by Meredith Schneider | Nov 3, 2017 | wolf tracks
Today, Utica, New York’s alternative musician Anthony and the Mountain premieres its Storm Fruit EP, the first collection of music we have gotten from the project since 2016’s I Felt Tall and Full of Blood. Three songs deep, “Fatboy” serves as the first track, a dramatic narrative from Anthony’s childhood. Anthony croons “Watching the ocean pull away from me” in an all-encompassing way, truly capturing a feeling in tandem with the lyrics. And while “Little Ceramic Dolphins” maintains a similar tempo, the song itself feels darker, more existential in its presence than its predecessor. Anthony’s third song is the title track “Storm Fruit”, which draws from intense vocal registers and a more seductive emotional state to evoke a romanticism that perfectly rounds out the release.
Says Anthony about the EP:
The three songs that make up the EP were slowly written over the past few years and paint portraits of myself at three very different points in my life, both chronologically and emotionally. It’s about relationships. From growing up as a queer teen and the relationship i’ve had with my body, my relationship to religion, and ultimately my relationship with myself. I wrote them at the piano, trying to connect with the part of me that started writing songs in the first place. The desire was to do something that was meditative, and orchestral, cinematic even, with my voice being the emotional center. I wrote them mostly in seclusion, with the recording happening very quickly once I set down to do it.
Storm Fruit is available now.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 3, 2017 | wolf tracks
Experimental indie pop collective Babylawns – comprised of Ryan Egan, Davey Alaimo, Mike Phillips, Chris Tremblay, and Conor Powers – is headed out on an east coast tour this month in support of their brand new album Sorry it’s like this, with the first stop happening tonight in Providence, Rhode Island. The nine track full-length starts with heavy hitting “too big”, crashing guitars leading you into the thrashing feel of “heartbeat” before winding you down into “anxiety”, which happens at a crawling clip. The album meanders between genres, as its listener gets bits of americana, psych rock, alternative, goth pop, and more through the expert instrumentalism of a group that knows how to cohesively switch tempo at the drop of a hat, highlighting the composition of the music at the same importance as the vocals themselves. Sorry it’s like this adequately sums up a highly relatable but often inexplicable melancholic feeling in song. And it’s something you need to experience.
Tour Dates
11/3 – Providence, RI
11/4 – Philadelphia, PA
11/5 – Columbus, OH
11/6 – Ann Arbor, MI
11/7 – Harrisburg, PA
11/8 – Baltimore, MD
11/9 – New Brunswick, NJ
11/10 – Wilton, NH
11/11 – Goffstown, NH
11/30 – Brooklyn, NY
12/1 – Portland, ME
Sorry it’s like this is out now. Keep up with Babylawns here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 2, 2017 | wolf tracks
Alternative power-rock trio Noiseheads – comprised of Nick Gray (vocals, guitar), Greg Nicholas (drums, vocals), and Joe Gray (bass, vocals) – recently released the official music video for the second single from their album Sitcoms for Aliens, titled “Ballad of Me, Myself, and I”. The video is comprised of footage of Nick singing, made to look like flat magazine collage art. Scenes of Times Square, outer space, a cubicle, and other miscellaneous places pop up behind him, his outfits and scenarios changing throughout. It’s a fun overlay to the song itself, which is a relatively mellow track that could be enjoyed in a head banging situation or at home with a small group of friends. It follows the rest of their work quite nicely, with fun, upbeat riffs and an aggressive delivery of vocals galore.
Keep up with Noiseheads here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 1, 2017 | wolf tracks
Earlier this month, New Jersey-based alternative indie rock trio The Stewart Dolly – comprised of Bob (guitar/vocals), Paul (bass/vocals), and Johnny (drums) – released their EP, affectionately titled Ain’t No Gas Station Gon’ Sell You City Boys No Grenadine. Consisting of five tracks, this EP takes hilarious some topics and goes off the deep end with them, inviting in hilarious lyrics alongside some serious guitar chops.
“Neon Sandwich w Lots Of Pepper” seems like an off title, but the track itself is literally about a neon sandwich. And though the lyrics are simple and silly, the instrumental composition is that of a crashing rock band, slightly reminiscent of early Good Charlotte in its delivery. Second track “Drill Spice” establishes a mid-tempo beat while singing about preferences, while “Archie Get In The House” has a quieter, more ambling beginning that hits its stride pretty quickly with the first line. As the band questions “Why won’t he go in?” and continues to give this “Archie” character life advice, we are taken back in time to when more people were inserting their opinions in our own lives. This song kind of plays off of that, and the humor does not evade us.
