'PHASES' / CHASE ATLANTIC: ALBUM REVIEW

June 28, 2019

BY MADDEN LEVIN

The guys of Chase Atlantic are back at it again with the full-length album titled PHASES, coming just a few short months following the release of the incredible DON’T TRY THIS EP. We were lucky to have the opportunity to have an early peak into the album to let you know what you are really in for… and don’t worry, it’s definitely a treat.

The album begins with “INTRO,” which accomplishes just what it says. The calming, but also uncertain sound of this first track is perfect for those days you just need the music to do the work for you – no words, no excess emotion, yet eliciting a feeling of continuation in the listener.

Moving straight onto “ANGELS,” which the guys actually debuted on their current tour for fans who just couldn’t wait to hear it. “ANGELS” is a perfect follow-up to the debut track, but brings more of the upbeat, party, psychedelic sound that we all love Chase Atlantic for.

Following is “PHASES,” the title track to the album. First thought: I could imagine myself doing stupid things with my friends while “PHASES” blasted in the background like a cringy, yet addicting coming-of-age movie. I guess it might really be a phase after all….

Fans got a full peak at “LOVE IS (NOT) EASY” with the announcement of the album, so this one comes as no surprise. Still, it holds itself well on the album, really showing the musical; overall, I believe this song fully captures Mitchel’s vocal potential, with equally as incredible rhythmic sounds.

Personally, I was very excited when they released the next track, “HER”, early. Chase Atlantic might as well be known for their bold, yet legendary lyrics and I believe “HER” completely encompasses that idea, just less than that of songs like “DEVILISH” and “LIKE A ROCKSTAR” from the DON’T TRY THIS EP.

“NO RAINBOWS” was a surprising one for me at first, and then the chorus kicked in. Some of what they do best is turning a song around for the absolute best with a rocking chorus and I think this is a great example of that for them.

Right away, “HEAVEN AND BACK” had a different sound to it, but definitely not in a bad way. Take my word for it and listen to this song while driving, arguably above the speed limit with the windows down, and thank me later!

Before I listened to “STUCKINMYBRAIN,” I saw an Instagram post mentioning how this song was targeted at the idea of mental illness, and I knew it was going to be a favorite right off the bat – and clearly I wasn’t the only one (just take a look at the comments). This song, I believe is the best, lyric-wise, that graces this album!

Following is “EVEN THOUGH I’M DEPRESSED,” which might be a perfect transition to some. The topic of depression continues into the song, but still has an upbeat sound to it – almost creating a motivational emotion in a listener. After all, “I f***ing love it, even though I’m depressed.”

Doing what they do best with a dark background, “TOO LATE” is a perfect late night song. And that bass… is more than incredible. Thank you for this one.

The beat of “I NEVER EXISTED” is what stands out the most to me. The extremely unique yet simple drum beats encompass the vocals and other instruments almost seamlessly, creating some sort of musical euphoria, I guess you could say.

Finally, “I DON’T LIKE DARKNESS” closes out the album with some heavy lyrics, but what else could you expect? Don’t shy away from track twelve, though, ‘cause it is almost like all songs prior mixed together to form it. Definitely recommend listening to this one in your room with some warm string lights on; after all, can’t have complete darkness.

Let us know what you think about Chase Atlantic’s new album, “PHASES,” and what your favorite song is! And remember, music is meant to be shared so tell all your friends about what you’ve just experienced!

KIRSTEN ARIAN: INTERVIEW

June 22, 2019

BY AMANDA SIGMAN

To say Kirsten Arian is the very definition of positive energy would be the understatement of the year. With her undeniable joy and her contagious smile, Kirsten adds a sparkle to everything she does. Motivated by a love of people and a heart for change, this artist has done nothing less than give her music all she’s got. At 18, Kirsten picked up and moved to Nashville to pursue her dreams and hasn’t looked back since. From playing with Judah and the Lion to having a song in The Lego Batman Movie, Kirsten’s seen the fruits of her hard work and dedication. We had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Kirsten about everything from her roots to her inspirations to her hobbies. Learn more about this lively artist below!

How did your music journey begin?

