The breezy Best Coast/Dum Dum Girls-esque is new from Singaporean band Dead Lagoon. Deep-in-the-mix vocals, minimal overdubs and production, and warm instrumental tones outline “I Want You”‘s highly listenable beachside sound. (IS)
Dead Lagoon 
(Soundcloud)
Interview by Cher Dunn
Courtney Barnett has been living and playing music in Melbourne, Australia for the past five years. This year, she released a wildly acclaimed EP, “A Sea of Split Peas”, toured non-stop in the US and abroad, playing sold out shows and festivals, all while maintaining her label Milk! Records. I caught up with the multi-talented artist and asked her about her start in music, her year so far, Australian artists we should know, and what we can expect for next year.
Wanting to start from the beginning, I first asked Courtney Barnett how she got started playing music and what her early experiences as a music fan were like.
“I grew up in Sydney and then moved to Hobart down in Tasmania.” She continues, “I started playing music when I was 10 in Sydney, and went to my first gigs when I turned 18 in Hobart.” Growing up her early experiences going to shows were a lot like ours, even now. “I started going to heaps of gigs and I’d stand right up the front. I would just get really obsessed with bands and buy all their stuff and try to get their signatures… I really made a connection with certain bands and artists.”
Courtney Barnett’s sound is unlike any other. From her storytelling lyrics to wailing guitar, I needed to know how she found her sound.
“I listened to a lot of different music, you know?” she states matter-of-factly. “So all of the different stuff kind of blended together.” She continued, “When I was a kid we listened to loads of Nirvana, and then I got into bands like the Australian band called Magic Dirt, and PJ Harvey,”. With so many classic musicians as influences, it’s no wonder she is quickly becoming legendary for us, but her influences didn’t stop there. “But then I would listen to my dad’s jazz records and mum’s classical records… and then I started listening to The Beatles,” she states. You can hear in her music that such a vast musical upbringing has helped her to create a sound all of her own.
I recalled finding a video of her on YouTube in the band Immigrant Union. The video was a live acoustic performance with her bandmates Bones and Dave, also in the band. I had to ask about the current band and if she met the them through her time with Immigrant Union.
“Yes I kind of met Bones before that, but yeah pretty much. I joined that band and they were already in it and then we became friends,” she says. Courtney Barnett had been writing her own music and playing solo for five years before she joined the band, and never stopped writing. “I kept my songs pretty separate,” she said. When she finished working with the band she would go home and record her own music. After releasing her EP A Sea of Split Peas, it started getting difficult to juggle both bands, so Courtney left to tour her first EP. Courtney, Bones, and Dave have been touring ever since.
I asked her what her writing process was like, did she set aside time to write? Or did she write as songs came to her? “I normally just do it as it comes or when I have time.” Courtney says then pauses, “I should probably set aside more time to do it!” laughing, she continues, “I haven’t really been able to work like that.”
Courtney Barnett has a lyrical style that is easy to connect with. Her songs really tell a story and build a world of experiences easy to relate to. She told us that most of her songs are from her own experiences, while others are inspired by other outlets. “Most of them are real life. There’s probably a few bits of stuff I’ve heard from friends or just inspired by something else- whether it’s books, music, T.V. or something strange,” she explains.
When we were talking to her, Courtney was in Australia finishing up a nearly sold-out tour, only to come back to the US to headline venues across the country. She has been non-stop after releasing A Sea of Split Peas. I had to ask her about her non-stop year and what she does to recoup between tours and festivals. “Yeah [this year has] been crazy! Crazy good! Yes, very hectic,” she continues “It’s the busiest I’ve ever been in my life.”
Courtney Barnett has not had a lot of time off between all of the touring and festivals she’s been playing this whirlwind of a year. But she let us know what her ideal time off is like. “Just hang out at home, sometimes get out of town go to the beach or the bush or something. Just read books.” Reading isn’t something she does on her time off. She reads many books while touring. “It’s the perfect setting to read, I’m reading that Pussy Riot book. It’s been really cool, good reading that!” she says.
As Courtney Barnett plans for her upcoming US tour, I asked her about what to expect, and a new member she has added to the band. She explains, “Dan’s played with us a bunch in the past and recorded with us. He helped produced the album we just wrote. It’s going to be released next year.” Trying to hold in my excitement on word of a new album, I listened as she continued, “Yeah, he’s great he’s a great guitarist. We’re playing mostly songs off A Sea of Split Peas, and then a couple of new songs we are busting to play. We kind of still haven’t played in some of these venues so we should probably play some of our old songs.” I laugh, as she explains, “Just very different from last time. With Dan playing with us as well, it’s kind of a different sound,”. This news has me even more excited for the tour. Courtney Barnett’s sound as a three piece was already electrifying, adding another guitar is bound to sound massive.
