Category: Reviews

Review: Drew Beskin – ‘Cha-Ching Machine’

Posted on by Lexi Kelson

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Drew Beskin has worn many hats. He’s been the frontman for the bands The District Attorneys, Party Dolls and PURSES, which have spanned Atlanta and Athens venues such as Smith’s Olde Bar and the Caledonia Lounge. He’s also been serving as the manager of the Georgia Theatre in Athens for the past few years. These days, however, he’s been working on a solo, self-titled project: an album entitled Cha-Ching Machine, out today.

Beskin teamed up with Chase Park Transduction (the Athens studio that’s been instrumental in bands like Drive-By-Truckers and Deerhunter) and is self-releasing the record on his own label, Laser Brains, with the help of This Is American Music. The 29-year-old recruited his fellow Athens creatives to make the album feel like one big jam session.

In February, he premiered the album’s first single, “Love Trauma,” with Pure Volume. Even though he considers the song to be “a silly song,” he admitted that it’s actually the one that “kind of brought the project together.” It was written in a mere five minutes the day before he went into the studio proving that sometimes the songs that simply happen end up being the best ones. It’s definitely a good introduction song for a new fan since it sets the tone nicely.

Last week, he premiered the second single, “Hair Metal,” with Paste Magazine where he described the song as accidentally becoming the “intense emotional climax of the album.” After taking a listen, I couldn’t help but be drawn into the complex (but well-balanced) sound the song emits.

Each song on Cha-Ching Machine is carefully constructed with melodies that are unique but still catchy enough to get stuck in your head. Stylistically, you can hear the ‘80s rock influence on the guitars and drums, making it a throwback album without losing its relevance.

When it comes to musical influences, the artist notes Elvis Costello, The Cure, The Smiths, Roy Orbison, Pavement, T. Rex, Beck (the Sea Change era) and Marshall Crenshaw.

The opening song, “Smile In Denial,” is an energetic track that pleas with listeners to “get up and lose control.”  From the kickoff, it’s clear we’re in for a good time over the next 10 tracks.

“I Don’t Know What To Do”–one of the deeper cuts on the record–starts off with a percussive piece that sets the groove for the next five minutes. On the heels of belting out the honest title lyric about confusion, Beskin pulls out his falsetto. It’s airy, beautiful and contrasts nicely with the rough-around-the-edges rock feel of the rest of the album.

Beskin’s token love song, “Eyes At Me,” is as sweet as it gets and passed my belting-in-the-car test beautifully.  Well done.

The album closes with “Save Your Thoughts,” making its entrance with a smooth synth and bringing in some vibey jazz elements as it builds.  An excellent closer.

Cha-Ching Machine is available now.  Have a listen, and then—if you’re an Athenian—head over to the Caledonia Lounge tomorrow, where Beskin will be playing an album release show, along with opening bands Chief Scout, Neighbor Lady and Blanko.

8/10

Falling in Love with Wildwood Revival

Posted on by Jacklyn Citero

 

 

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Down the winding Georgia backroads just 20 minutes outside of Athens stands Cloverleaf Farm. Upon arrival, manicured lawns and gardens that pop with vibrant colors radiating from heirloom flowers welcome you. Walking down the gravel driveway, our cowboy boots kicking up grey dust with every step, the late summer sun extends through the trees and shines down on the pristine white antebellum home. A focal point of the property, the structure stands out among the lush greenery of the farm with its impressive façade and slender, finely crafted cloverleaf columns.

Behind the house, sandwiched between an open courtyard and the beckoning meadows, attendees of Wildwood Revival gather in and around a ventilated barn structure. Twinkling white globe lights shine above as The Lone Bellow command the stage.

Welcome to Wildwood Revival.

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Once in awhile, a festival will completely capture your heart and make you fall in love with it; with every aspect of it. At Wildwood Revival, the attendees felt like family, the bands felt like friends, the food tasted like comfort, the drinks tasted like fun, and Cloverleaf Farm felt like home. Needless to say, we fell in love, hard.

