Hello readers of Twilight Collective from planet Earth and ~elsewhere~. In my first article of year 3, I decided to ask a few questions to the South Jersey-based indie rock group Cat In The Wall.
Who would you consider your musical inspirations? I think we draw sonic inspiration from alt rock mainly (Foo Fighters, The Strokes, Radiohead, etc) but we all listen to a lot of stuff and draw creative influence from everything. Cookie likes funk and neo soul and we all like hip hop and other stuff. Other influences like funk, jazz and emo rock will be more prevalent in future releases. Why is your band called Cat In The Wall? What does that mean to you? We were originally called In The Meantime but we could not release anything under that name because it was taken already. For months we tried to come up with a name that would fit who we are. Eventually Kyle suggested the name “Cat in the Wall” after watching the episode of Always Sunny In Philadelphia “Mac and Dennis Break Up,” and we stuck with it. Do you guys like the Philadelphia scene or New York scene more? Have you found a New Jersey scene at all? We haven’t had much of a chance to see the New York scene, but we really love the scene in Philly because all musicians, artists and other creative people support each other. Philly isn’t nearly as big as New York and has a much more unique culture and energy. We have played shows with artists in completely different genres and everyone is always super supportive of us, especially as young musicians. There is a scene in South Jersey, (mostly filled hardcore and emo bands), but we have found other bands in the area. Since the Philly scene is so big and close, a lot of artists from South Jersey end up finding opportunities there. --- Thank you Cat In The Wall for stopping by the Instagram messaging inbox of Twilight Collective! Go check these guys out. They're awesome. You can follow Cat In The Wall on Instagram and Bandcamp.
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Hello everyone! Before we begin, I would just like to remind you that everyone is entitled to their own opinions. While I personally do not like Weezer's career choices, it's perfectly fine if you do. It's your life (and your music taste!) and I have no business telling you what to like and what not to like. This article is simply a guide to understanding some of the problems I have with Weezer (and how to dunk on their fans if they try to argue). With that said, let's get on to the article! Point One: You have to pay to meet them.Originally, this point didn't bother me that much. Bands have to make money, anyway, and what better way to make some easy money than inviting fans to a once-in-a-lifetime meet and greet experience? I didn't realize how big of a problem this was until I was reading updates on my favorite bands, like any good music journalist would, and found an enlightening Twitter session by Alex Kapranos on how VIP status can ruin the vibe of a concert or festival and is unfair to the true fans of the band. That got me thinking about the time I met Weezer. Alli and I paid 80 US dollars each to spend less than five minutes with the band and take exactly two photos with them. (We were also given signed posters, but come on.) We didn't even get to have a conversation with them or anything. When I met Maximo Park last November, we chatted about my chemistry test I had the next day and I gave frontman Paul Smith one of my Pura Vida bracelets. When I met Hippo Campus with Alli in March of 2017, they offered us Cheezits and talked about the blog with us. It was the first major recognition we had received at that point, and it meant the world to us (and still does!). When we met Franz Ferdinand a few months ago, their drummer gave us an extensive tour of his tattoos and Alli and I almost threw hands at each other over her Staten Island accent right in front of him. I then gave him the bird keychain that I had attached to my shorts that night, for some reason (godspeed, dearest bird). Those events are things that would never, ever happen in an 80 dollar photo session that lasts exactly 3 minutes and 48 seconds. Honestly, I no longer count Weezer as a band I've met. I just consider them a band I took a photo with once. When a band charges you 80 US dollars to take a photo with them, that's when you know they're just in it for money. (We did have to pay to meet Hippo Campus, but it was right before their concert and cost about $10 USD plus a free tote bag and poster and early admission, so it makes a bit more sense) When you can't even talk to a band because their security team is rushing you out as if you're not meant to be there, that's when you know there's a problem with the band-fan dynamic. You don't meet a band for the photos. You meet them for the experience. They meet you because they want to, not because they'll get an extra 80 (80!) dollars out of you. That's why meeting Weezer isn't really meeting Weezer. It's just a quick cash grab scheme to exploit their fans. "Liah, if you knew about all of this, why did you save up 80 dollars for it?" I didn't know about it. I was fourteen years old and wanted to meet my (at the time) favorite band. This brings me to my next point. Point Two: They pander to a young audience.Weezer's frontman, Rivers Cuomo, is 48 years old. One would expect that most casual Weezer fans would be around the same age. (Un?)Surprisingly, this is not the case. If you look at any Weezer social media account (besides Facebook, of course, as it's always the exception), you'll see that their comments and followers are full of middle school kids. Rivers Cuomo is known online for posting fan-made memes and Instagram photos with strange, surreal captions. This seems to be a hit among young kids getting into alternative music for the first time, so