Interview: Patrick Stickles of Titus Andronicus

Patrick Stickles of Titus Andronicus (Photo: Jorge Chantre)

Ever since their start in Glen Rock, NJ, in 2005, Titus Andronicus have been lauded for their energetic live performances. Frontman and guitarist Patrick Stickles sings intensely from the heart in unapologetic fashion. It’s musical honesty with a foundation that’s absolutely incredible. The band has their fifth studio currently out, A Productive Cough, which was released Mar 2 through Merge Records. Stickles and pianist Alex Molini will be rolling through AS220 on Empire Street in Providence on March 9 to perform stripped down versions of Titus Andronicus’ songs with Rick Maguire from Boston indie rock act Pile kicking things off.

I had a talk with Stickles recently about the influence of ‘90s hip hop on his lyrics, heart-on-the-sleeve ballads, hope and optimism for the state of DIY venues and not lamenting about the festival season.

Rob Duguay (Motif): Your lyrics have a poetic tone while encompassing a lot of empathetic emotion. Whom do you consider your main influences when it comes to writing lyrics? Do you lean more towards musicians or do you lean more towards poets?

Patrick Stickles: Some of the best musicians are also some of the best poets, I gotta say. My lyrical inspirations mostly come from the rap music world. Not even necessarily their subject matter, but their attention to detail and the high standard of excellence that the best ones seem to adhere to. It’s a very lyrically driven form, or it certainly was at one point but less so today. I look back to certain rappers from the ‘90s: Notorious B.I.G., Lauryn Hill, Redman, people like that.

I try to hold myself to a similar standard so the lyrics would come across whether or not there was much of a tune. Maybe it would be good to read off a page. It inspires me to employ a lot of devices, internal rhymes, alliteration and stuff like that. I’m just trying to ratchet up the “dopeness” level as high as I can. RD: That interesting that you get inspired by a different style of music than the one you perform. I can also totally see the attention to detail while listening to Titus Andronicus. In 2015, the band released the rock opera The Most Lamentable Tragedy to widespread acclaim. Rock operas are a rarity these days, so what made the band want to put out this type of album?

PS: I’ve always liked rock operas and concept . I like it when an album has a certain cohesive quality, and that can be when the songs are united by scenes, motifs or if they’re following a narrative. I feel like the long-playing album should be a singular piece of art. It should have a certain unity of action rather than just a collection of songs. That sometimes makes it easier to write the songs because you know what it is that you’re going for.

You could do a song about anything in the world and that could sometimes be a case of too much freedom. Sometimes you’ll find that you’ll have more artistic freedom if you put some limitations in place for yourself. Basically, I felt that the rock opera format was going to be most conducive to communicate the things that I wanted to communicate at that time and to tell the story that I wanted to tell. I went through some big experiences in my life and they deserved a lot of space to play themselves out.

RD: Do you have a favorite rock opera?

PS: Zen Arcade by Husker Dü will be quite close to the top for me. I also really like Berlin by Lou Reed, that’s not strictly a rock opera but it’s definitely united with scenes and characters. Of course Separation Sunday by the Hold Steady is a favorite of mine. There’s a lot of good out there and it’s not as common as it used to be. Some people might find that a little pretentious nowadays, but I don’t think it’s any more pretentious than writing a novel or making a movie.

It’s borrowing certain qualities and various standards from other mediums of art and applying them to rock ‘n’ roll music. That’s not against the law.

RD: No, not at all. Titus Andronicus just released their fifth studio album A Productive Cough on March 2. The first single, “Number One (In New York),” is a heart-on-the-sleeve ballad. For folks who haven’t listened to the album yet, what can they expect from it?

PS: You said it yourself, they can expect my heart to be right on my sleeve where it belongs. That song was chosen as the first single to give the indication that this record was going to be a little bit different than some of the other ones that we’ve made. It’s just a way of laying out the rules of the game for this year and trying to guide people’s expectations a little bit. A lot of the songs are a little bit slower than the songs Titus Andronicus is most famous for. There’s a higher percentage of waltzes and things like that on the record as opposed to the punk rock songs that we’ve been known to do in the past.

Titus Andronicus has always done all sorts of different things and the particular thing we might be best known for isn’t the full extent of my musical interest. If you look back at our catalog you’ll see that we’ve always been doing heart-on-the-sleeve ballads, as you called them, and slower songs and quieter songs. I don’t think it’s different than the other ones we’ve done other than it’s got a little more of a finer focus on that sort of material. Over the course of a career, Titus Andronicus has built this big house of musical ideas and, if the rock opera album was trying to spend time in all those rooms jumping around haphazardly, then this album is settling down in a particular room that may be a little dusty, but I think there’s some treasures to be found. RD: That’s a cool way to put it. You also used to be involved with the Brooklyn DIY venue Shea Stadium as a ticket-taker along with Titus Andronicus using the place as a practice space. Sadly, Shea Stadium isn’t around anymore and DIY venues are dying off drastically all over. Do you think there’s a future for the unique places that are left or do you think there’s a shift happening?

