Rob Resnick (left) and Cal Shapiro of Timeflies

The last time I spoke to Rob Resnick (Rez) and Cal Shapiro of Timeflies, they had just released their first album The Scotch Tape.  It was evident that they were unsure of what to expect; having developed a loyal Twitter following and “Timeflies Tuesday” fan base, they were hoping for a positive response to the album, with maybe some chatter here and there about their new music.  What they got was much, much more.

“We didn’t expect [the reaction that we got],” Cal explains.  “The night before we released it, we had our whole team of kids we went to college with on Google hangout sitting around saying ‘hopefully everyone will be talking up a storm about it, and maybe we’ll see it on Twitter or Facebook.’”

Well, the fans heard it, and definitely talked about it- and now Cal and Rob were playing one of their many sold out shows on their tour at Webster Hall in New York City.

With their success, Timeflies continues to alter and experiment with their sound and create a genre all their own.  Rez explains, “Collaboratively, we haven’t been compared to an artist, but people will say ‘oh Cal sounds like…’ or ‘the production sounds like…’ which is good because that means that nobody has fused those sounds together yet.  I get a lot of Xaphoon Jones references and Cal gets a lot of Drake which is pretty cool for us.”

Having just released a music video for their song “Switchblade,” their fan base continues to expand as they generate an impressive résumé.  Cal explains the story behind “Switchblade” stating, “It started as a last man on earth kind of thing and it started to evolve.  When we were writing the chorus, we had everything down for a different song, and realized we needed to make this its own track and go a completely different way with it.  At the time we were writing the chorus, I remember it was the most epic thunder storm, so that was where the inspiration for ‘the world ends tonight’ into the beat’s drop came from.”  Additionally, as avid sports fans, to have “Switchblade” featured on FOX Sports as well as an Under Armour commercial was one of their greatest achievements- and the song proved to provide an intense and edgy soundtrack to each.

After being on tour for a few months, Cal and Rob love to recall some of their favorite performances.  One of the highlights of the tour was their performance in Dayton, Ohio.  Cal remembers, “We were jumping to “Cars, Money and Fame” as we tend to do, and the laptop toppled off the back of the stand and it was just dead- thankfully though, the mics were still working.  So I [decided] I was going to freestyle and Rez will drop a beat.  Rez starts beat boxing while he’s plugging everything in […] and right on the last line, he gets the steel drum intro to “Under the Sea” going.  Everyone thought we planned it.

“So now we were playing a show at Northeastern, performing “Cars, Money and Fame” and the entire system blows out.  I end up free styling yet again, and then we got a guitar and did an acoustic set; so that was an interesting night, too.”

Despite the common theme of experiencing technical issues while performing “Cars, Money and Fame,” Cal and Rob still enjoy performing it- when asked their favorite, however, Cal undoubtedly responds with “Until the Sunrise” and Rob loves “For You,” both of which are tracks off of The Scotch Tape.

With their growing fame, it is common for the guys to be recognized by fans in some less than ideal places.  “We were seen one morning in an airport in Cincinnati at quite possibly one of the most hungover moments of our lives.  He was a nice a guy and asked for a picture with us, but I’m not sure how it turned out,” Rob says laughing.

It is with their humor and determination that Cal and Rob continue to put together new material as they focus on their upcoming mix tape and the never- ending stream of Tuesdays headed their way.  With The Scotch Tape, they were happy making their original work accessible to their fans, but they are looking forward to doing some covers as well, ranging all the way back to the R&B soul- style of Sam Cooke to as recent as Rihanna’s upbeat pop hit “We Found Love.”  As for the future, Cal says “we just want to get better on stage- crazier shows, more stuff going on, improve production value […] We get better every show we do, but we need to get better faster than that […] I love our current show and I think the fans do too, but the sky really is the limit.”  And it is with that attitude that Cal and Rob head into 2012- a year in which they will continue to prove that the sky is the only limit on their creativity, originality, and innovation.

“This is my outfit for tonight,” Billy Joel, donned in a Cornell hoodie and cap, explained to the full house at Bailey Hall on Friday night. “I left my clothes at home.”

Right away Joel made it clear that he didn’t intend for the night to go as a normal concert does. Rather, he asked for audience questions, and here and there treated us to a bit of music on either piano or electric keyboard, or in Joel’s words, his piano and his “abbreviated piano. It has pianist envy,” he joked, pointing to the small keyboard.

While he did play through a handful of his songs, many of his musical interludes were fun parodies or improvisations. His first performance was a parody of Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed And Confused,” to explain why, on this night, he couldn’t do all of his songs justice. As he let out a screech in the style of Robert Plant himself, the clunky piano accompaniment sounded ridiculous, though the audience didn’t seem to mind.

Throughout the night, Joel used his piano skills to explain a question or build upon a joke. When asked if he has specific goals while writing, Joel said he never sits down and tries to write a hit. “I was usually trying to get a girl into bed,” he said, and moved to the piano to play through Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven. “It’s been an inspiration for composers for centuries,” he argued, and broke into Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” Pausing between the melody, he shouted out to the audience, “Beethoven got smoldery! He’s so deep! So troubled!” amidst laughter.

While still on the topic of hits, he played his first full song of the night. “Let’s get this out of the way early,” he said, and delivered a lively but rushed “Piano Man.” The ecstatic audience sang along to a chorus. When finished, Joel noted the song’s quirks, such as its six eight time signature and its length. “It’s half an hour long! What the hell kind of a single is that?”

He touched on his influences to tell how he was inspired to write “Uptown Girl,” saying it was meant to be an homage and a joke, as a way to do the opposite of Frankie Valli’s “Rag Doll.” He also addressed a question about Paul Simon and delivered a fun rendition of “Only the Good Die Young” pausing before the lyric, “You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation,” to pinpoint Simon’s influence.

Joel continued to field interesting, serious, and heartfelt questions throughout the show, and talked about his ongoing tour with Elton John, his work with Ray Charles, and his admiration for current artists Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and The Killers. He also addressed personal, albeit sometimes awkward or bizarre, questions from the audience. A Renee from Vienna asked about the song “Downeaster Alexa,” but first had an odd exchange with Joel about his history in Vienna and claimed to know his brother, conductor Alexander Joel, which left Joel looking more than surprised. Another girl enthusiastically asked whether Joel knew her uncle– “He goes by Snake!”– and if they had played in a band together back in the day. Joel’s answer was no, as was his answer to another girl’s request to accompany her to her sorority’s formal party.

Another unexpected moment occurred when Joel called President Skorton to the stage to accompany his “She’s Always a Woman” in exceptional Ron Burgundy fashion. A thrilled and bewildered audience cheered as Skorton marched up to the stage, retrieved a flute, and started riffing. At first, Cornell’s President seemed nervous, but soon got into it, and by the end was powering through countermelodies.

Toward the end of the show, Joel talked about possibilities for new music and a future tour, as he’s been off the road since March 2010. He then treated us to a new tune, a contemporary classical instrumental he called “the hymn,” and referenced classical composer Edgar Elgar as an influence. Apparently, the next music Joel releases may be a very different direction from hits were used to, as he said he has been writing thematic, abstract, instrumental music.

