This interview is from our December 2011 issue. The full issue is available for download.

If Tokyo Police Club isn’t one of your favorite bands already, they will be. These Ontario, Canada natives are shaking up the music scene with their catchy beats and infectious lyrics. If their name sounds familiar, you might remember them from last month’s concert, held on our very own Carnegie Mellon campus (a special shout-out to AB Concerts for setting up the event). The Cut had a chance to hang out with vocalist/bassist David Monks, keyboardist Graham Wright, drummer Greg Alsop, and guitarist Josh Hook before their Carnegie Mellon performance. Check out this interview with the band as they discuss their current music projects, their growing confidence as musicians, and their ambitious plans for the future.

The Cut: I read that the name Tokyo Police Club was created as a combination of the most famous band names. I’d say it’s working out pretty well for you guys so far. What else do you think has helped with your success?

David Monks: We’ve always been friends for a long time, so that was an easy start. [pauses] I’m sorry, I have goldfish in my mouth.
Graham Wright: Actually, you have organic cheddar bunnies in your mouth with no affiliation to the trademark goldfish brand crackers! Seriously though, we wrote good songs and toured a lot.
Greg Alsop: And we were in the right place at a lot of the right times.

The Cut: TPC is pretty consistent with releasing new material and touring. Do you guys ever feel like you’re going to burn out soon?

DM: We definitely verge on it sometimes and definitely do a lot of work.
GW: It works pretty good. When you burn out touring, it’s usually around the time you’re done touring anyway, and then you write songs, which is exciting and different. Then when you burn out writing songs, it’s time to tour again.
GA: There’s enough variation that you don’t get too exhausted. We’re at a privileged place where we can make our own schedule sometimes.

The Cut: Your latest release was the 10x10x10 project. Can you talk about how this project started and why you choose some of the songs that you did (songs by Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Eat World, Kelly Clarkson, The Strokes)?

GW: It was our label’s idea, and then we did it eventually once we burned out on tour and we thought, “Let’s go record covers, we’ve never done that before.” We picked songs that we liked, then our manager was like, “Now go pick songs that you like and that people know.” It was kind of a headachey process, and there were a trillion emails sent around, but by the time it was finished it just kind of all made sense.

The Cut: Did you have to check with the artists if you could use their songs?

GW: I don’t even know if we did. I think we tried to, to be nice, but you don’t have to. As long as you pay them, they can’t stop you. I read this article about how Kid Rock didn’t want to put his songs on iTunes, so people would cover Kid Rock songs and put them on iTunes!
GA: That’s how you can find Garth Brooks on iTunes. His stuff is not on iTunes, but there’s a million karaoke versions and tributes to Garth Brooks on there.
GW: It all happened in one encapsulated thing, though, where we were doing it and talking about it a lot, and then as soon as it ended it kind of left my brain forever.

The Cut: Do you guys ever play any of the cover songs live?

GW:  We talk about it a lot, but we haven’t really gotten our act together to do it.
DM: It seems like a prospect of learning the songs again, because I don’t remember them.

The Cut: Too bad! So there’s no “Party in the USA” tonight?

GW: Oh, there will be a party in the United States tonight!

The Cut: For the album Champ, you guys set up an open time period to complete the record. Are you planning to do the same with the current record you’re working on?

DM: The new record seems to be that way. We want to get it out there.
GA: We started this last week, and we’re making really good headway on it. I think our writing process has changed a lot, and we’re just a lot more confident now out of the gate.
GW: That being said—we did say that when we were writing Champ.
GA: Did we?
GW: Yeah, we were like “We’re just more confident now!”

The Cut: You guys are just going to keep getting more confident. Unless there’s a limit to this confidence?

GW: Well, I figured it out. Greg and I were talking about this yesterday, because our first two records we just wrote basically verses and choruses, and that was it all the time. Then for Champ we started using bridges, and breakdowns, and stuff like that. It was like when you get drunk for the first time and you don’t know what to do, so you just get wasted and fuck everything up. We were like, “There were 20 bridges in this song and it was awesome!” Now we kind of learned how to moderate ourselves and put things were they belong.

The Cut: Then the more confidence you have as a musician, the more you’re willing to break your own rules. Is there new stuff you guys are going to try with the new material?
GW: I feel like every song we’ve ever done, we try something we haven’t done before. It’s probably too negligible for anyone to even notice. I’m pretty easily bored, so I try to change stuff up as much as I can. Then sometimes you change it up too much and you have to go reel it in—it’s part of the process.

