Youngblood Hawke – We Come Running

The moment I come out of my last final (Friday 7 to 10 p.m., damn it) I will be throwing my earphones on and playing this song. The band from Los Angeles is a strong example of indie pop the likes of which have been radio-friendly as of late (e.g. Imagine Dragons). However, the band hasn’t received as much exposure as they deserve in my opinion, and this song is one of the most uplifting things I’ve heard in a while. Some people may recognize the tune from FIFA ‘13, which is promising, but it’s a song with Top 40 potential (and in that case it’d be an example of a Top 40 song I actually enjoy). Those looking for something a bit more laid-back could give RAC’s remix a try.

Last Lynx – Killing Switch

Speaking of laid back, “Killing Switch” is a perfect example. Last Lynx is a band from Sweden. Just like Youngblood Hawke, they self-categorize as indie pop. “Killing Switch” might sound like a song that a metal band might release, but it’s actually a relaxing song that I can see myself drinking a beer to at a campfire. Their newest EP, Ocean Reels, came out a month ago.

NONONO – Pumpin Blood

NONONO is another band hailing from Sweden. This is one of those bands that deserves attention that just might get it through one anthemic song (The Naked and Famous and Icona Pop come to mind) that has people singing, dancing and, in this case, whistling along. I can see myself listening to this at the beach and on the way there, being obnoxiously loud in my car with friends.

Coasts – Oceans

Speaking of the beach, here’s “Oceans” by Coasts. As the band name and song title might suggest, this song is overflowing with a summery vibe. Maybe it’s just me, but their sound’s as if the members of Foals grew up on the California coast instead of in Oxford. Summer’s a season made for love for some people (personally, I’m more of a winter romance guy) and this song should be a nice accompaniment.

Blackbird Blackbird – Pure

I’m including Blackbird Blackbird here mainly for two reasons. First of all, he’s from San Francisco and I believe in supporting locals. The other is that when I asked around about summer tunes, a huge portion of the responses involved Washed Out, which seemed obvious, and enough people know about his work (but I will give an honorable mention to RAC’s remix of “New Theory”). Anyway, I went with Blackbird Blackbird as an alternative answer because he’s a local artist I think deserves a bit more attention.

Dumbfoundead – Cool and Calm

This is a name that some may recognize from last year’s Hip Hop in the Park. Jonathan Park, otherwise known as Dumbfoundead, has made one of my favorite songs to lay back and do nothing do. Thematically, the lyrics are pretty heavy, but they’re relatable for most students. However, there are those times where my brain will shut down and stop all comprehension of lyricism or wordplay and this is one of my favorite beats for a mind-clearing, stress-relieving drive.

Daft Punk – Lose Yourself to Dance (ft. Pharrell Williams)

Yesterday, Daft Punk streamed Random Access Memories, their new album, in full on iTunes. In the end, this song ended up being my personal favorite (particularly for a summer list) with “Contact” and “Fragments of Time” close behind (but neither feel like summer tunes to me). The verdict’s still out on the new album. I think I need to give it another listen before I’ve completely formulated an opinion, but what seems certain at the moment is that this song will be making my summer playlist.

Les Enfants – Celeste

I’ll admit I don’t know anything about Les Enfants. I heard this song in a playlist and instantly fell in love with it. I love the little claps at the beginning and the claps that become stronger in the song. The use of mandolin and the back-up vocals make this a nice, happy song to throw away all your worries to. Something must seriously be wrong with you if you don’t tap your feet along.

Lana Del Rey – Summertime Sadness (Hannes Fischer Remix)

Let me make one thing clear before I talk about this song: I am not a fan of Lana Del Rey in general. I find her search for a persona as confusing as her awkward stage-turning live. Regardless, I think it’s important not to turn down an artist simply because you haven’t liked them before. You may end up surprised. What I will give her is that I think “Born to Die” is a lovely song and that she has a wonderful voice for remixes and mash-ups (like this one that I had on repeat a while back with Notorious B.I.G.). Hannes Fischer makes a catchy, somewhat happy version of “Summertime Sadness” here.

Banks – Warm Water (Produced by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs)

Some of us like mellow music for the beach and Banks has provided a good song to add to that list. “Warm Water” is completely different from “Before I Ever Met You” (a song I linked to in a previous Tunesday). I’m also a huge fan of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs for songs such as “Garden” because they have a unique sound in the world of electro music. The collaboration works for me.

The Colourist – Little Games (St. Lucia Remix)

With a guitar riff and percussion-driven sound, “Little Games” got a ton of attention on music blogs all over the internet. On its own, it’s a strong indie-rock poppy tune that you can blast for good times. However, St. Lucia gave it more of an electronic makeover that’s more suited for larger crowds. Ideally, I’d be playing this for a day club in Las Vegas or Ibiza.

Tycho – A Walk

More shoutouts for local talent. Scott Hansen, who goes by the name Tycho, is from San Francisco just like Blackbird Blackbird (but probably the more recognizable name between the two). Furthermore, one of my closest friends, Anna, is known as the “Tycho Girl” because of her presence in the background visuals during the live shows. Recently, Tycho released a music video for their song “Ascension”, and she’s being awesome in it, but to be honest it’s not my favorite song. I think “A Walk” is a stronger song in general and one of the best to fall asleep on the beach to.

Angel Haze – New York (King Krule Rework)

My summer plans are currently ambiguous, but the only thing that seems certain at the moment is that I will be going to New York in July. No, I won’t be landing to Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Instead, I will be getting off the plane with this song blasting. The original version’s a bit more brutal, whereas King Krule reworked the song into a more laid back one.

