In 2017, peers and jamming partners Geordie Greep, Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, Morgan Simpson, and Cameron Picton of the esteemed BRIT School would come together to form a band. After taking on the name black midi, this highly skilled collective would go on to release the universally-beloved Schlagenheim in 2019, a post-punk masterpiece filled with noise, punk energy, and progressive rock influences. Following this was 2021’s highly anticipated release of Cavalcade, a marked change in sound but a nonetheless remarkable record. This album showcases a wider breadth of style than their previous record, ranging in sound from pleasant and sweet to harrowingly soft to rigorous and harsh to head-bangingly groovy. It’s threaded with influence everywhere from the instrumental skill and meandering song structure of seminal prog acts like King Crimson and Rush, to the post-punk vocal style and narrative structures of Slint, and even to the jazz flair of their peers in Black Country, New Road. This burgeoning musical feast of a record has the potential to change your conception of what rock music can sound like.

The record opens with “John L,” a song that seems to act as a trial for the weak-hearted. By far the least casually listenable song on the album, this track is a music theory banquet imbued with some of the most positively punishing strings and jarring tempos I’ve heard in recent memory tied together by Morgan Simpson’s absolutely remarkable drumming. This track’s lyrics detail the story of a cult leader, the titular John L, seducing a town with his charismatic promises and mantras only to later be overthrown by the frenzied crowds he himself gathered. The fervent, disjointed nature of the sound on this song fits perfectly with the narrative, almost pulling the listener into the zealous mindset of the indoctrinated. 

With a predictably harsh end to track one, the listener experiences sonic whiplash as they begin to be gently serenaded by soft guitar and poetic murmurs in the second song, “Marlene Dietrich.” This song is another narrative surrounding a titular subject, but this track’s “soft spoken queen” stands in stark contrast to John L. Describing the life and work of actress Marie Magdalene “Marlene” Dietrich (1901-1992) in reverent fashion, this brief, sweet song employs more traditional instrumentation and intimate mixing to create a beautifully sentimental atmosphere. The relationship between these first two tracks creates a lovely foil effect in which the best aspects of both are magnified by their juxtaposition with the other.

After the brief respite offered by “Marlene Dietrich” comes once again the harsh sound of an electric guitar riff and the sharp, distinct sound of drums. At three on the track list, “Chondromalacia Patella” tells the story of aging through esoteric imagery describing a knee condition by the name of, you guessed it, chondromalacia patella. This condition is the most common cause of chronic knee pain and is utilized to describe the despair of growing old and losing your mobility, energy, and general painless existence you once had in youth. This song utilizes heavy moments of almost throbbing guitar and drum, seemingly emulating the waves of pain one with chronic pain would feel, before breaking down into an all-consuming din dominated by a repeating guitar riff and drum pattern.

In the most cohesive track transition of the album, our next song “Slow” begins with a heavy rhythm reminiscent of the progressions from “Chondromalacia.” The flow between songs is best seen in the lyrics, however, as this song describes the thoughts of someone frustrated by the slow decay of life, wishing for an abrupt and controlled end instead. Through a utilization of quiet and loud dynamics, the song creates a movement from frustrated to contemplative to resolved. The instrumental crescendos with the almost pleading cry of saxophone and leads up to a sudden lull; then, the narrator utters the lyrics “stood up, shot / between the eyes / s’just consolation.” Our narrator is presumed dead by his own hand, and the sudden sonic explosion back to chaos reflects the gravity and misfortune of that decision.

Immediately after this comes a return to the quiet tones of “Marlene Dietrich”. This time, the notes hold more tension; the playing feels terse and short, and the tone feels unsettling. Song 5, “Diamond Stuff,” gives us a full, uninterrupted two minutes and ten seconds to simply sit with this uneasy feeling as the sparse instrumental steadily grows. This atmosphere continues to thicken until hushed vocals emerge, stating simply “I’m a husk / made up of diamond stuff.” A violin is plucked, the instrumental swells, and the mood changes. What was before a hollow instrumental becomes a contemplative jazz track, reflective and even optimistic in tone. Vocals are murmured in the background, speaking in the abstract about minerals and the body. Developing and emerging from bits and pieces of scattered instrumental, this song crystalizes almost like the very mineral it’s named for, becoming a clear and resilient example of artistic acuity. This track wraps up a loose thematic three-piece discussing age, death, and decay and eventual merging with the earth.

