Josh Epstein (left) and Daniel Zott (right) performing at the Rock and Roll Hotel Thurs. April 25th

As I sat down on the plush couch in the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.’s pre-show lounge at the Rock and Roll Hotel, I nervously admitted to Daniel Zott and Josh Epstein, the duo behind the infectious, hard-to-categorize Detroit group,  that I had never interviewed a serious band. After reassuring me that they were “chill guys” and offering me some Kale leaves to eat (“They taste good and calm the nerves,” Josh told me), the two graciously answered my questions in a nearly twenty minute interview covering everything from getting guitars stolen at Bonnaroo to Hoya basketball.

 How did you guys decide on the name?

Daniel Zott: A friend suggested it. We were gonna name ourselves “Counting Crows pt. II” and our friend said, “that’s really the worst name ever, you may as well call yourselves ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.’” And we were like, “alright, may as well.” And that’s pretty much it. There wasn’t really that much thought put into it.

Do you ever get tired of questions about the name?

Daniel: No, the answer’s really short. If it was something super personal and you had to bring that up every time, I could see that [getting annoying], but it’s goofy and doesn’t mean anything.

Josh Epstein: Also, it’s kind of allowed us to do whatever we feel like doing… like, if you’re a band with “wolf” in your name, I expect you to sound a certain way. If you have “crystal” or “antlers” or “neon” in your name, I expect you to sound a certain way. But Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., I guess you’d probably expect it to sound country but then it doesn’t so then at that point we can fucking do pretty much whatever we want. Which I think is kind of fun.

How did you guys start making music together?

 Daniel: Josh just called me up one day. We had separate bands in Detroit and we knew each other but we had never played together.

Josh: He played me a song in my apartment one time when he was picking up a DVD from my roommate, played me a song called “Pale Ego” that he had written on acoustic guitar, and I was really impressed. And then it was just kind of a recording project to try and write with other people so we got together and wrote like a song a day whenever we had a day, made like 13 songs and then we had an album, unintentionally.

When you started working together, were you able to agree on the sound you wanted pretty easily or did it take awhile to decide where you wanted to go with it?

 Daniel: I don’t think we planned it or decided on a direction. There were no restrictions. [Our style of music] was something we hadn’t done with the other bands and always wanted to so it just came out.

There’s a mix in your music between the traditional pop writing and then the more highly produced kind of stuff. How do you strike a balance between those? Do you ever say, “we’re going too far with the production, we should do more acoustic?’

Daniel: The focus is always the melody and the actual song and I think that sort of holds everything together. If we don’t have that, we don’t even pursue making it. We try to have a song and then all the pieces fit together.

Josh: I think there’s a natural moment when things feel like they work. It’s really hard to define what that moment is. It’s hard to quantify what makes something feel done. But there’s a song on the new record that we made, we recorded it a long time ago, it was the first one we recorded. Eventually we put in so much stuff that it wasn’t gonna be on the record, it just didn’t feel right. And then we ended up going through it and deleting like half the stuff and adding different things and then it was a really fun song. It’s on the record and we love it. It’s kind of strange, sometimes we can definitely go too far in one direction. We’ve never been on a different page in terms of knowing when something’s done.

Daniel: If something doesn’t get in the way of the song, then we feel good about it.

On the new Patterns EP it sounds like there’s a bit more of those production flourishes or synth-y elements. Was that a conscious decision or is that just how it naturally progressed?

 Josh: It’s really easy, I think, to make personal music and make music for yourself and it felt like the most interesting art project would be to try and write a record that sounded like it could go out in the world and interact with people. I think it was a challenge to produce a record on our own in Daniel’s basement that felt like it could be played back to back with a Robyn song or something that’s able to interact with a broader spectrum of people than we’re even familiar with. I think there’s something really interesting and challenging about that. It’s a lot harder to do and when we started out we just said “let’s push ourselves as hard as we can.” So I think it just naturally kind of went in that direction.

Daniel: Then it helped that we got some new gear. That helped bring the sound forward.

