Unplugged Magazine January 2014 (#13) by Unplugged Magazine

Unplugged J a n u a ry 2 0 1 4

Autumn Sky INside: - Listen A** hole is back: Emo revival or indie hip-hop? - knuckle puck talks about â&#x20AC;&#x153;the wieght you buriedâ&#x20AC;? - signals midwest travels across the continent - august burns red talks about their great year - Unplugged gives you their albums of the year

Letter from the staff:

Just try it. you might like it.

hen I was younger, I was an incredibly picky eater. It was pretty awful. It got to the point where I was literally eating pizza every single day for a couple of years. My family would always try to get me to eat more and to eat better. I can’t tell you how often my grandma would say, “Just try it, you might like it,” to me. I was obviously stubborn. Now, you may be wondering what the hell this is doing within the pages of Unplugged. Surely we messed up somewhere and accidentally printed my personal journal instead of my take on the brilliance that was the lack of marketing for the latest Beyoncé album. This is all intentional. My past as a stubborn child who wouldn’t eat anything new or different reminds me of the general public and music. People seem to get stuck in their musical taste and fear branching out to new sounds. It’s 2014 now and we all know how to use the internet and how much there is to find. I’ve often heard people say that there just isn’t time to look online for things they don’t know about. That’s simply an excuse. The problem is that people are stubborn. Something rubs them the wrong way about the music, or they won’t try it out because of a strange name or a weird-looking album cover. Or maybe they take a poorlywritten RIYL to heart. I think it’s sad that people could pass up an artist based off something so simple. If I had always done that, I wouldn’t have found out how much I like “Big Fucking Baby” from Big Baby Gandhi, or that I ended up really enjoying The Dillinger Escape Plan’s “Ire Works,” and I definitely would not have that Bad Brains tattoo I’ve mentioned before. Eventually, I started to eat more and began trying more foods. It took a while, so I know how it is to try and get used to the idea of trying new things. And I’m not perfect with this idea when it comes to music either (I still refuse to listen to Snow White’s Poison Bite), but I try, and I really want you all to try. Get more adventurous with the things you try, even if it’s just listening to Blood Orange’s “Cupid Deluxe” after looking at that awful album cover. If you try it, you might like it.

Top 5 Albums On Repeat “New Brigade” Iceage

One

“Half of Where You Live” Gold Panda

two

“American Radass” Dads

three “Apocalypse” Thundercat

Four

Sincerely,

Daniel Romandia

Correction

In December’s issue, Big Baby Gandhi’s album is “Debut” not “Big Fucking Baby” (page 18).

“Idle Labor” Craft Spells

Five

Table of contents

Drop the needle again

staff picks

Artist spotlight

Listen A** Hole

Knuckle Puck

August burns red

Sharing My Legacy

flannel gurl

SIGNALS MIDWEST

Albums of the year

My Scene, My Music

mag

Editors in chief

Copy editors

Writers

Photographers

Steven Condemarin alisha kirby Jorden Hales Josh Jurss daniel Romandia

Robert Aguilar Megan Houchin Allen Dubnikov

Contributors Kendra beltran Eric Delgado

Autumn Sky

Unplugged M

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ow that the holiday season has wrecked all of our wallets (unless you received money, you lucky bastard), it’s time to settle in and start saving up again. However, just because you won’t be able to afford to go out for a while doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some good music. The used bin at your local record store is a great place to find some surprisingly quality records at a low cost.

Drop The Needle Again

by Alisha Kirby

Atlantic/Pacific "Meet Your New Love" - White/200 I found this during a random pit-stop in a large record store in Berkeley on the way to interview Lydia in San Francisco a little over a year ago. I only knew what I’d heard on a No Sleep Records sampler, but I figured it had to be at least worth the $2.50 price tag. I rarely believe the term “gently used,” but this record sounds great. It seems all the previous owner did was snag the download card and give this a single spin. Their loss.

& Led Zeppelin - "Presence" - Black This record shouldn’t be in as good of shape as it is. My dad found it in a cardboard box in a gas station parking lot and purchased it from a guy for 50 cents (which is why it came with the sleeve for “The Song Remains The Same”). I was thankful when he gave it to me, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up that it would sound right, especially because it’s one of my favorite Zeppelin albums. It still sounds nearly perfect despite everything and if I can get this lucky with a rummage bin find then you can too.

Jan.2014.unplugged.05

LISTEN LISTEN

A**

HOLE Debates about music we love and songs we hate are common place within our group of friends. Sometimes they’re lighthearted and amusing. Other times arms will flail in frustration and the volume of everyone’s voices will rise.

Emo revival or indie hip-hop T

his year was full of news about bands reuniting, bands going on hiatus and, to the point of annoyance, genres that were going through “revivals.” Every genre had at least one significant album or artist that it brought to the table, but here at Unplugged, two genres stood above the rest. Stay up-to-date on releases, shows and more on our website!

