Chattanoogaās electro-crooner āDirty Blondeā debuts new video, āHands Offā
Maxwell Denari
February 26, 2019
Tennessee has a lot of history with music and people across the world know it. Nashville is known as āMusic Cityā, Memphis is the birthplace of Rock and Roll and the home of legendary āStax Recordsā... a label credited with helping popularize the brilliance of Southern Soul and Gospel sounds. Yet, Chattanooga is no outlierā¦ having produced the iconic Soul group, The Impressions, prior to their relocation to Chicago. The sentiment of music heritage is still alive and well in Tennesseeā¦ and Chad Caroland contributes to this sentiment in a modern-day sense with Dirty Blonde.
Dirty Blonde comes by way of Chad incorporating Alternative R&B style lyricism and Synthpop influenced production. However; Dirty Blonde comes around with a much more textured and sleeker sound on the new single/music video, āHands Offā. The production of the music video and the song come along with the help of two fellow Chattanooga Residents, videographer āDavy Granberryā and producer āSummer Dregsā.
The new track is from Dirty Blondeās upcoming EP, āBLUEBLOOD, Vol. 2ā, which will be available on all platforms come April 19th. The song itself promotes a gradual shift into a darker, more emotive sound in comparison to Dirty Blondeās synthy debut project, āChasing Skiesā. The music video for āHands Offā provides a fragile ambiance surrounding the pressures of uncertainty as a young person. The anxieties of self-doubt as a whole. All of these aspects showcase a musician trying to expand their craft sonically whilst developing wholly as an artist.
Be sure to stream āHands Offā on Friday March 1st on all platforms and check out the music video via the link below. Dirty Blondeās debut LP āChasing Skiesā is provided below as well.
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Beyond what we already know about the Australian music scene, there are plenty of diamonds in the rough. Arguably, some of the groups that would qualify for this kind of description are some of the most rewarding sound manufacturers of the current moment. None better than Melbourneās Exek, who have released two sonically different yet synonymously enthralling records this year.
āAhead of Two Thoughtsā and āA Casual Assemblyā are two projects that appear so foreign on the surface, though, make complete sense based on the wholly different and enthusiastic approach to music that Exek procure through every track. The anxious slew of spoken word on āA Casual Assemblyā is eerily captivating in partnership with the intricate drone of sound in the background of every tune. Conjuring the feeling of a soundtrack to a melancholic storybook. āAhead of Two Thoughtsā is a separate kind of beast. Filled with groovy, gummy basslines that wooz you into a haze of movement. There is an expert kind of musicianship involved when a song makes you want to dance, yet makes you feel isolated at the same moment in time. Exek have succeeded in bringing such emotional conflictions into the totality of their soundā¦ and are truly making it their own.
With all this being saidā¦ I recently had a chance to talk with one of the members of Exek, Albert. Speaking briefly on a handful of different thingsā¦ from what they have witnessed since touring through the US this past month, to what Albert deems some of his inspirations to be.
Maxwell: So, to startā¦ who all makes up Exekā¦ and how did you all come about forming the band?
Albert: Exek was formed about 5 to 6 years ago. I had a sound in mind and needed to get it out of my head and record. Got a crew of misfits together and that obviously helped with playing shows. Several different members over the years makes it fresh for me and the audience.
Maxwell: How has Melbourneās music scene been an influence on you guys as musicians?
Albert: Melbs enables us to play shows. Cos thereās such a massive scene and so many venues. Even though we donāt play live much. Much rather stay in the studio. But the attitude there is great. Itās very competitive cos thereās so many bands. Some good. Some great. Some shit.
Maxwell: Who are some Aussie bands that you all think deserve more recognition over here in the states?
Albert: Essendon Airport. Pretty much anything that Phillip Brophy was affiliated with. Criminally underappreciated.
Maxwell: With that being saidā¦ who are some collective artists/bands that you guys have taken inspiration fromā¦ in terms of the sound that you all create as a group? Who are some artists you lot have been listening to recently?
Albert: As above. Also, any of Geoff Barrowās work. Lately all Iāve been listening to is hip hop. Got to see Tommy Wright lll as we both played āCropped Outā in Louisville. Heās amazing and such a nice guy.
Maxwell: Going back to local musicā¦ what are some things that youāve seen throughout your tour in the US that are different/similar to the local scene in Melbourneā¦ as well as around Australia in general?
