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New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: Love Fame Tragedy – Wherever I go, I Want To Leave

ALBUM REVIEW: Love Fame Tragedy – Wherever I go, I Want To Leave

BEST TRACKS: Please Don’t Murder Me (Part 2), Honeypie, Sharks, My Cheating Heart

FCC violations: 5150, Pills, Body Parts, Multiply, B-Team

Love Fame Tragedy is the solo project of The Wombat’s lead vocalist and guitarist Mathew Murphy. It all began in 2016 as a place for him to put his songs that didn’t quite fit in with the Wombat’s album Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life, which is leagues more innocent and love-struck than this independent project of Murphy’s.  Wherever I go, I Want To Leave is Murph’s debut solo album. This music is about as alternative indie rock as you can get for your buck, taking influences from bands such as Bastille and The Killers.

This album features an incredibly lush medley of percussion, guitar, and keyboard. Synth-pop elements are notably seen on the 5th track, ‘Multiply’, while track 2, ‘My Cheating Heart’, is heavier on the guitar and bass. Most songs on this album, however, are a spectacular blend of synth-pop elements and classic indie rock, mixing tight percussion and wavy synthetic effects with grounding baselines and catchy electric riffs. The instrumental on this album melds together, with no one instrument really taking the spotlight, which makes the vocals stand out a lot more. This is especially true on track 9, ‘Please Don’t Murder Me (Part 2)’ where the instrumental is really toned down to emphasize the message in the lyrics.

Though the cover art and title of this album seem pessimistic and bleak, the feeling I got from most of the songs on the album was quite the opposite. This album is very vibrant and lively, especially the 14th track, ‘Honeypie’. This album sort of seems like a confessional, as a common theme on this album is Murphy outlining numerous of his own flaws, such as his propensity to give in to the temptations of toxic women, spending huge amounts of money, drug abuse, and his tendency to bet everything on a whim – just to name a few. The list goes on and on.

Recommended if you like: The 1975, The Killers, Bastille, Foals, Two Door Cinema Club, The Wombats

-Safia

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: Arch Enemy

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I first heard of Arch Enemy when my dad showed me the music videos for My Apocalypse and Nemesis. We were both in awe of the talent that this band had (and still has). They have melodic death metal down and create beautiful songs that have amazing harmonies by the guitars and vocals. The first time I saw Arch Enemy was at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia. My dad and I traveled down there just to see Arch Enemy! We got VIP tickets and were able to meet the band! They are so nice and down to earth and are very thankful for their fans supporting them through the years.

Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band that formed in 1995. The band was originally a supergroup with members from Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, The Agonist, Nevermore, and Eucharist. The mastermind behind Arch Enemy is Michael Ammot, (Carcass, Carnage, and Spiritual Beggers) who created Arch Enemy once he left Carcass. This band is known for having some of the best female vocalists and has really influenced women in the metal scene to get more involved. I know as a young girl watching Arch Enemy, seeing a badass female perform high screams and deep low gutterals was great to see and influenced me to do more within my metal community. The band was originally fronted by Johan Liiva, but was replaced by Angela Gossow (a German vocalist) in 2000. Gossow left the band in 2014 to become the band’s manager and was replaced by Alissa White-Gluz (a Canadian vocalist).

Arch Enemy’s musical style has been classified as melodic death metal, but their sound has a unique blend of progressive and death metal influences. Their influences are cited as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Manowar, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Testament, Pantera, Death, Obituary, Carcass, Mercyful Fate, and King Diamond. You can hear these influences in their songs when listening to the melodies and harmonies of the guitars. They have mastered their own sound and I love the progression that Arch Enemy has taken.

Current Members:

Michael Amott (guitarist)

Daniel Erlandsson (drums)

Sharlee D’angelo (bassist)

Jeff Loomis (guitarist)

Alissa White-Gluz (vocalist)


Discography:

Black Earth (1996)

Stigmata (1998)

Burning Bridges (1999)

Wages of Sin (2001)

Anthems of Rebellion (2003)

Doomsday Machine (2005)

Rise of the Tyrant (2007)

Khoas Legion (2011)

War Eternal (2014)

Will to Power (2017)


Favorite Songs:

My Apocalypse, Nemesis, Bloodstained Cross, The World Is Yours, First Day in Hell, The Eagle Flies Alone, As the Pages Burn, War Eternal, and You Will Know My Name.