I suppose… that’s… hip-hop? I don’t know what you will be doing for the summer, but I hope that the last video made whatever you’re doing seem more awesome. Try not to get involved with a lame rapper for your summer fling, as tempting as those choreographed dance moves may seem. He’s so funky. Wherever you may be ending up for the next three months, I hope you enjoy your summers. Tunesday will continue in August and I look forward to interacting with you again then! For the time being, you can expect a summer playlist to show up on my Spotify at some point in the next month. Onward and upward.

Contact Ephraim Lee at ephraimlee@dailycal.org.

The post Tunesday: (119) Days of Bummer appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Phoenix – Trying to Be Cool (The Chainsmokers Remix)

The original by Phoenix in their new album, Entertainment, is a much slower, laid-back song which The Chainsmokers have changed into a more dance-y one. The Chainsmokers made their way onto the list last Tuesday for their remix of Daughter’s “Medicine” and then they released this remix of “Trying to Be Cool” from Phoenix’s new album. Speaking of last week’s post, it earned me the lovely title of “Most Likely to Reveal His Deepest, Darkest Secrets in a Blog Post” for the mentions of break-ups and unused concert tickets.

It would be a shame not to have a TMI moment after receiving such an honor from my editors. It isn’t my deepest, darkest secret, but it’ll have to do. This is like two truths and a lie… except I’m going to put more statements and not specify how many truths/lies I’ve sprinkled. No answer key, but I guarantee at least one is true. Have fun speculating!

1. I have a tattoo on my right butt cheek because I lost a bet.
2. I have had a semester-long crush on someone at the Daily Cal.
3. I cried when the Clippers got eliminated from the NBA playoffs.
4. I have never been in love, but I have told people I’m in love with them just to see how they react.
5. I just ate an everything bagel.

Portugal. The Man – Purple Yellow Red and Blue

Portugal. The Man’s seventh album will be coming out on June 4th and is completely produced by Danger Mouse. Don’t pay so much attention to the lyrics of this song, though, which include the likes of “workin’ just don’t work for me.” The tune’s so catchy that you’ll be tapping your feet along. It’s no wonder it’s been on my playlist for times when I am attempting to focus on work.

Sir Sly – Ghost

Originally, this post was going to be one with songs and bands involving the word “ghost” to follow the theme of dead week. Frankly, it was a dumb idea, but I think Sir Sly still fits into the new theme. This LA-based band has been one of my favorite discoveries since last year. My application to the Daily Cal involved a review of their album and I vouched for them for Noise Pop. Admittedly, some of their other songs such as “Gold” or “Found You Out” would probably fit the profile of upbeat songs a bit more, but I got slightly attached to what this post originally was so this is the one that made the cut.

ASTR – Operate

Speaking of Sir Sly, it’s worth mentioning that Neon Gold Records gave them a shot with an EP. Other acts that Neon Gold has brought into the limelight include Ellie Goulding, Marina and The Diamonds, Passion Pit, The Knocks, and The Naked and Famous. Recently, they’ve taken on ASTR’s debut single “Operate,” and their string of success in finding talented and widely appealing acts doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all in 2013. Much like the aforementioned names, this is a song that sits somewhere between pop and electronic.

Nujabes – Aruarian Dance

Some people just cannot focus on work with lyrics being present, so we’re taking a time machine to bring back some Nujabes. It’s certainly the oldest song I’ve linked so far on Tunesday, but I consider this my favorite study song of all time (I mean, it’s not saying much considering I’ve got the worst studying habits in the world, but it really is an amazing song to help you concentrate on something). It should say a lot that there’s a “Homework Edit” of the song (just a 1 hour loop) and it’s pretty popular on YouTube.

MS MR – Hurricane (CHVRCHES Remix)

MS MR and CHVRCHES are two of my favorite up-and-coming musical acts. MS MR have their debut album coming out next Tuesday and CHVRCHES have their first full-length album coming out sometime this year as well. Though both categorize themselves as some kind of pop music, they sound completely different from each other. MS MR have a darker sound whereas CHVRCHES sound bit like an 80’s revival. The remix is far more characteristic of CHVRCHES’ sound than MS MR’s. I’d suggest you give the original song a listen as well as “Recover” by CHVRCHES. Click through to Soundcloud and this remix is available for a free (and completely legal) download!

The xx – Hot Like Fire (BeazyTymes Remix)

The xx’s cover of Aaliyah is given a trap-esque remix, but unlike some of the stuff Baauer puts out under the same genre, it is good. It’s not exactly a song I can see myself working to, but it’s one that I’d put on after finishing and lying down. I particularly love the way he utilized the original riff, and somehow the bass in the background reminds me of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind.” Speaking of which…

Pacific Air – Lose My Mind

I am ending with a song called “Lose My Mind” because, well, I don’t want you to. Particularly, I’d like to dedicate this to my friends who are graduating (as well as those of you I never got the chance to meet that are). First of all, you’re welcome for not dedicating “Graduation” by Vitamin C. God. That song. The lyrics in “Lose My Mind” talk about problems such as “I’ve been thinking about my future / And how cold it’s been,” and anyone who’s graduating is probably beginning to feel that way. It is all about fear of the uncertainty in having to face the future in the forms of possible failure and iffy commitment, but still manages to be an uplifting song.