Wrapping up the concert, he played fan favorite “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant” and addressed his time as a high schooler who looked up to the popular kids. He also flew through his take on The Beatles’ “You Never Give Me Your Money,” to kid that even the greats don’t know what words they’re singing. And though he closed with a powerful, vocally strong performance of his revered “New York State of Mind,” his best performance of the night, undeniably, was his “Vienna.” Right before the song’s start, Joel explained his history with the city. The song, he said, is for his father, who died last year. The audience, completely silent, watched Joel’s passionate delivery. His scatting, which he’d added to other songs during the night to make up for lack of instrumental break-downs, was anything but corny. Most in the audience were likely easily moved by his powerful delivery.

He left with thoughtful parting sentiments that any college student can relate to. Speaking on education, Joel explained his loss of interest during high school, as the goal was only to pass the test, not to actually know or learn things of substance. He stressed to the audience to have fun in life and follow one’s interests. Additionally, he advised not to limit oneself. Poking fun at those who claim to only listen to one type of music, he acknowledged that “There’s a banquet out there.” When he left the stage, he had talked and played for nearly two and a half hours, but in all honesty, the time had flown by. Joel achieved great transitions from questions to songs, and the audience was not only thoroughly entertained, but also touched by Joel’s words of wisdom.

images taken from Cornell Concert Commission website and from rollingstone.com

VS: I understand that you both graduated from Tufts- Cal majoring in music and entrepreneurship and Rob in music and philosophy.  Clearly, the music major makes sense but how have entrepreneurship and philosophy majors influenced the business side of your music?

TF (Cal): I hate to treat it this way but starting a music career is kind of like a start up.  We’re trying to build everything from the ground up, whether we’re trying to get people involved or strictly from a production aspect.   It has worked out really well, and has shown that the majors really do go hand in hand.

VS: I could definitely see how that could be helpful.  I’m assuming you both met each other at Tufts, but when was the first time you actually played together?

TF (Cal): There was one night when we were at a party and Rez was beat- boxing and I started free- styling.  He told me after that I should come sing with his band, so I did, and I ended up singing with them full time.  We played together for awhile and after that we started the Timeflies project around our sophomore year.

VS: So you have been working on music for the about the past 3 years.  When you aren’t working on new material, what do you guys like to do in your free time?

TF (Rez): We definitely do a lot of the same stuff that other people our age do, like partying with our friends, go out, watch sports.  In terms of other TV shows, I’m into Mad Men, Game of Thrones, and Entourage.

(Cal): I am a big sports fan so I watch a lot of games when they are on.

VS: In terms of social media, I know you are both big fans of Twitter and Facebook.  What do you think has been the most effective medium for getting your music out?

TF (Rez): I think that by using Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, our overall image is something that everyone can relate to.  We have fun making music and all of our productions are pretty raw; sometimes it’s just Cal free- styling over beats that I have put together in a day so I think people can appreciate that if we are able to joke around and come out with some quality material that they too can make music for other people even when it comes from their dorm room or their bedroom.

VS: In reaction to Steve Jobs death, you released a “Timeflies Tuesday” video (iTribute) in honor of his legacy.  How did you feel when you saw it playing in the Apple store?

TF (Cal): That was just the coolest experience; we’re big Apple fans, and we use the Mac products when we record so to see our own video in the Apple store was unbelievable.  It’s kind of similar to when a friend will text us and say “I’m at a party and your song is playing” so it is really cool to know that our music is being heard.

VS: Timeflies Tuesday is a great way to publicize your music.  How did you guys come up with the idea of releasing a new freestyle every week?  Is there any pressure to out-do the previous week?

TF (Rez): We definitely like to think that we’re outdoing ourselves and we try to make each video more innovative and creative than the previous.  We think “what should we sample?” and then we try it out.  But I also think that Timeflies Tuesday was originally just a way for us to connect with our fans and let them know what we’re up to, and the response to the freestyles was so strong that we have just begun to shape all of the videos around that concept.

VS: Now when you’re not freestyling, but writing instead, what usually comes first, the music or the lyrics?

TF (Rez): It’s kind of an any given day situation; we’ll sit down and talk about it but sometimes Cal will just write the lyrics first and I’ll make the beat around it.  Even then though, we sometimes could just completely scrap the lyrics or the beat and start all over.  I think until we find out the best formula we’ll just keep trying new things.

VS: I know you aren’t afraid to try mixing any genre of music together but do you think it has been challenging to define yourselves when the public tends to confine artists to only one style?

TF (Rez): Some people, especially those we are connected to, tell us how awesome it is that we have this creative, diverse sound.  I’d like to think that we do have our own sound, and maybe it’s not definable as electro or hip hop, but I feel like you can listen to one of our songs and even if you don’t recognize Cal’s voice for some reason, you can still say “Oh, that’s a Timeflies song.”

(Cal): And to continue with what Rez was saying, defining ourselves is kind of an old fashion concept to us.  The fact that we can mess around and come up with something new every Tuesday makes it difficult for us to be “boxed in.”

VS: Onto your new album…who came up with the title “The Scotch Tape”?

TF (Cal): I don’t know if you know this, but I have a great love for scotch, so going with that, we were talking one day and we decided to put out a mix tape as a new project to start.  The words just came together; it made sense.  It was just a play on the words, and we decided to run with it.

VS: Do you guys have any personal favorites from the album?

TF (Rez): Obviously we have a connection with each song, depending on the day we recorded it and the lyrics, but I think if I had to choose a favorite it would probably be “Fade”.

(Cal): I’m going to have to go with “Ex Games” or “Switchblade”

VS: If you had to describe your style in three words, what would it be?

TF: Electro, hip, and hop.

VS: Where do you guys hope to be in five years?

TF: I think we’ll still be messing around with our sound, hopefully with billions of people listening to us.  We’re having a great time doing exactly what we’re doing now, and we don’t have any plans to do anything otherwise.

If you were one of the people who arrived at Saturday night’s dance party early, you were treated to We Barbarians’ lively and energetic set. The band started a little before 8:30 and certainly gave the sizeable crowd something to dance to. A handful of students clearly knew the band before they went on and were singing every single lyric with gusto. When We Barbarians launched into a David Burns and Brian Eno cover of “Strange Overtones”, even the people in the bleachers were excited to hear a tune they could all sing to.

The energy We Barbarians gave the crowd was palpable during the 40 minute wait for Passion Pit. Every once in awhile someone would start chanting for Passion Pit or scream excitedly any time he or she thought Passion Pit was coming out. When Michael Angelakos started in on the first few notes of “Moth’s Wings,” literally everyone started in on the lyrics with him.

It was over everyone singing the “oohs” during “Moth’s Wings” that I decided that no matter what they did, Passion Pit was going to be considered an amazing show. I think everyone left there remembering how easy it was to all have the same experience, because during those “oohs,” everyone in Barton Hall was united.

Passion Pit then went through other standouts of their career with “Make Light,” “The Reeling,” and “Better Things”  before treating the crowd to a new song called “American Blood.” But it wasn’t this new song that really stood out from the rest of the set. After a couple more songs, Angelakos presented the crowd with an idea. We would dance with them and then they would know we liked this newly birthed though unnamed track. Needless to say, if Passion Pit got 5000 kids dancing with the beat of the song, the success of their next album seems assured.