A solitary saxophone ushers in the ending stretches of the record with the opening of “Dethroned.” Followed by the gradual inclusion of guitar and a strong vocal presence, it gives the impression of the beginning of a speech or a journey of some kind. Lyrically, this song veers from the poetic abstraction of “Diamond Stuff” and pursues the direct storytelling style of our first two tracks. It tells the story of a man in denial of his fall from grace; instrumentally, the single saxophone developing into a grandiose instrumental serves this, seemingly attempting to convince the listener of the validity of the narrator’s denial.

The next track, “Hogwash and Balderdash,” is the most blistering we’ve heard since song #1; beginning with blaring cowbell and never truly slowing, it tells the story of two runaway criminals (named Hogwash and Balderdash) with their heels continually nipped at by the jaws of the law. As the title would suggest, the track is largely nonsense– the lyrics speak of the two’s escapades in a style reminiscent of a Dr. Seuss book, describing improbable plights with impish language. The vocals are feverish and crazed and the instrumental leaps and screams as if speaking itself, its pace making this two and a half minute song feel like an even shorter and more thrilling sprint than it already is. 

The brazen fun of track seven is infectious but short lived as we move into our final song, the balladic “Ascending Forth.” With an even, calm, almost folkish acoustic melody greeting us, frontman Greep’s medieval and hymnal tone spins a tale of creative struggle. In a narrative every creative is familiar with, he knits a story of a man who makes music to critical acclaim, but is torn between making music he knows the masses will love or making music he finds creatively fulfilling. He agonizes over it, repeating dogmatically “everyone loves ascending fourths,” a form of a note with a sentimental or happy tone. As the public urges him on, he begins his next work, deciding to follow his instinct and create what he wants. Disgusted when presented with his composition, devoid of those beloved fourths, the people condemn him and his masterpiece. The instrumental crescendos, and our narrator breaks. In the following progression of pure emotion, Greep laments once again that “everyone loves ascending fourths,” implying that our narrator has eschewed his inspiration in favor of public adoration, churning out easily loved music after being burned by producing what he himself loved most. Clocking in at almost exactly 10 minutes, this last track is a testament to its own message. It ends perfectly exactly the kind of album the narrator would be shunned for; something difficult, challenging, and dissonant, but absolutely overflowing with artistic integrity and love for one’s craft. 

On Cavalcade, black midi has succeeded in creating a collective of some of the most musically exciting compositions I’ve heard in post-punk and even music as a whole in a while. As with most albums, I have my nitpicks; I adore Geordie Greep and Cameron Picton’s vocals, and on most tracks on the album I find that they are a little too deep in the mix for my liking. For how beautiful the lyricism and vocal presentations are, I just wish I could experience them as clearly as possible. With that being said, I truly can’t adequately express how intensely inspired this album feels to me, and my heart aches with the hope that others will feel my love for it and give it a try. There quite simply isn’t anyone doing it like black midi is now, and I can’t wait to see where they take us next.

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One of Bewarewolves’ most striking strengths is the flow of their lyrics. They have a way of putting together words that’s satisfying to listen to, and “Ducking Test” is no exception. The clever wordplay combined with casual profanity and colloquialisms makes for a satisfying collision of a down-to-earth outlook with DIY intellect. The instrumentation lends a propulsive energy to the song, but the variety and strength of the vocal melody make it stand out from the fray. The unique and creative imagery also distinguishes the track from any old run-of-the-mill rock song.  

The main themes center around the injustice of our current system and attempts to appease unrest with empty promises. Lines like “Break that brand big plans court thievery” and “Spit it Chappaquiddick/Play the victim while your homie drowns” exemplify a deep cynicism with the ways of the world as it is now. Even the title is a play on ignoring reason. The most telling lyric is the refrain that comes after the breakdown: “Panther locked in a cage, fed a lamb everyday for 300 days” seems to say that, yeah, the system will throw you a bone–or a sacrificial lamb–every once in a while, but only if you’re willing to comply with its inherent iniquity. The push and pull of the loud and soft, the slower and faster add to that sense of tension. The move from peppy strums to distorted power chords is a perfect metaphor for escalating unrest.

