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.
A weekend at Suwannee Hulaween is something to be experienced. Over the past five years, Hulaween has morphed into a world class festival and one of the best Halloween parties around. The festival offers a wide-reaching and ever-evolving lineup year after year. Hulaween’s superb live/jam and electronic music will be the soundtrack to a fully immersive creative journey over three, or maybe four, days.
Many may not realize the concept for this spectacular Halloween extravaganza reaches far beyond the first Suwannee Hulaween that took place at Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in 2013. A history spanning nearly two decades of The String Cheese Incident’s legendary Halloween “Incidents” has helped create the magical masterpiece that Hulaween is today. Over the years as SCI’s popularity grew, so did their stage presence and so did the “Incidents.” Spectacle elements, various eye and mind psychedelia aspects, and audience participatory activities were added to these special and larger “Incidents,” such as Halloween — which became Hulaween due to the band’s early connection with the hooping movement. So it’s no wonder that new and veteran attendees will find themselves entranced by SCI as they play host to their flagship festival and play all three nights, including a unique Halloween themed covers set.
In addition to SCI’s magical enchantment over the festival and a stellar lineup — The Disco Biscuits, Greensky Bluegrass, and Lettuce, electronic giants like Bassnectar, GRiZ, RL Grime, Claude VonStroke, Beats Antique, FKJ, Shiba San, and Manic Focus, globally renowned headlining live acts like Ween, Run The Jewels, Portugal. The Man, Nick Murphy (Chet Faker), Nathaniel Rateliff, and many more — there are a few other elements of Hulaween that help make this beloved festival so unique and special.
SPIRIT OF SUWANNEE MUSIC PARK – The venue itself is naturally perfect for a Halloween festival. Set in the midst of 800-acres of Spanish moss-draped oak and cypress along the black Suwannee River, the grounds are an organic host to hauntingly beautiful memories and ghoulish shenanigans. You can undoubtedly feel the magic of this place.
SPIRIT LAKE – Spirit Lake is the artistic triumph of Hulaween’s fully immersive inventive playground. This focal point continues to define the multi-faceted Suwannee voyage. Psychedelic media arts, otherworldly lighting design, and bewitching projections will lure attendees deeper into the wooded lakeside oasis where they may encounter live performers and of course costumed fans embedded into this wildly collaborative passage. Swing on the tentacles of a jellyfish, get lost in a swamp ball pit, warm up near a mythical beast spitting fire, or daydream in a teepee. Whatever you choose, the adventure is yours in Spirit Lake.
HULAFAM – Hulaween doesn’t just have attendees. It has a community of like-minded individuals where new friends and old become family. Sometimes you attend a festival where you can feel how special the weekends and moments are, Hulaween is one of those festivals. Spirt of Suwannee is a place where you can abandon the worldly grind and summon your inner child to come out and play. Inhibitions, judgements, and preconceptions dissolve away with every smile and hug exchanged with strangers who will quickly becomes your new best friends.
The String Cheese Incident 10.30.15
THE STRING CHEESE INCIDENT’S HALLOWEEN THEMED SET – Year after year, The String Cheese Incident delights and excites attendees with their annual themed extravaganza. This year SCI will be playing to the theme Night of the Loving Dead on Saturday night for their highly anticipated set. In a world devilishly assaulted by ferocious natural disasters, crazed political discourse, and other sinister attacks, love is the only kryptonite that can stop these invaders in their tracks. SCI invites all to bust out their zombie garb, cupid outfits or whatever else suits attendees’ Halloween desires. Their only requirement is that you inject whatever you wear with a ghoulish portion of LOVE. In 2017, love is the answer, love wins.
In case you haven’t heard by now, Hulaween 2017 is officially sold out. In it’s fifth year, this year’s Hulaween will not disappoint. So while all you ghouls prepare for next weekend’s festivities, we’ve created a soundtrack for your packing and costume making. See you in the swamp!
Oakland-based singer-songwriter/guitarist Madeline Kenney is a master of several trades. The accomplished musician is impossible to confine to one modifier. In addition to her budding music career, she is also a baker and a visual artist, holds a degree in neuroscience, and is currently furthering her education in sound engineering. To top it off, Kenney has just dropped her debut full-length album, Night Night At the First Landing.
I hopped on the phone with Kenney to discuss her debut, the joy of learning, and sexism in the music industry. We also dove pretty deep into a discussion of a shared love for obscure British comedy shows, most of which I’ve spared you from, dear reader. Check out our interview below, and be sure to grab a listen to . Night Night while you’re at it.
VM: You were born in Seattle…I’m wondering how that shaped you? [This is paraphrased, because this question was asked in a very rambling, roundabout way that would not be interesting or efficient to read]
MK: I’m from east of Seattle. I always locate it with—if you’ve seen Twin Peaks, then you know the falls in Twin Peaks—my house is a 10-15 minute drive from the falls. So very woodsy, beautiful, quiet, dark and rainy area…Seattle is famous for having amazing but depressing music come out of it, because it’s really sad inside, and it’s grey all year round…when it’s grey outside it’s easier for me to write, because I grew up in the grey. And living in Oakland—it’s not that often—but when it is kinda cooler and darker and greyer I’m like, “Ooo yay!” I feel cozy, and I feel good. and I want to be inside and writing music. And yeah, when I go back to visit home there’s, an odd bittersweetness to all of it, because it’s this place you grew up in and loved so much, but it’s so different, and it’s really conflicting feeling. I’m sure that has also seeped into my songs, but somehow it’s hard for me to look back and be like, “yeah, this inspired this lyric.” To me, it feels like a little bit stream-of-consciousness-y, and then I go back and I’m like, “oh, maybe that is about where I grew up.”
