Tag: Athens

Night Palace Premieres “Into the Wake, Mystified” Video

Photo Credit: Bảo Ngô

When Night Palace singer Avery Leigh Draut prepared to shoot the video for “Into the Wake, Mystified” with director Hanna Haley, she packed up her bags with the most “magical things” that she could find in her apartment before catching a taxi. That included a gold deer statuette, a few crafty fake birds that she used to wear clipped to her hair, silver garland, six different outfits and lots of fabric. “I really hoard fabric,” says Draut by phone from New York. “I basically dumped a bunch of tulle on her floor and it shows up in various places. We made backdrops with the fabric.”

That was back in 2019, when Draut and her bandmates were still mastering their debut album, Diving Rings, which is set for release next year via Park the Van. Today, though, the video for “Into the Wake, Mystified,” is live. 

The clip features Draut in what appears to be an enchanted world filled with hues of purple, blue and green and filled with small details. Miniature objects and a deck of cards lend an element of Wonderland to the video, while those fabrics that Draut collected help add an ethereal quality to the visuals. 

The video for “Into the Wake, Mystified,” is based on storyboards that Haley had made of winter transforming into spring, which ties to the themes of the song. Draut describes the song itself as being set in an “oceanic world” with lyrics that speak to changes in relationships, specifically those “relationships that we sustain throughout our lives and seasons that come and go with those, how we are maybe no longer in the same season with other people, but still connected to them,” she says.

But that’s not how the song began. The story behind “Into the Wake, Mystified,” goes back a ways before Draut recorded the song with Night Palace and made the video with Haley. In fact, it’s actually one of the first that she wrote. “We had played this song live for three years before recording it,” Draut explains. “It had totally different lyrics and a totally different situation and the chorus melody was different.”

With time, though, this early example of Draut’s work needed to evolve. “ I had it going on so long that I had then changed and wanted the song to change with me,” she says. After a significant overhaul, the band was able to record it. “It finally found its place.” 

Night Palace formed in 2016, first under the name Wanda, in Athens, Georgia. Draut, who grew up in suburban Atlanta, headed to Athens for college and, after finishing school in 2014, she decided to stick around town for a bit. She got a job at a boutique, began writing songs and started playing live with a few friends. When those friends moved, she connected with other local musicians who would become her bandmates. Eventually, though, Draut headed to New York.

“I was pursuing more classical voice stuff. The place [to do that] was in New York,” says Draut. There, she worked and continued taking voice lessons while also auditioning. Meanwhile, she was working on music with her bandmates back in Georgia. 

Draut now splits her time between Brooklyn and Athens. In 2017, she and the band began work on their forthcoming debut full-length. She would record demos using her electric organ and send those to the others. Then, when she was in Athens, they headed to the studio to record. Once those session were done, Draut continued the collaborations in Athens. She would head into the studio with producer and engineer Drew Vanderberg, who has worked with artists like Of Montreal and Toro y Moi, and record with Andy LeMaster, known for his early ‘00s band Now It’s Overhead, as well as an engineer and producer who has worked with Bright Eyes, Fischerspooner and Michael Stipe. “It was very much this growing living thing that got layered onto for a couple of years,” says Draut of the album, which was completed prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

With Diving Rings, which is inspired by Draut’s grandmother teaching her how to swim, still a few months away from release, Night Palace’s founder has been focused on making videos. She says that there are a few more on the way, which are in various stages of completion right now. “I love that aspect so much. It’s really a fun part of it for me,” says Draut, who says that she’s always finding artists online whose work she admires and who might be good collaborators. “I delight in color and that entire world. It rules my world a bit.”

Follow Avery Leigh’s Night Palace on Instagram and Facebook for ongoing updates.

PLAYING ATLANTA: Cicada Rhythm Brings It Back Home with “Cecilia”

I’m a nostalgic person. I love anything that reminds me of the classic rock, country, and introspective singer-songwriters, like Joni Mitchell or Simon & Garfunkel, I listened to growing up. Having wiled away many a day to the sound of harmony-laden songs playing through a radio, the overwhelming feeling of delight and pure bliss that washed over me when I heard Athens-Atlanta folk group Cicada Rhythm for the first time took me right back to the slow, late summer days of my childhood.

Melodic and unassuming, Cicada Rhythm has a way of subtly blending the sweet simplicity of ’60s and ’70s folk music with the hustle and bustle of 21st century life between the slide of fingers on acoustic guitar strings, the swell of a standup bass, and crisp harmonic vocals. Founded in the most Americana of manners by bassist Andrea DeMarcus and guitarist Dave Kirslis, Cicada Rhythm has wandered far from its beginnings in the sleepy college town of Athens, GA, sharing the stage with the likes of modern folk heroes The Wood Brothers. But rest assured, the group’s roots run deep.

