15 Questions: Junior Prom

Posted on by Jacklyn Citero

Last time we chatted with Mark Solomich and Erik Ratensperger of Junior Prom, we got the scoop on their recently released EP, their time on tour with Panic at the Disco, and established that there is no shame in enjoying pop music. This time around, we really wanted to get to know these guys. From tattoos to favorite types of brews, this duo let us in on the more personal side of Junior Prom. Once again, Solomich and Ratensperger proved that there are no guilty pleasures here!

If you happen to be in NYC, you can catch Junior Prom at Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn on April 5th.

1. Last album bought?

MARK: Dean Martin – Dino does Latino. Google the album cover. He’s dressed like a drunken mariachi.

ERIK: Bette Midler’s Thighs and Whispers, purchased at Rooky Ricardo’s Records in San Francisco.

2. Last tattoo you got?

MARK: A Barbed wire tribal butterfly on the small of my back.

ERIK: A portrait of Jerry Seinfeld on my back.

3. Last show you went to but didn’t play?

Our friend’s band, Elliot and the Ghost, at Cake Shop, NYC.

4. Last meal you had?

MARK: Big Mac, McShamrock Shake, small fries. Held off on the large. I’m on a diet after all.

ERIK: Couple fried eggs with an avocado.

5. Last lie you told?

MARK: No, you look great, really.

ERIK: I never lie.

6. Last movie you saw in the theatre?

ERIK: The Grand Budapest Hotel

MARK: The Monuments Men.

7. Last beer you drank?

MARK: Old Milwaukee. It’s a new artisanal microbrew.

ERIK: Racer 5 IPA.

8. Last time you fell in love?

ERIK: It’s easy to fall in love every day, in this city.

MARK: I saw a dog on the street yesterday. Love might be a strong word, but I’m going to go ahead and say it anyway. He had a Chicago Bulls sweater on.

9. Last trend you hated?

MARK: Don’t know if it was a trend, but whenever people started writing “muah” in emails, etc. I really didn’t get it. I thought they were all doing the evil laugh like a villain in a cartoon.  It really confused me, because it always seemed out of context. Now, I know it means “kiss,” but at the time I really hated it.

10. Last guilty pleasure?

ERIK: No guilty pleasures. Though I am guilty of eating.

MARK: I’m with Erik on this one. No such thing as a guilty pleasure.

11. Last car you bought?

ERIK: I only have a learners permit.

MARK: Never owned a car, sadly.

12. Last plane ride?

ERIK: To San Francisco.

MARK: My hometown Pittsburgh.

13. Last time you were stuck in traffic?

ERIK: Yesterday, when I took a cab to Home Depot.

MARK: Don’t forget there was traffic on the way to Bed Bath & Beyond after we left Home Depot, Erik.

14. First vinyl record you bought?

ERIK: Probably some sh*tty hardcore 7″ in the mid-90s. Though I have to acknowledge all the LPs I grew up with that my older sister had; Iron Maiden, Van Halen, The Cure, Depeche Mode, INXS, B-52s…

MARK: Definitely a sh*tty punk 7″ at a basement show.

15. Last time we talked to you, you were planning on going to SXSW, but then I heard these plans got derailed. What happened?

ERIK: Some scheduling issues came up, but I’m certain we will be there for 2015!

MARK: Jay Z and Gaga told us they’d be down there, so we decided not to go. Gotta give them the spotlight for once, ya know.

 

*Get a hold of the Junior Prom EP here!

Conway x Vinyl Mag

Posted on by Michelle King

Conway is a name you should know by now. Whether it be from her current tour dates with Ellie Goulding, her brand new video for killer track “Hustler” (see below), or from hearing her track on HBO’s GIRLS, she’s definitely an artist to keep an eye – and two ears – out for.  We recently got to fire some questions at Conway, and this is what she had to say.

VM: You recently released your first EP, but your sound is definitely more developed than a novice artist. When did you start writing music? And how has your sound and writing process developed over time? 

