Category: Watch/Listen
Review: 6LACK: “Since I Have a Lover”
Hailing from East Atlanta, 6LACK (pronounced ‘Black’) has finally returned to music with the release of his third studio album Since I Have a Lover following a six year hiatus. The album boasts three features, including a surprising Wale feature. Previously, 6LACK has established common themes in his music like break-ups and being a rolling stone who does not want to settle down. Since I Have a Lover expands his palette to new themes such as growth and healthy relationships, hence the name. He hasn’t topped East Atlanta Love Letter with this latest release, but the lyricism and emotion on this album are standouts.
This album feels incredibly personal and it’s evident that he spent a lot of time working it. While listening, I can practically feel the emotions he conveys. 6LACK has been very open with fans about his personal growth and how he has been coping with change as he enters new eras in his life, like fatherhood. This album explores the possibility of settling down, which was not a common theme in his previous music. He also reflects on experiences from youth and childhood that make him reluctant to do so. In an interview with Zane Lowe, 6LACK speaks on the album and what it means to him. He goes into detail about the choices he made and what helped him recognize there was a need for change. “(I) was putting (myself) in the position to have to make Free 6LACK 2,” 6LACK says, reflecting on self-sabotaging and pushing away people who cared about him.
The album opens with the song “cold feet”, which is a term often used to describe apprehension or doubt, showing his reluctance to change. The song features an intro with a woman asking him to return to music. He addresses his absence by saying while his old projects were hot and made him feel alive he’s been waiting on something to set him on fire fulfilling those old passions.
In the second song, “Inwood Hill Park”, he starts to doubt his past life, but nevertheless appears hopeful. He contemplates marriage saying “I been thinkin’ about gettin’ on one knee, turn a solo to a feat”. He appears to have changed, realizing he loves the girl who has been there since the beginning. He echos this sentiment during the Apple Music interview, stating that if it had not been for his lover’s patience there may not be an album. He acknowledges his growth with a reference to his old album Free 6LACK: “remember when it was all black and white, colors startin’ to feel real vibrant”.
The next two songs (“Since I Have A Lover” and “playin house”) reference marriage again. This time, he dives deeper and discusses some things that could be holding him back and what it would take to sustain a marriage. On “playin house”, he uses great imagery to portray his unstable relationship with his lover, “spent all that time building a strong foundation, it’s like we need a renovation”. This demonstrates his growth as he acknowledges there is a need for change.
The first third of the album was lively and lyrically the strongest but after “chasing feeling” it’s harder to engage with the tracks. The mood shifts and it is not as captivating as earlier songs. The lyrics make it seem as if he is regressing back to old ways “You mine every day, don’t try to file no restraint”, he exclaims on “Decatur”. This is a huge emotional shift from someone who was just contemplating marriage and traumas a few songs ago.
But then, the last three songs come in and save the day, starting with “Stories In Motion”, which features eloquently written bars from Wale. Then, it’s fan-favorite “Testify”, which is accompanied by calming acoustic guitars and 6LACK’s beloved ultra melodic voice. The album wraps up nicely with “NRH” (which stands for night ride home). 6LACK reflects on past lovers, who cross his mind especially at night.
While it was not the heavy-hitting album I expected, lyrically it is one of my favorite albums of the year so far. He poured his emotions into it and shows a deep commitment to growth. I commend any artist that can expose that kind of vulnerability to the world.
2021.5 Staff Picks Playlist
Hey there Vinyl Mag subscribers, long time no talk. To reign in the 2021 VM revival, consider this the first half of 2021’s staff top picks. 2020 and 2021 have definitely been a whirlwind, might I call them… “unprecedented times” (okay, I’m sorry… I won’t say it again). However, that can’t stop the jams from jamming, speakers from blaring. We hope you enjoy our staff playlist!
Acemoma – “A Future”
Bobby Kid – “Blue”
THE BLOSSOM – “CLOVES”
Courting – “Grand National”
Dayglow – “Close to You”
Elori Saxl – “Memory of Blue”
Japanese Breakfast – “Be Sweet”
Matt Ox – “Infinity”
Shungudzo – “There’s only so much a soul can take”
Sorry – “Cigarette Packet”
Sorry – “Don’t Be Scared”
Taylor Swift – Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
(Editor’s Note: Yes, the whole thing. I’m not sorry.)
