Under the Radar Magazine

Bon IverM83Albums & Songs of the Year

TOP 80

BEST OF 2011

UNDERRADAR

THE

the solution to music pollution

Corinna Splendoria

S e n i o r E d i t o r

Under the Radar is a magazine for the Indie music lover. Indie music originated in the United Kingdom during the 1950s and 60s and came to the United States shortly after. Today it has become an increasingly popular music genre and continues to grow as technology advances. Under the Radar releases four magazines a year. We acknowledge up and coming artists and feature the more popular, hit artist as well. Each of our issues includes interviews and articles to give you, the reader, a glimpse into the lives of a musician. Our magazine is different than every other because we provide a wide variety of information such as the top albums and songs of the year and insight into how these Indie artists got started, where they are now and their opinions on the music world today.

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STAFFTHE

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Forty-four different musicians are interviewed in this issue and allow insight into what their top albums of the year are, their opinions on Occupy Wall Street, and their insight on their parents’ taste in music. For this issue we also have three different covers, each showcasing a different artist from our top five albums of 2011. Each artist was photographed while on tour: Bon Iver in London, The Horrors in Stockholm, and M83 in New York City. I am eager to see who will make the list next year and what they have to say about the world and

how they are climbing to the top.

wRWendy Redfern C r e a t i v e D i r e c t o r

jE

John Everhart A d v e r t i s i n g

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Robert Gleim W e b A d v e r t i s i n g

5 86 12M83

Percent of Guitarists in the U.S.

2011 Artist Surveys

Most Popular Music GenresSt. Vincent

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13PJ Harvey

171915 23

St. Vincent Anna CalviFlorence and the Machine

The HorrorsPJ Harvey

22Slow Club

M83M83Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the

remarkable dichotomy.

“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from

outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t stopped to this moment.”

Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy. Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83

mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy





“I love making music while having a vl eoMUSIC

film playing in the background, just

Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy. “The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers

and electronic music, and it hasn’t

“Working with these people who worked in the music industry in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, they’re bringing something from that era to my album,” says Gonzalez. “People like Tony and Joey, they brought exactly what I wanted from them. I feel like we all share the same vision. We’re old guys, complaining about how the way music’s listened to sucks these days, and we’re still listening to a lot of old albums, and this is what I wanted to bring to this album. Just a lot coming from different periods.”

Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.

“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved

synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.


synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount

his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.





synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.




Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy. Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.

“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.


“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so

beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t


“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t Having released a string of albums





beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t





beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy. Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.

“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a

I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space.

I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t stopped to this moment.”

“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a never heard before

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“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy. the reckless imagination of youth

“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t Having released a string of albums that simultaneously

sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.

says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful.

Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first

flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.

“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his

first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.

“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped

so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HAYS DAVIS

5

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HAYS DAVIS

Having released a string of albums that simultaneously sound utterly forward-thinking while evoking the rich history of music, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez is able to vividly recount his first flashbulb musical epiphany, which somewhat explains the remarkable dichotomy.

“The first memory I have with music is, I was seven and I saw a TV performance by Jean Michel Jarre,” says Gonzalez. “It was a shock. It was beautiful. He was surrounded by synthesizers, looped so beautiful and futuristically, and it sounded so new for me, something I’d never heard before. It was like music coming from outer space. Beginning then, I’ve loved synthesizers and electronic music, and it hasn’t stopped to this moment.”

With M83’s newest album, the staggering double LP, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, Gonzalez has realized his finest synthesis of that fusion to date. Storm-cloud rumbles of textured guitar squalls blend seamlessly with womblike synth gurgles and ethereal guardian angel lead vocals, conjuring soundscapes that would be a tailor fit to accompany Mars Rover footage.

Film comparisons are nothing new for Gonzalez, an avowed cinephile who often writes music while watching movies with the volume down.

“I love making music while having a film playing in the background, just to have the music match the sound of the film,” he says. “Weirdly, I was watching a lot of the films I loved as a child while making this record like Aguirre: The Wrath of God, the Werner Herzog film with Klaus Kin Much of Gonzalez’s early artistic development was galvanized by his older brother Yann (no a film director and musical collaborator of Anthony’s) who exposed him at an early age to

“He knows every story about every director,” laughs Gonzalez. “Very young, I was watching experimental films by directors like Kenneth Anger, and I loved horror B-movies by directors like Dario Argento. I listened to a lot of soundtracks as well. I really liked Vangelis [Blade Runner, Chariots of Fire].”

