Tag: Courtney Barnett

RSVP HERE: Hnry Flwr Livestreams via BABY.tv + MORE

Photo by Carla Maldonado @carlamaldonado x @somad.studio

Hnry Flwr is Brooklyn’s musical guru guiding us towards the mystery and beauty of the infinite void. Hnry Flwr is the musical project of David Van Witt, and he has quite the origin story – his first impression of this world was living in a cult in Iowa, which he fled with his artist mother who gave psychic readings as they meditated and traveled around the world. Van Witt left home when he was 16, and after observing the divine connection music initiates in people at a punk show, has “been writing songs and practicing a sort of secular spirituality, where music is the prayer, ever since.”

Hnry Flwr’s twangy sunshine goth gospel is usually brought to life with a seven-piece band that includes Abdon Valdez III, Ronnie Lanzilotta, Dallin Stevenson and Sarah Safaie, but since quarantine began, Van Witt (who is also a producer) has been creating his own backing tracks and even started a twitch channel. The next chance you have to feel all the love the void has to offer with Hnry Flwr is tonight (5/15) via BABY.tv at 8pm est! We chatted with Hnry Flwr about inducing trance states, minimalist drone raga, and the importance of laughing with salamanders.

AF: What were your last live shows before quarantine like? What do you think your live set will transform into when we’re able to play shows in person again?

HF: Our last show in NYC before the quarantine was incredible — a sold out show at The Sultan Room. I did a trust-fall into the audience and everyone caught me. Our live set is going to include way more hugging and trust-falling and I want to include a portion of the set for people to go into a deep trance. I want to explore the void with people. We will find a way to lose ourselves together, rather than find ourselves alone.

AF: If you had control of all the radios/TVs/cell phones all over the world for 30 seconds what would you say?

HF: I would generate a mass flash trance to see if we can’t be still and quiet and hear what the void has to say.

AF: What have you been reading and listening to while in quarantine?

HF: If it’s not obvious by now, I’ve been reading a book about inducing trance states. I’ve been listening to the birds when I can. I love when they come back north. Somehow I’m still surprised by it every year. But as far as music, almost exclusively Pure Moods Volume 1.

AF: What’s your live stream gear set up like? Do you have any fun props or lighting planned?

HF: I set up my monochromatic light sculpture. It emits one very dark shade of yellow, the one from sunset right before the reds and purples. What’s special about it is it omits all other colors. These things are possible if you explore The Void with an open mind.

I make new backing tracks every week so I can feel like I’m playing with a band. So many artists are doing “stripped-down” sets, which can be really special, but for me, I try to use it as an opportunity to have whatever perfect band I can imagine backing me up every week. It’s a great time to be exercising your imagination.

AF: If you found out you were immortal what other musical projects/careers/lifestyles would explore?

HF: I would have a really loud minimalist drone raga band, and then when all my family had passed on I’d live on a mountain near a stream and I wouldn’t do anything for as long as it takes to find a silent ancient wisdom. Then I would be a painter in honor of my mother.

AF: I love your music video for “Waiting Room!” It feels like our whole reality is stuck in a waiting room right now. What do you think lies on the other side for music, politics, spirituality and humanity as whole?

HF: Thank you. We have always been in the waiting room of the great beyond. I think the future is just as unsure as it was before the pandemic. It’s always unsure. We are just forced to face that uncertainty together now. There are a lot of people who need answers about the future to feel secure in the present. I’m not sure what the future holds. My mother was giving psychic readings for most of my childhood and even if they were accurate, I am not sure that it helped anyone. It certainly did not help her or our family. This is a good time to be present, to take care of yourself and your loved ones and try not to worry about the future. In your mind, find a stream and sit next to it. Listen to it. Laugh with the salamanders.

RSVP HERE for Hnry Flwr via BABY.tv 5/15 at 8pm est. $5-$50 sliding scale 

More great live streams this week…

5/15-5/16 Prince 1985 Purple Rain Tour via Youtube. RSVP HERE

5/16 Beach Slang via Stageit. 5pm est, RSVP HERE

5/16 Frankie Cosmos via BABY.tv. 9pm est, $5-$50, RSVP HERE

5/16 Courtney Barnett, Georgia Man, June Jones + more via Instagram (Covid-19 mutual aid fundraiser). 5am est, RSVP HERE

5/17 Elliott Smith (Heaven Adores You film screening) via Twitter.  5pm est, RSVP HERE

5/18 Diet Cig via Echo Eco Wine Instagram 8pm est, RSVP HERE

5/19 Alanis Morissette (performing Jagged Little Pill) via Facebook. 8pm est, RSVP HERE 

5/21 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah via Twitch. 8pm est, RSVP HERE

NEWS ROUNDUP: Alice Glass, YouTube & More

Alice Glass, YouTube & More

By Jasmine Williams

The Indomitable Ms. Alice

Thanks to #MuteRKelly the #MeToo floodgates have opened in the music industry with more stories of rampant sexual abuse and harassment coming out every day. Just this week, allegations surfaced against Dee Dee Warwick and Boyd Tinsley of Dave Matthews Band. While it feels daunting to read more and more about disturbing abuses of power, there is a silver lining. Victims are finally being taken more seriously and with everything coming to the surface, the tides may finally be changing.