VM: So Oakland—you moved there for baking, right?
MK: Yeah, I moved to the Bay Area to work at a specific bakery in San Francisco.
VM: How did you go from thinking you were going to be in neuroscience to then baking to then music?
MK: I was baking since I was 16. It was my first job, and I just kind of moved around to different bakeries. All through college I worked at bakeries, and I was really obsessed with it, and I thought I was going to open a bakery, but I continued to study neuroscience, not because I thought I was going to be a neuroscientist. It was just very interesting to me. It was the most interesting thing I’d ever learned, so I just kept wanting to learn more about it. I graduated and continued to bake, and as far as when music came in, I’ve played music since I was in kindergarten. It’s always been a part of my life. It just started to be when I started to get better shows—and more shows, at least—that it was really incompatible with a baking shift. To stay up really late and then get up a couple hours later and bake was not ideal. Although on paper the timeline looks very, “oh I did this, then I decided to do this,” it all kind of flowed together. I’ve always been interested in multiple things.
VM: I do think that’s kind of cool though, because–I mean obviously in this industry, but even in life–everybody sort of projects a brand onto you, you know? So you’re a musician or a writer or whatever, and it’s cool that you’re able to pursue multiple interests and keep them active at the same time…I completely assumed that, because you studied neuroscience, that you had these goals to be a neuroscientist. But of course, sometimes people just want to learn for the sake of learning.
MK: Yeah, I mean, I’m really glad I found that. I think it’s definitely shaped the way that I look at the world and humans and everything, but I don’t know. I feel like people don’t really tell you when you’re younger like in high school that you can study something just for the joy of learning and then work in a trade. That’s kind of seen as a lesser-than thing to do or whatever, and I was very anti that idea…at the same time, I kind of wish that someone would’ve told me that it was okay to study art in school. My parents definitely support me now, but I feel like nobody told me I could do that, and now my whole band–my live band–have degrees in jazz, and part of me is really jealous. I wish I got to study jazz! I didn’t know or take the time to know.
VM: I don’t think there’s ever a cap to learning everything you want to learn. What about neuroscience though? What attracted you to it? And you’ve said it’s formed the way you see people?
MK: I remember my neuroscience teacher on the first day saying, “you are your brain, and your brain is you.” You can be—although you are a complex, beautiful wonderful human being—you can also be reduced to these very physical things, these cells…to me that was mind-blowing and comforting at the same time. Some people were like, “oh, I’m more than the sum of my parts. My essence, my being comes from somewhere else.” But I was like, HELL YEAH. You mean my whole personality could be explained by the way my brain is uniquely wired? I’m not crazy.” I would like to think that it made me a little more understanding and sympathetic towards people…Obviously I’m not the most patient—I’m not a saint—but to me it really resonated. The fact that other people had a problem with that made me more excited. Like this was the “bad kids” science.
VM: That’s pretty awesome. Because you do so much stuff, you bake you paint you knit and obviously music, so I’m just wondering when you want to completely turn off and do nothing, what do you do? Or maybe you don’t ever have those times?
MK: You know, I’ve been trying to do that more although I will say that when I’m watching a movie or watching TV it’s usually…I just got a frame loom, so I’ve been weaving, it’s repetitive and it makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something but while I’m relaxing–I just have problems I guess. But when I do want to chill out I watch a lot of British comedy. A lot. It’s my favorite form of television. British comedy or British crime-drama. Those are my two favorite go-to’s…I just got this old tape recorder, and it’s a tape player and recorder and vinyl player–except the record player doesn’t work. I’ve figured out a way to hook my computer up to it so I can make mixtapes straight to tape, and so I’ve been doing sound collage mixtapes, and that, to me, is relaxing.
VM: That’s super awesome.
MK: What were you going to ask about? I would love to talk to you about British TV.
VM: Oh no, I was just wondering what comedies you like!
MK: I’d say my favorite–well maybe I can’t say my favorite–but I’ll give you a list. I love That Mitchell and Webb Look, they’re the guys that did Peep Show, which is great sketch comedy. I love this show called Snuff Box which has the American guy from The Mighty Boosh and another guy that’s in a bunch of weird British comedy stuff. The show Snuff Box is probably the strangest.
VM: Wait, that has Matt Berry in it, right?
MK: Yes! You know it? I love it! But it’s so dark and weird, and you have no idea what’s going on, and I love it so much. I also love a bit of Fry and Laurie, the late ’80s show with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry. Stephen Fry is like my idol. Somebody recently in an interview asked if I could have anybody remix one of my songs, and I said Stephen Fry. Wouldn’t it be great? I also–okay, this is one of my nerdy guilty pleasures right now—a show called Father Brown. It’s a British crime-drama, but it’s about a priest who solves murders. It’s great. And so silly. It’s serious, but it’s also a pretty silly murder, so it’s silly.
VM: I tend to go Poirot for crime drama…do you watch The IT Crowd?
MK: I love that show! I was just watching it the other day! I love Matt Berry.
[This went on for too long to transcribe. Thank you, Madeline, for all of the great recommendations that I’ve since blown through.]
