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Page 1: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

swimmer’s

Joe Zimmerman, Indy. MontanaPhoto: Todd Morgan FREE

#23ear

photo issue #3

swimmer’s

Joe Zimmerman, Indy. MontanaPhoto: Todd Morgan FREE

#23ear

photo issue #3

swimmer’s

Joe Zimmerman, Indy. MontanaPhoto: Todd Morgan FREE

#23ear

photo issue #3

swimmer’s

Joe Zimmerman, Indy. MontanaPhoto: Todd Morgan FREE

#23ear

photo issue #3

Page 2: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23
Page 3: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Do you prefer film or digital photography?Film. I have no idea how to work a digital camera. Everything on my site is either 35 mm or 120 film.

Have you ever considered snowboard photography?Sorta but not really. I think I could take some photos but I really just like shooting things that catch my attention.

What prompted you to start the Snowboard Realm series? You've already gone past issue 30, any planson slowing down?Umm just wanting to give something back, show kids what it’s like, share my season with them shred and havefun. Not film for some lame ass company that was going to charge my sponsors thousands of dollarsto tell me my art "snowboarding" wasn’t good enough to be in the film. I don’t really plan on slowing down, I’mjust going to keep doing what I’m doing and do it until it isn’tfun anymore, then do something else.

Do you consider snowboarding an art form or a sport?What do you think the majority of other riders consider it?I think I just answered that. For me it’s just self expression orsomething like that... I dunno, it is art but not like a painting ormusic to me. I think if I thought of it as a sport I would try toohard and get caught up in being the best. I just snowboard tosnowboard how I want to, not how others want me to. I haveno idea how other people view it, I’ll ask some guys tomorrowfor the Realms episode 34.

You have ridden for Capita for many years, what makesthem stand out from other companies?For me it’s just more of a family. I know a lot of people say that but people at Capita are my best friends. If I havea problem I call them, if something goes well I call them. We talk about Capita, we talk about life. For me Capitais so much more than just a sponsor.

What do you see in the future of snowboarding as far as trends, popularity, etc.?I think a lot of people will do their version of the Realms, they will just put way more into it, have other peoplemake and film them, edit it on Final Cut and time it to the music. Which doesn’t really bother me, since I don’thave any of that, ha... I hope that snowboarding just becomes more friendly.

Do you prefer film or digital photography?Film. I have no idea how to work a digital camera. Everything on my site is either 35 mm or 120 film.

Have you ever considered snowboard photography?Sorta but not really. I think I could take some photos but I really just like shooting things that catch my attention.

What prompted you to start the Snowboard Realm series? You've already gone past issue 30, any planson slowing down?Umm just wanting to give something back, show kids what it’s like, share my season with them shred and havefun. Not film for some lame ass company that was going to charge my sponsors thousands of dollarsto tell me my art "snowboarding" wasn’t good enough to be in the film. I don’t really plan on slowing down, I’mjust going to keep doing what I’m doing and do it until it isn’tfun anymore, then do something else.

Do you consider snowboarding an art form or a sport?What do you think the majority of other riders consider it?I think I just answered that. For me it’s just self expression orsomething like that... I dunno, it is art but not like a painting ormusic to me. I think if I thought of it as a sport I would try toohard and get caught up in being the best. I just snowboard tosnowboard how I want to, not how others want me to. I haveno idea how other people view it, I’ll ask some guys tomorrowfor the Realms episode 34.

You have ridden for Capita for many years, what makesthem stand out from other companies?For me it’s just more of a family. I know a lot of people say that but people at Capita are my best friends. If I havea problem I call them, if something goes well I call them. We talk about Capita, we talk about life. For me Capitais so much more than just a sponsor.

What do you see in the future of snowboarding as far as trends, popularity, etc.?I think a lot of people will do their version of the Realms, they will just put way more into it, have other peoplemake and film them, edit it on Final Cut and time it to the music. Which doesn’t really bother me, since I don’thave any of that, ha... I hope that snowboarding just becomes more friendly.

