Archives:
Jason S. Thompson – “Troy’s Bucket”
Earlier this month, Jason S. Thompson released his latest EP and first for Paper + Plastick, called Half Empty. Thompson previously played in The Sky We Scrape and is a current member of Little Teeth. The record was written throughout his move from Chicago to Germany and was recorded entirely in Thompson’s home. When detailing the writing process, he said “Some of these songs are older songs that I reworked for the album because I thought they would be a good fit, and others are only a few months old. The most recent is ‘Timezones’ and I wrote that one during the recording of Half Empty. The overall writing process for more ‘solo’ stuff was during the swan song phase of my old band, The Sky We Scrape. I had a small batch of songs that weren’t a great fit for TSWS, and since that band was breaking up, I decided to rework them into something I could do on my own.” He continued, “Another large factor for Half Empty was my move to Germany. Focusing on a solo album is a much easier way to create when you move away from your social and musical circle that you’ve been with your entire life, so that made it an easier transition.”
Recording at home had both advantages and difficulties, according to Thompson. It allowed him to learn more about engineering while simultaneously taking his time, but it also didn’t provide a distraction-free environment that a typical studio often does. In terms of the finished product, he said “My favorite aspect of how Half Empty was recorded is probably the fact that I let myself make mistakes and not make it a ‘perfect’ album. I wanted it to be more of a reflection of what a small living room show might be like. I make some flubs at times and sometimes you’ll hear some fret buzz or scraping. Sometimes the notes aren’t perfect, but for this album I didn’t want to stress about that. When I play live, I’m not going to be perfect and this is sort of a reflection of that mentality.”
We’re streaming one of the album’s tracks below, which Thompson wrote when he was at a crossroads in life. He explained, “I was working at a job where I wasn’t feeling creatively fulfilled and my old band was offered our second tour of Europe, so I had to make the decision to either stay at that job or to take the tour. I quit my job and made the jump to freelance so that I could go on tour, and the song is basically me working through that at the time.” He added, “It was one of the best decisions I ever made and after a year of freelance the same company I left offered me a new job where I’d be able to live half the year in Germany and half the year in Chicago. I ended up going back to them after a year off and that’s what ultimately led me to moving to Germany full-time. Now I’m over here in Munich and whenever I play that song I always laugh because this is not how I expected it to all play out when that song was written.”
Check out the song now and order a digital copy of the record here, (this version has an optional enamel pin). The record is also available with custom whiskey rocks glasses and those can be ordered here. Lastly, 25% of all Bandcamp proceeds will go to Hope for the Day, an organization that is committed to suicide prevention and mental health education.
Airstream Futures
Earlier this month, Chicago’s Airstream Futures released their debut album on Paper + Plastick, entitled Spirale Infernale. We recently met with the band, (singer Devon Carson, guitarist Jeff Dean, bassist Megan Edgin and drummer Mike Soucy) and talked at length about the record. We discussed its writing and recording process, the impact of the album’s producers, what influenced some of the lyrical content and more. Airstream Futures merge punk, ‘90s alternative and indie rock subtleties to create a style that’s uniquely their own. Also apparent in their sound is how much fun the band members have writing and playing music together. Despite forming just over a year ago, Airstream Futures has already accomplished a considerable amount and show no sign of slowing their momentum anytime soon. Continue Reading…
Airstream Futures – “Dreams of Narrow Wings”
This spring, Airstream Futures will release their debut full-length on Paper + Plastick, called Spirale Infernale. The band combines elements of punk, indie rock and alternative, and features members of The Bomb, The Methadones and Bow & Spear. The album was produced by Rodrigo Palma, (Saves the Day) and Derek Grant, (Alkaline Trio), and recorded/mixed by the band’s guitarist, Jeff Dean. Airstream Futures’ lineup also includes singer Devon Carson, bassist Megan Edgin and drummer Mike Soucy. We’ve got an exclusive premiere of one of the record’s songs below, called “Dreams of Narrow Wings.” When asked to describe the song, Carson said “It started with Mike’s description of a dream where he had wings but they were too narrow to fly. It made us think about all the horrifying things going on in the world and the overwhelming desire to help in some way, but feeling completely overwhelmed and ineffectual. If we can’t even save ourselves in our own dreams, it’s no wonder that putting a hashtag in front of a problem has become our favorite form of activism.” Check out the song now and if possible, catch the band on their upcoming UK tour.