I got the chance to catch up with Andrea and Dave following the latest installment of their Stuck in My Head cover series, the Simon & Garfunkel classic “Cecilia,” to talk all things touring, musical guilty pleasures, and brand new Cicada Rhythm music.

AF: How did the magic that is Cicada Rhythm get together? Was this the first band for both of you, or were you in bands before?

AD: This was my first band! Dave had played in multiple bands, mostly local acts. We met when Dave hopped off a freight train and called my friend to pick him up. I was in the car! From there, we would casually share songs we had written and eventually decided to play together.

AF: How did you fall in love with music in the first place?

AD: I played piano from an early age and sang in the church choir. At 11, in my elementary school musical program, I chose to play bass in the orchestra. After that, I had many encouraging teachers who helped me pursue classical music as a career. Dave picked up the guitar around age 11-12 because his dad found one on the side of the road. He mostly taught himself to play, and is just generally still fascinated by the instrument. He plays every day and jamming with his friends evolved into playing in bands and booking shows.

AF: You guys tour all the time; how does being on the road affect you as writers? Do you write while you’re touring, or save it for the off-season?

DK: Writing on the road is something that I want to learn how to do. Reading or writing in a vehicle has always made me feel dizzy, but it’s something I’m trying to overcome. I’ve spent a lot of time on the road this year. In the past I’ve mostly written at home, but I’ve learned that has to evolve and I’m excited to change the environment I create in. Andrea is prolific and can write a song in her sleep. I’ve seen her create them at home and on the road!

AD: It’s true, I have written a song in my sleep! But I have to wait until the muse strikes me. Songwriting has never been something I can prescribe myself daily. I can write on the road, if I’m feeling that spark, but mostly I write at home. I feel like my writing has changed a lot since we started performing with more band members and on bigger stages. So much more is possible! But, writing is very emotion-based for me. I think it stems from the necessity of wanting to explore my deepest goings on, my true thoughts.

AF: Cicada Rhythm is based between Athens and Atlanta. What’s it like to be part of the music history of Athens and the booming music scene of Atlanta at the same time?

DK: The music scenes of Atlanta and Athens are vastly different and uniquely special. Surprisingly there is not much of a connection between the two scenes, despite only being 70 miles from each other. 

In Athens, there is Point A to Point B. In Atlanta, there is Point A to Point Z5. Atlanta is so spread out and the music scene is not centralized like in Athens. Athens is a couple square miles packed with studios and venues whereas Atlanta has a massive surface area encompassing many outside cities in its music scene, with artistic spaces scattered among them. We feel lucky to have been deeply connected to both music scenes; they are both so special and filled with talent, and a lot of that talent is under the radar.

AF: If you had to pick one place in Atlanta and one in Athens for a great show, where would it be?

DK: For me, Northside Tavern in Atlanta and Georgia Theatre Rooftop in Athens.

AD: Well, The Earl has a special place in my heart. And in Athens, I would also pick the Georgia Theatre!

AF: Now for the fun question: any musical guilty pleasures?

DK: I love some John Anderson songs. I drive [the band] crazy listening to  “Wild and Blue” or “Seminole Wind.” His voice just does something great for me.

AD: My guilty pleasure is definitely the Dixie Chicks! I know some of those songs by heart!

AF: What’s next for Cicada Rhythm?

AD: Cicada is looking forward to our next recording project! We hope to have it done sometime in 2020, so keep your ears open!

Cicada Rhythm is currently on tour with Kishi Bashi (see dates below). Follow them on Facebook for ongoing updates.

CICADA RHYTHM TOUR DATES:
11/1 – Norwalk, CT @ Wall Street Theater
11/2 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
11/3 – Boston, MA @ Royale
11/4 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
11/6 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
11/7 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
11/8 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
11/9 – Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theater

PLAYING ATLANTA: Lullwater Talks Voodoo and the Legendary Athens Music Scene

Before any kickoff at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, a video rolls across the big screen, with a deep, haunting voiceover that repeats the same monologue at every game. Just thinking about it brings chills to my body; there’s something so nostalgic and powerful about it, highlighting the greatest victories UGA football has ever seen, the heroes, the fans (92,746 of them), and – of course – the mascot. It’s a long, measured speech, but the opening line is forever burned into my mind: “70 miles east of the bright lights of Atlanta…”

But Athens is more than a football town. It’s a city with a music history like no other. REM and The Drive-By Truckers lived and wrote and played there. Dead Confederate rocked the world from The Classic City, and songwriters like Levi Lowrey carry on the innovation and dedication to real, genuine music. It’s Atlanta’s sister-city; an older sister, without a doubt, with an incredible record collection and an encyclopedic knowledge of rock history.