Courtney Barnett has had such a stunning year, from releasing her successful EP to endless touring. I wanted to know if she was documenting her year, through writing, photography or video.
“I document it through writing a fair bit, I try and do lots of photo and video. I think it’s very important to have that documentation. I’ve got a friend that’s actually making a documentary on part of the Melbourne music scene and she’s been following us around as an offshoot to that. So she’s traveled to some of the places with us. So that’s pretty cool capturing that moment in time,” she said.
Fans will have to wait for this insight into Courtney Barnett’s crazy year. She explained that the documentary will probably not be out for a little while, as her friend is still making it.
Barnett started her own record label Milk! Records. Originally, she started it to release her own music, but now the label has grown to include some of her favorite musicians in Melbourne and collaborative projects with her and friends. “It started slowly building into something else,” she continued, “it’s just grown into this awesome community.” She told us of one of her favorite artists, and friend on the label, “I play in Jen Cloher’s band and we made an album and put it out on Milk. It’s our own little project, helping each other out.”.
With so many Australian artists currently making waves, I asked her some of her favorites we might not have heard yet. “Darren Hanlon, The Drones, East Brunswick All Girls Choir, Beaches, Jen Cloher,” Courtney states, just to name a few. Sharing her vast musical knowledge of great music from now and of the past is enough to give everyone an addition to their record collection.
Courtney Barnett really seems to take control of the whole creative process of being in a band, including creating the artwork for her albums and merch sold on tour. I asked if she had a hand in the creation of the music videos from a concept level and if she thinks she will add any of her artwork to her live shows.
“Oh yeah, I wrote about five videos for the new album. We just did one the other week. I did the ‘Avant Gardener’ video as well,” she said. On adding art to her live show, she told us “Maybe! My friend Celeste Potter who’s an artist she did the ‘Anonymous Club’ video. It’s an animation. We’ve been showing some of that on stage which is kind of cool. It adds a different dimension.”
What is she looking forward to most with the upcoming US tour? “It will be fun to come back again and play different venues, slightly bigger venues which will be kind of scary,” she said. For a musician who has such a high-intensity, electric, mesmerizing live show, there is really no need to be scared. If Courtney Barnett doesn’t win you over with her vocals, slaying guitar and energetic interactions with the band, then you may need to have your pulse checked.
Courtney Barnett’s new album is due to be out early next year. Her US headlining tour with San Fermin begins on October 16th in Atlanta, Georgia and will end in Austin, TX with Fun Fun Fun Fest. Check out her tour dates and music below. You do not want to miss her live!
Courtney Barnett 
(Facebook)
TOUR DATES
16th OCT – Atlanta, GA @ The Loft
17th OCT – Charlotte, NC @ Visulate Theatre
18th OCT – Washington DC @ Black Cat (SOLD OUT)
19th OCT – Washington DC @ Black Cat
20th OCT – Philly! @ Union Transfer
22nd OCT – NYC @ Webster Hall
23rd OCT – Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Music Hall
24th OCT – Montreal, QB @ Caberet Mile End
25th OCT – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
27th OCT – Chicago, IL @ Metro
28th OCT – Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room
31st OCT – Seattle, WA @ Neptune
1st NOV – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
3rd NOV – San Francisco, CA @ The Filmore
4th NOV – Los Angeles, CA @ El Ray
5th NOV – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
8th NOV – Austin, TX @ FUN FUN FUN FEST!!!!
LA based indie-R&B lord on the rise King avriel recently took a break from composing awesome new jams to chat with B3SCI writer Cheryl Dunn about the origins of her sound, musical passions and a forthcoming full length project. Have a read at their chat below and take a look at her new music video for “Freedom.”
B3SCI: As what feels like a lifetime fan of Hey Arnold!, I have to say it is an honor to meet the voice of Timberly…
King Avriel: Haha the pleasure is truly all mine.
B3SCI: As someone who has been playing and making music your whole life, how do you feel now that you are finally releasing your first EP? What was the process like for you culminating to this moment? What are you most excited for?
King avriel: I’m really excited. I think this project and the songs I’ve been releasing to lead up to it are the best music I’ve ever made. I’ve never been as proud of anything I’ve done before as I am with this upcoming release. And, it’s been a long, tumultuous journey; I had to overcome some really dark valleys, but this moment feels like survival. I’m beginning to see how resilient I really am. And as a young woman, it’s exciting to start recognizing my true strength. I’m most excited to share that journey with others in the stories I tell on this project, because I have a hunch my experience was not an uncommon one.
B3SCI: When and how do you like to approach most of your song writing? Is it something you are constantly doing on the fly, or do you set time aside?