Conway: This is my first EP as a solo artist but I have been in bands for years. I’ve been writing songs for about 10 years, but this solo release is really the result of a lot of work and exploration. I used to write only to the bass, which I played in all my bands. Now I write in all kinds of ways. I’m more focused on melody and structure. Before I wrote without thinking. Now I write with the intention of communicating with people.

VM: Were there other hands involved in the writing and/or recording of Big Talk? 

C: Like most great things, Big Talk was a collaboration. I always write all lyrics and melody by myself….and collaborate with others on the music, sound and production. I programmed the original trashy beat for the verse of “Big Talk” on Reason and wrote the lyrics/melody… then Billy Mohler and Rene Arsenault (Riot City) made the music for the chorus.

I then went back and wrote over their chorus. When we had a solid song, we just went nuts adding cool sounds and really carving out little moments all over the song.

VM: Not many musicians also design their own wardrobe for shows. What inspires your design choices? Do you have fashion in mind when you’re writing your music? Or vice versa?

C: I love making things. So the wardrobe is just one more piece of my world I get to create. I want to wear things that I can jump around in but don’t have to worry about falling out of. I love designs that are strong but feminine. I love loud and imaginative patterns…things that take you into another world. For example, I have a zip-up onesie that looks like the surface of the moon. Tight!!

I don’t think about fashion when I’m making music. But I do think about it when I’m imagining singing to people. I want them to have as much to dive into as possible. What they see is very important…so it should be interesting.

VM: After self-recording and editing your first music video, which saw such a huge response on YouTube, and now being signed to Columbia Records partially due to it’s success, do you plan to continue the DIY approach, or will you welcome the resources that a major label will afford you in the future?

C: I will always be involved in a hands on way with everything that surrounds my music. I don’t know any other way of doing it..and I certainly don’t want anyone else speaking for me. I will of course welcome the help that can come from the resources of a label…because in my case, my label really supports my vision and lets me create it without getting in the way. Crazy, right?

VM: You’ve had songs featured on Girls and Teen Wolf and seen placements in Rolling Stone, Nylon, Idolator, and a slew of other noteworthy outlets. Did you have any idea that your music would strike a chord with such a large audience so quickly? 

C: I have been working on this for the past couple years..so for me it doesn’t feel that fast. I will say that I’m super excited and relieved that people are beginning to hear it…and that they don’t hate it. Yikes!

VM: You’ve also already had the chance to play some pretty massive shows. Between Madison Square Garden earlier this week, Diddy’s Revolt TV party, The Natural History Museum, etc., what would you say is your most memorable moment? 

C: Wow..I mean Madison Square Garden with Ellie Goulding was epic. The second night we played there was one of my favorite things I’ve done in life! I ran off stage after the set with my band, and we were all just screaming. It was too much to put into words. Bucket list. Check.

VM: And who’s been your favorite act to share the stage with?

C: St. Lucia might be the best dance party of a show ever. It was awesome touring with them, because I basically got to dance to them for almost two hours every night for FREEEEE!

VM: Your next show is Atlanta’s Fox Theatre Thursday night. It’s quite a beautiful and legendary venue. Have you ever had the chance to visit Atlanta? 

C: This is my first time to Atlanta, and I have to say I have met the nicest people wherever I go. Southern hospitality is REAL! I had some southern food at Mary Mac’s Tea Room, saw jazz at Churchill Grounds and am about to play a historic venue tonight. I couldn’t be happier.

VM: After your tour with Ellie Goulding wraps up, what’s next for you? 

C: Well, we’re on tour with Ellie until May..and then we hope to be going over to the UK to do some of our first shows there. This year is all about touring and meeting people. When I’m not touring, I will be working on finishing the full length album, which is almost there! Yippeee!

*Be sure to keep up with Conway. This girl is the bomb. And check out her video for “Hustler” below!

New Nick Cannon single

Posted on by Vinyl Mag

Nick Cannon has released a single off his new album, White People Party Music. The track, which features Future, Traphik, and Migos, is called “Pajama Pants.” Enjoy? Or have a good laugh, because I think (or hope?) it’s a joke.

