Quarantine Creative Check #2

As the coronavirus shows no signs up letting up, we’re back again with another round of creative quarantine check-ins to find out how musicians are holding up and how you can best support them in these uncertain times. 

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BREATHERRR

@breatherrr999

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
So I’ve had to split my isolation. Days off are spent inside, but my day job is at Costco, which is perhaps the most impacted grocery outlet at the moment. So I’ve had a bit of anxiety, but have also been very cautious in my interactions. I’ve also been trying to embrace the forced disconnect, with a lot of horror movies (Thanks SHUDDER!) and production work (as always).

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
At the moment, I am releasing one single a month, leading up to a full album release in the fall for my 3rd full length, FEAR FLORA. So luckily, I have been able to stay consistent with its release as it is all digital at the moment. When it is released in the fall on vinyl, hopefully we will be able to head out on tour. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
Creatively, I feel like we have a great opportunity to be inside and sit with our emotions, as tumultuous as they are right now. I feel like that is key to a lot of great art: uncertainty. So leaning into that I feel can be ultimately cathartic. I’ve definitely got some stuff cooking...

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
I have friends who are full-time musicians, part-time bartenders who have been impacted greatly. So yes, hit up our Bandcamps. Buy songs and merch, it helps more than you’d believe. 

At the end of the day, I’m here to provide a soundtrack for our daily emotions, and hopefully you can find catharsis in what I do. I have 3 new singles up, and a 4TH dropping on April 9. Visit my website, or any streaming platform (Spotify, etc) via Linktree. Also, follow me on Instagram @breatherrr to connect, learn about my new music, and laugh at some foolishness. Stay safe!

Joe Billy

@JoeBillyMusic

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I could be doing a lot worse. I’ve been under some form of isolation since Saturday, while able to go do certain necessary tasks. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
I’ve unfortunately had to cancel many gigs including tour dates, rehearsals, and a birthday show. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
In terms of creativity, I’ve found myself to be able to force myself to do a few projects I’ve been putting off when my excuse was “I don’t have enough time” haha so incidentally I’ve had the opportunity to get my ass in gear for certain things. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
I’m not sure about the state of the post office right now, but everything for my merch and music can be found on my website and the easiest way to buy music would be through Bandcamp. 

A Boy Named John

@ABoyNamedJohnNJ

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I’m hanging in there! We’re trying to stay positive during this time. I’m on day 5 of isolation. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
We had a whole rollout plan for our upcoming EP ready to go that was projected to be released in June. However, now we’re reconsidering that date due to the pandemic. On the bright side, we’re going to use this time to dive deeper into creating an exciting release strategy that we think our fans will love. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
We’re an extremely tight-knit band of close friends. Our creativity feeds off of each other’s presence. With social distancing, we’re feeling disconnected from each other and our weekly routines have been thrown off. We were on a roll with our EP release plans and now that everything has come to a halt, it’s going to be hard to pick up where we left off. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Please stream our music, watch our YouTube videos, and buy merch on our website! Also, follow us on our social media. We’re trying to use this time to connect with you! ☺️

Chase Your Words

@ChaseYourWords

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I’ll be honest, I already suffer from depression and anxiety as it is, and times like these have my anxiety going in all directions. I’m only on day 4 of isolation, but the days feel slow.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
We don’t have any tour plans yet, but it’s definitely a downer seeing our friends in other touring bands having theirs cancelled or needing to reschedule. Our mental health varies with each of us as individuals. Our group message chat is a little fearful of the pandemic and the symptoms that (could) come about, but we’re all looking out for each other one way or another.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
As a band we’ve been wanting to start writing the album. We work extremely well when we’re together, but with everyone in isolation/quarantine, we’re feeling strong limitations. Luckily enough we’re all able to write music as individuals with working computers to record our ideas and demos, so it’s safe to say the dropbox account is piling up. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Honestly, we’re doing okay for now since we’re not really touring currently. That being said, we did release an EP late last year called Sayonara which you can stream/buy almost anywhere online. If you want to support us, we also have merch that we heavily discounted.

Please don’t forget to support the artists directly affected by this pandemic by buying their merch, music, and keep a lookout for their rescheduled tour dates if you want to directly support them.

