We handed a disposable camera to Canada’s iconic indie rock quartet Wolf Parade to document their Sasquatch Music Festival adventures at the magical Gorge Amphitheatre. Click through to check out the tour diary of bandmates Spencer Krug, Dan Boeckner, Arlen Thompson, and Dante DeCaro, plus a can of La Croix, the back of a van, and some backstage shenanigans.
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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
Psych rock six-piece Post Animal snagged a disposable camera from us to document their adventures at this year’s Shaky Knees Music Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. Check out their photos below.
[/tps_header]Low key in the shadows.
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” 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” 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?” 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” 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” 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.
We came, we saw, we roo’d. Over the Bonnaroo weekend we witnessed, listened, and tasted everything from the magical and amazing to the “could have been better,” to the just plain no. We’ve compiled a list of what we found to be some of the best and worst of Roo this year.
First up, our favorites…
Criticisms aside, Eminem’s Bonnaroo performance may just be one of the best produced performances we have ever seen in awhile. While his performance was nearly identical to that of previous dates – looking at you Boston Calling – we did walk in with no expectations. Slim Shady musically delivered above and beyond what any old school fan would have wanted. From the “My Name Is,” “The Real Slim Shady,” and “Without Me” throwbacks, to the accompanying orchestra, the stunning duets with Skylar Grey, and to the overall production detail, Eminem’s 2018 Bonnaroo performance is high on our list.
Her songs may date past the birth years of some Bonnaroovians, but her late afternoon performance proved that Sheryl Crow is still relevant and she’s still got it. The What Stage field was in sing-a-long mode for her entire set, even surprising Crow herself. How could it not be a little surprising when you have millennial males singing every lyric and holding up signs that say “Bros for Crow.”
Once upon a time The Norm got their way into Bonnaroo by parking cars. This year The Norm got into Bonnaroo by actually playing the fest. Step-brothers Bryan and Ryan were the Georgia winners of Miller Lite’s “Road to Roo.” In the local battle of the bands competition, The Norm were ultimately victorious and earned their spot on the stage of the New Music On Tap Lounge Brewed by Miller Lite in the middle of Centeroo.
David Shaw is a true showman. The energy he brings to every set radiates into the crowd. Even during a sunset set, a time at Roo where most are tired from the already long day and trying to prepare for the long night ahead, his stage presence was reviving. The Revivalists opened with “It Was a Sin” turning The Which stage field into a energizing sing-a-long. More fan favorites followed and Shaw’s complete ownership of that stage and crowd helped get us ampt for the rest of our night on The Farm.
All hail the real return of Kalliope. The gypsy wagon themed stage was the spot to keep the party going until sunrise every night of Roo. Special late night and sunrise sets came from Kaskade, Space Jesus, and our two favorites Shiba San and CloZee. If you want to lose track of time at Bonnaroo, Kalliope was the spot. After seeing some of the biggest names in the electronic world it didn’t take long to be immersed in their world until the birds began chirping and the sun began to rise.
Last year we were introduced to what quickly became our favorite Bonnaroo stage, The Other. While we didn’t find ourselves at The Other quite as much as last year, we did happen to catch some great sets there, including What So Not. What So Not is an electronic music project by Australian record producer Emoh Instead (Chris Emerson), and formerly a duo with record producer Flume. In a tweet shortly after his Roo performance, What So Not tweeted:
Playing bonnaroo is something we’ve been planning for almost 4yrs. Last night my time came & everything fell into place like magic. I couldn’t even see where the crowd ended & the hype & energy you all gave was unparalleled
We’ve talked about these doughnuts before, and we’re going to talk about them again. If you want to truly put something life changing into your mouth, you will go and find Peachey’s Baking Company (formerly the Amish Baking Co.), and you will buy one doughnut (actually you’ll buy more after the first one) and one pretzel. Then you will eat these fresh, hot, made on-site delicacies together to get your sweet and salty fix. Truly just a doughnut and pretzel couldn’t be as “life changing” as we hype them up to be…but they are. Trust us.
