Yawn Mower at the Could Eat, Would Sleep release show in 2018
"Operators"
Almost 2 years ago to the day, on 4/20/2018, Yawn Mower released their EP Could Eat, Would Sleep on Mint 400 Records. Around that time, they began working on a video for the song "Operators" off of that record. For reasons known only to Yawn Mower and their collaborators -- the great talents at Hologram Visuals and Burke Multimedia -- the video is just seeing the light of day today. And that's fine. More than fine, really, because this is a perfect time to revisit the song's message about supporting one another.
YM's lyrics are historically pretty dystopian and critical of various social structures we live with every day... ...Every day we are flooded with negativity from the news and people, so I don't want to write about that all the time. "Kickstand" and "Operators" are songs about your friends and family being there for you no matter how bad things are. It's YM's version of PMA.
In that same interview, drummer Biff Swenson added:
Those are also the 2 songs ["Operators" and "Kickstand"] that hit me emotionally more than any other tunes Chick and I have written together.
Lyrics like "It's the little things / We all could do / To keep things running / Relatively smooth" contain some real wisdom during this time when everyone's lives have been turned upside down.
Check out the video for "Operators" below; and, if you're ever feeling down, you can feel free to reach out to me here anytime. Operators are standing by.
Could Eat, Would Sleep, along with the rest of Yawn Mower's discography, is available over at Yawn Mower's Bandcamp page.
It's been 9 years since Jason Young released his last album as Heartour. During that time, Young's other project, Los Angeles indie-pop band The Ruse, toured the world with Muse. When The Ruse decided to go on hiatus, Young felt the time was right to take a break from the more rock and roll stylings of his day job and get back to his solo project. The result is Heartour's forthcoming fifth studio album R U IN, which is due out on May 22nd. Today, Heartour gives us a glimpse into that record with the premiere of "Brain," which will be available this coming Monday, April 13th.
"Brain" was mixed by Tony Hoffer (M83, Metric, Beck); and, when I first heard the song, I was drawn to its glistening 80s synth-pop aesthetic. Given how much time I've been spending with those sounds lately (Heart Bones, Tame Impala), "Brain" hit me at just the right moment, I guess.
That's not the only way in which "Brain" is timely. Young says,"I have had many times in my life where the thoughts in my brain have paralyzed me from getting through normal day to day life." It's a feeling, I think, that many share during these times of anxiety and uncertainty. "Brain" offers up some empathy wrapped in glowing neon.
Give an early listen to "Brain" right here, and look for the song on April 13th via your platform of choice or over at Heartour's Bandcamp page. Heartour's R U IN is due on May 22nd.
Back on Leap Day 2020, before the era of social distancing and shelter-in-place, The Vansaders celebrated the release of Quixote x Broken Bird, their 7" split with latewaves, with a show at Wonder Bar in Asbury Park. Today, The Vansaders are sharing the lyric video for one of the songs from that split, "Red and Blue."
Our relationship here with Doug Zambon and The Vansaders goes way back. I first caught the band back in, probably, 2013 when I stumbled into The Saint just as they were hitting the stage. The lineup was different from the current one, but the songs were there. At the end of 2014, Doug performed at the first-ever CoolDad Music-presented show when we joined forces with Little Dickman Records for our first holiday benefit. Since then, The Vansaders have shown themselves to be one of the crown jewels of the Asbury Park music scene, fusing fist-pumping, punk energy with a knack for crafting crowd-pleasing, shout-along anthems. I'm grateful for our connection with The Vansaders, and I'm always honored when we get to showcase one of those anthems here. "Red and Blue" delivers on everything we've come to love about The Vansaders.
Maybe you missed that show at Wonder Bar or maybe you were looking forward to another Vansaders gig that got canceled. I won't speculate as to when you'll be able to see the band live again. I'll only say that, when you get the chance, make sure you take advantage of it if you're able. In the meantime, shout along with "Red and Blue." Pump your fist in the air and look forward to the time when we'll all be able to do that together again.
Stay safe and sane.
Quixote x Broken Bird is out now. You can stream "Red and Blue" wherever you like to stream stuff or grab it from The Vansaders' Bandcamp page.
