Guest List: Biff Swenson of Yawn Mower / Grasser / Earth Telephone

Biff Swenson

Top Picks of 2019

By Biff Swenson

[Biff Swenson is a friend of the site and, really, just a great friend. He's also a very busy guy, what with being in (at least) three different very active bands, video production work, some guest drumming gigs, and even acting. In addition, Biff has a very open-minded and diverse taste in music. For all of those reasons, I'm thrilled that Biff took the time to share with us his Top Picks of 2019. You're bound to find something here that you missed out on this year.

As I mentioned, Biff has a full plate of activities ahead including
- A new Yawn Mower EP with Mint 400 Records due in February
- Putting the finishing touches on the debut full-length from Earth Telephone
- Working on the debut full-length from Grasser
- Starring alongside Cat London in the short film Flatlanders, which had its premiere on 12/20 at NYC's Cinema Village. If you missed that, the film is also an official selection at the Philadelphia Film Society with a screening and Q&A scheduled there for 1/9/20.
- Filming another short called Pineville this spring
- Playing drums on upcoming releases for Static Sex and Danya (the project of Allegra Anka of Cayetana)

...whew...

Like I said, Biff is a very busy guy; and we're all lucky he made some year-end time for us.]

Top 10 Albums


Tyler, The Creator, IGOR

Flower Boy is one of my favorite albums, so I was patiently awaiting whatever Tyler was going to release this year. In no way was I prepared for what he delivered. The maturity he's demonstrated over his past two releases is astounding. Clearly, experiences with love lost and romantic desires have elevated the narratives he's been spinning, but the production is what shines even harder throughout this record.The distorted synth bass constantly connecting the entire album is a nice theme to tie this story arc together.

I can't help but get excited for Tyler when thinking about multiple idols of his (Pharrell, Kanye) appearing on the album, being the first rapper / arranger / producer trio to ever hit number one, and lastly being able to openly speak about his sexuality without persecution. This is a very modern and realistic love story in the ups and downs of how someone might be feeling throughout a tumultuous relationship. Tyler does a beautiful job of conveying a wide range of these emotions both lyrically and musically. IGOR has me ecstatic for Tyler's heartbreak, and excited for anything and everything he does next.


Mike Krol, Power Chords

I got to see Krol play 3 times in 3 days at SXSW this year, and it would have been more if at all possible. This album sounded immaculate live. The show was as exciting as the album is to cruise around to. The energy and sound that Mike is able to capture is unmatched. This is everything you love about the first Strokes record with none of the jaded, snarky energy they bring to stage these days. Perfectly crafted pop songs with the fuzzy edge needed to rock. Mike Krol is an enigma that is keeping lo-fi music interesting; and, I assume, single-handedly keeping retro Hagstroms in constant circulation. This is pure, unadulterated fun that you absolutely need to go see live.


Brockhampton, GINGER

BH can do pretty much anything, and I'd be down for it. Here on GINGER, we hear a group of youngsters thrusted further into fame, under the scrutiny of the public eye, coming to grips with a plethora of emotions and decisions. The spiritual tone is apparent but not at all preachy. It's a transparent examination of one's choices through remarkable grooves that are a perfect culmination of influences like Kanye, Dr. Dre, and Pharrell with their own original, modern twist. This feels very genuine and cathartic for all members, so it's a pleasure to be present throughout these dudes' journey, album to album, in real time as they cope with the fame we've given them. Also excited to see which of the more back-seat members eventually branch out into a solo career after the inevitable demise of the limited run any boyband has.


Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

Patience certainly paid off here. The album is a little long, but what it has to offer is worth sitting through a few songs that could have waited for a b-sides collection. Ezra has done another fantastic job of exploring new, uncharted territories for VW without losing the vibe that's defined them since day one. It's also very on brand for Ezra's ear being to ground of what's going on in modern music -- the album featuring Kendrick Lamar/Drake collaborator DJ Dahi, Dave Macklovitch from Chromeo, The Internet's Steve Lacy, and most present, Danielle Haim, whose partner produced the album. This festival level act has only further solidified their place in contemporary music.


