Category: Features
The Best Late Night Shows at Shaky Knees 2015
If you didn’t get enough music during the day, have severe insomnia or just didn’t want to get a day ticket for Shaky Knees, this year’s late night show lineup has a handful of shows you simply cannot miss. Each show is at a nearby local venue and tickets are sold separately from the actual festival allowing equal opportunity for anyone who decides to attend.
Thursday, May 7
James Blake @ Terminal West
Blake’s show at Terminal West is the official kickoff for the jam packed weekend. Though it’s unknown whether or not this will be just a DJ set, this is the first of two sets the Londoner will play as part of Shaky Knees. Whenever he makes a stop in Atlanta the shows always sell out, so don’t hesitate to get tickets and be part of the event everyone will be talking about the next morning.
Friday, May 8
Portugal. The Man @ Heaven – Masquerade
The band’s last set at the Masquerade was crazy; people were crowdsurfing and getting kicked in the head left and right. Evidently attendees couldn’t get enough as Portugal. The Man will play a set in Heaven. With a new hip-hop influenced album expected this year, this might be the first chance to hear new material from these psychedelic rockers.
Saturday, May 9
Diamond Rugs @ Purgatory – Masquerade
Indie rock supergroup Diamond Rugs only tours when all of its members have free time and that just happens to fall around Shaky Knees this year. The band’s set is sure to include material from this year’s Cosmetics and might have some special guests from each member’s respective band. Diamond Rugs are truly electric live when the energy of four very driven musicians fuse together.
Milky Chance @ Center Stage
Milky Chance’s music is a uniquely weird synthesis of folk, reggae and electronica that sounds like it took an Ambien. The German duo’s debut Sadnecessary displays the pair’s keen ear in picking out the best elements of each and it ultimately works as it charted within the top five of Billboard’s alternative and rock album chart. Come see what all the hype is out at its Atlanta debut!
Best Coast @ The Loft
Saturday night is truly a good night at the entire Center Stage building with performances in all three rooms. Best Coast has a late night show the day before its main set at Shaky Knees. Enjoy the opportunity to see the band in a more intimate setting before sweating it out later or just relish in the chance to see a great band twice in the span of a day!
Top Five Acts to See Each Day at Shaky Knees 2015
Shaky Knees has an incredible lineup this year. If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer amount of bands or just want to see one you’ve never heard of before, check out Vinyl’s top five picks for each of the fest’s three days.
Day One
The Strokes
As Friday’s headliners, it seems like an obvious choice to see The Strokes. The New York based rock band hasn’t toured extensively in close to a decade and with Shaky Knees being only one of four announced live shows this year; this is not one to be missed.
James Blake
James Blake is a fantastic musician and producer. Though he borders the line of being an alternative act and doesn’t quite qualify as a rocker, his unique fusion of R&B music and post dubstep electronica is sure to entrance any passersby.
Death from Above 1979
Death from Above’s sophomore record came a decade after its first and the wait ended up being well worth it. Though the band has toured the world and back to promote it, there’s no telling when there’ll be another opportunity to see them. Do it.
The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats are one of the most prolific rock bands releasing 15 studio albums in 20 years. Recent single “The Legend of Chavo Guerrero” is a perfect introduction into an album about wrestling and it’ll certainly be interesting to see how this translates live.
Kaiser Chiefs
The Leeds-based band isn’t hugely known in the states. However, one spin of any of Kaiser Chief’s five studio albums shows extreme replay value. Shaky Knees is one of a handful of 2015 appearances the band will be making, and their live shows do not disappoint.
Day Two
The Avett Brothers
Saturday’s headliners have become somewhat of a music festival mainstay in the last few years. Though the group began in the early 2000s, their 2007 album Emotionalism caught the attention of famous producer Rick Rubin. Its work with Rubin propelled the band to the top of the Billboard album charts where each subsequent release has charted in the top 10. The Avett Brothers continue to push the boundaries of folk music and seeing them would definitely be time well spent.
Wilco
It’s been awhile since Wilco has released a new studio album (almost five years, but who’s counting?), but the vast back catalogue the band tours with remains unparalleled. One moment the band will take listeners back to “Too Far Apart” off the 20 year old A.M. before slingshotting to a rarity off last year’s compilation. Jeff Tweedy’s strength in leading the band has always pushed them towards new sonic territory and this is not an opportunity to be missed.