Now onto what could have been better…
Maybe Slander just wasn’t for us. Or maybe it’s just that they aren’t that good. I’m sure almost 482,000 Facebook fans would tell us otherwise, but when you first come out to a Linkin Park remix, add in some screaming into the mic about being from L.A. and that they came to “fucking party with us,” it’s that kind of set that just makes you say absolutely not, pick up your stuff, and move on to something more substantial. To the Slander fans out there, we tried with an open mind, but they’re all yours.
We’re torn on this one. The Superjam is a longstanding Bonnaroo and this year’s SuperJam was truly stacked with once-in-a-lifetime collaborative performance. Musical directors Patrick Hallahan of My Morning Jacket and Craig Pfunder of VHS or Beta lead the celebration of the music of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Sheryl Crow, Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Rayland Baxter and his father Bucky Baxter, all took the stage to bring life to some Petty classics. The set highlighted the greatest hits and manifested crowd sing-a-longs, but it was lackluster and the collaborations felt forced.
Dear Bonnaroo, bring back more porta potties. We don’t need to go into any details, as you can imagine. Just a request to make possibly the worst thing seen (and smelled) at Roo this year, better.
Contributions from Savannah Chachas
Self-proclaimed World’s Best American Band White Reaper took Sasquatch Music Festival by storm this year with their arena-worthy sound and stage presence. The Louisville, KY garage punk quartet—made up of Tony Esposito, Ryan Hater, Nick Wilkerson, Hunter Thompson, and Sam Wilkerson—borrowed a disposable camera from us to document their weekend at the George, WA-based fest. Check out their photo gallery below for lots of pics of incomparable views, random people they don’t know, and flying peanut butter pretzel bites.
[/tps_header]I think these are the people that gave us the camera. [Editor’s Note: Yes, yes they are.]
An eclectic combination of confidence, self-doubt, love, and lust ooze from “Lost Friends,” the debut album from Australian trio, Middle Kids. The vocals of singer/guitarist Hannah Joy radiate self-assurance, but the lyrics tell a story of uncertainty and woe. Combined with the powerful instrumentals of Tim Fitz and Harry Day, the fresh-faced band navigates rocky waters throughout 12 tracks, ultimately finding their footing and showing promise as a compelling force in indie rock.
The first two tracks radiate angst and frustration, with the opening track “Bought It” expressing immense, hopeless frustration. The words, “My friend, I need a little help / To fend the darkness at the end” serve as an introspective, foreshadowing nod to the tracks that follow. It marches on with an uptempo, catchy chorus reminiscent of an early aughts alt-pop sound. “Mistake” continues with a similar angst, exploding with sounds that somehow feel pleasantly nostalgic and strangely outdated all at the same time.The lyrics and composition seem like something that would have been written 10 years ago, yet Joy’s vocals thrust it into the contemporary. Despite the too-new-to-be-retro, too-old-to-be-cool feel it gives off upon first listen, it all still lands. The emboldened lyrics are refreshingly relatable, while the powerful, larger-than-life instrumentals are more than impressive coming from a band of three.
The fourth track, “Maryland,” serves as a refreshing break from the chaotic opening three tracks, and the band seems to be settling into their skin at this point in the album. As the tracks build, the album begins to find a new, more mature path that feels more self-assured than the upbeat, mystified jolts of energy found in the opening tracks. Lost Friends continues to build from here, with “On My Knees” expressing lost bewilderment that’s vague enough to be relatable, telling a heartfelt, compelling story of the ever-winding frictions of life and love.
Pieces of the album show great promise for the future of the band, although there are points where the trio’s maturity as a band falters. At parts, the lack of complex emotions exposes weaknesses in the lyrics. “Don’t Be Hiding” feels shallow and uniform in comparison to the labyrinth of emotions and sounds the band is so clearly capable of. But, while the listener is left wanting more off and on throughout the tracks, the complex scope of arrangements shows promise for the future of Middle Kids’ development.