PS: I certainly hope they don’t die off completely. I think it has a lot to do with that warehouse fire that happened in Oakland a couple years ago, do you remember that?

RD: Yep, the Ghost Ship fire.

PS: Yeah. I think that really turned up the heat on a lot of these places because very often they don’t completely comply with all the safety regulations, zoning codes and what not. I don’t think that it’ll ever really totally go away. There’s always going to be new generations of young people to step up, carry the torch and create their own thing. A lot of DIY spaces have historically not lasted very long, which is a sad thing but it’s just the way that it is. I think it’s true that somebody is always going to find a way to keep it alive even if they’re always going to be on the run.

These places aren’t necessarily built for long lives. It’s more like a virus that’s always spreading and mutating. As hard as the city government might try to snuff it out, I don’t think they’ll ever snuff it out completely. They continue to try and make it more and more difficult for kids to get these places started and sustain them, but it’s like they say: when there’s a will, there’s a way. There’s always going to be a need for young people to have spaces where they feel like they can exercise their angst, and I’m sure they’re going to find a way to continue to do that. Over the past few years, some new spaces like that have popped up in New York City and I’m hoping that they can stay one step ahead of the law for as long as they can.

RD: You put it perfectly. Festival season is steadily approaching so after this current tour, what does Titus Andronicus have planned next? Is the band going to be jumping on some festivals this summer?

PS: We’re not playing any festivals at all, haven’t gotten any invitations.

RD: That’s a bummer.

PS: Eh, well it would be nice to have the pay day from those things, but the truth is we’re doing the acoustic show this year with just myself and Alex Molini on piano. In this case, it wouldn’t be appropriate for a big outdoor summertime festival. I will say that we’re playing the Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Idaho, later in the month but that’s not a big outdoor thing with a big stage. It’s more like a SXSW kind of a thing where the festival takes over all the clubs in town and puts on shows every night, which I think is more appropriate for the acoustic show that we’re going to be doing. I’m not mad though, we’ve gotten to play some big festivals in the past so I can scratch that off the list. I’m not lamenting it too much although the money would be nice.

Titus Andronicus with Rick Maguire from Pile @ AS220, Mar 9: as220.org/event/titus-andronicus-w-rick- from-pile/?instance_id=82728

Web site: titusandronicus.net Album of the Week: Superorganism

Superorganism debut album cover

An incredibly good debut album has a power that can’t be overstated: It can make a band’s career and shift the music landscape. The first self-titled release from act Superorganism has what it takes with funky beats, interesting samples and catchy harmonies. Their album came out Mar 2 via the Domino Recording Company and is already building a buzz. Each year has at least one act coming out of nowhere to leave their mark, and it looks like 2018 could be the year this band achieves that.

The act started with a chance meeting between lead vocalist Orono Naguchi and New Zealand guitar rock act The Eversons at a show in Japan in 2015. From there, Naguchi started collaborating with the New Zealanders and it evolved into a new project. Add backing vocalists Ruby, B and Soul and this amazingly talented octet was born. There’s nothing boring about the album and it’s an infectious, original sound.

Lately there has been a trend of music creeping into the pop realm that utilizes samples, and most music has bits and pieces from other recorded songs. Superorganism is doing a similar thing, but what makes their samples different is that they come from recorded messages and ringtones. Experimentation is abundant within the album but the accessibility of it never strays away. For a deeper look, let’s examine my top tracks off of the Album of the Week:

“Something for your M.I.N.D.” has a psychedelic sliding guitar and an infectiously melodic chorus. A great example of funky beats is “The Prawn Song” with a mellow vibe throughout the track that’ll make the mind unwind. The ringtone samples mentioned earlier are in “Night Time,” and, at first listen, the ears might get confused and hear a phone ringing.

Live music fiends can check out Superorganism live at Brighton Music Hall on Apr 1 and act like a “fool.” One can only imagine how incredible it’ll be to catch an act like this in person. While you’re at the show, grab a copy of the debut album. It’ll leave a lasting impression that you’ll want to go back to on a regular basis.

Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/15TFB6uLZlb3gnCysRrLix

Web site: wearesuperorganism.com

Wyclef Jean Brings the Carnival to Fête, Mar 3

Wyclef Jean

Wyclef Jean is different from many of his hip-hop contemporaries due to his individualistic approach to the style. It’s hard to pin him down to one genre due to his incorporating world, folk, jazz and numerous other kinds of music. He also pays tribute to where he comes from in Haiti as part of his artistic essence. He has always done things his way and, due to being aware of what the music landscape is like, he embraces it while putting his own spin on it. As part of “Carnival Tour,” Wyclef Jean and his band will be vibing in the ballroom at Fête Music Hall with Providence hip-hop band Sun of Sound kicking it off.

