Review: "Human Rites" by JE Double F

Everything about JE Double F is dark—from the artwork on his newest album, "Human Rites", to the view of human nature presented in his work.

Just scan his all-caps track titles before listening:

FLESH IS A TRAP

SILENT WEAPON FOR A SILENT WAR

RECENTLY DECEASED

PROFESSIONAL VICTIMS

CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE HUMAN RACE

His punk/hip hop blend is like the Beastie Boys, but with way less partying and way more brooding.

Produced, written, recorded, mixed, and mastered by the prolific Jeff Richie, "Human Rites" is a particularly unique offering. The tracks are all around one minute in length, making the 15-song album more like a hip hop symphony of despair with 15 movements than an album. In a way, it could be heard as one long primal scream, or a series of jabs to your head before the final track, the only one that exceeds the two-minute mark, lands a knockout punch.

There is no radio-friendly single to be found here. Instead there’s nihilistic philosophy, dark humor, condemnation and self-deprecation.

On Human Rites, no one, including himself, escapes Jeff’s scorn. 

From the second track, “Insides Out,” we get a song that starts with the lines:

I’m not sure who I hate more, you or me
Bruised up insides, heart spews blue and green

And ends with:

Some people don’t know their insides are rotten,
A war of attrition where the mission’s been forgotten,
We’re all fucked up from the insides out

JE Double F is, simply, not for the weak-willed or mild-mannered. This is music to take with you when staring into the abyss.

You can listen to "Human Rites" now or check out JE Double F as he tours the northeast in early June.

Connect with JE Double F: Website   Bandcamp   Twitter

Review: Former Faces’ "Swimming in Circles" EP

With the first meandering, atmospheric guitar pattern in Swimming in Circles’ first song, “Back up a Minute,” Former Faces announces their influences: The War on Drugs is in there, as is, of course, its former member Kurt Vile (when it comes to guitar style, there’s little difference between the two), but then when Former Faces founder Ryan Parmenter starts singing, you hear a bit of Broken Social Scenes’ Kevin Drew in him—less eye-rolling and gritty than Kurt Vile and more intimate.

The backing vocals increase the stakes: this song is highly personal, introspective, and sounds like sitting outside on a cold night, a bit buzzed, thinking about something that has been bothering you for years. 

The second track of the five song EP introduces another influence: Tame Impala. “the Runaround” opens with synth and electronic effects and drums, and the song probably could have appeared on Currents without anyone noticing it wasn’t Kevin Parker singing—that is, until the chorus. Parker tends to build to louder, more falsetto-laden choruses than Parmenter does—instead we have a song that’s chilled out from beginning to end. Which is a good thing if you’re in the right setting or frame of mind.

“Weekend Mountain Man” is less easy to pin down, exhibiting a confluence of styles and probably the catchiest chorus of the EP (which, not surprisingly, centers around the title phrase).

The EP closer, “Idle Hands,” is probably the dreamiest-sounding, and also comes off as the most romantic—this is a song about that period of falling in love when everything seems to shimmer, it’s spring, and the window is open on a Sunday morning—until the bridge takes the song in a more mysterious direction, introducing a bit of dissonance a la OK Computer-era Radiohead. 

It’s a strong way to end the EP, which, with each subsequent track, showcases Former Faces’ ability to incorporate a wide variety of styles while still sounding consistently like themselves.

L.M. Alder is in the band The Deafening Colors.

Pre-Release Review: "Good Grief" EP by China Gate

"Good Grief" is one of the most aptly titled EPs I've heard in years. 

Right from the first track, which is the title track, the music is sunny and upbeat, but the lyrics and the string arrangements introduce a bit of melancholy that, by the end of the track, turns dissonant before circling back around to the joyful sound that kicks off the EP. That, it seems to me, is China Gate’s statement about how you should react to grief—to make the most beautiful art you can. And that's what China Gate has done with this EP.

These are breakup songs that you won't mind blasting while driving on the highway—they're just as fun as they are wistful.

With piano, orchestral arrangements, vocal harmonies, hook-laden guitar riffs, and drums propelling everything constantly forward, this four-song EP is an easily digestible introduction to this Memphis-based indie group, which is following up on the heels of their 2015 debut Hunca Munca.

If there's a standout track on "Good Grief", it's probably "Covered in Flames," which immediately announces itself with memorable backing vocals and carries you through with a solid melody, some interesting synth work, and a solid vocal performance from singer Tiger Adams.

For fans of Bright Eyes especially, this EP is worth taking with you on your next car trip, or out for a jog—it’s music that makes you want to constantly be moving forward.

"Good Grief" is available on May 19, 2017. Check out China Gate's Bandcamp site for more information.

Interview: The Vaughns Talk About Ear Worms, Sea Foam Green, and Sesame Street

The Vaughns are a four-piece indie rock band out of Springfield, New Jersey. All accomplished musicians, they’ve been sharing their infectious melodies throughout and around the Garden State since 2014. 

DOPECAUSEWESAID took some time to talk to them amidst a slew of weekend tour dates—check out the interview below and check out their latest single here.