The scatterbrained, diverse organization of the tracks in the album actually become a redeeming quality, conveying vulnerability, empathy, and accessibility. The title track is tear-jerking and exposing, showing a naked fearlessness that so many artists fall short of finding. Overall, the unwavering fortitude in the band’s musical tone, combined with the confessions of hopelessness and confusion found within the lyrics, establish Middle Kids as a force to be reckoned with for many albums to come.
Quiet whispers evaporated into the echoing chambers of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall as a couple hundred early attendees awaited an appearance from Philadelphia bedroom singer-songwriter, Alex Giannascoli (stage name (Sandy) Alex G). Initially gaining a core fan base from a sprawling DIY Bandcamp catalogue, Alex G’s official debut album DSU arrived in 2014 via Orchid Tapes. Following this release, Alex was signed by Domino Recording Company, who produced the fantastic 2015 follow-up Beach Music, as well as last year’s critical success, Rocket. Slated as tour opener for highly revered “touring band” Dr. Dog, Alex and his band were likely read as the underdog by a collective of bros and dads alike who were awaiting the inevitable arrival of Dr. Dog’s iconic Architecture in Helsinki cover.
This was a change of both scenery and scale for Giannascoli and co., whose last PDX appearance was at inner Eastside bar and venue, Holocene (326 Capacity), which is dwarfed in comparison to the Schnitz (2,776 cap.) In a comical and bewildering fashion, the band proudly marched their way onto stage to Tom Cochrane’s heartland rock ballad, “Life is a Highway.” “You guys like that song? I hate that song,” Alex teased while asserting the notion that they were there to pull the rug from underneath any stern or composed undertones of the formal concert hall.
Draped in deflated jeans and an assortment of half-buttoned patterned shirts, Giannascoli and his crew assembled themselves on stage in what resembled a triumphant talent show debut from a high school rock band (an image that doesn’t quite match with the complexity and maturity of his divergent sound). The band initiated the set with tranquil and reflective number “Remember,” the opening track of 2010 online contribution, Race. “Remember” unveils Alex’s longing for isolation, as he sang it live through gritted teeth with a stronger sense of urgency than is heard on the recording’s vocals. Without sparing a second between songs, the band jumped right into bouncy folk tune, “Proud,” followed by charming aural builder, “People.”
Thus far, the set seemed tailored to feature Alex’s more approachable material for show-goers who likely had not been exposed to his craft before this evening. Standing at the foot of the stage, Alex appeared routinely distracted by the traffic of patrons being led by staff to their appropriate section in the seated venue; frequently shifting his gaze to the far-too-bright flashlights illuminating all too frequently. Cruising at the same pace of previous tracks, the band rolled into a stripped rendition of laid-back surprise hit, “Bobby,” which was met with delight from the budding audience that had begun to permeate the concert hall. In a genuine and humbled gesture, Alex thanked the audience for cheering so much, still showing signs of wonder at the following he has accumulated. This tender moment was immediately followed with beautifully sarcastic one-liner: “alright, this next song is an original.” The boy knows balance.
Just as the audience had begun to feel settled by the comfortable folk-jams, the show abruptly pivoted, coming unhinged with distorted guitars and distant melodies; calling back to early inspirations from indie rock pioneers Built to Spill, Elliott Smith and Guided by Voices, respectfully. The band soared through heavy hitters “Serpent Is Lord,” “Bug,” and “Kicker;” each building atop the last in intensity. Dueling guitar bridges and bends were met with equally powerful percussion from a drum kit that appeared as if it had endured this sort of ritualistic beating on more than one occasion. Taking momentary solace, the band offered a taste of Alex’s masterful composition skills, utilizing the neglected keys on stage for Beach Music’s “Thorns,” where moody tonal shifts are met with upbeat scale climbs.