Kirsten: “I moved to Nashville when I was 18 years old. Nobody in my family does music, nobody in my family has ever done music. This was kind of a bold move. You know, I didn’t know what I was doing or anything about the music industry, but moving to Nashville was something I felt really called to. When I moved here it turned out to be one of the most incredible experiences because pop music was just starting to kind of erupt in Nashville.

When I got here, I just started meeting people and oddly enough, within two weeks of living in Nashville, I ended up singing with the band Judah and the Lion! Crazy! And that’s just kind of how I learned to make an EP, record some songs, and just get music out there.”

What inspired you to pursue music professionally?

Kirsten: “When I was 18 I was going to school at Palm Beach Atlantic University and majoring in worship. I thought I was going to graduate and be like a worship leader in Africa. I had no idea I would ever go into music professionally. While there, I had a crazy experience with God that just changed my life forever and I just knew I was supposed to go into the music industry to be a light for Him. It just feels like something I’ve always been supposed to do.”

To someone who hasn’t heard your music yet, how would you describe it?

Kirsten: “It’s like rose soda. It’s very poppy, but it’s refined a little bit! I want to do something that’s impactful and inspiring. I want to write songs that are authentic and true!”

Who are some of your musical influences?

Kirsten: “That’s a hard one, but I guess I would say I love Adele and I love Taylor Swift. I think it’s incredible, writing a song that people are singing for generations. So, they are two people I look to. I love Taylor’s concerts because you go there and you forget where you are and you’re sucked into her world! I love Adele because she’s so emotional and she helps you tap into parts of yourself that you didn’t know were there.”

How do you go about writing your songs? Where do you draw your lyrics and sounds from?

Kirsten: “Writing has always been something that just comes so natural to me. The process these days is kind of just me deciding, ‘okay, what do I want to say? If in my wildest dreams, 10,000 people are singing this song with me, what do I want us to be singing? Is it something that’s unifying us or drawing us closer together?’ I think about that a lot more these days where as before I was like, ‘ugh I just went through this breakup or I went through this and I want to talk about it.’ So, I think I’ve kind of changed my mindset recently to be like ‘man, I want to leave an impact and touch the world in only a way I can.’

Everyone has that unique thing about them. They can touch the world in a way only they can. So, I’ve been trying to share that more with my songwriting.”

If someone were to only listen to one of your songs, which should it be?

Kirsten: “If I were telling someone ‘go listen to this song,’ I would probably tell them to listen to Velvet Dresses.”

Do any of your songs stand out as your favorite?

Kirsten: “Definitely my favorite one that I’ve ever written is a song called ‘Give Me Something.’ It’s off of my first album called Higher than Heaven. That song is just really, really, really personal to me and every time I sing it I’m taken right back to that place. That’s a fun one and I believe it speaks most about my heart.”

You just released “RUNVS”. Can you tell us a little bit about this song and the inspiration behind it?

Kirsten: “About a year ago Devon [my husband] and I partnered with an anti-bullying organization, Love is Louder. Some of what we’ve done is hold assemblies at middle schools or elementary schools and we’ve just been able to talk to the kids and say, ‘what’s going on?’ All these kids are dealing with things like anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, anger, jealousy, so many things teens these ages shouldn’t have to deal with. At these events, we have everyone write down what they’re feeling/thinking and share their thoughts. We watched all these girls come together and apologize and make up!

After doing these events, I really felt like I wanted to write a song about what’s going on in our culture with Instagram and social media. I was trying to write about it in a cheeky way saying that we clearly are all struggling with envy because this what we do when we go online, we’re just comparing our lives. We all struggle with this, but let’s not. If we could just get ourselves out of our own heads and serve each other and just do random acts of kindness, it’ll help with this fog that we feel in our minds.”

“Invincible” was featured in The Lego Batman Movie! Can you tell us about that song/the process of it ending up in the movie?

Kirsten: “That was AMAZING. That was such a crazy experience. My publisher was getting prompts from Warner music, like ‘hey, these are the kinds of songs we’re looking for.’ At one point, they sent a song for Batgirl’s character. We’re looking for a song that’s about an empowering woman who wants to bring change and unify people and I was like ‘oh, this is my song!’

