'THE WEIRD TIME OF LIFE TOUR' / YUNGBLUD: REVIEW

December 1, 2020

by cami liberty

For the past eight (nearly nine) months, we have all been experiencing what feels like a lull in time. If you work in the music industry, or are just a lover of attending live performances, you have especially felt this way. With venues empty, tour buses off the road, and meet and greets cancelled, we’ve all had to make adjustments with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many events have moved to online, and thankfully Yungblud has given us a full global digital “The Weird Time Of Life” tour to celebrate the release of his forthcoming album weird! (releasing on December 4th).

The New York City date was last night, and the show started off with a bang. UK-based Wargasm took the stage with their high energy, giving us a three-song set. Though I did experience a bit of buffering on my end, it still didn’t distract from the fact that it almost felt as though we were watching the show from the same room. After a summer without festivals, I was left with the energy that I would only get when attending Warped Tour, or the newer Sad Summer Festival.

Next the stage was set with old TVs producing static as the lovely Royal & the Serpent’s vocals struck through with her song “Choke” off her latest EP get a grip. Royal immediately engages you with her strong personality and moves.

Following “Choke,” projections of different patterns began flashing on the wall as Royal grabbed her guitar. The sound of soft rock reminiscent of the 70s filled the air as the song “Warn You” began with sirens ringing in between the choruses, and later a captivating guitar solo.

Royal’s songs were all catchy and showcased her beautiful voice throughout her set, including her duet with Yoshi Flower as well as closing with her hit “Overwhelmed,” which is currently in the Top 10 at Alt Radio.

After a short two-minute break, the moment we had been waiting for arrived. Yungblud entered the dark stage announcing, “This is a song about a person I love,” which started off his hit “strawberry lipstick.” The set had a full production with Adam Warrington on guitar and Michael Rennie on drums, flashing lights changing throughout the song before transitioning into the brand new song “ice cream man.”

Following was “weird!,” the lead single and title track of the new album. The song was first released back in April, and the lyrics “Come hold my hand / hold it tight / we’re in a weird time of life” still ring true with the current state of the world. It was bittersweet to hear the song live, making us long for the day when we can sing those lyrics at the top of our lungs together, with these hard days behind us.

Songs “mars” and “cotton candy” were next, also newly released off the new album. It was clear that even though there was no physical live audience, Yungblud was still out to give the same powerful, unique, and energetic show he always does. It’s not just the singer himself too – we have to send out a big thank you to the entire team that helped put this on, including the fantastic camera operators that caught all of the up-close moments that made us all feel like we were all front row (and this time we didn’t have to camp out).

Things started to calm down then as Yungblud was handed his acoustic guitar, giving us a brand new track, “it’s quiet in beverly hills.” He mentioned that he wrote the song when he was feeling low and felt as though he was around people that didn’t have his best interest in mind, and he adds that it was his fans that helped him and brought him back. We can’t wait until the album releases on Friday and we can replay this song over and over!

The set came to an end with one final new track, “teresa.” The singer started out on the keyboard with soft vocals before Adam and Michael joined in and they really started to rock out. “As long as I watch over you, you don’t need to run,” were lyrics that rang out over and over.

Despite it being a virtual concert, Yungblud’s passion never wavered. Whether he’s performing at an arena or is performing for an online crowd, he is 100% present. He draws you into his songs, words, and music. The only thing missing from the show was the screaming crowd, floor shaking from all of the energetic jumping, and the iconic water spitting from the singer (perhaps that won’t be returning in the near future).

So a big thank you to Yungblud and his team for putting on this tour in a time where we miss live music dearly. We were delighted to be introduced to Wargasm and Royal & the Serpent, and it gave us a small sense of new normalcy. After all, there’s nothing that feels like home quite like a Yungblud show.

MILLI¥EN: INTERVIEW

November 28, 2020

by pankhuri bhutani

Hailing from Western Sydney, Australia, Milli¥en is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter and rap artist. Milli¥en began writing his initial raps when he was merely a 4th grader in school. He garners his personal influence and inspirations from the experiences he faced in life and uses music as an outlet to express himself in ways that others can relate to, in the hopes that they can escape their own reality.

We had a chance of talking to the talented upcoming artist in an interview where he unveiled the message behind his new single “Out Of My Mind,” the challenges he faced during the production stage and his hopes for the future.

Hi there. Thank you for joining us on Unclear Magazine! What was it exactly that initially brought you closer to the field of music?

Milli¥en: “Growing up as a kid I used to listen to a lot of rap and it always kept my head straight. There was music for every stage in my life. I started writing when I was younger to just get out of my head and express my feelings and it just went from there into making music.”

