Elijah Johnston has made a name for himself in Athens, Georgia following the release of his four studio albums. On Friday January 14th, Johnston released his fifth album, Day Off and performed it for Athens to hear live for the first time. Here is our review and breakdown of Day Off.
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New Album Release: Vista Kicks
Originating from California, Vista Kicks surprised listeners when they released their third full length album, Chateau Mae Mae on April 10th.
Comprised of Derek Thomas (lead vocals), Sam Plecker (guitar), Trevor Sutton (bass), and Nolan Le Vine (drums), Vista Kicks had the opportunity to write alongside singer-songwriter Audra Mae.
Oklahoma native, Audra Mae has made a name for herself in the world of music. By collaborating with and writing songs beside various musicians, Mae is a very well respected artist.
Spending their summer months writing in Music City (Nashville, TN), the members of Vista Kicks and Mae collaborated to produce Chateau Mae Mae. Combining Mae’s soulful folk sound with Vista Kicks’ classic rock sound, this album caters to all music lovers.
We had the opportunity to ask the members of Vista Kicks and lead singer, Derek Thomas some of our most pressing questions about the release of Chateau Mae Mae.
Open up your windows, allow the sunlight in, close your eyes, and let Chateau Mae Mae transport you to a different time.
How is this album different from anything you have released?
VK: On all of our other releases, we’ve written as a unit- just the four of us. The main difference about Chateau Mae Mae is that we co-wrote every song on the record between ourselves, Audra Mae, and different Nashville writers Natalie Hemby, Madi Diaz, Kerr Harrison, Benjy Davis, and David Borne.
What were some of your main inspirations for this release?
VK: Really, the experience of being in Nashville. Audra flew us out, housed us, and invited people over to write songs breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two weeks straight!
I guess something about lowering our walls and allowing outside people into our headspace…that was the inspiration for this release. A group effort that is something way different and way more than the 4 of us (or 5, including Audra) could have created alone.
How did you meet Audra Mae and decide to collaborate with her?
Thomas: We knew Audra from Los Angeles. She lived nearby and we’d hung out with her multiple times before she moved to Nashville.
A few tours ago, we were passing through Nashville and she came to the show, we invited her to come sing with us because Sam had been sick and he couldn’t sing for a few days. She had to postpone her flight plans and instead of departing from Nashville, she agreed to come with us to Memphis and leave from there.
While listening to songs and talking about life, I suggested it would be cool to someday make a record together. We both agreed and thought the other wasn’t serious, so we let months go by before reaching out again.
In May, I called Audra and said, “Are we doing this thing or what?” She laughed and said, “Hell yes we are.” She took it from there. Sam and I hopped on a plane and stayed with her for two weeks. No plan, no songs written, no real idea of anything. “I guess we’ll see what happens.” I said to Sam on the plane.
What was the process of writing this album and working together with Audra Mae?
Thomas: Every day at Audra’s house was packed with writing songs, cooking food, going out to bars, staying up till the sun came up, and lots of laughter.
We took any and every opportunity to make a song out of this and that. It was an inspiring time. It felt like a magical two weeks. Like a dream come true, writing with Audra and all of her friends who are now also our friends, the experience was a gift.
We didn’t think we were making a record, I think in the beginning we thought it would just be fun to make a song or two. By the end of two weeks, we had written over twenty songs.
What was your experience like writing these songs in Nashville?
VK: It was intense! Writing on the level we did… I think over those two weeks in Nashville, we wrote 20-25+ songs. But like we said, we were writing about 3 a day, one for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That’s how that city works though… they’re songwriting machines out there. In Vista Kicks, we consider ourselves songwriters over singers, musicians, whatever… so you could imagine how inspiring it was for us to be there.
Do you feel that your sound has changed in any way because of this collaboration?
VK: Totally. I really feel a sense of maturity and growth when I listen to Chateau Mae Mae. There’s more confidence in the vocals and everyone’s playing. I think writing an album with other people challenged us in new ways but it was also reassuring and exciting to be working with such great writers.
Since not a lot of listeners knew that you were releasing new music, what made you decide to keep it a secret until the release?
