by Meredith Schneider | Sep 16, 2019 | albums, review
This year, we had the insane pleasure of sitting down to chat with Throwawy for an imperfect Fifth podcast recording session. In fact, it was our very first one. We were honored then to speak with her, and even more honored now to be laser focused on her most recent release, a full-length titled What?
A collection of 8 high energy songs, What? boasts a relatable string of lyrics and an inviting disposition, despite the heaviness of the topics and the cadence with which the vocals are delivered. Titles like “Bonatan Jyers”, “The Brilliant Society of the Illustrious Mule”, and “I Work!” draw you in, with the unexpectedly wonderful blend of theatrical, edgy instrumentals (“The Revenge Society”) and attitude keeping you in place. As each new track begins, a sense of urgency — and, at times, insanity — appears for a moment, and then you relax into the layers of energy blasting from the speakers.
Definitely do not try to enjoy this album right before bed.
For more about the artist, check out our podcast episode under your first listen to the album!
Keep up with Throwaway here.
by Kira Cappello | Sep 13, 2019 | albums, review
Dori Freeman’s new album titled Every Single Star is a perfect follow up to her 2016 break out year. Produced by Teddy Thompson this album features a sparkling voice over simplistic instrumentals allowing her Appalachian style to fully shine through. The powerful way she talks about heartbreak in so many of the tracks allows you to feel a connection to the pain she has been able to withstand, leaving hope for women who are in similar situations. Though Freeman’s personal life has changed between the release of her first album to this one, her message remains clear as she is loyal to the roots that have gotten her this far in music.
Choosing to sing about motherhood and the music industry itself Freeman is able to bring to light a little-discussed topic in the business. Taking on the role of the contended mother instead of a rejected lover Freeman speaks to her experience making this album by saying, “Musicians that are also moms and have to juggle touring and being at home and spending enough time with your child; that’s something that’ really hard for me to find balance in.” In the track “Like I Do” she expresses her love for her child singing, “nobodies gonna love you like I do” a lyric I’m sure almost every parent can relate to. The song plays an important role in her need to include her daughter into the album without making it all about her; a charming tribute this song is definitely one to take note of.
Providing a classic feel Freeman does an exceptional job making her songs sound like they’ve been around for ages in a comfortable and quintessential way. As a listener, you will often experience hints of Reba McIntire, Loretta Lynn, or Dolly Parton through the old twang and lofty notes of the tracks. This is most noticeable in songs “How I Feel” and “Darlin’ Boy” with the way she utilizes the instrumentals to accentuate her lyricism.
The most unique track on the album is definitely “2 Step”, where produce Thompson joins in for a duet with Freeman, creating a mystical blend of dazzling harmony. As a song about dancing, it’s no wonder the track sets forth a desire to stand up and let yourself loose as the music flows through you with a strong mountain soul.
Creating an album with songs of all emotions, Freeman has done what so many artists strive to do in crafting a complete story of songs to settle into. Her sophomore album Every Single Star should definitely not be overlooked and will provide endless hours of joy and powerful feministic inspiration. Be sure to catch the release of Every Single Star and to follow Dori Freeman on Instagram.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 11, 2019 | soundtrack
Yup. We did that. We totally quoted an overly-used Green Day song in the title. If you got this far, congrats! And now it’s time to share with you some of the most spectacular gems we have found this month in our September Spotify soundtrack. Featuring new listening opportunities from Tegan and Sara, Daniella Mason, MIKA, Quiet Hounds, and more, we’re kind of obsessed. But we also want you to know we update this playlist almost daily, so bookmarking it and checking back all month will do you some good, especially for new music discovery!
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 10, 2019 | soundtrack
Hey hi. It’s September. Our friends are talented. We’ve got new music videos out the wazzoo for you. Briston Maroney, James Arthur, and Mike Posner are all in the roundup, along with some new names and faces that we just adore! Check out the soundtrack now, and head back over all month for new additions!