In your song, "Santa Cruz," you repeatedly sing this little riff-thing that goes oh-oh-a-a-oh. This little vocal-riff-thing is extremely catchy. When I was trying to go to sleep last night, after listening to this song, it was stuck in my head and I had trouble sleeping because of it. It was almost as bad as that time I couldn't stop hearing "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" by Beyoncé (specifically the part where she goes, oh oh OH oh oh OH oh oh OH oh oh OH, so there's a pattern I'm finding here) and I spent an entire night struggling to sleep and I genuinely, truly thought I was going insane. Are you trying to be so catchy that you drive people insane? If so, why would you do that? 

First off, we really enjoyed hearing about your sleeping patterns. As a band we love doing harmonies and sometimes I suppose these little patterns really get addicting…you must go on a trip to Santa Cruz, there you will find the answers to your sleeping problems. That is all we can disclose at the moment. We like The Beatles. 

The logo for band, and your choice of, like, sea foam green colored instruments has a very retro feel to it. Are you time travelers? If so, how did you get here and why did you choose 2017? Do you have any regrets about your time traveling choices? Please reference Donald Trump in your answer.

Sea foam green is definitely a favorite of ours. We don't remember much about our time traveling experience. All we know is that Marty McFly was there and Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzy. HEY MCFLY!

You play a lot of shows in and around New Jersey, PA, NY, etc. Considering practice, travel, and promotion, that takes a lot of time and, since I'm extremely lazy, I can't imagine devoting so much time to something. Don't you ever want to just sit around at home and watch fourteen hours straight of Netflix like good Americans? Why do you have to work so hard at your artistic pursuits when there's so many fun distractions all around us at all times? Please answer using only GIFs.

On the cover of your album Tomfoolery, everyone in your band is jumping into a swimming pool while holding hands. It appears as if you all were trying to jump at the same time, but in the resulting image three of you are still in the air, while the drummer has clearly jumped ahead of you, because he is already halfway submerged in the pool. So my question is: does your drummer have a terrible sense of timing, or is it the rest of you? Please only let your drummer respond.

I probably should have pulled the stones out of my pocket. I'm not a witch.

If you could have a guitar that was also a unicorn or a unicorn that was also a guitar, which would you choose and why?

We would love to let the unicorn stand on stage before we performed for approximately 33 minutes. Then Dave would take the Unicorn and turn it into his guitar. Their name would be Charlie Willoughby.

If you could open for any band on the planet, and you were at the show, and you were backstage, and you were about to meet the band that you were opening for, and they were a band you loved, and they told you that the only way they would allow you to perform was if you wore Sesame Street character costumes on stage, which character would you each select and why?

Anna: I would choose Cookie Monster. 

Dave: I would choose Elmo.

Tom: I would choose Count Von Count.

Ryan: I would choose Animal.

Please leave us with your favorite words of wisdom. But please also jumble the words of the phrase, like this: "Bird early the gets worm the."

"home pants forget your never at"

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Review: "Spotlight People" by Ginger Root

The album starts out with some angelic harmonies—courtesy of Kira Magoon—and when the keyboards, drum machine, and Cameron Lew’s whispery-but-strong vocals enter, you know you’re in for something intimate. “Emulous,” the first track, is not only perhaps the most gorgeous piece on the album, but, if there is a stand out single, this is it. It sounds a bit like falling asleep next to your lover.

Track two of this 9-song LP is “In My Dreams,” a more upbeat, dance-able, groovy tune that has a Fitz and the Tantrums feel, followed by “Belleza,” which harkens back to Motown, sung as a call and response between Lew and Emily Iverson, and which like the two tracks before it, has the feeling of falling in love imbued all throughout it.

Right in the middle of the LP is “The Classic,” which takes on a more experimental spin—it’s a super funky tune that lasts just over three minutes, during which people talk about seemingly random stuff over top of the instruments. It’s a fun listen and a nice insertion into the center of the album, a little intermission from the straight pop tunes that surround it. 

“Thx,” the album closer, is another standout track, with its soft/loud dynamics, a catchy wistful chorus, and some organ thrown into the mix.

Spotlight People is, overall, a strong offering from Ginger Root, with the most memorable moments taking place when male and female vocals come together to tell a story, but from beginning to end every song is worth a spin. 

Connect with Ginger Root: Facebook   Instagram   Bandcamp   

L.M. Alder is a writer and musician from New Jersey. He is the co-author of A Cathedral in a Mason Jar (tNY.Press, 2016) and is in the band The Deafening Colors. 

Interview: Sierra Binondo from With Sails Ahead

Sierra Binondo is the lead singer of With Sails Ahead, a post-hardcore band out of New Jersey. In 2016 they released the EP “Years in Waiting,” and played a ton of high-energy shows in and around the Garden State. Check out our interview with Sierra below, in which we discuss sushi, Donald Trump, and Queen Latifah.

The name of your band is With Sails Ahead. But what if your sails break and go flying off into the wind, leaving you stranded in whatever ocean it is in which you are sailing? What then?

Good news! We have 5 OARS, we always keep spare oars, because we are The With the Sails Ahead Away™ doing BIG nautical-themed things 24/7 and we paddle ourselves to safety.

If you could have dinner with six celebrities, three dead and three living, what type of cuisine would you choose and what would you order? Why?

