for our band. Chris Hansen has been a friend of the band for quite some time and we already felt like part of the family.”

The scene in which the band has become a staple is somewhat of a tight-knit family. Bands tend to work with familiar names when they head into the studio and that’s what happened as Saint-hood Reps recorded their latest album, “Headswell.”

Bass and drums were recorded to tape with Will Yip at Studio 4, while the rest of the instruments and vocals were recorded with Mike Sapone. The album’s closer, “Breath Worth Breathing,” was

the exception, and was recorded by Brian Byrne in Huntington, New York.

“Will is the man and we bonded instantly,” said Montesanto. “[And] Mike did his usual thing of making our band sound way better than we really are and getting the most out of our perfor-mances and songs. Brian and I shared a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select while recording a live acoustic track in an incredibly hot basement. All three of them bring something unique to the table. They are six ears that we trust immensely,” said Montesanto.

The trust the band had was well-placed. “Headswell” is 10 incredibly personal tracks, you can’t help but feel as though you’re eavesdropping on someone else’s life.

“As a whole, this record is much more personal lyrically than our first and was written during a very tumultuous time in not only my life, but that of the band as well,” said Montesanto.

As someone who constantly takes temporary jobs for which he’s well over-qualified in order to continue a life of touring, Mon-tesanto sees the challenge in the lifestyle he chose, “working for shit pay because all the nice jobs are afforded to those people who aren’t constantly picking up and leaving.” Montesanto feels that it’s “a privilege to have the opportunity to bring [their] music and [their] passion for it to everybody around the country.”

The band will be playing some of their best songs as they head back out onto the road. “I’m extremely proud of the work we all did,” said Montesanto. “From top to bottom, this record is exactly the piece of art we intended to release.”

Sainthood Reps switches labels, records in multiple studios, and releases their best album yetStory by Alisha Kirby

An object in motion


The Speed of Sound In

Seawater

First off, can you state your name and what you do in the band?

My name is Damien Verrett. I sing and play guitar in The Speed of Sound In Seawater.

So I’m curious about the band name and how you guys came up with The Speed of Sound In Seawater. What’s the story behind that?

I stumbled across the Wikipedia page about the actual speed of sound in seawater one day and filed it away as a possible band name. A year later, when Fernando and I started the band, I suggested the name. It fits nicely because a lot of our lyrics are nautically influenced. I’m not sure where that comes from, considering we’re so landlocked here in Sacramento. Maybe in a past life we were all seamen.

There isn’t much information available on where you recorded “First Contact” or with whom. Can you tell me a little bit about what went into recording and releasing this record? Where were you and who did you work with?

We recorded the record with our good friend Robert Cheek, a Sacramento native who now works up in Seattle out of his studio, ExEx Audio. The drums were recorded by Robert at The Hangar (rest in peace) here in Sacramento. We’re happy to have been one of the last bands to record in that legendary studio. The rest of the album was recorded at ExEx up in Seattle over the course of a week. We self-released the record under our label, Parent Trap Records.

Up to this point you guys have recorded four EPs (including an acoustic one). What pushed you to finally record a full-length?

Story by Alisha Kirby Photos by Allen DubnikovThe Speed of Sound In Seawater is a band Sacramento can be proud to claim (although technically the band is from Elk Grove, nobody outside of Northern California will know what that means so they’ll surely default to saying “We’re from Sacramento.”). The band has improved exponentially from their earlier EPs and recently released their debut album “First Contact.”


The instant gratification of writing and recording an EP is nice, but we wanted to release something with a little more longevity and thought behind it. We took a long break from recording any new music and let our ideas mature more gradually than we’ve done in the past. Writing enough material for an LP was new territory for us. We were much more patient with the songwriting process this time around and I think it shows on “First Contact.” The arrangements are less schizophrenic and the layering of parts is more coherent. We finally sound like a band instead of a bunch of self-indulgent weirdos.

This is also the first album you’ve had pressed on vinyl. How has that process been? I know there was some sort of delay at one point.

We’re thrilled to be able to offer “First Contact” on vinyl. We’ve been getting requests for years to release our material on vinyl but it wasn’t financially possible until now. Something we didn’t account for was the length of production time needed to press a record. As a result, we were late sending out our pre-orders. As I mentioned before, we self-released this record, so it’s been really difficult handling all of the aspects of getting the thing released. From packing to shipping to customer service, it’s all done by the band, so we feel especially responsible when something goes wrong. The end product is that much more rewarding though. It’s been a learning experience. Things will definitely run more smoothly in the future.