Today, Asbury Park's raucous and rowdy punk four-piece, The Vansaders, are sharing their video for the raucous and rowdy "Siren's Song." The track is part of an upcoming split 7" with Asbury paisanos, latewaves. The Quixote x Broken Bird 7" is due at the end of this month.
The Vansaders once again worked with producer Pete Steinkopf at his Little Eden Studios for "Siren's Song." The song is a familiar story in which our narrator is unable to resist his lover's charms even though he knows it will probably lead to his demise. Appropriately, "Siren's Song" adopts kind of a seafaring vibe embellished by The Vansaders' trademark harmonies, huge drums, and a blistering guitar solo. The Chris Shashaty-directed clip features Sara McDermott.
The Vansaders and latewaves will celebrate the release of their split Quixote x Broken Bird 7" on February 29th at The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park along with special guests kqhyt kqhyt. $3 from each ticket and $2 from each record sold at that show will benefit animal rescue organization Wag On Inn. "Siren's Song" will also appear on The Vansaders' next full-length, scheduled for this summer.
New Brunswick's The Clydes have been putting out solid pop-rock records since before there ever was a CoolDad Music. The band are currently readying their third release for Mint 400 Records. Old-Time Monarchy, produced by Mint 400 honcho Neil Sabatino, is due on October 25th. Tomorrow, The Clydes will release single "Jalisa," and we have an early preview of it for you today.
"The song is the most synth-heavy on a record that has more keyboards than our other albums," shares singer / guitarist Brent Johnson. "But my brother (guitarist Brian Johnson) and I actually started writing it after a trip to Nashville, of all places. Brian was inspired by those clean guitar licks that come out of that city. He started playing the riff the night we got home, and I began singing a melody over it. The synths came later, when we decided to rip up the arrangement.
"Lyrically, it's about how distant love can sometimes feel, even when you believe you've found the right person. But you press on. Because it's worth it."
"Jalisa" barrels along with a bit of an 80s feel. It retains The Clydes' knack for pop while throwing in some new sounds to keep things fresh.
Check out "Jalisa" below. The song gets an official release tomorrow. You'll be able to purchase / stream it from wherever you like to do that sort of thing. The Clydes celebrate the release tomorrow night, October 11th, with a free show at Stosh's in Fair Lawn that also features The Adventure Soundtrack, Even Eden, Blueox, and Jett Brando.
Old-Time Monarchy is out on October 25th. Pino's in Highland Park will host a release show that very evening which, in addition to The Clydes, features Honey Wild and Quinton Smith & The Company.
Asbury Park singer / songwriter, Pamela Flores, has been a fixture of her local music scene for a few years now. Flores brings her emotive and soulful voice to everything she does; and, today, we're pleased to be hosting the online premiere for her latest effort, "Grace."
If you were on the ball yesterday, you caught the viewing party at Asbury Park's Transparent Gallery. There, Flores shared the video and raised money for the ACLU. If you missed that event, never fear. We've got you covered this morning.
"Grace was written about three years ago based mainly on my own personal experiences of 'falling from grace,'" says Flores. "Going against your better judgement and the deep, deep darkness that is from guilt and shame from our own human errors. It's dark but it's real.
"The concept of the video came about from that idea and how we, as a whole, have had so many societal falls from grace and my belief in the only way to rise from the ashes, so to speak, is to become so incredibly aware of our imperfections and learning from them to do better."
Howl Peak Productions directed and edited the clip. The track features Dan Haase -- who co-wrote the song with Flores -- on bass and guitar, Steve Honoshowsky on drums, Roshane Karunararne on keys, and Paul Ritchie who played synths and also produced.
Check out Pamela Flores's video for "Grace" right here. You can donate to the ACLU, who have some very important arguments coming up before the Supreme Court very soon, here.
The Extensions are an Asbury Park-based four-piece that are, well, an extension of the members' earlier projects. The Extensions bring together members of The Paper Jets, Centennials, Dave Mooney & Viewers Like You, and Fun While You Wait to deliver a sound based in power pop hooks, big rock and roll guitars, and post-punk inspired keys.
