Kelsey Butterworth

Though originally from Virginia, Kelsey recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a cavalcade of neat degrees. She's written for other sites like Wide Open Country, Half Past, Seeing Trees Music, The Cropper, InfUSion Magazine, and Blurt. Kelsey’s greatest weakness is a large bowl of pho, and though she doesn’t know it yet, her friends will soon host a soup intervention for her. In her spare time she enjoys exploring abandoned buildings, crafting dad-humor puns, collecting vintage key chains, writing long lists that utilize the Oxford comma, and acting like Larry David.

Built To Spill: “Never Be The Same”

Posted on by Kelsey Butterworth

bts

As the release date of Built To Spill’s latest record – their first in six years – gets ever closer, the band have given us another preview with their second single, “Never Be The Same.” This is a song that won’t be harshing anyone’s mellow anytime soon. Though the song is relatively short at just over three minutes, the repeating chords and riffs put you in an indie trance. Still, it’s a little more focused than their mathy first single, “Living Zoo”.

Loosely, “Never Be The Same” is about how the experiences we have are constantly forging us into new people, and how time is cyclical. Just your average midtempo metaphysical musings. As with the rest of their body of work, there’s a vaguely cosmic feel to the whole thing; the album’s title (Untethered Moon) and the album art featuring Caaaaats Iiiiin Spaaaaace certainly contribute.

During the band’s absence, plenty have taken up the mantle of jangle – bands like Real Estate, Surfer Blood, and Beach Fossils come to mind. This type of music is inherently appealing because it’s relaxing to listen to. It’s our generation’s soft rock, but not, you know, crappy; it’s the kind of music that will play in the hip dentist offices of the future. But Built To Spill was one of the forebands of the subgenre, and it’s nice to have a return to form once the whippersnappers take over the scene.

Courtney Barnett: ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit’

Posted on by Kelsey Butterworth

Considering the considerable press Courtney Barnett has garnered in recent months, it may surprise some that she’s only just released her first album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit. Her singles and EPs have upped the anticipation ante, and have worried initial fans – myself included – about whether or not the album itself would stack up. Well worry not, because it does.

Songs like “An Illusion of Loneliness (Sleepless in New York)” and “Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go to The Party” are filled with 90s slacker shoegaze with the low end scooped out. They’re spiky slices of college radio-informed punk. But Barnett’s got other tricks up her sleeve, as the bluesy, circus-y waltz “Small Poppies” and sun-and-surf, Vile-borrowing “Depreston” prove. They’re self-aware, smartly arranged, likable… and very, very relatable. Barnett’s lyrics are rapid-fire and approach spoken word at times, especially on lead single “Pedestrian At Best” and the nervous post-grad anthem “Elevator Operator”. These are songs about the anxious, meta-to-a-fault search for authenticity; about existential quarter life crises, the seemingly inescapable move to suburbia, and always feeling financially behind. “We either think that we’re invincible / Or that we are invisible / Realistically, we’re somewhere in between” she drones on the dark confessional “Kim’s Caravan”.  Even the album’s title expresses the sought-after fine line between excessive reflection and zen-like emptiness. This is a record about the millennials who have simultaneously had everything handed to them and everything taken away.

And who better in this day and age to explore such a theme? Barnett is a woman who shreds her left-handed guitar and makes no attempt to hide her Australian accent for the sake of marketing demos. “Debbie Downer” is a sly feminist nod to the Stop Telling Women To Smile campaign, and she casually refers to Jesus as a “she”. Barnett is the embodiment of a current generation that’s inspired a million thinkpieces, the unsmiling Broad City of indie rock. We can’t wait for album #2.

4/5

 

15 Must-See Shows at Slingshot 2015

Posted on by Kelsey Butterworth

Ahh, spring. That magical time when the freezing rain subsides, the hillsides grow wild with kudzu, and Slingshot slingshots itself back into town. This year’s lineup is as eclectic as it’s ever been, but with significantly bigger names set to fill the marquees of Athens.

