With the kind of lazy vocals that make you feel like you took a T. Rex album and turned it into a Tumblr-approved melted crayon rainbow circa 2010, Jackson Scott’s, “Sunshine Redux” was released by Bloodmoss records April 9.

Originally signed by Fat Possum records, Jackson Scott moved to Bloodmoss after releasing his debut album “Melbourne” in 2013. Based Ashville, North Carolina, this 22-year-old college dropout pulls from a wide arsenal of musical influences to create a musical project that is a conglomeration of post-apocalyptic, distortive, drones, guitars and samples.

Covering everything in a warm cassette-tape hiss, this genre-bending album maintains a certain lightweight quality through its carefree melodies, while utilizing heavy shoe-gaze-esque effects throughout each of its 10 songs.

This album is a radioactive lollipop dipped in mud. But right when you think that you have it pinned down and classified into a single genre or idea or direction, it turns into a lizard and runs away from you. This is grungy psycho-punk throwback. This album is an avant-garde electronic conglomeration of distorted loops and samples. This album is like a chameleon wearing a fur coat; a color-changing animal covered in fuzz.

Beginning with 10 second droning entrance track “Woodworkk,” this album sends you a message about its own multifaceted nature right from the beginning. Giving you just enough to be slightly confused by the time you get to its easily digestible second track, “Broken Record Repeat,” which channels a grainy surf rock vibe, making the listener just comfortable enough to be taken off guard by the fluctuating third track, “Ripe for Love.” Beginning like a lazy Mac DeMarco single with a bright, hazy melody, this track quickly changes its colors after a slightly under minute, to become a minor dominated melody whose tempo fluctuated between highs and lows. With this, Scott provides the perfect lead in to his fourth track “Steal Me” a droning, sample-based phantasmagoria. Throwing in surprises at every turn, this album is like going through the freaky tunnel in the Gene Wilder version of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory:” overwhelming, all-encompassing, slightly confusing but ultimately sweet.

Constantly experimenting with the collision of electronic and analog based sounds; this album provides a distinct representation of pop music’s new direction. With artists like Grimes and Blood Orange challenging pop music’s once vapid stigma, the new goal of many self-declared pop artists is to create gratifying music while utilizing a variety of production techniques to achieve new textures and sounds. Looking to artists like Mariah Carey for inspiration towards the catchier melodies that cut through blurry guitar layers and heavy of distortion, Scott produces a sound that is as modern as it is nostalgic.

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People from all over the mid-Atlantic region came together in the name of poetry June 21. Youth poetry teams from Philadelphia; Camden, N.J.; Baltimore; Richmond, Va. and Hampton, Va. met in Philadelphia to compete in a poetry scrimmage. These talented young poets are preparing themselves for the international youth poetry slam Brave New Voices, which will take place in Philadelphia starting July 16.

The slam consisted of three rounds. In that time, each team performed three poems, one of which had to be a group poem. The teams all performed their pieces and shared parts of themselves on the stage while telling their stories. The topics varied widely, from the experience of growing up with immigrant parents and racism in college to autism and female circumcision. The scrimmage ended with Team Philly winning, but each team spoke beautifully. Their words were compelling and made audiences excited for what is to come, when the larger competition takes place later this month.

A College National Poetry Slam champion, Neil Hilborn, performed at Drexel during the spring term and captivated his audience with his poignant poetry and warm rapport. Author of the popular “OCD” poem, Hilborn’s work has promoted slam poetry to wider audiences while embracing heavy topics like suicide and mental illness. His work, like that of the many young poets who performed earlier this June, inspires audiences to embrace their inner demons and find resolution and healing through poetry.

Eager to spread his message, Hilborn kindly agreed to answer some questions. Ranging from writing tips to music suggestions, he gave unique and fervent responses, proving that he is not only a captivating poet but a captivating person as well.

The Triangle: At what point did poetry become more than a hobby?

