 is the self-titled debut album of LA-based artist Sasami Ashworth. Having made a name for herself as part of the rock band Cherry Glazerr, she’s ready to take the spotlight herself.

Throughout the album, Sasami shows off her talent as an all-around songwriter. Every song on the album has a very full sound. The instruments are layered over each other to create a constant background noise with different instruments fading in and out of the spotlight. Her lyrics are filled with melancholy stories about past relationships and existential crises. Listening to this album is like reading her diary. Some of the songs are more fun and punchier, like “Not the Time” and “Jealousy,” while others are slow and brooding, like “Callous.” “Morning Comes” uses the music to recreate the feel of waking up, with a groggy, mumbly start building to a bright and full finish.

In the end, the whole album kind of blends together. There are highlights, like “Free,” a beautiful ballad featuring Devendra Banhart, and my favorite, “Not the Time.” Although this song is about losing out on love, it’s still hopeful and has a bright sound. It’s the one song that made me want to dance along and engaged me. But it doesn’t feel like this album was made to engage an audience. It feels like it was made for Sasami, maybe to vent, maybe just to share her art. It has a very cohesive style and is consistently very well produced. It’s just hard to get excited over. While the lyrics are full of personal emotion, the music isn’t always moving. Most of the time it’s the opposite, dulling any emotional context of the song with driving beats and buzzing guitars.

If you take each song on this album by itself, they’re pretty great. However, when you put them all together for a listen, it starts to fall flat. This album would be great for background music when you’re relaxing, or reading, or when you’re brooding about your exes. Pick it apart for your playlists and mixtapes too. There’s a lot to enjoy with this release, but maybe not all at once.

SASAMI (of Cherry Glazerr) makes solo debut with ‘SASAMI’

The deafening silence from the band seems less intentional and more like time just got away from them.

Here comes a feeling you thought you’d forgotten… It’s time for new Vampire Weekend music! Since Ezra Koenig, frontman of Vampire Weekend, told fans that 

 during their performance at Lollapalooza, they’ve been anxiously waiting for any new music. Well, it’s finally here. (

Even though it’s kinda been here all along

A few days ago, Ezra announced the schedule for the build-up to the new album; known only as 

. Two new singles every month for 3 months until the album is released. Giving just enough of a hint to keep fans going, he gave the initials of the songs in each set, “1. hh/2021 2. s/bb 3. tl/uw.” For what it’s worth, he also apologized for the album taking so long. The deafening silence from the band seems less intentional and more like time just got away from them.

Today, the floodgates opened when Vampire Weekend announced new singles, “2021” and “Harmony Hall.” As an added bonus they gave fans a 

 of just the guitar riff from Harmony Hall (with some easter eggs at 20:21 and 1:33:22). The teaser art looks like something straight out of an episode of Ancient Aliens, with a mix of symbols in what look like crop circles.

Now that “2021” and “Harmony Hall” are out, it’s obvious that the wait was well worth it. “2021” is a sample-heavy, layered electronic-leaning track. It’s about planning the future with a loved one, perhaps written for Ezra’s girlfriend, who he’s starting a family with. It’s short, only about a minute and a half, with smooth vocals punctuated by a sharp ‘BOY’ sample. It’s a clean and precise song.

“Harmony Hall” is almost entirely the opposite of “2021.” It’s long at nearly five and a half minutes. It’s more like a jam song, with different instruments coming in and out, all tied together by the ascending and descending melody. Some of the lyrics are familiar, they’ve been featured on band merch from the summer tours and the chorus calls back to “Finger Back” off 

. The song is a bit scattered. At some points there are gospel backing vocals, sometimes there’s just piano over the beat, and at other times there’s a full-on jam session. This song could be Vampire Weekend flexing their musical range and could serve as a bit of an overture for the album. Together, these singles show that there is a lot of different music on this album. Coming in at 18 songs and just under an hour long (

) this is the album we’ve been waiting for. For now, enjoy these two singles and hopefully, we’ll have two more next month.

Vampire Weekend returns with two new singles, “Harmony Hall” and “2021”

On a cool Friday night in the early days of September, Los Angeles based punk rockers FIDLAR took the stage at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club. The crowd was ecstatic, this is what they had been waiting for. The energy in the room exploded with applause and cheering. For a moment it got quiet, but as soon as the bass kicked in on the intro to “Alcohol” the crowd lost it. They were moshing, screaming along to the song that’s only been out for five months. The energy didn’t subside at all with the next few songs. “Alcohol” was followed up with “No Waves,” “Stoked and Broke,” and “40 oz. On Repeat” all fan favorites that the crowd went crazy for.

With their new album expected to drop in 2018, FIDLAR has been using this tour to try out new music. They played three new songs, including the fresh single, “Are You High?” With most of the crowd wearing FIDLAR shirts, some homemade and others merch from past shows, it was clear that most of the audience were fans. They knew these songs like they had been out for years. The band did their part to keep the crowd involved, stopping before playing “Are You High?” to set up a girls-only mosh pit. It was a unique move, prefaced with a shout out to the #MeToo movement and a reminder to be respectful. It goes to show that even punks know sexual harassment isn’t cool.

They kept their set lively by playing upbeat crowd favorites like “Drone” and “West Coast,” both off their second album, 

. Fan after fan went over the security barricade after being pulled out for crowd surfing. The atmosphere was unlike any other band I’d seen in Boston, and everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves. The crowd kept moshing and dancing away until their very last song of the set. They finished off the night with their breakout hit, “Cheap Beer.” This song is so iconic for them that most of their merch is based off the “Cheap Beer” cover art. It’s got a chorus that’s unforgettably catchy and extremely relatable to all the college kids in Boston. Unfortunately, they only had time to do a one song encore. So, after explaining that they had to make it quick, they dove right into playing “Wake Bake Skate.” This song is the shortest in their catalog, but it’s also the first song on their very first EP, 

 Completely exhausted from the show, fans slowly streamed out of the Paradise into the refreshingly cool Boston night. Everyone coming off the floor was drenched in sweat. Everyone had given it their all, from the bands to the audience, and they were all ready to call it a night.

FIDLAR gives their all at Paradise Rock Club

WRBB’s Dominic Yamarone spoke to Zac Carper of FIDLAR to discuss tour life, their upcoming album, and coping with addiction.

It’s been great! I don’t know how long it’s been, but the turnout’s been great. We have very strong walk-up [sales] I guess. Sometimes we look at the ticket sales and we’re like “Oh no,” if it’s going to be an empty show but then it really fills well because kids don’t want to pay for the fees. I kind of think it’s because nobody has printers anymore.

In the last few years, between your second and third album, what have you guys been working on?

