Chattanooga, TN-based power pop/garage band Mythical Motors – comprised of Matt Addison, Mike Brown, Brad Smith, & Johnny Wingo – might be gearing up for the release of their new album, but we were a bit impatient. So we caught up with Matt briefly to chat about what’s to come, the mystery of Bigfoot, and so much more! Check out the fun interview below!
What was your first musical memory, and do you think it has any bearing on who you are as an artist now?
Matt Addison: I’m not sure if has an impact on me now, but I have a memory of being around 4 years old, and running around and trying to make up songs. I think I had been watching The Muppets on TV, and I wanted to make up a song about the characters I had seen. I didn’t attempt to write a proper song, however, until 10 years later or so.
Do you think being from Tennessee has any bearing on your sound?
Matt: Probably not. In high school, I discovered indie bands like Guided By Voices, Sebadoh, Superchunk, Pavement, etc. There wasn’t a lot of awareness in Tennessee of those types of bands, so that just meant I had to dig a little deeper to discover new music.
You have such an interesting blend of influence in your sound. We honestly feel transferred back in time when we listen to your work. What made you choose to go in this direction with your music, as a team?
Matt: I think it occurs somewhat naturally when you’re a fan of a wide range of music. We’ve all been huge fans of rock music for many years, and we celebrate what Robert Pollard (of Guided By Voices) calls the 4 P’s of rock – pop, punk, prog, and psychedelic.
Elevated Levels was released last month. What made you choose to include 22 songs?
Matt: Our last album, The Life Stage, had 26 songs, so I had originally planned for the follow-up to be much shorter. But, I ended up with around 30 songs or so. So, I chose songs from that group that flowed well together, and it seemed to work.
What’s the most integral track on the album for each of you?
Johnny Wingo: “Exalt The Highway” Brad Smith: “Endless Distance of Belief” Mike Brown: “Endless Distance of Belief” Matt: “One Seventh Of A Shadow.”
“Shape Shifting Nightmare Celebration” is one of our favorites. What inspired that track, specifically?
Matt: “Shape Shifting Nightmare Celebration” is one of the most unusually structured songs on the album, and was probably inspired by Robert Pollard’s solo material. He has a penchant for writing songs that are inspired by progressive rock, with very unconventional song structures. So, I was attempting to write something in a similar vein, where the song does not follow a predictable verse/chorus structure. The song’s coda was even taken from a completely separate recording, and added in later.
What’s the recording process like for you guys? Does it start with a hook? Are the lyrics all written out first? Do you just play and sing until something makes sense?
Matt: I have several different methods for writing and recording. I’ll usually start with a riff or a finished guitar instrumental, and try to write a melody over that. Then, I’ll write lyrics that fit the melody. Other times, the lyrics come first, but I usually start the process with a song title in mind. I keep an ongoing list of titles, and I find them to be a constant source of inspiration for songs. Another method that I’ve developed recently is to attempt to write a melody for a complete set of lyrics. I’ll then record the song A Capella as a reference, and then complete the song by assigning a chord progression to it later. I find this method particularly exciting. It’s fun and easy.
Any fun anecdotes about the recording process for Elevated Levels?
Matt: Actually, the first thing that comes to mind was not fun at all. The hard drive on my 16 track recorder crashed during the recording of the most complex song on the album, “Over Caravan Park.” I probably spent more time on that song than anything else I’ve written, and once I purchased a replacement machine, it had to be re-recorded from scratch. Not fun. But, it worked out, and the version that appears on the album is the second attempt.
If you could choose any movie or TV series to have your music placed in, which would you choose and why?
Matt: The Man In The High Castle or The Handmaid’s Tale would be pretty incredible. I’m a big David Lynch fan, so it would be amazing to be included in one of his projects.
If you could have your dream rider list, what would be included on it?
Matt: Beer, maybe some tacos. We’d be happy to just have a rider.
Calzones or pizza? Substantiate your claim.
Matt: Pizza. I mean…it’s pizza!
Do you believe in Sasquatch? Why do you think we should or shouldn’t?
Matt: I don’t know much about Sasquatch, so I have to defer to the wisdom of the late Mitch Hedberg on this one. He said, “I think Bigfoot is blurry, that’s the problem. It’s not the photographer’s fault. Bigfoot is blurry, and that’s extra scary to me. There’s a large, out-of-focus monster roaming the countryside.”
