October 2012 - The Cut Magazine

M I NUS
the
BEAR
volume6.issue1.oct2012
1
volume6.issue1.oct2012
FEATURED ARTICLES
caspian.10
minus the bear.16
the black keys.20
IN EVERY ISSUE
letter from the editor.04
music news.06
lyrically speaking.07
steel city start-ups.08
cut ‘em all.24
mixtape.25
concert reviews.26
album reviews.28
essay.30
2
3
LETTER
RECOMMENDED ALBUMS
from the
EDITOR
Editor-in-Chief
Kristen Swanson
Assistant Editor
Zach Branson
Art/Layout Director
Sarah Gorman
Photo Editor
Samantha Ward
Copy Director
Mike Ryan
Marketing and Publicity Chief
Dan Curhan
Public Relations Coordinator
Christina Mitas
Web Manager
Jake Kushner
Writing Staff
Rachel Asbel, Zach Branson, Sankalp
Bhatnagar, Leela Chockalingam, Allison
Cosby, Dan Curhan, Hannah Dellabella,
Vanessa Frank, Ian Go, Lisa Kessler, Will
Lush, Christina Mitas, Danielle Peters,
Alec Resende, Alejandro Reyes-Morales,
Christopher Skaggs, Kristen Swanson,
Samantha Ward, Rebecca Warshofsky
Photo Staff
Zach Branson, Lindsay Corey, Dan
Curhan, Christopher Skaggs, Kristen
Swanson
Layout Staff
Rachel Asbel, Hannah Dellabella, Ian Go,
Kathy Lee, Tiffany Tse
Editing Staff
4
Rachel Asbel, Kairavi Chahal, Leela
Chockalingam, Joshua Choi, Hannah
Dellabella, Eleanor Elrich, Holly Fitzgibbon, Sara Keats, Will Lush, Danielle Maly,
Phoebe Ng, Danielle Peters, Magdalen
Silberman, Jordan Stephenson, Adria
Steuer, Rebecca Warshofsky
I know it’s been hard surviving CMU life without The Cut, but the
first issue of the semester has arrived just before you were about
to go insane. Not only am I honored to be Editor-in-Chief for another year, but I’m psyched to share this new issue with everyone!
If The Cut grabbed your attention last semester, then prepared to
love as much as Kayne West loves himself. Seriously guys, we are
upping our game and fulfilling all of your twisted dark musical fantasies—plus the sweet and innocent ones. We’ve got a new column
that’s perfect for those of you that obsess over the lyric sheets inside of your CD cases. For those of you that have no idea what I’m
talking about, I have no words. This issue features a mixtape that will
make you want to roll around in all the autumn leaves on the ground
and an essay that will bring back musical memories you didn’t even
know you had. Plus we’ve loaded this issue with awesome concert
reviews, stand out albums you need to check out and bears—oh my?
Get cozy and read about Pittsburgh-based band Bear Cub. Then warm
up with an interview with Caspian which music loves of all genres will
find interesting. And just when you think your heart is fuzzy, warm, and
content, read all about our cover band Minus The Bear, who not only
have a killer new album out, but are incredibly humble and heartfelt
musicians. Not to mention their music just fits in so perfectly with the
weather outside—if you don’t believe me, check them out for yourself.
As great as the October issue of The Cut is, it’s only a taste of what is to
come this year. We all have tons of music we want to share with everyone one campus and we won’t stop until we’ve exhausted ourselves.
The Cut prides itself on covering all different genres of music and really including something for everyone in the magazine. As the editor,
I’d love to hear back from our readers! Any letters to the editor, feature
ideas, bands to recommend, and even criticism is welcome! Please
make my day and send your thoughts to [email protected].
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to enjoy these warm sunny
days while we got them. So grab the new issue of The Cut and read
it outside underneath the trees before it gets too rainy and cold!
Kristen N. Swanson
Editor-in-Chief
The Cut Magazine
10 SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR
1. Madness
Muse
6. Help I’m Alive
Metric
2. Frozen Lakes on
Mars Ihsahn
7. Liquorice
Azealia Banks
3. Civilian
Wye Oak
8. Shuffle A Dream
Little Dragon
4. Pretty Face
Sóley
9. Ho Hey
The Lumineers
5. Take A Walk
Passion Pit
10. Seventeen
Junior Battles
5
MUSIC NEWS
compiled by Allison Cosby and Samantha Ward
• The Jonas Brothers have revealed that a new single is coming out soon, although the only thing
you probably remember about them is—wait,
aren’t they a One Direction cover band?
• Members Redfoo and SkyBlu of LMFAO have
discarded rumours about their breakup. • In a vaguely unsurprising turn of events, Fiona
Apple spent a night in a Texas jail after authorities found weed and hash on her tour bus.
• Bon Iver once again asserts his hip nature by
asking fans to design his new tattoo based on
Northern Exposure.
• Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong has reported that he will still be appearing on television show The Voice despite the fact that he was
recently shipped off to rehab.
• PSY’s “Gangnam Style” has recently taken over
the radio, dancefloors, and subconscious minds
of Americans everywhere with its catchy tune
and even catchier dance moves. But does anyone
even know what he’s saying?
• When she’s not getting mistaken for Gwen
Stefani by Flavor Flav, Miley Cyrus is working on
a new album with a single heading out later this
year.
• Ke$ha has finally released a new single, fittingly
called “Die Young.
• At the iHeart Radio Music Festival, Pink showed
up all the pop starlets by singing her closing
number “So What” while hanging upside down
in a harness. Nailed it. • Lana Del Ray recently released the artwork and
tracklisting for her 24-song “Paradise Edition” of
Born to Die. • In other Lana Del Ray news, she made use of her
real claim to fame —her hot bod— and posed in
a (mostly) nude spread for this month’s GQ.
6
• While closing out their 50th anniversary tour,
the Beach Boys have expressed hope for their
future—lead singer (the beachiest boy) Brian
Wilson said, “I’m sure by early next year we’ll be
ready to rock.”
• Colombian pop star Shakira has announced that
she and her boyfriend, Spanish soccer star Gerard
Piqué, are expecting their first child.
• When in Amsterdam, do as the Amsterdamians
do? Lady Gaga lit up on stage while performing
in the notoriously weed-loving city, and even
made statements about joining the fight for legalizing medical marijuana.
• American Idol has announced a new lineup up
of interesting judges: Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey,
and Keith Urban all join the only remaining
original judge Randy Jackson for the upcoming
season.
• Punks unite? Surf-“punk” group Best Coast and
“punk” band Green Day will go on tour together
this January.
digital modeling,
sampling,
and the rise of
the home studio
by Dan Curhan
With the rise of the Internet, the dissemination of music
has become dramatically easier, causing all sorts of copyright/legal problems in its wake. Computer technology
has, however, also made the production of music far easier.
