by Meredith Schneider | Jun 27, 2018 | 5 to 7
Relatively new duo Broken Baby – comprised of Amber Bollinger and Alex Dezen – is hitting the Los Angeles music scene hard with their unique and energy-inducing brand of post punk-rock. They’ve already brought social commentary to the forefront in first single “Year of The Fat Man”, in an endearing way that gets you moving, even if you aren’t necessarily a dancer. But their new single “Pass The Acetone” is set for release this week, and we’ve got your exclusive premiere of the upbeat, sassed-up track right now.
Of course, we had to throw a few questions at them as well. So while you enjoy the new tune, check out our quick interview below!
What was your first musical memory, or the first album or song you heard? Do you think that has any bearing on who you are as an artist now?
Alex: I don’t know if I can remember that. I think it was probably hearing Saturday Night Fever coming through the walls of my parents room. The next thing I remember is a vinyl copy of Let It Be by The Replacements that I broke. It was my sister’s. She was pissed.
What is the conception story of Broken Baby? Was it a meet-cute? Give us all the details!
Amber: We were on tour for Alex Dezen’s second solo record and we were bored in a van driving across the country. Alex suggested we started a band together. I thought it was a joke, but when we got back to Los Angeles we followed through. Yep. The EP was done two weeks later.
A recent post on Facebook gave us a glimpse into the raw beauty of being empowered, woman or man. What spurred on this beautiful and open post about double standards?
Amber: Alex and I have so many talks about music and life, and we agree that this is a very interesting time.
Alex: Someone had asked us about it, so we answered.
We have until September to wait for your next official release. While we wait, how do you think your sound has evolved since the beginning of Broken Baby? Has your process changed at all?
Amber: Actually, you only have to wait about a week until our next song is released. PASS THE ACETONE will be out June 29th!
I think our sound is constantly evolving and moving forward. In ways that I don’t care to analyze yet. It’s been spontaneous so far, and that’s been a good thing.
Do you believe in aliens? Why or why not?
Alex: No.
Amber: Hell YEAH, I do! You’d be a dummy to think we’re the only ones to exist in this ever expanding universe. Come on!
Keep up with Broken Baby and their new music (HELLO “Pass the Acetone”!) here!
by Meredith Schneider | Jun 27, 2018 | snapshot, visual
LANY riled up a growing crowd on Day 2 of Bonnaroo 2018. We got into their stage antics pretty quickly, and got a few photos for you to enjoy.
by Meredith Schneider | Jun 26, 2018 | premieres, singles, wolf tracks
Baton Rouge-born and Austin, TX-based musician Ben Millburn has been gracing the psych genre with his own brand of beautiful, kaleidoscope-like tracks. His most recent – a single titled “Call Me King” – touts the talent that we are to expect from his upcoming debut LP, Sunglass Moustache. And though we have to wait until the autumn months to get our ears on that release, we’ve got the exclusive premiere of “Call Me King” for you right now.
Layering in from simple guitar chords, Ben’s relaxed, 60’s vocals – though sometimes abrupt – lead you on . a journey through a soundscape that is absolute perfection for those lazy summer nights. (Or, perhaps more specifically, those nights in the warm months that you allow yourself to slow down for a beat.) We’re big fans, so much so that we might insist that you refer to us as “King.”
Sunglass Moustache is out this September. Keep your eyes peeled for it here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jun 21, 2018 | 5 to 7
Dallas, Texas-based musician Garrett “Sleepy” Zuhoski released his debut album Better Haze this month, and if you haven’t yet gotten a taste of it, you’re missing out. That’s not just a simple statement in our eyes – as we’re sure you know, of course – but a testament to how truly enamored we are by his genre-bending style. With each line comes an array of influences, leaving the listener constantly questioning what’s to come. What’s more? The album in its entirety is perfect for a lazy summer day, the recent video for “On a Cloud” all-too-entertaining to miss.
Good news? We’ve got the video and Better Haze in its entirety to share with you, so you don’t have to go searching far and wide for this goodness. We also got a hot second with Garrett himself, so read on for more fun!
What was your first musical memory, or the first album or song you heard? Do you think that has any bearing on who you are as an artist now?
I remember listening to Bob Dylan a lot as a kid. The first time I ever thought a song was beautiful was These Are Days by 10,000 maniacs. Those both probably influenced me quite a bit. I still just want to make beautiful music, but love a gruff matter-of-fact delivery.
After all these years sitting on some of your work and working with other bands, what made you so keen to work with Salim Nourallah when the opportunity arose?
He offered to put me in a real studio and press vinyl haha. I mean, his reputation preceeds him in Dallas. I have been aware of his various projects for about 10 years and know several bands who he’s produced. I knew I was in good hands.
Better Haze is jam packed with a variety of sounds and nuances. How do you want fans to feel after listening to it in its entirety?