Page 4: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

EditorsChris Pernula

Adam Sever

Contributing PhotographersLaura Austin (LAustinDesign.com)

Darin BackAdam Bubolz (ilikethelights.com)

Alexa JonesTodd MorganPaul Pernula

Nicholas Rolstad (myspace.com/neonloveclothing)Sandbox

Michael StenersonNick Wosika (Letter3Photography.com)

Joe Zimmerman

Contact/Contribute/SupportSwimmer’s Ear

P.O. Box 1616Monticello, MN 55362

Swimmer’s Ear is a product of Subtitles Publishing™

Swimmer’s Ear MagazineNumber Twenty Three

Nic

hola

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rait

On the cover: Popcorn, back smith.Photo: Nick Wosika

EditorsChris Pernula

Adam Sever

Contributing PhotographersLaura Austin (LAustinDesign.com)

Darin BackAdam Bubolz (ilikethelights.com)

Alexa JonesTodd MorganPaul Pernula

Nicholas Rolstad (myspace.com/neonloveclothing)Sandbox

Michael StenersonNick Wosika (Letter3Photography.com)

Joe Zimmerman

Contact/Contribute/SupportSwimmer’s Ear

P.O. Box 1616Monticello, MN 55362

Swimmer’s Ear is a product of Subtitles Publishing™

Swimmer’s Ear MagazineNumber Twenty Three

Nic

hola

s R

olst

ad, s

elf

port

rait

On the cover: Popcorn, back smith.Photo: Nick Wosika

Page 5: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Joe Zimmerman, Frontside 3. Photo: Todd Morgan

Is it difficult to find time for all of your artistic endeavors while maintaining apro snowboarding career?Not really. The way that I snowboard keeps me busy but I make time for everythingelse. I really try to balance my life out, too much of one thing will make me go crazy.

How would your life be different if you hadn't become a professional snowboard-er?I wouldn’t have many of the things I have now, I’d probably be some lost personsearching for something to do.

What influences your artwork?Everything, mostly just my feelings in my head.

Do you ever worry about breaking your drawing hand again, and do you takeany extra precautions with it?No, if it happens it happens. When I did break it I just did a ton of left handed stuff.My drawings for the most part are pretty shitty. For me the text is the most importantpart, and most the time I can’t read it anyway.

T.J. SchneiderT.J. Schneider

Joe Zimmerman, Frontside 3. Photo: Todd Morgan

Is it difficult to find time for all of your artistic endeavors while maintaining apro snowboarding career?Not really. The way that I snowboard keeps me busy but I make time for everythingelse. I really try to balance my life out, too much of one thing will make me go crazy.

How would your life be different if you hadn't become a professional snowboard-er?I wouldn’t have many of the things I have now, I’d probably be some lost personsearching for something to do.

What influences your artwork?Everything, mostly just my feelings in my head.

Do you ever worry about breaking your drawing hand again, and do you takeany extra precautions with it?No, if it happens it happens. When I did break it I just did a ton of left handed stuff.My drawings for the most part are pretty shitty. For me the text is the most importantpart, and most the time I can’t read it anyway.

T.J. SchneiderT.J. Schneider

Page 6: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

welcome to thephoto issue

memo:

Cokey with a BS smith in Fargo. Photo by Sandbox

welcome to thephoto issue

memo:

Cokey with a BS smith in Fargo. Photo by Sandbox

Page 7: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Left: Chris Pernula, layback slide. Photo: Paul Right: Paul Pernula, boardslide. Photo: Chris

Here: Nick Riley kickflips over the rail and down a doubleset on a busy street in Iowa City, Iowa.

Opposite: Caveman backside 180's over a fence at the endof a set of stairs in Barstow, California Backyard Park

Left: Chris Pernula, layback slide. Photo: Paul Right: Paul Pernula, boardslide. Photo: Chris

Here: Nick Riley kickflips over the rail and down a doubleset on a busy street in Iowa City, Iowa.

Opposite: Caveman backside 180's over a fence at the endof a set of stairs in Barstow, California Backyard Park

Page 8: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Top: Bozeman. Photo: Nicholas RolstadBottom Left: Craig Norgaard, Wildcat.Photo: Joe ZimmermanBottom Right: Matt Larson, Wildcat.Photo: Joe Zimmerman

Opposite: Caveman ollies off the wheelchair ramp to 5-0 onthe rail at a schoolyard in Barstow, California

Here: Nelson anguishes with a swollen member after landingon his head trying to skate the same rail that caveman ollied to5-0 in Barstow, California

Montana

Top: Bozeman. Photo: Nicholas RolstadBottom Left: Craig Norgaard, Wildcat.Photo: Joe ZimmermanBottom Right: Matt Larson, Wildcat.Photo: Joe Zimmerman

Opposite: Caveman ollies off the wheelchair ramp to 5-0 onthe rail at a schoolyard in Barstow, California