That’s it for Tunesday this week! Come back next week for a summer mix and as always, give me your feedback and tell me about songs you think deserve some attention! Good luck with your finals and best wishes if you’re graduating.

Contact Ephraim Lee at ephraimlee@dailycal.org.

The post Tunesday: Lively Tunes for a Dead Week appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Certainly, cults are not seen in a positive light due to the likes of Charles Manson or cyanide-laced Kool-Aid. “There were hundreds, if not thousands, of these groups all over the United States, and the ones that got the most attention were the ‘bad cults,’” Demopoulos said, citing examples such as Steve Jobs as people who have benefited from living in communes. “There were so many of these social experiments, and even right around the area of Berkeley, there were many, many of these experiments,” she continued. “This is the first film to re-examine that period of history from an insider’s point of view.”

The leader of the Source Family is a mythical figure in his own right who could have a documentary made all about him. The 6-foot-4 Jim Baker, later known as Father Yod, was a judo champion, bank robber, Hollywood stuntman and wildly successful restaurateur before becoming a spiritual leader. The film begins with a still image of him, slowly zooming in while voiceovers praise him and tell supernatural anecdotes about him.

Though Father Yod is clearly a centerpiece and a catalyst for the story told in “The Source Family,” the richness of its content comes from the stories that are told by the members about what the experience has done for their lives (including one that has moved on and become a multi-millionaire through stemcell research). The directors were overwhelmed by the wealth of the archival footage and the honesty of the family members during their interviews. “The biggest challenge was that there were so many characters, so many family members, so it was hard to choose which characters to put in the film and which not,” Demopoulos said. “We wanted to put all of them in, all of their point of views were so interesting.”

Hearing the stories from the family members enriches the experience. However, with many of the members looking back affectionately, there wasn’t much conflict nor much criticism. Nevertheless, one objective that’s clear is they wanted to make it apparent that joining cults and communes is not necessarily a negative experience for the people who have joined them, with the opinions told straight from — well, the source.

“When the Source Family existed in the late ’70s, there became this anti-cult backlash where everyone was anti-cult,” Demopoulos commented. “All of the idealism of that generation and the spiritual explosion that was happening at that time had to go underground or became trumped by the consumer culture of the ’80s. Now, we’re kind of coming full circle, and these ideas are becoming popular again.”

The ideas of the era have undoubtedly made a return. Another reason that the Source Family has been gathering attention is their psychedelic music, which they made under the name Yo Ho Wha 13. The whole soundtrack of the movie is composed of their songs, and it enhances the atmosphere of the archival footage.

A character-driven documentary must have a compelling subject or a relatable one. Father Yod compels, but he becomes a tough character to relate to. It becomes muddled at times exactly how the directors want to depict him due to the disparity between the interviews and some of the information they relay about him. A clip from “Saturday Night Live” is an apparent attempt to gain sympathy from the audience, but it adds on to the unfortunate comedic feel of a cult that is a spitting image of the new age stereotype. On the other hand, his first wife (by the end, he has 13), Robin, becomes a character who demands sympathy (and yet another character worth making a full-length documentary about).

Perhaps it works, though, because the project employed two directors as well as two editors. This could have been a film that portrays the story of a spiritual leader who becomes drunk with power or one that tries to defend the positivity of cults. Instead, it becomes a captivating cornucopia of information that viewers can draw their own conclusions from.

“The Source Family” is not a film about a cult — it is a fascinating attempt at humanizing those who have been a part of them.

Contact Ephraim Lee at ephraimlee@dailycal.org.

The post Cults and communes get a second chance in ‘The Source Family’ appeared first on The Daily Californian.

GO BEARS. For those of you who don’t know, up-and-comers Jhameel and Giraffage both went to UC Berkeley. Giraffage and Robert Cepeda (from DWNTWN) were roommates at one point in San Jose. This collaboration was bound to happen, just like Jay-Z and the xx. All three have been putting out some infectious tunes for a while (click on their names to hear some examples) and Kitsune (a label that constantly seems to be putting out mind-blowingly amazing compilations) had them get together for Kitsune America 2, which releases today.

Daughter – Landfill and Candles

Last year, Daughter helped me get over a break-up and I’ll forever be grateful. I have been obsessed with the band (particularly Elena Tonra’s vocals and lyrics) and today, they have their debut album coming out in the US. Their three strongest songs prior to this release, in my opinion, are “Landfill”, “Candles” and “Youth”. Only one of them has made it to their full album, so I’m kicking off this week’s Tunesday with the other two. As I have said in the review, this is some damned depressing stuff to listen to. For the record, they’re amazing live too. Sadly, my inability to land a date for a relatively unknown band left me with unused tickets for their show in San Francisco back in October. Chances are the next time you hear their name, they’ll be far more well-known and those tickets will be far more desirable — their show in LA next month sold out weeks ago. The last time I believed in a band’s impending success this much was The xx (another artist whose concert I had two tickets for and only used one of in 2009… oh dear).

The xx – Together

Speaking of The xx, Jay-Z is pulling some magic producing the soundtrack for “The Great Gatsby.” This collaboration was bound to happen. Jay-Z has long been a fan of The xx and was spotted back in Coachella 2010 vibing to their music with Beyonce. The soundtrack is due to be released next Tuesday and I could not be more psyched that one of my favorite bands will be on the album for an adaptation of one of my favorite novels. Something that you will catch in the song that isn’t usually featured in their music is the presence of violins. If you like this song, I would recommend you watch The xx Symphony where they play some of their songs with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

GEMS – All I Ever & Pegasus

Now that I’ve talked about The xx, I think I should give GEMS a mention. They’re an up-and-coming band with both a female and male vocalist. I’m kind of a sucker for that when their voices work well together. “All I Ever” does rightfully bring up some comparisons to The xx, but “Pegasus” shows a use of synth that sets them apart(particularly around 2:32). Regardless of how similar they are said to sound to other bands, I have been captivated and look forward to see what they do next.