Track Premiere: Tyler Boone – “Jealousy”
Charleston singer-songwriter Tyler Boone and his band are driving home Boone’s departure from his previous pop-leaning sound with his new title track, “Jealousy,” the second single from his forthcoming EP. The single pulls no punches, packing harsh lyrics condemning a toxic, jealous relationship (not to mention a pretty killer guitar solo).
“This track was something I’ve been working on for quite awhile and after bringing it to the group in the studio for a live session, we finished writing it,” said Boone of the song. “We knew this was going to be one of our favorites.”
Recorded at Ocean Industries Studios in Charleston, SC and produced by Eric Rickert, “Jealousy” is out this Friday. The band will be releasing all five tracks as singles this summer and Jealousy will drop early this Fall. Stay tuned, and listen below to the premiere of “Jealousy.”
Writers – Tyler Boone, Eric Rickert, JR Spencer, George Baerreis
Engineer – Eric Rickert
Cover Art – Shannon Duke
Musicians:Drums, Percussion – Eric Rickert
Lead Vocals – Tyler Boone
Electric Guitars – Tyler Boone, JR Spencer
Keys – Ross Bogan
Bass – George Baerreis
Premiere + Track-by-Track: Reverie Rush – ‘Beginners EP’
Reverie Rush is the heart-wrenching bedroom pop solo project of Athens, GA-based multi-instrumentalist, Andy Barton. Written after moving from Athens to Atlanta and back again in the span of a year, Barton’s debut release, the Beginners EP, drops today (as in, right here, right now).
“I lived in the city for about a year or so to try and give Fake Flowers, the band I was playing in at the time, a shot,” said Barton of the EP. “It was a pretty rough period, with a break-up, a dead end job and the eventual (first) dissolution of Fake Flowers…at first, coming up with these songs was just a means to help process a lot of the sudden life changes I’d experienced, but it became clear pretty quickly that I had to put together a cohesive document of that period of my life, like my very being required it.”
The five-track EP was written by Barton and recorded with former Fake Flowers bandmates, Jake Chisenhall (Delorean Gray) and Freeman Leverett. Check out the premiere below, and scroll down for Barton’s track-by-track breakdown below!
“Taking On Water”
“Taking On Water” was actually the last track composed for the EP. The chord progression had been floating around since the early days of the project, but it wasn’t until we went to record that it received a full arrangement and really came together. From the get-go I knew the EP needed an instrumental intro, though. I had envisioned this sad, shoegaze-y score playing over an image of someone lost at sea, their little ship taking on water. Jake and Freeman really helped execute that with their additions to the arrangement, which we just kind of jammed out in just a few takes.
“Coming up for Air”
“Coming up for Air” channels, by far, the darkest themes and elements of the EP. It’s all about grief and guilt and letting your loved ones down. I felt like I’d reached an all-time low, and getting all these feelings out in song served as a much-needed moment of catharsis. Writing this song presented a moment of clarity, where I was able to completely acknowledge that I’d made some pretty big mistakes that put me in a dark place, but I could also just as easily work towards bettering myself, and by extension, bettering others — that I could come up for air.
“What Have We Become?”
“What Have We Become?” kind of came about after playing around with a lot of dreamy, jazzy major 7th chords that reminded me of Fake Flowers songs. I wanted a guitar-driven song on the EP, something really urgent to express how I felt after moving back to Athens and trying to start anew. I was really pleased with how we were able to incorporate all the different guitar tones I really like: there’s jangle, there’s fuzz, there’s some post-punk influence, there are some shoegaze elements.