You just released your new track “Out of My Mind.” Congratulations on that! What’s the story behind the track?

M: “The chorus’ are a throwback to my past, then I switch it up in the verses to show my current lifestyle. ‘Out Of My Mind’ is a gradient of different time periods in my life. I wanted to show that I’ve grown as a person over the past few years, right now I’m doing good and everything is falling into place, however it hasn’t always been like that.”

Did you face any sort of challenges during the production stage of the track? If so, how did you overcome them?

M: “The track just fell together. I walked into the studio with a bigger picture and the rest just flowed. ‘Out Of My Mind’ is one of those tracks where it wasn’t a struggle to record at all.”

What kind of message do you want to convey to your listeners through this song?

M: “When life has you down at your lowest points, just keep in mind that everyone has their battles and nothing lasts forever, including pain. Soldier on and keep the bigger picture in your mind and life will get better.”

What has been the most memorable thing for you in your journey so far?

M: “Getting radio spins has been the best feeling so far! I’m super keen to start doing shows and really connecting with my fans.”

As we are facing this unfortunate pandemic, is there anything specific that you are doing in order to stay creative?

M: “I’ve been keeping my head down working and planning my next moves. My goals are larger than life so that always keeps me motivated and creative. I think motivation has a direct link to creativity.”

If given an opportunity, who are you most likely to collaborate and work with in the future?

M: “I’ve been inspired by everything in life, but my most major is Lil Wayne. I have my eyes set on a track with Post Malone and The Kid Laroi in the near future.”

What are some of the long-term goals that you hold for your career?

M: “Go Platinum, have an international tour, become a household name that everyone listens to and raise funds for multiple charities.”

Lastly, is there anything that you wish to convey to your fans and supporters?

M: “I love literally all of you! Keep listening and engaging with me and shoot me DM’s, I reply to everyone.”

FIND MILLI¥EN ONLINE

INSTAGRAM

'DOING LOVE WRONG' / 90'S KIDS: REVIEW

November 24, 2020

by kayla kreller

Since my first time interviewing them back in February 2019, 90’s Kids have gone from achieving 100,000 Spotify plays on their debut single to gaining well over 100,000 monthly listeners and nearly 3 million total streams over their entire discography. With two tours now under their belt, the Columbus, Ohio band has blown up in their first few years and show no signs of stopping. 90’s Kids describe their sound as "pop music for people who don't like pop music" and this definitely shows through with their newly released EP, Doing Love Wrong.

90’s Kids seem to always find a way to make their music feel familiar and brand new all at once. With Doing Love Wrong, they bring a nostalgic early 2000s vibe to a modern alternative sound.

The EP begins with the most musically heavy song the band has released to date, “F*CK UP.” Not only does this feel like the perfect opener for the EP, but it’s just the song we all need in 2020. “F*CK UP” is about letting go and being yourself, despite the approval (or lack thereof) of your partner’s friends and family. It’s fun, it’s energetic, and it’s the song I’m most looking forward to dancing to live once concerts start up again.

The next few songs consist of the singles from the EP. I first heard “Freak Me Out” back in March when 90’s Kids played it live while opening for Phangs on tour. Usually when a band plays brand new music at a show it doesn’t really stick with me, but “Freak Me Out” was different. I had this song stuck in my head from March all the way until it was released in June despite barely even knowing the words. By far one of the catchiest songs on the EP, it still sits at the top of my most played list for the year.

“Love Like That” tells the story of recognizing a toxic relationship and realizing that you deserve better. This is another song that’s been stuck in my head since its release. I always love when a band can take a serious subject and transform it into an upbeat anthem. Have you been looking for the perfect song to hype you up and add to your breakup playlist? This is that song.

“Bummer (Don’t Feel Right)” is where the EP title originates— “maybe I’ve been doing love wrong, ‘cause it just don’t feel right.” Described as a love letter to the early 2000s, this song sends me right back to the days of Hilary Duff’s Metamorphosis (one of the highest praises I can give, as that is the album I’d credit for defining my love of music). For those of us who have been revisiting our favorite childhood bands during quarantine, this song may hit a little harder than the rest. The nostalgic sound and modern themes mix so well and make one of the strongest songs of the EP.

“Still Got Feelings” is one of the most emotionally heavy songs the band has released so far and is my personal favorite from Doing Love Wrong. It’s about the internal struggle of being honest with yourself that you miss someone and doing all of those little things we all do to try to get their attention—even when it might not be the healthiest option. It’s relatable and real and perfectly illustrates that back-and-forth you often go through after a breakup with lines like “I hate you, I love you, you know.” Then, just before the final chorus, the bridge comes in with an epic, emotional instrumental that really ties the whole record together.