Daughter – Get Lucky (Cover of Daft Punk)

In last week’s edition of Tunesday, I briefly mentioned that Daft Punk released the first single from their new album and someone was bound to make a cover or remix of it soon enough. Naturally, I’m going to have to show you guys the one that Daughter did. It’s kind of a cop out in a way to take an upbeat song and make it into a mellow, acoustic version, but it’s a move that’s easily forgiven when it’s quality work — another example that immediately comes to mind is Anya Marina’s cover of “Whatever You Like” by T.I. The band demonstrates how much thought goes into their music as well as how much talent (and humility) they each have individually.

Banks – Before I Ever Met You

It’d feel like a crime not to mention this song when this has essentially become a superpost of break-up music. Banks is an act to watch because her unique, soulful voice is being applied to some trip-hoppy backgrounds and it makes for a genre-defining act. Her voice is constantly compared to some seriously talented names like Fiona Apple and Miss Lauryn Hill. You don’t have to be recently single to enjoy this tune either — with all the passion and downtempo goodness, it’s making its way to some playlists for sex. Whether you have a heart break to get over or a “heart-on” to get under, this is a good accompaniment.

Baths – Ironworks

A special thanks to my friend Jeni for this one! Baths will be releasing his 2nd LP, Obsidian, on May 28 and this is a nice first taste of what’s to come. It’s a change of style from what fans of Cerulean have heard. This quote from the artist himself on Soundcloud should do the job describing what kind of change. “The songs and lyrics all came out of a pretty fucked and arduous process of trial and error,” Baths says. ”But I hope people understand that I’m not the depressed, suicidal, and death-obsessed person the record may paint me as being. These are just darker areas that I wanted to explore.” Don’t expect another “Aminals,” but try to embrace it. “Ironworks” is a beautiful song in its own right and demonstrates the scope of emotion Baths is capable of relaying.

Absofacto – Backfire

Absofacto is the solo project of Jonathan Visger (of the band Mason Proper). Mason Proper makes some okay tunes, but I’m a huge fan of Absofacto. As he describes it, it is “experimental pop,” but I’d go with the cliche music blogging method and say he’s kind of a mix of Beach House, The Shins and Phantogram. He recently announced that he will be touring with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (not as Absofacto, but as a part of their band just for the live performances) and that he will be releasing more music as Absofacto sometime in the near future.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – If You Didn’t See Me (Then You Weren’t On The Dancefloor)

Well, this has been one clusterfuck of depressing and/or mellow music. Let’s transition to something a little bit more fun. As I just mentioned, Absofacto (Jonathan Visger) is touring as a part of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. & their new EP, Patterns, had some really catchy stuff. I have no shame in admitting that I danced around in my room to this one and it’s a good thing you didn’t see me since you weren’t on that dancefloor. The song, unlike my dancing, is pretty pleasing to the senses.

Daughter – Medicine (The Chainsmokers Remix)

I had a dilemma deciding between this remix and Sound Remedy’s and decided to link the Chainsmokers version. Sound Remedy takes on the track and makes a dubstep version, which turned out rather beautiful, but The Chainsmokers took it in the direction of house music while preserving a lot of the original version’s components. In a little blurb on their Soundcloud they say, “”We heard this song on a depressing cold winter day in NYC (it can get pretty bad) but as soon as we heard the haunting voice of Elena from Daughter and the bands equally incredible wallowing piano chords, we didn’t necessarily feel happier, but we fell in love with the song and knew we had to try give our Chainsmokers touch to it without ruining the already beautiful song.” My personal take is that they definitely didn’t ruin the already beautiful song (which, by the way, is another one that Daughter decided not to include on their full-length album).

MF Doom x Clams Casino – Bookfiend

Clams Casino is one of my favorite producers and MF Doom is one of my favorite rappers. Hopefully, there’ll be more collaborations between the two. Would it be too much to ask to hear Doom rap over “I’m God” (one of my favorite tracks produced by Clams)? Before I go off wishfully thinking, I can hold myself over with this song.

Blondfire – Walking With Giants (Shreddie Mercury Remix)

In this remix of “Walking With Giants” by Blondfire, Shreddie Mercury makes Erica Driscoll sound like GLaDOS from Valve’s “Portal” series by adding elements of glitch music and a heavy beat. The original song by Blondfire was also a pretty catchy tune to dance along to and the band is picking up steam now that they’re touring with Surfer Blood and Foals. I’d recommend checking out Blondfire’s EP, Where the Kids Are and their cover of “Trojans” by Atlas Genius”.

Mr Little Jeans – Oh Sailor (ft. The Silverlake Conservatory of Music Youth Chorale) & Waterfalls (Cover of Paul McCartney)

Mr Little Jeans caught my attention when she (real name Monica Birkenes) released a cover of Arcade Fire and an original song, “Runaway,” that was just as addictive. I had the chance to see her open for St. Lucia last summer and she is just as attractive as she is talented. There are rumors floating about that she may be releasing a full album in June and two more songs have popped up on Soundcloud. The first is “Oh Sailor,” an original song that’s the best use of a youth choir that I’ve heard since Ryan Gosling used one for his band, Dead Man’s Bones (ah yes, a 2nd consecutive week managing to mention him). It wasn’t soon after noting Gosling’s young back-up singers that I realized that it was the same choir. More recently, Birkenes released a cover of Paul McCartney’s “Waterfalls.” As she’s already demonstrated with her cover of “The Suburbs,” it is a cover that is uniquely hers.