The celebrities we would love to dine with, dead and alive would be:

Robin Williams (dead)
Chris Squire (dead)
Steven Irwin (dead)
Eric Andre (alive)
Hannibal Buress (alive)
Michelle Waterson (alive)

We love sushi as a band but our drummer is allergic to seafood so we would straight up order like 200 chicken wings from Local Smoke BBQ in Neptune City, NJ. I would also request that each of us gets a set of wings doused in progressively hotter sauce a la the show Hot Ones on YouTube. They say that when you eat ridiculously hot sauce, like waaaay up there on the Scoville Scale, you get this high- and for some it makes you do or say things you wouldn't normally. So I feel like this would be the best possible time, despite the pain. 

Name three of your biggest musical influences. Then re-name with the names you wish they had originally named themselves, plus provide reasons why your name for them is more appropriate than their actual names.

Our three biggest influences are Saosin, I the Mighty and Dance Gavin Dance. It’s pretty hard to imagine better names but I think I kind of have an idea. So we’d probably rename Saosin like, Los Lonely Boys. I the Mighty, maybe something a little more tongue-in-cheek like Los Lonley Boys (it’s different) and Dance Gavin Dance would also be renamed Los Lonely Boys feat. Santana. Honorable mention goes to one of our guitarist Santino’s favorite bands Blink-182 who almost named themselves Big Oily Men, would have been a good move.

Please describe the first seven weeks of Donald Trump's presidency using only the titles of songs from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

“You Get What You Give” by the New Radicals

“U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer

“Killing Me Softly” (either the Lauryn Hill version or the original)

Your band is from New Jersey. Other people from New Jersey include Meryl Streep, Lauryn Hill, Chris Christie, Bruce Springsteen, and Queen Latifah. If you could trade places with one of those people for a week or two, in like a Freaky Friday kind of way, but then eventually switch back into being yourself, who would you trade places with and what would you do during the switch? What would you be worried they would do while they were you?

Oh noooo I LOVE Lauryn Hill but I would want to play god and be either Chris Christie or Queen Latifah for a day. If I was Queen Latifah I would just walk into Wawa’s and Jersey Mike Sub Shops and just shout: “HEY GUYS IT’S ME, QUEEN LATIFAH, JUST A REGULAR GUY” with loving praise from everyone around me and this is probably the closest to real fame I will ever get. There will be zero repercussions for either me or Queen Latifah. If she’s stuck in my body maybe she’ll just get some errands done? I think we’ll be good.

If I was Chris Christie I would go door to door and apologize to people for being the WORST governor ever and offer to wash people’s feet as penance for my wrongdoings. I think if he went around in my body saying “hey it is me Chris Christie I am just trying to get some gubernatorial things done please believe me it is I” nothing bad would happen

Please conclude this interview by making up a question for yourself and then answering it.

Question: Can we email your band memes via cybernet?

Answer: Yes via cybermail, or at facebook.com/withsailsahead, just please no more Guy Fieri memes. 

Connect with With Sails Ahead: Facebook   Bandcamp   Twitter   Instagram

Review: "Automatic EP" By Paper Pilots

Paper Pilots like repetition. They come up with a hook—and their songs have plenty of hooks—and then they give it to you again and again.

The result, not surprisingly, is that after listening to their new EP, Automatic, their melodies are pulsing through your head for hours or days to follow. This is pop music with a bit of a Coldplay or Maroon 5 feel—especially when lead singer Justin Bocchieri busts out his falsetto. 

The three-song EP starts with the title track, “Automatic,” a danceable, catchy love song that repeats the piano hook throughout much of the song. It cuts out a few times, but when it does, you know it’s going to come back at any moment. Even the guitar solo starts off with the same melody. 

“The Weather” sounds almost like it was written to be the theme for a television show—perhaps not surprising given that Paper Pilots are perhaps best known for their cover of The Zombies’ “She’s Not There,” which appeared on HBO’s True Blood.

For fans of straightforward pop/rock with strong melodies, Paper Pilots are worth a listen. While they aren’t pushing any boundaries within their genre(s), they are delivering a well-polished product.

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Purchase "Automatic EP" by Paper Pilots on iTunes

DCWS's Exclusive Interview With The Company Kept

Since 2011, New Jersey based band The Company Kept has performed their atmospheric, melodic blend of emotional indie rock at venues all around the Garden State and the east coast. The Company Kept is Paul Singh on lead guitar/vocals, Tom Hickey on bass, Dan Chiera on drums, and Nikki Marroccoli on keys and rhythm guitar.

Check out their 2015 full-length Patterns as well as our interview below:

Tell us a story about how your band formed. It doesn't have to be true.

Professor X added some sugar, spice, some awful puns, and about 17 reverb pedals. After a while we outgrew the test tube and became what we are today.

Whether music related or not, what is the most fun thing your band ever did as a group?

One time we decided that we were going to have a meeting to get our priorities straight. So naturally we got drunk at 3 a.m. and watched the home shopping network together. The ladies were dunking boots under water. Not really sure why…

Tell us about the most fun show you ever played. Then tell us about the least fun show you ever played. Please include a happy face emoji and a sad face emoji in your response.

Our show with From Indian Lakes was great! They're a huge influence, and the show was A1. A close contender was this one Friday night at the Meatlocker in Montclair. We ended up with a broken amp and a drum stick in the ceiling. Smiley face :)

Our worst show was in Atlanta, GA. Pretty sure there was meth and someone might have died. Details were sketchy. (Leaving out venue name JUUUUST IN CASE). Sad face :(

What's the point of being in a band in America in 2016? Whatever was the point?