With a few 100 dollars and a decent computer, anyone
can produce studio-quality results in their bedroom. This
is especially prevalent in the now oversaturated djent scene
in progressive metal. Any decent musician with a good
ear, a computer, and the Internet can make instrumental
music that sounds professionally engineered. This jump in
home studio production quality can be attributed mainly
to massive leaps forward in the quality of digital modeling
amplifier simulators like Fractal Audio Systems’ Axe-FX,
and the availability of high-quality drum samples through
software such as Superior Drummer.
• To celebrate the 45th anniversary of The Velvet
Underground & Nico, musicians including Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, White Fence, and The Fresh
& Onlys are collaborating on a vinyl-only tribute
LP, set to drop on November 6.
• The Dum Dum Girls released a new LP, End
of Daze. On one track Dee Dee sings, “I’ve got
nothing left to say from this day on,” but somehow I doubt that’s true.
• Earlier this month Kanye West put out an underwhelming Cruel Summer, a compilation album
by the G.O.O.D. Music record label, adding to
the list of regrettable releases he’s put out since he
peaked with Watch the Throne.
• Rihanna has announced a new album set to
come out in November. The currently untitled
album will be her seventh album in just eight
years—she should really take a break from music
(maybe permanently).
One of my favorite albums last year was Corelia’s
mind-blowing debut EP Nostalgia. The songs were brilliantly written, flawlessly executed, and perfectly produced.
And it was all self-recorded, produced, and distributed. The
main components of their massive sound were Axe-FX
modeling units and drum samples from Superior Drummer. There isn’t a single mic-recorded amplifier on the
album. Every guitar and bass sound was recorded using a
direct input from the Axe-FX.
Corelia is probably my favorite example of using
modeling and sampling to make awesome music without
a studio, but they were by no means the first or the most
notable. Misha Mansoor (of Periphery) is probably one of
the most influential members of the djent and bedroom-recording scenes. His unique progressive metal project titled
Bulb broke out into the masses and started a revolution of
musciains writing and recording instrumental djent in their
bedrooms using similar techniques—techniques that he
was happy to share. Mansoor was extremely active in many
Internet forums, lending his ear, experience, and advice
to fellow bedroom musicians. He also uses Axe-FX digital
modeling amps. More and more artists, including Megadeth, Guns’N’Roses, Black Eyed Peas, Devin Townsend,
and Between the Buried and Me, to name a few, are making the switch to digital modeling amps like Axe-FX.
Digital modeling amps basically offer limitless combinations of classic simulated amplifiers, cabinets, and effects
pedals. The output can run through an amplifier setup or
straight into a computer. Besides Axe-FX, there are also
other modeling amps from companies like Line6 and Vox.
There are even guitar amp modelers that run on your computer, like Guitar Rig by Native Instruments. All of these
solutions mean that with one initial investment, the possibilities are limitless, and the results will sound professional.
Even from your bedroom.
lyrically speaking
with Hannah Dellabella
My first poetry professor once
told me that the best rhymes are
the ones that you don’t immediately notice. I tend to think this is
true, both in poems and lyrics. As
a writer, I can appreciate how difficult it is to make rhyming sound
natural, so I understand if a song
has some clumsy rhymes. But I expect lyricists to at least put a little
bit of effort into their rhymes. I
always find myself getting annoyed
at Top 40 songs for their propensity to choose easy rhymes for the
sake of catchiness. For example,
here are a few lines of “Save Me,
San Francisco” by Train:
“I’ve been high, I’ve been low
/ I’ve been yes and I’ve been oh
hell no / I’ve been rock and roll
and disco / Won’t you save me San
Francisco?”
Sure it’s catchy, but it’s borderline nonsensical. You can tell
that the lyrics are suffering from
their rhyme scheme, which is
pretty much a poetic sin. A reader
shouldn’t be able to tell when a
poet forced a line to fit the rhyme
scheme. The same should go for
lyrics. Sadly, music that tries to be
catchy often winds up suffering
poetically.
On the other hand, the writer in
me is very drawn to Bright Eyes,
a band that consistently produces
lyrics that read like poetry. The
lines usually have a balanced
amount of syllables, which lends
itself to a catchy rhythm. The
rhymes are subtle, but still detectable enough to make it catchy.
Here’s a few lines from “Lua”:
“I’ve got a flask inside my pocket, we can share it on the train / If
you promise to stay conscious, I
will try to do the same / We might
die from medication, but we sure
killed all the pain / But what was
normal in the evening, by the
morning seems insane”
These lyrics have the same mono
rhyme scheme as “Save Me, San
Francisco,” but they do something
completely different. The increased
line length helps make the
rhyming less obvious, but you can
still pick up on it. The lyrics here
do not sound forced or created
just for the sake of rhyming. They
sound like poetry.
Next time you listen to a song,
look for rhyming in the lyrics. You
might notice something you never
would have before. I’m definitely
not saying that I want all songs
to follow some standard format
for rhymes, but a little poetic
influence in your rhyming goes a
long way.
7
BEAR
CUB
by Leela Chockalingam
B
ear Cub made the move to Nashville, Tn. around two years ago. This small hardcore
folk Pittsburgh startup is making quite the name
for itself in what is arguably the music capital
of America. The ‘Burgh still actively claims the
Bears as their own, an appreciation the Bears
reciprocate. One of the catchiest tunes on their
latest album is “For Pittsburgh, With Love &
Squalor (Let’s Go Out).” An upbeat, riotous tune,
it describes how to go out in Pittsburgh for an
unforgettable night. The song captures the gritty details of the city’s spirit, leaving no question
the Bears hold the three rivers in their hearts.
The nucleus of Bear Cub’s formation was lead
singer Jesse Hall’s fateful trip to Austin, Tx. a few
years ago. Leaving his treasured music and his
beloved city, Jesse followed a girl to Texas. Leaving heartbroken, Jesse soon came home with the
rich emotional seeds for Bear Cub’s first album.
He got together with four other musicians he had
known for many years, and Bear Cub was born.
They started putting together their first eponymous album under Jesse’s father Buddy Hall,
a local legend and music producer. After being
extremely well-received by the local Pittsburgh
scene, they quickly built up a loyal fan base.
Since that time they have released two albums,
and they added their final band member in
Nashville. When asked why they relocated, Jesse
said, “I have always had a crush on Nashville
since I was a baby dude.“ No one can really blame
them for falling for Nashville, “Music City”,
which has seen the talents of artists as varied as
Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and even Paramore.