Have you seen Arch Enemy live? What are some of your favorite songs?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Artist of the Week: $uicideBoy$

The first time I heard of $uicideBoy$ was my freshman year of college when I was hanging out in one of the dorm lounges with a few friends. My friend showed me this duo because I like “horror-core” type rap; it reminds me of gangster rap (and we all know that’s my jam). The first song I heard was $outh $ide #uicide and I loved their vibe and lyrical flow. Their lyrics are very dark which is why I think I like them so much.

$uicideBoy$ is an American hip-hop duo from New Orleans, Louisiana, founded in 2014 by cousins Ruby da Cherry (left) and $crim (right). They first started reciving attention on SoundCloud (ahhhh, SoundCloud rappers, gotta love ‘em) with their abrasive, self-produced beats, as well as their harsh lyrical content and themes that are primarily about substance use disorder and suicide ideation. They own and operate their own label, G*59 Records, under Caroline Distribution. The duo is considered one of the most popular acts in the underground rap scene and are considered to have a cult following (Robertson, Who are $UICIDEBOY$ and how do they sell out shows around the world?).

$crim was inspired by T-Pain and Kanye West to produce music and his passion increased while attending Delgado Community College where he was hired to DJ parties. Rudy da cherry’s interest in music began when he was seven, playing the violin and then drums at the age of ten. He joined some bands in middle school but left in order to pursue a career in hip-hop. Since Rudy and $crim are cousins and close in age, they had a close relationship and decided to form $uicideBoy$. They made a pact while creating this duo stating that if their music career didn’t work out, they would both commit suicide (No Jumper Interview).

Their underground breakthrough came with the release of 2015 EP $outh $ide $uicide. They gained over 75 million track plays on SoundCloud alone. The duo’s first mainstream charts came with the release of Radical $uicide (2016) that peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Rap charts.

$uicideBoy$ have come under negative criticism by mainstream music critics for their use of abrasive and offense imagery, which includes their name, lyrical content, and behavior. Many of their songs contain devil worship but the duo stated that they use this type of Satanic imagery to signify the negative effects of money, drugs, and other items that could potentially manipulate people (No Jumper Interview).

Their musical style has been described with subject matter such as depression, suicide ideation, sexual content, and growing up in New Orleans. You can hear in their songs that one of their biggest influences is Three 6 Mafia because many of the duo’s earlier songs sampled Three 6 Mafia’s songs.

Even with all the controversies, and criticism of the behavior and lyrical content of the duo, they have stated that creating music is like therapy for them and that even though some may take their songs as emo music, depressed music, or negative music, the duo is just connecting their personal experiences with beats in order to share their experiences and use them as therapy (Open Space: $uicideBoy$). This is nothing new, music has been used as an outlet for not only the listeners, but also the creators. Everyone deals with whatever they have going on in different ways.


Discography:

Gray/Grey (2015)

7th Or St. Tammany (2015)

YUNGDEATHLILLIFE (2015)

High Tide In The Snake’s Nest (2015)

My Liver Will Handle What My Heart Can’t (2015)

Now The Moon’s Rising (2015)

Dark Side Of The Clouds (2016)

Grey Sheep II (2016)

Eternal Grey (2016)

I Want To Die In New Orleans (2018)

STOP STARING AT THE SHADOWS (2020)


Favorite Songs:

$outh $ide $uicide, Kill Yourself (Part III), 2nd Hand, Paris, Runnin’ Thru The 7th With My Woadies, and O Pana!

Have you seen $uicideBoy$ live (I haven’t 🙁 )? What are some of your favorite songs?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Sources:

Kate Robertson, Who are $UICIDEBOY$ and how do they sell out shows around the world? 

No Jumper Interview 

Open Space: $uicideBoy$ 

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites (7/24)

This week, my Friday Favorites are made up of some of the best new releases I’ve recently found within a variety of genres. 

SUNRISE – MICHELLE 

This single was just released by MICHELLE: a band composed of six 21-year-olds from New York. The track is catchy, bouncy and has the perfect vibe for a summer afternoon. The vocals remind me of UMI or another great indie artist, and I definitely recommend giving it a listen. 

Don’t Be Mad At Me (ft. Freddie Gibbs, Snoop Dogg) – Problem

This song is definitely a summer hit to me – I love seeing artists I’ve known for a while start collaborating with bigger artists and getting more recognition. I recommend this song if you like rap, especially artists like Tyga or DaBaby. It’s super catchy and the verses are well done. 