Every detail, straight down to the hand painted signs, the hanging candlelit mason jars, the communal farm tables with flower centerpieces, the hay bails that provided seating…was handled with extreme care. The genuine Americana, southern country ambiance was organic and the energy was infectious.

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The three-day event kicked off on Friday and concluded on Sunday with a closing set from Houndmouth. The rest of the lineup for the entire weekend was impressive and boasted the likes of Gillian Welch, Hackensaw Boys, Legendary Shack Shakers, and many more. All artists played on the festival’s single stage, allowing for easy decision making when it came to the music. No competing sets is something we can get behind.

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The vendors and sponsors fit in with the esthetic of the event. Local and seasonal foods were served up from Athen’s own infamous Mama’s Boy and everyone’s favorite Hip Pops was on site dishing out refreshing ice pops on those hot festival days. Additionally, Cathead Vodka, Union Wine Co., and Athen’s Terrapin Beer Co., were all pouring quality crafted libations.

Small but mighty, young (only in it’s third year) but old souled, Wildwood Revival reminds you of all the reasons why music festivals were started in the first place. And as long as this quintessential event keeps taking place in our backyard year after year, we will gladly return to stomp our boots and kick up some Georgia dust all while drinking out of mason jar cups.

Enjoy some additional moments we captured from Wildwood Revival below!

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Rundown Recap: Shaky Knees 2016

Posted on by Chris Hunkele
Photo by Camren Skelton

It has long been known that spring officially begins in the South the weekend of The Masters tournament in Augusta. The ‘tradition unlike any other’ offers new beginnings with each dirt cheap pimento cheese sandwich and $3 domestic draught. However there’s a growing argument that spring doesn’t quite get rolling until Shaky Knees takes over whichever plot of Atlanta real estate its founders find suitable.

In four short years, this festival has risen to the top of the region’s music scene by offering up 3+ days of consistently solid lineups. Like most festivals, Shaky Knees offers full weekend passes, single day tickets and VIP treatment, but the biggest coup here is the late night sets at local clubs throughout the city. After each headliner finishes pouring it on at the Peachtree Stage, music spills over into some of Atlanta’s most happening spots including Terminal West, The Masquerade, Variety Playhouse, Center Stage, and The Earl. The late night sets allow further examination of a day’s new find or simply a chance for non festival-goers to see a huge act in an intimate setting. It’s the perfect ending to a sunny spring day.

Though in it’s fourth year, the festival has yet to find a permanent home and I can’t figure out why the festival keeps jumping around…Are the coordinators trying out every venue until they find one that sticks, or do they just keep getting kicked out for noise complaints? I know the Old Fourth Ward Park and Atlantic Station were too small, but I thought Central Park was a great host last year. The sports fields and parking lots provided plenty of room to spread out and shade trees were plentiful. This year’s installment was housed in Centennial Olympic Park and and on the lawn in front of the Georgia Dome. Atlanta’s Olympic memorial handled the large crowds well but didn’t provide much in the way of sun relief. Drinks were easy to get, restroom facilities were clean, and food options were great. I especially admired the incorporation of local restaurants into the various food courts. Food trucks were again front and center but one could also snag a BBQ sandwich from Fox Bros or a burger from the Grindhouse tent. Nice touch. I do wish festivals would take a page out of Augusta National’s book and stop charging $7 for a Dos Equis…but I digress.

