Tag: new album
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REVIEW: The Last Tycoon’s Ballad of the Bloodstained Bible
Take a large dose of Sufjan Stevens circa Seven Swans, mix in a little Ryan Adams, and toss in just a dash of more current folk acts like Mumford and Sons, and you have “Ballad of the Bloodstained Bible”, The Last Tycoon’s newest single.
John Gladwin, currently living in Athens, Georgia, ushers in the song with a slow, melancholic banjo. From the moment the first note hits – as if the incredibly substantial title didn’t tell you enough – one can see that this song isn’t just your everyday folk song about love and loss. The tune, inspired by Southern Gothic literature, runs much deeper. By the time you reach the haunting chorus, chills run up your spine: “There’s bloodstains on the family bible…” Gladwin goes on to describe gunshots and, somberly, the fact that “sometimes love don’t get you through.”
Gladwin’s worldly lyricism and musical talent in “Ballad” express his unceasing understanding of the world and, especially, the Deep South. Just as writers like Flannery O’Connor, William Faulkner, and Truman Capote expressed the region’s mystic, often grotesque, nature, Gladwin achieves the same ends in song with this single. At one moment, Gladwin sings darkly of “neon crosses” that “burn through the night”; the next, the song builds into a dangerous atmosphere, a man walking solely with his “hat too low”, warned that, “one wrong step and you’re gone.” The rest of the song works in much the same pattern, ultimately leading to “strange fruits hanging on the trees”, a reference to the southern practice of lynching.
After one final, echoing chorus, the band finishes with an impressive last minute of instrumentals – a folksy banjo, a characteristically southern piano, and so on. With “Ballad of the Bloodstained Bible”, the Last Tycoon successfully transports the listener from his or her cozy living room to the historical South, sinister bloodstains and all.
Luther’s Phil Warner talks about touring, The Fest, and their debut album Let’s Get You Somewhere Else
If you haven’t heard of Luther, be glad you have me around to keep your playlists up to date. Luther is made up of Phil Warner (vocals/guitar), Nick Harris (vocals/guitar), Greg Karlowitsch (bass), and Andy Clarke (drums).
The band formed in 2011, and already they’ve made some serious strides, touring with bands like Bouncing Souls and The Menzingers. They have just released their debut full-length called Let’s Get You Somewhere Else and, for your own good, you should absolutely check it out. While you’re at it, enjoy this interview with Phil Warner.
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Vinyl Mag: As a relatively new band, you’ve already accomplished quite a lot. Give me a brief history of the band so far.
Phil Warner: We formed the band in the fall of 2010. I became friends with Nick [Harris] before that time, and we were hanging out jamming one day and decided to write some songs together. We had a drummer friend that we played with for a long time, and we had a different bass player when we started who ended up leaving shorty after. Greg [Karlowitsch] was in a band called The Great Explainer, and he was friends with whole Asbury Park crew. Once we played around Jersey, Philly, New York…people knew we were a band. Greg was super stoked on us and brought that whole crew to us. We toured with The Menzingers. That was the pivotal point where we knew.
VM: You just played The Fest. How was that?
PW: The Fest, in my personal account, was great. I feel like, in terms of our set, it was incredible – a ton of fun and a great turnout. I think that all of the bands from Philly once again crushed The Fest.
We are currently in the van right now headed to Denver…we really lucked out, because we are going away from this awful hurricane that is destroying the east coast.
VM: You have kept super busy since your start – what do you do when you aren’t working on the band?
PW: As of lately, we don’t have time to do anything else. After the Smoking Popes tour, we will hit it again in the spring.
We left in the summer for 60 days with Bouncing Souls and The Menzingers, which was incredible. Then we were home for two weeks, and then we did two weeks with our great dear friends called Timeshares, and then we did Canada for two weeks with Bouncing Souls’ Dave Hause, and then The Fest and the Smoking Popes tour.
It’s really crazy. Even when we were home for two weeks between the summer tour…I was on serious stimulus withdrawal. I mean, I am looking forward to going home, hanging out, seeing my family, etc. And meanwhile saving money to get back on the road.
VM: You just came out with Let’s Get You Somewhere Else. How has the response to that been?
PW: The response has been great! We’ve been getting a lot of awesome, awesome reviews. When we were in Canada, Pete from Bouncing Souls would come to us and show us another awesome review again and again. All of our friends are excited about it, and it’s hard to impress close friends…it’s nice to have that support and [support from] other bands that you’re touring with. Everyone is just really stoked…[it] feels really good, and we as band are proud of it. It feels like we nailed writing an album, like we have good songs and a cohesive album.
VM: What was the inspiration/writing process for the album?
PW: We were writing for this record since winter. We had a pretty intense tour last fall – we went out and did kind of a US tour with Tom May from The Menzingers. He played an acoustic act with us. We got into a really bad van accident, and it was a catalyst for getting our asses in gear, as well as a source of material for songs. It helped us with what to write about.
Nick and I will usually be the first ones to meet up…either one of us will have something bring to each other, flesh out, take to Andy and Greg, and sit down as full band. Everyone has great amount of input, whether it is structural or in building melodies. It feels really good to write a song in your head and bring to a band and see it become something greater than yourself.
VM: What is next for you after this tour?
PW: I have been writing some stuff, and Nick has, too. I am most excited to be home and write, maybe do a few 7”s, and maybe do some splits with some cool bands. We want to do stuff like that before we write another full length. I’m most looking forward to being home and being able to write again to see what kind of doors are opened.
Personally, I would love to do splits with The Sidekicks…one of my favorite bands…or Cheap Girls would be awesome.
