AthFest 2014: Ruby the RabbitFoot x Vinyl Mag

Posted on by Nikki Smith

After two long years, Athens native Ruby Kendrick has released her second album, New as Dew, under the moniker Ruby the RabbitFoot.  Her sophomore album exhibits an evolved sound, but remains soft and relaxed, since her first album in 2012, No Weight No Chain.

“New as Dew” and “Ways” are two personal favorites of the new album. “Ways” is accompanied by a vivid music video featuring flowers and solo shots; it is sweet and bright, like her awesome bangs. No doubt, Ruby’s southern heritage comes through in her guitar sound, but her simple voice appeals to modern listeners.

Ruby the RabbitFoot will soon be an essential Athens artist to add to your summer playlist. This year, she plays on hometown soil for Athfest. Although this is only her second album, there are sure to be more to come…at least we hope.

Vinyl Mag: You’re from Brunswick/Saint Simons Island [Georgia], right?  How long have you been involved with the Athens music scene? How do you judge Athens as a platform for artists?

Ruby Kendrick: I am from Brunswick/ Saint Simons. It’s a one of a kind place.  I’ve been involved in the Athens music scene since 2011. I think Athens is a great place to make music. Cheap cost of living and a supportive community.

VM: In general, how has music been an important part of your life? When did you first know you wanted to make music?

RK: I’ve always loved to sing. Before I knew how to play guitar or piano, I would sing everywhere and anywhere. When I was in third grade, my dad got me a keyboard from radio shack. After that, it was all over.

VM: Do have any other creative outlets other than music? 

RK: These days, I’m really into music video production. You can check them out at Cardio Barbie TV. Two more will be added later this summer.

VM: Who (or what) is your inspiration? Most of your sound is very soothing and light – what state of mind do you adopt, and what process do you go through to create a piece of music? 

RK: It’s funny to think that my music is described as soothing and light. I might have to give credit to my band for that. They keep things sunny for me in general.  Lyrically, I think the songs can get pretty dark… but that is a detail that folks can choose to acknowledge or ignore. I’m really inspired by pop music for the most part. Mostly female artists.

When I write a song, I’m not thinking about any of that. I’m kind of just vomiting something up. I don’t get to choose when, where or what. It just has to happen, and then I feel really good for a few days.

VM: It’s been two years since your first record, No Weight No Chain – what’s been happening in that time? 

RK: O lawwwddd… Just getting knocked around by life mostly. The New As Dew era was a very happy one in the RabbitFoot world. I spent those two years (after NWNC) just focusing on the New songs and traveling a bit.

VM: How has your music evolved since 2012? What goals did you have for New as Dew? 

RK: I think my voice has gotten stronger. I’m a very quiet singer…and it used to be even worse. I’m more confident in my live performance. I used to be terrified to play piano on stage – my fingers would shake violently.

My goal with New As Dew is to just stick with it as long as I can. I have a tendency to be ‘over it’ before anyone else hears it. I want to parade it around before moving on to the next album. Even though it feels like a part of my life that’s over, I want to share it.

VM: Of course, you have quite a following in Athens, which will surely be supporting you at Athfest. How is the local crowd compared to “out-of-towners?”

RK: Playing in Athens is like playing in front of your family. It’s much more nerve-racking, but much more rich. I want to make them proud.

VM: Have you been to Athfest before? 

RK: This will be my third Athfest.

VM: What are you most looking forward to [at Athfest] this year? 

RK: I want to see Kishi Bashi.

VM: Do you have plans for the rest of summer and the future, in general? Can we expect another album soon? 

RK: This summer, I am touring as much as I can. I’ll be flying to California right after Athfest, then I’ll be looping down to Texas and up to Chicago this Fall.

You can definitely expect another RabbitFoot album. I’m very excited about the new songs and hope to develop them more this winter. I’d love to say that you can expect it in 2015, but time is slippery.