The physical exertion that Angelakos kept alluring to, with his sweat issues, is something that everyone felt. We all left there tired from all the dancing, simply because we couldn’t help ourselves but DANCE. And during the last song “Little Secrets,” the energy that the entire crowd had been living on was suddenly renewed and we danced even more than before.

fun., an american indie pop band, recently visited Cornell, where they gave a stellar performance prior to Janelle Monae’s set. Slope Magazine writer Victoria Sobel had the opportunity to catch up with the band, comprised of Nate Russ, previously from the band The Format, Andrew Dost, formerly from the band Anthallo and Jack Antonoff, also a member of the band Steel Train, and ask them what life on the road was like. Things we learned: Yelp and locals are guides to live by, you must have a basketball on hand, and you can never have enough mouthwash.

Victoria Sobel: I can imagine how hard it is to find consistent good food on tour… was wondering if there are a few places you guys like to go to… and if you have some favorite places in certain cities?

fun.: It’s hard sometimes, but we have pretty good luck with Yelp and asking locals. There are a few places we always look forward to hitting; my biggest one is Pacific Dining Car in LA. Another one I always look forward to is Resto du Village in Montreal.

VS: Do you guys play any sports on your down time?

fun.: Yes. Nate and I play basketball every day. If we can’t gather enough people for a game we either play 21 or work on shooting drills. We also play football if there’s a big enough field nearby.  Basketball-wise Nate compares himself to Brandon Roy, I’d say I play more like Tayshaun Prince.

VS: I know how hard it is for me to pack to go away for a weekend, how do you pack for months at a time?  Any secrets or packing tips?

fun.: I tend to really over-pack, I’m definitely not the guy to ask. I even bring two kinds of mouthwash – a whitening rinse and ACT Fluoride rinse, that both have to be carried outside the rest of my stuff. It’s very inconvenient but I’m sort of a hoarder and I’m obsessed with dental hygiene.

VS: What has been your favorite tour so far?

Maybe it’s just because it was the most recent, but the one that sticks out the most is the Panic! at the Disco tour we did earlier this year.  Panic, and the Foxy Shazam guys are all awesome, it was musically a great fit and everybody just seemed to get along great.

VS: If you can collaborate with any artist on a song who would it be?

 I would really love to work with Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend some day. He’s a brilliant producer and just has such a clean, well-thought-out sound.

VS: With all the down time you have on tour are there any television series you guys are into?

Jack just finished The Wire, which I’m about to start.  I also love Breaking Bad (JUST SAW THE SEASON FINALE LAST NIGHT!) and Game of Thrones.  We just finished the new season of Curb all together, which we all love.  I haven’t watched much of the new season, but I love The Office too.  And we’re all constantly going back to Arrested Development.  We all love TV and this is kind of a golden age for it.

More info on the band:

 fun. just released a new single, a powerful alternative pop anthem, “We Are Young” (take a listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KmCguRVnvc) featuring touring mate, Janelle Monae which achieved the #3 chart position on Hype Machine. fun.’s forthcoming Fueled by Ramen debut (http://www.youtube.com/user/FueledByRamen#p/c/409BB5286DDF9170/0/nq2ekIMMYXA ) was produced by Jeff Bhasker, known for his work on “Watch The Throne” in addition to hit tracks with Kanye West, Kid Cudi and Alicia Keys.  Watch the band behind the scenes in their in-studio video: http://ournameisfun.com/

RSVP on the event page here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=291217544237542

Alex Winston

Sounds Like: Lykke Li, Tegan & Sara, Tennis

Alex Winston has been making the rounds of most music blogs these days and for good reason. The singer was originally trained in opera singing and is just now bringing her talents to another musical realm, a move that is greatly appreciated by most. This outsider feel to her story shines through on every song, she’s not simply trying to blend in, she’s quirky and a little out there but the balance she’s found between the two is seemingly perfect.

She’s already released a couple mini EP’s in the past couple of years called The Sister Wife EP and The Basement Covers EP and Winston is set to release a full debut album January 12, and I promise this is a date to mark.

For anyone who’s a fan of pop friendly indie music, Winston’s breezy tunes mixed with her sometimes dark lyrics might be perfect. One of my favorites of hers is a remix of one of her better-known tunes “Velvet Elvis” done by RAC, though there’s another amazing remix by another one of my favorites, Darwin Deez. Try and listen to any of her songs without becoming enchanted by her voice.

Last week on September 28, Feist released a free stream of her new album Metals
on her website, and on Tuesday, October 4, she officially released her album for sale online and in stores.

Metals makes a fine companion to Feist’s three prior works, including independently
released Monarch, sophomore album Let It Die, and breakout album The Reminder,
which introduced hits such as “1-2-3-4,” “I Feel It All,” and “My Moon My Man.” On her
last album, though her catchy popular tunes garnered attention, the rest of the album
felt too stagnant. Metals, however, exhibits growth and musical maturity, and the album
displays a more comfortable flow from song to song. There are still quite a few slow-
burning moments, but on this album, Feist delivers suspense and excitement, a contrast
from The Reminder on which tracks dragged out for too long, relieved only briefly by a
short, poppy tune.

Check out Feist’s new album for her soft, gentle voice paired with overpowering
melodies and bursts of energy. Though none of her songs are as catchy as the hits
she’s produced on albums before, this work, due to its better designed concept, is the
easiest of listens.

The first words out of singer Satomi Matsuzaki’s mouth at September 28th’s Deerhoof show at the Haunt, defines the show pretty well.  It was a dreary, rainy night.  It was in the middle of the week.  It started late.  It followed some ill-received openers.  Attendees needed some rescuing, and, for the most part, Deerhoof delivered.

The show opened with songs off their latest album, ‘Deerhoof Versus Evil,.’ and then progressed to songs older favorites such as ‘Offend Maggie,’ and ‘Milk Man,’ off of albums of the same name.  While Deerhoof’’s sound is inherently inconsistent, jumping from dreamy to thrashing to long art-rock intercessions, the one thing that didn’t change was their quirky energy.  At times, it seemed like everyone was in their own world—Greg Saunier’s contorted face unwaveringly glaring at a (surprisingly small) drum kit, guitarists Ed Rodriguez and John Dieterich turning their backs to the audience and each other, bassist and vocalist Satomi Matsuzaki staring straight ahead, acknowledging no one. Still, despite complex timing and seemingly random breaks, the music came out incredibly tight.  This is a band with great chemistry, and it showed. 

When Deerhoof finished their set, the crowd demanded an encore.  When they finished the encore, the crowd chanted one more song, one more song.  Clearly, as far as music goes, the concert did not disappoint.  However, for how much the crowd apparently enjoyed the music, many attendees were eerily still.  No one would argue that Deerhoof’’s music is particularly danceable, but how so many people can put their hands in their pockets and stare blankly at high energy songs, like “The Perfect Me,” is unexplainable.  A few booty-shakers (in particular a grey-bearded man) let Deerhoof rescue them by allowing the music take them over.  For everyone else?  I blame the rain.  Or Xanax. 

Written By: Kevin Burra

Hence the need for quality study music. Sometimes, the only things that keep me going during those long, cold all-nighters in Uris are my headphones. So I lurked in the library and found out what people were listening to and shared some of my personal favorite study jams.

Your Ipod

TLC-“Diggin’ on You”

John Peters was sitting in Olin Café on Sunday evening listening to this song. “I like R&B and Hip Hop from the 90s,” he explained. TLC are my girls! I have been known to break out into “Waterfalls” in that signature rasp of theirs (we’ll always miss you, Lisa Left-Eye Lopez!).