King avriel: Songs come from different places. My biggest challenge is just making sure I write down my inspiration when it hits. Sometimes I get a hook idea, or just a song concept and I have to be really diligent about writing everything down in my journal or on my phone, even if it’s just a word or two. So, in that sense I’m always writing on the fly. But, then I set time aside to come back to those ideas and flesh them out. Sometimes all the ideas I have come up with while I’m on the go are total shit, so I just have to start writing from scratch. However, I feel like I always have something that’s weighing on my mind at all times, so then it’s just a matter of confronting whatever conflict is currently affecting my experience.
B3SCI: With your alias, your name King avriel, and with your music video for “Freedom,” (watch it below) you’ve seemed to open up a great dialogue about the importance of breaking free from gender binaries. Can you tell us about your name change and video message, and why is opening this discussion amongst your fans most important to you?
King avriel: Yeah! I mean I’m always amazed at how meaning can be packed into language in so many different ways. I’m always trying to find ways to layer meaning while still being economical with words… I feel like that’s what is at the heart of poetry and lyricism. That’s what makes the game of song writing so fun! So, that same philosophy to writing has been applied to my name. The word King is so heavy and loaded, both politically and emotionally, for many people. When I call myself King, I’m saying that women can be kings. I can have just as much power as a man, and a man can still be a king too. And, while the “a” in avriel is lowercase to take emphasis off of my individuality, the “K” is capitalized to emphasize the collective. I’m not just calling myself a king, I’m saying everyone has this potential should they choose to embody it. We are all kings waiting to be self-recognized. The dialogue has been really interesting and exciting as well, because some people don’t believe I can be a king — I feel that those people are really living in the past. I’m trying to give people an idea of a future where everyone has equal value in this society.
B3SCI: What can fans expect from you in 2014? Are you planning on releasing a full length or any new music? Do you have plans to tour or play any festivals?
King avriel: So, the project I’m releasing soon is full length. But, I would say that you can expect the music to take an interesting turn very soon. Everything you’ve heard thus far is not a good representation of me. I actually had already finished my project when I recorded “Paranormal,” “Failed Messiah,” “Prelude,” and “Freedom” one week just on some random shit. I wasn’t going to put them on the project, so I figured I would just send them out and see who was feeling them. I wasn’t even expecting them to get the amount of attention they got, but we just went with it and shot the video since it felt right. But I feel like those songs are very sound-centered. Although I love that sound, what I’ve done with this project and my music in general goes far beyond that particular sound. I think people can expect the story to deepen and unfold, and for them to really begin to understand me as a story-teller first and foremost.
B3SCI: Growing up, what music inspired you most? What bands or musicians helped to shape your musical style now?
King avriel: Wow… so much! I mean I literally listened to everything from Mariah Carey and the Spice Girls, to Debussey and Phillip Glass, to Thelonius Monk and Aretha Franklin. I’ve gone through so many periods of liking specific types of music too. Like I spent a whole year listening just to Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles. I really felt connected to that era of music, and what I’m into is always changing. I think most recently I’ve had Overly Dedicated, and Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on repeat for the past year and a half or so. I always get stuck on albums and forget that there’s new music being made. I haven’t quite decided if that’s a good or bad thing yet.
King avriel 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.4
The indomitable La Sera (Katy Goodman, ex-Vivian Girls) makes a distortion-fueled power pop return w/ “Losing To The Dark”. About the record, Goodman called it, “”I wanted the new La Sera record to sound like Lesley Gore fronting Black Flag” and while (RIP to the great Lesley Gore) “Losing To The Dark” isn’t quite that, it does do well to marry that described 60’s pop melodic dynamic to a bed of turned-up, thin and blustery guitars. Hour of the Dawn is the new record from La Sera and its’ due May 13th on Hardly Art.
La Sera 
(Facebook) (Hardly Art)
Rating 8.3
Miguel is back today with new track “Simplethings”. Excerpted from the soundtrack to the third season of HBO’s Girls, “Simplethings” continues stylistically on a similar lane to the Kaleidoscope Dream sound that led to Miguel’s breakout. <3 U Miguel.
Miguel (Facebook)
Rating 8.5
The ever consistent Knocks deliver a further solid outing w/ new track “Comfortable”. Featuring BK risers X Ambassadors, “Comfortable” strides an accessible line between 80’s pop hedonism and modern indie breaks (your weird creepy uncle that was big in 1985 and girls in Bushwick that weird dresses w/ bird patterns on them now share a new favorite song). The ineffable Neon Gold will be releasing a new Knocks EP on Feb. 18.
The Knocks (Facebook)
Rating 8.1
It takes a village to build a B3SCI. That, and an exceedingly dope team of music mavens and cool bros & bras (girls). Check out Team B3’s favorite tracks and albums from 2013.
*Mikey C.