Overall it was a well coordinated endeavor, aside from the pedestrian bridge over Marietta Street connecting the Peachtree, Ponce de Leon, and Buford Highway Stages to Boulevard and Piedmont in front of the Dome. At peak times the bridge became a log jam and forced 10-15 minute wait times to get to the other side of the park. Next time just pay whatever the city wants to shut down two blocks of traffic…

Now here’s a rundown of our favorite (and not so favorite) acts from this year’s fest:

The Front Bottoms

The hot afternoon sun didn’t stop the crowd from enthusiastically singing along to the catchy tunes of “Au Revoir (Adios)” and “The Beers.” With their earnest lyrics and witty banter in between each song, catching The Front Bottoms was like catching up with old friends over a few cold beers. – Camren Skelton

Craig Finn

Finn’s laid-back, confident style and thoughtful lyrics made for a performance that was more introspective than other acts of the weekend. Although taking in Finn as a solo act is different than hearing him with The Hold Steady, the performance is still just as captivating and intense. – Camren Skelton

Beach Slang

Although they were playing an early set, I was impressed at the large, engaged crowd these punky newcomers attracted. After taking requests from the crowd and making jokes throughout, Beach Slang put on an entertaining show that kept the crowd singing along until the very end. – Camren Skelton

Wolf Alice 

Heading over to the main stages, I was able to catch British alt rockers Wolf Alice, and they did not disappoint. As people made their way into the gates, they trickled into the area around the stage, just as enthralled in the band’s folk/grunge/electronic elements as I was. Despite the hot Atlanta sun, the band brought a big crowd and put on a performance that was a favorite of the weekend. – Camren Skelton

Barns Courtney

The acoustic set Courtney delivered made for a performance that was unlike any other I saw throughout the weekend. Although he was standing on stage alone with his guitar, he filled the stage with a big sound and proved that he earned his spot on our Artists to Watch list. – Camren Skelton

Hop Along

This freak-folk/grunge-pop outfit from Philadelphia absolutely blew me away. Emotive vocals, angsty lyrics, and intricate guitar licks fuel their heavy pop sound. I love how lead singer Frances Quinlan’s voice perambulates the spectrum of screech-scream to delicate whisper through each song. 

Catchy, painful, even epic at times. The soundtrack to your next breakup. – Chris Hunkele

Day Wave

If Weezer, Washed Out, and Real Estate were puréed in a blender, you’d end up with the smooth synth sounds of Day Wave.

Soundtrack to your next road trip. – Chris Hunkele

Baskery

Sirens, man…These Swedish sisters were everything of which Circe warned Odysseus. The self-proclaimed “banjo punks” commanded the stage with infectious, foot-stomping energy. It was impossible to look away as they flawlessly harmonized their way through the mid-afternoon Atlanta heat.

Your girlfriend’s favorite band, your new guilty pleasure. – Chris Hunkele

Silversun Pickups

Holy Crap! – who thought shoegaze could be so intense? The plan was to watch through “Lazy Eye” and head over to see Huey Lewis & the News, but an hour later I found myself trying to shake Brian and Nikki’s fuzzy guitar tones from my ears. I never expected a performance that good. – Chris Hunkele

The Decemberists

The unexpected dig of Silversun’s set made me late for The Decemberists, which honestly wasn’t a bad thing – ’twas damn near impossible to slide into melancholy after such an energetic performance. It was kind of a bummer as I was really looking forward to seeing the Portlanders for the first time, but my gut tells me they’re the kind of band that requires four walls to really lock you in. – Chris Hunkele

My Morning Jacket

I made my way over to the big stage (aka Peachtree) looking to get sucked into an epic Jim James performance, but all I saw were a lot of theatrics. I was hoping to hear something to make me fall in love with MMJ again, but the half a dozen or so songs I stuck around for only served as affirmation that my ears will never hear anything the way they first heard 2005’s Z. – Chris Hunkele

Murder By Death

The second night of Shaky wrapped up with a late night Murder By Death set that absolutely rocked. As tired as I was, it’s never hard to get in the mood to belt out “Lost River” or “I Came Around”. I Scooped up these tickets the day it was announced and am really glad I was able to power through to the 1am start time. – Chris Hunkele

Parquet Courts

These guys rip. Saw ’em at the 40 Watt last year and was curious to see how their sound would translate to the great outdoors. I definitely recommend seeing them in a club, but if all you have is a festival chance, get there early and try to move up front. – Chris Hunkele

