It’s that time of year again. The Hallmark teddy bears don caps and gowns, college towns are flooded with relatives and their flash photography, and “Pomp And Circumstance” is stuck in everyone’s head. It’s a time of reflection and anxiety and wonder and pride, so of course it requires a decent playlist. Some songs on here are cheeky, some are guilty pleasures we can ALL ADMIT TO, most are anthemic, and some’ll just bring a smile to your face before you walk across the stage. Congrats to the class of 2015… we did it, y’all!
Tennis is hitting up Shaky Knees Festival this weekend along with bands like Manchester Orchestra, James Blake, Kaiser Chiefs, The Mountain Goats, and Mac DeMarco. The band is currently on tour to promote the re-release of its third LP, Ritual In Repeat,via Communion on May 12.
I spoke to vocalist and keyboardist Alaina Moore on the way to a sold-out show at the Troubadour on the tour, the re-release, and Shaky Knees.
Vinyl Mag: I read earlier that your Troubadour show was sold out; is that correct?
Alaina Moore: Yeah! It sold out the day tickets went on sale. It’s really amazing, and it’s not a feeling we’ve ever had before.
VM: You’ve only been on tour for about a week so far. What have those shows been like?
AM: It’s been a week, but there have only been three shows. The West Coast is full of extremely long drives, so we’ve mostly been driving. That’s not the best part, but the shows have been great so far. We love the band that we’re touring with – our friends, The Shilohs – they’re amazing people and super talented. I feel so spoiled for having a really good time.
VM: Now, this tour is to promote the re-release of 2014’s Ritual In Repeat…what was the inspiration for choosing to put this record back out there with extra content?
AM: I think it’s something that’s becoming common now. I won’t lie, a lot of it comes from the pressure from the way people consume music now. With streaming and online distribution, there’s an insatiable desire to bring new music that far outpaces an artist’s ability to actually make it. We’re finding people’s attention span for albums is over in one month for something that took a year to write. On our first tour, I had people ask if we were touring for another new record, and I was completely taken aback.
VM: Going backwards now, when you released Young & Old in 2012, it was critically acclaimed and got a lot of attention towards the band. When you release music now, do you ever feel pressure to relive the hype from the previous effort?
AM: No, I don’t. The kind of attention we got with our first record is a different kind of attention. It was all about us being new. There’s something even better than being new; it’s being established and having a trusting relationship with your fans. I would way rather have that than be the newest thing. We’ve had great achievements, but I think some of that can’t be duplicated, so I feel no pressure.
VM: The band will be stopping by Atlanta for a set at Shaky Knees this weekend; have you been in Atlanta before?
AM: My family lives in Atlanta, so I go multiple times a year.
VM: That’s awesome! What’s your favorite thing to do in the city?
AM: I do nothing; I just go home to my parents and play with their Corgi, Baxter.
VM: Somewhat related to that, what other bands are you looking forward to seeing at Shaky Knees?
AM: I have no idea who else is playing! I haven’t even looked. I’m sure it’s a bunch of amazing musicians I’d love to see, but at festivals I usually don’t see anyone. We get there and barely have time to load in and find where we’re going to play. Then we load out, and by then, the festival’s over. The nice thing is that, although I don’t get to watch anyone play, I get to meet people that I really respect. It’s an honor to be there.
VM: Well, the good news is that headliners of the day you’re performing are The Strokes, Pixies, and the Mountain Goats.
AM: Their headliners are amazing, and I probably won’t see them, but I’m very excited that they’re there. I’ve seen the Pixies before, but I’ve never seen the Strokes. I’m thrilled to be on the lineup alongside them; it’s very humbling.
Jukebox the Ghost are heading to Shaky Knees Festival this weekend to play alongside the likes of The Strokes, the Pixies, Brand New, American Football, Death From Above 1979, TV On the Radio, Wavves, Tennis, The Kooks, Surfer Blood…and that’s just the Friday lineup. Having just signed to a new label and released a brand new self-titled album, Jukebox is already having a big year. We grabbed some time with guitarist/vocalist Tommy Siegel to talk about Shaky Knees, their new release, and what’s up next.
Be sure to catch these guys on their US tour this summer, and check out our interview below!
Vinyl Mag: I saw you guys at South by Southwest, and you were fantastic. How did you enjoy the week?
Tommy Siegel: SXSW was totally crazy, per usual! It’s such an insane event, and it’s hard to see just how weird it is unless you’re playing. Under normal circumstances, you’d be nuts to do four shows a day with no soundcheck while borrowing other bands’ gear, but that’s totally par for the course for the festival. We’ve done it enough years to learn to embrace the chaos!