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Alisha

V.S. Daniel

Alisha: I think that we can agree that 2013 was a huge year for music in general. Not just for Beyoncé, but for all of us little people. But I do think that one genre in particular came out on top and that would be whatever this genre is that we call “emo” now. Daniel: I think it’s now “post-emo.” A: Ha. “Midwestern post-emo.” D: While I did enjoy a lot of the emo that was released this past year, for me it’s going to be indie hip-hop. All the way. There were a lot of huge successes, like Chance the Rapper’s mixtape, that blew the hell up out of nowhere. A: That really did come out of nowhere. D: No one was expecting that. Like, he had one mixtape before that that everyone ignored besides Childish Gambino. There was that huge blow up with him, but there are also little things that are happening that are showing a lot of potential. Like the dudes over at Hellfyre Club and Milo and Open Mike Eagle. A: Didn’t Hellfyre just announce that they’re going to start pressing vinyl? D: Yes, they did. A: Good for them. But really, that’s all fine and dandy for them, but if I hear about the “emo revival” one more time, I might blow my brains out. But I do think it shows a huge step forward. The odds that NPR would pick up anything even remotely tied to this. Not only did they pick it up, they tried to take it seriously. They weren’t making fun of it which is such an easy thing to do because – D: Emo doesn’t take itself seriously. A: Yeah! Twinkle Daddies? It doesn’t take itself seriously and I just think it’s funny that all of the sudden there’s like a dozen and a half Buzzfeed lists about, “Oh, emo bands you NEED to know,” whether or not I agree if some of these bands are emo or not. D: The fact that you’re picked up by NPR shows that you are making some sort of wave, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re winning the whole year. A: When we were talking about genre revival in Listen Asshole a couple of months ago, we threw out all these bands that were on the charts. The World is a Beautiful Place was in there. I know that Topshelf Records has had a killer year. Count Your Lucky Stars; the new Foxing album is

incredible. It’s definitely something I can see carrying over into next year. Emo is doing this thing now where there are so many different elements coming to the forefront and I think it’s going to keep going. D: I don’t know if I would say that it makes it any better than how indie hip-hop is going. I mean, Hellfyre had a fantastic year with releases all over the place. Milo himself had three, technically four. They also had that huge mixtape they put out toward the end of the year too. And it’s not just them. There’s that whole beast coast thing that’s been coming up with Flatbush Zombies and Pro Era. It’s getting this weird recognition and I feel like, since hip-hop is more accessible to people, it’s easier for people to get into when compared to emo. Like, Chance the Rapper did a song with Justin Bieber. A: *Obnoxious laughter* D: Yeah, I don’t like Bieber either, but it shows that he was successful enough to get that asshole’s attention. A: Back to something less awful: you keep throwing out Milo, but at the same time there’s Evan Weiss. He did at least four things. The new Into it. Over it. came out, two new Their/They’re/ There EPs came out, he did Pet Symmetry with the dudes from Dowsing. I don’t have enough fingers on my hand to count how many projects he’s been a part of. D: Releasing projects doesn’t mean that they’re good and going to be successful. They were because that’s Evan Weiss, but just because you’re in projects – A: But you could say the same thing for Milo. “Just because he released things...” You know? D: Well, to measure which of these had the best year isn’t just about the obvious success they had as a whole. You also have to take in the potential that a genre shows. A lot of people are saying that emo is going to end up being a fad and, if it is, it’s a really good one. That also means it’s going to end up petering off. A: That’s what every genre does. Then in 20 years it will be back. That’s what I was saying about the potential. Next year Empire! Empire! will be releasing something I think, Prawn is going to be releasing something with Joie de Vivre, You Blew It! is releasing a new album; there are just a lot of releases set for 2014. NPR won’t pick it up again, but it’s still growing. I think now that it has gotten recognition from a different audience, now they’ll come in as more things, really good things, are being released. And that’s why they’ll stick around.

a slap shot in the right direction

stay updated on tour dates, merch and photos on Knuckle puck’s facebook chicago natives knuckle Puck break away from the generic aspects of pop punk Story by Josh Jurss

nuckle Puck is about to blow up. “The Weight You Buried,” their newest EP, is making its rounds through the pop-punk community to much acclaim. They have a loyal and consistently growing fan base. Their first full-U.S. tour with Neck Deep and Light Years is kicking off this spring. Everything seems to be going their way. This is quite different from where the band was late last year. In fact, Knuckle Puck had no idea what the future held as they released their previous EP “Don’t Come Home.” “Right before we decided to record ‘Don’t Come Home,’ we all weren’t really sure what the future of our band was going to consist of,” said guitarist Kevin Maida “[‘Don’t Come Home’] was kind of our own ‘litmus test,’ if you will.” The response was enough to propel the band to the next level, culminating in several tours and the release of “The Weight You Buried” earlier this year. Knuckle Puck was able to carve out a

niche for their music, essentially because of a lack of their style of music in the south suburbs of Chicago, from where they hail. Maida goes on to describe the band as being aggressive, but “not necessarily aggressive in the conventional sense, but more so that we have an aggressive approach to our songwriting process.” Maida continues speaking about “The Weight You Buried” and fans’ reactions to it. “The reception, in my humble opinion, has been mind-boggling in a good way ... We honestly could not be happier with how everything turned out.” The six-song EP, which came out late August, contains a pair of acoustic tracks – one of them being an acoustic version of a previous song on the EP. This same format was applied to “Acoustic Songs,” which was released at the same time as Knuckle Puck’s first EP. Though, as Maida explains, the songs don’t necessarily have acoustic origins. “Typically, the acoustic versions are

written after the full band version is written. We may initially write some riffs or something on an acoustic guitar, but most of the time when we are writing, the songs are intended for full band.” As for the songs themselves, “it’s interesting seeing how specific life events are translated into an audible format and experiencing the form it ultimately takes,” said Maida. The focus of the songs is certainly placed on the lyrics and meaning. As Maida eloquently puts it, “Joe and Nick’s lyrical content embraces complexity, as it does not solely focus on blaming others in certain predicaments or situations, but blaming yourself and recognizing your mistakes as well.” This is the central reasoning of why the band is on its way to joining an ever-growing group of pop-punk excellence. Knuckle Puck is a band that understands itself, took a chance and is starting to see what the future had in store for them.