A prolonged absence in sound lingered as the band prepared for the next song. The uncomfortable silence was unexpectedly interrupted as Alex ferociously screamed, “Silence!” at full lung capacity, reminding us yet again to always remain on our toes in his presence. Offering no further context for the outburst, the band jumped into “Poison Root,” a complex track that had difficulty taking shape in a live setting, overcompensating for absent sounds in the wrong instruments, which ultimately drowned the song entirely. Bright burning stage lights illuminated the Schnitzer, revealing an almost packed house by this point in the show. The multi-instrumentalist then strutted to the keyboard as audible compliments of “sexiness” were shouted from the crowd, acknowledged by the singer who then went on to introduce his “sexy” band.
Latecomers and first-timers unfamiliar with the diverse soundscape of (Sandy) Alex G were subsequently exposed to radically experimental tracks “Brick” and “Horse” off of the 2017 album. The band didn’t hold back in the slightest in the building intensity—especially Alex, who cradled the keyboard and hovered over it, alternating from abrasive screams to menacing whines atop the chaotic swell of sound. In keeping with the tracklist of Rocket, the band smoothly transitioned into melodic pop number “Sportstar,” a successful antidote to the frantic environment they had previously worked so hard to build up. The band wrapped up their set with Rocket’s album closer “Guilty;” a peppy jazz ballad that allowed the band to spontaneously improvise, answering guitar licks with dancing keys, and vice versa.
The group seemingly appeared to have forgotten that the audience was even present as they laughed on stage with one another, while Alex nonsensically slapped at the keyboard, exemplifying that even amidst their rising fame, they’re still just a group of dorky jazz-band buds. Once the extended jam had concluded, Alex chugged the remainder of his drink and issued a simple “thanks” before exiting the stage to a deafening applause, ensuring that (Sandy) Alex G’s momentum is only just beginning.
The time between albums for Melody Prochet has been close to six years, and that span can be categorized by loss and rediscovery. In the initial recording of Melody’s Echo Chamber’s follow up to her acclaimed self-titled debut, Prochet abandoned the first attempt, describing it as a “dead baby”. Choosing to go it alone and end her work with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, Prochet dove head first into new, but familiar attempts at self-expression. She returned to her childhood conservatory to learn drums, and upon finishing, picked up several other instruments in attempt to connect with her innermost music psyche. Enlisting the aid of Sweden’s torchbearers of psyche rock, Frederik Swahn (The Amazing) and Reine Fiske (Dungen), Bon Voyage is a short and wild odyssey that explores the anima of Prochet, often with neglect to focus and time.
Bon Voyage‘s opener, “Cross My Heart”, is a quick plunge into psychedelic guitar work, backed by a marching beat, as if some sort of rowing cadence into the Bermuda Triangle. If you were excited at the prospect of a Melody’s Echo Chamber album backed by Dungen and The Amazing, this is the song you were hoping for. The song breaks down one third of the way in to an unexpected blend of scat singing, a hip hop beat, and flutes. The album takes its time in this odd juxtaposition; a theme for this record. While this does come together in a more traditional psych sound, it is abundantly clear that Prochet made this album to experiment with her influences and have fun.
If there is anything on Bon Voyage that resembles a comfort zone, it’s “Breathe In, Breathe Out”, a breathy, arousing track that lives in its looseness. However, even the familiar gives way to a tempo and key change, teeing up to a freefalling power chorus. Playful “oohs” and “ahs” keep the tone light, but the track ends abruptly after creating such a sprawling path.
Timing is an issue throughout much of this record. Prochet’s admiration of Stereolab and Broadcast are on display in the beginning “Desert Horse”, a post-punk track that envelops itself in the avant-garde. It’s an experiment with influences of Can and Neu!, splashing together dialogue breaks with vocoder looping, and while it all seems chaotic, it ends without exploring this influences in the room the track has created for itself. The track has space to move beyond admiration of other artists, and Prochet cuts a tempestuous ride short.