Jun 21    Athfest Hull St. Stage    Athens, GA
Jul 05    CAMP OUTPOST    Piru, CA
Jul 25    Green Room    Athens, GA Tickets
Jul 29    The Beatnik    New Orleans, LA
Jul 30    Mudd & Water    Baton Rouge, LA
Jul 31    Mango’s    Houston, TX
Aug 01    502 Bar    San Antonio, TX
Aug 02    Holy Mountain    Austin, TX
Aug 03    Wild Detectives    Dallas, TX
Aug 21    King Dusko    Charleston, SC
Aug 22    Sky City    Augusta, GA
Aug 23    Green Room    Athens, GA
Sep 03    Southgate House Revival    Newport, KY
Sep 07    Daytrotter    Rock Island, IL
Sep 10    Sugarlands Distilling Co.    Gatlinburg, TN
Sep 26    Gram Parsons Festival    Waycross, GA

Electric Forest 2014 Survival Guide

Posted on by Jacklyn Citero

I remember my first time. A little nervous, a bit of uncertainty and a natural high off of the excitement and anticipation. My mind was consumed with what I was about to experience and with questions about whether or not I was really prepared. Ready or not, we had arrived.

After a good 12 hours and two days on the road, we were finally creeping through the organized sea of cars entering the Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, MI. The energy, the happiness and the pure bliss of everyone arriving at Electric Forest that day is nearly indescribable. Leading up to this weekend attending my first music festival – let alone my first Electric Forest – many friends found it hard to fully describe the Electric Forest experience. The most common depiction was always something along the lines of, “Just wait. You’ll see.”

During my initial walk-through of Sherwood Forest, it hit me. I remember turning to my best friend and with the biggest smile on my face just stating, “I get it. I finally understand.” In that moment, I understood why this festival is so special and why those who attend make the effort to return year after year.There’s something magical and freeing about being at Electric Forest that can only be fully appreciated after experiencing this festival first hand.

This year I’m returning to the forest and thought I’d share my own take on surviving Electric Forest for the first time.

AS A DISCLAIMER- This is in no way a complete or even necessary guide for all. I will be the first to admit I am a creature of comfort, and many of my suggestions will reflect that. I also encourage anyone to feel free to share their own suggestions.

GENERAL FESTIVAL TIPS

Expect Nothing and Be Surprised: Do not set expectations for yourself. Do not go in telling yourself this will be the best weekend of your life. Just let it happen, because it will naturally happen on its own. It’s good to keep a schedule in mind for what artists you want to see, but don’t follow it too strictly. You never know what you might experience or who you will meet by just going with the flow and not following a  fully scheduled-out day.

Take Care of Each Other: Hopefully you are going with friends you can count on. Keep an eye on each other, know your own limits and know when to step in if you think someone is in need, whether it be friend or someone else at the festival. The med tent is your friend, and without sounding too mom-ish, it’s better to get help before it’s too late. Stay safe out there!

Water: Drink it. You do not realize how dehydrated you can become between all the walking you’ll be doing, all the sun you’ll be basking in and all the alcohol you probably will be consuming. My best advice: buy yourself a CamelBack or some other hydration pack. Having such a pack is easy to carry, and you’ll have water that’s easily accessible throughout the day. Electric Forest provides water refill stations throughout the campgrounds and within the festival venue.

Hammocks: Bring one or you’ll be disappointed you didn’t. ENO Hammocks are my preferred go-to, and if you forget, I’m sure reps will be on site and ever-willing to sell you one.

Cellphone Charging: Although there is a booth where you can charge your phone, for a fee, an external battery wouldn’t hurt to bring along.

Headlamp/Flashlight: Comes in handy for those walks at night back to your campsite or some adventures into the Porta Potties at night.

Gas & Jumper Cables: Make sure your tank is close to full before entering the festival and someone in your group has jumper cables. You do not want to be stranded when it comes time to leave the festival because of an empty tank or a dead battery.

CAMPING GUIDE

Camping With Your Friends: If you are meeting friends, and you all drove in separate cars, meet up before getting to the festival so you all drive in together. If you are not together when you enter, it will be extremely difficult (if not impossible) for you to camp next to each other.