Jan.2014.unplugged.07

Sharing My Legacy Sharing music with younger loved ones can be a memorable bonding experience – or foster preclusion of them. In the case of me and my sister Ryleigh, it will at least make for some good light reading. Here’s part three. Photo by Allen Dubnikov

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ew art has a way of captivating minds. It’s ironic that something ambiguous and difficult to quantify like music can be so dramatically shaken by a “unique” contribution. For a number of reasons, the two-to-four-year window when hip-hop experienced such changes was a catalyst for my exploration and subsequent appreciation for other types of music. Because this era happened to coincide with high school for me, Ryleigh and I heard most of the music discussed in this chapter at the same age, perhaps making this a perfect conclusion to our project. “It started shifting more towards pop,” she said of the era, after listing to the likes of Kanye West and 50 Cent. “I don’t think [Kanye West] really fit in either

Part Three

[pop or hip-hop], but in that time, it wasn’t like one genre of music. People could blend multiple genres like they do today and they could all coexist.” She reflected on the progression of the genre, stating that it became “less violent and more feeling.” “I’m not sure if it was him or if it was time, because people take time to get comfortable with things,” she said. “But having an extreme like Eminem and then going to Kanye, it probably helped Kanye become more accepted. It was a big change.” Upon his debut, Kanye West was praised by many for being more relatable than his urban predecessors. He was selfdeprecating, religious and unsure where life as a “college dropout” might take him.

By Jorden Hales

At the same time, 50 Cent was a tie to the more violent natures of urban music. She appreciated that the two contrasting styles were able to “be in the same space.” She enjoyed experiencing the “bridge era,” as we later decided to call it. As a fan of artists like Macklemore, Drake and Lana Del Rey, Ryleigh was curious to hear the beginnings of the urban and pop worlds meshing. She thinks these artists owe a bit of their creative freedom to this time. “I think when Kanye and 50 Cent were starting to come around is when music started to be more ‘opened,’” she said. “Now everyone has a different music taste. Radio stations play like five or six different genres.” Having completed our journey, Ryleigh spoke of her overall response, stating that she now has a stake in shaping her music experience, rather than passively taking what comes her way. “I’ve noticed since we started doing this from the beginning, I had to really listen to the lyrics of the music,” she said. “Now that I’ve gotten used to doing that, any time I listen to a song, I try to hear the lyrics and figure out what they mean. I’ll probably stop listening to a lot of things and I’ll spend more time adding to my Pandora and taking stations off.” My legacy, the musical experience I wished to share with Ryleigh through this process, is one of coping. Along with many other things, she seems to have inherited that legacy. “From all of it, I hear they’re all upset with things. All of them had to come at certain times to be accepted [by society],” Ryleigh said in conclusion. “I got the same message from all three parts; there is no right or wrong way [to deal with pain].”

Sending signals across the country

Head over to Signal Midwest’s facebook and listen to/buy ‘Light on the lake’ From cleveland to montreal, Signals midwest finishes the year strong with a dedicated fan base and fine-tuned sound Story by Alisha Kirby

ew things make a band happier than playing a great show to a good crowd. For Signals Midwest, a four-piece indie-punk act out of Cleveland, 2013 was full of great shows. “Fest was insane – easily the wildest show we’ve ever played,” said vocalist/guitarist Maxwell Andrew Stern. “We played in Canada for the first time. In Montreal, I introduced our band in French and people went crazy.” Even fewer experiences are as exciting and simultaneously nerve-wracking for a band than releasing an album, especially one as formidable as Signals Midwest’s sophomore effort “Light On The Lake.” “Making ‘Light On The Lake’ was really challenging,” Stern said. “We basically pulled nine straight 16-hour days since we were on such a tight schedule with people flying in and out of Cleveland to help make the record.” Yet it was the work put in before entering the studio that truly set the pace for the record. In processing the past two years

of his life, Stern paid close attention to his lyrics. “I guess I just felt the need to document a time in my life and music has always been my preferred method of doing that,” he said. “I had a lot to say about friends, family and loved ones. It feels weird to say, but I really tried to write ‘hooks’ for certain songs. I just tried to write things that people would want to sing along to.” The track listing of the album was also approached with great care. “We spend a lot of time agonizing over the track order,” said Stern, who remembers having about five different versions of the track listing before settling on what’s heard on the record. “I wrote ‘308’ in the key of G because I knew I wanted it to bleed into ‘In The Pauses’ which is in the relative minor (Em),” he said. “I changed the key of ‘Greater Planes’ from C to A because I wanted it to segue into ‘The Things That Keep Us Whole,’ which was already written. We definitely reworked stuff to fit into the context of the

record.” Despite the grueling task of recording, there’s a lot both the band and fans can be happy about. “I’m really proud of the bridge in ‘In The Pauses’ and the entire ‘St. Vincent’-‘Desert to Denver’-‘Echo’ section of the record,” Stern said. “I feel like we got somewhere new on those songs, both musically and lyrically.” As fans learn the new songs and scream along at shows, Stern can’t be bothered to contain his excitement. “I still get stoked on every email, message and tweet that we get from anyone that gives a shit about our band,” he said. “I’m like a giggly little kid when it comes to that stuff. I’m proud of the music that we make, that we’ve gotten to see the entire country a few times over, that we’ve experienced the energy and feedback and made the friends that we have.” This year should see a four to five song EP from the band as well as a tour through Europe and the UK.

Jan.2014.unplugged.09

My Scene, My Music

Kendra Beltran Los Angeles, CA Founder of Golden Mixtape goldenmixtape.com

Josh Jurss Chicago, IL Unplugged Mag. Staff Writer

@JoshJurss

Eric Delgado Abbeville, SC Contributing Writer blessyerheart.com

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What are some tips for musicians wanting to work with PR, management or promotors in your area? When it comes to people in “the biz,” I don’t think it matters where you are. There are going to be delightful people who do what they got to do and there are going to be those who think the day they were born should be considered a national holiday. It’s easier to work with one over the other. But overall, I’d say the biggest thing you can do is show people respect; show it and get it in return. Now to split the two types apart. The easygoing people are wonderful, like SoCal’s Earshot Media. So many great bands are on their roster and no big egos from the company – so don’t have one with them. It’s fine to be confident, but do not cross the line into Cockyville (I swear it’s on Google

Maps). Then you have the other side of the spectrum, the smug “elite.” I recently had a run-in with a manager who completely bashed the company I was doing work for. The band was awesome, he was not. Sadly, that band may never go anywhere because of their representation. Two helpful tips there: do not talk down to anyone, because you don’t know who they know. Word will spread and you’ll be deemed the dick of the West. And also steer clear of those kind of people. You don’t want someone representing you who’ll taint your name. So let’s recap; be respectful, lose the ego, don’t talk shit and don’t work with shit talkers.

