Touché Amoré Volume6.issue2.nov2012 1

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volume6.issue2.nov2012 to uc hé amoré 1 volume6.issue2.nov2012 FEATURED ARTICLES group love.12 touché amoré.16 why?.22 IN EVERY ISSUE letter from the editor.04 music news.07 lyrically speaking.07 steel city start-ups.08 cut ‘em all.24 mixtape.25 concert reviews.26 album reviews.28 essay.30 2 3 LETTER RECOMMENDED ALBUMS from the EDITOR Editor-in-Chief Kristen Swanson Assistant Editor Zach Branson Art/Layout Director Sarah Gorman Photo Editor Samantha Ward Copy Director Mike Ryan Marketing and Publicity Chief Dan Curhan Public Relations Coordinator Christina Mitas Web Manager Jake Kushner Writing Staff Rachel Asbel, Zach Branson, Sankalp Bhatnagar, Leela Chockalingam, Allison Cosby, Dan Curhan, Hannah Dellabella, Vanessa Frank, Ian Go, Sarah Gorman, Will Lush, Christina Mitas, Kaytie Nielsen, Alec Resende, Alejandro Reyes-Morales, Christopher Skaggs, Steven Wang, Samantha Ward, Rebecca Warshofsky Photo Staff Lindsay Corey, Dan Curhan, Christopher Skaggs, Indie sweethearts Grouplove are featured in this issue—you’ll want to read about this baby of a band that are quickly making a name for themselves. For the more adventurous, check out an interview with WHY?, who are as unique as their name implies. And I have to admit, this month’s column Cut ‘Em All just might be my favorite entry to date—trust me, even as someone who can’t get into metal, it might be one of the most interesting reads this semester. Last but not least, one of my personal favorite bands, Touché Amoré, are featured on our cover. I know post-hardcore bands might not have that commercial appeal to everyone, but you have to respect a band that’s kicking ass and traveling all over the world while doing it. That’s right, from the UK to New Zealand, these guys are becoming a big deal. At the end of the day, a band like Touché Amoré is why I run a music magazine—they are honest, passionate, creative, and they give me something worth writing about. Bands like this are something the music industry needs to further embrace and promote. Layout Staff I think I’ve ranted enough about how much I’m completely in love with this issue, and I hope you’ll feel the same once you have a read through. I personal- Editing Staff ly suggest reading the magazine in a big cozy chair with lots of blankets and hot chocolate filled to the brim with marshmallows. I think that’s how I plan to get through these bitterly cold months—with music and marshmallows. Kathy Lee Rachel Asbel, Kairavi Chahal, Leela Chockalingam, Joshua Choi, Hannah Dellabella, Holly Fitzgibbon, Will Lush, Danielle Maly, Danielle Peters, Jordan Stephenson, Adria Steuer, Rebecca Warshofsky 4 Autumn is my favorite time of the year—the leaves are gorgeous shades of red and yellow, the weather is perfect, and—oh, wait, I almost forgot that in Pittsburgh autumn lasts for a week before the freezing rain sets in, and it’s anyone’s guess when the snow will arrive. So the weather is gloomy, and with finals lurking just around the corner, you’re stressed out of your mind. Obviously it’s time for a serious break. The Cut is here to help you out. Not only do we have a cool feature on electronic music to keep you updated on the current scene, but our Pittsburgh band this month is so eclectic they are sure to please all music lovers. News junkies get their fix in this month’s issue with a monthly dose of music news with a mixtape worthy of the heated, but also humorous political debate. Plus, our concert and album reviews are keeping you updated on what’s happening around Pittsburgh and in the always-entertaining music world. Kristen N. Swanson Editor-in-Chief The Cut Magazine 10 SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR 1. Said The King To The River La Dispute 6. Until Now Swedish House Mafia 2. Breezeblocks Alt-J 7. Classy Girl The Lumineers 3. Thrift Shop Ryan Lewis & Macklemore 8. Misery Fell Tally Hall 4. Let it Go Dragonette 5. Skyfall Adele 9. This Head I Hold Electric Guest 10. Boyfriend Best Coast 5 The New Minimal MUSIC NEWS compiled by Allison Cosby and Samantha Ward • Finally, a reason to watch football: Beyoncé is officially headlining the Super Bowl halftime show this February. • • Carnegie Mellon Activities Board has announced that Sleigh Bells will be our annual hip fall show. Now all we have to do is learn a song other than “Rill Rill.” Jay-Z released his Live in Brooklyn “optic EP,” which features songs and video —you guessed it—live in Brooklyn. • Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie) released his first official solo album Former Lives, which draws on his acoustic roots to create a sincere, folky sound. • This month, music magazine Billboard shook up the way it calculates its charts, with changes designed to reflect online sales, Spotify plays, and other Internet-based popularity. What took them so long? • The annual CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival took place this month in New York City, featuring performances by the Presets, the Walkmen, the Mountain Goats, Kimbra, GZA, OFF!, King Tuff, Killer Mike, Com Truise, Young Magic, and many, many others. • by Sarabeth Perry The bass is booming through speakers that are not more than 10 feet away from you, popping out with every downbeat. The lights swirl and fill what would usually be a plain old tent into a mix of colors and lasers that seem to match the music perfectly. Everyone around you is dancing in their own styles; some just move back and forth with their eyes closed, while others utilize their whole bodies to enjoy the music. The constant bass gets your head bobbing until, finally, the melody of unexpected trumpets and claps on the offbeat surround your ears and you understand what all the hype is about. Nature One Music Festival 2012 in Kastellaun, Germany was my first electronic music festival, and I’m bound to go back. It introduced me to a whole new genre, what the Germans and many Europeans call minimal electro. However, it is slightly different than minimal electro in the US, dominated by groups like the xx and Passion Pit. This music is for dancing, swaying, and moving; best appreciated when the DJ is right above you and the wave of bass keeps hitting you until you can literally feel the music inside you. 6 Slowly but surely, the door has been opened for different types of electro to come to America by the infiltration of house music. Artists like Flo Rida have mastered the art of taking catchy hooks from songs like “Levels” by Avicii and adding rap to the verses to create a number one hit single. Some people object to this method, because it’s taking the main idea from a track and adding a couple of words to it under a big name to make big money. And even though it’s hard to disagree with that notion, it also has to be acknowledged that songs like Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling” have put house music on a whole new level in the US. Even dubstep has made huge leaps into the mainstream pop scene; Britney Spears has incorporated sounds from dubstep and house on her 2011 Femme Fatale album. Now there are more and more singles incorporating this popular type of electronic music into the “top ten” than ever before. And festivals like Detroit Electronic Music Festival (DEMF) are becoming more popular as well. Although we all mourn at the sight of what used to be a lesser-known genre going “mainstream,” this movement to house has a significant impact on what is becoming more acceptable. With this surge of house sound going mainstream, minimal electro will also begin to emerge as an alternative to the classic and often repetitive club sounds that are now filling our radio’s top stations. Songs like “Relajate” by Aka Aka, “Wine and Chocolate” by Theophilus London, and “One Day/Reckoning Song (Wankelmut Rmx)” by Asaf Avidan & the Mojos have a heavy bass and addicting melody lines that move the listeners into a new place. It can be described as “chill,” but is more powerful than one would expect. So take a chance on this genre, and you won’t be disappointed. Bruce Springsteen supported Democrats at his political rally by singing his strange Obama-themed song titled “Forward and Away We Go.” • Taylor Swift released yet another mysterious “guess-which-ex” themed album called Red. • Looks like Nick Jonas is taking a page off of T. Swift’s book, as the Jonas Brothers’ new song, “Wedding Bells,” is “pretty blatantly about me,” claims Miley Cyrus. • Now you can eat like a hipster rockstar: Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear (bass, backing vocals) is currently working on a cookbook to be published by Random House. lyrically speaking with Hannah