Right now, it’s more like challenging ourselves as musicians rather than anything else; collaborating more. This is the first record where we actually, really collaborated, instead of like “here’s a song” and just play it. We got really into different instruments, and synthesizers and samplers. We have horns on the record and we have a song that has three different key changes and so we kinda just went a little all over the place with it. Instead of trying to like hone in on a theme.

You put out the music video for ‘Are You High?’ which really focuses on your live shows and all the energy behind them. How important is that energy to you guys when you’re performing?

The only way we make money now as a rock band is live shows. There’s no in between for us. Like, it’s either a really bad show or really good show. That’s how we have to look at it. So we try to get like, 110% every night, which is exhausting. But it’s what we signed up for. I remember, our first tour was with the Hives. They told us, “Man, you know, you guys are gonna get our age and you guys are gonna be like, ‘Man it’s really tiring.’”

Well, I know watching the video definitely made me pumped to come to the show and and see you guys perform live.

On your second album, to you had a song called ‘Overdose,’ which was inspired by your own experiences with overdosing. What are your thoughts on the recent overdoses in the media like Mac Miller, Demi Lovato, and even Prince?

It’s really, really, really sad. Especially with musicians and actors. People look up to them to be a voice of something, and I think that can really stress people out. Their escape can be something like drugs. So as you’re hearing about Mac Miller’s [death] it’s just oh so, 

 shitty. I really like his music too. Music is something we start really young, and then you join a band and it becomes popular, and touring doesn’t really breed good mental health. So it’s just really a shame. It’s a sad thing.

 in America that get people into rehab. But then that means you have to take some time off, and right now, [in the music industry], you just gotta keep going. They don’t let you take time off. That’s what I think about it. It’s just really, really sad. Especially Lil Peep was gnarly. He was just so young.

Having gone through your own recovery process, what do you have to say about mental health awareness and treatment?

I think America has a real low standard for therapy. That’s what I think [the issue] more so is. You know, I’m no longer sober. I don’t shoot snack and I don’t do anything like hard drugs anymore, but I just drink now. And it’s not so black and white. Some people can’t do what I do. Some people, when they get sober, they have to be completely sober. Maybe that’s going to be my path again soon. Maybe I’ll check back into rehab, or who knows. I don’t know, but I do think that America has a lack of understanding with mental health as opposed to other countries. Scandinavia is really ahead of the curve there with the reformation and helping mental health.

On the other side of it, punk music has always been influenced by political messages and the political atmosphere. How has the recent political atmosphere influenced your songwriting?

There’s some political points in it, I guess. What’s been going on in the world has been crazy. I was a teenager when Bush became president, and all of a sudden you had this influx of good music. People are making fun of that now when Trump’s become president; there hasn’t been an influx a good music. But I think there 

 been more punk things coming out right now than there ever has been. With SoundCloud and hip hop and everything like that.

With our record, we have a couple songs that are kind of more hip-hop based and more beat-based and more DIY. Instead of guitars, amps, and anything [like that]. Sometimes, some of the guitar is just straight into the computer, like just DI-Guitar. Instead of making things sound like the Sex Pistols.

On our new record, there’s some elements of that, and elements of how fucked we are politically.

Another great band to bridge that hip-hop to punk gap was the Beastie Boys. A couple of years ago, you guys put out a cover of ‘Sabotage’ as a tribute to them. How important were the Beastie Boys to you all as a band?

That was the first band that we were all into. I think it was, like, that and Cypress Hill. The first time that me and Elvis [Kehn] met he put on a Queens the Stone Age record and that’s when I was like, “Oh shit!” Because I used to listen to that same record and then we’re both really obsessed with Cypress Hill and the Beastie Boys. Having this kind of relationship or being able to relate to each other on that level. The two sides of it were rock and then [being into] hip-hop was rare itself.

Do you have any advice for the next generation of bands that want to follow in your footsteps?

Do it! Honestly, just do it. It’s amazing what you can do with SoundCloud and with the Internet world now. You can cut out all the middlemen. It’s insane. And that’s basically what the music industry is; just a bunch of middlemen. There’s an 

 that came out that the music industry in 2017 makes $43 billion, and 12% of it went to the artists. Somebody broke down where all the money goes to. It’s going to all the tech companies, and it’s going into all the record labels. Nowadays with, SoundCloud and Instagram and whatever. You guys could go straight to the artists. That’s complete DIY, real DIY.

Be sure to check out FIDLAR at Paradise Rock Club THIS FRIDAY (9/14).

Q&A with FIDLAR

 only barely lives up to its name with a sound that becomes stale and repetitive after a few songs.

whose smash hit ‘Down’ showed up everywhere from indie tastemaker playlists to Apple commercials, this new album is more of the same. While it seems more focused around a central theme, it’s still made up of minimalist staccato beats with some sultry vocals mixed in on top. The self-proclaimed goal was to sound seductive and intriguing – and that was definitely achieved – but after the tension builds over the first few tracks, it fizzles out without release or, for lack of a better word, climax. There is some reward in the song ‘Wish You Would,’ which has potential to become the new ‘Down’ thanks to a more uptempo beat and a solid vocal part that provides a catchy hook and some good verses. Off the whole album, this is the song that’ll get stuck in my head, and I’ll end up coming back to again and again.

Starting from the top, ‘Subtle Thing’ is a good intro track that, like the intro paragraph of any good essay, gets the audience’s attention and sets the mood for the rest of the piece. I compare this album to an essay because listening through felt like reading one: it had its good points here and there, but for the most part, it was a little hard to get through and it felt like they were struggling to make the length requirement.

There are a couple of more interesting tracks towards the end of the album; ‘No Hesitation’ amps up the flirting of the album with demanding some romantic action while refusing to initiate anything. The song is catchy, with a hook that sounds like a very direct reference to Hoodie Allens’ ‘No Interruption.’ The next track, ‘Listening’ is all about the reward of listening to your lover, really just some intense musical foreplay. Album closer ‘Go Quietly’ has some interesting musical experimentation, as it doesn’t follow a standard melody with a hook that gets drilled into your head. Instead, it sounds more like relaxed, atmospheric EDM that provides real satisfaction. The vocals are sampled in twisting and turning arpeggiations in between some great sung vocals in the chorus. The sharp staccato samples are contrasted by sweeping synths for a nice warm fuzzy feeling, and in the context of the theme of the album, I guess this would be the cool ‘Down’ song.

 is exactly what is to be expected, no more and no less. They stuck to their idea and ended up sounding a little one note at times, playing it safe. If you liked Marian Hill before, you’ll probably still like this album, but if you’re looking for something new to check out, this might take a little effort to get into. Pass the Aux seemed to sum it up best with 

 title, “Marian Hill’s ‘Unusual’ can be your entire bedroom playlist.” So feel free to give that a try and let us here at WRBB know how it worked out.

Marian Hill release full-length ‘Unusual’

Dimitri Giannopoulos from Horse Jumper of Love about house shows just before they played at NxNU.