I had a conversation with Jean about his latest album, working with young musicians, each generation having their own voice, solving the current divide within America and his quest to form the next supergroup.

Rob Duguay (Motif): You’re going to be performing at Fête Music Hall in Providence on Mar 3 as part of the “Carnival Tour” in support of your recent release Carnival III: The Fall and Rise of a Refugee that came out last September. With it being the third release of the series, what was the approach going in while making the album?

Wyclef Jean: For me, my work is always eclectic. I call it a “global gumbo” and I’m always doing music; music doesn’t stop. It just felt collectively that there were a lot of young kids who were inspired by my work. One of them is Young Thug who wrote a song named after me and he put me on a mixtape of his. What happened with the last “Carnival” album is that we fused what was musically going on in 1997 with what we have going on now, and answering the question of “What would it sound like?” It was me producing with a few producers who were listening to funk when they were eight years old. We put the two frequencies together and that’s what you got, the Carnival III.

RD: Your career has evolved a lot since you were in the Fugees since the early ‘90s, and you’ve been making music for nearly 30 years. What do you think has changed about you the most as an artist since you were starting out?

WJ: My blueprint is that I always wanted to be like Quincy Jones. Now, a hundred million records later with the Fugees and collaborating with the likes of Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Shakira and Mary J. Blige, I learned something from each of them. Every time I learned something, I kept growing and growing. I always think that in the music business every day is a learning process. As producers and composers we go in, do it and inspire. The more we learn, then the more we inspire.

RD: One thing I’ve always appreciated about your music is that you’ve always incorporated your Haitian roots with hip-hop while keeping it fresh and maintaining your own identity. You just mentioned Quincy Jones, did you check out that interview he did with Vulture recently?

WJ: Quincy is like the godfather. Of course I read it.

RD: What did you think of it? Is there stuff that he talks about that you already knew about?

WJ: I knew a lot of what he was talking about already.

RD: Over the past couple of years, the hip-hop community has been divided over what some purists consider to be “mumble rap” with artists like Lil Yachty and Lil Uzi Vert putting out music along with having controversial opinions about hip-hop legends like Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. As a musician who has roots in hip-hop, where do you stand on this?

WJ: I consider myself as one of the oracles of this movement. The best way to explain it is that it’s like the NBA Draft. Another kid is going to come along and they’re going to feel like they’re better than LeBron or that they’re better than Jordan. At the end of the day, the legacy of the player will tell who’s the best but I do think that you need both worlds to function. I personally think that, from growing up with hip-hop, there’s all kinds of hip-hop.

You had Biz Markie, you had N.W.A. and you had Digital Underground doing “The Humpty Dance.” I think what’s happening is that the hip-hop that’s in more of a commercial space now, some of the purists might not agree with, but once again, every generation has their own tongue. You have to blend in with you.

RD: You make a good point by saying that each generation has their own art forms and their own voices. Back in January, President Donald Trump referred to Haiti and numerous other countries as “shithole countries” as an answer to allowing immigrants into the United States. You came here as an immigrant from Haiti when you were young and you obviously must have been upset by this. What do you think can be a solution to the division Trump has caused through the things he’s said before and since taking office?

WJ: I think the first part of it is that the solution is to get better legislation passed. How that comes about is by having an independent party to counteract the Democratic and Republican parties. In cities and boroughs there are councilmen and mayors. If we want real change, then we have to focus on voting for better legislation and that’s the only way it’s going to happen. People have to get more involved instead of sitting back and watching what happens. I’m from Haiti, man. Haiti is Pearl Island, it’s not a shithole.

RD: I have friends of mine from Haiti and they’ll say the same thing. In fact, one of my friends from there went to Haiti to visit again and she was eating mangos from a tree and taking photos of the wildlife. It looks like a very beautiful place. After the “Carnival Tour,” what do you have planned for the rest of the year?

WJ: While on tour, we’re also working on the next mixtape called Wyclef Goes Back to School. From the mixtape, I’m going to create the next supergroup.

RD: Who’s going to be in the group?

WJ: I don’t know yet but let me tell you how we choose. First of all, the reason why it’s called Wyclef Goes Back to School is because during my dorm days we had the biggest campus bands. There’s a lot of talent at colleges and universities that are waiting to be discovered. While I’m on tour, I’m going to be doing studio sessions in a lot of different dorms in these cities. From there, we’re going to be pulling some incredible talent and the first time people hear all of this talent will be on my next mixtape.