So, I wrote the song in three hours with my co-writer Lindsay Rimes. We turned it in and we didn’t hear anything for a year, a full year. And then all of sudden Warner called and said they love song! It was so fun!”

What is your favorite part about playing music professionally?

Kirsten: “Oh man, that’s a good one! It’s wild making something you love so much a career. The hard thing is, the thing that you did for fun, becomes a little stressful because you gotta make money. But, when you’re actually doing it, and you’re making a living doing it, you can’t believe the life you get to live and the things you get to do! It feels like such a gift to be able to create. I find so much purpose in writing something that could shift a culture.”

When you aren’t pouring your heart into music, what can we find you doing?

Kirsten: “I love working out. I love going for runs, I love cooking, I love decorating, I love planning parties and having people over!”

Is there anything we can expect from you in the future?

Kirsten: “We’ve got a lot coming. I’m about to release a couple new singles (those will happen pretty quick). And then, I’m going in a really new direction, which I am SO excited to share! It’ll be really, really cool. I can’t wait!”

Follow Kirsten Arian on Instagram @kirstenarian to see what’s coming!

GRAY: INTERVIEW

June 21, 2019

BY BRE CURA

With popular songs like “October” and “Reflections”, singer/songwriter gray has gained a lot of attention for his beautiful impressions of some of life’s most universal experiences. gray’s new song “Swoon” is set to hit music platforms on June 28th, and we were lucky enough to get a behind the scenes look at his process of writing the single, the story behind it, and more! Taking a turn from his slower tracks, “Swoon” is an upbeat and hopeful portrayal of a love story very personal to the artist. gray writes, “I felt like, with the distance removed, we were finally free to fall in love”, which is an evident notion throughout the entire piece. For anyone who has undergone a situation similar to gray, this song will surely hit home.

What can you tell us about your new single “Swoon”?

gray: “Swoon, like many of my songs, is about the girl I fell in love with when I was 17. I wrote quite a few songs about Gracie while we were dating. I recognized last year, though, that I had an assortment of songs written for her and songs written about life so far that all centered around one core concept. Swoon fits within that concept, but I’m not ready to tell you what it is yet.

Swoon is about the transition between having a long-distance relationship and finally being able to truly date each other. Someone said that ‘separation makes the heart grow fonder,’ and for me, that was definitely true. The first verse alludes to the fact that whenever we were apart, I had a million photos to look over, a million memories to consider, and a million reasons to be thankful for her. The chorus captures the liberating feeling of my realization that my family was moving from around seven hours away to live seven minutes away. Up until then, Grace and I had stalled putting any term but ‘friendship’ on our relationship because we didn’t want to add difficult tensions and expectations that could stifle our growth together. I knew I loved her. Maybe I just didn’t want to jinx it. Instead, we opted for a super weird ‘let’s accidentally FaceTime for three hours instead of thirty minutes’ kind of friendship. Understanding that suddenly, in a matter of time, we would be very able and ready to pursue each other in a new way was the best feeling for me. As soon as I found out I was moving, I asked her dad if I could date her, he said yes, I vomited, and then asked her to be my girlfriend.

Verse 2 captures those initial feelings of being in a relationship with someone you really love and admire. Grace and I had known each other since we were little kids so I felt like I was already playing the long game. We had both avoided dating people in high school because we were trying to hold out for that one person we knew we could spend our lives with. That’s not everyone’s story, but it is ours. For me, the initial weeks of our relationship had all of these whimsical feelings juxtaposed with these well-grounded ideas that had only come through the life experiences I've had.

SWOON // GRAY - created by Daniel Carrai — ***SWOON*** ***// GRAY -*** *created by Daniel Carrai*

The lyrics in Swoon take just a moment to acknowledge the way I felt about us and the beginning stages of our relationship. The last part of the song explores some musical ideas that convey the same feelings of freedom. I felt like, with the distance removed, we were finally free to fall in love.”