Their latest album, Good Morning, Every Morning, was released in September. Moving away
from Jesse’s breakup source material for the
first two albums, Good Morning, Every Morning
encapsulates the stories of the new beginning in
Nashville. With much more varied emotional
tone, the songs are generally full-force forward
with rollicking beats and humourous lyrics.
Bridging the gap between folk and rock, their
songs are head-thumping while still having the
universal feeling of folk. In one song a listener
can feel the sing-a-long pop influences of the
Beatles as well as the story-telling folk influences
of the Counting Crows. While these influences
can definitely be felt, Bear Cub takes them and
twists them together into an entirely unique beast.
Listeners quickly realize that this isn’t the folk of
their grandparents’ generation, but the music still
weaves rich stories. This folk is thicker, heavier, and faster, but still down to earth lyrically.
Their song “I’ve Been Around” starts with the
lyrics: “‘What’s the worst that could happen?’
I said to my friends as I pack up my old truck
and I begin to leave again.” These are obviously words from the heart of a band trying
to start anew in a strange city and making the
most of the situation. Their genuine lyrics stick
in the heads and the hearts of listeners. Fans
of the Avett Brothers, Bright Eyes, or NOFX
might benefit from checking them out.
Their hardcore nature becomes especially apparent at live shows. Energetic and
rowdy, the band tries to bring the house
down. “My favorite songs to perform live
are ‘I’ve Been Around,’ ‘3 Records Deep,’
and ‘Free At Last.’ Each one, in its own way,
seems to move the audience, and I get to
scream a little bit, which I enjoy,” said lead
singer Jesse. It is this live energy that pulses through their latest vivacious album.
Bear Cub put a lot of work into their
latest album, which has a fuller sound enhanced by intricate vocal harmonies. Jesse
advocates this dedication to the craft to other
artists, saying that aspiring musicians need
to work in order to do their music justice.
In a world where young artists often fall into
the trap of shock factors or crowd pleasing,
this advice is extremely relevant. Bear Cub
also believes that an aspiring musician’s lyrics
should stem from their personal experiences
and emotions. Their approachable yet unique
lyrics show the success of this attitude.
For more information about the band,
their website is www.bearcubclub.com and
their Facebook page is facebook.com/bearcubspage. Their latest album is for sale off
their website. While there probably will
not be any concerts in Pittsburgh any time
soon, there is no reason you have to miss
out on Bear Cub’s unique blend of music.
STEEL CITY
8
9
CASPIAN
Caspian’s unique blend of crushing
crescendos and soaring harmonies
has allowed them to become one
of the most important bands in the
post-rock scene. The Cut recently
spoke to Phil Jamieson about their
new album, Waking Season, and what
Interview by Alejandro Reyes-Morales
Photos by Dan Curhan
10
has kept the band going for almost
10 years of nearly non-stop touring.
11
The Cut: You guys are currently on tour with Minus
the Bear and Cursive in support of your new full
length album, Waking Season. How is the tour
going so far, and how has the crowd reacted to the
new material?
Phil Jamieson: Incredibly well. In fact, I really
think it just couldn’t be better. Minus the Bear and
Cursive are both bands that we really respect and
appreciate, and it’s an honor to share the stage with
them. They are all really mellow guys just trying to
play music, and it’s really been a dream come true.
So far the crowd has been responding positively.
We’ve been making up a new set each night, but
we’re starting to settle down on one that we like.
People need more time to get familiar with our new
material since it isn’t as “face-melty” or intense as
some of our previous albums.
The Cut: When your previous album Tertia came out,
you guys did a lot of touring in the US and abroad.
Is that something you are looking to continue to do
in support of Waking Season?
Phil: We really write our music to have the
opportunity to play in front of an audience, and I
imagine we’ll be doing just as much touring for this
album. Back in 2010 we did something like 170
shows in support of Tertia, and we all realized we
needed time to take a break. It was really nice to get
that time to recharge and get enough distance to
find the perspective we needed before we started
writing and playing music again. We are definitely
going to try to hit the road as much as possible.
The Cut: How have you developed musically since
your previous album? Was there anything specific
that you were trying to achieve with this album?
Phil: Whenever we do a record, we want it to be
a new experience. We aren’t looking to completely
reinvent ourselves, but we like to think about it in
terms of a new chapter in the book of our band
that lets us communicate something new and true
musically. Back in 2011 when we started trying to
piece the new material together, it felt like too much
of a direct continuation of what was on Tertia. It took
us a couple of months of trying different things until
we found something that really resonated. We really
wanted the music to be more impulsive - to let it be
more open. It wasn’t about being ambient but rather
about stretching the music to see how wide we
could make it, sort of like a rubber band. More so
than any of our previous albums, Waking Season
is more introspective and personal musically, and
if people can get that from the album, we would
consider it a success.
The Cut: Were there any artists that influenced you
during the writing process?
Phil: I am usually more inspired by non-musical
experiences when I am coming up with new
material, but I would say that I remember listening
to the new Bon Iver album a lot. It’s a brilliant album
that felt really complete. In this day and age I think
a lot of albums have a good song here and another
one over there, but the idea of an album being an
experience from front to back is disappearing. I
liked how from beginning to end it was one very
solid, nuanced idea that was explored throughout.
Listening to that album was a really inspirational
experience. As far as other artists go, I was also
listening to this really dense ambient electronica
group called Blanck Mass. I don’t know if ambient
is the right word, but there were a lot of layers and
it was really intense music to listen to.
The Cut: You mentioned being inspired by nonmusical experiences. Could you elaborate on what
some of those were for this album?
Phil: A lot of it came from being on the road pretty
much throughout all of 2010 and seeing how the
road gives and takes away. It was about dealing
with the changes that went with that - losing touch
with people, having friends move away, and then the
process of trying to reconnect. When you are going
through things like that, you really need to find an
anchor, find some sort of permanence that you can
hold on to. For us our music is our one constant,
permanent presence, and we try to treat it with the
respect it deserves. Being on the road means living
a really transient life, and that really impacted us.
What guided our thinking on this new album was
this whole process of wandering, returning, and trying
to stay connected through it all.
The Cut: Are there any particular songs or riffs that you
were really proud of how they turned out?
Phil: The third song on Waking Season, “Gone in Bloom
and Bough”, is a favorite song of ours. It was the first
time we ever incorporated vocals, and even though it is
the same progression for ten minutes, we kept trying to
come up with new ways to keep it fresh and add new
textures that we had never tried before. The entire time
we were writing, recording, and editing the song it really
felt like it could be a failed experiment, but it came out
really incredible, and we’re very proud of it.
The Cut: Caspian has been around for almost 10 years
now. What has kept you guys going?