Made up of Brian Erickson (vocals, guitar), Lisa LoVell (keys, guitar), Kevin Newcomb (bass), and Pete Stern (drums), the band are premiering their very first single with us today. "Hollowed Out" officially drops tomorrow and will appear on The Extensions' forthcoming Bellicose EP which is due from Mint 400 Records and 3143 Management on 9/20.
Of "Hollowed Out," Erickson shares, "'Hollowed Out' has a little bit to do with the state of the scene. You start thinking of bigger-picture questions like 'Why run the race in the first place?' and it takes the joy out of the process. It hollows you out, if you would. You realize that there are people around here who want to feel famous without doing much of the work. But I never like to question others' motives unless I also question my own. So maybe I'm guilty of it, too. Maybe we all are in our own ways. It's certainly easier than succeeding for real."
The Extensions cite the likes of Spoon, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, and Matthew Sweet as influences; and "Hollowed Out" showcases the guitar-heavy, intelligent, and catchy power pop that you'd expect given that list of forebears. Give "Hollowed Out" an early listen below and then look for the official release tomorrow, 8/30.
The Bellicose EP will be available on 9/20. The Extensions celebrate that release with a show at Asbury Lanes the same night as part of the 3143 Compilation release party.
Back in November of 2017, after getting home from tour, Asbury Park Americana / punk troubadour Sammy Kay was ready to hang it up. "I didn't want to do this anymore... Everybody's got mental health issues. I thought the road was really the issue, but it turned out that it was everything else."
"We're going to leave this be," he said. "And maybe, if something changes in the future, we'll revisit it."
But Kay couldn't stay quiet for long. New songs started to come; and, soon enough, he had the ten songs that make up his upcoming civil/WAR. Kay, once again, worked with Pete Steinkopf and a host of collaborators on the new record of which he says, "This album is what you see is what you get, in regards to mental health, the state of the country."
Today, we're happy to premiere single "Orange Swirls." It's an appropriate song for mid-August here on the Jersey Shore as it conjures images of the boardwalk, fireflies (or lightning bugs), and Kohr's orange-vanilla twist.
"'Orange Swirls' was the oddball of the record," says Kay. "I had made the record, and had it mastered as a 9 song record. It sat great, and I was stoked on it. I had the line 'the only thing I fear is being alone' in a notebook for a while; and, while I was on tour, we found out a show was canceled and our buddy Scotty (from Almost People) said come hang in the studio. I wrote the song sitting in traffic outside of Asheville, NC, homesick as can be, and thinking of the last few years of my life, and the change I was going through at the time.
"New Jersey, cmon, if your first date isn't at the Seaside Heights boardwalk, it ain't a real thing. This homesick melody, and the daydreams of getting older, laughing about the glory days, it just all made sense."
I had a first date of my own, back in the 80s, at the Point Pleasant boardwalk, but I see Sammy's point. Check out "Orange Swirls" below.
Earlier this year, Asbury Park duo Yawn Mower released Why Work Harder Than You Have To, an EP of 90s covers, with Mint 400 Records. One of that collection's stand-out tracks is the band's take on 1999 single, "Jersey Shore," by Milwaukee's The Promise Ring. It's a pretty faithful interpretation; but the song does get an added layer of authenticity since Yawn Mower are from, you know, the Jersey Shore.
Today, we're happy to premiere the video for "Jersey Shore." Yawn Mower worked with the team at Rosi's Art (Rose Lamela, Christo Apostolou, and Allison Councill) and shot the clip at Fusaro Pizza in Manahawkin, NJ. The video takes us through a workday with Yawn Mower at the restaurant. Let's just say that neither Biff nor Chick is in the running for Fusaro Employee of the Month. But, I mean, why work harder than you have to, right? The collaboration does a great job of capturing the personality of probably the most fun band on the Jersey Shore.
Tom Barrett, former guitarist and vocalist for Jersey City shoegazers Overlake, is releasing a solo EP today. Barrett will be celebrating the release of the three-song Three Songs on July 9th at Pet Shop Wine Bar in Jersey City.
Like the rest of the EP, opener, "Beautiful Night," sees Barrett taking an intimate and lo-fi approach. "Nothing ever stays for long / and things are constantly changing," sings Barrett. But we shouldn't allow those concerns to keep us from enjoying beautiful moments.