“Out of Sight”
“Out of Sight” was probably the second to last song I wrote for the EP, and as such it definitely reflects a more serene, level-headed perspective, bordering bittersweet. The ballad of the record, I wanted to give it a kind of loungey/crooner vibe, especially in the chorus. Jake and Freeman were listening to a good bit of bossa nova at the time, so I think that rubbed off on me, here. Freeman’s Thundercat bass line in the outro is easily one of my favorite recordings on the EP; it was completely improvised and pulled off in just a few takes. He finished tracking it, and I just started busting out laughing; it was so good.
“Run Its Course”
“Run Its Course” is the song that’s the most special to me, as it was the first one I wrote for the project, and the first song that I really ever wrote to completion. Once I’d gotten the verses finished, I was acutely aware of how much of a caricatured sad guy I probably sounded like, so I wanted the chorus to acknowledge that and poke fun at my own mope in a tongue-in-cheek way. I didn’t really know how to end the song initially, but Jake was really instrumental in solidifying the arrangement for the outro. Writing and recording that vocal section with him was one of the most personally gratifying musical experiences I think I’ve ever had.
Playlist: Sasquatch! 2018
It’s time for the 17th annual Sasquatch! Music Festival, running this Memorial Day Weekend from May 25-27. The Pacific Northwest-based camping festival takes place at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington and boasts a truly incredible and diverse lineup from top to bottom.
This year marks a return to the festival’s original form, boasting a lineup rich with emerging indie artists as well as heroes of the genre such as Bon Iver, The National, David Byrne, and Modest Mouse. Other notable acts include Tyler, The Creator, Spoon, Anderson .Paak, Grizzly Bear, TV On The Radio, Vince Staples, Neko Case, Explosions In The Sky, Slowdive, Thundercat, Wolf Parade, Perfume Genius, Noname, Margo Price, Julien Baker, Whitney, PUP, Pond, Big Thief, Japanese Breakfast, (Sandy) Alex G, Phoebe Bridgers, Chastity Belt, White Reaper, Alex Lahey, Charly Bliss, The Weather Station, Mimicking Birds…honestly, if we listed everyone on the lineup that we were stoked about, we’d just end up listing the entire thing. And look. It’s right there in the image above.
This is genuinely one of the best lineups of the year (in, obviously, one of the most outrageously beautiful locations), and there really aren’t any misses. With that in mind, we made an epic Sasquatch 2018 playlist for you to bone up on these artists, old and new. So just sit back, shuffle play, and we’ll see you at the gorge.
Playlist by Bryan Toti.
Track Premiere: Michael Flynn – “Professional Network”
Oh man, how many notifications do I have right now? There’s at least 300 for Whats-App on my phone at any given time. I can’t imagine how many LinkedIn notifications songwriting folkster Michael Flynn (formerly of Slow Runner) must have gotten to inspire this song:
“I wrote this song from beneath a giant pile of LinkedIn invitations. They seem to be generated by robots, and there’s something almost desperate about them—maybe that’s why deleting them without even opening the email is so satisfying? Maybe I was just disillusioned with how the world works and how hollow we all are, and I blew an afternoon trying to write a song about it?”
No matter what his particularly mixed feelings are about the ever increasing necessity of keeping up with social media, he can sure as hell produce something catchy from it. There’s an auto-tuned folk aesthetic to brand new track “Professional Network” that recalls Blood Bank-era Bon Iver, but with a lighter, more whimsical sentiment that fits right in with the subject matter. The achingly postmodern refrain, “I’d like to add you to my professional network” repeating in the background would normally drive me crazy, but Michael Flynn’s songwriting chops are powerful enough to elevate this song beyond millennial drivel. Granted, this man could probably sing the phone book, and I’d gladly listen.
Michael Flynn’s new album Pretend Like is out on May 1.
You can stream “Professional Network” below:
Meet The Next Generation of Athens, GA Music Scene
Boasting R.E.M., the B-52’s, and the Drive-By Truckers, it’s no secret that the Athens, GA music scene has a rich history. The Music Business Program housed within the University of Georgia—just steps from downtown Athens—is continuing this tradition, now raising much of the next generation of this local scene.
“We try to take people from a standpoint from ‘Who am I?’ to ‘Who I am,'” said David Barbe, director of the program and successful musician in his own right. Much of this development culminates in the final project of the program, a music business microcosm in which each student assumes a role in music business such as artist manager or publicist.