Beirut-“Elephant Gun”

From behind her pink earbuds, Emilie Stewart ’14 said of this song, “When I study I like to listen to mellow music, that can serve as a relaxing background. That’s the central reason that ‘Elephant Gun’ is always on the top of my libe jams playlist.” The lead singer of Beirut’s voice is very smooth and melodic, excellent to calm you down just before a big prelim.

Foster the People-“Pumped up Kicks”

“It doesn’t have a lot of words… like rap I find really difficult to listen to when I’m studying because of all the words. It’s upbeat, and I get sad when I do work so I need happy music,” AJ Velarde ’14 said of this recent hit. I’m a big fan of this song, it’s kind of addicting and upbeat with just the right amount of mellow to not be super distracting when you’re working.

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis- “Song for Jessie”

This week, I learned that at 5pm on Friday, Olin café is not quite a hip-hopping spot. But there are some hard-core studiers, like Nadi Tofighian, a visiting PhD candidate from Stockholm University. He said, “It’s from a great soundtrack and it’s solemn, it’s instrumental so it complements the reading activity quite well.” First of all, Nadi is Swedish and that’s awesome. I don’t have a second-of-all, actually, I think the Swedish factor should be enough to get you to check this out.

My Ipod

Sufjan Stevens-“Decatur, or, a Round of Applause for your Stepmother!”

I think Sufjan Stevens is the most productive music to work to ever, especially this album, his strange but wonderful ode to Illinois, aptly titled Illinois. It’s filled with interesting cadences and, of course, Sufjan’s mysterious and beautiful voice. I can listen to this whole album and get some stuff done.

Panda Bear -“You Can Count on Me”

Panda Bear (you might know him as Noah Lennox of Animal Collective) makes some crazy music. This track, the opener of his newest album Tomboy, has a layered, ethereal sound and is filled with his signature experimental style. Panda Bear is great for making some very dry material more bearable.

The Dirty Projectors- “Cannibal Resource”

When it is three in the morning, and all I want to do is go to bed and resign myself to an F on this term paper, I put on the Dirty Projectors. They have a super interesting, fun sound and the riff at the beginning of this song never fails to keep me going once Olin Café shuts down and my caffeine supply is gone.

Arcade Fire- “Keep the Car Running”

I adore Arcade Fire (even before they won a Grammy), and they make some really amazing music. Neon Bible may not have the same hype as Funeral or The Suburbs, but it has some gems, and this song is one of them. It has the coveted mix of upbeat but just-chill-enough that makes it really great to work to.

On Sunday night, a crowd of over a thousand dedicated Janelle Monae fans were treated to what was hands down one of the greatest concerts at Cornell this fall. After the heart wrenching soulful serenades delivered by first special guest Timothy Bloom, second opening act F.U.N. shredded the stage with a lively mix of both old crowd favorites and a few sneak peeks from their upcoming album. Finally, after about two hours of almost unbearable anticipation, Janelle Monae took the stage by storm and immediately had the audience wrapped around her fingers.

From a strictly vocal standpoint, her voice was impeccably on tune from start to finish, belting out melodies as sweet as honey flowing seamlessly from one song to the next. For most fans however, her vocal talent was never something to be disputed. It was seeing the choices she made on stage to enhance her performance that really converted kind-of fans into “OMYGOSH I LOVE JANELLE!!!” fans.

As a petite, glowing beauty of less than five feet, Monae possesses an incredible power within her only present in the truest and most talented artists. It was apparent throughout her performance that she was completely aware, familiar, and totally comfortable with every inch of body, and used this knowledge and comfort to exert beauty and fluidity with every move. Almost every song was accompanied with a high-energy dance break, with Monae’s body moving in short, controlled motions in time with the beat. The routines were mesmerizing, livening up the stage more and more with each song. The effect was amplified in combination with the highly talented band, comprised of an array of instruments including violins, a trumpet, and a flavorful set of Caribbean style drums.

Layered over the crowd-pleasing dance routines and toe-tapping songs, Monae added an extra level of originality to her performance through her audience interaction. She very impressively kept direct eye contact with at least one audience member almost the entire time, sending fans into a frenzy each time she spread her face into a beaming smile, sexy smirk, or eyes narrowed, attitude filled “Oh no you don’t!” expression. Towards the middle of her set, Monae went as far as to create a spontaneous painting during a musical interlude, which she later gave away to the fan who could prove it was her actual birthday. After a series of more dramatics depicting some of the storylines behind her music, Monae ended the show in spectacular fashion through a brief crowd-surfing stunt, which was immediately reciprocated with thunderous cheers and applause.

Janelle Monae gave the perfect combination of calm authority, sass and theatrics, audience appreciation, and unforgettable vocal and dance performances brought together to give concertgoers everything they could have ever asked for and more. This concert was surely the only way to momentarily escape the reality of another rainy Sunday night before the start of the school week.

M83

Sounds Like: Mum, Explosions in the Sky, and electronic shoegaze-y goodness,

Given recent interviews with Pitchfork and Spin Magazine, I’d be lying if I claimed that the Anthony Gonzalez creation is an Artist on the Rise, however I can promise that M83 is still rising. With the release of Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, M83 is releasing their 6th studio album and their fans are dying to hear it, while critics are already claiming it a success.

Throughout their career, M83 have taken their listeners on journeys filled with soaring melodies, haunting lyrics and beautiful landscapes. However, recently Gonzalez has been stating that he wants this album to be a little more epic than previous ones (please try and argue with me that the song “We Own the Sky” is not epic). And I promise, if you want 5 minute long crescendos that can break your heart, M83 is the band to listen to.

There is something to be said about a band that can put together 22 songs (it’s a double album) that all share a common theme, a rare phenomenon in our single-driven music industry. When the French born singer interviewed with Spin he said of his new album “It’s mainly about dreams, how every one is different, how you dream differently when you’re a kid, a teenager, or an adult.” And he’s right, every track gives a new point of view on a new dream, and does so in a gorgeously sweeping way. And personally, I just dream of a world where anyone can appreciate the genius that is necessary to create such a masterpiece.

Slope Media had a chance to talk to Janelle Monae earlier this week. [Interview conducted by Trevor Burns and Alec Berin]

–

Slope Media: Looks like we just missed being the first stop on the College Consciousness Tour, where you’re playing with up-and-coming indie rockers FUN.. What are you looking forward to on this tour?

Janelle Monae : Well, first I have had the opportunity of touring with some amazing artists. Prince, this year, we did a joint tour with Bruno Mars, we’re playing a date tomorrow in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil with Stevie Wonder, and we just got off of a tour with Katy Perry. So it’s been really amazing to just go around the world and tour with people. I am so excited, though, to be headlining this tour and be able to play my album in its entirety and play with the ArchOrchestra and just give the full experience to the music that I’ve done over the last year. I think that’s really important and I’ve always dreamt of just having a string quartet and every element I used on the album onstage with me, however long we want to jam. So it’s really exciting and also to have FUN., some new artists that I love and to bring artists from the Wonderland Arts Society, Roman G. Arthur and Deep Cotton, on a few dates. This is their debut and I’m really excited to be presenting them to the world because I’ve been listening to them for a long time and their music to me is very life changing. They are completely revolutionary; they produce everything in-house, write and record. So I think it’s empowering to have these artists that I think are necessary to the music industry come along with me.

SM: You’ve played with FUN.. before. They just released their debut single “We Are Young” where you give a great vocal feature. But looks like you’re better suiting dominating the main stage. How is it headlining these big shows now?

