On the couch this month is Night & Gale, a Chicago three-piece led by Anna Holmquist that performs rich, emotional songs elevated by beautiful harmonies. Find a comfy spot on the couch and dig into these spine-tingling tracks.

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Couch Party is back again, and this time we’re partying with prolific songwriter, producer, and musician Will Post. Post takes a break from his usual lofty (and lengthy) tunes to showcase his smooth-as-butter voice, so grab a bottle of wine, snuggle up on the couch, and join the party.

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Watching Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree perform live is like watching a group of stilt-walkers negotiate an airport security check-point with 50 ferrets stuffed down each pant leg—somewhat overwhelming, but ultimately entertaining.

From the drop of the first beat until the final sweaty chorus, each member of the group paced and pounced, pausing only occasionally to let their fellow members spit out another rapid-fire verse. The quintet of MCs, P.O.S, Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan, Sims, and Dessa (who doubles as a strong alto), stalked the stage of Chicago’s Concord Music Hall armed with little more than their microphones and an energetic impulse to testify, as their dual DJ/producers Paper Tiger and Lazerbeak hammered out deft beats backed by a woven tapestry of propulsive sound.  Aside from the stationary instrumentalists, one has to wonder how the five vocalists avoid plowing into each other as they race back and forth on the stage.

Performing for just over an hour to a rapt, enthusiastic crowd, Doomtree rapped, sang, and bounced their way through a cavalcade of highlights, including “Final Boss,” “.38 Airweight,” “Heavy Rescue,” “Gray Duck,” and “Beastface” from their third official collaborative record, All Hands, released earlier this year.

The material from All Hands is laden with so much verbosity and sound, it’s as though Doomtree’s proverbial clip is overloaded, and the end result is to spray the crowd with powerful blanks as opposed to live ammunition.

It’s hard not to be overwhelmed by a set from Doomtree—these are masters of speeding speech, rhyme, and beats, so it’s not like the collective can break up the whiplash with a ballad.

Yet, the ensemble did harvest a few powerful moments when they paused the chaotic onslaught.  MC Mike Mictlan introduced one number by pointing out the (white) audience members who are unlikely to be the targets of gun violence in Chicago before leading his fellow rappers through repeated faux-gun brandishing, while during another number, the crowd raised their fists in unity with the posse.

Dessa sang “Call Off Your Ghost” from her solo record, Parts of Speech, while literally being held up by the hands of the crowd, and “Bolt Cutter,” from the 2011 Doomtree release No Kings, was another show-stopping moment—the whole ensemble was bathed in yellow while selling their anti-authority anthem.

The magnificent seven concluded the night with another piece from No Kings: their thesis statement, “Bangarang,” in which they rail against rappers who all sound the same and claiming their superiority.  Coming at the end of such a galvanizing and electric performance, that declaration was largely superfluous, but ended the night with a powerful resolution nonetheless.

Doomtree producer Lazerbeak has also collaborated with the “supergroup” Mixed Blood Majority, who opened the show by celebrating the release of their sophomore full-length Insane World.  Through militant rhymes and a mature dope flow that belies their youth, the trio laid bare what Doomtree usually shows, rather than tells:  that a dynamic fusion of multi-ethnic perspectives can create a compelling, cutting-edge hybrid of new hip hop.

There was an interesting yin and yang between Horton and Moon, similar to that between their Minnesota brethren, Atmosphere members Ant and Slug, as they sashayed through the title track, “Private Vs. Public,” “Burn That,” and the palpable disbelief of “You Wouldn’t Believe Me.”  While Mixed Blood Majority  can’t claim the stage domination and overwhelming presence of their Doomtree siblings, their set was a welcome table setting for the lyrical prowess and education that would follow.

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Get comfy, ’stachers! For the third installment of Couch Party, we’ve got rapper Louie Mendez and trumpeter RØSØ performing songs from Mendez’s upcoming project Nomad Tracks

. Grab a spot on your local sofa and join the party.