VM: Yeah, I could just go on all day…to talk about your album, how did the Chaz Bear [Toro y Moi] collaboration happen?
MK: It happened really randomly. Anthony Ferraro is the keys player in Toro’s live band. And his project is called Astronauts, Etc. My boyfriend plays guitar in Astronauts, so that’s how I met Anthony. And then, when I started playing with a backing band, I asked Anthony to play keys for me and sing backup stuff. And he did that for a little while…while we were still playing live performances together, Chaz came to one of our shows, because he is Anthony’s friend. I didn’t really know Chaz’s music before I met him, because I’m square, but he came up to me after a show and said he really liked it and wanted to record an EP…later I figured out that he had a big following. I think we work really well together, because that relationship was so organic and random. I mean I love the guy, and I was not like a super fan before I met him, which helps me to say no to ideas, which I think is important in a producer-artist relationship. You have to take their advice, and I want to be able to use his expertise to form my sound, but I also want it to sound like me. You have to set boundaries.
VM: So you recorded and arranged—how do you step back when you’re that deeply involved? How do you see the forest for the trees?
MK: I found myself asking advice from a lot of friends, like the drummer, Aaron [Gold], who played on the record when I was starting to mix the tracks. I brought them over to listen so he could do all the drum sounds and tell me what he thought. Same with the bassist…I’m not the kind of person who can do everything from start to finish on my own. I mean, I can’t play drums for shit. I like to have that balance. I know I can do most everything in my music room, but there are some things that I just can’t do alone. I think it’s really important to know when to reach out to people. Some of my favorite musicians are also really good at collaborating and choosing the right people to work with that augment and amplify their art.
VM: Tell me about your production/engineering education
MK: I taught myself a lot of it while I was making this record and learning to use Ableton, and it’s almost kind of…I can mark off the things that I bought that made my art better. When I got a loop pedal, I could write better. When I got Ableton, I could record better. When I got my monitors, I could mix better. It takes a lot of time to have enough money to buy those expensive things. After the record was recorded, I started interning at Women’s Audio Mission, which is the only women built and run studio in the world…so I’ve been learning to do engineering in a studio on a console and everything…that has really helped me understand things.
VM: You told NPR that the song “Always” was sort of a temper tantrum about frustrations with music and certain people in art. Can you expand? What specifically are you seeing that is frustrating?
MK: I think that there are a lot of different frustrations. A lot of it was coming from experiencing so much sexism…why am I dealing with this again? Every single show, a dude telling me how to use my own gear, a dude telling me I’m too weak to carry my own amp, a dude telling me how to sing into my microphone…I’ve gotten this far. I don’t need your help. So that’s part of it. I feel like so much of the “Industry” is dependent on approval from people that haven’t necessarily earned my respect. Like what has such-and-such big name indie publication done to make me respect them? But I just hope and pray that they like what I make. That shouldn’t matter. I should be able to make what I make. If people like it, great, but if they don’t, it’s not going to stop me from making my art…I think it’s just crazy to me…it really affects me…or if you get billed with somebody just because they’re another girl with bangs that plays guitar…I have a lot of things that grind my gears, but it’s not going to stop me from playing music. I still love getting up on stage and playing music in front of people. It’s my favorite thing in the world.
VM: What’s next after the album drop?
MK: Keep doing stuff. I have a lot of songs ready. I just almost finished an EP and have a bunch of demos for a full length. I just want to tour and play as many shows as I can, and if making more records helps me play more shows, that’s what I’ll do. Hopefully people want to continue to help me do that. I love playing in front of people, so any opportunity that I have to do that brings me a lot of joy so I’m just seeking that out right now.
Madeline Kenney on Tour:
OCT 10 TUE — Rickshaw Stop — San Francisco, CA
MAY 16 WED — The Haunt — Brighton, United Kingdom
MAY 18 FRI — Tivoli — Dublin, Ireland
MAY 20 SUN — Empire — Belfast, United Kingdom
MAY 21 MON — The Plug — Sheffield, United Kingdom
MAY 22 TUE — The Caves — Edinburgh, United Kingdom
MAY 23 WED — Hare & Hounds — Birmingham, United Kingdom
MAY 25 FRI — Koko — London, United Kingdom
October. The month of the PSL, Halloween, sweater weather, Instagram worthy fall adventures, and of course, Hulaween.
Celebrating its fifth year, Suwannee Hulaween will offer a wide-reaching offering of live/jam and electronic music’s finest to soundtrack a fully immersive creative journey. New and veteran attendees will find themselves entranced by The String Cheese Incident (who remain at the helm of Hulaween – their flagship festival), The Disco Biscuits, Greensky Bluegrass, and Lettuce, being blown away electronic giants like Bassnectar, GRiZ, RL Grime, Claude VonStroke, Beats Antique, FKJ, Shiba San, and Manic Focus, or being treated to globally renowned headlining live acts like Ween, Run The Jewels, Portugal. The Man, Nick Murphy (Chet Faker), Nathaniel Rateliff, and many more.
As we countdown to Hulaween, here are ten artists that should be on your Hulaween radar. We have a good feeling their sets will be all treats…no tricks here folks.
BIG SOMETHING
Six piece powerhouse BIG Something fuses elements of rock, pop, funk, and improvisation to take listeners on a journey through a myriad of musical styles. Soaring guitars, synths, horns and alluring vocal hooks rise to the top of their infectious collection of songs and represent a sound that has caught the ears of Galactic, moe., Robert Randolph, and even The B52s who have all tapped Big Something as direct support. BIG Something dropped their 4th full-length studio album, Tumbleweed, this past February.