The Cut: Your music is extremely catchy, and the lyrics aren’t like anything I’ve heard—which is a good thing. What’s your writing process like?

DM: It’s weird. Normally the lyrics all come out, and then I take it to the the band and we write the song around it. This time it’s been both at the same time, the lyrics are coming out with the music. Then one day we’ll go in and decide, “Oh, what we actually need here is a part that feels like x or y.” We run through Monday to Friday three hours a day, so it’s really short practices. Then you go home, think about the music, and reflect.

The Cut: TPC has played with a ton of bands and toured a ton of places. What are some things you still want to do as a band, but haven’t gotten to yet?

GA: I would love to go to Hawaii and Australia.
GW: We did Australia once, but we want to play there again. It’s the best because it’s not big enough that you can play that many shows – it’s just impossible – but it’s expensive enough to go there that you have to spend time there. So, you end up having a lot of time off consequently. And Australians are extremely fun people, so it just ends up being non-stop enjoyment. And you see animals that don’t exist. And you’re being poisoned by everything.
GA: Wait, which Dakota has Mount Rushmore?
GW: We wanna play near or on Mount Rushmore.
GA: Yeah, right on Lincoln’s face!
GW: And Eastern Europe!
GA: Eastern Europe would be amazing to visit. I don’t know what our draw would be there, though.
GW: They kidnap sound guys over there. Our friend had a friend who did sound, and he was there on tour with the band and he got kidnapped, taken to another show, forced to do sound, and then returned. I think it was in Russia. Isn’t that awesome? Russia is such an awesome country.

The Cut: I think bands are sometimes viewed as “rock gods” or put on a pedestal by fans. Have you guys ever experienced this skewed perception?

DM: We’re pretty good at just being normal. I think we try to break that down, because I feel like the “rock star” idea seems outdated. It’s just not there anymore, which is cool.
GW: And I can’t imagine that would be fun. It’s fun for me to say dumb bullshit on the Internet. It would not be fun for me to maintain an illusion all the time.
GA: It’s easy to be yourself, just a person.

The Cut: Some of you dropped out of college to pursue music fully, and tonight you get to perform for an entire university. Did you ever hesitate when you made the decision to pursue your dreams, and if so, what made you just go for it?

DM: I think I was the one who dropped out with bravado. Looking back, I was in freshman year and it was as fun as school is when you would rather not be doing schoolwork. That’s how fun it was. When I left I was like, “I really should have thought about that more,” but then the band got going and stuff, which was fine. But even then, I’m surprised by myself that I did that. A year ago, that was my opinion. And the last year I’ve been like, “No no, it was for the best.”
GW: We were pretty headstrong about it. I think that ties into your first question about keys to success. In the beginning we just charged forward with no regard for common sense or anything. We probably made a bunch of rash, stupid decisions that were only proven to be not stupid by a lot of hard work and being good, but also by a few lucky strokes. That’s part of it—I feel like if you’re crazy enough to try and be in a successful band, and pull punches and go balls out and do it, it’s actually pretty good odds. Most people aren’t crazy enough to do that. Once you have to get beyond that cliff, and you’re still running in the air without looking down, the field narrows really quickly.

This article is from our December 2011 issue. The full issue is available for download.

Fitz and the Tantrums were thrust into the music spotlight with a whirlwind of success and exposure since their humble beginnings in 2008. The dapper retro-style group makes its voice heard through its unique pop sound and irresistible beats. Michael Fitzpatrick (Fitz) wails out their repertoire along with the spunky Noelle Scaggs. James King soulfully adds the sounds of saxophone, flute, trumpet, and harmonica while Joseph Karnes, Jeremy Ruzumna, and John Wicks join with bass guitar, keyboards, and percussion, respectively. I spoke on the phone with King as the band traveled to North Carolina.

King met Fitz at the California Institute of Art in Los Angeles, where the band originated. The school was a conservatory-type institution for art, dance, music, and a variety of other creative disciplines. At the time, Fitz was part of the film program and studying to become a director while King was in the jazz performance program. “I always saw him hanging around in the music department,” King laughed. “I thought, ‘What’s this guy doing here?’ I’m sure there were film classes going on, but it turned out that he was more interested in music.” The two remained friends, and when King got a call asking him to lay down horn tracks on some new pieces Fitz had created, he was immediately on board.