Many students choose to take on the role of artist, and thus are required to release music—with cover art—and promote the release. This year’s projects paint a hopeful picture for the already well-established Athens scene, with 17 new releases from local bands and artists.
“So far, I would think that it’s arguably the best ones we’ve ever had. There are more of them, they are more varied in style, and the quality of the real standouts is really a level up. It’s been the most musically diverse,” said Barbe. “We expect rock bands and we expect rappers, but we’ve got Annie Leeth‘s tripped out electric violin project, we have Eric Dowler‘s album of World War I era songs, and there’s satirical rap… It’s been all over the map, which is great.”
Some of these artists, just weeks after release, are already clocking over a thousand streams and seeing revenue from downloads—an impressive feat for what started as a class project. Check out the following up-and-coming artists from the Athens scene:
Conner Brooke Dryden has the vocal chops to fit in the current country music scene without having to succumb to the over-produced country pop plague that seems to be overtaking the genre. Her single “Something Beautiful” is straightforward in instrumentation and honestly doesn’t need much else—Dryden’s clean vocals are the star of the show, as they should be. Check out the single on all major streaming platforms.
Logan Brammer’s “November Night” is a nice, nostalgic track. It’s kind of calming and seems to have some Beatles influence thrown in there. I will say, this is the only track that totally got stuck in my head for like, hours after that first listen—the chorus is that catchy. Definitely didn’t mind. You can find “November Night” on bandcamp.
If you’re not the electronic-instrumental-meditation-music type, Annie Leeth’s new EP “Heard” might just convert you. It’s super ambient and vibe-y, but what really shines is that Leeth seems to seriously know what she’s doing with a violin—both technically skilled and able to get the instrument to make sounds that I’d guess many haven’t heard it make before. This isn’t run of the mill, classical studying music… it’s a whole new beast. You can find “Heard” on the major streaming platforms.
Property of Bolton have taken the classic rock band setup and done it well, with a darker sound that’s simultaneously groovy and gritty. The group’s EP, “Epicycles,” is so well done that it’s hard to believe this was done for a school project. The separate pieces of each track flow so cohesively that everything feels intentional—like the group has a solid grasp on what they’re going for and are not afraid to go for it. Check out “No Faith,” not just for the ripping lead guitar but also the line “I ain’t got no faith in the government” because, relatable. Check out the EP on bandcamp.
Josie Smith’s “June” is short and sweet. Her vocals are sweet, the premise is sweet—and it shines in this simplicity. The track is a good example of how music doesn’t have to be so heart-wrenching, so complicated to still be great. The release seems to be just a taste of what’s to come from Josie, and you can check it out on bandcamp.
Eric Dowler’s “When The Boys Come Home” is cool in that it’s hard to find anyone else, let alone a 20-something student, doing this right now. It’s clear that Dowler is dedicated to his craft as well as doing his historical subject justice. The album definitely gives an interesting insight into World War I, giving a musical perspective that one might not get from a casual education in the subject. You can find “When The Boys Come Home” on bandcamp.
Darsana’s latest indie-pop EP “Heartless,” is pretty chill, to put it simply. Definitely recommend checking out the opening track “Callouseer” and the title track “Heartless,” both of which seem like great easy-listening, on say, a lazy weekend afternoon or something along those lines. You can find “Heartless” on bandcamp.
Guest House’s latest release, “Sleep,” is intriguing. It’s not quite something to study to, because it definitely draws you in and makes you want to listen, but it would fit in well in a coffee shop setting. For some reason this felt super visual—like, listening to it actually triggered my brain to put together a full indie-movie montage. Some music just does that, I guess. Guest house makes you think, in a good way. Check it out on bandcamp.
There is a line between experimental in a cool, enjoyable-to-the-ear way and experimental just for the sake of being weird, and Sephine has found the balance. “Computerforest,” Sephine’s latest release, sounds like the kind of music your cool (but not snooty) indie acquaintance would casually throw on, spurring you to spend weeks trying to figure out how to ask who the band is without sounding lame and uncultured. The release is almost ethereal at times, until that funky sax kicks in or Anderson starts chanting. A personal favorite would be “Discothèque,” because the track is just kind of funky and definitely unexpected. You can find Sephine on bandcamp.
