'YOU SIGNED UP FOR THIS' / MAISIE PETERS: REVIEW

August 28, 2021

by shauna hilferty

Finding yourself in your twenties. Screwing up. Kissing the wrong person, but being self aware enough to know that you did. Maisie Peters debuts onto the soft pop scene encompassing these lessons and more in You Signed Up For This. You might recognize her name, as the twenty-one-year-old wrote the soundtrack to Apple TV’s Trying: Season 2, including a song featuring James Bay.

Recently signed to Gingerbread Man Records — a label created by Ed Sheeran — Peters teased the long awaited album with her release of two singles, both of which collected over 12 million streams total. One of which being “John Hughes Movie,” a tragic twist on the 80s cliche boy-meets-girl. The synth breaks after the chorus in this song, as well as “Elvis Song,” are reminiscent of Chelsea Cutler’s signature sound with references in both that Taylor Swift would be proud of. The buildup in both are undeniably cinematic, as if these tracks can be placed in the background of any coming-of-age movie.

The album title and first song, “You Signed Up For This,” is Peters talking to nobody in particular. It builds slowly and ends abruptly. The song is personal in recounting Peters’ specific memories, and it is surprising to see such specificity in the opening track of a debut album. Perhaps Peters is showing the world she has nothing to hide.

Following suit, “I’m Trying (Not Friends)” recounts a relationship that used to be in her hometown of London including memories such as “taking the bus home” with a girl she never liked to begin with. Both this song and “Outdoor Pool” are catchy though they sound quite adolescent. I came to find that Peters had been crafting this album since 2016, thus topics of high school crushes and taking the school bus are not so out of the ordinary anymore.

One past the halfway point is “Hollow.” It is simple — an acoustic backing with a piano to follow. Peters’ voice is soft and unique, and the listener is able to appreciate her range here. I wondered why it stood out to me as much as it did, and it was no wonder when I saw the credits, as Sheeran lent a helping hand. Similarly, “Talking To Strangers” follows the same pattern of beginning with acoustics and building up dreamily at the bridge until coming back down at the last chorus.

“Tough Act” is a beautiful classic piano breakup song, an essential on a debut pop album. Peters adds her own flair, even mentioning her own song “Hollow” in this one. Violins accentuate her vocals and her play on words along with this being the final track on the album was deliberately well done and did not go unnoticed.

You Signed Up For This fits into soft pop almost too well. With narrative lyricism inspired by Taylor Swift and references straight from the 80s, it is obvious Peters pulled inspiration from all around to perfect it. This is not Peters first go around in writing music, but it is her first time in writing music that is this personal to her. A musician's debut album says so much about them, and Maisie Peters clearly has a lot to say.

Stand Outs: John Hughes Movie, Hollow, Elvis Song

Songs To Dance To: Psycho, Boy

Songs To Cry To: Brooklyn, Elvis Song, Tough Act

Songs that sound like “I’m on Fire” by Bruce Springsteen: Villain

SOFT TOYS: INTERVIEW

August 27, 2021

by mariah estran

Do you remember the era of the boyband? NSYNC and The Backstreet Boys ruled the Noughties. Synchronized dance moves in oversized clothing induced a roar of screams from dedicated followers. While the bouncy beats and chantey lyrics topped the charts. Yet, by the mid-2000s, a shift had occurred. Angsty, emotion-filled performers hit the airwaves. There was My Chemical Romance and Dashboard Confessional. It soon became hard to escape the dramatic hairstyles and smeared coal eyeliner, even for singer/producer Harrison Scott Kuykendall. “I have such a deep love for that emo-alternative sound – I’m from Chicago, so Fall Out Boy was huge,” he says when asked about a creative change of his own. The new solo project Soft Toys, and the surprise drop of the EP, Count Me Out.

“I think Count Me Out was kind of a breakthrough moment for me,” Harrison uncovers. When the pandemic hit hard in 2020, previously planned ventures were put on hold. This leading to a hiatus from the adored electro-pop duo, BHuman. When bandmates moved away, Harrison found himself alone, unveiling the fascination in the euphoria curated through nostalgia.

“I ended up adding a Travis Barker drum sample,” he describes on the new stylistic choice that drove the record. “It opened this whole new writing style that’s more confessional, stream of consciousness, than my old stuff has been.” Suddenly, memories of sweaty days at Warped Tour and heads covered in jagged, eye-covering hair came crawling back. “It was kind of an opportunity to go back and explore those sounds and aesthetics. Even the whole emo, sad boy attitude.”