Albert: Melbourne is a great city musically, it has provided a lot for us. There is a lot going on there/coming out of there. On the other sideā¦ there are just so many other places in the US doing a lot of great things within music.
Maxwell: Speaking of musicā¦ you guys have released 2 projects in 2018 aloneā¦ how often are you guys writing and recording music? Is it easy to find time on the road to write and develop songs?
Albert: No writing on the road. No need as we have a new record thatās finished and should be released around March. And the follow up to that is written and sequenced. Itāll be recorded once we get back to Australia. Might start writing LP5 next year.
Maxwell: So, what is next for the likes of Exek?
Albert: Europe tour 2019!
Exek finishes their tour October 31st in Los Angeles @ Teragram Ballroom alongside Thee Oh Sees and Prettiest Eyes.
Be sure to check out Exekās two releases from this year on their Bandcamp or any streaming service.
Psych-prog magicians ORB return with new LP āThe Space Betweenā
Maxwell Denari
September 17, 2018
Australia has had a relatively seasoned history with producing worldwide Rock and Roll acts and in this current decade that remains very much the same. In the last 10 years, we have been witness to some of the biggest and most prolific bands to come out of Australiaā¦ in addition to a plethora of bands that have made a name for themselves by putting out a quality record after quality record. Bands like āPondā, āTotal Controlā, āTame Impalaā and āKing Gizzard and the Lizard Wizardā all come to mind when you think of Australian musical relevance in the 2010ās.
ORB are a band who are contributing to this culture, massively. Signed to Flightless Records, the brainchild of āKing Gizzardā drummer Eric Moore, they share a platform that houses some of the best Australian talent of the current moment. With their third and latest record, The Space Between, ORB have set the bar higher than ever before.
This new record in comparison to their previous two, Birth (2016) and Naturality (2017), incorporates more synth-laden production. Tying together heavy, deep bass lines with springing, bouncing synth work. Resulting in acid-washed Funk along with Prog infused Psychedelia and Heavy Metal. The Space Between is the most fundamentally ORB album yet, as the three-piece have truly come into the most original nature of their work thus far. Everything about this seven-track album is well-implemented, well-produced and is a pure showcase of how this group have grown sonically over the last handful of years. This group has done nothing but expand themselves throughout the entirety of their discography and their experimentation and musicianship have resulted in a fantastic new record.
The Resource Network: Revitalizing Midwestern Punk
Maxwell Denari
The term Punk goes far beyond a genre or style of music. Punk is something raw and real. Something based in community. Something of Do-it-yourself charisma that leads groups of people into wildly creative endeavours. Punk is a matter-of-factness within the world of expressionism.
The Resource Network are representatives of budding Punk rejuvenation. The Indiana-based quartet have become a mainstay in the Indiana/Midwest music and DIY cultures and toured through Canada last month to support their latest tape āPsychographicsā, released via Quality Time Records out of Cleveland. The seven song tape is just around 15 minutes in length and barrels you into tangled yet brilliantly melodic guitar work, writhing bass rhythms and quick-witted lyricism. A mere thrust in comparison to what a live show is like with this group on stage.
The Resource Network is made up of Alex Beckman (Guitar, Vocals), Pat Maloney (Guitar, Vocals), Jake Kelly (Bass, Vocals) and Reid Markus (Drums). Last month I sat down with the band to talk about their formation, inspirations, the local music scene and more.
Maxwell: How did you all come together to play music as āThe Resource Networkā? I know that a handful of you guys went to school togetherā¦ but how did this current band end up forming?
Pat: Wellā¦ we all played in a band called āVideo Graveā. That was kind of a high school band. All of us went to the same high schoolā¦ except for Jake. Alex and I started playing guitar around the same time in school and kinda started jamming. I think I started a year or so before him. I was originally going to play drums in āVideo Graveā... but we ended up finding Reid who we knew was a kick ass drummer.
Jake: I had already been playing with Reid and Alex in another band and the bassist in āVideo Graveā at the time ended up moving to DC. So I essentially came in from there.
Pat: We essentially just wanted to start freshā¦ but with the same guys in the band. Which is where āThe Resource Networkā comes about. We wanted to make new songs. Take it more seriouslyā¦ and keep the creativity that we had with each other present. As the four of us had really good chemistry.
Maxwell: So Jakeā¦ how did you come about meeting Alex and Reid if you were already in a band with them prior to entering āVideo Graveā?