Bewarewolves will be coming out with a new track at the end of this month. Find their music on any of your favorite streaming services. 

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Your songs definitely vary. Some are super hard rock and others are soft and melodic. I hear some punk, and maybe a little psychedelia? What is the process behind it? Where does your inspiration for your music come from?

Kyle- I usually am just playing guitar at home. I only play the acoustic when I’m by myself, and I’m really into music that’s got really good rhythm, so I tend to not finish an idea unless I’m bobbing my head. I never approach like “oh, I’m gonna write a punk song, I’m gonna write this song”. It’s kind of being creative on my own… I love to be alone in that moment because I can throw spaghetti on the wall ‘til something sticks. I grew up listening to The Beatles, and one thing I really respected about them was that none of their albums sounded the same.

You’re originally from Atlanta. Could you tell me what the rock scene is like there and what it was like to start there?

When I was young, I was in a band with my buddies in high school and we really loved Nirvana, we loved Oasis, we loved The Beatles… I lived down in Atlanta for at least 10-15 years. Growing up down there, there was all kinds of fantastic bands, especially in the early 2000s. So many wonderful bands that never really got off the ground. More unique and interesting than any band I played with from out of town. We’d play with bands from Chicago, New York, anywhere, and it was never the same. There was just something about Atlanta, something about the collision of R&B and hip-hop with rock & roll.

I know there’s a huge hip-hop scene in East Atlanta. Do you feel like you have to carve out your own little rock sphere living there or is it all collided and mixed?

It was never like “I gotta conquer this, I gotta fit in here”… I’ve known people that’ve made hip-hop, I know people that make metal music, and to me it’s just a really nice collage of sound down here.

Your videos are all very eye catching. What goes into the production and thinking behind them?

For me, I’ve been in 5-6 projects throughout the 18 years I’ve been making music, and those projects usually lasted two years. One album, a burst of really cool energy in the beginning, and then stagnation, and then the band breaks up. So I formed MammaBear in the hopes to never stagnate, never have an argument with anyone, make the music I wanna make the way I wanna make it… Since those bands would break up after two years we’d never make a music video, so there’s virtually no proof we ever existed because music platforms that exist now didn’t exist [then]. With Mammabear, I wanted to make music videos because I never got a chance to do that in the past… I do not EVER wanna be thought of as “sex, drugs, and rock & roll”, I think that’s such f*ckin’ bullsh*t. The biggest lie sold to young kids… I just wanted to make videos that resonated with me, that had a bit of humor in them.

Can you tell us what we can expect from your new album SAY?

SAY is an attempt at trying to recreate something closer to what we’re doing actually live. We’re a three-piece band so I try to nix how much stuff I put in there, like we don’t need a fourth guitar line, who the f*ck is gonna play the other three guitar lines if it’s just me playing guitar on stage?

MammaBear will be performing live @ 529 Bar in Atlanta, GA on Friday, June 21st, 2019.

The post Interview With Atlanta-based Post Punk Outfit MammaBear appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Savages are one those bands that come around maybe once in a lifetime. That statement might be a tad bit overused, but I’m being honest in this context.  How many bands can you name that once they reach a certain level of success manage to keep a sense of earnestness,  sincerity, and ferociousness to them? That’s a rare find, especially in the world of Indie-rock, The Strokes in their heyday may have possessed some these qualities but traded them in for excessive drinking and apathetic onstage attitudes  (I still love you, Julian Casablancas!).  Savages have been in existence since 2011 and from day one been adamant about not having any “bullshit on stage”,  a quote from lead vocalist Jehnny Beth.  Their live shows are not overrun by any distracting or predictable elements, only two things matter;  the energy and the music.  

