From BTS: Hey Beyond The Stage Readers! We’re really proud of this tenth issue. When we started back in November of 2014 we really had no idea where this thing would take us, and it’s certainly been quite the experience. We’ve upped our design game, we’re working on having more diverse content for every issue, not just for our Best Of features at the end of each year, and we’ve got more in the works than ever. Heffron Drive has built an incredible fan base over the last several years, and besides making fantastic music, they’re great people, and having them for our 10th issue came across as a no brainer to us. Jamie Lawson is bringing something very new, as is LANY, who should definitely be on your bands to watch list. Rounding us out, Less Than Jake takes us away from the indie pop spectrum, helping us bring in something for everyone. To those that have been here since issue 1: Thank you. To those who just found us recently: Welcome! We hope you like what you see and stick by us: we think you’re in for a treat. Enjoy, Your Beyond The Stage Team
Follow Us:
Staff: Executive Editor Allison Lanza Online & Issue Editor Addie Whelan Director of Content Gabi Talisman Photo Editor: Bailey Flores Contributors: Addie Whelan Anna Xu Bailey Flores Charlotte Freitag Delaney DeAngelis Gabi Talisman Lauren DeLapa Lauren Klonowski Maddy Shiffer Stone Fenk Taylor Cleek Valerie McIntyre
Photographers: Addie Whelan Allison Lanza Alyssa Buzzello Anna Xu Bailey Flores Charlotte Freitag Evan Olea Gabi Talisman Hannah Jones Marissa Sandoval Stone Fenk Taylor Cleek
Designers: Addie Whelan Alicia Rangel
@BTSmag Beyond The Stage is a digital music magazine based in the United States. You can read Beyond The Stage online for free or visit our website to buy a hard copy. Previous issues are always available to read online or order in print. Read the latest news at: www.beyondthestagemagazine.com
2 | BTS
Want to be featured in BTS? Contact: gtalisman@beyondthestagemagazine.com
Contents
Issue 10 | Beyond The Stage Magazine
Hunted Hunted - 06 LANY - 10 Judah & The Lion - 14 Heffron Drive - 20 Less Than Jake - 28 So What?! Festival - 34 Jamie Lawson - 38 Album Reviews - 42 Playlist - 47
BTS | 3
Elle king | Los Angeles, CA | March 2016 | Photos by: Marissa Sandoval
4 | BTS
Foals | pittsburgh, pa | March 2016 | Photos by: Hannah jones
BTS | 5
6 | BTS
Hunter Hunted
Hunter Hunted oozes good vibes. A two-piece from southern California, Dan Chang and Michael Garner step out of the Ready Room in St. Louis with perfectly coiffed hair and laidback smiles. Oh, and they’re wearing matching grey jumpsuits. The two musicians, friends, and college classmates have played music together for years, in several iterations as Hunter Hunted and, previously, Lady Danville. This time around, it’s just the two of them opening for Rachel Platten on her headlining Wildfire Tour, and they love it. “I think it’s awesome,” interjects Garner, referring to the stripped down Hunter Hunted set. “Once you start taking away the filler, you can really then get to focus on the voices, and that’s where we started. I will admit that some of that got lost as we increased our sound, and we’re trying to maintain what was really an integral part of what we do.” Dan and Michael are some of the least pretentious, most unstereotypical band members we’ve ever seen. They dedicate themselves to maintaining the authenticity of their music, and they want to make sure that you—yes, you—are having a good time. On transitioning from indie crowds of young hipsters to
Photos and Words by Anna Xu
the both older and younger crowds for pop princess Rachel Platten, the pair seems largely unfazed. “We have a lot of younger kids who are inspired by Rachel’s music, and we also have their parents, who love the music as well. But on our end, not much is different in terms of people coming out and reacting to our songs. We can appeal to a lot of different audiences, and we can win over a Jack’s Mannequin crowd, a fun. crowd, a Rachel Platten crowd. We haven’t really defined ourselves by a specific genre.” The band has succeeded by reading their crowds. “After the first show of this tour, we wanted to bring something more light and fun to the set, so we’re going to do an old Lady Danville song tonight that we haven’t played in five years. Feeding off the energy that the audience gives us, too, is part of what makes it fun.” While at home in California, Chang participates in dozens of recreational sports, playing in soccer, flag football and basketball leagues, in addition to a handful of run clubs. Chang emphasizes over and over, during our conversation, the importance of staying healthy, and the benefits of exercising with good company. It is through these values that the Hunter Hunted Run Club was born.
BTS | 7
“My friends and I back home started a run club,” explains Chang. “We run together, which is horrible, but it’s more bearable when we do it together. And afterwards we go get a drink. We try to stay active on the road, too, and we like encouraging other people to be active. We thought there would be fans who would want to hang out and maybe come running with us, so if we could encourage that and kill two birds with one stone by meeting them and doing something healthy for all of us, why not do it? “In Chicago, two guys came out for the run club, and we weren’t going to do it. But we were still going to go for a run, so why not still run with them? It will be interesting because some of the people don’t even run; they just want to hang out. But the point is to encourage people to do something that they wouldn’t otherwise want to do, and doing it together makes it more tolerable.” Justifying their reason for starting the run club, and emphasizing Hunter Hunted’s ultimate goal to remain authentic, Garner adds, “We’ve realized over time that what makes this worth it for us is doing what we like to do: playing the music we want to play, and running because we like to run. There are no rules for how you have to do it. I think that when you work with a lot of different people who have control, they try to make you do what has worked in the past for others. But we’ve been doing this for a long time, and in order to make this sustainable, we want to continue to do the stuff we like.”
8 | BTS
vinyl theater | denver, co | March 2016 | Photos by: evan olea
BTS | 9
10 | BTS
LANY
Words by Lauren DeLapa, Photos by Addie Whelan
From SoundCloud to sold-out stages, alt-pop trio LANY has skyrocketed into success. The LA-based band is known for their hit tracks “ILYSB” and the recently released “WHERE THE HELL ARE MY FRIENDS”. The group’s synth-filled sound makes for a fresh take on electronic pop that nods to both new wave and R&B influences. Beyond The Stage sat down with Paul Klein, Jake Goss, and Les Pries of LANY to talk all things music, from touring, their favorite tracks and the band’s DIY production process.
BTS: How has the interaction with the fans been? You’ve toured across the United States and now, you’re in the UK for the second time. Is there a difference between the fans? Paul: Yeah, there are. I think because we are an American band and we’ve spent more time in America, obviously, there seems to be a little bit more depth to our relationship with our fans over there. But already, we are seeing that start to grow in the UK. We have a headline show in the middle of our Ellie run that sold out in just a couple days. I think we’ll be spending more time over here in the future. BTS: As we speak, you guys are on an arena tour Fans are fans, though. We love them all. with Ellie Goulding in the UK. Can you describe what that experience has been like so far? BTS: Does the band have any tour traditions or pre-show rituals? Paul: Awesome. I mean, we played our first arena last night. It was really great. I can’t say that it felt that much Paul: We don’t! We get that question a lot and it’s starting different from the other things that we’ve done. It’s to make me think we need to find some or make some. obviously the biggest room we’ve ever been in, but you know, we still kind of played the songs the same way, went BTS: What is your favorite song to perform live? as hard as we normally do. I guess it was different because a lot of people really had no idea who we were. We’re one Paul: My favorite is “4EVER!” of three [performers]. We’re first up and kind of warming everybody up. It’s kind of like our big handshake with the Les: Yeah, that’s the same for me. BTS | 11 UK.