So, what is your backstory?

gray: “I started taking piano lessons when I was four years old, then cello, and taught myself guitar, ukulele and other popular instruments. I wrote my first real song at the age of 7. I also participated in various choirs, choral groups, and was very involved in musical theater. So, I trained in music throughout my childhood, and my parents and teachers were great at resourcing me for that. I did what most young artists do and dropped a bunch of money to record an EP with a friend of a friend – an EP that I never got. And, like most young artists, I understood that the amount of money it’d take to fight what happened would be way more expensive than just dealing with it. So, I brushed off my shoulders, let the cost of it all go, and decided to be thankful for whatever opportunities were ahead.

I never really started pursuing music again until 2017 when I released my first single, ‘October (Live).’ I did the vocals in one take in a practice room at my school, mixed it myself, called a friend in for a master, and another friend Daniel Carrai for the cover.

I never could have expected the way October (Live) would register with people. But numerous emails, phone calls, Instagram messages, and Spotify streams told me I was onto something.

I bought a website, made some hats, called some friends, booked some shows and stopped being so afraid.”

What’s your method for songwriting?

gray: “Disorganized and unusual, from everyone else I’ve asked about their process. Most often, I just experience things, and pretty quickly hear musical ideas in my head with lyrics and chords and everything all mashed together. I don’t always land on fully-produced pieces initially, although sometimes I do. I usually end up using very close to the chords I imagine under a certain melody and lyrics. But the overall feel of the song sometimes changes, because I value my best ideas over my first ideas. I’ve been lucky so far – I’ve just committed to write and write and write and didn’t have a label or producer pushing me to write for a certain concept or project. It wasn’t till I stopped to catch my breath that I realized that all of these songs centered around a core theme.”

How do you see music influencing the choices you make in life?

gray: “Music forces me to consider life experiences. My own, and other people’s. It’s a place to reflect, and broaden my understanding of things. It’s a place to understand and process and agree or disagree. Music is so ingrained in my life that it’s hard to put my finger on all the ways that it influences my choices, but that 30,000 foot view should give you an idea of just how much it does.”

Have certain experiences in your life shaped who you are as an artist?

gray: “All of them. Every single one. Good and bad. It’s always gone into music. But I think it’s caused me to mature as an artist because I want other people to be able to learn from my life experiences – good and bad. I also allow some songs to be just for Grace and I, or just for a season that’s gone now, and that’s okay for me, too.

There are things I’ve gone through that are so good, Grace is the only one who will ever hear the songs that came from them, because other people don’t need those songs as much as we do.

There are also things I’ve gone through that are so difficult, I put all of my feelings into a song that I never need to sing again, because I’m just not there anymore.”

Can we expect you to release any more new music soon?

gray: “Yes! In fact, I’ve got an album that’s between the final recording stages and the beginning stages of post-production. I’m not going to say too much about it yet, but I will have lots to say about it soon. Swoon will release on all streaming platforms on the 28th of June. It was produced by myself and Brett Allen, recorded and mixed by Tanner Kinney and mastered by Kyle Monroe from Tiny Taperoom. Thankful for all who were a part of bringing this song to life!”

How can fans stay in contact with you, and find out about new music?

gray: “musicofgray.com gives an overview of my artistry and links to my social media.

You can also find me @musicofgray on all social media – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.”

'XXIIIXIX' / TWENTYTHREENINETEEN: ALBUM REVIEW

June 21, 2019

BY EMMA SCHOORS

twentythreenineteen’s debut album, XXIIIXIX, is a whirlwind of painful familiarity and eventual ease. Lyrics rich with personal experiences and frustrations, the effort reflects the inherent tension in friendships, relationships, losses, and everything in between with a concoction of genre-bending instrumentals.

Standout track “You” bounces simple yet demanding lyrics from a variety of airy instruments. The heaviness of the vocals perfectly balance the lightness that comes from the guitars. With piercing lyrics that jab straight into the general theme of the album, this track flows by like a great book that you never want to end.

“Losing Touch” has an urgency to it that separates it from the rest of the LP. The title itself is a nice way of summing up not only lost relationships with others but with oneself, and these two examples are both crystal clear in the lyrics. The bass line acts as a sort of ghost-like model for the rest of instruments to follow. Sharing this same urgency with a faster pace, “I Am” creates the perfect storm of vocals and instruments. Lyrics effortlessly collide with the tone of the vocals to adhere to a more powerful vibe.