Here: Nelson anguishes with a swollen member after landingon his head trying to skate the same rail that caveman ollied to5-0 in Barstow, California

Montana

Page 9: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

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Page 10: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

CHANGE IN SOUNDBeehatchBeeHatchBeehatch is the new collaborative project from Phil Weston (Download, Plateau) and Mark Spybey(Dead Voices on Air). The experimental noise/ambience genre is one that I’ve never gotten into andI’ve hated on Mark’s music in the past, but this Beehatch does have a few bright spots on it. (Lens Records)

The BellraysHard Sweet And StickyHard Sweet and Sticky, the latest release from CA’s The Bellrays is packed to the gills withsoulful singing from Lisa Kekaula and rocking guitars provided by Bob Vennum. The Bellrays haveplenty of talent but whenever I listen to them, I imagine them headlining nightly barroom shows and Ican’t figure out why. (Anodyne Records)

Bird NamesOpen RelationshipIt is impossible to tell you what Bird Names sounds like, but I will try. Imagine pop, country,folk, and psych rock fused together into each song cohesively, not chaotically, and you have whatBird Names is. I can only wonder what kind of influences this band has to be so musically diverse.Somehow they are all over the place and tight at the same time. (Unsound Records)

BirthmarkThe LayerBirthmark is Nate Kinsella’s (Make Believe, Joan of Arc, December’s Architects) solo project andThe Layer is his first release. You’d be surprised what a great voice Nate has and why he is hiding allthis talent behind the drum kit when he could easily be a successful solo artist. The track “FlightlessBird” may be one of the best songs released this year. (Coraille)

BraindeadNo Consequences"No Consequences" is a raw, ambitious, and divers hardcore album. It clocks in at just over 23minutes and is brutal all the way through. You can tell the influences of east coast hardcore like Civ,Quicksand and Turning Point. (Burn Bridges Records)

Opposite: Mike White nollie flips off a junior high schoolstage in Barstow, California

Here: Nick P. grinds off a homemade polejam inNorthEast Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Alina Simone Everyone is Calling Out To Me, Beware"Everyone is Crying Out to Me, Beware" is a cover album featuring the music of Russian cult icon,Yanka Dyagileva, a Siberian punk-folk singer who drowned under mysterious circumstances in 1991.Ukrainian born, but U.S. raised Alina Simone sings the entire album in the Russian language. Themusic and Alina's voice are pretty good. I can only see people who are a fan of Alina's music or enjoyRussian sung folk, to enjoy this album. Others may be bored with it.(5440 or fight)

Alkaline TrioAgony and IronyAfter some label issues, Alkaline has finally jumped the indie label dingy to the major label cruiseship called Epic and it seems they lost their luggage, aka integrity, in the transition. "Agony andIrony" isn't bad, it's better than "Crimson", but with this release they have moved on from the soundand tone of their early albums, and fans of those albums are going to hate this. "Agony and Irony"sounds way over produced and radio friendly. It's the kind of album that your mom would like andmight even suggest to you after she heard it on top 40. To truly enjoy this album, I suggest you turnoff your indie morals and enjoy the music. It will sound worse if you think about what you’re listen-ing to. (Epic)

AnnabelNow That We're Alive"Now That We're Alive" features 5 infectious indie pop jams. It seems Annabel took a class in emohistory and was influenced by bands such as The Get Up Kids and The Anniversary. "Now That We'reAlive" is a fairly good album, and hopefully they continue with this sound on their next album.(Self-Released)

The AnniversaryDevil On Our Side: Rarities and B-SidesNearly five years after they broke up, The Anniversary pleased fans by releasing a double disc set ofrarities and b-sides spanning the time between "Designing a Nervous Breakdown" and "YourMajesty". "Devil On Our Side" is a stroll down memory lane when emo was just starting to gettrendy. There are some real gems on these albums, but the songs may suffer from under productionand that the days of this style of music is over. If you want to get nostalgic, buy this album.(Vagrant)

AstpaiCorruption Concealed (Under Deceptive Slogans)Astpai is a punk band from Austria that sound like a mixture of From Ashes Rise and TheLawrenceArms. With alternating vocalists, Corruption Concealed stays more interesting than if there were onlyone singer. (Jump Start Records)