Interpol
As a 90s child, the influence of Interpol on contemporary alternative – and rock — music is undeniable. The group was one of the pioneers of post-punk revival music alongside bands like The Strokes and The National before going in its own direction. The heavy blend of lo-fi sounds; restless guitars and penchant for contrastingly gloomy lyrical content have kept the band in the game setting the bar higher for other alternative bands. 2014’s El Pintor showcased a strong, gloomy stylistic restraint that will be interesting to see live in the context of its more up-tempo cuts.
Neutral Milk Hotel
No, you shouldn’t go see NMH just to see grown men cry to all three parts of “King of the Carrot Flowers.” Upon its release in 1998, In the Aeroplane over the Sea was met with lukewarm reception. It wasn’t until a decade later that the genius of Mangum’s hybridization of psychedelic music with low-fi pop music straight out of the 1960s was realized. By then it was too late as the band had taken an indefinite hiatus until the dust was brushed off in 2013. This is the band’s last leg of the tour before another indefinite hiatus and is quite possibly its last Atlanta show for the time being.
FIDLAR
To fully understand what FIDLAR is all about, one must first understand what the acronym stands for – go ahead, Google it. With that mantra firmly in mind listen to its self-titled debut — but don’t take it TOO seriously. The surf punk band sings about everything from getting high to making fun of guys who can’t surf without ever coming across as a joke. Subtle choices in the instrumentation demonstrate a punk band with far more musical knowledge than you’d be led to believe with fleeting moments of acoustic guitar and banjo. Vinyl isn’t liable if you head bang too hard.
Day Three
As Shaky Knees draws to a close, organizers have devised a clever power punch to get crowds staying until the very last minute. A dizzying performance by Tame Impala waits for those as a reward for surviving what looks to be an unbearably hot weekend. A Ryan Adams set waits for those looking to cool down between heavier rock shows and a Best Coast set is there for everyone who’s been impatiently waiting for the new record.
Tame Impala
Australian psychedelic rockers Tame Impala rose to prominence in 2010 following the release and critical acclimation of Innerspeaker. Here in 2015 the band is set to make one of its first few live performances behind its just announced third LP Currents. Its live set revolves around a highly complex light show that always captivates the audience so this is the perfect set to end this year’s Shaky Knees.
Ryan Adams
Ryan Adams has laid the foundation for his career by releasing 14 albums in 14 years with each one being starkly different from the rest. His recent self-titled record seems like a far more organic progression than him starting a punk band with rich vocal intonation and a tight arrangement of drums, electric guitar and acoustic guitar. With a massive back catalog, there’s going to be something for all fans at Ryan Adams’ set.
Old Crow Medicine Show
In the upper echelons of folk music sits Old Crow Medicine Show, a group that has inspired many other contemporary bands throughout its existence. Don’t be fooled by the genre though as the band can match the intensity of other headliners The Strokes and Pixies with its highly energetic set. Expect soaring crowd sing-alongs to the choruses and several covers of seminal country classics.
Panda Bear
As one of the co-founders of the highly acclaimed group Animal Collective, Noah Lennox has made quite a name for himself outside of the band as Panda Bear. His material takes a decidedly different direction with the occasional gurgling synth, nonsensical lyrics and a root in ambient rock. In his shows he frequently recreates each song live using a variety of synths onstage instead of relying on a backing track – oh, and he does it completely solo too.
Best Coast
Best Coast’s big make or break moment will be its first show following the release of its third LP California Nights not even a week earlier. After dividing its fanbase with a noticeably polished sound on its last album, legions of listeners are waiting in the wings to not only hear the new record but to also see vocalist Bethany Cosentino pull off a captivating set. Don’t fret if another band is scheduled to perform at concurrently as Best Coast will also be playing a night set on a different day.
*Enjoy our Shaky Knees 2015 playlist below!
Five Artists That Need to Make a Comeback
5. Led Zeppelin
This seems like a complete stretch given how opposed Robert Plant has been to a reunion tour, but several key factors increase the possibilities in the future. Last year, Plant announced major reissues of the band’s entire discography, and just last month their entire discography appeared on streaming services. Is it possible Plant decided that he’s held out long enough when the rest of the band was seeking for another vocalist so they could tour? Money certainly isn’t a concern as he reportedly ripped up a draft of a contract offering them an astronomic $800 million to reunite. One thing is for certain: this absolutely must happen at some point in the near future.