Barrett shares, "It's sort of about remembering a happy moment and wanting to stay in that moment forever. I’m reliving that moment as I sing about it. It's got a slight Kurt Vile feel to me, swirling and breezy, but with less reverb and most decidedly not sung by Kurt Vile. It's also pretty percussive. Sean Kiely (who co-produced the song) even made me use a rain stick which I never would have done on my own, but he was right. It totally elevates the song. To my ears at least."
Kiely also co-produced (and played bass and drum machine on) track "The Ones You Know." Barrett recorded "I Once Believed We Were Free" on Garageband, in his basement, lying down on his couch. Everything was mastered by Tom Beaujour.
Joining Barrett for the Pet Shop show will be his band, The Cuts. The Cuts are Jamie Zillitto (The Everymen) on bass, Gabe Chiarello (Sink Tapes) on drums, and Matt Palasz on keys.
You can order Three Songs over at Tom Barrett's Bandcamp page and / or stream the EP via Apple Music or Spotify.
stillhungry is a new band / songwriting project featuring Jenna Murphy (prim), Matteo DeBenedetti (Toy Cars), and Erik Kase Romero (dollys, The Front Bottoms, producer / engineer of just about everything there is). Today, the trio are releasing the first fruits of their collaboration in the form of two singles, "Get Well" and "Paranoia."
stillhungry by Natalie Newbold
The subdued "Get Well" features Murphy on lead vocals, while DeBenedetti takes over on the more up-tempo "Paranoia." Over just two tracks, stillhungry showcase a wide range that deftly blends the members' personalities. The band get help from Mark Masefield on B3, and Eric Novod handles drums on "Paranoia."
Romero recorded and produced both tracks. Tim Pannella mixed and mastered.
You can grab both singles over at stillhungry's Bandcamp page. All proceeds from sales there will go to Garden State Equality, New Jersey's largest LGBTQ advocacy and education organization.
stillhungry head out on a short run this upcoming weekend with Dogwood Tales. Check out both tracks and those dates below.
stillhungry on tour w/ Dogwood Tales
6/14 - Winchester VA | Hopscotch Records + Coffee
6/15 - Amherst VA | Everybody’s Birthday IX Music and Arts Fest
6/16 - Philadelphia PA | The Sin Bucket w/ Shannen Moser
Today, it's my great honor to share with you the premiere of the latest album from award-winning Asbury Park singer / songwriter Rick Barry. CoolDad Music premiered single "The Ardor of Bloom" back in late 2017, and our wait for the final collection is finally over. A Sunk Cost Fallacy and the Enduring Mirage is the follow-up to Barry's acclaimed Curses, Maledictions, and Harsh Reiterations. Itofficially hits all digital platforms tomorrow, but Rick was kind enough to let everyone have listen a day early.
Yours truly went to grad school for economics, and the fallacy of sunk costs is a frustrating concept. People are supposed to behave rationally by weighing the costs and benefits of any decision; but they often allow past, unrecoverable investments to factor in, which, in academic economics, doesn't really make sense. So I asked Rick:
The title A Sunk Cost Fallacy and the Enduring Mirage references this idea of weighing the (sunk) costs and benefits of sticking things out when, for example, "It has never been more obvious that this world is growing tired of us." But on songs like "No Such Luck (Surprise, Surprise)" or "My Heart Is Your Apple," there's this sense of not being able to resist even though you know things aren't going to go well. So what's the relationship among sunk costs, enduring mirages that things will get better, and irresistible forces that makes the people you write about behave so frustratingly irrationally? Rick Barry: I think the idea of sunk costs, as pertaining to human beings' emotional investments, could be considered a general theme throughout my catalog going back 15 years. Maybe it surfaced a bit more this time around because, after 15 years of putting out records and trying to sell yourself, you start to wonder if your music "career" itself is a sunk cost endeavor. I don't really feel that way, but if you look at it from an economic standpoint, were I to judge my level of success in the music business by financial returns, there would be no argument that I have failed thus far and, most likely, henceforth. "We have a right to our labor, but not the fruits of our labor." I read that somewhere recently. It's some Hare Krishna shit, but I like it. If you think about it that way, then you'd better love your work, because the work itself is all that's guaranteed. I guess it's a struggle to apply a mentality like that to the things that are important to you in life. I know I struggle with it; and, evidently, it comes through in my work. The most tragic "characters" in these songs are the ones who don't find a way to move on, the person in "No Such Luck" isn't asking a question when they say, "What would life be like if the other wasn't there?" They are making a statement. They are saying, "I don't know what the alternative is, and I am too fucking scared to find out." I don't know. At the end of the day, I'm not some fiction writer. All these "characters" are some part of me. Some, hopefully, lesser part, that is weak and afraid or deluded and misguided. Making those parts of me narrate a song is really the easiest way to look in the mirror in judgement and say, "Don't be that person."