Yann also exposed his younger brother to a litany of obscure bands during Anthony’s pre-teen years.

“I’m just lucky to have an older brother that introduced me to the best bands at a very young age,” Gonzalez says. “I started to listen to Krautrock music when I was 12. I felt lucky to be able to discover so many great artists because of him. I grew up musically almost because of him.”

Gonzalez’s musical development continued to accelerate at a pace belying his years. He learned to play piano as a child at his mother’s behest, but began playing guitar at the age of 12, and formed bands in his early teen years.

“I was really into electronic music, but when I was 14 I really started to discover rock music like Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth, and I started to play in bands and experiment with more electric sounds,” says Gonzalez. “Later, when I was 17 or 18, I started working by myself in my own bedroom doing fourtrack recording.”

This approach led to Gonzalez’s first proper LP, M83, in 2001, a work he’s clearly not proud of and is reluctant to discuss. But it provided the template for his watershed moment, 2003’s modern shoegaze classic Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, and all

“I wasn’t confident at times,

and felt like I was going in

the wrong direction”

6

to me. In this new city, it’s almost very familiar, because you see Los Angeles in so many movies and so many documentaries, and it was like I was finally meeting with an old friend and we were finally reunited. I felt awesome, and I think the sound of the album would’ve been different elsewhere.”

But the process wasn’t always purely sanguine. “There were mixed emotions,” he confesses. “I wasn’t confident at times, and felt like I was going in the wrong direction, and at other times I felt like the best musician on the entire planet and I felt great about myself and that I could conquer mountains and planets and go very far. It’s like the story of my life. You’re super confident about yourself, and sometimes you feel like shit and you’re an asshole and a liar. And that’s what makes the beauty of this album. There’s this kind of innocence, being scared of the world out there and the people. This translates very well. A dream-like feeling with an urgency and fear also.”

Gonzalez’s fears were allayed to some degree by the high-profile musicians featured on the album. Nika Roza Danilova (aka Zola Jesus), Joey Waronker (Beck, The Smashing Pumpkins), Brad Laner (Medicine), Tony Hoffer (Beck, Air), and Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, Nine Inch Nails) all joined in at various junctures. A disparate cast but one unified by the belief in the monumental power of a great album, one seemingly growing more anachronistic by the day.

“Working with these people who worked in the music industry in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, they’re bringing something from that era to my album,” says Gonzalez. “People like Tony and Joey, they brought exactly what I wanted from them. I feel like we all share the same vision. We’re old guys, complaining about how the way music’s listened to sucks these days, and we’re still listening to a lot of old albums, and this is what I wanted to bring to this album. Just a lot coming from different periods.”

The prestigious supporting cast also lent their services to the project without financial compensation, reinforcing the aesthetic purity at its core.

“What’s great about this album is everyone came to work on it in a very sincere way, a very genuine way, and no one was paid,” says Gonzalez. “The budget wasn’t there with this being a double album. Everyone wanted to be a part of this, and it was just like a great dream. This is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

This approach led to Gonzalez’s first proper LP, M83, in 2001, a work he’s clearly not proud of and is reluctant to discuss. But it provided the template for his watershed moment, 2003’s modern shoegaze classic Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, and all that’s come after, including 2005’s melodically laser focused Before the Dawn Heals Us, and 2008’s Saturdays=Youth, which managed to wistfully capture Gonzalez’s ‘80s pop infatuation without pandering to cheap nostalgia. What all of these records ultimately share is Gonzalez’s belief in that nature of the album as an art form, and Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming is his most powerful distillation of this ethos to date. The record was to a large extent colored by his move from Antibes, France to Los Angeles, which was both terrifying and liberating for Gonzalez.

“I was excited, and that was the first time in a long, long time I’d felt that way,” he says of the move. “Maybe it’s because I’d been in the same town for 29 years, so it was this feeling of freedom almost. God knows I love my family and friends, but moving away from them was the best thing I’d done in my life. I was taking road trips a lot, making music on the road all the time by myself, and it was the best time of my life. Just me and music and the world. I was connecting with something like I’d never connected. It was a weird and life-changing experience. I was happy, and you can feel this feeling of happiness and freedom working on the record.”

Given Gonzalez’s longstanding connection to film-Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming track “Steve McQueen” nods elliptically to the legendary actor—it comes as no surprise that the mythology of Los Angeles played a role in the development of the record.

