by Brandon Lemons
Vanguard Records' Stacy Clark is set to debut Connect The Dots on August 10th.
Haven't heard of her yet? Well you're in luck!
This month in reviews including: The Maine, Automatic Loveletter, Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse, Eclecticity, The Rescues and more...
So here we are completely surrounded by summer now (unless of course you are living in the Southern Hemisphere, in that case you are in the dead of winter. For the rest of us though we are enjoying sunshine, the beach, and summer love. Music to me is a huge part of the summer as well, there is always a song that you hear in mid-late spring that makes you say to yourself "I am going to be playing this song all summer long" and in a sense it becomes that summer's anthem.
Enough of my love of summer though. I can't tell you how stoked I am to have had the first exclusive photo shoot done for Lemonade Magazine by the very talented Chris Heim of the gorgeous, as well as crazy talented Chloe Leighton. The pictures are gorgeous and once again I find myself in awe of the talent I am surrounded by. Both Chloe and Stacy Clark who are featured this month are going to be huge, I have no doubt about that.
Also this month I did some Q and As with two bands from my neck of the woods, the Trutones have been tearing up Bellingham, Seattle and Tacoma for years now and The Half Bees are quickly on the rise as well.
As always I want to thank everyone who has embraced Lemonade and been so supportive of it, whether it's the publicists, managers, friends, family, fans, or artists, I couldn't do it without all of you and I hope you are all as excited as I am about it all. We have some really exciting stuff already planned for next month including an interview with Juliet Simms from Automatic Loveletter and a new writer that will be joining us for some intern work. Enjoy the summer everyone! -Brandon
Lemonade Magazine caught up with Half Bees' bass player Tony Massarelli for a quick Q and A before they departed out on their first mini tour across Wyoming and Montana. If you live in Washington make sure to check out on facebook as well as band camp. Their debut EP Look on the Bright Side is still available for download, and you don't pay $20, you don't pay $15, no you don't even pay $10! Look on the Bright Side is all yours for free! Just click on this link... www.thehalfbees.bandcamp.com
Q: Ok so first off, give us the story behind the name of the band...
A: A long time ago, in a town called Chico; Mike and Nate performed live for the first time together at a Lamb family vacation under the name Eric and The Half Bees, taken from the Monty Python cartoon sketch. They joked that if they ever formed a band, it would perform under the same name. Just so happens they did.
Q: What are your backgrounds in music?
A: Mike comes from a family of bluegrass musicians and has been playing guitar since his early teens. He also plays a mean mandolin, which we are working on incorporating.
Nate has been strumming chords for about three years and studied journalism, which contributes to his affinity for writing. Also, he has an impeccable knowledge of pop culture--meaning, he's a dork.
Sean's knack for the drums comes from his extreme attention to detail and abundance of energy. He is the prodigal son of the bunch since he didn't start playing until a few months before our first show.
I have dabbled in music throughout my life but didn't actually start playing the bass until The Half Bees. The band had played a few shows without a bassist and asked if I wanted to give it a shot. After a few rehearsals, I was hooked.
Q: Listening to your debut EP Look on the Bright Side, you can definitely hear influences from grunge as well as some british rock. Who are your biggest influences?
A: Well I think its safe to say that we've heard our fair share of Nirvana and The Beatles... Seriously though, we all have our own personal influences, and write songs collectively, so it's tough to really single out any one band or even genre.
Q: The scene in Bellingham, WA is loaded with talent and although relatively unknown, it is stacked with many different bands and solo acts. Your guys' sound however is very different (although very refreshing in my opinion) compared to most Bellingham bands. What has the reception from local concert goers been like so far?
A: Well thank you! No one's booed us off stage yet, so that's good. There's been some clapping and a little dancing. Overall, pretty alright.
Q: You are already headed out of state for the Ataevius Music and Art Festival in Casper, WY on July 24th along with another staple to the Bellingham music scene, Cara Alboucq. How excited are you for this opportunity?
A: We're ecstatic to say the least. The chance to hit the road at this stage is amazing and we really feel blessed. We even booked a show in Missoula, MT along the way, making this our first mini-tour!