Run the Jewels – Get It & Banana Clipper (Snippet)

Run the Jewels is a newly formed collaboration between El-P and Killer Mike and yesterday, they released a single from their album. A while back, El-P posted a snippet from a song called “Banana Clipper” on Soundcloud. The latter is the song that got me more excited and it’s an album to keep an eye on (especially since they’ll be releasing it free of charge in June). It’s worth noting that Killer Mike is on tour during the summer and El-P will be joining him in July along with Despot and Kool AD (of the recently broken-up Das Racist).

TORCHES – When You Gonna?

TORCHES is a band that’s been around for a while in LA, but they still haven’t seen the spotlight. “When You Gonna?” is the kind of song that’s easier for people to catch on to and they will be starting a residency soon at The Echo in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, a big part of their sound in this song is the harmonizing of Azad Cheikosman and Bridgette Moody’s voices, but Moody (also the bassist) left the band recently and it remains to be seen what kind of direction they will take the band with their new bassist. Their EP, If The People Stare, comes out May 6.

Empire of the Sun – Alive (Music Video)

When I heard the single from Empire of the Sun’s upcoming sophomore album, Ice On The Sun, I was a bit underwhelmed. It was clearly intended to be catchy, but it quickly became repetitive whereas previous hits like “We Are The People” and “Walking On A Dream” did not. However, upon watching the music video that they released yesterday, one thing is clear: they have not lost their showmanship. Empire of the Sun clearly care about crowd-pleasing. They are entertainers and it showed in one of the best live shows I’ve ever been to. Hopefully, the rest of the album offers something more challenging to listen to, but for the time being, nothing’s convinced me not to buy tickets the moment they’re on sale.

Jez Dior – Candles

To end Tunesday, once again, some hip-hop. If you thought I was done talking about Daughter, well, you’re wrong. Jez Dior sampled “Candles” (the first song in this post) to make this song from his mixtape, Scarlett Sage. Last week, I bashed auto-tune, but this is one of the few instances where I think it’s used well (when used sparingly)… you’ll see. He’s been slowly gaining fans and “Candles” was his earliest hit. Other songs that have been getting attention since include “Love Me To Death” and an appearance in mdnt’s “Dreamcatcher”.

As usual, I’d love to hear your feedback and even more, to know what music you think deserves some attention. See you again for another installment of Tunesday in a week! I promise I won’t mention Daughter next week. Probably. I’ll try not to be so depressing with my musical choices in the future, especially during dead week. Here’s a cute cat video to make up for it.

Contact Ephraim Lee at ephraimlee@dailycal.org.

The post Tunesday: Daughter Days appeared first on The Daily Californian.

“Winter” is appropriately placed as the opening track. It sets the somber tone for If You Leave. Igor Haefeli’s reverberating guitar kicks off the album, Elena Tonra jumps in with her vocals and Remi Aguilella percussion gently enters before all three break out into an anthemic song. Tonra’s aptitude for lyricism becomes instantaneously evident with the first lines, “Drifting apart like two sheets of ice, my love / Frozen hearts growing colder with time.” She establishes herself as a singer-songwriter to watch — the emotional honesty in both her lyrics and especially her voice is haunting.

For fans of their EPs, the withholding of tracks such as “Candles” and “Landfill” may come as a surprise. Furthermore, their biggest hit, “Youth” has been re-recorded. However, these decisions are not hindrances to the complete feeling of the album. After all, most of Daughter’s strength as a band comes from its predilection for restraint. The most poignant moments are the ones in which the blaring guitar dies down, the percussion becomes intermittent and Tonra’s voice is reduced to a whisper, sometimes even complete silence (though the album is not without their moments of all-out energy).

The album is worthwhile for anyone willing to put their heart through a listen. It reminds, relentlessly, that “underneath the skin, there’s a human.” Be prepared for goosebumps and a valid excuse to drink alone.

Contact Ephriam Lee at ephraimlee@dailycal.org.

The post Daughter: If You Leave appeared first on The Daily Californian.

I consider my taste to be pretty eclectic, but will be avoiding Top 40 artists for the most part because it ultimately feels like regurgitation of what you’ve most likely been hearing or have heard of already (but they’ll make it once in a while, nevertheless). I love original songs, but think that this is a place where remixes, mash-ups, and covers can be spotlighted as well since they aren’t likely to be given a voice in print through album reviews. I look forward to sharing our music with each other!

The Neighbourhood – Alleyways

The Neighbourhood aren’t exactly pioneering anything new in terms of pop music with a lot of similar acts coming out recently, but their notoriety comes from the fact that they do it way better than them. They garnered some attention when “Sweater Weather” became a hit and today, their debut album, I Love You, is out — this track is currently my favorite.

Lemaitre – Continuum & Cut to Black
Admittedly, there hasn’t been much mention of EDM on The Daily Cal aside from colossal names such as Swedish House Mafia. In celebration of Daft Punk finally giving us a taste of their new album, here are some songs from a recent album I liked by Lemaitre. They’ve been considered extremely similar to Daft Punk and Justice in the past, but their most recent release, Relativity 3, shows them developing a style that they can call their own.