When you have that sort of intricately produced music, how do you translate that into a live show? Do you have to strip stuff down?

 Josh: We had to add a new member to the live band. [New member John] is sort of the catalyst for changing our whole live set up and sort of getting more invested in technology…I feel like it’s a really accurate representation to call the new songs more lively. You’ll see.

I saw you last summer at Bonnaroo and that high energy really came through. Do you have to work hard to keep that going or do you think your music lends itself in some ways to more pumped up, high energy shows?

 Josh: It’s honestly the highlight our day when we’re on tour, so I think we just get really excited like little kids to go out there and do it. And Bonnaroo, in particular, my guitar got stolen. We go to set up and my guitar is completely gone so I borrowed Erika from EMA’s guitar because they were on before us. Her guitar has a strap that won’t come off that’s like chain link and I was so bummed out I was gonna have to play guitar with this fucking chain link strap…I love her but I was so bummed out I was gonna have to use this guitar. And then I tweeted like, “who the fuck stole my guitar” and it magically appeared. And we had checked every single place and it magically appeared so someone must have returned it, which was awesome. So right when I got on stage I was so pumped up.

You guys are from Detroit, a city with an obviously rich music history. How did your Detroit background affect your sound?

 Daniel: I mean, you always feel the weight of what’s going on before you. It was always around, my parents listened to it a lot and Josh’s parents listened to it and went to some of the live shows. So I think the Motown, we always say this but the melodic influence of that music…it’s the reason we have melody as the focus of our sound like I said earlier. When it comes to a song, it’s about the song…we always start there. And I think that comes from listening to that kind of music at a young age when [the music] was perfectly structured and had brilliant melodies. That’s how it is for me.

One of the tracks that stuck out most to me from It’s a Corporate World was your cover of Gil Scott-Heron’s “We Almost Lost Detroit,” a song with a lot of obvious political undertones. Do you guys try to convey a message through your music much?

 Josh: I think if a song’s worth writing there’s a message in it, but I don’t know if you’re always aware of what it is when you’re making it. I think oftentimes afterwards you’re like, “oh, I guess I was feeling that way. This meant that.” But a lot of time it’s just cathartic to say something, whatever it is. It’s hard to say whether you were focusing it to go in that direction.

One of the songs that stuck out to me most at Bonnaroo last year was another cover you guys do, “God Only Knows.” When you do covers like that how do you go about trying to infuse it with your own sound? Do you find that more challenging than playing your own material?

 Josh: I find it easier to do covers, because if it’s a great song you can objectively be a fan of it and play it…when I play a song I wrote it’s really hard to objectively be like, “this is the best song in the world” without feeling like an asshole. But when you’re playing “God Only Knows,” you’re like, “this is the best song in the world” and you know it.  So I feel like you’re almost closer to being in the audience at that point because it’s not your song.

So we talked briefly about the Patterns EP, which was released on vinyl on Record Store Day. I know you guys were a part of that last year as well. Why did you want to get involved?

Josh: Record Store Day is just [something] where we feel like…we like this. It’s cool to be a part of.

Daniel: We like when people buy records, and we like buying records, so it makes sense to be a part of it.

So that EP was in preparation for the new record The Speed of Things. What can we expect from that record?

Josh: Well, three of the songs from the EP are on the album. So I think it’s really a good overview of some of the spectrum of sound that’ll be on it. We’re gonna play a bunch of new songs from The Speed of Things tonight. John described it as up. He said, “it’s just more up. And it stays up.” [laughs]

John: That’s kind of haunting me now.

Daniel: I think another way of putting it, I think it’s a step up, not just more up in terms of energy like he was saying but lyrically it’s even better and a little more mature.

Josh: We should have called it “’Next Levs.’”

Daniel: Or “Elevate.” That sounds like a U2 album

Josh: The whole campaign for the last Buble record was “Elevate.” There were shirts all over Warner Brothers that said that.

Daniel: One of the many fun things we get to discover being at Warner Brothers.

Anything else you guys wanted to say before we finish?