Steve Lacy, Apollo XXI

Steve has been hiding in the background of The Internet, producing tracks for Kendrick, Kali Uchis, Tyler, The Creator, Goldlink, J Cole, Mac Miller, and Solange. Just in recent years we've heard him finally come to the forefront and build his own unique brand of guitar based R&B. This dude records exclusively on his iPhone and has somehow made it work for today's biggest artists, as well as now for himself as a solo artist. Equal parts Prince and Frank Ocean, but with a lo-fi warble that makes it 100% Lacy. Like Tyler & Brockhampton above, this album does a beautiful job of exploring and expressing one's sexual fluidity while serving up those confessions on truly remarkable instrumentals. Steve is one of a few artists who are the backbone of this new movement in music, so it's about time we finally got a proper full length release from this visionary. While there are some lulls in the album, it's not without bravely bending the framework of what you'd be expecting from an R&B record. Mostly short in length, Lacy's songs show that he’s mastered how to capture extremely enthralling vibes song to song. A well-earned Grammy nod to a promising, young producer & musician.


Kevin Abstract, ARIZONA BABY

The Brockhampton leader has no plans of slowing down, which is more than apparent with his first of two releases this year. Taking no time off from producing content in between tours and releases with his hip-hop centric boyband, we see that he does not need time to rest in order to generate greatness. This album leans even further into the Outkast influence that Kevin doesn't shy away from, while still hitting these interesting new pockets of his brain for a smorgasbord of influences executed flawlessly with the help of his BH production team.

While Kanye's influence was the crux of Brockhampton's formation, it's very clear with this year's Jesus is King release that Kevin + co. have surpassed their idol's greatness as far as 2019 is concerned. It's a refreshing new time in music where genre fluidity defines every important new artist, and Kevin has been leading that crusade since the Saturation trilogy BH blessed us with back in 2017. While Kevin is more than fit for a solo career, the standout track is the one ("Peach") that features his BH bandmates and newcomer Dominic Fike.


Jay Som, Anak Ko

Jay had me hooked with Everybody Works in 2017, but has even further perfected her craft of throwback rock guitar tones and modern indie pop charm. This is everything you'd expect from Polyvinyl records in the best way possible. Som has a delicate voice that'll rock you to your core when these weighted lyrics smack you up across your mouth. It's sounds like a culmination of David Bazan's guitar tones, Real Estate's swaying grooves, and The Polyphonic Spree's bright shimmer. This album will grow on you more with every listen and will surely find its way into this decade's essential listens.


Pedro The Lion, Phoenix

I'm thankful for every track that surfaces with Bazan's name attached to it, but the joy of hearing Pedro The Lion again is uncanny. Phoenix did everything I needed it to for it to be worthy of the former moniker. It feels like he didn't miss a beat from where 2004's Achilles Heel left us off in Pedro's journey. I was made aware of memories I forgot all about throughout this album. It was like catching up with an old friend now that we're both older and wiser. I'm happy Dave is finally getting the well-earned, and long-overdue attention we die-hards have been waiting for.

Phoenix makes mentions of religion in a positive enough light throughout to call this a Pedro album, but it doesn't take the side of religion like you'd come to expect from this project. Rather, it recalls it as a plot-point in life. The hurt and wear on Bazan's voice is still present like any of his solo releases, but the delivery is something familiar and nostalgic worthy of the old band name. Dave on bass helps solidify the line-up of newcomers who accurately give us that old Pedro feel. Guitars are very sparse with a lot of bass counter melodies slipped in tastefully throughout the album. There are also plenty of points that feel minimalistic for these delicate moments, which is always a nice plate to serve some thoughtful lyrics on.