GRIZ GRiZ is one of those artists that radiates loves and is a shining beacon of positivity in an unsettled world. The multi faceted electronic funk and soul musician cuts no corners with his production or live performances. Channelling authentic horn lines and catchy saxophone riffs with an awe inspiring live performance to match. GRiZ’s latest release “Good Will Prevail” debuted at #1 on the electronic charts and while always being available for Free Download, it was released through his own self-funded imprint “All Good Records”. “Show Love, Spread Love” in the name of GRiZ.
KEYS N KRATES Keys N Krates first grabbed our attention a few years back at a Madison House SXSW party. Their energetic and bass powered set proved that Keys N Krates was and is not just any standard EDM act. Needless to say, we were impressed. Their breakthrough singles – the elastic loops and diamond-edged drums of “Dum Dee Dum,” the head rush hooks of “Treat Me Right,” a frantic, D’n’B-flavored “Are We Faded” – are able to pull the strings of packed festival crowds without resorting to tired EDM tropes. Hip-hop, house and UK bass music all play a role in their live sets.
MARIAN HILL Hip-hop, blues harmonies, drums, bass, horns, classic vocal melodies, soloistic vocal chops, and intimate lyrics. This is what you get with Marian Hill. The Brooklyn-duo’s one of a kind sound doesn’t disappoint. Their music is moody and while you may have never heard their one of a kind sound before, it all feels surprisingly familiar.
NICK MURPHY In 2016, Nick Murphy killed Chet Faker. In the beginning, Chet Faker was a project for Murphy. This project soon turned into almost half a decade of playing music under the Chet Faker moniker and building a cult following that worshiped the downtempo, atmospheric electronica sound. Last year the Australian pop phenomenon decided to release the Chet Faker name and create new material and perform under his real name, Nick Murphy. You may recognize him and his distinctive sound and work with notables Flume, Banks, and Marcus Marr.
PERPETUAL GROOVE
Georgia’s Perpetual Groove is an absolute fan favorite. Since returning from a two-year hiatus, the Athens, GA, based band has come back stronger and more determined than ever. Over the years their music has evolved into a genre-bending, highly original sound that touches upon jazz-rock, neo-psychedelia, R&B, trance electronica, progressive rock, and anthemic arena rock. Their large catalog of original music offers something for everyone, but the band is also known for their eclectic range of covers. Last month it was announced that the band is planning to release a new album, their first in seven years – check out their new album campaign here. We have nothing but absolute love for these guys and we highly encourage you not missing them at this year’s Hulaween.
PORTUGAL. THE MAN
2017 has been a big year for Portugal. The Man with a new album and some heavy touring. The release of the new album, Woodstock (their first new album in three years), shows a new-found creative voice for the band. A voice speaking out about the world crumbling around them. Their mega-hit “Feel It Still” continues to play over the airwaves and stays steady on the charts.
SPAFFORD
As of late, Spafford seems to be all the buzz on the current jam scene. The four piece funk rock act hailing from Phoenix, AZ, has a sound rooted in deep sonic exploration with a focus on improvisational elements. A focus on blending genres with a deep foundation of patient groove building has helped craft a sound all their own. Formed in 2012 by happenstance, the band has been building an organic fanbase in the Southwestern United States through word of mouth ever since. The secret of Spafford is finally out and don’t miss your chance to see them.
STOKESWOOD
If you’re looking for eclecticism and high energy performances, look no further than Atlanta’s own Stokeswood. Known to switch instruments between songs, they eschew limits on influences. From Atlanta’s hip-hop beats to indie-rock melodies, their sound shimmers with futuristic thrum, thick with static, driving percussion and swirling high notes. Their songs range between (rightfully) earning their place on the dance floors as well as on that most personal of gestures: the mix tape.
TANK AND THE BANGAS
Their name is familiar and it’s familiar for a very good reason. We were first introduced to Tank And The Bangas in early 2017 when video of their victorious performance at NPR’s headquarters (after their unanimous win of this year’s Tiny Desk Contest) went viral. Rummaging through their sound like a thrift store hippie, you’ll find the Bangas to provoke a musical reference of Rhythmic Soul and Spoken word among other genres such as Rock, Gospel, Funk, and Folk. Combining the various musical technique among the Bangas, coupled with the instilling play on lyrics from the lead vocalist; Tank and The Bangas have quilted a unique sound that singles them as one of the most distinctive groups to come out of New Orleans.
**BONUS** THE STRING CHEESE INCIDENT’S NIGHT OF THE LOVING DEAD THEMED SET
Year after year, The String Cheese Incident delights and excites attendees with their annual themed extravaganza. This year SCI will be playing to the theme Night of the Loving Dead on Saturday night for their highly anticipated set. In a world devilishly assaulted by ferocious natural disasters, crazed political discourse, and other sinister attacks, love is the only kryptonite that can stop these invaders in their tracks. SCI invites all to bust out their zombie garb, cupid outfits or whatever else suits attendees’ Halloween desires. Their only requirement is that you inject whatever you wear with a ghoulish portion of LOVE. In 2017, love is the answer, love wins.
To get a taste of what we’ll be experiencing, check out SCI’s themed set from last year:
I tracked down some shade at Pickathon with Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin and dove into a discussion about quarter life crises, trying to stay in the present, exploitation, and also less stressful things like her amazing music and the bliss that comes with turning off your cell phone.
