No Fun Club Is About To Be Your Favorite Emo Band

One of the most rewarding parts of fandom is digging through a band’s back catalog and discovering that they have a slew of EP’s, demos, and splits that aren’t on streaming services. Sure, most of the time they lack the production quality and songwriting craft of the band’s later material, but for obsessive superfans, these types of discoveries are as valuable as gold. 

These early recordings offer a glimpse into a band at their most infantile stage. Sometimes you can hear seeds of what they would later become, other times they bear little resemblance to the music you’ve come to know and love. Early recordings also offer the musically-inclined a bit of escapism; it makes the creation of music seem approachable, it humanizes the band members, and it makes you think “hey, I could do this!” which, in my mind, is the sort of inspiration that all good music should instill.

Living in Michigan, I’ve now experienced the reverse of this phenomenon: discovering bands before they’ve released anything substantial into the world. Groups that only have an EP or two out, if that. These bands communicate to their audiences primarily through smaller releases, one-off songs, leaks, weekenders, and house shows. Sure, their music is online somewhere, but it often fails to capture the awe-inspiring mayhem of their live shows. 

These groups are comprised of performers and artists playing their hearts out to devoted crowds of fans, even if their Spotify stats don’t directly reflect their rockstar status. These are the bands who still care about every follow, retweet, and shirt sold. They're the bands poised to achieve a larger-than-local success that will eventually have future fans digging through their back catalog in search of these early musical artifacts.

Seeing these types of bands live offers insight into how their music can live in different situations. Following them long enough, one can combine the publicly-available music with personal experiences at live shows and imagine a bright future of music and growth that will be on display in the band’s next release. No Fun Club is one of the bands that I consider myself lucky to have watched grow in just the handful of months that I’ve been seeing them live. 

Self-described “slacker rock for neurotic workaholics,” No Fun Club makes hard-hitting “fake emo” that falls somewhere between Charmer and Oso Oso. There’s some guitar tapping, some riffage, and some sentimental lyrics, but it ends up feeling like a unique version of emo-tinged indie rock that’s distinctly their own. The group’s publicly-released music is comprised of one self-titled EP and one Bandcamp-only EP of four lo-fi demos (again, lying in wait for future fans to discover and consume with the benefit of hindsight). 

Clocking in at 18 minutes, No Fun Club’s self-titled EP is a substantive and full release packed with resonant emo rock that captures the hard-to-pin-down feeling of that liminal space between college and adulthood. “Big Mood” is the EP’s slow-building and ironically-named opener. Beginning with a solitary guitar that sounds like it would fit perfectly on a Snail Mail record, frontman Jake Rees enters the song with a statement of weary regret as he sings:

“slipping out shots in the dark
how many times can I miss the mark?”

Soon, that verse is interrupted by a harsh stab of distortion signaling the entrance of the rest of the band who bluster in with a hard-charging riff that might bowl you over if you’re unprepared. After a second verse that’s equal parts hesitant and combative, the track briefly dies down for a fakeout ending that allows the band to pull the rug out from under the listener as they throw back to that lumbering riff one last time.

The band deals explicitly with post-college listlessness on both “Disappointed” and “Joan of Arc,” the former of which bounces back and forth between thrashy emo riffage and fast-paced verses, eventually making way to a shreddy guitar solo. Meanwhile “Joan of Arc” features a pleasantly-upbeat and dreamy instrumental that calls to mind Alvvays as the lyrics wrestle with feelings malaise and loss over a tight drum beat.

Rees’ songwriting shines through the brightest on “Windbreaker,” a punchy crowd churner with a catchy sing-along chorus belted out over a bouncy rhythm section. Easily the EP’s most fast-paced track, the explosive energy and captivating choruses of “Windbreaker” are sure to stay stuck in your head long after your first listen. Essentially the album’s climax, the snappy choruses of “Windbreaker” make way for “Junji Ito,” a borderline-post-rock track that gives the audience a chance to catch their breath before the EP’s grand finale. 