It’s my firm belief that press, promotion and management can all be easily done by the band themselves. This is especially true with local bands who may not have the money to spend on a manager or promoter or are just starting up. This article will be directed to you, local bands who aren’t in need of professional management just yet. As a member of several bands throughout my time, here are some of my suggestions. 1. Play as many shows as possible and become friends with as many bands in your area. I’ve found that the new local bands I listen to are usually suggested to me by my trusted music friends who have seen a new band open for a local band we already know and love. On top of that, if I’ve ever been in need of another band to play a show, I call up other bands I’ve played with or am friends with to fill the bill. 2. Always be nice and professional. Be on time and ready for your gig and get your equipment off the stage as soon as possible. It says a lot when a band sticks around

for other bands’ sets and gets to know the audience after their set. 3. Make your music easily available and inexpensive (free if you’re willing). Don’t force people to like your Facebook page to listen to your music. It’s a major turn off. 4. Promoting your band is easier than ever. Fliers are nice and shout outs at other shows work nicely, but with the Internet you can reach even more people. Just don’t be the fool who posts 20 statuses about the same thing. 5. When booking shows, cold calling venues doesn’t usually work. Look at places the local bands have been playing. Try to snag a spot on one of their shows. House shows bring in hordes of people. There’s a ton more advice to give, but I’m already way over my limit for the space I have. It’s not terribly difficult to manage and promote your band. There are plenty of tools at your disposal to get your music out there and heard.

It is smart to develop your own unique branding. Be consistent, use the same logo, identify your genre through appropriate imagery and effectively utilize social media. There are multiple ideas on who should promote: bands or music halls? The answer is both. To be worth any marquee value, a band is going to have to promote themselves. This can be accomplished through the purchasing of ads on social media and also

by creating a visible and interactive online presence. The bands that don’t promote are usually the ones that end up playing for free. That said, I usually see club owners failing to promote in my area. They create a Facebook event the day of and wonder why attendance is low. It is important for bands to bring a crowd, but it is also important for clubs to have their own crowd. In other words, it’s all 50/50.

What did YOU say? This is where we grab our favorite answers from Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr!

Giant Puppet Theatre

Top 5 Songs: When You’re Stuck Inside

anuary is the real start to wet weather. You could be looking out of your window right now and telling yourself that you aren’t going anywhere because the roads are icy or that the rainfall is motivating you to stay inside with a heater all day. Now you’re probably looking through your iTunes to find the right song to go along with the grey skies (or looking on Rainymood.com). That’s where we come in.

@GiantPuppetTree Oakland, CA

Book your own shows and when you come across promoters stay in contact. [Hard-working promoters are] here on social media. And when you find shows a lot of the time you go through promoters.

NEXT MONTH: What’s the most efficient way for a band to promote shows in your area and where should locals go to keep an eye out for upcoming shows? Hit us up on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #myscenemymusic and we’ll publish our favorite answers in next month’s issue! @sacunplugged fb.com/sacunplugged

mag

Stay up-to-date on releases, shows and more on our website!

sacunplugged.com

Staff picks

by Daniel Romandia 5. Bon Iver –“Flume” Acoustic guitars, mumbled vocals and dark, ominous tones are the perfect soundtrack to raindrops and isolated cabins. This song is to be paired with your fireplace and a cup of Earl Grey. It’s all delightfully grey.

4. Boho Fau & elevatedSOUL – “Sweet Tea” When I first heard this song, I called it “coffee shop raps,” and I stand by that. Remember that scene at the beginning of “Midnight in Paris” where there were a lot of shots of Paris’ streets drenched in rain? Find that on YouTube, mute it, and then play this song over it. If you don’t want to take a quick drag from a cigarette while sipping on slightly bitter coffee, then I’ll owe you a dollar.

3. Emancipator – “With Rainy Eyes” This is the only track on here that doesn’t have vocals, and it’s a great example of how instrumentals can be incredibly strong on their own. Smooth beats mix in with guitar, both electric and acoustic, and the piano to hold the melody just sounds warm and relaxing. That’s the essence of this list.

2. City and Colour – “...Off By Heart” It’s really hard for Dallas Green to do anything wrong and this song is far from wrong. It’s short, sweet and soft; absolutely perfect when you’re watching cars drive over puddles from your window, wrapped in your warmest blanket.

1. Otis Redding – “Cigarettes and Coffee” The way this song starts off with those romantic, triumphant horns just screams climax to a movie where someone is standing at their love interest’s door to spill their guts as they’re blinded by wet hair in their eyes. It’s a great way to get you to use the most out of your house while you’re stuck in it.