Wyclef Jean with Sun Of Sound @ Fête Music Hall, Mar 3, tickets: ticketweb.com/event/wyclef-jean-the- carnival-tour-fete-music-hall-tickets/7975555

Web site: wyclef.com

Album of the Week: Screaming Females – All at Once All at Once by Screaming Females

If you ask a band or a musician about the hardest things that come with their craft, often they’ll mention trying to capture their live essence in a studio album. It can be difficult to appreciate the spontaneous energy that comes with playing live in a room with only a limited amount of time to get it right. New Brunswick, NJ, punk trio Screaming Females made an effort to achieve that with their seventh album All at Once released Feb 23 via Don Giovanni Records. It has the most songs on an album of theirs ever (with 15) and it’s intense and melodic. The band finds a perfect balance between the noisy and harmonious sides of punk.

Marissa Paternoster maintains her status as one of the best guitarists on the planet, with shredding that send chills down the spine. Her voice is still magnificent, able to yell to the high heavens while also able to be low key and melancholy. Each song is backed by the rock-solid foundation of King Mike on bass guitar and Jarrett Dougherty on drums: with each album Screaming Females put out, the both of them syncopate tighter and tighter. There’s a majestic essence when Paternoster, Mike and Dougherty plug in and play, and it only takes a few seconds of listening until the ears feel it.

The best punk stories these days come from bands who progressed from rocking basements in their hometown to playing venues and festivals all over the globe. It’s even better when the band still has complete control over how they present themselves and how they’re managed. Screaming Females are living proof, and they still embrace the DIY work ethic that brought them to where they are today. There’s something refreshing about a band that does what they want and call their own shots. Another thing that’s refreshing are my top tracks off of the Album of the Week:

Mike and Dougherty’s rhythmic brilliance is best exemplified in “Soft Domination” where the combo of seismic drumming and thudding bass accents Paternoster’s sheer power, making the track one to play on repeat. “I’ll Make You Sorry” harnesses the band’s live energy mentioned earlier. It also is a fantastic case of the trio’s ability to bring the noise along with resonating melody. With driving riffs, “Fantasy Lens” is in your face and unapologetic.

Screaming Females will be making their presence felt at AS220 on Apr 8 with Baton Rouge, LA, sludge masters Thou, Philly punks Hirs and Providence’s emphatic Assembly of Light Choir. This has what it takes to be one of the best shows to happen in Providence this year, so make sure to attend. While you’re there, peruse the merch table and grab a copy of All at Once. The electrifying barrage makes the album live up to its title.

Bandcamp: screamingfemales.bandcamp.com/album/all-at-once

Web site: screamingfemales.com

Acid Dad Electrifies AS220 on February 27

Brooklyn has always been a melting pot for live music. The 2000s saw the music scene there explode again with acts like TV On The Radio, Kevin Devine, The Hold Steady and numerous others putting out their best material and making the borough the epicenter for indie rock. The 2010s have brought changes to the area, but bands like Acid Dad are keeping Brooklyn’s underground community alive. The punks have their self-titled debut album coming out on March 9 via Greenway Records. To kick off their tour in support of the album’s release, Acid Dad will take the stage at AS220 in the heart of downtown Providence with Julep from Boston, local garage rock trio Harvey Garbage & The Flowers and noise rock artist Albert Demuth opening up the night.

Before the show I had a chat with drummer Kevin Walker about the band having their own studio, people in New York City going out on weeknights, the hustle that comes with recording and plans to work on Acid Dad’s sophomore release.

Rob Duguay (Motif): Acid Dad are going to be releasing their self-titled debut album on March 9. Where was the album recorded and who produced it?

Kevin Walker: I produced it with Vaughn [Hunt] at our studio in Brooklyn. I recorded the entire thing pretty much, and then we did the mixing and mastering afterward.

RD: I noticed it has this modern punk vibe that you hear from a lot of bands these days, but what made it interesting was this ’70s Lou Reed-esque laid backness about the whole thing. What were you guys trying to capture while making the album? KW: Well, recording is kind of a hustle. We had the songs already written, but we didn’t track it all in one shot. I tracked the guitars and then I had the other guys come in and do their parts. Sometimes there were some voids to fill or we realized that the song was recorded too fast or vice versa with it being too slow. A few times a song would come out a bit different and then we would shape it into something that works. The laid back stuff came from what we originally recorded and then we went back to it to slow it down a little bit and it ended up working a lot better that way.

RD: With it being the band’s debut album, did you guys feel any pressure while in the studio? Did you feel that you had to get everything right or was it a very relaxing experience?