 Josh: Well we just wanted to let you know we appreciate [Detroit Pistons player] Greg Monroe, who came from Georgetown.

Daniel: We’re really hoping we get Otto Porter.

Josh: We’d love to have him. I think you guys have a rich tradition of basketball and you guys should go to as many games as you can while you’re in college because it’s a fun sport.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. are currently on tour in support of their new EP Patterns, available now. 

- Sam Wolter is the co-host of Endless Summer with Nick and Sam, which airs Tuesdays 3-4 pm

“It’s been a bit of a learning curve for us” said Ally, who plays keys and handles production with Frank, the drummer. “We’re an upcoming band, so to play South By is a huge deal, especially coming from London.”

The group, formerly known as Viva Brother, recently relocated from the UK to Brooklyn. The relocation, which lead vocalist Lee described as a “leap off the deep end,” has brought great success and happiness to the group. “We saved up all the money we had, which was none, and blagged our way into America.”

“- And here are we are in the shower, living the dream” lead guitarist Sam amicably joked.

Jokes aside, it is hard not to be impressed with what Lovelife has done in so short a time. Rising in the age of Electro-Pop bands like Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club, and MGMT, Lovelife has taken a fairly popular electronically influenced band sound, yet adapted it to make it their own. Cuts like “Your New Beloved” and “The Key” off their most recent EP borrow from an R&B/hip-hop foundation from the likes of The Weeknd or Miguel, yet take it to a whole new level that isn’t quite R&B, yet isn’t Rock. It’s this inability to classify them that makes them so intriguing, and when asked what genre they identified, they simply said: “Pop.”

“Pop isn’t a dirty word to us,” says Ally. “We all come from different musical backgrounds, but we’re all lovers of Pop.”

Individually the boys’ individual tastes range from acts like The Smiths to Kraftwerk, yet it’s their love of 80s, 90s, and even Top 40 Pop that unites the band. However, their aesthetic and performance style shies away from the Pop world, creating a show that is exceedingly complex, yet still remains accessible.

“People expect us to be just a singer and a laptop, yet when you come and see us and the full band it’s a really good show,” said Sam.

“We’ve always said from the start that we wanted our music to come across grander and slightly more organic live than on the record” added Frank. “It’s more of a show when you come to see it live.”

With the essentials of a definable sound and performance style, the guys were incredibly comfortable and optimistic about their music. Well-mannered and cheery, it was obvious they were grateful to have the opportunities they have had during our conversation, yet it’s the future that makes them all the more excited. With a new EP lined up for May, a full-length LP somewhere in the horizon, as well as two more US tours in the coming months, Lovelife is sure to keep busy in the near future and do all they can to keep the hustle going.

Both the Fourth Floor and El Regreso EPs are available for free download on the band’s website http://www.lvlf.info/

EPROM

Flume

I introduce to you, readers, Scott Freiman and his lecture series “Deconstructing the Beatles.” Mr. Freiman is a graduate of Yale and NYU, and has worked professionally as a producer and composer for the last decade. His lecture series, “Deconstructing the Beatles,” delves into the details of how the Beatles crafted some of their greatest works. Currently Mr. Freiman offers lectures on the early Beatles, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, the late 60s singles, and The White Album. I had the chance to attend two of Mr. Freiman’s lectures at the Cleveland Museum of Art over Winter Break, and was blown away by the amount of depth and material he covered. I interviewed Mr. Freiman recently, and over the course of half an hour we discussed his musical upbringing, connection to the Beatles, the genesis of the lecture series and more.

You can check out the interview below:

And please visit Mr. Freiman’s website, Twitter, and Facebook page, for updates, schedule, and general information.

- Jackson Sinnenberg, host of Sinn 6:66, a classic rock show that airs Fridays 4-5pm

Scott’s boldness made itself blatantly visible – and audible – at her Monday night show at DC9. An otherwise soft-spoken 22-year-old, TORRES took the stage with a backing band, yielding a sound much fuller and rawer than that of her recorded music. She proved her willingness to let her voice go, to let the feeling behind her words speak for itself as she effortlessly went from soft whispers of sound to throaty yells full of anger. Absorbed in her art, at times Scott looked manic with emotion, her eyes open wide as she ached in “Honey” or begged in “Jealousy and I.”