they stick around. Weezer also recently toured with Panic! At The Disco, a band whose fans are more often than not teenage girls. Rivers Cuomo even writes songs about being a teenager and getting with girls who are probably close to a third of his current age. While these moves were extremely smart in keeping Weezer on the map, they're not a new occurrence. At all. Take your sad, bewildered brain back to the great year of 2008. People were playing JellyCar and lighting digital matches on their iPhone 3Gs like it was some sort of Silicon Valley sorcery. Rihanna and Beyonce were on the radio making music that sounds nothing like what they'd put out today. No one had ever heard of a vlog, or a musical.ly, or a selfie. We can relax. Finally. But wait, do these people know what memes are? Oh god, they do. Enter: Pork and Beans. This music video utilizes the very beginnings of meme culture to its advantage. Tying in everything from Chocolate Rain to Numa Numa to Peanut Butter Jelly Time, this video managed to rack in views in the millions from the 18-29 crowd, the biggest online demographic at the time. While Weezer weren't aiming for teenage fans like they are now, they were certainly reeling in fans at least a decade and a half younger than they were. I understand that attracting different demographics is sometimes needed for a band to stay afloat into their 40s, but bands like Radiohead and Blur (argue all you want about Gorillaz attracting a younger audience to Blur's music), and even bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Smashing Pumpkins, never had to do so. It's a purely Weezer thing, which brings me to my next point: What exactly is purely Weezer? Point Three: They pander to just about any audience that cares to listen.Kids love memes. Memes love music. Wasn't it time for music to love memes? When Weezer covered Toto's Africa, they touched on three extremely important Values Of Weezer: attracting young fans, staying hip with the times, and getting media attention. The Weezer Cover Africa movement was fronted by a thirteen year old girl. Africa is a classic 80s synth song that had recently become a meme. Memes usually leak into the mainstream media after a while (hello, Yodeling Boy and Damn Daniel). What a better opportunity to cover a universally enjoyable song popular among both young people and middle-aged people that will be praised by the media and leak into the mainstream? So, Weezer covered Africa. It was a hit. Was it a brilliant cover? No, not necessarily. It was quite fine when I listened to it. A bit bland, maybe, but that's all I could find wrong with the musical aspect of it. But the truth is: Weezer's Africa cover was pandering to just about every age and media demographic that could be interested in something so barely culturally meta that they'd have to appreciate it, and appreciate Weezer. In the 1990s, guys like Thom Yorke and Kurt Cobain were stars. Rivers Cuomo matched this 90s frontman 'sad softboy' aesthetic with a nerdy, goofy, pop-culturally-aware twist. After hitting it off with the sad nerd crowd on Blue and Pinkerton, Weezer took a new direction for a new millennium on Green, trying to fit the lighter pop-rock aesthetic of the time. It was fine. After Green, Weezer tried again on Maladroit. Iffy. Make Believe was radio friendly but not a hit among the diehard fans. I still hear Beverly Hills on the radio at least once every two weeks. Red was even worse. And then Raditude happened. Raditude was the very bottom of the Downfall Of Weezer, which started with Make Believe. I personally enjoyed exactly one song on Raditude, If You're Wondering If I Want You To (I Want You To), but the goofy lyrics and missing musical talent were surely misses for other Weezer fans. The Lil Wayne collaboration on Can't Stop Partying was very, very real and not meant to be a joke. Raditude wasn't a joke. It was what Weezer had become in 2009: a sad, sad attempt to be hip with the times as an aging 90s band who couldn't find their target audience. After Raditude came Hurley, which was nearly just as bad. Four years later came Everything Will Be Alright In The End, arguably the best Weezer album since Pinkerton at that point. It was a celebration of all things serious and goofy and rock and roll and radio friendly that was Weezer's career over the past 20 years at that point. It was smart, funny, charming, and just felt like Weezer. The White Album felt the exact same way. Weezer weren't pandering to any demographic in particular with EWBAITE and White. These two albums felt like the Weezer we knew in the days of Blue and even Pinkerton: fun and charming without trying, with a hint of nerdy goofiness and sincere musical ability. Unfortunately for Weezer fans everywhere, Pacific Daydream pandered to the radio to an extent that shocked many Weezer fans who loved EWBAITE and White. After two years of making music almost worthy of the praise achieved by Blue, Weezer were back to their cycle of pandering to whatever audience was available: this time, anyone who listened to Alt Nation or watched Jimmy Kimmel. While people may enjoy Weezer's music more when they make music like Blue, Pinkerton, EWBAITE, and White, they find the most success on the radio and in the media when they pander to the tastes of the people who enjoy those platforms. ConclusionIn conclusion, there are a lot of things Weezer have done that I'm not a fan of. From charging their fans 80 (80!!!!) US dollars to take a photo with them, to pandering to a young audience, to constantly finding different target audiences, Weezer have become more of a marketing scheme than a band these days. To whoever is behind this entire scheme, I have the utmost respect for you for finding out so many different ways for a band to exploit their fans. Props to you.