Oh Cursive, you’re so cool
In a twinkle of starry lights, a pumpkin sat, glowing, declaring the band’s name: Cursive. The crowd went wild, screaming and fist-pumping, washing the stage with the kind of excitement usually saved for the headliner – that night, Minus the Bear – as singer and guitarist Tim Kasher took the stage with the rest of the band.
The calm-inducing lights suddenly made perfect sense at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta that night, October 24, as the band swept into the slow and thought-provoking “This House Alive”, the first song on Cursive’s new album, I Am Gemini. But the band, an inarguable group of musical geniuses, knew not to dwell in the serene for too long. Suddenly, in a burst of nearly tangible energy, drummer Cully Symington ushered in “A Gentleman Caller”, one of the band’s older, more acclaimed tracks. Kasher’s ferocious screams – declaring the horrors of love – forced the crowd into an almost hypnotic sort of head-bobbing.
Cursive proved through the next few songs that they are a band that is obviously impressive on recordings, but cannot be fully appreciated until seen live. Their songs explore universal human experiences like love and loneliness, and the band’s deep personal connection with its dynamic lyrics became clear as Kasher strolled back and forth across the stage, simultaneously appearing to contemplate the complexity and emotions behind the words he sang and interacting with the entire audience.
With a slightly country/folk edge that kept the audience enthralled and impressed, Cursive reached the middle of their set with “Caveman”. This unique track was the ideal predecessor to “The Sun and Moon”, another new song, easily recognizable by its undeniable catchiness. Intelligently referencing the likes of Dionysus and Gommorah, Kasher’s voice – rising steadily, magnetically – kept everyone, on stage and off, dancing until the very last note.
Cursive put together their set list incredibly well; immediately following “The Sun and Moon”, a crowd favorite, came one of the band’s most well-known, praised tunes: “The Recluse”. The instrumentals during this song were superb, a hubbub of odd instruments like sleigh bells. These sounds meshed impeccably with Kasher’s voice, which could only be described during this song as a collage, alternating constantly from a nearly inaudible whisper to one of his signature strings of throaty screams. Just a few songs later, another old favorite, “Art is Hard”, kept the crowd drawn to the band as a series of string instruments were played and the tempo was lifted ever further in a chorus of almost jazz-like melancholy.
The band finished with a rendition of “Dorothy at Forty” – an interesting choice, as it is definitely a lesser-known track. However, Cursive’s use of this song to finish off a perfect set simply proves their ability to judge what an audience wants – the song was a final, explosive burst of loud energy that kept everyone moving until the very last second, especially as Kasher opened his jaws in an enormous yell that reverberated around the room.
Before Kasher and crew walked off stage, he made one last, unnecessary declaration: “WE ARE CURSIVE!” If anyone in the crowd hadn’t heard of Cursive before, they certainly knew who they were now – and would never forget.
REVIEW: TRC’s The Story So Far
I have an interesting mix for you guys. I’m here to introduce London’s TRC with their debut U.S album release called The Story So Far. Here’s where it gets crazy…
Step one: Take the band Touché Amoré and add a full cup of British accent.
Step Two: Stir in a tablespoon of Bring Me the Horizon.
Step Three: Throw in just a pinch of Bullet For My Valentine.
Combine and let it come to a boil, then simmer. And there you have it… this is what TRC is made of.
TRC has made an impact in the UK underground music scene and are now here to see what ruckus they can kick up in the states. They signed in May with No Sleep Records, through which they are releasing TSSF. TRC is actually an acronym for “The Revolution Continues.” Their singles “Go Hard or Go Home” and “H.A.T.E.R.S.” have turned eyes on them in the UK and deemed them pioneers for the newest and eagerly anticipated wave of hardcore. Their latest single off of The Story So Far album, “#TEAMUK”, landed the band with a nomination for this years Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award as Best UK Band.
“Bastard” is probably one of my favorites on the album. I like the riffs and chords they use. Can I just say that I personally love UK hardcore bands? BMTH, Enter Shikari, Asking Alexandria… Just having the heavy accent adds that little tweak of difference from US hardcore bands, and they’re so catchy.
“London’s Greatest Love Story” is a great song for those with relationship woes, and it’s excellent to relate to. It’s a song about a guy lying to a girl that loves him, all the things he’s done behind her back, and how he wishes he never did any of it. Given the chance could I go back/and unbreak promises littered with mistakes/cause I’m telling her fiction/but Facebook pics are making me the villain/for testing waters where mermaids wait/blowing hot and cold/yeah they’re hot for a day/but what I’m left with is a keepsake/as my love boat floats away.
So, uhhmerica, tell me what you think of these across-the-pond-ers and if you can get down to their music. After a couple of listens, I definitely can! The Revolution Continues…
Members and Twitters:
Chris Robson – Vocals – @trcofficial
Anthony Carroll – Vocals – @anthonytrc
Charlie Wilson – Guitar – @CharlieTRC
Ben Taylor Dingwall – Guitar – @BenDingersTRC
Oliver Reece – Bass – @OliverReeceTRC
Lasselle Lewis – Drums – @BlacklavendaTRC
In the Studio with Circle Takes the Square
I got the chance to sit down in the studio with Kathleen Stubelek and Drew Speziale from Circle Takes the Square to talk about their new album, the recording process, and how they got where they are.
For those of you who don’t know, CTTS is an experimental screamo band from Savannah, Georgia. They are currently recording their new album, Decompositions, Volume 1, Chapter 1: Rites of Initiation.
Just wanna be sure to really thank Drew and Kathy for giving me such a great interview to launch VINYL with and Anthony Stubelek for inviting me into the studio and helping set up the interview. Couldn’t have asked for a better interview, and couldn’t have done it without you guys!
Interview is below:
Check out this bonus interview with producer and engineer (not to mention Kathleen’s husband), Anthony Stubelek, with some “deeply” inspiring comments from Drew.