DellaBella The thing that sets lyrics apart from poetry is, obviously, the music. I’ve always been pretty fascinated with the effect music can have on lyrics. The same lyrics can create a radically different feeling, depending on the tempo and instrumentals that accompany them. The first example that comes to mind is the song “Mad World.” The lyrics are heavy and sad, dealing with the futility of life. These are the most oft quoted lines: “And I find it kinda funny/I find it kinda sad/The dreams in which I’m dying/Are the best I’ve ever had.” Lyrically, it’s a rather depressing song. Like many people, I was first introduced to this song through the Donnie Darko soundtrack. The movie features a haunting cover of the song by Gary Jules. The sparse piano and slow tempo make “Mad World” the kind of song you’d listen to while staring out a window on a rainy day. Then, someone introduced me to the original version of “Mad World” by the 80s band Tears For Fears. Hearing it for the first time, I couldn’t believe it was the same song that Jules had sung. The Tears For Fears version is faster, set to some synthesizers. The beat of this version is pretty infectious; I find myself nodding along when it plays. It’s a totally different effect than Jules’ version. Tears For Fears almost makes the song sound upbeat. Personally, I’m attracted to the idea of taking heavy lyrics and making them into a catchy song. It’s something that one of my favorite bands, Motion City Soundtrack, does well. They too use synth sounds to create catchy beats in their songs, but their lyrics deal with themes of mental illness, addiction, and heartbreak. There’s something pleasantly paradoxical about singing a song that sounds cheerful on the surface, but is depressing on the inside. One of their more well-known songs, “Everything Is Alright,” exemplifies this kind of music. On the surface it’s catchy and upbeat, but look closer at the lyrics: “I used to rely on selfmedication/I guess I still do that from time to time.” It is sadness conveyed in a happy way. It doesn’t really make sense, but I love it. I’ve always said that if I possessed a better singing voice, I’d become a singer-songwriter. Poetry is beautiful on its own, but there is a transformative power in setting words to music. 7 BALLOON RIDE FANTASY by Vanessa Frank N ow that we are well into the 21st century, there are finally hopeful glimmers of musical hipness emerging from the industrial exterior of the Steel City. Balloon Ride Fantasy provides their own contributions to the development of Pittsburgh’s musical rebirth with an intelligent twist on today’s indie rock band. The six-piece ensemble has taken new wave to the next level. Their synth-heavy progressive rock style, combined with sci-fi-inspired lyrics, has resulted in the development of what they have dubbed fantasy rock. “We invented that, by the way,” says bass player Brad Schneider with a grin. “Most of our stuff doesn’t sound like it’s influenced by any particular genre exactly. All of our songs have a totally different feel to them.” After a number of years playing with a heavier progressive rock band, Chris Olsziewski and Phil Conley branched off and spent the last three years finding their way into uncharted territory. The other four band members—bass player Brad Schneider, drummer Eric Neugebauer, keyboard player Jordan Wood, and vocalist Bethany Berkstresser—were sought out. The current ensemble was formed by September 2011, five months after the release of the debut album Monocle City. “They wanted a live band for the songs they recorded,” comments Schneider on his entry into the band. “It takes a while to find the right people to make it fit and to make it all work.” The unique name of the group often becomes a topic of conversation. The band explains that their intention was to find a bizarre STEEL CITY 8 and memorable signifier for audiences. “It fits the style of music, too—fantastical,” explains Berkstresser. “It’s fantasy with a modern freshness.” Their infatuation with the idea of fantasy is boldly reflected in their sound. They utilize haunting harmonies and electric vibes to create their own brand of smooth and eclectic rock. Despite their avant-garde, electronic style, they claim the structure of their music is based on pop, especially music from 80s icons Michael Jackson and Prince. “We get the 80s nostalgia. Not to where it’s exactly replicating 80s music, but it’s that same carefree, fantastic feel 80s music has,” comments Olsziewski, the primary lyricist. Olsziewski receives lyrical inspiration from 80s fantasy movies as well: “Legend, Labyrinth, The Beastmaster—I love things like that.” The poetic lyrics on Monocle City are about whimsical subjects, including a zombie outbreak as well as surreal depictions of simple, familiar moments. “Chris is really original,” Berkstresser praises. “He doesn’t write about relationships.” Unexpected elements, such as prayers and verses in Japanese, create a wide range of themes. This compilation of intriguing materials prohibits one’s ability to pin a specific formula to the band’s work. However, the lyrics do not rely on the bizarre nature of the subjects to make them unique. The artistry of Chris’ poetry lies in the humorous prose and intelligent execution and arrangement of his lyrics. He creates vivid depictions of dreamlike worlds using effective brevity and cunning literary devices without losing the substance behind his fanciful writing. This original brand of lyrical content complemented by their unique sound has established Balloon Ride Fantasy as their own genre within the offshoots of indie music. Like many new wave bands, they are aware of the challenge in executing a quality live performance while keeping the energy high and the audience loose. They recognize that their unique sound tends to inhibit the audience. “People aren’t used to it,” Chris admits. “It takes a more openminded crowd.” The extensive variety of song styles encourages different reactions from audiences. “There are songs that you can dance to for sure, and there are some that you will just watch and pay attention to,” Brad explains. They have played past shows at Brillobox, Club Café, Howlers, and the Thunderbird Café. They were also recently featured at the September WYEP Third Thursday show. Anyone looking to experience Balloon Ride Fantasy live can look out for their next performance on December 1 at Club Café in South Side. For now the band is working towards finishing their next album, which they expect to release by Spring 2013. Until then, Balloon Ride Fantasy virgins can find their music for free online by visiting their website at balloonridefantasy.com. I recommend that Pittsburgh music enthusiasts become familiar with their work, because Balloon Ride Fantasy is among the first in a new generation of local music. Photos by Samantha Ward 9 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AT SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL Photo by Lindsay Corry 10 11 Photo courtesy of Aaron Foley people responded in such a way was really exciting and reaffirming because we’re all from different states and places and backgrounds. We all didn’t grow up listening to that band wearing leather jackets and hoped to be that band. I couldn’t even sing three years ago. It was a process I had to grow into really quickly. Now I feel like one of those trippy people handing out flyers and saying, “Go with your dreams, man.” The Cut: If you had to do something about your debut over again what would it be? HH: We’ve just been on the road playing the album, so we haven’t really had time to settle down and understand what’s going on. Musically I’m really proud of how the album came out. I wouldn’t change anything. I maybe wish I would have come into my own on stage faster. The Cut: Now that you’re touring on your first album Never Trust A Happy Song, what are you doing to keep up the energy and the motivation? The Cut: It is my understanding that the band met at an artist colony in Crete. What was that process like? How would you say the band has grown since the early days? GROUPLOVE Interview by Chris Skaggs 12 Hannah Hoper: I feel like it’s a lie now, but it honestly did happen. It’s so surreal. None of us knew each other. I was a full-time painter in New York, and this guy came and told me he was going to buy a painting from my studio. Then he came and said he wasn’t going to buy a painting, and that he was really just offering me an artist-in-residence in Crete. Everyone was playing music and we all started working together. We were playing all the songs we made in Greece and then recorded our EP in a garage in Los Angeles. Our managers heard the music and