Issue 42 October 2016 Website www.thecutmagazine.com Facebook www.facebook.com/TheCutMagazine Address The Cut Magazine 5000 Forbes Avenue UC Box 122 Pittsburgh, PA 15238 Cover Photo Thievery Corporation at Thrival Photo by Mark Egge Issue 42 October 2016 Editor-in-Chief Imogen Todd Assistant Editor David Dwyer Creative Director Sharon Yu Photo Editor Lucy Denegre Copy Editor Izzy McCarthy Public Relations Evi Bernitsas Chief Web Editor Daniel DeLuca Writing Staff Kabir Mantha, Izzy McCarthy, Mark Egge, Izzy Sio, Joe Sweeney, Kate Apostolou, Liam Van Oort, Izzy Sio, Claire Lai, Catherine Kildunne, Lawrence Han, Ryan Aguirre, Anna Gross, Sharina Lall, Lucy Denegre, Justin Kelly, Cassie Howard, Ali Kidwai, Photo Staff Imogen Todd, Mark Egge, Izzy Sio, Serina Liu Editing Staff Justin Kelly, Julie Heming, Josh Brown, Izzy Sio Design Staff Noah Johnson Letter From The Editor 3 Masthead Letter From The Editor Hey guys, Welcome to another great debuts of a host of new of the magazine, I’d like to year of music in Pittsburgh, Cut contributors: Liam share two tidbits I thought brought to you by (hopefully) van Oort gives us a taste of were heartening and worth your favorite on-campus what Mac Miller’s hometown mentioning here: Young Thug magazine. The disgusting concert was like, Anna Gross has announced that he will summer heat is finally gets spiritual with Sir the wear a dress at his own gone, but with it went the Baptist, Joe Sweeney guides wedding (yay for crushing late sunsets, so I’m writing us on the wild ride of a gender-stereotypes!) and Kid to you in almost complete journey that has been Frank Cudi has gone public with his darkness, even though it’s Ocean’s career, and many decision to seek treatment for barely 7 o’clock. But enough others share their musical depression (yay for confronting griping–autumn’s arrival thoughts. social stigmas around mental also signals the return of illness!). fuzzy socks in my day-to-day Pieces from our veteran wardrobe, so I’m happy for writers include an exploration And on that positive note, I Letter the most part. and appropriation of Jason just want to say: I’m excited Derulo’s misogynistic lyrics to share this issue with you as And it’s not just the weather and an introduction to one the first one that I’ve presided that’s changing! Exciting of Pittsburgh’s premiere over as Editor-in-Chief, and From things are afoot within the concert venues. I hope you stick around for ranks of our publication’s our sophomore effort in staff as well. This issue, the Last but not least, in lieu November. first of the semester, features of a formal Music News The the editorial and creative segment within the pages Imogen Todd Editor Letter From The Editor 4 Chainsmokers at Thrival Photo by Mark Egge What We’re 7 Listening To Essays Why and How We 10 Respond to Tragic Music Concert 13 Reviews Main Interview 17 Sir the Baptist 350-Word 22 Articles Table of Contents 6 More Like You OBLIVIA ft. Milo New Song Brave Shores & Open Mike Eagle Warpaint Blu & Fa†e Lyk Dis Gemini’s Revenge NxWorries Mother & Father Caleborate Broods Nights Disappear Here Frank Ocean Perkys Calling Bad Suns Future Monsters Really Doe Slaughter Beach, Dog Flamingo Danny Brown Kero Kero Bonito In the Lion Starboy Edward Sharpe and the Blow 2 The Weeknd Magnetic Zeros Dean Blunt Change Hello Godspeed Deftones Erykah Badu Frank Ocean Babylon Sisters Jesus Take Me to Prickly Pear Steely Dan Your Avalanche Portico Quartet PAPA Forever Stumbling Alex G Ode to Sleep Jay Taj, Canis Major Twenty One Pilots Goin’ Down Slow Air ‘Em Out Duane Allman clipping What We’re Listening To What We’re Listening To Izzy McCarthy Reclaiming Objectification in the Age of Jason Derulo My issues with Jason Derulo immediately register that less socially acceptable for go way back to his debut the only time a woman can girls to claim as “their song.” single, “Watcha Say.” Yes it speak and Jason will care Take D.R.A.M. and Lil was catchy. Yes, it sampled is “when she talks dirty to Yachty’s “Broccoli,” for Imogen Heap’s iconic “Hide him.” (His words, not mine). example. “Said that I can and Seek.” Yes, I still sing I know, why did I ever allow get that p*ssy easily” is not along with the chorus that song to be played in my a subtle lyric. By gender every time it comes on. car, a sacred vessel of zero- binary norms, girls aren’t But “Watcha Say” was the tolerance feminism? I didn’t expected to rap about being preview to Jason’s career process the degrading punch a “dirty dog” and “hitting as master of objectification. line because of a hypnotizing sh*t greasily,” but that’s When I first heard that song instrumental