“I feel like the album would’ve sounded so different if it was made somewhere else, “ he admits. “Somehow I felt like I belonged there, I belonged to California. I felt like it was my home, even though it was a new environment

“I love making music while

having a film playing in the background” []

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PERCENTAGE OF GUITARISTS IN THE U.S.

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MICHAEL LERNER

Top 10 Albums of 2011Last year I kept on every new little thing, and then realized at the end of the year I could’ve just learned everything from the year-end wrap up lists. But these are the best that I heard this year. I cheated and started with two songs.

1. Virgo Four: “It’s a Crime (Caribou Remix)”2. Kelly Rowland: “Motivation”3. Kurt Vile: Smoke Ring for My Halo—This is the only album on here that doesn’t have any boring songs.4. Robag Wruhme: Thora Vukk5. Unknown Mortal Orchestra: Unknown Mortal Orchestra 6. Bill Callahan: Apocalypse7. Sandwell District: Feed-Forward8. ASAP Rocky: LiveLoveA$AP9. Gang Gang Dance: Eye Contact10. Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts: Breaking the Fourth Wall

What was the hightlight of 2011 for you and/or your band?Working on the new album. Honestly, it’s been awesome and I hope it turns out that way.

What was the low point of 2011 for you?Probably New Year’s Day. Been uphill since then.

What are your hopes and plans for 2012?Finish the album, and after that find a beach.

Which album would you like to see a band play in its entirety?Oh geez, I don’t know, there’s so many. Abbey Road, Bad Moon Rising, Cannibalism, Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements.

Which song do you wish was being played in the delivery room while you were being born?Same as my funeral song, “Purple Rain.”

Who has better taste in music, your mom or your dad?Dad. My mom has no real use for the stuff. I had to tell her who Jimi Hendrix was, for Chrissakes. She spent the Summer of Love about 20 miles away from San Francisco in a convent. Well, full disclosure, Dad was actually also in the seminary during the Summer of Love, so I don’t know, guess Mom’s not off the hook.

What’s the smartest decision you’ve ever made in your life?To not give up. Sounds corny, but it’s true. I urge everyone at this time and for all times to never give up.

What would be the title of your autobiography?Dancing is the Best Revenge.

Which two artists, not including yourself, would you like to see collaborate with each other?

Someone needs to talk to Aretha Franklin into doing a Johnny Cash-like comeback. But who would do it with her? I’d choose Mario [Andreoni]. That way he could tell me when they’re working and I could swing by and suggest songs. Off the top of my head, I’d have her do “Bad” by U2, “A Little Respect” by Erasure, and either “Midnight” or “Only You” by Yaz. Think about it, she has to do it—no one has ever covered songs better than her, and she can still sing as good as she ever could. Somebody get on the phone to somebody, and get this album done by next Xmas. It’ll save the record industry, I guarantee it.

Who’s the best lyricist in indie rock (besides yourself)?Bill Callahan.

Which band, besides your won, has the best name?Pissed Pissedofferson.

Are there any songs that make you tear up? Which ones?Geez, so many. Trying to remember the last one. One time I was really high and [Neil Young’s] “Cortex the Killer” made me cry. Same thing happened with [Stevie Wonder’s] “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing.” Oh shit, this year my friends were in a Flaming Lips cover band and I cried during “Do You Realize??” Oh shit, I just remembered, that same show, two ex-girlfriends were playing in a Bob Segar cover band and I cried during “Still the Same..”

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ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL

Top 10 Albums of 20111. St. Vincent: Strange Mercy2. PJ Harvey: Let England Shake3. Metronomy: The English Riviera4. The Horrors: Skying5. Real t: Days6. Twin Sister: In Heaven 7. Death Grips: Exmilitary8. Bob Lind: Elusive Butterfly—I know this came out over 40 years ago, but I’ve only just discovered him this year.t9. King Krule: King Krule EP10. Peaking Lights: 936

What was the highlight of 2011 for you and/or your band?I had some great gigs with Mark Ronson & The Business International this year. Having 5000 people singing happy birthday to me at a festival in Sydney was quite a nice moment. Also reaching the end of writing for my next record is really exciting.

What was the low point of 2011 for you?Pukkelpopl. I was in the tent that collapsed and I was very lucky to have bot away unscathed. It was incredibly frightening and also so sad for the people that did get more seriously affected. We were all pretty shaken up for a while after that.