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At first glance, the artwork for Westkust’s debut album Last Forever makes for a pretty bland first impression; a shot of a band scowling in grayscale is hardly a groundbreaking concept. But for the Swedish quintet, it’s pretty much the most revealing album art they could make, according to guitarist and co-frontman Gustav Anderson (far right). “In that [photo] in particular, it’s the most obvious that the weather was really bad that day, which is pretty reflective of our general day-to-day life in Gothenburg: gray and dreary.” (He briefly glances out his window to confirm that the Gothenburg skyline is still its usual shade of drab and miserable.)

But it’s interesting that a band whose frontman feels most comfortable surrounded by monochromatic overcast has created one of the most unashamedly bright and upbeat indie/punk records of the year. Last Forever, Westkust’s debut album released back in July, is what Anderson calls “a mix of distorted and shimmery guitars,” or, upon realizing that might be the vaguest description of an indie rock band’s sound ever, “a post-punk record at its core with bits of ’80s New Wave, twee, and even a touch of techno mixed in.”

Nearly all nine tracks revolve around wispy, urgent melodies on top of bright, buzzy distortion, in sharp contrast to both Anderson and co-lead vocalist Julia Bjernelind’s dark, sometimes even ghostly vocals. The two write all their lyrics together via shared iPhone notes, with the mutual goal “to write songs that sound more like pieces of real, intimate conversations than simply two people singing together in a band.”

Anderson checks his window again to make sure the clouds of Gothenburg are still intact. They are. He smiles a little.

From his perspective, the gray skies of Gothenburg hover over a dwindling indie rock scene.

“From about 1995 to 2008, there were some big cult indie bands in the area like Broder Daniel, Popsicle, and Bad Cash Quartet,” he says. “They were really fun indie/poppish bands that all had a big New Wave influence. The fanbase was almost like a cult. It was this subculture called ‘Panda Poppare’

 that was really into mixing an ’80s goth and ’60s mod aesthetic.” (He gestures to his own bowler cut and bright red turtleneck.) “But by the late 2000s, most of those bands had broken up and the Panda Poppare crowd had moved on to electronica, like most of Europe has nowadays.”

There’s a somber longing in Anderson’s voice as he reflects on the minimal history of Gothenburg’s indie scene, but it quickly disappears when discussing the future of Westkust. “Oh, we’re not sure exactly when yet, but we’re definitely planning to do another European tour this fall,” he says, visibly excited. “Then we really wanna come back to America as soon as we can. We really love playing there.”

Surprisingly, for all his enthusiasm about the band, he has no answer for the origins of its name. “I honestly have no idea where it came from, and I don’t think any of the others do either,” he says. “I just know it’s pronounced like the English ‘West’ and the Swedish ‘Coast,’ and that’s always been good enough for me.”

He signs off Skype with a quick goodbye, his cheerful waving and the dark gray clouds outside his window illustrating Westkust almost perfectly. Sure, there are hints at past sadness in both the band’s lyrics and the history of its city’s music scene, but none of that can stop Westkust from writing catchy, playful music. The band enjoys itself in spite of its grayscale atmosphere, and once its music hits the States, it could be hard for even the most morose indie rock fan not to jump onboard. Gothenburg may have moved on, but Westkust still has plenty of pandas to pop.

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After self-releasing its self-titled EP in March, Celine Neon, composed of visionary artists Maggie Kubley and Emily Nejad, is becoming known around Chicago for incredible harmonies, irresistible hooks, energizing live shows, and intricate music videos. Celine Neon is chameleonic in its style, from collaborations with Chicago artists like ShowYouSuck and Rapper Chicks, to electrifying party anthems, to the bare bones, soulful acapella cover of Elliphant and MØ’s friendship anthem “One More.” Celine Neon’s second EP, Kitty, will be released next month.