decided that we had to be a band and we moved to LA. We all feel like we’re really lucky people. HH: Having the bus makes all the difference. Normally we wake up and we’re there, so we can sing more and do more radio shows. We have this thing where we have a day off and we go out the night before and celebrate the night. If we have multiple shows, we pretty much like to hang out. Now that we’re on tour, my new thing is sleeping—like waking up late. I used to be an insomniac and proud of it. So that’s something that has really changed a lot for me. The Cut: What were your biggest artistic influences when you were writing Never Trust A Happy Song? How do they affect any forthcoming work you are working on? The Cut: Grouplove came to prominence in the alternative music scene fairly quickly. What was it like to be playing shows at Lollapalooza before you had even released your first album? Do you feel those experienced shaped the first album even more? HH: Honestly, our biggest influences are each other. Up until the album, we were really playing our own music. We’re all from different backgrounds and there isn’t really that major affiliated factor. Our producer has a Beach Boy sensibility. I love the Pixies, and Christian [Zucconi] is a huge Nirvana fan. Sean [Gadd] loves Oasis and Paul Simon. Andrew [Wessen] likes NOFX. The band doesn’t really have one overarching influence. We all collectively love Arcade Fire, but we can’t even agree on a band to listen to in the car. It says a lot about our personalities— every song has a piece of our personality. HH: People’s response to our music was such a reinforcement. We weren’t writing hits. The fact that The Cut: Your album’s title is “Never Trust A Happy Song,” but many people would describe your music as upbeat. Is the title meant to be a contradiction? HH: Everyone has a different meaning for it. Sean said one day that most of our songs are happy and upbeat, but they come from a darker place. It’s also an encouragement to look a little deeper beyond the surface. Everything coming out of Sean’s mouth just sounds epic—it’s the british accent. The Cut: Since the band’s formation, you’ve had the opportunity to play at festivals and venues all around the world. What has been one of the coolest shows you played or one that really sticks out in your mind? HH: Bonnaroo, Coachella, and the Rickshaw in San Francisco were amazing. The residency at the Bootleg was really cool. We played at an awesome festival in Portugal right before Coldplay. There were thousands and thousands of people shouting our name. I remember playing an acoustic show here in Pittsburgh, which was really memorable. Actually, I always remember our first show at a Mexican restaurant because it was terrifying and my first time on stage. The Cut: When I saw Young The Giant in April, their lead singer wore a Grouplove t-shirt during their set. What was it like touring with them, and is there anybody you would especially like to tour with in the future? HH: We were all immediately friends when touring with Young The Giant. There were so many guys! It was the most dudes I’ve ever toured with. They are very friendly people and there weren’t any too-cool-for-school musician vibes. On a purely epic level, I think it would be so cool to tour with Neil Young. On the road we’ve become really close with Manchester Orchestra and Cage—that would be really awesome for different reasons. It’ll be really nice to do some acoustic stuff and not do the full show for a bit just to get back to the roots. The Cut: Grouplove is a pretty young band. Where do you think the music scene and industry are headed? Do you think it’s becoming harder or easier for bands like yours to get exposure and grow their fan base? HH: Music is at a really interesting place. People have the opportunity to take it into their own hands or go the more traditional route and find the label. I think it’s really exciting that there is the opportunity for so many bands to get to a certain level. Once you get that kind of exposure and get to a larger level, I can’t really answer that question. Are there still people who can be like the Rolling Stones or Neil Young who aren’t pop stars? I don’t really know. The Internet does wonderful and terrible things to music. 13 11 MONDAY 12 TUESDAY 13 NOVEMBER Motion City Soundtrack Mr. Smalls 18 19 20 WEDNESDAY 14 Go Radio Altar Bar 21 The AP Tour Altar Bar World/Inferno Friendship Society Altar Bar 02 Alex Goto Altar Bar 26 Gwar Mr. Smalls 27 Lamb Of God Stage AE 28 Anberlin Mr. Smalls 22 23 29 03 Other Lives, Indians Brillobox 04 05 Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band Altar Bar 10 Cit of IFA, Delusions of Gradeur Garfield Artworks 30 06 24 Cannibal Corpse Mr. Smalls 01 07 08 Remember Your Roots The Smiling Moose Falling Andes Stage AE DECEMBER Saliva Altar Bar 12 Lights Mr. Smalls Woe, Is Me Atlar Bar Every Avenue Altar Bar Stone Foxes Club Cafe 11 SATURDAY 17 Twenty One Pilots Stage AE MC Lars The Smiling Moose Every Time I Die Mr. Smalls 14 Bayside, The Composure Altar Bar Sum 41 Altar Bar Ace Hood Altar Bar 09 FRIDAY 16 Punchline, Mace Ballard Altar Bar Justin Bieber CONSOL Energy Center 25 THURSDAY 15 13 CALENDAR SUNDAY 14 Olympus Mons Brillobox 15 The Boogie Hustlers Club Cafe 15 touché amoré Interview by Kristen Swanson Photos by Kristen Swanson 16 Touché Amoré is a band you’ve probably heard by now with the wave of post-hardcore bands that are flooding the shores of the music scene. For anyone who thinks they’re just another angsty hardcore band soon to be washed up any minute now—these LA boys are ready to prove you all wrong. Touché Amoré really sets themselves apart with the intense rawness of their songs and their incredible dedication to being a highly memorable band. The Cut sat down with lead vocalist Jeremy Bolm to reveal his geekdom for vinyl records, the upcoming adventures for the band, and his fear for writing the next Touché Amoré record. 17 The Cut: Touché Amoré started out in 2007, and you guys have come a long way since then. I know there is a joke about “The Wave,” but do you feel like your success has been from this wave of post-hardcore bands that seem to be flooding the music scene? JB: I think it’s a combination of all those things. When our band started out, all we cared about was trying to tour as much as possible and release as many things on vinyl as possible. So I think we have it in our heads to do a full length and then do a bunch of 7-inches. Jeremy Bolm: I’m not even sure. As you mentioned, the whole wave thing is not even a thing—we’re all just friends. There was such an oversaturation of one style of hardcore, where every band was doing the same thing, and all of our bands started around the same time and we all found each other in one way or another. I don’t really believe in fate or anything like that, but I think we just genuinely lucked out with time and place. The Cut: Is that partly the record nerd inside of you? The Cut: Something I find interesting is that you guys are from LA and a lot of the bands you are often grouped with come from the east coast or midwest. Have you noticed differences this has created, musically or personally? JB: It’s easy for people to say that a lot of us sound the same or similar enough, but I really don’t think a lot of us do. At the core, what combines all of us is the same ideas and feelings on certain topics. We don’t sound anything like Make Do And Mend—they are a Hot Water Music-y sort of band. La Dispute in general has a totally different approach to how they deliver their words— they’re a bit more experimental than us. I don’t even want to confine in just those bands. We’re as close to those bands as we are with bands like Title Fight and Tigers Jaw. I don’t think that location has anything to do with it either—again, it’s just things kind of falling into place. At the same time, since all of us have toured together and played a lot of shows together, I think that also influences one another. When we get down to writing, I’ll sit there and be like, “This kind of sounds like something Balance would write. Oops.” It can be a combination of all those things. The Cut: Speaking of LA, do you still have a love/hate/love relationship with the city? JB: My feelings have completely changed on that. I used to hate LA and now that I’m never there, I come home and love it. I think it’s the best place in the world. It took being away from it to realize how special it really is. There are things you’re always going to dislike about your hometown, but when I come home now I look at it completely differently. I realize that I love the weather there, I’m so thankful for how good the food is there—it made me really appreciate home. I’m glad that I can actually come home and be happy. The Cut: TA’s latest release is a split with the Casket Lottery, and you guys do a lot of splits with bands you respect and are friends with. Is putting out an EP more comfortable and less stressful than an LP because of that connection to other bands, or do you just enjoy that format more overall? 