VM: Did you see anyone you loved?
TS: I saw Deerhoof, who are my favorite band…ever, possibly? They never disappoint.
VM: Who are you most excited to see at Shaky Knees?
TS: I’ve never seen Ryan Adams, so I’m looking forward to that!
VM: Are you staying for Friday and Saturday (I see that you’re in Virginia on Sunday)?
TS: Unfortunately just for Friday! So we’ll be missing some great shows.
VM: What is your favorite song to play live?
TS: Right now, I love playing “Girl.” It’s so refreshingly spacious and slow in our catalogue, and I love getting to play bass for a change.
VM: Do you prefer touring or recording?
TS: Totally different animals! At this point in music history, you can’t really do one without the other. If you only did one for your whole life, I think your head would explode.
VM: Where did you record Jukebox the Ghost?
TS: Los Angeles! We recorded most of the record with Dan Romer, an amazing producer and long-time collaborator with the band. Love that guy.
VM: Why did you decide to make this album a self-titled? How does it differ from your previous releases?
TS: It felt like the first album we’ve ever done where we threw all of our previous constraints to the wind – and I think it set up the kind of intensity that we’d like to apply to all our albums in the future. Not to say we’ll always be making records as slick, but that the process was so intensely rewarding and open. Felt like hitting the reset button.
VM: How did you choose the single for the album?
TS: We kinda didn’t – the label did! But since we went in with the concept of recording an album of all singles, we didn’t disagree with the choice. Any song would’ve been fine.
VM: You signed with Cherrytree in January – how did that come about?
TS: Oddly enough, Martin’s (the label head) daughter heard us on a movie trailer!
VM: How is the tour going?
TS: Going great! Right now we’re just in the middle of some random dates in a relatively calm period.
VM: What is next for you?
TS: In June, we’re doing a national tour with Ingrid Michaelson that we are PUMPED for.
Jukebox the Ghost Tour Dates:
May 06 World Cafe Live at the Queen Wilmington, DE
May 08 Shaky Knees Festival Atlanta, GA
May 10 THE BROADBERRY Richmond, VA
May 30 Hop Sauce Festival Beach Haven, NJ
Jun 03 Wolf Trap Filene Center w/ Ingrid Michaelson Vienna, VA
Jun 04 The Ritz w/ Ingrid Michaelson Raleigh, NC
Jun 05 Iron City Birmingham w/ Ingrid Michaelson Birmingham, AL
Jun 07 House of Blues w/ Ingrid Michaelson Dallas, TX
Jun 08 ACL Live @ Moody Theatre w/ Ingrid Michaelson Austin, TX
Jun 11 Greek Theatre w/ Ingrid Michaelson Los Angeles, CA
Jun 12 Humphreys By the Bay w/ Ingrid Michaelson San Diego, CA
Jun 13 Fox Theater w/ Ingrid Michaelson Oakland, CAe
Jun 15 Knitting Factory Concert House w/ Ingrid Michaelson Boise, ID
Jun 16 Edgefield w/ Ingrid Michaelson Portland, OR
Jun 17 Paramount Theatre w/ Ingrid Michaelson Seattle, WA
Jun 19 The Complex w/ Ingrid Michaelson Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 23 Northrop w/ Ingrid Michaelson Minneapolis, MN
Jun 24 Chicago Theatre w/ Ingrid Michaelson Chicago, IL
Jun 25 TBA w/ Ingrid Michaelson Ann Arbor, MI
Jun 27 Blue Hills Bank Pavilion w/ Ingrid Michaelson Boston, MA
Jun 28 Thompson’s Point w/ Ingrid Michaelson Portland, ME
Jun 29 Summer Stage Central Park w/ Ingrid Michaelson New York, NY
Jun 30 Skyline Stage at The Mann w/ Ingrid Michaelson Philadelphia, PA
Aug 15 Pinelands Music Festival w/ A Great Big Pile of Leaves Millville, NJ
1. “Be Calm” – fun. For when you forget you have a cumulative final tomorrow morning…and you’re out downtown.
2. “Everything’s Just Wonderful” – Lily Allen Sometimes being delusional helps, or maybe you’re about to graduate and really don’t care.
3. “Treading Water” – Alex Clare Your grades are probably alright, stick to what you’re doing.
4. “Forget” – Marina and The Diamonds This can go both ways, you either forget about the existence of finals or you’ve already forgotten everything you learned last week in the review session.