CHANGE IN SOUNDBeehatchBeeHatchBeehatch is the new collaborative project from Phil Weston (Download, Plateau) and Mark Spybey(Dead Voices on Air). The experimental noise/ambience genre is one that I’ve never gotten into andI’ve hated on Mark’s music in the past, but this Beehatch does have a few bright spots on it. (Lens Records)

The BellraysHard Sweet And StickyHard Sweet and Sticky, the latest release from CA’s The Bellrays is packed to the gills withsoulful singing from Lisa Kekaula and rocking guitars provided by Bob Vennum. The Bellrays haveplenty of talent but whenever I listen to them, I imagine them headlining nightly barroom shows and Ican’t figure out why. (Anodyne Records)

Bird NamesOpen RelationshipIt is impossible to tell you what Bird Names sounds like, but I will try. Imagine pop, country,folk, and psych rock fused together into each song cohesively, not chaotically, and you have whatBird Names is. I can only wonder what kind of influences this band has to be so musically diverse.Somehow they are all over the place and tight at the same time. (Unsound Records)

BirthmarkThe LayerBirthmark is Nate Kinsella’s (Make Believe, Joan of Arc, December’s Architects) solo project andThe Layer is his first release. You’d be surprised what a great voice Nate has and why he is hiding allthis talent behind the drum kit when he could easily be a successful solo artist. The track “FlightlessBird” may be one of the best songs released this year. (Coraille)

BraindeadNo Consequences"No Consequences" is a raw, ambitious, and divers hardcore album. It clocks in at just over 23minutes and is brutal all the way through. You can tell the influences of east coast hardcore like Civ,Quicksand and Turning Point. (Burn Bridges Records)

Opposite: Mike White nollie flips off a junior high schoolstage in Barstow, California

Here: Nick P. grinds off a homemade polejam inNorthEast Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Alina Simone Everyone is Calling Out To Me, Beware"Everyone is Crying Out to Me, Beware" is a cover album featuring the music of Russian cult icon,Yanka Dyagileva, a Siberian punk-folk singer who drowned under mysterious circumstances in 1991.Ukrainian born, but U.S. raised Alina Simone sings the entire album in the Russian language. Themusic and Alina's voice are pretty good. I can only see people who are a fan of Alina's music or enjoyRussian sung folk, to enjoy this album. Others may be bored with it.(5440 or fight)

Alkaline TrioAgony and IronyAfter some label issues, Alkaline has finally jumped the indie label dingy to the major label cruiseship called Epic and it seems they lost their luggage, aka integrity, in the transition. "Agony andIrony" isn't bad, it's better than "Crimson", but with this release they have moved on from the soundand tone of their early albums, and fans of those albums are going to hate this. "Agony and Irony"sounds way over produced and radio friendly. It's the kind of album that your mom would like andmight even suggest to you after she heard it on top 40. To truly enjoy this album, I suggest you turnoff your indie morals and enjoy the music. It will sound worse if you think about what you’re listen-ing to. (Epic)

AnnabelNow That We're Alive"Now That We're Alive" features 5 infectious indie pop jams. It seems Annabel took a class in emohistory and was influenced by bands such as The Get Up Kids and The Anniversary. "Now That We'reAlive" is a fairly good album, and hopefully they continue with this sound on their next album.(Self-Released)

The AnniversaryDevil On Our Side: Rarities and B-SidesNearly five years after they broke up, The Anniversary pleased fans by releasing a double disc set ofrarities and b-sides spanning the time between "Designing a Nervous Breakdown" and "YourMajesty". "Devil On Our Side" is a stroll down memory lane when emo was just starting to gettrendy. There are some real gems on these albums, but the songs may suffer from under productionand that the days of this style of music is over. If you want to get nostalgic, buy this album.(Vagrant)

AstpaiCorruption Concealed (Under Deceptive Slogans)Astpai is a punk band from Austria that sound like a mixture of From Ashes Rise and TheLawrenceArms. With alternating vocalists, Corruption Concealed stays more interesting than if there were onlyone singer. (Jump Start Records)

Page 11: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

CHANGE IN SOUNDBrassSet & DriftSet & Drift is the 8-song debut from Brass, which sounds like a post punk version of Minus the Bear.Vocalist Joe Webber has a strong and distinct voice while the rest of the band combine post punk,math rock, and the DC area sound into a tightly woven album that I would recommend checking out. (Self-Released)

Broadway CallsS/TPop punk is still alive and well, and good too thanks to Oregon’s Broadway Calls. Their self-titledrelease is 14 songs that will have you singing along the whole way through. There isn’t one song onthis album that disappoints. (Adeline Records)