These pieces would later become the preliminary tracks for Fitz and the Tantrums. As good friends as they were, King admitted, “Had I not thought that the songs had a life and potential, I would have stuck with it… I really believed in those songs.” His musical intuitions were further supported with the addition of the animated Noelle Scaggs. King had worked with her on a couple of hip-hop and film projects, and knew that she would “fit right in” with the group. The other musicians were all acquaintances and had previously worked with each other. “We knew each other going in, which is a great advantage,” King commented. “It’s one of those things where it kind of melted together the way you wanted it to right away.” The cohesion of the band led to the natural development of their unique approach to music.

Fitz and the Tantrums’ music has a style all its own. The band takes a 60s vibe and modernizes it into a sound that can only be described as addictive. King claims that Motown and the retro mid-60s and 50s were certainly a jumping off point for the group. He revealed they are “kind of rolling all these influences into something we feel is current and needed right now.” As a saxophone player he has been trained to embody this type of music. The soulful melodies that the band has become known for are right up his alley.

In terms of style, he claimed that really good songwriting creates the notable “style” of the music that they play. He elaborated that artists like David Bowie and the movement of new age 80s music inspire the lyrical prowess of the group. They believe that good songwriting is really worth the time and effort. “Even if we’re doing that just a little bit, then we’re doing what we’re supposed to,” said King. “People can take out of our music whatever they want. There’s a lot in there.”
Their broad range of support proves that people do just that. The band’s concerts attract a broad mix of ages, styles, and attitudes towards music. “It’s kind of all over the map,” King commented. “I’ve been really impressed with the wide demographic of people that we’ve drawn.” In the past he has played with hip-hop, funk, and other genres that tend to draw a very specific following. He shared, “We had a show in Philly where there was actually three generations of a family that had come out, and they had all independently been interested in our music.” The mixed crowd coming together around music is a heartwarming experience for the entire group.

This large following is not surprising, because when these individuals get on stage, they move with power. Scaggs and Fitz interact and groove to the music with seemingly unlimited energy while the other musicians play with a more collected concentration and nearly perfect rhythm. King revealed that the key to their energy is “lots of red bull and five hour energy” along with the vibes from the audience. He claimed that it feels like the audience “powers them up” so that they can really get into the music.

The group recorded their debut album Pickin’ Up the Pieces, a funky collection of hand-clapping, energetic songs, in Fitz’s living room. Some of the most popular tracks are “MoneyGrabber,” a fast-paced number with vibrant horns and a catchy chorus, and “Don’t Gotta Work It Out,” a slightly slower piece showing off the silky voices of both Fitz and Scaggs. Recording songs like these in a home studio allowed them to spend hours cutting the album and perfecting the smallest details while recording. This home court advantage worked in their favor when the album was released in June 2010 and made its way to number one on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. Most recently, they have performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and are currently touring around the United States.

As Fitz and the Tantrums tour, their album continues to grow. “It really had kind of morphed into a different thing,” said King, referring to their time spent with these songs. While performing, King uses his expertise to experiment with the music and pick out which pieces of the recorded numbers are most crucial to play live, whether it’s the harmony with the keyboard player or a specific rhythmic pattern that gets the crowd jumping. Playing live shows for so many audiences allows the songs to take on a different life as the band notes the crowd’s responses. “They translate into a different piece of art,” King said. “It’s really satisfying to have that contact with an audience.” The group will often go back and listen to their music only to realize that the songs have completely transformed.

When asked about the whirlwind of fame surrounding the Tantrums, King could only respond, “I couldn’t have imagined that it would have caught fire this fast.” The entire group is surprised and honored every day with the momentum of their music. Currently they are focusing on giving the best performances they can while brainstorming and writing their second record with any free time they can find, whether this be during sound checks or travel. They will be in studio recording their sophomore album in early 2012.

This interview is from our December 2011 issue. The full issue is available for download.

State Radio, the hard rock/reggae trio from Sherborn, Massachusetts, came to Pittsburgh in November on their fall 2011 tour. The band consists of Chadwick Stokes of Dispatch (guitar, lead vocals), Mike “Mad Dog” Najaran (drums), and Chuck Fay (bass). The Cut had a chance to speak with Stokes earlier in the month when they road tripped through New England about the band’s passion for activism, their views on current events, and their unique experiences as a band.

The Cut: You have long spoken out against the death penalty, especially in reference to the Troy Davis case in Georgia. You even wrote the song “State of Georgia” about him. He was executed on September 21 of this year after spending 20 years on death row, despite shaky testimony and a petition for clemency signed by over 600,000 people, including Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and former president Jimmy Carter. What is your opinion on this?