That level of candor and honesty is present throughout the new record, and an all-star cast of musicians helped Barry to realize his vision. "I'm really excited about this new album," Barry said. "I feel like it completely captures how a particular group of players, at a particular time in my life, were able to inspire and influence the direction of these tunes in a way that is unique to anything I have put out before."
OK. Enough words. That's not why you came here. You can check out A Sunk Cost Fallacy and the Enduring Mirage a day early below. The album releases to all digital platforms tomorrow, and you can order it over at Rick Barry's Bandcamp page.
Rick celebrates the release of the album with a show at The Saint on Saturday, June 8th. Joining Rick's band on the bill will be Tara Dente and The Blind Pilots, Lou Montesano, Warsh Rag (ft. Avery Mandeville and Noah Rauchwerk), and American Casino.
Pocket Protector started as the solo project of singer / guitarist Joe Reichel. Reichel wrote and performed all vocals, guitar, and bass on Pocket Protector's upcoming debut, Room on Pacific, with help on drums, recording, and mixing from Terry Edelman of Space Jam Studio. Today, Pocket Protector are sharing their first single, "Blue Shell."
"I started this project as a way to take stock of who I've grown to be nearly a decade after reaching adulthood," says Reichel. "This song in particular is a reflection of that feeling. It's my way of taking a look at childhood fears, present anxieties, and how they can both help to forge a path to the future. It's also about losing at a video game and becoming unreasonably upset."
On "Blue Shell," in addition to referencing 90s racing video games, Reichel also combines alt rock and power pop in a way reminiscent of 90s musical influences like Weezer.
Recently, Pocket Protector expanded to include Carlo Minchillo on drums and (sometimes CDM contributor) Mike Petzinger on bass. Give the band's Facebook page a like to stay up to date on when you can catch the next gig from the current line-up. Room on Pacific is due later this summer.
North Jersey four-piece, Blue Vervain, describe themselves as a "mood rock" band. Started by singer / guitarist Jon Khan (former Morningside Lane) as a solo project in the summer of 2018, Blue Vervain grew into their current incarnation with the additions of James Pawson (bass), Nikki Marroccoli (keys), and Ori Yekutiel (drums). They take their name from a flower used as an alternative remedy for anxiety and depression; and Blue Vervain say that they strive, through their music, to provide a sort of alternative remedy of their own to those who may be struggling.
Blue Vervain recently joined the roster of NJ's Mint 400 Records, and their debut LP, Wounds, is due on September 6th. Today, we're premiering the album's first single, "Cycle."
"Cycle" starts off with some subdued guitar and vocals from Khan, before building to a cathartic outro. The song brings together elements of emo, alt rock, and indie which makes for an appropriately moody result.
Blue Vervain will be performing at this weekend's Jersey Shore Festival in Seaside Heights on May 18th. They've also got a few summer dates lined up which you can check out below. Pre-orders for Wounds will start on August 9th.
Blue Vervain shows
5/18/19 - Jersey Shore Music Festival, Seaside Heights, NJ
7/13/19 - 7th Annual Deutschtown Music Festival, Pittsburgh, PA
7/19/19 - Mint 400 Records Showcase, Stosh's, Fair Lawn, NJ
8/16/19 - Shaker's Pub, Oakdale, NY
It's been about 51 weeks since Freehold's Fun While You Wait officially called it quits. That band combined folk and upbeat pop and featured the vocal and ukulele stylings of frontperson, Devon Moore. Moore is back with new band, Scout; and, today, they're sharing their single "Darling."