4. Oasis
Last year’s announcement of reissues of the legendary Britpop band’s first three albums sparked hope that the Gallagher brothers might end their bitter feud and get back together, unfortunately that never materialized. It’s been nearly seven years since the release of Dig Out Your Soul and six since Noel Gallagher stated “the group does not exist anymore.” I’m not expecting them to release a full album – although rival band Blur is in April – a return to the touring scene would be well received by fans and possibly remind the group why they’re still one of the UK’s most successful acts.
3. Lauryn Hill
Hill’s career has become somewhat of a fable in the passing years. Her 1998 debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill earned her 10 Grammy nominations of which she won five: Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. So then why is it 17 years later she still has yet to release a follow up? Besides for serving a short jail sentence for tax evasion, there really isn’t a great reason. She’s been sporadically touring for years at festivals, but now a full on Lauryn Hill comeback is needed now more than ever.
2. Britney Spears
Although Britney released her eighth LP Britney Jean in late 2013, it certainly went by without much fanfare. The music was dry and uninspired, despite her claims that it would be her most personal album to date, and was rife with the fingerprints of will.i.am. Even the announcement of her Las Vegas residency seemed a tad premature for someone as young as Spears. This is her year to remind people she’s still in the ring between rumors of a ninth LP starting to come out and the imminent release of her cover song on Giorgio Moroder’s new record.
1. Missy Elliott
Is there even a debate about this? Following the reclusive rapper’s appearance at this year’s Super Bowl, the Internet was yearning for her comeback to show other female MCs how it’s done. It’s been 10 years since the release of her sixth album The Cookbook and while there have been recording sessions for the tentatively titled Block Party since then, nothing has stuck. Last week she was in the studio with Pharrell Williams and she released a guest verse on a Diplo track. All of that is nice, but let’s bring Timbaland back and release a full LP instead.
10 Songs That Were Huge 10 Years Ago
Ten years ago, most college age students had just begun middle school. Meanwhile, Chris Brown started his career, Mariah Carey and Madonna came back better than ever, and Gwen Stefani gave the entire world a lesson in spelling. Check out 10 of the biggest songs from 10 years ago.
1. Mario – “Let Me Love You”
Mario’s biggest hit stateside “Let Me Love You” kicked off his sophomore album campaign right with a nine week run atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Maybe the song was so popular because it contained the keyboard riff from Tina Turner’s 1984 hit “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” or perhaps it was the cheesy video that took this gooey ode to a love interest straight into the hearts of millions.
2. 50 Cent feat. Olivia – “Candy Shop”
It’s a rare occurrence for a rap song to top the mainstream charts, but this Middle Eastern inspired midtempo track did it in roughly a month thanks to its hook. While the rap verses were mostly forgettable, the chorus of “I’ll take you to the candy shop / I’ll let you lick the lollipop” was a clever sexual innuendo that was later repeated in Lil Wayne’s 2008 “Lollipop” — a track that saw similar success to its predecessor.
3. Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl”
This sly middle finger to Courtney Love’s remark about Stefani propelled her to the status of a pop “it girl” in 2005. It took just a single “uh-huh” to let everyone who it was. Add in the marching drum beat, a brass line and a bridge that taught everyone the right way to spell bananas and you’ve got the makings of a hit that’s still popular a decade later.
4. Mariah Carey – “We Belong Together”
Touted as Carey’s comeback single following several years of declining commercial success, “We Belong Together” proved she was still in the game. The song spent 14 non-consecutive weeks at #1, received two Grammy awards and broke radio records until “Blurred Lines” was released in 2013. This song is considered to be one of Carey’s signature songs and was labeled as “the song of the decade” by Billboard.
5. Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx – “Gold Digger”
West’s song about women who are only with men for their money is still his biggest worldwide hit to date. Created back before his ego ballooned, this timeless track contains a Ray Charles sample and a relentless flow that doesn’t allow the listener a moment to breathe before going on to the next verse. Ten years later this song is still being covered by countless artists.