Neil Hilborn: I started competing in poetry slams in 2009, and I took it as seriously as I would if it were my job, but there was definitely no money in it. I won $20 at a slam once, and I was ecstatic. In 2012 I went on my first tour with The Good News Poetry Tour, and we made a decent enough living, but only because we left home for a month and stayed in the region we were touring. We did the same thing in early 2013, this time touring the Northeast — and I also coached slam poetry teams and ran workshops, but still, I kept my day job. It wasn’t until “OCD” went viral in August of last year that I was contacted by what is now my booking agency, when I began touring in earnest. The whole thing is still super surreal. I’m still a pretty big rookie, and I can’t believe that poetry is my job.

TT: What/who has had the greatest impact on your style as a poet?

NH: Oh god. Big question. A couple of my biggest influences in terms of my writing are Paul Guest and Sherman Alexie — Paul Guest because he employs long, contrived sentences that barely mask his extreme emotions, and Sherman Alexie because of the effortless way he mixes humor into his work. Poets who have influenced both my writing and performance are Patricia Smith and Michael Mlekoday. Patricia Smith is one of the most successful slam poets and page poets I can think of, and her work is always impeccable, precise and heart-rending. Michael Mlekoday is a teacher of mine, and he, more than anyone else, taught me how to construct an image and how to speak precisely.

TT: Who are some of your favorite poets/authors?

NH: The poets I mentioned above, as well as Nick Flynn, Sharon Olds, Carrie Fountain, Nick Lantz, Matt Rasmussen, Jason Shinder, Franny Choi and Hieu Minh Nguyen.

TT: When did you first begin to turn to poetry as an outlet?

NH: I first started seriously writing when I was 14. I had always written poems, but only occasionally and never for catharsis or therapy. Pretty much every poem I wrote when I was a teenager was terrible, but everyone is bad at art when they first start out.

TT: What types of music do you most listen to/enjoy — favorite band/bands?

NH: I used to be a punk kid, but now I am an awful hipster, so I’m going to give you a few bands in a few different genres. Cool? Cool. Punk/hardcore: The Gaslight Anthem, Crime in Stereo, Against Me!, Modern Life Is War, The Bouncing Souls, The Menzingers, Streetlight Manifesto; country/folk/bluegrass: Lucero, Possessed by Paul James, Crooked Still, Robert Leather, Trampled by Turtles and some radio country, but don’t tell anyone; Motown: Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, James Carr, The Four Tops, Diana effing Ross and the effing Supremes; rock/indie stuff/other stuff: Bruce Springsteen, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Mountain Goats (who also counts as a favorite author because his books are rad), The Horrible Crowes and Jason Anderson. Woof.

TT: Are you interested/involved in any forms of art other than poetry?

NH: I am interested in music, theater and graphic novels, though I have absolutely no skill in any of those genres. I am teaching myself the harmonica. Does that count?

TT: What are some ways in which you feel you’ve grown as a writer?

NH: Oh god, so many ways. … I will just say here how I am trying to grow myself now. I am trying to stay current on what is happening in poetry right now, submit my work to more journals and publications, and push myself to write in more than just my style, which I like to think of as snarky with something to say.

TT: What is your best advice for improving as a writer?

NH: Edit. Never stop editing. Edit until your keyboard breaks. Find a writing community that you love and trust and make them look at a poem 20 times. Along with that, let go of your ego; realize that the people editing your work aren’t trying to put you down or say you aren’t a good writer, they are saying that this particular line right in front of them isn’t doing all the work it could be. You’re never going to be perfect, and you certainly aren’t going to be perfect all the time, so allow yourself to write some crappy poems. Even if you come up with a line that is the corniest line in all the land, let yourself write it because it might lead you to the best line in the poem.

TT: How do you see yourself/hope to see yourself progress as an artist?

NH: I would love to spend more time touring professionally, and long-term I would love to be a professor and also an editor at a poetry press. I also have a goal to be the hands-down funniest poet alive, so tell Jeffrey McDaniel and Tony Hoagland I am coming for them.