Jake: I would say “4EVER!” as well. BTS: “ILYSB” is an obvious crowd-favorite. Did you expect that particular track to become so popular?
I’ve been trying to write poetry, in some sense, and when we get home, we’ll try to build some songs around that and see how those do. BTS: You often use acronyms for song titles. Is there significance behind that?
Paul: No, not at all. That was our third song that we ever released. It just kind of blew up back then and it’s still kind Paul: We’ve done that for “ILYSB” and “BRB.” Our of taking off right now. Every band has a big song that’s band name is kind of an acronym for Los Angeles and their crowd-favorite, so it’s cool. New York, but you sound it out. We did “WTHAMF” just because we wanted to make a hashtag for our song, but BTS: All the music that the band has released so we didn’t want the hashtag to take up like the whole 140 far has been completely created by the three of characters of a tweet. you. Can you walk me through your production process? Jake: Acronyms are cool, though. Paul: So, we make everything on a Dell computer. Les engineers and mixes everything for us. We kind of just sit in a room. Like, a year ago, it was in a one-bedroom apartment in Hollywood and a little bit before that was a bedroom in Nashville. Then, we signed a record deal and got a budget to move out of the one-bedroom apartment and get a little house where we could have more space to work. It’s the three of us in a room and a lot of time it will start with a drum groove or maybe I’ll have kind of a chorus or a hook idea and then we just slowly build around that and everybody kind of pitches in equally. We all bounce idea off each other. It’s a team effort.
BTS: The band just released its first music video for “ILYSB - Live in LA.” Do you plan on making more music videos in the future? Paul: Yeah, absolutely. We’re about to film like a legit music video for “WTHAMF” in London. “ILYSB” is more of just a live performance video. We will be making lots more music videos. BTS: What have you guys been listening to lately?
Paul: I’ve been listening to the new 1975 record which is really great. Before that, I was revisiting the Disclosure BTS: Does the music often come before the lyrics? record. Also, Channel Orange is always on rotation. Paul: Yeah, it has. Right now, we’re on tour and I can pull Les: I always like M83. up GarageBand and plug in a mini-keyboard and hammer some stuff out. Right now, I’m actually trying to write a full Jake: Phoenix. I listen to Phoenix, a lot. song lyrically before we even sit down and play a note. So
12 | BTS
cardiknox | chicago, il | March 2016 | Photos by: allison lanza
BTS | 13
JUDAH & THE LION Photos and Words by Taylor Cleek
14 | BTS
“I feel like… especially with this album, you can see how we tried to think outside of the box. I think the music speaks for itself in that.” It’s a quiet afternoon in the Beachland Tavern and merely a few hours before the doors open to the public. Luckily for us, we already have the best seat in the house as we sit with Nashville natives Judah & the Lion – Judah Akers, Nate Zuercher, Brian Macdonald and Spencer Across. Judah (the band’s lead vocalist and guitar player) is eager to talk about the band’s brand new full-length album, Folk Hop and Roll. “Obviously, when you see a banjo and a mandolin… you have an idea what kind of band that’s gonna sound like. So, Nate plugged his banjo into an amp and Brian pulled out an electric guitar.” It isn’t simple hype; Folk Hop and Roll is a definite reflection of Judah & the Lion’s many diverse influences, as the album title suggests. “We wanted to try be honest and that just felt like a natural progression,” Judah added. As the packed Beachland Ballroom will later learn, the band isn’t just looking for an unconventional sound that’s unique to them, but also one that captures the energy they put into every set. “I think that we designed this record kind of specifically around our live show. We just care so much about the performance and the environment that’s created through that and having a place that people can come be themselves and let go and hopefully leave happier than when they got there,” banjoist Nate explained. “I think a lot of times we
really feed off the crowd, too, so it’s important to have a crowd that’s interacting with us,” mandolin player Brian included. As witnesses, we can personally confirm that nothing’s off of the table when Judah & the Lion get on stage: jumping into the crowd, distorted banjo solos, or simply dropping all of the instruments for an impromptu hip-hop dance party. And while a concept like ‘rap meets folk music’ could very easily go totally wrong, the band manages to combine disparate genres seamlessly without ever feeling like a cheap gimmick. “I think this tour’s been the most strenuous as far as physically. We’re all just trying to make sure when the show comes we have the energy to go balls to the wall,” Brian explained. Their first headlining tour in nearly two years, the thirty six date support for Folk Hop and Roll began in February with a familiar Memphis crowd and will run all the way through April before concluding in Salt Lake City. It’s a rewarding tour but clearly not an easy one. “We’re actually kind of getting over our sickness right now. I think all three of us have sinus infections that we’re getting over and Nate’s got mono,” laughs Brian. Despite their ailments, the band is in good spirits and in top form later that evening. The road’s provided more bizarre occurrences for the band than flat tires and colds. “I’ll say the brief version,” Brian begins behind a smile. “One time… you know we try to save money on the road. So we stayed at Airbnb’s, once upon a time when that was a thing. We tried to find a cheaper
BTS | 15
option than a hotel.” The rest of the band shifts in their seats, clearly already knowing where this one is going. “We were looking this [house] up, and everything seemed great. It seemed like a good set up, plenty of room, and I was about to confirm it. Then he messaged back and said, “Yeah, we’d love to have you. But one thing is… I’m a nudist,” Brian laughs before continuing, “I would expect that you partake in that in my house. It’s a nudist house. You’re welcome to stay but you have to be naked.” Judah chimes in, “We were thinking of making it like an adventure. Like, oh my gosh, this is hilarious. And then at the end, he said, ‘I have room in my king size bed too if one of you guys feel like joining.’ And then we were like, we’re out. We couldn’t deal with that part. This is not good.” Luckily, tour life has seemingly been as much of a triumph as it’s been a struggle. “This is our first time headlining in Cleveland. It’s been fun to go to these new cities in the north and we were on the west coast last year for the first time and got to see if this music translates like it does with our fanbase in the south east. […] They seem like they’re having a good time.” Nate included, “And with this new record out it’s probably the first tangible push into a new direction. Two weeks into the tour and we’re starting to get more of a gauge of that and I think it’s being received well.” “We have a blast at our live shows and aside from being sick, these are some of our favorite times to connect with people,” Judah declared. The band is clearly eager to travel and bring their energy and positivity to as many people as possible, but at the same time never forgetful about their roots. When considering Judah & the Lion, it isn’t difficult to see how Nashville is lauded “Music City.” I suspected that the band’s hometown played as big of
16 | BTS
BTS | 17
a part in shaping them as anything else. Nate replied, “I think a large part of that was just the community we were around. We were all in a music school. […] Everyone around us was playing all of the time and there are venues all around the city and every night of the week you can go to multiple shows. There’s no shortage of inspiration and the people around you are kind of pushing you. It always felt like a supportive push,” He recalled. “It was competitive because you have to work on your craft and be better and all that, but it was very common for us to hang out with musician friends that are all kind of pursuing the same things but also encouraging each other and showing up to all of each other’s shows and whether it’s spoken or not, keep each other accountable to keep progressing and trying things.” And while the band is clearly enjoying the reception and celebration of Folk Hop and Roll, they’re also continuously keeping their eyes on the future. “We kind of have a dream,” Judah started. “We haven’t necessarily talked about it, but to eventually have a festival. Have a folk stage and a hip-hop stage and a rock stage. That would be really cool to do. Hopefully we get to collaborate with some different genres. […] And we’re already discussing the baby steps of what the next record’s gonna look like cause the funny thing with music these days is like, there’s really no formula. […] We did talk about incorporating reggae and metal music,” he laughs before clarifying it as a joke. “It’s like there are no boundaries and so, maybe I want to put a sitar on this? I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to use marching percussion on an album. […] Who knows? So we’re just having fun with it.”