Arcade Fire’s Win Butler will be doing a DJ set as DJ Windows 98, as will James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. Reptar will be playing a Georgia Theatre album release show, and cameos will be made by Jamie XX of the xx and Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra.

As always, your best bet is to buy a three-day pass. Here are the 15 shows we’re looking forward to the most.

15. Every Art Installation (seriously) (Thurs-Sat @ Creature Comforts)

One of the most unique things Slingshot brings to Athens is the wide variety of thought-provoking electronic art installations. Last year saw hand stitched QR codes, weather balloon projectors, and a ton of reinvented psychedelic imagery. Though the installations are spread across downtown, they’ll be somewhat centered around Creature Comforts. Check out the electronic artists page to see what you’re in for.

14. Ruby The Rabbitfoot and Viking Progress (Friday @ Hendershots)

Athens’ favorite chill pixie dreamgirl Ruby The Rabbitfoot will be playing Hendershots on Friday, in support of her recent release New As Dew as well as even newer material like “Hooky Queen.” She’ll be joined by The Viking Progress, whose appropriately boat-themed songs use the same sad, droning horn sections of Neutral Milk Hotel‘s past.

13. Cottonmouth and SEX BBQ (Thursday @ Go Bar)

Though the billing may sound like a picnic gone horribly wrong, don’t sleep on either of these bands. Cottonmouth‘s alien sounds would fit in well with the electronic art crowd – though “avant hip-hop” is thrown in occasionally, this is a group of whacked out sonic explorers. Atlanta-based SEX BBQ are a little more Ath-traditional, with surf guitars bumping up against coy vocals and playful rhythms.

12. Shehehe, Little Gold, and Pinecones (Thursday @ Little Kings)

Shehehe are a good time any way you slice it. Whether it’s the straight-ahead punk of “Rollin'” or the Corin Tucker-aping “Hail Vagina”, they are in the lucky position of keeping several punk traditions alive. Little Gold, on the other hand, bring trashy Detroit-inspired rock and roll to the table. But what would an Athenian fest be without some indie psych? To be sure they are (generally) a psychedelic band, and their sound is concise but sometimes hard to pin down. Their recent single “Sleep Is Forget” plays like the Byrds fed through Ian MacKaye’s tube amp.

11. Salad Days Screening

Speaking of Ian MacKaye, every punk and hardcore band Athens has ever hosted owes much of their sound to the D.C. hardcore scene of the 80s and 90s. Obviously artists like Minor Threat, Fugazi, and Government Issue ring out, but Salad Days digs deeper into the Dischord vault. Check out the trailer here.

10. Normaltown Records Showcase feat. Dave Marr, Cicada Rhythm, and Daniel Romano (Saturday @ Caledonia)

Here at Vinyl Mag, we love ourselves some Normaltown, so their showcase on Saturday is a must for those getting overwhelmed by the explorative nature of psychedelic rock. Rootsing things down will be Cicada Rhythm with their particular brand of almost jangle noirgrass, plus the back-to-basics country crooning of (somehow Canadian) Daniel Romano. Athens legend and Man About Town Dave Marr will also be there, so, you know, ’nuff said.

9. Comedy Night feat. Kurt Braunohler, Ron Funches, and Kyle Kinane (Saturday @ Morton)

Slingshot also brings the laughs every year, and in 2015 we’re lucky enough to host these big names in alt comedy. That podcast you listen to? Kurt Braunohler has most likely guested on it. And don’t forget his IFC gig hosting the absurd gameshow Bunk!. Ron Funches has rolled through various late night standup corners to muse about Black tuba players and the inherent freakiness of identical twins. Kyle Kinane has guest starred in a ton of shows and movies, and his specials Whiskey Icarus and I Liked His Old Stuff Better show his wide comedic range.

8. Ryley Walker, Roadkill Ghost Choir, and Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra (Thursday @ GATH)

Like the Normaltown showcase, Thursday’s GATH shows will be stripped down and based in purer southern traditions. Roadkill Ghost Choir play a shimmering, steroid-popping type of noirgrass that occasionally slips into War on Drugs territory. Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra drops the yowling southern shoegaze affectations when he goes solo – most of his songs are him and an acoustic, featuring more personal and plaintive songs about growing up as a pastor’s kid. And Ryley Walker’s Voice Of The Seven Thunders-esque guitar work is a can’t-miss; he’s also something of a vocal dead ringer for Jim Morrison.

