Greensky Bluegrass & Lalah Hathaway

Greensky Bluegrass

All photos by Dawne Meyers 

Lalah Hathaway

Gallery: New Politics and 311

NEW POLITICS

All photography by Angela Smith

311

Discover: 311

311, a 5 piece alternative rock band, recently released their new album, MOSAIC, which you can check out below! MOSAIC debuted at #6 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart, which is the group's 10th consecutive Top 10 Album on the chart. 

Listed below are all their upcoming tour dates - be sure to get tickets before a city near you sells out!

Hardcastle // The Vinyl in Atlanta, Georgia // July 13, 2017

Team photographer Joanna Barronton had the chance to cover Hardcastle, an indie/alternative band from Nashville, TN. The band consists of Graham Laderman, Miles Laderman, Val Hoyt, Kaden Paulson and Noah Christian, and you can check out their music below, as well as a full gallery from their show in Georgia! 

Photography by Joanna Barronton // Edited by Makenna Magdaleno-Mague

Discover: The Marías

DEBUT EP: SUPERCLEAN VOL. 1

June 23, 2017. The Fonda Theatre. Before Bad Suns took the stage for their second sold-out headlining show in L.A., The Marías graced the stage. A few minutes before they began, I learned (through their Instagram) that this would be the biggest show that they had ever played and that today was their one-year anniversary of them being a band. Although I was able to hear their song, “I Don’t Know You,” a few times on Spotify before seeing them live, I wasn’t sure what to expect when they finally came on stage; they had only released one song when I first discovered them. Their set was fantastic; it was upbeat and fun, and Maria even sang some songs in Spanish. Her siren-like vocals were unique and raw, and I was left wanting to hear more. Their music was different from what I am used to hearing, and I was left in awe once they had finished their set. I felt that it was cut way too short, but I was ready to discover more music by them.

Once the concert was over (and once I had gotten over the sadness that set in when I realized that I wouldn’t see Bad Suns perform for a while until their next album would be released), I was determined to learn more about The Marías. I was bummed to see that they only released the one song, but I reached out to them through their website in hopes of learning more about their music and their band.

I had the opportunity to speak with the group the day after their first night of residency at the Freehand Hotel. As late of a night that they had, frontwoman Maria and drummer Josh were more than happy to talk to me about the band and their music. They were so gracious, kind, and open about their experiences, and being able to hear and learn about their writing and recording processes was enlightening and magical. Even though listeners have only been able to listen to a snippet of the incredible songwriting and musical prowess from The Marías, it is very apparent that they will be finding fame and success very quickly upon the release of their EP’s this fall.

I DON’T KNOW YOU – SINGLE REVIEW

In their debut single, Zardoya’s unique, siren-like vocals fill the song with a sexy, soulful feel as the melodies of the piece transport listeners back to the era of jazz clubs and vintage instrumentals. Zardoya’s ballad is reminiscent of some talented and amazing Latina vocalists, such as Natalia Lafourcade and Carla Morrison. The lyrics remind listeners of a lost love, of a romance that is falling flat. The moody guitar and bass riffs give the song a feeling of longing, and the drum beat is calming, yet continues the song’s tone of sensuality. If fans needed any proof that the long-awaited EP will be worth the wait, look no further than The Marías’ debut single.

MEET THE BAND

Maria Zardoya – vocals

Josh Conway -- drums

Carter Lee – bass  

Edward Friedlander – keyboard

Jesse Perlman – guitar

INTERVIEW:

What serves as your biggest inspiration when writing new music?

MARIA: We just moved into a new place a few months ago; it’s this really amazing place in the Hollywood Hills. We got really lucky; it was built in 1910, it’s like a spiritual artist commune. It’s very beautiful and peaceful. We have our studio set up in the living room and there is just like a bunch of light and nature and space. So, that’s really conducive to writing and to creating music because if we have an idea in the middle of the night, we can just get up, walk a few steps, and record it. The actual space, itself, that we’re living and working in is super conducive to writing and to creating music.

Just in terms of actual inspiration, I would say just, mainly, life. I mean, most of our songs are kind of love songs. Josh and I are in a relationship together, so you know, we write a lot about just the evolution of that. And then just, life in general. What’s going on in the world around us, in the political landscape and our frustrations with that and our social interactions really influence us. So, I would just say, you know, life in general. There’s no one particular thing to write about, but I guess that love is just the easiest to write about.

What is your writing process like?