There is no point. There's never a point. Not to anything ever. See you in hell, I guess.

Tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to devote much of your life to the making of music. Please attempt to psychoanalyze yourself in the process.

Paul: “Nessun Dorma” as performed by Luciano Pavarotti was playing in the delivery room as I was being born. I know this because my parents forced me to watch the video every Saturday growing up. I can only assume through the latent psycho-dynamic amorous relationship between a maternal caregiver and Pavlovian conditioning paired with music I have become fairly inclined toward music.

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Purchase "Patterns" by The Company Kept

Interview: Exploring The Manimals' Game Of Thrones Themed Album

The Manimals love glam. And fantasy. And punk. And pop. 

And their newest release, “Seven,” is the perfect embodiment of their aesthetic—with Haley Bowery's sometimes-growling-sometimes-crystal-clear vocals and a penchant for storytelling, the album is a series of thematically-linked songs, each told from the perspective of a different Game of Thrones character. 

But, if you've never read one of the books or even glimpsed one of the episodes, don't let that stop you from checking out their music—these songs, like any well-written song, take a specific perspective and use it to explore universal themes. Plus, the songs are laden with catchy guitar riffs.

Check out our exclusive interview with Haley below:

When did you decide to write a Game of Thrones themed album? Were you worried that focusing on Game of Thrones would limit your appeal? Or did you think it would increase it?

I started to write SEVEN in the summer of 2015—I had been on a hiatus from playing and writing music, and the idea of a concept album was very appealing to me as a long-term project. The only thing I wanted to write about at the time was Game of Thrones! I had become a rabidly obsessed fan, and after consuming all of the show, all of the books, and basically all of Reddit, I wanted to create my own material to inhabit that world. Part of the idea was to make something that could work both in and out of context; I always hoped that it could stand alone as a rock record, even for non-fans. It was very important to me to make sure it still sounded like The Manimals, which is a bit different from what I think most people might expect from a fantasy concept album. It's a sort of niche, odd thing that we ended up making, but most of the songs still fit easily into our normal glam/punk rock set lists. And while it was never my main intent, I definitely hoped that I could reach some new people, with the Game of Thrones fan base being as massive as it is.

Do you have a favorite character in Game of Thrones? If so, which, and why? Is one of the songs on the album told from her or his perspective?

My favorites are probably Arya and Brienne, two unconventional badasses who don't fit into traditional gender roles. I think I like them the most because they're so nuanced—we appreciate and root for their surface-level toughness, but they each carry a lot of vulnerability and pain. One of the main themes of the album ended up being the search for one's identity, and how the characters are weighed down by all of these concepts that are meant to inform it: family name, sigils, nobility or lack thereof, gender, being Northern or “southron,” being trueborn or a bastard, and so on. Arya's song is called "Teeth,” and it's about embracing all her wolfy Stark-ness in order to get the revenge she needs. Brienne's is called "Good,” which is about the three suitors she was intended to marry, and how she chose a different path. Her identity hinges now on a desire to come through on the oaths she's made, and fulfilling a knightly idea of honor.

How would you describe a typical Manimals show?

We're hell-bent on creating an experience at our shows. I think that if you forsake your TV and internet (and all of the other things that keep us safe and antisocial) in favor of leaving the house for a night to hear real live music with real live people, you should get a SHOW. Costumes, boys in makeup, dancing, free whiskey (sometimes delivered via supersoaker), shout-a-longs, shocks and thrills, the band stripping off their clothes, fake blood everywhere. I'll put my head inside the kick drum for you. I'll cover my entire body in bruises for you. I'll summon the awesome powers of rock n roll for you. Sometimes it's an exorcism, sometimes it's just the very best party. It's cathartic, uplifting, and sweaty.

Are you going to continue to write songs that are thematically linked? Or will the next Manimals release be a more standard album?

Our next release is coming in the new year, and it's an EP that is pretty standard—three songs that we've been playing forever, and finally got the chance to record. Beyond that, our next group of songs do have a thematic link, but it's based in a personal story as opposed to a fictional property. I'm a big believer in the album as a storytelling medium. Even if it isn't a true "concept album,” I still want it to have a clear narrative arc.

If you could choose one artist to cover one of your songs, which artist would it be, which song, and why that artist and song?

I tapped the other Manimals for this one, and they had a ton of great suggestions! But you asked for just one. We all agree that we want a male voice to sing "Lone" (Jon Snow's song), someone really deep and gravelly to suit the mood. It's a dark, tortured love song. If we could pick anyone living or dead, it would be Leonard Cohen or Johnny Cash. They have two of my favorite voices of all time- mournful, harsh, and simple. But we would also be very happy with (the even more gravelly) Tom Waits!

How long did it take to write the album? Tell us a bit about the process, how you decided which characters to write about, and whether you found any perspectives particularly difficult to embody in your songs.

It took about six months to write. I became pretty fanatical about details, and making sure I was honoring these characters that are so beloved, while still being true to my writing style and tastes. The process went something like: re-read sections of the books, take copious notes to map out the character, watch specific episodes in some cases (like if I needed the emotional gut-punch of Arya talking to her dad), make an inspiration playlist of songs that I felt fit the character in some way... then finally I'd start to write the song itself. Every musical choice was very deliberate, from Jon's reverby Velvet Underground-inspired song that takes place in the cave with Ygritte, to the different vocal registers I employ throughout Cersei's song based on how manipulative she's being. The seven characters I chose were initially the favorites—Daenerys, Arya, Jon, Tyrion—and expanded to include Brienne and Cersei, who I just find really interesting. I also included Bran, because I felt he was important to the story, even if he wasn't my favorite. He was definitely the hardest to write for, because he's a child, and so much of his perspective is dreams and visions. The song ended up working as a big "moral of the story,” more than just an exploration of his individual journey.