Q:What is on the schedule or what are you hoping for the Half Bees in the second half of 2010?
A: We just want to be able to keep doing what we're doing now man, playing shows and continuing to write more songs. Getting back in the studio is also a big priority. We're also kicking around the idea of a West Coast tour for either late summer or winter.
Q: When can we expect a full length album?
A: We plan on getting back in the studio in late July and hope to release a full length sometime, hopefully by the end of the year.
Sometimes it seems like these days, the boys are playing catch up in the music industry. More and more you see female artists dominating charts in almost all genres. In Lemonade Magazine alone, we have seen girls from the south and girls from the west coast who are now making it big in L.A., but this week we bring you a girl who grew up in the Big Apple.
Stacy Clark grew up in Buffalo, New York, not the first city that comes to mind when you are thinking about music hot spots, but a place that prepares you well for the make or break entertainment industry nonetheless. Although inspired by Lilith Fair greats like Sarah McLachlan, as well as bands like Jimmy Eat World, Stacys own music, like many writers was influenced by the triumphs and tragedies in her own life.
Stacy now calls California home...well at least for the moment; she has after all lived in Vermont, Hawaii, Long Island and Portland, OR as well. Her first album entitled Apples and Oranges was an independent venture that caught the ear of many different TV shows as well as Vanguard Records. She recently signed with Vanguard and is set to release her first CD for them called Connect the Dots on August 10th. Stacy will be the first to admit that the songs on Connect the Dots sound a little different than those on Apples and Oranges, but the brutally honest emotion that comes thorough every word she sings is still there and makes the songs unmistakably hers.
Although she joins a very talented group of girls now that she lives in L.A. such as Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, and Meiko, Stacy is a very unique addition, her piano is a little more rock rather than bouncy pop and the type of emotion in her voice even reminds you of a polished emo sound, sort of like Charlotte Sometimes.
Her personality is as catchy as her music is, and you can bet once Connect the Dots hits the masses, the masses are going to catch on as well. For more info on Stacy, visit www.myspace.com/stacyclark
Ever get tired of all the rain? is a column devoted to artists from Washington State. This week Sid from ska band The Trutones answers questions only a band from the Evergreen State could answer... -Brandon Lemons
What's the history of the Trutones?
We started back in October of 2005, we played a talent show at Ferndale High School. the lineup wasn't planned, and we didn't exactly intend to be a ska band, but the people who were hanging around happened to include a whole horn section, a drummer, a mandolin player, and our bassist. I joined up a day or two later. we played one song for the talent show, Pizza Day by The Aquabats, and it sort of snowballed from there. since then, we've changed our line-up, broken up, taken breaks, and played some truly awesome shows.
What is your favorite Washington venue to play or listen?
Our favorite venue to play has always been WhAAM. We love all ages shows. The crowds are more responsive, we have a great time, and people come to dance, but we'll never say no to Studio Seven or El Corazon, those have been some amazing experiences and we love going to shows there as well. The Showbox is a personal favorite of mine, I've seen some amazing bands at that venue.
Summertime Beach bonfire...who are you inviting living or dead?
Well, I know the band would agree on Tomas Kalnoky of Streetlight Manifesto and Catch 22, he's sort of the reason we're a band. We've always joked about asking "What would Tomas do?" in regard to our song writing. Really though, just get us, our friends, Rude Tuna, some beer, burgers, and a fire going, and I think we'd all be content. That sounds like a blast. I'm pretty certain everyone would be invited.
What's your favorite memory as a band so far?
My personal favorite memory is opening for Big D and The Kids Table at El Corazon in Seattle. We got name checked by all the bands, Big D are some of the nicest guys we've ever met playing shows and we had a great set and an even better audience. It was really one of my favorite memories in general. Our reunion was also amazing, the amount of people who showed up on relatively short notice packed our local all ages venue (WhAAM) and represented like we'd never left. It was a great feeling.
Do you ever get tired of all the rain?