MARIA: It kind of differs. It’s really just what happens organically with the song. So, sometimes, we’ll start super rough playing a few chords on the guitar, adding in the melody and the lyrics, and then we sit down and kind of put the driving beat and then record the demo. Sometimes it starts with the driving beat, first. Josh will just be making a beat on the computer, and then we’ll hear a melody for that and lyrics will evolve from there. Sometimes, we start with lyrics first and then it kind of evolves from that. Sometimes Josh will just be lying in bed and think of this weird drum beat in his head and we’ll just walk two steps to record it and then a melody will come shortly after. I think it just differs based on what pops up, I think. You know, the other guys in the band have also started writing with us as well and that process is a little bit different. Sometimes they’ll have a song of their own that they want to evolve into more of the group sound. So, we’ll all work on that together. I don’t think there’s a particular way to write, I think it’s just what grows organically with an idea or with a song.

Your love for Latin heritage is inspiring, especially since I am Hispanic, as well! How much thought went into performing songs in Spanish, despite the fact that listeners may not be able to fully understand the lyrics?

Spanish is my first language and, funny enough, it is Josh’s first language as well. His first word was ‘jugo’ (juice), and his nanny was from Guatemala…so, you know. Anyway, it is a big part of my culture and I grew up listening to a lot of Latin music. And, again, going back to the songwriting aspect and it being kind of organic, we start a song not saying if it will be in Spanish or English, we just kind of go with whatever comes out and since Spanish is really close to my heart, sometimes we just decide that the song will end up being in Spanish. And that’s something that is really important to me; being able to connect with people, you know, that share the same culture, because it is literally a part of who I am. In terms of people who wouldn’t necessarily understand the lyrics, I think in every song there’s an undertone of emotion or sentiment that you can still feel without necessarily understanding the words. There are even some songs in English that I’m just like “wait, what? What are they even saying?” but the sentiment is there and I feel something really deep even when I don’t really understand what they’re saying. We listen to a lot of Portuguese and French music and we don’t know what the lyrics are saying, but there is an underlying emotion that really speaks to us without directly speaking to us in our language. Just in terms of the melody and the instrumentation, you can clearly call out a good melody without necessarily understanding what the lyrics are. And, it’s always fun to maybe make up your own lyrics in your head based on what you are going through at the time.

Your first single is called “I Don’t Know You”. Why did you choose this particular song as the first single?

MARIA: It kind of happened pretty organically. I started writing the song with another friend of mine. Then I played Josh a little recording of it and he just went, “Oh, this needs to be the driving beat” and then it kind of just evolved into what it is now. We honestly didn’t rehearse it much before recording it; we recorded a rough demo in Joshua Tree and then it just kind of stopped at that. And then Chris Douridas (a DJ at KCRW) got ahold of it, just the rough demo that we had done. And without us even knowing it, he started playing it on KCRW and then a lot of people started reaching out to Chris, you know, just being like, “Hey, I heard this song on the radio, who are these guys? I can’t find them online, I can’t find any other songs, who are these people?” So he kept playing it and people kept responding positively to the song, and since no one could find anything else from us and since Chris told us how much people were enjoying the song, we ended up releasing it as our first single. It wasn’t necessarily one that we “picked” from the beginning, it just happened. We saw that people are drawn to the song, and decided to release it as our first song because of that. So, really, the listeners chose our first single.

You’ve been a band for a year, but you aren’t releasing your first EP until later this year. Why such the long wait?

MARIA: We’ve been playing together for about a year, but we’ve only been playing shows for about 6 months. For the first 6 months, we rehearsed to make sure that everything was tight, to really hone in on the sound as a group. Josh and I have been writing and recording songs for a couple of years now but it’s just kind of kept evolving and evolving and when we finally got together with the other guys, it evolved even more. We wanted to make sure that what we put out first is a true representation of who we are as a group. The natural evolution of us playing as a group and spending more item together just kind of dictates the evolution of the song. So again, we wanted to make sure that it was all a true representation of the collective group.

JOSH: The record is almost done now, and it has taken a while, but it’s definitely worth the wait. We rerecorded each song a bunch of times. It never quite felt ready yet, and to be honest, I don’t know if it will ever feel like it’s ready. It’s ready enough to say that too much time has passed and it needs to be released.

MARIA: I think that’s a big reason why we’ve chosen to do two EP’s; we have enough material for a full album, but we’re gonna do it little by little, just to make sure that every little piece is just a true representation of who we are and what we want to share.

JOSH: We’re basically recording a full-length record but are just releasing it in two pieces.

What is the song off of your EP that you are most excited to release and to have fans hear?