TORRES – “Jealousy and I” from WGTB Georgetown Radio on Vimeo.

For as hurt and angered as she may seem in her music, though, Scott is a humble, hopeful, and thoughtful individual. When I spoke with her in the green room as DC9 closed down, we giggled over our shared “fangirl” status as dedicated Sharon Van Etten lovers – something not heard in the clip below – but also talked extensively about her personal journey of breaking into the music business.

In both her music and goals, it’s clear that TORRES is unafraid to go after what she wants, whether embarking on a tour or letting her emotion run wild as she performs. As she gains traction in coming weeks with her performances at SXSW and beyond, I hope – and expect – that people will see her for what she is: a force to be reckoned with, an honest storyteller who cares deeply about the human experience.

- Allie Prescott, host of AMPlify, Sundays 7-8pm

Read on after the jump!

For those of you who don’t know, Quiet Company was recently named Austin’s “band of the year,” and dominated at the Austin Music Awards during SXSW. After having the regional success that they did these past few years, the band has embarked on a full-time touring schedule that will surely bring them into the national spotlight.

Furthermore, to learn what Quiet Company’s most recent album, We Are All Where We Belong, is all about, and how it skyrocketed them to the top of the Austin music scene, check out the transcript of an interview Danny did with them back in the spring that focuses on the making of the album: Quiet Company Interview: On The Making of Their Album

Last but not least, check out the Spotify playlist of our favorite Quiet Company songs.

Click here buy tickets to see Quiet Company and Brick and Mortar at the Black Cat this Thursday.

WGTB’s Sydney Browning interviewed Caitlin Krisko of The Broadcast to promote their show at Acre121 on Febrary 4th:

The Broadcast is a soul rock band based out of Asheville, North Carolina.  From their beginning in Brooklyn, they gained popularity in New York before moving away from the New York rat race.  They have one album “Over the Undercover” and have recently released their new EP “Days Like Dreams”.  The band is comprised of lead vocalist Caitlin Krisko, Rich Brownstein on the keyboard, Matthew Davis on the bass, Tyler Housholder on percussion, Christian Mendoza on guitar, and Michael Davis on drums.  All of the members of the band are professionally trained.

“Caitlin Krisko [vocalist of The Broadcast] has a voice drenched in honey, and dripping with soul.”- Cosmopolitan Magazine

“It’s rare you hear a band of this caliber and not think to yourself that you’re seeing something special happening before your eyes. With the spirit of Janis Jopin thriving right beneath the surface, Caitlin Krisko belts out breathtaking originals with lyrics well beyond her 25 years . . .”- Atlantic Records

Stream the interview below!

Interview with Dan Vickrey of the Counting Crows by arp52

To find out more about Politricks, visit: http://www.facebook.com/PolitricksRadio
To purchase a copy of Tender Mercies’ CD, go to: http://www.amazon.com/Tender-Mercies/dp/B005MAHVRI

Thurlow recently went on their east coast tour to promote their new EP Spokes. When I asked, “Why Spokes?” they answered, “We made a pre-album before we moved out here called Training Wheels–fine tunes some of those songs and a portion of the album Training Wheels.” When you listen to Thurlow’s EP Spokes, there are hints of keyboard, syntheszier, modular, and bass guitar melodies. There is a definite sixties vibe underlying the tracks on Spokes, as the sweeping polyphony gathers and dissipates creating that roadmap of unique combinations with splashes of simplicity. Moreover, Augustus Green, formerly trained in Recording Arts plays a heavy role in adding the electronic vibes to Spokes and Jacqueline Caruso gifts much of the album with her not to be taken lightly vocals, as well as a playful Casio melodies.