Porta Potties: As a girl and first timer, I just did not think I would be able to survive an entire four days using such a facility. Trust me – you will survive. Electric Forest is one of those festivals that does a great job of scheduling regular cleanings for them, but the best time to go would be early morning right after they do the first cleaning of the day. Also, BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER.  I really cannot stress that enough.

Showers: Some people can go the four days without water and/or soap touching their bodies. I am not one of those people. In general camping, there will be shower trailers available, and many take advantage of going to the Gold Rush Water Park located at Double JJ ($20 per visit, includes shuttle to and from, a towel, and a shower). For a more personal experience and to avoid leaving your campsite, I suggest a camping shower. Also, wet wipes/ baby wipes can really come in handy.

Food: Electric Forest has great food options (delish taco truck, I’m lookin’ at you!). However, in the interest of keeping costs down, I’ve found that bringing a camping grill and splitting some food costs with friends is the way to go. Our food of choices are usually of the breakfast variety and easy to make such as quesadillas and brats. An awesome breakfast saved many of us some days.

Garbage: It’s quite appalling the amount of trash left behind by festival attendees at a camping festival. Don’t be one of those camps to leave tents, trash, etc. just because you know someone else will come along and clean up the mess you left. Electric Forest has been striving to become greener by supplying garbage bags and recycling options. Take advantage of the festival’s green efforts. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to leave the fireworks and Chinese/Prayer lanterns at home. Those beautiful lanterns that light up the night’s sky do not disappear and usually end up on properties outside of the festival grounds.

Electric Forest 2014: The Revivalists x Vinyl Mag

Posted on by Jacklyn Citero

As we get prepared to make the pilgrimage to Rothbury, MI, for, in our opinion, one of the best music festivals in the country, we called up George Gekas (bassist) of The Revivalists to hear what he had to say about their upcoming performance at this year’s Electric Forest and what he believes makes this, and so many other festivals and venues, so special and universally cherished by music fans and performers alike.

Vinyl Mag: What do you consider to be some of The Revivalists’ key elements to a live performance?

GEORGE GEKAS: I’d probably have to say energy. A lot of people say we give off a high level of energy, and it’s just because we love to do what we do. We’re the kind of band that, the more people we are in front of, the more energy we are going to give off. We love to have crowd participation at 100 percent if possible, and the best way to do that is to show that we’re up there having a good time and giving it our all.

VM: If you could describe The Revivalist’s music in one word, what would you use?

GG: One word is tough…soulful-rock. I know that sounds kind of generic, but we’re a rock band.

VM: Who/what would you say have been the band’s biggest influences?

GG: We all come from incredibly different musical backgrounds. Obviously, you have your standards – like some of the guys come from rock worlds, and guys that come from classical worlds, and jazz worlds, guys that grew up playing in church and stuff like that, but obviously bands like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and all kinds of classic rock. There are some people out there now doing stuff we like, but I guess it’s easy to say The Beatles and Led Zeppelin overall, as the two biggest influences. But we have so many guys that listen to so many different things. It’s actually really hard for all seven of us to genuinely enjoy.

VM: What are you looking forward to the most about your upcoming performance at Electric Forest?

GG: I have been hearing about this place for years now.  I remember when that first Rothbury lineup dropped, and after that happened people were just saying how amazing the festival grounds are. We are very fortunate that our booking agent has a stake in this, Electric Forest and Madison House, and a lot of people there told us that it’s worth it alone just to walk through the forest with all those crazy art instillations and the lighting rigs that are set up. It just seems like an amazing time. Not to mention, there are so many great bands, and there are so many of our friends that are playing, which is cool. It will be nice to have four days just to chill with people in a really cool setting with a lot of great music.

VM: Can we expect to see any collaborations or sit-ins?

GG: I would not be pressed to say there would be a high possibility of something like that happening.

VM: Are there any bands/artists you are particularly excited to see at EF this year?