Jake: I met Alex at a āTwin Peaksā show, actually. In Bloomington. We had a mutual friend we were hanging out with at the show.
Alex: Shortly after that we just started making some music together. We liked similar stuff. After a while it just made sense for Jake to hop in with āVideo Graveāā¦ with the rest of us.
Maxwell: Seeing as you guys have spent a lot of time with each other musicallyā¦ who are some collective artists/bands that this band takes inspiration from?
Alex: The sounds for this group were heavily impacted by āUranium Clubā, āParquet Courtsā, and āOmniā.
Jake: When someone asks me, personally, āwhat's the biggest influenceā for āThe Resource Networkāā¦ I say āUranium Clubā immediately.
Pat: We recently had played with āAquariumā.. and the drummer for āAquariumā is the drummer for āUranium Clubā and that was a surreal moment. It was nuts.
Maxwell: Omni is one of my favorite bandsā¦ so I completely understand that. So, when did you guys figure out that you were all musically connected? When do you all know that this was it?
Jake: For me, I knew they were a local bandā¦ and they were my age. That was really cool to me. So, when I met Alex I figured out we had a lot of the same influences. I would say a festival we played called āDumb Festā is what really got me into Punk music. I saw so many acts that I thought were awesome and I started listening to it more.Ā
Pat: Alex and I always went to concerts together when we were younger. In middle school we bonded over āCage The Elephantā quite a bit. We have been pretty aware of our influences and other things with each other for quite a while.
Alex: We didn't really play Punk in āVideograveā, it wasn't as āPunkā as what we do now. But, just as we continued with the same lineup into a new bandā¦ just goes to show that we grew into how we all approach music.
Jake: We found that Punk and the people surrounding it create such aā¦ niche community.
Maxwell: That actually leads perfectly into my next questionā¦ What are you guys seeing in the local DIY scene in Indianapolis/Central Indianaā¦ and in the Midwest as a whole?
Pat: There are just a lot of good bands in Indiana, man. The thing is there isn't a huge scene here, everyone knows each other. Musicians come out to other musicianās shows. Everyone supports each otherā¦ and people outside of this area are hearing it too. People know good stuff is coming out of here. Someone in Birmingham, Alabama said to me, āYo, man. Indiana has some good shit coming out of itā. People are witnessing it.
Jake: There is a lot of stuff coming out of the Midwest. A lot of good punk, specifically. Butā¦ Indiana Punk is Indiana Punk. I think we have hit the sweet spot here. There's always been a good Punk scene in Indiana.
Alex: Like The Zero Boys, The Coneheads, etc.
Maxwell: One of my best friendsā¦ her father is the drummer for The Zero Boys. After learning that... it was a great introduction for me. Into the sounds that have been coming out of here for a long time.
Continuing onā¦ what's the songwriting process for you guys? How does that come about?
Alex: Pat and I write most of the songs. I'll take parts of a song I haveā¦ or what I think may be a complete song and let Pat run over it. Put his two cents in. Then Jake and Reid add what they think sounds good with what we have written so far. Adding their own sounds to it.
Jake: Sometimes we just play. We just play something and feel it out. Based off of what Pat and Alex have already constructed.
Alex: We all respect each other as musicians. We all respect what we all can do for the band.
Reid: I think we all channel each other and our inspirations very well. We approach that very well. We utilize all of that to help make the best songs we can. I personally take a lot from the likes of Devo and early 70ās punk. So I kind of take that into how I work with our music.
Alex: I think it's really cool that people can pick out our influences within our songs.
Pat: At the end of it though, we aren't those bands. We are our own entity. We make it all our own.
Maxwell: Well said, gentleman. Anything else?
Alex: Listen to the tape.
Jake: Yep. Listen to the tape.
You can listen to āPsychographicsā on The Resource Networkās BandCamp here.
Photo Gallery: Paramore at The Lawn at White River State Park in Indianapolis, IN
Maxwell Denari
July 9, 2018
At this point, I think we all know the name āParamoreā. Over the last 12-13 years, Paramore have released 5 albums -- all maintaining their own notion of what was being experienced (by the band) at the time of writing and recording. After Laughter, the band's most recent release is surely their most removed record from their pop-punk roots. Bringing in a danceable New Wave sound reminiscent of INXS or Tears For Fears, whilst still providing melancholic remarks of life and experience through the lyrics.