Pop ’stache spoke to Nejad and Kubley the afternoon before their show at the dad-centric beauty pageant Dad Bod Fest.

Pop ’stache: How do you balance managing yourselves while also writing, performing, and planning all your shows and music videos?

Maggie Kubley: You know, I’ve heard of these things people have that we have to forgo in order to have this band, and they’re called hobbies—

Emily Nejad: I’ve heard of those.

MK: Yeah, hobbies. Free time is another thing I’ve heard of. We just kind of set those things aside to do this, because it’s our passion.

EN: We’re trying to work towards something so that we don’t have to have a day job, so I can just sing and dance and wear costumes on stage and hang out with my BFF, and that’s it.

P ’s: Independence and freedom are themes that come up a lot in your songs. On a similar note, how does feminism play into both the band and the future you want to build for yourselves, professionally and personally? 

MK: I think a big part of the songs is about accepting yourself for who you are, good or bad, and accepting that sometimes people can love you for who you are, and sometimes people can handle who you are, and then sometimes, people can’t. And the more you are true to yourself and what you want and who you are, the harder it will be, romantically speaking, to find a mate who will be on that same page. For better or for worse, that’s you.

EN: I think a lot of that comes with age, too. I’m 29 now, and the difference between 26 and 29 and my ability to make excuses for poor male behavior—I have none. I can’t make excuses for poor behavior anymore. There’s a big switch that happens from your mid-20’s to late-20’s, almost overnight, when you realize, “Oh, I’m not here for anyone’s bullshit anymore, so if you’re going to come to me, you better come correct.”

P ’s: How do you feel like the band has reinforced those ideas of being true to who you are?

MK: I think we are really conscious of the images and the messages that we put out. I’m definitely somebody who, like everybody, struggles with being true to myself. I struggle with being insecure, and wanting to pander to men for their love and affection.

But the great thing about making art and being a performer is that you can be the best version of yourself, and you can lead by example.

A lot of the music that we put out as Celine Neon is self-deprecating but self-aware at the same time. You can take power in your own self-deprecation, or take power in the fact that you’re real enough to say certain truths out loud—because then you’re not afraid of them. If you can name them, then you don’t have to be afraid of them.

EN: My journey with Celine Neon has definitely less to do with boys, because I’ve always been kind of mean to boys. But I spent a really long time trying to find anything else to do rather than be an artist, rather than be a singer. I thought of every kind of escape to try to avoid doing the scary thing that I’m doing now.

Celine Neon, for me, is me finally saying, “No, this is what I want.” This, exactly this. We have created specifically the thing that we wanted, and we are in control of it. We don’t have anybody else telling us what to do with it. We’re gonna push this as far as it can possibly go. I don’t really care if it’s not cool or if other people think it’s stupid to dance in a costume on stage. It’s like, “Fuck you, this is the thing that I want, and that’s it.”

P ’s: Something I really love about Celine Neon is how your voices are both so different on their own but complement each other so well.

EN: I think on our own, Maggie and I have very different vocal preferences and style. I like a beautiful, jazzy vocal, one that covers you and makes you feel good, and Maggie—

MK: I like a whisky-soaked, gritty, Steven Tyler kind of sound.

P ’s: Can you talk a little bit about your upcoming EP, Kitty?

EN: Our first EP was kind of dark and gritty, and this one comes into the light a little bit more.

MK: The instrumentation alone on this EP is very different. Will [Kubley, Maggie’s brother and the producer for Celine Neon] used a lot of really neat found sounds that he recorded from all over the world, so about 80 percent of the sounds on the EP are custom made. And I think because they are songs that are from the world, you get a very bright, rich, lively sound and feeling from this EP, where our previous songs seem like they were made in a dingy, dark, kind of basement place because they were all created on a computer. These sounds were created from people and voices, and so these songs have more of a celebratory feel. You’re still going to get the real gritty lyrical content, but even that, on certain tunes, has changed…Some are actually straight-up positive.