GM: I’m excited to see Lauryn Hill.  I’ve never seen her live before, which should be really cool.  I’m familiar with Zeds Dead, but not a lot of Zeds’ solo stuff, and I’ve been listening to some of his acoustic stuff, and it sounds really cool. There are so many artists from so many genres. Umphrey’s should be fun…but definitely excited to see Lauryn Hill live, and I hope she brings a band.

VM: What do you believe makes this festival so unique and special? Is there any in particular about EF that makes you excited to just get there?

GM: Not to sound too earthy and hippity-dippity…there is a reason why people have these massive gatherings in certain places, almost like a certain vibration that pulls people in, and there’s kind of like this sixth sense going on where people can feel an energy surrounding a place – a place like [Electric Forest}, or Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL, or Red Rocks and the Gorge. There are certain places that people gather, and there’s no real reason why it starts happening, but everyone knows these places are special. We love that we are going to be a part of something like that, and there’s a really sick line-up. It’s a great four day festival.

Like I said before, the best part about doing this stuff is just getting to hang with your friends. We’re lucky enough to be Madison House artists, so we’re going to get to see all of those people from Colorado there, and I could go down the lineup, but there’s going to be at least 10 bands there who are our friends, and we rarely get to see for more than a day, and we’re going to get to all chill. Besides the fact we’re playing – playing is the obvious give in. Getting to play is awesome, but it’s all the little perks you don’t see once we get off the stage.

Cut Copy at Variety Playhouse

Posted on by Rebecca Smith

When Australian vocalist Dan Whitford of Cut Copy announced on stage Tuesday night that, based on his observations, Atlanta loves to party, the crowd at Variety Playhouse went out of their way to uphold their reputation.

The sold-out show also featured CLASSIXX, a nu-disco duo from Los Angeles who played songs from their latest LP, Hanging Gardens. The set included a few different female vocalists who were present in spirit on a large futuristic TV screen. Tracks like “All You’re Waiting For” and “A Stranger Love” were fun and poppy, yet intricate and unique. Faster songs like “I’ll Get You” featured the question, “do you like bass?” and judging by the crowds enthusiastic dancing, I think it’s safe to say the answer is yes.

All photos by Michelle King

By the time Cut Copy took the stage, the audience was warmed up and ready for more. As the Aussies provided the party noise, the crowd was expected to bring the boogie.  While the title of their most recent album, Free Your Mind, was projected in the background, Cut Copy only played a few tracks from the record. One of which being “Let Me Show You Love,” a trippy feel-good song paired with a black and white spiral background that was enough to put anyone in a trance. “In Memory Capsule” featured a skippy synthesized beat that the audience had great fun dancing along to, but the track ended with too much guitar distortion.

Audience members were appreciative of throwbacks like “Where I’m Going” from their previous album, Zonoscope, and sang along devotedly, but the real climax of the show was when Cut Copy played uber-hit “Hearts on Fire” from the 2008 album, In Ghost Colours, that featured enjoyable samples of saxophone. As Whitford sang, “with hearts on fire, I reach out to you tonight,” arms extended out to the crowd with the audience reciprocating, the positive energy was absolutely infectious.

“Out There On The Ice” was one of the most fast paced and intricate songs of the evening. By the end of the song, Cut Copy was all over the place, chaotically running around stage, playing each others instruments, climbing on top of equipment and jumping off while accompanied by sirens and fast-paced beats. “Lights and Music,” a song about second chances for the sake of a good time, also proved to be energetic enough to get everyone moving.

The band is no stranger to Atlanta, having recorded the previous album, Zonoscope, with local producer Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley, Matt & Kim), who happened to be in attendance. This could possibly explain the proclivity for merrymaking that Whitford has come to expect from the people of Atlanta, but one thing’s for sure – Cut Copy’s symbiotic relationship with their audience made for one great party.