Did you write the lyrics alone, or was the entire band involved? Did you find your own personal life slipping into the lyrics, even though you were writing about fictional characters?

I wrote it alone, but the band did contribute a lot musically once I presented this geeky labor of love to them. It did become incredibly personal. In order to write with any kind of resonance, I needed to tap into the universal emotions and motivations behind the characters, and weave myself into it. But I think I also secretly wanted to say certain things, and needed these characters to be my mouthpiece. The end result is very blurred between fiction and reality, which I hope makes it relatable beyond just a piece of fan art about dragons.

If our readers only had time to check out one track from, “Seven,” which would you suggest? Why?

"Teeth,” Arya's song. It has a lot of literal references that could be fun for a fan of the show or books, but's also a glam rock banger in the style of the New York Dolls. The guitar riff is awesome, the drums are thunderous. It's my personal favorite because it has all of these kickass, posturing lines and rock n roll screaming, but the bridge is so incredibly raw and sad. I feel like it hits all of the beats we were going for with this record.

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Review: “Raging Hot” By NGHTCRWLRS

A quick glance at the track list of NGHTCRWLRS' “Raging Hot” suggests that they don’t take themselves too seriously. The album starts off with “Are Two Dee Two,” followed by “Coffee and Weed,” and then, a few tracks later, “Weed and Coffee.” 

After first listen, it becomes even more apparent that, though they take their music and musicianship seriously, lyrically they do not shy away from sophomoric pranks, and that’s part of the appeal: Like Pavement, you can’t listen to a NGHTCRWLRS album without feeling like you’ve been let into a joke that most of the world wouldn’t understand. 

None of this cleverness would amount to anything, though, if their songs weren’t actually good. And they are. “Coffee and Weed” is a driving punk song reminiscent of Black Flag— the lyrics consist only of two lines: Coffee and weed/I feel weak. The next track, “Disco Diva,” goes in a completely different direction— and, not surprisingly, given its title, features a bouncy, dance-able bass line.

The entire album continues on this way— each subsequent track is a departure from the last, but there are undercurrents that are consistent throughout— the songs are all laced with guitar riffs that would make Built to Spill proud (perhaps most so in “Losers”). 

The catchiest vocal melody is also the most ridiculous— in “Quarter Inch Cable”: She’s the one with the quarter-inch cable/in my ass/in my ass. The song wouldn’t work as well as it does if the words weren’t delivered with so much sincerity. When the backing vocals hit at the end of the first verse, it’s almost impossible to not laugh. And good luck getting that image out of your head.

Overall, “Raging Hot” sounds like a bunch of dudes getting together and having fun making music— and that fun is contagious.

NGHTCRWLRS are a New Jersey based band. Their second full-length, “Raging Hot,” was released on November 11, 2016 and is available on a variety of platforms, including Bandcamp, Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, and most likely wherever it is that you get your music.

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Review: Wilco's "Schmilco"

Sometimes how you feel about an album comes down to setting. 

I listened to Wilco's Schmilco about 10 times (over the course of a week or two) before I found the perfect place to listen: Through headphones, on a cold, rainy day, the first of autumn, half asleep, after a long day of mind-numbing meetings. 

These songs are lullabies. 

I had enjoyed them during my commutes, during my walks around the park, but not nearly as much as I did while laying in my bed and fighting off sleep. 

The album starts with “Normal American Kids,” a simple tune featuring just one acoustic guitar, Jeff Tweedy's vocals, and some low-key noodling by, presumably, Nels Cline. The second track, “If I Ever Was a Child” is reminiscent of Wilco's outstanding 1999 release, Summerteeth. But even this is a softer, more contemplative Wilco. 

As is always the case with Wilco, the production is gorgeous and much of the orchestration is often unexpected. Bits of organ float in and out of songs, dancing alongside pedal steel guitars, and sprinklings of backing vocals—never in your face, just enough. 

Now I have to admit some bias that fans of Wilco will probably not find surprising: I don't think anything Wilco releases will ever be as great as their magnum opus, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. So, whenever they come out with a new album, that silly part of my brain where knee-jerk reactions comes from tends to be forever comparing, forever judging. The same thing always happens: I listen once, and feel nothing. I listen again, and feel disgusted, my dumb mind screaming, “How dare this not be Yankee Hotel Foxtrot!”

Then I keep listening and I fall in love. 

“Common Sense” is probably the hardest track on Schmilco to wrap your head around. It sounds kind of like Sonic Youth playing acoustic guitars and trying to make, like, a Tom Waits album full of Halloween-themed songs. Or something. Or maybe it just sounds like Jeff Tweedy in a really strange mood. It's not melodic at all, but in the end, at the very least, it's an interesting track.

Then “Common Sense” gives way to the fifth track, “Nope,” which features a ridiculously infectious lead guitar riff that, of course, this being Wilco, is barely audible. The necessity of straining a bit to listen makes the riff that much sweeter. 