Case in point – Alice Glass. Last October, the ex-Crystal Castles front woman authored a blog post accusing her former bandmate Ethan Kath of almost a decade of sexual, physical, and mental abuse. In response, Kath attempted to  sue for defamation, calling Glass’ allegations “pure fiction.” His case was thrown out in February, in part because of Glass’ legal team’s citing of anti-SLAPP legislation.

Recently, Kath tried to re-open his defamation case and lost, again! Yesterday, Glass revealed that a judge denied Kath’s appeal. Glass’ statements are protected under the First Amendment right to free speech; she and her lawyer, Vicki Greco, were also able to prove that her comments were made in the public interest. Glass was also awarded $20,000 in damages for her legal fees.

It will be interesting to see if the Crystal Castles cases create a precedent for similar situations such as Gaslamp Killer’s case. The producer has filed a defamation suit against two women who alleged that he drugged and raped them in 2013.

The Stream Team

YouTube is throwing its hat in to the streaming ring. YouTube music will launch in several countries, including the United States on May 22nd. The video giant’s global head of music Lyor Cohen is on a publicity tour ahead of the launch. He sat down with NPR to discuss the future of YouTube and his hopes and fears for the industry. Cohen made his name with Def Jam and 300 Entertainment and has long been a controversial figure in the industry. Only last month he was accused of flashing a white power symbol in a photo with a MAGA-hat-wearing, Kanye West. Cohen maintains that his hand gesture has long been associated with 300 Entertainment.

That New New

Courtney Barnett’s new album is out today! Tell Me How You Really Feel is a more personal follow-up to 2015’s Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit. Christine and the Queens is also back this week, she rolled out a new track called “Girlfriend.” Mitski also gave us a new single, as well as a video. She calls “Geyser” one of her “vaguest songs.” Lindsay Jordan of Snail Mail released the song, “Let’s Find An Out,” this week. The nineteen-year-old is getting lots of love in the media lately. She was recently profiled in The New York Times and W Magazine.  Disclosure fans got a gift this week – the brothers just released the six-minute track, “Ultimatum.” Australian duo Kllo dropped “Potential,” their first single since their 2017 debut album.

For more new music, check out recent Audiofemme features on Knotts and Maria Taylor.

End Notes:

  • Issa Rae has partnered with AfroPunk on a contest to find new music for her hit (amazing) series, Insecure.
  • Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” is number one on Billboard this week. His video also surpassed 100 million views. His choreographer celebrated the milestone by posting a dance tutorial of the routines in the clip.
  • This week in random Kanye tweets, the Trump apologist rapper showed some love for the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: Courtney Barnett “City Looks Pretty” & More

Courtney Barnett will release her sophomore record Tell Me How You Really Feel on May 18 via Mom + Pop, Marathon Artists and Barnett’s label, Milk! Records. For the release of her third single from the album, “City Looks Pretty,” Barnett created what feels like a ’90s throwback video collage.

As fans may have noticed from her last video for “Nameless, Faceless,” Barnett loves to incorporate the element of collage. In “City Looks Pretty” Barnett uses the tool again as she pushes together a variety of different kinds of footage, making a video painting of textures and emotions.

For those of you who can’t wait until May 18 to pick up the full record, “City Looks Pretty” will be available as a Record Store Day release on April 21. The 12” single also features another track from Barnett’s forthcoming album as a b-side, “Sunday Roast.”

Singer/songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou teams up with fellow Berlin street performer in this bluesy single “Devil’s Sweetheart.” It seems fitting that these two street artists would choose circus performers to visually represent music.

We all miss Prince, to be sure, but sometimes when one of your favorite artists passes on you are granted an all-access pass to their past. In this new video for Prince’s song “Nothing Compares 2 U” fans are given a chance to take in never before released footage from Prince’s rehearsals.

Yuno first received notoriety from years of releasing songs via bandcamp. Now signed to SubPop records, his single “No Going Back” was received with enthusiasm from the music community. He’s following it up with another song and video from his album, Moodie, which comes out June 15.

Hailing from Toronto, MorMor combines a variety of musical influences to bring his latest single to life. The psychedelic sounds of MorMor’s shoegazey, airy, dreamlike style slip fluidly into this colorful, abstract video.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: Lion Babe “Honey Dew” & More

Musical duo Lion Babe, featuring singer Jillian Hervey and record producer Lucas Goodman, always impress when it comes to their video creations. The video for their latest single “Honey Dew” is no different. Expressing the parallels between art and nature, the two R&B creators meander through a sculpture garden. Adorned in fantastically elaborate clothing, Hervey becomes her own version of moving art as she dances through the large stone pieces.

