Familiarize Yourself

Making the transition from high school to college can be difficult, but making the decision to move from one hemisphere to another can be disastrous. Luckily, for half of They Face Reaction, the transition from Brazil over a year ago became one of the best decisions of their lives. Vocalist/Guitarist Ren Volpi gave us a heartfelt interview about all things Brazil vs Chicago in this week’s edition of Band of the Week!

© Lauren Gill

How did you and Pedro meet, and when did you start playing together as They Face Reaction?
Well, Me and Pedro are cousins. He [Pedro] is 6 years older than I am, he was the first person who actually introduced me to punk rock. They Face Reaction actually started as a solo project from Pedro back in 2006. I remember when I came back from California (I was living there for 8 months) I helped him record the backing vocals on our first demo in 2006. In 2007 we recorded another demo, but this time I was able to add some of my own compositions to the recording, and it kind of gave us the sound that we have now- a mix between Pedro’s songwriting and mine.

You guys are originally from Brazil, how did you end up in Chicago?
Well we always sang in English, it was really hard for us to reach a big audience in Brazil (and punk rock is not a very popular genre [in Brazil]). We started moving here when Pedro (who is also a Graphic designer) got a job in Lake Zurich,IL in a company called Warmly Yours in January of 2008. After Pedro left, I wasn’t very happy studying law in Brazil and not being able to work with music anymore. So one day as I was talking with Pedro on the phone the idea of moving the band here sounded great. As a backup plan, I applied for music business at Columbia College, so if the band didn’t work out I would still be able to have a career on the music industry. Once I was admitted at Columbia, I quit my life back home and moved here in January of  2009. It was a big decision to make, but looking back, I believe I made the right one.

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It may be turning cold outside but now you can bask in the warmth of summeresque music with Sleepless Entertainment‘s Sounds of Summer Mixtape volume 3, avaliable for a FREE download at thesoundsofsummer.com.

I had the opportunity to interview Sleepless Entertainment manager Nick Pampenella about his company, their artists, and musical collaborations.

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Ever since their much hyped about debut Orchestra of Wolves, I have always enjoyed Gallows’ music, but I’d never been able to make it out to any of their shows. So, I was anxious to see how they sounded live compared to their records, and to find out whether or not they were as good live as I have been told they were. The fact that my first experience seeing the Watford, England-based act was at The Riveria was kind of a let down, though. I assumed going into the show that the venue might not be the best fit for Gallows’ breakneck hardcore sound, and I was right. This is not a band that is meant for 100 ft ceilings and huge auditorium acoustics.

Regardless, they made the most of the night. Led by the intense stage presence of singer Frank Carter, the group tore through their forty minute set with the kind of energy necessary to win over a crowd that probably wasn’t too familiar with their music. Playing mostly off their debut, I was pleased to hear a few tunes, such as “London Chicago Is The Reason” and “I Dread the Night”, off their latest album Grey Britain as well as a solid cover of Black Flag’s “Nervous Breakdown.”

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Foxy Shazam live at the Vic

When I had first heard Foxy Shazam I was instantly intrigued by the band name. Thinking the name came from an Austin Powers movie, or some drug reference I immediately moved on to check out their music. The high-pitched, enthusiastic vocals reminded me of a classic 60s soul sista, and when I had the chance to check out their live show you can only assume how surprised I was to find vocalist Eric Nally behind the mic. Yes I did say Eric, not Erica. Eric Nally could be described as Wolfmother’s Andrew Stockdale‘s vocals meet Tina Turner’s legs. Nally’s 1960′s appearance and his Steven Tyler mic-stand skills left me with the image of a ring leader, ready to entertain his crowd.

Not only was Eric behind the mic, but there was additional vocal stylings added from singer/horn player, Alex Nauth, who lead this performance into one wild show. “Show” could be the keyword to Foxy Shazam’s performance. Between the Nally and Nauth’s non-stop movement, keyboardist Sky White playing upside down, up in the air, or even straddling his keyboard, and Daisy and Aaron McVeigh holding up the backbone of their performance on bass and drums – I left the performance not sure of their sound, but thoroughly impressed with what I just witnessed. Read more…

I’m a sucker for catchy melodies, dance music and bands with cute girls on vocals. So, when my friend Matt, the owner of my favorite record store Underground Sounds, suggested a band he compared to early Rilo Kiley, my interest was piqued. What he he gave me was a copy of live shows and demos from Lightning Love, a local band that I instantly fell in love with the sound of.

Ben Collins, Leah Diehl, Aaron Diehl

Even in the rough recordings, which I first heard in my rusted out Honda Civic with water rotted speakers, I was smitten with this band. There’s lots of keyboards, straight to the point drumming, minimal but effective guitar riffs, and the lyrics are up front with you. This trio has a clear knowledge of how to write music that makes you want to do more than stand there tapping your foot and bobbing your head at live shows.