What are your hopes and plans for 2012? To get the next album recorded and released. And to start playing shows again. Get back involved!

What are your thoughts on the Occupy Wall Street protests? Do you stand with them? Are they accomplishing anything? I think it is impossible not to agree with what the protests stand for. I’ve spent some time down at St. Paul’s [London protest], I would have loved to have got the chance to witness what was going on in New York though. The camp got destroyed just last night, which is obviously a real blow to the cause. It’s hard to know if it will lead to anything concrete changing in the not too distant future, but it is obvious from the way that these messages have been adopted by people on an international scale that it has real validity and poignancy. I just don’t think this level of public protest is going to go away anytime soon.

Several stages collapsed in 2011. Are you worried about festival safety? What else can be done to make stages and festivals safer?Well unfortunately I have first hand experience of this, (see above question). It’s hard to know how much you can blame the organizers considering the increase in freak weather, but I do definitely think that most festivals are oversubscribed, (Field Day this year for instance was way too busy), which I think suggests an unnecessary level of greed that could put people in danger. Also, I suppose more careful attention needs to be given to the building of structures. Either way it’s a terrible thing to go wrong.

Which album would you like to see a band play in it entirety?

I would have said The Velvet Underground, but I am still reeling from the atrocities of Loutallica, so I don’t really know what to think anymore.

Which song do you wish was being played in the delivery room while you were being born?I’m pretty sure after 36 hours of labor the last thing my poor mother would have wanted was some bloody music on.

What’s been the best day of your life so far and what’s been the worst?Most of the best days I’ve spent have been in New York—I always seem to have amazing experiences there. I guess my parents splitting up was pretty shitty at the time. Glastonbury 2005 was also pretty much dreadful from beginning to end.

What’s the smartest decision you’ve ever made in your life?Blimey, I think it might be a bit too soon to tell. Learning to play the piano has been quite useful so far though..I’d choose Mario [Andreoni]. That way he could tell me when they’re working and I could swing by and suggest songs. Off the top of my head, I’d have her do “Bad” by U2, “A Little Respect” by Erasure, and either “Midnight” or “Only You” by Yaz. Think about it, she has to do it—no one has ever covered songs better than her, and she can still sing as good as she ever could. Somebody get on the phone to somebody, and get this album done by next Xmas. It’ll save the record industry, I guarantee it.

10

Top 5 Albums of 20111. Part Time: What Would You Say—This album seemed to be completely overshadowed by a lot of other more prominent synth acts, but this was my favorite album of the year. Great songwriting and cool sensibilities. Synth-to-tape sound. “Karen” is a real standout for me—sounds like what Blueboy would have made if they used some synthesizers.2. Iceage: New Brigade—This one really came out of nowhere. Some would call it punk, but really it’s great pop at the core. Those melodies! Solid from beginning to end. Bunch of assholes. I saw their show at Mercury Lounge a few months back and haven’t looked back. 3. The Embassy: Life In The Trenches—Ararity/B-sides album from a band that has, in my opinion, been the most influential band in the Swedish independent pop scene. If you love pop please do yourself a favor and discover these guys. They had a lot of influence in our first album. 4. The Soft Moon: The Soft Moon—I go running to this album every night. I don’t know why we haven’t been hearing a lot about these guys. Really hypnotic soundscapes with whisper vocals. Sounds beautiful and makes you angry, but in a great way. 5. Bjork: Biophillia—I don’t really like her last release, Volta. I don’t like how this one was released in iPad Apps. Call me old fashioned, but I long for another Homogenic. I must say, though, this new Bjork record is the best she has released since Vespertine. Just seems like things are getting potent again with Bjork and maybe we can all forget about that messy, aimless Volta thing.

What was the highlight of 2011 for you and/or your band?Finishing Portamento in despair and falling in love shortly after its release.

What was the low point of 2011 for you?Well, I realized that I was an atheist this year and for a moment it was freeing and blissful but it came with a really bad comedown and I found myself more depressed than I was before I had the answer.

What are your hopes and plans for 2012?I’d like to take a break from touring but it looks like that won’t be happening. I want to start working on something other than The Drums. I’m getting ready to put The Drums away for a while and do some other things—creative, of course.