This article was really fun to write because I have been wanting to discuss my problems with Weezer for a while, and what better way to do so than to show the world how to dunk on people who think 80 dollar meet and greet packages are anything other than a cash grab and that Rivers Cuomo's constant meme-ing on social media is anything other than a way to pander to the kids? If there are any other bands you would like me to dunk on (not as harsh as I've dunked on Weezer), let me know! If I agree, I'll write about it. And just to remind you again: you do not have to agree with me on any of these points. If you think everything I've dunked on is completely justifiable, that's fine. We are all different people with different opinions. Thanks for reading. Yeah, it's been over a year since this album was released, but I like to be fashionably late, alright?! I'm kidding. This has been giving me serious anxiety all year considering this is my FAVORITE ALBUM OF 2017. FOR REAL. AND I HAVEN'T REVIEWED IT YET. Well, anxious Past Liah, today is your lucky day, because I'm finally reviewing Landmark. On to the review! Sun VeinsFun audio! Nice editing! I don't have much to say about this one, but it is a very beautiful song and a nice way to open an album. Way It GoesThis is one of my favorite tracks on the album, and it holds the nostalgic mood that most of this album has. This song makes me think of summer nights in South Carolina when I was in middle school. VinesThis upbeat but mellow song is another one of the stellar, nostalgic tracks on this album. I can't really rank the songs on this album considering each of them have their own amazing qualities, but this is another one of my favorites! I also love the audio mixing and just the general sound of this track. EpitaphTo be 100% fair, I'm not the biggest fan of the vocal mixing on this one, but it's still a wonderful song for the most part. It doesn't take away from the rest of the songs on the album at all! Simple SeasonThis sweet, melodic track has a strong ‘amber evening at a rural block party’ feeling to it. I really love this entire album because the songs are all about parties you haven’t missed out on. I don’t know if that’s something only I can relate to, but you’ll have to listen for yourself to see if you understand the vibe or not! TuesdayThese songs feel so suburban and can be relatable to absolutely anyone who has ever been in a rural-suburban town where you know absolutely everyone and have watched your elementary school friends spiral into vape addiction. BUT HEY, this album really illustrates how it feels. Anyway, Tuesday is another sweet and slightly nostalgic track with instrumental melodies that follow the vocals. Western KidsI really enjoy the comparisons drawn between the kids of different parts of the United States, except I can’t get over the fact that the Northeast gets EXACTLY ONE LINE. We do more than dig at works of art, alright? We have an actual work ethic and take things seriously! Stop surfing and skating and get an office job. I’m kidding. I kind of wish I lived on the west coast, but I’m perfectly happy living my east coast life. East coast... Hm. I’m thinking of a rhyme. I’ll get back to you on that. PoemsSEA SOAKED SKIES AND DASHING LADS WITH CARS. That's all I'm going to say. I love this song. I love the lyrical allusions and the overall tone of the song. It reminds me of some pretentious art students I know in my life. Or at least I see them on Instagram sometimes. MonsoonAlthough this is a slow, somber track, it can still be jammed to if you take it seriously enough. It’s a very beautiful track centered on overwhelming emotions. I especially enjoy how the piano follows the vocals throughout the track. VacationThis is definitely one of my favorite tracks on the album. I love the themes of taking a vacation from your thoughts. I honestly feel like I’m on vacation just listening to this one! This song has a sort of orange-y color in my head. (I’m a very visual person, if you couldn’t tell. I’ll touch on that in my Nostalgia Album article, if I ever get to it.) BoyishThis energetic, passionate track is another one of my favorites on the album. The lyrics and instrumentals lead me to visualize a sunny field whenever I listen to it. If I could choose one track from this album that I could listen to forever, it would be this one. It’s that sort of song that can be listened to for hours on end and not feel tired or overplayed. InterludeThis is dramatic. I feel like I’m in the big reveal of the world outside in an apocalypse movie. I’m not really sure why there’s an interlude one song from the end, though. Or why I have my phone on shuffle and Franz Ferdinand’s The Universe Expanded played after this. I kind of like that, though... playlist idea? ButtercupThis is another one of my favorite tracks, and an awkward way to close the album, but still a great one. I really like how insistent the lyrics are and how it almost feels like Hippo Campus are trying to convince Buttercup of something. It’s a stellar track. ConclusionI’m going to be real with you: for a while, I wasn’t going to finish this review. It’s a draft from last December, my review format has changed so I’m not reviewing absolutely every track, and honestly, I had no plans of ever coming back to this album. But somehow, Hippo Campus brought me back, like they always do. Landmark is a fantastic album and is definitely one of my favorites of all time. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you soon!