JM: We haven’t had the opportunity to play together on stage. I’ll be playing with them on tour, which I am excited about. But I was a fan of the song; “With or Without Me” is just a great song and I am honored that they wanted me to be a part of it. I don’t do things for political reasons, I truly love the song, I love the melodies, and I think that this is going to be a really important attempt at music and they understand melody and they are self-contained to so I appreciate it and I’m not far from being an Indie artist, I had my own label and I started writing my EPs a long time ago and I started selling them myself out of my car and the boarding house that I lived in. I understand what it’s like to be a new artist and have that hungry feeling and I enjoy being involved in their energy and the energy of new and fresh upcoming artists.

SM: Talk about the image: 1920’s rockabilly tuxedos, combined with the metropolis future look, and topped off with the signature pompadour hairdo. What do you feel your image conveys? Why did you develop the look that way?

JM: Well I think my image is its own thing. She gets really upset when I say she’s just this one thing or that she only does this. So I’m not going to really talk about my image. It is something that she is who she is and she is being duplicated a lot on the runways and she’s flattered. But my image is just, again, evolving and she is a transcendent person that I hope will always be around.

SM: Tell us about Metropolis, this ongoing project that seems to have taken on a life of its own, with the first EP, the full-length Suites, and the upcoming album.

JM: Metropolis was Suite I of IV, The Chase, and then we have the ArchAndroid (Suites II and III) and I am excited that I had the opportunity to write and be the front woman for these songs and this concept and it’s just honest music. Everything that I have written to date has just been honest, true to where I am, and as a writer and a performer and a conceptualist, just an honest understanding of what my superpowers are, and it just inspired my music, it’s a reception of what I have been feeling myself. I am excited about just bringing more people together with the music, which I think is my purpose, to be the mediator between the mind and the hand, the haves and the have nots, the oppressed and the oppressor, I think we all can speak their language, it’s grief and it’s perfect in its grammar, music is that one language that we all can understand. I enjoy my job and I enjoy the gifts I have been given.

SM: You’ve said that this album and the past two years have taught you to “embrace the things that make me unique and to continue being an even bigger agent of change.” What change is most needed in your opinion?

JM: I think that there just needs to be a different perspective on the female artist. That it is important for young artists who are coming up and me just creating a different blue print and the things that I am doing. My team, we try to create a different blueprint to inspire others to know that you don’t have to take the same coordinates to get to the same destination. We have a do it yourself mentality and I think that it has paid off and the people we do business with are very much aware that we are the creators of this vision and their job is to help move things forward and get the message out to as many people as possible…

SM: You started in NYC looking at Broadway, and then went down to Georgia, always working on your music career and ultimately landing that signing with Sean Combs’ Bad Boy Records. How’d you do it? What advice do you have to the college aged aspiring musician?

JM: I actually have my own label now, the Wonderland Arts Society, in partnership with Sean Combs who came down and was really inspired with what we were doing down there and didn’t want to be involved creatively but just wanted people to know about it.

But with that said, we were always moving and shaking before Sean came. But I’d say start moving yourself! Start with a team that believes in you with same values and goals. Start recording, writing, print your CDs, and take the initiative. In time others will believe you after seeing you take that initiative. Start defining yourself before somebody else does.

SM: I like how LA Weekly described your sound: “Janelle reigns supreme as pomped-out alien queen, belting some curious combination of straight-up funk and futuristic dancepunk.”  Does this describe your sound? How do you differentiate yourself from all the other funk hip hop out there?

JM: no no I don’t describe anything I do; I just create and let others come up with all these names. No not concerned with marketing my talent, I think that’s what the labels are for. I just create and let everyone else discuss it.

SM: You’re on the last part of your epic suite. What does this project mean to you in its entirety?

JM: Who knows if it’s the last! I have a responsibility to element of surprise. Only a few people know when the time is right and they haven’t told me when to reveal that information. But it means a lot to me because this deals with the android. And we have opportunity to determine how were gonna live together. Are we gonna oppress one another? Teach our kids to fear? How are we going to get along in a world where we can differentiate an android speaking for a human? I think it’s cool to talk about because I think it will happen. And being an artist is all about bringing ideas and concepts- being a forecaster of what we think will happen. This project means a lot to me because it has so many parallels: everything from being gay in America, being a black woman in America, being a woman, being a minority in majority. I think that people should look at that and understand if were being the judgers how that’s affecting our future. That’s why I love signing about future, we can correct that mistakes we made in history. Also gives people motivations on how they can be the archandroid in their own lives, in their community. And not divide. My job as an artist is to protect. To be the common denominator.

SM: Talk to us about the 10 Droid Commandments:

JM: You shall get copies of the 10 Droid Commandments! This album is an experience it’s a world. We live in a world and I want people to make discoveries on what you can take from this world and our world right now and how you can correct the things you know in your heart are wrong. Love to me is also something I want to spread more of – that I’m trying to spread to my people.

SM: The music takes on another quality when there is actual meaning to it.

JM: There’s so much depth. Look at the album, especially the song “Cold War.”This album is self-discovery. I think we have constant discovery each day about ourselves. Each day month each year.

SM: Thanks for the interview Janelle. We’ll leave you with one last question, what are you spinning lately on your iPod?

JM: Sure I’m really secretive when it comes to that. Unfortunately I can’t tell you about that.

Janelle Monae will headline this Sunday in Barton Hall alongside FUN.. Make sure to get your ticket to this funkadelic show!

Tin Sparrow

Sounds Like: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes, Boy And Bear, Fleet Foxes

Tin Sparrow is another band name that can be added to my mixtape unofficially called “Hipster Ho-down” though I’m not sure what the accepted spelling for hodown is. Their debut EP “From the Sun” has four tracks that fit perfectly into the ever-growing field of alternative country music.

Listening to the single “Fool’s Gold”, it’s hard to not feel the corners of your mouth slightly move up into a smile. Every song on the EP sounds infused with happiness that the band feels at being able to do what they love and the happiness they want the listener to feel whilst listening to them. Not only do the folk-ish tunes drip with joy, the vocal harmonies on every track are a little melancholic and the partnering of these two is what I like to call “ear masturbation”.

This quartet hails from Sydney, Australia but is bound to make it Stateside soon. Which reminds me, darn you, Australia for producing these amazing acts that are better at country-ish music than some Americans.

Also, I remember when Rilo Kiley was just starting to merge country with Alternative music and no one understood, and now this merge is finally creating a genre for itself.

Slope Media [SM]: What brings you to Ithaca? I hear you played here years ago, how was your experience in upstate NY?
Xiu Xiu [XX]: oh uh, the only thing I really remember is sleeping on the floor of some grad students floor who had a pretty large TV. This was post show.

SM: When was this?
XX: About 5 years ago

SM: Did the show go over well?
XX: Umm.. I do not remember any aspect of it at all.

SM: Sounds like it went over really well. Well let’s talk some of your tunes then. Some    call you experimental, progressive independent, even abstractionists, do these words define you? How would you classify your music to the untrained ear?
XX: I’d say experimental pop music

SM: Ever play in any other bands?
XX: Oh yea. I played in a lot of other bands, but Xiu Xiu is the only one making records.

SM: What helped make you successful? How’d you get there?
XX: If you look around you could potential reassess the word successful. I mean I don’t think were particularly successful. (Laughs) But I certainly relish the opportunity for us to    play so often.