VK: There was a lot of question on how we were going to release the album. I’m not sure we kept it a very good secret because we played “While we still have the time” on tour the last year or so and had Audra open a show at The El Rey singing tunes from the record haha.. Ultimately, we decided it was such a special piece of music that it just deserved to be out and listened to. This year we signed on with some new publishing and wanted to release it with them and that just happened to fall during this whole covid-19 pandemic.
What do you want your listeners to know about this release and what it means to you?
VK: Take the record as you want: we think the record is great and we’re all proud of it! We think we’ve raised our own personal bar of songwriting, recording, production etc… We took a lot of side steps from our normal tendencies… but that’s what it’s all about! Change and growth. We started recording again this last February for the next VK album — It’s fun to see how the the Nashville record has clawed into us. We’ve definitely learned some new tricks that we’re going to take along the way…
FINAL THOUGHTS
Vista Kicks is one of the very first bands that we ever wrote about on this blog, so this album was a very special and long awaited one for us and for many dedicated VK fans. Chateau Mae Mae is different from previous albums that they have released, but is a work of art nonetheless.
This album offers a perfect blend of heartfelt ballads and textured sounds. It’s a softer album from the “Marceline” band, but the vocals from both Vista Kicks and Audra Mae are flawless and passionate. Audra Mae’s addition to the album is a game changer, and brings an effortless tone to the table.
You can stream Chateau Mae Mae on all music platforms. You can also follow Vista Kicks and Audra Mae on Instagram for updates and other content.
We hope you’re all healthy and safe. Don’t forget to wash your hands and support your local bands!
New Album Release: Paper Daisies
Originating from Clemson, South Carolina, Tayler Bucich of Paper Daisies released his first album In and out the Window on March 30th. We had the opportunity to ask Bucich questions about his new project and this album.
What inspired you to move to this stage of your music career?
I got into music and recording when I was 20 because it gave all of my emotions a very clear therapeutic outlet. Nothing makes me happier than writing and recording, so I guess that would be the inspiration for all of this. Chasing happiness.
With this being your first release under Paper Daisies, what is the significance of this album?
It’s the start of something fresh and new. With purpose. I have a big plan for how my Paper Daisies albums will feed off of each other.
Can you tell us a little bit about your songwriting process for this album? Where did you find inspiration to write these songs?
The songwriting process for In and out the Window was extremely personal. I filled an old black notebook front and back with thoughts, questions, statements, poems, conceptual ideas. I’ve been at odds with myself recently. The last year has really stressed me out and made me feel purposeless. But no matter what I always have music. So I decided to make this project about just that. Having a therapeutic outlet to go to.
A little passage from that notebook says: “These eyes are windows. Press play and listen to my soul. Go in and out the window.” In and out the Window is also a reference to a children’s book that teaches kids how to play music. I liked that because I feel like a child in the world of music.
Major musical influences for In and out the Window?
I found a lot of inspiration from the existentialism that Loving spews out in every song. I loved the raw recordings and genuine lyrics of Elliot Smith. I was extremely inspired by the late 60s sunshine pop movement. And of course, forever and always, Brian Wilson.
How is this album different from anything else you’ve released?
I think there is a conscious effort to present these songs with more concrete structure. I had access to an actual drum kit for the first time in my life. So really, long story short, I had the ability to do whatever I wanted when I wanted. I could truly create with no boundaries for the first time.
How would you describe your music to someone who has never listened to you before?
Hahaaa! I have a lot of practice doing this. I usually say something like “I hunker down in my bedroom and I write songs about being alive, the ups and downs.” And then I usually give a little disclaimer “Could be kinda weird! I don’t know what you normally listen to!” If they need a genre I usually say “Experimental bedroom pop” which sounds like a lot of fun things.
What message do you want to convey to our readers about this album?
I’m always at odds with wanting to tell what my albums are about…but if I had to say something real short and sweet I’d say: You never know what someone is going through, or who they might end up growing into. People have an incredible capacity to change, or to be shaped by their surroundings, both in a positive and negative way. Be kinder. Smile more. The world is like a mirror, you’ll feel it come right back to you. I promise!
Final Thoughts
Bucich released this album when the world needed it the most. During a time of uncertainty and confusion, the songs on In and out the Window offer a sense of calmness and security about where we are and where we can go from there. It’s like a big hug from someone you love and you know that they’ll never let go. This album is reminiscent of warm drinks, dried flowers, and baked goods. A cozy feeling, ya know. Like everything is going to be alright.