“Tangled” is one of the more upbeat songs on the record. To bring the instruments to their full potential, this track cleverly uses simpler guitar chords and manipulates them throughout. This complexity that lies in the pre-choruses is what helps to keep things unpredictable. Speaking of unpredictability, “Convince Me” rips out the nostalgia that takes an undertone in some of the other songs. The vocals throughout the LP have a desperate approach that makes the emotions in the lyrics even more authentic. The title of this track acts as not only an addition to the honesty clear in the lyrics, but as a sort of bet for listeners to dive deeper into the meaning.

Some other major standouts are opening track “Lost” and closing track “Drained”, which both suffice as openers and closers of a much broader picture; the experiences that molded the record and pop up periodically in the lyrics. The effort as a whole features honest and raw lyrics that echo the airy yet powerful instruments. Making an entire record full of raw emotion that connects to people something only a band full of majorly talented and passionate people can do, and this record is proof that by describing in detail the things that have made you who you are, you can ease some of the power those memories have over you.

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FLATLAND CAVALRY: INTERVIEW

June 20, 2019

INTRO BY KAT VISTI

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

Lead vocalist and guitarist Cleto Cordero, electric guitarist Reid Dillion, fiddle player Wesley Hall, bassist Jonathan Saenz, and percussionist Jason Albers make up Flatland Cavalry. On the current release of their sophomore album, Flatland Cavalry wants to fine tune themselves as musicians and storytellers. While still remaining true to what made them stand out years ago, they also want to expand and grow as a band. A main theme that lead vocalist Cleto Cordero sticks to is the whole reality of growing up and figuring out life. It’s scary and often times a harsh reality, but it leads to life lessons learned and maturation. Flatland Cavalry talks about their song writing process and the evolution of their music in their latest interview with Unclear.

This past January you released your latest album Homeland Insecurity. What was the process like creating this album?

FLATLAND CAVALRY: “We recorded Homeland in waves. The first couple batches of songs we recorded on our ‘off’ days, in between touring. We’d be on the road and come back to Lubbock, TX for a few days and record a song or two at a time over at Amusement Park Studios under the helm of Scott Faris. We soon realized we were running out of time to release the album within the year and our tour schedule was only getting busier, so we decided to block out a few weeks of Studio A at Amusement Park in July 2018. We went in the studio and hammered out the last 6 or 7 songs. That last session really made us a real band, I believe, because everyone in that studio sacrificed their personal lives and time away from loved ones in order to create this new thing. It was grueling having to write and record while being on the road full time but I think we came out ahead as better songwriters, musicians and individuals. It really taught us how to work hard and stay passionate about our craft.”

How would you describe the record in three words?

FC: “Real. Heartfelt. Honest.”

What song on the album would you say was the hardest to create?

FC: “Speaking for myself, I think ‘Years From Now’ was the hardest (and easy!) to create. Hard, because it took a three day fast (no food, only water) to bring out the emotion to write it. Easy, because it poured out like water onto the page and only took 15 minutes or so. After arranging it in the studio we added a super cool long outro and had some of our favorite musicians solo over it. That was something we’ve never tried before on an album. “

Which song was the easiest?

FC: “‘Sleeping Alone’. Our producer, Scott Faris, asked me to run through the song a couple times because he needed to check microphone levels. He lied and was recording the whole time. We ended up using the second take.”

Where do you find most inspiration when creating music?

FC: “I carry around a small moleskine notebook with me and anytime I feel raw emotion, or think of a song idea or just anything really, I try to write down as much as I can and try to capture exactly what I’m feeling at the moment. My surroundings and relationships with other people inspire me the most. I’ve also found that solitude is one of the best ways to fish for inspiration.”

How would you say your music has evolved over the years?

FC: “We have all grown strides as songwriters and musicians since we started doing this when we were 19 years old, but at the core of it all has remained two things: simple melodies and good stories.”

Is there anything else that we can expect from you in the near future?

FC: “We are hoping to release some brand new songs as well as an impactful music video.”

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