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Keep up with Mythical Motors – and maybe Bigfoot – here.
Brooklyn-based rock musician Ian Wayne‘s debut album might not be out quite yet – A Place Where Nothing Matters drops November 16th – but his clear creative abilities are showing up all over the place. For example, his new music video for single “Revelation”. Shot and edited by Ian himself – with additional footage by Winston Cook-Wilson – “Revelation” explores mundane activities with Ian in a suit, highlighting the beauty of the streets of Brooklyn in some scenes, and glimpsing other bits of nature in others. As Ian eats a pastry on a chair, a cat lounges lazily behind him. A cap adds some flair to his suit (see: above), but nothing caps the quirky esthetic of an animation that pops into the frame seemingly randomly near the end.
Trust us, it’s a pretty entertaining video. And the track is more than perfect for your next house hangs playlist. Take a gander below!
If you have not witnessed the glory that is Thunderpussy – live or otherwise – it’s time to wake up. We had a chance to glimpse their live performance tactics at this year’s Sasquatch Music Festival, and we were absolutely blown away as they upstaged the other performances going on around them. Seattle-based, this all-female band – expertly comprised of Molly Sides (Vocals), Whitney Petty (Guitar), Leah Julius (Bass), and Ruby Dunphy (Drums) – is taking their chops to the road, giving North America a taste of their high energy, brilliantly colored stage presence and gorgeous rock music. We’re about to join the party at Riot Room on Tuesday night, and we got the unique experience of asking guitar extraordinaire Whitney Petty some questions leading up to the tour. Check out the brief moment we got, as she explained finding her musical soulmate and creating tantalizing melodies.
Let’s get back to the basics. What was the first song or album you ever remember listening to, and do you think it has any impact on who you are as a performer today?
When I was 12 I bought my first Aerosmith CD, Nine Lives, it had just come out. I still know every word and nuance of each song on that record. I am still totally in love with Steven Tyler. Aerosmith are a huge influence on me.
While you’re busy “piercing the walls of Valhalla”, does anything about your conception story strike you as amazing? Was it a meet cute? Tell us about your beginnings!
Well, meeting Molly was an incredible event in my life. It’s a singular feeling when you meet your soulmate. And like I said, I love Aerosmith. I had always hoped that one day I meet my musical accomplice, like the Steven to my Joe. That’s Molly.
What is the recording process like?
It depends on the song, but there is usually always a melody first. Sometimes that melody is on the guitar, and sometimes it is with a lyric. Each song kind of has its own DNA.
You put out your s/t EP in May, and it’s absolutely captivating. Any personal or behind the scenes anecdotes from the recording process you’d like to share?
Working with Sylvia was a dream. Everyone learned so much about the process from her everyday. We should have had a film crew with us in the ‘Real World Ashland house’, as we called it. One of the highlights was recording Young and Pure very live and very stoned (as per Sylvia’s request) in the dark at the very end of the session. There is some magic on that track!
Anyone have a favorite song off of that EP, or something you prefer to perform?
There isn’t any song on there that we don’t like to perform, but some are more lively than others! Velvet Noose is always thrilling, and we all love to play Torpedo. With three distinct parts it’s always a journey…
We got the unique pleasure of witnessing you perform at Sasquatch earlier this year. How does festival life compare to your regular touring life? Is there something you prefer or dislike more?
CATERING. Is what’s up. Festivals are rad!! We love getting to meet artists and see big shows up close and personal.
And. Your OUTFITS. Are you always that bedazzled? What inspired that choice for Sasquatch? (We are in love.)
Yes!!! We love the glam;) Shout out to Pakio Galore out of Seattle, who makes a lot of our costumes. Molly is very instrumental in the vision of how we present ourselves onstage. And who doesn’t love a good color theme?!
When you need time to regroup – to conquer writer’s block or find your new sound or take a minute – where do you go? What’s your safe haven?
Molly and I love nature. We go to the mountains fairly often, in Idaho. And I love Kauai, when I can get there. But there is no place like our native Seattle!!!
Any fun pre-performance rituals?
Drink the blood of virgins, sacrifice a goat, that kind of thing…
Your rider list is probably pretty modest compared to, say, J.Lo. But if you could have anything on your rider list, what would you do?
Kittens and puppies in the green room, obv.
Something a little off-kilter… Do you believe in intuition and. the power of psychics? Why or why not?