Cookie Chips (ft. MF DOOM, Cam O’bi) – Rejjie Snow 

This song perfectly mixes rap and R&B verses with a dreamy, complex melody and a hook that doesn’t leave your mind. It’s a really beautiful song and features some artists I really love. I highly recommend this song in particular. 

Spit You Out – Cults 

The music Cults produce has undergone significant changes since their breakout album, Cults. Many of the new songs, including this new single, reflect deeper instrumentation and richer lyricism. This is a great song, listen if you enjoy artists like Sleigh Bells or Tennis. 

Radio Shack – Vulfpeck

Adding into Vulfpeck’s groovy discography comes their new EP, featuring Radio Shack, a funky instrumental track that will have you bobbing your head and putting it on repeat. This band is really cool because they actually sold out Madison Square Garden without a top record label or manager. 

You can check out this week’s Favorites as well as all songs from previous weeks on Spotify. Enjoy!

– Miranda

Categories
Music Education

The Booms and Baps of Music Production: Getting Started

 

The Booms and Baps of Music Production: Getting Started

Now that you have chosen a DAW to create music in (If not, refer to The Booms and Baps of Music Production: DAWs), it’s time to get started creating your own track. However, staring at your computer screen with a new project can be daunting, especially if you are still learning it. Fear not! These guides are meant to help you gather your footing in music production by sharing my own experiences and tips I’ve learned from the pros (aka YouTube). Whenever I look at a new project, I typically already have a genre that has inspired me. It is a good idea to start learning different genres of music and determine which one you would be most interested in. That way, you can learn the key characteristics of the genre and jumpstart your next project. 

First, I start with the chord progression or the drums. You can start with either one and many people prefer one way or another, however it is all up to you on where you would like to start. Now, some may believe that suddenly a lightbulb enters your head and then you begin creating your track as if someone inserted the instructions into your brain, but that is not really true. Most inspiration comes from experimentation. In order to create a chord progression, I have to search for the right sound and come up with an exciting pattern that I enjoy. Honestly, sometimes I am just tapping on my MIDI keyboard and playing something randomly while I’m scrolling through synth presets and end up using that. It’s even more exciting that way because it feels like it is your subconscious creation. You can do the same thing with the drums too, create a drum kit to your liking and play around with beats and rhythms that you like and remember there are no limits. Add two snares here and add four kicks here, as long as it has rhythm you have drums. 

If you’re like me though, inspiration can still be tough to find and even then, creating professional sounding music can be tough. So, services such as Splice or Loopcloud could help give you that extra edge. I personally use Splice and have found much inspiration in their catalog. Splice or Loopcloud are services that for a monthly fee (Splice is $8/month), you can peruse a collection of samples, loops, and individual notes or drum hits and download them or drag it into your DAW directly. It is very helpful for producers looking to add extra elements to their music. If you’re thinking that you’re unoriginal for using samples, then trust me, I understand. However, it is what you do with the sample that makes it yours. Plus, professionals sample audio all the time.

I would also recommend googling free sample packs and see what comes up. People are always giving away free sounds which may be part of your new hit. I hope these tips help new producers learn more about the world of music and remember, create the music that makes you happy.

-Tegan

Categories
Music Education

How to make a podcast

 

Let’s Get Psyched about creating a podcast. Making podcasts is rewarding and, thankfully, pretty simple too. If you don’t have everything you need at the start I think it would still be worth it to try and make do with whatever you do have and advance what you have as you go. This way by the time you have your ~preferred~ setup your podcast has matured to the point you want it at.

Step 1: The idea & purpose

If you’re planning to start a podcast you may already have your idea going, but either way it’s worth it to do an ‘purpose’ that you write down or say aloud. This can simply be a written statement you put in the description, on your social media, or even just in your personal writing spaces. This could also be a short first episode setting the premise of what you are doing, which is what I like to do when I start a new project.

This can help both you and your potential audience have an idea of where the podcast is going and why you are doing it. Knowing why you are doing something will help keep the work cohesive, and it’s good for brainstorming. If you ever feel stuck you can go back to this mission statement and remind yourself what you’re in it for. And if you ever feel like you don’t connect with the purpose anymore you can go back and change it. This just gives an easy and trackable way to see how you feel about your content and evaluate what you’ve been doing!