P ’s: Is that shift in tone weird for you?

MK: It is really weird, yeah. We just finished recording it this past weekend, and sometimes singing it, I was like, “Wow, I can’t believe I wrote that.” It’s so happy. But like I said before, we take very seriously the content we put out into the world. I listen to a lot of rap, and I understand that many rappers pay homage to the genre by using those classic lyrics that are crazy misogynistic.

Part of me is like, “You need to be responsible for the things you are telling young people to do,” and the other part of me is like, “I never want to tell an artist what to say or be.”

Just like a lot of our work slights men, a bit, but it also acknowledges that, like—

EN: —we love men.

MK: Right! We love men, we need men in our lives, but it also slights them a little bit. It walks that line. I just had this conversation with someone about The Weeknd’s new album. When I’m hearing songs about treating women like dogs, essentially, it’s like, “I’ve heard this. Find something else to say about me, and I’ll give you more of my money.”

It’s hard, because I identify as a feminist, but I strive every day to be a humanist and get everybody on equal levels. But although I think it is is cheesy to say really positive things, I also think it’s really important to say positive things. And, from a business standpoint, people like positive music! When you sing and read Katy Perry’s “Firework,” you’re like, “This is cheeseball to the max,” but people love it.

EN: And I love it! I also don’t like listening to music that is about being miserable or sad, at all, ever. I never listen to sad music in my life. But I understand why people do.

MK: If I’m in a bad moment then I want bad music so I can just let it all out. Our first EP is actually really sad, but it has such infectious beats that it makes you feel like, “Yeah, I am sad, I am depressed, but fuck it, I’m still out here grinding.”

When you’re depressed, or struggling with addiction or mental illness, one of the biggest things you feel is that you are fucking alone and that no one wants to fuck with you.

You’re an outcast, and you’re isolated, nobody understands you, and you can’t tell anyone. But when you say it out loud, it lets everyone know that we are all struggling with this. It’s like, “You feel this way? Guess what, I feel that way too. You don’t know what to say about it? Guess what, I was given a god-given talent to say shit about this, so I’m going to say it. Cling to that. Let’s do it together.” It takes away the stigma.

And, back to the sentiment about positivity—I think people are really embarrassed to find things wonderful, and really embarrassed to care about stuff and to try things, because it’s not cool. And it’s just like, “Care about things, try things, feel good!” Tell people you feel good, tell people you love them, tell people you have passion, you know?

Celine Neon released a brand-new remix of their song “Plz Party” with rapper ShowYouSuck on October 7 (below). Their sophomore EP Kitty is slated for release on November 13 (via Kujad Records, Celine Neon’s own label imprint). The upcoming lead single, also titled “Kitty,” will premiere later this season along with a very colorful video. 

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Couch Party is back for round two, this time with even more couch! Once again, we sat one of our favorite musicians down to play some sweet, sweet tunes.

Sitting for this session is Sam Larson, singer for two Chicago punky/rock bands: Bloom and Peach Fuzz. Here, she performs with only an acoustic guitar and her powerful voice. So lean on back, become one with your couch, and join the party.

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In person, Chicago-based singer-songwriter Jennifer Hall is one of the brightest personalities one can ever hope to meet. But to write the songs she believed she was capable of writing, she needed more. To progress as a musician, and to heal as a person, Hall forced herself to wade into darker depths than she ever had, not knowing whether she’d make it out alive.

The result of her personal journey is an outstanding six-song EP, full of complex and emotionally charged melodies. Vocally, Hall delivers the performance of her life. Her octave-spanning vocal acrobatics have carried over from her first record, In This, though here she sings with far more vulnerability, less concerned with executing technical perfection. Now, she sings with a different determination.

On the self-titled EP, Hall taps into personal fears and past struggles. The lyrics—which, separated from their melodies, read like haunting, existential poetry—address her search for an internal safe haven; the fear that showing your true self will lead to rejection; and pleading with someone to stay by your side when you need it most. In doing so, she connects with listeners beyond those dazzled by her impressive voice, who see themselves in Hall’s raw inner conflicts—like the loss of a loving relationship that faced constant strain before its breaking point.