18 | BTS
Carly rae jepsen | chicago, il | March 2016 | Photos by: allison lanza
BTS | 19
HEFFRON DRIVE Photos by Marissa Sandoval | Words by Addie Whelan Assistant: Lori Sandoval | Location: Cleveland Art.
20 | BTS
BTS | 21
electronic music. While Schmidt is a huge self-proclaimed super-fan of Incubus (many of his followers on social media are now Incubus fans as well), Belt focuses a little more on the indie scene. Both are notable for attending shows by bands of genres all over the map, including bands like AC/DC, Parade of Lights, Chromeo and even more recently, Coachella. When asked about their influences, both Belt and Schmidt agree on what they are listening to, especially what’s currently playing through their headphones or speakers. “Early on, when we began in 2008, we were listening to a lot of pop-punk music. Metro Station, Forever The Sickest Kids, Paramore, Taking Back Sunday, things like that. Now it’s very different stuff that’s all over the map (literally). [Dustin has] been listening to Broods a lot, who are from New Zealand. Atlas Genius is great too. They’re from Australia,” remarked Schmidt and Belt. But when asked about the songs that Heffron Drive might be embarrassed to listen to, both Schmidt and Belt laugh before answering. “‘Come On Let Me Ride’ By Skylar Grey & Eminem,” said Belt. “‘All My Exes Live In Texas’,” laughed Schmidt. There are few bands with social followings like Heffron Drive. Their incredibly devoted fans created dozens of fansites, fan clubs and active street teams. When users do a simple Twitter search for Heffron Drive, hundreds of accounts appear. These fans have sites that are dedicated to the band and every move they make. With fan clubs in Russia, Italy, Mexico, and at least one in every state in the United States, Heffron Drive makes a huge impact on social media. Started as a collaborative project between Kendall Schmidt (vocals, guitar, co-producer) and Dustin Belt (guitar, co-producer) in 2008, Heffron Drive has grown from having a small MySpace fan base to landing themselves articles on Billboard and recently, a performance slot at an iHeart Radio event. “We are both originally from Wichita, Kansas, but met at an event in Hollywood, California. When we both left to go home that night, we discovered we lived on the same street, Heffron Drive, just a few minutes away in Burbank. The rest is history!” said the band about their beginnings. Both Belt and Schmidt also claim their influences to pop-punk and now, indie and
22 | BTS
Switching gears from what they’re listening to and instead focusing on their own music, we began asking the duo about their musical journey. Dedicated fans of the band know songs that have those pop-punk influences including “Quiet Please,” “Love Letter” and “Time Wasting,” which were all recorded and released on their MySpace page. But when a huge opportunity came up, the band briefly declared a hiatus. Schmidt auditioned to be a part of Nickelodeon and Columbia Records’ project Big Time Rush and was given the role. This proved to be a huge connection for both Schmidt and Belt, Schmidt landing a role in one of the biggest boy bands of the 2000s, and Belt was asked to be the touring guitarist for the band. After touring internationally and winning awards in Australia, Mexico and the United States, Schmidt returned to Heffron Drive. “Heffron Drive ultimately got put on the back burner once the Big Time Rush project came into full swing. But because Kendall and I were always around each other, we were always able to talk about music and show each other what we were
listening to. We’d also talk to people in the business that we met along the way, so by the time it was time to put Heffron Drive The band toured the United States, playing both the MySpace back on the main burner, it was already a name familiar to tracks and the album in full. But after the tour ended, fans were people,” said Belt of the transition. surprised to hear that Happy Mistakes had a counterpart, Happy Mistakes Unplugged. How did they do it so quickly? Both Although Heffron Drive was sidelined for more than five years Belt and Schmidt often cite coffee (“organic only” for Schmidt) during Big Time Rush, Schmidt and Belt still found ways to as their driving force besides Belt’s natural love for tacos and create and produce music. Just six months after Big Time Rush bacon (follow him for updates, maybe one day there will be finished their last U.S. tour and years after the release of their bacon tacos). MySpace tracks, Heffron Drive released their debut single, “Parallel.” Fans went crazy over the single, changing their pro- The acoustic album came out just in time for the band to file pictures on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to the album continue to perform for their fans, but this time internationally. art. Heffron Drive completed a short tour of Italy at the end of 2015 and in March of this year, Heffron Drive returned to the Six months later, Heffron Drive released their album, Happy country playing larger venues than ever. Most notably, the band Mistakes, which peaked on the Billboard Independent Albums performed at Rome’s ParaLottomatica, which seats more than Chart at 19. Produced and distributed by Schmidt’s own record ten thousand. label, TOLbooth Records, Happy Mistakes was the beginning of a huge line of success for both Belt and Schmidt. “Italy has been so good to us and it was really interesting to see the growth of the band in just a few months since the time “I think the power of a good song will take you far and that de- before when we were there in November. We played our first scribes the first album really well. I think there was some really arena headlining show as Heffron Drive in Rome for a little great pop writing on that album,” said Schmidt about Happy over five thousand people. Being back in an environment like Mistakes. that was very reminiscent of the BTR days and it felt great. It
BTS | 23
felt like home” said Belt of the trip. But when announcing the tour, there was one other detail fans were incredibly surprised by. Joining the tour on select dates was Schmidt’s fellow Big Time Rush member, Logan Henderson. Henderson also featured vocally on the unplugged version of Heffron Drive’s “Passing Time,” which brought even more excitement to the concept of Henderson joining Schmidt and Belt on tour. “The great thing about having Logan around is that you never have to worry if you’re going to have a bad time or not. It’s like having your own personal Jim Carrey to travel along with you. He’s off-the-wall hilarious. Even after all the BTR stuff was over, the three of us stayed really close friends and we talk all the time. When the idea of having Logan come with us to do shows came around, well, it was really a no-brainer. I told Kendall and Logan to discuss what songs they wanted to do and then I worked on a medley and threw them all together. We loved having him out with us. Hopefully we do it again in the future!” said Belt of the tour. Now, Heffron Drive is promoting their next single. With a completely redesigned sound, “Rain Don’t Come” was released April 8 and has gained national media attention. Heffron Drive released the video for the song just a week later, which was directed by Schmidt’s brother, Kevin. “The song is about a plumber who’s been actively fixing gutters and is totally backed up and overworked, realizes that there’s a national shortage of weather supplies and he’s praying that the rain doesn’t come. [Laughs] Okay, it’s definitely not that,” laughed Belt. “‘Rain Don’t Come’ is really about persistence and not giving up. Whether that be in life, a relationship, or whatever you want to take it as. We’re also from California and were in the middle of a 5 year drought. So there’s that too,” replied Schmidt. Between the two, they also cite the song to be their favorite song to perform live, especially after playing the song live in Italy. “‘Rain Don’t Come’ is definitely my favorite song to play live because number one, it’s brand new, and number two, the solo is super fun to play,” laughed Belt. But for now, U.S. fans of Heffron Drive are anxiously waiting for Schmidt and Belt to announce stateside dates to hear “Rain Don’t Come” live. When asked about those anticipated dates, both members quickly acted suspiciously.