Hello readers of Twilight Collective! I'm sorry for ghosting on you guys lately. I hope this review of our friends Jonathan's latest album, To Hold, makes up for it. Jonathan are a five piece band from Rijeka, Croatia who have been described as 'dark neoromantics' and 'cold wave indie.' Maybe those terms might be too fancy for us here at Twilight Collective, so we just like to compare them to bands like the Killers, Editors, and maybe even a little bit of the Strokes. But hey, that's just what we like to think, isn't it? Let's get into the review! The album starts off with Way To Go, a melodic, and slightly melancholic, but hopeful track reminiscent of the Strokes in Room On Fire. Seasons, the second track, is a darkly energetic song that exemplifies Jonathan's signature style, reminiscent of 2009 Interpol. Something To Cry About is another bop in Jonathan's signature style. I Never Meant To Be There is an emotionally charged, slower track reminiscent of going outside after a middle school dance, which is HONESTLY the best event you can be reminiscent of, just saying. This song is taking me all the way back to the TMS 8th grade dance. What a bop! I Don’t Mind is a rightful mellow bop! It’s a chill midpoint of the album. Monkeys starts off slow but escalates into an energetic jam. Wake Up Call is a synthy track that emulates the Killers but still keeps Jonathan's energetic, upbeat style. The album closes off with Gone, a soft, slow, heartfelt track that beautifully finishes off the musical experience Jonathan have just taken us on. In conclusion, these guys can bop, and if they ever come to the United States, or if we ever end up in Croatia, you can catch us at one of their concerts. My favorite songs off this album are I Never Meant To Be There and Something To Cry About.
You can listen to Jonathan's music here. (Have I ever mentioned how aesthetically pleasing their website is, by the way? It's beautiful.) You can read our interview with Jonathan here. Hello, readers of Twilight Collective and anyone else who happens to be surfing our internet wave. Today, I'll be reviewing Ron Gallo's 2017 album Heavy Meta. I've only heard a few tracks off this album, and so far, so good. Alright, enough rambling from me, let's get onto the review! Young Lady, You're Scaring MeThe opening track of Heavy Meta has old school rock-n-roll vibes that set the tone of the whole album. These old school vibes are fitted with very contemporary lyrics, which makes for an interesting combination. I love the guitar riff and how it matches well with Ron Gallo's vocal style. I also like how the young lady in question has 12 cats. That's pretty relatable. Put The Kids To BedThis track, again, has lots of old school rock-n-roll vibes. Even though it has a drum intro, this track is very guitar heavy, with a riff that reminds me something of Arctic Monkeys' sound in the mid-2000s. Anyway, back to the song. This reminds me of some sort of classic 19th century western novel I probably read in 4th grade. That's a good thing, though. Again, Gallo's vocals are very strong and unique compared to most of what I've heard recently. Kill The Medicine ManThis track is again very guitar heavy and reminds me of something I'd listen to while wandering through the desert in Nevada. I really need to do that sometime. I have a list of songs that fit that vibe. Anyway, this song very obviously isn't about a real medicine man, which I think is very interesting. All of these songs have been slightly old school with modern twists. Poor Traits Of The ArtistAlthough this song still sounds like something out of the 70s, it has a very new school vibe that I can only attribute to '10s rockers like CRX (which reminds me, go read my New Skin review after this one!) The feedback in the beginning and the sharp, rolling riff give this song a vibe of more new school than old school. Again, Gallo's vocals come off very strong, especially with the echo effects used through the whole album so far. The message of this song is really interesting, too. Why Do You Have Kids?I don't even know how to feel about this song. I don't really get the lyrics, but Gallo's vocals are again slaying the game, and the guitar in this song is once again an old-school inspired masterpiece. Good tune. I guess it's about bad parenting? I feel you, Ron. I ask this same question all the time. Please YourselfI like the energetic riff and southern vibes in this one. I like the lyrics too. I don't really have that much to say about this one. Black Market EyesI really just love the vibes in Ron Gallo's music, especially this song. It's old school and modern at the same time. Ron Gallo's music makes me want to move to New Mexico, or Kentucky or something. I really can't decide. That's a feeling I don't get very often. I just want to drive through the southeastern US right now. Ron Gallo's vibes remind me of a lot of the classic rock I listened to last summer on long drives. Whoa, the guitar is coming in strong! The heavy vibes start halfway through this track. Do I say vibes too much? Who cares. Can't Stand YouThis song is mellow and chill, yet carries the same vibe the other songs have so far. I know this feeling, Ron. I understand hating someone this much. Anyway, I really like this song! The guitar towards the end is really nice, too. I feel so calm right now. Started A WarThis song is once again calm. The vocals sound different than the other songs, though. It does pick up towards the end, also. Don’t Mind The LionThis song is mellow and melancholy and has a Doors-ish vibe to it. This would fit in on a late night drive through south Jersey listening to Classic Vinyl radio. This vibe is extremely calm and unlike anything else on the album so far. I also like how the guitar and vocals melt together as the song picks up towards the end. All The Punks Are DomesticatedOnce again, this song is very mellow and calming. It has a sound that contrasts most of the album. It’s a very pleasant closing track that finishes the album off quite well. ConclusionThis album was old-school and energetic and overall just a really fun listen! I definitely recommend it if you’re into any sort of rock music.