You studied abroad in Italy about a year ago, right? Do you think there were any influences you brought back with you that really show on the new record?

In particular, the third song on “First Contact,” “Anyanka,” owes much of its lyrical content to my time abroad. The song hyperbolizes feelings of dread regarding time spent away from a loved one and the way such feelings can distort a relationship irreparably. For the most part I was writing the guitar parts that would appear on “First Contact” while in Italy. The lyrics were written primarily during the winter and spring after I came home.

It’s a few long flights between here and Italy; had you been sat on a plane beside your favorite celebrity, who would it be and what would you have done?

I’m going to cheat and pick two people. First, I’d want to be seated beside Joanna Newsom. I’d probably spend the first three hours of the flight trying not to explode and the remainder pretending to choke on in-flight meals as a pathetic attempt to receive mouth to mouth resuscitation.Second, I’d want to sit next to R. Kelly. In which case I’d try to get him to watch scary movies with me on my laptop.

Some could say the subject matter in your lyrics is a bit different (Ouija boards and robot girlfriends for example). Where does that

sort of inspiration come from?

I’ve always been inspired by the paranormal and the ways that mythology and fantasy are mirrored in everyday life. It’s fun to use fantastical stories as metaphors for heavier subjects. It allows for listening at different levels and adds replay value to the songs. For example, a song like “Soulmate 2.1,” which on the surface describes a boy building a robot to be his ideal lover, when observed through a more critical lens becomes a satire on patriarchy and misogynistic relationships. It’s interesting warping and parodying subjects until they become fantasy. It allows me to write lighthearted lyrics despite having more serious intentions.

What is your favorite song (or songs) on the album and why?

My favorite song on the album is “The Macabray.” Jordan wrote the music and sang while Luke wrote the lyrics. I didn’t have anything to do with the song, but I think it’s the best one on the record. The way the lyrics and music interact takes me somewhere otherworldly. I think the two of them did a beautiful job collaborating on this track.

“Opassa’s Grotto” is about eight years in the making, right? What about that song made you want to bring it back from the grave of demos and old, teenage recordings?

Lucas and I have been recording music together for a very long time. Sometimes we’ll revisit songs we wrote back in high school and discover little elements that are really endearing or sophisticated in a way we weren’t fully aware of at the time. “Opassa’s Grotto” was a song the two of us wrote and recorded ages ago, and after rediscovering it we felt it had some charming qualities we could salvage. I’m interested in going back into the vault of old recordings and seeing what else we can pull out.

What’s the most embarrassing song you wrote at 14? What’s it called and what’s it about?

I wrote a song once for the website Songfight.org called “Applesauce Baptism.” Every week the site would pick a song title that people would have to use. At the end of the week all of the contestants would turn in their songs and vote on which one was the best. I wrote a song about a boy stumbling upon a ritual in the forest where creatures are baptizing each other using applesauce. I’m listening to it right now. I don’t remember dropping acid when I was 14, but maybe I repressed that memory.

Is there anything else you want to add?

If you like The Speed of Sound in Seawater you should check out So Much Light, Paper Pistols and Postmadonna.xoxo 4 ever

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Artist spotlight


“If you don’t succeed at first, try and try again.” These are words that have been passed down for generations since the mid-1800s, words that aspiring musicians like Zack Lee know well. If that name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve heard one of his previous projects, including his most popular project Taking’s Not Stealing, or have seen him as a touring drummer with The Bunny The Bear, or maybe because there were eight kids at your high school with a similar name.

Since beginning his musical career in Sacramento, Lee has always hid behind the safety of a drum kit. In This Farewell, his most recent, pop-rock endeavor, Lee ventures out in front of the kit and into the spotlight.

“It’s weird, you know? I kind of trained myself to not have to be super outgoing,” said Lee. “Sitting in the back seemed easy and when I was thrown into [This Farewell], it was defi-nitely awkward.”

His role in the band allows him to take charge of the song-writing process, something he’s dabbled in before and is eager to continue with this time around. Like some artists, he starts with a line, phrase or idea and builds off that. After countless hours he’s written and rewritten a song with melodies and harmonies in mind.

Although Lee is new to the front of the stage, he finds this opportunity an exciting time to connect with fans in a differ-ent way.

“You get to have this personal connection with people. Even though it’s scary, I like it,” said Lee. “Stage fright was tough to get over. I was insanely nervous for my first show singing, but once I actually stepped on stage it felt different. All my nervousness went away almost instantly. I don’t think you ever get over stage fright or being nervous.”