6. Chris Brown – “Run It!”
Chris Brown’s immensely catchy debut single “Run It!” began his troubled career by ingraining itself into the hearts of teenage girls. The video also showed him as a serious performer by allowing him to showcase his dancing abilities. The softer vocals of the song are a perfect contrast to the hard edged production on the song and are something Brown has yet to repeat on his five other albums.
7. Kelly Clarkson – “Since U Been Gone”
A departure from the fluffy R&B styled pop from her debut, Clarkson’s first taste of her sophomore effort Breakaway was noticeably more rock oriented than previous singles “Low” and “Miss Independent.” Her risky move paid off as the bitter “Since U Been Gone” remains one of Clarkson’s biggest tracks to date and is yet another reason why Clarkson’s career has lasted longer than most other American Idol winners.
8. Pussycat Dolls – “Don’t Cha”
It’s a surprise the internet wasn’t broken by the Pussycat Dolls “Don’t Cha” long before Kim Kardashian’s attempt with her oily seminude photoshoot. This siren song oozes sexuality as the Nicole Scherzinger led group taunts men to date women that look like them. The inclusion of Busta Rhymes in the video filled with scantily clad dancers pandered to nearly everyone and it paid off in the long run.
9. Madonna – “Hung Up”
Following the critical panning and commercial failure of American Life, Madonna harkened back to her disco roots with the Stuart Price produced “Hung Up.” This jarring electronic song put her name back in everyone’s mouth and sought to prove she was far from being over. Madonna’s reinvention brought her career full circle back to the clubs she started out at as the track peaked at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Club Play.
10. Ciara feat. Missy Elliott – “1, 2 Step”
Besides for being automatic, supersonic, hypnotic, and funky fresh, Ciara’s second single off her debut Goodies inspired a dance craze around the world. A Missy Elliott feature that encouraged women to shake it like Jell-O further propelled the song to success and it remains her biggest worldwide hit. The song made its way to the top of the pop chart ten years ago and sounds just as fresh today as it did upon its release.
Five Artists to Watch: Shaky Knees Edition
Shaky Knees Festival is fast-approaching. Before you head out to Atlanta to check out the insane lineup May 8-10, be sure to get a jump on falling in love with these five killer acts.
Mac DeMarco (5/8)
Despite having three critically acclaimed albums under his belt, the Canadian born artist hasn’t had serious traction outside of college radio. His shows are quite a spectacle full of skits (and sometimes nudity) that contrasts the more serious tone of his music. With his first late night appearance behind him in March, hopefully DeMarco captures the attention of others, and there’s a chance to see this buzzed about artist at Shaky Knees.
Surfer Blood (5/8)
Shaky Knees is the perfect opening week for Surfer Blood, which will be releasing its album 1000 Palms on May 12. The band captured major attention in its outings at SXSW in 2010 and 2011 and opened up for headliners the Pixies on its Doolittle Lost Cities Tour. After performing on the festival circuit for several months, the band went into the studio and emerged with new material and a renewed interest in live performances once again.
Viet Cong (5/9)
This post-punk band made national news in March when its scheduled show at Oberlin College was cancelled by the promoter for the offensive nature of its name. This was spun into good publicity for the group, whose self-titled debut, a gloomy yet sparkling low-fi affair, shot back up into the charts. Go to hear an insane live version of the 11-minute behemoth “Death,” as well as songs from the more uptempo Cassette EP.
Palma Violets (5/9)
Pulling a complete 180 – no pun intended – Palma Violets resided in the British countryside while recording new record Danger in the Club, a more mature album about what it means to be British in America. Now trying to market the group in America, the band played multiple sets at SXSW and is booked to do a festival run around the US this summer. See what all the hype is about on Saturday, May 9.
The Mowgli’s (5/10)
Named after the character in Kipling’s The Jungle Book, all seven (seven!) members of The Mowgli’s exude the youthful exuberance of the group’s namesake. The music pops and rocks in all the right places, with repetitive soaring hooks and shouted harmonies. The band is possibly the most mainstream sounding act to play Shaky Knees, so expect them to leave an impression on the Top 40 airwaves soon.