MARIA: They’re all so different and for each song, the message is pretty different. There’s one on the second EP called “Mink Socks”, which is very cool

JOSH: I’m very interested to see the response to it, because it’s a little different than our other stuff.

MARIA: There’s also one on the second EP that’s called “Ay Papà”, which is in Spanish. It’s about politics and what’s going on in the world right now.

JOSH: Off of the first EP, I’m excited about a song called “I Like It,” it’s a super cool new one that we recently recorded.

MARIA: I’m excited about all of them. I think if we were to release each one individually, we would want the same level of excitement for all of them. If we weren’t excited about one, it just wouldn’t go on the EP. So, yeah, we’re pretty excited about all of them.

JOSH: There have been a few that we actually aren’t too excited about so we’ve decided to just not put them on.

Do you have any all-time favorite bands or artists? Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

JOSH: Al Green, The Beatles, Melody’s Echo Chamber, Radiohead….

MARIA: Some of the female greats like Billie Holiday, Erykah Badu, Nina Simone, and in the Latin realm we really like Carla Morrison, Vanessa Zamora. There are some really great female artists out there right now, but the greats and the classics are who have really influenced us. You know, Tame Impala, The Beatles are undeniable. Mild High Club are one of our favorites from L.A., Andy South, and Tom Waze, as well.

What drives you to continue to make music?

MARIA: I think for us, if we didn’t make music, we would kind of die or go crazy.

JOSH: It’s like if asking us “what drives you the most to eat food or sleep or live”?

MARIA: I mean, there have been some spurts, for sure, where we haven’t written in a few days and something just feels off and we just consistently need to be creating music or at least working on music. If it isn’t writing or recording, then it’s just working on improving the songs that we have been working on and jamming. Even just creating stuff that will just fly away and never may come of anything helps. You know, just creating something whether or not it is shared is just really important to us.

JOSH: Our creative spurts usually happen in waves and we’ll go a week or two without writing anything and then after a couple weeks, you know, once we write one thing, a lot more is going to come from that. A few months ago, I remember almost every single night I would record new music with Maria in our house and it would be just a normal thing. Every night we would find inspiration for new music. We would be thinking “hey, let’s write something” and then we would actually find inspiration and it would be like “oh, we can make something out of this.” You know, it’s a different thing when you tell yourself “I’m gonna go write a song” and when you find yourself just writing a song.

MARIA: We also need to give ourselves time to actually experience things, experience life. If we were writing all the time, it would feel a bit contrived. So, if we give ourselves space from writing and stuff like that to experience things and then just work on the stuff that we currently have, then we can grow so much more as a band.

Do you have any closing thoughts?

MARIA: You can add Bad Suns to our favorite band. Even though we only did the one show (at the Fonda) with them, we were super lucky to be a part of that. They’re great guys and they’re doing really great things.

JOSH: I’ve been friends with Bad Suns for about 10 years and it was really nice that they hit me up to play a show with them. I told them about The Marías and how it’s a very new project and they were super supportive and open to having us play with them.

MARIA: They’re just really good people who are constantly throwing out good vibes. They really care about their fans and just care about everybody.

JOSH: And Miles [Morris] might be the best drummer that I have ever seen in my life.

MARIA: We’re bummed that the rest of the members of the band can’t be here, but we had a show last night so I think everybody got home pretty late. I think they’re sort of just recouping and whatnot. But, I would say that our thoughts are very similar to theirs. We all share a really similar vision about the group.

MARIA: Our second single, “Only in My Dreams” is coming out in a few weeks with a video, so stay tuned for that.

JOSH: The full EP should be coming out in September-ish, which we’re super excited about, too.

Even though the wait for new music from The Marías is rough, it’ll definitely be worth it. For the time being, check out their video for “I Don’t Know You”, and don’t forget to follow them on social media in order to know about their new projects!

Currently, the band is playing at the Freehand Hotel in Downtown L.A. every Thursday night in July at 7:30 PM.

https://www.themarias.us/

https://www.facebook.com/themariasmp3

https://twitter.com/themariasmp3

http://themariasmp3.tumblr.com/

https://www.instagram.com/themarias.mp3/

Discover: Chon

Chon is an experimental rock band that recently just finished touring following the release of their new album, "Homey". The album "Homey" was released on June 16th, 2017, and you can give it a listen below, as well as check out a full gallery below from their show in Austin, Texas.

Chon consists of Nathan Camarena (drums), Mario Camarena (guitar) and Erick Hansel (guitar & vocals).