Yes, for a band who loves bonfires, parties, skating and longboarding, we live in a place that's way too rainy. Add the fact that most of us dont' drive and it just gets bad, but I love living in northwest washington, so I deal...
Check out The Trutones at www.myspace.com/thetrutones
Imagine being in a Paris piano bar and having a man come in with his three year old daughter singing jazz tunes in English, well that is how Chloë Leighton got her start. Born to an Australian father and French mother, Chloë spent some of her childhood in Paris, as well as Seattle before moving back to Sydney, Australia in her teens.
These days though, Chloë calls Los Angeles home, a change in her life that even inspired her to write Better Than Me , a song about the constant stress of having to be a certain size or look to make it in L.A., although most would agree Chloë has nothing to worry about.
Chloë's jazz upbringing makes her somewhat of a novelty in L.A., some may compare her to Sara Bareilles, but in all reality she has an attitude and sound all of her own and straight forward lyrics that make you smile either because of how true they are, sarcastic they are, or how witty they are.
Not to leave out the ones that will make you sad as well, Chloë does seem to have a knack for making the same ol' relationship troubles poetic and heart string tugging as well.
A fan favorite amongst Chloë's online fan base is a song called Chocolate Cake , Chloë admits that the song is a true story she wrote after eating chocolate cake for breakfast for three days after going through a breakup. In her words I was sitting there eating chocolate cake for breakfast and I thought this is ridiculous, I am all depressed over this guy! so I got up and wrote a song about it, its a sad song, but also very empowering I think.
Its no surprise Beluga Heights Records jumped on the chance to sign Chloë. She has been working with multi platinum producer J.R. Rotem (Akon, Sean Kingston, Auburn) since the signing.
That may come as a shock to some of you, given the fact that Chloë has more of a jazz piano vibe, after all J.R.'s biggest notches on his belt are songs like SOS by Rihanna, Everybody by Britney Spears, and Whatcha Say by Jason Derülo just to name a few. However you may also be surprised to find out that the South African born Rotem has a history in both classical and jazz piano, in fact he majored in jazz piano at Berklee College of Music.
Chloë also reassures that her first CD she hopes to release soon with Beluga Heights will stay true to her roots, when it all comes down to it. If all goes as planned Chloë will be another superstar for J.R. to add to his resume and a more than welcome addition to top 40 radio.
Now that we've fallen for Chloë and Chocolate Cake we can only look forward to more sweet treats from Chloë in the future....and not just for breakfast.
For more on Chloë, please visit www.myspace.com/chloeleighton or follow her on twitter _ChloeLeighton
Did you think this month would be different than any other? Did you really think we could keep our two cents out and our mouths shut? Of course not! The crew is back with their opinions on music and yes even a film this week. To kick things off we bring to you as usual the artist on artist review. This month the amazingly talented Brother Sal gives his opinion on Let Loose the Horses by The Rescues.
If this is your first time reading Lemonade Magazine...well first....where have you been? and second, the artist on artist review is our way of starting off the reviews with a fun, unique perspective from one of the many fun and unique stars that are quickly becoming part of the Lemonade Magazine Family. Before the review, here is a little info on Brother Sal, courtesy of Lemonade's own, Sally Jaye.....
Brother Sal can be seen playing residencies at the acclaimed Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles and the Piano Bar. His latest record, Blood and Dust , has received rave reviews from CNN and No Depression Magazine. Check out his music at www.myspace.com/thebrothersal , and go be his friend on Facebook!
"It's hard to sum up most great musicians in just a couple of words, but with Brother Sal, it's easy: Whorehouse Gospel. Music has never been more accurately described. Sal sounds like a whiskey soaked prophet having a party on an upright piano in an old timey brothel while the company girls shake their tassels." - No Depression Magazine
My name is Sal and true to my nature, I like to go against the grain of what people expect me to do. That being said, when my respected colleague and very good friend Sally Jaye asked me to write a review for this magazine, I agreed to do so. There were only two or three stipulations. One: It had to be a record that had been released in the past year. Two: it had to be positive in nature. We are, after all, artists and want to be respected by our peers. Let the critics/naysayers write bad stuff about us, I guess. Three, it had to be a personal friend or someone we were familiar within the day-to-day business of life.