With multiple projects under his belt that have succeeded then fizzled out, Lee’s passion and drive pushes him to con-tinue.

“I love music so much. Every time I’m feeling super down I listen to the one track that lifts me up and I feel like I can’t stop,” said Lee. “There were plenty of times where I was going to quit music for good. All I need is that one track or I’ll write something one day and it’ll push me back into loving it and I think, ‘I can’t quit this. No way.’” By Steven Condemarin

Photos by Allen Dubnikov

LeeZack

An industry promotion

For all things Frank Turner, head over to his facebook!

2012 was a big year for Frank Turner. Not only did he perform during the London Olympics opening ceremony, he also, along with his band The Sleeping Souls, performed at one of the largest music venues in England: Wembley Arena.

“Playing Wembley was great,” said Turner. “It felt like the cul-mination of a lot of hard work, but it also felt like I made the jump to that size of venue without losing the sense of inclusiveness that is, to me, an important part of my music.”

These successes propelled Turner head-on into 2013. In mid-February, Turner signed to the major label Interscope. “Working with Interscope, like with any label deal I’ve done, came down to the people involved,” he said. “We get on well and I felt like they could do the best job of promoting my music in the U.S. I think I’ve been proved correct thus far.”

Only a few months after the signing, he released his newest record, “Tape Deck Heart.” The album has been receiving high praise, though that’s not how Turner measures success.

“My own personal measure of success for the new material is how people react to it in a live context,” Turner said. “People have been singing along to new songs at shows and that’s been great.”

However, any time a musician gains success, fans are quick to use the term “selling out” to describe the artist. This is even more prominent in cases such as Frank Turner’s, where, coming from a

punk/hardcore background, fans take selling out very seriously. Turner is no stranger to being labeled as a sell-out. “People

have been telling me I’ve ‘sold out’ ever since I did a tour in a van that had seats (as opposed to sitting on the amps in the back). It’s so yawningly tedious, adolescent and ill-informed. But I don’t lose sleep over it. I’m satisfied that the way I go about my business still subscribes to my own set of values.”

Turner used to be in the hardcore band Million Dead. After inter-band politics killed off the band, Turner decided he no longer wanted to be in a band at all. “I needed a change of musical scenery and I didn’t want to be in a band right then,” he remem-bers. “I tried out playing solo and immediately felt good about it, so I’ve stuck with it.”

But through and through, Turner really cares about the fans at his show. His favorite song to play live is “anything that helps break down the barrier between the audience and the stage.” Turner says he is currently working on new solo music, but is taking his time and not rushing anything. In the meantime, try to catch Frank Turner along with The Sleeping Souls on the U.S. and Canada Tape Deck Heart Tour. Also, be sure to check out a more recent project for Turner called Mongol Horde. You can expect an album out early next year.

Frank Turner explains how he measures his success and talks about his change of paceStory by Josh Jurrs


Back in July, LA Weekly said Open Mike Eagle sud-denly became the biggest name in indie rap. That still holds very true as he is coming off four consecutive tours, being a part of his label Hellfyre Club Records’ collaborative mixtape “Dorner vs. Tookie,” and preparing for the release of his next full-length album coming out early next year. The work he has been putting in for years is paying off and making him busier than ever.

“It’s going to be real interesting music,” Eagle said about his upcoming album. He is close to finishing up the record, which will either be called “Dark Comedy” or “Dark, Dark Comedy.” The album, due in 2014, will feature stand-up comedian Hannibal Buress and some of his peers, includ-ing Milo, MC Paul Barman, and Kool A.D. of the defunct Das Racist.

Eagle has also been doing his part to grow the Hellfyre Club record label. It will be releasing a mixtape on Nov. 5 that is a collaborative effort from every member of the label.

“Hellfyre Club is like a growing platform, being a label that is still in its infancy,” said Eagle. “That’s part of releas-ing [“Dorner vs. Tookie”]. It’s like combining forces to build the platform higher.”

Hellfyre is a label that specializes in what is being called art rap, which is a sub-genre of hip-hop that can be described as unapologetically educated while still being en-tirely universal. Eagle, a self proclaimed art rapper, defines art rap as “an intention to making something that’s truer to one person’s unique vision rather than anything traditional or cookie-cutter.”

It’s hard to say when art rap came into its own, but to call Eagle a pioneer of the scene is not an outlandish claim. He and the rest of Hellfyre are making the music they want to and are doing what they can to give art rap recognition.