18 JB: Yeah, exactly. I just love putting out 7-inches. I am a total geek for records and getting to design them with your friends—I mean our guitar player does all of our design work—and having labels help us out and be willing to release them is even cooler. It’s less stressful because you can experiment. You might record a song that people aren’t generally that into, but it doesn’t matter because it’s one song and you still have a full length to release that actually gets the most listens. You put out a 7-inch, you might love the song on it and you might want to play it live, but it’s not going to get the same reaction as a song on a full length. It’s hard enough for kids to even listen to the record, downloading it on iTunes and things like that—it probably seems like a hassle to download one song. We know that these are songs that are probably not going to get the full impact like songs on a full length, but it’s fun, and we’re huge fans of the Casket Lottery. The Cut: I read in an interview that you said most hardcore bands don’t make it to the third record and if they do it’s shit. Have you started working on your third record, and because of this belief you have, does it make you cautious about the third record? JB: Oh, absolutely. It’s terrifying [Laughs.] There are examples of bands that have been able to do it and do it successfully. Converge is the perfect example of a band that continues to just get better and better. There’s bands like Coalesce, too. It’s a lot more of those older bands that were able to continue to do it. With that statement also, kids these days—that makes me sound like I’m old, but including myself—it’s a totally different generation of kids now where you’re downloading fucking 10 records a week and you’re probably listening to only half of them, and maybe only a quarter of the record, and you don’t really connect with the record. I’m guilty of that, too. I’ll throw 12 things on my iPod every two weeks and I forget what I even put on my iPod. The attention span is so small to where if you’re doing a third record it’s got to be impactful. If not, it’s just like, “Oh yeah, it’s cool, it’s fine,” or it will be shit in general. There’s definitely a whole lot of pressure to do the third record. We have started writing it—we were home for the summer, so we wrote four songs. I don’t have words for them yet, or words that I like, at least. We’re not going to rush into it, we’re not going to put out something that we’re not 100 percent sure of. Even if we’re not 100 percent sure of it ever, then who knows if it’ll happen. I don’t want to go out being a band that lets people down. Nothing is sadder to me than bands that try to hold on, like, “We’ll get ‘em with the next record.” No, it doesn’t work like that. It’s not like in a lot of commercial music like R&B and hiphop—you can put out seven bad records in a row and then you put out a new record that has a hot, catchy single on it and people are like, “Oh yeah, it’s great! I’m back.” Chingy can put out a song tomorrow, and if it was super catchy and featured Drake, I’m sure he’d be back. It doesn’t even matter—people just accept you again. Whereas in punk and hardcore, it doesn’t work like that. Even with reunions, sometimes bands do a reunion and it’s fucking awesome, but then those reunion bands put out a record and it’s embarrassing—now you’re just ruining your legacy and you should have just left it alone. There’s a lot of stuff to consider, and I’d like for us to be remembered in good faith as opposed to a band that just strived for acceptance. The Cut: Your lyrics remind me of a poet —just someone who expresses himself very well through the written form. It’s been over a year since Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me, so when you sing those songs and get back into the mindset you wrote the album in, how does that make you feel? JB: I’d be a liar if I said things haven’t changed since then. I’m a whole lot happier than I was. I’m really proud of my band, I get to travel all the time, I’m able to support myself well enough off of this band now, and I have a girlfriend that I’m crazy about. All those things really have changed how I feel about things. That also goes back to the last question with writing a new record. I’m not going to write the same stuff again and I’m not going to force some selfloathing record for the sake of “Oh, well that’s what we sing about.” I’m not going to fake anything. In a way I’m excited about the challenge of writing about other things, but at the same time that scares me because that might steer kids who have this connection with our band away. I’m terrified of letting anybody down. When it comes to performing every night, some nights it takes me a couple songs to really get into the mindset, but it’s easy to work whatever your daily scenario is into performing. If I’ve had a bad day or if I’m annoyed about something, I can take it out when I’m on stage. I never want to fake anything— nothing is more embarrassing to me than a band that is. We always use the term “fake weird”—when you watch a band that you’re hanging out with all day, just normal people, and then they go up there and they’re pretending. I never want to pretend. I’d rather put on a show where we seem unenthused because we’re just not there than fake it. The Cut: Fans really connect with your honest and confessional lyrics, but has that ever backfired and you regretted being so honest in a song? JB: There’s been scenarios in the past with people I’ve been with and “So, is that song about...” kind of a thing. I may have lied and said no in those situations. But an ultimate backfire? Not really. I would never go out specifically to hurt anybody. I wouldn’t write a song that is malicious. At the end of the day, they are about me. I could never write a hateful song about somebody—if somebody did me dirty I’m not going to write a fuck you song about them. I’m a huge Glassjaw fan and their first record Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence is one of the most spiteful and hateful records in the world. I don’t think I’ve heard a record that’s angrier, and I love it for that, but any interview you read with Daryl [Palumbo], he’s so embarrassed and he hates it. He says it’s an embarrassing, misogynistic record because he says things like “fucking whore” and that type of stuff, and you can hear in his voice that he’s genuinely upset, that he’s not saying it for shock value. I would hate to be in that boat of genuinely regretting saying something mean about somebody or blaming somebody for something—I try to just focus more on myself than anything. The Cut: You guys are all over the place with shows in Australia, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand coming up, then touring with Converge in Europe. I hear a lot about how touring can be exhausting, but it seems to be a comfort for you from what your songs imply. Is the road still a comfort, and did you ever image that road taking you so far? JB: I never would have imagined we would get this far, and I would have said the same thing three and a half years ago when we did our first tour with Thursday. Now we’re going to all these places we’ve never been to—I never thought I would see New York City, let alone London, and now Singapore and Indonesia. We have a manager now, which is something I thought we’d never have—that alone took some time to get used to, but he’s awesome. When we met with him the first time, I explained that if we did break up tomorrow, it wouldn’t matter. None of us would be upset—of course it would be a moment of mourning— but at the same time we’d be assholes to be upset because we’ve got to put out a record on our dream label. Deathwish is it for us, that’s the top. Converge is our favorite band. They are a life-changing band to me, and I get to tour with Converge, I get to put out a record on his label. I have a relationship with those guys now because of all this, I’ve got to tour with so many of my favorite bands, I get to open reunion shows or farewell shows for so many of my favorite bands. I genuinely feel like we are hands down the luckiest band. So I explained to our manager, anything he can do for us at this point is just extra credit. We’ve achieved so much that I never thought would be possible already, so we’re just forever thankful. 