Vagabonds

@VagabondsMI

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I think I’m on about 8 days, but it feels like it’s been way longer than that. I just left my house for the first time in days to take a walk for an hour or so. I was getting too buried in projects and to-do lists, so I needed to get out. Now I’m doing all right.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
To be honest, I feel like I’m not getting as much accomplished as I should be. Maybe I am doing enough, but it’s hard to gauge with the days blurring together. Like many of my peers who choose music as their source of relief and expression, I do have preexisting struggles with anxiety and depression. They’re mostly manageable these days, but the general panic hasn’t been especially to kind to me. It hasn’t spiraled to a terrible degree or anything, but I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t affected me at all. 

I will say the one thing that has been making me feel the best is listening to Earth Crisis, Snapcase, and even some early Cro Mags and writing riffs that rip off those bands. It’s fun to work on something that has no pressure placed on it to succeed. It gets me in the free space again mentally. 

I also am in the midst of self-releasing an album. It’s hard to cut through the noise, even as everyone is glued to a screen. I’m still trying to promote the record, though, because it has a lot of value to me. I think it has an underlying feeling of peace that could provide some sort of escape for listeners. Even though it feels like sending it out into a void sometimes, it’s important to keep sharing. 

I’ve had some really exciting tour dates cancelled too. It’s a bummer, but it’s not the end of the world. There will always be another gig.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
I think that being too close to a project can stunt creativity. I definitely feel that right now when I try to hash out more Vagabonds songs. I also don’t feel like I have many real parameters at the moment, which sometimes help reel me in creatively. I’m still having a swell enough time writing, though. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Honestly, just listening on streaming services is great. I put out one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written yesterday, and I just want people to hear it. If anyone wants to help support fiscally, I really appreciate that. I have an online store where people can preorder the album that’s being released next month. Bandcamp essentially works as a digital tip jar too. Anything helps. At the end of the day, though, I just want people to let the music I make find a place in their life. That’s the ultimate goal. Letting that goal become a reality is the greatest support.

Bloom de Wilde

@bloomdewilde

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?It’s about a week tomorrow. Being an introvert arty farty music nerd it’s not that hard for me, but I have two young children and I imagine they will remember this strange time for the rest of their lives. So we’ve been trying to make it quite fun and magical - playing with complete abandonment, painting our faces, building dens, dressing up and playing lots of music. There are moments that I do find it difficult and I found playing the drums (I’m not a great drummer but it’s just so enjoyable) is very helpful with that! Instant meditation. I’m also trying to finish my new video but realized it’s ok to slow down a bit, take away the pressure, and just be. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
My EP is due for release at the end of April, but lots of gigs were cancelled, and even my EP launch party and a small tour through Holland were called off. So I am thinking about alternatives, doing little online concerts from my sitting room, organizing an online release party, and also working on some ridiculous ideas to make people laugh a little. I quite like the idea of a challenge; restrictions often make for the best creative solutions. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
The paradox here is that in quarantine I have less time alone than usual as the kids are not going to kindergarten right now. So even though this week has been all about playing and enjoying time with them, I do also want to finish that video - it’s really nearly there! And my EP will be coming out very soon, so that’s another little puzzle to ponder about - everything needs to be done a bit differently. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
There’s my stuff on Bandcamp of course, and my EP will come out the end of April, so stay tuned :) it’s a collection of colourful uplifting life-affirming songs channeled straight from the Universe, and all made with love; so extra good for the soul in these challenging times. 

You can watch my videos here

Also, it’s especially important to feel connected these days, so if people leave comments or want to interact, I am very grateful and delighted to receive and respond to your comments and messages 🙈🙏🏾💌🌸☁️✨ You can do that on Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud, Twitter, or Bandcamp.  Stay well and safe everyone! Xx Bloom

MEATBOT

@meatbot_band

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
Hey, thanks! This is Will, the guitarist/singer. I've been mostly at home since Sunday, although my wife and I run a record and bookstore so I've been doing shipping/delivery for that this week since the physical store is closed.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
We're still releasing our new CD at the end of this month but no gigs scheduled and clearly won't be for a while.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
The challenge is being creative when dealing with dark thoughts about how bad this could get.