We’ll link the album on Spotify below and make sure to follow @daisiespaper on Instagram for any future updates! Thank you again Tayler!
Stay groovy!
Mystic Truth Tour 2019
“Away We go”
Our first concert since we got home from Texas was Bad Suns… and we were pretty excited about it. I (Britt) spent all of high school listening to their album Language & Perspective and was stoked to see them live for the first time. We left Greenville around 4:30 and made our way to the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta.
We arrived at the venue while the opener, a very talented 18 year old from Wisconsin, Carlie Hanson was performing. Hanson’s music can be described as pop punk and alternative. She was assisted by a drummer and a guitar/keyboard player and had amazing energy as she was jumping from side to side on the stage!
feels like home
The lights in the venue dimmed and the members of Bad Suns made their way to the stage and opened with “Away We Go”, the first song off their newest album, Mystic Truth. They played through songs off of their other albums, Language & Perspective, and Disappear Here. After performing “The World and I”, the lead singer Christo, approached the microphone and asked “Who’s been here since our first record?” Half of the audience put their hands up and shouted. “Thank you guys for being here for that long! Now who’s ready to fucking dance?” The band then proceeded to play “Rearview” off of their first record. Christo encouraged the crowd to dance and jump along as he sang the lyrics.
The continued playing through their set and then… “Cardiac Arrest” came on. This song is super nostalgic to me because it is the first song that I listened to by them and it introduced me to their music. It was one of my favorite songs to listen to throughout high school and hearing it live felt insane. Jenna and I jumped around and belted out the lyrics with the crowd. Before ending the song, Christo yelled into the microphone, “This feels like fucking home tonight!” And it sure did.
“away we go” Part 2
Unfortunately, after this song, Jenna wasn’t feeling well so we had to cut the concert short and head home. We were thankful to hear some of our favorite songs like “Violet”, “Rearview”, “Daft Pretty Boys”, and “Cardiac Arrest” though! We made our way to the merch table and I bought a record and Jenna bought a t-shirt (per usual). We gathered up our things, took some pictures outside of the venue and made our way back to our car with blisters on our feet from dancing and messy hair.
Overall, we had a great time at this concert. Bad Suns sold out this show and put on a great performance! If you ever have the chance to see them on this tour, you definitely should! The energy and enthusiasm that this band puts into their stage presence and songs is super dope and you can feel the love and gratitude that they have for their fans. 10/10 would recommend!
A Hypnotic Hangout: Mommy’s Little Boy
‘Wasting All of My Time’ on Valentine’s Day
February 14 is the day of love, and it also happened to be the day that Mommy’s Little Boy released his first full-length album. Jake Derting, from Denton, Texas sat down with us to discuss his album Wasting All of My Time.
In 2018, he released his first self-titled EP, Mommy’s Little Boy. This EP was his way of introducing his music to the world. His most popular song “She Cries”, just recently hit 2000 streams on Spotify, so check that out if you haven’t already.
The Sound of Mommy’s Little Boy
The “She Cries” singer gets a lot of his musical inspiration from artists like Roy Orbison, Current Joys, Lala Lala, Surf Curse and a local Denton friend, Ian Salazar. Throughout a lot of the songwriting process, Jake listened to these artists and gained a new perspective on what sound he wanted to create.
Jake described that he gets his inspiration for his music from observing people in his life and putting it in his perspective. He said that “The way I write is that I perceive things and I watch people’s lives and then I can write about it from my perspective”. He went on to talk about how he had lived with some friends from college this past semester, and how all of them were individually going through stuff. He took it as an opportunity to put himself in their shoes and write about those experiences.
In his song “Wasting Time”, Jake incorporated an acoustic guitar with multiple pedals and pitch shifter to get different sounds from the same instruments. He’s been passionate about music from a young age and has the ability to play many instruments.
When we asked about how he would define his genre of music, Jake said, “I don’t think that I could really put into one genre.” He described his music as a mixture of Dream Pop, Low-Fi, Bedroom Pop, and Punk. With this new album, he has been able to shape his sound into his own and now when you listen to his music, you know it’s a Mommy’s Little Boy song.