“My mom and I had a very troubled relationship,” Hall says. “She was very sick and struggled with mental illness, but we loved each other very much. She was an anchor of my life. After she passed away [in 2009], a lot came to the surface from a very deep, dark place. I wasn’t prepared for it.”

The impact of facing these memories seeps into the song “Time of Death,” which haunts its listeners with the crushing conflict Hall shares.

Every second of the song conveys deep longing, mourning a loss that began well before the time of death was called. In the sparse and chilling chorus, Hall sings, “Crying for mother madly, lying with one who had me/…/Waiting out the day for me/Sounding out the letters for me/Filing all the papers on me/Calling time of death without me.” Her voice dominates the track and rings with raw emotion.

But not every song recalls gloomy feelings; on the powerful and more upbeat “Beverly Road,” Hall sings of a path to inner peace, where she can reach stillness and feel safe.

She sings, “Oh, Beverly Road, where do you go?/Will there be angels there? Will there be strangers?/Oh, Beverly Road , how do you run?/How do you trace the signs? Hide from danger?”

When she started writing the EP over two and half years ago, Hall decided that this spectrum of emotional honesty would drive the new songs. Musically, she and the band tried to develop ideas without overthinking them. For the guys in her band—Noam Wallenberg, Ben Joseph, and Mat Roberts, who are each involved in a slew of other projects—the subconscious approach came easier. But it was Hall’s only project, and she was used to overthinking.

“I’ve monitored myself for a lot of my life,” she says. “’Maybe I shouldn’t say this. Maybe I need to hide this part of me.’ For the new songs, I wanted to turn off the aspect of overthinking and let the subconscious mind create and develop the ideas. I wanted to be honest in a way that I hadn’t before.”

The hard part wasn’t letting ideas flow from her subconscious; it was letting them live on once her active mind regained control, continuing to let those feelings loose regardless of whether she was prepared to face them. Though difficult at first, the songs provided a sense of closure, affirming what Hall had hoped but not expected—that she could heal.

In June, Hall performed “Time of Death,” and all the other songs from the EP, at a record release event at Subterranean. It was her first time singing the songs for an audience beyond the men in her band. Leading up to the show, she tried desperately to calm her nerves, but as the set progressed, the charge of the songs began to overtake her.

“With any performance, I try to be as genuine as I can, and let myself go to the place where the songs come from so I can make that happen,” Hall says. “By the end of it, I was so in the thick of it emotionally. I was really worked up. But it was real, and that’s the only way I know how to connect.”

It was one of the most powerful performances of her career. That show marked the start of a summer of nationwide performances and local appearances, but it was also a finale. As the last notes rang out over an overheated crowd, an emotionally drained Hall proved that she could dive into the darkest depths of herself and not only make it out alive, but carry back what she needed to share.

See Jennifer Hall’s stunning live performance Saturday, Aug. 29, at the Beat Kitchen, and check jenniferhall.com for upcoming tour dates.

The post Jennifer Hall Makes It Out Alive appeared first on Pop 'stache.

Welcome to the first installment of Pop ’stache’s new video segment, Couch Party! The concept is pretty simple: We put our favorite musicians on a couch, and then we have them play some music.

First up is Wayne Szalinski, an intricate, sparkly, indie-whatever band from Lansing, Mich., performing “A Study in Perspective” and “Atrophy for Lethargy” from the debut album Black Mirror, as well as a new song, “Money.” Take a seat on the couch and join the party.