Last Young Renegade: All Time Low Album Review

All Time Low doesn’t disappoint with ten songs of pure pop punk, singing about heartbreak and rebellion in the seventh studio album, Last Young Renegade that was released on June 2, 2017. Beginning the album with Last Young Renegade sets the stage for the rest of the songs to shine through. Using the narrative of the Last Young Renegade has allowed one song to flow easily to the next and help connect the themes of the songs to each other. We get a clear image of a young renegade starting young and going through life’s trials and tribulations. Drummer Rian Dawson and bassist Zach Merrick provide a strong structure that compliment Alex Gaskarth’s strong vocals and lead guitarist Jack Barakat ties it all together with melodic and memorable guitar riffs.

Songs like Dirty Laundry and Nightmares slow down what usually is the very up-tempo pop punk that they’re known for. Ground Control features the sisters Tegan and Sara, an indie pop duo, and demonstrates their versatility and talent to work with artists outside of their genre to break boundaries and create something that can appeal to a wider audience. Last Young Renegade is quite different from their other albums because they’ve incorporated more mellow, electronic sounding beats. It’s clear that they’re trying something new, with darker sounds and having songs like Good Times feel like ballads (check out their official lyric video below!).

However, Nice2KnoU takes it back to their classic sound with chunky, distorted guitar riffs paired with strong, fast drumbeats and layered back up vocals. They do a nice job of staying with the ever-changing music trends and making sure that they remain relevant in the world of pop punk and in the world of music in general.

While this album doesn’t consist of the typical victorious and call to arms songs that make up an All Time Low are known for, Afterglow closes the ten-song album perfectly, leaving an uplifting feel for all the young renegades out there. Paired with their tour that starts on June 30th, there’s no doubt that this album won’t be a big hit.

Check out their tour dates below, and be sure to snag some tickets for a city near you!

Bad Suns: SOLD OUT in LA

Two sold out shows at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. The first show was in such high demand that the band had to add a second show a week later. Obviously, this shows that people like Bad Suns. It shows that they are talented and their music is well-received by fans. And yet, the band was awestruck and incredibly gracious throughout both shows. I couldn’t help but stare at Christo, the lead of the band, and see the complete shock on his face that his band, this small band from Woodland Hills, sold out the Fonda. It was magical and inspiring to see the amazement on the guys’ faces as they performed. It was as if they were born to play together.

I have had the opportunity to see Bad Suns three times now. Once when they opened up for Halsey on her Badlands tour, and twice when they headlined on their Outskirts of Paradise tour. Yes, I didn’t get to hear as many songs as I would have liked to when they toured with Halsey. Yes, I saw them twice in two weeks this year. And yet, I feel as though they perform even better with each show they play. Bad Suns put on such an amazing show, and I can’t wait to see what amazing things that they will do in the future.

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//JUNE 16, 2017//

If we're perfectly honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect as I got in line (four hours early) to experience this concert. I knew that Bad Suns’ new album, Disappear Here, was incredible, and I knew that I was about to have a fun night with one of my best friends. That being said, I was skeptical of the opening acts. I had never heard of Field Medic or Hunny before, and the people sitting near us were adamant in telling those around them that the opening acts were less-than-ideal. So, it is safe to say that I was a little apprehensive going to the concert to hear two small bands for a few hours while I waited for Bad Suns to come on.

Field Medic

Field Medic was up first. When the lights turned off, and the curtain came up, I was surprised to see that the “band” was composed of a skinny, ginger-haired guy, his guitar, and a cassette tape player. He started off the show with an acoustic love song, with an off-tune guitar and a folk-like voice. It was peculiar, to say the least, and I jumped to conclusions, quickly, in thinking that this set was going to be a long one. However, he re-tuned his guitar and started rocking out. It took him a hot minute to get the hang of being on stage, but his self-deprecating love songs and unapologetic realness about life were relatable and refreshing. While his set was a bit more mellow than expected, it was enjoyable and refreshing. My friend equated him to “Vance Joy if he was drunk and/or high more often,” and I think that that is the best way to describe Field Medic. I don’t relay this information as a way to be mean; I simply feel as though that is the perfect description of Field Medic. The music was enjoyable, relaxing, and whimsical, and I think it perfectly exemplifies his self-proclaimed persona of being a “dead kid from the golden state.”