While some songs end before coming to fruition, there are others that take space and remain in it long past its delivery. “Quand Les Larmes D’un Ange Font Danser La Neige” is Prochet at her most lyrically vulnerable: “I found somewhere to hide / someone to held by / a safe place to cry.” The song itself is fairly simple: a blooming melody that restrains itself from some of the calamity of other tracks. While enjoyable, the track unnecessarily loops back around and revisits itself after a brief dialogue break, falling apart in small spirals reminiscent of The Amazing.
The album’s closer, “Shirim”, is also Bon Voyage’s oldest offering, released in 2014. It is Prochet at her most straight-forward, beginning with a heavy-handed drum beat and Radio Dept.-esque chiming of chords. Still playful, the track plays like the end of a long ride. While quite pronounced, “Shirim” is a hazy pop song that is a welcome respite from the disorientation from other parts of the record.
Bon Voyage is not necessarily for the same fans of the self-titled record, but it never tries to be. In telling stories from recording the album, Prochet recalls the friendships developed with Swahn and Fiske. It is music made from an affinity to new ways of expression and a devotion to personal discovery. Regarding “Desert Horse”, Prochet says, “It’s the most sculptural and mad I guess, with no real common format. It embodies my difficult life journey these last few years through my own personal desert of heartaches, thirst, mirages, moving sands, disillusionment and of becoming an adult woman in a mad world. It’s a little punk to me somehow.” This album may not have been made for anyone but her, and that is a statement to her journey of discovering artistry in the wake uncertainty. It may not always make sense. It may stop short where we want to hear more, and we may not follow it to everywhere chooses to go, but it is Prochet creating the path for herself. Finding focus on such a voyage will only bring back a stronger artist.
6.7 / 10.0
It’s that time of year again. The time when Bonnaroovians return to The Farm that many call home for 3 or 4 or even 5 nights of Bonnaroo magic.
Whether you’re split on the arguments that Bonnaroo died and lost all that magic years ago, or it will never be the same, or that the festival has become a giant experiential place to be seen…that’s neither here nor there. One thing we can agree on is that music remains at the heart of Bonnaroo.
While this leads to another bonnargument about recent lineups and the strength of these said lineups, we believe there are still many music discoveries to be made in those hot dusty fields in the middle of Manchester, TN.
Check out a few Bonnaroo 2019 artists that made it on our Watch List this year.
ALEX LAHEY
The 24-year-old Australian musician takes her rise up the ranks from music student to ‘an artist with one of the most highly anticipated debut albums of 2017. A founding member of avant poppers Animaux, multi-instrumentalist Lahey has now gone solo and pared down her sound, embracing a simple, home-spun story-telling style that’s often underlined by her second love, the fuzz pedal.
ARLIE
Arlie comes to The Farm from a little town right up the road from Manchester called Nashville. With a combo sound of one of those bedroom pop projects, mixed with retro-fetishist, Beatles-brainwashed, Pet Sounds devotees. Why should you go see Arlie on Thursday night? Because they’re down right good, that’s why.
BAZZI
Grasping smoked-out sensual R&B and widescreen pop sensibilities inside of an eighties-inspired high-fashion fever dream, Michigan-born and Los Angeles-based singer, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Bazzi wants to take you on a trip. His latest hit “Mine,” has quickly solidified him as one of 2018’s breakthrough artists. Over a sultry and simmering beat punctuated by the magical pluck of a heart and video game warbles, he croons intoxicating lines like, “You so fucking precious when you smile.” It’s a hard one to get out of your head.
BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
Broken Social Scene is a baroque indie rock act founded by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning and includes members of Metric, Do Make Say Think, Stars, as well as Grammy-nominated Feist. They are one of the most enduring and influential alternative rock groups to come out of the early-aughts Torontopia movement. The band’s debut You Forgot It In People largely defined the “indie rock” era and paved the way for Canadian acts like Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade to break out. Their most recent album ‘Hug Of Thunder’ was released in 2017 and features appearances by all original members including Leslie Feist, Emily Haines, Jimmy Shaw, and Amy Millan. Produced by legendary Grammy Award-winner Joe Chiccarelli (White Stripes, Spoon, The Strokes) and mixed by Grammy Award-winner Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, Lucius).