Their debut album, November Birthday, was one of my favorite releases in 2009 and the number of plays it has received in my iTunes library is obscenely higher than most other albums, including any of Rilo Kiley’s. Lead singer, Leah Diehl’s lyrics are honest, playful and full of the frustrated situations we face as being young, drunk and in search of love and good times. The music is simple but more often than not reaches right to the heart of many daily encounters we’re all forced to deal with, such as drunkenly puking in front of our friends and having them be so disgusted they take off on us- to trying to figure out why that guy we were dating was seeing some other girl at the same time.

If you’re like me with a weakness for innocently crafted and infectiously catchy pop songs, you’ll love Lighting Love.

Enjoy.

© Jori Schmalz

Chicago-based band glittermouse may have gained inspiration from Bertrand Russell when it came to naming their band, but there is nothing dark or controversial about their music. glittermouse’s Jeremy Mumenthaler gave us an inside look at how the band began, the naming process, and who they are influenced by in this week’s edition of FYW’s Band of the Week!

Be sure to catch glittermouse’s live show on NOVEMBER 19TH at our favorite venue, Metro Chicago.

When the band started as a dorm room project, what were your goals for glittermouse?

The goal of glittermouse was always to have fun and be outrageous. When we realized that people started to like our music and enjoyed our shows, we decided to get serious, the point was to make engaging music that involved our audience.

Did the additional members help shape your sound to what we hear on the demo? And if you had to classify your music as a particular genre what would it fall under?

Each member comes from a different musical background which allows glittermouse to have it’s original sound. We all compliment each other with our own flair. We don’t really like to pick genres, but we fall under rock. It’s all just rock anyways, rock just means it makes you move, and that’s what we do. We have been considered, “fraggle-rock, pop, feel-good, space, fun, soul, dance, march”, and the list goes on.

What bands have influenced you over the years that you’d recommended our readers become “familiar with”?

We all have our own influences that bridge the spectrum. If it’s got soul, we like it. We have been compared to the Silversun Pickups, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead and The Flaming Lips to name a few.

glittermouse is an usual, but catchy name. How did it come about?

Bertrand Russell, Lewis Carroll, Michael Jackson. That is our line of thought. Bertrand Russell had a theory, the teapot theory, which you should look up. Read more…

Black Whales, who hail from Seattle, claim their music sounds like “flowers on drugs.” By this they must mean whatever drugs make one feel happy and mellow. Their music evokes The Beatles in their Rubber Soul era, which I know doesn’t narrow it down much – because what rock band these days doesn’t draw some influences from The Beatles – but hey, that was my instant reaction to the Whales’ sound and frankly it’s impossible to ignore.

Under Seattle-based indie label Mt. Fuji Records, Black Whales have recently released a 7-song EP Read more…

The Menzingers @ Fest 8 (photo by ceephoto)

So, my trip to Fest started on somewhat of a sour note as I started get really sick with the flu only a few days before I left for Florida. However, I am a trooper and refused to let a little sickness get in my way of a weekend of good ol’ fashion rock n roll. Instead of boring you with every minute detail of the weekend, I am only going to talk about my favorite two sets of the weekend.

On the first night, one of the bands I was most looking forward to was a band that I had actually seen one week before at the Metro, but that’s how much I enjoy them and their live show. The band I am talking about is Philadelphia, PA’s own The Menzingers.  Like many acts at the Fest, The Menzingers enjoy bigger than normal crowds in every year in Gainesville and this weekend was no different. Performing at the Atlantic to an (over)capacity crowd, the Philly foursome rocked through a set comprised mainly of their latest EP Hold On, Dodge coupled with a few older tunes and covers of The Clash (“Straight to Hell”) and Billy Bragg (“To Have and Have Not”). The reaction of the crowd was amazing, and it was thrilling to see so many people just as excited for this band as I am.

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Attention Grizzly Bear fans!!! If you can’t get enough chilling harmonies and lingering vocals, give Department of Eagles a try.  Their most recent album “In Ear Park” (2008) contains all the layered voices and harmonies you could ever want over melodies that will sneak up on you when you least expect it.   Behind this slightly eerie sounding indie rock album is Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear and friend and former NYU roommate,  Fred Nicolaus. The duo has been working together since 2000 (pre Grizzly Bear) and plan to continue putting albums out in the future.

My personal favorite track demonstrates their exceptional creative ability through their cover of JoJo’s “Too Little, Too Late”.  If you haven’t heard it yet. I suggest you listen to both versions and stand back in awe. Read more…