Of course. I believe in the collective unconscious and synchronicity. I believe in Karma. I think there is a subtlety to life and events that many people perceive and many miss.
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Don’t forget to head out to Riot Room on the 16th to enjoy the magic of Thunderpussy’s live performance, and keep up with them here.
Vancouver, BC-based rock musician Rich Hope – who is joined by Adrian Mack on drums – releases his new track “5 Cents a Dance” today, and we’re streaming it for your eager ears. Whirring guitar and intense percussion lead you into a soundscape that sets its listener into party mode. This song is hard-hitting and raw, sticking with you far after the track stops playing. Hope’s energy-inducing sound is so fast that you might have issues keeping up, though perhaps that’s the biggest thing we need on this gorgeous Tuesday.
Get your exclusive first listen to “5 Cents a Dance” below.
Alternative indie rock music project The March Divide – from brainchild Jared Putnam – has a million tour dates ahead of him, but that didn’t stop him from releasing the brand new animated music video for the single “To All My Friends”. The song itself feels like a feel-good 90s indie pop track-meets-alt-rock/pop track from the oughts, and the visuals are brilliant and eye opening, to say the least. Explains Jared of the work:
I reached out to director and animator, Harold Loeffler-Bell, to do some videos for songs from my new album ‘Anticipation Pops.’ Harry really has a way of communicating the songs, in a simple and completely accurate way. Being shielded, while everything is falling down around you, perfectly explains the attitude and emotion of the trilogy of animated videos he created for the songs ‘I Don’t Care,’‘Overexposure,’ and now, ‘To All My Friends.’ Sometimes we need some help from our friends, to make it through.
We are lucky enough to be hosting the exclusive premiere of the video, so get your peepers on the work below!
Tour Dates:
09/26/2018: St. Louis, MO @ Heavy Anchor
09/27/2018: Kansas City, MO @ Davey’s Uptown
10/05/2018: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
10/06/2018: Houston, TX @ House Show (w/Brightwire)
10/15/2018: Norman, OK @ Red Brick Bar
10/16/2018: Tulsa, OK @ The Hunt Club
10/17/2018: Oklahoma City, OK @ The Root
10/18/2018: Wichita, KS @ Kirby’s Beer Store
10/19/2018: Colorado Springs, CO @ TBA
10/20/2018: Denver, CO @ Monkey Barrel
10/21/2018: Boulder, CO @ Laughing Goat
10/23/2018: Taos, NM @ Adobe Bar
10/24/2018: Albuquerque, NM @ Red Door Brewing Company
10/25/2018: Montrose, CO @ Intrinzik
10/26/2018: Steamboat Springs, CO @ Auram
10/27/2018: Fallon, NV @ Telegraph
10/28/2018: Reno, NV @ Foxy Olive
10/29/2018: Sedona, AZ @ Vino Di Sedona
10/30/2018: Bisbee, AZ @ The Quarry
10/31/2018: El Paso, TX @ House Show (w/Sleepspent)
11/01/2018: Santa Fe, NM @ Tumbleroot
11/02/2018: Amarillo, TX @ The 806
11/03/2018: Wichita Falls, TX @ Gypsy Uncorked
11/08/2018: San Antonio, TX @ Limelight (Full Band)
11/09/2018: Lubbock, TX @ Downtown Social Club (Full Band)
11/15/2018: San Antonio, TX @ Joe Blues
11/16/2018: San Antonio, TX @ Southtown 101
11/17/2018: San Antonio, TX @ The Point
12/02/2018: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
12/07/2018: Ocean Springs, MS @ Greenhouse on Porter
12/06/2018: Butte La Rose, LA @ Willow Atchafalaya
12/13/2018: Ashville, NC @ French Broad Brewing
12/15/2018: Kansas City, MO @ The KC House
12/16/2018: Oklahoma City, OK @ Sauced
12/18/2018: Tulsa, OK @ The Hunt Club
12/19/2018: Oklahoma City, OK @ The Root
12/20/2018: Dallas, TX @ Adair’s Saloon
12/21/2018: Norman, OK @ Red Brick Bar
12/22/2018: Wichita Falls, TX @ Gypsy Uncorked
12/29/2018: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
Are you into quirky, emotional, indie rock music? Because Active Bird Community – and their brand new album Amends, out today – could really do the trick for you. The Brooklyn-based collective has been creating their brand of alternative music together since 2005 when the guys were in middle school, and the evolution has been impeccable, as they hone their sound into something 90’s babies will cherish, perhaps, more than anyone else. Amends is direct evidence of that.