DREAMERS
L.A.-via-Brooklyn trio DREAMERS, maybe best known for their national radio hit, the electro-sprinkled pop gem “Sweet Disaster,” and their sound of grungy guitar fuzz bombs, snappy synth-pop grooves and irresistible pop hooks. Just in time for summer and their performance at Roo, DREAMERS released the new single “Screws,” a sensually charged track driven by pounding drumbeats and lyrics that perfectly channel the frenzy of the mental and physical unraveling of a relationship.
JAPANESE BREAKFAST
A solo moniker for Philadelphia musician Michelle Zauner, Japanese Breakfast began as a month-long, song-a-day writing challenge during a break from her indie rock band Little Big League. The result was 2013’s June, an intimate set of melodic, electric guitar-accompanied lo-fi tunes issued on cassette by Ranch Records. Three years later her album Psychopomp had bigger, synth-boosted sounds that bridged lo-fi and indie pop. The album dealt with the emotional fallout of her mother’s death.
MATT MAESON
There’s a rare directness to Matt’s music: he sings like the dead singer-songwriters, full of troubled and tensile grace. His sound is spare and rich and restless. Vines of guitar weave around his voice; half-remembered melodies drift overhead like ghosts. This is the Matt Maeson we now have after Matt Maeson was killed. But who killed Matt Maeson? Maybe the devil, who haunted his parents, two reformed teenage outlaws who played in religious heavy-metal bands and wouldn’t let him listen to rock on the radio. Or maybe it was the volatile spirit that brought Matt to prison the first three hundred times. He played shows with his mom and dad, proprietors of a prison ministry since he was young. The family lived on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, and worked wherever the faithful wouldn’t feel like they belonged. They drove south to Florida and west to Montana, rumbling through maximum-security lockups with fire and benediction, drums and guitars. Matt spent years on the road to prisons and biker rallies: he played songs about salvation in front of strippers and Hell’s Angels at Sturgis, one of the biggest motorcycle rallies in the world. If this description doesn’t make you the bit curious, then you don’t deserve Matt Maeson.
THE NORM
When step-brothers Bryan Rucker and Ryan Bars became family, they realized they had at least one thing in common – music. Born and raised in South Florida, the duo combine their urban roots of hip-hop, rock, and pop to formulate a sound they like to refer to as “hip-rock.” Drawing comparisons to Twenty One Pilots, Macklemore, and Fall Out Boy, the brothers of The Norm most certainly defy the musical “norm.” The dual frontman band currently resides in Athens, GA, (our favorite) where they won the 2017 Flagpole Music Awards Artist of the Year. The Norm has shared the stage with artists such as 311, Shakey Graves, The Revivalists, Moon Taxi, White Denim, Mayday, Arrested Development, and many more. The band most recently won The Road To Roo competition representing the state of Georgia and will be performing at The Bonnaroo Music Festival this Summer.
TASH SULTANA
We first caught this young, dynamic artist creating waves and generating massive street buzz at Hangout this year. Tash made a name for herself busking on the streets of Melbourne, selling out shows with no promo and having homemade videos go viral online getting tens of millions of views. Since having her hands wrapped around a guitar at the age of three, the self taught artist quickly developed her own unique style that has people lining up to see her perform. Her vocals shine with a magical quality, Tash has a natural gift for melody and her virtuosic playing of over 20 instruments is from another planet.
THUNDERCAT
As Thundercat, bassist/songwriter/vocalist Stephen Bruner takes his jazz roots and works with a mix of artists that suit his wildly experimental sensibilities – ranging from Flying Lotus, Erykah Badu, and Stanley Clarke, as well as more recent collaborations with Wiz Khalifa and Earl Sweatshirt, to name but a few. His music is known to straddles lines and push genres further, blurring the confines of pop, funk, electronica and prog rock, and creating something else entirely.