Street Style Profile: Kristin Karch

Posted on by Aubrey Mascali

This week, we talk with Athens-based student and photographer, Kristin Karch. Kristin’s style – as well as her personality – is an equal balance of sweet and sassy. She’s mastered the art of style, but always with a certain coolness that says she can go with the flow; somewhere in between the girl next door and the girl all the bad guys want.

Below, we have her featured in an American Apparel dress, Marc Jacobs shoes and her all-American Polo sunglasses – the perfect ensemble for this sunny summer day.

Apart from her excellent wardrobe, Kristin’s work as a photographer is always impressive, poignant and refined. She seems to be able to capture a certain story through her pictures – some of which we’ve included below.

Read on to see collections of her favorite things and to find out about her inspirations. Also, scroll down to check out her exclusive playlist made especially for Vinyl Mag – enjoy!

1) How do you approach dress, and what influences your personal style?

I wear a lot of dresses, because it is so easy to make a whole outfit with just one piece. I am currently obsessed with printed babydoll dresses from American Apparel. Other then that, I like to balance solid staple pieces like high wasted jeans or crop tops with other pieces that are a little more fun. Even though I have a ton of clothes, I catch myself wearing the same five things a lot of the time.

2) What is your most treasured possession?

My most treasured possession is an old metal suitcase that my grandmother gave me. It is filled with old photographs from her childhood and also some 19th century photographs. This imagery has come to be a crucial part of my artwork and has also influenced the way I think about photography.

3) We know you’re an amazing photographer. Can you tell us a little about how you got into photography and about your creative process?

I got into photography around freshman year of high school when I bought my first 35mm camera. I continued to shoot film for a couple years until I got my first digital camera. I had a darkroom set up in my house and was pretty big on doing things completely analog. I shoot mostly digital now and do a lot of work with scanning. Vintage prints and film still have a large influence in my work.

4) What or who is influencing you and your work now?

Elverum from Mount Eerie has been a huge source of inspiration from the time I was 15. It is hard to explain, but his music is exactly the mood I feel when I make work. He produced a record called “Mount Eerie Pts. 6 & 7” that came with a large photo book, and when I look at it and listen at the same time, it creates this bizarre but incredible feeling.

5) If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?​

I am lucky that I have been able to travel a lot for my age. Excluding all of the places I have already been, I would love to go to Iceland if I could go anywhere. I don’t know much about it, but pictures I have seen from there are strange, foggy and mysterious. All things I love.

Kristin’s Playlist:

AJR x Vinyl Mag

Posted on by Jasmin Nash

New York based trio of the Met brothers, AJR, takes DIY to a new level.  Adam, 23; Ryan, 19; and Jack, 16, produce, edit and mix all of their own music, including producing their music video for their single, “I’m Ready” (which now has over two million views on YouTube – see the video below).

AJR’s single is climbing the charts.  They have already toured with the likes of Demi Lovato and Hoodie Allen.  They just signed a joint venture with Warner Music Group and are gearing up for a summer tour and their album’s release later this summer.

I got the chance to talk to Jack about how they were able to go from busking in Central Park and Washington Square to getting their big break after successful singer-songwriter Sia reached out to them for a meeting over breakfast in Soho one morning.

Vinyl Mag: I’m the oldest of three girls, and I could barely share a room with them, let alone collaborate with them. What was it like growing up with your brothers and creating a unique and cohesive sound?

Jack: You know, a lot of people ask us that expecting us to fight and for it to be a difficult situation, but it really wasn’t. Growing up in the same room and in the same house, it gives us a chance to be completely honest with one another. We’ve been so close our whole lives, so when we are writing and producing together, I can be completely honest with Adam  and Ryan and say, ‘no, I’m not feeling this tune,’ or ‘I’m not feeling this track.’  We really work together, so this has only brought us closer and able to be honest with each other.

VM: I know your songs are very eclectic; they have a lot of influences and sounds. Are the three of your creative forces similar, or do you each add your own twist to the songs?