Junip – Your Life, Your Call
Jose Gonzalez is a well-established singer-songwriter, so people have been waiting for new solo material for a while. That, or you know him from his cover of “Heartbeats” by The Knife. Instead, what you will be getting is his band, Junip’s, self-titled album dropping today. If this song is any indication, you shouldn’t feel disappointed that it isn’t a solo album.

Alice Jemima – Nightcall (Acoustic Cover of Kavinsky)
This is an interesting take on Kavinsky’s song from the hit movie “Drive.” Certainly, not a rendition you can see Ryan Gosling kicking some ass to, but it’s probably one that you can see him cuddling to. It was probably a cop out to put the image of Ryan Gosling cuddling in your head to gain favor with you, but it’s actually pretty nerve-wrecking to share my taste now that I think about it.

Ghost Loft – So High
Ghost Loft is a personal favorite lately since he’s from southern California where I was born and raised. The producer, whose real name is Danny Choi, is making some great music to chill out to. However, don’t let the title of the song or the date’s proximity to 4/20 fool you – it’s not a song about smoking weed.

Har Mar Superstar – Lady, You Shot Me
Another album that will be dropping today is Har Mar Superstar’s Bye Bye 17. This is his 5th album, but chances are you’re hearing his name for the first time (it was for me a month ago). The singer from Brooklyn brings back some Motown-esque flair in this single, which was inspired by the story of Sam Cooke having been shot in a motel lobby. He says that he wrote the song between 4AM to 6AM, his “most emotionally vulnerable” hours. Julian Casablancas of The Strokes played a huge hole in editing the song. Personally, I prefer some good old honest vulnerability over “swag”.

Ellie Goulding – Explosions (Gemini Remix)
Don’t expect much dubstep here. EDM lovers have recently felt the pains of the question “but where’s the drop?” from neon tank wearing bros, but I personally believe that there’s a good dubstep remix once in a while. This one in particular, a remix of Ellie Goulding, features an — ugh, drop — that’s appropriate for a song titled “Explosions”.

Azad Right – Spiderwebs
I’ll admit I haven’t kept up with hip-hop too much after things took a turn for the autotune a while back. I’ve been trying to discover some new artists I like and I’d love your input, but for the moment, here’s one by Azad Right that samples Coldplay of all artists to make a song that I can put on repeat. Put your Judd Apatow quotes aside, it’s actually a good song.

So there’s that. I hope some of you will e-mail me or comment with some songs you personally like! Perhaps even tell me you absolutely hate something I chose. See you again next week.

Contact Ephraim Lee at ephraimlee@dailycal.org.

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Nevertheless, it remained a puzzling selection compared to past acts — unlike their predecessors, the Antlers are known more for their mellow sound and somber narrative rather than high-energy riffs. They are critically revered, particularly for their 2009 album Hospice, but have gradually shifted from a folky sound to one that is more influenced by the post-rock and electronic music in Burst Apart and Undersea. With these factors in place, it remained to be seen to what kind of a performance Berkeley would be treated to.

The band was originally a solo project of frontman Peter Silberman, whom The Daily Californian recently interviewed. Originally unaware of the particulars of Cal Day, he responded with a long, hearty laugh to the answer we gave. “Oh shit,” Silberman joked upon hearing that Cal Day is a day when prospective students would be visiting. “Cool, I’ll make sure to compliment everything I see on campus — especially when parents are walking by.”

This is the kind of warm-hearted personality that reverberated from Silberman between songs. Watching the Antlers alternate between their heart-wrenching lyrics and awkwardly delivered quips (on topics such as fraternity row and sunscreen), it was a strange but endearing experience.

“We try and take the mood of our surroundings into account when we’re working on a setlist, but I don’t really know what the vibe’s gonna be like, but I’d imagine that people are all just lying on the grass listening to music on a sunny afternoon,” Silberman supposed. “It depends how we’re doing that day. We don’t have a standard set list — we come up with it on the fly.” Aside from a momentarily cloudy sky at 4:20 p.m., it was pretty much what he predicted. Long time fans, on the other hand, were given an unforeseen performance from the band, given its reputation for soul-crushing lyrics.

Particularly worth noting is that the Antlers sound completely different live than in the studio versions of their songs. While their songs are normally associated with vulnerability, the use of effect pedals — a welcome surprise — added uncharacteristic power to their sound. Silberman certainly does not discount the fact that he is singing about a dreary past to a massive crowd.

“It’s sometimes an uncomfortable place to be in, an uncomfortable place to put yourself in,” he explained. “It’s like an oversharing mentality — like if you’re ever talking to a friend you don’t know very well ,and you suddenly kind of give too much of yourself away all at once, and you’re like, ‘Now there’s nothing left. Now there’s nothing left. (This person knows) everything about me and I don’t even know this person very well.’”
However, these insecurities were imperceptible during Cal Day. The likes of “Zelda” and “Putting the Dog to Sleep” seemed like entirely appropriate songs to end the show with, despite their lyrics of losing love and the fear of never finding it. Unlike the studio versions, they seemed to take on more of a post-rock direction — Silberman’s voice sometimes became a lyricless instrument and was completely omitted at times as the band played reverberating instrumentals, reminiscent of “Kettering” from Hospice. Though melancholy is perpetually associated with the Antlers’ music, cynicism never is. The band’s music provides a kind of cathartic uplift. It was a haunting performance that left us speculating about what’s next for the Antlers.