KW: No, it wasn’t relaxing at all (laughs). We recorded the album last January and we recorded it all the way through. Then we sat on it for a couple of months and I realized that I didn’t like the way it came out. It was basically recorded way too fast, so a few months later we went back to it and we explored new tempos and it was re-recorded in the summer. That’s what it is now, so it’s like phase 2 of what the band’s sound is.

The cool thing about having your own studio is that there’s no pressure to have every song totally fleshed out and all the details finished while recording. You can rewrite and make edits afterward; it’s not chill, but we don’t have that whole situation where you’re paying to rent out a studio and you have to get everything done in seven days or something like that. We were able to experiment as we recorded and while it took us a long time, we could also afford that luxury.

RD: What’s the music scene like in Brooklyn these days? It seems like there’s an ebb and flow of venues opening and closing where it becomes a yearly cycle.

KW: It’s interesting. I was just reading an article the other day about how Brooklyn has become a mini hotbed of clubs right now. We kind of caught the tail end of all the DIY spots being around a few years ago. When we were coming up, there was a shortage of venues and indie bands but now there’s a resurgence of venues popping up in Bushwick and Bed-Stuy. It’s been a pretty healthy scene now to the point where bands from here can have a pretty good show on a Monday or a Tuesday. In small towns and cities, folks usually only go out on the weekends while in New York, people are kind of out of their minds and go out every day of the week.

RD: After this tour, what are Acid Dad’s plans for the summer?

KW: We’re going to finish writing the next record and record it during the summer. We’ll have some one-off gigs and festivals, but we’re not going to do another big tour.

Event page for Acid Dad, Julep, Harvey Garbage & The Flowers and Albert Demuth @ AS220 on February 27: facebook.com/events/1192264780904265; Acid Dad’s Website: aciddad.com

Album of the Week: Vundabar – Smell Smoke

Smell Smoke by Vundabar

Vundabar have found themselves reaching new heights in 2018. The act from Boston has gone from being under the radar to a band with a burgeoning following around New England and beyond. Frontman Brandon Hagen’s songwriting encompasses ‘80s era jangle pop, electrifying fuzz and artsy flair, exuding sounds that captivate the senses. Their third album, Smell Smoke, is due out Feb 23 via the band’s label Gawk Records, and it exhibits a steady progression of music both accessible and unique. There’s an intense vibe throughout the album, arising from the lyrical themes of mental and physical decline.

Smell Smoke was produced by two people in two different studios. Both Keith Abrams at The Head Room in Philadelphia and Justin Pizzoferato at Sonelab in Easthampton, MA, lent their recording talents to this wonderful record. There’s a difference from Vundabar’s sophomore release Gawk that came out in 2015: This new release delves more into the conflict between grit and melody. The amplification of Hagen’s guitar adds a punch that’ll leave an enjoyable impression.

For anyone who knows me personally, they’ve heard me say it numerous times, but New England music fans are awfully lucky: Many cities around the region have amazing music scenes going on. It’s crazy to think about how much talent is in such a small place compared to the rest of the United States. Vundabar is a jewel in New England’s musical crown, and they’ll be remaining there for a while. Let’s see how this jewel shines by going in-depth with my top tracks off of the Album of the Week:

“Big Funny” rides a groove while the chorus leads up to a barrage of thunderous guitar riffs. With a driving structure, “Harvest” has drummer Drew McDonald serving as the steady base for a dramatic song; there are numerous downbeats that set the tone as well. The most avant-garde song on the album is definitely “No Person to People” – Hagen’s vocals stay at a certain level and it’s a bit all over the place with guitars and drums going at different volumes.

Vundabar will be ringing in the release of Smell Smoke with a sold-out show at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA, on Mar 3 with Chicago duo Ratboys opening things up. Other upcoming New England dates of theirs include March 5 at the Wamleg in Wallingford, CT, Apr 13 at ArtsRiot in Burlington, VT, and the following night at Space Gallery in Portland, ME. Hagan and his band will be touring in support of the new album so make sure to see them live if they’re playing in a city near you. Also, grab a copy of the album when it comes out: It’s peculiarly addictive and you’ll want to listen to it over and over again.

Smell Smoke: vundabar.bandcamp.com/album/smell-smoke

Facebook: facebook.com/Vundabar

Shopping (the band) at Columbus Theatre, Mar 2

Shopping, the band

British post-punk trio Shopping are on a mission to make people move. The band that calls both London and home has an organic approach to the style that’s abundant with rhythm. Their third album titled The Official Body released on Jan 19 via Fat Cat Records is a fine example with each track guaranteed to supply that sensation. They’re also three people who refuse to take themselves too seriously. As part of their United States tour in support of the album, this interesting act will be taking the upstairs stage at the Columbus Theatre in Providence’s west end on Mar 2 with Los Angeles no- wave act French Vanilla and local electro-pop wonder La Neve.