24 | BTS
“Well, we can’t give any details just yet, but we will say that
we just got off a very good phone call with our agent,” explained Belt and Schmidt, almost in perfect unity. However, there is still good news for those anxious fans. Heffron Drive promises to continue to stay connected with their fans on social media. “Social media is obviously a huge aspect of our connection. I’m absolutely horrible with names, but I’m trying to get better and when you see the same face at a few shows in a row, you begin to learn their names if you see them after the show or at the meet and greet, etc. To me, if I was a fan of a band and someone in that band remembered my name I’d be floored. To me, it just shows that we do appreciate them for coming and supporting us, because if they didn’t come, we wouldn’t have jobs,” said Belt. Just a week and a half after their new single was released, fans are still campaigning for the song to be publicized by national publications and gain international radio play. Another search of Heffron Drive on Instagram leads to dozens of fans posting the album art and explaining how they relate to the song. If there is one sign that a band is truly successful, it’s their fanbase and how connected the band is with these fans. Heffron Drive is a true sign of the modern day band. By replying, retweeting, commenting and sharing posts from fans almost all day every day, they are bringing more happiness to these dedicated fans than anything in the world.
BTS | 25
SELF HELP festival
San Bernardino, California - March 2016
A DAY TO REMEMBER
A DAY TO REMEMBER
AUGUST BURNS RED
26 | BTS
LETLIVE
TONIGHT ALIVE
THE WONDER YEARS
Photos by: ISSUES
Alyssa Buzzello
STORY SO FAR
YELAWOLF
UNDEROATH
BTS | 27
LESS THAN JAKE Photos and Words by Stone Fenk
Twenty years ago, Florida ska band Less Than Jake got together and made their classic album Losing Streak. Since then, they have toured the world, have been an legendary part of the ska-punk scene and made 23 releases including live records. We got the chance to talk to bassist Roger Lima while they were on tour in Pittsburgh, PA playing that album in full, as well as Hello Rockview. Beyond The Stage: So, It’s the 20th anniversary of Losing Streak right? Roger Lima: Haha, yeah, that’s what they’re telling me. BTS: How crazy is that to still be playing an album that was made 20 years ago? RL: I mean it’s extremely lucky and extremely fortunate, man. It’s a long time ago. It’s like, at that point in your life, 21, 22, we were doing those songs. You’re not really thinking too far ahead, you’re just living in the moment. I try to do that anyways, so it’s kinda, like, amazing to think that 20 years have gone by. It’s amazing that people still give a shit about those songs. Not just like one song
28 | BTS
or two songs, but the whole record as an experience. It’s kinda crazy. It’s crazy for me. BTS: What would be your favorite song off of Losing Streak? RL: I have really distinct memories of writing the parts that eventually became “Automatic.” That song puts me back in the apartment that I lived in at that time and it kicks off the record, so it’s always been one of my favorites. There’s some good stuff on there. It’s a fun record to play, there’s a lot of wacky bass lines. I was kinda trying to experiment a lot back then, to try to not sound like anyone else. Tried to do fun bass lines that were maybe a little more crazy, but it’s a lot of fun. BTS: What about your favorite song off of Hello Rockview? RL: “Metalheads” is really the first song that I sang lead vocals on ever. Well, kind of. That was always a special song that’s really fun to play and people love that song. It’s got good ska, it’s got good rock.
BTS: Since that was the first song you really sang on, were you nervous doing it live at first? RL: I’ve always sang back up parts, so I’m always very comfortable singing, but that song was like “oh I’m singing the lead vocals the whole time, we aren’t like going back and forth.” I mean, I sang half of “Automatic” but I never really sang an entire song. At that time, we were writing those songs together, playing them in the warehouse and playing them on tour, so playing and recording wasn’t that huge of a difference at that stage in the band. A lot of those songs we wrote in the studio, or we wrote weeks before we went in. A lot of that stuff was made up on the spot, in the heat of the moment. BTS: You’ve been doing two nights in each city on this tour, one night per album right? RL: Yeah we have been. We played in Chicago, we played Losing Streak one night and Rockview the other night along with some other songs. We did the same in Detroit, but now we’re [in Pittsburgh] tonight and the game has changed. BTS: Are you guys gonna do both tonight or just stick with one and some from the other? RL: Well, It would be nice to surprise you, but I think we’re just gonna play both records and not play anything else. That’s been part of the experience for us too, having the whole record as a thought. It’s crazy. I think we’ll make it. BTS: Do you guys use clickers or anything when you play live? RL: No, absolutely not. BTS: That would be crazy with each album being like 45 minutes, that’d be a really long set. RL: Yeah no, especially with Losing Streak, that album was done pretty live. It wasn’t rhythmically on a track, it was pretty much just how we played it. On Rockview, there were some songs that were assembled like that. But live we don’t use any computers or anything like that. We’re actually a live band, we actually play the songs live. I know that’s kind of a dying thing these days, when you can just pretend to press the buttons and every song plays, I get that but we all still play instruments.
BTS | 29
too, kind of live in the moment and have fun while you can. We’ve had a really steady growth for over a long long time. We really had a big jump where all the sudden we’re like super popular and then the next record is good. Then it’s over. We just didn’t have that kind of a career, fortunately. Cause there’s not a lot of bands that can go out there and play a 20 year old record. You never really think about it back in the days, you’re just doing your thing, trying to write the best songs that you can, hanging out with your friends and trying to figure out how to pay rent. BTS: You guys have been confirmed for Warped Tour! RL: That’s a rumor that I guess has been validated, yeah.