Albums:
01. Disclosure – Settle
02. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
03. The 1975 – The 1975
04. Kanye West – Yeezus
05. FOALS – Holy Fire
06. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
07. HAIM – Days Are Gone
08. Jake Bugg – Shangri La
09. Lorde – Pure Heroine
10. Drake – Nothing Was The Same
11. The Neighbourhood – I Love You
12. Arcade Fire – Reflektor
13. Tom Odell – Long Way Down
14. Rudimental – Home
15. London Grammar – If You Wait
16. Phoenix – Bankrupt!
17. PAPA – Tender Madness
18. Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience
19. David Bowie – The Next Day
20. FIDLAR – FIDLAR
Songs:
01. Daft Punk – Get Lucky
02. BANKS – Before I Ever Met You
03. Disclosure – White Noise
94. Lana Del Rey – Young & Beautiful
05. Jungle – Lucky I Got What I Want
06. Rihanna – Stay
07. James Blake – Retrograde
08. Mausi – Move
09. Justin Timberlake – Suit & tie
10. Sam Smith – Money On My Mind
11. The Orwells – Other Voices
12. Phosphorescent – Song for Zula
13. Jaymes Young – Wondering
14. Mapei – Don’t Wait
15. John Newman – Love Me Again
16. James Vincent McMorrow – Cavalier
17. Little Daylight – Overdose
18. Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
19. Josef Salvat – This Life
20. London Grammar – Wasting My Young Years
*Troy Meyer
Albums:
01. Kanye West – Yeezus
02. Disclosure – Settle
03. Pusha T – My Name Is My Name
04. Volcano Choir – Repave
05. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels
06. David Bowie – The Next Day
07. Darkside – Psychic
08. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
09. Iceage – You’re Nothing
10. Drake – Nothing Was the Same
11. My Bloody Valentine – mbv
12. Danny Brown – Old
13. Oneohtrix Point Never – R Plus Seven
14. James Blake – Overgrown
15. HAIM – Days Are Gone
16. A$AP Ferg – Trap Lord
17. Phosphorescent – Muchahco
18. Arctic Monkeys – AM
19. Jon Hopkins – Immunity
20. King Krule – 6 Feet Beneath the Moon
Songs:
01. Banks – Warm Water
02. Lana Del Rey – Young & Beautiful
03. Kanye West – Blood on the Leaves
04. Daft Punk – Get Lucky
05. James Blake – Retrograde
06. Drake – Hold On, We’re Going Home
07. Rihanna – Stay
08. Phosphorescent – Song for Zula
09. Disclousure – You & Me
10. HAIM – Falling
11. Ariana Grande – The Way
12. MS MR – Fantasy
13. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Sacrilege
14. Sam Smith – Money On My Mind
15. Josef Salvat – This Life
16. Phantogram – Fall in Love
17. Jungle – The Heat
18. Raleigh Ritchie – Stay Inside
19. Pusha T – Numbers On The Board
20. MO – Waste of Time
*Bruce Rave
Albums:
1. Arctic Monkeys – AM
2. Johnny Marr – The Messenger
3. St. Lucia – When The Night
4. Frank Turner – Tape Deck Heart
5. Of Montreal – Lousy With Sylvianbriar
6. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City
7. Bastille – Bad Blood
8. Muse – Live At Rome Olympic Stadium
9. Foals – Holy Fire
10. Beady Eye – BE
11. Tribes – Wish to Scream
12. Soft Swells – Lifeboats
13. David Bowie – The Next Day Extra
14. Savages – Silence Yourselves
15. Fidlar – Fidlar
16. Portugal the Man – Evil Friends
17. Cage the Elephant – Melophobia
18. Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside – Untamed Beast
19. Jake Bugg – Shangri-La
20. The Virginmary – King of Conflict
Songs:
1. Frank Turner – Four Simple Words
2. Tribes – Englishman on Sunset Blvd.
3. Temples – Shelter Song
4. Pet Shop Boys – Love Is A Bourgeoisie Construct
5. Everything Everything – Duet
6. Teleman – Christina
7. Bastille – Flaws
8. Local Natives – Ceilings
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Mosquito
10. Vampire Weekend – Step
11. Champs – My Spirit’s Broken
12. Moby – The Perfect Life
13. The Jim Jones Revue – Where da Money Go
14. Foals – Providence
15. The Record Company – Feels So Good
16. Placebo – Too Many Friends
17. The Strypes – Blue Collar Jane
18. Cage the Elephant f/ Allison Mosshart – It’s Just Forever
19. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Let the Day Begin
20. St. Lucia – Call Me Up
*Brian Litwin
Albums: (no particular order)
SAVAGES – SILENCE YOURSELF
TORO Y MOI – ANYTHING IN RETURN
CHRVCHES – THE BONES OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE
THE 1975 – THE 1975
DISCLOSURE – SETTLE
ARCTIC MONKEYS – AM
DAFT PUNK – RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES
KANYE WEST – YEEZUS
AUTRE NE VEUT – ANXIETY
DRAKE – NOTHING WAS THE SAME
HAIM – DAYS ARE GONE
CHARLES BRADLEY – VICTIMS OF LOVE
VAMPIRE WEEKEND – MODERN VAMPIRE OF THE CITY
DANNY BROWN – OLD
BEACON – THE WAYS WE SEPARATE
LORDE – PURE HEROINE
BOARDS OF CANADA – TOMORROW’S HARVEST
ODDISEE – THE BEAUTY IN ALL
FUCK BUTTONS – SLOW FOCUS
A$AP FERG – TRAP LORD
Songs: (no particular order)
STEP ROCKETS – KISSER
CHRIS MALINCHAK – SO GOOD TO ME
JUNGLE – THE HEAT
WAVE RACER – ROCK U TONITE
THE CHAIN GANG OF 1974 – SLEEPWALKING
FRACTURES – TWISTED
JAI PAUL – ANYTHING OFF THE LEAKED ALBUM
THE 1975 – CHOCOLATE
KANYE WEST – BOUND 2
TORO Y MOI – HARM IN CHANGE
KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS – RECOLLECTION
WALLA – NATURE
MAJOR LAZER – BUBBLE BUTT
CHRVCHES – GUN
PHOSPHORESCENT – SONG FOR ZULA
MOUNT KIMBIE – YOU TOOK YOUR TIME (FEAT KING KRULE)
RYAN HEMSWORTH – AGAINST A WALL
VALENTINA – LADDERS
BANKS – THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE
HOLY GHOST! – DUMB DISCO IDEAS
*Desiree Autobee
Albums:
1. Mansions – Doom Loop
2. Small Black – Limits Of Desire
3. Haim – Days Are Gone
4. The 1975 – The 1975
5. Sombear – Love You In The Dark
6. Tegan And Sara – Heartthrob
7. Jessie Ware – Devotion
8. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
9. Kisses – Kids In LA
10. Ms Mr – Secondhand Rapture
11. Caroline Smith – Half About Being A Woman
12. Guards – In Guards We Trust
13. Wild Ones – Keep It Safe
14. Nathaniel Rateliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run
15. Blood Orange – Cupid Deluxe
16. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires Of The City
17. Sharks – Selfhood
18. Joywave – 88888
19. Flagship – Flagship
20. Robby Hunter Band – Magic City Hippies
Songs:
1. The Chain Gang Of 1974 – Sleepwalking
2. Shy Girls – Second Heartbeat
3. Body Language – The Chasing
4. Wild Cub – Thunder Clatter
5. The Limousines – Love Is A Dog From Hell
6. Donora – Under The Lights
7. Gauntlet Hair – Human Nature
8. Phantogram – Celebrating Nothing
9. Ra Ra Riot – Dance With Me
10. Sky Ferreira – You’re Not The One
11. Shout Out Louds – Blue Ice
12. Tennis – Mean Streets
13. Wet – Dreams
14. Josh Ritter – New Lover
15. Glacier Face – Last Days
16. Best Coast – This Lonely Morning
17. Kate Boy – Northern Lights
18. Andrew Belle – Dark Matter
19. Kitten – Graffiti Soul
20. Lazerhawk – The Video Craze
*Joanne Lam
Albums: (no particular order)
Quadron – Avalanche
Bill Callahan – Dream River
Rhye – Woman
Julianna Barwick – Nepenthe
Nils Frahm – Spaces
Tim Hecker – Virgins
King Krule – 6 Feet Beneath The Moon
Mount Kimbie – Cold Spring Fault Less Youth
Forest Swords – Engravings
Theo Parrish – Black Jazz Signature
Julia Holter – Loud City Song
Hiatus Kaiyote – Tawk Tomahawk
Oddisee – The Beauty In It All
Lubomyr Melnyk – Corollaries
Joomanji – Manj
Jackson C. Frank – Forest of Eden
Grouper – The Man Who Died In His Boat
Derrick Hodge – Live Today
José James – No Beginning, No End
Georgia Anne Muldrow as Jyoti – Denderah
Songs: (no particular order)
Tim Hecker – Black Refractions
José James – Make It Right
Bill Callahan – The Sing
Jungle – Drops
Quadron – Crush
Moonchild – All The Joy
Thundercat – Tenfold
Rhye – The Fall
Diggs Duke – Cause I Love You
James Blake – Our Love Comes Back
King Krule – Ocean Bed
Nils Frahm – Says
Hiatus Kaiyote – Nakamarra
Joomanji ft. Lindsay Olsen – Spread Too Thin
Derrick Hodge – Night Visions
The Spandettes – Sweet and Saccharine
Danny Brown – Lonely
Blu – Keep Pushinn
Shintaro Sakamoto – Don’t Know What’s Normal
Omar ft. Pino Palladino – There’s Nothing Like This
*Eliana Segal
Albums:
1. We Are the Same – Tallhart
2. Talon of the Hawk – The Front Bottoms
3. Common Courtesy – A Day to Remember
4. Save Rock n’ Roll – Fall Out Boy
5. Pythons – Surfer Blood
6. You Are Here – Magic Man
7. What You Don’t See – The Story So Far
8. Magnolia – Turnover
9. The Hands That Thieve – Streetlight Manifesto
10. The Greatest Generation – The Wonder Years
11. Ordinary Silence – Mixtapes
12. Adding up the Wasted Hours – The Lonely Forest
13. Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die – Panic! at the Disco