Chad Stokes: So sad, about Troy. I almost can’t believe it really happened—it was a court system that didn’t seem to care that there was an innocent man on death row. The fact that they actually went through with the execution, I can’t even believe it. I think that more than anything I’m saddened by the situation. I just hope that cases like Troy’s raise so much awareness, grief, and frustration that eventually this country decides to not support the death penalty.

The Cut: State Radio is well-known for its social awareness. On your website, it says, “Most bands have touring schedules. State Radio has an action calendar.” What service projects are on tap for this tour?

CS: This tour, we tried to do a 5K in the snow in Northampton, but the police shut us down because people would have been running while the power was out, and there was a foot of snow on the ground. That was to raise awareness and money for shelters in Afghanistan for women. Just the other day we were in Burlington, at Occupy Burlington, and we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the occupiers. We are also meeting up with OXFAM to do some letter writing campaigns because a bunch of programs in the Federal budget that are usually in charge of taking care of poverty and hunger, are in danger of being cut. So we’re concerned about those and we’re writing letters to our congressman. We go into a lot of cities and team up with this organization called Dress for Success, which helps women get dressed up for job interviews, and we’ll probably be doing that as well.

The Cut: What is your opinion of the Occupy Wall Street protests happening across the country?

CS: I’m so inspired by it. Times have gotten so tough that people are actually sacrificing their daily lives to make a stand in the center of our cities all over the country, and even globally. I’m really excited. If this movement can keep getting traction, then hopefully the one percent, Wall Street and Washington, will take notice.

The Cut: You began your career with the band Dispatch, who just released their first EP since 2000, and toured in support of Amplify Education over the summer. You also have a solo career, and are releasing a live album, along with a studio album, Simmerkane II. How does this other work fit in with State Radio?

CS: I had a bunch of songs that were more personal songs about growing up on a small farm in Massachusetts, and they didn’t really feel like they fit the whole State Radio thing. So I got a band together with my brother and a couple of friends, and we just went out on the road for the first time about a month ago. It’s hard to squeeze everything in, because we’re trying to finish a new State Radio record and we’re also working on a Dispatch record. A lot is going on, but it’s all been really fun. It keeps each project really fresh, just because they’re all so different.

The Cut: Crows are a theme in much of your music, such as in the album Year of the Crow, and in the song “Calling All Crows,” as well as in your charitable group the Calling All Crows foundation. What is the significance of crows in your music?

CS: I think crows are, not to bring another animal into it, the underdogs of the world. They’re very smart and very family-oriented. I think that maybe crows and elephants are two of the few species out there that mourn their dead, so they have this spirituality and brainpower to them that’s inspiring. Crows to me seem like the regular people—we’re rising up against the eagles.

The Cut: You talked a little about State Radio’s upcoming album. Would you like to tell us more about it?

CS: Yeah, actually we’ve been working on it for a while; we’re almost done. We might release a song this week just to get some new music out there. I think it’s the most rocking and heaviest album we’ve ever done. We’ve got a lot of classics going on that I thought Mad Dog and Chuck would really dig. Those guys just play so well on this album, with their energy and the way that they play—the sound is really heavy and cool.

The Cut: You guys are playing in Pittsburgh at Mr. Smalls and I’m excited for the show. Have you ever played there before?

CS: We love playing Pittsburgh. Mr. Smalls—it’s so creepy there. They used to have us sleep there, but they don’t let bands stay there anymore. It’s an old church and upstairs where the band quarters are, there are old confessional booths and crosses everywhere. You’re basically staying where the priests used to sleep. It’s got an interesting vibe, definitely haunted. It’s cool though.

The Cut: It also says on your website that your dream is to hop freights to gigs around the country. Are you planning on going through with this at some point?

CS: Well, I hop freights in this country quite a bit. I’ve talked to people, a guy who’s done it in France a bunch, but it was like 15 years ago. I’m not sure what it’s like over there. Something about breaking the law in other countries is a little bit more intimidating than doing it here. We did jump trains when we toured with Rage Against the Machine out in Colorado a couple of years ago, which pretty much was my dream. Just the other day we jumped off of a train into a river, which was another little dream of mine. I guess the thing with jumping trains is that you can’t really have a schedule because sometimes you’re in the train yard for like 30 hours just sitting in the woods waiting for your train to come. If people were cool with waiting 30 hours at certain venues that would be cool, either that or they just come to the train yards and we play for them there—as long as they’re okay with me taking off mid-song.