SM: I see you’ve taken on 2 new members? Parenthetical Girls’ Zac Pennington and the Dead Science’s Sam Mickens. What do these guys bring to Xiu Xiu?
XX: their great song writers. A lot of the previous members were strong instrumentalists. This is the first time someone else is helping write lyrics. Zach is a really great singer, were using vocals more. He has a very different sense of harmony and approaches things cordially. Our influences are different.

SM: going off influences – what would you say your greatest ones are

XX: 70s 80s post punk bands. Modern classical, noise music, Asian percussion, French singers from 60s, nima Simone, dancefloor gay music. Krat rock

SM: You’ve recently signed on with Polyvinyl Records, alongside other bands like Starfucker, Japandroids, Deerhoof, etc… Why the transition?

XX: We had been working with the same label a long time. Our main person left so we thought it was time for a change. We love Polyvinyl their fantastic, very creatively oriented, from a business standpoint they have a lot of resources making them well organized. We’re working on a new record now that will be out in February.

SM: PR signed on Deerhoof recently. Rumor is, there’s some collaboration with Greg Saunier of Deerhoof going on

XX: Yeah he produced our last 3 records. We work a lot together, very supportive. John played with them here and there. Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof actually played a live show together in NYC. We played a bunch of covers a lot of Joy Division.

SM: I read it, but I didn’t believe it. That Rihanna “Only girl in the world:” nuts. But I dig it. That eerie harmonic minor sound, synth beats, etc… How did that come about?

XX: I live in stupid little town in NC, and there’s very little going on there. Fortunately there is one danceclub called Steel Blue, I go dancing there regularly. One night I was there and the dancefloor was relatively empty then that song came on and all these middle aged ladies flooded the dancefloor. It was really beautiful watch them – A marginalized subculture recontextualized a regular pop song. Totally changed what it meant. The cover is more about tipping my hat and heart to that moment… and those ladies of that stupid ass town of mine.

SM: What’s that town called again?

XX: …fuckholeville

SM: I hear it’s lovely this time of year.

XX: Actually it will be lovely in a month. Now it’s filled with mosquitoes.

SM: Looks like you guys entered the 21^st century creating a twitter page. I’m a business major and they’re sure hammering in social media. How has Xiu Xiu worked social media in their favor?

XX: I don’t know if we’ve used it in on favor. I’ve tolerated social media. I’m attempting to be less social more absurdist art project. If anybody’s into it that’s great. I have no interest/ability to be savvy in that at all. I just want to make it stay completely absurd and obnoxious

SM: I always like ending with one last question. What are you spinning on your iPod?

XX: My vocal warmup.

SM: Ahhhhhh

XX: (Laughs) that’s what I’m listening to most often! But also Suspiria Soundtrack by Goblin, Morton Feldman, the new Perarium album, and Your Arsenal by Morrissey. I think The Smiths are the greatest band in the entire world.

Xiu Xiu blew the house down with their set and will continue on tour up to Rochester, NY and will play until November. {Check out Xiu Xiu’s twitter – www.twitter.com/XiuXiuforLife}

Your Ipod:

This week’s finds come from Ho Plaza on a grey Friday afternoon, so naturally everyone was getting hyped for the weekend, listening mostly to upbeat, get-pumped tunes.

Janelle Monáe- “Many Moons”

Erica Hungerford ’12 was manning the Cornell Concert Commission table in Willard Straight with this song blasting throughout the room. “This is definitely one of her more famous songs. The best thing about her is she has a fantastic voice, but what makes her different is she goes outside of what she would be categorized as, R&B, and she makes it more avant-garde.” And, she’s coming to Cornell! Everyone should check out this up-and-comer on Sunday October 2^nd. Her voice really is to die for.

Beyoncé- “Diva”

I also talked to Jennifer Forbes ’12 by the CCC table in Willard Straight. “It makes me jam walking to school. [Beyoncé] was all I was listening to all day, but now I’m probably gonna switch to Janelle Monáe.” Seriously, who doesn’t love Beyoncé? She is fierce, and not just for her attitude. Her voice is amazing, and her music exudes girl power. I can’t wait for little Bey-Z to come and run the world just like mama.

LMFAO- “Sexy and I Know It”

Matt Spiers ’13 was casually strolling down Ho Plaza when I stopped him: “It’s brand new, it was on iTunes Top 10. It’s not too bad—classic LMFAO sounds. I like to kind of keep up to date on the new songs; I don’t like to fall behind.” LMFAO is always a good time. I have been known to jam to “Shots” when I really want to get pumped up to go out.

Marianas Trench- “Good to You”

Tristan Welhan, a first year law student, said about this song, “It’s my ex-girlfriend’s favorite song, so that’s why I have it. I guess it’s alternative. I mostly listen to classic rock for the most part.” Awwwww, that is cute. There’s nothing like music to send us off on the nostalgia train.

Kanye West- “Monster”

Right next to the CCC table, James Feld ’13 was promoting CUPB’s Jon Stewart (who’s coming to Cornell October 28^th and 29^th, in case you haven’t heard) and said, “it gets me amped! When I’m in the car and it just comes on it just… gets me amped.” Wise words, James. This song really is the sickest. I listened to it so much this summer, and I can secretly do the whole Nicki Minaj rap (I know, so impressive).

Flo Rida-“Good Feeling”

“It’s a happy song, and it gets me excited for the weekend. It’s a song I like to put on Friday afternoons,” says Alex Cheolas, Phi Sigma Sigma Consultant, in Willard Straight. The title says it all on this one.

My Ipod:

Nothing gets me more excited for the weekend than a fun, upbeat song. So here are my Friday night jams:

R. Kelly-Ignition (Remix)

I love this song a little too much. It is way too much fun to get ready to. I mean, who doesn’t want to run their hands through R. Kelly’s fro? It’s an oldie, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. (Side note: if you haven’t heard plain old “Ignition,” don’t bother. Such a letdown.)

Sleazy (the Remix)-Ke$ha feat. Andre 3000

Oh Ke$ha. On the one hand, you’re preaching to not get caught up in money and just have a good time, but you’re also describing yourself as the girl who takes the drinks from the next table once “you get up and leave them.” Seriously girl, that’s how you get roofied. But regardless, the beat is sick and Andre 3000 (bizarrely) rapping about his dad in the beginning is fantastic. Ke$ha is the ultimate party girl and her music reflects that.

Jay-Z-“Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”

From the other half of my favorite couple and the father of the most perfect baby to be, “Izzo” is awesome, and, fun fact, was produced by Kanye West in the early days of that team-up. What could be better than that pair? They’ve since come to dominate the music business, and this song is testament as to why.

ISA- “Movin’ Like Bernie”

Don’t knock until you’ve Bernied.

          Slope Media [SM]: What brings you to Ithaca? I hear you played here years ago, how      was your experience in upstate NY?

          Xiu Xiu [XX]: oh uh, the only thing I really remember is sleeping on the floor of some      grad students floor who had a pretty large TV. This was post show.

          SM: When was this?

          XX: About 5 years ago

          SM: Did the show go over well?

          XX: Umm.. I do not remember any aspect of it at all.

          SM: Sounds like it went over really well. Well let’s talk some of your tunes then. Some    call you experimental, progressive independent, even abstractionists, do these words        define you? How would you classify your music to the untrained ear?

          XX: I’d say experimental pop music

          SM: Ever play in any other bands?