Recently, I was awarded the fortunate opportunity to converse with the band’s bassist, Ayse Hassan. Ms. Hassan, being probably one of the coolest people I’ll ever speak to in my life is not only a member of Savages, but also has her own side project called Kite Base.  A duo comprised of solely of bass guitars and the occasional drum machine. Is that not the coolest thing you’ve heard?  So when approaching this interview I felt had the responsibility not to go the path of other two-bit journalists and pester her with questions about what it’s like to be a female in a rock band, because let’s face it those questions are pretty f#@*ing stupid (as well as borderline misogynistic).  So I decided to focus on the individual and the artwork and to her genius, Ayse had the interesting idea of interviewing the interviewer,  so whether you like it or not you’re going to be getting my opinions about art too.  Hold your breath for this one.  

Jay: So Ms Hasan, what was your first musical memory?

Ayse: An early memory that’s rather prominent, was the first time I saw Michael Jackson’s music video for ‘Thriller’.   I experienced a mixture of emotions; fear, excitement, horror.   It was such an intense and scary video for me at such a young age, but it had such a profound impact – I hadn’t seen anything else like it.  I had nightmares for many nights after watching it…

Jay: What attracted you most to the bass as an instrument, as opposed to say the drums?

Ayse: As a kid, I used to dance – ballet and tap,  I was also a cadet for a first aid charity called St John Ambulance – where I recall marching around a playground to the sound of a drum beat, so from an early age I was introduced to music in various forms as most of my hobbies involved the support of music or beats.  My first musical instruments were a recorder, guitar than piano.  Playing bass actually came later for me, around the age of 14…..from that moment I understood that the tone of a bass, the role it plays in music, really resonates with me.

Jay: How did you decide on what your sound was going to be? Was it something organic that occurred over time or was it preconceived?

Ayse: For Savages, it was something quite intuitive. In the room with 3 other musicians, each person bringing something different – their own style of playing, meant we found a way to work within the context of how each of us plays.  Our sound came from that.

Jay: Who are some of your literary and musical influences?

Ayse:

• Literary

Oh I have many, there are the obvious ones like Philip K Dick, Terry Pratchett, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm,  Sylvia Plath, Frank Herbert, Kurt Vonnegut and so on.  But I find it a little boring to talk about these as the road is well trodden.  So I’ll go down a slight, dare I say wonky route; I’m a big fan of Tove Jansson’s work, she is a Finnish novelist, illustrator, painter amongst other things, probably most famous for The Moomins.  I love her art, her fearlessness within her political cartoons, the story of how she wrote her first picture book at the age of 14 called “Sara and Pelle and the Water Sprite’s Octopuses”, The charm of her adult book called ”The Summer Book”.  I’m interested in the author of the books I read, it gives me something I can relate to – I attract to those people who live on the edge of normality, carving their own way in such a structure/conditioned world (or at least in the western world), those who embrace the absurd and take pride allowing imagination and emotion to flourish. I’m currently writing my own novel and I’ve been doing a lot of research, as a result I ended up reading the Philip Pullmans Dark Material trilogy – it’s not normally something I would read but I enjoyed it.  The kid in me loved the fantasy/the adventure – I’m very much a dreamer, I love the power of the imagination, how anything is a possibility.  I  also just finished reading Ted Hughe’s Birthday Letters, a collection of poetry which is a profound body of work said to be a reaction to the suicide of his estranged wife Sylvia Plath.  I found it heartbreaking and an insight into the imprint that grief can leave behind. 

• Other Influences

Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my cousins – we would have sleepovers and I remember my eldest cousin would want to show off her flashy radio/tape player, she would force me to listen to a radio station called magic…so most nights I would fall asleep to the tunes of magic radio – I believe a lot of those tracks got into my subconscious and probably still influence me today (especially the beats element of it)….  The likes of David Bowie, Prince, Micheal Jackson, Madonna, Devo, The Cure, Skinny Puppy, The Beatles all have been a source of inspiration at some point, amongst much more…  I believe that everything you do in your life influences what you do next… that’s why it’s so important to be responsible for yourself and make choices that are right for you – as a result, a lot of my influences tend to come from musical icons but also from people who have shown great courage/humanity and strength throughout their lives…  Tamae Watanabe, at 73 she is the oldest woman to climb Mount Everest, her courage and fearlessness really inspires me.   I enjoy finding inspiration from different sources, such as a town, nature (I’m obsessed with Everest /mountaineering/adventures), an inspiring unknown individual (but is an outstanding human for whatever reason), an unpublished book/comic from a friends, from different genres of music (I always check out recommendations that people give me) – I believe everything contributes to what you create next, it’s all connected in some form or another.