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Photo Courtesy Mike Dubin
Former Dashboard Confessional lead singer Chris Carrabba (second from right) and bandmates brought together a multitude of instruments and influences to open for Augustana at the TLA May 18 and tour their first studio album, “Twin Forks.”

Coming off of the success of his previous band, Dashboard Confessional, Chris Carrabba started Twin Forks, an upbeat indie folk ensemble, in order to create a sound derived from his earlier musical influences.

In an interview prior to Twin Forks’ performance at the Theatre of Living Arts May 18, Carrabba mentioned some artists whose influence can be found in his new project. The band’s sound is comprised of motifs similar to those heard in Dashboard Confessional as well as Paul Simon, The Everly Brothers and Woody Guthrie.

“Specifically Lindsey Buckingham’s guitar playing … I had already taken the influence of the melodies in my writing for most of my life and now I’m embracing the parameters and the song structures and the delivery of the style of guitar playing,” Carrabba commented on the specifics functions that the aforementioned bands served in molding Twin Forks’ new self-titled album.

Combined with the unique timbre of Carrabba’s voice, that is so prominent in both his past and present musical endeavors, the incorporation of more mature and classic folk influences perfectly reflects the evident metamorphosis of Carrabba’s career, as well as the distinct youthful and modern aspects of his ever-developing musical style.

Opening for Augustana at the TLA, Twin Forks performed charismatically and drew both enthusiasm and interest from their primarily young adult audience. While it’s never easy to win over an unfamiliar audience as an opening act, Augustana’s similarity to Carrabba’s previous musical endeavors didn’t hurt the band’s chances at doing so. The more mature indie-folk hybrid definitely seemed like something that would appeal to those who may have outgrown Dashboard Confessional’s more pop-punk vibe. Regardless of their favorable chances, Twin Forks preformed their 45-minute set with the confidence of a headliner, and by the end of their performance the crowd acted as though that’s what they were.

While parts of the band’s style can be attributed to Carrabba’s desire to play something more similar to his musical roots, Twin Forks’ sound, unlike that of Dashboard Confessional, can also be credited to the more collaborative songs and unique writing method.

“I will generally write a song just a room away from all the other bandmates. I don’t write all of the songs or all bits or all the parts or anything. … But when the band developed an innate understanding of the feeling and meaning of these songs as a band … we stumbled onto what Twin Forks would become. I would record the song quickly after having written it, with vocals and a guitar, we’d take a quick drive, listen to the song two or three times, and then we’d come back to the garage where all the mics were set up and just play it,” Carrabba said.

Carrabba further elaborated on the band’s uniquely impulsive song writing style and the flexibility that is granted from the evanescent and malleable structure of each song at its inception.

“It wasn’t like we were looking for mastery. … You can’t master a song in two listens. … But usually it takes people weeks and months and maybe a year to rehearse before they go to make a record and that’s just not what we wanted to do. We wanted to have an understanding of what the song I had just written was, and that allowed the song to become anything else because it didn’t have the chance to be engendered that way; it didn’t have the chance to be permanent. I had already forgotten what I had intended it to be by the first note we played together. And then it was all surprise — cheering and hollering and stuff all over the place — because we were looking for the opposite of pristine; we were looking for the fire,” he said.

Even more idiosyncratic and unique feature of Twin Forks’ band dynamic can be found in their production process. With each member having been producer to the work of other musicians, working in “a band full of producers” creates an interesting perspective for the band’s bassist and producer Johnathan Clark. Clark works from a perspective that encompasses the opinions and ideas based on the well-trained ear of each member of the band.

“We’re all touching the dials, we’re all configuring the room. … Often times recordings can be pristine; they’re expected to be. Johnathan’s whole idea was to find out how it could sound better than the band playing for you in a live setting. So that’s what we tried to do. A lot of it was him defining the sonic template of the record. One thing I admire is that when someone makes a mistake [during a recording], unless Johnathan gives you the signal to stop, you just keep going. And he’ll tell you that you didn’t play it wrong, you played it differently. He’s very high-minded in his musicality. If I play A that was supposed to be an A flat, he’s already thinking of horn parts or mandolin parts to go with it. And that’s the way it’s always been. He was just waiting for someone to make the accident,” Carrabba said.