Being a family man, constant touring isn’t always pos-sible for Eagle, which is why this summer was the time to catch him anywhere in the country as he was on four sepa-rate tours. The first one was with Milo and started at SXSW and the last, with Buck 65, that ended about a month ago.

“Oh my God, was that this year?” Eagle asks, shocked about he and Milo performing at this year’s Soundset Fes-tival in Minnesota. Since he was on tour for almost half the year, shows that were only a few months ago seem like they were almost years old.

“I’m going to try to be home for a while. I’ve got a lady and a kid and I’ve been gone a lot,” Eagle says about his future. Wanting to spend time with his family and making sure his new material is the best it can be is why he only has one show planned for the rest of the year, in Minneap-olis on Nov. 22 with Milo and Busdriver, and then no plans for live performances until January.

What a good year looks like to an indie rapper

Open Mike Eagle talks future releases, his place in indie label Hellfyre Club, and his definition of “art rap”

Stay up-to-date on all things Open mike eagle by checking out his site

Story by Daniel Romandia


Album Reviews

Echosmith“Talking Dreams”

Kevin devine“bubblegum”

Red city radio“titles”

Every once in a while a band debuts with one spectacular album. Echosmith has done just that. After making it onto Alternative Pressʼ “100 Bands You Need To Know,” and between the non-stop touring, the Sierota siblings have released their highly-anticipated album “Talking Dreams.”

The alternative/pop quartet deliver the best of both calm and exciting songs that resonate with you well after youʼve given them a listen. Packed with chiming guitars, soft, catchy melodies and at times filled with a strong synth presence, this album is very radio-ready but not an-noying. This feel-good album starts with “Come Together,” an anthem-like song that has layered vocals in the chorus and catchy little synth riffs.

“Letʼs Love” keeps the interest rolling with catchy guitar delays and Sydney and Jamieʼs killer harmonies. The songs contin-ue to keep that feel-good vibe while switch-ing up some of the instruments (and filters) to make them sounds slightly different.

After slowing things down a little with “Come With Me,” the electric siblings bring the pace back with the title track. This affectionate, summer song hooks you with a sweet bass line before tossing in an infec-tious set of “ooos.”

While the second half of the album holds its up-beatness with songs like “Ran Off In The Night” and “Nothingʼs Wrong,” the album ends on a much more mature note, showing off what Echosmith is capable of.

Kevin Devine earned his spot as one of my favorite songwriters back when he released “Make The Clocks Move” in 2003. When it was announced that he would be putting out two new records on the same day I was ecstatic. I was sure “Bulldozer” would be my favorite of the two (and it may be in time) because I’ve always leaned more toward Devine’s acoustic side, but “Bubblegum” is the only thing I want to listen to these days.

This record has a number of politically charged songs, including “Private First Class” which details some of the Chelsea Manning case and the most punk-style track on the album, “Fiscal Cliff.” Both are perfect examples of Devine’s lyrical wit that fans have come to expect.

As the album goes on, it’s easy to lose track of where you are -- but in a good way. The six-and-a-half-minute, grungy-pop experiment that is “Redbird” is impressive in its smooth movements and balance of genres and it fades perfectly into the short, hook-filled combination of “Bloodhound” and the title track. Then you’ve got “Sick of Words” followed by the instrumental “Cabybara,” which then settles into “She Can See Me” -- you can take any combi-nation of songs on this record and praise them endlessly.

If you’re behind in Devine’s now eight-album discography, “Bubblegum” is a fantastic place to start. It encompasses a little something from previous albums while continuing to branch out and grow in new directions.

Red City Radio is the band that I thought had nothing to improve upon from their last release. “The Dangers of Standing Still” was aggressive, loud and powerful. With “Titles,” the band took all of those qualities and just wrote a slew of catchier choruses and melodies to throw into the pot of already perfect ingredients, which tells me this album is bound to kill it when played live.

I can’t see how a cramped room of excited people wouldn’t sing along with “Two Notes Shy of an Octave” or “I’ll Take a Mile” as the choruses are bellowed back at them. Or lose their collective mind as the band harmonizes shouts of “I am a fucking juggernaut” in “Show Me On the Doll Where the Music Touched You.”

The band also honed in on how to pull back just a bit this time around. Songs like “Joy Comes With The Morning” and “The Silence Between” slow down and mellow out just enough that it keeps you from thinking you’re listening to the same track on repeat (and just listen to that guitar solo in “The Silence Between”).