Album closer “McDonough, GA” is another slow-starting track that gradually builds into an emotive explosion of fuzzed-out guitar, crashing cymbals, and screamed vocals before fading out into a mellow jazzy riff.

No Fun Club is a fantastic and honest encapsulation of the ennui that comes with early adulthood. There are moments of bonding, moments of disappointment, moments of anger, and moments of frustration, but most of all, just a feeling of being lost. 

At its most poignant, No Fun Club is more than just an excellent emo-adjacent EP, it represents the first steps of a band emerging on to a larger stage. It’s 18 minutes of inexplicable feelings and unforgettable experiences finally being put to words. It’s both a celebration of and reckoning with life’s imperfect nature. It’s a reminder that as overwhelming as everything may seem, you are not alone. Not only that, No Fun Club is here to let you know that those feelings are more universal than you think.

A Guide to Concert Photography

Taking photos of live music is simultaneously one of the most exciting and challenging forms of professional photography. If you’ve ever tried to take a picture of a concert on your phone, then you know that the flashing lights, loud music, and enthusiastic crowds combine to produce an atmosphere that’s less-than-conductive to an even halfway-decent photo. 

Now imagine trying to do that professionally, with a time limit, and finite resources at your disposal. With so many restrictive and uncontrollable factors, it’s easy to see why many experienced photographers tend to stay away from concert photography entirely. That said, if you’re a photographer who likes challenging yourself, or you find yourself with the opportunity to shoot one of your favorite bands, then this guide will help you capture the performance confidently.

If you’re a beginner, these tips will help ensure you go into a concert with the right setup and will prepare you for some of the inevitable issues that come with shooting in such a specific environment. If you’re already a professional photographer, this guide will help you make the most of working under these intense, ever-changing conditions and come away from the concert with a group of photos that forever immortalize the energy poured out on stage.

Fast Lens

The first thing that you need when prepping to shoot a concert is a fast lens. As many of you know, fast lenses work better in low light situations as the larger maximum aperture allows for more light to go through it. These types of lenses typically run a bit on the expensive side, but are worth the upgrade in the long run, especially if you are considering doing more concert photography in the future.

If you’re on a tight budget, you can always opt for an inexpensive fixed 50mm lens with an aperture of f/1.8. This lens won’t have zooming capabilities like most others do, but the wide aperture makes up for this. If you are looking for more options, the LensesPro blog offers some useful information to help you choose the best lenses for your camera.

Aperture

Whenever possible, you should shoot photos with your lens wide open. Shooting with the lowest aperture allows your lens to let more light through which is always helpful when working in low-light conditions. There are some exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, shooting with the lowest aperture will always make your photos look better. This is one of the reasons to consider upgrading to a lower aperture. Lenses that have maximum width f/stop of 2.8 are usually good enough, but lower is even better.

Shutter Speed

When it comes to shutter speed, try to use a speed of 1/250 or faster. Otherwise, you risk capturing blurry images that most people won't appreciate. There are exceptions to this rule, such as when band members are standing still or not performing, but for the most part, you will want to go with a faster shutter speed as it allows for cleaner and better-looking images.

ISO

The general rule when it comes to ISO is to bump it up to at least 1600 as your camera will respond faster to the light. Concerts are usually performed in relative darkness, so you will need higher ISO settings to capture better photos. 

That said, bumping your ISO too much can result in producing images with more noise. Try to find the optimal ISO settings that will balance light and noise to let you capture optimal images.

You should also remember that having a little bit of noise on your photos is fine, especially in these conditions, so don't stress too much and just try to find the optimal ISO settings that work best for you.

Be Prepared

You should always scope out the working conditions before you go to a concert. Photographers who are prepared and know more about their workspace will perform better and with more confidence that the ones that don't. Get to know the venue, introduce yourself to the staff, and know the vibe of the artists before you get there. 

A good tip is to watch a band’s previous concerts on youtube to get a better idea of what their lighting situation will be. It is always better to come prepared as that will allow you more time to photograph, especially when you consider most shows have a "Three song rule."