14. Tape Deck Heart – Frank Turner
15. Selfhood – Sharks
16. Doom Loop – Mansions
17. Youth – Citizen
18. Jar – Daylight
19. The Hurry and the Harm – City & Colour
20. True Trans – Against Me!
Songs:
1. Four Simple Words – Frank Turner
2. Twin Size Mattress – The Front Bottoms
3. Passing Through a Screen Door – The Wonder Years
4. City of Ocala – A Day to Remember
5. Lovric’s – The Lonely Forest
6. Paris – Magic Man
7. Follow Your Arrow – Kasey Musgraves
8. Clairvoyant – The Story So Far
9. Young Volcanoes – Fall Out Boy
10. I Was Wrong – Surfer Blood
11. Still Into You – Paramore
12. Roam the Room – Citizen
13. A Ring a Reason – Tallhart
14. Carry You Over – Tigers Jaw
15. A Life Less Ordinary – The Bronx
16. Cannonball – Diamond Youth
17. Conventry – Old Gray
18. Climbers – Mansions
19. Vegas Lights – Panic! at the Disco
20. It’s About Time – Young the Giant
*Charles Walker
Albums:
1. A Color Map of the Sun – Pretty Lights
2. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
3. Unorthadox Jukebox – Bruno Mars
4. Magna Carta…Holy Grail – Jay Z
5. Corsicana Lemonade – White Denim
6. Smoke and Mirrors – Brett Dennen
7. good kid m.A.A.d city – Kendrick Lamar
8. The 1975 – The 1975
9. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 – Eminem
10. Like Clockwork – Queens of the Stone Age
11. Yeezus – Kanye West
12. The Bones of What You Believe – CHVRCHES
13. Love Lust Faith + Dreams – Thirty Seconds To Mars
14. The Paradigm Shift – Korn
15. The Electric Lady – Janelle Monae
16. Free The Universe – Major Lazer
17. Random Access Memories – Daft Punk
18. Reflektor – Arcade Fire
19. Amok – Atoms For Peace
20. Disclosure – Settle
Songs:
1. Royals – Lorde
2. Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
3. Get Lucky – Daft Punk
4. Fuckin Problems – A$AP Rocky, Drake, and 2 Chainz
5. Wrecking ball – Miley Cyrus
6. Bubble Butt – Major Lazer
7. Holy Grail – Jay Z
8. Safe and Sound – Capital Cities
9. Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke
10. Bezerk – Eminem
11. Chocolate – The 1975
12. So Many Details – Toro Y Moi
13. The Mother We Share – CHVRCHES
14. Who Got It – Break Science
15. The Lottery – The Stepkids
16. Afraid – The Neighbourhood
17. Ashtrays and Heartbreaks – Snoop Lion and Miley Cyrus
18. Falling – Haim
19. Happy – Robert DeLong
20. City Of Angels – Thirty Seconds To Mars
Review by J.L. Greene
It’s a given with Justin Timberlake, I’d expect it with Justin Bieber and would definitely anticipate it with twerk-magnet Robin Thicke. But I never, ever, ever thought I’d get crushed to death by a savage mob in front of Empire of the Sun’s Luke Steele (see picture above).
Perhaps it was just naiveté on my part, but on Thursday, September 12th it was hard to think of such dangers. Alpine, an up-and-coming group of bewitching Australians, opened the show and brought with them another level of dance-consciousness. It’s easy to see why Rolling Stone named them band to watch in July 2013. With pump and enthusiasm coupled with sparkles and paint, singers Phoebe Baker and Lou James danced with flowing hand motions, and then like clawing cats, while displaying the range of their exquisite voices. Their energy was contagious and they proved to be the perfect opening act for Empire of the Sun.