Dominic Yamarone: You guys have been in the Boston music scene for a while and I’m sure a lot of our readers are curious about is how you got your start in the local scene. How did that come about?

Dimitri Giannopoulos: We just started playing shows and then people started asking us to play some shows here and there and we just kinda kept doing it until we were playing a lot of shows in a week. Now we try to keep it to once a month because it can be overwhelming playing a lot of shows.

DG: We all grew up in Boston. Jamie and John went to Boston Latin School and I went to Boston Latin Academy. I knew some kids who went to Boston Latin School and Jamie and I started playing in a band when he was like 14 and I was 16. And then, we played in a battle of the bands at Boston Latin school and John’s band was in it as well. I always just think his high school band was really cool, but we actually beat him. Then we met and two years later we were like “You wanna start a band or something?”

DY: Did you compete in the battle of the bands as Horse Jumper?

DG: No it was some other like crappy high school band Jamie and I were in. We mostly played covers.

DY: Do you have any super memorable moments or favorite memories from playing a show?

DG: Going on the road is always really nice, and meeting people in different cities. That’s always my favorite part; meeting new people every day when you’re on tour. One of my favorite shows I’ve ever played was in Bowling Green, Kentucky. We played at this spot called Sinkhole Sanctuary and everyone there was super sweet. It was a house show and just really fun. It was our first time ever in the south which was super memorable. Being there in the summer, it was super warm and buggy. It was a great experience though.

DY: Now that you’ve been playing bigger venues as well, what’s your favorite part about playing a house show over a club?

DG: It’s a little more relaxed definitely. I don’t feel like I get as nervous for a house show. When you’re at a venue it’s like “Alright, now we gotta do soundcheck,” but when you’re at a house you kind of just show up. You chill, then you play.

DY: How has playing house shows influenced your music style?

DG: We mostly played house shows in the beginning so that’s where we really found our sound I feel. Like playing in small basements, you adapt to the spaces. I remember playing our first venue and I was like, “Woah, so this is what everything sounds like.” I don’t know if that makes sense, but…

DY: Yeah, in that same vein your music has a very “wall of sound” style to it. Do you write songs that are more atmospheric for a setting, or do you want to command the attention of the listener?

DG: Not necessarily; that’s kind of just something that happens when we jam on a song. I normally just write a song on my acoustic guitar and then when I go to band practice I’m like “Jamie, John check out this new song I have!” And then John starts playing bass, Jamie starts playing drums and we just pick it up from there. Sometimes it gets loud, and sometimes it stays quiet.

DY: When someone listens to your album, is there anything you want them to take away from it?

DG: No, not really. I mean whatever they want I guess.

DG: Yeah, I mean there’s not like one message. Just if you like it that’s cool, I really appreciate them listening to it.

DG: Yeah! We’ve been working on a lot of new music. We’re all done with an LP, our second LP. We just need to master it. We’ve been working on that for almost two years now. It just kinda takes a while because I want it to sound good and then I think it sounds bad and I redo shit.

DY: How many demos do you go through on an average for a song?

DG: I don’t really demo songs. I mean, I take voice memos on my iPhone, and I have done demos before, but really the songs just happen. Me, Jamie and John play them over and over and over again until we just know them. There are plenty of songs that we play, that if we all just died tomorrow there wouldn’t be anything, they just like exist in our heads.

DY: Okay now for some quick, fun questions. First, what’s your dream festival to play, and who would be on the lineup?

DG: I dunno, I feel like a festival is really overwhelming. I feel like something like cool in the woods or something, like Woodstock or some shit; not actually Woodstock but like that. For dream lineup, I’d really want to open up for Oasis. It’d be sick to play with Oasis and like, Pearl Jam.

DY: On that note, who’s the musician or group that’s had the biggest influence the band’s style?

DG: I feel like my style of writing changed a lot after I listened to this band, the Silver Jews. I found this album 

when I was like 19. It really changed the way I start writing or thinking about songs. Like that, and a lot of the Microphones or Mount Eerie kind of stuff. I feel like those are the main forces, I guess that’s what I mostly listen to. And I also really like jazz and stuff but I also like some heavy stuff and shoegazey stuff.

DY: Thanks so much for joining us, and hopefully we’ll talk again soon!

Want to hear the full interview? Give it a listen below and make sure to keep up with Horse Jumper f Love on their 

[mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/wrbb/horse-jumper-of-love-interview/ width=800% height=120 hide_cover=1]

Horse Jumper of Love Exclusive Interview and Photos @ NxNU

It was a Monday night, arguably not the best night to be out late at a concert. However, practicalities like sleep, or work, or classes didn’t stop any of Ezra Furman’s fans from coming out. Arriving at the Great Scott a little after the doors were scheduled to open at 9 PM, the venue was sleepy and quiet except for a few patrons at the bar, a couple early concert-goers and some volunteers from 

 asking people to sign up to vote for trans rights. (

There’s an initiative on the MA ballot to repeal anti-discrimination laws for transgender people on the 2018 ballot. Spread the word, don’t let it get repealed

.) As the night went on and the show got started, the venue got more and more crowded to the point where it felt like a full house. The crowd had showed up, and all of a sudden it didn’t feel so much like a Monday night anymore.

Anna Burch opened the show with the first song off her debut album 

, ‘2 Cool 2 Care.’ Her solo career is just starting, but she’s been getting her fair share of buzz. With a twangy, alt-rock sound reminiscent of R.E.M and a bit of Buddy Holly guitar, she provides a warm and fuzzy feel that makes you want to sway along to every song. Her ballad ‘Belle Isle’ is romantic and sweet, and drew the audience in just before she closed with her two crowd favorites. ‘Asking 4 a Friend’ is the quirky story about being in a relationship with your drug dealer and goes from a quiet, reflective verse to a shredding, powerful chorus that had the whole audience headbanging along. Anna finished off her set with the main single off her album, ‘Tea Soaked Letter’ an upbeat pop song with a 60’s rock beat perfect for dancing along to. Her set included almost all of her debut album, and was fun from start to finish.

In between sets, the crowd grew more densely packed and the excitement began to rise. It was clear that everyone was here to see Ezra. The crowd was filled with people from all walks of life and social circles, but it was very clear that they were drawn here by Ezra’s music. His newest album 

 is the story of a man and his supernatural boyfriend, Angel, on the run from the law. It explores topics like being shunned from society, forbidden love, inner turmoil with faith, and self-discovery. His music is deeply emotional and moving, inviting listeners to share in whatever catharsis or inspiration they are able to find in his songs. His performance offers a much more visceral and energetic form of that experience.