5. “More Than A Miracle” – MNEK Yup, it’s definitely going to take more than a miracle to pull that C to an A-.
6. “Get Myself Together” – Robyn Some schools have a week to prepare for finals. You have two days to remember the entire semester.
After A Night of Hardcore Stu(dying)
7. “Recover” – Chvrches “It can be over / or we can just leave it here”
8. “Move in the Right Direction” – Gossip “Motivation a powerful strength / Hesitation was my first instinct”
9. “Technicolor Dreaming” – Cardiknox “I learned everything I know from watching movies”
10. “Crying for No Reason” – Katy B “I push all my problems to the back of my mind”
11. “So Over You” – Charli XCX An ode to finals: “I’m so over you”
12. “Back and Forth” – Operator Please “Give it up for all the times I’ve drawn short”
13. “I Blame Myself” – Sky Ferreira “You don’t understand that I blame myself”
14. “U Got the Power” – Swiss Lips “All things are going against you / We’ll fight them in the avenues”
Waiting for grades
15. “Waiting Game” – Banks The hardest part of the semester is waiting for those final grades to be put up a week after the exam
16. “Out of My League” – Fitz & the Tantrums That A definitely isn’t happening now; there’s always next semester
17. “Let Me Down Gently” – La Roux For when you have to tell your parents about that unexpected C
18. “Lean On” – Major Lazer You’ll need to lean on your friends after you go downtown to de-stress.
19. “Sometimes” – The Noisettes Forget that final you just bombed and go on to the next one
20. “Trying to Be Cool” – Phoenix For when you’re pretending like that test was easy around your friends
21. “Sail On” – Ryn Weaver Just in case you have that one awesome professor who doesn’t believe in the evil of finals
If you didn’t get enough music during the day, have severe insomnia or just didn’t want to get a day ticket for Shaky Knees, this year’s late night show lineup has a handful of shows you simply cannot miss. Each show is at a nearby local venue and tickets are sold separately from the actual festival allowing equal opportunity for anyone who decides to attend.
Thursday, May 7
James Blake @ Terminal West
Blake’s show at Terminal West is the official kickoff for the jam packed weekend. Though it’s unknown whether or not this will be just a DJ set, this is the first of two sets the Londoner will play as part of Shaky Knees. Whenever he makes a stop in Atlanta the shows always sell out, so don’t hesitate to get tickets and be part of the event everyone will be talking about the next morning.
Friday, May 8
Portugal. The Man @ Heaven – Masquerade
The band’s last set at the Masquerade was crazy; people were crowdsurfing and getting kicked in the head left and right. Evidently attendees couldn’t get enough as Portugal. The Man will play a set in Heaven. With a new hip-hop influenced album expected this year, this might be the first chance to hear new material from these psychedelic rockers.
Saturday, May 9
Diamond Rugs @ Purgatory – Masquerade
Indie rock supergroup Diamond Rugs only tours when all of its members have free time and that just happens to fall around Shaky Knees this year. The band’s set is sure to include material from this year’s Cosmetics and might have some special guests from each member’s respective band. Diamond Rugs are truly electric live when the energy of four very driven musicians fuse together.
Milky Chance @ Center Stage
Milky Chance’s music is a uniquely weird synthesis of folk, reggae and electronica that sounds like it took an Ambien. The German duo’s debut Sadnecessary displays the pair’s keen ear in picking out the best elements of each and it ultimately works as it charted within the top five of Billboard’s alternative and rock album chart. Come see what all the hype is out at its Atlanta debut!
Best Coast @ The Loft
Saturday night is truly a good night at the entire Center Stage building with performances in all three rooms. Best Coast has a late night show the day before its main set at Shaky Knees. Enjoy the opportunity to see the band in a more intimate setting before sweating it out later or just relish in the chance to see a great band twice in the span of a day!
Shaky Knees has an incredible lineup this year. If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer amount of bands or just want to see one you’ve never heard of before, check out Vinyl’s top five picks for each of the fest’s three days.
Day One
The Strokes
As Friday’s headliners, it seems like an obvious choice to see The Strokes. The New York based rock band hasn’t toured extensively in close to a decade and with Shaky Knees being only one of four announced live shows this year; this is not one to be missed.
James Blake
James Blake is a fantastic musician and producer. Though he borders the line of being an alternative act and doesn’t quite qualify as a rocker, his unique fusion of R&B music and post dubstep electronica is sure to entrance any passersby.