Thurlow’s music also has spiritual influences as Green noted, “I know that we both write music that is usually coming from a higher place. We’re both very spiritual a lot of its inspired by our spiritual lives so we definitely try to capture that in our music. It’s extremely important to us, you can listen to the lyrics from that perspective.” The duo’s goal is to really motivate people. Regarding a selected fan base, Augustus Green gave his wise take on the matter: “I feel like that helps with early success because if you put your audience in a small enough room then you become a force in that box, screaming in a megaphone in a closed room; everyone will hear you, but the sound will dissipate really fast.”

You can get Thurlow’s EP Spokes for name your own price at www.thurlow.bandcamp.com.  Notable tracks are “Tidal Waves” and “The Hour Glass”. You can also learn more about the band at www.thurlowmusic.com. Check them out; you’ll be hearing big things about them soon.

- Megan Acheampong

*Photos by Leslie Andrew Ridings

The June 6 episode of Public Interview will feature Svetlana Legetic, the editor and founder of Brightest Young Things, in the WGTB studio.

Before the concert began, I was lucky enough to sit down to talk with Mr. Pete Yorn. When I asked about themes that have appeared throughout his repertoire, he was quick to answer. “A lot of people miss where they’re at, ‘cause they’re just trying to get to the next place,” he told me. “That’s a theme that I’ve seen come up since my first record, since I’ve been writing songs… just being present—if you’re present, you can really get the most out of every moment.”

Even with his hectic schedule, he finds time to listen to the bands who drew him to music in the first place. Of his favorites growing up, he said, “I’d listen to the Smiths; Morrissey was like my hero.” His current listening tastes also include The Clientele, who are “a little moody,” and the timeless Kinks. “I go through phases. Sometimes I don’t listen to any music at all, like in my car at home, sometimes I’ll just listen to talk radio or something like that.” Right now, “[Ben Kweller’s] songs are always stuck in my head after the shows. … Ben’s actually so cool to watch: he’s an amazing artist, a great singer, and a really cool guy.”

Last year, he opened for Coldplay, and he has also appeared before Dave Matthews, REM, Foo Fighters, and Weezer. “But headlining is really cool too; they’re all there to see you and they get you, you know? That’s always pretty thrilling.”

Then the concert began. First up was the Wellspring, an adorable folk band comprising two guitarist/singers, Dov Rosenblatt and Talia Osteen. The most striking thing about their music, especially live, is the beautiful harmonies. The sound of each song was clean, beginning to end. As the set went on, they tended a bit towards the sappy country folksong, but Talia keeps it interesting, and you can see her poetry in and between the lines: “I love you, but not out loud, today.”

Kweller got the audience interested right off the bat, alternating some typical folk rock with hardcore metal interludes, seemingly tiring of being an indie folk singer, preferring to rawk out. He sang his own backup by moving a little away from the microphone; he answered his lyrical questions; he improvised some fun marches/kicks/jumps; he broke out the harmonica. Much like Ben Folds, he keeps a somewhat singsong tone to keep the mood light, even when expressing pretty upsetting situations. The man is a born performer, and it was obvious to everyone in the audience that he loves what he does.

On to Yorn. A lot of focus was placed on his guitar skills, which were indeed impressive, as well as the almost-raspy quality of his voice (which never resorted to yelling over the blare of the guitar), though in the process he sacrificed the audibility of his lyrics, which as we learned in our interview, had taken a lot of thought. He produced a steady wall of sound that was somehow still distinctive and catchy, though different from the effect of his studio recordings—maybe like a grungier REM.

Here’s a video someone else took at the concert of Yorn performing “The Chase” and “Life on a Chain.”

Overall, it was a memorable show, not only because it was my first ever in DC (assuming that the music at the Rally to Restore Sanity doesn’t count), but also because it rocked. I heartily recommend stalking tour dates for the Wellspring and Pete Yorn, and especially Ben Kweller, if you’d like to have a new favorite artist. Though Yorn played last and held his own, and the Wellspring were a sweet new duo to keep an eye on, if this were a competition Ben Kweller would be the victor in a unanimous vote consisting of me and my plus-one.

– Emily Perkins