Known more for their urban-inspired motifs, the video for “Honey Dew” is a softer rendition of the duo’s aesthetic than we have previously seen. While Hervey repeats the words “everybody wants a piece,” the visuals and up the song’s implicit innuendo with shots of honey drizzled over a sliced melon.

The Australian rocker’s Star Trek-indebted spoof gives us a glimpse of her upcoming sophomore album Tell Me How You Really Feel, out May 18.

Vocalist Aaron Maine dons a Canadian tuxedo and takes a reverse dive into the churning waves for the Baba Stiltz and Samo’s clubby rework of “Find Me;” the original version appears on Porches’ latest LP The House.

Preoccupations’ latest record, New Material, just dropped this week, and along with it came a collaged clip for dream-poppy new single “Disarray.”

Soul Train fans will love the throwback visual for Migos’ latest, which stars Jamie Foxx in a cameo as host Ron Delirious.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Princess Nokia a Soup-er Hero, Music Industry Assault Allegations & More

  • Princess Nokia Stands Up To Racist, Goes Viral 

    This week, a viral video showed NYC commuters standing up to a drunk guy on the train when he started yelling racist insults at a group of teenagers. At the end of the video, as he’s pushed out of the train car, someone launches a container of soup at them, covering them in yellow goo. It gets better: the hero in this story is rapper Princess Nokia, who tweeted, “Although painful and humiliating we stood together and kicked this disgusting racist off the train so we could ride in peace away from him… [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][I’ll be] damned if I let some drunk bigot call a group of young teenage boys racist names and allow him to get away with it.”

  • Women Speak out About Sexual Assault in the Music Industry

    No doubt encouraged by the bravery of the many women who have come forward to share their harrowing experiences with powerful film executive Harvey Weinstein, women are coming forward to call out men in other industries who they say have engaged in inappropriate behavior up to and including harassment and assault. Allegations have surfaced in the last week involving Matt Mondanile (a.k.a. Ducktails) who parted ways with former outfit Real Estate over the allegations last year; The Gaslamp Killer, and Alex Calder. A few of the labels and publicists who have worked with these artists have spoken out as well in a show of solidarity. 

  • Other Highlights

    Watch Beyonce’s video for “Freedom,” listen to an unreleased Bob Dylan song, an early listen of Bully’s Losing, Radiohead songs translated through Spongebob, it’s the release day for St. Vincent’s MASSEDUCTION as well as Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile’s Lotta Sea Lice and Beck’s Colors, watch the new Neil Young video for “Hitchhiker,” Japanese Breakfast directed Jay Som’s “The Bus Song” video, Marilyn Manson discusses his onstage accident, Taylor Swift is starting her own social network, Joan Baez is retiring from touring, Sharon Jones’ posthumous album to be released next month, and read this: The Story of Jud Jud. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAST4Ja7uTU[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

NEWS ROUNDUP: Northside Festival, Metal + Politics & More

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via NorthsideFestival.com

  • In Case You Haven’t Noticed, Northside Is Happening
    You may have already seen 20 amazing shows! Or you may be like me: someone who bought tickets to one event and won them for another, but went to neither because they managed to get deathly sick in June (thanks, universe). Before you head out this weekend, make sure you check out AudioFemme’s guide to the festival! We’re also hosting our very own showcase Saturday at noon at the Knitting Factory with our friends from Glamglare; hope to see you there!
  • Meet The Transgender Metal Musician Changing Politics
    Via Noisey: Danica Roem is many things: Transgender, a journalist, a musician in the metal band Cab Ride Home, and a groundbreaking candidate in Virginia politics. After gaining some notoriety by fighting anti-LGBTQ  policies in schools, Roem is running as a Democrat for Virginia’s House of Delegates, against an opponent that has a bathroom bill similar to North Carolina’s. Read the whole article here.
  • The Fall Announce 5-Night Run at Baby’s All Right this September
    Mark E Smith’s volatile personality and penchant for wild experimentation made Manchester punk act The Fall both legendary and influential. With their 32nd album, New Facts Emerge, slated for release and in July and a scheduled date at Cropped Out Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, The Fall have blessed Brooklyn with a five-night run of shows at Baby’s All Right. These, along with the festival set, will be the band’s first stateside concerts in over a decade. Most shows are sold out, but you can still get tickets for Wednesday, 9/13.

https://soundcloud.com/castle-face-1/oh-sees-the-static-god

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QTQ2YtciB4[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

NEWS ROUNDUP: Courtney Barnett, The Pixies, & Phone Controversy

cellphone2

  • Courtney Barnett Debuts Video For “Elevator Operator”

    “Elevator Operator” tells the story a protagonist who dreams of leaving a boring office job- one where he’s “idling insignificantly”- for what he considers to be a more fulfilling life as an elevator operator. In the video, Courtney Barnett plays a bored elevator attendant who encounters a wide variety of characters during her work day: Sleater-Kinney, Jeff Tweedy, dancing nuns, vampires, wacky scientists and more. It ends with a rooftop concert à la The Beatles. Check it out:

  • The Pixies Announce New Album, Single

    The Pixies have announced a new 12 song album, Head Carrier, and released its first single, “Um Chagga Lagga.” The sound is a little darker than what you expect from their previous work, but still full of the same frantic energy. After parting with Kim Deal in 2013, and then Kim Shattuck(The Muffs), the Pixies’ current bassist is Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle, Zwan, and the Entrance Band). What is an Um Chagga Lagga? Why is it on the side of the road? Listen below to find out.