Phil: Oh man, there are so many different reasons that I
feel like I could easily spend hours just trying to answer
this question. I think what it comes down to for us is
the simple things—getting a note from a fan, talking to
people after our shows, or hearing how our music is
helping them get through tough situations. At the end
of the day, making people happy is one of the main
reasons we do this, and it’s really difficult to turn away
from that. We feel like we’re always chasing something,
and sometimes it’s hard to know what it is or how to
communicate it through our music, but as long as that
feeling is there, we’re going to keep trying.
The Cut: Like I said, you guys were able to play
shows all over the US, Europe, Russia, and even
China. Were there any shows that were particularly
memorable? Were the crowds’ reactions different
depending on which country or continent you were
in at that time?
12
Phil: I think it really varied night to night more than
anything, but it was great to be in all these different
places. Eastern Europe was really inclusive and the
crowd was really into the music. China doesn’t get
a lot of rock shows, so they were really hungry for
it and their reactions were very positive. They were
able to really get lost in themselves, and it was really
awesome to see that. As far as which places or
shows were most memorable, it’s really hard to say.
I have so many incredible experiences percolating
in my head that I don’t even know where to begin.
[Laughs.]
13
07
MONDAY
08
TUESDAY
09
OCTOBER
WEDNESDAY
10
Lagwagon,
Dead to Me
Altar Bar
14
15
Converge
Altar Bar
Ryan Bingham
Altar Bar
Calexico,
The Dodos
Mr. Smalls
Sea Wolf
Stage AE
21
Fiona Apple
Stage AE
22
Lara Marling
Club Cafe
16
Woodsman
Garfield Artworks
29
Wolf Gang
Stage AE
04
Big Gigantic
Mr. Smalls
05
Bassnectar
Stage AE
23
Touché Amoré
Altar Bar
Red City Radio
South Side Warehouse
Signals Midwest,
Smith Street Band
222 Ormsby
Zammuto, Lymbyc
Systym
Andy Warhol Museum
17
Wanda Jackson
Altar Bar
24
Flobots
Stage AE
Dinosaur Jr.
Mr. Smalls
30
Stephen Kellog & The
Sixers
Rex Theatre
06
Passion Pit
Stage AE
Madonna
CONSOL Energy Center
14
FRIDAY
12
18
19
The Misfits
Altar Bar
The Bright Side Tour
Mr. Smalls
Fenster
Garfield Artworks
28
THURSDAY
11
31
25
26
Title Fight, Pianos
Become The Teeth
The Smiling Moose
Grouplove
Altar Bar
Jars of Clay,
Sleeping at Last
Altar Bar
20
Why?
Altar Bar
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Mr. Smalls
27
Karmin,
Outasight
Stage AE
Grouplove
Altar Bar
01
New Found Glory
Altar Bar
02
08
03
NOVEMBER
Craig Owens
Altar Bar
Shiny Toy Guns
Mr. Smalls
07
Local H,
The Life and Times
Hard Rock Cafe
SATURDAY
13
CALENDAR
SUNDAY
The Tins
Howler’s Coyote Cafe
09
The Rocket Summer
Mr. Smalls
Falling In Reverse
Stage AE
10
The Menzingers,
Captain, We’re Sinking
The Smiling Moose
15
MINUS THE BEAR
Minus the Bear is a consistently weird fivepiece rock band from Seattle, Wa. Starting
off with song titles like “Monkey!!! Knife!!!
Fight!!!” and a band name that comes from
a friendly joke about fellatio, Minus the Bear
is now acclaimed by fans and critics alike. For
years, they’ve been touring endlessly with
bands of different genres, and now their new
album Infinity Overhead cements them as an
established force in the world of innovative
music. The Cut had the chance to talk with
Minus the Bear drummer Erin Tate about
producers, balancing weirdness with pop, and
what it’s like to be the drummer of a band
that’s known for its guitars.
Interview by Zach Branson
16
Photos by Dan Curhan
17
The Cut: Minus the Bear recently released its fifth studio album
Infinity Overhead, and now you guys are touring with Cursive
and Caspian. The band has been touring almost non-stop for 10
years, and have played with all sorts of bands. Do you plan to still
keep up the touring pace?
Erin Tate: Yeah, we’ll keep touring, but three of us have kids now,
so we’re doing smaller tours. We’re out for six weeks, but instead
of doing six weeks in a row, we’re doing three weeks on the road,
two weeks at home, and then three weeks on the road again.
We’ll keep touring as much as possible.
The Cut: It seems like a lot of times when you’re not touring,
you’re recording; so is a lot of your songwriting done on the
road? With all the layers of instrumentation on your songs,
how does Minus the Bear
songwriting even work?
ET: We don’t write when
we’re gone—it’s too hard.
We just write when we’re
at home. Dave [Knudson]
plays guitar, I play drums,
and the two of us usually
write everything together.
Dave and I set the whole
songwriting foundation, and
then Cory [Murchy], Alex
[Rose], and Jake [Snider]
come in and finish the songs
with bass, guitar, and lyrics.
The Cut: Let’s talk a bit
more about your new album. Matt Bayles used to be Minus the
Bear’s keyboardist, but now he came back and produced Infinity
Overhead. What was it like to have your former keyboardist now
be your producer?
ET: Yeah, he actually helped produce all of our records except
for Omni and our first album—when he was the keyboardist—
so it was very much returning to what we were familiar with.
Recording with Matt was like going back home.
The Cut: Do you think Matt is going to continue being your
producer after having a different producer on Omni?
ET: I don’t know. We attempt to do different things on each
record, so it just depends on what we feel like. This new group
of songs just felt like they had Matt written all over them, and
it was obvious to us within three or four songs that we were
going to record with Matt. With Omni we just wanted to try to
do something different. We wanted to record with a different
producer, different studios, we signed to a different label.
18
Everything at that time was just, “Let’s do something
different.” We realized that it wasn’t as much fun as
we thought it was going to be. I personally feel like
on Omni I was shut down a bit and my drums weren’t
very exciting. I think they’re solid and good, but I didn’t
get to do a lot of the drum fills that I normally do. The
producer thing was a huge role on Omni. We worked
with Joe Chiccarelli, and it was cool, but it was like having
someone tell us what to do. Without trying to talk shit,
because I’m honestly not, it just wasn’t as much fun.
Matt worked with us, and we worked with Joe.
The Cut: Minus the Bear is pretty experimental in nature—
there are a ton of studio-made sounds and recording
tricks going on in all your albums. How do you transfer
that experimentalism to
the stage, or do you do
something
completely
different than what you
do in the studio?