Emphasizing the importance of having all of the recorded instruments live within one tracking session, Carrabba mentioned the various instruments that can be found in the Twin Forks arsenal. Mandolin, banjo, violin and trumpet parts are incorporated into a number of songs. The band also transfers the numerous parts to their live performances

From their professional and eager demeanor during their performance at the TLA, it’s clear that the Twin Forks is ready for a larger stage. With a balanced and clean sound that only comes from experience, the band members demonstrated their ability to adhere to their own style in a live setting, as well as the capability to sound just as good, if not better than their recording.

The band exhibits an ability to accurately and passionately represent classic folk music in a more modern way, and their songs consists of a poignant culmination of two genres, rather than the more insipid version of folk that are commonly incorporated into different genres music. The fervid and broad chorus vocals and expertly incorporated folk instruments lent to a successful performance for Twin Forks. Hopefully future audiences will be able to spread the fire that this indie folk band has found.

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Photo Courtesy Porches.
Aaron Maine (left) and Greta Kline (right) make up the vocals, guitar, and base of Porches., and provide the story that inspires their newest album “Slow Dance in the Cosmos.”

At this point, we’ve all heard ambient synthesizers and ethereal reverberation in indie music. Archetypal male lead singers with unrefined vocals predictably dominate mic stands, and lofty female harmonies aren’t exactly difficult to come by either. By incorporating all of these things, Porches. could seem like a band with little new content to offer, but they’ve somehow combined these ordinary things into a uniquely authentic sound and message that will make you feel like you’re hearing music for the first time again.

Perfectly translating their spacey, lo-fi masterpiece “Slow Dance in the Cosmos” to a more rock-based version of itself, Porches., a New York band on the rise, played Golden Tea House March 30. On guitar and vocals, Aaron Maine swallowed the audience with the profound honesty of his autobiographical and straight-shooting lyrics. Bassist Greta Kline picked up harmonies with impeccable timing and digression, never allowing needlessness to soil the celestial juxtaposition of her airy vocals and Maine’s scratchy but inviting timbre. Maine later commented on the calculated and all-encompassing simplicity of their style, “I want it to sound clean and tight and powerful. … I don’t like stuff that’s too flashy. … I’m really into breaking stuff down and dissecting what I think of as a pop song and making it minimal; just having each part do exactly what it’s supposed to do, and no more, and no less.”

No one guitar part stands out significantly, and there are no impressive drum solos to be heard in the Porches. set. Rather, Maine incorporates every color of paint on his musical palette in order to meticulously create a picture that is neither abstract nor still-life. Even the perfect amount of silence seems to be incorporated throughout each wall of sound. “Headsgiving,” for example, includes a simple but catchy bass intro whose minimalism is the perfect counterpart to the enveloping synth effect that follows, making this song a definite crowd-pleaser.

Maine, the founder of Porches., released the band’s first EP in January 2011 after wading through a few token first-attempt bands such as Aaron Maine and the Reilly Brothers and Space Ghost Cowboys. Porches. settled on their current roster after  the addition of Kline, whose project Frankie Cosmos features Maine on the drums. Their most recent album includes constant allusions to Frankie and Ronnie, the somewhat removed alter egos of Kline and Maine, whose story provide snapshots in time that weave the theme for “Slow Dance in The Cosmos.” With a unique continuity and interrelatedness that reinforces the personal but engaging lyrics, many of the songs on the album narrate Maine’s personal experiences, frequently inspired by New York City and Kline.

Maine commented on the characters of Frankie and Ronnie that live within his music, “We’ve been calling each other Frank and Ron for, like, two years now. It’s just nice to separate your personal life and your music even if it’s just by not calling each other our actual names. It’s just like a little piece of glass that makes it not too personal, or fictional to the point where you can exaggerate stuff for the sake of the narrative of the song. I don’t think either of us really pays too much attention to the story as a whole. I don’t know. It’s just kind of fun to have a moniker to remove your art from your personal life.”