Textbook
Photo by Katie Hovland
In March of this year, Chicago’s Textbook collaborated with Paper + Plastick for the release of their album called On the B-Side. Containing 16 tracks in total, the record features songs from Textbook’s entire catalog and serves as a celebration of the band’s 15th anniversary. We recently spoke with singer/guitarist Dave Lysien and bassist Rick Uncapher to discuss the album in detail. We talked about how they teamed with Paper + Plastick, as well as the distinctive format that the record’s available on. We also conversed about the band’s experiences touring the UK, some of their favorite memories from the last 15 years, future plans and more. Be sure to check out a video for the song “Just One of Those Things” after the interview. Continue Reading…
Landmines – Commerce and Marx
Paper + Plastick – Release Date: 7/12/11
Landmines formed in 2005 and hails from Richmond, Virginia. They play punk-influenced hardcore and consequently comparisons are often made to hometown mainstays Avail and Strike Anywhere. Unlike the aforementioned bands, Landmines uses less punk tendencies and favors more classic hardcore traits, similar to bands like Gorilla Biscuits, H2O and Bane. Commerce and Marx is their third release for Paper + Plastick and it’s easily the band’s strongest and most complete effort to date. The song “You Are Number Six” talks about the dangers of the digital age and a need to maintain individuality. It uses a breakneck tempo, shredding guitars and gang vocals to make its point, and enough can’t be said about how great it sounds to hear a contemporary band that’s genuinely pissed off about something. “Evil Eye” is a personal song that addresses change and a desire to maintain a troubled relationship. It’s one of the album’s more melodic tracks and a definite highpoint. Another quality entry is “Left on Memory LN.”, which celebrates friendship and mixes various genres to create a memorable, well-structured song. With Commerce and Marx, Landmines has made a cohesive record that displays the passion and proficiency of the band’s live performances. The album is also noticeably different than what a lot of young, up-and-coming bands are doing nowadays, and that alone should be reason enough to give them a listen. Check out the song “Evil Eye” below.
[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/05-Evil-Eye.mp3|titles=Evil Eye]Red City Radio – Dangers of Standing Still
Paper + Plastick – Release Date: 2/22/11
Red City Radio is a relatively new band that’s based out of Oklahoma City. This is their debut full-length and it contains a total of 13 tracks, all of which are very much in the vein of Hot Water Music meets Off With Their Heads. There’s also a definite ‘90s, West Coast punk influence, but what really separates Red City Radio from a lot of its contemporaries is their proficient musicianship. Led by rock-solid, powerhouse drumming and a plethora of intricate and creative guitar riffs, these guys absolutely have the potential to be hugely popular in the coming years. Track two, “The Benefits of Motion”, opens with gravelly, earnestly-delivered vocals that declare, “We’ll take what we can get, we’re not taking it for granted”. It really sets the tone for the rest of the album and can’t help but make the listener want to sing-along each and every time. “You’re Poison, I’m Well” features an undeniably catchy chorus that’s instantly memorable, while “This Day’s Seen Better Bars” has some of the disc’s most sincere and inspiring lyrics. It’s a song about touring and missing home, which isn’t exactly a new topic for songwriters, but what makes it special is the vast amount of conviction and passion that it’s sung with. “Spinning in Circles is a Gateway Drug” and “Too Much Whiskey, Not Enough Blankets” are two additional beer-soaked, emotionally-driven anthems that are sure to become fan favorites. As long as they continue to evolve and find more of their own sound, Red City Radio will definitely have what it takes to be the next big thing.
Follow Us
-