Ezra came out on the stage dressed in a Maraschino-Red dress, and wasted no time getting to the music with ‘Come Here Get Away From Me,’ which he performed with so much emotion and grit as he writhed and screamed into his microphone. The first song made it clear that we weren’t just in for a great show, but an experience. Ezra was accompanied by a screeching alto sax, a cellist, a glockenspiel, synthesizers, and of course, a drummer. The resulting sound was a controlled chaos where everything seemed to be played to its absolute limit. He continued his set with the big band sound of ‘I Lost My Innocence,’ which he sang with so much power and emotion over the cheerful and bubbly backing music that it seemed as if his voice would go out at any moment. This energy didn’t go away for a moment in the nearly 20 song set that covered most of his newest album and some favorites on his previous solo releases (plus an amazing cover of Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds of Love’). Ezra showed a very dynamic range, singing softly on more somber songs like ‘God Lifts up the Lowly’ and ‘My Zero;’ while absolutely murdering his vocals and guitar on the likes of ‘Driving Down to L.A’ and ‘Maraschino Red Dress $8.99 at Goodwill.’

To close the night and really sum it all up, Ezra Furman gave us this little piece of wisdom before his last song. He said that self-destruction shouldn’t always be seen as bad, because only through destroying oneself can something different and beautiful be created. Then he played ‘I Wanna Destroy Myself’ and left the crowd cheering for a solid 5 minutes. Ezra has been making music for a long time and his image, identity, and style are constantly evolving. However, he has always been authentic in his music, something that is clear when he performs. The emotions behind every word of every song are honest, and that is a lot of what makes his music relatable. I believe that is why, on a cold Monday night in March, the Great Scott was packed to the brim with cheering fans from all over Boston.

Ezra Furman @ Great Scott

is They Might Be Giants’ 20th studio album to date. The only statistic more astonishing than that is that the band has been pumping out music for over 25 years. Last year alone, they released 3 albums and wrote a new song every week as part of their infamous Dial-a-Song program. You may know They Might Be Giants as the band behind masterpieces like the ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Theme,’ ‘Hot Dog!,’ and ‘You’re Not the Boss of Me’ from 

Your parents probably know them too, for hits like ‘Birdhouse in Your Soul,’ ‘Istanbul,’ and ‘Don’t Let’s Start.’ You’d think after so long they would be burnt out and stale, but this album proves that the band still has plenty of wacky ideas left.

They Might Be Giants are known for writing silly songs on obscure topics, like ‘Particle Man,’ ‘Youth Culture Killed My Dog,’ and ‘James K. Polk’ as well as more serious songs like ‘Your Racist Friend,’ ‘Don’t Let’s Start’ and ‘Birdhouse in Your Soul’ In short, they are geeks that love to have fun with music, so much so that they even wrote a few albums of educational pop music for kids. Their sound is a lot like many of their early 90’s alt-rock contemporaries like R.E.M. and Cake, but nobody writes songs with the same wit and humor as they do.

, doesn’t disappoint with a ton of quirky songs of its own. For example, the song ‘I Left My Body’ is literally about the singer forgetting where they left their body after an out-of-body experience, describing it like a backpack you left in a locker at theme park. Even the first song on the album, ‘Let’s Get This Over With,’ while dancy and upbeat is about how time moves on without you and the futility of most peoples’ lives. It’s a little sarcastic and a little nihilistic, but has an unmistakable pop sound that makes it so easy to listen to. This lighthearted existentialism is persistent throughout the entire album, giving it a dark feel under a thin disguise of alt-rock and pop stylings. ‘By the Time You Get This’ is a time capsule letter from a thousand years ago to the world of 1937. They are aware of their mortality and that they will never see the future but also confident that all the world’s problems have been solved. While this example is comically specific, it’s still a clever song that shows the unpredictability of humanity’s future.

No matter how dark or weird this album gets, the songs remain catchy and easy to listen to. This isn’t a deeply personal or passionate album, and the songs are light, occasionally dancy, but slightly detached. The punk styled song ‘All Time What’ is just about a breakup, and even though it’s filled with overly complex words and metaphors, it’s still completely relatable. ‘Push Back the Hands’ captures ears with a catchy chorus, bouncy bass line, and some light poppy guitar. However, as soon as you start to listen, it’s clear this song is about aging and how time ticks by slowly destroying your body. It has my all-time favorite line, “You would give up your right arm to go back/ To when you had a right arm” which is the perfect example of the black humor in this album.

Although this album seems like an existential crisis-inducing downer, the songs in it don’t give it away easily. They are written in the alt-rock style that They Might Be Giants has perfected over the past 25 years. The strength of this album is in its lyrics, which consistently stick to the theme of the album while still creating extremely unique stories. While they aren’t the focal point of every song and sometimes get lost behind the melodies, they are what make TMBG special. They reward the listener with a whole new level of understanding and connection with the song. It may not be a Grammy contender or a game changer, but it’s a perfectly fine album to give a listen to while you’re in a good mood. If nothing else, it shows that They Might Be Giants is still crazy after all these years.

They Might Be Giants releases full-length ‘I Like Fun’

Earlier this year RAC (a.k.a. Remix Artists Collective) released their second album of original music, 

. This time around, they featured vocalists such as Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, Rostam, K. Flay, and Joywave. Their sound is a unique blend of rock, pop, and electronic music that somehow manages to be both musically complex and still extremely catchy. On October 4th, they played at the Paradise Rock Club in Allston with opener LPX.

LPX, formerly the frontwoman of MS MR, opened the show with a killer set. Onstage, she had amazing energy and was all smiles, she was able to connect with the crowd in a way that very few openers do. She did not hold back and had no reservations about taking the spotlights early on. Her singing was spectacular, showcasing both her skill and confidence as a performer. She played singles that she had released earlier this year, like “Tremble”, “Tightrope”, and “Better”. She also filled her set with some unreleased songs and a fantastic cover of “Deceptacon” by Le Tigre.

While her recorded music has more of an electronic sound, her band was consistently able to recreate or reimagine these songs without sacrificing the spontaneity of a live performance. I was initially shocked at the lack of a synth or keyboard on stage, but they were more than able to create all the sounds they needed with a few effects pedals and some very skillful musicians. With the band dancing and jamming together onstage, it was clear they were all having a great time, and the feeling was infectious and got the crowd dancing along with her songs. She was incredibly engaged with the audience, saying that her set was about getting to know each other. She was clearly very excited to be performing as a solo artist, and for the first time in Boston. With new music on the horizon, she is an artist to keep an eye on.

RAC was quick to follow up with a set full of some of the more popular songs from their expansive collection. Originally known for remixing indie rock songs and video game music into dance pop masterpieces, their set was almost entirely their original music. While these songs are all recorded with vocals from guest artists, RAC performed them with only their touring band. The unfortunate result of this was a feeling that they were almost more of an RAC cover band. The music was spot on performance wise, but each song felt a little off. The fact that they were playing along to a controlled synth with some of the more complex aspects of their songs only added to that effect. Most of their recorded music uses a mix of drum kits and electronic drums but at the show, you could only hear the steady notes of the live drum kit. Again, this made the songs feel slightly unfamiliar.