7. Kenosha Kid Album Release w/ Etiene de Rocher (Saturday @ Hendershots)

Athens being the Classic City, the old is bound to intermingle with the new. This juxtaposition will be in full swing on Saturday with the jazz stylings of our own Kenosha Kid, and Etiene de Rocher, an Athens transplant from the Bay Area. Kenosha Kid are known for modern reinterpretations of stalwart jazz ideas, and they play Hendershots all the time so they’re very comfortable in that space. Etiene de Rocher’s music is a grab bag of 60s and 70s influence, and songs like “Juniper Rose” sound like a newly-discovered section in “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”.

6. Reptar Album Release w/ Skylar Spence, Fascinator (Friday @ GATH)

A hometown Reptar show is a special thing to behold, but throw in an album release and you’ve got grounds for another broken floor (hopefully the Theatre is built better than that.) The Joyful Noise recruits will be joined by Skylar Spence, who are similarly funk-sample laden. And make sure to get there early for Fascinator, whose of Montreal-emulating visuals pair nicely with their paranoid, ravine-jumping, Beastie Boys-emulating sound.

5. Single Mothers and Monsoon (Friday @ Live Wire)

The beach-punk-spazz stylings of Monsoon is probably the best live show in Athens right now, so see them any chance you get. Playing alongside them on Friday at the Live Wire (formerly New Earth) is the Canadian hardcore four piece Single Mothers, who sound uncannily like a pissed off Hold Steady.

4. Japan Nite (Thursday @ Live Wire)

Japan Nite 2014 was a festival highlight, so don’t expect anything to change this time around. Peelander-Z are making a colorful return to Live Wire, along with fellow Japanese punkers Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re, Quorum, Bo-Peep, and Zarigani$. The fin. will be there to slow things down a bit, with their melodic M83-influenced plinks. God Bless America and all that, but expect these whippersnappers to remind us what punk started as in the first place. There will be leather jackets, and there will be ‘tude.

3. Night of Too Many DJs feat. Michael Lacowski of Pylon, DJ Windows 98 aka Will Butler of Arcade Fire, and James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem  (Saturday @ GATH)

Okay, when these names are all sharing the same stage, “too many” doesn’t really apply. Deejaying may not be the same as seeing these folks’ full ensembles, but consider the wealth of musical knowledge that will inhabit the Theatre on this night. This will be the dance party to end all dance parties.

2. Vinyl Mag Showcase feat. Prince Rama, Nightmare Air, and Dream Boat (Friday @ Caledonia)

Our showcase will be kind of trippy, man, so prepare yourself. Dream Boat do indeed sound like a boat to your dreams – they create experimental, faraway sounding beats that vaguely resemble church bells. Prince Rama are more concerned with melodies, but are similarly characterized by distance – their heady songs have Warpaint grooves and creepiness, with plenty of chanting, obviously. Nightmare Air are what you might imagine an all-werewolf band to sound like – dark, loud, and dangerous, but still pretty compelling.

1. Vinyl Mag Presents Nana Grizol and Mind Brains (Saturday @ Live Wire)

Mind Brains are one of the latest iterations of Athens’ storied psych scene, featuring former of Montreal and Olivia Tremor Control players. Like its predecessors, Mind Brains have invented a world for themselves; they classify themselves with monikers like “experimental” and “muffins”, and their press kit states thusly: “Mind Brains’ new album drops on Hamuary 666th, 1945, and hearing it is not unlike happening upon a horde of corrupted Gregorians using garbage-picked toys and circuit-bent home-aids to worship at the high pagan monoliths of Silver Apples, Tubeway Army and Chrome.” Nana Grizol use crunchy indie rock to backdrop singer Theo’s sad, emotive lyrics, and while they may not be as quirky as Mind Brains, they’re a little more danceable. Horns and handclaps will be plentiful.