Autumn Sky

Interview by: Alisha Kirby & Steven Condemarin

We’ve featured you before as our Artist Spotlight, but can you go ahead and introduce yourself to new readers? My name is Autumn Sky Hall. I go by Autumn Sky. I’m an indie singer-songwriter performer. I’ve been performing in Sacramento for the past 10 years. How’s the progression been from just starting out to being well-known in the Sacramento community in the past 10 years? Sky: Well, you start out being really confused, at least I did, because I started playing music just because it was fun. I didn’t have a real goal for it at all, and it kind of developed as I started playing more. I definitely found more of a direction about four years ago and it’s definitely changed my entire approach to performing. The whole reason I have a band is because I want to take it more seriously. I’ve always had a band in my mind when I write songs, I just never took it seriously enough to say, “My music deserves a band.” I definitely do now. I think most people will agree that once

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For those of you who’ve been reading Unplugged for some time, Autumn Sky may look familiar, as we’ve introduced her to you all before. To those who don’t recognize her: You will soon. Sky is currently riding the winds of being added to the Sammie’s Hall of Fame, and is poised now to release her first proper EP.

you start playing with a band, it’s kind of hard to go back because you finally hear the potential of what your songs can be. It gives so much depth and it makes them so dramatic. That’s where I am right now. It’s been a journey.

writing them down. I’ve been literally writing songs my entire life. It’s not just something that I can turn on and off; it’s not something I really have control over. It’s more like musical ADD, only my ADD is a little more constructive.

What happened four years ago that made you take your music more seriously?

You’re now part of the Sammie’s Hall Of Fame. Congratulations on that! What was your initial reaction when they told you?

I got divorced and I changed a lot. It was a huge year for me. Everything changed and I think it’s fair to say that I knew a lot about the ups and downs of life and knew a little bit about sadness, but never really experienced it to such an extent. I think there’s something really amazing that comes out of really intense, painful parts of your life. What’s kept you so motivated to keep going? What pushes you to keep writing and performing? It’s innate in me and it hasn’t just been in the past ten years either. I started writing songs when I was six. I was always humming, I was always singing and always writing. [My mom] encouraged me to start

I’m really honored. It’s really super staggering when I personally think about the other bands that are in that category. I still don’t think I’m as good as Cake or anything like that, but it’s nice to know that a whole community showed their support and that I have the fans behind me from all those years who really loved me enough to support my songs, and that’s a hard thing to ask people to do. It’s like, “Please give me all of your support,” and they’re like, “Well there’s like a million singersongwriters and, like, why should anyone care particularly about you?” But I guess they really reverberated with the stuff that I wrote about and that’s how it worked.

“

Autumn Sky

For me, it’s all about finding that song that is so simple and super catchy.

You’re also releasing an EP this year. What can you tell me about that? It’s going to be the first example I’ve released of the full-band sound. It’s a little more dense, it’s got a lot of emotional depth; it’s a bit darker, it’s more atmospheric in sound. I’ve been listening to a lot of heavier stuff, rock- and metal-wise. Not that my music will ever be metal, but it’s very inspirational to watch bands who are really super intense like that. I think any musician can respect a kick-ass performer. I wanted to challenge myself, something harder. Do you plan on pitching the album to any labels? Or do you want to keep it self-released? Yes, definitely! I haven’t released music since I was 17, and it wasn’t even a real release. It was a home release that a bunch of friends ended up putting together and putting it out. So I’ve never had a real release ever and I’ve really been waiting for this for almost 10 years. So I’m sending it to everybody. Have you ever thought about signing to a label or been approached by any? I’ve thought about it before but I’ve never let myself send anything. I definitely feel like, as a band, if you want to approach somebody seriously, then you need to have your shit

together. And if I didn’t have recorded stuff that I felt strongly about, then who am I to send anything to a label and expect good things from it? I want to give them a song and have it be a real representation of all the things that I really can do and the best that I can do. That is going to be 2014 for us. Do you have any touring plans this year? It’s in the air. We definitely need to, I definitely want to. I don’t know, I get very antsy being in the same place. I never want to leave forever, per-say. I moved my entire life at least once every two years so to have a place like Sacramento, where I know the street names and I know people, is a big deal for me and I don’t take it for granted or lightly at all. We’ve been doing really well in other cities. It’s kind of funny. It’s different to play for all of your friends here in Sacramento, because they’re like “Oh, Autumn, we’ve seen her before and we knew her in high school,” and then when you go to San Francisco where no one knows who you are and it’s like you’re secret agents and everyone makes a big deal about it. Now for you guys; first off, can you introduce yourselves? My name is Anthony Medina, I’m the bass player for the band and I’m a little obnoxious

with the vocals, but mainly the bass player. I’m Barry [Crider] and I play the electric guitar. My name is Kyle [Kaylor] and I play acoustic guitar. I’m Jared [Obregon] and I play drums. *Other members include Jeremiah Jacobs (synth/keys), Maddy Smith (vocals/ percussion) and David Taylor (vocals/ percussion/piano) How long have you been working with Autumn? Medina: A year and a half I think. I was the first of all of us to join Autumn while she still had her previous line-up and it’s been great. I really enjoy it. I love playing with Autumn because you never know what she’s going to write, and now that we have a fantastic band line-up, the sounds can instantly change from one to another. I mean there is a general little mix that we have for the feel, but it can be very diverse from one side of the spectrum to the other. Crider: I met Autumn, actually we are together and she lives with me, but before that all happened we met at my open mic in this very building that we are sitting in three years ago. I used to go watch her band and

Jan.2014.unplugged.13

it was very stripped down and I knew there was more potential to her songs. We said when we first started dating that I would never play music with her, that it was a conflict of interest and that she had her band and I had mine. Eventually her guitarist dropped out and I stepped in as an emergency and I just kind of stuck around. Kaylor: I’ve had the pleasure of playing with these guys just a few months now. I’m a pretty recent addition. A couple of months ago, Autumn mentioned the possibility that she was hoping to maybe get an additional guitar player. She talked to me about that and I was honored because I really respect Autumn as a songwriter, as a person and most importantly, as a friend. Since I’ve met her, I’ve been supportive of what she’s doing about her passion. So when she asked me to be a part of the band, it was a no-brainer for me. Obregon: I’ve been playing with Autumn for about a year now and it’s been awesome