Thanks for tuning in to my tab of the blog, which I know has been inactive for a few months... But I have something good coming. I promise! See you soon! Hello readers of Twilight Collective! Today I'm here to enlighten your ears to Them Fantasies, a Boston-based alternative rock trio. They recently released two songs, titled Plastic Heart and Until The End. Plastic HeartPlastic Heart starts off with a light riff reminiscent of the general feeling of late 90s alternative. The vocals are strong and fit the music extremely well. This song definitely has a vibe of something I would have listened to on Pandora when I was 10 (Red Hot Chili Peppers and Radiohead, so that's a compliment). I really like this song and it's actually on the official Hidden Gems playlist (a playlist including songs from everyone I've covered in my Hidden Gems series, along with some others I haven't covered yet! Maybe we'll see a Hidden Gems installation for Them Fantasies sometime soon...)! Until The EndIn The End is a longer, chiller bop that's also reminiscent of 90s alternative in a way. The intro is really melodic and calming and the spoken word track behind it makes it all that much better. The bass reminds me of something from Interpol or even a toned-down Red Hot Chili Peppers. The vocals on this one remind me of Bloc Party's Blue Light. The vibes on both of these songs have been amazing and very grunge/2000s indie inspired! I can't wait to see what Them Fantasies do next! If you guys liked the descriptions of these songs, make sure to check out Them Fantasies, who we literally met because they commented about Smash Bros on our Instagram. Hey, good marketing is good marketing, yeah? Anyway, they're currently touring in Spain, but when they come to wherever you live, make sure to support them at their gigs!
See you in my next article! I know this is a music blog, but I've been thinking of the Olympics a lot lately, considering they're coming up in PyeongChang next month. Alli and I are really big on the Olympics, but I realized I'd never seen the Rio mascots. So then I fell down a rabbit hole of Olympic mascots, and I've emerged to show you the best and the worst. TOP 5 WORST OLYMPIC MASCOTS5. Wenlock and Mandeville (Summer 2012, London)Listen, Wenlock and Mandeville are FINE. They're not THAT bad. They seem like goofy frat boys who you'd want to hang out with. They were marketed as being playful and fun, anyway. It's just their design that got them on this list. They're not cute, and definitely not cuddly, as they're made of scrap metal. Anyway, these things severely freaked me out as a kid when I watched the London games. 4. the Polar Bear, the Hare, and the Snow Leopard (Winter 2014, Sochi)The Sochi Olympics are well known for being a complete and total disaster, and their mascots are the same! These things are literally just furries. 3. Sam (Summer 1984, Los Angeles)I get it, we're in the United States, but that's really the best Los Angeles could do? Really? I'd understand DC, but... This thing isn't that ugly, it just looks kind of like a muppet and is probably the most stereotypical mascot out there. 2. Izzy (Summer 1996, Atlanta)This thing makes me glad I wasn't alive in 1996. 1. Athena and Phevros (Summer 2004, Athens)I'm Greek. I've been to Greece. I know a heck of a lot about my culture, and I know there were a million better options for a mascot. If they wanted to bridge the gap from the ancient to modern games, they could have at least chosen some sort of creature from Greek mythology stylized to look cute and cuddly, rather than these mozzarella-cheese-stick looking things. TOP 5 BEST OLYMPIC MASCOTS5. Roni (Winter 1980, Lake Placid)This realistic raccoon is on this list because I've met him personally. It looks like it came from hell because that's pretty much what Lake Placid is in the off season (there was a Can-Am 30-40 Hockey League convention at the hotel I was staying at. They partied like frat boys every night). Anyway, Roni is adorable and you can shut up. I wouldn't want to run into him on the slopes. 4. Powder, Copper, and Coal (Winter 2002, Salt Lake City)These friendly woodland creatures represent Salt Lake City's landscape and resources. They're also definitely on my list of the cutest mascots. The only downside is Copper looks a bit like Cobi (the horrifying fleshy dog thing from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, not the incredibly attractive blues-rock musician), which sadly deducts a few points. Anyway, these guys are adorable and I want a Cartoon Network show about them. 3. Vučko (Winter 1984, Sarajevo)I don't care what you have to say about Vučko, because I personally think he's adorable. He also looks sort of like the bear from the 'touchad my spaghet' meme, which makes him just that much better. Anyway, he's become sort of a mascot for the city of Sarajevo itself, which I find pretty cool because he's a pretty iconic character. Where can I find merch? 2. Vinicius and Tom (Summer 2016, Rio de Janeiro)I love these guys! They're adorable! Their only flaw is the Rio logo on their chests that subtracts from their art style, which is cute and colorful. I also love the color palette they were drawn in. Oh well. Not all mascots can be perfect, but these two come pretty close. 1. Miga, Sumi, and Quatchi (Winter 2010, Vancouver)I might be partial to these guys because they were quite literally half of my whole childhood (Mario and Sonic Vancouver 2010 represent!), but they are pretty much the ideal mascots for the Olympics. Playful, fun, and most of all, cute and cuddly. Please link me to plush versions of these mascots. It would be gladly appreciated. ConclusionOlympic mascots can be cute, creepy, or straight up ugly, but I think we should all appreciate the games they stand for. The PyeongChang 2018 games' mascots, Soohorang and Bandabi, are no exception.