Bon Iver, i,i

Justin Vernon will forever be a mainstay. We will look back at the '00s and '10s knowing full well that Bon Iver is a Top 10er. He has perfectly crafted the art of low-key songs with undoubtedly sad lyrics amid his exploration into electronic elements in recent years. This man is well into his career of making instant classics. He has grown exponentially from album to album, each time adopting new tricks and ear candy to distinguish a change in each album's sonic shifts.

Since working with Kanye back on Dark Twisted, Vernon has adopted an array new soundscapes that he uses to mold his original brand of folk music into an extremely modern take of pop, R&B, and indie rock. I find myself constantly going back to make sense of the noises that make up any one particular section of rhythm. The artwork, the accompanying lyric videos, the quirky production, and all of the guest vocalists -- it's all the ideal bed of blankets to serve up a perfect platter of future music on to an always enthused market. Justin captured our attention with just an acoustic guitar in a cabin, but he certainly made sure to constantly stretch himself in twenty two to a million different ways in order to bring us the soundtracks to our life-defining moments. This man can crush your soul inside of a three-minute composition. Justin is a godsend!


Crumb, Jinx

While in Austin for SXSW, I rushed to see Mike Krol & Tierra Whack perform on the same stage mid-day. What I wasn't prepared for (while boiling in the heat) was the band that played between them. Crumb was mesmerizing! Their grooves were hypnotic. Their presence was felt, but their demeanor was chill. This album perfectly captures that. The percussion demands movement; their bass lines force head swaying; the vocals are sensual and subdued. It feels like The Bird and The Bee meets Real Estate. It has the warbled guitar of  any Mac DeMarco knock-off, but with a wistfulness and casualness that you can't fake. This young band is more than promising, and I can't wait to hear what they deliver next.


Honorable Mentions:

Goldlink, Diaspora

Peaer, A Healthy Earth

Bad Heaven Ltd., Strength

Local Natives, Violet Street

Gus Dapperton, Where Polly People Go to Read


Top 5 EPs of 2019:


Yeek,  IDK Where…

This is my most played artist of the year. I've played this entire EP at least 75 times through. Yeek is doing an amazing job of blending bedroom pop, indie rock, & R&B. Florida has been thriving with a new batch of incredible new voices, and this Jersey-born singer has been at the forefront of that movement. Dominic Fike makes another show-stopping feature on this release as well. IDK is a well-crafted, fully realized culmination of everything he's been building over his past couple full length releases. It's sexy, chill, and vibey, all while having guitar prominently featured throughout. This EP sounds heavily influenced by Tame Impala, but with a more youthful, less complex tone. This is where music is heading, and it's cool to see fresh new faces bring it to fruition.


Still Woozy, Lately

Sven Gamsky is doing the Lord's work with his warped and flowy take on basic pop music. After his band Feed Me Jack split, Sven started recorded solo music under the Still Woozy moniker. The band name alone lets you know exactly what you're getting into. While any one track is poppy enough to blast on any road trip, it also makes you feel high while engaging. He's done a superb job of mixing pop and vibe. It doesn’t seem as mindless as most artists Spotify would push on you in a weekly playlist, rather, it has the accessibility to pump out to the masses. I haven't heard a dud from Sven yet, and I'm not anticipating it anytime soon.


Omar Apollo, Friends

A lot of promising new artists are putting out stand-alone single after stand-alone single, followed by EP after EP. I know a lot of these young artists get lost in the mix when more mainstream mainstays are releasing epic full lengths constantly. In the digital age of music, it's hard to stay up to date with every passing trend or influx of creatives. Don't let that happen here. Omar has perfected a soulful blend of poppy r&b with a really psychedelic shine for the icing. He's charming, energetic, and undeniable. This kid has the goods, so go give him a listen.


Deb Never, House on Wheels

This a very slow moving, depressing release. Everything is soft, emotive, and slacker-ish. It's very straightforward in its approach. Deb isn't reinventing the wheel; but, oddly enough, she still finds a very unique and refreshing voice of her own. I'm awaiting her fully realizing her potential inside of a proper release, but in the meantime, these five tracks are perfect for a rainy day, or some fall foliage down the parkway.