Step 2: Make a sample episode

The best way to learn anything is to try it. Just sitting down and making your first episode will teach you a lot. Do you like free flowing? Does it help to have notes written up? Do you sound natural? Are your ideas coming across the way you hoped? It has always been difficult for me to listen back to old material and watch old videos, but it’s the most helpful thing you can do for yourself. 

I’ve found that scripting does not work well for me at all. I sound very unnatural if I plan my thoughts too much and it’s slightly less exciting to record that way. However, not scripting at all doesn’t work for me either. I like to have bullet points, highlights, something to guide me if I get lost in thought, but I like to keep them brief so I can be more engaged in thought while recording. They really just serve to give an episode direction and cohesiveness, but most of what I say is freehanded and I find that has served my purposes best. But there is no one way to do it and you may find something else works way better for you. The best way to figure it out is to try and learn along the way.

Step 3: Equipment

You know it makes sense this would come before 2… but anyhow the equipment needed for a podcast is simply a microphone (depending on the type you may need an interface), something to record into (laptop, computer, tablet, maybe even phone), a pair of headphones, and software for editing.

There are so many ways to do a podcast and setups can go from ‘simple and affordable’ to ‘complex and studio grade’. I use an Audiotechnica AT2020 microphone, I got it used for $50 and I got my interface (Scarlet red solo) for $70 open box. I used to use audition to edit podcasts, but since I no longer have access to that I use Audacity and reaper for recording and editing. Audacity is a free software so it’s an ideal choice for anyone starting and not looking for something too complex that is also affordable. Reaper is also pretty affordable, a license can be obtained for as little as $60 depending on the use of the software. Lastly, I use a pair of Audiotechnica M50X headphones. They’re studio quality and not too expensive at around $100, but there are definitely cheaper alternatives if you aren’t looking to spend that much. I believe the M20Xs are much cheaper and still a good choice.

Step 4: Putting your stuff out there

Publishing a podcast is also a pretty varying part. This really depends on the purpose of your podcast and who you want it to reach and how much you’re willing to pay. Publishing a podcast can be free if you use something like youtube (there are also other options), but again this is something you’ll have to do further research into because popular streaming services like Spotify and Apple music require payment for publishing. If you’re just starting publishing somewhere like youtube is a great place to start. You can gain an audience while you work on your direction and content. I posted my first episode on a free wix website before I started the ‘Get Psyched’ Podcast through WKNC and it helped me learn a lot about how I wanted to make my podcast before it went on a bigger platform.

I hope this information is useful to anyone looking to start their own podcasts. The best piece of advice I have is to just have fun with it~ Making podcasts has become one of my favorite things and further developing my podcasts mission and topics has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve enjoyed having guests on my podcasts a lot, starting to turn my podcasts into videos, and using the podcast as a way to educate myself more. There’s so much that came out of podcast making I didn’t expect, so good luck on your podcast creating journeys~

Until next time,

Let’s Stay Psyched about Podcasts,

DJ Psyched

Categories
Weekly Charts

Underground Charts 7/21

Artist Record Label
1 CASHINOVA Big Dragon Stophouse
2 PAT JUNIORI Thought I Knew Be Absxlute
3 MAXOLIL BIG MAN Def Jam
4 MC^2 Venus STYLiSM of Soul
5 ANDERSON .PAAK Ventura Aftermath
6 YOUNG RJ AND MEGA RAN 2HANDSUP Ne’Astra
7 KASH DOLL Stacked Republic
8T OBI LOU Live On Ice Empire
9 BREVNER IKIGAI Vol. 1 [EP] Urbnet
1 0SAINT JHN"Trap" [Single] Godd Complexx/HITCO