Check out our interview with Julia below, and be sure to grab a listen to her brand new 7″ out now on Polyvinyl.
VM: First of all, so “Don’t Let the Kids Win” you said was about being 24 and sort of a quarter-life crisis sort of thing—not feeling happy about where you were. I super relate to that…I had a panic attack about being 24, and I was like, “I thought I’d be so much further along than I am now!” Twenty-four seems really old in that time.
JJ: Oh, totally. I feel like it’s that time between leaving school and being 18, and you’re like, “oh, I’m 18, give me like four years, and I’ll fucking be made.” Then you hit 22, and you’re like, “wait, what? I am not here yet.” So I think 24 is the time when everyone is like “no no no no, what’s happening?”
VM: I’m always either looking behind or looking into the future…I’m never really in the moment, you know? How do you keep in the present?
JJ: I think it’s become a lot easier since I’ve made a record and released it, because that kind of felt like finally…I felt like making albums was the first time I felt really proud of myself and had actually done these things, like working really hard at this shitty job to pay to make this record, you know? Kind of lined it up all myself, and I had this piece of work, and then ever since, it’s done well. I feel a lot more relaxed in a way.
I definitely went through a stage where I was like, “fuuuck…what if I never write anything else again?” Now after this record, especially, I don’t know…just kind of seeing as well the more I’m in the music industry and realizing how hard it is to actually get to where I am…a lot of my friends are still slogging it away at home in Sydney, which is a really tough music scene. We just don’t have any venues and artist support. It’s hard to get out of Australia, because it’s so expensive, so I think that having a lot of my friends who are still working really hard grounds me and makes me think, “don’t ever take this for granted for one second.” I definitely worked hard to get here, but I’m also extremely lucky, you know? And when people are like, “no, don’t say you’re lucky, you worked hard” I’m like, “yeah, but I had an advantage over other people for various reasons.” So yeah, I just feel very lucky.
VM: You said you thought this was originally going to be a heartbreak record…
JJ: I just came out of a pretty big relationship with an American man. It’s tough when you live in America and Australia as well. So yeah, I kind of thought as I was writing the songs like, okay, this is going to be a classic, “every song is dealing with this one romance whatever,” but once I had written my body of work I was like, no, I think a lot of it is just me reflecting on this time in my life, which I was glad about. I didn’t want to have—I mean heartbreak records are great—but I didn’t want to have my first record to be all, “he left me. Why?”
VM: “Eastwick”—you said you were inspired by Dancing With the Stars?
JJ: To be honest, I don’t want to say the episode, because I don’t want to insult anyone. But it’s more that the idea of…you know, when those reality TV shows use people’s pain and suffering and past lives and pretend that it’s because we’re letting these people express themselves creatively through pain and grief. It’s fucking bullshit. You’re exploiting 100 percent. Everyone knows…that’s not the most obvious point…I mean, it’s a pretty obvious point but…
There was this one episode where someone was just really…I felt like exploiting the death of this person’s father, and I just remember thinking, “ugh.” It just made me reflect on a lot of things as well as being in the music industry with how much you want to say in interviews and how much you want to give out there, because everyone really wants a juicy story. You can’t just be a good musician. You need to make good music, because you’ve overcome something. There has to be an angle. That can sometimes feel a little like scary, because you think, “what if I don’t have an angle,” you know? What if I’m just doing my thing? Is that going to be enough?
VM: You directed the music video, can you tell me about that concept a little bit?
JJ: I just have this really great friend Sam Brumby who I make my music videos with who’s super patient with me. Basically all I had in my head was I just imagined me drinking a blue cocktail in the suburbs. That’s all I had. I got my mom to make me this outfit, this blue outfit which we got the material from a kid’s material shop. All the stuff I’ve done I’ve wanted to stay in the Blue Mountains where I’m from, so that’s kind of in. I filmed it in my sister’s garage and her house in the Blue Mountains. I guess it’s a pretty classic, just trying to show what it can feel like growing up in the suburbs as someone who wanted to have a creative life. I felt a bit stifled there, so that’s what I was trying to show.
VM: Are you in Barcelona now?
JJ: Kind of. But we haven’t been there for months.
VM: What inspired that move?
JJ: I had this really naive idea that I would go and stay in Barcelona and learn Spanish, because I learned quite a bit when I was younger…but learning a language is really tough. It’s a lot harder than you initially think…I’m using books and stuff, but so much of it is about confidence, and it’s so much about getting out there and being willing to humiliate myself in front of these people. I think that’s something I need to get better at. I think that being on tour, it’s hard to have enough mental energy to learn something like that…but still, it’s a beautiful city and I love it.
VM: Who are you excited to see this weekend?
JJ: I have already seen Andy Shauf who I am always excited to see. I’ve seen him play more times than anyone ever except like my best friend back home, because we toured with him, but I think he’s a musical genius. So I’m going to see him again tonight. I haven’t really looked…I really want to see Steve Gunn, playing right now, so hopefully we can catch a couple of his songs. Tank and the Bangas…I want to see them today.
VM: What’s next for you? Besides everything we’ve already talked about.
JJ: Then the day after I get off and finish the last show, I’m flying to this tiny island in Croatia where I’m going to just spend like two weeks with my phone turned off, by myself, by the ocean. I think I’m in the moment—I’m really enjoying this—but I’m looking forward to two months off where I’m gonna go to Croatia and then travel up through Bosnia, and then we do like another little tour [dates here], and then I’m home in November.