He later said, “A lot of it I did write when me and Greta were first starting to hang out and first dating and stuff, so I think a lot of it is inspired by being in love or falling in love and the trials, and from my experience, the bad. It was written over a long period of time, too. There’s a vague narrative. I don’t really think you could put it into words. But to me it feels, symbolism-wise, like there’s a line that runs through the record. It’s not so tangible but … I don’t know.”

The band played some unreleased songs at their Golden Tea House show, which seemed to maintain Porches.’ dark undertones and calculated balance in color while also incorporating some more energetic ‘80s sounds.

As the primary songwriter of the group, Maine commented on this stylistic progression, “I’m definitely attracted to [‘80s music]; I do want to try to steer clear from having [the new album] sound like, you know, ‘80s revivalist kind of record because that’s really popular these days. But I have been listening to some more, like, ‘90s, R&B and house music stuff too. … It’s stuff that I’m really drawn to that I’ve had no experience with before, so I’ve just been experimenting with using different drum machines. Blood Orange has been a huge inspiration lately as well in terms of song writing and production. I’m attracted to electronic music and the ‘80s vibe and sound but I’m going to try and keep it fresh and unique as well.”

This new material was received with open arms by Philadelphia fans, who seemed to have reacted in a way that the artist would have wanted. “I’m thinking about this new stuff we’ve been working on and I want people to feel cool when they listen to it, and I want people to dance to it and just not feel angsty and start a mosh pit. … I want people to get down,” Maine said.

When asked what he sees for the future, Maine said, with an outlook reflective of his balanced and focused musical style, that “A lot of great records and good art is all I can hope for”. With seeds of artistic progression in place through Porches.’ new material, and an arsenal of poignantly undefinable songs on which the band has built their rock-solid base, all the pieces are in motion for something big. Now all we have to do is stay tuned and wait for the next move.

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Photo Courtesy Rukkus.com
Annie Clark (pictured) is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who goes by the stage name St. Vincent. Clark’s self-titled fourth album was released Feb. 25 and features the single “Birth in Reverse.”

After streaming her new album for free the week prior to its release, Annie Clark, or St. Vincent, debuted her fifth studio album Feb. 25. The 11 tracks from the self-titled album vary significantly in their instrumentation and emotion, but still come together to create one cohesive work.

Clark released her first album in 2007, titled “Marry Me,” and has since created four more albums in only seven years. The creation of “St. Vincent” began three days after the end of Clark’s tour with Talking Heads alum David Byrne. The album illustrates a progression of the heavier sound that has developed throughout her discography while maintaining an impressive degree of balance in almost every regard.

While each song contains prominent sounds varying from funk horns to Clark’s signature fuzz guitar, this record, like her others, showcases her melodic voice with poignant but ambiguous lyrics, without overshadowing the album’s carefully constructed arrangements. Each track feels full, as the ambient, reverb-filled synths provide a smooth background to contrast the strong beats and jagged guitar interpolations. These characteristics reflect the overall balance of “St. Vincent” and create a calculated equilibrium in the makeup of each song, as well as in the album as a whole. The emotions of this album shrewdly counterbalance each other as well, due to fact that they are arranged among each other in a way that transitions smoothly, regardless of their emotional diversity. This, coupled with the intrinsic catchiness woven throughout “St. Vincent,” makes the album a fascinating and pleasurable listen, good for both casual and analytical enjoyment.

In an industry that is currently lacking in female innovators, Annie Clark is fearlessly spearheading experimentation in modern song composition. With her new album, Clark reinforces a recent trend in independent music that consists of an ever-increasing complexity in the makeup of songs with the inclusion of a large variety of analogue and digital instruments. Reminiscent of sounds resulting from the emergence of synthesizers in the 1980s, St. Vincent used her new album to put her own touch on a recent trend showcased by artists such as Vampire Weekend and Arcade Fire.