for me. I’m not originally from Sacramento so I don’t really know anyone. She wrote me on Facebook, “Hey we need a drummer, you want to come out and practice?” As far as songwriting goes, do you guys bring your own personalities to the songs? If so, where does your influence come from? Crider: I definitely think so. I hear the songs develop at home when she’s writing them and I think they are gorgeous, but I feel like we all bring a separate set of influences to the mix. I come from a background where my band is harder and we’re really heavy and I’m influenced by shoegaze guitarists and lots of effects and layers and textures. I like the atmospheric feel. So the fact that I get to bring that to Autumn’s music is pretty fantastic. Kaylor: Barry just said what I feel. That’s the main thing for me: having the freedom to feel what is happening, a collaboration in the sense. She brings the core of the song to us

and we put ourselves into our own parts. I have the freedom to tastefully play what I like and, if it sounds like crap, it’s the kind of vibe where anyone in the band can say, “Hey, that kind of sounds like crap,” and there’s not gonna be any tears. It’s just going to be like, “Okay, I’ll tone that down.” There’s a freedom in it and that’s important because we get to express ourselves. Though we’re expressing Autumn and Autumn’s music, we get to play our own role in that. Crider: I think lately we’ve been adding emotional intensity where Autumn intended it to be, but it doesn’t exactly come across with an acoustic guitar alone. Sometimes we need to add that emotional intensity and those build-ups and rise-andfalls and lots of different...what’s that word I’m looking for? Sky: Dynamics! I didn’t really think about what doesn’t come through when I’m playing by my self, that “rise-and-fall.” My songs are pretty straightforward. You’re not going to find very often chords that you don’t

know the names of. It’s really the lyrics that have the most complexity. For me, it’s all about finding that song that is so simple and super catchy. I think that’s why I’m really influenced by songs of the Appalachian Mountains on top of pop songs, on top of indie rock, which is what I grew up on, which is the altar I pray at. What I really, really love is early Americana, because it takes this incredibly clever melody – the catchiest damn thing you’ve ever heard – and it makes it with two or three chords, tops. I mean, most of my songs have more than that, but if you can make this amazing, catchy song that everyone remembers in three chords, why push yourself to do more? For me, I just want to make good songs. I want to make songs that are mostly effective and fun and catchy. All my songs have a driving thing; I really love older records like Bruce Springsteen and I want to incorporate that kind of a spirit. Almost like a rowdy, rambunctiousness. I describe it as Irish drinking bar atmosphere. I just like it when people are happy.

Go to autumn sky’s facebook to stay updated on shows and her upcoming releases 14.unplugged.Jan.2014

Check out DLRN’s facebook to download their “Awakenings” ep for free

Sacramento isn’t really known for its hip-hop scene. Many out there don’t believe that the city even has one. That’s something Sean LaMarr and Jon Reyes of local hip-hop duo DLRN (pronounced like DeLorean) are looking to change for themselves and for Sacramento. DLRN describe themselves as “‘80s synthfueled, heart on your sleeve storytelling backed by drums of hip-hop’s golden era.” According to Reyes, the producer of the group, they “want to push the boundaries of what hip-hop could be.” “We used to be a part of this art collective called ‘Neighborhood Watch,’ which was basically people from high school coming together to create,” said Reyes. “Sean started emceeing, I started making beats, and it made sense for us to start making music together.” A while after that realization, the guys decided they wanted to make their music more available and released their debut album, “No More Heroes,” in 2009. That release became one of the area’s most popular. It made its way around the internet and was eventually picked up and reviewed by Potholes in My Blog. They have been releasing projects regularly and are set to drop their first full-length album, “Neon Noir,” early this year. Since LaMarr and Reyes have been doing this for so long, they know Sacramento’s scene better than most anyone and want people to realize that the capitol of the Golden State has much more to offer when it comes to hip-hop. “That’s the thing that’s so interesting about [Sacramento’s] scene,” said LaMarr. “There are so many sub-genres and types of hip-hop available.” With Sacramento having so many options, it’d be easy to find the real differences between acts. “I think we have a certain understanding of what a song should feel like when it’s finished,” said LaMarr about the group’s dynamic. “It’s more of a relationship [between us]. It’s very collaborative,” added Reyes. The group branches out to the rest of the country as well. They have played all over California, have played South by Southwest a few times and recently played in Brooklyn for the first time, where they were finalists for Guitar Center and Converse’s “Get Out of the Garage” competition. All of the traveling is a part of the group’s philosophy. “As a Sac artist, it’s your responsibility to get out and to get your music to people,” said LaMarr. Story by Daniel Romandia

Artist spotlight

DL RN

Jan.2014.unplugged.15

a spark of creativity

dispite the lack of support in their home town, August burns red continues to garner attention across the country

Stay tuned to their facebook for all things ABR, incluing tours and releases

Story by Josh Jurss Aside from the various origin stories behind the band’s name, August Burns Red has never made their hometown paper’s headlines. All three of the band’s most recent full-length albums debuted in the Billboard Top 25 with their most recent record, “Rescue & Restore,” breaking into the top 10. “Right now, there’s this guy who’s on ‘The Voice’ and he’s from Lancaster, [Pa.], and of course he’s the one on every cover of every newspaper and local magazine. My mom is just furious,” guitarist Brent Rambler said. The band is arguably the single most successful band ever to come out of Manheim, Pa., though the local music scene there may not have been the best scene in which to be noticed. In fact, Rambler said, “We pretty much were our music scene ... We were renting out [the Veterans of Foreign Wars community hall] a couple times a month and actually putting on shows of our own. Once we got a band together we started playing [those shows] and that’s sort of how we grew up into our own local scene.” It’s a tale that many local bands have themselves, but not many of those bands go on to play Soundwave Festival. “August Burns Red, as far as a band goes, isn’t one that has gotten much media attention,” Rambler said. “We’ve kind of been under the radar our entire career, but that’s all right.” They may be under the radar, but after their newest record August Burns Red is bigger than ever before. This is especially