What are your thoughts on the Occupy Wall Street protests? Do you stand with them? Are they accomplishing anything?I grew up in poverty. I love the idea from a romantic standpoint but I sometimes fear that a lot of these kids who show up to these sorts of protests also have “Osama Is Dead-Fuck Yeah!” T-shirts hanging in their closets back home. I love the message, but the reality is this will fade and really the only way to change anything is through proper legislation. It’s not a romantic or exciting thing to say, but running for office and voting will work well if everyone actually does these things. Finish the album, and after that find a beach. Working on the new album. Honestly, it’s been awesome and I hope it turns out that way.

Which song do you wish was being played in the delivery room while you were being born?The Sugarcubes: “Birthday.”

If you could guest star on any TV show, which one would it be and why?Freaks and Geeks so I could chase James Franco around and let him beat me up.

Besides your parents, who has been most influential in your life?This guy Nicolas who introduced me to New York City and taught me a lot about life outside of farmland Upstate New York.

Which fellow indie musician do you have a crush on?Lead singer of Iceage.

What have you stopped worrying about this year, something that used to trouble you?The flames of hell. They simply don’t exist and I’ve stopped losing hair.

Which song would you like to hear on your deathbed?“Is That All There Is?” sung by Peggy Lee.

KAZU MAKINO

11

6%

11%

34%

46%

58%

86%

MOST POPULAR MUSIC GENRES

Alternative Rock

Classical

Pop

R&B

Rock

Country

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P J H A R V E Y

13

For all its heavenly ambition musically, from a lyrical standpoint Ceremonials maintains the tone of something tragic, regularly conjuring images of ghosts, sinners, demons and thwarted salvation. “I think I’m attracted to the intensity of the imager,” Welch says. “Demons are kind of like [a stand-in] for issues and figuring stuff out. There does seem to be some sort of battle going on throughout the album between two sides of myself. My mom said my lyrics made her feel sad. There is a lot of conflict in them. I think it does come from someone who--and I don’t want to over analyze myself--can be quite conflicted about certain things. I guess with each song I’m trying to work something out. Why am I this way? Why am I that way? You know, what the fuck?”Even with the record completed, she says, “I don’t know whether the good or the bad side won. Whatever conflict is going on, I don’t know who’s winning.”Still hugging her pillow. Welch reveals that the title Ceremonials stems from the ritual performance, its cathartic nature serving as a kind of exorcism. To that end, she acknowledges the innate strangeness of mitigating something so personal through and exposing process. “It’s weird, I can talk about my feelings with strangers,” she says.

A History of ViolenceWords by John Everhart

Photography by Tommy Kearns

14

St. Vincentlet’s go surfing now

15

“I’m happiest when I’m working and busy,” St. Vincent’s Annie Clark says. After weathering a turbulent 2010, the events of which informed Clark’s most personal album, 2011’s Strange Mercy, the Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter/guitarist rediscovered the contort and comparable ease of making music. The road to rejuvenation began in October of 2010, when she holed up alone for 10-hour days at Jason McGerr’s Two Sticks Audio in Seattle to write the songs for Strange Mercy. A year later, she’s basking in the pleasure of sharing her music with an audience. “I think it’s been really fun to start jumping into the crowd,” Clark says. “I got inspired and crowd surfed.”Strange Mercy, an album in which Clark’s elegant vocal melodies are offset by thumping rhythms, funky percolations, and brazen guitar squalls, earned accolades upon its September release. The positive response, along with magazine covers (including Under the Radar) and network TV performances, has boosted Clark’s profile. “There’s generally more excitement from fans, and there seem to be more of them this time around--everywhere--which is really gratifying,” she says.

Words by Chris Tinkham Photo by Tommy Kearns

16

FLORENCEand the

MACHINE“THERE DOES SEEM TO BE some sort of battle going on

between two sides of myself

there is a lot of conflict in them”MY MOM SAID MY LYRICS MADE HER SAD

throughout the album

W

ZV

17

there is a lot of conflict in them”

Curled up on a leather couch in New York City headquarters of her label Universal Republic, singer/songwriter Florence Welch looks like she could sleep for days. Wearing a slim vintage gown with Louis Vuit-ton platform heels, her fingers adorned with an assortment of rings, the English siren hugs and available pillow as though she were spooning a much missed romantic partner. “I’m really tired,” she says with a laugh. “Can you tell?”

Her exhaustion is understandable. For the past few days, the creative force behind Florence and the Machine has been shuttled about the city, appearing as the musical guest for both Saturday Night Live and Good Morning America with little time in between to physically and mentally recover. “Today’s the last day,” she says, unburying her face with a smile. “I’m wrecked.”