I love whole albums; albums as journeys. While I wasn’t really ready to do a proper “concept album” or really have a premeditated flow to it, I want people to feel like they were taken on a pleasant musical tour. I really enjoy making mixes and thinking hard about the flow of a collection of songs. I guess it has less to do with having a specific feeling in mind, I just want a satisfying collection of songs.
“On a Cloud” is such a fun and mysterious music video. What was the production process like on that music video?
Well, that was really all Weird Life Films. The label contacted them about making a video, and they pitched us the idea. We kinda just let them do whatever they wanted. They submitted the idea and we basically just said “go for it” without making any changes. I feel like it’s important to have trust in collaborators. I am not a film maker, and haven’t put much thought into that type of creative outlet, so I pretty much tried to leave it up to the experts. We were so pleased with the outcome that we worked with them on a second video (out soon) where we gave them free reign again to great results.
On a broader spectrum, what drives your passion to create music?
Honestly, I usually write songs to soothe anxiety. Thats probably why my songs have a darker depressed feel, even though people generally refer to my actual personality as goofy and cheery. I feel like theres a natural high that comes from performing music you love. I make music to feel good about myself.
If you could be any superhero – “existing” or made up – who would you be and why?
Oh dang, I’m really not a superhero kinda guy. Maybe be a Doctor Who companion, or Finn The Human.
Keep up with Sleepy Zuhoski here!
by Meredith Schneider | Jun 20, 2018 | videos, wolf tracks
Austin Ward has already begun to make a name for himself with his signature sultry vocals and laid back atmosphere to his music. The brand new music video for his single “2 of Us” drops today, and we’ve got one of your first looks at the masterpiece, which is shot beautifully and follows him around while he interacts with a love interest. The video itself, directed by Elliot Wolf with creative direction by Wolf and Ward himself, seems to take place over a short period of time, acknowledging the back and forth of a relationship along the way, and incorporating mesmerizing dance and live performance tactics by both Ward and his female cohort, Mani Krishna (choreographed by Emily Duncan).
The video is soulful, and one you won’t soon forget.
Phenome is out June 29th. Keep up with Austin here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jun 20, 2018 | snapshot, visual
Broken Social Scene has inspired an array of artists who are living out their own moments to shine now. How wonderful an experience to witness their live performance tactics at Bonnaroo 2018! (Plus: Check out the reflection of the growing audience in some of those sunglasses photos!)
Keep up with Broken Social Scene here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jun 20, 2018 | snapshot, visual
St. Paul & The Broken Bones brought their unique brand of magic to the stage at Bonnaroo 2018. Having never seen them – but having heard the buzz around them for quite some time – we were floored by their set. Here are some photos.
Keep up with the band here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jun 15, 2018 | premieres, videos, wolf tracks
Electro/hip hop act mokroïé – created by Francesco Virgilio in collaboration with singer Carol Aplogan – is at it again with the music video for their track “Put Your Hands in The Dirt”. We’ve got the exclusive premiere of said video, and we’re pretty excited about it.
In case you’re wondering, yes, the video is centered around visuals of hands. As intricate social commentary plays over a nostalgic, 80s, synth-tinged track, we see hands doing an array of different things, the video bringing to the forefront how important our hands are for every day actions.
Observe the glory of human hands – and the silly things we do with them every day – in this new video, and vibe out to a really fun song that just might make its way onto your next playlist!
Keep up with mokroïé here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jun 14, 2018 | show review, snapshot, visual
On Monday, June 11th – on one of the most miserably hot days of the year so far – we headed out to The Riot Room in Kansas City to pack ourselves from wall to wall like sardines and enjoy the musical stylings of Meg Myers. She admitted while on stage that it was one of her first live performances in years, and the KC crowd was pleased to have been blessed with that honor. From the very first notes of “Done”, through “Sorry”, new single “Take Me to the Disco”, “Monster”, “Make a Shadow”, and more all the way through the last notes of “Numb”, she incited an energy in her fans that is rare to find elsewhere.
Wearing mauve high waisted pants, a black crop top, and two tiny buns on the top of her head, Myers seemed to cool the room off with her robust, long-ranging vocals and the intense heart she puts into every single line she sings. Although personal favorites included “Make a Shadow” and “I’m Not Sorry”, her widest known track – “Desire” – was a riot to witness live, as the entire room was privy to every word.
The crowd that gathered was interesting as well, with no particular demographic in mind. It seems her heart and her talent is wide-reaching, touching young hearts all the way to the Jimmy Buffet-looking crowd. (You understand everything about this, don’t lie.) Her set was a reminder of the pure passion involved in the music listening experience.
Meg Myers’ cohorts on this magical night? None other than Kansas City’s Other Americans. We got what photos we could of the sold out show, between heads and as close as we could get to the madness!
**Words by Kevin Bernardi + Meredith Schneider