19 20 “I’d like for us to be remembered in good faith as opposed to a band that just strived for acceptance.” 21 WHY? The Cut: WHY? started off as your solo project, but then it grew into a band. The lineup has changed a lot over the years, so how has that affected WHY?’s songwriting process—going from a solo act to a band that seems to change with every album? Yoni Wolf: Yeah, I don’t do it all on my own. I wrote all the songs for the last record, but I’ve written lots of songs with Doug [McDiarmid] and Josiah [Wolf]. Josiah and I produce the songs together, and then everybody helps in the studio. But yes, the lineup is constantly in flux. It’s good—well, it’s hard, but it’s good. It’s hard because we’re always having to relearn all of our back catalog or make new arrangements depending on what band we have. The flipside is that it keeps it fresh. We’re never going out 10 years after an album like Oaklandazulasylum and feeling, “Ugh, this is the same old thing.” We sing a song from Oaklandazulasylum now—well I don’t sing it, they sing it—and it’s real fresh. The Cut: Yeah, some of your old songs are really lo-fi, so I guess now you have a lot more resources to change the production of those songs. YW: No, I like lo-fi. It’s how I started—out of necessity. And I work with whatever I can muster up now. Everything is about what you have at your disposal. You could say that more frequency range is a better thing. You could say a two-inch tape has more depth and subtleties than an eight-inch tape, but I like using an eight-inch tape. 22 Interview by Zach Branson Photography by Lindsey McClary The Cut: Right, I know when you started off in college you used eight-inch tapes. I’m curious to hear why you got into music in the first place, because you went to college for video art. What made you go towards music? YW: Well, I was in bands in high school. That was just a hobby, but then I met a guy named Adam [Drucker]. He was rapping and recording, and I started messing around with him and got really into it. I felt like it was giving me the fulfillment I was looking for in other kinds of art. For me, arranging is a very visual thing. I like symmetry, or even asymmetry, if it’s intentional—to me it’s very related to the visual arts. I learn about myself through the songs, and that’s one of the reasons why I do it. It’s a gathering of thoughts and trying to figure out what’s going on with me and my surroundings in the world and how I relate to the world. The Cut: I’ve heard that your health is a big concern, and it sounds like your music is incredibly influenced by those struggles. As an artist, do you think it’s necessary to struggle to have inspiration, or does it just hold you back? YW: Oh, I don’t want to be sick! I’m doing well now. I’m “I learn about myself through the songs, and that’s one of the reasons why I do it.” WHY? is a band started by songwriter Yoni Wolf that’s nearly impossible to categorize. With meticulous rapping and instruments that range from guitars to xylophones, WHY? covers everything a listener could ask for. WHY?’s lyrics sound so personal that you might think you already know Wolf just by listening to his music. The Cut got to sit down with Wolf and hear why he got into music in the first place, how his health affects his music, and what he thinks about the band’s new album Mumps, Etc. working hard to stay healthy. Art imitates life—I’m just talking about what’s going on with me. I definitely don’t want to stay sick so I can write about sickness. I’m writing about sickness because that’s what I know. But as a healthy person, I’m good to write about love or health or God or whatever. The Cut: I’ve heard you say multiple times that you really liked the song “Twenty Seven” and wanted to put it on Mumps, Etc., but you put it on the EP Sod in the Seed because it didn’t fit well with the album. I’m curious to hear why you like “Twenty Seven” so much, just because it’s so different from a lot of other WHY? songs. The Cut: I’m sure touring can take a toll on you too. YW: Touring can be wearing, it can. A positive attitude is very important. You have to stay positive. You’re around people 24/7, and it’s good to be positive for each other and stay in good spirits. Everybody affects everybody, so if somebody’s down or somebody’s sick, everyone’s down and sick. It’s a blessing to be able to do it, to travel around and play songs. I like it. YW: Yeah, it’s real different, and that’s why it didn’t fit. But it’s a real tender thought. I didn’t write it for an album at all, I didn’t write it for WHY?. I wrote it for a girl and gave it to her on her 27th birthday, and that’s what it was supposed to be. And then later they kept telling us, “You need to record this,” and so we did. It just has a tenderness that I like. The Cut: Let’s talk a bit more about your new album. Mumps, Etc. just came out, but you wrote most of the material between 2007 and 2010. When you listen to Mumps, Etc. now, would you say it still represents where you are musically, or are you in a different mindset in terms of what you want to write? The Cut: One of the big themes on Mumps, Etc. is a sense of ending. For example, on the last song, “As A Card,” you say, “I’ll hold my own death as a card in the deck/To be played when there are no other cards left.” Do you get the feeling that something about WHY? or about yourself is coming to an end? YW: I don’t know what I want to write—that’s the last stuff I wrote, other than little odds and ends, some lines here and there. The thing that people don’t understand is that that’s how it always is. It takes time to make an album for most artists, unless you’re just rushing some shit on Ableton or something. This one wasn’t done until June 2012, so there were other steps in the process, such as mixing and mastering, that take time to get right. There’s always stuff to do. I did write the songs a while ago—like ”Thirst” I wrote back in 2007—but it still feels fresh to me. YW: Well, death is a card to play, but it’s the last card to play. I think “As A Card” is a hopeful song. But there are a lot of references to ending my career and things like that. At the time I was so sick and I didn’t know what was going on with me. I was really anemic, and I was thinking, “I can’t hang on much longer, I can’t keep doing this,” and I just felt really worn out. I think that was probably why I was thinking in those terms. I thought, “Just a little bit longer, and then I’ll quit and curl up and die under the porch.” I don’t feel like that anymore. I’m not ready to quit. 23 Cut ‘Em All Regional Styles in METAL \m/ Alejandro: The sounds of heavy metal are always being expanded in new and interesting ways by bands all around the world. When a new style is developed, it is often the result of a group of friends and local bands influencing each other, which can lead to a recognizable regional style. Dan: While modern recording techniques and music-sharing on the Internet have done a good job of blurring the lines of regional uniqueness in music, there are a few notable and irrefutable examples of regional styles that we’d like to share in this month’s column. “The Gothenberg Sound” Formative Years: early 90s Location: Gothenberg, Sweden Key Artists: At The Gates, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy, Hypocrisy, Edge of Sanity Mandatory Albums: At The Gates’ Slaughter of the Soul, In Flames’ The Jester Race, Dark Tranquillity’s The Gallery. One of the most recognizable regional metal styles developed in Gothenburg, Sweden in the early 90s. At the time, there was a handful of young musicians in the scene trying to take d-beat punk to the extreme with the influence of black metal bands like Bathory. Most recording studios in the area were just “going through the motions” for these new bands, but one studio truly believed in the music and nailed down the elusive sound that they were trying to achieve. Pretty soon, nearly every metal band in Sweden was vying for a recording slot at Studio Fredman to get that “Gothenburg Sound.” These Swedish death metal bands had collectively developed a combination of blast beats and double bass drumming with melodic guitar leads and harsh vocals. Melodic death metal was born, and it became popular with the near-simultaneous releases of the “mandatory albums” listed above. “Bay Area Thrash” Formative Years: 1980s Location: San Francisco, Ca. Key Artists: Metallica, Vio-lence, Testament, Exodus, Death Angel Mandatory Albums: Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All, Vio-lence’s Eternal Nightmare, Testament’s Practice What You Preach During the early 80s, a couple of angry teenagers were tired of the image-driven mentality of glam