  • Do Cell Phones & Live Music Mix?

    You’re one of two people in this world: Person A, who spends every second of a concert taking selfies, filming the band that, snapping pictures and only interacting with their environment if it’s filtered through an iPhone lens. Or, you’re Person B, who is cursing Person A, because Person A insists on blocking their view by raising their phone-cradling arms above their head to capture every moment. I guess there’s also a Person C, who might snap a picture or two during crucial moments but isn’t as obsessed, but they probably don’t care about the current cell phone controversy: do artists, or others, have the right to force you to put the phone away during their performance?

    As NPR notes, Apple was granted a patent to create technology to “use infrared signals to forcibly disable cell phone cameras at specific locations, ie. concert venues and theaters.” Yondr is also developing a method, in the form of a pouch that would restrict access to phones for the duration of a performance. Good idea, or bad idea? Cast your vote here.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Award Shows, Tiny Desk Concert, & Eartheater

news

  • Vote For The Best ‘Tiny Desk Contest’ One-Person Band

    Around this time last year, every social media feed you had was suddenly flooded with home-made videos featuring small desks, coffee tables, or some sort of writing surface. Every friend you had in a band made one, along with everyone who had a thirst for fame and knew a few chords (Obviously, most entries were seriously amazing, even if you found out the hard way your cousin wrote love songs on an out-of-tune ukulele). Well, the whole process was repeated this year, and while you wait for the final winner to be announced, NPR will be letting the public vote on their favorite performers in certain categories. This week, the focus is on one-person bands. You can check them all out here, but here’s one of our favorites:

 

  • Noisey Breaks Down (More Of) The Music Industry’s Diversity Problem

    In this noisey.com article, writer Emma Garland discusses the Billboard Power 100 list. Released last week, it doesn’t feature musicians or performers, but “your chairmen, your CEOs, your executives; the people we don’t tend to think about but who spend most of their time influencing everything we hear.” The list is pretty much a bunch of white dudes; the 10 people at the top are white males, 96% of the top 50 are white and just 9% of the people on it are women. Statistics like these shed light on the fact that even in creative industries, there’s some sort of glass ceiling that cannot always be broken. You can check the actual list out here.

  • Courtney Barnett Performs On Stephen Colbert

    The Australian singer/songwriter/bad-ass guitarist didn’t seem at all upset that her nomination for this year’s Best New Artist Grammy award didn’t pan out; on Wednesday, she gave a spirited performance of “Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go to the Party,” from last year’s Somethings I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zBy7JyV9_E

  • That Little Thing Called The Grammys

    Red Carpet! Crop tops! Swift/Kanye drama! Mic malfunctions, tributes, medleys, and Dave Grohl with…. a Solo cup? A lot of stuff happened that you probably already know about, but make sure you watch Kendrick Lamar’s goosebumps-inducing performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTBUuQv0kpg

  • That Other Thing Called The NME Awards

    NME readers voted 5 Seconds of Summer 2015’s worst band, and Bring Me The Horizon destroyed Coldplay’s table. You can read the full list of winners here. There are some interesting categories like “Best Fan Community,” “Villian of the Year” and the “Godlike Genius” award, which went to Coldplay.

  • Eartheater Releases “Homonyms” Video

    The NYC based artist, whose name is actually Alexandra Drewchin, creates electronic music that is also folky and organic. The video for “Homonyms” features dancers in a beautiful, lush wilderness that seems more like a dream than reality. Her vocals oscillate between hushed whispers and angelic cries, which contribute to the effect. Check it out below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wimrg1l57nc&feature=youtu.be

NEWS ROUNDUP: David Bowie, Courtney Barnett, & The Market Hotel

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Illustration by Bejamin Schwartz of The New Yorker.
Illustration by Bejamin Schwartz of The New Yorker.

  • David Bowie Dies

    Just a week ago we were celebrating David Bowie’s 69th birthday and the release of Blackstar, but reviews of the album turned into eulogies with the news that he passed away on Sunday after a fight with terminal cancer. Memorials quickly appeared outside of his Manhattan apartment, and across the country, Bowie Street in Austin was replaced with a sign that read David Bowie Street.

    His last album was amazing to begin with, but after the realization that Bowie recorded the album knowing he would not be here much longer, Blackstar has become even more beautiful and haunting. AudioFemme’s Jerilyn Jordan wrote a moving review, which you can read here.