Grasser, Later, Registration

Yes, this is my band.

Yes, I wrote the songs.

No, I won't stop promoting it.





Top 10 Songs of the Year:

Frank Ocean, "DHL"

Yeek, "Too Fast"

Dominic Fike, "Açaí Bowl"

Brockhampton, "SUGAR"

Steve Lacy, "N Side"

Kevin Abstract, "Peach"

Frank Ocean, "In My Room"

Dominic Fike, "Phone Numbers"

Bon Iver, "Hey, Ma"

Tame Impala, "Borderline"

Earth Telephone, Loss, 2017

EP Review

Earth Telephone, the PA/NJ quartet of Christopher Diehm (vocals / guitar), Maxwell Stern (guitar / vocals), Eric James Guy Friedman (bass / vocals), and Biff Swenson (drums), released Loss back in October. The EP covers sounds that range from pop punk and emo to less-aggressive indie rock. Over at their Bandcamp page, the band write, "On this five song EP, Earth Telephone explore the thematic weigh-stations of extreme personal loss."

Opener "Patience / Token / Prayer," with its aggressive guitar, Diehm's vocal delivery, and lines like "I'm ashamed for waving my skinny arms to god / like she's there, like she really even cares," is angry; but there's also a sense of denial with lyrics like "no one deserves this less than you" or  angry bargaining with "There's no end to the list of people I'd replace you with in death."

There are images of depression: "All this information hits me like a brick wall / and I think that I would much prefer a soft transfusion" on "28th Division" or "You're under well-worn comforters / sleeping off the last two days / beneath a pile of dogs / in a room of his things / that you can't throw away" on the title track. But the pervasive feeling on Loss is acceptance. "You are a resonating presence / Pervasive apparition glowing in my room" on "Pops," the simple "And that is all" that ends "Shores," and "Know we are with you" as the strings swell on "Loss."

There are five songs on Loss, and there are five stages of grief. The misconception about those stages, though, is that people move through them in some kind of pre-defined sequence. In reality, we bounce among those stages moment by moment and day by day even after we've reached "acceptance." Earth Telephone capture that with the raw and emotional Loss. You can get it over at their Bandcamp page.

The Week That Was

Eagles Of Death Metal at House of Independents

10/2 - 10/8, 2017

It's been tough for me to focus enough over the last month or so to do some of the things I find most mentally taxing around here like write album or show reviews. I'm grateful to have wonderful contributors like Henry, Matt, and Ken to pick up some of the slack while I focus on things like editing photos or sharing out songs, videos, and premieres. I have been trying to get out to some shows, but even that has taken a lot more effort on my part than it has in the past. This past week, though, was particularly active for me; and I didn't want to let it just go by without mentioning some of the great experiences.

Well Wisher

Monday, 10/2. Well Wisher, Big Nothing, Earth Telephone, Thin Lips at Wonder Bar.

This ended up being a great one. I've seen Natalie Newbold's Well Wisher several times over the last year or so, and I've really enjoyed their 90s-influenced brand of pop. They've been through a few line-up changes; and, on this night, they had Earth Telephone / Yawn Mower drummer, Biff Swenson, sitting in. His own band, Earth Telephone, were celebrating the recent release of their excellent EP Loss. It's a collection that's been resonating quite a bit with me lately, and you should check it out over at Earth Telephone's Bandcamp.

Thin Lips

Philly's Big Nothing put out their own self-titled EP over the summer. Like the rest of the bands on the bill, their sound weaves between pop and punk without ever actually being what I'd classify as pop-punk. Thin Lips closed things out; and, again, just another really good set. I hadn't seen them since, I think, around 2015 at Asbury Lanes. Monday night's show took place on the eve of Asbury Lanes's final show that same year; and I found myself, at various times throughout the night, -- with the bands that were playing, the friends that turned out -- thinking that this felt like one of those weeknight Lanes shows I'd stumble into every once in a while.