Jack: We definitely all have the same vision, but we do have different aspects of the song that comes from each of the three of us. It’s a full collaboration, and Ryan actually writes and produces pretty much most of the music, but we each add our own different styles. We each have our own favorite genres of music; I’m more into singer/song-writer, hip-hop, and Ryan likes today’s pop music. So we take influence from each of those genres and put it into the music.

VM: Your video for your single “I’m Ready” now has two million views on YouTube, and I know you guys produce, edit, record and pretty much do everything. What is it like to be garnering this much success from your own efforts? 

Jack: We’re all so thankful for it. Like I said, we started out street performing with absolutely nothing – just the band. We record, write everything from our own living room. For so long, it was just the fans supporting us. We did not have this record label. So, until a month ago when we signed this joint venture with Warner where we have creative control still, it’s just unbelievable that it’s 100 percent our work. We are just nothing but thankful, and just so surprised and shocked and happy every single day that this has happened to us.

VM: You’ve been compared to Imagine Dragons and fun. – you’re also being called “The Next Big Thing” and getting attention from Billboard and VH1, among others. Are you ready? Excited, nervous?

Jack: I am absolutely ready for this, but in the meantime, I have no idea what’s coming. We have no idea what could happen next. Right now, we’re watching the song climb the iTunes charts, and we never even imagined that could happen. So it’s just been a new surprise everyday, and it’s been nothing but enjoyable. So I’m so ready for this to happen.

VM: What do you feel like most influences your music now?

Jack: We try to include a bunch of different genres, ranging from music from the 50’s and 60’s to today’s pop music so anything from The Beach Boys and Simon and Garfunkel to today’s music such as fun., Imagine Dragons and even Kanye West. We try to include a bunch of different sounds.

VM: You hear stories about how bands get their big break, but what was it like when you heard back from Sia just from tweeting out your video. Did you think that that would be successful, or was it just a shot in the dark?

Jack: Well, for about seven years before that, we had been trying to make it with no success whatsoever. So, when Sia tweeted us, it was a huge surprise but at the same time we were [wondering if it was real]. So we actually didn’t know what to think of this, but a couple days later, we met up with her downtown, and she actually got things going for us. It was a real thing. It blew us away. Things started happening; she introduced us to people in the industry — it was just a shock to all of us, and it still is.

VM: On your previous tours, you got to open for Demi Lovato, Hoodie Allen and The Wanted, so I’m sure you got exposed to the stardom that you’ll most likely be receiving soon. Did you enjoy touring and being out on the road? I guess being out with your brothers makes it a little easier.

Jack: Yeah, I was homesick at times, but I’ll give you something; Hoodie Allen’s tour was unbelievable. We went onstage expecting to be booed off the stage, but we got on stage and we started playing, and they absolutely loved us. Hoodie Allen’s audience is 60 percent boys and 40 percent girls, and we just realized what a wide diverse audience we have. So it really opened our eyes and made us realize our age range and style is just incredibly diverse. So, touring has been a great experience for us.

VM: You’re also going on tour again this summer, with some already sold out dates. 

Jack: We’re going on tour with Lindsey Stirling. We’re doing a bunch of dates starting with Montreal and going down the East Coast into Louisiana and Tennessee and then Texas. So I’m really excited; she’s incredibly talented. I’ve seen a bunch of her videos, and her style is so unique, so I’m very excited to see her show and to perform.

Jun 16    Metropolis   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Montreal, Canada
Jun 17    House Of Blues   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Boston, MA
Jun 18    Terminal 5   w/ Lindsey Stirling   New York, NY
Jun 20    Starland Ballroom   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Sayreville, NJ
Jun 21    the Space   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Westbury, NY
Jun 24    Echo Stage   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Washington, DC
Jun 26    The NorVa   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Norfolk, VA
Jun 27    Fillmore   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Charlotte, NC
Jun 28    Ryman Auditorium   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Nashville, TN
Jun 30    Track 29   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Chattanooga, TN
Jul 01    Masquerade Music Park   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Atlanta, GA
Jul 02    Jannus Landing   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Tampa, FL
Jul 03    Hard Rock Live   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Orlando, FL
Jul 05    Sunset Cove Ampitheatre   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Boca Raton, FL
Jul 07    Iron City   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Birmingham, AL
Jul 08    House of Blues (18+)   w/ Lindsey Stirling   New Orleans, LA
Jul 10    Bayou Music Center   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Houston, TX
Jul 11    Stubbs   w/ Lindsey Stirling   Austin, TX
Jul 12    Southside Ballroom w/ Lindsey Stirling   Dallas, TX