All that aside, RAC’s performance was extremely fun to watch. Truly a collective, they switched off lead singers and instruments throughout the set. Their musical acrobatics were as fun to follow as the songs themselves. While RAC is the brainchild of André Allen Anjos, who played amazing lead guitar on every song, he performs with frequent collaborators, Karl Kling, Pink Feathers, and Troupe Gammage of Austin band, SPEAK. Each of these performers have done songs with RAC that they got to perform live. They performed their songs, “Repeating Motion”, “It’s a Shame”, and “One House” respectively. They also performed hits like “This Song”, “Hollywood”, and “Ready for It”. My personal favorite was the song “Unusual” where each vocalist sang a verse, providing a variety rarely seen on the album. Every song they played was very well done, but always seemed to be chasing the meticulous perfection of the albums. For the encore, they left the crowd with a beautiful rendition of “Heavy” and finished with their hit song, “Let Go”.

RAC @ Paradise Rock Club

of Montreal is a band that has been around for 20 years, has released 14 studio albums, and has its roots in the Elephant 6 Collective that spawned bands like Neutral Milk Hotel and Olivia Tremor Control. In short, they are legends in the indie rock and experimental pop scenes. The band played a sold-out show in Boston on September 10th at the Sinclair with guests Showtime Goma and Nancy Feast. Going into this show, I had no idea what to expect. of Montreal is known for extravagant stage antics and performing in heavy makeup and drag. On my way into the show, however, I walked by frontman and founder of the band, Kevin Barnes, on the street in a formal grey suit. What I learned shortly is that his on-stage persona is polar opposites with his street act.

The first act to come on the stage was an unnamed stand-up comedian. He must’ve been there just to put the audience in a lighthearted but edgy mood. His punchlines consisted almost entirely of puns and his content was mostly shock humor. He was only on stage for a brief five minutes however, gracefully bowing out before his comedy got old.

The opener for the night was the team up of Showtime Goma, aka Jen Goma of A Sunny Day in Glasgow, who recently put out her first solo LP, and Nancy Feast of the Brooklyn indie band TEEN. These two Brooklyn-based artists worked together to create an avant-garde (and honestly a bit strange) techno show that included spoken word, mesmerizing choreography, and inventive lighting. They started off their set with a scripted dialogue that played on the archetype of the housewife, mocking its dreariness and servile mindset. The dialogue was entirely opposite of the rest of their performance. Their music was loud and abrasive, hard hitting techno beats with skillfully arpeggiated vocal riffs. They danced along as they sang and changed their LED lights with handheld remotes, shifting focus and colors throughout the entire set. Their performance was highly dynamic and energetic even though the only instruments they had were their voices. Before their final song, they gave one last talk, saying that they “just prefer to be weirdos instead of a polished darkness.” This mindset of being authentically strange resonated with everyone in the audience, and was the perfect way to describe both Showtime Goma’s set and of Montreal’s.

With the stage set for of Montreal and the crowd more than ready, the band walked out and started playing their Kraftwerk-esque intro. Their only lighting was a giant projector at the back of the venue that projected psychedelic patterns and clips onto the stage. It could even be controlled by a lighting tech to create spotlights and project patterns onto performers wearing white bodysuits. Within moments, frontman Kevin Barnes burst onto the stage in full drag as his character from the “it’s different for girls” music video. Barnes performed in drag the entire show with two full costume changes.

Their first song was the hit single “let’s relate” off their most recent album, 

. The crowd burst to life, and from there on the energy didn’t die. During the songs, performers often came onto the stage in costumes like a dominatrix, policemen wearing pig masks, and demonic bird creatures. This turned the concert into almost a theater experience with each song telling a story. For “Cato As A Pun,” a song about Barnes dealing with depression, he had a literal musical battle with his “demons” while absolutely shredding his guitar solo. There was never a dull moment on stage when every song had a performance along with it. My favorites were girls in brightly colored Darth Vader masks for “it’s different for girls” and a Chinese dragon that breathed feathers.

Their set consisted mostly of songs off one of their most well-known albums, 

, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Considering the band has such an expansive library, I was pleasantly surprised to know almost all of the songs they played. The entire experience was magical and exhilarating. The show was very much a glam rock performance, from the performers and costumes to Barnes’ drag outfits. Considering how long they have been performing as a band I hope that they continue to rock on for long enough to see them again.

of Montreal @ The Sinclair

Phoenix make an electric comeback while channeling Italian disco with their new track “J-Boy”.

Phoenix is back with new music after three years since their album, 

 The new song titled “J-Boy” is short for “just because of you.” It is the first single off their upcoming album 

that channels Italy to embrace the band’s European roots. “J-Boy” is chock full of synthy beats reminiscent of both Italian disco and more recent bands from across the pond like M83. This song is distinctly lacking the guitar as a focal point of the song, coming across more electronic than Phoenix’s usual brand of pop-rock. After three years, the band has definitely evolved their sound in order to remain relevant. The change is welcome, and it is good to have any new music from the French outfit.

With “J-Boy” Phoenix is coming back refreshed and re-energized. This song is bright and poppy, with a catchy hook that’ll definitely get stuck in your head. At first glance, the song seems to be little more than a romantic ballad about falling in love in Italy, but a deeper look into the song reveals some ominous lyrics that set the scene in a future dystopia. The lyrics of the verse are difficult to understand under the slight distortion on the vocals, but the song brings up increasingly relevant struggles like coral reefs dying, nuclear fallout, and poverty. Hopefully this song sets a precedent for an album full of engaging and pleasant songs.

Phoenix announce Ti Amo, Share “J-Boy”

Tennis recently released their fourth album, 

 almost entirely on their own. For them, this is a new step in taking complete ownership of their music and their message. This authenticity to themselves not only adds to their album, but also to their live performances. Tennis played a packed house show at the Sinclair in Cambridge on Wednesday, March 15th even after delaying the show a day for a snow storm.

, a local six-piece rock ensemble, opened for Tennis with a fun and loud set. They defied all my expectations for an indie band named Parks. Instead of reverb heavy guitars and airy synths, their sound consisted of fuzzy distorted guitars, three vocalists, an electric piano plus bass and drums. All three singers rocked some amazing harmonies along with killer guitar solos. They even mentioned that their song “Sweater Weather” is going to be on the upcoming Rock Band VR game. [1] This song was one of the highlights of their set, along with the song “Headache” a rocking song about nothing other than getting a concussion. They played a rocking set, showing signs of promise for more great music to come from this hometown band.