That moody spirit was established, hitting the listener to the core in the title track. Synth keys progress to a deep drum cadence. Harrison’s vocals build to a ballad-worthy chorus as he sings of not being count out yet, yearning to still be by someone’s side. It’s a type of poetic lyricism that could have someone screaming at the top of their lungs, like the once emo anthems did thirteen years ago. “I feel like nostalgia always works in a 10 – 20-year cycle,” he explains when discussing this resurgence of sounds. “So, it’s like: ‘what were we listening to 20 years ago, what were we listening to 10 years ago?’”

There was clearly a rediscovery of interests from his past, such as this genre of music and the subculture. But it also never left due to Harrison growing up in the same city as the “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” creators. “This band (Fall Out Boy) from the town nearby became huge — that sound permeated my world,” he shares. So, it was only a matter of time before that influence found a home – that home being within Soft Toys.

There was complete freedom to produce and write while developing the EP. The removal of outside voices allowed for the project to be thoroughly thought out on Harrison's terms. A world was being created, and as a visual artist himself, he saw an opportunity to immerse listeners into an environment thriving off Y2K throwbacks. Collaborating with Evanie Frausto and George Kan (Genie Kausto), plus his partner, photographer Eli Schmidt, they worked to interpret the image “Count Me Out” evoked. “I feel like the video, and the track, is just inseparable to me,” Harrison shares. “I think part of what I hope I bring to the table is it’s not only music that I’ve written and produced, but I’m also creating this visual."

With no strict guidelines for the music video, he sent the team mood boards. They consisted of bold makeup, punk hair, and boy-band-esque fashion. The result intensified the emotion on the track as it sets up the theme and structure the entire EP was built on. In three and a half minutes, viewers are placed in a time capsule complete with gel-twisted hair, flame-printed dress shirts, and wide-legged trousers paired with oversized logos. However, it is the simplicity of each frame. The vulnerability of singing into the camera, looking into someone’s eyes lined in makeup-drawn tears, pushes the observer to have their own connection.

He set up the universe in which the EP can lie. A concoction of alternative edge meets pop-group fantasy. However, it is not just visually noticeable. The five songs on the project still attest to the bubbly disposition in the previous projects Harrison has appeared on, such as BHuman. In five songs; we go from a bass-pounding, synth-heavy dance number on “BodyFree,” to a slappy guitar opener in “Peace & Quiet” — complete with feisty words and a memorable “blah blah blah” moment. “I’ve always been obsessed with crazy, over-produced bubble-gummy pop music,” he says, continuing to mention some of the greats like Britney Spears and Robyn. Each of those influences oozing from the closing track “All Or Nothing.” A distinct effervescence that feels like something that would play out of a boom box while you sit in front of a mirror, applying a new layer of juicy tube lip gloss. “I find it really inspiring who can put together songs in such a way that they stick in people's minds. I think that’s the balance I’m trying to achieve. Nostalgia, earworm, but also with this sort of emotional, stream of consciousness lyricism.”

There were times when the singer would endlessly search for the perfect melody or an equally flawless set of lyrics. Those moments resulted in mechanical results. Count Me Out has become the product of overcoming those obstacles. “I feel like, with his album, I let myself not overthink,” he explains. The key might have been letting go of the notion of the optimum song. Boundaries were pushed just based on reconnecting with the past. It is an instant connection with the listener through clean, sentimental production. “I think not self-editing was important for this,” Harrison continues to discuss. “Even if I didn’t love the way I said something, I was like ‘no, that’s what you were thinking.’ That’s what I really wanted to bring into it."

Maybe tapping into those memories, those teenage feelings of rebellion, no inhibition, could remind us to create without worry and create a product that’s delightfully refreshed. As the Soft Toys creator says himself, “the best music, and the best art, isn’t overthought.”

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GOLDPARK: INTERVIEW

August 26, 2021

by danielle holian

Nashville-based alternative rock trio Goldpark formed in 2019 and are Wes Hunter (lead vocalist), Andrew Smith (lead guitarist), and Kyle Neblett (drummer). Stuck by similarities in musical sensibilities, they began filling in for each other at various gigs around town, and by 2020 they began writing songs for their debut album. They have just released their EP One, and Unclear Magazine caught up with Andrew to discuss all things music.

What sparked the creation of the trio Goldpark?

Andrew: “Wes and I first got connected in 2019. He had another project and I came in to play guitar for some shows with that band. Soon after we started writing songs together, I think we realized there was a new sound we wanted to explore. I called up Kyle, one of my best friends from back home in Memphis, to play drums and it was a perfect fit from day one.”