Moore trades ukulele for acoustic guitar with Scout, but the pop sensibility remains. On "Darling," Scout give off a bit of a 10,000 Maniacs vibe as Moore's signature vocals pair with some jangly, folky guitar work.
Of the song, Moore says, "Sometimes you try really hard to fix something that is irreparably broken. 'Darling' is about accepting that it's finally time to move on and let it go."
Red Bank, NJ's Beauty are Deaglan Howlett (guitar / vocals), Nic Palermo (bass / vocals), and Owen Flanagan (drums / percussion). In the summer, the trio of familiar faces from around the Jersey Shore music scene (members of The Vansaders, Corrina Corrina, Have A Good Season, Avery Mandeville & The Man Devils, and more) released a self-titled demo; and, today, they're releasing their first proper single in the form of "Sweet."
Beauty, courtesy of the band
According to Howlett, "'Sweet' is the song that really defines our sound. We realized we were onto something when we wrote that one." That sound is jangly, melancholy power pop reminiscent of bands like Teenage Fanclub and Big Star. In other words, it's something we always love around here; and, on "Sweet," Beauty do it so so well.
"Sweet" is available right now over at Beauty's Bandcamp page and will be popping up on services like Spotify and Apple Music within the next few days.
On January 15th, Asbury Park's The Vansaders will release Standstill. "The album," according to Vansaders principal songwriter and frontman Doug Zambon, "will feature new renditions of old songs as well as a few surprises."
Today, we're happy to present the first single from that record. It's a cover of the Jawbreaker classic "Kiss the Bottle." There are numerous covers of the song floating around in the world (Foo Fighters, Lucero, Rise Against), and Zambon himself has featured the song as part of his solo set for a while now. Here, Zambon's solo version gets the full treatment as strings complement finger-picked guitar to add just that extra tinge of regret.
The original effectively makes its point through gritty, lo-fi punk. The Vansaders come at this one from a quieter, more contemplative perspective, really driving home the song's sense of loneliness and missed opportunities.
Check out The Vansaders' take on "Kiss the Bottle" below, and look for Standstill in the new year.
"It's a really personal song for me... I just kinda hope this song gets out there and helps anyone who is going through similar struggles. It's embarrassing admitting that you're suicidal, and this song touches on that." That's Finding Feebas lead singer, Brittney Dixon, on the band's latest single, "I'm Not Okay."
Guitarist Nikki Karwacki adds, "We wrote 'I'm Not Okay' last fall, while Brittney was living in North Carolina for a little bit. It was a rough time for her, and she was already planning on coming back to New Jersey, so she hit me up and said, 'send me some ideas;' and we basically wrote this whole thing via email."
It was during her time in North Carolina when, as Dixon puts it, "I'd lost everything stable in my life." At her lowest point, she found the nerve to reach out to friends and ask, "Please call me or text me every day to check in on me. I need help." That support allowed Dixon to hang on and eventually make it back home to New Jersey, where she found the additional support and help she needed. It was overcoming that fear of admitting "I'm not okay" that allowed her to work her way back.
The realization that the simple act of asking for help can be lifesaving led to the bouncing, pop punk of "I'm Not Okay." On the song, Dixon's delivery is steady, conversational, confessional as the rest of the band -- Karwacki, Alejandro Atacusi (lead guitar), RJ Noebels (drums), and newest member, Tim Hickson (bass) -- wail away through the song's musical twists and turns. "I'm not okay, and honestly that's okay. It's okay to not be okay when everything falls apart."
Finding Feebas celebrate the release of "I'm Not Okay" on Friday, 12/14, at New Brunswick's Surreal Creamery with help from Longlife. Surreal Creamery is an actual ice cream shop, not the name of a New Brunswick basement; so the show will be extra family friendly.
Last year, Asbury Park's Bulletproof Belv (aka, James Anderson) released 11:11 Wishful Thinking. That collection gave us single "Dark City Lights" featuring Matty Carlock. The song paints a picture of both the daily struggles and the carefree nightlife of living in the city. It's, ultimately, a message of perseverance in the face of everything that life can throw at you. Today, we're sharing a new video for the duo's live, in-studio performance of "Dark City Lights." This take transforms the song into a moving piano ballad.
