Thursday took the stage 5th on Friday at the Uptown Theater, another incredible punk/emo act that we all know and love on the Twenty Years of Tears tour. Playing directly after Anberlin and before Hawthorne Heights, this band truly threw their energy into the entire performance, per usual.
We got up close and personal for an evening we just absolutely cannot believe happened.
Setlist The Other Side of the Crash/Over and Out (of Control) Cross Out the Eyes Signals Over the Air Standing on the Edge of Summer Jet Black New Year This Song Brought to You by a Falling Bomb Fast to the End Application for Release From the Dream Paris in Flames Running From the Rain Understanding in a Car Crash War All the Time
Day one at Newport Folk Festival 2024 was an absolute whirlwind. There were almost too many amazing sets to photograph, and not enough time. Performers included Billie Marten, Petey, Sir Woman, and Wednesday that Friday. Eric Tsurumoto grabbed some quick pics of them all.
Bert McCracken, frontman of indie rock band The Used released a new single titled “The Feels” on August 9th under his solo project robbietheused. He has collaborated with long-time friend John Feldmann to help produce this eclectic and feel-good beat. McCracken states that he was inspired by all generations of pop music when creating this song, citing the wonderfully positive impact it has on his mental health.
The musicality of “The Feels” is very upbeat with electric guitar, keyboard, and tenor vocal elements providing an EDM festival-friendly melody. The vibe of this song reminds me of the iconic “Fireflies” by Owl City, in which the vibrant electro-pop beat contrasts greatly with deeply intrapersonal themes. I can already tell “The Feels” will be a go-to song on every DJ’s playlist this summer.
The lyrics in “The Feels” provide a beautiful take on neurodiversity. As someone with severe social anxiety, I relate to this song very much. In social settings, my mind is consumed with many worrying thoughts… Is my voice too high? Am I walking funny? Do I smell weird? Is it better if I just left? Most of the time, you need help to quiet them all down. This song is a great metaphor for people who are coming to terms with discovering coping mechanisms for their anxiety, whether it be through therapy, medication, building a support system, or– as shown in the music video– finding joy in one’s unique hobbies. The chorus goes:
I like how it feels, I’m starting to think maybe that’s just fine, that’s just fine Can finally deal with all of the chaos that plagues my mind, plagues my mind I may not feel anything, that doesn’t mean I feel nothing (x2) I like how it feels, I’m starting to think maybe that’s just fine (x5)
The official music video is nothing short of a work of art. The claymation depicts various emojis wandering around a vibrant arcade space. An animated clay version of McCracken is seen singing on an empty stage. Emojis slowly gather around him, as if he is performing a concert just for them. This implies he is entertaining, or at the very least trying to appease, all the emotions in his head. This concept is reaffirmed at the end of the video when all the emojis burst out of McCracken’s head in a colorful explosion.
My absolute favorite part of the video is when zombie-like creatures invite a ghost emoji to their garden. The ghost visibly brightens when he sees his planted seeds sprout and give way to new healthy, green growth. Coincidentally, the ghost emoji depicted with its tongue sticking out is my favorite emoji of all time!
In unfortunate timing, this is my *37th* article for this website. Just one off, huh? Anyway, indie-psychedelic band 36? have put out a new single titled “i don’t want to go out tonight”. This is the fourth single to come from the Calgary-based group this year, after “wasted”, “FEERS”, and “ART”; with their latest LP being 2022’s Naturally. Their sound is an eclectic mix of sources, with influences ranging from hazy alt-pop and art rock, and comparisons to bands like Animal Collective or even Bleachers. Many of their lyrics, from the band’s producer and songwriter Taylor Cochrane, deal with personal subjects awash in sincerity and emotional qualities.
“i don’t want to go out tonight” is more laid-back than their more recent singles, with an indie-folk sound led by Hawaiian-sounding acoustic guitar and a breezy beach atmosphere. It’s very sweet sounding with a heartfelt performance from Cochrane and cutesy backing vocal harmonies. It also features a wonderfully abrasive guitar solo characteristic of a lot of their work, though it still fits against a different musical backdrop. Lyrically, it’s a tribute to introversion and taking time for yourself even when it means avoiding energy-draining social activities. The lyrics and the music match perfectly, creating a vibe throughout the track that’s cozy and comforting. 36? have crafted a great summer single in “i don’t want to go out tonight”, a song that’s drenched with both positive energy and relaxation.
The band is currently on tour throughout North America, with more music still in the works.
Award-winning musicians Madison Cunningham and Andrew Bird have taken their mass of individual talents and teamed up to form the folk power duo of Cunningham & Bird. They have been taking the festival circuit together, bringing a sense of calm and power to each set. Eric Tsurumoto captured some of their magic.
Having DC-based bands Pretty Bitter and Flowerbomb join forces together on a project weirdly makes sense, which is why their split EP Take Me Out was so exciting to listen to. I’ve written about Pretty Bitter before (here, in a review of their single from January, “Roadkill”), and listening to a handful of Flowerbomb’s songs showed a lot of similarities between both bands, in terms of music and lyrics. Each has an indie sound rooted in throwback alternative rock trends, with obvious influences from grunge and shoegaze. Their songwriting focuses on raw, personal lyricism that draws on the backgrounds and experiences of their members, and the chemistry between each performer in the band is clear in every song or show.
Evan Weiss handled the production of the EP, which is comprised of five songs. It has two original songs from each band and a closer written and performed by both. As Take Me Out starts, it’s apparent that the tracklist was ordered so the songs complement each other. “Never Better” by Pretty Bitter and “Nothing to do with me” by Flowerbomb, the first two songs respectively, have obvious musical similarities and play to the strengths of both artists. Both are mid-tempo rock songs that, through careful production and mixing, have a focus on vocals and lyricism without sacrificing the abrasive guitar playing both bands frequently use. They’re both hugely enjoyable, with “Never Better” functioning as an almost new-wavey rock song, and “Nothing to do with me” being more rhythmic and focused on hard-rock riffs.
As the EP continues, the next pair of songs allows each band to experiment with some interesting genre pairings and new ideas. “youbuiltafinelife” by Pretty Bitter is a buffet of great musical textures, with the highlights being the funky bass playing and the hazy, dreamy atmosphere that comes through the production and keyboard effects. It’s slightly different for Pretty Bitter while still representing their sound. “I Always Knew” by Flowerbomb also combines a lot of ideas, working as a slow-burn indie rock song with grungy guitar distortions and bits of glittery synths. The EP closes on a track both bands worked on together, the title track “Take Me Out”. It’s the most unexpected musical diversion of the whole EP, with a jaunty, folky twang and featuring great steel pedal guitar playing. Both vocalists duet with each other, and they provide a good contrast with Mel Bleker’s soft and sweet vocals against Rachel Kline’s more gruff and dynamic singing. While it may not represent each band particularly well, it’s more emblematic of two groups of talented musicians having fun and creating art for their own sake.
Take Me Out is a hugely enjoyable diversion for both bands and makes one hope for more collaborations between the two in the future. Each group gets the chance to have the spotlight, as well as experiment and try new sounds that may not have fit on another release. Both Pretty Bitter and Flowerbomb recently performed together earlier this month at the Black Cat in DC with no more joint shows currently planned, though it would be shocking if the two didn’t cross paths again soon enough.
