INTERVIEW: Funeral Advantage.

Photo by Tim Oxton

Boston-based dream pop project Funeral Advantage is the brainchild of Tyler Kershaw. Since releasing an impressive debut LP in 2015 called Body is Dead, the project has remained fairly quiet. A still surface doesn’t necessarily reflect tranquility, however. During the interim, Kershaw struggled through personal hardships, and eventually began the cathartic process of transforming those experiences into songs. Please Help Me, released on February 24 via The Native Sound, is the end result.

The juxtaposition of sparkling, jangly guitarwork and dark lyrical content is one of the hallmarks of Funeral Advantage’s sound. For me, this contrast is also the true core of dream pop music. Dream pop’s task has always been to reconcile its own dual nature in a way that sounds both effortless and catchy. It’s extremely difficult to do; Funeral Advantage excels at it. Body is Dead juggled these contrasts skillfully, but it was rooted in hope and enveloped in nostalgia.

As far as aural juxtapositions are concerned, Please Help Me picks up where Body is Dead left off – the hooks are clever, the textures shimmer, and there’s enough reverb, delay and jangly guitar leads to please any lover of dream pop. But Please Help Me is rooted in a much darker place. There is no nostalgia here; instead, it feels more like a release. Nostalgia will always be linked with dream pop, but being liberated from it feels damn good, too. 

In other words, we love this project. We're proud to share our interview with Tyler Kershaw of Funeral Advantage with you.

How and when was Funeral Advantage formed?
It was formed in my bedroom in 2013 after I was kicked out of one band and my other band broke up in the same week. I decided I didn’t want to have to worry about either of those things happening again.

Can you tell us what you’ve been working on and what you’ve got forthcoming in the near future (new releases, tour, video, etc.)?
I have a new record that just came out on The Native Sound, so I’ve been hard at work with that. I’m never not writing so you could say I’m shaping up the next songs that may be the next Funeral Advantage release but I don’t want to corner myself into that. That’s when you start limiting yourself.

How would you say Please Help Me differs from your debut LP, Body is Dead?
Different circumstances surrounded the writing and recording so it became a much darker record than my first LP. It’s unmistakably me, but as I get older and more horrible things happen, that happens to reflect in how I create.

Happy Birthday to Ride's Today Forever EP.

New Video: Jay Som | Baybee.

“Baybee” is taken from Jay Som’s forthcoming LP, Everybody Works, which is set for release on March 10 via Polyvinyl Records. The charming video was directed by Charlotte Hornsby and Jesse Ruutila, with choreography by Juri Onuki. We love this tune and video! Feeling those smooth gondola vibes…

Pre-order Everybody Works here.

New Video: Souvenir Driver | Glass Ceiling.

“Glass Ceiling” is taken from this Portland-based group’s recently released EP, Brace Yourself. The songs on Brace Yourself were all songs written in the period between Trump's election and his inauguration. All proceeds from digital sales of this album will be split evenly between the Southern Poverty Law Center, Planned Parenthood, Natural Resources Defense Council and ACLU.

This rad video was created by Jonathan Allen of Daydream Machine. In fact, the two bands are hitting the road together later this month – if they’re stopping in your town, show them some much-deserved love. Tour dates are listed beneath the video.

Souvenir Driver | Daydream Machine tour dates:

3/21 Tuesday: Mississippi Studios Portland, Oregon

3/24 Friday: The Sound Lounge Grants Pass, Oregon

3/25 Saturday: Starlite (w Pets & Ghostplay) Sacramento, CA

3/26 Sunday: Elbo Room San Francisco, CA

3/27 Monday: Continental Room Fullerton, CA (Orange County)

3/29 Wednesday: Harvard & Stone Los Angeles, CA

3/30 Thursday: The Pour House Oceanside, CA

3/31 Friday: Til-Two Club San Diego, CA

Interview: Kindling.

Photo by Tiffany Law

The Massachusetts-based project Kindling was formed by Gretchen Williams and Stephen Pierce in 2014. To round out their dynamic sound, which is equal parts noise pop and shoegaze with a DIY punk aesthetic, Andrew Skelly was added on drums, Jeffrey Stevens on guitar and Aaron Snow on bass. After releasing a couple of 7 inches and the lauded Galaxies EP in 2015, Kindling dropped their highly anticipated debut long player, Everything Else, in 2016 to rave reviews. Their newest offering, an EP entitled No Generation, became available last week, proving that both their creativity and unique vision continue to blossom. 

We have adored Kindling since hearing those original demos back in 2014 and that love grows stronger with each new release. We're thrilled to share with you the following interview with Gretchen and Stephen of Kindling.

How and when was the band formed?

Gretchen: In early 2014, Stephen and I wrote some songs over the course of a few weeks. At first, we were just focused on writing short songs quickly, but we began to want the sound to spread out, open up. We wrote the songs on the Spike & Wave 7” and then asked some friends to join the band.

Can you tell us what the band has been working on and what you've got forthcoming in the near future (new releases, tour, etc.)?

Stephen: Our new 12” EP just came out called No Generation that we recorded at the same time as Everywhere Else – it’s the more Ramonesy or poppy songs from the session that didn’t feel like they fit so well on the LP. A CD is coming out on November 16 in Japan that puts together all of our stuff so far aside from the 7” and demo, it’s called Other Orbits. We’re recording our 2nd LP in early 2017 with our friend Justin Pizzoferrato. There may be another shorter EP coming out right before that LP comes out, and somewhere in between all that stuff we’ll be on the road a bunch.