 

 

New Bleeding Rainbow video

Posted on by Vinyl Mag

Last month, Bleeding Rainbow released their new album, Interrupt. Check out their brand new video for “Images.”

Tour Dates:
04/16 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
04/17 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
04/19 Woodstock, IL @ VFW Post 5040
04/20 Milwaukee, WI @ Quarters
04/21 Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club
04/23 Missoula, MT @ Ole Beck VFW Post 209
04/24 Olympia, WA @ Dumpster Values
04/25 Seattle, WA @ Vera Project
04/26 Portland, OR @ Sloan’s Tavern
04/27 Eugene, OR @ The Boreal
04/29 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
04/30 Los Angeles, CA @ The Church on York*
05/01 San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
05/02 Tempe, AZ @ Vag Fest, Yucca Tap Room
05/04 San Angelo, TX @ Wise Guys
05/05 Austin, TX @ Red 7 !
05/06 Dallas, TX @ City Tavern
05/07 Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone
05/08 Charlotte, NC – Snug Harbor
05/09 Charlottesville, VA – Tea Bazaar

* = w/ Marnie Stern
! = w/ Ringo Deathstarr

 

Lykke Li gives us another single off her upcoming album

Posted on by Vinyl Mag
Get used to looking at this flower

We’ve already been given “Love Me Like I’m Not Made of Stone” from the brilliant Lykke Li, and now she’s giving us another single? Hell yeah! “No Rest For The Wicked” is another track off her upcoming album I Never Learn, which is due to drop on May 5th, and this time, we feel a haunting vibe. Kind of reminds me of Florence + The Machine – big drums, sick vocals, ya’ feel? If you aren’t listening to the song right now, click the damn play button, fool!

 

 

Foster the People: ‘Supermodel’

Posted on by Alexis Tiedemann

With their second studio album, Supermodel (released March 14th on Columbia Records), Foster the People has departed from the light, upbeat sound of Torches, replacing techno beats and airy vocals with a much more stripped down, heavier, instrumental, resulting in a raw and very real album. And it totally works.

Supermodel  is an angrier follow-up to its predecessor and proves that Foster the People is not in a sophomore slump—this  second album is certainly a force to be reckoned with. Supermodel is angry, brash, bold, unafraid, and raw, with cryptic lyrics alluding to growing up and coming to terms with unforgiving fame in a greedy world.

Many of the songs, such as “A Beginner’s Guide to Destroying the Moon” urge the listener to “think freely” and “smash the wall of apathy”, breaking free from the world which they have discovered to be petty and fake.

Self-fulfillment and satisfaction with personal success are also recurring themes that run rampant in Supermodel,  with such tracks as “Are You What You Want to Be?” and “Ask Yourself” in which they inquire, “is this the life you’ve been waiting for?” They offer their own experiences by reflecting, “Well I find the more I want, the less I’ve got.” The evolution of the band as a mid-level act coming to terms with not just indie stardom, but shooting to the top of the pop music charts, is obvious and clearly drives the music on this second album.

However, the upbeat rhythms and unbelievably bright melodies juxtaposed with dark lyrics that we have come to associate with FTP have certainly not fallen by the wayside. Tracks such as “Pseudologia Fantasia” (which is a term used to describe pathological lying) and “Best Friend” are reminiscent of Torches, with danceable grooves and surprisingly grave lyrics. Yet these songs are composed with heavier undertones and even darker, more cryptic lyrics.

The 30-second, vocal only track, “The Angelic Welcome of Mr. Jones” provides a nice intermission for the rest of the album, and the acoustic and very introspective track “Goats in Trees” breaks up the impassioned guitar-heavy tracks with a thoughtful, lyrical piece in which they bear their souls and refuse to shy away from such contradictions as “Don’t give up on me now, and I’m on the outside, but it’s warm on the outside. That’s a lie, I don’t wanna fall apart,” revealing inner struggles all humans face.

Songs like “The Truth” and “Nevermind” evoke thoughts of Radiohead and continue to deal with such issues as love and loss in the face of modern philosophy. The album ends with a quiet, acoustic number (“Fire Escape”) leaving us to reflect upon the album and our own lives.