Now, I have some very good friends, best friends in fact, who have put records out in the past year. The choice was up to me of course and from the onset of this project I had several records in mind with which I could choose from. Brian Wright: House On Fire , Greg Laswell: Take A Bow , Band of Horses: Infinite Arms , Cary Brothers: Under Control, Leslie & the Badgers: Roomful of Smoke , etc, etc. I've even previewed Sally Jayes TWO new records, and my brain started getting the best of me. I simply think too much. I felt too close to each of these artists/records and have specific love inwardly for each of them. If I was going to review an album, I felt like I should discover something new. Something fresh. Something that made me think twice about personal feelings and put them aside to get insight into the veracity of a real piece of art. Moreover, I wanted to break one of those three rules.
Bradbury wrote "Something Wicked This Way Comes" and something indeed ALWAYS comes along. It fueled the burning I have inside to bend/break the rules. It actually started a month ago when I was driving a friends car to pick up a sandwich. I put on his stereo and listened carefully to four different CDs before I found one that peaked my interest. The first song, then the next song, then the next song and before I knew it, I realized two things. One, I had no idea who I was listening to but I dug it and two, it was REALLY good pop music that hadnt faltered once in my short 15 minute drive. (Now, I could give you a back story on how I think that overly-produced records are a dime-a-dozen these days but Im sure youve heard that one before. Not to mention, songwriting has become somewhat of a lost art and the emphasis seemingly has been put on finding a hook and the next catch phrase). That being said, when I got back with my buddys car, I immediately made him stop what he was doing and demanded to know whose CD I had discovered in Slot #4. He smiled wryly and replied, "Thats The Rescues. Thats their new album Let Loose the Horses. Whattya think?"
Flash forward a month, and I run into Rob Giles at the Hotel Café before a show of mine. Rob is one of the four singers/songwriters/musicians that make up The Rescues. I paid him a brief compliment on what I had heard of the record and said I'd enjoy hearing the whole thing. True to his word, he sent me the record, and I immediately downloaded it and made a copy. Knowing that I had a drive ahead of me, I put Let Loose the Horses into the mouth of the most honest companion I have - my OWN car stereo. If you dont make it there, you aint making it anywhere. It survived.
The Rescues are a band from Los Angeles and probably parts unknown. Unknown because I know very little about them. (Hence, my rule-breaking comes into effect). They are two parts woman, two parts man, and they form like Voltron. Ive met Kyler England four times, Gabriel Mann and Adrianne Gonzalez once apiece, and I would say that Rob and I are friendly at best. Personally, I know very little of them, but I do know that I've listened to their record seven times in the last four days and that has got to be some kind of record for me. I've even recommended it three times and gave it to one of the most harsh critics I know, my ex-wife (insert emoticon here).
In my opinion, this record should be bought and listened to for one overwhelming strength... something that I like to call "Ear Legitimacy". When you listen to it, you feel as if it is paying homage to all that came before it and all that is happening now and all that will come in the future without getting in the way of the NATURAL PROGRESSION THAT IS MUSIC. The Rescues as a collective whole wrote and produced and played all of the instruments on the album and they succeeded. Imagine Fleetwood Mac meets a Mutt Lange production (true, a Shania Twain project nonetheless but still the elements that make up Lange's production style) meets solid songs, instrumentation and the general giddiness that are the make-up of a great pop record.
As an aside for those who know me personally, I STILL believe that pop music is not dead contrary to public opinion, and I yearn for those days where it was/is a viable form of musical expression.
The record starts with the title track Let Loose the Horses and throughout the whole of the album that theme was not lost on me as the listener. They believe in themselves as conductors of this energy. That their songs are written as a group with no one writer taking credit for each track also goes a long way with me. Music should never be personal after it has been written personally. It should be shared and because of the delight that I hear in this record, I wanted to be along for the ride. It is too easy for me to get caught up in the greats and not pay attention to the artistry that is going on in the world around me. The album falters MAYBE once but it was not enough to deter my listening. Its not even worth the mention really because I couldnt tell you off the top of my head where it occurs. Thats for you as the listener to decide. For me, I endorse their message of honesty. I endorse The Rescues. Im simply writing to let you know that I plan on making four new friends.