Anyway, maybe you'll see some Olympics related content from Alli and I coming up soon. Hopefully we'll be as into skiing as we were with volleyball. See you guys soon! Hello readers of Twilight Collective! Last year, we did a 2016 release recap on the main page. This year, Alli and I individually focused on entirely different music. That's crazy. We did one article together. That's it. This list features some albums I reviewed, and some albums that I listened to but was too emotionally exhausted from what I'd listened to to review them. They are categorized into pops (good), plops(??) (ok), and flops (please get this away from my ears). With that, let's start the Pop or Flop release recap! POPSLandmark - Hippo CampusThe nostalgic vibes in this album were strong, and although I didn't review it, it really deserves a review. One year anniversary review, maybe? We'll see. To Love - JonathanJonathan are our new friends and favorite Croatian alternative rock band, and if you guys like bands like Editors and Maximo Park, I suggest checking them out! Their most recent album, To Love, is full of bops. Go check it out!! s/t - ManuelaWe actually reviewed this one. And we did it together. It took literally two months of planning and one major migraine, but we did it. Anyway, this is probably the chillest album of the year and it should be checked out by each and every one of you. Also, RELATIONSHIP GOALS. Risk To Exist - Maximo ParkI did a solo review on this one, and although it's not my favorite Maximo Park album, it ranks above the National Health considering that one wasn't released in the United States and I've never listened to it. I'm kidding. It's an excellent album with an excellent message and upbeat, energetic tunes to get you through times when you can't trust anyone. Also, this album has Maximo Park's funkiest bass lines, even though they no longer have a permanent bassist in the band. That's what I call improvement. Keep it up, Maximo Park! HEAVY META - Ron GalloI'm in the middle of reviewing this one and I'll update this article with a link when I'm done, but this album has really nice old-school vibes mixed with refreshing new school rock n roll. Check it out! Ti Amo - PhoenixI was a little iffy on this album at first. I thought it didn't sound Phoenix-y enough. But then I realized, essentially, "dude, of course it sounds Phoenix-y. It's Phoenix. Even if it doesn't sound like Bankrupt or Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, it's still Phoenix. PHOENIX made this. You've been waiting for a new Phoenix album since you started listening to them." This album deserves a review, so maybe we'll get around to it eventually! PLOPS??Volume 1 - BNQTIf you want to know why I'd be a bad music critic, it's because I gave this album a 7/10 and then went and upped its ranking because I felt bad. It's not a bad album, I swear! I was just out of it. Don't hate me, BNQT. The points off were because there are way too many people in this band and concerts must be a really uncomfortable experience. Are there even that many instruments? Do some people get to take breaks? This band is literally a whole basketball team. Ok, enough about that. It was a good album. Sort of. Just read my review. Villains - Queens Of The Stone AgeI feel a little nervous publicly critiquing Josh Homme, but I'm going to do it anyway. This album was good. It was good! It was funky and cool and everything Queens previously weren't, but it still had that QOTSA charm. It just really wasn't my thing. Oh, also, Josh Homme deliberately kicked a photographer in the face. So he's cancelled. If I was basing this article on the actions of Josh Homme, this album would be a flop. FLOPSWonderful Wonderful - The KillersI was going to start this off with "Brandon Flowers, we love you," but shhh, he feeds on compliments... This album pretty much proved the Killers just want another Mr. Brightside, which is perfectly fine and all, except it's NOT. Dude, your song has been in the UK charts for 13 YEARS. Please stop trying so hard to get another song up there. It's fine. We appreciate the Killers no matter what, but this album just kind of ruined what I thought of them. Oh well. No one tell 2014 me about this. Pacific Daydream - WeezerRemember when I said I'd never slam Weezer? Yeah, that's cancelled. The latest installment in the California-whatever-the-heck series is... Average at best. Rivers, you're 47. If any reasonable teenage girl heard you singing to them on the beach about partying and having kids or whatever, she'd probably run. But at least you have an audience who WOULDN'T run. What I'm saying is basically, the Black Album better be Pinker2n. Or maybe Bl2. Whatever. In other news, this album was apparently inspired by The Beach Boys? I don't see it. Yikes. CONCLUSIONThis article simply shows my opinions on some albums I listened to this year. This is not meant to be taken as the truth, as it is just my opinion. You must let your own conscience guide you through the poppery and floppery of 2017.