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
We have put up some pre-orders and CD/t-shirt bundles on our Bandcamp page all the prices are reduced and US shipping is free.

Taciturn

@taciturntheband

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
Natasha - This is day 6. It’s not so bad in the sense that it’s like an extended meditation. There’s a lot of work to do behind-the-scenes that we’re finally being able to hone in on. 

Nyle - I’m about a week and half in and honestly my day to day isn’t much different. Before the quarantine, I mostly went out to run errands or play music.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
Natasha - There are things that are going to be delayed -- like the recording of our second album, but the creative process hasn’t really stopped. We’re sending each other demos in Google Drive, polishing the ideas we’d been working hard on in the past few months. We’re mulling over the nitty-gritties of an album that we were formerly trying to finish in a very competitive timeline. All of that has come to a halt. Mentally it’s tough. I want nothing more than to play a show right now. But our shows in April are cancelled. But there are positives -- people are online more. We held an awesome online flash sale this week, and donated the money to the Abortion Fund of Arizona.

Nyle - Natasha and I are definitely mentally dependent on playing shows and extrovertly being creative. The quarantine has pumped the brakes hard on that. Luckily, we’ve found a way to continue to creatively collaborate, but I prefer doing things in person.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
Nyle - Before Natasha was in the band, I’d write Taciturn songs on my own in Logic, which included me meticulously writing all the instrumentals in a computer chair. It felt like engineering or working on a long math problem, which I enjoyed. When I had the luxury of playing together with a live drummer and bassist, the songwriting process became much more orchestral - in the sense that I’d direct changes in each instrument until we created a Taciturn song. When Natasha became our bassist, things evolved even more as she shared the director/conductor role with me. Because of the quarantine, we’ve regressed to me making music on Logic and sharing demos with Natasha. I of course enjoy doing this, but there are some major downsides. I particularly miss the energy of playing together that would inevitably enter the songwriting process. There’s a reason we write songs in the same room and I really can’t wait until we can get back in the studio. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Natasha - Stream us on Bandcamp, Spotify, wherever you listen to music. We’ve also got a bunch of new merch on our Bandcamp that we’d love to send you.

Quarantine Creative Check #1

Well folks, we’re about a week into a global pandemic and am feeling it. I’ve been living, writing, working, and eating in my 534 sq. ft. studio apartment for five straight days, and I’m beginning to get a little antsy. I’ve got enough food, alcohol, and toilet paper to last at least a month, but that doesn’t make self-isolating any easier. Luckily, I’m fortunate enough to have a job that allows me to work from home, and FaceTime has gone a long way in fulfilling my need for human interaction, but it’s still hard. 

This past week has been nothing but delayed tours, postponed release dates, and canceled shows. While that’s a bummer as a fan, it’s especially disheartening for musicians who rely on tickets, merch, and record sales for their livelihood. 

With that in mind, I asked my twitter followers if anyone wanted to chat. Less of an interview and more of a check-in, I sent the same questions out to a handful of talented musicians who reached out, and they all gave me an update on how they’re doing and what you can do to support them in these crazy times. 

This week we’ve all had to adapt to a new way of living and existing without direct human connection. Similarly, bands have had to adapt to a way of living without their primary source of income, and in some cases, stand to lose hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on scrapped tours. Please check out some of these bands, give them a stream, toss them a share, or check out their merch.

Without further adieu, I’m proud to present the first (and hopefully final) installment of Quarantine Creative Check: dispatches from artists all over the world.