Tennis opened their set with “In The Morning I’ll Be Better”, one of the singles off their new album. To add dramatic effect to her entrance, Alaina–the frontwoman of the band–walked on from backstage with the lights low and the band already playing on stage. She had the audience’s attention from the moment she stepped out into the light, with her captivating voice and performance. Her stage presence allows her to completely own the stage and make it her own. She played across the stage from her husband and other half of Tennis, Patrick. While Alaina covers vocals and writing capabilities for the band, Patrick is the one performing the music by her side. In a complete reversal of the traditional (and outdated) separate spheres of marriage, Alaina is the public face and voice of the band, while Patrick plays the music in near silence. Ironically, on the song “Ladies Don’t Play Guitar”, which is a tongue-in-cheek statement about the expectation of a female performer, Alaina didn’t play guitar and Patrick played some absolutely killer guitar solos.

Tennis’ set consisted mostly of songs off their latest release and the album before it, 

. These songs are some of their most popular and easily some of their best. During the show, there was never a dull moment, as the audience–consisting of dedicated fans–sang along to almost every song. The music was lively, and songs like “Never Work for Free”, “Fields of Blue” and “My Emotions are Blinding” had the audience swaying and dancing along. They even played “I’m Callin’” specifically to coax out of the audience “some of that famous, wild Boston dancing.” Luckily, this song was so good that no one could pay attention to the dancing. Some other highlights of their set were “Matrimony”, the touching true story of Alaina and Patrick’s wedding, and “Modern Woman”, a love letter to a lost friendship. The emotional intimacy of the songs on their new album creates and even closer relationship between performer and audience at the show. These “liner note” type introductions to songs offers a new perspective for the listener well after the show is over.

After a solid 14 song set, Tennis played a two-song encore to close out the night. Their first encore was the song “My Better Self”. This song is a groovy ballad off their second album, 

. For their second encore, Alaina dismissed their backing band, consisting of Ryan and Steve who were covering bass and drums. They played “Bad Girls” starting sitting on the front of the stage and slowly building to belting out the song front and center on the stage. The crowd couldn’t help but sing along with Alaina at the top of their lungs, myself included. This song has one of the most dramatic builds of any and was a perfect end to the night. I personally can’t wait to hear more from both Parks and Tennis and look forward to seeing them again. In the meantime, be sure to check out Tennis’ new album,

Tennis @ The Sinclair

 is Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley, a husband and wife songwriting duo from Colorado. Their fourth album, 

, is out now on Mutually Detrimental, featuring a return to writing while living on a small boat. The release shows a new direction for the band, embracing the identity of the modern woman. WRBB had the chance to talk to Aliana about landlocked sailing, being happy, and self-producing.

**Catch Tennis live at The Sinclair in Cambridge tomorrow, 3/14**

 came out today and it is fantastic. I only got a copy last night and I must’ve listened through five times already. I know I already have a few favorite songs, but I want to know what your favorite songs to listen to are from this album.

 Weirdly, my favorite song on the record is just kinda deep buried in the middle there. It’s called “Baby Don’t Believe”. I like it because, I think, sonically it’s just exactly the mood of a song I wanted to write. It came so naturally. Patrick and I wrote the whole thing in a day. It was the very last song we wrote before we mixed the record. We didn’t even record it in the studio because we were done with our studio time. We were home, so we recorded it in our apartment. So yeah, I don’t know; it was kind of just a special moment. It was a nice way to conclude the record.

 The tone of this album seems to have changed from your previous album, 

. I’m sure there are a lot of factors to this, but I really liked your answer to a Reddit AMA from earlier this year, so I’m going to ask a similar question. How has the current political landscape changed your songwriting and the music scene as a whole?

 It’s kind of scary actually. There is one thing that I really like, which is that I think there was a tendency, even within myself, but just generally for people to think of indie music made by my generation..like millennials more or less, as a little bit vapid–kinda like music that is just like escapism; not really standing for anything. And that has really changed. The people who used to be seen as the example of escapist millennial indie music are the most vocally outspoken political activists now. They’re going to rallies, marches, and protests and mobilizing their fans to vote. I think it’s kind of a new discovery for myself and for a lot of my peers. I’m very proud of the way that people have risen to the occasion and that actually when tested we are living out our values into the world.

I have been you know, dipping my toes into the water of being more vocal about my political views and my activism, which is very personal. I’m probably not gonna be writing any political songs, like overtly as in something like voting. But my politics, at the same time, are kind of an essential part of my identity, as a woman, as a feminist. So, I feel like if I’m not being true to those things in my writing and in my day to day life, then I’m being dishonest. I don’t know, I have a little bit of cynicism. I don’t really think that music could change the world, because if it could I think we would have a different outcome post 60’s. I think it’s good for uniting and bringing like a common sense of identity and purpose to a group of people who already share the same views and congregate around shared aesthetics and musical tastes and things like that. But as far as like converting outsiders, I don’t really know if music or art can do that. I’d like to be proven wrong, and I just don’t know if I’ve seen that in the world yet.

 So you lived on a sailboat for almost two years writing this album, and this isn’t the first time you’ve done this. You also did this for your first album. I have two questions about this. First of all, why do two people from Colorado decide to buy a boat and live on it not once, but twice?

 I think about this a lot. Really, the only reason we went sailing ever is because Patrick went once when he was really young and he literally never got over it. He went when he was 11 or something and he was like, “This will be my life, I’m going to live on a boat. I’m gonna make it happen.” So when I met him, he was already saving and he had a whole coffee table stacked with, I’m not even kidding, like 30 books. He had learned how to sail from landlocked Colorado. One of the things that I love about Patrick is that he just commits to something and sees it all the way through to the end, no matter what the conclusion is. It could be a disappointment, it could be a disaster, whatever, it’s just like he really commits. Which is amazing, because I dream really big, but I am horrible about manifesting it into reality and he is all about making that stuff real. So we’re a good team.

It’s really just a connection that he had as a child, that’s the only reason we went sailing. And I’ve been realizing more recently that it could’ve been anything, it just happened to be sailing. His parents could’ve taken him on an epic camping trip and then he would’ve wanted to backpack. You know what I mean, it could’ve been some other thing. It was a family vacation and they went on a day sail for like 2 hours and he never got over it. It’s something that’s lasted his whole life and now we’re both captains of a sailboat. Who knew that that would be happening in my life.

For us, it’s the thing that we found to ground us and reconnect us with a world that feels very, very distant and amorphous when you get mired in the industry. Writing music is one thing, but all the other things you have to do in order to have a successful band, it’s not odious or anything–but after a while you start to be like, “Where’s the art? Where’s the music? Why am I doing this?” Even like, “Where did my brain go?” So it could’ve been anything, it just happened to be sailing. That’s all I can say.

 And is that grind, the getting caught up in the industry, what led you back out to the ocean for this recent album?