          XX: Oh yea. I played in a lot of other bands, but Xiu Xiu is the only one making records.

          SM: What helped make you successful? How’d you get there?

          XX: If you look around you could potential reassess the word successful. I mean I don’t think were particularly successful. (Laughs) But I certainly relish the opportunity for us to    play so often.

SM: I see you’ve taken on 2 new members? Parenthetical Girls’ Zac Pennington and the Dead Science’s Sam Mickens. What do these guys bring to Xiu Xiu?

XX: their great song writers. A lot of the previous members were strong instrumentalists. This is the first time someone else is helping write lyrics. Zach is a really great singer, were using vocals more. He has a very different sense of harmony and approaches things cordially. Our influences are different.

SM: going off influences – what would you say your greatest ones are?

XX: 70s 80s post punk bands. Modern classical, noise music, Asian percussion, French singers from 60s, nima Simone, dancefloor gay music. Krat rock

SM: You’ve recently signed on with Polyvinyl Records, alongside other bands like Starfucker, Japandroids, Deerhoof, etc… Why the transition?

XX: We had been working with the same label a long time. Our main person left so we thought it was time for a change. We love Polyvinyl their fantastic, very creatively oriented, from a business standpoint they have a lot of resources making them well organized. We’re working on a new record now that will be out in February.

SM: PR signed on Deerhoof recently. Rumor is, there’s some collaboration with Greg Saunier of Deerhoof going on

XX: Yeah he produced our last 3 records. We work a lot together, very supportive. John played with them here and there. Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof actually played a live show together in NYC. We played a bunch of covers a lot of Joy Division.

SM: I read it, but I didn’t believe it. That Rihanna “Only girl in the world:” nuts. But I dig it. That eerie harmonic minor sound, synth beats, etc… How did that come about?

XX: I live in stupid little town in NC, and there’s very little going on there. Fortunately there is one danceclub called Steel Blue, I go dancing there regularly. One night I was there and the dancefloor was relatively empty then that song came on and all these middle aged ladies flooded the dancefloor. It was really beautiful watch them – A marginalized subculture recontextualized a regular pop song. Totally changed what it meant. The cover is more about tipping my hat and heart to that moment… and those ladies of that stupid ass town of mine.

SM: what’s that town called again?

XX: …fuckholeville

SM: I hear it’s lovely this time of year.

XX: Actually it will be lovely in a month. Now it’s filled with mosquitoes.

SM: Looks like you guys entered the 21^st century creating a twitter page. I’m a business major and they’re sure hammering in social media. How has Xiu Xiu worked social media in their favor?

XX: I don’t know if we’ve used it in on favor. I’ve tolerated social media. I’m attempting to be less social more absurdist art project. If anybody’s into it that’s great. I have no interest/ability to be savvy in that at all. I just want to make it stay completely absurd and obnoxious

SM: I always like ending with one last question. What are you spinning on your iPod?

XX: My vocal warmup.

SM: Ahhhhhh

XX: (Laughs) that’s what I’m listening to most often! But also Suspiria Soundtrack by Goblin, Morton Feldman, the new Perarium album, and Your Arsenal by Morrissey. I think The Smiths are the greatest band in the entire world.

Xiu Xiu blew the house down with their set and will continue on tour up to Rochester, NY and will play until November.

{Check out Xiu Xiu’s twitter – www.twitter.com/XiuXiuforLife}

Besides a grimace and wince here and there (which could possibly be attributed to melancholy lyrics, and not his leg), Pond showed few signs of discomfort. He engaged the crowd often, and even apologized for his short shorts, joking that Angus Young of ACDC is the only rocker who can truly pull them off. The music sounded as beautiful as ever, and the band played a wide range of songs, ending with fan favorite “Halloween” from 2005 album Several Arrows Later. Pond slyly changed the opening line to “Went to where the people were on a Sunday night,” eliciting smiles from those who knew the true lyric to be “Saturday.” After the band played their last notes and Pond began to shuffle offstage, a fan yelled, “Play a few more, Matt!” to which Pond good-naturedly rolled his eyes and continued with his shuffle.

He was, however, still in good spirits, and shortly thereafter he appeared by the bar to talk with fans and take pictures. My friend had nabbed his setlist and got it signed, then asked how he was recuperating. “I don’t even have a great story to go along with it,” he said, referencing, of course, his broken leg. “I fell, and someone else fell on me. Shit happens.”

Every single one of B.o.B’s songs had an electric effect on the audience (seniors and freshmen alike). They knew almost all the songs and sang them with such energy that all of Barton seemed to vibrate.

Some of his most popular songs, “Airplanes” and “Nothin’ on You,” both reached number one in the US and in the UK.  The same enthusiasm was not shared, however, when Motion City Soundtrack came on stage. Yes, the crowd was eager to listen to them, but they were all just gearing up to hear B.o.B sing.

Even though Motion City Soundtrack has been a rock band for 14 years, they have not reached the same level of fame as B.o.B has in only 4 years.

So what does this mean for B.o.B? B.o.B is very popular now and I do not think that his fame will decrease. His songs reach a higher demographic: college students and teenagers alike (as seen at Cornell), which cannot be said for artists like Justin Bieber whose music is more popular with pre-teens and young teenagers. Who knows, in a couple of years B.o.B might even be the next Kanye West or Eminem.

Sounds Like: Florence & The Machine, Bat for Lashes, The Knife

Ladies and gentlemen, I think it’s time to add another band to the ever growing field of Swedish exports (a la Lykke Li, Miike Snow and Robyn etc). Niki & the Dove is composed of Malin Dahlström and Gustaf Karlöf, and the duo just started making music in early 2010 but have already achieved quite the following.

Without even analyzing the sound, I already love the image they project, with Malin Dahlström having paint under her eyes, a weird almost bird-like hairdo and clothes she stole from a brightly colored homeless person. Malin projects the same image as my other Nordic favorite, Jonsi in that she does not seem to want to be part of this world but is clearly inviting us over into her ethereal realm.

The same overpowering, magical feeling that Florence Welch evokes with her songs is present in Niki & the Dove, every heavy chorus, or LOUD drum brings you closer to living in this forest full of fairy like animals. This feeling is present in all of their singles, from “DJ Ease My Mind” to “Mother Protect” and “Last Night”, they will also leave you singing to every word by the end of your first listen, the mystery behind this phenomenon remains unsolved.

Another reason why this Swedish synth-pop duo is the best is because they’re just quirky, when they were interviewed about their single “The Fox”, they said “You picture a meadow with a hill, and at the top of the hill is a tree that a fox lives under, you walk up the fox and tell her all your worries and fears, the fox then digs a hole, buries the worries and lays on top. Then you are able to fall asleep.” I don’t know about you, but I want to find a fox like this, or maybe I’ll just settle for listening to this awesome song.

1) They’re not scientists,

            So the term ‘experimental,’ to describe their music, doesn’t quite fit.  The term implies some sort of controlled experiment, with a hypothesis, tests, and an expected outcome.  Saunier referenced John Cage, famed avant-garde musician who would perform chance procedures, such as rolling die, to write music.   Cage had a vision, and was testing for how that vision would play out on paper.  Saunier explained that Deerhoof, on the other hand, doesn’t decide to focus on any one element, and have no clue how they’ll get to a finished song, or what that outcome will be.  In a lab, they would be sure to break a few beakers and cause some minor explosions…which is fine and all, but it’s not experimental science. 