I sat down at Abury Park's Cafe Volan for a chat with Belv and Carlock. We had a wide-ranging discussion over coffee about each artist's background and what led them to collaborate on a single. Matty was preparing to head out on a short Canadian tour, and both he and Belv are readying new albums. Carlock's Jailbirds, featuring guest appearances from Jared Hart, Danny Clinch, and Jesse Malin, is due early next year; while Bulletproof Belv has already given us "Every Night" from his upcoming end-of-year release. Another collaboration, "F Being Friends," is also in the works.
Check out the live version of "Dark City Lights" right here. After that, read on for my interview with the duo below.
Belv and Carlock will be joining The Cold Seas ft. Drew The Recluse and Sonic Blume at Asbury Park Yacht Club on November 16th as part of the Makin Waves Hunger Benefit for Food for Thought.
Just to start off, you've both done so many different things. Matty, you were a hardcore frontman and have evolved into a singer / songwriter. Belv, you've released a lot of music and had some pretty big-time collaborations. But, going back, what made you want to do music?
Matty Carlock: My parents raised me in a Springsteen religious household. I grew up around Backstreets and Born To Run and the whole cheesy Asbury Park, Red Bank thing. My mom used to follow Springsteen's tours. My dad even looks like Springsteen.
I just grew up always with a guitar. It was a blessing to be around that at 5 or 6. My grandpa would play piano in the house. My older cousin got me into hardcore. He showed me Shai Hulud and bands like that. So I got exposed to Springsteen and hardcore at the same time.
Bulletproof Belv: I was raised in the church. My mom made us do choir. I think, in my own eyes, I was the lead singer in the choir. I just found a love of music since then — Michael Jackson, a lot of R&B — the love of music was always there. It was instilled in me since I was a child. I always wanted to be an entertainer. Every event, Thanksgiving or whatever, I always had to do something to get everyone to watch me. I knew what I wanted to be since I was a child.
So, you were the center of attention at family events? BB: Well, I thought I was.
How did this collaboration come about?
MC: Through my hardcore travels I linked up, when I was younger, with my friend Joe None of Second To None and Shattered Realm. He tapped my band and brought us out on the road. Belv had been on a Shattered Realm song, and we knew of him for a long time without knowing him.
I was always interested in hip-hop, like an Eminem kid. I've always wanted to try that. I always made beats. Joe would always talk about "My friend James, my friend James." I had this beat pack with all these hooks that I did, and I reached out to people including Belv. The one beat that ended up being "Dark City Lights" just locked in.
BB: Like he said, we met through Joe None. I went to college. Got kicked out. My mom was like, "You gotta get a job. You can't just sit around the house." I hooked up with Joe at a job. We had the same kind of lifestyle outside of work. He mentioned this friend he had, and I told him to email me.
At the time, a lot of tragic stuff happened in my life; and we didn't get to work together. Like six months to a year later, Matty reached out again about the beat. I told him to send it right over. Then, I think, we were both at the same place mentally and spiritually; and this song was just our way of letting it out.
MC: Now that I think about it, I was upstate following a really bad break-up. I went to the Poconos to record the Jailbirds album which is coming out now. It was like a folk / Americana / rock album. That style of music just wasn't fulfilling at that time. I was like, "I don't want to listen to guitars. I don't want to listen to pianos. I don't want to listen to Springsteen. I want to listen to angry rap / hip-hop." So I was listening to a lot of Schoolboy Q, a lot of Biggie because it was making me feel better. I was like, "I don't want to make this Jailbirds album right now. This is for people who are in love. And I just got dumped."
That's when I reached out to Belv. That's when we made "Dark City Lights." I think he was going through some stuff, too, and that's why it came out the way it did.
The two parts of the song play off of each other so well. The hook sounds happy and carefree. There's a positivity to the verses, but there's also the day-to-day struggle of living in the city. How did you guys write the song?