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 9, 2019 | albums, review
Kansas City-based favorites Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear have done it again with their new release, a delightful full-length titled Started With a Family, which — to their credit — it did entirely. And they’ve packed it to the brim with their signature robust, at times raspy, and beautiful vocal harmonies. “Saturday Morning Cartoons” opens the collection, beginning with a beautiful sentiment of current and future happiness. But hang on through to the end and you will either be slightly disturbed or just completely worried about your future. Nonetheless, they speak truth and continue to do so through slower second track “Hell Better Make Room”. “Never Met a Mutha” begins with a soundscape similar to Death Cab’s “I Will Follow You Into the Dark”, however it blossoms into a folk song that seems to be a testament to Mama Bear, though it could be easily applied elsewhere.
“Botticelli” slows things down again, a bit of a detached option from the relatable side of things. “Back to the North” has an interesting melody, prepping us for the more intricate “Started With a Family”, in which Madisen Ward addresses his family specifically. It’s simple, beautiful, and elegant in a way. Stemming from it is “Guts n Glory”, a bit more graphic than its predecessors, however still very relaxing in its disposition. “Crackle Lyn Wood” possesses both a clever name and a beautiful video, which can be seen below.
“Lightning Kids” holds its spot as the second to last track on this incredible folk album. It doesn’t have quite the pace we expected for having the term “lightning” in the title, but also leaves a lasting impression with its introspective lyrical content. The duo rounds the album out wonderfully with “Little Mountain”, showcasing Mama Bear’s (Ruth Ward) timeless, heartbreaking vocals. That packs a powerful punch, and we’re going to go ahead and hit “repeat” for a while.
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Keep up with Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear here.
by Kira Cappello | Sep 9, 2019 | albums, review
Incendiary, vengeful, and all-around kickass: The first full-length album from New Zealand powerhouse Miss June slams from start to finish. Brimming with fiercely punk riot grrrl anthems and self-deprecating moodiness, Bad Luck Party spans captivating rock methods across eras; from the stadiums of the early 80s to 90s alt-rock radio hits alike.
What do you get when you cross the youthful rebellion of 00’s pop-rock with contemporary punk? The answer is opening track “Twitch”; a smoldering, mile-a-minute plunge into the inferno that is Bad Luck Party. The first single of Bad Luck Party dropped in May of 2018, it acts an effective launch into the zeitgeist of the album, with dripping, electric fuzz stacked behind racing drum fills. “Twitch” especially stands out on BadLuck Party because it could fall first, central, or middle on the album’s track listing, and its catharsis would be perfectly timed regardless.
With track two – titled “Best Girl” – Miss June welcomes us into the first of many sarcastic rejections of the drags of femininity. A tongue-in-cheek nod to the album’s title, the chorus chants again and again: “It’s a bad luck party and nobody wins but me”, as voiceovers from vocalist Annabel Liddell whisper gossipy taunts over the anxiety of a tight snare.
Bad Luck Party never takes a breather, yet it does breathe a satisfying range of moods and dynamic differentiation. Tracks “Anomaly”, “Orchid”, and “Double Negative” are moody, narrative-focused, and feature toned-down vocals relative to their accompaniments on the album. Heart-swelling anthem “Anomaly” takes you right to a high school football stadium, where a protagonist fawns over a crush, with just a tinge of jealousy. Following suit in the spirit of reflective indie influences is “Orchid”; a pensive look into a dirty mirror that shatters if you stay too long. The lyrics of “Orchid” offer some of the clearest feminist commentary on Bad Luck Party, deftly melded with wracking heartache, as Liddell croons: “Ma says it’s easier for men to move on / There’s plenty of fish in the sea for a shark”.
The middle track on the album, “Double Negative”, is a simmering, melancholy beacon that carries with it an emotion not found many other places on Bad Luck Party; the urge to mourn. A cavernous cello carves out the space around Liddell’s vocals, creating a landing space for her regrets as she tosses them over the edge: “There was no time to talk”. An eruption follows, with any remaining boundaries combusting into unresolved questions.
There are more songs on Bad Luck Party album guaranteed to triple your heart rate than not. An anthem of repudiation, “Please Waste My Time” is arguably the wildest and most fun on Miss June’s spectrum of alt-punk. Just before her breakneck squeals send the chorus into chaos, Liddell’s contrasting shouts of “You make me feel old” break the tension, expertly shifting from frenzy back into musicality. On “Two Hits” and “Aquarium”, Liddell lobs rapid, ear-splitting screeches in rapid pace, demanding the forefront of attention, even over the thundering, metal-style guitars. Second-to-last song “Scorpio” is no less thrashing, but is marked by the softer, melodic singing of a ballad as opposed to the ravenous contempt wreaked on earlier tracks.