2) They listen to their dreams,

            because their dreams are full of music.  In fact, the interview with Saunier took place in the morning (West Coast time—he was on the phone in San Francisco), and he apparently had a dream in which quality tunes came to him in his sleep.  This is a common occurrence, he explains—he’ll often wake up with an idea for a new song, based on a dream he had the previous night, and will bring the idea to the band to hear their feedback.  In the collaborative process, other members seem to understand the dream better than he does, and take the vision in a musical direction he hadn’t even considered.  I noted that it sounded like a dream circle, with everyone interpreting each other’s dreams… he replied, it’s not so much that they’re interpreting each others’ dreams, but rather dreaming each others’ dreams, and awakening one another to musical visions that already existed in the corners of their mind. 

3) They thrive on each other’s differences

            Each band member comes from a very different musical background—Saunier, for example, studied at Oberlin College’s Conservatory of Music and had extensive experience playing in bands, whereas, when vocalist and bassist Satomi Matsuzaki joined the band 15 years ago, she had just moved to San Francisco from Tokyo, and had zero experience performing in a band, let alone playing the bass.  Considering that some members have been together for such a long time (while others, such as guitarist Ed Rodriguez, are relatively new), I asked if Saunier ever felt as though their diverse musical styles had converged.  On the contrary, as the band has grown closer together, he thinks everyone feels more comfortable exploring their unique approaches to music—if anything, time has only heightened the diversity that drives the band’s unique sound. 

4) They let a partner say ‘I love you’ first,

            or at least that’s how Saunier explained his unwillingness to tell audiences what song lyrics or album titles ‘mean’.  Just like letting a partner in a developing relationship be the first to say “I love you” allows him or her to come to an unprompted emotional realization, Saunier explains, letting listeners draw their own conclusions based on personal interpretations of the music is an experience he wouldn’t be willing to steal by divulging his own explanation.   Given that their albums are layered with symbolic imagery and complex themes, there’s a lot of exploration to be had. 

5) They won’t get too comfortable.

            They are in a unique position—while they have an unwaveringly distinct sound, and it’s possible to identify any song as a Deerhoof song within a few seconds, none of their music starts to get repetitive.  There is no single hit that every other song will get compared to, but rather, each song presents a new variation on some indescribable quality that encapsulates Deerhoof. On their newest album, Deerhoof Versus Evil, Saunier explains that the band found itself creating songs that were more danceable than those of albums passed.  The single “No One Asked to Dance,” for example, evokes the image of Barcelonian nights spent drinking wine and dancing under the stars (or, at least my romanticized vision of Spanish nights beneath the stars).  It lacks the bash and trash art rock breaks, or lo-fi shoegazey dreamy ooze, that could be associated with the band.  Indeed, it would seem out of place on any previous album—but it is still, unabashedly, Deerhoof.  They don’t need to try to keep their sound fresh.  With their undefined direction and whatever-happens-happens approach to music making, they couldn’t get boring if they tried. 

If you want to find out more, be sure to check out their show at The Haunt on Wednesday, September 29^th.  Tickets can be purchased at: http://www.dansmallspresents.com/2011/07/deerhoof/

Amidst the marble columns of Ithaca’s State Theatre came a band like no other. On Tuesday, September 13, They Might Be Giants, made their return to the Hill and serenaded townies, Cornellians and IC Students with their witty songs, old and new.

With Jonathan Coulton as the opening act, hilarity was ensured. Through his self-depreciating humor, quirky comments about having been on television and his mash up of an original song called “Fancy Pants”, the Super Mario Bros Theme Song, and Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” his performance was anything but ordinary.

Soon after, madness began, as John Linnell and John Flansburg began the show with their band’s galactic version of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” called “The Guitar.” Their songs range from creepily morbid “Dead” to the educational “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” and “Alphabet of Nations,” to silly “Dr. Worm” (a Big Red Marching Band favorite!) their 30 years of producing and performing is perfect for all walks of life. Though specifically stated as “not a kid’s show,” cursing is rare and their audience interaction is suitable for all ages.

As the show continued it’s lively journey, the band divided the audience into two, asking one side to chant “people” and the other “apes,” a reference to The Rise of The Planet of the Apes. These antics embellished the rest of the show, as the audience was also asked to feign unhappiness to John’s iPhone, to fool Facebook fans into thinking it was a bad show.

Though their whimsical lyrics and peppy performance may make them seem like any garage band, their cross-genre music style and individual talents make They Might Be Giants an enormously talented band. John Linnell performed on a bass clarinet and an accordion, while guitarist Dan Miller displayed his virtuoso in an acoustic number, hard acts to follow for conventional bands.

What makes They Might Be Giants true entertainers is their overall cheerfulness and enjoyment in playing for an audience, constantly poking fun at the “Finger Lakes” region, using mathematical terms for Cornell students to understand and even indulging the audience to two encores. Their show is a true “give and take,” a reciprocal experience pleasing both crowd and band.

Their newest album, “Join Us” is available online and through major music vendors.

Sounds Like: Billie Holiday, Tori Amos, Nancy Sinatra

For people who question whether they were born in the right era, Lana Del Rey might just be the answer to your problems. Her two singles “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans” are reminiscent of the heartbreak you never had in the sixties. It’s hard to listen to “Video Games” without searching within yourself for sadness that can fuel your own singing.

Del Ray’s two videos for these songs portray her as a ghetto and pouty lipped girl who is lost; not only is she struggling with her heartbreaks, but she also seems lost in a time that she doesn’t fully want to belong to.

Del Rey’s particular brand of dark cinematic pop is sure to land her the fame she deserves soon. Though she only has these two singles out, her popularity is already rising, having sold out a London show in less than thirty minutes.

Nevertheless, when the band trotted on stage after an avant-garde, brilliant performance by up-and-coming prog-rockers NewVillager, they came out energized, despite the subdued atmosphere in the near-empty theater. Will Sheff charged through the driving Wake and Be Fine, and continued through the initial hour with ebullience and emotion, jumping and jamming his way around stage so much that he almost decked guitarist Lauren Gurgiolo during the soulful Rider off of their fantastic new album I Am Very Far. From my vantage point on the front right of the stage, Sheff’s intensity was evident in the massive quantities of spit that rained upon the first row. At times, however, the band’s enormous, multi-textured sound was so rich and loud that it made Sheff’s witty lyrics almost inaudible. This problem was alleviated by the more subdued song choice in the middle of the set that served to highlight Okkervil River’s unmatched poeticism, but they turned it up once again for a rocking encore that included the classic Lost Coastlines. Although the band was out to promote their latest LP, some of the best moments of the show came when they brought back their old tunes: Black and For Real highlighted the band at their finest, with catchy melodies and cerebral lyrics in harmony.

And really, Okkervil River thrives in a less-than-orderly environment. With six band members often playing multiple instruments per song and scrambling to hit pedals and twist knobs to compose each musical layer of Sheff’s complicated compositions, their stage presence is a busy, often flustered one. But the sextet managed, song after song, to bring it all together into the perfectly flourishing music that characterized their brand of indie folk. Why should a last-minute show bother them? If the emptiness of the venue annoyed the band, they didn’t show it. Fans familiar with Okkervil River’s work will surely not be disappointed by this tour, and anyone looking for an excuse to dance to some of the most hip and interesting music of the summer will surely enjoy themselves. And let’s face it: they deserve some company.

Written by: Kevin Burra