This article is from our December 2011 issue. The full issue is available for download.

Lo-fi indie rockers Real Estate have had a busy couple of years. Since the release of their self-titled album in 2009, they’ve blown up in the blog world and have been touring and recording nonstop. A couple of weeks ago, The Cut had a chance to chat with Alex Bleeker, bassist and vocalist, about recording their sophomore album, Days, touring with Big Troubles, and what the band does in their free time.

“The writing process [for Days] happened really organically, because it just sort of happened over time,” said Bleeker. “When we started touring with the first record, those songs had already been written for something like eight months, and so as soon as we started touring the first record, we started writing new songs. So it was really a process of like two years compiling them all together for the record.”

He added, “Recording-wise, it was very different [than our first album] because we went for a more professional-style studio and we had a producer with us. So that was different from our first album, which was all home recorded.”

Days was released on October 18 of this year, and the band has been touring around the UK and US since then. While on tour, the band members have been spending their downtime playing games on their iPhones. “We like to play different games together, at the same time. Like right now we’re all into Need for Speed and a couple people really like Race Penguin,” said Bleeker.

They have also been spending time with the members of Big Troubles, whom they’ve known since high school. “They’re a few years younger than us, but they’re from the same town. We didn’t become really good friends until the last couple of years,” said Bleeker. “We’re getting along with them really well; we hang out all the time. Every night we just joke around all the time. We love their music, and they’re really great guys. It’s been going really well.”

According to Bleeker, “Writing sometimes happens [while touring], mainly during sound-checks and stuff. We’ll all just be jamming and somebody will be playing something that we like, and we’ll just turn it into a song later down the road. That’s happened a couple of times before.”

The band has played at all sorts of venues: from big, well-known spaces like Webster Hall in New York to places like Garfield Artworks here in Pittsburgh. Bleeker doesn’t have a preference; he just wants to play “wherever the best show is going to be for us that night.” Commenting on the variety of venues they play, Bleeker said, “Garfield Artworks is sort of a DIY sort of club, which will be a welcome break for us on this tour because we’re playing a lot bigger clubs. It has a more unique feel.”

The band has a growing fanbase, and their music has been slowly evolving to a more developed sound in the past couple of years. The press release for Days called the album a “coming of age” record. According to Bleeker, the phrase is referring to both the band members personally and the music they create together. “We’ve grown up as people, and the music has definitely matured.”

This article is from our December 2011 issue. The full issue is available for download.

The members of Boston band The Fates have learned that modern technology and social media can be used to achieve even the most unexpected of dreams.

Even in the current drastically transforming music business, almost every musician ultimately still dreams of one thing: making it big. However, it is the modern means by which some musicians come across fame that has drastically changed. “When I was younger I used to think that a musician got famous by touring the country, playing thousands of unpaid shows, and making the public fall in love with him and his music,” said Beau Cassidy, 20-year-old musician and son of The Partridge Family’s David Cassidy. “This is what my father had to do, and he taught me that this was how the music business worked.”

Despite what his father may have taught him, Cassidy’s experience in the music industry has been radically different. In 2009, Cassidy started a music group called The Fates, which was comprised of friends from both Boston University and Berklee College of Music. Cassidy, Josh Friedman, Jon Green, Tyler LeVander, and Dan Alport, began writing and performing original pop/rock music in venues around Boston and at private gigs. According to pianist Friedman, “the goal was to make this group our job and a reliable career for all of us, but we didn’t expect this to happen anytime soon, or even at all.”

Despite realistic expectations, the boys of The Fates were bombarded with unexpected attention. Over a two-year period, The Fates transformed from a concept to a recognizable name in the Boston music scene. “We didn’t expect to gain any type of immediate following,” said Green, guitarist for The Fates, “And to be perfectly honest, we actually struggled for quite some time just hanging in limbo, writing music in our dorm rooms, and playing a random gig once every five months.”
Ironically enough, fate had a different plan for The Fates. After recognizing and acknowledging that many of today’s most popular musicians have been able to get their start or make their big break through the use of social media tools on the Internet, the members of The Fates created a YouTube channel and began recording and filming covers of popular songs. “A friend of ours named Joe Bissell at Berklee College of Music, was able to gain a following through YouTube,” said LeVander, drummer for The Fates. “Joe recorded several hundred videos of himself covering artists like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Britney Spears. He has a tremendous voice, so we all knew he would be famous some day, and eventually after three years of posting videos and after gaining around 18,000 subscribers, Joe got a headlining gig on Friday nights singing cover songs and original music at Club Zhe in Boston. Joe also won celebrity blogger Perez Hilton’s cover contest—and when that happened, the boys and myself knew we had a great opportunity here to create a hyped Internet presence.