Beginning with the title track, Amends establishes that slacker sound to a T while it meanders through with rough guitars, perfectly sometimes-whiny vocals, and a robust, head-bobbing energy. This carries well into second track “Holier”, though third track “Sweaty Lake” – as memorable as that name is – picks up the pace immensely, and understandably so. (See: the title “Sweaty Lake”.) Things slow again in “Unwind With Me”, which is, again, a direct reflection of the song title.
Once we get to “Baby It’s You”, I don’t think anyone is expecting a horns section. But there it is, an intro that wakes you back up with its differentiation from its predecessors. The pace takes that of a Weezer track, and we’re on board with the energy again. .”Virginia” feels more 90s grunge than others thus far, ragging on people for being “just a cliche” and challenging the object of their attention. “Blame” slows down to a ballad-like crawl, emotional in its disposition, while “Downstairs” adds some more quirk back into the feel of the album with light percussion and a rough, beautiful bass line.
“Metrics” starts with a toe-tapping, pop-like feel, and then delves back into the whirring guitars, hard percussion, and upbeat attitude of the majority of Amends. “Silver Screen” begins slow, simple, and then bursts into this kaleidoscope of sound that we didn’t necessarily see coming. “Lighthouse” rounds it all out quite beautifully, performed on acoustic guitar to really enhance the lovely, soft feeling of the lyrics.
You know, until it gets a little rowdy toward the end. But we really couldn’t have hoped for anything different.
If you have never heard of NYC-based band Jeremy & the Harlequins, then you are in for a treat. While this band is fairly new, over the last few years, they have seen growing success in their past music, such as being featured in movies, playlists, and even going on tour. Jeremy & the Harlequins recently released their new album Remember This today, August 17th! Their track “Remember This”, as well as the entire album, contains aspects of modern day rock and alternative music while also presenting sounds of classic rock music which sets them apart from other modern day rock bands.
I would say that one of the best songs on the album would have to be “Nothing Civil” because it has an positive upbeat tempo that makes you want to play the song over and over again! If you’re looking for a few songs on the album that contain more of the classic rock vibe, then the songs for you would be “California Roc”, “Like A Prayer”, and “Hold On” because they not only have the ‘classic rock’ instrumentals, but they also provide smooth rock vocals. The rest of the album is just as stunning as these few songs. No song sounds exactly like the other, and you are getting a different surprise with each new song.
Be sure to catch Jeremy & the Harlequins currently on tour with Chuck Prophet, or Electric Six in October. This will be a tour you don’t want to miss! Support Jeremy & the Harlequins by listening to all of their new music!
Being that it’s summer time, we’re all very busy, but smart and talented Shonali Bhowmik takes busy to the next level! Not only did she attend law school throughout her career, but Bhowmik also leads a life of acting, and performing with her band Tigers & Monkeys. Tigers & Monkeys create a blend of indie rock music that matches perfectly with the alternative style vocals with a hint of some southern charm in there to take it bake to Bhowmik’s childhood roots. Tigers & Monkeys are expected to release their new album Saturday Destroyer on September 17, which you will want to keep an eye out for, because the best is yet to come! As a teaser, the band recently released their new single “In An Instant” which combines everything that you would want to hear coming from a new album.
In order to get ready for their new album release, stay up to date with Tigers & Monkeys on Facebook and by listening to all of their previous music!
Houston band Jody Seabody and the Whirls take it back to old school punk rock with their latest single, which is off their upcoming third album Hawksamillion. “GrenadeGreen” is a long track, tapering off at six and a half minutes. And majority of it is high intensity — it’s loud and jarring and absolutely mind-boggling. The lyrics are screamed rather than sung, giving it the true angry garage rock feel. This is the kind of music that is easily forgotten in this day and age, but JS&TW manages to embody the genre and turn it into a stand-out track.
At around the 4 minute mark, the song does a complete 180. The rock vibe is still there, but it’s slower and more mysterious. There are no lyrics, no screaming. Just the instrumental. The shift is surprising, yet welcome. It allows the anger from before to dissipate and turn into Led Zeppelin-esque classic rock and roll. This song seems to capture the ever-changing emotions of rock music in such a way that shows how this is a band that does not stay in one place.
Be sure to listen to their newest album, due out on August 24, and check them out on their upcoming tour. Keep up with the band here.