Additional Tips

• Know the time limit. Unless you are lucky enough to get All-Access Pass, you will be restricted to photographing for the first three songs only. This will put more pressure on you, so be prepared to make the most of those first ten to fifteen minutes of the concert.

• Know the boundaries. Depending on the size of the concert, you may be forced to photograph from the "photo pit." This is a designated space right up at the front of the stage dedicated solely to security and photographers. At most concerts, you will not be allowed to shoot outside this area.

• Don’t use flash. Not only will the artists not appreciate this, but it will also mess up your photos and everyone else’s! Use the tips above to master shooting concert photos in low-light environments the way they were meant to be seen.

• Travel light. Since you will likely be restricted to the Photo Pit, try to carry only the camera equipment you need. Carrying bulky camera bags and cases become restricting once you find yourself sharing limited space with other photographers. Try to keep things as simple as you can.

• Don’t block the fans. Pay attention to the crowd behind you; after all, they are the ones who came to watch their favorite artists perform. Don't stand in their way and don't shoot over your head as that will obstruct their view.

• Thank security. Security guards are there to keep performers, fans, and you safe. If they warn you for any reason whatsoever, listen to them.

• Don’t be a jerk. Just because you have exclusive access over the general admission crowd, don’t abuse it. Don't sneak around where you’re not supposed to be and don't physically touch the performers. Nobody will appreciate this, and it could easily get you banned from the venue.

• Get to know the music. This is easy if you’re already a fan, but by studying up on the band’s songs and setlist, you’ll know when the big moments are coming and can shoot around them, capturing the most engaging moments in the process.

• Develop a style. This may not come right away, but developing your own unique style of photography (concert or otherwise) will help you stand out from the crowd. Try using Lightroom like Kaytlin Dargen or mirrors like Em Dubin.

• Tag bands. When posting your photos on your website or social media, make sure to tag the band, venue, and any other relevant parties. Musicians will appreciate the free publicity, and may even share your photos to their audience.

Conclusion

Being a concert photographer can be demanding, but it can also be rewarding and fun at the same time. You need to make sure you have the right camera equipment and knowledge to make the most out of the gig.

Just like anything else, being a concert photographer is a process, but if you follow these tips, keep attending concerts, and keep shooting bands, then you’ll soon be on your way to becoming a great concert photographer.

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John Bennet is a photographer and part-time author of Lensespro.org blog. He has been a professional photographer for six years now, fueled by knowledge and passion for camera lenses.

The Sloppy Boys – Dancing on the Wind | Album Review

I’m not one to lament the position of rock music in 2019. I respect the greats, but I’ll never pretend that we’re somehow musically worse off now than we were in the 70s. There’s more than enough of a scene out there if you’re willing to look around, but the problem is it’s easy to watch Bohemian Rhapsody or hear grandiose stories of Mötley Crüe partying and romanticize some long-gone era of now-unachievable Rock with a capital “R.” 

While I’m not one of these “born in the wrong generation” music fans, what I do miss about this bygone era of rock music is the cheese. I’m not just talking about clever lyrics or offstage antics; I’m talking about an unabashedly over-the-top cartoonishly-hedonistic approach to life. 

I’m talking about Led Zeppelin penning love songs framed in Lord of the Rings mythology. I’m talking about AC/DC firing a real-life cannon on stage every night. I’m talking about 30-foot puppets and 10-minute drum solos. I’m talking about Twisted Sister catapulting your teacher through the classroom ceiling because he just didn’t get it, maaan. This sort of outlandish commitment to good times is precisely what The Sloppy Boys offer up on their sophomore album Dancing on the Wind.

Comprised of multi-hyphenate comedian/writer/musicians Mike Hanford, Jefferson Dutton, and Tim Kalpakis, The Sloppy Boys are a “party rock” band hailing from Los Angeles, California. While the three had previously worked together on the cult IFC sketch show The Birthday Boys, it wasn’t until 2018’s Lifelong Vacation that the trio unveiled themselves to the world as the musical force that is The Sloppy Boys. 