What was different for The Fates, LeVander explained, was that instead of hundreds of videos—they only needed one.

Having observed and analyzed the slow progress of their peers at Berklee, the members of The Fates decided that they would start out by posting high-quality video productions of themselves singing popular cover songs. The group began by recording a rock cover of young pop singer Demi Lovato’s popular song “Skyscraper,” and pairing the music with an in-studio video filmed by their friends who work for SEMIproductions. “After a week,” explained Cassidy, “we had 100,000 views on YouTube.”

After releasing their cover at the height of the original song’s popularity, the band’s recording garnered a level of attention that they never expected. “We had no idea how it happened,” said Cassidy, “but we weren’t about to question it or let the hype surrounding our YouTube video fade.”

A week after their first video was released, the band posted a follow up cover—a rock and roll cover of Katy Perry’s song “Last Friday Night” that got quickly over 60,000 views in less than a week. Soon after, the band’s Twitter account had over 10,000 followers and their Facebook page over 5,000 likes.
Now that they had the public’s attention, it was the opportune time to release some original music. The band recorded a music video for their original song “Photographs” and posted it on their YouTube page. With 20,000 views, the song was received very positively.

“We soon realized that the way we were coming about fame—how fast and unexpected it was—was really unusual,” said Green. “But instead of letting this get to us, we decided as a band to embrace it and exploit it to the best of our abilities.” After booking a gig in Michigan with the popular band HeyHiHello and meeting YouTube sensation and Internet star Meekakitty, the band decided to hire Tessa Violet (the face and personality behind the Meekakitty channel) to produce and record their next music video for their song “Miss America” in Los Angeles.

Given that Meekakitty has 824,000 subscribers on YouTube, and that her videos easily average at around 1,000,000 views each— it wasn’t long before her video of The Fates reached a similar popularity. Following the bands success with Meekakitty, the band teamed up with other YouTube celebrities to further their online fame, including user Nanelew and user Strawberry13, who both have around 500,000 subscribers each.

Since the development of their YouTube fame, The Fates teamed up with Cassidy’s father on a U.S./European tour playing in venues like MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas and the Hammersmith Apollo in London for tens of thousands of attendees. Following the tour, the band released their first EP Drama Dropout with a label in Boston.

“If I’ve learned anything from this experience,” said Cassidy, “It’s that embracing the new and unusual can be a very beneficial thing. I never expected to actually see my dream come true. I had hoped, but I never expected, and I certainly would never expect it to happen like this.” The members of The Fates represent the new celebrity—the naturally talented who make it big not through the assumed typical methods, but through the use and utilization of new technologies.

Check out the Fates on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/thefatesmusic

This article is from our December 2011 issue. The full issue is available for download.

Pittsburgh is home to many local bands. They all want to make it big, but let’s be honest; most of them are terrible. Luckily, I didn’t interview a single one of those bands. Instead, The Cut got to sit down with local band Sweet Earth and find out a little bit more about this five-man jam band.

Today, Sweet Earth is a powerhouse of musical sound powered by five men: Drew Dahmen on keys, guitar, and percussion; Luke Daller on bass guitar and synth bass; Sean Morgan on drum set, percussion, and keys; Christian Hoffman on guitar and keys; and James Mason on drum set, percussion, and guitar. No, you’re reading that right. It is entirely possible that from one song to the next, every member of the band will move to a new instrument, and that’s just the way the band likes it! Christian described the band as making “jam band music. It’s like a mish-mash of all the other genres. That’s the best way I can think to describe it.” The first song might sound like something out of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, the next a hard rock medley, and the next like funk-jazz fusion. Though each song might have its own style to the point that it might even sound like a different band has taken the stage, as Sean put it, “We want you to know you’re listening to Sweet Earth.” If that sounds insane, you’re exactly right, and that’s how they like it! “We want to make music that has no limits,” Sean continued.