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Superdestroyer

@Superdestroyed

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
So far the quarantine has been a bit surreal, which is probably true for a lot of people right now. There's a part of me that's uncomfortable with the uncertainty of things, but obviously protecting people who are vulnerable to the virus is most important so that kinda helps to frame it in a healthy way. I'm in Ohio, and they've moved quick, so it's been almost a week. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
It's been a weird adjustment but I'm sort of introverted so it's probably been a little easier for me than for people that are really social. The biggest challenges have been finding food and important supplies because of the initial panic. I also have really bad asthma so I've been trying not to think about what happens to me if I get sick. I read recently that this could be an on and off thing for up to 2 years so that was....hard to process. On a positive note, I have a lot more time so I'm trying to figure out some things I'd like to do while I'm stuck at home. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
Honestly, I've been able to finish up some stuff for mostly finished songs, but I kinda find myself distracted otherwise. I'm pretty worried about friends, family, and strangers alike who just lost their income. I helped some people get groceries and stuff like that. I think for now the focus is on helping people find some stability. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Honestly, don't donate anything to me, but if you do want to buy merch or something I'll donate the money to someone in need. Otherwise, I'm working on something that will roll out soon to help DIY artists with performance stuff. Please buy artists' music and merch if you can. I run Lonely Ghost Records and most of our artists could really use the help. A lot of their merch is linked to our website or you can just visit their social media pages, bandcamps, etc. If people can, they should definitely take some time to support musicians who live off of their income from touring and music because they've been hit hard. Pretty much anyone who listens to music will have a favorite artist who needs some support right now!

SESPOOL

@_sespool

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
This is my second full day of quarantine, but my fourth of more rigid social distancing. I’m doing well. I miss being able to go to the gym and float around freely but I have more time to focus on music and that’s pretty awesome. Living with my girlfriend also really helps, as I haven’t lost all human contact and have someone to drink coffee and clean with haha.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
I had no plans to tour personally but it’s affected a lot of my friends and canceled/postponed 4 shows I had tickets to. Since I have a day job that pays the bills this sudden stop of work has allowed me more time to focus on the creative process, but it’s been so disorienting and weird for the last five or so days that my creativity has come in spurts. I’ve been working on a new project, the first single dropped last month, and I think this may delay the release of that album a bit. Even though it’s a great time to release streaming content, I have bigger plans for this record and I want it to drop when the timing is right. I have, however, thought about releasing some different types of singles or songs I otherwise wouldn’t release in light of this strange time.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
It might sound weird but trying to take advantage of all this time and be focused despite having no idea what the future holds. I know we’ll be able to get through this but how long will it take? It’s not a situation we’ve ever encountered before and not being able to book shows or realistically plan for the release of an album is really weird - just have to keep pushing to make the best songs for when the moment arrives.

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Merch is an amazing way to support. I actually just put up a bundle today, and for as long as the post office is shipping I will be going there to ship stuff! My store can be found here.

Chanelle Kazadi

@ChanelleKazadi

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I’m holding up the best I can, it’s going on day 8 of isolation. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
The social distancing has impacted me in ways such as my shows being postponed, they talk about the corona has taken off social media so strongly. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
The challenging part about all this is not truly knowing when it ends and not knowing how much worse could it get but I try to stay positive at the same time. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
I have merch on my website, it would be very appreciated to donate that way and just support my brand.

Keep Flying

@KeepFlyingBand

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
Feeling pretty positive right now. Been getting some yard and housework down now that tour life has been canceled. We looking at day 4 now but have been productive with moving upcoming releases, tour dates, and more to adapt to this new unknown era!

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
The prediction is this is going to last until at least June. We are adjusting our summer plans to fall. Pushing the record release at least a month. But also pushing some things sooner! We may hop back in the studio now that we have time off from the road as well as make some music videos and other content to keep people happy at home. Mentally this is about to be the longest consecutive time I’ve been off the road and not around live music in 14 years. Crazy. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
That’s just it. This is the challenge. We have to stand up to it and just do our best. If we all just do our best we can look back in a year from now and be proud of what we did accomplish. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Yes, the Merch does help. I’ll be able to get my guys some money as most of us also lost our jobs and it’s gonna be tough. The other way would be promoting the band and brand on the internet to friends and the World Wide Web. We really win people over with our live show so now more than ever any help of sharing videos or tunes or content would be incredible!

Farseek

@Farseekx

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I’m doing well so far. My partner and I have been holed up for about a week now.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
We were supposed to go on a quick four day run in April but that was canceled because of the outbreak. Once I found out I didn’t have to work, I immediately began recording a bunch of new songs. It’s nice having no pressure or other commitments to hold me back. I think I am going to get kind of stir crazy in another week but I have been trying to not overwork myself.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
I’ve currently got creativity oozing out of me so I don’t think that this has negatively impacted my creative outlets yet.