Rebekah Martin’s piano track “Tightrope” makes for great study music in that it has a nice melody that’s not too overpowering. There’s this near-constant buzzing, which seems intentional but regardless of if not, the juxtaposition between that and the piano totally works—the roughness of the buzzing keeps the piano from being too buttoned-up. Again, being just one single, this seems to be just a taste of what’s to come from Martin. You can find the track on her bandcamp.
Whether you’re a fan of “Xanax Culture” or seriously annoyed by it, you need Xanny P in your listening lineup. For satirical rap, it’s surprisingly well produced and the character that is “Xanny P” is hilarious (and cultured, apparently. Check out his ‘gram if you don’t believe me.) The guy is already packing out the Georgia Theatre rooftop and spreading like crazy via word of mouth. Plus, it’s #Dartyszn, ya’ll—never a better time to check him out on all major streaming platforms.
Punk rock fans, PNK is for you. I’d say he falls in more of an early Green Day vein than say, Blink, in a rip-roaring, high speed—and never slowing down—kind of way. His latest single, “Sitting on the Bathroom Floor” is gritty, high-energy, loud and a fun listen from the first note. (Also a fun fact—PNK’s Tyler Peters played a part in the production of quite a few of these releases. Three cheers for having multiple skills!) You can find PNK on all major streaming platforms.
Elrod’s self-titled EP has definite outlaw themes throughout, with an interesting mix of generally acoustic instrumentation and her almost-bluesy vocals. It’s cool in an imperfect, rock ‘n’ roll kind of way. All of the separate pieces are great, but there are definite shining points in her harmonies and the lead guitar. For some reason, I immediately thought of Cheyanne Kimball’s solo album while listening to this, but haven’t quite figured out why yet. Anyway, check Elrod’s self-titled, currently out on Soundcloud.
Friday Highway’s latest release “I Told You/Rearview” gives major early 2000s singer-songwriter throwback vibes… but at the same time, it’s also the teeny-tiniest bit reminiscent of popular Red Hot Chili Peppers hits. Anyway, it’s interesting, and definitely in a good way. I’d recommend checking out “Rearview,” as it’s well done and the bridge takes an unexpected twist that keeps you on your toes. You can find Friday Highway on most major streaming platforms.
Kaitlin Kimsey, Jake Mappes and Jesse Inglima
This trio released a killer studio series covering Elton John and Guns N’ Roses. Each of the three musicians involved are seriously talented, so it makes sense that putting them together would yield a couple of great tracks. Kimsey’s rocker belt pairs perfectly with Mappes’ keys, making me wish the group had a couple of originals to check out. You can find the studio series on Kimsey’s Youtube and Soundcloud, or check out all three musicians in local Athens band Fake Mister.
Alright, so Garet Skipper’s latest release “Lies!” does not sound like it was made by some college student for a school project. This is well done. The track almost falls in a dream-pop vein, but not in an over-hazy bad way. It’s upbeat, fun, and so perfect for summer nights. For fans of, say, LANY, this is a definite recommend—actually, this sounds on par with some of the music the aforementioned group was putting out when it first started successfully touring the country, so there’s that. It’s so… marketable. Check him out on all major streaming platforms.
Lapetz’s latest single, “Time Lines,” is super simple and straightforward in composition, but it works. The narrative he’s rapping is interesting, it flows well and the refrain is catchy—Lapetz doesn’t really need a bunch of bells and whistles to make the track interesting. In a landscape where over-produced, dolled-up tracks seem to reign supreme, this release is refreshing. To listen to the single, or his EP “Early Works,” find Lapetz on bandcamp.