ET: We attempt to
recreate what we do on
record live—sometimes
it works, sometimes it
doesn’t. We use backing
tracks if there’s an
important
keyboard
element to the song that
Alex can’t play because he
doesn’t have four hands,
or if there’s a percussion
part that I can’t play
because I don’t have four hands. I’d say we accomplish
whatever we want to accomplish. Anything we put our
minds to we just go ahead and do.
The Cut: The band seems to be a conglomeration
of different genres. Does everyone in the band have
different music tastes, or are everyone’s music tastes as
diverse as Minus the Bear’s sound?
ET: We all get along on certain levels, but there’s
definitely some clashing going on in terms of musical
taste. One dude likes reggae, one dude likes metal, one
dude likes hardcore, one dude likes hip-hop, and one
dude likes electronic. So, we go through these phases of,
“Did you listen to this Slayer song? Did you listen to this
Dr. Dre song? Did you listen to this M83 song?” You can
musically butt heads that way for sure. I’m the dumb hiphop and R&B kid—shit, nevermind, I’m an old man—I’m
the dumb hip-hop and R&B old man. I love R. Kelly. I
love Dr. Dre. I love Eric B. & Rakim. I love De La Sol.
The Cut: So is there a certain kind of sound you want
that’s not quite there yet or that you feel you’re not
playing enough on your albums?
laying down a rhythm network for the interesting,
creative guitar-work that the other guys come up
with.
ET: No, I think my drumming comes across in a way that
has some hip-hop and R&B rhythm to it, but I don’t want
to be a rock-rap band by any means—that’s just terrible.
I’m into what we do. I wouldn’t put it out if I wasn’t into
it, personally. I was excited about the last record and I’m
more excited about this record. I don’t think any of us
would put our name on something if we weren’t excited
about it.
The Cut: It’s amazing how your music can be so
experimental, but at the same time incredibly
accessible. How do you all balance experimental
sound with pop?
The Cut: I heard you never stick to one drum sponsor
and that you use a lot of different drum sets for different
shows and tours. Can you tell us a bit more about how
choosing your equipment affects both the sound and
dynamic of a show?
ET: Well, I never had a sponsor until two weeks ago. I
started talking with people from Tama drums, and now I
use their drums. They’re great. For the past 15 years I’ve
been asked by almost every drum company out there to
get sponsored, and Tama—it sounds cheesy when talking
about it—they’re just great. The sound is flat-out better.
My drum tech, Chris, and I have been able to experiment
and get different sounds out of them, and my drums just
sound awesome right now.
ET: Oh, we fight to keep the creative side going.
There’s a song on Infinity Overhead called “Toska,”
which is just a bizarre fucking song—am I allowed
to swear on this? Fuck it, it’s a weird fucking song.
There was definitely some stuff from our label and
our management that was like, “Do you want to put
that song on the record? It’s really weird, and we
have four other songs that are way more accessible,”
and there was no question within the band. We run
everything we do, and there has to be a certain
amount of coolness or weirdness with everything
we do. I feel like we did it on Omni with that song
“Animal Backwards.” There’s some oddball tracks
and stuff, but I just can’t imagine doing a record
that doesn’t have one or two songs that are slightly
fucked up.
The Cut: Minus the Bear is especially known for its highly
technical guitar-work. What is it like to be the drummer
of such a guitar-oriented band?
ET: It’s fun—I get to try to prove myself all the time.
[Laughs.] No, I’m totally joking. My biggest thing with
this band is to try to not overplay and lay a foundation
down for the amazing guitar-work that Dave and Jake
do. I think Cory, our bass player, and myself are very
concentrated on doing what we want to do, but also on
just can’t imagine doing a record
“ Ithat
doesn’t have one or two
songs that are slightly fucked up.
”
19
Photographs by
Lindsay Corey
Location
Date and time
THE
BLACK
KE Y S
20
21
22
23
Cut ‘Em All
Unusual Instrumentation in METAL \m/
Dan: Metal has traditionally been about pushing
boundaries: making the heaviest, fastest, and most
abrasive and extreme music possible. In the last decade
or so, this boundary-pushing has expanded beyond the
songwriting and arrangements to include instrumentation as well.
Alejandro: Although the stereotypical heavy metal
sound is based on ferocious guitar riffs, pummeling
drums, and thunderous bass, there are a few prominent bands that try to experiment with this formula by
adding unexpected instruments to the mix.
Dan: I tend to gravitate toward interesting music,
which is why I enjoy progressive metal so much.
Progressive metal is consistently on the cutting edge,
with innovative genre combinations and juxtapositions, and unusual instrumentation. Every time I hear
a saxophone in metal, the sax player in me is proud.
Saxophone really contributes an incredible, unique feel
to metal when done well.
Alejandro: I think what I find most interesting is
how the vastly different textures of sounds are played
off each other to make really fascinating yet coherent combinations that simply couldn’t be made with
another guitar. In this month’s column we’ll talk about
our favorite examples of bands pushing the boundaries
in terms of instrumentation.
EXAMPLES:
Dan: One of my top three albums of all time is After
by Emperor frontman Ihsahn. It features prominent
saxophone throughout by Jorgen Munkeby of Shining
(another unique band you should check out!), mixed
with phenomenal progressive blackened death metal.
Ihsahn plays every instrument on the album save for
the drums and saxophone.
Must-listen Track: “Undercurrent”
Alejandro: The Ocean is a band that consistently
incorporates different instruments into their complex
blend of forward-thinking metal. Horns, violins, pianos, glockenspiels, xylophones, and synths are woven
expertly into their signature sound, which flows from
brilliant melodic interludes to crushing sludge metal.
24 Nowhere is this more apparent than in Precambrian,
✂
by. Dan Curhan/Alejandro Reyes-Morales
their groundbreaking two-disc concept album, which
features performances from members of the Berlin Philharmonic. As the album progresses, song arrangements
become increasingly expansive and dynamic, mirroring the
process of evolution from primitive life.
Must-listen track: “Mesoproterozoic - Ecstasian”
Dan: Another noteworthy band is UneXpect. The six
current band members include a violinist and a nine-string
bass player. The uniqueness of their music goes far beyond
the instrumentation, but it wouldn’t be UneXpect without
those gratuitous strings. Imagine what chaotic, out of control “circus metal” would sound like. Now make it actually
awesome. You’re probably on the right track.
Must-listen track: “Megalomaniac Trees”
Alejandro: Perhaps none can surpass Maudlin of the Well
when it comes to sheer genre-bending experimentation.
Though firmly rooted in the realm of heavy metal, the
band incorporated jazz, post-rock, chamber music, and
new age elements all at once to craft some of the most
unique music in any genre. To aid them in their sonic
experiments, the band utilized trumpets, clarinets, violins,
pian d reformed itself into Kayo Dot, which has continued
to push the envelope in far more experimental ways than
its predecessor.