metal and started blending the speed and melodic focus of bands like 24 ✂ by. Dan Curhan/Alex Reyes-Morales Iron Maiden and Judas Priest with the raw aggression of punk rock. The end result involved rapid and complex guitar riffs, shredding solos, and fast drumming, as well as lyrics that dealt with social issues, witchcraft, or violence. More importantly, the early thrash metal bands wanted to make a musical style that was based on musicianship, songwriting ability, and strong live performances. The scene began declining during the early 90s with the emergence of grunge and nü-metal, which shifted record label support away from thrash. “The Black Circle” Formative Years: 90s Location: Oslo, Norway Key Artists: Mayhem, Burzum, Dark Throne, Emperor Mandatory Albums: Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Burzum’s Hvis Lyset Tar Oss In the early 90s, a group of musicians that liked to hang out at Mayhem cofounder Euronymous’ record label began developing a new style of metal. Based off the work of bands like Bathory and Celtic Frost, “The Black Circle” would become as famous for its music as it would for the violence committed by its members. The music was heavily atmospheric, relying on blast beats, high pitched tremolo picking, and ear-piercing shrieks to deliver a message of rage, misanthropy, and satanism. Ideologically, members of the Black Circle vehemently opposed Christianity and other organized religions, turning to ancient pagan rituals and imagery instead. This was reflected musically as well. Songs and recording techniques were stripped down to the bare essentials to allow the music to convey a primitive message with honesty. Unfortunately, the scene’s striving for authenticity, misanthropy, nihilism, and chaos escalated and resulted in a lot of violence. During live performances, Mayhem’s vocalist Per “Dead” Ohlin would cut himself with shards of glass and wear clothes he had buried for weeks so that he could be an embodiment of death on stage. He would be one of three members of the scene to commit suicide, alongside Erik Brødreskift of Immortal and Esper Anderson of Strid. The drummer of Emperor, Bård Guldvik “Faust” Eithun, was convicted of repeatedly stabbing a man to death, and Euronymous was also stabbed to death by a fellow band member over an escalating power struggle. Additionally, over 50 church arsons were committed by members of the Black Circle in Norway from 1992-1996. The scene has recently evolved dramatically in terms of music and ideology, but it continues to profess a focus on authenticity above all else. The leaves are turning, there’s a little chill in the air and every four years, the nation prepares for the mudslinging, backstabbing near-fist-fight that is our country’s presidential election. Whether you’re planning on voting for Obama, Romney, or the lizard people, if all of the nasty politics of the season leave you feeling a bit woebegone, just give these tracks a listen. They’ll get you back into the fighting spirit in no time. Big Parade The Lumineers Getting tired of the debates that are starting to look more like middle school catfights? Here’s a footstomping number that’ll have you harking back to the ol’ fashioned campaigning parades and hankering for some apple pie. “Here he comes, the candidate!” Ohio Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young In the spirit of this heightened electoral fervor, it’s wise to remember the politics of the past and how events like the Kent State shooting shaped America’s culture, especially the music. –Kaytie Nielsen Where Is The Love? Black Eyed Peas In this biting criticism on the sad state of our union, everyone’s favorite pump-up group slaps us on the wrist for being selfish, violent, cruel, and otherwise sucky Americans. When you feel the judging eyes of Fergie upon you, you know it’s time for a change. Little Boxes Malvina Reynolds Covered by almost every artist to ever exist, this anthem of nonconformity satirizes the happy-go-lucky malleability that exists in suburbia. The inability to think for oneself has shaped the generations of Americans, and Reynolds wanted to snap these lazy youths out of the political haze that has been over them since the Kennedy administration. –Nicole Marrow American Idiot Green Day In the titular song of Green Day’s politically-leaning 2004 release, the band unabashedly criticizes the Bush administration. And while Bush has been out of office for years, the message of a nation controlled by the media still rings true. MIXTAPE POLITICAL PARTY Killing in The Name Rage Against The Machine Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan failed to see the irony of naming Rage Against The Machine as his favorite band, but the rest of America didn’t. In one of their most famous songs, Rage Against The Machine does exactly what their name implies—they rail against a racist government. –Hannah Dellabella Television Rules The Nation Daft Punk In the spirit of the media control over the elections theme, this song will get you hot and ready for some sensationalized views on the candidates. Propagantastic! Alright Alright (Here’s My Fist Where’s The Fight) Sahara Hotnights Nothing makes you feel like we’re working towards a better future for Americans like two candidates coming out into the ring swinging. The presidential debates especially have shown a lot about each candidate’s fighting style, while simultaneously fueling some pretty good Internet memes. –Christina Mitas A Real Hero College & Electric Youth When going to the voting booth, I asked myself a lot of questions about who to vote for. Thinking things over, I decided that I needed to vote for someone who I thought could rescue the country, but also someone I could trust and have a drink with. In other words, I wanted a real human being. And a real hero. So I voted for Ryan Gosling. 99 Problems Jay-Z This election, we heard nothing but all the problems our country is currently facing: the economy, foreign policy, gay marriage rights, women’s rights, all on top of worrying about whether the new Boy Meets World reboot is going to ruin the original. With all these pressing matters, it’s nice to know that although we may have 99 problems, a Mitt ain’t one. –Sarah Gorman 25 CONCERT REVIEWS REGINA SPEKTOR by Nicole Marrow As a Steelers fan, it pained me to type “Cleveland” into my GPS, but I would do much worse to see a performer as breathtaking as Regina Spektor. She played to a sold out crowd at the House of Blues with her husband/opening act, Only Son. After Only Son performed over the audio of a backing band blasting from an iPod, one was left wondering why he didn’t just hijack his wife’s band like he did the rest of her tour. Nevertheless, his quirky lyrics and awkward banter perfectly complemented Spektor’s style, and the softly pulsing high point, “It’s A Boy,” re-hyped the fading crowd for the woman of the hour. Finally, the lights dimmed and Regina Spektor tiptoed on stage. She shyly approached the microphone as the crowd roared, creating the natural stage presence that she didn’t need to rely on self-aggrandizement to achieve. Everyone worshiped Spektor just for being herself. With a delightful mix of old and new, Spektor tried valiantly to represent her vast and adored discography. My favorite song, “On the Radio,” came toward the beginning, leaving me time to soak in the rest of her performance, including a gorgeous piece in Russian. The highlight of the night was “Dance Anthem of the 80s,” for which Spektor traded her piano for an electric keyboard. The crowd went crazy for this upbeat and engaging change of pace. Spektor played most of the songs from her newest release, What We Saw From the Cheap Seats, with standouts being “All The Rowboats,” a haunting and accented song with a deliciously abrasive dose of vocal percussion, and “How,” a ballad emoted EOTO 26 Photo by Nicole Marrow by Samantha Ward Stage AE was packed to the brim on Sunday, October 19. The audience warmly welcomed Fiona Apple’s guitarist, Blake Mills, on stage, who was slowly joined by the rest of the band one-by-one as the opening act. They played a selection of mellow pieces, ending in an instrumental. The audience was slightly disappointed when, instead of inviting Apple on stage to join them, they exited and didn’t come back with the lively singer until half an hour later. When the lights dimmed, the venue exploded in cheers as the tiny, vivacious woman danced her way onto center stage. Bright blue foggy lights illuminated Apple’s weathered face as she opened her mouth and began wailing out “Fast As You Can.” It seemed as though every word she sang was spat out at its most electrifying state, heavily emoted and full