Last week, on their After Laughter Tour stop through Indianapolis, Paramore, were supported by Soccer Mommy and Foster the People. Both were along with Paramore throughout other parts of the tour since the turn of the year.
Paramore opened up their set with āGrudgesā and Hayley Williams immediately set the tone for the rest of the show. Williams was prancing and jumping about the stage showcasing her energetic development into a captivating frontwoman. Continuing into songs like āRose-Colored Boyā āFake Happyā and āStill Into Youā, Paramore exuded veteranism within their approach and execution. The group slowed it down and pulled out an eclectic cover of Drakeās hit song āPassionfruitā from his project āMore Lifeā. Continuing the stripped-back mood Williams and company belted out their acoustic tune ā26ā to an emotional reception.
All in allā¦ it goes to show how far this group has come after 13 years and 5 different records. They bring out crowds into the thousands, no matter the location. They've matured their sound beyond what many surely expected 5+ years ago. They've withstood the last decade in musicā¦ and for a very good reason.
United States
July 11th -- Corpus Christi, TX -- Concrete Street Amphitheater
July 13th -- Houston, TX -- Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
July 14th -- Irving, TX -- Toyota Music Factory
July 18th -- Los Angeles, CA -- The Forum
July 19th -- San Diego, CA -- Mattress Firm Amphitheatre
July 21st -- Mountain View, CA -- Shoreline Amphitheatre
July 23rd -- Salt Lake City, UT -- USANA Amphitheatre
July 24th -- Morrison, CO -- Red Rocks Amphitheater
Asia
August 18th -- Osaka, Japan -- Summer Sonic Festival
August 19th -- Tokyo, Japan -- Summer Sonic Festival
August 21st -- Singapore, Singapore -- Zepp @ BigBox
August 23rd -- Pasay, Philippines -- Mall of Asia Arena
August 25th -- Jakarta, Indonesia -- Indonesia Convention Exhibition
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In a day and age like today, it is easy to stumble across artists and musicians online. It is a regular occurrence for the youth of today. Yet, even with the overly saturated environment that the Internet can provide with music and art -- pure talent and energy can be uncovered. That is exactly the case with how I came across Dallas-based band Kyoto Lo-Fi.
Kyoto Lo-Fi exude sounds meshing between Garage, Punk and Blues Rock with their song āSabotageā showcasing this blend exceptionally. āSabotageā is featured on the band's 2016 EP āBlack Rainbowā. Overall, Kyoto Lo-Fi pull together a mass of influences and sounds that cooperate and contradict. Allowing for gritty, pulsating execution and slick, refined rhythms.
The group is made up of Nehuen on drums, Paul on bass, Gabriel on guitar and Nico on guitar and vocals. All of whom I had the privilege of conversing with after a practice session earlier this Spring. We conversed about influences, the formation of the band, struggles and things to look forward to.
Maxwell: To start it offā¦ how'd you all meet and come to form the band?
Paul: Gabe and I met at a bar in Arlington, Texas.
Gabe: Essentially, I was hanging out with some of my friends and seeing another band at this place and I ended up conversing with Paul and he told me he played bass and it kind of went on from there. For a while, we had another bassist that was on his way out for a lack of better terms. So, that's how Gabe joined and the first show we played with him was at SXSW.
Maxwell: So, where did the name Kyoto Lo-Fi come from?
Nico: We were struggling with some names for a while. We originally decided on āModern Fuzzā but came to find out that name was taken like a week later. Kyoto Lo-Fi was the name of an album via a solo project of mine. So, we ended up opting for that name. In the beginning, nobody really liked itā¦ but I guess it created its own image in a way.
Maxwell: Right on. Now, I had been talking to Nico prior to the interview about the house show sceneā¦ specifically in Denton, can you guys elaborate on your experiences a little bit? Has that grown in the last handful of years? Or since you guys have become a band?
Maxwell: Sounds similar to Bloomington here in Indiana. It's a college town. There are lots of artists and bands stationed down there. A handful of record labels too. The scene is really growing.
Nehuen: Yes, we have heard of Bloomington. For sure.
Maxwell: So, what have been some overallā¦ inspirations for you guys as a band? What do you find yourselves listening to and taking into your own music?
Gabe: As far as personal tastes for me I like a lot of English stuff. Classic rock. The Smiths, The Beatles, David Bowie. I typically listen to a lot of older stuff. I gravitate towards anything from Motown to Country to R&B. I'm influenced by a wide range of sounds.