 It is, and it’s also why we self-recorded, self-produced, and self-released the record. We just decided that if we were gonna do it again, we wanted it to feel as close to us as possible. To have final say over everything–which means you can’t take money from anyone. So, if we let anybody fund this record, then they obviously have a say and a stake in it. And we just thought, “I don’t care if it’s half as successful or not successful, I want to do it alone so we can really truly do what feels right to us.” I don’t want the responsibilities of trying to help carry a label or like anybody else. If it’s just mine and Patrick’s, then the only thing we need to do is to keep ourselves happy and hopefully, our rent paid. It’s a lot simpler of a project, and a lot more work. It’s been, physically, a huge weight lifted.

 I think that self-authenticity really shines through on this album. I think it makes it even more enjoyable for me to listen to, to feel that authenticity behind it.

A: Thank you, I really appreciate it. We were just happy making this record. That’s like all it is, just happy.

 I read that you stationed your boat for about four months in Cabo de San Lucas. Did living in, or more like near, Mexico for that long allow any of the culture or music to find its way into the music on this new album?

 I wish I could say it did, but we were only in Cabo San Lucas for like three days while we were at customs. We spent most of the time in totally remote places where there were no people. We spent a month in La Paz, which was amazing, but in general, we were totally alone in nature…so there wasn’t really a big cultural influence beyond the landscape, I suppose.

 I only have a couple more questions, and they’re kind of easy and fun questions. First off, who is your dream band to play/tour with?

 Well we’ve played shows with the Walkmen, which was amazing. We have always been huge fans of the Walkmen. We also toured with Haim, which was incredible. I learned a lot about being on stage and, I can’t feel it yet, but they just own the stage. It’s just awesome to watch them. I don’t know…it’s hard to say. We haven’t really done a lot of tours with other bands, but Haim for sure. I was just like, “Wow, that’s how you do it.”

 Had you guys been making music before your first album? Or was that your first venture into being a band really?

 That’s my first venture into making music or being in a band, definitely.

 Wow that’s amazing that you guys were able to do that.

 Well I’ve had a really huge learning curve.

 Okay, last question. Your sound is really unique nowadays, so who are your musical inspirations? Where do you get your style from?

 Patrick and I channel different things, but I’ve been mostly listening to singer songwriters like Carole King, Judy Fjell, Lauren Nyro. Mostly because it’s women who compose on the piano, which is how I primarily write, so that’s what I was looking for. I call them my patron-saints of songwriting.[/three_fourth]

w/ Rolling Blackouts… Philadelphia, PA  Mar 19 9:30 Club

w/ Rolling Blackouts… Washington, DC  Mar 21 Bowery Ballroom

w/ Rolling Blackouts… New York, NY  Mar 22 Bowery Ballroom

w/ Rolling Blackouts… New York, NY  Apr 06 The Riot Room

w/ Dreamgirl Kansas City, MO  Apr 07 Mission Creek Festival Iowa City, IA  Apr 08 Rose Music Hall Columbia, MO  Apr 09 Mission Creek Festival Iowa City, IA  Apr 10 Trees Dallas, TX  Apr 11 The Mohawk

w/ The Greeting Committee Austin, TX  Apr 12 White Oak Music Hall ~ Upstairs Houston, TX  Apr 14 Coachella Indio, CA 

Thanks to Aliana for the opportunity to interview, as well as Joe at Sacks & Co for coordinating.

Q&A with Tennis

 gives us his take on the band’s upcoming release via Secretly Canadian

, is a masterpiece of the modern DIY rock scene. Much more solid and put together than their debut release, 

, this album will have you banging your head and dancing along to each and every track. While still rough around the edges–driven by distortion heavy lead guitar and pounding drums– songs like “Told You I’d Be With The Guys” and “Lucid Dreams” will be stuck in your head all day with their catchy lyrics and riffs. What makes this album so punk is its message; like all rock classics, the music on this album has something to say about society and it’s hardly ever praise.

Cherry Glazerr founder and frontwoman, Clementine Creevy, is only 19. At 17, she put out her first album on one of Southern California’s most prolific indie labels, Burger Records, and her writing has only gotten better and bolder. This aptly named record talks about the place of women, and specifically young women, in today’s society. “Trash People” offers no apologies for not being what would typically considered lady-like and instead Clementine confidently embraces these “trashy” qualities. The album’s second single, “Nurse Ratched”, is an aggressive, power ballad about a bad ass heroine. Between fuzzy guitar riffs and wailing vocals, this track creates a strong powerful female character–all with about two lines repeated throughout the song. “Only Kid on the Block” is another tune with a heavier tone and message, where here it’s slower and more droning while talking about personal insecurities.

However, this album is far from being just about the message. Musically, this album is near flawless. Playing with new drummer, Tabor Allen, and keyboardist, Sasami Ashworth, their sound is fuller and more mature than their previous album, as Clementine’s guitar playing is sharp and her transitions are smooth. On “Sip O’ Poison”, the synth and guitar play a duet in a perfect harmony, taking more of the melody than the vocals do. Working with the producers Joe Chicarelli (White Stripes, The Shins) and Carlos de la Garza (M83, Tegan and Sara), the songs sound polished and refined.

The songs “Moon Dust” and “Humble Pro” are fast-paced, distorted, and so much fun to listen too, as they feel both hardcore and lighthearted. “Humble Pro” lists off Mexican dishes with a killer rhythm, surely a shout out to Cherry Glazerr’s native Southern California. Powerful rock songs like “Instagratification” and “Nuclear Bomb” fill out the album, making sure that there is never a dull moment. The title track, “Apocalipstick”, finishes off the album with two full minutes of shredding on a guitar with low fi droning synths and crashing drums, reminding you (just in case you forgot) that this album kicks ass.
Though the year has only just started, I could easily see this being one of the best releases. It hits all the marks that a punk rock album should. It feels energetic, lively, and fun in an otherwise dreary music scene.

First Impressions: Cherry Glazerr’s sophomore LP, “Apocalipstick”

Slow Club, a folk rock duo from Sheffield, England, played their second US tour stop at the Great Scott on Friday November 11th. The Great Scott is a cozy little bar with a small stage that allows for a very intimate show; the performer is within earshot of anyone in the crowd which makes for some great chatting between songs.

The first opener was Jared Dickinson, a Texas native who came out with just a guitar and a lady friend. What made Jared stand out was his smooth, deep voice that drove his songs. His guitar playing switched back and forth between finger picking and sliding around between notes. The variety in his playing gave his songs life that otherwise would’ve been lacking. With just two vocalists and a guitar, his set had a minimal sound, but he was able to make good use of his resources and play a short, sweet set.