Brothers and SistersFortunately On their second release, Texas's Brothers and Sisters combine country twang with 60s popsensibilities, kinda like a country version of Chicago's The 1900's. I normally don't get intocountry like this, but this album is easy to get into and hard to forget. (Calla Lily)

The CoastExpatriateThe Coast is a Canadian band and "Expatriate" is their debut full length. They couldn't have done abetter job on their debut than they did with this ablum. Each song is good and has a high repeat factor.Once the major indie media gets a hold of this album, this band is gonna blow up. Get in on theground floor now! (Aporia Records)

Collections of Colonies of BeesBirdsBirds has the feeling of flight, soaring through soundscapes meticulously designed to please the ear.Somewhat of a departure from their previous Customer, Birds follows a more conventional guitar,bass and drums and relies less on electronic elements. CoCoBees have a way to make the listener findsomething new each time they listen, without getting bored. (Table of Elements)

Drag the RiverYou Can't Live This WayYou Can’t Live This Way is the latest release from indie county purveyors Drag the River. Sure, YouCan’t Live This Way is an excellent album, I just never could never get into the whole Americanaindie rock scene. (Suburban Home)

Empire! Empire! (I Was Lonely Estate)Year of the Rabbit 7”Empire! Empire! sounds like a mixture of the Appleseed Cast, American Football and Explosions inthe Sky with vocals like Geoff Rickley from Thursday (during the slow parts). This 7” shows a lot ofpromise for a future full-length. (Count Your Lucky Stars Records)

Extra LifeSecular WorksExtra Life is the new band led by ex-Dirty Projectors guitarist Charlie Looker. The closest thing that Ican relate this band to is Tool. The music is quite adventurous, ups and downs in song rhythm andinteresting chant like vocals make this album far from being forgettable. (Planaria Recordings)

Falcon ArrowS/TFalcon Arrow is an instrumental band from Minneapolis with drums and looping bass riffs. There areno other words to describe this album, other than amazing. The drumming is tight and the bass isinventive, never making this album boring. Their closest brethren in the instrumental genre would beDianogah due to the similarities in bass work . Each song is in the two to four minute range, whichkeeps the album from stalling out. A great debut and I can't wait for more materital from this band.(Self-Released)

Finest DearestFinest DearestAt first listen this band’s music reminded me of The Cranberries, with female vocals reminiscent ofMinneapolis’s Vox Vermillion or Sleater-Kinney. Their debut album is quite good and is a good indi-cator of where this band is headed. (Bloodtown Records)

Foot FootTrumpetLos Angeles’s married folk duo Foot Foot are back with the fury of a full band to back up theirinteresting sound. Trumpet is good, but at almost a hour long, it struggles to keep my attentionall the way through. (Oedipus)song and Marie Litton's vocals shine through with complete compatibility

(Suburban Home)

Portfolio

:

Michael

Stenerso

n

CHANGE IN SOUNDBrassSet & DriftSet & Drift is the 8-song debut from Brass, which sounds like a post punk version of Minus the Bear.Vocalist Joe Webber has a strong and distinct voice while the rest of the band combine post punk,math rock, and the DC area sound into a tightly woven album that I would recommend checking out. (Self-Released)

Broadway CallsS/TPop punk is still alive and well, and good too thanks to Oregon’s Broadway Calls. Their self-titledrelease is 14 songs that will have you singing along the whole way through. There isn’t one song onthis album that disappoints. (Adeline Records)

Brothers and SistersFortunately On their second release, Texas's Brothers and Sisters combine country twang with 60s popsensibilities, kinda like a country version of Chicago's The 1900's. I normally don't get intocountry like this, but this album is easy to get into and hard to forget. (Calla Lily)

The CoastExpatriateThe Coast is a Canadian band and "Expatriate" is their debut full length. They couldn't have done abetter job on their debut than they did with this ablum. Each song is good and has a high repeat factor.Once the major indie media gets a hold of this album, this band is gonna blow up. Get in on theground floor now! (Aporia Records)

Collections of Colonies of BeesBirdsBirds has the feeling of flight, soaring through soundscapes meticulously designed to please the ear.Somewhat of a departure from their previous Customer, Birds follows a more conventional guitar,bass and drums and relies less on electronic elements. CoCoBees have a way to make the listener findsomething new each time they listen, without getting bored. (Table of Elements)