Jay: Do you any favourite memories of all early days with the band?

Ayse: I vividly remember the Savages show at The Shacklewell Arms in London, it’s a small venue and was so packed with people – that we had to squeeze through the crowd to get to the stage.  It was one of those early moments that we just clicked as a band.

Jay: What advice would give to an aspiring musician/lyricist?

Ayse: To keep doing what you love and for as long as it makes you happy – trust your instincts and embrace fear, fear is such a powerful emotion that can stifle creativity, but harnessed in the right way, can open up a great source of inspiration – to use emotions in a positive way. One of the most important things I’ve found, is to constantly try new things; be that music, books, adventures and so on – challenge yourself to read something you might not normally read or visit a gallery in a new place, see a random band, try your hand at doing something unusual (for me that was building a speaker recently) – the freedom to explore new ways of doing things will not only be an exciting adventure but could help inspire the person you become.  A cool Litany against fear from the book Dune – I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer (etc) – Frank Herbert.  Shared with me years ago from Kendra Frost, who is my partner in crime in Kite Base.  

Here’s some questions for you, you don’t have to answer off course but I thought it would be fun to ask – as I’m so used to people asking me questions.

Ayse: What one piece of general advice would you give someone else?

Jay: This is a bit of a loaded one, as I’m only Eighteen years of age and don’t really see myself in the position to give anyone advice. However, I’ve had a lot of experiences with personal growth this year and I’d say the biggest thing I’ve learnt is that there is absolutely nothing wrong with putting yourself first sometimes. This especially true in regards to mental hygiene, which is already hard enough to manage as a human being, but being a teenager? Totally different ball game. Things are undoubtedly going to be rough in our lives but it’s important to recognize when it might be too much for yourself and you’ll have to take a step back. That’s okay, you’re a human being, breathe.

Ayse: What’s your greatest source of inspiration?

Jay: I would have to say music, even I love literature and I’m an aspiring screenwriter. Everything I do always comes back to music, I bring it conversations with people, I sit in lectures for hours and start tapping/drumming instinctively, I make references to songs whenever I can etc.  I can’t seem to escape it and truthfully I don’t want to. I don’t know who or what I’d be without it.  

Ayse: Is there a memory you hold dear, that you would like to share?

Jay: When I was Fourteen I went to go see the Red Hot Chili Peppers with someone who I consider my brother. At the time I was obsessed with this group, almost bordering a mental fixation but I actually didn’t care about going to see the band, it was the fact that we were together and having a great time, listening to music that we love. He also told that he had checked the band’s setlist on Setlist.com the night before and they probably weren’t going to play our favorite song. They did, which just made an already great night even better.

Ayse: Is there a book, film, record that you would recommend?

Jay:   

1. A film that I absolutely adore, and it’s highly underrated, but I love it regardless would be Sleepers. It’s a 90’s movie with Brad Pitt, Robert Deniro and Kevin Bacon in the leads, it’s about a group of young boys that get sent to juvenile detention centre. Once there they are abused and humiliated by the guards that are supposed to look after them, and once they’ve been released years later they seek revenge.  It’s a really gripping thriller/drama that cunningly grapples with the societal idea of masculinity and it’s also just really entertaining.  
2. God Help The Child by Toni Morrison. I won’t give away the premise because it’s kind of a surprise but it just might be the most thrilling experience I’ve had reading a novel. In fact I highly recommend all of Toni Morrison’s works, she’s one of those writers that challenges your expectations all the time. Very rare voice in literature.
3. As big as I am on Punk-rock, my first love will always be Bossa nova. My favorite Bossa album of all time is without a doubt Joao Gilberto’s  Chega de Saudade, which roughly translates to “kill the nostalgia.” It’s a really great record about breakups and nights on the town in Brazil and it was also the album that helped shaped what Bossa would become today. I listen to it like almost every month!

Savages latest release Adore Life is currently available across all platforms. Below is a link to the night in which  they played at The Shacklewell. Highly recommend you give it a watch.

City’s Full: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUqDckQuqcg

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