, a now Seattle-based shoegaze group led by Madeline Myers. Myers is actually a Boston local and graduated from Berklee College of Music, where she started the band. They put out their first EP 

 under the name IVES and recently made the change to Moon Panda. Their music is full of sweeping chords and filter-heavy melodies that blend together to create an immersive, dreamy soundscape. Myers has a strong voice that comes out clear above the reverb heavy guitars and crashing drums. The highlight of the set was their single “Waveless,” a deep brooding song that repeats the vocals with a mesmerizing effect. Moon Panda played a killer set, and I can’t wait to hear more music from them.

Finally, it was time for the main act, Slow Club. I had gotten the chance to talk with Charles and Rebecca over the phone about this tour and their new album the night before. Their fifth album 

One Day All of This Won’t Matter Anymore

 came out earlier this year and features great songs like “Ancient Rolling Sea” and “In Waves.” Charles had mentioned that this album is more poppy and R&B influenced than some of their older ones. Having not heard much of their music before, I thoroughly enjoyed the sound of their new album.

Now for a little bit of a story; I’ll be quick I promise. As the night of the show approached I was more and more excited about going to see Slow Club live and talking to the band the night before, everyone seemed in good spirits. Rebecca had even joined in the “Not My President” protest in New York City the day of their show there. But in the moments before the show, disaster struck. Rebecca came down with a fever and had to be taken to the ER. This left Charles to do a “Charles in Charge” solo show.

Despite being last minute, Charles was able to put on a stellar show. With the encouragement and support he played slightly stripped down versions of some of Slow Club’s best songs like, “Ancient Rolling Sea” and “Wanderer Wandering.” He mixed older songs from their collection into his set alongside favorites from the new album. Charles’ voice was able to carry all of the songs despite not always being the main vocalist. Despite missing half the band, the music sounded amazing, and with Rebecca I’m sure the music and the atmosphere would only have been better. In my opinion, the true measure of good music is being able to strip it down to its core and still have it be enjoyable. I highly recommend that anyone who has the chance go see Slow Club and definitely check out their recorded material as well.

Slow Club @ Great Scott

Two days before their sophomore album and first major label endeavor, 

, was released, Saint Motel played a sold out show at the Royale with openers Weathers and Hippo Campus. The teen heartthrobs of Weathers were on first and played an overacted set, flailing around on the stage to cheesy, bubblegum pop songs. These guys were living the pop punk dream but someone forgot to tell them everyone else woke up six years ago. They seemed to not care about the show, maybe wishing they were coming on third and not first. Their music was the same old downbeat, pop rock anthem song after song and their performance was silly and immature. With nothing new to bring to the table, their set became monotonous quite quickly, and a lot of their songs were unfamiliar, as they haven’t put out an album yet. They did play their one biggest hit “Happy Pills,” which gets a lot of major airplay. They’ve got a long way to go both in terms of maturity and their musical abilities.

The second opener, Hippo Campus, was a total change of pace, absolutely destroying their set. They had popping guitar riffs reminiscent of bands like Reptar and Fool’s Gold. A lot of the energy of their music came from their lively guitar riffs. The vocals were also a major source of energy. They pleasantly squealed or smoothly slipped in and out between different guitar parts, hitting their highs and lows flawlessly. It was clear that the band took their musicality seriously but also knew how to put on a good show. They played each song to perfection and still danced around the stage with smiles on their faces. With this level of talent, I expect to see them headlining their own shows someday soon.

Saint Motel’s set read mostly as album promotion, more than half of the songs on the set list off of their new album, and it was clear though that they were departing from their old sound for a more gimmicky, disco-funk caricature. The band formed in film school and a big part of their shows has been the visual performance, but this was never at the expense of the music, until now. I could not pinpoint if it was the lights shining directly at the audience, over the top theatrics, or unfamiliar songs, but the show was not as enjoyable as other times that I’d seen them.

Of their now gigantic catalogue, they only played about 40% of their music; a lot of songs I was hoping to hear were skipped over. However, when a familiar, classic hit like, “Benny Goodman,” “Puzzle Pieces,” or “Butch” was played, the crowd went wild. Unfortunately, it seemed like the other members were only allowed to draw any attention during these older songs. In a lot of their new music, A Sharp, their amazing lead guitarist, and Dak, their precision bassist, were underutilized and sidelined. Vocalist A/J couldn’t help but take over the spotlight with gratuitous piano playing and erratic dancing. Although nearly hidden behind A/J’s large keyboard set up, their drummer, Greg, couldn’t help but make himself noticed, adding a rock flair to the new songs that had been otherwise lacking.

All that being said, Saint Motel’s set was extremely fun regardless of the quality of their new music. I have to give props to the band for the theatrical aspects of their show. They set up a retro tube TV on the front of the stage to fit the theme of the new album and would play short retro clips as an introduction to the next song. During songs, visuals on the TV accompanied the band while they performed. Personally, I would’ve liked to see them play some of their older and, in my opinion, better songs, but for a show during an album release tour they did their job.

Saint Motel @ The Royale

 is a departure from their usual drab sound. New on this album is help from a team of producers and writers working alongside the duo, Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter. Personally, I wasn’t a hardcore fan of them until the singles “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” and “You’re Mine” started gaining radio airplay over the summer, getting me extremely excited for the release of the record on October 7th. 

 was well worth the wait; I haven’t stopped listening to it since. This album is far from the usual repetitive, commercial background music fodder the band had previously been producing – it makes you want to dance and sing, rather than bop your head until you fall asleep.

The first single “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” features powerful, bass heavy riffs and emotionally charged lyrics that work together perfectly to produce an aggressive, “take no shit” break-up song. It’s moody and dark, but damn catchy. If you like the newfound attitude in that track, then you’ll probably like the second single, “You’re Mine.” This track is to love songs as “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” is to break up songs. They are bold, brash, and offer no apologies. We get a little bit of Josh singing on this song, and his vocals also shine on “Barking Dog,” a slow building ballad placed perfectly in the middle of the album. These songs function as standout hits and are some of my favorites off of the album.

 is a solid body of work, from start to end. Not every song is a banger, but there is never a moment of monotony or boredom. Where “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” and “You’re Mine” are bold dance anthems, songs like “Answer,” “Barking Dog,” and “Destroyer” are perfect for soulful sing-alongs. Rounding up the album, “Same Old Blues” and “Calling All” absolutely kick ass. This album screams break up, but not in the overplayed, “cry and eat ice cream” way. 

 is the bad ass, no regrets, break up album we all need. 3.5/5.

Phantogram Release Full Length “Three”

Kishi Bashi with Twain
October 3rd, 2016 at The Royale Nightclub
By: Dominic Yamarone

As we entered the Royale, which is typically a nightclub, the crowd seemed more oddly mellow and subdued. There was conversation here and there, and the pump-up music on the loudspeakers wasn’t overbearing. The venue itself was beautiful, with decorations that seemed appropriate for a Golden Age theater or concert hall. The crowd gathered in front of a small stage on the club’s dancefloor. There was no bad spot in the house and the furthest people from the stage were no more than ten feet away.