Athfest 2014 Compilation Album

Posted on by Alexis Tiedemann

June is upon us, which means, Athens readers, that AthFest is right around the corner. AthFest Music and Arts Festival is like Christmas in June for the plethora of music lovers in the Classic City, a weekend of more music than you thought possible, with 14 venues and two outdoor stages hosting bands spanning every genre, most of them calling Athens home.

Every year for the festival, AthFest releases a compilation album produced by Ghostmeat Records (David Dondero, Drive-By Truckers), the proceeds of which go to benefit AthFest Educates, supporting art and music education in the Athens area. This year, however, the album will be released exclusively on vinyl—a first for the AthFest compilation.

I had a chance to grab a first listen, and saying I enjoyed it would be a vast understatement. Every year, AthFest reminds me how lucky I am to live in a city filled with such amazing art and music, and this compilation album is a testament to that.

The album kicks off with “Forest Gum” off New Madrid’s newest album, Sunswimmer. New Madrid is band that has been making more than waves, not only in the Athens music scene, but nationally as well, mixing southern rock roots with the psychedelic and indie influences of the modern Athens music scene. “Forest Gum” is awesome.

Ruby the Rabbitfoot takes over next, with “Ways.” Unsurprisingly, this song is instantly catchy, as Ruby croons over the acoustic guitar, universally appealing, but maintaining the down-to-earth indie vibe that has made her an Athens favorite.

“Rust and Bone” by Family and Friends starts slow by way of acoustic guitars, a violin and some heavy drums, and then builds with incredibly intensity, exploding with such pensive lyrics as “wondering if there’s a better way to live or at least a better way to die.” The song picks you up, whirls you around and sets you back on your feet, reeling from the trip.

Faster Circuits is groovy and psychedelic and evokes a good amount head bobbing with their psych-pop jam, “Relative Obscurity.” Indie rockers Elf Power do the same with their tune “Life the Shell,” singing, “and no one’s ever home when you ring the bell, and nothing’s ever there when you lift the shell.”

Of course, the Drive-By Truckers make an appearance on the album, with their raw and mellow “Rock Solid” tune from their Record Store Day EP release, Dragon Pants. The boys do what they do best.

Somewhere between Amy Winehouse and Billie Holiday lie the enchanting and unique vocals of Andrea DeMarco, complemented by the clear voice of David Krislis on the folksy “Meredith” by Cicada Rhythm that redefines the folk sound.

Nicholas Mallis and his deep, booming voice ask, “why do you light the candles when the storm hasn’t happened yet?” on his moody track, “Why Do You Light the Candles?” while Shade remains as capricious as ever on “Know Your Sine” with a mix of rock, punk, noise-pop, and indie music that is uniquely their own.

Ghost Owl closes out the album with “Eleven.” Ghost Owl is three quarters of the disbanded Athens legend and AthFest veteran band, Perpetual Groove, and although I have heard the name many times, I hadn’t had the chance to sit down and listen to them. They are a complete departure from the organic jams of P Groove and sway towards the indie rock genre, heavier, with a greater tendency towards electronic sounds and effects and a much more epic sound that builds throughout the song.

The AthFest 2014 compilation album makes me proud, as always, to be an Athens resident, a member of a community so rich with new and unique sounds, constantly pushing the boundaries to create music that the rest of the world can only imitate. And as someone who has seen about half of these bands live, I can assure you the festival itself will be just as exhilarating as the album. One thing is for certain, you DO NOT want to miss out on buying this record, and especially attending the festival.

Pre-order the album here!