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
The best way for folks to support Farseek would be to just tell other people to listen to our music. I’m not dying for money right now and I know other people need it more than I do.

New Pollution

@new_p0llution

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I just got back from college a couple of days ago, so I have been quarantined in my house for 4 days, but before that it was really crazy at college trying to stay clean. I have been chilling outside my house but the only place I have gone is to a soup kitchen to bring them some items. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
As far as impacting my musical plans, not much has been effected besides sending my new EP to labels. I figure that everyone is stressed about the virus so nobody will have time to care about the EP, which is totally warranted. I have a 5 track EP that I have recorded for a year just sitting around, and it sucks that as soon as I finished it this virus came about! Now it seems like people don’t want to think about music, and there is so much anxiety floating around that nobody wants music. Otherwise, I’m using this time to record more songs and explore a collaboration with somebody I know, which will be very much cross-genre. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
The most challenging part about being creative right now is time. I just got back from college and have many other things to do before I get to make music I like. I think another hard part of being creative is judging one’s own work. I have hundreds of finished demos just sitting on my laptop because I am too afraid to commit to releasing them. So I have been coming up with ideas to change existing ideas instead of constantly increasing that pile of demos. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
First, I think people should support their own needs first in this time and think about music second. However, if you have the time it would be great if you purchased our live record Live!? at Creative Corner, which will definitley knock you out of whatever gloom you may be feeling.

Fit The Bill

@Fitthebillband

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
We have been doing pretty good! Besides making a couple of quick trips to the store, and Miles working a little bit, we are on day 3 I think?

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
So we actually had studio time booked for this coming up weekend, but with everything happening those plans have changed a bit. But now we are just going to record everything we planned to record in-house, and send it out to be mixed 🤙🏼

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
Nothing really holding us back from being creative right now honestly. If anything that’s the thing we have been able to put more focus on.

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
We don’t really have any merch up right now and are in the process of getting new music online 😉 But the best way to support us right now is probably to keep track of our antics on social medias. We will be posting more updates on our Instagram story specifically!

Halogens

@HalogensNJ

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
George: I’ve been *mostly* isolated since last Thursday because of having to go to work, however, my job just started having me work 100% remotely today so I guess today is day 1 for real. I’m going a little stir crazy for sure. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
George: Basically all of our plans from March through May have either been cancelled or rescheduled; we haven’t heard about all of our scheduled shows yet but I’m assuming the same will happen with them. We’re supposed to go into the studio for LP during the first week of June and we’ve been saying for months that we need to stop picking up shows so we can really focus on writing, but we just kept picking up shows anyway so we could try out new songs live and play with bands that we like. So now we’re really being forced to 100% fully commit to strictly focusing on finishing writing our album before we go into the studio in June. Mental health-wise, I’m doing okay but basically anything I previously used for maintaining my sanity like seeing my friends, going to the gym, or hanging at my parent’s house to play with my dog is out the window for the foreseeable future. I live right by the beach so I’ve been taking breaks from being in the house to go for walks on the boardwalk since it’s pretty empty here when during the off-season, which has been definitely been good for giving myself a change of scenery when I start to feel cooped up. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
George: Definitely being able to meet up with the rest of the band in person to hash out new ideas which is usually the major stage of transitioning a song idea into a completed song. We just recorded some new demos a couple of weeks ago so luckily we’ve been focusing on mixing them and editing parts remotely so we can stay productive. We all really wanted to go rent a cabin so we could hunker down and write the rest of the album and we were all really excited to do that since we are getting pretty close to studio time. The cabin thing also has to be put on hold for now because some of my family members and the people I work with are immunocompromised, and I really want to make sure I don’t contribute in any way towards people getting sick. We’re pretty used to operating at a distance because of other obligations so I’m hopeful we’ll be able to continue writing at the pace we were hoping for while we’re separated for now. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Kyle / George: We really appreciate the question, but we would prefer to send our support to bands that have had tours cancelled and are feeling the financial effects more than we are. Bands like Top Nachos, Sweet Pill, Save Face, A Will Away, Stillhungry, Shakeout, Niiice, Holy Pinto, Hit Like A Girl, Have A Good Season, 2319, Makeshift, and Nonfiction all invested a lot of money into tours that didn’t even get a chance to start or were cancelled while they were halfway across the country. Even though most of our plans until June have been postponed, we are all still lucky enough to have our jobs and a lot of local artists can’t say the same. Please support them!