BB: On my part of the song — I think through 6 albums or mixtapes or whatever, I've always tried to say the same thing. This was the first time, I think, I said it in a way that every listener could be like, "Oh let me listen to it." All of the other times, it was vulgar with a lot of cursing and stuff.
It was a build up. I was going through some tragic things. Like, I went to a show. I was performing. I met an A&R rep, and they were interested in me based on my single "My Operation," but then two of my brothers were injured in a fight at this event and hospitalized. I was going through a break-up. My dad passed. My friend died in his sleep. Somehow, I was strong enough to live through it. I would have thought it would have killed me, the pain inside. I wanted to put that in the track. All this stuff you go through, at the end of the day, you still live through it.
I overwrote every verse. He told me, "There are too many bars!" There was so much stuff coming out. He sent me the beat, and I literally wrote it in 30 minutes. I called him and said, "I'm done." He said, "What?" I said, "I'm done."
I wanted to get those emotions out. It's about feeling. Like the lyric "Tell your girl you love her / Hope she feels the same." She might not say it back to you, but you hope she feels it. Music is the way I let that out. When he sent me that, I was like, "Oh my God. This is my chance to release everything. Let me say it in the most humble way."
MC: And the hook sounds so carefree because that song used to be called "London." I wrote that staring at the London Eye while on tour with Shai Hulud. A massive sold-out tour. I wrote that at the most carefree point in my life. So, when I came home, I sent him "London."
BB: And I'm not a fictional rapper. I'm a realistic writer. I have to have been through something to talk about it, so I was like, "We have to change the London thing. I've never been to London."
MC: So we decided to make it an anthem about where we're from.
BB: "Dark City Lights."
Asbury has — and I've been as much a part of this as anybody — kind of marketed itself as a rock and roll town, but there is an active rap and hip-hop scene around the area. Do you feel like the different music scenes are becoming more aware of each other?
BB: I just booked a record release show at Asbury Park Yacht Club in November; and, since the song came out, more stuff like that has been happening. I don't want to say that "Dark City Lights" started that, but it does show that it's possible to reach new people.
You're both from the area, and you've seen the changes Asbury is going through. What are your thoughts on that?
MC: My bands cut our teeth here in Asbury years ago before all the re-development. We were here when things looked pretty bad for Asbury…
BB: I'm from Asbury Park. I'm kinda sad that this took so long. I was deprived of a normal childhood, of being able to walk from my house to the beach. My brother and I were shot over on Bangs Avenue…
MC: …just like two blocks from here.
BB: There's good and bad, but the city deserves to have some success.
What do you say to people who say things like, "I like all kinds of music except country and rap?" MC: I say they're probably not that into music. I like all kinds of music. Like I said, I didn't want to listen to folk or Americana after my break-up. I went to Belv and told him not to hold anything back on this song.
BB: I think, if you listen to a song that features someone like me, and you like it, you'll start digging and realize, whoa, that's a hip hop artist. To each their own, but people have the same problems. There are different issues on the different sides of the tracks, but people still deal with problems; and that's the same.
Asbury Park's Wetbrain have been busy for the last year and a half or so. Last year, the band put out their debut album and an EP. On October 5th they'll be releasing their second full-length in the form of Things You Think You Thought You Knew. Today, we're sharing that album's first single, "Echo Chamber."
Wetbrain are now a full-time quartet with Rudy Meier on vocals / guitar, Nick Kaelblein on guitar, Ryan Grebel on bass / vocals, and Nick Aufiero on drums. They're not an easy band to define genre-wise, but "Echo Chamber" finds Wetbrain going for something a little more straight-up, frantic rock than the cerebral, off-kilter sound of their earlier work.
Meier explains, "'Echo Chamber' was the first song we wrote for the record. It started as an experiment to see if we could write a song using all major chords. It mostly worked, but we snuck a minor chord into the chorus. Lyrically, it was inspired by my love / hate relationship with comment sections on the Internet."
Check out "Echo Chamber" right here; and, maybe, leave a comment if you feel like it. Look for Things You Think You Thought You Knew on October 5th. Wetbrain play a release show for that record at The Saint on October 13th where they'll be joined by Dentist, Darkwing, and Sunshine Spazz.