 

  • Courtney Barnett Releases New Song

    Courtney Barnett has a bad habit, but it’s not what you think. On “Three Packs A Day,” the Australian singer/songwriter celebrates a vice that isn’t cigarettes, but instant ramen: “That MSG tastes good to me, I disagree with all your warnings.” Similar to the work on previous album and EP, Barnett uses her humor to show that she’s a bit of an introvert (and also to warn us of the dangers of ramen addiction): “I’m down to three packs a day, I sneak away to find a kettle/ I withdraw from all my friends and their dinner plans, I’m sick of lentils.” The song will be on on the Milk! Records compilation Good For You, available February 14th.

 

  • Father John Misty Performs On The Late Show

    “Maybe love is just an institution based on resource scarcity.” The ever-cheerful Father John Misty performed on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” last night, playing the normally quieter, stripped-down song “Holy Shit.” If you’ve ever seen FJM live, you’ll know that he thrives on being unpredictable, so naturally, midway through his song things take an unexpected turn. He’ll be going on a Spring tour in April, but won’t be coming to NYC until the Governors Ball Music Festival this summer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3eDqluZ-Cs

 

  • Brooklyn’s Market Hotel Anounces Reopening

    The DIY space on Myrtle and Broadway in Bushwick was closed for five years, but after an anonymous grant (and a Sleater-Kinney show last month), Market Hotel announced they will be officially, and legally reopening the weekend of January 22nd. Bands that will playing that weekend include Via App, Kill Alters, Dreamcrusher, Malory, Guerilla Toss, PC Worship, Pill and special guests that have yet to be announced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN4PDI1VDHY

 

  • Upcoming Shows

    For our readers in NYC, here are the shows we recommend for this weekend and next week:

    • 1/15 – Whiskey Bitches @ Baby’s All Right

      1/15 – WALL / Pill / RIPS @ Union Pool

      1/16 – Guerilla Toss / Zula / Erica Eso / Wume / Father Finger @ Shea Stadium

      1/17 – Moon Hooch @ Mercury Lounge

      1/17 –  Mariachi Flor de Toloache @ Rockwood Music Hall

      1/20 – Antibalas @ Brooklyn Bowl

      1/21 – Torres / Palehound @ Bowery Ballroom

      1/22 – Acid Dad / Total Slacker / AMFMS @ Baby’s All Right

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rl26QKPHtE[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

BEST OF 2015: Our Favorite Frontwomen

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Courtney Barnett from Melbourne, Australia, performs during the NPR Music SXSW Showcase at Stubb's in Austin on Wednesday, March 18, 2015. Lukas Keapproth/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Lukas Keapproth/AMERICAN-STATESMAN

2015 was a great year for women in music. Specifically, for women who front a band as both a singer and guitarist. While we’ve reached a point where it’s not totally necessary to point and shout every time we find an amazing band  led by a female musician (it’s becoming one of the best trends in music); it feels pretty good to remind everyone how much girls rocked this year. So, here’s a list of the best frontwomen who released albums in 2015, ranked alphabetically.

Alicia Bognanno (of Bully)

Feels Like (June 23, 205)

Bully released their debut album this summer, the tough-but-tender Feels Like. The Nashville band is led by vocalist/guitarist Alicia Bognanno, who previously studied audio engineering at Steve Albini’s studio. She’s just as great when it comes to recording her own music – Feels Like was recorded live in a few takes, and her brutal, raw vocals are the highlight of the record.

Courtney Barnett

Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (March 20, 2015)

Courtney Barnett seemed to come out of nowhere with her song “Avant Gardener,” and then suddenly be everywhere. Though she comes across as a bit soft-spoken, she screamed and shredded through her Terminal 5 show this summer (while still mixing up the set with her quieter, more introspective songs like “Depreston“). The concert opened with Speedy Ortiz and Torres, two other groups on this list, making it one of the best lineups for women guitarists I’ve seen.

Ellen Kempner (aka Palehound)

Dry Food (August 14, 2015)

Ellen Kempner is a vocalist/guitarist (although she played everything but the drums on her debut album Dry Food) who performs under the moniker Palehound. As a songwriter, she’s nailed a self-aware approach that’s heavy on imagery. For an example of her guitar skills, check out “Molly,” a song where she layers playful, melodic parts with harsh interjections of distortion and makes them fit together naturally.

Frances Quinlan (of Hop Along)

Painted Shut (May 4, 2015)

Frances Quinlan of Hop Along has a voice that’s as tortured as it is mesmerizing, whether she’s singing about waiting on the table of an ex’s new girlfriend or her guilt from her inaction in a crucial moment. Reading about the stories that inspires her songs give them even more meaning and depth, though nothing expresses it more than her voice.