I had a chat with bassist Billy Easter, drummer Andrew Milk and guitarist Rachel Aggs about working with fellow Brit Edwyn Collins, staying in a house on a cliff, a recent music video they made and a new kind of social anxiety brought on by social media. Rob Duguay (Motif): Shopping’s new album The Official Body maintains the band’s minimal approach to dancing rhythms and Billy’s bass is also very noticeable on a lot of tracks. When the album was being made, what was the initial artistic vision?

Billy Easter: It’s our third album, so we kind of knew what we were doing, but we wanted to develop it a little bit and bring in a few extra sounds. We didn’t talk that much, exactly, about what kind of album we wanted to make. We’re happy with what we did, but we just wanted to do it better.

Andrew Milk: I think we kind of amped up the party vibe, and making the synth and samples be more prominent helped keep the dance elements at the forefront. We didn’t really stray from a dance- orientated sound, but on our previous records there are songs that are more ballad-y, and on this one there’s nothing like that at all.

Rachel Aggs: In my opinion, the bass lines sound more complex. They are really intense at times.

BE: The bass lines on this album are a lot more difficult to play than on the previous albums.

RA: I think they’re great. On the track “Wild Child,” when we were writing it, Billy came up with the bass line, and I was noodling around on the guitar thinking that I didn’t need to play very much on this song because the bass line is so good. It felt like it should be prominent.

RD: I definitely noticed that while listening to the record. I like the tones on it too, the deepness coming from the bass melds well with the synth. Before The Official Body was made, you guys lost your rehearsal and writing space in London due to the building it was in closing down. Was it a big roadblock when it came to writing the songs for the album? Were you each frantically looking around for other spaces?

BE: Not really. Our space closed way before we started writing this album actually. It just affected our lives in terms of us moving out of London. It wasn’t a major panic for the band because, even though we practiced in that space, we didn’t always practice there and we’re pretty adaptive anyways. We were already busy with a bunch of different things so we would get together when we could and we would write then. It wasn’t like we were writing in the practice room daily or anything like that.

I wouldn’t say that it had a massive impact on our writing but then having a long distance element sort of did. We’re always sort of adapting to circumstances it feels in a way because all of our lives change quite a lot.

RA: The strain on the writing maybe put a little more pressure on the process but perhaps it was good for the songs because that’s the type of energy we thrive on. Frustration, lack of space and lack of time are inherent in most people’s creative process. We’re not the kind of band that panics when circumstances get in the way, we just deal with it and try to adapt.

RD: There are countless bands in Providence that have had their space close down and they’ve had to ask everyone they know about splitting a space and it can become a hassle.

BE: Yeah.

RD: Now The Official Body was recorded and produced fairly quickly over a 10-day period. Usually bands take a few months to make a new album, so how did everything come together so quickly? BE: We wrote the album over the period of time of a year while meeting up in various places when we could, when we had a show, while being part of a festival, whatever. It was just the recording part that took 10 days and we did it with Edwyn Collins. He has a really great studio in the very north of , which the only way it could work was to stay there for a few days since it’s very far away. It’s a five hour drive from Glasgow, so you would have to go and live there. Previously we had absolutely no money at all and we had half a day here and half a day there. This time was actually the most luxurious, spacious length of time that we had to record.

RD: That’s awesome. Was the studio in a little town in Scotland? Was it in the middle of nowhere?

BE: It was really isolated in a town of 300 people and it was on the edge of a cliff looking out into the North Sea.

RD: Wow.

BE: It was incredible and a very spectacular, beautiful place.

RD: What was the name of the town?

BE: Helmsdale.

RD: That’s amazing that you guys got to record in such a magnificent place. Along with the new album, Shopping also released a new music video for the song you mentioned earlier, “Wild Child,” a few weeks ago. It’s a spoof on talent TV shows like “The Voice” and “American Idol.” Who came up with the idea for it along with all the fluorescent graphics that are present in the video?

AM: I think the idea came from all of us together when we were discussing what we wanted to do for that song, as with most things that we do as a band. The particular plan revolved around the mock-up of a game show or a talent show like all the ones you mentioned. It fit with the idea of a persona that you project and bizarre levels of fame that is present nowadays with social media. The lyrics reference a projecting of a persona that isn’t quite true, but people are fascinated by it and being drawn in by people’s online personas.

All of that really coalesced together into this weird idea of us presenting our alter egos and judging people who are seeking that “15 minutes of fame” doing quite mundane and ordinary acts. People can really just become famous from social media from having an opinion.

RA: Or having their dinner.