Drag the RiverYou Can't Live This WayYou Can’t Live This Way is the latest release from indie county purveyors Drag the River. Sure, YouCan’t Live This Way is an excellent album, I just never could never get into the whole Americanaindie rock scene. (Suburban Home)

Empire! Empire! (I Was Lonely Estate)Year of the Rabbit 7”Empire! Empire! sounds like a mixture of the Appleseed Cast, American Football and Explosions inthe Sky with vocals like Geoff Rickley from Thursday (during the slow parts). This 7” shows a lot ofpromise for a future full-length. (Count Your Lucky Stars Records)

Extra LifeSecular WorksExtra Life is the new band led by ex-Dirty Projectors guitarist Charlie Looker. The closest thing that Ican relate this band to is Tool. The music is quite adventurous, ups and downs in song rhythm andinteresting chant like vocals make this album far from being forgettable. (Planaria Recordings)

Falcon ArrowS/TFalcon Arrow is an instrumental band from Minneapolis with drums and looping bass riffs. There areno other words to describe this album, other than amazing. The drumming is tight and the bass isinventive, never making this album boring. Their closest brethren in the instrumental genre would beDianogah due to the similarities in bass work . Each song is in the two to four minute range, whichkeeps the album from stalling out. A great debut and I can't wait for more materital from this band.(Self-Released)

Finest DearestFinest DearestAt first listen this band’s music reminded me of The Cranberries, with female vocals reminiscent ofMinneapolis’s Vox Vermillion or Sleater-Kinney. Their debut album is quite good and is a good indi-cator of where this band is headed. (Bloodtown Records)

Foot FootTrumpetLos Angeles’s married folk duo Foot Foot are back with the fury of a full band to back up theirinteresting sound. Trumpet is good, but at almost a hour long, it struggles to keep my attentionall the way through. (Oedipus)song and Marie Litton's vocals shine through with complete compatibility

(Suburban Home)

Portfolio

:

Michael

Stenerso

n

Page 12: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

CHANGE IN SOUNDGhost of the Russian EmpireThe MammothGhost of the Russian Empire is the Austin, TX band with a big name and an even bigger sound. TheMammoth sounds similar to Radiohead, but more straight on rock. Each song is a layered sonic land-scape and well played. (Self-Released)

Girl TalkFeed The AnimalsGregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, is the ultimate mash up artist. Where other musicians mash up twobands together, each song on "Feed the Animals" is comprised of 20 plus samples from different artistto create whole "original" songs. It is quite fun to listen and notice all the samples you can recognize.One of the best parts of "Feed the Animals" is on the song "like this" where he mashes Lil Mama "LipGloss" rapping over Metallica's guitar riff from "One". So, so brilliant. You can currently purchasethis album on the Girl Talk website for any price you want. (Illegal Art)

The Hard LessonsB&G Sides"B&G Sides" starts off on the right foot with the track "See and Be Scene" with anthemic guitar riffs,winding moog and a catchy hook. From there, the rest of the album doesn't falter but never reachesthe same level of awesomeness that first track had. A pretty good album overall, but I wish theywould have kept the ingredients in the first song throughout the album. (Quack Media)

Head Like A KiteThere Is Loud Laughter EverywhereHead Like A Kite’s latest album sound more like an electronic Beck album then a Head Like a Kitealbum. Their previous album was chock full of guest vocalists and was a pretty good album. There aresome good songs on There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere, but skips over the line into electronic fewtoo many times and looses its focus. (Mush Records)

Her Space HolidayXOXO Panda: The New Kid RevivalAlthough I’ve heard a lot about Her Space Holiday, I’ve never heard their music until this album. Thisalbum is pretty good all the way through, but after a few listens, you start to notice the similarities inall the songs. Each song’s beat is emphasized with the tambourine or handclaps, which makes it feelas though they had the same beat in their mind throughout

recording, and just changed the music around that one beat. As long as you don’t pay any attention toit, this album is great. (Mush Records)

IncommunicadoLosing DaylightIncommunicado, despite having a Spanish sounding name, are from Pittsburgh, PA. They play punkwith the intensity of early At The Drive-In with a slight Bouncing Souls feel. (A-F Records)

The InteriorsThe InteriorsThis album is solid all the way through. Each song has it’s own personality, but the album has a cohe-sive feel. There is plenty of inventive song-writing and hooks throughout. (54-40 or Fight!)