16.unplugged.Jan.2014

impressive for a metalcore band that believes their own genre is stale. “A lot of bands seem to be doing the same thing over and over again ... Almost like metal bands have turned metal into pop, just with screaming over the verses at this point,” Rambler said. The key for August Burns Red, according to Rambler, is constantly being as creative as possible. It ends up with the band taking forever to write their songs. Along with “Rescue & Restore,” the band released a split 7-inch with Silverstein earlier this year, as well as a Christmasthemed album in late 2012. For the split, the band covered “You Vandal,” by pop-punk legends Saves the Day – one of their favorite bands growing up. As for the Christmas record, “It was something we had wanted to do. We do Christmas songs every year. It was just kind of time to do it,” said Rambler. As for the band’s name, Rambler claims it came about because of the band’s original singer, John Hershey. After breaking up with his girlfriend, August, she took it upon herself to burn Hershey’s dog, Redd, alive in his doghouse. The next day, the headlines in the local paper read “August Burns Redd” and the name stuck. However, drummer Matt Greiner has gone on record via an interview on the Colin McEnroe Show saying the story is made up. I suppose you can decide for yourself.

FLANNEL GURL W

aiting is a bitch. Whether you’re in line at the DMV, at a job interview or waiting for any sort of test results – your final grades, blood work, anything – the (non)action of waiting can make you want to tear your hair out. As co-founders of Flannel Gurl Records, husband and wife team Kimmi and Jonathan Ashwell know the waiting game all too well. “It’s kind of hard to say exactly what we do,” said Kimmi. “Whether it be talking with the pressing plant or printing company, discussing things with the bands and designers, packing orders and mailing them off, making sure we can get song streaming, booking time for future projects or waiting on, well, everything. A big part of the label is waiting. Waiting always leads to stress.” Since starting the label in March of 2010, Flannel Gurl has worked with bands such as Dads, CityCop, Trust Fall and Kittyhawk, putting out vinyl and a personal touch into everything they do. However, those calls to the pressing plants and those mail orders tend to have to wait until the evening, as both Kimmi and Jonathan work full time. “I work at a hair salon and Jonathan is a barista at a local coffee shop and works part time at a grocery store,” Kimmi said. “We get most of our label work done when we get home and on our days off. Our day-to-day lives consist of job-work and business-work.” Life outside of the label consists of the two reading, going on long drives and accidentally discussing the label more. “We sometimes kind of forget to not talk business,” said Kimmi.

Luckily, the two have the support of friends and family, who are also bound to hear about the behind the scenes of the DIY label at some point. “We have tried to explain what we do to both our families and they are completely confused as to what it is we do,” said Jonathan, “Especially in the beginning when we weren’t even sure what we were doing.” “My parents have been awesome, considering they’ve let us use their basement as our base of operations and storage,” he said. “[And] we have some great friends who are super supportive of us.” It’s that encouragement, as well as the support from the fans who purchase from the label, that keeps the two motivated. “It’s always a good feeling when someone posts a picture or comment on Facebook or Instagram about receiving their record and how excited they are,” said Kimmi. Part of the excitement may come from seeing the personalized notes and extra goodies thrown into their order – a page the Ashwells tore from Dischord Records’ book. “I never will forget the first time I ordered a record from [Dischord] and I received a note with my record,” said Jonathan. “All it said was ‘Thanks,’ which really stuck with us because it wasn’t just a transaction anymore. It was something personal and organic. We wanted people to feel the way we did when we received that note because we want to have a connection with the people who end up buying a record from us.”

behind the scenes

The waiting game: The husband and wife team behind Flannel Gurl Records make a point to connect with fans despite their full schedules Story by Alisha Kirby

Go to their website to check out their artist selection, merch and everything else Flannel Gurl Jan.2014.unplugged.17

Albums of the year

Beach fossils

chek out all of our AOTY list

Beyoncé

Captain, we’re sinking

“Clash the truth”

“Beyoncé”

Beach Fossils’ “Clash the Truth” is truly an underdog album. At the beginning of the year, no one was really anticipating its release despite having a few great singles out for the album. Even after it came out, it was either very well received or reviewers were confused by the album’s perceived confusion (and this sentence was purposely confusing for effect). Then time went on and people who kept the album in rotation and really gave it a chance found out that this album grows on you to become this infectious monster of Brooklyn-based, fuzzed-out beach rock. “Clash” celebrates when it needs to and it dwells on hardships when it needs to. No one expected it, but it really is the best album of 2013. The music industry, both mainstream and indie, had trends going through them that made 2013 the way it was. Cohesiveness was definitely one of them. The resurgence of physical copies of albums made artists and bands rethink the structure of an album to make sure it all really fit together and flowed properly. That’s easily the best thing that Beach Fossils did with “Clash.” As one song would end, it would glide into the start of the next one. “Clash” has a lot to say. The album is a very poignant portrayal of the mix of apathy and hopefulness the 20-somethings of today have. If I had more than a finite space to tell more about the true pleasure this album is, I’d go on for pages, but nothing is better than listening for yourself.

Don’t think about what Beyoncé can do for you, think of what you can do for Beyoncé. Although this isn’t necessarily my personal favorite album of the year, there is no way Beyoncé’s self-titled album can go unnoticed. Queen Bey dropped the album without warning. After dropping the album, she posted an Instagram photo of some vegan cupcakes because, well, happiness. It’s a visual album which includes 14 tracks and 17 music videos. The entire album takes you on this emotional roller coaster (let’s be honest, you were probably emotional because it’s Beyoncé), starting the album with the track “Pretty Hurts,” which talks about how society makes it necessary to try to achieve perfection. Throughout the album, she subjugates the themes of perfection, making it known that she is not perfect. Every track has a distinct beat. Ranging from the upbeat ‘70s-sounding “Blow,” to the downright dirty beats in “Partition,” to the doo-wop-sounding “Superpower,” featuring Frank Ocean. Many of her songs can be split into two different tracks. The first half of “***Flawless (feat. Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche)” starts heavy, talking about how she deserves respect. The second half slows down, with an interlude of Nigerian writer Chimamanda speaking about the inequality between sexes; the beat decelerates and the lyrics mock how women pretend to be flawless (“I woke up like this/ We flawless”). This album has something for everybody. Like in “XO,” she fuses pop with electronic and hip-hop and underlies it with woodwinds and brass instruments. So what can you do for Beyoncé? Buy her album; it’s worth it.