With song titles like “Let’s Party,” “Here for the Beer,” and “We Came Here To Rock,” the group has had a clear aim from the very beginning: extol the virtues of partying. While their newest record doesn’t stray far from the path set by their first album, that’s because The Sloppy Boys have already mastered the art of translating good times into song form. 

Opening track “Santa Ana Winds” sees the band depicting their various east coast living situations before explaining how an overpowering wind always seems to bring them back to LA. After a couple of choruses, a Beach Boys namedrop, and a shared dream of avocados (you know, standard California staples) the song takes an immediate left turn as Kalpakis describes a fateful encounter between a Dyson Airblade his manhood. From there, the group suddenly shifts into an upbeat pop-punky ode to California that would make even the Red Hot Chili Peppers blush. It’s an overwhelming barrage of Cali-flavored adoration, but this track also acts as a perfect introduction to the band’s style of humor, setting the tone for the remainder of the record. 

“Lifeguard Life” covers the group’s well-trodden “party” territory, this time depicting a lifeguard who prioritizes tanning, drinking, and double-fisting cheeseburgers over his actual job. This is all told in the style of a slightly-more-punk-rock Jimmy Buffet with a hint of the “Tiki Tiki Tiki Room” thrown in for good measure. However, partying isn’t the only thing the band cares about as seen on “I’m Taken,” a horn-infused Springsteen-esque tune about staying true to your marriage in spite of how unspeakably-attractive the opposite sex finds you. Similarly, “Tonight” subverts expectations as a sexy slow jam about the most fulfilling thing a couple can do once the lights are off... getting a good night’s sleep. 

Aside from their commitment to the “bit” (read: lifestyle) of partying, one of the most admirable aspects of Dancing on the Wind is that it’s comedy rock that works. Comedic music is hard; too much humor and it loses the replayability of a standard album, too much musicality and it becomes a normal album that’s trying way too hard to be funny. While it’s easy for bands to fall into the trap of leaning too far in either direction and landing in a less-than-fulfilling middle ground, The Sloppy Boys manage to walk that fine line between genuinely funny and ‘actually good’ comedy music. 

Other highlights include “Bonnaroo,” “The Bands,” and “I’m So Punk Rock” which I won’t spoil here, but all contain hilarious observations, deliveries, and rug-pulls that are guaranteed to catch you off-guard and make you laugh.

Album closer “Classic New York Night” is an 8-minute Meatloaf-level epic that compresses every possible New York stereotype (and even a Disney World trip) into the span of a single night. Mixing up every piece of New York pop-culture into one zany pastiche, the group goes from pounding beers in the Empire State Building and watching the Globetrotters play the Yankees to getting into a St. Paddy’s Day fight. It’s a raucous and relentlessly-funny eight-minutes that feels like a perfect note to send the listeners off on. 

Dancing on the Wind is a joyous and personable listen, often feeling less like an album and more like you’re listening in on a group of friends making music in their living room to entertain each other. It’s clever, cutting, and most importantly, manages to strike that rare balance between “comedy” and “rock” without falling too far in one direction or the other, which elevates it over both in the end.

Ship & Sail – Hymnal | EP Review

What comes after death?

That’s a question we may never know the answer to. What we do know, however, is what comes after death for those still alive. The ripples of sadness, loss, and confusion that come with the passing of a loved one are exactly what Colin Haggerty captured on his harrowing 2018 LP From Seeds. Now, less than one year from the release of his debut album, he’s given us Hymnal, a nineteen-minute EP depicting life after loss.

Throughout Hymnal Haggerty finds himself reflecting on the passing of his mother, coping with such a seismic change, and grappling with what it means to move on… if that’s even possible. Death isn’t something you ever truly “move on” from. First you fight it, then you deny it, then you try to reason with it, but death is final. It’s something you have to learn to accept because you’re given no choice. Even when someone’s presence looms constant in your mind, heavy on your soul, and fragments of them remain in your day-to-day life, part of living is learning to continue on with your own existence after such a life-altering shift. 