Joan of ArcBoo HumanRumors have circulated that this album was influenced by the divorce of lead JOA’s Tim Kinsella andhis wife. From listening to this album, you can tell the lyrics are directed at someone and Tim isn’tpleased with them. The music on Boo Human is probably the most straight forward and accessiblemusic in the Joan of Arc catalog. Tim still continues to get better and better with each release. (Polyvinyl Records)

Jr. JuggernautGhost PoisonJr. Juggernaut is the sound of American guitar rock in the same vain as Springsteen andMellencamp. This Los Angeles band combines three part harmonies with guitars and the occasionalharmonica to produce something wholly down to earth. (Suburban Home)

Justice of the UnicornsAngels with UzisAngels with Uzis starts the album off with sounds of a cheerful crowd getting interrupted bygunfire and ends with people screaming. Justice of the Unicorn sounds like Neil Young, Say Hi, andthe Comas with the juvenile lyrics of The Aquabats. For an example, listen to the song “Jesus Had aSweet Girlfriend” The music is pretty good, inventive and fun; things that I think that they were goingfor.(Little Lamb Recordings)

Keenan Cawley

CHANGE IN SOUNDGhost of the Russian EmpireThe MammothGhost of the Russian Empire is the Austin, TX band with a big name and an even bigger sound. TheMammoth sounds similar to Radiohead, but more straight on rock. Each song is a layered sonic land-scape and well played. (Self-Released)

Girl TalkFeed The AnimalsGregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, is the ultimate mash up artist. Where other musicians mash up twobands together, each song on "Feed the Animals" is comprised of 20 plus samples from different artistto create whole "original" songs. It is quite fun to listen and notice all the samples you can recognize.One of the best parts of "Feed the Animals" is on the song "like this" where he mashes Lil Mama "LipGloss" rapping over Metallica's guitar riff from "One". So, so brilliant. You can currently purchasethis album on the Girl Talk website for any price you want. (Illegal Art)

The Hard LessonsB&G Sides"B&G Sides" starts off on the right foot with the track "See and Be Scene" with anthemic guitar riffs,winding moog and a catchy hook. From there, the rest of the album doesn't falter but never reachesthe same level of awesomeness that first track had. A pretty good album overall, but I wish theywould have kept the ingredients in the first song throughout the album. (Quack Media)

Head Like A KiteThere Is Loud Laughter EverywhereHead Like A Kite’s latest album sound more like an electronic Beck album then a Head Like a Kitealbum. Their previous album was chock full of guest vocalists and was a pretty good album. There aresome good songs on There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere, but skips over the line into electronic fewtoo many times and looses its focus. (Mush Records)

Her Space HolidayXOXO Panda: The New Kid RevivalAlthough I’ve heard a lot about Her Space Holiday, I’ve never heard their music until this album. Thisalbum is pretty good all the way through, but after a few listens, you start to notice the similarities inall the songs. Each song’s beat is emphasized with the tambourine or handclaps, which makes it feelas though they had the same beat in their mind throughout

recording, and just changed the music around that one beat. As long as you don’t pay any attention toit, this album is great. (Mush Records)

IncommunicadoLosing DaylightIncommunicado, despite having a Spanish sounding name, are from Pittsburgh, PA. They play punkwith the intensity of early At The Drive-In with a slight Bouncing Souls feel. (A-F Records)

The InteriorsThe InteriorsThis album is solid all the way through. Each song has it’s own personality, but the album has a cohe-sive feel. There is plenty of inventive song-writing and hooks throughout. (54-40 or Fight!)

Joan of ArcBoo HumanRumors have circulated that this album was influenced by the divorce of lead JOA’s Tim Kinsella andhis wife. From listening to this album, you can tell the lyrics are directed at someone and Tim isn’tpleased with them. The music on Boo Human is probably the most straight forward and accessiblemusic in the Joan of Arc catalog. Tim still continues to get better and better with each release. (Polyvinyl Records)

Jr. JuggernautGhost PoisonJr. Juggernaut is the sound of American guitar rock in the same vain as Springsteen andMellencamp. This Los Angeles band combines three part harmonies with guitars and the occasionalharmonica to produce something wholly down to earth. (Suburban Home)

Justice of the UnicornsAngels with UzisAngels with Uzis starts the album off with sounds of a cheerful crowd getting interrupted bygunfire and ends with people screaming. Justice of the Unicorn sounds like Neil Young, Say Hi, andthe Comas with the juvenile lyrics of The Aquabats. For an example, listen to the song “Jesus Had aSweet Girlfriend” The music is pretty good, inventive and fun; things that I think that they were goingfor.(Little Lamb Recordings)