That's enough deep dialogue. See you guys in 2018, or maybe sooner. Hopefully sooner. This is going to be the WILDEST article I've ever written. I will be describing this gig in vivid detail. This whole night felt like a dream. Anyway, before I get to my new friends and nearly getting kicked in the face by Paul Smith, let's talk about my history with Maximo Park. I started listening to Maximo Park when I was in 8th grade. I was sitting in my English class after a three hour round of statewide standardized testing, screwing around and playing agar.io on my school-issued laptop. I know. Real mature. Anyway, I was tired of listening to the same music all the time on Spotify. I listened exclusively to Phantom Planet for a month, and I was, sure as heck, over them. I came across my favorite playlist of all time, which shall be linked below: When I saw that photo of some tired, sweaty Strokes, I knew it was going to be good. And it was. My favorite song on that playlist was called Our Velocity. It was by a band called... Well, can you guess? Maximo Park, of course! I loved this song dearly. I didn't want to download it on iTunes immediately, for some reason. I decided to download it on my favorite illegal(?) video-downloading app, instead. That weekend, my mom, aunt, cousin, sister and I drove to Virginia for a gymnastics competition. I listened to Our Velocity for literally. The. Whole. Drive. I loved that song that much. Anyway, fast forward to July 8th, 2016. That was a rough day for me. I remember all of the small details, like hearing Blackout by Breathe Carolina in a Foot Locker and almost getting run over by a Zamboni in Sam's Club. If you read our 2016 recap, you know about that one. We went into Lambertville for dinner that night. The streets felt a bit lonely, but almost magical, in a way. If you've been to Lambertville, you'll know the vibes I'm talking about. It's a little town between the mountains and the river with almost no cell service, and surprisingly good Peruvian cuisine. I didn't eat anything that night. Or the night after. I passed out on the floor after showering and decided that was it. I was done. No amount of almond milk could save me. Fast forward to July 11th. My wifi was out, and we went to the mall to get our router checked out at the Apple Store. When we got home, I decided to lay on the ground in my backyard and watch the sunset. I was listening to Box Codax. I accidentally downloaded a few songs off iTunes from Hellabuster while my wifi was out. Whoops. There goes my cell. But anyway, after twenty minutes of quiet reminiscence on 8th grade and the year it had been, a song that will always be special to me came on shuffle. That song was Maximo Park's Midnight On The Hill. For all of July 2016, I listened to Maximo Park and Box Codax exclusively. If I had to credit two bands with saving my summer, it would be them. Now onto the concert. I arrived at The Foundry at 7:35, bought some merch, sent my dad off to the Dad Section, and secured a spot at barricade for myself. After Active Bird Community's set, before Maximo Park went on, I heard the people to my left discussing the setlist. I tried to get a photo, but it didn't work. We all just knew one thing: Graffiti wasn't on the setlist. We devised a plan to hear our beloved song. We tweeted (resisting the urge to say twote here) Maximo Park seven minutes before they went on. We tweeted everything from 'so excited to hear Graffiti tonight!' to 'Graffiti got me through some difficult teenage romances' (with a broken heart emoji) to 'Graffiti was my grandma's favorite song. She died last year.' Unfortunately, none of those were retweeted (retwote?) by the band before their set, so we thought our beloved Graffiti could only be accessed via YouTube videos from older gigs. Well, fortunately for my newfound squad of Maximo Park fans, that wasn't the case. During one of Paul Smith's frequent 'talky bits,' my new pal Helen quietly raised her hand. "Do you have a request?" Paul asked, not even into the mic. "Can you play Graffiti?" "You'll have to sing to me in French. That's the only answer to that." But after a quick look at his band mates, Paul proudly exclaimed: "Screw it. We'll do it! As they say in the United States, screw it! Screw it!" And then, they launched into Graffiti. All I remember is screaming "WE DID IT!!!!!" To Helen and John before becoming completely entranced by Paul's dance moves. So entranced I literally gifted him my nasty, sweaty, Pura Vida bracelet that I wore while laying in the grass in my backyard on July 11th, 2016. And then people started giving him shoes, to which someone behind me said: "welcome to Philly!" A few songs later, Paul told us he'd experienced Philadelphia in a half hour: everything from Philly cheesesteaks to sitting in a bar watching the Sixers win a game. That made me feel really proud of what I'd consider my home city. After the show, I actually got to meet Maximo Park and told Paul I had a chemistry exam first thing the next morning. "Whoa, what a weeknight for you then! Get home, study, cram those facts in your brain!" I laughed and thanked him and left the Foundry absolutely buzzing. To (most likely indirectly) quote my new friend John, "these guys played Glastonbury a few years back. It's crazy that they'd really have a gig this small. American fans definitely have an advantage for bands like this." (The photo below makes me feel SO SHORT. I'm 5'5, by the way.) So, yeah. In conclusion, I'd just like to thank Maximo Park for the amazing night that was November 29th, 2017. And as I sit in my kitchen with the remnants of a migraine and legs that are still sore from jumping around on Wednesday night, I could never be more thankful for all they've done for me.