Must-listen track: “Gleam in Ranks”
MIXTAPE
ACOUSTIC AUTUMN
The Graveyard Near The House
The Airborne Toxic Event
Corpses, graveyards, and contemplating your own
mortality—are there any better representations of
autumn than that?
There’s something about autumn that makes you want
to curl up with some hot chocolate and listen to the
sound of acoustic guitars. Maybe it’s the falling leaves,
maybe it’s the sweater weather. Here are some of our
picks for acoustic songs that will get you in the spirit of
the season.
Blackbird The Beatles
The Beatles are the perfect soundtrack to anything.
With its lonely guitar and thoughtful lyrics,
“Blackbird” has always sounded like fall to me.
Hannah Dellabella
I Will Play My Game Beneath
the Spin Light Brand New
That chilly autumn air has a distinct bite to it
just like Jesse Lacey’s voice. His heartfelt lyrics
make it clear that leaving home is just as hard as
leaving those long summer days behind.
A Song for Milly Michaelson Thrice
The sound of a light breeze tickling some wind-chimes
is the main source of percussion in this song. This
song makes you feel like a lonesome, chlorophylldrained leaf floating farther away from your home tree
and towards the sun setting over the city skyline.
Rebecca Warshofsky
Dueling Guitars
Doug Smith & Heitor Pereira
The playful, organic sounds of this guitar duet from
the film August Rush never fail to get me excited
about the crisp autumn atmosphere. Just whip this
one out on a jaunty stroll down the orange leafladen sidewalks and you’ll see what I mean.
Golden My Morning Jacket
The perfect afternoon-daydream-while-you-layon-the-grass-and-gaze-up-at-the-sunlight-peekingdelicately-through-the-dark-red-leaves-above-andtremble-in the-cool-fall-breeze kind of song.
Christina Mitas
HONORARY MENTIONS:
++Botanist (black metal about plants played on a
hammer dulcimer)
Must-listen track: “Helleborus Niger”
++Ne Obliviscaris (phenomenal progressive black
metal with prominent violin solos)
Must-listen track: “And Plague Flowers The
Kaleidoscope”
++Turisas (fun battle metal with accordion and
violins)
Must-listen track: “To Holmgard and Beyond”
++The Mass (progressive metalcore with saxophone)
Must-listen track: “La Porc”
Wait So Long Trampled by Turtles
Music The Beautiful Girls
Bluegrass and autumn go together like, well,
something that goes together really, really well.
If you’re feeling blue about the summer ending, just
listen to some Beautiful Girls. They can make even the
coldest fall day feel like a sunny day at the beach!
Will Lush
Turn Me On Norah Jones
Apple Blossom Esperanza Spalding
Norah Jones’ voice, a cup of tea, and a sweater are the
perfect things to go with the drop in temperature.
I think the upright bass is one of the most
wonderfully mournful instruments; I’ve always
thought of it as embodying the voice of autumn.
Christopher Skaggs
25
CONCERT REVIEWS
METRIC
by Christopher Skaggs
Metric put on an awesome show last month at Stage AE.
The opener was Half Moon Run, a surprisingly modest band from
Montreal. Despite their mysterious demeanor and the presence
of a band member who was never quite introduced, the crowd
loved them.
Metric began with an ambiently-lit “Artificial Nocturne,” a
song from their most recent album. The band formed in 1998,
and their recent album Synthetica is their fifth. With such a vast
catalog, the band unexpectedly stuck to their more recent work.
Their set list included seven tracks off of their most recent album.
It seemed that many fans were disappointed by the band’s set
list, ignoring their pre-stadium rock sound that they would have
been glad to hear.
Metric singer Emily Haines is the rare breed of performers
who consistently rocks with confidence. When her electric organ
malfunctioned, she laughed, made jokes about her mistake, and
made up for her misstep by killing it on the next song. Ms. Haines
stands out for her ability to balance musical talent and theatricality.
When I saw her in August at Lollapalooza, she demonstrated a
similar ability to work a crowd, engaging 90,000 lethargic, sundrenched people milling around waiting to see other bands.
Ms. Haines closed the show with a sort-of cool, philosophical
tidbit on how she felt that songs had their own essence, “that
you could dress them up in production and effects, but at their
core there was something there.” The band then closed the set
beautifully with an acoustic version of “Gimme Sympathy.”
MONO
26
by Zach Branson
I didn’t know what to expect when I went to see Mono. The
Japanese instrumental rock band consists of two guitarists, a
bassist, and a drummer, but a lot of their songs feature a chamber
orchestra and a couple glockenspiels, so I had no clue how they
would play their multidimensional 10+ minute songs. Their albums
always made me emotionally unstable in the same way a beautiful
film or novel makes me emotionally unstable, so I wasn’t sure if I
would have a breakdown right there in Mr. Smalls, which I can tell
you is the wrong place to have a breakdown.
Mono’s instrumental nature eliminated any possible language
barriers between the Japanese band and the American audience,
but Mono didn’t even let their bodies communicate. The bassist
was the only one who didn’t sit down for most of the show and she
was completely expressionless. It was bizarre to see a band do
literally nothing but play music, but from the first note I understood
that anything else would have been a distraction. Their music
alone communicated more than any words I put here now.
Photo by Christopher Skaggs
AWOLNATION
Headlining on what is only their second major tour,
AWOLNATION put on a high-energy show for a packed crowd
at Altar Bar. Along with up-and-coming group Imagine Dragons,
the pair gave the audience their money’s worth despite both
having a catalogue of only one album each.
The evening kicked off with opening bands White Wives
and Zeale. White Wives, a rising local punk band, did a good
job of blending angst-ridden punk and more mature alternative
rock together. Zeale, an Austin-based rap group, had the crowd
bouncing on their toes with fast-flowing lyrics being delivered
over electro-house beats. Despite contrasting styles, both bands
pumped up the crowd.
With the crowd waiting in anticipation, Imagine Dragons
came to the stage. Singer Dan Reynolds came out with his giant
bass drum in tow—an instrument reflective of the band’s large,
multi-dimensional sound. Despite almost canceling their act due
to Reynolds’ having a cold, Imagine Dragons had the audience
erupting by their third song “Radioactive.” The band members just
stared at us in disbelief as we yelled out in deafening applause.