Music is a vital art form for many reasons, but its transformational ability is second to none. Listening to a song can take you back to the first time you heard it. It can transport you to another life or another world entirely. It can make the sad feelings sadder, or it can turn them on their head. Music can shift your perspective or lead you to new ideas, lifestyles, and communities. Perhaps most importantly, music helps us relate to others, comprehend the world around us, and even recover from personal traumas. 

In these extreme cases, music can help both its creators and listeners cope with emotions too raw for words. Much like Sufjan Stevens reckoned with loss on Carrie & Lowell and Phil Elverum wrestled with grief on A Crow Looked at Me, on this EP Haggerty offers a glimpse at the first steps that come after a loss. 

While From Seeds opens with imagery of hospital beds and oxygen tanks, Hymnal begins with absolute adoration as Haggerty sings “You hum like a Christmas light / When you crawl into bed at night” over a loving guitar and steady drumline on “Get Clean.” Throughout the opener, flashes of color and light emerge in the form of keys courtesy of Whitaker Fineberg (Fallow Land), cello by Noah Wright (Idiobliss), and additional vocals by Hayley McNichol (Bombastic Dream Pussy). Contributions like these throughout Hymnal make the EP feel like a very communal and therapeutic release. 

Most of From Seeds saw Colin playing the songs alone with an acoustic guitar, meanwhile Hymnal is a lush release that swaps out that stark darkness with vibrant explosions of life that still retain Haggerty’s poetic lyricism and measured delivery. Tracks like “One Year Ago” and “Sinner” allow the stories of Ship & Sail to unfold through simple vignettes that are relatable yet laced with deeper meaning.

Placed lovingly in the middle of the tracklist, “Blood Moon” is the EP’s beautifully-crafted centerpiece. Beginning with a solitary acoustic guitar, Haggerty sings “Blood moon over the heads of the meek / We’ll inherit the earth, but we’ll be fast asleep” in a voice that sounds equal parts wounded and resolute. Eventually the song builds and crests with gorgeous swirls of acoustic guitar, cello, and ethereal background vocals, all of which blend together into a singular point of emotional impact.

Hymnal is a vulnerable and precious collection of songs. While Ship & Sail’s prior release reckoned the fragility of life, this new collection of songs celebrate the beauty and love that comes with something so easily lost. It’s a record of acceptance and solemn optimism. It recognizes that life will never be the same, but that was always the case.

You can purchase Hymnal here or stream it on Spotify, SoundCloud, or Apple Music.

Streaming Culture, Platinum Hits, and The Art of the Tracklist

Full disclaimer: this article was initially written in early 2018. While it sat as a draft for nearly one year, I recently revisited it and felt like the sentiment is still relevant and worth sharing. Please excuse how firmly-rooted in 2018 this is. 

Let me get one thing out of the way at the top: defending Migos is not the hill I want to die on. Don’t get me wrong, the Atlanta rap trio has brought me incalculable joy throughout the years (along with love for the adlib), but I’m not sure I can defend the artistic integrity of anyone that talks about Pateks this much. 

When Migos dropped their long-awaited sequel to Culture in early 2018 the release was met with… mixed reception. Typically churning out anywhere from two to six mixtapes per year, Culture II felt like an anomaly for the Atlanta natives in that fans had to wait a full year between releases for new music. While various features and a collab album between Offset, 21 Savage, and Metro Boomin helped to tide listeners over, the one-year wait for Culture II had fans anticipating the group’s next moves like never before. 

After the landmark “Bad and Boujee,” Migos had finally achieved the mainstream success that longtime fans always knew they were capable of. As most people saw it, the problem with Culture II wasn’t that the songs didn’t stack up, or that the group waited too long to release it, but rather that it was too damn long. 

Comprised of 24 tracks that collectively clock in at one hour and 45 minutes, many fans found the release a slog to get through, especially in contrast to the original album’s much more traditional 13 track running time. 

In addition to fan outcry, select publications also called out the group, accusing them of gaming the streaming system for sales, and even going as far as to call the release a data dump. While these are valid criticisms, Culture II is merely the symptom of a long-emerging trend. Ever since Drake discovered that ten songs equal an album sale, it’s been a race to the bottom. This album-loading strategy worked for Drake on Views, but he failed to recreate this success on More Life which (despite being longer) was quickly eclipsed by Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. 