Click through to see Julia’s disposable camera tour diary below!
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The shade cloth situation over the main stage area has to be the kindest thing I’ve ever seen a summer festival do for their audience.
We recently spent some time on a hay bale at Pickathon with Justin Osborne, founding member of Charleston, SC five-piece SUSTO. We chatted about things like coming to grips with how hard life is, realizing life can still be okay once your illusions about it have been shattered, giving up, un-giving up, whether or not there is a higher power, and of course the masterpiece that was the Pickathon lineup this year. Enjoy, and keep it heady, friends.
Vinyl Mag: So first of all—SUSTO translates to “panic attack”?
SUSTO: Well, it can be translated in a lot of different ways, but it’s like a folk-illness where you go through something traumatic. It can be a panic attack. It can last just like an hour, or it can be something you go through like a long state of depression, something like that. It’s kind of when you aren’t really yourself; you’re beside yourself and you’re overwhelmed…you feel like your soul is left, or anxious, or whatever.
VM: That meaning and the album & I’m Fine Today…it’s so relatable. That [one day at a time] living.
S: Well our first record was self-titled, because really the band name came from what I was calling the project, like the songs…I felt like the word “susto” really fit the first set of songs, and that kind of dealing with shit in your life feels very much present in all of our music, but it’s like, “okay, if the first record is called SUSTO, then the second record could maybe have a little more hope in the title and even in the songs.
VM: Even like you said, talking about things coming in waves, like “I’m fine today” holds a lot of meaning.
S: Well, I think it’s kind of the whole take-away from the record. Life is both, you know? It’s good and bad, and as you get older you have to learn that, and you learn to be prepared for that. To be prepared for highs and lows in life and just ride it out.
VM: It seems like in the record, it’s coming from a place of being at peace with that more.
S: Yeah, not being so thrown off by being blind-sided by life. I mean, the first record I was like, “oh shit, life isn’t what I thought it was going to be,” and the second record is kinda like, “okay, but it still isn’t that bad.”
VM: You—for a minute—thought you might be done with music before you started this?
S: Yeah, I tried to quit.
VM: How do you keep from getting burned out now?
S: You know, when I went to Cuba whenever I quit music, and I got to be around a completely different music environment—I’ve been working in the American music industry and spinning my wheels; I’ve even been touring since I was like 18…I was 25 or 26 whenever I decided I wasn’t getting anywhere, and so by then I inadvertently ended up getting around this music scene that wasn’t about getting big or anything like that—which don’t get me wrong, I still want to grow our band as much as we can—but I just fell in love with the music again and songwriting.
I learned how to do more open and less censored than what I was writing, too. I think I’ve kind of been reset ever since then. And because of that getting back into it, it’s been a lot easier this time through, because I’ve had the experience of last time, so I knew a lot of what not to do, and I’ve started to embrace too that this is what I do. I think for a while, when you’re in a band and you’re trying to tour but you haven’t really made it, you go home and everyone’s like, “still doing the music thing?” and you’re like “yeah…” and they’re like, “well, we haven’t seen you on late night or anything yet,” and it’s hard to reconcile with yourself. You always ride the fence. It’s hard to commit. At least, it was hard for me to commit. But I’ve committed fully this time, and it’s been really rewarding to just put myself into it, and I enjoy it a lot more now, and also we’ve had some reasonable success, so it’s been cool.
VM: So, in terms of what I’ve read and how you talk about your writing process, it seems like it kind of comes to you a lot…
S: I feel like it’s something I channel more than anything…it’s not like it just randomly hits me or something, but I can set the vibe to where it’s conducive for me. I like to write alone, and I like to do it in the morning time when I have the house to myself. I’ll get stoned, walk around the little parlor, guitar on my stomach, and just sing to myself. There’s no inhibitions when there’s nobody around, so I just kind of free-flow and, you know, a lot of it is garbage. But I do it a lot, whenever I get the chance. So some of it isn’t garbage, and there’s something either almost completely there, and sometimes it’s a piece of a thing that’s there, but even when there’s a piece of a thing, you’ll go into the studio with what I’ve got, and I like to just freestyle the lyrics and just sing it as I’m going.
I just don’t like thinking too much and forcing it. I used to try to do that whenever I was a kid, and I’ve just kind of turned away from that. I would sit in class and write lyrics. But I just like to let it come out of my body. I’ve been writing songs enough that if I just listen to myself, I’ll say what I wanna say.
VM: Do you have other creative outlets besides music writing?
S: Instagram. I have like four Instagram accounts. Really. They’re really stupid though. We have like all the SUSTO band stuff, then I have a personal one that’s just funny—I like to take pictures whenever…you know when you’re at a diner or a hotel, and they always have a picture of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis in it? I’ve got this running thing where I’ll get a picture with the picture of them and be like, “I can’t believe I ate at the same Applebee’s as Elvis and Madonna!” or whatever. I have another one where I just take stoner photos on the road, of like awkward stuff. I don’t put it out there, I just do it for myself, because I’m really bored in the van and take a bunch of photos. So no, I guess I don’t really have any other creative outlets [laughs].
You just premiered the video for “Jah Werx,” and first of all I wanted to talk about the concept for the video, but I also want to know what your take on the universe is because you’ve said you don’t believe in hell but also “Jah Werx” [is a reference to some sort of higher power].