It was one of the most honest moments I’ve felt at a show. In
their eyes you could see a band coming to terms with their quick
rise to success after only just releasing their debut album days
LESS THAN JAKE
Photo by Zach Branson
Mono played non-stop during their 90-minute set, but the
crowd that came to see a Japanese band on a Tuesday night
found every chance they could to erupt in praise between the
explosions of guitar, bass, and the occasional gong. Mono
replaced all of the orchestral elements of their songs with
layered-upon-layered guitars—they may as well have had an
orchestra of guitarists on stage. This guitar orchestra made
listening to them live a very different journey than listening to
their albums, and it was beautiful. I had one breakdown.
by Ian Go
earlier. Imagine Dragons’ talent shined by interweaving multilevel harmonies with unconventional instrumental combinations
in songs like “It’s Time” and “Demons.” They proved themselves
worthy of their sudden appearance in the musical spotlight.
Ending the show was the act everyone was waiting for:
AWOLNATION. The band came up to the stage in a dramatic
fashion: Smoke filled the stage while a large fluorescent sign
with the letters “AN” illuminated the haze. It certainly did not take
long for the band to get the audience moving and shaking. They
played their more popular songs, “Not Your Fault” and “Jump
on My Shoulders” early, the latter causing many to start crowd
surfing and lead singer Aaron Bruno to dive into the crowd. I was
impressed with how well AWOLNATION’s electro-punk sound
translated to the live stage. When the heightened synth tones and
punchy bass lines of “Sail” started to play, I felt goose bumps
appear on my body. During their whole act, AWOLNATION had
the entire crowd (including me) off its feet.
In the past I’ve often felt ripped off when watching bands
who’ve just started out. Usually they come off as inexperienced,
or their lack of songs leave you unsatisfied. But at this show, the
bands’ presence and talent left me hungry for more.
by Kristen Swanson
I’ve seen Less Than Jake play around 10 times now, and
I have to admit, seeing them at Altar Bar this past month has
been one of my favorite times. For a band that’s reaching their
20-year mark together, they show no signs of wear and tear.
The opener band, Junior Battles, really grabbed my
attention with their first song “Seventeen.” I’m a sucker for
complementary dual vocals, and Junior Battles pulls it off
effortlessly. Plus, they had an energetic spirit throughout their
whole set that made me want to keep watching them.
Next up was A Wilhelm Scream, a melodic hardcore band
from Massachusetts. I was a little biased on their performance,
because just months ago I saw them play a headliner show
in Cleveland that was perfect. Obviously they had less time
on stage for this show and it didn’t live up to that previous
experience, but I commend them for playing a tour that puts
them outside of their element. Most of the crowd was there
for LTJ, and there were people lined along the barricade who
stood like statues throughout AWS’s set. I stood off to the
side of the stage and Nuno, the lead singer, caught me singing
along with him. He then took his thumbs and forefingers,
made circles with both of his hands, and put them around his
eyes while smiling at me. That’s the kind of band they are—they
have heavy lyrics and amazing breakdowns, but they will still
make silly faces at you on stage.
Speaking of fun, LTJ are no strangers to it. The downside
about seeing them play 10 times is that I get unimpressed
Photo by Kristen Swanson
with their onstage antics. This set was more straightforward, more
music-oriented—they are getting older, they have kids now, they
don’t have time for stupid fucking games—and I appreciate that.
The songs sounded solid, the crowd was so into it that bras were
flying onstage, and even the encore songs didn’t feel like enough.
They ended the set with their trademark song “Plastic Cup Politics,”
and as confetti fell onto the crowd, I thought to myself, “This is the
band I’ve seen since I was a teenager, a band who I once stood
in a backstage huddle with as they chose which encore songs to
play, a band who I have nothing but complete respect and love for.”
27
The Carpenter The Avett Brothers
4 SCISSORS
✂
✂
✂
✂
ALBUM REVIEWS
With The Carpenter, The Avett Brothers have shifted away from their previously
acoustic, raw style, towards a sound that is more carefully crafted and embraces
the use of digital techniques unheard of in their earlier albums. There is the
genre-hopping that is typical of the Avetts with tracks that sound shockingly
poppy or almost punk, but despite these outliers, the album really is well-seated
in a style that draws a lot from their bluegrass-folk beginnings. The tear-jerking
lyrics of “A Father’s First Spring” and the overall pensive theme of tracks such as
“The Once and Future Carpenter” show that the band is maturing thematically as
well as musically. While many fans might be disappointed with this more electric
sound and the lack of banjo, a closer listen reveals that The Carpenter contains
all of the wholesome lyricism and catchy songwriting that one would expect from
the North Carolina brothers.
–Rachel Asbel
Cruel Summer G.O.O.D. Music
4 SCISSORS
3.5 SCISSORS
3.5 SCISSORS
After a four-year hiatus, an extremely public breakup with fiancé Jason Mraz, and
a risky vocal surgery, Tristan Prettyman emerges full force with Cedar + Gold.
The former Roxy model brings a darker side to this new release, deviating from
her usual carefree surfer girl vibe. Throughout the album, Prettyman poignantly
and quietly depicts the trials and triumphs over her loss, from the initial shock
and devastation of the breakup to optimistic notes of growing away and moving
on. With beautifully simple lyrics and tender chords, “Glass Jar” and “I Was
Gonna Marry You” stand out by painstakingly expressing her heartbreak. While
the album mostly echoes similar themes, “The Rebound” is a cute, tongue-incheek track, while “Bad Drug” is a bass-heavy, groovy song that shines outside
her comfort zone. This album serves as a testament that what doesn’t kill you
makes you stronger – her strength in the situation shines through in her growth
as an artist.
–Lisa Kessler
4 SCISSORS
Come of Age The Vaccines
West Londoners the Vaccines have been busy over the last two years. After
forming in 2010, they released their first album, What Did You Expect From
The Vaccines?, in early 2011. Now over a year later, the Vaccines have put forth
their second effort, Come of Age. For someone who loves the first album, this
release certainly maintains the elements that made that record great while also
expanding on some of the areas that were previously played safe. For example,
the songs “I Always Knew” and “All in Vain,” as well as the single “Teenage
Icon,” all start with infectious and prominent guitar riffs, something their first
album lacked. Even if you were not a fan of their first album or have not yet
experienced the Vaccines, you may enjoy that Come of Age has more of a 60s
pop/glam vibe than post-punk. Either way, this album appeals to old and new
fans alike and is guaranteed to leave a song stuck in your head after each listen.
–Danielle Peters
5 SCISSORS
✂
✂
✂
✂
✂
13 years after their last release, Ben Folds Five is back with their
newest album The Sound of the Life of the Mind. There is no simple
formula to any Ben Folds album, but after nearly two decades of
making music, the group hasn’t undergone much stylistic evolution.
Although reinvention is normally a crucial move for any musician,
the eclectic nature and unwavering quality of Folds’ hook-heavy
composition make it hard to say that he needs to change any part
of his process.