Foster the People burst onto the music scene with “Pumped Up Kicks” in 2011, and while the tune was unbelievably catchy, it was easy to brush them off as a one-hit-wonder. However, Supermodel proves the doubters wrong and guarantees the band a lasting place in indie and pop music history. Heavier, weighty lyrics and instrumentals bring the band down to earth as they explore universally relatable worldly issues from the perspective of a band coming to terms with newfound fame. I want to listen to it again and again and again.

Vinyl Revival

Posted on by Alexis Tiedemann

I walk out of Low Yoyo, an Athens record store on Washington Street, brimming with delight. I can hardly contain my excitement as I walk back to my apartment a few blocks away.

Under my arm I carry two new records. They are not new, as in never-been-opened, still-in-the-package, never-been-played records. The corners of the covers show signs of wear and tear, and some scratches mar the cover artwork. They are merely new to me, two 33⅓ rpm microgroove vinyl records that I have previously not had the opportunity to place onto my Crosley record player and enjoy.

Pink Floyd and the boys of Led Zeppelin call to me from under my arm. “Walk faster” they whisper, “walk faster, we’re almost home.” When I reach my living room, the excitement builds.

It is not that I haven’t heard every single song from Led Zeppelin I and Dark Side of the Moon over and over and over again. Amongst others, these albums raised and nurtured me into a love for music I believe to be matched by only a small portion of our society. It is that I have never heard these albums in their original vinyl phonorecord format.

I move the globe that rests atop my record player while not in use and lift the lid. I slide Dark Side of the Moon out of its beautiful cover, which in and of itself, is a work of art. I lower the record onto the turntable, move the arm to the right until it clicks and begins spinning, and carefully place the needle on the very outside edge and wait.

It takes a moment for the music to start. Vinyl is not as loud as a CD in the car or as blaring as my iHome can be. Vinyl is subtle.

The heartbeat begins and grows louder. For the next 20 minutes or so, I am lost. I have disappeared into the music, into the original recording, into the scratches and fuzzes, into the tiny nuances of the sound that are so often lost in the compression and digitization of mp3s and downloads. Only when the arm clicks, signaling the time to turn the record to the other side, am I brought back to reality. Within moments, though, I am yet again lost, until the heartbeats return, and the album fades out.

I am not alone. A shocking new trend is occurring. According to Billboard, while CD sales continue to decline, vinyl sales jumped 17.7 percent between just 2012 and 2013 alone. Vinyl’s growth outpaced digital’s sales growth; digital sales only jumped 14.1 percent between the same years. In our digital world, vinyl is making a loud comeback.

I am a member of Generation Y, often called the “Millenials.” We represent technology, instant gratification, downloads, streaming, Netflix, Twitter, and blogging. We tweet and text more than we talk, and every piece of information imaginable is at our fingertips. So what is it about vinyl that draws us in?

Our parents grew up on vinyl. They were teenagers with Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, and record stores made their homes on every third street corner. For them, the return to vinyl, or “vinyl revival” as it has been called, is about nostalgia. But we were not there for Grateful Dead or Jefferson Airplane or Jimi Hendrix. It cannot possibly be a matter of nostalgia for us. But, if not that, then what could it possibly be?

For some people, vinyl just sounds better. In a July 29, 2013 Pitchfork article, Mark Richardson explains that while the sound quality of a vinyl record may not be greater, many people enjoy it because “it introduces distortion.” Bass notes are warmer, and scratches and fuzz seem more authentic. But he notes that the way people hear sounds and listen to music is “wholly personal.” And I agree.

Perhaps that’s just it. The vinyl revival is a reflection of the changing personal tastes of music consumers. Maybe it is a fad. Maybe it is just a characteristic of our generation. Maybe it is the novelty and antiquity of records that make them so desirable. But in the end, it is just a personal preference.

I like vinyl in the same way that some photographers still like to take photographs on film every so often. Something about the process, taking the film out and developing it yourself, and making a photograph appear is very intimate and special. It’s not like I want to carry around my record player and a crate of my favorite LPs all day. That is what Spotify is for.