Categories
Weekly Charts

Daytime Charts 7/21

Artist Record Label
1 SCHOOL OF X Destiny [EP] Tambourhinoceros
2 MELODY Teacher’s Pet [EP] Self-Released
3 IGGY T AND THE CRAZYMAKERS Just Can’t Get Enough Underground Sun
4 JAUNTAll In One Self-Released
5 DAKOTA THEIM Somewhere Under The Sun Self-Released
6 EVE OWEN Don’t Let The Ink Dry37d03d
7 EX NORWEGIAN Something Unreal The Best Of Self-Released
8 BECCA MANCARI The Greatest Part Captured Tracks
9 BABA ALI This House [EP] 30th Century
10 JUNIOR MESA Peace [EP] Nice Life
11 CIRCULATORY SYSTEM Circulatory System Elephant 6
12 VARSITY The Basement Takes Run For Cover
13 STRFKR Future Past Life Polyvinyl
14 PIKES Camp Self-Released
15 METHYL ETHEL Hurts To Laugh [EP] Dot Dash
16 OH SEES Face Stabber Castle Face
17 HALF DREAM “Strange Lover” [Single] Self-Released
18 HALA Red Herring Cinematic
19 ANDY COOK I’ll Be Fine Self-Released
20 SOCCER MOMMY AND FRIENDS VARIOUS ARTISTS Loma Vista/Concord
21 KOKO NEETZ I.T.T.I.P. Admirable Traits
22 ROSE CITY BAND Summerlong Thrill Jockey
23 BUILT TO SPILL Plays The Songs Of Daniel Johnston Ernest Jenning
24 SIMEN LYNGROTH Muse Self-Released
25 FRITZ HUTCHINSON Wide Wild Acres Center Cut
26 DIET CIG Do You Wonder About Me? Frenchkiss
27 LADY LEGS Off Days Communicating Vessels
28 KID FROOPY Silver Silver Deadbeats
29 BASEMENT REVOLVER Wax And Digital [EP] Sonic Unyon
30 PIP BLOM Boat Self-Released

TOP ADDS 

1 AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT, THE Hollywood Park Rounder/Concord
2 MAKANAA Hawai’i Interlude Self-Released
3 NYALLAH Reflections [EP] Self-Released
4 NZCA LINES Pure Luxury Memphis Industries
5 BAD MOVES Untenable Don Giovanni
6 SHISH Imafitishei Self-Released
7 ILLUMINATI HOTTIES FREE I.H.: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For Self-Released
8 ST. SOUTH Get Well Soon Self-Released

Categories
Weekly Charts

Chainsaw Charts 7/21

Artist Record Label
1 IF I WERE YOU Radiant Dark Self-Released
2 ENSIFERUM Thalassic Metal Blade
3 DAWN OF ASHES The Antinomian Artoffact
4 BURY TOMORROW Cannibal Sony
5 CARACH ANGREN Franckensteina Strataemontanus Season Of Mist
6 LAMB OF GOD Lamb Of God Epic
7 MAKE THEM SUFFER How To Survive A Funeral Rise
8 HOLLOW FRONT Loose Threads Self-Released
9 ENTERPRISE EARTH Foundation of Bones Entertainment One
10 JUSTICE FOR THE DAMNED Pain Is Power Self-Released

Categories
Playlists

Songs of Summer

Summer: it’s the time for hot weather and vacation. Unless of course, you’re living in a rainy town during a global pandemic, and have been under quarantine for months. But summer music is one of my favorite genres. These are the best summer songs and albums that take me right back to sitting on the beach and enjoying being under the sun. Hope you enjoy and have a fun, safe summer! 

channel ORANGE – Frank Ocean

This album is a really great one. It contains lots of upbeat songs that are great for a summer day, like Lost and Super Rich Kids. A summer playlist isn’t complete without Frank Ocean. 

PCH – Jaden 

Willow and Jaden’s vocals on this song make it so unique. The cool melody paired with their simple lyricism makes it a relaxing summer song that I can’t get enough of. 

Empty – Kevin Abstract
Listen to this song to get taken right back to your teenage summers. This song always gets me reminiscing about summers past. I absolutely recommend the song, once you hear it you’ll never forget it.  

STN MTN/Kauai – Childish Gambino 

This EP is extremely summer-y. It follows a narrative showcasing the “island life” of a vacation in Hawaii along with a narrative of Glover’s experiences in Stone Mountain, GA. I really recommend this whole EP, perfect for a summer on the beach. 

In The Flowers – Animal Collective 

This song borders more on the electronic, ethereal side but is beautiful. A great song for your visit to a field of flowers in the summer heat. 

King of the Beach – Wavves 

As the title suggests… this song will make you feel like the king of any beach you go to. I love any California pop-punk and this song is no exception. 

Birds Dont Sing – TV Girl 

This song and the album it appears on showcase the best of indie pop, and are perfectly upbeat but with contrastingly sorrowful lyrics. I love the samples used on the album and in this song particularly. 

You can find these songs and more at the playlist linked here. 

– Miranda