Of course, we couldn’t leave it to speculation. “Yeah, we’ve been working on something for a few months, pretty much every day, and we’re going to be working on it much longer,” Silberman said. “Probably for the rest of the year. I hesitate to call it an album. I try not to think of it as an album but as a period of time that you’re creating something, and whatever it ends up being, it ends up being.”

“A lot of it has been about mining pain and hurt in order to kind of find connection,” Silberman imparted when asked about his older lyrics. At the time of Hospice’s release, he was 23 years old. Nowadays, his approach to song-writing has changed. “The idea is, you’re going to have a kid,” he explained, “Do you want to raise a bitter, angry person and bring that into the world,m or do you want to try to create goodness and, wherever you can find it, encourage it?”

In the end, the uncertainties about having the Antlers perform on Cal Day were completely invalidated. Perhaps prospective students (as well as the rest of us) needed to hear lyrics such as “It’s just not important / The small things we suffer / They’re infinitesimal / We swim in an ocean / It swims between us” from “Zelda.” On a day that’s essentially dedicated to courting potential students with blind optimism, the Antlers were a welcome dose of reality for a bunch of deer in the headlights.

Contact Ephriam Lee at ephraimlee@dailycal.org.

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The book is surprisingly personal, but it is appropriate for describing how food can be a personal experience. It brings people together and takes them to faraway places just to encounter a worthwhile experience for their taste buds. A single “taste memory” can flood the mind with nostalgia, as she demonstrates. Whereas the subtitle of the book, “My Life in the Kitchen,” may suggest stories about cooking to potential readers, the stories range from travel stories to autobiographical anecdotes. As is appropriately stated in the book jacket, “Knisley presents her personal history as seen through a kaleidoscope of delicious things.”

She has clearly experienced what is considered “high-end” as well as what is considered “garbage” but never acknowledges her food experiences as such. There is only what is tasty and what is not so tasty (sorry, lemonade chicken). As the daughter of a professional chef and an epicurean, Knisley had an unusual adolescence. Her teenage years did not involve rebelling with sex, drugs and rock and roll. She ate McDonald’s — and she still does — proudly. There is a section in which she does not bash junk food as a normal foodie might. Instead, she defends it (and frankly, it’s a kind of convincing, if not compelling, defense). She expresses sorrow for her parents, whereas most foodies would express jealousy: “Anyone who can fail to rejoice in the enticing squish/crunch of a fast-food French fry or the delight of a warmed piece of grocery-store donut, is living half a life.” This is a notion that a college student can certainly appreciate.

The book progresses through the years of her life, keeping her relationship with food in mind. Some are the kind of things one might expect: her first time having certain foods or memories of her mother’s and grandmother’s cooking. However, she is not without surprises — somehow, she talks about astoundingly personal topics, such as her first period or her parents’ divorce, and manages to seamlessly tie them in with culinary experiences. The pages are filled with as much hilarity as rumination.

The format is an inventive one, which, in a graphic novel about food, is not surprising. Every chapter ends with a recipe, and speaking from experience (assuming the sangria and chocolate chip cookie recipes were not exceptions), they were carefully chosen. The illustrations are charming in exactly the kind of style that fans of her webcomic, “Stop Paying Attention,” would be accustomed to and fans of graphic novels by Craig Thompson, Julia Wertz or Kate Beaton would likely embrace. Knisley regularly appears in Saveur as an illustrator for “Recipe Comix.”

“Relish” should not be categorized as a book about food or a graphic novel (though even in either of those categories, it should be considered one of the best releases of the year). It is a love story and a coming-of-age story, all with food as the catalyst. That having been said, it is a universal story that is unfortunately likely to have a specialized audience but hopefully will not. Every last ingredient in “Relish” harmonizes, in the end, into a beautiful, bittersweet recipe.

Contact Ephriam Lee at ephraimlee@dailycal.org.

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In the film’s namesake, a classic jazz song, Ella Fitzgerald wistfully resonates, “Sometimes the things I do astound me, mostly whenever you’re around me.” It is an appropriate soundtrack for the events that transpire. The title’s inclusion of the word “like” is crucial to the viewing experience. The film focuses on two characters that are not actually in love — they just behave as they do to pursue their particular motives.

Akiko (played by Rin Takanashi) is a sociology student moonlighting as a prostitute unbeknownst to her bellicose fiance. She is hired by an elderly sociology professor, Takashi (played by Tadashi Okuno) who pretends to be her grandfather when he is approached by the fiance the next day. The three clash as a result of their loneliness and how they choose to deal with it — Akiko faces the loneliness of having to play multiple parts for multitudes of people, Takashi lives with the loneliness of being a widower with an estranged daughter and Noriaki, the fiance, struggles with the loneliness of having a lover with fragmented, essentially nonexistent communication.

The film begins with the words, “I’m not lying,” spoken by someone off-screen in a crowded bar in Tokyo. The sequence continues with the voice providing a long string of unquestionably dishonest responses to a muted voice, and her face is finally revealed — the first of several borderline unnervingly lengthy and disorienting scenes. However, the impeccable acting and mesmerizing cinematography prevent the viewer from crossing into tedium.

The most poignant scene in the film occurs when Akiko is sitting in the back of a taxi looking out into a sea of neon lights, listening to her voicemails, which were noticeably time-consuming. The drawn-out look at her face accentuates her every microscopic movement.