Fourth track “Don’t Count On Me” might have the most serious title of the five, detailing an unreliability with such blatant honestly (“Cuz there is no guarantee”, “I’m only good for two out of three,” etc.) that we’re both flummoxed and wondering if we can realistically make this our new anthem. The band rounds out the EP with “Polaroid Trail”, a song that seems, at first listen, to be a slow ballad. But that’s not how The Stewart Dolly is going to go out, they’ll do it with a bang. So, of course, the song speeds up before the vocals hit. And then we realize this is a song of heartbreak, and it’s slightly painful listening to the lyrics.
But we’ll just keep “try[ing] not to think of” the band after this, because five songs is a good taste but it’s just not enough.
Ain’t No Gas Station Gon’ Sell You City Boys No Grenadine is available now. Keep up with the band here.
by ImperfectFifth | Oct 27, 2017 | soundtrack
After playing a few acoustic shows over the past week, we decided to put together an acoustic style playlist for everyone. We as a band have a pretty big range of artists we follow. So there’s a little variety going on, but ultimately stripped down songs all kind of connect with each other regardless of the genre. We enjoy when artists do a different take on their own original song, broken down to get a different feel.
We ourselves also enjoy doing this with our songs, because it’s just another way to be creative and give another angle to the emotions of a song. On this mini tour we just went on, we had to recreate our full band songs to fit on the acoustic stage and it was a great experience to hear what our songs are capable of. Hope you enjoy our playlist!
You can get your ears on the quintet’s latest single “Apogee” right now!
Keep up with alternative indie collective The Racer here.
**words by the band
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 27, 2017 | 5 to 7, soundtrack
New York’s alternative rock duo Black Satellite – from the talents of Larissa Vale and Kyle Hawken – have been creating music together for six years, their new ten track album Endless being the latest in their musical adventure. Packed to the brim with dark, alluring vocals and tortuous, cacophonous instrumentals, the album is something out of a profound, badass dream. Replete with crash cymbals to emphasize the intensity of the lyrics, Endless is a particularly moody masterpiece.
In honor of their new release, the band created a playlist titled “Forged In Fire” exclusively for Imperfect Fifth. Says the band, “We made sure to showcase our inspirations as well as include songs we are currently listening to. We also aimed to highlight slightly lesser-known tracks by our favorite artists that we’re sure listeners will enjoy.”
We also had the divine opportunity to throw the duo a few questions, and they happily obliged.
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What is the first song or album you ever remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
Larissa: When I was in elementary school, my brother’s bedroom shared a wall with mine and I could hear him blasting his music every night. The funny part is he is 9 years older than me and I ended up really getting into Eminem in 3rd grade!
Kyle: When I was very young I sang “Kryptonite” by Three Doors Down acapella at a school talent show. I hilariously found the song because it was featured on the track list of this strange 90s compilation album called “Now That’s What I Call Music.”
Was there a moment that it struck you and you realized you were going to pursue music, or did it kind of slowly evolve?
Larissa: I was always very into music. I don’t have a specific memory of when I started, I just always did it. Whether is was piano lessons, guitar lessons, choir, cello lessons etc.
Kyle: When I was 15, my Dad bought me a guitar to make my Mom jealous on Christmas. That kind of started it all.
Your track “Valkyrie” got a lot of love, and understandably so. What made you choose it as your lead single?
We felt it was a strong introductory track that was really representative of our sound as a whole. We are super happy with the decision!
Endless is such a striking release. Was this a concept album, or something that just kind of fell together?
Some of the songs on Endless were written 5 years ago, although we also came up with many new songs for the album. It’s a conglomeration of our greatest work at the time and truly showcases our range.
What was studio life like?
We tracked our record 16 hrs a day for about 10 days. This meant a lot of long nights working until 4am! We relied mainly on delivery food and hardly left the building. We were so prepared with our preproduction that we knew exactly what we needed to accomplish for the day and actually knocked it out much faster than expected. It really came down to us taking turns with our engineer making cappuccinos for each other all day!
How do you imagine people listening to this album?
Our hope is that this album becomes a part of the listener’s everyday life. Whether it’s to pump them up or get them through a rough time. That’s the ultimate goal.
As a still relatively new act, what are your thoughts on the modern music industry?
There are a lot of new ways to do things in the modern age, which means you need to reorient yourself on how to navigate the constantly changing industry. It’s important to always be on top of things and be prepared for a good opportunity when one is presented.