Katie Monks (of Dilly Dally)

Sore (October 9, 2015)

You could say that Katie Monks is Dilly Dally‘s vocalist, although her voice is more likely to be coming out in a scream or rasp. Her longtime friend Liz Ball shares guitar duties in the Toronto band, who released their debut album Sore in October. Check out “The Touch” to see just how far she’ll go to nail the right emotion for a song:

Mackenzie Scott (aka Torres)

Sprinter (May 5, 2015)

Mackenzie Scott sings and plays guitar under the alias Torres. Her Spring release, Sprinter, was impressive not just because of her voice, but her ability as a songwriter to channel and transcend emotions like quiet rage in a few minutes of sound. For proof, watch “Sprinter” below or one of the best songs on the album, “Strange Hellos.”

Marissa Paternoster (of Screaming Females)

Rose Mountain (February 24, 2015)

Yeah, we know: Players gonna play, but the Screaming Females weren’t fucking around when they covered Taylor Swift for the A.V. Club; they won the site’s award for best cover song this year with their version of “Shake It Off.” Unlike the original, there was no prancing around or mugging for the camera. Marissa Paternoster was all business with her deep voice and replaced the spoken-word bridge with a badass guitar solo that was way, way too short.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm1-bVYio1k

Sadie Dupuis (of Speedy Ortiz)

Foil Deer (April 21, 2015)

On Foil Deer, Sadie Dupuis showed off her bravado and quick wit with lyrics like “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss.” Live, she ups the definition of boss to pulling off jagged, unexpected guitar lines in some of the best outfits (and coolest socks) you’ve ever seen. And, her band has been using their success for good, by going on a tour to support the Girls Rock Camp Foundation, and creating a hotline for concert-goers to report unsafe or discriminatory behavior.

Sleater-Kinney

No Cities To Love (January 20, 2015)

Sleater-Kinney is finally back, and as an added bonus, contains two frontwomen in one band. Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker do equal singing and guitar playing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6thsrNE7p4

Veronica Torres (of Pill)

Pill EP (March 17, 2015)

I saw Pill open for Parquet Courts last week, and they made quite an impression. Their sound is dry and sparse, with saxophone and guitar adding an occasional cool breeze. When Veronica Torres started their set by shouting “Por mi, por mi casa, y lo que quiero saber” over and over, the entire venue became silent.

Victoria Ruiz (of Downtown Boys)

Full Communism (May 4, 2015)

The Providence-based Downtown Boys are led by a pretty fierce lady, Victoria Ruiz. Their name is inspired by Springsteen lyrics, and on Full Communism they cover “Dancing In The Dark,” but that isn’t to keep things light: When she sings the line about starting a fire with a spark, their delivery sounds just as political and urgent as the rest of their work.

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LIVE REVIEW: Courtney Barnett @ Terminal 5

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Since the March release of her first full-length album, Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit, Courtney Barnett has become pretty popular. Popular enough that on Wednesday she both headlined and sold out a show at Manhattan’s Terminal 5, which has a capacity of roughly 3,000 people. The Australian rocker was supported by Torres and Speedy Ortiz, who recently released their own albums, Sprinter and Foil Deer.

Barnett opened her set with a drawn-out, solo version of “Anonymous Club.” Her endearing voice filled every inch of the venue until even the drunk dudes using the quiet to shout catcalls with fake Australian accents were silenced. When she wasn’t at the mic she reeled around the stage, whipping her hair and strumming furiously. On recordings, her drawl is relaxed, shifting from weary to playful, but on stage, the lyrics come spilling out. At key crescendos she’d replace syllables and whole words a shout or roar, the only thing that could match the intensity on songs like her encore of “History Eraser.”

The best part of the show (besides the music, obviously) was seeing the huge, three-tier venue completely packed for a show fronted by female guitarists. Not guitarists in the sense that they’re strumming a few chords while they sing- they’re rocking strats and telecasters, pushing their instruments and voices to the limit. Sadie Dupuis (of Speedy Ortiz) forgoes any delicate melodies in favor of harsh guitar lines that leave a jagged edge as they cut through swaggering songs. Mackenzie Scott, aka Torres, accompanies herself on guitar with a steady, loping beat- her tone is serious, focused, and slightly dangerous. One of the show’s best moments was during her song “Strange Hellos.” It’s cathartic enough as a recording, but she suddenly let out a chilling shriek in between choruses: “I was all for being real/ But if I don’t believe then no one will.”

When I saw Courtney Barnett a year ago, her set had energy and charisma, but seemed rushed. This time around, she brought a new intensity and confidence to her performance. Before, I remember her ending her set by disappearing from the stage. On Wednesday, however, she dropped her guitar and walked off as the feedback shrieked and wailed at the audience. Maybe it’s because she wasn’t headlining then or her fame was relatively new, but now, she seems to have settled into a more natural, comfortable position: a total rockstar.

If you missed the show, check out a live version of Courtney Barnett’s “Pedestrian At Best” below!

