We Interviewed FOX from See You Next Tuesday!

In anticipation for their new album Intervals, all of us at UTG have been going crazy about See You Next Tuesday. Last week found us reviewing the new album and this week we're diving a bit deeper into the life of SYNT and the mind of their vocalist, Fox. This interview is the result of compiled emails between Fox and UTG JP, but stay tuned because there will be even more fun times with the band before the album is released on 10-14-08.   

JP: The release of Intervals was delayed for a few weeks, was there any specific reason or did the album just need more refining?

F: Honestly I'm not sure of the exact reason why the album got pushed back. We were having some trouble meeting deadlines with artwork and lyrics so that could be why. But it gave us and Ferret more time to promote it which is a definite plus!.

JP: We spoke with Joey from The Banner and he claimed you had the sickest live show and we'd have to agree, any future plans to tour with The Banner again?

F: I love him! And thank you very much! We try to make our live show as fun as possible! I hope we get to do another tour with The Banner, such awesome dudes and their new album is fantastic! But nothing is set up as of now.

JP: You guys are a band that always seems to have loads of new merch each time you tour, who does your designs and how much input do you have on what goes on your merch?  

F: Haha yeah we don't like keeping the same design around for very long. Sometimes we give input to artists and sometimes we just them do their thing. We get Chad Lenjer of Discordant Art to do a lot of our stuff. He is a good dude. He also did the artwork for Intervals. But we go through a number of other artists also like Blairkills and B-Boy Illustration. Plus Travis has his own design company and I do illustration and  Drew is pretty handy with Photoshop so collectivly we do designs as well.  We just signed an endorsment with Rocket Clothing so we are hoping to collaborate on a shirt with them also.. JP: What exactly is the recording process like for SYNT?

F: Well for me it was sitting on a couch playing Need For Speed until it was time for me to do vocals haha. But seriously we take it in steps. Drums then guitar then bass then vocals. Then we went back and refined what we thought should be refined. We wanted the album to have more of a live sound so we left some minor mistakes here and there alone cause sh*t happens live. Also Drew and Trav are doing backing vocals so we had fun playing with that. Then after we got everything how we wanted we got to experiment a bit. We played around with recording feedback and did this drum circle thing and played around with a mandalin. We were going to have Joe play his tuba but he b**ched out. We also had our friend Nate Johnson come in and throw some guest vocals down. Anyways we mixed for a few days after that and put it in Scott Hull's hands to play with after that.

JP: Can you tell me anything about the album title or album art? What, if any, is the theme of the album?

F: Well the album is themed around the concept of time and how things change. Hence, "Intervals". All the song titles have something to do with time in general. No more joke titles with this album. I think we are going to loose fans just based on that haha but I could give a sh*t less. The artwork also has the theme through out it. Chad did a great job! It shows a boy growing into an old man, which we refer to as Old Man Time, and he made the cover.

JP: What can you tell me about SYNT's new sound?  

F: Its darker. More mature. Still fast and crazy but a different approach. We like the direction we are heading. We also have acouple jams on there that are kinda like Paraphilla and Pogonotraphy from Parasite. Just kinda slow but heavy. Its definatly a lot different then Parasite.

JP: You guys got rid of a lot of the joke aspects, like the song titles. Can we expect a much more mature SYNT??

F: Haha I think I already pretty much answered that. When I joined the band all the titles for Parasite were set in stone and have nothing to do with the lyrics and that bugged the sh*t out of me. So this time around I asked the guys if I could get a little serious with them and they thought it was a good idea since we wanted to make a themed album. However we have been thinking of funny titles for new songs. "That dude from Metal Injection hates us" I think would be a good one haha.

JP: What can I expect from the new album? 

F: A new SYNT. Louder, heavier and more pissed. No lame breakdowns to mosh to. More music to punch your grandma in the face while shotgunning a beer. Hopefully lots of stage dives off couches on little sisters while listening to it. And us touring a sh*t ton yet again to pay off our massive amount of debt haha.

JP: What are your tour plans when you get back from foreign lands? Can you tell us anything about your plans for a US tour? 

F: Well we are going to be doing a short headling run with Iwrestledabearonce for the cd release and then we might be hitting the road with White Chapel in December for acouple weeks. But that isn't set in stone yet so don't quote me.

JP: Did you record any B-sides for this release?