Between sets, fans waited in Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom, passing around white paint to mark their faces. The humming crowd filled the unique space, a venue built almost to accompany Empire of the Sun’s tour itself. With balconies out of Aladdin, a ceiling painted with shooting stars reminiscent of Mickey’s adventure into wizardry and a touch of the fanciful in the Never-Ending Story, the Aragon stood almost as a testament to the fantastical past, waiting for the fantastical future that EOTS would bring.
Empire exceeded expectations. It was like an hour and a half electronic acid trip. Frontman Steele emerged in a black and gold costume with a magnificent headdress that Shredder would envy. Steele’s quirky “girls of the future” surrounded him continuously as they alternately donned space helmets, anteater-like masks, angel feathers and gigantic pink guitars. With perfect lighting, Steele ran about the stage crushing his guitar but always returned to an anchored spot, a command station post in the middle of the stage where he would work synths and keys.
There was constant, intense motion throughout the long set. With the dancers on stage, Steele running about, and projector images of travels all over the earth, outer-space and phases of evolution. Throughout the show, Steele randomly came down from stage for intimately close encounters with euphoric fans.
The room was absurdly hot and even Steele felt it. He first stripped his headdress to show bleached hair, highlighting his blacker-than-black thin goatee. Then he stripped his jacket, rocking around stage in a black shirt and leatherish pants. The heat, however, would not stop Steele from his futuristic costume changes time and again, each one hitting the elaborate state one would expect from the boundary pushing artist.
As Steele disappeared to the side of the stage, a huge form emerged from the stage back, rising to the multi-tiered platform summit. With two, red leaf-rakers for horns, a giant grey skull with flashing purple and blue eyes donned a multi-colored robe. The stunned crowd screamed its delight as Death pulled out two gasoline pump handles and began shooting fog. After a few minutes, and just as seemingly natural as he arrived, he descended into darkness once more.
But where Death left, Steele emerged in a similar costume if not the same as featured in the EOTS “Alive” video. The three burly musicians wore their attire with grace–including the drummer who’s helmet’s plume matched the height of his torso. You can clearly see why Cirque du Soleil would be so attractive to Empire’s other half, Nick Littlemore.
Speaking of Littlemore… Despite a visually overwhelming show and Steele’s ability to capture the huge ass stage, you couldn’t help but hope that fellow bandmate Littlemore would make a surprise entrance. Littlemore’s missing presence was like J.D without Turk, Wayne without Garth, Troy without Abed. It was a palpable ache you hoped would find a happy ending. Even though it was a given to Empire fans he would never arrive, his missing presence still hurt the soul.
In the midst of this fantastical show, my life passed before my eyes several times as I saw my phone flying through the air punched by a fan’s eager fist, received a blow to my face (bruise included) and was almost crushed to death on a few occasions. Honestly, it was the first time I could see how people died at shows. Again, maybe I was naive but never have I been around such ruthless fans. To say the least, the show was beyond anything I’ve ever experienced–both visually and physically. One thing I know for sure: never again will I underestimate the power of a man in a headdress.
Empire of the Sun (Official)
Rating 8.3
Follow Me services “Daddy’s Money” by Johnny Stimson the sort of dance all summer 80’s pop-inspired remix treatment that rich girls (and of course everyone else) won’t be able to resist. Hit the dance floors, hit the shopping malls, hit the play button… “Daddy’s Money” it’s on now!
Johnny Stimson (Facebook)
Follow Me (Facebook)
Rating 8.1
Johnny Stimson, who was anointed to the level of B3 fave with his excellent “Human Man” single, returns w/ his latest, an 80’s pop-inspired paean to one of popular music’s most doted on bits of subject matter, rich girls. It’s “Daddy’s Money” and it’s live on B3SCI; go pack those big bags out of Saks Fifth Ave.
Johnny Stimson (Facebook)
Rating 8.1
One of the best parts of Lollapalooza comes right after Chicago’s Grant Park closes: the after shows. And when you can couple the magic of a beautiful venue, with an artists magnetic personality and captivating storytelling, you’ve reached another level of “Lolla Heaven.”
On Saturday evening, Frightened Rabbit and Wild Belle took the stage at Chicago’s Park West, the 1920’s vaudeville turned concert venue whose romantic character seemed to weave its touch through the evening.
A crowd gathered on the small dance area below the stage while the rest of the show-goers grabbed one of the many booths or stools dotted throughout the venue. Though furbished for the 21st century, the layout of the club is reminiscent of days gone by and you can almost see a leading lady from Hollywood’s Golden Age capturing the crowd on the stage. It was like the ghost of those classic starlets touched Wild Belle’s Natalie Bergman when she took stage. Her mesmerizing voice held the crowd as she seductively swayed behind the mic, caressing it for dramatic effect. It seemed a contradiction at times, her 90’s inspired artist look (floppy black hat and high rise shorts included) with Reggae inspired tunes and moves right out of the 40’s. Add to that her brother Elliot alternating between synths and sax and you have quite the unexpected amalgamation–and it works.