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Endless is available now. Keep up with this vivacious duo here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 25, 2017 | wolf tracks
Recently the most upbeat alternative rock live act we know, AWOLNATION, released the official lyric video for latest track “Passion”. The track itself serves as a mellow backdrop between the bravado of the repeating chorus – allowing itself to showcase Aaron’s softer vocal abilities than, say, “Sail” – to the contrast of the simple, black and white setup for the video. Shot from the Red Bull E-Sports Studio, the video is comprised of several individuals singing into the camera, a single light shining down on them and contrasted in black and white, their décolletage exposed as though to equalize all of them. The simplicity is striking, and the lyrics will certainly stick with you.
Keep your eyes peeled for AWOLNATION’s next release – set to drop in 2018 – right here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 23, 2017 | 5 to 7
Toronto-based alternative folk collective Birds of Bellwoods – comprised of Stephen Joffe, Adrian Morningstar, Chris Blades, and Kintaro Akiyama – are no strangers to attention. Having garnered accolades like crazy in 2015 and 2016 for their work, they continue to release catchy, lyrically intense songs that hook their listener and draw them into their beautifully painted world. In honor of their first official music video premiering with Hollywood Life last week, they answered a few questions for us and brought us behind the scenes on honing down material for the album, early music memories, and Billy Murray.
Check out the video for “Let You Go”, then get to know Birds of Bellwoods a little better below.
What is the first album/song you remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
Stevie: Honestly, and it’s hard to admit, but the first song I really remember listening to front to back is “All Star” by Smash Mouth. And singing along at the top of my lungs during a road trip with my family (they weren’t singing).
Adrian: I think my earliest memory of music would have to be my dad singing “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” to my sister. Definitely played a big role in defining my relationship with mortality.
Kintaro: Hard to say, but “Graceland” by Paul Simon is definitely deeply ingrained in my childhood memories. I feel like that album was the soundtrack to many road trips for me as a young one.
Chris: Either Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette or a Peter, Paul, and Mary album, both of which were cassettes that my family brought on a road trip to Quebec when I was 3 or 4.
Your single “Catching Up” is absolutely mesmerizing. How do you imagine your fans enjoying that music?
Thank you so much! We’re glad you’re enjoying it. We hope our fans can enjoy that music in a lot of different situations. For us it’s a “looking back” kind of song, so a long drive, or returning to your old neighbourhood, or maybe slipping it on just as your plane takes off. And then when the heavy drums kick in halfway through it would work well to hit some light turbulence. It goes over really well at Tupperware parties too!
Victoria is a stunning album. Did you find it difficult to hone down your material to 10 tracks, or were you building toward this album with a concept in mind already?
Honing down the material is always a difficult process. There were definitely songs we knew would make the album but we purposefully left a lot of room for experimentation and exploration. There are songs we have been playing live for a long time that still don’t have a recorded form because they didn’t suit the project. Luckily, there’s always the next one. In the end from a large selection of songs it became pretty clear which ones told the most cohesive story and supported each other best.
Your track “Melatonin” is kind of an exact description of our lives. (And one of our favorites from the album.) What inspired that track, specifically?
That is a song that in some form or another Adrian and Stevie have been playing for several years, but it didn’t take on all the elements that truly make it “Melatonin” until it came together in the studio. It was originally inspired by a time in Adrian and Stevie’s lives when they were both coming to terms with unhealthy relationships that, after several failed attempts, were finally ending. Stevie wasn’t sleeping well so he went pretty deep into the melatonin, and then started taking it while he was awake to see what would happen, and there you have the song.
What is your favorite track off the upcoming release? Any particular reason?
Stevie: I think that changes for us every day. Today my favourite track would have to be “Let You Go.” It’s got all the elements of urgency and romance that I love, wrapped up in a driving beat that always gets the crowd moving. It also started as an acoustic ballad so the development has been very exciting to experience.
Adrian: “Don’t Look Back” is probably my favourite track on the record. Since it’s inception, I’ve held it very close to my heart, and have kept it as a sort of mantra ever since.
Kintaro: Picking a favourite song is like picking a favourite child. They all have their individual personalities and characters. That being said my favourite “child” is probably “Kiss Me.” That song was born in the studio, but has grown into a whole new beast in a live setting.
Chris: My favorite is “Catching Up” because it’s a simple concept and a simple musical idea that I think conveys a feeling with some level of clarity. It also starts soft folk and ends hard rock so it’s a kind of like a liminal zone between our two sounds.