F: Nope. No B-sides. We actully visited the Ferret office right after recording and Carl asked us about that. We didn't even think about it. Maybe next album. I wanted to record a couple covers or do a split sometime in the near future though.

JP: Do you have any totally amazing tour stories or antics you can share with us?  

F: Haha. Lets just say we do a lot of stupid sh*t. I got hit by a truck once because Andy was chasing me trying to tickle me... just stupid sh*t like that here and there. I'm sure ill get arrested within the next year for some stupid drunk stunt I pull.

JP: Who would accompany you on your dream tour?

F: Wow it would have to be a traveling fest haha. So many bands I would love to tour with! Poison The Well, Converge, Dillinger, Blood Has Been Shed, Premontions Of War, Scarlet, Trap Them, Spitfire, Cursed, Graf Orlock, Ed Gein... I could go on and on. Plus not to mention the bands we have already toured with such as Tony Danza, Despised Icon, The Acacia Strain, I Hate Sally, FASSW, The Banner... some of those bands aren't even together anymore. But yeah pretty much any of them.

JP: What were you all doing before SYNT?

F: I don't know what the other guys did except be bums. I was/still am in a band called Flesh And Blood Robot. I started tattooing about 2 years before I joined the band and I do that full time when I'm home now.

JP: It's back to school time, what would your perfect college party entail?

F: Beer. Beards. No shirts. Pants optional. Naked chicks. The slappy game. Sandwiches and pizza. Sh*tty rap music. Beer. Naked chicks. Beards. Cool dudes. Beards. Beer.

JP: We don't believe in final questions at UTG. We simply ask that you make a closing statement of your own to go out on. Talk about anything/anyone/or anyplace. It's all up to you:

F: Gee wiz. Um, stop making shows a place to hang out with your friends outside. Start coming to shows to have fun, enjoy the music and party. Shows are starting to become lame because everyone stands in a corner affraid to rage. F*** what your friends think. You paid money to have fun, so f***ing do it. Oh and our merch guy, his name is Kooter, has the clap and is having a kid soon.

*Written By: James Shotwell*

The Sound Of Animals Fighting - The Ocean And The Sun

Band: The Sound Of Animals Fighting

Album: The Ocean and The Sun

Genre: Progressive/Experimental

Label: Epitaph

Tracks:

1. Intro
2. The Ocean and The Sun
3. I, The Swan
4. Another Leather Lung
5. Lude
6. Cellophane
7. The Heraldic Beak Of The Manufacturer's Medallion
8. Chinese New Year
9. Uzbekistan
10. Blessings Be Yours Mister V
11. Ahab
12. On The Occasion of Wet Snow

Sound of Animals Fighting show their musicianship and variety of noises with the art rock album, The Ocean And The Sun. I was uncertain with what to expect as a trancelike Intro track greets me. I came to find that each song utilized several different instruments and vocalists, but the common thread was that they all had a quality that I would not mind having spew from my car stereo. Knowing that Anthony Green (Circa Survive) had his hands on this album, one can expect his shrill, dreamy vocals and guitar rhythms to be in the bag. Green as well as members from RX Bandits, Finch and Chiodos pool their influences on the album, as there are nuances of jazz, pop punk, and I detected a 90's grunge feel on the track titled "I, The Swan". Every song on the album is completely different - the band seems to tie in progressive guitar leads with distortion, sampling and an ambient ascetic. Elements of jazz and funk are present in tracks "Blessed Be Your Mister V" and "The Heraldic Break". SOAF throws in a muted trumpet which surprisingly does not sound out of place at all. There is an unexpected, enjoyable guitar solo in "Lude". 

My favorite tracks on the album are "Another Leather Lung" and "Cellophane" - they stand apart from the other tracks with driven, complex grooves. It sounds like Chiodos and Fall of Troy meets some kind of sensitive ambient rock and roll, in a good way. "Lung"s vocals and guitar rhythms remind me of My Chemical Romance; the pop punk backgrounds of some of the members shine through on the track. The Sound of Animals Fighting is an intriguing band in that it is a handful of successful musicians coming together to play, and it is clear that there were no limits in the musical experimentation. "Ubekistan" and "Chinese New Year" as well as the Intro utilize samples of children laughing and talking, a woman speaking Arabic and distorted nonsense. Although a bit strange, SOAF is one of the more cohesive experimental bands I have heard - these songs could certainly be performed live. 

