Author Archives: Charles Gray

Two of Memphis’s best and brightest have recently come together to create project coated in warm sounds and a familiar aesthetic.

Motel Mirrors is a duo consisting of major local notables John Paul Keith and Amy LaVere. They’re set to release their debut self-titled 10″ on Saturday, August 24, with a show at Young Avenue Deli that any lover of retro sounds will be kicking themselves if they don’t attend.

The twosome’s sound was founded in inspiration from ’50s and ’60s duets like Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty. Their music carries both Keith’s natural ease in writing sentiments bathed in rock’ n ‘roll past and LaVere’s undeniable voice and grace. Now on the other side of a full length album and with sense of comfort playing live, they’re releasing their sound with several originals and some carefully chosen covers.

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Garage-pop quartet Perfect Vessels have been working the Memphis scene for years. They’ve built a sound of clean guitar and catchy choruses stitched together with plenty of grown-up relationship subject matter. As of late they have been working off of the physical release of their newest EP Habitual Long-Distance Lovers.

The four-song effort bolsters a matured take on the role relationships play in adult life through a sort of jangly garage rock, detailed with catchy riffs and choruses. Though the boys have sought studio shelter in the past, the music for the EP was crafted in much more comfortable place.

Guitarist Graham Burks explains, “Rather than going into a studio to re-do all of our work, we got a little more serious about the craft of our home recordings and decided to release those instead. Because these songs were recorded at home over the course of a year, we were able to grab takes whenever inspiration would strike. We were able to experiment more with the arrangements.”

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If you’re a fan of modern psychedelia, there’s a release you should check out. Australian outfit Pond are just about to release their fifth album Hobo Rocket through Modular on August 6.

After the past few years, Pond has become one of the most talked-about Australian acts. Members have been bounced back and forth with sister act Tame Impala, but Pond’s core sound has always focused on references to ’60s psychedelia with a 21st century education and lots of easy-to-follow melodies.

Hobo Rocket is the band’s first major recording in three years. (2012’s critically acclaimed Beard, Wives, Denim was recorded in 2010.) The release of singles “Xanman” and “Giant Tortoise” give insight into the pace the band has set for the upcoming full length.

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Royal Thunder is a metal act often described with mentions of top-tier combos like Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath. Although they share similarities, Royal Thunder’s strengths exceed the simplicity of easy reference points. The band brings the thunder with musical epics boasting dynamic arrangements, impressive musicianship, and overarching themes as witnessed on their self-titled 2009 EP and 2012’s full length, CVI.

We got the chance to speak with Royal Thunder’s Josh Weaver and Evan Diprima shortly before their Bonnaroo set.

How long have you guys been here this weekend?

Josh Weaver: We just got here around 2 last night.

Evan Diprima: Late night.

Are y’all staying through the day?

JW: Yeah, we play at 8, so we’re just gonna stay. Tom Petty is playing after us, so we’re gonna check that out.

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Growing up in Southern California, the most obvious answer to “music that defines you” certainly goes to good ole’ American folk, country, and blues…right? Seems to be true if you base your study on Jason Galaz.

Upon moving to Tennessee, Galaz created the Muddy Roots Festival—a live event dedicated to the blues, folk, honky tonk, punk rock, tattoos, cars, and pin-up girls. As if it wasn’t enough to expand the festival outside of Tennessee—and the States—to Waardamme, Belgium, Galaz also founded Muddy Roots Records, a label established to provide vinyl editions of the music that defines the sound of the festival itself. I got to talk to Jason a few weeks before this year’s Muddy Roots Festival.

What was the catalyst that created Muddy Roots Music Festival?

It was as simple as me wanting my favorite bands in town and then wanting them there all at once. I was, and always will be, evolving and looking for new music to carry me on. I felt the best music in the world wasn’t getting the support it needed. These bands are 10 times better than anything on the radio and mostly ended up on the side stage of other festivals. I wanted a place for the bands that didn’t fit in a genre.

How has the festival evolved over the years?

It doubles each year. We don’t want it getting too big, so we start other events to deter that. The music is meant to be intimate.

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Over the years, it’s become a trend with 6-string aficionados to try their hand at the laptop-laden genre of digital music. These artists tend to embrace a romance with sound, often tied to a warm analog aesthetic.

One such artist who sat his guitar on its stand to pursue computer bloops and bleeps is Carter Tanton (formerly of Tulsa) with his latest project Luxury Liners.

In April of this year, Luxury Liners released They’re Flowers, a collection of beat-driven electro pop, full of big melodies and catchy choruses. Currently, Carter is halfway through a tour while laying the groundwork for his next release. We got the chance to speak with him shortly after his set at Bonnaroo a few weeks back.

Hey Carter, How are you?

Good, good.

How has 2013 been?

Good, so far—I released the record in April and now I’m on my first tour in support of it. I’ve also been able to do a remix for this great band out of Philadelphia called Night Lands and compose the soundtrack for an independent movie called Nervous Person.

Could you tell me about that? How did you get involved?

I’m friends with one of the movie’s producers. They were having problems with the film’s composer because he was slow on revisions, so I took over and the revisions seemed to be one thing I liked about the process. When I do my records its just me and my take. Sure, a label will discuss which songs to keep or remove from the album, but there’s no talk as far as rewriting the songs. I was into the whole process of having to collaborate with directors and producers. It took the isolation out of composition and was very rewarding.

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A common tag often given to colorful and engaging bands is “theatric.” While this is generally accurate on a case-by-case basis, few bands properly define the term more than Milo Greene.

The indie poppers from LA have a lengthy list of video work usually made in tandem with musical counterparts that are heavy on catchy melodies. I got to speak to Andrew Heringer and Graham Fink of Milo Greene briefly after their set at Bonnaroo.

Is this your first Bonnaroo?

Andrew Heringer: Yes.

How do you like it so far?

Graham Fink: It’s been great.

AH: We just played, and it was a really great experience.

Anyone you’re excited to see during Bonnaroo?

GF: Wu-Tang Clan and then Paul McCartney. Pretty radical one-two punch.

In the past, you guys have described your music as “cinematic pop.” What does this mean?

AH: I think it just means that we see a visual component to the music. We love movies. We like to think about scoring movies in the future, and when we’re writing we definitely think about a visual counterpoint to the sounds.

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