“Enemies”, a single released earlier in 2019, opens gradually and dramatically, drudging through a nightmarish yet fascinating landscape of stinging feedback and reverbing leads, before trenching into Liddell’s warning lyricism. This track is an ode to massive stadium rock acts of the past like Metallica, as well as extant subgenres like metalcore– all with Miss June’s defining riot grrrl explosivity. Matching the doom of “Enemies” is final track “Polio”, a finisher welded together with every trick in Liddell’s arsenal: Cautioning whispers give way to spoken directness, gradually ascending into screeching ferocity; nearly eclipsing the deafening crash of the surrounding scape.
Miss June is comprised of vocalist and guitarist Annabel Liddell, guitarist Jun Cheul Park, bassist Chris Marshall, and Tom Leggett. Next month, the group will begin their world-wide tour in celebration of the album’s release. The Bad Luck Party Tour will kick off in Wellington, New Zealand and October 14 sees the band play Brooklyn’s Rough Trade which marks the start of the North American run that includes shows in Toronto, Chicago and Los Angeles. All dates are listed below. Tickets and more tour info can be found here.
Keep up with Miss June here: Website ** Instagram ** Facebook
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 7, 2019 | 5 to 7
Amidst the madness following the release of their new album Claw Your Way Out, indie quartet Modern Moxie took a few minutes to answer some questions for us. Quite the feat, considering this is the debut full-length release for band members Madison Lucas (Vocals, Guitar, Synth), Harrison Kollm (Bass), Phil Pucci (Lead Guitar), and Charlie Weeks (Drums), who have come in to the soundspace with an ethereal energy we can’t help but melt into. Check out our interview below, and take a listen to the album while you do! We promise you’ll be a convert.
What was the first song or album that you remember hearing, and does that work of art have any influence on how you approach your music today?
The memory that sticks with me the most is seeing an infomercial for a Beatles box set when I was a small kid. The commercial started with a clip of “Hey Jude” and I just remember seeing Paul McCartney’s face and yelling at my mom “Who was that?!” I was obsessed instantly and have been since then. The Beatles have always been a massive influence for me and I will never forget that moment I first heard them. I am a sucker for that classic pop song structure and I burned it into my brain over years and years of obsessing over every record they every put out. I’m constantly working on expanding the musical world of what I listen to, but they will always be home for me.
What is the conception story of Modern Moxie? Was it a meet cute? (P.S. LOVE THE NAME!)
Thank you!! It took what felt like a century to come up with the name. I always just played under my name (Madison Lucas) but I wanted to be in a rock band more than anything. All I wanted was to play with a group and create music together, it was my biggest dream since I started writing songs. It seemed like this distant life just out of reach, but I just kept pushing until it finally all fell together.
I met Harry first, he is the beginning of the band! He means so much to me and it honestly freaks me out how random our meeting was. I was out at this bar called Jack Beagles in Charlotte and having a pretty terrible night. I was in one of those infamous rough patches everybody has in their life and Harry just sort of dropped into my life out of nowhere like a beacon of light. I was sitting in a corner alone feeling sorry for myself and I saw him across the room. I just wanted to go talk to him, so I did. I said “You play music don’t you?” which in retrospect was about the corniest pick up line I could of possibly said. Remarkably, I was correct, he played bass. We have hung out pretty much every day since then. We started playing shows together as a duo and we came up with the name roughly a year later. We helped each other through a lot and many of the future Modern Moxie songs were forming then. We went through a series of lineup changes but eventually met our band family with Phil Pucci (lead guitar) and Charlie Weeks (drums). Me and Harry were married by Phil in 2017! He is an officiant if anybody needs a marriage real quick.
I wish there was a cool story behind the actual name but basically, we love M’s, alliteration and the letter X so it checked all the boxes. I carried around a little notebook with ideas for about 8 months, I thought nothing would ever work. I also love 60’s mod fashion so it just fit and here we are! Band names are so strange, they feel wrong at first then after years you just become them. I can’t imagine having any other name now.