The other central character, the professor, is introduced nearly 30 minutes into the film — a fact that, in retrospect, is startling. Time flies by when Kiarostami is having fun. While Akiko attempts to play the part of a seductress for the elderly professor, he seems to be more intent on holding a conversation and eating the dinner he prepared for the both of them. She falls asleep in his bed, and he evidently does not sleep with her. His intentions, like Kiarostami’s, are never made clear. Is he trying to rekindle the romance he lost with his wife or restore the fatherhood he lost with his daughter?

However, any semblance of plot that has been developed comes crashing down abruptly (and literally), then the film fades to black, rolls the credits and plays the title song to a most likely flabbergasted audience. The result is a film that is compelling but never feels complete. Regardless, it is an offering that is worth watching for its distinctive cinematography and usage of on-screen and off-screen space, as well as for its captivating acting. Like someone in love, the viewer is left feeling vulnerable with a lingering desire to decipher the film’s open-ended messages.

Contact Ephriam Lee at ephraimlee@dailycal.org.

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Pangea + Shannon & the Clams

5 p.m. on March 1 at BAM/PFA

This is not a protest: It’s a warning, an incitement, an inducement, a kick in the pants even. To do what? To stake out a spot at the Berkeley Art Museum for This is Not a Protest, a night of arts, crafts and some seriously rocking tunes. SoCal duo The Littlest Viking’s instrumental prog/punk is the appetizer preceding a meat-heavy meal. Oakland’s very own Meat Market will bring the debauchery (or debutchery?) with riffs Meat Market describes as “family-friendly.” (This is assuming your family’s a garage rock band living in a West Oakland warehouse, of course). Finally, San Francisco darlings Shannon and the Clams, a surfpunk outfit led by buxom, brassy Shannon Shaw, will rumble and roll alongside LA-based Pangea, the hard-partying ensemble of perennially drunk dudes. Four bands for the price of free? No protests here.

— Natalie Reyes

PAPA

5:30 p.m. on March 4

PAPA was a breakout hit at last year’s Outside Lands music festival, and there could not have been a more appropriate city for them to electrify. The band is led by vocalist and percussionist Darren Weiss, previously the drummer for San Francisco’s critically-acclaimed band, Girls, which broke up last year.  Though their EP, A Good Woman is Hard to Find, is packed with high-flying, energized anthems propelled by catchy guitar riffs, the lyrics are thematically reminiscent of Weiss’s former band.  Every song delves into the fragility of modern romance and what makes the endeavor (despite its fragility) worth it. Their performance precedes the highly-anticipated release of their full-length album and gigs opening for Matt & Kim.  The band’s proclivity for entertaining shines in songs like “I Am the Lion King” or “Let’s Make You Pregnant” and although the audience is unlikely to leave pregnant, they are sure to be treated to some gratifying aural sex.

— Ephraim Lee

White Fence + King Tuff

5 p.m. on March 21

It’s hard to go wrong with two of the California’s most popular garage-rockers, King Tuff and White Fence. If you haven’t been captured by their psychedelic-pop inspired tracks, King Tuff’s credentials say it all: they are signed to Sub Pop and Burger Records, their 2008 debut album Now Dead is already considered collectible and their self-titled 2012 EP topped the CMJ charts at number 2. King Tuff is the brainchild of Vermont native Kyle Thomas, who, after releasing Now Dead in 2008, began touring with best friend and artist Hunx and His Punx. Fellow California punk rocker, Tom Presley, will be joining the line-up with his solo project White Fence. Collaborating with artists like Ty Segall, Presley has built a name for himself as one of the busiest artists in California, releasing six albums, two EPs and two compilations in the past three years. White Fence and King Tuff’s lo-fi, fuzzy, bedroom recorded tracks are reminiscent of 60’s garage rock and capture everything awesome about today’s growing and changing punk-scene.

— Samuel Avishay

Mister Lies + XXYYXX

TBA on April 12

In many ways, XXYYXX’s Marcel Everett is one of the most unlikely producers to emerge onto the scene last year. Producing, mixing and releasing tracks from his bedroom in Orlando, Florida, 17-year-old Everett is, as he admitted in a 2012 interview with PlayGround Magazine, “just a brat with a laptop and a Midi controller.” Brat or not, Everett, signed to Relief in Abstract Records, is quickly gaining international levels of recognition for his ability to take the best of EDM and pop music and create a new and experimental sound. Joined by fellow bedroom producer, songwriter and instrumentalist, 19-year-old Chicago-based Nick Zanca, AKA Mister Lies, the April 12 Mister Lies and XXYYXX show will be a tour de force of what it means to be very young and supremely talented.

— Samuel Avishay

The Underachievers

TBA on April 25

Brooklyn rap duo The Underachievers are the latest to emerge from New York’s rising independent hip-hop scene. Loosely affiliated with fellow Brooklyn acts Flatbush Zombies and Joey Bada$$’s Pro Era crew, the duo, made up of rappers Issa Dash and AK, balance the 90s nostalgia rap aesthetic of their contemporaries with a melodic, rapid-fire delivery that mostly deals with psychedelic drugs and spirituality. Their songwriting exhibits an extensive appetite for knowledge about the world around them, and this meshes well with the dark, minimal production they tend to choose. The music video for their song “Herb Shuttles” has earned over 1.5 million YouTube views, and the group recently signed a deal with Los Angeles record label Brainfeeder, which was founded by Flying Lotus. Their debut mixtape Indigoismcontinues the duo’s LSD and “third eye” references and positions them as one of rap’s most interesting new acts.

— Rahul Pandya

Contact Daily Cal Arts at arts@dailycal.org.

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