Boyfrienders – The Lower East Side Blues | Track Premiere

Today I’m excited and honored to present the newest song from Boyfrienders called “The Lower East Side Blues.” This is the fifth and final single off the band’s upcoming album Scenes of Brooklyn or Meditations on Mid​-​Twenties Mediocrity out March 20th on Good Luck Charm Records. The track recounts lead singer Benny Morawa’s process coming to terms with being nonbinary and what that means both for themselves and to those around them. It’s a remarkable statement, a vital perspective, and a downright groovy synthpop cut from what’s sure to be another breakout act from the exploding Michigan scene.

First off, while I think the song speaks for itself, I’d like to give you a space to explain the background and your process of coming out to the world as a genderqueer individual.
When I was seventeen years old, I started questioning my personal gender identity and came to the conclusion that I didn’t feel like I really fit within the social construct that is the man/woman gender binary. Originally, I did not know how to really let that manifest, but I started building a social circle of other genderqueer/trans/non-binary individuals and it became clear that there absolutely was a community that I belonged to. I didn’t start coming out to close friends and family until about three years ago, and “The Lower East Side Blues” will be me coming out to the rest of the world. This is terrifying in a way because I’m coming out to all of the people who would give me the most scrutiny over it. The thing that helps is knowing that I have the confidence in myself now to not care what other people think of me. I’m happy with my life, and the fact that they are so miserable with themselves that they have to look down on me for not fitting within “gender norms” or whatever is honestly kind of sick because I know that I’m leading a much happier and fulfilling life. Also, it’s honestly dope that someone would care that much about something that does not affect them because it’s very entertaining. 


This song feels very pointed with a clear message. What was the writing process like for you?
My writing process is very influenced by John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, so therefore I always am writing lyrics that immediately come across as blunt and straightforward. In regards to writing the lyrics, they came to me very naturally because they are things that I’ve been feeling about my gender identity for a very long time, and I felt as if writing the driving instrumental first really helped with that. I feel that both lyrics and instrumental fit together absolutely perfectly.

Speaking of the instrumental, the song feels like a spaghetti western future disco, how did that come to life, and why did it feel like the best fit for these lyrics
For the past year, I’ve been on this 80’s synthpop kick, both in regards to the music that I’ve been writing and the music I have been consuming as well. I originally wrote this track on a Suzuki OmniChord which can actually still be heard during the choruses of the studio recording, and then decided to take it into a super drive-y and Mountain Goats-esque direction from there. After the groundwork was laid, I brought in Boyfrienders rhythm guitarist/synth player Matthew Stonebraker to record some electric guitar, and the instrumental was completed. I feel that the tone of the instrumental fits the lyrics perfectly because they are both immediately blunt and in-your-face.


This track has some of the wildest guest features I’ve ever seen. How did you link up with Felix Beiderman and Garrett Hunter?
Strangely enough, through Instagram DM’s. In regards to the intro part, I was hearing it in my head in front of the actual track ever since I wrote it, and I could only instinctually hear it in Felix’s voice. I had talked to him before about things such as workout tips and the like, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to reach out to him about recording the intro, and he was immediately down to do it. The fact that Garrett is doing the outro makes me feel super pumped because he was technically where the band name came from in the first place, so the fact that things come full-circle in that regard is something that makes me very happy. I reached out to Garrett the same way I reached out to Felix, just through Instagram DM’s.