BTS: How do you feel about the state of ska music nowadays? RL: I think it’s the kind of music that will always have a home with younger bands, people starting out who just want to make fun music. You hear about bands all the time, ska bands, that are getting shows going and getting people happening so I don’t think it’s going away. They might not be a big mainstream thing tomorrow or anything, but it definitely has a place. It has its own energy, a unifying sort of sound. It’s based on reggae, based on two tone, it’s something that makes you wanna move your feet and kinda exchange some energy with the band and people that are there. Some kind of rock and stuff like that is this, stare at your shoes kind of music, where it’s a heavy personal experience but you’re not trying to interact. Where ska is definitely like, you’re trying to get people involved, moving their bodies around, dancing and having a good time. It’s weird. It’s kind of like dance hall. BTS: It’s been 23 years since your first release, Smoke Spot, how does it feel to be touring after all that time? RL: It’s always been kind of one foot in front of the other with this band. I think we’re all kind of like that as people
30 | BTS
BTS: What do you think has changed since ‘97 when you were doing that tour with Pennywise and Blink 182? RL: To me, the core of Warped Tour hasn’t changed. It still has the same heartbeat, it still has the same arms and limbs. All the people behind the scenes, a lot of these people have been there a long time and it has that feeling of family. The bands have come and gone with mood swings and radio, stuff like that. There’s definitely a few more sponsors, but to me it’s the same experience. It’s a hot day in a parking lot with a shit ton of bands. Some of them are awesome, some of them are pretty good, some of them maybe aren’t that good, but they’re out there. They’re working, trying to get out their piece of the pie. I think it’s amazing, bands that have the energy to go out there and play for next to nothing, get in the heat and drive, sell a few shirts, that’s great. Thats some persistence and that’s awesome. The Warped Tour allows that to happen, it has a cut for them so certain things can happen. It’s awesome. I wish that the Warped Tour was around when I was 15 or 16, it’d be an amazing place to go see a ton of bands and get exposed to a lot of music. It’s super fun. BTS: Do you have any upcoming releases that you want to talk about? RL: There is one Less Than Jake release that is coming out that people don’t really know about yet. There is a live record that was recorded in 2001, Live from the Astoria in London. Pretty good show, captured, sounds pretty good. It’s gonna be on vinyl, CD, cassette. It’s gonna be awesome.
BTS: How do you feel about everyone putting everything out on vinyl more recently? RL: It’s cool. I think any kind of record or CD gives you a more direct connection with the musician. You hold it in your hands, you’re looking at the lyric sheet, you see the colors of the vinyl as it’s spinning around. It’s a different connection than pressing a triangle on your phone. People use everything, you can input music through all kinds of ways. You can listen to it on your computer, on your TV, on vinyl, whatever works. I think it’s awesome that people are starting to get back into vinyl. It definitely sounds better, it’s a better experience. And people buy vinyl, and vinyl is expensive. It’s expensive to manufacture and it takes forever. My other band, Rehasher, we ordered the vinyl and it took almost 5 months. Four months and three weeks and that’s for just 500 copies. It’s a crazy world. That shit is in demand. BTS: Lastly, do you plan on releasing a new album anytime soon? RL: We are kind of in the midst of writing stuff right now. There’s a bunch of stuff coming in at some point.
BTS | 31
IN DEFENSE OF THE FANGIRL By Delaney DeAngelis
When you enter “fangirl definition” into Google, it is defined as “an obsessive female fan” and considered to be an informal, derogatory word. Urban Dictionary defines a fangirl as “a rabid breed of human female” or “a female who has overstepped the line between healthy fandom and indecent obsession.” Urban Dictionary had pages and pages of other definitions citing fangirls as crazy and annoying. I don’t think there is anything wrong with being a fangirl. Fangirls can be found across many different mediums, but most prevalent are fangirls of boy bands. From the time of The Beatles to the Jonas Brothers to One Direction and Justin Bieber—fangirls have been around for a long time. What is the difference between being a fangirl and being an “obsessive” fan for things like Harry Potter or Star Wars? Both Harry Potter and Star Wars are known for their die-hard fanbase, but in general, they aren’t seen as crazy or obsessive. Some may say it’s a “nerdy” thing to be a fan of, but they don’t receive nearly as much flack as fangirls of boy bands do.
derogatory term. When people use fangirl, it’s often used to say that her interest doesn’t matter—that it’s stupid and pointless. I’ve often heard people say something along the lines of “imagine if fangirls cared about real issues.” As if to say, something that fangirls love, or something that makes them happy, can’t be a priority for them. As if to say, fangirls can’t be interested in both their band of choice and the “real issues.” Someone can be a fangirl for One Direction and care about politics and social issues. You don’t have to be one or the other. Using the word fangirl in a derogatory sense tells girls at a young age that their interests are not “cool” or “valid.” It’s harmful rhetoric where society shames young girls for their interests. In addition, people use the term “fangirl” as if to say only girls can be interested in that artist.
The word fangirl is associated with traditionally “feminine” traits—such as being emotional, obsessive and dramatic. The way I see it, fangirls are dedicated. They will support their artist of choice and, especially in today’s world, aren’t afraid to criticize them for their wrong-doings. Fangirls will stand for hours before a concert and hours after in hopes of meeting Music has a way of uniting people together and making people them. Fangirls will buy every version of a band’s album and happy. When fans listen to their favorite band or see them on dedicate Twitter and Tumblr accounts to them to promote T.V. or on Tumblr, it can make their day. These artists impact them. Fangirls are strong. Fangirls love their favorite bands fangirls’ lives and make them happy. To put it simply, being a regardless of what people think and say. fangirl is fun. When you are a fangirl, you get to meet people you would have never met otherwise. Some people meet their Here’s to the fangirls. Whichever your fandom of choice is— best friends through music and being a fangirl. know it is valid. Know that you are more than just a fangirl. You aren’t crazy or obsessive. You are dedicated, strong and Like the definition states, the word fangirl is often used as a passionate.
32 | BTS
bear hands | pittsburgh, pa | March 2016 | Photos by: hannah jones
BTS | 33
SO WHAT?! FESTIVAL Photos and Words by Bailey Flores
BLESS THE FALL
We went to Grand Prairie, Texas to cover day one of So What?! Music Festival, where we caught some amazing acts including New Found Glory, State Champs, Knuckle Puck, and many more. So What?! is a two day festival in March with over 50+ bands on three stages at QuikTrip Ballpark in Grand Prairie, TX. So What?! Music was originally established in 2008 and called South By So What?!. The festival has previously booked acts including Asking Alexandria, The Early November, Motion City Soundtrack, Mod Sun, G-Eazy, Pierce The Veil and more. The festival is in its ninth year and we had the chance to talk with So What?! founder Mike Ziemer to ask him about how he got his start and to get advice for people looking to start their own festivals.