This may not be my favorite album of the year, but I was entertained. If you like any of the bands that the members of Sound of Animals Fighting hail from, give this album a listen, because the talent, passion, and chemistry of all individuals involved really shines through. I recommend that you add The Ocean And The Sun to your Fall playlist, and tap your steering wheel or nod your head to the tunes that just feel right to me this season. 

*Written By: Billy Table*

GRADE: 8.5/10

See You Next Tuesday - Intervals

Band: See You Next Tuesday

Album: Intervals

Genre: Grindcore

Label: Ferret

Tracks:

1. Nascence
2. In The End
3. The Life in Death
4. Eternity?
5. Alpha
6. She Once Said I Was A Romantic
7. Daydreams
8. Nightmares
9. In The Beginning
10. Forever on Deaf Ears
11. Goodnight [Our Last Dance]
12. This Time The Keys Are Broken
13. Dedication To A New Era
14. One of These Days
15. Omega
16. 11/22/07
17. January and On

I've been told by countless relatives and friends that I listen to "noise". Despite what anyone else has told me, I do not fail to see the beauty in the frantic art that is the grindcore genre. With that in mind, as far as grindcore is concerned: See You Next Tuesday is Da Vinci and Intervals is the Mona Lisa.

Intervals is SYNT's second album, the first being Parasite.  One of the best things about Parasite was its almost schizophrenic song structure; songs jumping all over the place in tempo and sound.  Parasite didn't really have a central theme (as most of the songs were well established before Fox even got involved with the band) and there seemingly was no method to the madness.  This isn't a bad thing though, I love Parasite and so do thousands of other people.  On Intervals however, it's a whole different story.  

Intervals is about time.  I didn't need to talk to the band to figure that out (although we did talk to them).  One of the first things I noticed when listening to this album is that the music didn't just jump in to a breakdown. No, on this record, the music just naturally slowed down and sped up between brutal sludge breakdowns and frantic assaults of blastbeats and pick sweeps.  There is a good example of this is the second track on the album "In The End".  The song starts out really slow and just speeds up each time the verse riff repeats.  It really sets the tone of the whole album. It was evident early on that this was a much more mature See You Next Tuesday then I could have ever imagined seeing.  

The production quality on Intervals is a lot better than most of the bands in SYNT's genre.  For starters, it is stunning how amazing the drums sound.  It's honestly one of the best sounding drum tracks on an album I've ever heard.  The vocals stand out just as much as they should and don't overpower Drew's amazing guitar work.  The album has a very live feel to it, but not so much that it sounds muddy.  

Something else that really surprised me about Intervals was the amount of ambient noises used in the background.  Drew really explored all the different sounds you can get to come out of a guitar and put them all to good use.  Here's the best part: they pull this off perfectly live.  Drew runs his guitar up and down his amp to get feedback and string noises which adds a whole new level of awesome to an already amazing live act.  Seriously, even if you hate the music, check them out when they come to your town, it's worth the sight.  SYNT's raw energy and stage presence is unrivaled in my book.

I can't get over how much I love this album.  Ask James, he's sick of me talking about it.  It's a masterpiece of music and the start of a new, fully realized See You Next Tuesday.  It's everything I wanted in a good experimental deathgrind album, and a great sophomore release from an under-appreciated band.  This is hands down, my pick for best album of 2008.

*Written By: Justin Proper*

GRADE: 9.8/10

We Interviewed Kyle from Breathe Carolina!

Today, JP talked to Kyle from Breathe Carolina! The contents of said conversation can be found below! Be sure to check out their album It's Classy, Not Classic as soon as you possibly can.   

JP: Hey Kyle, where does the day find you?  

K: Good, just woke up a bit ago, and didn't have to drive, so I'm good.

JP: How about a quick history lesson on Breathe Carolina?

K: We started in February 2007, put the first song on Myspace at the end of March. We just started playing shows around Denver and played our first out of state shows in December 2007.

JP: So, if I may ask, what's the story behind your group's name?  

K: David had it premeditated. It came from a dream he had about a lady named Carolina who was living his life. He saw her from an outsider perspective.....I Guess that's kind of a weird way to name a band.