Playlist: Slingshot 2015

Posted on by Kelsey Butterworth

This year’s installment of our beloved Slingshot Festival is fast approaching (March 26-28), and we can’t wait to see this year’s incredible lineup live and in person. Slingshot is an event that forces perspective, whether it’s through the mind-bending electronic art, horizon-expanding films, or worldly and forward-thinking musicians. Though no playlist could do these artists justice, here’s a collection of high-quality songs to give you a sense of just how diverse and talented this year’s acts are.

 

Alternate Titles for Carrie Brownstein’s Autobiography

Posted on by Kelsey Butterworth

Carrie Brownstein, undeniable queen of the hipsters, finally gave her autobiography a name and birthday. Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl will hit shelves on October 27, and we can’t wait to read it. Its title comes from notable Sleater-Kinney track “Modern Girl”, so we wondered what alternate titles may have been floating around for the Portlandia star.

Society Makes Me A Sad Girl

Cardboard Clad

Come Be The First In Line (To Buy This Book Of Mine)

Excuses 1-16

Riot Grrl & Riot Grrl First

Long Version

I Wanna Be Your Miranda July

Ask Me About My Relationship With Corin One More Time I Swear To God

St. Vincent shares “Teenage Talk” on latest ‘Girls’ episode

Posted on by Kelsey Butterworth

Girls has a reputation for being astute when it comes to the music that plays over final credits, and its 3/8/15 episode “Tad & Loreen & Avi & Shanaz” is no exception. After main character Hannah is given some bombshell news by her mom, her expression of confusion and fear cuts to an unreleased St. Vincent b-side called “Teenage Talk”. Annie Clark and Girls creator Lena Dunham are friends, and the show’s music supervisor reached out to Clark’s team, who had this unused demo lying around. Besides Clark’s pensive, honeyed voice, the 90s alt-synths and stuttering drums are immediate St. Vincent tip-offs. The song is way too short – as with most things surrounding this fabulously talented artist, we’ll never have enough.

In the track St. Vincent looks back on the past, specifically the generally overrated period of teenagerdom. Her sad and reflective lyrics (“I don’t think the past is better, better / Just cause it’s cased in glass / Protecting us from our now and later”) make the song sound like an update to Vanessa Carlton’s “White Houses”. Clark closes out “Teenage Talk” by wondering what her former beau thinks of her now. As is her wont, she uses esoteric imagery to get to the relatable heart of heartbreak.

An official version hasn’t yet been released, but fortunately a high-quality stream has been circulating around Tumblr. It’s that or deal with the monstrosity that is HBO Go, so choose wisely.

My Morning Jacket Share Three New Tracks From Upcoming ‘The Waterfall’

Posted on by Kelsey Butterworth

Today, My Morning Jacket announced their upcoming LP The Waterfall (being released May 4 on ATO Records) and shared the studio version of their first single, “Big Decisions.” This will be their seventh studio album, with another due in 2016 arising from the same sessions that yielded The Waterfall. For this first set, its themes are centered around those midlife transitional periods that crop up after you’ve settled down. Lead singer Jim James likens the songs to embodying “a weird turning point for the universe. … the sound of the page turning and not being sure what’s coming next.”

All told, they’ve shared three of its tracks, all of which were premiered live in early February at the band’s yearly Mexican festival One Big Holiday. Though it’s hard to discerningly review live tracks because their sound quality is all over the map, Vinyl Mag makes its own rules, so here ya go.

“Big Decisions”

“Big Decisions” starts off like a tropical drink, but quickly switches to some of the best Flying V power chords the band has put to tape. Jim James puts on his best McCartney affectation for the chorus: “What do you want me to do?” becomes “What do you want me ta tooooo?”, and his falsetto doesn’t make itself as known as it has in the past. But the band’s formative pedal steel DOES, which is just one component that makes this a return to form. Jacketheads felt betrayed by the sonic departures of 2008’s Evil Urges, whose songs like “Highly Suspicious” felt even more like a drug trip than usual. But “Big Decisions” has the circa 2002 southern charm and big, tough choruses a la “One Big Holiday.” My Morning Jacket have proven time and again that they can reinvent themselves while staying true to their farm jam essence.