Who or what are your musical influences?

Andrew: “We're a band that absolutely loves bands. The greats... Travis, The Killers, U2, Coldplay, etc. That music, to us, stands the test of time. Humans in a room or on a stage playing their songs will always be cool to us. Early 2000's British rock pop is a sub-genre we're always inspired by. I think we draw a lot of inspiration from movies too. We're big film nuts, so there have been lots of times where one of us will say something like, ‘Dang, that guitar part feels like a Tom Hanks movie.’ A specific movie may not even be mentioned, but we know what the other person is talking about [laughs].”

Tell us about your brand-new EP One.

Andrew: “One is a collection of songs that mostly came out of the same season of writing and demoing. We worked with a friend and extremely talented producer, Hunter West, for every song except ‘Lose My Youth.’ I think the work we did with him is a great first impression to Goldpark. Very simply: ‘here are some songs that a band wrote and recorded in the studio and had fun doing it.’”

And how has your music evolved since you began?

Andrew: “Despite being a relatively new band I think it's interesting we've already started to evolve [laughs]. The new stuff we are working on feels a lot more band centric than even what's on One. Not too long ago we were showing some friends rough mixes of some new songs and they said, ‘We really like this new era of Goldpark.’ I think it's funny we're not even two years old and we already have an ‘era’ [laughs].”

How has the pandemic helped your creative juices?

Andrew: “The pandemic was tough for so many reasons, obviously. From day one we've said we want Goldpark to be a live show band. We make the record, then we tour the record, rinse and repeat kind of thing. The pandemic didn't allow us to really get behind our instruments together in a room for a very long time, so our attention was really focused on the actual written song. Wes and I were just passing demo sessions back and forth and trying our best to arrange the songs in a way that made sense for a band. Rock ‘n’ roll is a tough thing to nail with just a computer [laughs]. Adding Kyle in the mix during pre-production really helped bring the rock ‘n’ roll atmosphere forward.”

You’re also heading out on tour! How does it feel to be playing live shows again?

Andrew: “We are so stoked to be playing shows. The three of us have played a lot of shows in different bands before the pandemic, but this year is really the first year we've gotten to play as Goldpark for people. It's been amazing. We're just excited to play our songs, be it for 500 people, 50 people, or 15 people.”

And finally, what’s one fun fact about yourself for our readers?

Andrew: “I mentioned before we're big movie geeks. We unanimously agree Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man performance is by far our favorite Spider-Man to ever be on the screen. Also, McDonald's has the best Sprite in the game.”

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ROYAL & THE SERPENT: INTERVIEW

August 25, 2021

by kaylee pickens

With over 95 million streams on her hit single, “overwhelmed,” Royal & the Serpent is breaking down the walls in music. 27-year-old, Ryan Santiago is more than just your average singer and songwriter. Songs like, “i can’t get high” and “phuck u,” showcase the raw magnetism that Royal & the Serpent embody. In an interview with Unclear, Santiago discusses their style influences, touring with PVRIS and Yungblud, and visuals for their latest releases.

How do you feel like social media, specifically TikTok, has expanded your audience?

R: “Oh I mean, I think tenfold. I think it’s the best tool that artists can use, especially right now in order to get their music to reach a lot of people. And I was blessed last summer when I had something go viral on [TikTok] and it changed my life.”

What’s the relationship between the lyrics and the video/visual for “i can’t get high?”

R: “The song ‘i can’t get high’ is written about a relationship. The feeling is like loving something so much that nothing that you do, nothing that you take, can get you as high as this person can get you. So the music video is this tragic love story between two people — it obviously doesn’t work out — and she ends up burning his car at the end of it.”

The cover for searching for nirvana is simple, but your pose, wardrobe, and demeanor speaks volumes. What was the inspiration for this EP and its artwork?

R: “I wasn’t initially planning for the pose. But once we got the negatives back, we kind of knew it encompassed everything this project was about. Which is this idea that I can’t figure it out and I’m almost taken to my knees in despair over this life. I don’t know, I think the white palette and keeping it really clean leaves it open for interpretation. We kind of just did it on a whim, it was one of those things where we needed a cover quickly, and I’m so, so happy with how it turned out.”

What was it like touring with Yungblud and the rest of his team? What have you learned or did you have any favorite memories?