The record is out in one week and is easily on the shortlist for the best album title of the year. How does the story of this song fit into Scenes of Brooklyn or Meditations on Mid​-​Twenties Mediocrity?
Thank you so much for that! Honestly, the album name was a relatively last-second decision; it had been called “The J-Train" up until about mid-January, and I decided to change it to the current title because it made more sense when thinking about the tracklist and settings. Originally, I had the concept of each track being its own self-contained story taking place on sequential stops of the J-line subway train in Brooklyn, but as things started developing, I began to feel weird as some of the track locations weren’t lining up with the J-train line and stops. So, with that in mind, I changed the album title to the current one because it makes more sense to set the concept in Brooklyn overall instead of just the J-Train stops. Also, the themes addressed in each track are things that I’ve noticed myself and many of the people around me in their mid-twenties have gone through. These relatable themes, loosely connected by setting and location, fit within the album concept of going through changes and being okay with those changes as you begin to consider yourself a full-on adult. 



“The Lower East Side Blues” is the only track that doesn’t take place in Brooklyn proper, but the themes remain relatable and important to many of the people around me, and at the end of the day, this takes priority.

What do you hope that the listener takes away from this song?
That it’s absolutely natural to feel the feelings that you do in regards to gender identity no matter how confusing they may seem, and it’s completely understandable to be afraid to come out. I recognize the inherent privilege that I have in regards to being able to come out publicly through this method. You will forever be loved, and you will forever be valid to a community of people around you who feel the exact same feelings. Gender is absolutely, 100% fucking fake, and you will always be welcomed by a community that will love and care for you for eternity. 

Snarls – Burst | Album Review

Life has a spectacular way of subverting your expectations, sometimes in the worst way. Sometimes life surprises you and things work out in a beautiful and serendipitous way. Other times your hopes and expectations are desperately crushed by something completely out of your control. Sometimes it’s just confusing. Regardless of what it’s sending your way, an important part of navigating life is simply maintaining; the ability to remain flexible and take those hits as they come (or don’t). That emotional and mental flexibility is exactly what the debut album from Snarls, is about.

At its core, Burst is a finely-crafted statement on emotions. Not just one emotion, but all of them. It’s an album about the totality of feeling. There’s exploratory wonder on “Walk in the Woods,” destructive remorse on “All of This Will End,” and a meditative reflection on aging in “Twenty.” The record even goes as far as questioning the legitimacy of those feelings and experiences on “Marbles.” This record captures the existence of an over-feeling person soaring through life soaking up emotions like a sponge until they’re squeezed too tight and it all comes pouring out.

In exhuming this wealth of feelings onto the canvas, Snarls have created a record that approaches topics rarely touched upon in music. It’s an album that reminds us to be gentle with ourselves and that all of our feelings are valid.

As multifaceted as Burst is when it comes to emotions, it’s equally diverse in its musical flavors and inspirations. Throughout the record, the band displays an impressive spread of indie and alt-rock that feels at once ever-changing yet familiar. There’s the wholesome, positive vibes of Alvvays, the confessional, lovelorn delivery of Beach Bunny, and at times the twangy, punch of Sleater-Kinney. There’s a lumbering grunge riff on “Hair,” a masterful 90s pop rock build on “Concrete,” and “All of This Will End” boasts a winding instrumental slow burn on that eventually erupts into a pang of soaring confusion. It’s eclectic and a little disorienting, but somehow it all makes sense in the grand scheme of things. Much like its cover, Burst is a multi-colored hand-crafted explosion of bright colors, glittery feelings, star-speckled moments.

The album’s closing track finds lead singer Chlo White flashing forward to her own death soundtracked by thunder, kind words, and tearful goodbyes from friends. It’s the final culmination of a lifetime of feelings and experiences all leading to one inevitable but spectacular end, just like the album itself. Burst is the sound of overlapping and conflicting feelings clashing within our brains. It’s the opposing and contradicting events of life that force us to act and reveal what kind of person we really are.  

So as life continues to throw us a series of constant curveballs, sudden dips, and highs that can sometimes feel unearned, it’s important to remember that it’s all part of the process. We get to be alive. We have the unbelievable fortune to experience the world around us. We are able to connect with others and forge lasting bonds with them. Sometimes life is beautiful and joyous beyond words, but other times it hurts for seemingly no reason. It all ends in the same place, so why wouldn’t you want to take in as much as possible while you’re here?