By the way, the friends albums that I mentioned earlier in the article are NOT honorable mentions. Those records already had made it into the pantheon of greatness in my head because they ARE my friends and I know them intimately and Ive seen the heart and soul that was put into each of those albums. Now go listen to some music....
Connect the Dots is Stacy Clark's debut CD for Vanguard Records (she previously released Apples and Oranges independently). This 12 song venture is the kind of CD that you don't skip ahead on, not one track gets boring, and Stacy's voice never loses steam, effortlessly powering through the whole CD. What impresses me the most about Connect the Dots is the fact that throughout the whole thing it sounds like Stacy has full control, arrangements you wouldn't expect to hear seem to follow Stacy's powerful writing and voice in perfect unity. One of the standout tracks to me is entitled Air Force which tells a story of a girl who's boyfriend cheats on her with her best friend, but all throughout the Connect the Dots you can't help, but relate to and enjoy each song. It's no wonder Vanguard Records snatched up Stacy, in my opinion they have something pretty special in her, a girl who can sing emotional songs, with emotional lyrics, yet can still please all audiences with clear vocals and melodies you can't help, but sway too. I definitely can't wait to hear what Stacy has to offer us in the future.
The problem: Some of the songs like Touch and Go are SO catchy they will stay in your head all day long
The remedy: Quit whining! Being "ear wormed" by good music is better than being "ear wormed" by bad music or no music for that matter.
-Brandon Lemons
I know you aren't supposed to start off reviews with how you feel about the CD right away, but I don't care, this time I am! The Maine's brand new CD, Black and White is one of my favorite albums this year so far. It is a simple, yet deep album with tracks like Color and Growing Up that are really smooth and sweep you away in the current of the songs. I felt like the whole album was one long song and I mean that in a very good way.
It is the kind of album that makes you remember the summer you listened to it and you feel as though you are a part of each track.
I did feel it was a bit short, it is 10 songs long, but they are 10 enjoyable songs so it seems like it goes by faster and you want to hear more. When I reached the end of the CD, all I could think was "Don't Stop Now"!
High Points: Every Road and Color
Low Points: Right Girl and Fuel the Fire
-Thomas E.
Vacancy is the debut CD by San Francisco's Andrea Stray. The 10 song collection is a very easy to listen to folksy/lounge style of music full of strong vocals, writing that tells stories, and pretty instrumentals. Although there are no giant standouts on the CD, You Shot Me is a very catchy track with spaghetti western sounds that would remind you a little of The Last of the Shadow Puppets. Andrea Stray produces the type of music you would be glad to hear come over the speakers of any bar or café and that is meant in a good way. Vacancy is a wonderful collection of tracks, especially if you are somebody who enjoys the simpler things in life and doesn't need cryptic lyrics or over powering instruments.
Find out more about Andrea at www.andreastray.com
Danger Mouse has always been an intriguing artist to me. I've always been a huge fan of Gnarls Barkley, and thought Modern Guilt (produced by Danger Mouse) was one of Beck's best CDs, so when I heard about this CD, I was hoping it would be good.
Dark Night Of The Soul is an album written by Danger Mouse and the late Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse) featuring a wide array of artists who helped write and sing on the CD including The Flaming Lips, Julian Casablancas ( The Strokes) and Nina Persson (The Cardigans) just to name a few. At one point, due to a dispute with EMI it was believed the CD might never be released. Thankfully it was, after hearing the first track Revenge, I knew immediately I was going to love this album, the CD to me has a very sad feeling to it at certain points, but that is what makes it so amazing, how you can truly feel the emotion of this CD. All the tracks are incredible, but my personal favorites include Little Girl, Jaykub, Just War and Revenge.
-Brody T.