JP: In the wake of the Myspace explosion, you were one of the many bands swept up by labels. The problem is that many of these artists haven't been able to hold their own in the real music world....what sets BC apart??

K: We just try to be as real as possible, we just try to do our thing and have fun. It's hard to tell what really sets us apart, I guess I don't really put myself in other's shoes.

JP: You signed with Rise Records, a label known mainly for their presence in the hardcore/metalcore world. Why did you, a more electronic pop driven act, choose to go this route?

K: We listened to Anatomy of A Ghost, Fear Before, and were friends with Drop Dead Gorgeous before they signed, so we've been following the label for a long time. After meeting Craig and talking to him, we figured it was right and we didn't really worry about what other bands he had or anything.

JP: Okay, onto the album, what's the story behind the title, It's Classy, Not Classic?  

K: Kinda just living in the moment, not trying to do something that's already been done. Not just with music, but with everything. Living your own life, not anyone else's.

JP: You brought tracks back around from your initial EP for this release. Why did you bring back old material and not just release a slew of new tracks?

K: The label wanted it and we never had those songs out on a hard copy. It's for the kids who wanted it and had yet to get it.

JP: It's hard to believe such a wall of sound comes from two guys, how do you make it work in a live setting? Also, what are your fall tour plans? 

K: We just have each other do what we do. David produced the whole record and laid down the synth and beats. We use a hard synth on stage for the new songs instead of a soft synth, we use a vocoder live and such as well. We just trust each other to do it. We'll be wrapping up headlining dates on Oct. 5th and then we'll be heading out with Pierce The Veil, Four Letter Lie, and Emarosa on Oct. 15th. We're really excited about that!

JP: To be random: If you had to live within an 80's teen comedy, what film would you choose?

K: I would like to live in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That's kind of a comedy. It was my favorite show growing up. We woke to some crazy show on Nickelodeon the other day, it was nuts. It would be trippy to live in those worlds.

JP: We don't believe in final questions at UTG. We simply ask that you make a closing statement of your own to go out on. Talk about anything/anyone/or anyplace. It's all up to you:

K: We're stoked to be on tour and we're really happy we get to do this. It's crazy to do this stuff live now, it's just so real now. Thanks to everyone whose been supporting us this whole time.

*Written By: James Shotwell*

Her Space Holiday - XOXO, Panda and The New Kid Revival

Band: Her Space Holiday

Album: XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival

Genre: Indie Pop/Rock

Label: Mush

Tracks:

1. The New Kid Revival
2. The Truth Hurts So This Should Be Painless
3. The Heartbreak Moment
4. The Year in Review
5. No More Good Ideas
6. The Boys and Girls
7. Sleepy Tigers
8. The World Will Deem Us Dangerous
9. My Crooked Crown
10. Four Tapping Shoes and A Kiss
11. The Telescope
12. Two Tin Cans and a Length of String
13. The Day in Review
14. One For My Soul [Good Night]

Recently, I was caught off guard by an album with a title too long to remember. Her Space Holiday's XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival is the album I'm talking about and let me tell you this: this album will sweep you off your feet. I've been sitting on the album for about a week now and if not listening all the way through each time I cross it, I've been more than able to fall in love with many individual tracks and get swept up in hitting repeat again and again. This isn't the kind of album with cutesy songs with indie pop vibes that become annoying all too soon. No, this is an album full of whimsy and heart that leaves you swept up in tales of love, life, and growing up. I didn't know what to expect going into this disc, but I came out a huge fan and I'm sure you will as well.

"The New Kid Revival," the opening track which begins with some slowly crescendoing guitar work, will surely be a hit with any indie pop fan. The song has the feel good vibes of The Shins, but with the simplicity of Bright Eyes [If Conor had a more positive outlook on life]. The music feels loose and free to expand and shrink on a moments notice and that's what really seals it as something you have to really dig into. If you don't allow yourself to become enthralled with the tones laced throughout the track, you're likely to miss out on some of the finest songwriting of the year. Everything is simple, but it makes for a great pop song and that's really what matters in the end. This leads to the children's toy sounding intro of, "The Truth Hurts, So This Should Be Pointless," which once again begins on a very subtle note before expanding into a pulsing song. You know those arthouse films about misguided twenty somethings that set out to find themselves? This is the kind of track that would play during the travel montage. IT feels like it's been around for years, but you know it's fresh from the studio. The percussion, in my opinion, seal the track due to great cymbal rolls and additional percussion work. "The Heartbreak Moment," feels like Simon and Garfunkel were funneled into an ex-hardcore guy with the fresh hint of broken heart and a six string. Once again, things are kept simple, but it just grooves into your bloodstream and syncs up to your heartbeat. This may be my favorite track on the whole album. This then leads fittingly into, "The Year In Review." You become transfixed with this track due to the way the guitars and vocals work together to create a great mood and the lyrics are just so honest and easy to relate to. I mean, this isn't music for the masses, but it should be. The call outs for you to shout out your joy and raise your voice are ones you want to heed in order to share your excitement for the adventure we find ourselves on only 4 tracks in, but you'll only be singing to yourself. However, I dare to resist still doing so.