However, the Sweet Earth of today is not the same as Sweet Earth from years gone by. The band, originally Luke, Drew, and Sean, was a metal band called Cataclysm. “We were terrible,” Luke admitted. A few years and few new members later, the band was reborn as Sweet Earth, with a sound comparable to Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, “Only our lyrics weren’t as good,” Christian laughed. It was around this time that Sweet Earth recorded and released their first album, Dreams. The album was recorded in eight days. “It was our attempt at making an album,” Christian explained with a little hesitation, “I would take it off of iTunes if I could.” It was in the coming years that Sweet Earth decided to reinvent themselves. Not only did they add a fifth member, James Mason, but they also decided to entirely drop the vocals in their music, choosing to become a purely instrumental band.

Over the last year, Sweet Earth has done a lot of touring with their new sound, appearing at festivals such as the Flood City Music Festival in Johnstown, PA, where they opened for Greg Almond; Rootwire in Logan, Ohio; SummerDance IV, hosted by Lotus; and The Werk Out Music & Arts Festival, hosted by The Werks. “One of the coolest parts,” James reflected, “was getting to perform on stage at a festival we had been at already [before the band formed].” After laughing over a few stories from the different festivals, Luke took a moment to remind everyone, “It’s not all fun.”“We wish we had roadies,” Christian chimed in. “Some of that equipment is heavy!” With a new summer touring season months away, Sweet Earth has returned to Pittsburgh, performing at a number of venues like Rex Theater down on East Carson. The band made sure to point out though that they no longer play their old music, sticking strictly to their new sound, which they plan to debut en mass in early 2012 with the release of what they consider their first legitimate album, Calibration. In a very different approach from Dreams, Calibration was recorded over several months with special attention paid to the flow of the album and how articulate the music sounded. The album will feature
eight of the 16 songs Sweet Earth had originally prepared for the album.“With each song sounding so different, we tried to find which ones actually sounded like they belonged on the same album,” Sean explained. Not to worry, though, the other eight are still being played at gigs, and Sweet Earth assures that they will make it onto an album in the future. “Probably an LP,” Christian added.

While coming off an amazing year, Sweet Earth is already planning their growth into 2012. “We just wanna grow,” Sean explained. “Eventually, we’d even like to have a substantial tour of our own.”The band has even talked about the possibility of relocating to California in an attempt to help Sweet Earth reach the masses. “California is kind of like the promised land,” joked Drew, with Sean adding, “We want to be successful, granted our equipment doesn’t all break first.” One of the band’s biggest initiatives for 2012 is making it into the lineup at the All Good Music Festival.

With all of that said, I can only add that this article does not do justice to Sweet Earth. The band has such a rich story along with an unbelievably versatile sound that captivates and moves everyone listening, that only by seeing them live is it possible to truly appreciate them. If you want a taste of what I’m talking about, checkout Sweet Earth on their website, www.sweetearthmusic.com, or on Myspace. If you like what you hear, I highly suggest seeing them during one of their many shows around Pittsburgh, and if you really like what you hear, Luke, Drew, Sean, Christian, and James all ask for your vote for Sweet Earth to appear at the All Good Music Festival 2012 by going to their website and filling out the All Good “Wish List.”

After this year’s cadre of explosive hip-hop albums, from the meticulously produced Watch the Throne to the soulfully rapped Cole World: The Sideline Story, expectations have permanently risen for albums to come this fall. Drake dominated last year’s hip-hop scene, and he doesn’t hesitate to remind listeners of that fact with his sophomore album, Take Care. The first line on his album begins, “I think I killed everybody in the game last year,” and he demonstrates this unyielding confidence throughout his album, even during several candid, pained confessions about love, success, and family. Though he speaks a lot to his addiction to work and success, Drake’s honest address of the difference between love and sex, jealousy, and the use of alcohol to drown your problems are what make this album’s narrative so potent.

Take Care achieves that keen balance between hip-hop and R&B, between singing and rapping, for which Drake strives. The combination of the two demonstrates the conflict between his confident, proud swagger and the painful regrets which make his tracks meaningful and fresh. Songs like “Marvin’s Room” make common embarrassing activities like drunk dialing into a heartfelt ode to jealousy and loneliness. Drake mixes emotional vulnerability with self-confidence in many ways, painting a vivid portrait of the light and dark sides of fame and success. Drake again demonstrates his masterful flow and adapts to a variety of song styles to demonstrate the difference between his attitude toward a fast-paced, rich lifestyle and his emotional torment, which sometimes curbs his thoughts of ambition.