LIVE REVIEW: Courtney Barnett @ Bowery Ballroom

Courtney-Barnett-Finally-Releasing-Debut-Album-FDRMX

“There’s not enough songs about Squash.” Are there not? Not according to Australian singer/songwriter Darren Hanlon. On paper, Hanlon wouldn’t entice me all that much. Solo artist. Acoustic guitar. Singer/songwriter. Cheeky and cheerful folk numbers. Australian. With those keywords I’d fear a Southern Hemisphere Jack Johnson. But, there are exceptions to everything, and it doesn’t hurt that Hanlon is impossibly charming. Even better, his style of songwriting is truly original, merging jaunty folk melodies with lyrics of the most heightened wit and whimsy. In a blurb Hanlon calls to mind Billy Bragg (if he’d never been angry).

Having just released his fifth studio album, Hanlon is doing well for himself, opening for Courtney Barnett on her streak of sold-out shows at Bowery Ballroom. If charisma has any hand in success, Hanlon should be well on his way to it. His banter is enviably candid and hilarious, his lyrics no less of either. “If I had a dollar for every time I should have been paid…then I would have been paid.”

Next up were Seattle all-girl group Chastity Belt, who’ve just released their second full length Time to Go Home on Sub Pop subsidiary Hardly Art Records. Their set was tight and inspired, with just an appropriate dose of nonchalance and snark. There wasn’t much banter to be had-it is difficult to follow up Hanlon’s act in that department-but the gals were focused, fun, and very badass. Lead singer Julia Shapiro bobbed her frizzled mane around while rattling off shouts in her blasé, slightly grungy tone. Guitarist Lydia Lund was on point with tangy, Johnny Marr-ish surf licks while bassist Annie Truscott bopped around the stage in rhythm with her own thumping strings.

Before Courtney Barnett could even take the stage, the crowd had filled out to maximum capacity. With only one full-length album and merely 26 years on this earth, Barnett seems to be doing very well for herself in the realm of music (and not having to suffer a day job). Her debut Sometimes I sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit has garnered rave reviews from the likes of KEXP, Pitchfork, and BBC 6 Music alike. It’s a simple record, but one that is overflowing with neat little hooks and ripe with witty lyrics. Barnett’s peculiar phrasing could be likened to Jonathan Richman of the Modern Lovers-at once of kilter and oddly relatable.

Live Barnett fronts a three piece, which creates much more volume than the eye would suspect. Though her demeanor is no match for her wailing guitar riffs-she is surprisingly short of words on stage. Less coy was the audience, who were bawdy and excited, shouting lyrics, requests, and compliments to a shy and deflecting Barnett. She played a sizable chunk of her latest release, as well as covers of The Breeders’ “Cannonball” and “Being Around” by The Lemonheads.

With a first record and big US tour going this well, it’s hard to imagine Courtney Barnett will be slowing down any time soon. Well, at least we hope she doesn’t.

 

 

PLAYLIST: Your Indie Valentine’s Day Playlist

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Love is, without a doubt, the most frequently used topic in songwriting (sex and drugs are probably tied for second place, but that discussion is for another playlist). Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, here’s a list of some of the best, (mostly) romantic indie songs to get you through the day.

1. “Weekenders” – Celestial Shore

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If there’s someone you really want to spend your day off with, let them know with “Weekenders” by Brooklyn’s Celestial Shore.

2. “Archie, Marry Me” –  Alvvays

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“You’ve expressed explicitly/ Your contempt for matrimony.” Is your significant other not so psyched about getting hitched? Play them “Archie, Marry Me,” by the Canadian pop band Alvvays, and listen as vocalist Molly Rankin convinces the object of her affection that it doesn’t have to be so complicated: “Take me by the hand and we can sign some papers/ Forget the invitations floral arrangements and bread makers.”

3. “Foot” – Krill

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Boston’s Krill has been getting a lot of attention with their new album, and it has the perfect Valentine’s Day song for all you tortured, lovesick souls out there, “Foot:” “I came and visited you at work/ I couldn’t help but imagine you without your shirt/ And all I wanted was to hold your foot.”

4. “O I Long To Feel Your Arms Around Me” – Father John Misty

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJO-PDzBHvw

The title says it all in this short-and-sweet song, where Josh Tillman shows off his sensitive side.

5. “I Did Crimes For You” – Deerhoof

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbgauWz5jZY

Love will sometimes drive you to do crazy things; just ask Bonnie about her relationship with Clyde. If Valentine’s Day drives you insane, check out this song by the quirky rockers, Deerhoof. 

6.  “Anonymous Club” – Courtney Barnett

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Whether you’re having a romantic night or boycotting a Hallmark-spawned holiday with a friend, Courtney Barnett makes a case for tuning out the world with someone you like: “Come around to mine/ We can swap clothes and drink wine all night/ Turn your phone off friend/ You’re amongst friends and we don’t need no interruption.”

7.  “I’ve Just Got To Tell You” – Dr. Dog

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New York loves Dr. Dog so much that the band recently sold out eight shows in a row here. And even though they’ve moved on to other cities, we know the feeling’s mutual with this track: “I’m gonna miss you, til the day I come home/… On the road and dreaming of you.”