But there is nothing in the world that matches the feeling of finding your favorite record on vinyl and rushing it home to put it on the turntable. It is a distraction, a break, an escape from reality. For a few moments, the world falls silent behind my Crosley. For a few moments, music is the only thing that matters.

Street Style Profile: Lawson Chambers

Posted on by Aubrey Mascali
Photos by Aubrey Mascali

Lawson Chambers is a stylish Athenian who thinks of himself in general terms as “a story-teller.”  Whether he’s performing stand up comedy, hosting his local radio show or working hard to earn his animation degree at UGA, he’s keep himself busy, and he looks sharp doing it. We sat down to find out more about Lawson and – most importantly – what his super power of choice would be!

VM: When it comes to your personal style, where do you get your inspiration?

Lawson Chambers: Well, I like to think that what you wear is reflexive of your personality, as if you were a cartoon character, so I try to wear things that represent a facet of my life. I may wear a Neutral Milk Hotel shirt with a leather jacket, so people can correctly assume I work at a radio station.  Or I might wear a Homestar Runner shirt to make friends with other nerds. Usually though, I try to wear nicer clothes with bold colors to show that I care about how I look, but don’t take myself too seriously. I also like doing this, because whenever I perform stand-up, it helps me get across the kind of person I am.  This practice is also an admittedly blatant rip-off of my favorite comedian, Paul F. Tompkins. To answer more succinctly why I like to wear nice clothes, I’ll quote Paul: “I dunno, I just like dressin’ up… (smiles) It’s fun.”

VM: You’re currently pursuing a fine arts degree, correct? What are you studying, and what is it that speaks to you within the realm of art?

LC: Not exactly; I’m actually pursuing an Independent Studies degree in Animation. I don’t know if I actually want a career in animation, but since I take both theater and visual art classes, I get to nurture two skill-sets that are important to me. I do like animation though, as all of my interest in art comes from the want to entertain, make people laugh, and to tell a story. Ideally I’ll end up working a lot of different, smaller jobs where I’ll get to do a variety of things; performing stand-up, writing for a TV show, cartooning, or going back in time to tour with a vaudeville troupe.

VM: As for stand up comedy, has this long been an interest of yours or it it a new hobby? And how nervous were you your first time on stage?

LC: I’ve always been a huge comedy nerd, but for a long time my only experience in doing it myself was creating silly comics about secret agent monkeys or singer-songwriter Morrissey. I didn’t think about doing it myself until a couple of years ago when I started listening to podcasts like The Nerdist where I would hear comedians talk about themselves, and I realized I was a lot like them. I shared both their love of comedy and a system of neuroses and anxieties that propels one to seek attention from strangers. So I first went on stage about two years ago, and it was horrible. I was extremely nervous, and I visibly shook. I think I may have gotten one laugh. But if you do anything long enough, and you care about it, you get better at it. So I’m still performing every week and getting slightly less horrible with each time I go up.

VM: Do you have any upcoming projects or shows you’re looking forward to?

LC: I have an ongoing radio show and podcast called Comedic Conversation with Colorful Characters that I greatly love doing. It airs on WUOG 90.5 FM on Tuesdays at 7 PM, and is available for download on iTunes or comedicconversations.tumblr.com. Basically, we invite on different comedians from around Athens and Atlanta to talk, play games, and just act silly. Other than that, I’m starting to get more into sketch and improv comedy, and hope to get some comedy friends of mine together soon to put on a variety show. Also, I want to make a web-comic series about a dad just being a dad and doing dad things.

VM: If you had one superpower what would it be?

LC: The only acceptable answer to this question is flying, or telekinesis – which would also give you the ability to fly. Popular opinion is that most people will say flying, but if they were being honest with themselves they would choose to read minds or turn invisible. I say that’s bull-honkey. It would be amazing to fly: at any speed and at any height. What kind of whimsy-less monster would rather hear gossip about themselves than soar through the air like a majestic bird of prey? Flying.

Check out Lawson’s playlist below!