34 | BTS
CAPTURE THE CROWN
Beyond The Stage: This is the ninth So What!? Festival. When you first came up with the idea for the festival, did you think that it would be this successful? Mike Ziemer: My entire career has been a really weird thing to me. I never expected anything I was doing to be what it is now. I had zero expectations. I was just having fun and booking shows and one day it was a lot more real than that. I hope that makes sense, like it went from fun to a fun business. I’m still blown away at how much we are able to grow every year. BTS: Out of all of the years of So What?!, which one has been your favorite so far?
SORORITY NOISE
MZ: The lineup for 2016 is my all time favorite line up, but so far it’s been the year we had Taking Back Sunday and The Used.... 2014! BTS: What inspired you to pursue creating your own festival?
SLAVES
MZ: Like I said, it was all an accident. We just kept seeing how many bands we could fit onto a bill and how many stages we could do and it kept growing and growing. If you had told me when I was getting started that I would be doing a multi-day festival at a baseball field, I would have laughed at you. BTS: Can you tell us a little bit about the first festival? How has it changed over the years? MZ: The second show I ever did was a two stage festival that drew around 1,000 people to a community center in Plano, Texas. Back then, it was mostly local bands with a few smaller touring bands mixed in. We still keep some locals involved, but the size of bands we are booking now is way bigger than I ever thought. Like this year-- I grew up on New Found Glory and they’re playing. It’s unreal to me.
BTS | 35
BTS: If you could give yourself advice back then from your now-experienced point-of-view, what would it be?
NEW FOUND GLORY
MZ: Never grow up, never stop doing what you love, and never take anyone’s negativity to heart because it’s always coming from people who aren’t doing the things you are doing. BTS: What was your biggest challenge when founding the festival? MZ: I guess it was learning along the way. I didn’t get advice from anyone. I didn’t have a business plan, I didn’t know what to expect. I just did it. Learning is always a challenge, but it’s always worth it.
BLESS THE FALL
BTS: What advice would you give someone that wants to found their own festival? MZ: Find a way to appeal to a niche audience that will embrace your idea and come back year after year. So What?! is a festival for all the misfits, all the hardcore music fans that have not much else in their life that can make them as happy as their favorite song. All the people that are growing up in the scene and grew up in the scene, it’s their festival. If you create an experience that’s made special to a group of people, and you genuinely care about them, you can’t fail. BTS: What does it take to be a founder of a major festival in Texas? MZ: A deposit on a venue, a crazy idea, and the balls to take a huge risk on seeing it happen. BTS: What makes it worth all the work to do this year after year? Being able to wake up every day, go to work with my best friends, book bands I love and am friends with, and pay my bills doing it!
36 | BTS
STATE CHAMPS
SLAVES
BTS | 37
JAMIE LAWSON Photos by Bailey Flores Words by Lauren Klonowski
After getting a crowd pumped up and excited while opening a very rainy Vance Joy show, singer-songwriter Jamie Lawson took the time to sit down and talk to Beyond The Stage about his new label, his love for music, and what fans can expect from him next. Lawson is the first artist to be signed to Ed Sheeran’s label, Gingerbread Man Records, and he couldn’t be more grateful. After initially being very excited, the singer-songwriter started
38 | BTS
thinking that Sheeran wouldn’t have the time to handle the job, since “he is the biggest pop star on the planet; he is literally everywhere, all the time.” It appeared that Sheeran already had a plan of success waiting for Lawson. “He would be very into keeping the music as I wanted it. I wouldn’t have to go and work with specific producers or different writers. It could just be my songs, and how I wanted them to come across.” Lawson’s musical journey started back in the ‘90s and he says
Vance Joy, Lawson has a pretty impressive resume. Each of these experiences have been different and have given him more knowledge about how to work a specific audience and he has loved them all. “It was good fun supporting Ed, he has an audience that seems to know that the support acts are chosen by Ed, and that they are going to be worth watching. Previously he’s had people like Passenger, Gabrielle Aplin, and Rudimental; all are really cool artists. It was good to know you have an audience ready to listen.” Currently, Lawson has been touring the world with indie-pop artist Vance Joy. At these shows he says that “the fans are a really listening crowd and very willing to give you a chance, especially in the United States.” The One Direction shows seemed to be the most challenging, but also most rewarding for Lawson. “The One Direction fans were like, ‘Who is this solo acoustic act and why is he not in a boyband?’ I would do a cover of a One Direction song, and get them all to sing along and it seemed to help them connect from what One Direction does to what I do. After I did that, they seemed to really get into the songs and by the end of shows I had them all singing along which was a really nice feeling.” With all this success, one would imagine Lawson had known from the very beginning that he wanted to be a performer. Interestingly enough, this was not the case; he had gone to an art college for photography before discovering that it wasn’t the path for him. “As much as I loved photography, which I did, I was really unhappy. Seemingly, it was because I wasn’t doing what I wanted to do, what my heart wanted to do.”
that his biggest achievement has been just keeping on with his dream and having faith in his work. “You can’t argue when someone like Ed Sheeran comes along and says, ‘I think we should make a record and put it out,’ that is a massive break, but had I not been working at it for so long, had I not been good at it, had not my songs been good enough to get his attention in the first place, that break would have not happened.” Having opened for the likes of Sheeran, One Direction, and
Inspiration can come from just about anywhere, according to Lawson. People can be inspired from all types of things: just hearing people speak or seeing things happen through TV and other media. Lawson wrote his song, “The Only Conclusion” after enjoying an episode of Big Bang Theory. The title came from a line that one of the show’s characters, Sheldon, said about how the only conclusion to the situation in the episode must be love. “It’s amazing and it’s weird when you get lines like that in comedy. It’s all out of place, so they have this all other weight to them. It’s really beautiful,” he says. He even recently got some inspiration from a friend who said they needed “a little distraction” from the happenings of their life. “That is a nice idea; a little distraction. That’s a nice title for a song. So, that’s in my head now so that’s something I will be working on for the next few weeks to see whether I can turn that into something.” Perhaps there will be a song titled “A Little Distraction” on his next record? Lawson also finds inspiration from some of his favorite musicians. When he’s not making great records, Lawson enjoys listening to a variety of different music. Anything ranging from country music to Van Morrison and Ben Folds. He
BTS | 39
really loves the music of late American singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley as well as UK based indie-rock band, Elbow. He would love to work with Elbow as well as his new label’s owner. “I hope to work with Ed at one point. That would be nice if we can find the time to. That would be cool.” So, what’s next for Lawson? “I don’t know actually. It’s an interesting point that I am at now, having a relatively successful record, at least in the UK, to see what will happen next.” The man has had a pretty busy year. From touring around the world to making a great self-titled album with his new label, he definitely hasn’t been bored. But he is not looking to take any time off. He’s touring through the rest of this year with a headlining tour hitting the states in May. While playing festivals throughout Europe this summer, he hopes to write and record his next album. “I am quite busy at the end of the year. And then hopefully the record will be out next year. So, that’s kind of the rough plan for the year.” Everything might not be set in stone, but one thing is for sure: Jamie Lawson and his great music aren’t going away.