SXSW 2015 with Fictionist
It’s no secret the music industry can be a fire-breathing beast; if you’re not careful, you could get burned. Fictionist of Provo, Utah is doing their best to make sure that doesn’t happen. After getting dropped from Atlantic Records last year, the band that consists of Stuart Maxfield (lead vocals, guitar) Robbie Connolly (lead vocals, bass), Brandon Kitterman (guitar, bass), and Aaron Anderson (drums) decided to release the self-titled album Fictionist. We caught up with them at SXSW 2015 for an impromptu interview about their journey and starting from scratch.
In 2010, Fictionist embarked on a journey that most musicians dream of by competing in Rolling Stone Magazines Do You Want To Be a Rock & Roll Star? contest and then soon after signing with Atlantic Records. But despite having all the ingredients to make an amazing record – including Grammy award winning producer Ron Aneillo, the historic Hollywood recording studio Sunset Sound Recorders, and even having one of Elvis’ guitars at their disposal – the boys of Fictionist chose not to release the album they recorded under Atlantic.
Stuart Maxfield explained, “It represents the challenging part of our lives, the timing wasn’t great for us. We made a record that neither Atlantic nor us loved, and it just really didn’t make sense to go forward at that point. It’s an album that the world will never hear. It’s a lot of work; it took a lot of time. It’s a bummer, but it’s okay, we’re glad, because it wasn’t the right record to release. Everything has to be right.”
Having been a band for six years but devoting a good chunk of that time recording and playing songs they weren’t passionate about, Fictionist is making the most of their independence. “The silver lining was that, after we got dropped, we were able to artistically do what we wanted to do, which was huge and good for the camaraderie of the band. That’s the breath of fresh air that created the Fictionist self-titled record,” Maxfield said.
On top of creating an independent record and touring with other Provo bands like Imagine Dragons and Neon Trees, the band has also shifted some of the lead vocals from Maxfield to Robbie Connolly, who coincidentally is Maxfield’s brother in-law. Connolly said, “We met at high school in Salt Lake City. I joined this project as a guitarist, but I kept writing songs and singing, so we got to a certain point where we were using some of those. At first, it was an experiment, but it worked out.”
Thrilled to be at South by Southwest for the first time in four years, Fictionist has been traveling non-stop since the album dropped last October. Aaron Anderson said, “We’ve been touring with Mates of State. Ever since the album came out, we’ve been to a lot of the bigger cities. We’re in the process of lining up some opening slots for the summer, but we can’t mention those yet!”
Fictionist has recently announced an east coast tour in August with COIN and Neon Trees (dates below).
Jun 18 Front Conference Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 25 Utah Arts Festival Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 27 Daybreak Music Festival South Jordan, UT
Jul 09 Revolution w/ Neon Trees, COIN Fort Lauderdale, FL
Jul 10 The Beacham w/ Neon Trees, COIN Orlando, FL
Jul 11 State Theater w/ Neon Trees, COIN St Petersburg, FL
Jul 13 Center Stage w/ Neon Trees, COIN Atlanta, GA
Jul 14 The Cannery Ballroom w/ Neon Trees Nashville, TN
Jul 16 Newport Music Hall w/ Neon Trees, COIN Columbus, OH
Jul 17 House of Blues w/ Neon Trees, COIN Cleveland, OH
Jul 18 Rams Head Live w/ Neon Trees, COIN Baltimore, MD
Jul 20 9:30 Club w/ Neon Trees, COIN Washington, DC
Jul 21 The TLA w/ Neon Trees, COIN Philadelphia, PA
Jul 22 Irving Plaza w/ Neon Trees, COIN New York, NY
Jul 25 College Street Music Hall w/ Neon Trees, COIN New Haven, CT
Jul 26 Paradise Rock Club w/ Neon Trees, COIN Boston, MA
What To Buy For Record Store Day 2015
Record Store Day 2015, an annual event held on the third Saturday of April, is fast approaching. The holiday has grown each year since its 2007 inception, and some horrible folks are even starting things early by gouging prices on eBay. But do not lose heart, Young Waxhopper: this is a day meant to celebrate independent record stores, so to squash the scalpers, all you have to do is wait until April 18, then just show up.
Though the problematic aspects and downsides of Record Store Day – as well as the vinyl comeback at large – have been well-documented, it’s still fun for fans of analog (fanalogs?) to come together on common ground and jockey for position to snag the coolest ‘sclusie. Maybe that’s just my competitive streak talking, though. The full list of exclusive RSD releases can be found at the event’s website, but we have lovingly compiled some highlights you should be sure to obtain.