Nehuen: Well, Bloc Partyās former drummer Matt Tong has been a big inspirationā¦ for my drumming. He plays really fast and has really good fills. I was never really into The Strokes as much. I was more into Interpol. Butā¦ Nico loves The Strokes so I dove into them more. I've been appreciating more pops type beats. Simple beats. That can be really really good. It gives the song taste. Phoenix is one of my favorite bands too. We have a large range of inspirations.
Maxwell: I understand. It's good to listen to as much as you can. Take inspiration from whatever you can. There are so many sounds out there.
So, to kind of jump into the next oneā¦ what have been some of the biggest struggles you guys have encountered as a band? Whether it be from playing live or recording or writing new material.
Nehuen: I think one of the biggest ones was the whole bassist situation.
Nico: We were working our way up in the local scene and every so often whatever bassist we had at the time would drop out. So it was definitely a hindrance.
Nehuen: Butā¦ we would spend 3 months trying finding a bassist, teach him the partsā¦ then start gigging again and the same thing would happen. Boom. Back to it again. It was a lot of personal stuff at times.
Gabe: There were a number of things. Just with past bassistsā¦ whether they didn't see the musical vision, or we didn't get along with them the best, or the level of dedication wasn't there. Things like that.
Nico: However; when Paul came in it all started to click. We all vibed well together. We started to really get moving with this lineup.
Maxwell: At any point through all of this was there a time when you guys had doubts? Thinking that you should maybe give up on the idea of this band?
Gabe: I thinkā¦ at times when you get lost in the back of your mind, everyone has doubts about things. As an artistā¦ when you get into your head with crippling self-doubt it can be pretty hard. Though, you really have to think positively. Keeping up the inspiration versus the self-doubt.
Maxwell: You guys are doing it for the love of the music. It isn't always going to be so easy. It's not an easy path to go down. At least not all the time.
Paul: We have definitely all had to give each other pep talks. It just comes down to supporting each other and loving each other. Making it through.
Maxwell: Well saidā¦ and what is next for you guys?
Nico: Hopefully before the year endsā¦ we should have a new project out. New material. Handful of things coming up this summer gig wise. Whenever the new project comes out we are planning on touring as much as possible.
Be sure to check out Kyoto Lo-Fiās āBlack Rainbowsā - EP on all streaming services.
Kevin Krauter talks debut record, experiences in music and modern influences
Maxwell Denari
May 2, 2018
Kevin Krauter has been an active force within music for some time now. In the past handful of years, he has been apart of the shimmering Lo-Fi Pop Rock band Hoops. Though, whilst being a full member of that group he has showcased his natural singer-songwriter aptitude via his solo material. From his āMagnoliaā and āChangesā EPs Krauter displays such emotive and personal perspectives in his lyrical contentā¦ as well as providing extremely evoking instrumentation. In consideration of these aspects it is obvious the work he curates is of such a veteran quality -- surely a quality the likes of Neil Young would have to tip his hat to.
Having combined themes and techniques of Bossa Nova in addition to swirling Pop Rock and whispering Folk Rock ballads on his past releases, Krauter has continued his excellence with his first two singles āRollerskateā and āKeep Falling in Loveā off of his upcoming debut record āToss Upā.
I sat down with Krauter recently to discuss his debut record, his experiences within the music industry, his upbringing, and his modern musical influences.
Maxwell Denari: I suppose it works to start from the beginningā¦ with that being said, what was the first instrument you started to play and did that specifically spark a passion for you early on?
Kevin Krauter: The first instrument(s) I began playing were the drums, around about when I was like 10 years oldā¦ I got my first drum set for Christmas. My older brother played guitarā¦ heās six years old than meā¦ I have six siblings, Iām the middle of seven.
MD: Oh wow.
KK: Yeah, we were all home-schooled and we had a ton of free time on our hands. So, my older brother and I would jam a lotā¦ so we would play a lot of Red Hot Chilli Pepper songs. He showed me a lot of music that he listened to and thatās how I got into listening to music pretty heavy. Playing drums was definitely like my first foray into having an instrument that I was confident in playing. Really, ever since I started listening to music with my brother I thought, āMan, bands are so sickā¦ I wanna be in one so bad.ā I kind of already had a vision of me playing music as the thing I did, ya knowā¦ from an early age.