AM: If you’re really good at taking photos of your dinner, you can get like 12,000 followers [laughs]. The consequence of that is that we’ve become a culture of judging everyone and everything all the time. The merest mundane activities are now worth raging over. I have friends of mine who have social anxiety about putting photos on Instagram and worrying about how many likes they’ve gotten. That’s a real common thing now, people hold preciously the persona that they’re presenting online and it seems like it’s one big popularity contest with everything you do.

It’s a new sort of anxiety that people are experiencing and those things combined make the video what it is. We also didn’t want to be blatantly pointing the finger at people because everything is a mirror. We’re as complicit in all of that craziness as anyone else. BE: We’re judging ourselves.

AM: Yeah, we’re making fun of ourselves and I hope that comes across when people watch it. Everything is a bit fucked up, but you have to be able to laugh about it.

RD: You make a lot of great points when it comes to social media and how many followers you have. It can also be narrowed down to being a bunch of nonsense, but, if you’re knee deep in it, especially if you’re a musician, you need social media to promote your work. It’s kind of a double-edged sword in that sense.

AM: Definitely.

RD: After the upcoming show at the Columbus Theatre in Providence next month, what does the rest of the year have in store?

BE: After the US tour, we’re coming back and then we got a couple more European tours that we’re going to do. At the moment we’re looking into jumping on some festivals and stuff like that for the summer but nothing in particular.

“Wild Child” music video: youtube.com/watch?v=GWvzFYTPrRw

Tickets for Shopping, French Vanilla, La Neve as the Columbus Theatre, Mar 2: ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1610876

Facebook: facebook.com/weareshopping

Album of the Week: – I’m Dreaming I’m Dreaming by Alice Ivy

Australia has always had interesting music coming out of it. The country/continent has a very strong garage rock scene along with peculiar pop artists and they still worship ‘90s post-grunge act Silverchair like they’re The Beatles. With all of this going on, a new act is rising up from down under and it’s Alice Ivy. She brings a blend of trip hop, soul and electronic with hip hop tendencies in her debut album I’m Dreaming that came out on Feb 9 via the Australian label Dew Process. It’s stunningly authentic with a variety of samples to convey an old school vibe.

Ivy first tried her hand at music by playing the clarinet and it didn’t go as well as she hoped. She then turned to making beats and in turn she got the knack for creating hot jams. Her debut album is the culmination of an incredible talent that holds a lot of promise. It also has a wide-ranging appeal with hip hop purists, Motown soul enthusiasts and your typical hipster – all bound to enjoy what Ivy has to offer. There’s a contagious rhythm that’ll take hold of the senses once the ears are plugged in.

Another thing that makes Ivy’s debut awesome is a saxophone sneaking into a few tracks. There’s a jazzy tone and a distinct coolness that comes with it. I’m Dreaming is a rejuvenating album that’ll impress even the most pretentious of music snobs. It’s something new that has roots in music’s past. That’s what makes it great, so let’s see where the greatness comes from and take a look at my top tracks off of the Album of the Week:

There’s a heavy dose of neo-soul and hip hop on “Be Friends” that has Cazeaux O.S.L.O. & Tim De Cotta alternating between both styles; what makes the track unique is that the beats are coming off of an atmospheric dream pop foundation. “Get Me a Drink” featuring E^st and Charlie Threads is the anthem for anyone who has experienced an awkward night out: The song has a hypnotic build up to an emotional chorus that’ll get the body moving. The samples are excellently exhibited during “Charlie” with a vintage aesthetic shining from start to finish.

She’s going to be embarking on a tour of Australia that starts at the Hudson Ballroom in Sydney on Feb 17, but hopefully Alice Ivy will be making her way to the States at some point this year. One can only imagine the party she brings when she’s performing live. In the meantime, get yourself a copy of I’m Dreaming. It has a groove that resonates a state of bliss.

Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/551nsOjkFMdljYZRcSMWIZ

Web site: aliceivymusic.net

Ryan Montbleau at the Knickerbocker, Feb 9 Ryan Montbleau

Peabody, MA, singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau has a knack for leaving a lasting impression through melody. The way his lyrics bounce off the chords and strums is astounding and guarantees a wonderful listening experience. His stellar talent has catapulted him to the upper echelon of New England musical acts, and it looks like he’ll be staying there for the time being. He also has achieved a dedicated following over the years with loyal fans coming out to see him perform wherever he goes. On Feb 9, Montbleau will be making his presence felt at the Knickerbocker Café in Westerly.

We had a chat ahead of the show about planning gigs, a new duo that he’s a part of, who he’d like to share the stage with someday and what the future holds.

Rob Duguay (Motif): As a full-time musician, what do you find to be the most challenging and the most gratifying when it comes to thriving as an artist?