R: “I think above anything else, getting to watch him play his shows every night was just super inspiring. I learned a lot from watching how he interacts with his fans. I think even virtually, he did such an incredible job of making them feel like they were right there with him. Not even right there with him, but they’re apart of him and what he’s doing. He has this really incredible knack for connection.”

What was your first night of performing like, now that you’re touring with PVRIS?

R: “It was so incredible. I can’t even tell you. I feel like it’s not even real, I have to pinch myself every day. It’s so nice to be in front of people again, but I almost forgot how long it’s been. I almost forgot it’s been almost two years. It’s such a blessing. Going into the tour, I wasn’t expecting much. I definitely wasn’t expecting full rooms, especially as the opener, but I have been pleasantly surprised every single night. The rooms are always full of people who are excited to see music.”

I saw your live performance with beauty school dropout for “phuck u” and wanted to know what is your style/wardrobe influence attributed to?

R: “My style changes all the time. Lately, I’ve been super inspired by Avril Lavigne, Harley Quinn, and anime characters. That’s my tour vibe. The live videos that are up on YouTube, they were more Courtney Love inspired.”

It’s been almost a year since “overwhelmed” was released, reflecting on this track, what are your thoughts on this song and its success?

R: “I definitely did not expect anything that happened to it to happen. I try not to have expectations in general, because everything is so unknown , especially in this industry. More than anything, I’m so grateful especially because of the stories I get to hear of how it’s affecting people. All these people are being seen and heard and they’re not so alone in these feelings that they’re having. It’s definitely changed my career. It’s so wild because I feel like this song is so much bigger than I am. It’s a fun little thing to surprise people with at shows. It’s the last song we play and everyone’s like ‘oh s***, I know this song.’ It’s definitely a fun game to play with people, if they have TikTok, too. More often than not, they’ve heard the song but haven’t heard of me. It’s wild and I still can’t believe everything that’s happened with it and I can only hope to have another song have that much success.”

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SHELANA AZORA: INTERVIEW

August 24, 2021

by danielle holian

Rising singer-songwriter Shelana Azora is turning heads with her music. Since the release of her debut EP, Epiphany, in 2019, the songstress has been working on her flow of singing and rapping along with her songwriting abilities. Citing musical influences from the likes of Eminem, Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah, and Rihanna, it's safe to say she is one musical artist to keep an eye out for. And with a versatile catalogue of music under her belt, she wants her listeners to be the person they always knew they could be because they owe it to themselves to be free. Unclear Magazine caught up with Shelana Azora to discuss all things music and her latest single “No Time.”

If someone has never listened to your music, how would you describe your sound to them in three words?

Shelana Azora: “Warm, melodic, resonant.”

Who or what were your musical influences growing up — and have they differed over time?

SA: “I have a lot of musical influences that have helped shape my artistry today. Everybody that knew me as a child knew how much I was obsessed with Alicia Keys! I always used to say that Alicia ‘taught me how to sing’ because I remember first listening to If I Ain’t Got You on the radio and then belting it at the top of my lungs. From then on I fell in love with singing and decided I wanted to be a singer that wrote my own songs. Mariah, Whitney, and Beyoncé were also artists that taught me a lot about how to use my voice.”

What inspired your new single “No Time?”

SA: “If I’m being honest, I was having a spell of self-doubt for a little while and I wanted to make a song that would not only motivate me to get up in the morning, but hopefully help someone else. Get It Together by India.Arie was literally playing on repeat and it inspired me to write a song that I could feel uplifted by. The lyrics are literal affirmations for me — ‘this is your moment, all you gotta do is focus.’”

Can you share with us why you wanted to make this song in particular a single? What was that turning point moment for you?

SA: “I think this song stands out from anything else I’ve released because it’s a whole new vibe. I love the pop, dance, and R&B fusion that Taco Social captured so well with the production. It literally sounds like a sprinkle of joy and I’m excited to be able to release it as my second single of the year.”

And how has it been for you personally creating music during the pandemic?

SA: “It was definitely a character building time and it made me realize how much I couldn’t live without music. I feel blessed to have been able to write what I would consider my best music so far.”

What do you want listeners to take away from your music?

SA: “I want my listeners to know that they’re not alone and that so many of us battle with the same demons. If I can spread some positivity, love, hope and light, I can feel like my love for this craft was all worthwhile.”

And finally, what’s one fun fact about yourself for our readers?

SA: “I was born in Dominica so there’s a whole different side to my music and culture that I’ve yet to explore! I’m excited to be able to go back home and reconnect with my roots — I know that the music I’ll create then will be on another level.”

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