Eclecticity's debut full-length album Soul features the compositions of Samuel Eisen-Meyers. Soul is a sort of reggae/blues/soul hybrid featuring intricate guitar work and beats that are easy to dance to. There are no huge weaknesses on the album, besides the fact that the underrated style of it seems to be an acquired taste for some listeners, but if you are a fan of any of the styles listed above, you will enjoy Soul thoroughly.
Some standout songs on the album are Old Fashioned , Soul Searchin' and Young Man's Blues . Sheldon Botler's voice on Old Fashioned reminds me a little of 311 and as Samuel says Kwabi's vocals on Soul Searchin' will "cure your soul". Overall Soul is a very strong debut and certainly worth a listen.
The problem: No huge problems. If you want to get picky you could say that although some of the tracks are long, the album is a bit short, since there are also a few intros and "outros" that are keep in mind very pretty to listen to, but do make the album feel short.
The remedy: On the next album just go for it! Keep those sounds pouring out through the whole thing and definitely add more of Kwabi and Sheldon. -Brandon Lemons
www.myspace.com/eclecticitymusic
Sometimes an album comes around that totally shocks the hell out of you. You go into listening to it with the thought that it will be enjoyable, but mediocre and more than likely you wont have a lot to say about it. Then you start playing that album and before you know it, it has played 10, 11, 12 times all the way through in your car's CD player. To put it in simpler words...if my car could talk, it would now know every word to Automatic Loveletter's sophomore album, Truth or Dare .
I don't know if it is the hopeless romantic inside of me, the fact that the emo-obsessed teenager I once was still lives deep inside of me (yes Dashboard Confessional dominated my iPod as a teen....ok and still does at times), or the fact that Juliet Simms' life experiences are in some ways similar to my own, but something in this album completely grabbed me and seems to conjure up memories from my past and even feelings I have now about both my present and future every time I listen to it.
I think the emo-alternative genre gets a bad rap sometimes and has even been misrepresented. How quickly we forget that acts like Weezer and Grade are considered the roots of the emo movement. Where many acts that consider themselves "emo" come across as whiney and pathetic, Juliet Simms doesn't at all. In fact if anything, it feels as though she gets stronger through every sad song and "I did it my way" anthem she sings. The result is a very empowering album rather than one that leaves you depressed.
I might be bold to say this, but I do believe Truth or Dare is the strongest alternative album I have listened to since the days of Dashboard Confessional. It outright crushes alternative heavyweights like Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, Paramore, Taking Back Sunday and My Chemical Romance.
Simms blasts through tracks like Heart Song , Story of My Life , and The Day That Saved Us . However she isn't just a big voice with a band behind her, her writing is spotless and at its best with lyrics like "...this night is full of chances, so dance around the crashes' just to survive..." she belts in the softer, but perhaps strongest track on the album, Fade Away .
Truth or Dare is a classic for this generation and in my opinion, Automatic Loveletter is in a different league than most acts in the genre. The strength the album carries throughout makes similar acts seem like elevator music. Truth or Dare is a must have.
180° South is a surfing/climbing documentary following everyman, Jeff Johnson and his pals' trip from Ventura, CA to Patagonia where they eventually attempt to summit Mt. Fitzroy. I have to be honest, I love adventure sports, but I always get a little worried when I pop a surf film or climbing film into my DVD player, because what many adventure junkies claim to be captivated by usually bores me stiff, however this was not the case with 180° South. Maybe it's the cinematography or maybe it's the fact that every stop on this adrenaline junkie road trip has an enjoyable story inside itself, but for me the whole movie was very enjoyable and not at all dull in any way. Whether it is the friends they pick up along the way, such as Makohe (a resident of Easter Island they run into when they have to make an emergency stop with their sailboat), the Nightline worthy political battles they run into along the way (Chilean Governments proposal to build five hydroelectric dams that would drown swaths of wild land in Chile), or the amazing surf and climbing spots they hit, 180° South will keep you glued to the screen the whole way through. As an added bonus, the soundtrack to 180° South is a beautiful companion to the film featuring Isaac Brock's (Modest Mouse) side project Ugly Casanova as well as Jack Johnson and other guests. All together, this was a very nicely done documentary. -Brandon Lemons