40 | BTS
BTS | 41
Album Reviews Stories For Monday The Summer Set Fearless Records The Summer Set’s fourth studio album might not sound radically different on the surface from the band’s previous efforts, but Stories For Monday represents the best of the five piece and is a huge jump from their last album. After dropping lead single “Figure Me Out” during the month long lead-up to the album, it was clear from the start that the band was in earnest with this album, and rightfully so. An incredibly bold, yet vulnerable statement for a band that’s been around for almost 10 years, admitting to not being entirely sure about themselves, surrounded by fantastic instrumentals and clean production, the song was the perfect lead single. The album has stronger and weaker songs, but it comes off as a tight, cohesive unit because of the instrumentals and careful production. The band was a lot more hands-on with this album and it shows. There’s something disjointed about the band’s third album Legendary, almost as if someone twisted the group’s collective arms and said “Make this commercialized album”, and maybe that’s why Stories For Monday comes off as such a fantastic effort: a work to be very proud of from every angle. While not every song on the album matches up to the triumphant “Figure Me Out”, “Jean Jacket” (this should be on every summer Spotify playlist) or “Wonder Years” (almost dream like), there really are not a lot of things anyone should be complaining about with this new album. Bravo, The Summer Set, and a job well done: we’re excited to hear this album live! 4/5 - Gabi Talisman Download: “Figure Me Out” and “Jean Jacket”
Post Pop Depression Iggy Pop Concord Music Group “Seventeenth studio album” is not a phrase that many artists get to use and even if they do, it’s not common for it to be something worth talking about. It’s been thirty-nine years since Iggy Pop’s first solo release, The Idiot, and somehow, someway, “The Godfather of Punk” still has something interesting to say. Post Pop Depression is everything that the title may suggest: the lament of an old dog, tired but never exhausted. The nine track garage opera was written and recorded secretly throughout 2015 with Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme, whose collaboration shines through on every single track. Much of the album’s instrumentation would fit very comfortably on Homme’s home turf, but the inclusion of Iggy Pop’s ghastly croon as the star of the show brings it to an entirely different world. The record is equal parts haunting (“German Days”), brooding (“Vulture,” “German Days”), and at the same time soulful (“Sunday”, “Chocolate Drops”). Post Pop Depression is strangely sophisticated without ever betraying the raw power garage rock roots of Iggy Pop. The new record channels a number of Iggy’s peers: sometimes a song feels a bit David Bowie, other times a little Tom Waits, and even occasionally like a younger Marilyn Manson; culminating in a compelling combination of influence and frustration. While some tracks do feel like they go on a little longer than they should (further contributing to the jam session sensation of it all) the album continuously changes pace and demands your attention with a surprise string section finale (“Sunday”). Post Pop Depression is an incredible surprise, seamless collaboration, a fantastic record, and reassurance that no matter what year it is; Iggy Pop is a legend and an eternal artist. 4/5 - Taylor Cleek Download: “Break Into Your Heart”, “American Valhalla”, “Sunday”
Cleopatra The Lumineers Dualtone Records
42 | BTS
Listen up, roadtrip enthusiasts - The Lumineers just put out the newest addition to your playlist. Cleopatra, the second full-length release from The Lumineers, doesn’t disappoint with its array of acoustic guitar and piano-driven tracks. Guaranteed to make you want to put the windows down at any given moment, Cleopatra keeps that classic indie Lumineers sound and gives listeners more of what they asked for. Previously released singles “Ophelia,” “Cleopatra” and “Angela” have already broken into the Billboard Hot 100 Chart - “Ophelia” standing at the #78 spot since late February. The rest of the album builds off the tone of the first three releases and carries their musical strength the rest of the way through. Fans can
find their favorite pieces from the band’s self-titled album, but also appreciate the somewhat more mature nature of “Cleopatra”. The Lumineers have taken what they know their fans love and run with it, creating the ideal balance of old and new for their sophomore album. So grab some friends and your new go-to beach bonfire night soundtrack, Cleopatra. 4/5 - Maddy Shiffer Download: “In The Light,” “Gale Song” and “Where The Skies Are Blew”
Album Reviews (continued) Twenty88 Twenty88 Def Jam Records Big Sean and Jhene Aiko aren’t dating, but their sultry collaborative album Twenty88 could have anyone fooled. The Detroit MC and LA-bred R&B songbird join forces for one of the steamiest releases in recent memory. The duo’s undeniable chemistry radiates through the album’s 30-minute run time, making their playful banter sound the furthest thing from forced. Aiko’s soft, lusty melodies serve as the ideal compliment to Sean’s staccato raps, maintaining a healthy balance between tenderness and severity. Although both have released commercially successful projects alone, Twenty88 proves that Aiko and Sean are stronger together than they are apart. A concept album set in the not-so-distant future, Twenty88 chronicles the exhilarating trajectory of a modern romance gone sour. Love, lust, frustration and sexual tension are recurring themes that dominate the lyrical content of the album. Aiko and Sean share an innate talent for translating the complex nature of relationships into engaging, thoughtful songs. Even when Aiko and Sean’s lyricism is not rooted in real-life experience, it sounds authentic enough to convince listeners the two are romantically involved. Produced almost solely by Sean’s longtime collaborator Key Wane, Twenty88 is characterized by sonic cohesion and familiar, infectious grooves. Instrumental R&B tropes from the 70’s and 80’s are juxtaposed with modern Bay Area drum sequences, continuing hip hop’s recent trend of updating vintage soundscapes. Twenty88’s production, while vibrant and well-suited for Aiko and Sean’s vocals, does nothing to push the album into new sonic territories. For an album as conceptually ambitious as Twenty88, the production is glaringly safe. Twenty88 showcases two of hip hop’s most influential young voices at the best of their respective abilities. The undeniable chemistry between Aiko and Sean makes for a thrilling and sensual listen, prompting listeners everywhere to hope they collaborate again.