As it stands, things are only getting started for Welch, thanks to the critical and commercial success of her recently released sophomore LP, Ceremonials. It debuted at the #1 spot on the U.K. charts and at #6 in the U.S., and had already sold over 150,000 copies worldwide by the time of our interview. Ceremonials, the follow-up to her 2009 break-out debut Lungs, stands out for its cohesiveness. Welch’s first record, despite standout tracks such as “Dog Days Are Over’ and “Kiss with a Fist,” could often feel separated from itself in style and tone.Produced by Paul Epworth, Ceremonials unites under a feeling that Welch describes as “a mix of pagan and priestly,” her howling vocals rising against primordial drums, ethereal harps and a backing choir. There’s such a sense of magnitude that at one point during the record-ing at Abbey Road even Welch herself could not be contained within the walls of the studio. “I sung a song outdoors,” she says. “The recording of ‘Lover to Lover’ was done on Paul’s roof, just outside in one take. I love singing out-doors, seeing the big open sky and singing to all these houses. Every-thing just seemed endless.”

Words by Mike Hilleary

VPhoto by Tommy Kearns

18

a n n a

a

19

c l v ia

As it stands, things are only

getting started for Welch, thanks to the critical and commercial success of her

recently released sophomore LP, Ceremonials. It debuted at the #1 spot on the U.K. charts and at #6

in the U.S., and had already sold over 150,000 copies worldwide by the time of our interview. Ceremonials,

the follow-up to her 2009 breakout debut Lungs, stands out for its cohesiveness. Welch’s first record, despite standout tracks such as “Dog Days Are Over’ and “Kiss with a Fist,”

could often feel separated from itself in style and tone.Produced by Paul Epworth, Ceremonials unites under a feeling that Welch

describes as “a mix of pagan and priestly,” her howling vocals rising against primordial drums, ethereal harps and a backing choir. There’s such a sense of magnitude that at one point during the recording at Abbey Road even Welch herself could not be contained within the

walls of the studio. “I sung a song outdoors,” she says. “The recording of ‘Lover to Lover’ was done on Paul’s roof, just outside in one take. I love singing outdoors, seeing the big open sky and singing to all these houses.Everything just seemed endless.” For all its heavenly ambition

musically, from a lyrical standpoint Ceremonials maintains the tone of something tragic, regularly conjuring images of ghosts, sinners, demons

and thwarted salvation. “I think I’m attracted to the intensity of the imager,” Welch says. “Demons are kind of like [a stand-in] for issues

and figuring stuff out. There does seem to be some sort of battle going on throughout the album between two sides of myself. My

mom said my lyrics made her feel sad. There is a lot of conflict in them. I think it does come from someone who--and I don’t want to over analyze. myself--can be quite conflicted about

certain things. I guess with each song I’m trying to work something out. Why am I this way? Why am I that

way? You know, what the fuck?”Even with the record completed, she says, “I don’t

know whether the good or the bad side won. words by hays davis

photography by wendy redfer

n

20

f e e l

t h e

o u n dsNow in their mid-20s, and no less infatuated with the idea of love, Taylor and Watson (who have never been romantically connected) tapped into their favorite director Woody Allen’s wry worldview to write and record their sophomore album, Paradise, which both members agree focuses primarily on sex and death. The album, with its gleeful blend of pop, folk, and rock, is a scrappy musical conversation that mirrors Taylor and Watson’s propensity for interrupting each other for the sake of cracking a joke. Its Motown-tinged lead single, “Two Cousins,” went on to spawn an eye-catching, black-and-white music video, where two male

tap dancers in suits take solo turns before dancing with each other, their playful rapport a contrast to the track’s lyrical themes of familial detachment. Taylor and Watson joke about how they understand each other’s inside references and often feel like they can read each other’s minds. However, their connection was tested during the album’s difficult recording process. The intensity in the studio was thanks in no small part to producer Luke Smith (Foals), who forced the duo to work significantly longer hours than they had on their self-produced debut, Yeah So. “I never thought it was our difficult second album ever until it became difficult,” quips Taylor, referring to the Paradise

recording sessions, before jokingly adding,“I’m a broken woman! No man has ever broken me like Luke did!”To cut the tension and break up a workday that often stretched into the early morning hours, the pair took frequent breaks, watching videos to d i s t r a c t themselves. While Taylor was content to catch up on soaps, Watson sought out more adventurous viewing.“I started watching BASE jumps on YouTube,” he recounts. “It’s the only thing you can watch without sound.” “I think you should look into doing that,” Taylor interjects.“It’s really dangerous!” Watson retorts, horrified at the idea. “That’s why I turn the sound off, so I don’t hear any legs breaking on the way down.”