As always, don’t forget about the $1 used bins, the vanishing compact disc, or cassette tapes, apparently. You can also just use the day as an excuse to catch up your non-exclusive collection, which is a more impactful contribution to your brick and mortar’s bottom line.
Father John Misty
Father John Misty‘s latest record I Love You, Honeybear is a meta ode to his wife and soulmate, so his contribution is a fittingly heart-shaped red 7″ acoustic version of the album’s titular track.
St. Paul and the Broken Bones
Speaking of funkily shaped slabs of melodies, St. Paul and the Broken Bones are putting out a 12″ single of covers recorded live at the Alabama Theatre… and shaped like Alabama. It remains to be seen if either of these will play on the average turntable, but it would be really embarrassing for all involved parties if they didn’t.
The Pizza Underground
For some wonderful reason, The Pizza Underground is still definitely a thing, and have recorded classics like “Pizza Gal”, “I’m Waiting For Delivery Man”, and “Take A Bite of The Wild Slice” to vinyl for the first time.
RPM Turntable Baseball
Following in the footsteps of last year’s RPM football, this year we’ll get RPM Turntable Baseball. It’s a two player game which probably gets old real fast, but still, it’s vinyl baseball!!!!!
Lullaby Renditions of the Grateful Dead
As you may have caught on, this writer’s favorite part of RSD is the Camus-esque absurdity of it all. So next up is Lullaby Renditions of the Grateful Dead, whose cover features a baby version of the band’s distinguished cartoon bear. Aww!
The White Stripes
But there’s real music stuff happening too. 2013 RSD ambassador Jack White has offered up The White Stripes‘ Get Behind Me Satan for its first commercial vinyl release EVER. Jack White/Third Man Records obsessives rejoiced at this announcement, because until now it’s only been sold for $500 at the label’s Nashville storefront.
The Zombies
Emblematic 60s poppers The Zombies are still touring regularly, and now we’re being treated to their never-before-released follow up to Odessey And Oracle. This may be their Pinkerton, so prepare yourselves.
Midlake
Midlake are releasing live recordings from a hometown show in Denton, TX., and you should buy it because Midlake are great, and you don’t need much justification beyond that. (Although it also comes with DVD concert footage.)
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes recently released “Love Love Love Love Love”, their first new music in 17 years; now it’ll be available on vinyl along with three other new & definitely not self-deprecating songs: “Happy New Year Next Year”, “Good At/For Nothing”, and “Fast Horses”.
Ryan Adams
It’s hard to keep an unreleased Ryan Adams track down, and even though his fans must be exhausted buying all this music, it’s hard for the dude to make bad music. The 12″ features an alt take of “Come Pick Me Up” and “When The Rope Gets Tight” from an upcoming deluxe reissue of Heartbreaker.
And now a word from Record Store Day 2015 Ambassador Dave Grohl:
Artist to Watch: Allie X
When was the first time you felt X? If you’re wondering exactly what X is, we don’t know either. Allie X is the latest iteration in the career of Toronto born pop artist Alexandra Hughes.
After studying voice and piano at the Interlochen Arts Academy in the early 2000s, she released her first known album Ladies and Gentleman in 2006. Three years later, she appeared on the Canadian version of the BBC show “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?” and began to receive widespread recognition throughout her home country. Then in 2010, she released a self-titled EP that showcased her foray into the world of pop music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQmDD6tYNXQ
Reborn again as ALX in 2012, Hughes dropped a macabre synth-laden paean to a dead lover in “I Will Love You More.” From there she left Canada to ink a publishing deal out in Los Angeles and work with producers Billboard and Cirkut. Everything was set into motion rather quickly once Katy Perry tweeted a link to her 50+ million followers labeling X’s self-produced “Catch” as her spring jam.
Nearly a year after the initial release of “Catch,” Hughes is readying her debut EP Collxtion I for release on April 7.
But what is X?