“Quarters” might be the best track on the album. But ask me again in a week and I'll probably have a different answer. The whole thing is worth listening to on repeat.

Schmilco is, ultimately, an outstanding release. 

Now it's time for a nap. 

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Purchase "Schmilco" by Wilco on iTunes

Review: Max Fite's "Shake It On Down"

It's clear from the first bar of “Devil in Me,” that Max Fite's new album "Shake It On Down" is full of heavy, infectious riffs—and then when the vocals come in, it's equally obvious that the vocals are as polished and hook-laden as the guitars. Near the end of the track, it's also clear that the band draws from a variety of influences when an early Weezer-style lead guitar takes the song in an unexpected, but pleasant direction before coming back to the chorus.

The third track, “Court Jester,” starts with a bluesy, Jack White-esque intro before launching into a verse that is more reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age. Whether it is producer Jaron Luksa who helped draw together these various influences into Max Fite's sound, or whether it is just the band's natural inclination, it makes for interesting listening. Just when it seems like a song is heading in a certain direction, there enters an unexpected tone, or, like at the end of “Court Jester,” an unexpected tempo change. A song that starts off like simple blues rock ends up sounding like something from a Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtrack.

“My Own Fantasy” is probably the most autobiographical track, telling the story of a guy who wakes up “shocked that I'm in one piece.” This is a song about insecurities, self-doubt, and, as the band repeats at the end, “living in my own little world/my own fantasy.”

The last track of the album, “Time to Heal,” is probably the most heartfelt piece on the album, and the softest too—with a simple drum, acoustic guitar, and lead riff intro, it sets the stage for the emotional story that unfolds. The song is about the death of a loved one. The chorus is a vulnerable cry for “time to heal.” It's a song that almost anyone can relate to, but even if you haven't experienced a similar situation, Max Fite delivers the message clearly and effectively.

Each track on "Shake It On Down" offers a slightly different side of Max Fite, a band whose talents are apparent throughout the entire 22-minute release.

Connect with Max Fite: Facebook   Website   Bandcamp

Stream/Download "Shake It On Down" by Max Fite

Toy Cars Wants To Bring You in Close, Then Scream in Your Ear

I was in a random dude's living room in New Jersey some time this past summer when I first saw Toy Cars perform. There was probably 20 or thirty people there, standing directly in front of the band.

I had no idea what to expect. I'd never seen them, or even heard of them, before. It was a typical random rock show: A bunch of bands playing together for one night, and one night only. I figured we'd all probably forget each other's names after we left. I can never remember the names of most of the bands, or the people in them, or really anything about the night, usually. It's nothing personal. I don't expect them to remember me either.

But I didn't forget Toy Cars—as soon as they started playing it was clear that they weren't your run-of-the-mill local band. They had a ton of energy, and great songs—and, most importantly, they seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves. It was one of those sets that makes time seem to speed up and slow down at the same time.

They made that dude's living room feel like it was a stadium. 

And now, with their new EP, Sleeping Patterns, out on Friday, September 16, they pull off a similar feat: The five songs are somehow simultaneously intimate and gigantic at once.

The EP starts with “Bjork,” which puts vocalist Matt DeBenedetti's half-screaming-but-still-somehow-melodic style on display, and then Matt Caponegro's guitar comes in. It fills everything out—he does ambiance perfectly. Drummer Mike Linardi and bassist Chris Beninato lock in immediately, giving Toy Cars a driving sound that is especially strong on the EP's single, “Stone.” 

“Dull,” essentially a folk song, changes things up—it's just DeBenedetti singing and playing acoustic guitar. Placed right in the middle of the EP, it's the perfect break of the loud-quiet dynamic shifts of the rest of the tracks. It has a Bright Eyes feel to it, which they return to on the final track, “Albatross,” a song about growing older, about regret, about devoting yourself to the things you love even if, as DeBenedetti sings, “every thing you've ever loved is gonna bury you some day.”

Well, let's hope that day doesn't come any time soon for Toy Cars: Sleeping Patterns is the work of a mature band, and if it's any indication about their future, they've got a lot more to offer.

Sleeping Patterns is available on vinyl from Counter Intuitive Records and on CD from Sniffling Indie Kids.

Connect with Toy Cars: Facebook   Bandcamp

L.M. Alder is a writer, librarian and musician. His stories, poems, and reviews have appeared in Asimov's, Ghost Town, decomP, Corium, the EEEL, and other places. He is the co-author of A Cathedral in a Mason Jar: The Untold Story of Elvis Presley (tNY.Press, 2016). You can check out his band at TheDeafeningColors.com.

Interview: Max Rauch Discusses Fast Food, Donald Trump, and Leo Tolstoy

Max Rauch is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, recording engineer, and long-time performer from New Jersey. Not only does he record and engineer music for a seemingly endless list of bands, but he also plays drums and sings in NGHTCRWLRS, writes songs, plays guitar, sings, and plays “a lil organ” for LKFFCT, is one of C.R. Gennone's Degenerates, helped to engineer the latest Tribal Days record, and, well, the list goes on and on...

Max had just come off a long weekend of five straight shows when he took some time to answer our questions below.

You're in a lot of bands. Don't you have anything better to do with your time? What's the point?