21

Words by Laura StudarusPhotography by Wendy Redfern

SLOWCLUB

When Slow Club multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Rebecca Taylor was

seven, she fell in love with Strictly Ballroom star Paul Mercurio.

“I remember thinking, ‘I like him a lot and I don’t know why!” she

giggles. “I was going, ‘Oh Mommy, let’s watch that film again!’”

“I think I wanted to have it off with Rachel Weisz,” adds vocalist

“or was that yesterday?”

To cut the tension and break up a workday that often stretched into

the early morning hours, the pair took frequent breaks, watching

videos to distract themselves. While Taylor was content to catch up

on soaps, Watson sought out more adventurous viewing.

Now in their mid-20s, and no less infatuated with the idea of love, Taylor and Watson (who have never been romantically connected) tapped into their favorite director Woody Allen’s wry worldview to write and record their sophomore album, Paradise, which both members agree focuses primarily on sex and death. The album, with its gleeful blend of pop, folk, and rock, is a scrappy musical conversation that mirrors Taylor and Watson’s propensity for interrupting each other for the sake of cracking a joke. Its Motown-tinged lead single, “Two Cousins,” went on to spawn an eye-catching, black-and-white music video, where two male tap dancers in suits take solo turns before dancing with each other, their playful rapport a contrast to the track’s lyrical themes of familial detachment.

Taylor and Watson joke about how they understand each other’s inside references and often feel like they can read each other’s minds. However, their connection was tested during the album’s difficult recording process.

“Charles would have been the biggest stoner geek,” replies Taylor. “I would have been the most annoyin g girl. I would have been in all the plays and shows.”Pleased with the gradual upward trajectory of Slow Club, Taylor and Watson are content that their career path has led them to the recording studio and the road rather than to the corporate world. “Most of my friends who have left uni now are in terrible debt,” Watson reflects. “I feel so lucky that we’ve come out, and we’ve got five years of amazing travels, and we’ve met so many amazing people…we’ve been so lucky to do these things. I won’t change it for the world.”Taylor agrees.

“Everything we’ve ever got has been a massive bonus,” she says. “We’re still really happy to get a nice dressing room sometimes! I think I’d rather be like that because it’s still little things that make us really grateful and excited.” The album, with its gleeful blend of pop, folk, and rock, is a scrappy musical conversation that mirrors Taylor and Watson’s propensity for interrupting each other for the sake of cracking a joke. Its Motown-tinged lead single, “Two Cousins,” went on to spawn an eye-catching, black-and-white music video, where two male tap dancers in suits take solo turns before dancing with each other, their playful rapport a contrast to the track’s lyrical themes of familial detachment. However, their connection was tested during the album’s difficult recording process. debut, Yeah So. “I think we would have lost that desire to be as creative as we’ve been able to be.”

22

HORR ORSTHE

A

FARE WELL

“It was negative 20 Celsius for much of the time, and it was approaching the winter solstice, so it was a time of year when there’s not a lot of sunlight around. In retrospect, it’s hard to specifically define why I chose that city and that time of year,” Palomo recounts. “I was looking forward to the idea of forcing myself to stay indoors where I can just work on music.” The result was the excellent Era Extrana, a sophomore record that sounds like a natural ecolution of its acclaimed predecessor. Era Extrana paints right, futuristic soundscapes that could pass as the soundtrack for a lost cyberpunk film; it’s no surprise that Palomo took some inspiration for the new album from that science fiction subgenre. “We’re lliving in the future times that a lot of those cyberpunk books talked about, and it’s not quite how they imagined it,” he explains. “It’s just as eerie and as futuristic in its own right, but nobody’s

Not unlike William Gibson penning his 1984 cyberpunk classic Neuromancer on a 1927 Hermes typewriter, Palomo repurposes a wide variety of vintage synthesizers-equipment once written off as obsolete-to craft Neon Indian’s own brand of future-music.