Do you consider your music to be part of the current shoegaze/dream pop scene, or any scene? Defining one's sound by genre can be tiresome, but do you feel that the band identifies closely with any genre? How do you feel about genres in music, in a general sense?

Stephen: I guess I’ve always thought of us as a punk band, whatever that means.

TONIGHT! When The Sun Hits on DKFM. Stream it live @ 10pm EST.

TONIGHT:

When The Sun Hits airs on DKFM Shoegaze Radio with loads of fuzzy goodies!

Stream it live 

10pm EST | 9pm CST | 7pm PST

www.decayfm.com

Repeats 12 hours later!

Album Review: Venn | Venn EP.

VENN is the Washington, D.C. based four piece of Jon Fetahaj, Gabe Earle, Julian Earle and Holden Cihelka. A few weeks ago we featured the band’s catchy first single, “Surreal” in anticipation of their self-titled debut EP, which is officially released today via Bandcamp. Based on the strength of the single, our expectations were exceptionally high. This 4-song EP does not disappoint.

The EP kicks off with the aforementioned “Surreal”, a jangly shoegaze number that grabs you by the collar and demands your attention. After weeks of repeated play, the tune has lost none of its luster for me. Descriptors like effervescent, energetic and exhilarating all come to mind, but at the end of the day; “Surreal” is a perfect noise-pop gem. Its fevered pitch sets the pace for what’s to come.

“Weekday” follows it up and packs a similar nostalgic punch. In fact, one of the most remarkable things about these young gazers, aside from sheer talent, is their innate grasp on nostalgic melody. Properly crafted nostalgic noise pop is not easy to make, but it should sound effortless, and Venn excels at this. “Weekday” features the same frenzied guitar work and noisy, cymbal-clanging brilliance captured in “Surreal”, but the sparkling vocal melody that comes in at 0:37 feels particularly special to me. This EP is loaded with cleverness, but this track may be the most sonically sophisticated of them all.

Next comes “Maybe I’m a Liar” – for all intents and purposes, Venn’s origin song, as it was the first one they wrote together. Compared to the two tracks that come before it, “Maybe I’m a Liar” is less raucous and more on the soothing side of things. While slightly less dynamic than its predecessors, Venn’s signature catchiness remains. The song also boasts a killer guitar groove that you’d have to be dead inside not to love.

The EP closes with “Someone Else”, by far their longest track (clocking in at just over 6 minutes). The song’s intense intro sets you up for a rowdy jangle jam, and it is that, but it’s also something of a slow-burner. The tempo downshifts for the first verse, then ramps up again at the chorus. “Someone Else” is a rollercoaster ride, running you through a gamut of emotions that perfectly encapsulates the tumultuousness of the subject matter. In certain places, the vocals are somewhat reminiscent of Jeff Kandefer of The Daysleepers – that alone is a magical thing. But comparisons are boring, and Venn is much more than a sum of comparisons.

Venn’s EP would be impressive for a seasoned group of musicians with several releases already under their belts. As a debut offering from musicians so young, it’s absolutely incredible. Venn are as stunning as they are precocious, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.

TONIGHT! When The Sun Hits on DKFM. Stream it live || 10pm EST / 9pm CST.

TONIGHT:

WTSH airs topshelf fuzz on DKFM Shoegaze Radio!

Stream it live

10pm EST | 9pm CST | 7pm PST

www.decayfm.com

Stay tuned in for Muso Asia, which will air immediately after WTSH!

New Video: Velveteen || You Know You Should.

London's Velveteen has just released a new single + video, "You Know You Should". The song is taken from an as-yet untitled forthcoming release -- we will  share more details as they become available. 

Stoked about new fuzz from Velveteen!

Review: SPC ECO || Under My Skin EP By Elizabeth Klisiewicz.

SPC ECO - Under My Skin EP (ELaB Records)

By Elizabeth Klisiewicz

By now, we all are familiar with the vast back catalogue from Curve’s master sound sculptor Dean Garcia and his artist daughter Rose Berlin. They’ve become well known for their gorgeous, danceable dream pop brushed with a soupçon of post punk grit. “Under My Skin” was just used in the MTV genre show Teen Wolf, and is a song that means a lot to this closely knit duo. I like the watery, hushed piano and symphonic backdrop. It is a sad song, peeling back emotional layers and cutting straight to the bone. Rose sounds vulnerable and emotionally shattered, as she emotes, “I’m done crying for moments I once adored”.

“Meteor” is another fine addition to their particular brand of stately dream pop, rather like the work they did with Blurred City Lights. I actually prefer this side of them to some of their other facets. It all meshes together perfectly, and I find myself playing this tune on repeat. “Creep in the Shadows” first appeared on their Dark Matter LP and unfortunately employs Autotune. I do like the slow burn of this song, but Rose really shines when her voice isn’t treated like it is here. “Let it Be Always” is downright creepy, bursting with menace, indecipherable whispered voices, and is the perfect soundtrack to your haunted house fantasy. It lets the light in a bit on the chorus before resuming its uneasy, twisted passage through your brain. “Found” ends the EP on a brighter note, and it’s a hazy dreamscape, one from which you hope to stay forever. Recommended as always for fans of their earlier work plus anyone who adores Curve and Echobelly.