Well, I guess the answer to that question all depends on your perspective.. Playing music and expressing myself creatively is a top notch priority in my life. It brings me joy. That's the point. Why should I waste my time doing something I don't enjoy?

Who is your favorite musician that you have worked with? Why is he or she so much better than everyone else?

Working with Chris Gennone of C.R and the Degenerates has been a great experience. I don't like to measure artists in a ranked system and I won't say he or anyone is "much better than everyone else" but I will say that his music is genuine, honest, and unique in a way that happens to be personally relatable to me. Chris is becoming a master at writing memorable and cathartic songs.

If your band LKFFCT was a fast food restaurant, which restaurant would it be? What would the most affordable combo meal consist of?

I've always likened our music to Raw Sugar. Perhaps we'd be a Jamba Juice? Never really thought of our music in relation to fast food. I do think modern pop music is a lot like McDonalds though....

Two of your bands, LKFFCT and NGHTCRWLRS, have names in which the vowels are omitted. Why do you hate vowels so much? Is there some sort of childhood trauma that led to this? If so, can you please describe your childhood in-depth for us?

I don't hate vowels...it just so happens that the 2010's are slim pickin's when it it comes to available band names...We tried to keep our vowels but we got threatened with a potential legal action. Who cares anyways? Band names are kinda meaningless. Also, I had nothing to do with naming NGHTCRWLRS (I wasn't even in the band at that point!).

Please react to this quote from Leo Tolstoy's "What is Art?"
“Art is not, as the metaphysicians say, the manifestation of some mysterious idea of beauty or God; it is not, as the aesthetical physiologists say, a game in which man lets off his excess of stored-up energy; it is not the expression of man's emotions by external signs; it is not the production of pleasing objects; and, above all, it is not pleasure; but it is a means of union among men, joining them together in the same feelings, and indispensable for the life and progress toward well-being of individuals and of humanity.”

Seems like Leo Tolstoy didn't like to include women in the conversation. What a jerk.

Who do you think would like your music more: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Jill Stein, or Gary Johnson? Why?

Too content with being "losers" for Donald. Probably a bit too loud for Hillary these days... I guess Gary and Jill might dig us; they both seem like they've smoked a doobie or two in their day...that helps. 

Connect with Max Rauch: Facebook   Twitter

L.M. Alder is a writer, librarian and musician. His stories, poems, and reviews have appeared in Asimov's, Ghost Town, decomP, Corium, the EEEL, and other places. He is the co-author of A Cathedral in a Mason Jar: The Untold Story of Elvis Presley (tNY.Press, 2016). You can check out his band at TheDeafeningColors.com.

Our Exclusive Interview With Singer-Songwriter C.R. Gennone

C.R. Gennone is one of New Jersey's most prolific songwriters: He released five EPs in 2015, his first full-length album with C.R. Gennone and The Degenerates, “Salt of The Earth,” in June of 2016, and is already at work on a follow-up to be released in 2017. He also wrote almost every tune on Tribal Days' May 2016 full-length release, “Laughing at the Funeral.”

We had a chance to discuss some of Gennone's creative influences, dietary preferences, and spiritual leanings in the interview below.

You've released a lot of music lately. What do you think is driving your creativity? What do you aspire to? In Moby Dick, Herman Melville wrote, "For all men tragically great are made so through a certain morbidness....all mortal greatness is but disease." Do you think ambition is a disease? If so, what is the cure?

Creativity comes in waves. I don't think I'm driven by anything in particular. Sometimes certain lines or melodies just hang in the ether and sometimes you have it and sometimes you don't. It all depends on what I'm going through or sometimes I'll hear something interesting that someone says. You just have to be an active listener. Listen to everything. Eavesdrop on people's conversations, listen to their stories, get something out of them and be the voice.

I aspire to be an artist that can't be pinned down as just one thing. Categories are stupid. Sure, sometimes I play rock and roll. Sometimes I don't. They can call me whatever they want, just fuckin' listen to the song. I want someone to hear my music and be like, "oh, it's Chris." That's all.

I don't think ambition is a disease. I think ambition gives you strength. While ambition and ability are two different things, you cannot succeed without ambition. Sure, I get negative about shit and can be cynical too, but at the end of the day; and I know this sounds cliche, but if you don't have ambition, set goals or believe you can make it, you won't.

If your latest album, Salt of The Earth, was a farm animal, which animal would it be, and why?

I'd say Salt of the Earth is kind of like a bronco. The album is about being in this certain stage in your life and thinking about all the good memories, the future and the regrets. I think it relates to a bronco because they both come from a wild, unrestrained place and are eventually tamed to become part of the norm. 

You recently signed to the Sniffling Indie Kids label, which released your last album. How has it been working with them? Do they actually sniffle? If so, why don't they see a doctor?

They're good dudes. I've gotten to know them a little bit more lately. Frank is definitely the go-getter, which is what every great label needs. And Eric is kind of the taste master. Him and I like a lot of the same bands. It's still a really small label but they support my thing and help promote their bands so it feels good to have that.

I told them they should go see a doctor but I'm not sure if they have insurance.

If you were born in the early 20th century, and a dictator like, say, Joseph Stalin wanted to pay you exorbitant amounts of money to be the State's official musician, but you were only allowed to compose patriotic propaganda songs, how much money would you need to be paid (using American dollars as of 2016 as a reference point) to do it? Why would you or would you not do it?