“Compound Fracture”

We’ll forgive MMJ for copping the drumbeat from Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” because what follows is a swirling, anthemic ode to enduring friendship. Bits of “Compound Fracture” sound like a sped up War On Drugs melody, which makes sense given the band’s multiple stage collabs with TWOD frontman Adam Granduciel (including at this very festival).The warm guitar hugs you as the synth spurts send you skyward. In line with “Big Decisions” it’s a pretty straightforward classic rock take, but thankfully features some vintage James screamo.

“Only Memories Remain”

“Only Memories Remain” is the sleepiest, meandering-est of the trio. As with most MMJ album closers (“Good Intentions” doesn’t count), it’s the closest thing to a waking dream state. Live it clocks in at six minutes and change, which, unusually, is brief for them. Though the live recording masks the lyrics, its title and tracklisting placement heavily imply that it focuses on death. Given that My Morning Jacket like to present codified bodies of work, this parallels nicely with the track ender “Movin’ Away” on their last record Circuital, which examined how a life in transition can sometimes create another life entirely.

The tracklisting for The Waterfall is as follows, whose song names reinforce what themes we should expect to hear:

  1. Believe (Nobody Knows)
  2. Compound Fracture
  3. Like a River
  4. In Its Infancy (The Waterfall)
  5. Get the Point
  6. Spring (Among the Living)
  7. Thin Line
  8. Big Decisions
  9. Tropics (Erase Traces)
  10. Only Memories Remain

WATCH: Modest Mouse: “Of Course We Know”

Posted on by Kelsey Butterworth

Modest Mouse is a band with big ideas, and now that they’ve released “Of Course You Know,” that’s never been more apparent. Given everything we know about their forthcoming (3/17) release Strangers To Ourselves, we’re in for some heavy you-know-what.

“Of Course We Know” is the FIFTH new song we’ve heard, and you can bet the order the singles were rolled out in has been intentional. The first four, “Lampshades On Fire,” “The Best Room,” “The Ground Walks, With Time In A Box,” and “Coyotes” more or less sprouted up every couple of weeks. Their titles hint at a companion record to Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs, and their accompanying artwork thusly frames the target of choice: the dreaded suburban sprawl. With “Lampshades On Fire,” it was concentric circling waterfront homes up close; soon enough it was a similar image, but from a higher birds eye view. Now, “Of Course We Know” features evil-eyed businesspeople, presumably the sprawl’s developers. So, the question arises: of course they know what?

“Of Course We Know” is some doom-laden, chanting Monk-type indie rock. Isaac Brock’s shimmering vocals and chiming chords give it a cultish feel. The lyrics are unsurprisingly vague, repetitive in the creepiest ways. “The streets are just blankets and we sleep on their silky corpse / Covered up by them, why would we ever want to wake up?” is a hell of a way to open the song. Each chorus, if you could call it that, has Brock whisper-howl-grunting, “We just do not know.” At clear odds with the song’s title, the narrator must be lying about something. And not to jump to conclusions, but real estate developers are known for lying. Though it may be way too early to hurl thematic guesses around, big picture, Modest Mouse are attempting to tell us something about the American Dream. Hey, 2015 is as good a year as any to examine society through song.

House of Cards Season 3 Playlist

Posted on by Kelsey Butterworth

hoc

The eagerly anticipated (and briefly leaked) third season of House of Cards is premiering this Friday on Netflix. To get you primed and righteously indignant for Shyamalen-scale twists and shameless subterfuge, here’s a playlist containing some of the best political opinions ever put to tape.

Yes, there’s plenty of punk and Vietnam-era ranting. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The U.S.A.” was obligatory, and no political playlist is complete without Rage Against The Machine. And even though the average musician tends liberal, not all of the songs on here are anti-government – take Toby Keith’s infamous post-9/11 “Courtesy Of The Red, White, And Blue.”