“Things Are Great” and so is “Oatmeal”
Two of the most influential songs on Wasting All of My Time are “Oatmeal” and “Things Are Great”. Jake relayed to us that after working for hours recording different parts of what was originally a nameless song, he was craving oatmeal and the name of that song was born. We all shared a laugh about our mutual love for oatmeal. He continued to say that he poured out all of his “angst” into this song and it easily became one of his favorites off of the album.
He saw “Things Are Great” as a song that he could go somewhere with. He used this particular song to shape not only his sound but his message.
A Wake-Up Call
When we asked about why he titled the album Wasting All of My Time which was pulled from his song “Wasting Time”, he described that he had an awakening and decided to settle down. He went on to say that his first record was just for fun, and nothing too serious. With this new album, he discovered that this was a true passion of his and he dedicated more time and effort into it.
A Message from Mommy’s Little Boy
Jake is super proud of this album and he wants his listeners to know that you shouldn’t waste your time doing things that you aren’t passionate about. He hopes for people to listen to his music and become inspired to not give up on their goals and aspirations.
He laughed and sat back in his chair. He stated, “Actually I have been filming a music video for Things Are Great and it should be out in a couple weeks!”
Keep an eye out for any new projects and releases from Mommy’s Little Boy. Check out his music on all music platforms! We want to thank Jake for taking the time to have this interview with us, go check him out!!
Laid Back with The Jacks
“Hello My Friend”
1/2/2019 Atlanta– The sun was shining and we were en route to Atlanta. The night before, The Jacks graciously responded to a comment we made about their “house party” show. They DMed us the address, and asked us if we wanted to come. Of course we couldn’t pass up the opportunity, so like always we hopped in the car and drove.
We arrived around 2PM, and we were escorted to the open backyard. We walked down the porch steps and walked closer to where the stage was set up. The party host, Alex was so sweet and accommodating. He was shocked that we had driven so far to see the band, and promised to make it worth our while.
He introduced us to Tom (guitar/ vocals), Josh (drums), Jonny (vocals and guitar), and Scott (bass/vocals). The band was just as excited as us about being there.
“Shake it up baby now”
The guys made their way to the makeshift stage and started playing their set around 3:30. They opened with “Holy Roller”, played through some of their unreleased songs, and covers of “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”, “Hey, Jude” and “Twist and Shout”. They kept the crowd energized and on their feet through the duration of the show. Jonny engaged with the crowd by getting off the stage and sharing the microphone. We made connections with the guys while they were performing and we never missed a beat. They finished the set with an encore of “Twist and Shout” and had everyone twisting in their shoes.
The Dirt (on our shoes)
After the show, our shoes were muddy, the sun was setting, and the crowd had dispersed. We met up with each of the guys and struck up an intriguing conversation. We were curious to know what was next for their career. They mentioned that they recently got signed to EDGEOUT Records (a record label under Universal Music Group). Thanks to their new record label, they were able to participate in the Superbowl performances. Jonny explained that because of this big milestone in their career, they will be releasing new singles soon and are planning on going on tour in the upcoming year.
Josh was curious to know where we had discovered them. We explained that Vista Kicks had mentioned them and we were interested in learning more about them. We did our best to persuade Scott to go on tour with their pals, Vista Kicks. Scott asked us where we were from and was open to any suggestions on venues to play at when they come back around. We mentioned that we recently went to a concert at the Radio Room in Greenville. We continued the conversation talking about psychedelic rock bands.
In our conversation with Tom, we found out that they cover songs that fit in their genre of music. “We do this because if the crowd isn’t familiar with our music, it gets them interested in our sound.” He then added that they do like to add their own twist to the songs that they cover. For example, he mentioned that he loves covering “Hey Jude”, because “It’s one of the best songs ever written and we love to add our own spin to it.” “
“Hello, Goodbye”
The sun had set and we were bidding our farewells. We thanked Alex and his roommate Murphy for the billionth time for hosting the party, and made our way to say goodbye to our new friends, The Jacks. We had mentioned the blog in our previous conversation and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get a picture with them. They were more than happy to, and thanked us again for traveling down to see them. We bid our farewells and promised to see them again soon!