I’m bestowing the honor of “Best Album of 2013” upon Captain, We’re Sinking. “The Future Is Cancelled” isn’t a perfect album by any means, but with every angst-ridden lyric pertaining to some of the darker themes I’ve heard on a punk record, I’m completely swept up in the emotion of this record. The vulnerability alone astounds me as every song seems as if it’s a window looking into the most personal, fragile moments of the band members’ lives. The songs themselves are pretty raw. Tunes like “Adultery” and “Shoddy Workmanship” contain an excess of distorted guitars and fuzz that force the clean sections to really stand out as moments of clarity. There’s a fair amount of catchy melodies both vocally and instrumentally, but not nearly enough to stick around in your head like the newest radio single. Captain, We’re Sinking has also mastered the punk song length as most of the tunes hover around the 3-minute mark; long enough to get a message through, but not enough to be preachy. Each song is distinctly different from one another, which is a rare attribute for this style of music. Whether it’s the double-time verse of “The Future Is Cancelled Pt.1” or the slow buildup and chaotic ending of “More Tequila, Less Joe,” this record eclectically displays a wide array of punk styles. Superb and meaningful lyricism, intricate but not distracting instrumentals, and interesting but deliberate songwriting are the elements that make up this record that I view as a prime example of the finest music 2013 had to offer.

By Daniel Romandia

By Robert Aguilar

By Josh Jurss

18.unplugged.Jan.2014

“The future is cancelled”

ts over at sacunplugged.com

Albums of the year

The civil wars

Have mercy

Paramore

“the civil wars”

“the earth pushed back”

“paramore”

Smooth and sentimental, palpable chemistry, and a clear-as-day “design.” The Civil Wars’ self-titled sophomore album was such a poignant work of art it affected my appreciation for every subsequent release in 2013. It is not uncommon for one to hear lots of new music throughout a year, but with all the mediums available today it is often presented in fragments. This 12-track piece is the best album of the year because it is, in the truest sense of the word, an album. Every instrument, lyric and the beautiful voices of Joy Williams and John Paul White compliment one another perfectly. It reminded me of the appreciation I had for music when entire collections were the only thing available to me. No part of this project can be fully appreciated on its own. It brilliantly conveys the passion and purpose the two had when creating it. “The Civil Wars,” which I described as “one of the most quotable albums in recent memory,” definitely takes that title in 2013. If they were to stand alone, the lyrics of this album would read like timeless literary masterpieces used in creative writing courses. The seamless marriage between each fragment of this collection makes it a gem to be enjoyed by anyone with any level of interest. Whether a passionate music lover or a passive listener looking to add to the library.

Into It. Over It., Allison Wiess, Mansions, Lydia, Kevin Devine – these are just a few of my longtime favorite artists who released albums this year, but they were topped by a band I had never even heard of. Have Mercy’s “The Earth Pushed Back” is the perfect sad, aggressive record that keeps from becoming the most cheesy, obnoxious record. It’s also home to some of the best songs released this year. “Let’s Talk About Your Hair” leaves a knot in the stomach with a combination of lyrics that are universally relatable, a bass line that steers the track and a restrained aggression that affects you after each listen. Just like that song, the rest of the album ebbs and flows better than anything else released this year. It sets the tone with the opener, “Level Head.” The guitars and drums immediately rush in before slowing down just a touch in the verses, only to drop you into vocalist/guitarist Brian Swindle’s howl. It’s Swindle’s vocals that, under most circumstances, would make a record. His seamless stringing together of shouts to near whispers are one of the highlights throughout the album, but unlike a number of bands (sadly), the instrumentals hold up on their own merit. If you haven’t given “The Earth Pushed Back” a chance yet, I couldn’t recommend it more. Tracks such as “Gates,” “This Old Ark” and “Let’s Talk About Your Hair” are good access points, but if you’re into the slower or more mellow options, give “Hell,” “Weak At The Knees” or “Living Dead” a listen.

Paramore hasn’t let me down since their debut “All We Know Is Falling” dropped in 2005. I’ve been impressed by the consistency of the tracks on each album, which have their own theme, and each album does a very good job at expressing different emotions within that theme. Their self-titled album is perfect for their theme: Paramore. This time using diversity as their consistency, the 17-track album seemed to be an accumulation of their career thus far, taking the listeners on a roller coaster from the loud, in-your-face to the slow and melodic. It’s this diversity that landed this album five out of five stars. The album starts with “Fast In My Car,” where the band talks about playing the music they want while starting a new chapter in their career. After moving on and thinking about what the future holds for them, vocalist Hayley Williams reflects on the band’s career and reinforces the band’s decision to move foreword in “Part II.” By using similar rhythmic patterns and a few similar lyrics from “Let The Flames Begin” off their second album “Riot!,” the band does an amazing job at setting up the nostalgia. After moving through the album and tripping on funny little interludes, the self-titled album comes to an end with the song “Future,” which wraps things up with an intense bass drive about halfway through to accompany lyrics like, “So just think of your future / Think of a new life / Don’t get lost in the memories / Keep your eyes on a new prize.”

By Jorden Hales

By Alisha Kirby

By Steven Condemarin

Jan.2014.unplugged.19

Feature Photos By Allen Dubnikov of Allen Daniel Photography Go check out his work!