S: Starting with the video, we worked with a director out of Nashville, called Matt DeLisi. He kind of had a vision for the video, of kind of like juxtaposing a child with a graveyard, because the song is kind of about dealing with death in a cyclical nature of things. It talks about lifetimes on Earth or in a carbon place which is Earth, and then you know, how it’s always back in the ground. So we wanted to juxtapose those two things, and also we kind of wanted to capture the environment—not the city environment, or the beach, but the kind of natural swamp environment around Charleston.
As far as how I see the universe? Personally, I try not to think about it too much anymore. I thought about it a lot for a long time, and I think this record and the last two records are gonna help me get a lot of that out of my system. I feel one way about it one day and then a different way about it another…I don’t really believe in God, or in like “Jah” is God. For me, “Jah Werx” means “it’s all good,” you know? I mean, I am a big stoner, and I smoke a lot of herb, and I’m kind of in to Rasta culture, a really big fan of Bob Marley—he’s probably one of my favorite artists…we have the song “Jah Werx” where it’s a triumphant mantra, you know? Like “Jah Werx! I’m fine today.” I don’t know how to explain it; there’s no concrete. We get caught up trying to have firm ideas about the universe and about life, and I think it’s kind of more important to understand that everything is fluid. When things are good, say “Jah Werx.” But when things are bad, say “Jah Werx,” too.
VM: So you opened for The Lumineers, and now you’re doing the headlining thing. How do these experiences compare? What did you learn?
S: Absolutely different. They’re both really fun. Getting to open for The Lumineers was really cool because we were playing in arenas and getting to do that—as someone who’s been trying to play music as much as I can since I was 15, it was an incredible experience. I just like getting to jam and soundcheck and then getting into the arena; there’s no sound like an arena sound. But at the same time, you’re playing first out of three, because Kaleo was on that tour, too, and Kaleo is pretty fucking big—and they’re awesome, too. We were surprised: it was usually pretty full—it wasn’t packed—but also the same time it was people who had mostly never heard of us before, so we were winning people over, and we have a shorter set. Picking which kind of set you think is going to work for their audience, at the same time not compromising who you are…but we also learned to be more showman. Our rooms are big; we have to make bigger gestures and really try to entertain. Watching bigger bands, you learn, “oh, this is how you entertain.
VM: So who are you most excited to see this weekend? You’re not here very long.
S: I have to leave like, right now. But I’ll tell you who I’m really bummed I’m not gonna see: Julia Jacklin. I want to see Julia Jacklin so fucking bad, and I haven’t yet. I want to see Aldous Harding…and Andy Shauf. I’ve been trying to see all of them for probably over a year now.
Check out SUSTO’s disposable camera tour diary below.
In two short weeks Imagine 2017 will be kicking off in its fourth edition of the immersive aquatic fairytale at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Imagine creates an all-encompassing, 360-degree sensory experience that blends music, circus troupes, performers, dancers, art, workshops, classes and more.
In anticipation of catching sets from some of today’s biggest names in the electronic universe, we’ve created a little playlist of our own. From classics and recent tracks, we invite you take a listen as you start getting ready for your festival weekend. Also included are some fresh releases that just dropped today (9/8) from Tiësto, Deorro, The Floozies, Leah Culver, Shiba San, and Netsky.
In its second year of calling the Atlanta Motor Speedway home, Imagine returns for the fourth edition of the immersive aquatic fairytale. Imagine creates an all-encompassing, 360-degree sensory experience that blends music, circus troupes, performers, dancers, art, workshops, classes and more.
As the region’s largest independent EDM camping festival, Imagine attracts some of today’s biggest talent and host fans from across the country. Featuring over six stages, each with its own distinct musical focus and vibe, there will be no shortage of variety with headliners such as Tiesto, deadmau5, Above & Beyond, Datsik, Flux Pavilion, Pretty Lights, and more.
We’re taking a look at some of Imagine’s artists we can’t wait to see take the stage.
ABOVE & BEYOND – Sunday performance
During this summer at Electric Forest Weekend 1 we had our first taste of Above & Beyond, and it was legendary to say the least. Before heading to Imagine, Above & Beyond has realized their highly anticipated new single “Tightrope” and the guys will be taking over The Gorge September 16-17 for their first ever Group Therapy weekend. Be sure to stick around Sunday at Imagine for a euphoric, pulsating, and absolutely mesmerizing set from this duo.
ANDY BRUH – Friday performance
Georgia’s own Andy Bruh captures the soul of Atlanta while pushing into unknown sonic territory with full control. Bass without boundaries. Dub, glitch-hop, DnB, and hip-hop breaks are just a few of the sounds you’ll hear at his set Friday.
BUKU – Friday performance
It seems that Buku has shotgunned into the scene by quickly gaining support and full rotation by Diplo and being championed by a variety of curators, including Bassnectar, Pete Tong & Zane Lowe. After his initial success with the fan favorite “Front to Back,” Buku received the honor of Bassnectar remixing the track. Last month the Pittsburg native released his latest “Align” with its grinding bassline and complimentary synth-heavy vocals, the new track embodies Buku’s signature style – high-energy, dancefloor-smashing tracks with a unique flair.