Although “St. Vincent” includes an impressive amount of balance, this can at times be a detriment, as the album lacks in dynamics, the result of a stifling degree of volume compression. On top of this, the album’s digital attributes cause it to sound somewhat cold and metallic at times, despite the inkling of warmth lent by Clark’s signature guitar distortions. Perhaps due to technological innovations, there were times when this album felt impersonal and robotic. Providing yet another example of Clark’s uncanny knack for balance, “St. Vincent” raises the question of whether or not the hyper production and mastering that goes into innovative albums such as this one, and others like it, is caustic to the respective album’s overall authenticity and dynamic.

With her new Madonna-meets-Bjork look and sound, St. Vincent’s self-titled album is diverse and clever. Her integration of each unique aspect of this album is meticulously counterbalanced in a way that lends an intelligent and inventive feel to Clark’s highly anticipated release. Though its reflection of the music industry’s digitalization left some songs lacking in warmth, “St. Vincent” is an interesting and cohesive album that has definitely reinforced the push for musical innovation.

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“People have [different] sides to them; I don’t know why music can’t and why a band can’t,” frontman Honus Honus contemplated while sitting on the curb outside of Union Transfer before Man Man’s sold-out Halloween show. Eclectic and down to earth, Honus shed some light on the band’s unique sounds, onstage rituals and plans for the future. Native to Philadelphia, Man Man has a style that ranges from a sound resembling cheery doo-wop to something much darker, though its songs usually lie somewhere between the two.

“I don’t know why we can’t have a song that’s playful and depressing at the same time,” Honus said. While some may think that Man Man’s inability to fit into a category could hinder the band’s success, it’s a factor that sets it apart from almost every other group out there. That, and the rusty “love-it-or-hate-it voice” that each song is centered around, creates a completely unique and somewhat unrefined aura that transfers easily to their exciting live performances. Even though its sound was unusual, both its music and performance were relatable and ceaselessly enrapturing. Honus captured the band’s essence, saying, “I don’t think we made it easy for ourselves by naming ourselves Man Man and having obscure album titles and strange stage names. But I think if we can get you in the door, you’ll stick around.”

When asked about the band’s unique Eastern European carnival sound, Man Man’s lead singer, songwriter and keyboardist gave an unexpected but very fitting answer. Honus stated that “a lot of sound effects tapes like the sounds of whales and Halloween sounds and some doo-wop” sparked hits like “Engwish Bwudd” and “Piranhas Club.” Man Man’s new album, “On Oni Pond,” released Sept. 6, embraces its dark carnival-esque sound while adding some new dimensions of pop that translate well onstage and lend an infectious quality to its music in a live performance atmosphere. Preceded by Hell Shovel, Melt-Banana, and King Khan and the Shrines, Man Man started its Halloween show cloaked in festive attire, more than ready to mesmerize the crowd with its unique performance. Frequently leaving his keyboard to dance across the stage, Honus commanded his audience and told a story with each song. Without a still body in the venue, Man Man played through its set, never stopping to take a break or speak to the crowd. As the energy steadily climbed throughout the show, Honus incorporated different costumes to “get into character for a song.” Clarifying one of the many oddities that one would witness at a Man Man show, Honus explained that it “helps invest me more fully in the song if I’m uncomfortably dressed in an outfit that I would otherwise never wear,” because he “like[s] stepping beyond [his] comfort level.” Though these tactics are unusual, venues packed with lyric-reciting fans prove that in the case of this band, being strange may not always be a bad thing.

As for the band’s future, it seems to grow with every album, consistently incorporating new instruments, sound effects and styles to keep its music in a constantly progressive state. When asked about the band’s future, Honus surmised that it still “[has] another record in [it] at least.” Though he couldn’t quite say what was in store for the band’s musical dynamic, he reinforced the musical innovation that Man Man has shown throughout its five studio albums, thoughtfully saying, “You know, you [have to] change the strings every so often, otherwise the tune sounds stale.”

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