chorus that exactly what we should back in 2009 and Jason used immediately followed. be doing. You heard me auto-tune to ask his girl for The same formula created correctly: the more blatant a second chance, I was ready “Wiggle,” “Trumpets,” and the sexism, the more inclined to give him just that. He numerous other Derulo hits. you should be to sing along. clearly sings, “I know I Pop music uses the tactic all Instead of dancing when should’ve treated you better.” the time, sending demeaning Jason Derulo asks you So, I overlooked his infidelity; lyrics into the Top 50 with to, take over the role of disrespecting women was catchy melodies. objectifier yourself. in his past. But since then, Jason has served as the And although Derulo’s “Get quintessential example of Ugly” gained some 2016 pop melodies covering up popularity, I believe it’s degrading lyrics. still possible to reclaim objectification from Jason. When Jason’s “Talk Dirty” See, when the Top 50 overlaps came on the radio for with hip-hop, objectification the first time, I didn’t becomes more blatant and What We’re Thinking About 8 Mark Egge Pittsburgh Venues: Mr. Smalls This is the first Co-founded by Rusted Root drinks at The Funhouse served by Port Authority of three columns band member Liz Berlin, Mr. (the 21+ small-stage theater bus routes 1 and 2 (which Smalls continues as a family upstairs from the main depart from downtown), profiling Pittsburgh -owned and -operated auditorium) or either of most will find Uber a more music venues, with business. Originally conceived Millvale’s two excellent convenient way to access hopes of better of as a community recording breweries. For those under the venue. connecting CMU studio, Mr. Smalls also 21, your best bet may be students to our provides aspiring young Lawrenceville, a 10-minute Unless otherwise stated, awesome local Pittsburgh musicians with walk away across the 40th shows at Mr. Smalls are exposure, access, and Street Bridge. all-ages events. Get tickets music scene. opportunity through its online at www.mrsmalls. charitable arm, Creative. In addition to concerts, com or visit the theater Mr. Smalls started out as Life.Support. Mr. Smalls holds several box office, open from noon a 19th century Catholic weekly events at The until 5:00 pm, Tuesday church, but closed due to Inside the venue, the spacious Funhouse, the upstairs through Friday. a shrinking congregation. stage still lets fans get an theater and bar. It features In 2000 it reopened as an up-close-and-personal an acoustic open mic night 800-capactiy concert hall, experience with the musicians. on Mondays, electronic where acts like Smashing Generally cheap tickets ($20 music on Thursdays, and Pumpkins, Metric, Muse, to $30 for most shows), local and regional acts on and Old Crowe Medicine good acoustics, and quality Fridays and Saturdays. For Show have since played. sound and lighting equipment a complete listing of events, Rising acts like alt-J and make it a great place to find “The Funhouse at Mr. Foster the People first catch a show. Smalls” on Facebook. broke into the music scene here, too, before going on Most headliners take the Unfortunately, getting to to play sold out shows stage by 9:00 or 9:30 pm. Mr. Smalls can be a bit at 10,000-plus-capacity For the 21+ crowd, consider tough for students without venues. heading to Millvale early for a car. Although Millvale is 9 What We’re Thinking About Music Tragic To Respond We How And Why with Art by Kate Werth Kate Art by with Justin Kelly Article by Pittsburgh Venues: Mr. Smalls Ever since the ancient Greeks recorded their timeless Okay, sure. This music makes us care. Hopefully it actually tragedies, humankind has been responding to the most motivates action and social change, too. But that doesn’t horrifying moments in its history with art. We composed explain why we actually want to listen to songs that bring symphonies to themes of fate and suicide; we painted the us down. When I began to write about tragic music, I was blood-stained battlefields of the American Civil War; we struck by this conundrum. On some level, we have always wrote poetry of genocide in Rwanda. enjoyed consuming art that has the power to fill us with grief, sorrow, heartbreak. And somewhat paradoxically, These events log themselves in a deep place within ourselves, we find it rewarding. reserved for only the highest and lowest moments. Art, and particularly music, provide a way of preserving and There’s a lot that underpins such a complex behavior. communicating such things in a more complete way than Firstly, it strikes me that a large part of a given song’s words can do alone.