Death from Above 1979
Death from Above’s sophomore record came a decade after its first and the wait ended up being well worth it. Though the band has toured the world and back to promote it, there’s no telling when there’ll be another opportunity to see them. Do it.
The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats are one of the most prolific rock bands releasing 15 studio albums in 20 years. Recent single “The Legend of Chavo Guerrero” is a perfect introduction into an album about wrestling and it’ll certainly be interesting to see how this translates live.
Kaiser Chiefs
The Leeds-based band isn’t hugely known in the states. However, one spin of any of Kaiser Chief’s five studio albums shows extreme replay value. Shaky Knees is one of a handful of 2015 appearances the band will be making, and their live shows do not disappoint.
Day Two
The Avett Brothers
Saturday’s headliners have become somewhat of a music festival mainstay in the last few years. Though the group began in the early 2000s, their 2007 album Emotionalism caught the attention of famous producer Rick Rubin. Its work with Rubin propelled the band to the top of the Billboard album charts where each subsequent release has charted in the top 10. The Avett Brothers continue to push the boundaries of folk music and seeing them would definitely be time well spent.
Wilco
It’s been awhile since Wilco has released a new studio album (almost five years, but who’s counting?), but the vast back catalogue the band tours with remains unparalleled. One moment the band will take listeners back to “Too Far Apart” off the 20 year old A.M. before slingshotting to a rarity off last year’s compilation. Jeff Tweedy’s strength in leading the band has always pushed them towards new sonic territory and this is not an opportunity to be missed.
Interpol
As a 90s child, the influence of Interpol on contemporary alternative – and rock — music is undeniable. The group was one of the pioneers of post-punk revival music alongside bands like The Strokes and The National before going in its own direction. The heavy blend of lo-fi sounds; restless guitars and penchant for contrastingly gloomy lyrical content have kept the band in the game setting the bar higher for other alternative bands. 2014’s El Pintor showcased a strong, gloomy stylistic restraint that will be interesting to see live in the context of its more up-tempo cuts.
Neutral Milk Hotel
No, you shouldn’t go see NMH just to see grown men cry to all three parts of “King of the Carrot Flowers.” Upon its release in 1998, In the Aeroplane over the Sea was met with lukewarm reception. It wasn’t until a decade later that the genius of Mangum’s hybridization of psychedelic music with low-fi pop music straight out of the 1960s was realized. By then it was too late as the band had taken an indefinite hiatus until the dust was brushed off in 2013. This is the band’s last leg of the tour before another indefinite hiatus and is quite possibly its last Atlanta show for the time being.
FIDLAR
To fully understand what FIDLAR is all about, one must first understand what the acronym stands for – go ahead, Google it. With that mantra firmly in mind listen to its self-titled debut — but don’t take it TOO seriously. The surf punk band sings about everything from getting high to making fun of guys who can’t surf without ever coming across as a joke. Subtle choices in the instrumentation demonstrate a punk band with far more musical knowledge than you’d be led to believe with fleeting moments of acoustic guitar and banjo. Vinyl isn’t liable if you head bang too hard.
Day Three
As Shaky Knees draws to a close, organizers have devised a clever power punch to get crowds staying until the very last minute. A dizzying performance by Tame Impala waits for those as a reward for surviving what looks to be an unbearably hot weekend. A Ryan Adams set waits for those looking to cool down between heavier rock shows and a Best Coast set is there for everyone who’s been impatiently waiting for the new record.
Tame Impala
Australian psychedelic rockers Tame Impala rose to prominence in 2010 following the release and critical acclimation of Innerspeaker. Here in 2015 the band is set to make one of its first few live performances behind its just announced third LP Currents. Its live set revolves around a highly complex light show that always captivates the audience so this is the perfect set to end this year’s Shaky Knees.
Ryan Adams
Ryan Adams has laid the foundation for his career by releasing 14 albums in 14 years with each one being starkly different from the rest. His recent self-titled record seems like a far more organic progression than him starting a punk band with rich vocal intonation and a tight arrangement of drums, electric guitar and acoustic guitar. With a massive back catalog, there’s going to be something for all fans at Ryan Adams’ set.
Old Crow Medicine Show
In the upper echelons of folk music sits Old Crow Medicine Show, a group that has inspired many other contemporary bands throughout its existence. Don’t be fooled by the genre though as the band can match the intensity of other headliners The Strokes and Pixies with its highly energetic set. Expect soaring crowd sing-alongs to the choruses and several covers of seminal country classics.