Since then every artist from Lil Yachty to Post Malone has seemed happy to embrace this album-packing approach by dropping 20-plus-songs at once. As a result, they boost their streaming numbers while simultaneously overwhelming radio stations, playlists, and digital airwaves with a glut of new music… and you know what? That’s not necessarily a bad thing. 

While there are obviously some outliers like Chris Brown (who blatantly asked fans to fudge his streaming numbers), these rappers are entirely within their right to unleash a deluge of music if they want to. Any artist should be free to release whatever they want, but one thing you’ll notice about this streaming scandal is that it’s primarily hip-hop acts who are carrying it out. 

Fans were mad that Culture II wasn’t as concise as its predecessor, yet from my point of view, the songs are of the exact same quality. There was no significant change in sound, lyrical content, or musical approach. The only thing that really changed was the number of songs the group delivered at once. 

On top of the sheer size of Culture II, most people preferred its predecessor because they’d been able to enjoy it for a year. They knew the choruses and had a year’s worth of nostalgia built into those 13 tracks. Removing myself of all those feelings, Culture II is a nearly-identical album that simply gave us twice as many songs. 

Setting aside the fact that they used to release multiple mixtapes a year (each of which would range anywhere from five to twenty-seven songs) Culture II was dinged primarily because it was viewed as oversaturation, especially when compared to the first. 

Now there’s something to be said for a concise album, but that’s not what I’m arguing. Migos should be able to release any number of songs they want because they can. 

Do you know why albums are usually under an hour? Because they used to be printed. On physical media. With restrictions. The whole concept of an “album side” was practically dead until vinyl’s resurgence in the mid-2010s, why should we expect any modern group to be beholden to this archaic structure? Why should that be a factor or an expectation for anyone releasing music in the streaming age? Sure, that was the standard for a long time, but there’s no reason for that in 2018. If Migos want to release 100 songs on Spotify tomorrow they can, and there’s something awesome about that. 

Conversely, we saw half a dozen albums from the G.O.O.D. Music camp throughout the summer, each of which weighs in at seven tracks and under half an hour. There’s no real precedent for that, but I think it’s incredible that if an artist wants to release art in this EP/album hybrid then they’re free to. Migos shouldn’t be condemned for releasing a 2-hour album, because they could be pioneers. 

This running time could be the new hip-hop standard for all we know, and the only thing that’s made that possible is the ubiquity of products like Spotify and Apple Music. I’m not even arguing the quality of Culture II (because it’s mostly by-the-numbers), but it’s nowhere near as bad as some fans and critics seem to think it is.

There are certainly more artistic ways to “frame” a long-form release like Rae Sremmurd’s triple album or Drake’s half hip-hop/half RnB release, but at the end of the day, those are only small distinctions.

When I read criticism of Culture II, I feel like people are expecting more from Migos than they really should. These are three dudes from Atlanta who got famous for rapping about the same thing for ten years. They are personable, pick good beats, pull solid features, and have an uncanny influence on pop culture…. but album-crafting artisans they are not. Migos make great trap music, but their efforts are far from high art. 

Most people listening to this album will be putting it on in the background of a party, letting it play, and not thinking twice of it. Nobody expected Culture II to make some grand artistic statement, so why should the release be judged on those merits? Migos make music for clubs, for dancing, for driving, and for partying. If they give you two hours of competently-made party music at once, it should have no impact on the enjoyment of your party nor the group itself. 

In the end, this discussion doesn’t matter because people will stream this album, it will be successful, and the group will continue to release more music. These songs will be played at parties and rack up millions of plays on every hip-hop station. Expecting Migos to follow traditional running times or some arbitrary “artistic” frame is beyond the group’s scope. 

Culture II may be unwieldy, but the songs themselves are of the exact same quality of those that came before. I love short albums as much as the next person, but it’s clear to me that hip-hop can exist in a different format than a 10-track album with a standard running time, and Migos should be celebrated for that.