Mind of Mine ZAYN Capitol Records After leaving One Direction last year, Zayn Malik stated he wanted to be a “normal 22 year-old”. It wasn’t too long after, though, that he revealed he was in the studio working on his solo album. It’s safe to say that Malik broke outside the mold that was One Direction. It’s also safe to say that the music industry is accepting Zayn as a solo artist. Mind of Mine takes us on a journey using slow driven songs that are heavily Frank Ocean influenced. Faded guitars in the background and Zayn’s voice are beautifully combined in “Drunk” and “It’s You,” which showcases Zayn’s vocal talent. After “Intermission: Flower,” we are introduced in more upbeat and rhythm groove tracks. The highlight track in this half of the record is “Wrong” Featuring Kehlani. The collaboration features both catchy harmonies and melody. Another highlight track is piano driven “Fool for You,” which expresses heartbreak and someone trying to say they aren’t good for another. It seems to be a reoccurring theme on many tracks of the record. Zayn has proven that he can make it as a solo artist. He may not be in the world’s biggest boyband anymore, but that doesn’t mean he can’t express his musical talent. As a solo artist, Zayn is still just as talented as he was in One Direction, he just has more room to show off that talent. Mind of Mine proves and showcases everything he has to offer. 4/5 - Valerie McIntyre Download: “She”, “Pillowtalk” and “It’s You”
4/5 - Charlotte Freitag Download: “Deja Vu,” “2-Minute Warning (feat. K-Ci & JoJo & Detail),” and “Memories Faded”
SWISH Joywave Hollywood Records
After their 2015 release, “How Do You Feel Now?”, featuring the commercially successful single “Tongues,” Joywave have returned with their next album, SWISH. SWISH takes vintage voice overs and soundbites and infuses them with Joywave’s signature electric-indie sound. Not only does the album have a specific goal for the audible component, but one for the visual aspect of the album as well. When read vertically from top to bottom, the inner track listing asks the listener an intriguing question: Why Be Credible When You Can Be Incredible? With tracks on either end of the question - starting with “Destruction” and ending with the bonus track, “Life in a Bubble I Blew” - this is definitely one of the more interesting album concepts in today’s music. And it doesn’t stop there.
To do a track by track review of this album would almost be counterproductive. Although there are definitely noticeable - yet minor - differences in each song, the base of them is exactly the same. Foregoing the bonus track, each song on “SWISH” has the same lyrics, melody, and many of them have the same intro. That being said, there is still something in the music that makes you want to listen to the same song 9 times in a row. It’s definitely a statement piece and stands on it’s own as such in today’s pop music. So if thought-provoking, get up and dance electronic music is your thing, this is the album to reach for. 3/5 - Maddy Shiffer Download: “Destruction” and “Life In A B”
BTS | 43
Album Reviews (continued) Hell’s Kitchen Angel MAX DCD2 Records Beyond The Stage is no stranger to MAX, having him on our cover a few issues back, and his new album Hell’s Kitchen Angel is his attempt to get the rest of the world to notice him, too. MAX has been making music, whether it be originals or his incredibly popular Youtube covers for several years, but this new album is definitely a bold statement. Opening with the title track, MAX’s strong vocals are right up front and never take a break across the 10 songs. Even on the more processed songs like “Gibberish” with Hoodie Allen or “Wrong” with Lil Uzi Vert, it’s clear he takes great pride in making sure his voice is worthy of his fans. Even with strong vocals and production throughout, Hell’s Kitchen Angel doesn’t always come across as a cohesive unit of songs. Going from “Holla” into “Lights Down Low” is a bit of an adjustment, no matter that both of the songs are solid pop. “Lost My Way”, while gorgeous, is hard to go into after Jon Bellion co-written “Basement Party” (easily the smash of the album) to end the album. Even though Hell’s Kitchen Angel maybe isn’t 100% there when it comes to song order, it’s still a fantastic collection of songs from an artist who is still in the process of finding himself. Listening to the album on shuffle takes it to a whole new place, and is definitely a worthwhile pursuit on your second listen through. 3.5/5 - Gabi Talisman Download: “Basement Party” and “Hell’s Kitchen Angel”
This Is What The Truth Looks Like Gwen Stefani Interscope Records Ten years after releasing her last solo album, The Sweet Escape, Gwen Stefani is finally back with This Is What the Truth Feels Like. The album isn’t horrible, but it’s not Stefani’s best. The album has a few highlights, but is filled with songs that feel out-of-place or are unmemorable. The lyrical content of the album focuses on Gwen Stefani’s highly publicized divorce from Gavin Rossdale and new relationship with Blake Shelton. “Used to Love You,” the lead single, is a pop ballad about her divorce. Songs like “Send Me A Picture” and “Where Would I Be?” talk about new relationships. There are a few tracks on the album that don’t seem to fit with the rest of the album. “Red Flag” is the most obvious, where she sort of raps instead of sings. Following “Red Flag” is “Asking 4 It,” which features Fetty Wap. The vocals of both Stefani and Fetty Wap don’t really go together with the instrumentals and comes off as an awkward interlude to the final three songs. One of the highlights of the album is “Make Me Like You,” a disco-influenced song and reminiscent of Stefani’s previous hit singles. Single “Misery” is another highlight that reminds the listener of how talented Stefani is. This Is What the Truth Feels Like is an alright pop album, but it’s not very memorable. Even though the songs do focus on Stefani’s publicized love life, most of the songs are generic, and could be sung by another pop artist without much difference. Her vocals give off a feeling of detachment from the lyrics, as well. The album makes the listener miss the “old” Gwen Stefani, which is unfortunate due to how talented she is. 3/5 - Delaney DeAngelis Download: “Misery”, “Make Me Like You”
Letting You In Kris Allen Dogbear Records
44 | BTS
In May 2009, Kris Allen was named the eighth American Idol. He has since put out four albums, but few of them have broken to top 40 success. On his fourth effort, Letting You In, Allen creates a vivid memoir of his life. From the opening track, “Love Will Find You,” there is a sense of Allen letting his guard down and being raw and honest with his words. This trend continues through the entirety of the album which adds something to the record overall, but still feels like there is something missing. This album may be honest, but Allen avoids all risks which in turn, makes the album a bit bland. To put it simply, it is a safe album. Tracks like “Faster Shoes,” “If We Keep Doing Nothing” and the closing song, “I Remember You” spark some interest, but they are too few and far between on the rest of the record. These tracks stand out from the rest due to their tiny lift in tempo, breaking away from coffee shop rhythms that
easily fade into the background. Another notable track is the poppy, dance track “Feeling This Way.” This track feels oddly placed, however; it is one of the most upbeat songs in the listing and ironically, it seems to be the highlight of the album. If only more of Allen’s songs were like this one, the album could catch more attention and showcase his true talent as a songwriter. The few songs that have some potential on this album unfortunately do not have the strength to lift up the rest of Letting You In. Existing fans of Allen will enjoy the album, but others might as well pass this one up. 3/5 - Lauren Klonowski Download: “Feeling This Way”, “If We Keep Doing Nothing”, “I Remember You”
Cage The Elephant | Pittsburgh, pa | Marc h 2016 | Photos by: Hannah Jones
BTS | 45
hoodie allen | new york, ny | March 2016 | Photos by: charlotte freitag
46 | BTS
15. 14. 13. 12. 11. 10. 9.
8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. What’s on our PLAYLIST? rumours gnash feat. Mark Johns
Singing In The Rain Simple Plan
HandClap Fitz and The Tantrums
Uncontainable Set It Off
Breakin’ Point Peter Bjorn and John
Stay Alive Andy Black feat. Matt Skiba
Disappearing Act The Ready Set
You And I PVRIS
All My Friends The Summer Set
She’s American The 1975
Soundcheck Catfish and the Bottlemen
Oh Lord Blackbear
King Of The World Weezer
wRoNg ZAYN feat. Kehlani
Close Nick Jonas feat. Tove Lo
BTS | 47
Firekid | Photo by Gabi Talisman