Archives: May 2018
Red City Radio
Several weeks ago, Red City Radio played Bottom Lounge and we caught up with singer/guitarist Garrett Dale before the show. We talked about their new EP on Red Scare Industries, SkyTigers, including how it was written and recorded, as well as the origins of its unique title. SkyTigers finds Red City Radio further uncovering their own distinctive sound, while simultaneously making strides with their songwriting capabilities. We discussed what motivated the EP’s style, in addition to some seemingly random topics, like professional wrestling, Charlie Chaplin, Death Row Records and more.
SuJah Ray – “High”
Last month, SuJah Ray released their debut, self-titled EP. The project was conceived of several years ago by Justin Yates, (audio engineer Atlas Studios/Metro). He explained, “I was wrapping up a Fireside show and playing Sugar Ray over the PA at the end of the night. My buddy Dan Wallach and I joked around, changing some words here and there and then it hit me that it could actually be a cool, totally ridiculous idea. About five years later Dan Tinkler, (engineer Atlas Studios) some other very talented homies and I finally brought it to life.” He continued, “We’re all fans of Jahbreaker, (Brian Moss’s Jawbreaker reggae cover band that made all the lyrics weed-related) and thought Sugar Ray songs would be perfect to do a similar reggae/dub thing with.”
Assisting Yates in making this endeavor a reality were several noteworthy Chicago musicians. Ronnie DiCola, (The Arrivals) played drums, Aly Jados, (Blood People) provided harmonies, and Dan Alfonsi, (Still Alive) channeled deejay Super Cat and did some additional vocals. Tinkler played guitar, while Yates sang and played keyboards and synth bass. When asked to describe what recording was like, Tinkler said “We did the majority of tracking at Atlas, but added some bits and pieces at our apartments. It was stretched out over a long time, mostly due to my dumb scheduling, but it was always fun. I think that was a really important part of it; when we worked on it we had to have fun and be silly. Of course we had to get good performances, but we were focused on it being fun. Justin and I always have a blast working together.”
In terms of the possibility of someone from Sugar Ray ever hearing these songs, Yates said “I hope they get a good, guttural laugh out of it! Maybe they’ll be jealous that we told stories via songs that they always wanted to. Mark McGrath seems like a super caring, charismatic, fantastic guy. I’d love it if he reached out or mentioned SuJah Ray somewhere someday. Or maybe they’ll hear it and think that everything we’re doing is too close for comfort and shut us down with court orders and stuff. I would get a huge LOL out of that!” Check out “High” below and take a listen to the other songs here.
Darren Vorel – “Come Back Girl”
On May 18th, Darren Vorel, (The Scissors, Showoff, TLB) will release his debut solo EP, More Today Than Ever. Written over a period of several years, these songs didn’t necessarily gel with his current band, TLB, so Vorel opted for the solo route. He explained, “I like to make creative goals for myself at the beginning of every year. I knew that Tom and Dave from TLB were going to be busy with their other group in 2018, so I decided to put more focus on writing, with equal attention to TLB and any other outlet I might have to release music. I’ve written a full EP for The Scissors and I’ve written some new songs for another solo release as well. It feels good to have a lot of stuff ready to go.”
Vorel recorded these songs in his Chicago apartment and was responsible for all vocals, as well as guitar, bass and keyboard duties. For drums and percussion, he enlisted the help of his friends Mike Rataj and Chris Mason. When asked about the recording experience, Vorel said “I had to invest in some software and some mics and monitors. I also had to do a ton of research on recording in general. The other half was just recalling what I’ve picked up from watching engineers I’ve worked with over the years. Nothing I have is super fancy, but I think this turned out sounding great for what I had to work with.” He added, “After it was all mixed and ready to go, I still had to master the album. I don’t think I really understood mastering before this experience. I called up my old pal Matt Allison and he came in to help me really put that final glaze over everything to make it real.”
We’re streaming the record’s leadoff track below, “Come Back Girl,” which Vorel described as a good blend of the music he’s created in the past. To celebrate the EP’s release, he’s playing a show at Beat Kitchen on Saturday, May 26th, along with The Cold Mourning, The Hoodie Life, and Daniel Wade. It starts at 7:00 PM, is 17+ and tickets can be purchased here. Joining Vorel onstage that night will be two of his Showoff bandmates, brothers Dan and George Castady. When speaking about playing with them, he said “They can both sing better than I can and are absolute experts when it comes to their craft. I’m really fortunate to have known them this long and I know they’ll be able to give the audience the truest representation of these songs.” Check out “Come Back Girl” now and preorder the record here.
https://soundcloud.com/vorel/darren-vorel-more-today-than-ever-come-back-girl/s-qCX8D
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