of raw energy. She moved around the stage with strange, quick with unparalleled grace. A pleasant surprise was “Ballad of a Politician,” a song in which Spektor likens our policymakers to prostitutes. I wasn’t a fan of this song until I witnessed the intensity and pleading in her voice, aided by the shock of live autotune. After a flawless encore featuring fan-favorites “Fidelity,” “Us,” and “Samson,” Spektor left the stage with a small “Thank you!” and the audience deflated, dreaming of so many more songs to experience live. Such a crippling longing for more is a testament to how talented and unique this singer/ songwriter truly is. by Rebecca Warshofsky I don’t know what you did on your Halloween weekend, but I spent mine with peacocks, hula-hoops, rainbows, and whirling fractal vortexes while riding an improvised loop through space and time. I’m talking about EOTO of course—their set at the Rex Theater in South Side was a dazzling spectacle of light, color, and sound. The stage was decked out with “The Lotus” setup, which was a series of projection screens set up in the shape of a lotus flower. Keyboardist/guitarist/synth-player Michael Travis and vocalist/drummer Jason Hann sat in the middle of the flower while a visualizer projected crazy, trippy images onto the screens surrounding them in colors I hadn’t previously known existed. EOTO’s unique brand of electronic jam music is always a blast to see live, since they improvise everything and never play with pre-recorded loops. Despite the fact that both members of the band are middle-aged, they brought so much energy to the stage FIONA APPLE that it filled the air in a way that was completely infectious and irresistible. It was easy to see how much fun the musicians were having, which made the crowd get even crazier, which made the band get even crazier, and so on and so forth until the place was positively bursting with energy and excitement. Over the course of the night, EOTO’s music took on many different forms—from spacey experimental to dubstep and drumand-bass to electronic covers of older pop songs (including Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack”) to tribal jungle rock, complete with a crazy extended bongo solo! Nobody was immune from having the rhythm sneak into their bones, causing them to dance like mad. Not to mention the fact that everybody was in costume; it was truly a night to embrace insanity and celebrate being alive. Good music, good people, and good vibes all around made for a totally sweet psychedelic experience, man! SEA WOLF movements, like a person controlled by another force. Apple stood on one leg with the other bent, swaying and twisting on one knee, exhausting her stunning range. The crowd was particularly excited when the group played songs from her 1996 album, Tidal, including “Shadowboxer” and “Sleep to Dream.” She sang a more animated selection of work from her newest album, released earlier this year after a sevenyear lull, The Idler Wheel..., as well as a mix from her When the Pawn... and Extraordinary Machine. With rumours flying around from her more-than-lively tour, the audience seemed to be anticipating some sort of covert freakout. Apple was more than happy to admit, “It’s my last show in America, so I’m not going to say anything stupid. But there’s a lot I’m not saying, and when it’s okay, I’ll fucking say it.” We’re all waiting to hear what exactly that is. by Kaytie Nielsen Seeing that it was a dreary mid-semester Monday night, it’s not surprising that Stage AE wasn’t exactly packed for Sea Wolf. Add the poor timing to the fact that you’re not likely to see Sea Wolf fighting neck ‘n neck with J. Biebz for the top of the charts, and you’ve got a pretty vacant house. For those who are wondering what Sea Wolf is all about, they’re a bit like the Shins—not too bold, not too chill, and rocking an acoustic foundation with some electronic influences. As for the venue, it was incredibly intimate, which was perfect for the type of music being played. The stage was just a little platform in the corner, raised only about a foot. Given the low attendance, I was able to stand right at the front. I could literally see the shine of Carmex on the lips of the cello player for the opening band Hey Marseilles. Having never heard their music before, I wasn’t sure what to expect given that Sea Wolf is a pretty small-time band themselves. Fortunately, they really blew me away. They had an awesome string section, and they utilized their keyboardist/ accordionist to capture the specific French essence they were looking for. The songs could transition seamlessly from a quaint Monet neighborhood to the deck of Jean Lafitte’s pirate ship. After their performance was over, I caught the attention of the keyboardist (which really wasn’t difficult) and asked if the closeness of the audience was uncomfortable. He said it was Photo by Samantha Ward quite the contrary; if the audience is close, then “you don’t forget who you’re playing for.” The volume of the percussion was a little heavy, and the other instruments were a bit overshadowed, but I attribute that more to technical or acoustical failures rather than to the band’s actual performance. I was most impressed by the keyboardist, who was multitasking with a two-tiered set up of four sets of keys. All in all, it was a solid performance, and it was worth risking the wet roads of Pittsburgh to see. 27 Until the Quiet Comes Flying Lotus 3.5 SCISSORS ✂ ✂ ✂ ✂ ALBUM REVIEWS Flying Lotus’ sophomore album, Cosmogramma, might have provided a perfect soundtrack for the birth of the universe (no big deal), but more importantly, it showcased the artist’s musical and spiritual growth. It literally took me a year before finally “getting it” and realizing that Steven Ellison is not from this planet. For better or worse, I felt like I fully understood his latest album, Until the Quiet Comes, after the second listen. You definitely get a sense of immediacy here, even if most tracks seem a little forgettable. “Getting There” sets cosmic electric pianos and signature self-conscious drumming to Niki Randa’s hauntingly evocative voice. Whereas much of Cosmogramma’s layering was unknowably complex, here he leaves just enough open space for the listener to get lost in, but not experience, a mild panic attack. Half the fun of Cosmogramma was the unapologetic way it made us feel uncomfortable. This is gone in Until the Quiet Comes. Everything is just, really, really nice and pretty. –Alec Resende Shut Down the Streets A.C. Newman 5 SCISSORS 28 5 SCISSORS 4 SCISSORS With their signature upbeat, happy-go-lucky sound, indie rock duo Matt & Kim returns with their fourth studio album, Lightning. The album showcases the traditional Matt & Kim formula of energetic beats, cheerful melodies, and catchy lyrics. The one new element to the band’s brand of music is the increased use of synths. Though present in previous albums, synths are used more heavily in Lightning, even a bit too excessively. The first half of the album contains synthheavy tunes that fail to stand out from each other and beg listeners to ask, “When’s the next song?” Luckily, the rest of the album delivers with not only a cut back on the synths, but also some clever loops and booming drum lines that deliver the originality that Matt & Kim is known for (think “Daylight”). Even better, the band strays a bit from their simplistic, pop rock roots with some tempo and key changes that create a feeling of epicness. Overall, there are enough unique songs on Lightning to outweigh the cookie-cutter ones. –Steven Wang 3 SCISSORS Halcyon Ellie Goulding With her airy voice and infectious combination of instrumentation and electronica, Ellie Goulding rose from an underground sensation to a mainstream pop star. After the success of Halcyon’s first single, “Anything Could Happen,” fans were left wanting more of Goulding’s unique, appealing sound. The rest of the album, however, didn’t quite deliver. I wasn’t expecting Goulding’s sophomore release to be identical to her last; instead I wanted a more mature pop sound. In attempting to create that sound, however, Goulding lost much of the dynamic quality that she is loved for. When listening to her album, I found myself lost in an ethereal audio haze; many of her songs contain a monotonous drive, rendering me unable to differentiate between tracks. Goulding does achieve a more mature, dynamic sound in “My Blood” and “Hanging On,” but these are exceptions. Like the album name suggests, it seems that Goulding’s new sound is overly placid—even to the point of monotony. –Ian Go ✂ ✂ ✂ If you weren’t aware, underground rapper Macklemore teamed up with hip-hop producer Ryan Lewis to create The