“Nowadays technology’s seen with this ‘it’s about time’ kind of mentality about it,” Palomo explains. “I suppose because it’s not seen through the eyes of futurism anymore. It’s just the reality in which we live.” This ‘what’s next?’ sort of mentality carries over into the music world, where it’s become increasingly hard for new bands to stay relevant as they are forced to keep pace with a music blogosphere that’s always eager to find the next trend in indie rock. “Now, if something pops up, some sort of internet microgenre, it can’t last for six months without having to change to maintain some sort of critical relevancy,” Palomo laments. “I find that really bizarre and kind of unrealistic.” Earlier this year, Palomo had the chance to record with one of the most venerable, uncompromising acts in indie rock when he collaborated with The Flaming Lips on the four track EP, The Flaming Lips/Neon Indian. Palomo recounts that he was a bit nervous at the beginning of their sessions together, afraid at first of stepping on the toes of Wayne Coyne and company. “At one point Wayne was just like, ‘Right now, you’re going to go in there and do something cool,’” Palomo found the experience revitalizing, and carried Coyne’s words of inspiration with him into his own recordings. “It’s such a liberating way of working,” Palomo explains. “I feel like that mantra kinda follows me every time I go into the studio. I think, ‘I’m going to sit down, and hopefully I’m going to do something cool.” Palomo found the experience revitalizing, and carried Coyne’s words of inspiration with him into his own recordings.

“I find that really bizarre and kind of unrealistic.”

“I feel like that mantra kinda follows me every time I go into the studio. I think, ‘I’m going to sit down, and hopefully I’m going to do something cool.”

“Nowadays technology’s seen with this ‘it’s about time”

23

HORR ORS

FOND

FARE WELL

“I have been ready for a break for a while now,” admits Palomo, eager to get to work on new songs with bandmate Max Bloom. Britain’s fuzz-rock exports began touring in 2010 and have scarcely left the road since, making multiple trips to the States. “It was negative 20 Celsius for much of the time, and it was approaching the winter solstice, so it was a time of year when there’s not a lot of sunlight around. In retrospect, it’s hard to specifically define why I chose that city and that time of year,” Palomo recounts. “I was looking forward to the idea of forcing myself to stay indoors where I can just work on music.” “I’m not actually that good at talking about certain things,” he says, “loathe to over-explain the creations.” The result was the excellent Era Extrana, a sophomore record that sounds like a natural ecolution of its acclaimed predecessor. Era Extrana paints right, futuristic soundscapes that could pass as the soundtrack for a lost cyberpunk film; it’s no surprise that Palomo took some inspiration for the new album from that science fiction subgenre. A momentous occasion in the life of this international band was a one-off show in bassist Mariko Doi’s native Japan. “We’re lliving in the future times that a lot of those cyberpunk books talked about, and it’s not quite how they imagined it,” he explains. “It’s just as eerie and as futuristic in its own right, but nobody’s really acknowledged that.” But to paint The Horrors as mere revitalists is to do a disservice to an exhilerating, hook-laden debut. Not unlike William Gibson penning his 1984 cyberpunk classic.

“Nowadays technology’s seen with this ‘it’s about time’ kind of mentality about it,” Palomo explains.

“We’re lliving in the future times that a lot of those cyberpunk books talked about, and it’s not quite how they imagined it,” he explains. “It’s just as eerie and as futuristic in its own right, but nobody’s really acknowledged that.” Not unlike William Gibson penning his 1984 cyberpunk classic Neuromancer on a 1927 Hermes typewriter, Palomo repurposes a wide variety of vintage synthesizers-equipment once written off as obsolete-to craft Neon Indian’s own brand of future-music.“Nowadays technology’s seen with this ‘it’s about time’ kind of mentality about it,” Palomo explains. “I suppose because it’s not seen through the eyes of futurism anymore. It’s just the reality in which we live.” This ‘what’s next?’ sort of mentality carries over into the music world, where it’s become increasingly hard for new bands to stay relevant as they are forced to keep pace with a music blogosphere that’s always eager to find the next trend in indie rock.

This ‘what’s next?’ sort of mentality carries over into the music world, where it’s become increasingly hard for new bands to stay relevant as they are forced to keep pace with a music blogosphere that’s always eager to find the next trend in indie rock.

“We’re lliving in the future times that a lot of those cyberpunk books talked about, and it’s not quite how they imagined it”

“Nowadays technology’s seen with this ‘it’s about time” Words by John Everhart Photo by Per Kristiansen

24

UNDER

RADARTHE


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