But most are negative, cynical, furious commentaries on war, capitalism, or race relations. Arcade Fire even show up to lay down a subtle look at imperialism. And as The Clash and Sex Pistols prove, political dissatisfaction is a big-time worldwide issue. So without further ado, get your activism (or, you know, Netflix binging) on.

Valaska: ‘Thing’

Posted on by Kelsey Butterworth

Capture

In Thing, Chicago’s Valaska have molded a set of warm, friendly songs to keep the harsh winter at bay. Careful consideration has been placed in each lush, melodic track.

But don’t confuse their acoustic preferences as a sign of simplicity. As with, say, the average Antlers record, no arrangement is overloaded, and there’s plenty of room to breathe. Props to each band member for leaning back when needed, because for these songs, focus on ensemble is key.

Drowsy as the feel may be, there are a lot of cool ideas to be found throughout its nine tracks. Opener “Espejismo” (Spanish for “mirage”) has the same vaguely mystical vibe of Midlake at the height of their minor key-mellotron use, whereas “Re-Animator” is a plinking, meandering War On Drugs song set to the wrong RPM.

The sonic space is no mistake – front to back, this is an album about mid-20s existential blues, one that requires plenty of reflection and pensiveness. On songs like “Fair To Say” and “Wabasha”, there is a quiet determination in needing to strike out somewhere new, a feeling most can relate to. “Ain’t it a shame tryin’ to live the American dream / And you wake up displeased with who you turned out to be?” muses singer Dave Valdez on the bubbly waltz “Epoch”. This record’s themes align neatly to any given Girls episode – Valdez may not be “at peace with 24”, but in the grand scheme of things, that’s still awfully young to feel like all is lost. These are songs that speak to the dissonance between being ready to be the responsible, emotionally sound grown-up you aspire to, and actually arriving at that accomplishment.

Valaska’s lyrics are perfectly fitting puzzle pieces with pop sensibilities, and even when they’re vague or metaphoric, they don’t feel like they’re trying too hard. This is a group of natural writers who feel perfectly comfortable within each verse and chorus. Though his voice isn’t anything special, Valdez knows how to use it: “Somewhere New” is a Dana Swimmer-esque slow burner about the very personal feeling of rejection meant to be impersonal, and the height of Valdez’ emotive howling will stick with you. Each song flows cohesively into the next, and the record never quite gets a chance to rub the sleep out of its eyes. Though not exactly unfamiliar territory for the average indie fan, Thing makes a darn good companion for contemplative Sunday strolls through rainy forests.  Grab yourself a listen to the album, out today.

3/5

Check out our exclusive Thing track-by-track breakdown from Valaska vocalist Dave Valdez below:

1. “Espejismo” – This song is about separating reality from illusion. Everyone has an idea as to what they want their future to be but it’s always blurry in the distance.

2. “Fair to Say” – This song spawned from a conversation with Erik, the guitarist of Author. We were sitting in an empty bar talking about where our lives were headed and the uncertainty of our future. Erik stated “This is the oldest I’ve ever been” and the first lyric of the song was there.

3. “Epoch” – I was going to scrap this song until I showed it to Matt Holmes who insisted on piecing together all the body parts and bringing it to life. The song turned out to be one of our most energetic songs on and off the record.

4. “Common Sense” – I wrote this song while we were on tour supporting Natural Habitat, I had just finished reading The Alchemist which deals heavily with life and finding meaning.

5. “Re-Animator” – Zach Porlier and I recorded everything totally live for this song, afterwards, Matt went in and added all the bells and whistles.

6. “Wabasha” – This song is based off the concept of creative differences.

7. “Somewhere New” – It’s a song about the inevitable. Relationships end and we move on, but there is always surprise in learning this.

8. “Collecting Rocks” – It was the first song written for Thing, not even a month after I had finished tracking Natural Habitat.

9. “Ink” – This was first brought on by reading a Charles Bukowski poem. It’s about the difficulties in turning away, the difficulties in forgetting.