This week, Audiofemme is heading across those 70 miles to sit down with John Strickland of Lullwater. The rock quartet – made up of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Strickland, lead guitarist Daniel Binnie, Roy ‘Ray’ Beatty on bass and vocals, and Joseph Wilson on drums and vocals – has called Athens home for eight years, but with the release of their newest record, Voodoo, they’re ready to take on the world.

AF: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with me! You guys are officially the first Athens band this column has covered, so let’s get started. How did the four of you meet, and when did you realize it was time to start a band together?  

JS: Lullwater has been around for a while now and has gone through its share of growing pains. Joe, Ray, and I have been in this band for seven or eight years, with Daniel joining on lead guitar over two years ago. We knew he was the perfect addition the first time we all jammed together. We used to be in a band together years and years ago. He is an amazing guitar player and writer, so it was an easy decision.

AF: Athens has a long musical history, birthing bands like the Drive-By Trucks and REM. How does the history of the city inspire you and encourage you to take risks? 

JS: Athens definitely has a long musical history, and I would say bands like Drive-By Truckers and Dead Confederate influenced us early on. It wasn’t until we started touring and playing big shows in other markets that Athens began paying attention to us. We owe a lot to Athens though; it kept us on our toes during our transition periods and made us work harder to be a better band.

AF: Your new record sounds massive; you blend grunge with Southern rock to create a sound that’s unique, compelling, and heavy. Which bands have inspired you the most? How do you draw from your influences to create something that’s unique to you? 

JS: I think our biggest influences are bands from the early ’90s Seattle grunge scene. I’m a huge fan of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains, but our sound is unique because everyone in the band comes from different musical influences. Joe is a big jam band fan, Ray is influenced by metal, and Binnie draws inspiration from classic rock, so Lullwater has all of these elements blended together to create our sound.

AF: We’re living in a time where a lot of bands are hearing “guitars bands are dead,” or — especially in the South — bands are pushed toward Nashville and country music. What makes you dig in your heels and keep writing rock ‘n’ roll, and why did you choose Athens as your home base for creating the new generation of Southern Rock? 

JS: We’ve been digging in our heels for so long that it’s who are and what we love to do. Rock music for us is our passion, therapy, and motivation to continue touring and putting out records. If you don’t love the music first and foremost, you probably won’t be around that long. We’re committed to rock and roll and I think it shows. I went to UGA, and Athens has been my home for over a decade, but who knows where we’ll all end up.

AF: You just released your new record, Voodoo, the first since 2015. How did you know it was time to get back into the studio and make a new record? What inspired the new record? Do you have a favorite track? 

JS: We love being in the studio. If it was up to us, we’d probably be in the studio every month, if possible. We knew it was time to make a new record when Binnie joined the band. We all wanted to create new music together. Before Voodoo was written, everyone in the band was going through a lot of emotional turmoil and confusion. I feel like it’s very rare for that to happen where every member is going through seriously heavy shit at the same time. We put all of that emotion and energy into Voodoo. It’s hard to say which track is my favorite, but I’m gonna say “Fight of Your Life” and “Suffer Not.” Those songs are special and resonate with me on a deeper level.

AF: What’s the creative process like for you guys? Is it collaborative, or do each of you come in with a complete idea? 

JS: It’s definitely a collaborative process for us. We all bring ideas to the table and jam out the songs. I write most of the lyrics and vocal melodies once all the music is written, but we all bring different musical ideas to the writing sessions. I think exploring everyone’s ideas and following that process is what makes it so special for us to do a record. We’re all writing music for Lullwater and it’s exciting to go down the rabbit hole together.

AF: What’s your favorite part of the Athens music scene? 

JS: Watching the local rock scene gain momentum. Athens doesn’t really have a big rock scene, so it’s cool meeting younger rock bands exploring and honing their sound. It’s a pretty close-knit community and we enjoy going out and supporting that scene.

AF: What’s the best place in Athens to catch a live show? 

JS: The Caledonia Lounge always has something going on in the rock/metal scene, so that’s probably my favorite spot to catch a show. The 40 Watt and [Georgia] Theatre are legendary so those are a given.

AF: Last one! What’s next for Lullwater? 

JS: Touring Voodoo. We’ll be out all year pushing the new album. Also, we have an acoustic record coming out at some point this year. A lot of things are happening and we’re excited about what the year brings.

Follow Lullwater on Facebook and stream Voodoo on Spotify now.