The final song adds a little shred of hope to the previous songs’ emotional challenges of current and past relationships. “Prague” is about waiting for and wanting nothing more than that one last chance to start over fresh with an ex. When it’s too sad to think about things ending for good, even if there might not be a chance to fix it, sometimes you just have to let yourself dream about the what-ifs.

I’m so proud of how far these guys have evolved as artists over the last few years. They’ve created an emotionally beautiful and cohesive story with this EP and it really seems like the start of something incredible. I cannot wait to see a crowd of thousands of fans lose their minds to “F*CK UP” or scream back the lyrics of “Still Got Feelings” at a show in the future.

‘WAKING NIGHTMARE’ / SLMBR: PREMIERE + INTERVIEW

November 23, 2020

by shauna hilferty

Alt-rock, New York based, three piece SLMBR is excited to release their first ever music video for their single “Waking Nightmare.” The song, which appears second on their debut EP Endless Daydream, highlights feeling stuck in the mundane. This is not only portrayed lyrically and instrumentally, but in the video as well through its varying locations and colors. The video features drummer Kristian White, bassist John Africano, and lead singer and guitarist, Nick Sossi Romano who also directed the production.

I was able to get some more insight into SLMBR’s vision and inspiration on both the video and song. Check out the interview below!

Congratulations on the release of your first ever music video for "Waking Nightmare!" Can you give us SLMBR's take on the inspiration for the video?

SLMBR: “Our inspiration for the video was a combination of all of our conversations about the music and what we resonate with: it's a personal journey, a full expression of self. I wrote this song two years ago, but I feel like it's just as relevant to my life now, and the release of pure energy that the video gave us is just what this year and this song really needs. I hope people think the video is cool, but I also hope people really see how much this song means to us.”

There are a couple different filming locations in the video, like the bedroom shoot, the water, and the slo-mo paint scene. How did you choose these and what symbolism do they have in regards to the song?

S: “For our first video, and with a song with ‘nightmare’ in the title, we knew we wanted to do some form of sleep/bedroom imagery. Just hanging out and performing the song in a bedroom was just the vibe of the song, both for how it was written and how it sounds. Adding all of the notebook drawings was an aesthetic that we carried over from some of the early concepts for the song. For the paint, I [Nick] loved the idea of something consuming me over the course of the video, something beautiful, but sinister. Paint was the safest and most interesting looking option. And with the doors on the water... I don't know how I came up with that. I knew that I wanted doors and windows in the video because they are mentioned in the song, but just floating on doors is such a ‘dream’ thing and I wanted us to feel like we were in a place devoid of time and space. In my mind, all of the locations coexist in this dream world, in some way or another.”

What is your favorite lyric in "Waking Nightmare" and why?

Nick: “My favorite lyric in the song is ‘I can't remember my own face/In a world I don't appreciate’ because it's kinda the core of the song to me. It's this fight between reality and the subconscious and how to be one person and think about yourself as another. The identity crisis and fear of self is why I like that line so much, in a melancholy way.”

John: “Mine is ‘every window's bound to break,’ my reasoning being that fragile, transparent things are easily broken; in order to truly become strong, sacrifices have to be made, including concealing emotions and enduring hardships.”

Kristian: “‘Keep it dark, I’ll find a way to reinvent the outer space.’ I like it because it reminds me to look within before searching for an outside source for comfort and sanity.”

It is not easy to accurately capture the feeling of isolation both metaphorically and physically. And during unprecedented times, turning to art and music is more necessary than ever. “Waking Nightmare” highlights aspects we tend to suppress for the band and listener, making for one hell of a cathartic listening and viewing experience.

FIND SLMBR ONLINE

TWITTER INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK

'21ST CENTURY LOVE' / IAN NELSON: REVIEW

November 20, 2020

by emma schoors

Ian Nelson’s debut single “21st Century Love” is a catchy, exciting take on modern romance and technology.

Nelson is best known for his acting career and notable roles in The Hunger Games and Teen Wolf, as well as starring alongside A-list actors like Robert Downey Jr. However, his passion for guitar and songwriting has lead him to another creative outlet in releasing music of his own. One socially distanced LA music video and recorded song later, and Nelson has set up a solid start for his music career.

“21st Century Love” is a song about just that: the complexities of modern love and attraction. It explores how technology has majorly changed how we interact and date, and how even one look at someone on a dating app can be enough to want to know more about them. Nelson’s debut single is a true pop song, with artists like John Mayer and Coldplay as leading influences.

If you’re interested in delving into the subjects of modernity and love as it pertains to music, Ian Nelson’s “21st Century Love” is a great place to start.