8. “Rave On” – M. Ward

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You can’t help but feel warm and fuzzy inside as M. Ward raves about his true feelings for someone special in this track featuring Zooey Deschanel.

9. “Only For You” –  Heartless Bastards

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Their name doesn’t imply sentimentality, but “Only For You” by Heartless Bastards is a heartfelt declaration of affection, with  an awesome bass line too.

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VIDEO REVIEW: Courtney Barnett “Pedestrian At Best”

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Courtney Barnett is one busy Australian. She’s a record label owner, visual artist, and of course a singing, songwriting, guitar-playing musician. If her 2013 release The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas left you in desperate need of an official album from the Melbourne musician, the wait is nearly over: Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit will be released via  Mom + Pop Music on March 24th.

Barnett has also released the album’s first single, “Pedestrian At Best.” The accompanying video is a hilarious, self-deprecating portrayal of fame and the anxieties it produces, revealed in lines such as “What are we going to do when everything falls through?” and “Put me on a pedestal, and I’ll only disappoint you.” Barnett plays a sad clown at a fair who wears a “Clown of the Year 2013” badge, and just can’t catch a break. She’s ignored by the crowds in favor of 2014’s Clown of the Year and jipped by an unimpressed ticket-taker. The members of her band appear in the video as well, booing her as she makes balloon animals, crashing into her on a go-kart course, and stealing her money. “I must confess I’ve made a mess of what should be a small success,” she sings in her signature, composed ramble, over crashing cymbals and crunchy power chords.

Even if her time in the spotlight hasn’t been so easy, at least it inspired some killer songs. Check out “Pedestrian At Best” below:

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AudioFemme’s Best of 2013

Best of 2013 Graphic

From elaborate roll-outs to surprise releases, 2013 was a banner year for comebacks, break-outs, break-ups, and overnight sensations.  The fact that the most oblique content could cause rampant controversy to reverberate through the blogosphere turned every song into a story and made every story seem epic.  At the heart of it all are the sounds that defined this particular calendar year, from electronic pop to punk rock  to hip-hop to hardcore and everything in between.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”AudioFemme Staff” author=”Top 50 Albums of 2013″ image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/01MBVmbv-300×298.jpg”]

After much debate, we’re proud of our little list and believe it represents releases that are among the best and most important of the year.  Here are our top 50 LPs in two parts: 50-26 // 25-1

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And check out our Top Albums of 2013 Playlist on Spotify.
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”AudioFemme Staff” author=”Top 50 Tracks of 2013″ image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/05HaimDays.jpg”]
In a given year, thousands of records are released, many of them having upwards of ten tracks apiece.  So it’s actually physically impossible to hear them all, and can be downright daunting to wrangle them into some kind of intelligible countdown.  But we certainly have done our best, here cataloging the tunes we just couldn’t stop playing, and stuck fast in our heads when we finally managed to turn them off.

Here’s our Top Tracks of 2013 Playlist on Spotify.

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Staff Lists:

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Lindsey Rhoades” author=”RiotGrrl’s Influence in 2013″ image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/kimkathleen.jpg”]
Not only are we as a culture stepping up to finally examine sexism and exploitation and appropriation within the industry, there are more acts than ever completely unafraid to do their own thing – be it overtly political (see: Priests) or revolutionary in its emotional candidness (looking at you, Waxahatchee).
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Carena Liptak” author=”Best Album Art” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/sunbather.jpg”]
Let’s all just agree to agree that hip hop as a genre won the album cover contest this year, okay?
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Rebecca Kunin” author=”2013’s Best Soundtracks” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Soundtrack.jpg”]
Music has the ability to make or break a cinematic moment.  Would Jaws be as scary if it weren’t for the theme song? Or would we cry as hard when Leo Dicaprio sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean if Celine Dion didn’t belt “My Heart Will Go On” every five minutes? Probably not.
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Lindsey Rhoades” author=”2013: The Year in Music Controversies” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/musicthoughts.jpg”]In the age of the ubiquitous think-piece, here’s another, and this time, it’s about think-pieces.  In 2013 what think-pieces mean is that no one is about to get away with anything.[/fusion_testimonial]

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Kelly Tunney” author=”Top 10 Unexplainable Kanye Moments” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Kanye.jpg”]
Mr. West has built up quite a reputation for himself. His musical talent has remained impressive throughout his 6-album career (Yeezus easily made several of this year’s “best of” lists, including our own) but Kanye’s persona has been the subject of parody and scandal for a long time now. This year, though, held several moments of Kanye-crazy that stood out among the plethora of examples from his memorable past.
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At the beginning of 2013, adventure felt overdue — something about going to new places, with no routine or expectations, opens you up to hear music you’d never think to listen to otherwise.
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Raquel Dalarossa” author=”Top 7 to Anticipate in 2014″ image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/outkast-reunion-big-boi-andre-3000.jpg”]
Between the exciting festival rumors and anticipated album releases, 2014 is already shaping up to be a pretty amazing year (at least musically speaking).
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