There's a 60's pop rock feel to, "No More Good Ideas," that seems a bit off kilter for this album considering what has just passed, but it works because everything just seems to flow too good to deny. Although, it's not a track I'd really make to much of a fuss about. I wouldn't be too surprised if, "The Boys and Girls," appeared on an upcoming episode of Scrubs as it seems to just sound like the kind of song Zach Braff would use in a transition. IT returns to the traveling sound that we heard a bit earlier on, but with a bit more folk influence than before. The use of a real alarm clock sound near the end really takes the authenticity to an all new level and continues the albums organic feel quite well. Couples are bound to fall in love with the feel good vibe of, "Sleepy Tigers," and shoegazer pop fans will want to marry, "The World Will Deem Us Dangerous." I don't mean to gush throughout the disc, but with 6 tracks to go, this is easily becoming the best feel good album of the year and it seems to all have been done with such ease that it should enrage other musicians. There's always this fine, unspoken line between simple and genius and Her Space Holiday walks it like a trapeze artist.

Kevin Devine may even be jealous of the beauty of, "My Crooked Crown," an acoustic lead track that tugs at event he coldest heart strings. I feel this is the kind of song that ends summer and welcomes fall as love begins to change into a real relationship or dissipates. I don't know what to say, but that it is gorgeous. "Four Tapping Shoes and A Kiss," however, just fails to hit the mark for me. The simplicity kind of catches up here and the music just doesn't feel too great. The repetitive beat comes to a head here and though the number of layers of sounds increases, the vibe just can't get off the ground. Almost as if HSH knew I was thinking about  repetitiveness, we get a new sound with, "The Telescope," which is synth lead and glorious. The song itself is pretty okay lyrically and all, but the new music take that mixes new wave and western styles is just irresistible to your ears.

This then leads us into the final three tracks of the album, which kick off amazingly with, "Two Tin Cans and A Length of String." This song comes out of nowhere sound wise and the lyrics jump out of the dull intro tones and as the music crashes in, you're still transfixed on the multiple vocal layers leading the track. I wouldn't mind if all the music was gone and we just had the vocals, it's that great. Though, part of the charm of the album is how Her Space Holiday can make something so simple sound gorgeous and deep and that is accomplished ten fold as this song plays out. The layers build, but the basic beat is kept and it still sounds like so much more than it is. "The Day In Review," is a cutesy, relaxed number, but outstays its welcome by about a minute. Whenever an artist has a song that's very simple musically, like this one, it's hard to keep things going for a full track and I think that's what went wrong here because it seems like it should be great, but it never goes anywhere really. Luckily, the albums ends beautifully with, "One For My Soul [Good Night]." The song plays like a closing song should, in fact, it would fit no place else on the album than at the end as the whole thing seems intent on wrapping up everything we've heard. The instrumentation is dead on and you'll be wanting to sing along before the first verse ends. It's a triumphant end to a wonderful record.

I've never known Her Space Holiday before this record, but now I feel like I've been missing out on something very, very important in the music world. We at UTG always strive to share music that is real, pure, and full of heart. XOXO, Panda and The New Kid Revival is a roller coaster of gorgeous tones and wonderful melodies. I've not heard anything like it all year and it's easily the best feel good album in a long time. I know, with a name like this one carries, it's hard to believe it's anything too stunning, but trust me, you'll be saying, "Wow," long before it ends. Let me put it this way: If you don't buy the new Her Space Holiday Album, you will be missing out on one of the best records put out all year. 

*Written By: James Shotwell*

GRADE: 9/10