If you could collaborate with any artist on any medium to help promote the album, who would you work with and what would you do?
Stevie: I would love to do an extended collaboration with a company in Toronto called “Vazari Dance Projects” with whom I work occasionally and the French circus company ‘Sept Droigts De La Main’. Ideally we’d take them on tour and expand the nature of our shows and music like David Bowie did with La La La Human Steps.
Adrian: Bill Murray is currently travelling the world on our behalf, spreading the word. He’s a great guy to have on board supporting us, and Reddit loves the stories!
Kintaro: In line with Bill Murray, I think it would be great to work with a big director like Wes Anderson. Someone who has a very specific style, but continues to grow with every new project.
Chris: I would get Justin Roiland from Rick and Morty to do a freestyle vocal part over the instrumentals to our song “Kiss Me” on the first listen and then release the first take.
Which celebrity Ryan is your favorite? Substantiate that claim.
We have agreed that Rye’an Ginger always gets the job done.
Anything else you’d like to add?
We have two singles out already, “A Year Ago” and “Catching Up,” which are available on all streaming and purchase services. “Let You Go” will be the third single, available October 20th, and will also be our first ever music video.
Catching Up:
A Year Ago:
Also we are currently on tour, with dates throughout Canada, and would love to see you there! Check here for dates. Hope to play for you soon!
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Keep up with Birds of Bellwoods here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 20, 2017 | 5 to 7
Southern California-based alternative rock act DAVIS is still flying high off the critical acclaim and crowd reaction from 2016’s EP Crooked Finger. And – as you may remember – idobi Radio premiered his video for “Los Angeles” in September. (And he curated a playlist just for us to celebrate!) So it’s safe to say it took a few moments for us to sit down and pick his brain a little bit. But we did it, and got some good behind-the-scenes explanations, as well as a silver lining to the future of music. Check it out!
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What is the first song or album you ever remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
Bob Dylan and John Lennon were the first artists that really spoke to me at a young age. “Subterranean Homesick Blues” and “Imagine” were the coolest sounding songs to me. Growing up, my Dad had a huge collection of vinyl. My family and I would sit in the living room and dig through his records and just play tons of music together. We listened to everything: Cat Stevens, Prince, Nirvana, Michael Jackson, everything! And everyone got a chance to pick out a record and add to the experience. It’s funny cause that’s basically what I do these days whenever I have people over to my house: I make a Spotify playlist and everyone gets a chance to add to it. Music brings people together. That’s what it’s all about. My favorite songs are always the ones that remind me of sharing an experience with family or friends.
What made you choose to pursue music as a career? Was there a defining moment?
I started a punk band in junior high and we got to play at high school parties. That was the best feeling ever. I knew from then on that I wanted to pursue music. Eventually I went to college and got a degree so that my parents were happy, but as soon as I graduated I started doing music full time. But writing songs isn’t just a career choice for me, it’s something I have to do. It fills my soul. It’s my purpose in life.
You have had quite a bit of attention surrounding your work as of late, including some stellar premieres under your belt. How does it feel, getting this type of positive exposure?
It’s rad. As a songwriter you always hope that people will enjoy what you’re offering to the world. I’m very thankful for all the positive energy people are giving me in return.
What was the production process like on your video for “Los Angeles”? Seems like you had a really fun time!
Yeah, it was! There was a lot of pre-production that went into the video. The director, Haley Reed, had a really unique way of filming it, using all kinds of weird projections and stuff. Her and I have worked together for all of my previous videos, and each time we completely change the process like we are starting from scratch. That’s what makes it fun. I like challenges and breaking the rules.
Just like my music, my videos are all about juxtaposition. One minute we might be filming in a huge studio with all this super posh equipment, and the next we might just grab a GoPro and shoot in an alley. Making this video was rad because I got to drive all throughout every pocket of LA.
The Crooked Finger EP has been out for a hot second. What has the reaction been to it? The songs from the EP are really best experienced live at my shows. They’re really fun tunes to play and people seem to really connect with those songs when they hear them live. Everyone loves to sing along to the song “Fuck You.” Which is awesome.
If you could have any superhero help you promote your favorite song from the EP, who would you choose and why?
I would say Thor, I think! He always lays down the hammer. That’s what I strive for with my music: laying down hammers. “Touch The Sky” is my favorite song off the EP. It’s a hammer.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Rock n roll is the future. Come with me. I’ll take you there.
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