The album doesn’t contain any particularly grandiose, soul-stirring
ballads like 1999’s The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold
Messner does, but there is much to be found in the striking wit and
emotional substance that has been crafted on the release. The album
offers some uptempo piano work complemented by a balanced array
of slower, nostalgic songs. It’s a perfect fall album for any Carnegie
Mellon student. The title track tells the story of an ambitious girl who
goes to college, leaving behind her mediocre life in a small town for
her own, higher pursuits—sound familiar?
Any devoted fan will be satisfied with the album, and if you have yet
to experience any of Ben Folds’ music, it’s a good taste of the music
you can find on his other releases. This album deserves at least two
listens—one time to digest the music and another to let yourself be
consumed by the lyrics. You’ll probably find yourself considering
including some tracks in the movie they make about your life one day.
–Vanessa Frank
Cedar + Gold Tristan Prettyman
✂
✂
✂
✂
Remember 2009? When Animal Collective’s highly-likeable dadstep album Merriweather Post Pavillion had stoners, music-nerds, and
cool-dads all agreeing on how great these little weirdos had become.
I remember first hearing “My Girls” and thinking, “I knew they could do
it!!^_^!” Fast-forward three years and now we have Centipede Hz, their
self-described “alien-band” record.
The band that once gave us lines like “bulimic vegetarian wins weight
contest” with a matter-of-factness that could make Lou Reed look
around nervously now sings of “bionic hee-haw,” whatever that means.
But not all of Centipede Hz is a caricature of Animal Collective. Any
time spent listening to “Applesauce” is time well-spent; it is a song that
spills smiles everywhere as Avey Tare sings about the simple treasures
of eating fruits. Eventually the song devolves into his counting “one the
eagle, two the nobel, three the lizard, four the sole” while I cringe a little.
But damn me if the main hook isn’t the cutest thing ever.
This is pretty much the story of this album’s life. “Father Time” starts
beautifully with a hawaiian-leaning synth figure before it becomes clear
that they are not on their songwriting A-game. “Rosie Oh” breaks
atmosphere for a brief breath of space-air with one of the most relaxing
11 seconds of the year, only to meth-anthemically rush through a silly
outro. There was a time when they would let us space out to a motif like
that for over three minutes.
But come on, this is Animal Collective. They aren’t gonna leave us
without some jams, right? So they throw “Monkey Riches” and “New
Town Burnout” our way, which after repeated listens becomes those
much-needed jams. With all of Centipede Hz’s technicality and virtuosic
sound-design, they could probably shit out 20 “Summertime Clothes”
by Christmas, and you know, that’d “make a monkey rich.” Maybe Avey
just needs to be in love to want to write songs like “Bluish” and “Purple
Bottle.” Maybe Panda Bear should’ve chimed in a little more. Maybe
_____. –Alec Resende
✂
✂
✂
✂
The Sound of the Life of the Mind
Ben Folds Five
✂
✂
✂
✂
28
Centipede Hz
Animal Collective
✂
✂
✂
✂
If you weren’t aware, Kanye West has enlisted artists like Big Sean, 2 Chainz,
Common, John Legend, Kid Cudi, Pusha T, and Cyhi Da Prynce for his new
hip-hop label known as Getting Out Our Dreams or G.O.O.D. Music. Their
collective album, Cruel Summer, is filled with unparalleled production quality
and an unexpected level of lyrical sophistication as it combines powerful beats
(“Clique,” “Sin City”), addictive hooks (“Don’t Like,” “Cold”), and casually
extensive verses (“New God Flow,” “The Morning,” “The One”). Though the
album may capture the raw essence of swagger (“Mercy”), or offer refreshing
hope to fans of hip-hop everywhere (“Higher”) some of its mediocre moments
(“To The World,” “Bliss,” “Creepers”) leave the listener unsatisfied. G.O.O.D.
Music’s inability to deliver consistency throughout this entire debut curbs it
from excellence. Even so, Cruel Summer will remain one of the most definitive
albums in recent hip-hop memory.
–Sankalp Bhatnagar
29
ESSAY
MUSIC &
MEMORIES
T
he first chord is strummed. The
bow is drawn across the strings. The
bass drops. Waves of pressure flow
from that plucked string, that drum
head, those vocal cords. Carried
by gas molecules, the waves dash
themselves against the membrane
in your ears. Neurons fire in your
brain, electrochemical impulses
carrying thoughts, emotions, and
memories dredged up by the music.
That first kiss outside of her house
after the track meet, with “Black
Dog” pouring out of the open door
of the old Jeep. The wind pouring off
of the stormy Pacific Ocean, kicking
up sand around the ratty old soccer
ball as K’Naan plays over the old
boombox under the rusted tin roof.
That winter road trip, singing along
to “Fuck You” as snow melted off
the skis in the trunk. Jack Johnson
through the headphones as the jet
banks right over the Gulf of Mexico. Coming around the corner of
that foggy Maine road with Eddie
Vedder on the radio to see the
waves pumping down the beach. It
30
by Will Lush
could bring up other memories.
Hymns played on a church organ
when you were young. Beastie Boys
hammering out of the shitty speakers
in your friend’s garage as you kill
that first illicit beer. Listening to
Brad Paisley while fishing off your
grandparents’ dock. Mowing the
lawn while Robert Johnson filters
out of your open bedroom window.
The Fleet Foxes whispering out
of the radio as your friend drives
that back road the night before
he leaves for school. Or maybe
it brings up something darker.
Violent Femmes blasting out of
a busted speaker while you drive
down the road after screaming at
your boss and storming out of work.
That one Raphael Saadiq song stuck
in your head for no reason as you
pick your childhood dog up off the
highway, her head caved in. Rage
Against the Machine blaring while
you puke on the grass after a mile.
Listening to Incubus on the back
porch after finding out that your
dad was cheating on your mom.
It might not be a whole memory, maybe just a part of one.
Waking up in a strange bed. The
smell of weed filtering through the
crowd at a concert. The sun coming up over the mountain, glinting
off of the frost on the treetops.
The smell of her hair, damp from
the shower. The breeze that comes
before those huge summer thunderstorms. The crack of a breaking
broom handle. The taste of blood
in your mouth. Perhaps there’s no
memory associated with the song.
You listen to the lyrics, feel
the notes flicker through the air.
Maybe you think of the future.
Quitting that job. Working up the
confidence to tell her how you feel.
Leaving. Maybe you start tapping
your foot. Maybe you turn off the
radio, scowling. Maybe you start
singing, or dancing, or air-guitaring with recklessness. Maybe you
cry. The song winds down. The
beat stops. The last chord is struck.
The amp buzzes in the silence.
31
CHECK
US OUT
ONLINE
www.thecutmagazine.com
OR FIND US ON
FACEBOOK &
32
TWITTER