Do you think that being located in Charlotte has any bearing on what type of music you create? I always wonder in a “nature vs. nurture” kind of way.
Absolutely! I don’t think you can help being influenced by the music that is around you. I go to a ton of local shows in Charlotte and I know each and every one of them shape the music I am creating along with the feel of our live performance. There is so much beautiful art in Charlotte and I try to soak up as much as I can. Also, without Phil/Charlie/Harry the music would not sound the same and if I wasn’t in Charlotte I would have never met them. This city means everything to me and it’s been a wonderful city to create music and share what we do.
What’s your favorite thing about performing together in front of a crowd?
Oh man there is nothing like it! I love everything about it, it invigorates me in a way I have yet to reproduce in any other way. I’m still terrified before I go on stage, but I’ve learned to use that energy to help my performance. It’s taken years, but I feel like I’m finally finding my comfort zone up there. There is no better practice in the world for a band, we learn new things every single time we go on that stage. You never know how people will react, what they will dance to, it’s all an experiment. I love connecting with people and playing music for a crowd connects you to them in a way that’s hard to describe. It’s something I hope to do for the rest of my life. If just one person takes something good from one of our shows I consider that a successful gig.
In June, you released the masterful Claw Your Way Out. From the beginning, we’re drawn in by powerful vocals and gorgeously layered vocals that just won’t quit. Any fun anecdotes from the production of this album?
We had so much fun recording that album, I don’t even know where to begin. Working with Kenny McWilliams in Columbia, SC at Archer Avenue Studios was an absolute dream come true, he is just magic to work with. That was the first time we have all recorded anything together as a band so it was a riot. Lots of goofing around and way too much Taco Bell. The coolest part in my memory is when we were able to play around with this Roland Space Echo tape effect. We were all entirely too obsessed with the spacey sounds and watching the tape feed through, it was wild. It makes a different sound every time you use it so we wasted many valuable studio hours playing with that thing. You can hear it best at the end of the record on “Believers in Sound” after Phil’s beautiful guitar solo (my fav solo on the record).
Was there something in particular that made you choose the order of the tracks on the release?
That part will make you think entirely too much! One of those final touches that really feels like a giant decision. We wanted to have tons of energy opening the record and for there to be a journey to the sound. We always knew we wanted “Symphony”, “Claw Your Way Out” and “Til I’m a Ghost” out front for high energy. “Believers in Sound” felt like an album closer to us so we stuck with that. The order of the rest was just trial and error, playing the record over and over and then we finally landed on the final track order. I’m a big fan of the album format and we did want it to tell a story beginning to end.
The title track has a unique sense of urgency to it from the beginning, which dissipates a little bit with the vocals later. How did you approach the production of that track?
That track has changed so much throughout time. The first time we ever played that it was just Harry on bass and me singing. In my head I heard it as this huge, driving track, really bass heavy. It really began to take form when I bought my Korg Minilogue, the main synth sound comes out of that. I wanted it to be huge, but also be able to reproduce it on stage. I was listening to a ton of Metric at the time, I know that had a big influence. On the record Harry played his bass with a pick which helped it really cut through. I’m so happy with the way that one turned out, giant thanks to Kenny McWilliams for locking that in exactly like we had in our heads. We have entirely too much fun playing that one live, it’s usually our closer.
“Flowers in Your Hair” feels theatrical, in a Panic at The Disco Pretty. Odd. kind of way. We’re obsessed. What inspired it, specifically?
Well holy crap thank you, I love Panic! Listening to Pretty Odd as I type this. So glad you enjoy it! This song has a very embarrassing back story so here we go. I am a giant Lana Del Rey fan and had tickets with one of my best friends Aly to go see her show. My friend Aly is also an amazing bartender, so we were having mad martinis pre show. Have you ever gotten so excited about something you ruined it for yourself? Yep, that is what happened. I barely remember the show. I also fell down Aly’s giant apartment stairs on my way down to an Uber (multiple times, multiple stairs). In summary, a very bad night. I’ve had a touchy relationship with alcohol and this was my last bad night. The next day I wrote “Flowers in Your Hair” with bruises all over my entire body and promised myself I would never do that to myself again. One bad fall down some stairs and you’re dead, never forget.