Before this article begins, I'd like to warn you: The ranking of these artists on this list DOES NOT define their music or career. It's simply how I thought of them as opening acts. I genuinely enjoy all of these artists, and this list is pretty much just one big shoutout anyway. So let's go. (By the way, although I did go to Panic/Weezer 2016, I didn't get to see Andrew McMahon because my dad was BUYING FREAKING FELAFEL AND WOULDN'T LET ME GO BACK TO SEE HIM. No hard feelings to my dad, though. But I heard from Alli that he was awesome.) 6. WeathersWeathers are extremely talented and charismatic, but my problem with them as an opening act is essentially just that they have TWO SONGS OUT. And I saw them with Saint Motel in October of 2016 and have been following them ever since. But still. Two. Songs. At this point, I don't even remember any of the other songs they played, which definitely isn't a good trait for an opening band. 5. Hippo CampusI saw Hippo Campus, along with Weathers, opening for Saint Motel in 2016. Yes, Alli and I saw them again in March of 2017 as a main act, but I'll get to that soon. I think they're much better as a main act, just because you won't get the whole Hippo Campus experience from a half-hour set! That's just my opinion, though, as everything on this blog is. 4. Active Bird CommunityActive Bird Community, I wish I could rank you higher on this list. I have nothing negative to say about you. Really. I'm not even sure why I put you guys at number 4. It might because you advertised a merch bundle, and then LEFT THE MERCH TABLE. AND TOOK ALL YOUR STUFF TOO. Are you guys still offering that bundle? Anyway, musically, Active Bird Community were awesome. They have a grunge vibe which is something that I've been missing for a while. These guys are awesome and I seriously suggest giving them a listen. If you are one of those people who think rock is dead, you obviously haven't listened to Active Bird Community. 3. The IntelligenceThe Intelligence were the first real opening band I ever got to see, which is probably half of why I love them so much. They also followed me back on Instagram, which obviously gets them extra points. AND we met them after the concert and my dad wants to be friends with them now. Also, their music is fun and quirky and you can jam out to it without thinking about it too much. That's the best thing music can make one feel. 2. BaioI know it's unfair to rank Baio this high, as he is a member of Vampire Weekend, arguably the third-biggest indie band of the 2000s (right next to the Strokes and Arctic Monkeys), but he was seriously THAT GOOD. And I met him after the Shins' set. So there's that. Like the Intelligence, Baio was fun, quirky, and mindless jam-able. And he was incredibly kind and humble when I met him. So yeah. As I said at 4:45 AM on November 5th, 2016, Chris Baio is a certified mans. 1. Magic City HippiesI went into the Hippo Campus gig not knowing or caring who the opening act was. But that all changed when Robby Hunter, Pat Howard, and John Coughlin walked out onstage and unleashed a rush of funk and Miami vibes that would stick with me forever. To this day, Magic City Hippies are one of my favorite bands. Magic City Hippies inspire me to have a life I would have never wanted otherwise, which is one in which I live in Florida. Magic City Hippies got me to appreciate Florida just a little bit more. This band literally changed how I see music. I appreciate funk, hip hop, and soul more than I ever would have without them. That's it. That's the article.As you know, w love talking to our readers here at Twilight Collective. So if you agree, disagree, or want to tell your own story about an opening band that you love, please comment! It takes, like, ten seconds, and we'd sincerely appreciate it.
By the way, check out our submission post on our Instagram, @twilightcollective. We think you'll like it. See you guys soon, when I hopefully will have written about Chris Baio and the Shins, finally. Or maybe I'll talk about Maximo Park when I can feel my left leg again. |
About The AuthorLiah is a high school senior who plays guitar and loves the color yellow. She doesn't post much, but when she does, it's awesome. We promise.
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