Good times.

J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr.

Tuesday, 10/3. Dinosaur Jr., Easy Action at Brooklyn Bowl.

My plans for Tuesday were to sit home and watch the Yankees / Twins Wildcard Playoff Game. I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and saw that Garden State Beard and Mustache Society President / CoolDad Music contributor, Matt Chrystal, had won tickets to see Dinosaur Jr. at Brooklyn Bowl.

I sent him a text, intending to express my jealousy at his getting free tickets to see, maybe, my favorite band that said something along the lines of "FUCK YOU FOREVER." He texted back, "The timing of this is so funny, because I was just texting to ask you if you wanted to be my plus-1."

Oops.

We patched things up, and I met him at Brooklyn Bowl for the show. Easy Action, featuring John Brannon of Negative Approach on lead vocals, opened with a relentless 45-minute set, rattling off song after song with no filler. Dinosaur Jr. came out and blew the space away with their sheer volume as they ticked off most of the big ones like "Thumb," "Watch the Corners," "Out There," "Feel The Pain," "Little Fury Things," "The Wagon," "Start Choppin'," "Freak Scene," and "Just Like Heaven." They did their usual Deep Wound cover and then brought out Negative Approach for "Can't Tell No One" and "Nothing."

On the way out, we ran into Dinosaur Jr. drummer, Murph, and got a picture with him.

Me, Murph, Matt

Fun night.

Wednesday, 10/4. Home.

Oginalii

Thursday, 10/5. Oginalii, Algebra II at Asbury Park Brewery; The Yawpers at The Saint.

I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, when I noticed that Algebra II were in search of a cello for their last-minute show at Asbury Park Brewery that night. "CoolDaughter 2 has a cello," I thought; so I volunteered it. That night I headed out to see the CD2's cello in action.

Oginalii were up from Nashville and, damn. What a nice surprise. Kind of psychedelic, kind of sludge-y maybe. Elements of classic rock and elements of something a little more ambient.

Algebra II

Algebra II released their debut EP (4 years in the making), Milkshake Summer, back in August. It's an eclectic set of semi-sweet, off-kilter pop songs that I really enjoy hearing live. CD2's cello (well, its player, Gabriella Ibacache, really) performed excellently.

The Yawpers

As I was heading to my car, I got a text from Matt at The Saint that said, "yawpers on come here." We'd just published Matt's interview with Yawpers' frontman, Nate Cook, on Tuesday; so I headed next door. Whoa!

Blistering doesn't begin to describe the set The Yawpers turned in. A blend of country, blues, and punk, the band left everything onstage.

Friday / Saturday. Uncle / Family-related things.

Dave Catching and Jesse Hughes of Eagles Of Death Metal

Sunday, 10/8. Eagles Of Death Metal, The Battery Electric at House of Independents.

Battery's big night. Our friends and Asbury's own The Battery Electric have forged a friendship with Jesse Hughes and Eagles Of Death Metal. You can read all about that in Matt's interview with Ron Santee. This show was a long time in the making, and both bands made the most of it.

The Battery Electric

House of Independents was sold out, and The Battery Electric brought it for the hometown crowd. I'd wedged myself right up front among the EODM die-hards so I could take some pictures, and the response from those unfamiliar with the boys was positive. There were plenty of dyed-in-the-wool Battery fans in the house going bananas as well.

Eagles Of Death Metal took the stage; and, from the first moments, it was obvious that the match between the two bands was perfect. Jesse Hughes started out by shaking hands with everyone in the front row and then went on to lead the proceedings like a preacher (He is an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church.). At various points, he donned Bond St. Bar and Battery Electric T-Shirts. The crowd danced all night. I'd never seen the place so crazy or so packed.

I walked out into the Asbury night; got in the van; and headed home, sweaty and tired with a few hundred pictures. I'm all set to do it again in the weeks to come. Keep on keeping on.