If Wild Belle mesmerized the crowd, Frightened Rabbit got them jumping. The five member Scottish band carries with them the complete aura of their haggis-eating, tartan-wearing, story-telling culture, whether in the very rhythms of the music ringing out in ceilidh-like beats, the subtle Scottish brogue or story-telling lyrics. The men also exude the manliness one equates with Scottish culture, with beards and stockiness evoking William Wallace-like warriors. Besides, as drummer Grant Hutchison picks up steam during the show, his face transforms into a grizzly bear-like menace. You can just picture him running over hills in a kilt throwing javelins.
And then, lead singer Scott Hutchison brings a gem to the crowd–a new song. As the rest of the band members leave the stage, Hutchison sets the scene. Reassuring the crowd over and over again that he does not condone violence and “thinks it’s bullshit,” he launches into the inspiration of this new, enthralling tune.
“I wrote this next song when I was going through a major love affair–as many people do–with Game of Thrones. And I thought about–and I don’t condone violence, it’s fucking terrible–but I just feel like sometimes, men in particular, don’t really fucking fight for their women anymore.” To this, the crowd cheers and you can almost hear the girls’ quick breath intake. “I don’t mean physically fight, but I mean that if it matters to you, you should go and get it. And I’m not really fucking good at doing it.” With this foundation he emphasizes: “So, this song is a fiction. It’s all bullshit. I thought it would be awesome to try and write a super violent love song. And so this is it. This is about as violent as I was comfortable in making it.”
Following a little more banter and a fellow Scot calling out from the crowd, “Good on ya!” Hutchison launches into “Candlelit.”
Love’s checkered past
Is littered with violent acts
And the blood that fills kindless paths
Each drop drawn in her name.
In this modern age
The image of father has changed
But if you’re ready I’m willing to wage a gut-wrenched war
For a minute of your time
I’m done playing stone paper scissors
Gonna take that stone and bring them all down with it
Steal some scissors and cut some throats
Put pen to paper and write you a note
I won’t get in line
I will not wait for this.
With my bare hands I kill
Just to be candlelit
with you.
I have no checkered past
And I’ve never been a violent man
Maybe you’ve changed all that
Each scar I carve is in your name
So let the suitors come
I can see them off one by one
Open every last artery up
Just for a second of your time.
I’m done playing stone paper scissors
Gonna take that stone and bring them all down with it.
Steal those scissors and cut some throats
Put pen to paper and write you a note
I won’t get in line
I will not wait for this.
With my bare hands I kill
Just for the privilege
Look at the blood bath
Look at the mess I have made
With my bare hands I kill
Just to be candlelit
with you.*
And so, as the ladies swoon and testosterone builds in the guys, Hutchison shares his epic “fiction,” drawing out the romance of his land, his culture and his history–and of course that of Game of Thrones. With themes of valor, honesty, heroism and love, coupled with their Scottish rhythms, it’s hard not to love Frightened Rabbit’s bard-like music and even more appreciate it in a romantic setting. The beauty and history of the scene did nothing but enhance the magic.
Ending with the epic notes of “The Loneliness and the Scream,” Frightened Rabbit sent out a wistful crowd with Hutchison’s bard-like lyrics and Scottish rhythms inspiring elation and creativity. Truly, a great treat.
Check out Frightened Rabbit’s “Candlelit” from Park West. You can compare it to this first version performed in Salt Lake City.
A note on the lyrics:
**Coupled with the Scottish brogue and crowd, these are as best I can make out. If you have corrections, let us know!
Review and Photo by J.L. Greene
The 1975 made their Los Angeles debut known last Wednesday night at the world famous Troubadour in West Hollywood. The band were dialed-in that night and performed an inspiring, airtight, confident set; consisting of tracks from the ’75s four EPs (all released within the past year) as well as new material from their forthcoming Mike Crossey co-produced self-titled debut album (due in September via Vagrant/Interscope). Highlights from the night included “Head.Cars.Bending”, “The City”, “Sex” and set closer “You” as well as new album cuts like “Girls” which singer Matt Healy describes as (like much of the album) ‘made to sound like an 80s movie’.
Unbeknownst to the ’75 (or not), the guys are making moments. Whether winning over the likes of Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, or turning heads at Glastonbury, The 1975 are poised and ready to take over the world; and they are doing so on their terms first. Prior to the band’s sold-out Troubadour set, we talked with Mr. Healy; discussing everything from the band’s history and philosophy, to their current state of mind and, finally, what fans can expect from their new album. Listen to the interview below and have a look at The 1975’s new video for their forthcoming single “Sex”.
The 1975 
(Official)(Facebook) (Read more about The 1975 on B3SCI)