His illustrious raps are also accompanied by many other notables like Andre 3000, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Rick Ross and, of course, Lil Wayne. These features cement Drake’s celeb status and show that he can stand on his own while other famed artists sing and rap to his credit. He’s so established now that he even takes on the role of introducing new artists to the scene of American hip-hop, like the Canadian singer known as The Weeknd who sings the chorus on Drake’s song, “Crew Love.” Additional tracks like “The Motto,” where the beat alone will make you want to drop what you’re doing and learn to jerk dance, definitely make buying the deluxe edition from iTunes worth it.

Rating: 4.5 scissors

Normally, live albums don’t do much for me. I feel like they’re a less interactive version of a concert and a less polished take on songs we already love. However, Tegan and Sara managed to make their newest album, Get Along, a sassily titled play on their 31 years of sisterhood and 13 years of music making, feel like a greatest hits album with an extra kick. They performed their most well-known songs stripped- down to acoustic guitars and a keyboard, allowing them to inject emotion into each lyric, and give every song a different vibe with the same amount of passion.

While each song is beautiful in its own way, the long stream of unplugged installations can get a little monotonous after a few listens. That being said, it’s interesting to hear different versions of their bigger hits. “I Know I Know I Know” comes across as beautifully intimate with a bigger emphasis on the relationship between the words and the music, which is a marked improvement in my eyes. Similarly, “Back In Your Head” sounds like a different song entirely, as the originally upbeat and fun pop song becomes somber and heartfelt, another example of the intense emotional connection Tegan and Sara create through this gorgeous live album.

Beyond the music itself, the Get Along package contains two mini-documentaries and a video of the live performance that the album was recorded during. This is a jackpot for fans that gives a personal look at Tegan and Sara’s lives surrounding the music they make as well as their lives separate from their work. Although no new material is presented on the album, their unique live performance style will appeal to new listeners as well as die-hard fans who may have heard these songs hundreds of times before.

Rating: 4 scissors

Following the release of her debut album, Lungs, in 2009, Eng- lish singer-songwriter Florence Welch and her backing band, the Machine, received both widespread praise and commercial success. Lungs climbed the US and UK charts, and this success led to award nominations for the group, including the Mercury Prize in 2009 and the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2011. Welch’s uncanny ability to express both vulnerability in her songwriting and raw power in her performance has made her somewhat of an icon, especially in the UK.

With the group’s sophomore effort, Ceremonials, Florence and the Machine reexamines this same juxtaposition of power and vulnerability, albeit with a bit more maturity. While there may not be a standout track in the way that Lungs had “Dog Days Are Over,” there is greater variety in the instrumentation and vocal arrangements, as well as more cohesion in the album as a whole. Using strings, piano, layered vocals, and effects such as reverb on “Breaking Down,” the group creates a vibrant sound rooted in both classical and pop music. Paired with and complimenting these effects is Welch’s voice, which is simultaneously highly emotive and capable of great restraint.

While Ceremonials is a more expansive and mature album than Lungs, it does sacrifice some of the lightheartedness and spontaneity of its predecessor. Of course, what the album loses in this lightness, it gains in emotional complexity and consistency. Every song on Ceremonials carries with it soul and pure power, which come together to make a work of staggering scope. With its ambition and control, this album is a promising development for a boundlessly talented artist.

Rating: 4 scissors

It’s impossible to deny Rihanna’s assumption of the throne as princess of pop for the past half-decade. With her sixth release in six years, Rihanna continues to prove herself with her new album Talk That Talk, as a force to be reckoned with. The record stays true to the carefree confidence that fans have loved since “Pon de Replay,” while also developing the blatant and raw sexual independence and freedom of her last two albums. While it shouldn’t be on your little sister’s wish list, the album’s explicitly unapologetic tone makes it a guilty pleasure.

Her single, “You Da One,” is most reminiscent of past hits, as it highlights her signature blend of Caribbean- infused rhythms and pop. “Where Have You Been” and “We Found Love” featuring Calvin Harris exude extremely infectious dance beats. “Roc Me Out” is infused with a different, sexier rock vibe. She wears her heart on her sleeve with “Drunk on Love,” an anthem with upbeat lyrics and an infectious beat about falling in love.

While “Cockiness” sounds fierce, its unabashed sexuality is more shocking than that of “S&M,” which created an awkward moment while I listened to it in the car with my father. The title track featuring Jay-Z fell flat, unlike their work together that resulted in the monster hit, “Umbrella”.

Rihanna has undoubtedly grown up from the young Barbados girl dancing in sneakers. Although parts of this album sound just like a naughtier follow-up to Loud, Rihanna doesn’t just “talk the talk”, but instead solidifies her position as pop royalty with her sixth release.

Rating: 3 scissors