Camp Cope: ‘How to Socialise and Make Friends’
Let me get one thing out of the way: Camp Cope are not fucking around. The moment singer/guitarist Georgia “Maq” McDonald lets loose the first lyrics of the How to Socialise and Make Friends, all bets are off that this is going to be an easy listen. Don’t get me wrong, the instrumentation on the album bears more than a passing resemblance to the relatively placid Galaxie 500, but Maq has a lot of shit to say and damnit, we owe it to ourselves to listen.
Dismantling the patriarchy is a full time job and Camp Cope need overtime pay for the amount of emotional labor put into this album. Laying her (and many other women’s, for that matter) frustrations bare about the overabundance of machismo in the music industry in the aptly titled song, “The Opener”, Maq lets out full-throated screams about the misogyny that is all too common in the music industry:
It’s another man telling us we can’t fill up the room
It’s another man telling us to book a smaller venue
‘Nah, hey, cmon girls we’re only thinking about you’
Well, see how far we’ve come not listening to you“Yeah, just get a female opener, that’ll fill the quota.”
And that’s just in the first song.
On an aesthetic level “The Opener” is a perfect crystallization of Camp Cope’s sound on How to Socialize. In a very punk move, the arrangement never strays from the bare bones guitar-bass-drums set-up because it never needs to. Maq’s voice and lyrics are the stars of the show here and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Her voice never falters even at the albums most tender moments, like the devastating, haunting acoustic closer “I’ve Got You”. The autobiographical tale of a relative’s or friend’s slow descent into death and her attempts to figure out hers and their place amid the cruel realities of the world is only made even more heartbreaking by her acknowledgement how much they’re a part of each other.
The sheer breadth and depth of the emotion conveyed on this record is astounding, reaching an intensity that I haven’t really felt since Blonde dropped. Yes, this might be devolving into gushing but if the rush of emotion I felt after I listened to this for the first time is any indication I’ll be listening to this album A LOT. I hope you will as well.
9.5/10
Video Premiere: Maitland – “Luna”
Philadelphia indie folk rock group Maitland follows up the June released of their debut full length Glimpse with the ethereal music video for track “Luna.”
“Although the song plays like a love song, ‘Luna’ has a bit of a deeper message, touching on the frailty of our environment and the world’s infatuation with endless consumption,” says the band of the video. “There are sort of three ‘mindsets’ that we were trying to convey through the video; one: vulnerability, suffocation, and the need to escape something, two: the dreamlike satisfaction of taking advantage of the world we live in, three: the search for something greater than the physical experience of life.”
Without the haunting yet beautiful imagery of video, the track itself expresses its message through artfully crafted poetic lyricism.
“Lyrically, the chorus is a mantra of sorts, chanting about a finite spring that everyone needs to drink from.,” says the band of the track. “Unless we only take what we need (and no more), we’ll run dry. As a few people search for a fleeting fulfillment, taking more than their share, others are left with the final drops. But there’s room for rebuilding, and it takes a village. These words also point at a holy spring. The source from which all life comes into being. This spring will never run dry and will always offer what is required in order to rebuild the individual, the community, and the world.”
Check out the premiere of “Luna” below.
For those in the Philly area on November 9, head over to Johnny Brenda‘s to catch the band live with Square Peg Round Hole and Abi Reimold.
Track Premiere: EL MAR – “Dreamcatcher”
Brooklyn singer-songwriter Joey Primero, under the moniker El Mar, is all set to release her debut full-length, Try To Forget, next Friday, August 11.
Self-defined as “mystic mermaid rock,” the album is a follow-up to her recently released The Road EP.
To give you a little taste of what Primero—along with a collective of musicians—has cooked up for us, we’ve got the exclusive premieres of “Dreamcatcher,” a track about lost love that shows off Primero’s vocal chops in a big way.
“‘Dreamcatcher’ was written on Cape Cod last summer,” said Primero of the track. “I wanted it to have a sense of urgency in order to capture that feeling of being frazzled or just unsettled in knowing things are coming to an end. And realizing that they were never meant to be.”
Frazzled or not, Primero has found her voice on this debut, and we’re already ready for more.
Be sure to catch El Mar at Rockwood Music Hall on August 26th—it’s a FREE show, so get your ass down there.