“…a little taste”
If you have never listened to The Jacks, you definitely should! These guys create some badass rock and roll music. Their music is influenced by the 1960’s and 1970’s rock invasion. Keep an eye out for any new music they will be releasing and if you ever have the chance to see them (even at a house party in the middle of Atlanta) you should take that opportunity!
Thank you guys again for inviting us and being so down to earth and genuine! This will be an experience that we will never forget!
Post Post Animal Post
Howdy! On Wednesday we went to see Post Animal in concert down in Athens. We thought that you guys would want to read about our experience because it was a great one! Enjoy!
Wasting Time
We’re going to start this story from when we entered the venue. When we walked inside, we saved a spot right below the stage and claimed it as ours. As other people started filling in, we took turns getting water and going to the bathroom in fear of losing the awesome spot we had. Post Animal had two openers open for them. The first one being a cool dude named Shane T. He came on stage in worn in Vans and ripped jeans and blew the crowd away. His music is super cool and easy to vibe to plus his voice is amazing! (Right now he’s only got one song on Spotify, “Wasting Time”, but he’s got some new music coming so check him out!)
Illiterate Light
The next opener they had was a duo called Illiterate Light and let us tell you, these guys know how to rock the hell out! Their music is between a mixture of hard rock and smooth alternative. These dudes are super talented and had the whole crowd hyped up from the beginning of their first song! (They have two singles on Spotify right now: “Better Than I Used To” and “Growin’ Down”.)
When I Think of You in a Castle
The dudes of Post Animal appeared after Illiterate Light finished their set. By this time, we had moved away from the front of the stage and backed up so we could get a better view. These guys are so talented and had the whole crowd shaking their heads and tapping their feet. If you’ve never listened to Post Animal, you definitely need to! Their music is a mix of psychedelic, hard rock, and alternative and it is amazing live! They opened with “Gelatin Mode” and continued throughout the set with high energy and finished with an encore of “Swamp Fruit” (one of my favorites).
Special Moment
After the show was over, the members of the band were standing by the merch table signing shirts and records. As we approached them, the lead singer Dalton was taking payments for the merch and he started up a conversation with Jen and we continued talking with him for about 15 minutes. As people were starting to file out and leave, we asked if we could take a picture with them. After we took a couple pictures, we hung around with Matt and Javi. We talked about any upcoming shows that they were performing and if they would come back around us anytime soon. We were standing and talking with them for so long that the manager at the venue had to escort us to leave. We held them to their promise of coming to Greenville soon, shook their hands, and said our farewells.
As we left the venue, we had a feeling of complete astonishment as we realized that we just hung out and talked to such a cool ass band. On the drive home, we relived the concert and it’s memories while listening to their music in the car. When we got back to Jen’s house at three in the morning and collapsed onto the bed in a state of fatigue, we both had the feeling that that concert was one of the best! See you in February Post Animal and thanks for the incredible experience!
STAY GROOVY
What’s Spinnin’?
Welcome to our new series! Every month we will be talking about our current favorite songs and what we have been jamming out to! We had planned on writing a post about a concert that we were supposed to go to but unfortunately mother nature had other ideas and the rain was too treacherous to drive in so we decided to go get bagels. We hope you all enjoy this post and let us know what your favorite songs are at the moment!
Britt
Volcanic Love- The Aces
4th and Roebling- The Districts
Ordinary Day- The Districts
If Before I Wake- The Districts
Salt- The Districts
When I Get Home- Post Animal
Susie- Post Animal
Parking Lot- HUNNY
Heaven Up There- Palace
Flower Power- Greta Van Fleet
Vines- Hippo Campus
Poems- Hippo Campus
Vacation- Hippo Campus
The Halocline- Hippo Campus
Jen
Violet- The Districts
Golden- Hippo Campus
Dollar Bill- Hippo Campus
You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are- Keaton Henson
Static Space Lover- Foster the People
Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby- Cigarettes After Sex
Yes, I’m Changing- Tame Impala
If You Need To, Keep Time on Me- Fleet Foxes
The Trapeze Swinger- Iron & Wine
Dreams- The Cranberries
Lazerburn- Jesse Woods
Gold- The Shelters
Well, there ya have it! We hope you guys found some new music to listen to and until next time,
STAY GROOVY!
All the love,
Britt and Jen
Hypnotic Bolt 