When I got a bit older I started playing a lot of worship music, after I had picked up playing the guitar. I think that helped in a lot of ways, as I played in the worship band at my church in high school. I played drums every week in that band tooā¦ pretty consistently for about four years which gave me a lot of experience of actually playing in a band.
MD: It seemed to have been very formative.
KK: Yeah, very formative as far as music is concerned.
MD: You talked about how your brother had a significant influence on your music tasteā¦ but did your parents contribute to that at all?
KK: Not reallyā¦ but, when I was pretty young myself and my siblings were involved in community theatre together. Like my whole family, really. It was always apart of our family, doing music related stuff. So being on stage and performing from an early age got me used to doing that shitā¦ and got me into performing and putting myself out there creatively.
MD: What are some specific artists or bands that your brother showed you that made you think āI wanna do thatā or ratherā¦ ended up implanting some kind of inspiration onto you?
KK: Man, I was definitely into a lot of early Pop Punk.
MD: I feel that man, like New Found Glory and stuff like that.
KK: Yup. Big into that. I suppose a lot of the cooler stuff my brother first showed me were bands like The Shins, Wilco and Modest Mouseā¦ stuff like that. It's kind of all over the place. I used to watch a lot of MTV and VH1. I used to watch VH1 music video hour like every single day.
MD: Expanding off of thatā¦ who are some artists that you've taken inspiration from in more recent years?
KK: I got really into Folky stuff in high school. You know like Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear. Kind of contemporary Indie musicā¦ with a Folky tilt. That kind of grabbed me. My older brother also got me into Simon and Garfunkel when I was a bit younger. But, nowadays there is definitely still a lot of that. Especially with Nick Drake and John Martyn. I listen to a lot of Brazilian music and Japanese music. Likeā¦ Caetano Veloso, JoĆ£o Gilberto, and Gal Costa as far as Brazilian music is concerned. In terms of Japanese musicā¦ Tatsuro Yamashita, Taeko Ohnuki and stuff like City Popā¦ 70s and 80s Japanese stuff. The most contemporary influence I can think of is Frank Ocean.
MD: The dude is an absolute genius.
KK: Honestly, all of my friends were into channel Orange in high schoolā¦ and I never really gave it a chance. But then Blonde came out and I was like āfuckā... you know. āMind blownā. Just absolutely changed the game for me. I've noticed a lot of what I've been doing lately has beenā¦ heavily influenced by Frank.
MD: How have you seen such influences transfer into your own songwriting? Whether it be solo or not. As you have shared a decent amount of vocal and lyrical duties within Hoops.
KK: For a long timeā¦ having done musical theatre and choir, I was used to singing in a trained and classical way. So, I grew up knowing how to sing properly. Which, I was kind of embarrassed about. So I tried to downplay my voice in a lot of the songs I wroteā¦ as I didn't want it to be the focus. I think more recently, especially with the new albumā¦ the stuff I've been making since then has been way more vocal heavy. Way more stripped down in terms of instrumentation in order for my vocal performances to be sort of a main focus. As that is something I have realized I am confident in. It is something I want to encompass more. And that is something Frank does a lot. His production is so minimal but his vocal delivery is the cornerstone of everything.
MD: Within thatā¦ how do you take whatever inspirations you have at the time and make them into original work? What's that process like?
KK: I think for a long time that was something that would trip me up a lot. As the act of writing music and creating something is such a personal experience and it feels so far removed from everything. Butā¦ I've had to recognize that it kind of makes sense that things can sound similar. Between artists. That's just a reality. Instead of trying super hard to be originalā¦ it's like understanding that my experience with writing and creating music is infinitely different than someone else's. Even if myself and others have listened to very similar musicā¦ my response to it is infinitely different. The more honest I am with myself, the more love I have for myself and the more confident I am with myselfā¦ the originality will come along on its own.
MD: And the more your work will be a reflection of yourself.
KK:Ā Right. I am ultimately a unique beingā¦ so whatever comes naturally out of that will be naturally original and organic.
MD: So, I guess I should askā¦ how do you come about writing songs? How do they take shape? Do you get ideas more sporadically or do you find time in the day to sit down and try and put something on paper?