100 gecs' Ringtone Remix is a Joyous Pop Confection

100 gecs might be one of the most exciting, promising, and future-forward musical acts I’ve ever had the joy of discovering. While I connect with them from an omnivorous music fan’s perspective, there’s undeniably something greater lurking just beneath the surface. Last year, their debut 1000 gecs shocked me. It was a 23-minute unveiling that was familiar yet unlike anything I’d ever heard in my life. I could hear pieces of rap, metal, hip-hop, trap, and PC Music all throughout it. I heard bands that I loved in high school like I See Stars and Breathe Carolina. I also heard artists that shaped my final years in college like Brockhampton and Lil Aaron, and I heard futuristic poppy music that I was just getting into like Charli XCX and SOPHIE. 1000 gecs wound up on my album of the year list for 2019, and just recently, guest writer Jack Gol gave a succinct rationale for it being one of the best releases of the decade. So yeah, 100 gecs are that band.  

It’s not often I’m looking forward to a specific song release, let alone a remix, but one month ago Charli XCX fan account @FckyeahCharli posted this video of producer umru playing a remix of 100 gecs’ “ringtone,” and I’ve been looking forward to hearing it in-full ever since. The remix featured PC Music pop star Charli XCX, agro rapper Rico Nasty, and kawaii indie band Kero Kero Bonito. That lineup, while unexpected, made almost too much sense in the context of the song. Despite their seemingly divergent styles, these three artists fit into the chaotic world of 100 gecs like a second home.

Today 100 gecs released that star-studded remix of “ringtone,” and it’s every bit as explosive and life-affirming as I had hoped. Within the context of the original record, “ringtone” was the sugary-sweet heart beating at the center of the LP. Surrounded by booming electronics, and chrome-covered bangers, “ringtone” was a precious song about love in the internet age. It captures a specific brand of zoomer lifestyle comprised mostly of jumping between text chains, group DMs, chatrooms, and real-life obligations all while trying to maintain a meaningful relationship in the process. 

Within the song, the titular ‘ringtone’ represents a sort of unique sonic identifier that cuts through the noise of life and technology to let our narrator know that it takes precedence over whatever else is currently happening. It’s a specific countermeasure to our increasingly connected world and a lovely narrative device to depict a relationship with. “ringtone” is also the record’s most humanistic and wholesome song; a momentary reprieve from the bombastic electronics and overpowering emotions that surround it. At the end of the day, “ringtone” is an extremely simple and straightforward love song, which ironically makes it one of 100 gec’s most unique. 

What was once the love-ridden centerpiece of the group’s debut is now a joyous multi-faceted celebration that also reflects the wildly-diverse future of pop music. Beginning with Charli XCX’s pitch-perfect reinterpretation of Laura Les’ chorus, the listener is immediately thrown back into the love-sick context of the original song. Charli’s verse is fast-moving and over-the-top, evoking all the best parts of her self-titled record with fast cars, champagne, and nights out with friends. 

From there, Sarah Bonito enters with a verse that would have sounded perfectly in-place on Bonito Generation bearing her trademarked rapped delivery punctuated by zany background effects ripe for cute proto-TikTok videos. After another chorus from Charli, Rico Nasty commandeers the song as she belts out a line that makes my heart melt every time I hear it: “I think I might be addicted to your kisses.” She sing-raps her first few lines over a wall of ascending heavy metal guitars that feel like that peaking moment of elation as the roller coaster slowly reaches its apex. Nasty continues to spit a tight and (mostly) clean verse that captures the emotions of a budding relationship with as much badassery and pizzaz as we’ve come to expect from her.

The cherry on top comes after one more mini-appearance by the KKB singer where Laura Les comes back to perform her original chorus but stops short and asks Charli XCX to sing it once again, just because it sounds that good. 

The ringtone remix is a goosebump-inducing endorphin-producing portrayal of love. It’s hyper-collaborative and cosmically low-stakes, but personable and exhilarating beyond words. This song captures the unbridled euphoria of having a crush and finding out that they feel the same way about you. It makes my knees weak and my heart full. If the rest of 2020 sounds half as good as this remix, then we truly are living in the future.