Ryan Montbleau: I find it challenging to constantly plan out my life three or four months in advance. I spent so many years trying to get gigs that it’s sort of ingrained in me to take them. It’s a blessing to get opportunities but I get into trouble if I take on too much. Finding a balance of a home life and creative time along with all the gigging and touring is a constant challenge. Beyond that, having a broader vision of where I want to go can be difficult when I’m in the trenches too much of the time.

You tend to get opportunities based on what you’ve done in the past. It takes strong will to bend that towards where you want to go. Thriving as an artist in and of itself is gratifying, through, feeling like you’re getting better at your craft and doing the work. I also get a boost when people tell me how the music has affected them. You’d like to think that as an artist you don’t need that, but it really helps me to keep going. Knowing and hearing that you’re affecting someone with what you do is more important than any numbers or all the other crap.

RD: Recently you and fellow Massachusetts musician Hayley Jane (who opens the Feb 9 Knickerbocker show) started a duo titled Yes Darling. What are the dynamics that you and Hayley have artistically that’s different than other musicians you’ve collaborated with?

RM: Hayley and I really clicked as writers right off the bat. I’ve had some successful co-writing sessions before, but this was just very quickly and clearly a project on another level than I had experienced before. Plus, she’s a great harmonizer and we sing beautifully together. To me, the writing is really where it’s at. We can take our own experiences together, draw on past experiences, add in some general themes about men and women and it all seems to click together. We fight in the songs, we fight in real life, we love, we make up, it all finds its way into the music and the dynamic can be exaggerated, but at the end of the day it’s real.

RD: During your career you’ve gotten to share the stage with the likes of Ani DiFranco and Rodrigo y Gabriela. Is there any musician currently alive that you’d love to open for? What kind of effect have they had on you as a musician?

RM: I’d love to open some shows for the Wood Brothers. I sat in with them once, and they are so gracious and so profoundly great at what they do. I think they set the bar these days for writing songs that are both powerful and simple. It’s the hardest thing to do. I also got to open for Tedeschi Trucks Band before and their soundcheck made me cry, so that would be fun again.

RD: After your upcoming show in Westerly, what does the rest of the year have in store for you?

RM: The Yes Darling album is getting released officially on Feb 14, and we’re already getting a lot of offers and buzz about that project. We’re sort of waiting to see how that blossoms and I think we’ll plan the year accordingly. I’m running a few songwriter retreats in June up in Vermont, where I now live, and I will be continuing with my own band and solo shows. I have a great group of players around me and I’d like to dig in with them, see where the music can take us.

Tickets: knickmusic.com/events/2018/2/9/ryan-montbleau

Web site: ryanmontbleau.com

Facebook: facebook.com/Montbleau Event: facebook.com/events/1643039932415514

Album of the Week: Palm – Rock Island

Rock Island by Palm During this era of music, it’s easy to disregard innovation. Some people think that every possible style has already been conceived so there’s no chance of discovering something new. Through the nonsense, a band comes along to push the envelope while making sounds that leave the ears in awe. Philadelphia math pop quartet Palm is an excellent example of a band harnessing their own originality with their second LP Rock Island being released Feb 9 via Carpark Records. It’s an album that’ll put the senses in a trance while offering a variety of sonic dimensions.

The guitars courtesy of dual vocalists Eve Halpert and Kasra Kurt make the new album stand apart. There’s a consistently abstract chord structure while Halpert and Kurt add sheens of harmony in each song. Bass guitarist Gerasimos Livitsanos holds it down with a laid-back foundation, while Hugo Stanley on drums contributes jazzy tones. Palm delivers music that makes the listener start thinking. From start to finish, Rock Island embarks on a mental voyage that conveys weirdness in accessible ways.

In my opinion, I think being fearless is a prime ingredient when it comes to creating something different from the artistic norm. Musical progression is important to move culture forward: The last thing we need is to be bored by the things that we love. It’s a depressing notion, but, in today’s day and age, the mainstream seems to be consistently rehashing the past for the sake of nostalgia. Palm is the antithesis of that by not being afraid to be contrasting; let’s see how that is so by taking a look at my top tracks off of the Album of the Week:

With a wild beginning, “Composite” has breakdowns that set everything up and complement the complex rhythms well by maintaining a mellow vibe. “Heavy Lifting” exemplifies the laid-back æsthetic through the upbeat and smooth sounds; Stanley’s jazzy skills on drums, mentioned earlier, shine like a diamond. Another great one is “Forced Hand,” all over the place but also poignant.

New England live music addicts can check out Palm at Great Scott in Allston, MA, in the Boston metro area on Feb 16. It promises to be a fun time at one of the coolest places to see a show in the region. While you’re there, grab a copy of Rock Island. It’ll pique your interest instantly after you press play.

Bandcamp: palmnewyork.bandcamp.com/album/rock-island

Facebook: facebook.com/palmmlap