Taking care of those vocal cords can be a little taxing. What do you do to keep yourself healthy when you’re prepping to sing?
What do I not do to get ready to sing? I’m slightly insane in this department. I think it’s sort of connected to my anxiety. It can’t hurt to prepare right? I drink as much water as humanly possible, limit alcohol, singer’s spray (so great), tea and honey, room temperature water, pineapple juice, vocal warm ups/exercises etc. Basically, if you have heard that it helps voices I have tried it probably.
Throwing this one in for fun! How do you think the seven wonders of the world came to be? Do you think it was human hands, aliens, a little help from Mother Nature or some other force?
After much debate, I’m pretty certain people just had a lot of time on their hands back in the day. If we didn’t have phones and TV imagine the number of things we would have to do to fill our time? However, me and Harry watch a LOT of Ancient Aliens and conspiracy theory shows so I’m open to anything. Cats probably did it.
I HAVE to ask about Bowie. What’s the story behind this precious cat, and would you consider Bowie a mascot of sorts? (My cat Schmidt is a mascot for iF FOR SURE.)
I have two cats! Bowie and Scully. Bowie just makes the internet more because she’s always doing strange things, Scully is move private and elusive. Bowie was discovered in a Vespa dealership parking lot by my yoga instructor. Her name was actually Vespa as a kitten but when we adopted her we named her Lady Stardust Bowie. Bowie had just died that year, I’m a huge fan, so her name was written in the stars. Scully is named after Agent Dana Scully from X-Files, a hero among women. They are both definitely Modern Moxie mascots, I wish we could take them on tour. I hope to meet your cat Schmidt one day, what an amazing name!
Anything else you’d like to share with our audience?
If you dig our music please share with your friends, post it, add to your playlists, every little thing helps! I wish I could get across to everybody how much those tiny actions help out baby indie bands like us. Thank you so much for your support while we chase these dreams!
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Keep up with Modern Moxie here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 5, 2019 | premieres, videos
Nashville-based pop/rock trio Band of Silver – comprised of siblings Avery, Alex, and Evan Silvernagel – releases the video for their cover of “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men today. We’ve got your first look, and it’s a fun one. A gorgeous song in its own right, Band of Silver decided to add a little more rock guitar and an exponential amount of energy to the track, leaving us moving and grooving a little bit more. Shot beautifully and simply in a warehouse setting, this video also delivers a hint of what the band’s live stage presence is like. In fact, it’s that captivating stage presence that led to this video. Expands the collective:
A few months ago, we saw The Sweet Lizzy Project perform “Little Talks” at Bourbon Street. The crowd really lit up when the song started and we thought, “Hey, we have a male and female singer. We could cover this.” The band did a great job, but we wanted to make our rendition different from theirs as well as the original. We thought it would be fun to mess around with signature melody by playing it on keyboard and guitar rather than horns. Every time I hear this song, it brings me back to art class my sophomore year of high school. Our teacher would play music while we worked, and this is one of the songs I remember most distinctly.
Keep up with Band of Silver here.
by Caitlyn Champ | Sep 5, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
Indie pop artist Jon Hill is dropping his new single “Human” today from Broken Record Co. Featuring as the title track on his upcoming EP, this emotional yet simplistic track offers relief from the demons behind our eyelids and allows us to not feel so alone for a while. Opening the track with piano chords instantly places the listener in the world of Hill and sets the stage for the addition of an electronic bass beat around the 20-second mark pushing the song forward toward the rest of the track. Stacatto style singing during the bridge breaks up the smooth and flowing chorus to provide added emphasis on the message of the song and Hill’s dreamy voice folds the listener within its velvety grasp. Keeping the lyrics to a minimum, Hill allows the listener to get lost in the song instead of their head. From the opening piano to the closing beats, this song is an emotional ride that shines a light on the struggles we all face being human, reminding us it’s okay to not be perfect.
Be sure to check out this wonderful new song and give Hill a follow on social media such as Instagram.
![band of silver, “little talks” [of monsters and men]](http://imperfectfifth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/1-1080x675.jpg)