KK: I definitely don't have a schedule or routine to do that. Itās a little sporadic. Kinda depends if I'm in the mood to sit down and finish a song. What it looks like at times though isā¦ I'll get something in my head or be playing along with something and try to jot things down as I go along with that. To collect as much as possible in that specific instance. Like, if I have a melody I'll whistle it into my iPhone notes or somethingā¦ and if I have an idea for lyrics I'll just jot them down like a little poem. If I'm struggling to come up with something I'll go back and try to re-work some older materialā¦ to try and see if I can fit it into this new idea.
MD: You have written a lot of new material for your debut recordā¦ which is coming out June 15th. How was the approach of writing and recording your LP different from recording your two previous EPs?
KK:Ā It was kind of a big step. I had signed with Bayonet Records before I had any material writtenā¦ for the new album. They had heard my two EPs and said they wanted to do an album with me. So, I had to go about writing an album. Which was pretty dauntingā¦ as I didn't really have the fullest amount of material for a record at that point.
MD: But Bayonet was the kickstarter.
KK: Yeah, for sure. Definitely having something to stress me into it helped. I was still touring around with Hoops when I was writing heavily for this album. I would try to take advantage of whatever moment I couldā¦ where I had a burst of creativity. And when I got into the studio with Ben Lumsdaineā¦ we were pretty merciless during the mixing process. Really cutting the fat from the recordings. That was the great thing about working with Benā¦ he gets into the zone very hard. Overall, being that self-critical in the studio wasn't something I was super used to. You knowā¦ with my old EPs it was more about āsounds good enoughā... so it was nice to get really nitpicky.
MD: So to kind of close things off on thisā¦ what's more to come for you? Even beyond the record?
KK: New songs. I've already been playing a song live that isn't on the record. Definitely thinking about a new EP. But overallā¦ new songs. New songs soonā¦ after the album.
āToss Upā, Kevin Krauterās debut record is out June 15th via Bayonet Records. You can catch Kevin Krauter live this summer at a handful of dates listed below.
6.19 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
6.20 - Washington, DC - Songbyrd
6.21 - Brooklyn, NY - Babyās All Right
6.22 - Philadelphia, PA - PhilaMOCA
6.24 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls
Triathalon combine new and old on latest LP, āOnlineā
Max Denari
If you have never heard anything that the Savannah, Georgia native group Triathalon have released, here is your chance. With their brand new full-length LP, āOnlineā. The band had recently relocated from Savannah to New York City and this new project appears to be partly a product of that move as well as a result of their gradual transition into smooth, gleaming and saturated guitar-driven R&B.
Such a transition has been in the making since the bands release āNothing Bothers Meā in 2015. The laid-back tropes have been relevant to Triathalon since the beginning, however, there were new sounds rising out of this project. Sleek, shimmering and emotionalā¦ such as the track āItās Youā showcasing an early face of R&B textures that the band was experimenting with. Come 2016, and Triathalonās āCold Shower - EPā, it became ever so apparent of the bandās direction, specifically on the track āSouth Sideā. Which featured reverberated guitars, funky synths, and layered, rhythmic bass.
Now in 2018, Triathalon have completed the transition, so to speak. Combining the best elements of hazy Indie Rock and laid-back R&B. With 13 songs in the tracklisting, this LP runs at about 46 minutes long. The opening track ā3ā² is the perfect introduction with transcending, grand synths that flutter in between lyrics like āEverybodyās something now / I'm just trying to break it downā. The lyricism throughout this project is alluring and attractive, but enthralling and psychological at the same time. āI'm feeling things that I haven't felt / like my body typeā crooned on the track āPull Upā, in cooperation with such elegantly crafted DIY synths exude a contemplative presence living within the words. Showing that Triathalon not only crafts a catchy hook but can conjure up thoughtful and danceable melodies. Though, somewhere along the way, perhaps about halfway through the album, there seems to be a shift. A shift from feelings and attraction to potential irritation. One of the last songs in the track listing āDay Oneā fits into this shift in dynamic. Emotional, cognitive, yet in a wayā¦ defeated. Ā āI've been fighting how I'm feeling / In the morning when I'm dreamingā speaks to the journey āDay Oneā sets the listener onto. Heavy bass, hazy guitar licks and low, piercing vocals that make it feel as if they are trying to pull themselves up by the bootstraps.
Make no mistake, this is a dynamic set of songs. There is a certain aura that develops itself on one side of this record and seems to completely alter itself on the other. Which certainly contributes to the brilliance that can be found on this tape.