As a whole, “Titles” feels like a thicker, more thought-out version of “The Dangers of Standing Still.” Even “A Joke With No Words,” which is probably the most like the band’s previous material, feels like the band took their time to cross their t’s, dot their i’s and rewrite parts until they were sure to fit perfectly. That’s just speculation though. Whatever these guys actually did clearly worked because “Titles” is a fantastic record.

By Steven Condemarin By Jorden HalesBy Alisha Kirby

Visit SacUnplugged.com for frequent reviews throughout the month!


Album Reviews

The Swellers“The Light Under

Closed Doors”

Shad“Flying Colours”

tancred“Tancred”

The best part about “The Light Under Closed Doors” is that the record distinctly sounds like a Swellers album. The newest album from Flint, Mich.’s The Swellers con-tains all the familiar sounds and rhythms we’re used to hearing from the band. Vocalist Nick Diener’s vocals balance being mellow and powerful without ever becom-ing too harsh or distracting. The balance of guitar, bass and drums is spot-on with each instrument getting time in the spotlight.

“Should” starts the record off on the high note, featuring a killer melody and a driving beat, making it difficult to continue the record without hitting repeat imme-diately. The song “Great Lakes State” helps drive the record forward and is another bright point on the record. “Friends Again (We Can’t Be)” contains a surprisingly cool synth part that transitions wonderfully into a mini guitar solo.The bass-led bridge in “Call It a Night” gives a nice reference back to “Parkview” from the band’s last full-length record.

“The Light Under Closed Doors” contains the standard 10 well-crafted tunes that show off all the great things that make The Swellers sound like The Swellers. In fact, every song on this record is strong, well-written, and easily memorable. The guys in the band truly understand the process of writing a catchy song. Lyrically, this is one of their more relatable efforts, and musically, it’s one of their most interesting. “The Light Under Closed Doors” is definitely a record that needs to be listened to by anybody and everybody.

When Jess Abbott joined Now, Now and recorded “Neighbors,” there was a subtle difference in the way certain tones and riffs stayed with you. There was some-thing she brought to the equation that you couldn’t quite put your finger on, but knew you liked. With the self-titled third release under her solo moniker Tancred, those once-subtle differences are now glaring right at you.

Abbott has ditched the acoustic guitar for the most part this time around (exclud-ing “Radio”). There are so many more layers of vocal harmonies and instruments in this record than her previous releases combined. It worked well, and despite how I’ll miss the sounds from “String & Twine,” I can’t help but feel that so much more has been gained. What would “The Ring” or “Hard to Leave” be without those drums? And how lacking would “Thicker Than Blood” sound with a clean, acoustic backing?

The album stands out because of Ab-bott’s ability to play something that sounds so haunting, like “The Worst Kind” or “Twelve” (just listen to her voice as she delivers the line “they left God” for the second time in the second repetition of the chorus) and then switch gears so smoothly into something louder (“Indiana”).

“In The Night” is the most comparable to Now, Now material if that’s what you’re looking for, but Abbott stands just fine on her own merit here. The only problem is that the album clocks in at about 27 min-utes and I want to hear more, but that’s just me being selfish.

Back in 2007, Shad released his sopho-more album, “The Old Prince,” and immedi-ately told the world that he was “the biggest thing out of Canada ‘til Quebec separate.” That statement means so much more six years later as he releases his fourth and arguably best album, “Flying Colours.”

If there’s something to always note about Shad’s music, it’s that it is some of the most complex hip-hop being made today. His lyricism is filled with intricate meta-phors, an ever-changing and near-perfect flow and rhythm, and a perfect balance between the classic rapper narcissism and some of the most open-minded, selfless poetry that most emcees could never even imagine.

The production on “Flying Colours” is just as eclectic as the topics of the album. Shad will take you from radio-friendly songs, like “Stylin,’” which has your rearview mirror shaking from the bass, straight into a song like “Progress” which is deep, emotional and laden with spoken word that could bring you to tears.

What makes this album so successful is that nothing seems out of place. Somehow, Shad is able to cover a slew of topics that range from having fun at a family reunion to the bleak depths the world can have and make it seem as if they all belong together. This album is inexplicably cohesive. I could go on praising what Shad has done with “Flying Colours,” but I’d rather let you figure it out for yourself. One thing is for sure: this album is a strong contender for album of the year.

By Daniel Romandia By Josh JurssBy Alisha Kirby

Visit SacUnplugged.com for frequent reviews throughout the month!


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Unplugged Magazine November 2013 (#11)