HUNNY

Shortly after Field Medic came Hunny. The crowd was visibly (and audibly) more hyped for them, so I was excited to see what I was in for. The band sauntered out in some peculiar outfit choices; the lead singer, Jason Yarger, came out in a leather duster jacket, the keyboardist, Kevin Gerimmett, donned a sparkly bomber jacket and some high-waisted jeans à la 80’s rock band. Joey Anderson, the band’s drummer, rocked a rad pink, cow print cowboy hat, and the guitarists, Jake Goldstein and Greg Horne, chose simple suit jackets and slacks. Their outfit choices definitely made things interesting, but their music was where I really became hooked. As soon as the music started, I felt as though I belonged in a cliché 80’s film, and I was totally here for it. The band put on an amazing show, and the music was upbeat and incredibly easy to dance to, despite me not knowing the words to any of the songs. Perhaps the most memorable song from their set was a medley of, quite possibly, the most random mix of songs ever played together (included, but not limited to “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley, “All Star” by Smash Mouth, and “Oops!...I Did It Again” by Britney Spears), and it was incredible. As random as it was, it really made everyone that much more ready to party once Bad Suns came out.

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//JUNE 23, 2017//

If we're perfectly honest, I bought tickets for this show on a complete whim. I left the show the week before wanting more, but being hesitant to buy a ticket, for I had no one to go with (and very little money). Somehow, magically, a friend reached out to me after seeing pictures from the concert, and invited me to see them again! Obviously, I immediately jumped at the chance to be able to experience another night of magic and wonder with Bad Suns. I was bummed to hear that Field Medic and Hunny weren’t the opening act again, but I was intrigued by The Marías and The Chain Gang of 1974.

The Marías

Before the concert even started, I was already stoked to see where the night would take me. I met some amazing people while waiting for The Marías set, and we bonded throughout the show. Although I didn’t know much about the band, I was excited to see The Marías; before they came on, I learned that this show would be their biggest yet, and it was the one-year anniversary of them being a band! As soon as they stepped out, I was enamored by the band’s lead singer, Maria Zardoya; her pixie-like stature and adorable choppy bob and bangs were beautiful, and she pulled off a (homemade, I would later learn) red velvet jumpsuit like it was her birthright. Her siren-like vocals were entrancing and beautiful, and the jazzy feel of the music made it easy to bob and sway along to the new band’s tunes. The unique vocals and eclectic musical accompaniments gave a soothing and sexy feel to the set, and I was left wanting more. As if the set couldn’t get any more magical, Zardoya sang two songs in Spanish, making me a delighted and proud Latina. As unbelievable as the set was, I was super bummed to find that The Marías only have one song available on SoundCloud, Spotify, and iTunes. But, I cannot wait to hear their debut EP, coming out this fall.

The Chain Gang of 1974

With The Marías slaying their (way too short) set, I was excited to see what The Chain Gang of 1974 would bring. As soon as their set began, however, I became incredibly disillusioned. They began the set with alarmingly loud guitars and drums that left my ears ringing after each song, and the lead singer’s constant flailing made it difficult to focus on the music. I really, really wanted to enjoy the set, but the off-pitch singing and overt cockiness made that difficult. Even though the set was only 15 minutes longer than The Marías’, it felt as though it went on for over an hour. As difficult as the set was to listen to, I came to the conclusion that their pre-recorded pieces are more bearable, but are still not necessarily my cup of tea.

Once the opening acts were done, it was time to be graced by Bad Suns’ presence. The energy in the room was absolutely electric, and the crowd went wild as soon as the band stepped on stage. Tonight was the last night of the Outskirts of Paradise tour, and the excitement in both fans and the band was undeniable. The band played all of their hits and were incredibly interactive with the crowd. Christo had gone into the crowd at the previous show, but it was much less terrifying this time around; the crowd was much stronger and ready to hold him up, and Christo’s excitement and pride only made fans that much happier to hold him up. Throughout the concert, the band was sure to share their pride to be from LA, and their pride was reflected on locals, as well. Their gratitude for fans was beautiful to see and was only heightened when we got to spend the first few minutes of Language and Perspective’s third birthday with the band. As if the show couldn’t get any better, Christo’s girlfriend was in the crowd, and each love-struck look he gave her gave fans an insight into their relationship. The electric and supportive vibe throughout the concert made everyone feel so comfortable, as though we were all family, as though we all belonged to something bigger. Fans were able to forget about their problems with ease once the band started playing, and love shared between the band and the fans only made the concert all the more unforgettable. Although the show was much too short, it was apparent that Bad Suns’ gratitude and love for their fans would go on for a long time to come. As rough as it will be to wait for another tour to come to LA, I cannot wait to see what amazing things Bad Suns will accomplish next.