Heist, one of the most versatile hip-hop albums of the three years it has been in the making. Macklemore opens the album (“Ten Thousand Hours,” “Can’t Hold Us”) with introspective lyrics over Lewis’ pounding drum loops and melodic choruses. Next, the two-man team raises the bar with the refreshingly quirky premise, irresistible beat, and outlandish wordplay of the album’s lead single “Thrift Shop.” Continuing through the first half of the album, it becomes clear that Macklemore treats Lewis’ incredible production ability as the foundation on which he offers compelling insight into unhealthy relationships (“Thin Line”), gay rights (“Same Love”), life aspirations (“Make the Money”), and alcohol addiction (“Neon Cathedral”). The album’s interlude (“BomBom”) introduces a well-orchestrated change in tone that smoothly transitions from the album’s first half to its second. Filled with catchy choruses (“White Walls”), raw beats (“Jimmy Lovine”), triumphant hooks (“Wing$”), and solemn samples (“A Wake”), The Heist’s second half starts out by capturing the naturally high energy between Macklemore and Lewis. Following up with a soulful blend of rhythm and wordplay (“Gold”), a surprisingly deep personal catharsis (“Starting Over”), a decidedly festive campfire celebration (“Cowboy Boots”),and an upbeat invitation to his own view of paradise (“Castle”), Macklemore demonstrates an exceptionally broad range of lyrical technique and style while simultaneously showcasing Lewis’ command of hip-hop production. The Heist is a shining example of what innovative hip-hop is and can be. In 19 songs, Macklemore and Lewis deliver a potent mix of truly memorable music, pleasing longtime fans, inviting newcomers of hip-hop, and setting a true standard by which to merit future hiphop artists and producers. –Sankalp Bhatnagar Lightning Matt & Kim ✂ ✂ ✂ Everyone knows that I drool in anticipation of each new release by North Carolina progressive metalcore quintet Between The Buried And Me. The Parallax Part 2: Future Sequence was no exception, especially given the overwhelmingly positive hype it had been receiving. The first listen of any BTBAM release from recent years is always a vastly different experience from each successive listen, but no release better exemplifies this than Parallax Part 2. There are a few stand-out moments on the first listen (like the fantastic 7/4 bass groove in “Lay Your Ghosts To Rest” and the BTBAM-ized twelve-bar blues in “Bloom”), but the cohesiveness of the songwriting doesn’t really make itself apparent until the fourth or fifth listen. And when it hits you, holy crap, it hits you. You start realizing, “Hey, that’s a modified riff from this other song” and “Hey, that was a motif from The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues EP!” BTBAM have really outdone themselves with the songwriting on this album. The 74 minutes of playing time are damn near flawless. Looking at Parallax Part 2 from a musician’s viewpoint, the musicianship is phenomenal. Tommy Rogers’ clean vocals have taken another massive leap forward, and his heavy parts sound significantly heavier. The guitar playing is just as intricate as ever, never sacrificing memorability for complexity. Blake Richardson is one of my favorite drummers, and his performance on this album really shines. You can hear Dan Briggs’ bass more than on past albums, and he even uses a fretless in places! On top of all this, the production is perfect, as one would hope for a BTBAM release. Overall, this is by far the most mature, cohesive, and well-written album that BTBAM has ever put out, and it deserves many more listens for years to come. –Dan Curhan ✂ ✂ ✂ ✂ ✂ The Heist Ryan Lewis & Macklemore ✂ ✂ ✂ ✂ ✂ The Parallax Part 2: Future Sequence Between the Buried and Me ✂ ✂ ✂ ✂ Shut Down the Streets starts out sounding a bit too much like Owl City. Thankfully, New Pornographers frontman A.C. Newman blends his saccharine indie pop tendencies with lyrics more reflective and accessible than those of past projects. Having recently witnessed the birth of his son and death of his mother, Newman reflects on both the beginning and end of parenthood. The final track, “They Should Have Shut Down the Streets,” despairs about the same roads that Newman hopes his son will grow to know. Newman wears his involvement with the New Pornographers on his sleeve by including bandmate Neko Case on roughly half of the album. Tracks like “Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns” and “I’m not Talking” keep the twisted flow of the band’s melodies alive, but Newman sprinkles the latter with synth harmonies and a folk atmosphere that make the sound his own. Shut Down the Streets does not depart too far from Newman’s comfort zone but offers some welcome insight into the life that drives his often enigmatic songwriting. –Mike Ryan 2.5 SCISSORS 29 ESSAY FIGHTING OVER FOXES by Leela Chockalingam M y best friend and I had a really heated argument once. And at the risk of sounding dramatic, it was one of those fights that was larger than an argument; one might call it a clashing of our fundamental ideals. All of this hullabaloo was surrounding my love for Fleet Foxes, a quiet acoustic folk band from Seattle, Wa. Fleet Foxes had recently released their new album Helplessness Blues. I was finally going to go see them live and I couldn’t contain my excitement—couldn’t stop talking about them, couldn’t stop listening to them, couldn’t even stop thinking about them. My new found love interest was driving a wedge between me and my best friend. She couldn’t really give a damn about that “fast fox” band, as she liked to call them. So what if she didn’t feel included in this part of my life! This wasn’t the first time we had differing interests. I tried to make a mixtape (which I’m pretty sure can cure all ills), but to no avail. For the life of me, I could not figure out why this bothered me so much. I finally realized: It was because this difference was based in music. I was, and still am, a music-head. I developed mini-obsessions, and these obsessions could take over my life from time to time. I could have full-on conversations about Jason Mraz as if I knew him 30 personally based on the progression of his albums. And while I might be dramatizing to make a point, it’s only by a little bit. I believe this obsessive love of culture is common to other music lovers as well. How could I explain the depths of my care to my friend, who was deaf to the charms that seemed so loud to me? I had never decided to love music; it was just the only way I knew how to be. I was raised in a home where music was integral. Tunes were blaring from some source or another when I roused myself every morning, and by the age of 15 I had tried my hand at six different instruments. But as my friend so kindly pointed out, I wasn’t helping anyone, furthering a cause, making friends, learning, or doing anything, really, when I listened to my favorite album on repeat. Acting as any sane individual would in a moment of confusion, I turned to Wikipedia to answer my queries. I typed C-u-l-t-ur-e into the search bar. “The term developed to refer first to the betterment or refinement of the individual, especially through education, and then to the fulfillment of national aspirations or ideals.” While skimming the extremely lengthy article, I stumbled upon the phrase quoted above. Something clicked in my mind. I did not listen to music to make the world a better place; I listened to make me a better person. I’ve connected deeply to some songs, songs that can drive me to be better and do better. These connections have helped me feel comfortable with myself as I’ve grown up and have helped me become the person I want to be. They’ve been my friends when I am overwhelmed and lonely. They’ve helped me connect my dot to a picture much larger than myself. And my friend? She did not rely on music as I did. That does not make her any lesser than me. But when I pushed music on her, I was implying that I thought she needed the improvement that music gave me, that she was not good enough just the way she was. Which was a load of bull, obviously. But it was the connotation nonetheless. So I apologize to her, and to anyone else who has been made to feel similarly. For anyone else who feels overwhelmed by Carnegie Mellon’s busy culture, remember this. Tear your eyes away from those integrals and remember that your heart does not always have to be in the work. Music is a fabulous way to see the bigger picture, something not often promoted at this school. Your heart can be in anything you choose, and a song isn’t a bad place to put it. 31 CHECK US OUT ONLINE www.thecutmagazine.com OR FIND US ON FACEBOOK & 32 TWITTER