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LA’s premier music festival, FYF Fest, is back for 2015 on the weekend of Aug. 22-23, and it’s got quite a few hidden gems. Sure, a lot of people will go just to see their favorite grumpy singer Morrissey, or festival darlings Run the Jewels, but think of all those other bands on the bill—you know, those ones in the little font that all sort of blend together. How do you know which ones are worthwhile? It’s pretty overwhelming, so to help you make a proper executive decision amongst your friends, here are seven bands you shouldn’t miss at FYF Fest.

1. Alvvays

Ever since Toronto-based band Alvvays (pronounced “Always”) released its self-titled debut album in 2014, it’s been touring nonstop, and it’s easy to see why. Alvvays has written some of the most infectious pop songs in the last few years, so much so that you’ll have their song “Archie, Marry Me” in your head for months. Singer-songwriter Molly Rankin writes bare, but honest, lyrics about everything that’s hard about falling in love. Be sure to catch Alvvays at FYF Fest, because they won’t be in LA again until at least next year.

2. Tobias Jesso Jr.

While definitely one of the most mellow and tender musicians at FYF Fest, Tobias Jesso Jr. doesn’t need overplayed guitar solos and racing drums to keep his audience attentive. His music is reminiscent of a less gritty, smoky-piano-bar-era Tom Waits, but with just as much soul. When Jesso Jr. gets behind the piano, out pour some of the sweetest melodies in the lounge act genre, complemented perfectly by gorgeous string arrangements and bare, tasteful drums. Take a break from the heat and lavish yourself with Jesso Jr.’s inevitiably fantastic set.

3. Thee Oh Sees

Fresh off an indefinite hiatus and a minor lineup change, this year Thee Oh Sees released Mutilator Defeated At Last, which features, as always, expert musicality and energy that’ll burst through the speakers. Thee Oh Sees have been together for well over a decade, which shows in their fast-paced garage rock that lacks any sign of sloppiness. Their set is sure to be passionate, memorable, and adrenaline-fueled.

4. Unknown Mortal Orchestra

This year, Unknown Mortal Orchestra put out one of its most experimental records to date, which explores a confusing and unusual relationship between three people. Pulling mainly from funk influences, Unknown Mortal Orchestra heavily relies on ’70s rhythms and singer Ruban Nielson’s incredibly high falsetto. The band’s sound gets especially interesting when it mixes funk with shoegaze elements, like drowned-out vocals and blurry instrument production.

5. Andrew Jackson Jihad

Phoenix’s very own folk-punk band, Andrew Jackson Jihad, is never a letdown. With funny, unbelievably honest lyrics and surprisingly catching melodies, Andrew Jackson Jihad never backs down from its aggressive, yet hilarious sound, often using kazoos and other children’s instruments to accompany singer-songwriter Sean Bonnette’s cutting lyrics about the patriarchy and his bouts of depression. Though Andrew Jackson Jihad usually plays stripped down sets with just an acoustic guitar and stand-up bass, it’s been touring as a full band recently, so be sure to catch them all together while you can.

6. Lower Dens

While Lower Dens definitely has the essence of dream-pop, like chiming keyboards and lush guitar parts, it also goes into primal territory at times, which should make for an intriguing live show. The band experiments with a variety of borrowed ’80s tones, and reaches for influence from artists like PJ Harvey all the way to Iggy Pop, but what really sets it apart is singer Jana Hunter’s pristine, angelic vocals. Stop by to see Lower Dens for some introspective pop songs that’ll let your mind wander for a little while, allowing you to take a break from all the chaos.

7. Mikal Cronin

You might have heard of Mikal Cronin recently for having comedians pay tribute to old music videos (like the hilarious take on “You Can Call Me Al” by Paul Simon). But with his complex, driving pop songs, he’ll keep you intrigued long after the gimmick has died. Like many other artists on this list, Cronin’s music is catchy, but what sets him apart is his edge; his music is filled with driving drums and what is likely every distortion pedal available on the planet. Fans of revival garage rock absolutely need to check out Cronin’s exciting, fuzzed-out set.

The post Seven Bands Not to Miss at FYF Fest appeared first on Pop 'stache.