Nothing

I was so looking forward to this I sat through their sound check. The heaviness of their new record was replicated on stage, but the vocals were…well…just bad honestly. Almost cringeworthy. Though they did do a pretty sick cover of Radiohead’s “Creep”. – Chris Hunkele

Deftones

Completely blown away by Chino and the boys.  Any heaviness or on point vocals I was hoping to get from Nothing, I received tenfold from Deftones. If this year’s Shaky Knees was an episode of Supermarket Sweep, their set would’ve been the Farmer John golden wrapped hams. – Chris Hunkele

Artist to Watch: Post Death Soundtrack

Posted on by Maria Lewczyk

The Unlearning Curve

 

Founded in 2007, Post Death Soundtrack is a music collective based out of Toronto, Canada. The group consists of Kenneth Buck, Steve Moore and Jon Ireson, and cites influences ranging from Bowie to Skinny Puppy. After the release of its debut album, Music as Weaponry, Post Death Soundtrack went on a brief three-year hiatus in which the group redefined the intention of their music, and ended up with something really cool.

Sounding more like a heavy experimental band from the ‘90s than a modern-age collective, Post Death Soundtrack explores depth and a variety of synthetic textures in their sophomore release, The Unlearning Curve. With swooning choruses and thick electric guitars swirling into a mash of music, The Unlearning Curve introduces a psychedelic, industrial landscape.

The true gems of this release are “You Can’t Go Back” and “Beauty Eyes I Adore,” tracks two and four, respectively. Something about the chanting on “Beauty Eyes” reminds me of Beatles-esque harmonies, and the sudden devolution into arpeggios of electric sound is a clever, robust touch.

Overall, The Unlearning Curve bites, chews and spits out the listener with walls of thick, jagged noise. The lyrics go into ideas of redemption, introspection and self-discovery which pair nicely to the heavy atmosphere of the album itself. My only complaint is the slight repetitiveness of the album, especially with tracks that have two minutes (or more) of the same lyric. That aside, The Unlearning Curve establishes Post Death Soundtrack as a true artist to look out for.

 

Album Review: Hospital Ships ‘The Past Is Not A Flood’

Posted on by Camren Skelton

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In his fourth album under the Hospital Ships moniker, Jordan Geiger takes listeners on a meditative journey that explores some heavy themes. The Past Is Not A Flood features production from John Congleton (St. Vincent, Modest Mouse, Chelsea Wolfe) and is a collab with Swans percussionist, Thor Harris.

Although it is only a six-song record, almost every track spans beyond the five-minute mark, giving you plenty of time to reflect on the nature of depression, anxiety, loneliness and obsession that each song explores so openly. Atmospheric keyboards, layered synths, and wispy, fragile vocals are the foundation of the album, and serve as a stark contrast to the mournful and confessional nature of the lyrics.

Despite the heavy themes, however, Geiger finds a way to string in little doses of optimism throughout. While most of the songs trudge along at a leisurely pace, the tempo picks up with the livelier beats of “All In Time.” Although the song ends in a chant of “we’re all going to die,” one can’t help but appreciate the reality that Geiger meditates on in his lyrics. The acoustic piano of “Little Flower” also stands out as a bright spot in the album. While the majority of the tracks are a blend of acoustic and electric sounds, “Little Flower” is the most stripped-down of them all, and is successful in accentuating the delicate nature of Geiger’s vocals. As the album comes to a close, the dense instrumental layers pick up once again, making for a robust and memorable finale.

The Past Is Not A Flood is the record you want to play on repeat on those rainy days spent in bed. While there are brighter moments, the underlying theme is that sadness is a part of life—a necessary part of everyone’s life—that you have to learn to face. Sometimes it feels good to hurt, sometimes it feels good to cry. And that is just the reality that Geiger explores in this record.