X is the world in which the shadowy singer resides. Enigmatic and often cryptic posts have popped up at random intervals throughout the entire campaign to help fans deconstruct the artifice of the artist, one of which culminated in the release of a snippet of “Tumor” taken from the EP. The entire concept of the project revolves around collecting images, notes and GIFs that the artist releases through various channels to decipher X. The high-brow leanings of this project echo the conceptual of Lady Gaga’s Fame campaign, but with far less transparency to who X is as a person.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO8bNPOHqxs
As an artist, X takes roots in human psychology. The jarring, almost seizure inducing video for “Catch” heavily employs Jung’s psychological theory of the shadow self and anima as well as genderless human bodies. The importance of this video to Hughes’ career makes far more sense once her musical background is explained. For the first time throughout the campaign, she removes her sunglasses and shows her eyes. The encapsulated butterfly escaping from her mouth at the tail end of the video is a metaphor for the reinvention and continuance of her career.
While Allie X is possibly Allie Hughes’ most successful project this far, this mysterious artist could very well change her stage name once again after X is completely revealed and release another album in the future. But for now, fall into the crystalline world of X and don’t look back.
SXSW 2015 Tour Diary: North of Nine
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LA-based quintet North of Nine just released their debut (Randy Jackson-produced) EP Alive last month to rave reviews. The band is made up of of 19-year-old singer/songwriter/frontman/keyboardist Jackson Guthy, as well as drummer Rob Ketchum, guitarist Michael O’Grady, bassist Edison Lo, and keyboardist Nolan Frank.
With their South by Southwest debut this year, we asked North of Nine to document their week in Austin in a tour diary so that we could share their first-time experience with all of you. Check out their diary below (after you take a look at their newest video for “Can It Be You?” right here).
[/tps_header]Walking Around Austin
Rob leading us around Austin – was such a blast, so much good food and music.
10 Songs by Up and Coming Artists You Should Know
Allie X – “Catch”
After being touted by Katy Perry as her “spring jam” this time last year, Allie X finally released a choppy yet stunning video for her earworm of a future pop hit ahead of her debut EP out this Spring.
Ghost Beach – “Everytime We Touch”
Ghost Beach opened for bands like Imagine Dragons and Vampire Weekend long before releasing its debut album Blonde last March. The album is a gritty combination of tropical music and alternative pop that ends up sounding reminiscent of Talking Heads.
Kat Dahlia – “Crazy”
Born Katrinia Huguet, this Cuban-American singer’s recently released debut album My Garden contains lyrically sharp tracks coupled with her fraught vocals that cover emotional ground such as toxic relationships, abuse and drug addiction.
Neon Hitch – “Sparks”
https://soundcloud.com/neonhitch/sparks
As someone who’s been following Neon since her signing to Warner Bros. Records in 2010, the termination of her contract last year certainly came as a surprise. Instead of staying down, she sought the help from her fans to release her album Eleutheromaniac the way she wanted. “Sparks” is merely a taste of what’s to come.
Only Real – “Yesterdays”
Hailing from West London, Only Real née Niall Galvin spent much of his 2014 recording his upcoming debut Jerk at the End of the Line in Atlanta. If the sun drenched rock of “Yesterdays” is any indication of what’s to come, get ready to hear tracks off this album all summer long.
Panama Wedding – “All Of the People”
Originally begun as a bedroom project, Panama Wedding gained critical attention with the release of “All Of the People,” with its cascading synths and ultra chilled vocals. Perhaps the group will ride the hype train all the way to an album release this year.
Ryn Weaver – “OctaHate”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTVZdW8pTEM
WARNING: You won’t be able to get this song out of your head. Now that that’s out of the way, Ryn Weaver’s debut single “OctaHate” was produced by Benny Blanco and Cashmere Cat as well as having Charli XCX listed as a co-writer. Weaver’s unique vocals truly shine in a monster of a pounding chorus.
The Veronicas – “If You Love Someone”
Okay, so The Veronicas might not be a technically new band, but their new self titled album is due to be released in February. The duo seems poised to fill the void in pop radio with their highly sarcastic lyrics and catchy singles (see “Cruel”).
Years & Years – “King”
https://soundcloud.com/yearsandyears/king
The winners of BBC’s Sound of 2015 poll, Years & Years have been perfecting their sound for a large part of the last three years. Enter “King,” a jumping synth heavy track about someone being manipulative with a soaring chorus guaranteed to root itself in your brain.
Zak Abel
If 2014 was the year of the British male crooner with radio eating up the likes of Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, 2015 will be the year that such voices will be mixed with more…interesting production. Abel might be young, but his voice is heavenly against a sleekly re-imagined UK garage sound.