Would I be killed if I refused? Maybe I could write propaganda songs but have little underlying tones that made fun of him. Then I'd probably be killed. I wouldn't do it. Being rich would be cool but the last thing I want to be is a fuckin' joke. And maybe that's a superficial reaction but if I was the same person and really wanted my own music to be heard, I wouldn't do it.

Let's talk about novels. This isn't a question. Just talk about novels for a little while.

When I lived in Chicago, one of my favorite past times used to be smoking a cigarette and reading a book in the bathtub. It just felt so satisfying. I don't know why. I read a lot of books during that time. Lot of Kerouac, a Che Guevara biography, some Proust, Hemingway and Bukowski.

I'm sure there's some great modern novels out there, but it just doesn't really pique my interest. I'd rather read more of the classics or some interesting biographies. Been meaning to check out the new Replacements book and I read about half of the Tom Petty one, which was cool, but also lost my interest.

Peanut butter: Chunky or creamy?

Definitely chunky. I like anything that's crispy or crunchy.

If you had to choose one musician to be your father, which of the following would it be? Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Tom Waits, or Johnny Cash? Who would be your top pick and why? Who would be your last pick and why?

I'd have to say Tom Waits. I feel like he'd be a supportive parent and even though he'd probably come home late and drunk every other night, he'd probably be the easiest to get along with. He'd be the kind of father you can have a drink with at the bar and shoot the shit as if you were just acquaintances.

My last pick would be either Bob Dylan or Mozart. I think Dylan wouldn't give a shit about much of anything. His persona and ego is larger than he is. He'd be the kind of dad that would come home once a month and then just disappear. And Mozart would probably just drive me crazy. I like the idea of living a little loosely and I feel Mozart would be a pretty strict father. It'd be cool if he were the same kind of person he was in Amadeus though.

Do you believe that human beings have a soul? If so, please describe what the soul consists of and tell us about where you think the soul goes after bodily death.

Yea. But I think the phrase "having a soul" is a matter of interpretation. Everyone's got "soul." I believe the soul is just basically your purest self. I suppose it's impossible to envision, but if you try to strip away everything and get down to your deepest, darkest and most honest thoughts, you'll feel it. I think it's part of your subconscious. We layer so many things on top we can lose sight of who we are or don't even know who we are. It definitely takes some kind of deconstruction to get there. But it's possible.

I'd like to believe in a heaven but I don't buy it. I believe our souls just wander after death. They take whatever beings or vessels they can take and live up to another 100 years. When we die, it's just our bodies and the vessel that dies. But souls live forever. Deep stuff. Anyway, that's what I believe.

Connect with C.R. Gennone: Twitter   Facebook   Instagram   Bandcamp   

L.M. Alder is a writer, librarian and musician. His stories, poems, and reviews have appeared in Asimov's, Ghost Town, decomP, Corium, the EEEL, and other places. He is the co-author of A Cathedral in a Mason Jar: The Untold Story of Elvis Presley (tNY.Press, 2016). You can check out his band at TheDeafeningColors.com.

Review: DJay $prigg$ X Beanstock Records - Things to Do in Dorchester...When You're Dead 2.5

Stylistically eclectic, it's no surprise that Things to Do in Dorchester...When You're Dead 2.5 features the work of three producers and approximately a dozen rappers and musicians. The third installment in the Things to Do in Dorchester series, the album has tracks for every type of hip hop fan—whether you just want something fun to listen to at a party (“Wave Ya Hands”) or something that explores social and political themes (“Same Shit”), there's something for everyone here.

The intro, at nearly five minutes, although it has a cool beat, is a bit long and rambling, and the second track, “Wave Ya Hands”, with lyrics rhyming “tits” with “clit” are pretty misogynistic—but things start to take a much more interesting turn with the fourth track, “I Don't Listen.”

“I Don't Listen” has a beat reminiscent of Outkast—it's all strange sounds that come together surprisingly well. The synthesizer in the background almost sounds like the 8-bit midi music of mid-90s Nintendo games. The lyrics are about being steadfastly independent: “I don't listen to shit/I don't believe anything comin' out your lips.” It's goes on to tell a story of being both stubborn and also knowing when to trust only yourself.

“Same Shit” tells a story in the style of Nas—you listen to a song like this for the same reason you read someone's autobiography, to try to get a glimpse of how someone else lives: “From my hood to your hood/same shit.” That's the sad truth of it: Not much has changed, and the problems that many people face are often the same everywhere.

“Thing 4 Gangsters” is one of the most jarring tracks—it starts off with recordings of people saying some blatantly racist things, but then the song begins and it's a surprisingly gentle song that is almost romantic. It's a strong juxtaposition that will shock you out of your complacency. 

Overall, this 20-track mix-tape is bold, unique, and consistently interesting. DJ $prigg$ and everyone he works with on this release don't pull punches—they say exactly what they are thinking, for better or for worse. 

Things to Do in Dorchester...When You're Dead 2.5 dropped on August 1 and is available for stream/download below.

Connect with Beanstock Records: Soundcloud

L.M. Alder is a writer, librarian and musician. His stories, poems, and reviews have appeared in Asimov's, Ghost Town, decomP, Corium, the EEEL, and other places. He is the co-author of A Cathedral in a Mason Jar: The Untold Story of Elvis Presley (tNY.Press, 2016). You can check out his band at TheDeafeningColors.com.