THE FLOOZIES – Saturday performance
The Floozies are producer/guitarist Matt Hill and drummer Mark Hill. These two brothers are bringing their fresh approach to electronic music and their live performance. Their lasers also pretty damn dope too. The Floozies kick off their Funk Jesus tour later this month and will be joined by The Funk Hunters later on the tour.
THE FUNK HUNTERS – Friday performance
Borrowing inspiration from classic funk and hip hop, The Funk Hunters are putting the soul back into electronic dance music.The Funk Hunters’ reverence for the roots of dance has also lead them into unique live collaborations, sometimes drawing on a cast of supporting musicians to add dimension to their signature sound. Most recently they toured North America with iconic rapper Chali 2na of Jurassic 5.
ILLENIUM – Sunday performance
The Denver-based producer known as Illenium has been turning heads in the dance music community over the past year and for good reason. Illenium has distinguished himself from the myriad of others through an unrivaled ability to create an immersive emotional experience of highs and lows that pulls on the heart strings and leaves the listener awestruck, accomplishing in the span of just a few short minutes what takes many a full set.
LIQUID STRANGER – Saturday performance
In an ever-evolving universe, the art of maintaining complete and total fluidity is the most
necessary key for survival. Renowned for his metamorphic capabilities and expertly crafted
sonic adventures, music alchemist Liquid Stranger has mastered his ability to slip in and out of genres all while honing his own personal style. Last month Liquid Stranger released “Don’t Stop”/”Won’t Stop” with Space Jesus and is getting ready to hit the road later this month for the The Hypercolor Tour with Manic Focus.
OTT – Saturday performance
Ott is a legend in his own right. The British record producer began his career an the end of the 1980s and since he has worked with the like of Sinéad O’Connor, Embrace, The Orb, and Brian Eno. He is best known for his own sonic experiments and ingenious collaborative projects – “Umberloid” with friend and multi-instrumentalist Chris Barker, and “Gargoyles” with Simon Posford [Hallucinogen, Shpongle].
Rob Garza – Sunday performance
Founding member of international music group Thievery Corporation, Rob Garza’s career includes decades-worth of accolades as a pioneer of a flourishing electronic music movement.His infusion of electronic music with the international flavors of dub, trip hop, reggae, and bossa nova gave birth to a new era of sound that has attracted a cult following across the decades.
STS9 – Sunday performance
To reach a 20th anniversary is a major accomplishment for any band–and this year, STS9 officially hits that milestone. To mark the occasion, the acclaimed and adventurous electronic rock band has announced their celebrations will kick off will celebrate with a three-night run at Red Rocks this coming weekend.
After a few years of logistical hiccups and growing pains, LOCKN’ number five seems to have gotten it right. This was the LOCKN’ we have been waiting for.
Last Thursday the festival kicked off four days of music at the newly named Infinity Downs Farms located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Arrington, Virginia. In comparison to past years, entry into the grounds was organized and direction to camping was prompt and easy. The entire landscape of the venue (entry, camping, stages, vendors, etc.) had been modified making the festival feel more intimate and easier to navigate. This year both the single main stage and the Relix Stage/Blue Ridge Bowl (formerly the Shakedown Stage) were both housed within the actual festival. The main stage featured a rotating stage that allowed for, mostly, continuous music throughout the entire day. This stage was also positioned closer to the bowl amphitheatre allowing for a quick walk to and from afternoon and late night sets.
LOCKN’s lineups have always been built upon a sense of nostalgia. Last weekend was no exception as attendees were gifted with a once-in-a-lifetime headlining set from Phil Lesh with Special Guests Bob Weir, Nicki Bluhm & The Terrapin Family Band performing The Grateful Dead’s classic 1977 album, Terrapin Station, in its entirety. Additionally, Ann Wilson of Heart joined Gov’t Mule on stage to cover everything from Led Zeppelin to Janis Joplin (Garnet Mimms original) to Memphis Slim. The shining moment was the synergetic take on “Magic Man,” from Heart’s debut Dreamboat Annie (1976). Other magical music moments came from The Avett Brothers, in their long awaited LOCKN’ debut, with Bob Weir, Moonalice joined by Jorma Kaukonen, and Lesh sitting in with moe.
Prior to LOCKN’ it was unfortunately announced that moe. bassist Rob Derhak had been diagnosed with cancer and would not be joining his bandmates in Virginia. With Lesh stepping in, Phil.moe. was born. The Sunday set was a mixture of both moe., Grateful Dead hits, and one incredibly memorable cover of The Band’s “Ophelia.” Additional guests appearances were made from Bob Weir, members from The Revivalists, and Nicki Bluhm. This set also marked the last show moe. would play before taking a hiatus.
LOCKN’ was graced with the stand out and highly anticipated performance from singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, who had to cancel her appearance last year due to illness. As the sun was setting, attendees listened as Carlile made a heartfelt dedication to all of the mothers in the crowd, followed by an emotional performance of “The Mother.” Her set was also speckled with covers of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California,” and John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery” which she invited My Morning Jacket’s Jim James to join her on stage.
Additional notable sets from the weekend came from Widespread Panic with a very fitting rendition of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth”, the always rockin’ John Butler Trio, and fan favorites The Revivalists.
Musically and logistically speaking LOCKN’ got it absolutely right this year. But beyond just the festival happenings, LOCKN’ also got something else right. While the world around us turns in turmoil and unrest, the LOCKN’ community came together to form a family built on acceptance, kindness, smiles, and pure love – proving that both Virginia and LOCKN’ are not just for lovers, but they are for everyone.