Panda Bear
As one of the co-founders of the highly acclaimed group Animal Collective, Noah Lennox has made quite a name for himself outside of the band as Panda Bear. His material takes a decidedly different direction with the occasional gurgling synth, nonsensical lyrics and a root in ambient rock. In his shows he frequently recreates each song live using a variety of synths onstage instead of relying on a backing track – oh, and he does it completely solo too.
Best Coast
Best Coast’s big make or break moment will be its first show following the release of its third LP California Nights not even a week earlier. After dividing its fanbase with a noticeably polished sound on its last album, legions of listeners are waiting in the wings to not only hear the new record but to also see vocalist Bethany Cosentino pull off a captivating set. Don’t fret if another band is scheduled to perform at concurrently as Best Coast will also be playing a night set on a different day.
If you’re still unsure just how prevalent 80s nostalgia is in today’s scene, pick up a shovel and dig the new Vaccines track. The playfully cool new track (off of their 5/26 release English Graffiti) uses the same faux string synth spurts that made you love your kiddie Casio back in the day. The track is full of crunchy swagger, drenched in leather and neon. Its Ratatat verses and Strokes choruses make it sound as big and bold and the Vaccines’ ambitions.
Despite having only been around for five years, this is a pretty damn confident-sounding group of dudes. Don’t write off “Minimal Affection” as a grab on a recent sonic trend – as with manyrecently releasedsongs, its lyrics tackle the dissonance between disaffection and desire in today’s youths (cue Liz Lemon gif). In a world seemingly bereft of ‘true affection’, maybe the only refuge left to find it is in a less-than-suitable relationship “when we don’t have a lot in common.” Most of us generally want the same things, but we’re also getting tricked into thinking we shouldn’t. The Vaccines brilliantly pair this sentiment with similarly disaffected music, cool on the surface but barely containing the bursts of fuzzy emotion that keep breaking through.
Boston-based Diana DeMuth is premiering her music video for “Beat,” a track off of her March 17 release, Albuquerque. At just 21 years old, the singer-songwriter is already drawing comparisons to the the likes of Norah Jones and Jewel, and for good reason. Her crooning voice and youthful yet insightful lyrics are refreshing and downright beautiful. Check out her brand new video for “Beat” below!
This seems like a complete stretch given how opposed Robert Plant has been to a reunion tour, but several key factors increase the possibilities in the future. Last year, Plant announced major reissues of the band’s entire discography, and just last month their entire discography appeared on streaming services. Is it possible Plant decided that he’s held out long enough when the rest of the band was seeking for another vocalist so they could tour? Money certainly isn’t a concern as he reportedly ripped up a draft of a contract offering them an astronomic $800 million to reunite. One thing is for certain: this absolutely must happen at some point in the near future.
4. Oasis
Last year’s announcement of reissues of the legendary Britpop band’s first three albums sparked hope that the Gallagher brothers might end their bitter feud and get back together, unfortunately that never materialized. It’s been nearly seven years since the release of Dig Out Your Soul and six since Noel Gallagher stated “the group does not exist anymore.” I’m not expecting them to release a full album – although rival band Blur is in April – a return to the touring scene would be well received by fans and possibly remind the group why they’re still one of the UK’s most successful acts.
3. Lauryn Hill
Hill’s career has become somewhat of a fable in the passing years. Her 1998 debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill earned her 10 Grammy nominations of which she won five: Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. So then why is it 17 years later she still has yet to release a follow up? Besides for serving a short jail sentence for tax evasion, there really isn’t a great reason. She’s been sporadically touring for years at festivals, but now a full on Lauryn Hill comeback is needed now more than ever.
2. Britney Spears
Although Britney released her eighth LP Britney Jean in late 2013, it certainly went by without much fanfare. The music was dry and uninspired, despite her claims that it would be her most personal album to date, and was rife with the fingerprints of will.i.am. Even the announcement of her Las Vegas residency seemed a tad premature for someone as young as Spears. This is her year to remind people she’s still in the ring between rumors of a ninth LP starting to come out and the imminent release of her cover song on Giorgio Moroder’s new record.
1. Missy Elliott
Is there even a debate about this? Following the reclusive rapper’s appearance at this year’s Super Bowl, the Internet was yearning for her comeback to show other female MCs how it’s done. It’s been 10 years since the release of her sixth album The Cookbook and while there have been recording sessions for the tentatively titled Block Party since then, nothing has stuck. Last week she was in the studio with Pharrell Williams and she released a guest verse on a Diplo track. All of that is nice, but let’s bring Timbaland back and release a full LP instead.