Keenan Cawley

Page 13: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Kay Kay and his Weathered UndergroundKay Kay and his Weathered UndergroundKay Kay and His Weathered Underground features members of Gatsby’s American Dream, theLashes, Forgive Durden, the Northwest Philharmonic plus more and at times sounds like if Ben Foldswas pioneering a psychedelic vaudeville act. There is so much going on at once on this vinyl onlyrelease that it makes for a real interesting and quite enjoyable listen. (Suburban Home)

LaGreciaOn ParallelsAfter None More Black broke up, lead singer Jason Shevchuk set out on his own with On Guard,which eventually turned into LaGrecia. "On Parallels" can't touch other things he's done with KidDynamite and None More Black, but it's a good album nonetheless. One thing that kind of mares thealbum is knowing that Jason wrote and recored this album, then dumped his bandmates and label togo back to None More Black. If Jason cares so little about this release, then why should you?(Suburban Home Records)

Little PiecesLittle PiecesLittle Pieces is an indie rock band from Seattle, WA and features ex-Sunset Valley guitaristHerman Jolly. The songs on the album are mostly upbeat that sound like a full band Portastatic. (OneEleven Records)

Look MexicoThe Crucial CollectionThe Crucial Collection is a collection of the bands' first two releases, So Byzantine EP and TheCrucial EP, with exclusive b-side remixes from The Dark Romantics doing "Done and Done." andHistory Invades doing "You Ever Get Punched In The Face For Talking Too Much?", plus a ChrisRucker remix of "You Come Into My House, While I Sleep?". This is a must for any Look Mexicofan or any fan of music in general. Not buying this means you hate music. And babies. (LujoRecords)

LumeriansLumeriansLumerians debut EP is like a soundtrack to Earth’s formation. Thundering basslines, weaving organsand waves of percussion combined with male and female vocals. The sounds are dark at times, andbright at others. They mix equal parts Doors’ psychedelia and Can’s prog without the use of guitars,all the while keeping it modern. (Subterranean Elephants)

CHANGE IN SOUNDMake BelieveGoing to the Bone ChurchGoing to the Bone Church is everything you’d expect from Make Believe. Tim’s inventiveyelping/breathy singing, Sam’s quirky guitar playing, Bobby’s tight basslines, and Nate’s kineticdrumming. The future of Make Believe is still up in the air as members leave and rejoin, thus leavinglisteners wondering if this is the bands last album. In any case, Going to the Bone Church is the bestalbum they could’ve ended their band on. (Flameshovel)

Maps & AtlasesYou and Me and The MountainMaps & Atlases can do no wrong. This EP is a step in the right direction for this band. Their lastrelease, "Trees, Swallows, Houses" had more technical, spastic, yet tight guitars, and was more inyour face where "You and Me and The Mountain" is on the floor with you encouraging you to singalong and tap whatever appendage you can. Each song is amazing in musicianship and listen-ability.(Sargent House)

Meho PlazaS/TWoah man, Meho Plaza is crazy. They are a pop band that is experimentally synth driven that soundquite good. I enjoy how the vocals are calmly sung while all the chaos is going on in thebackground. (Better Looking Records)

Miss AutopsyThe HillThis album makes me feel uncomfortable, like watching strangers fight or when a parent punishestheir kid out in public. Steve Beyerink’s vocals and lyrics sound as though they are pleading and beg-ging with the audience to listen to them. Like a little kid going "Look at me, look at me, I'm doingsomething bad. Come on, look at me!" The awkwardness of this album almost feels intentional as ifplaying something different like this is going to make people like you. (Lens Records)

Mixel PixelLet’s Be FriendsMixel Pixel is a band the hipsters will flock to. Interweaving boy/girl vocals, somewhat lo-fielectronic, lyrics about relationships and enough quirkiness to call it cool. It’s one of thosebands that the one hipster will love and then once everyone else gets into it, he hates on it.Let’s Be Friends has a couple of good songs on it and a couple that will most likely get skipped over.(Mental Monkey Records)

Dillon Buss

Kay Kay and his Weathered UndergroundKay Kay and his Weathered UndergroundKay Kay and His Weathered Underground features members of Gatsby’s American Dream, theLashes, Forgive Durden, the Northwest Philharmonic plus more and at times sounds like if Ben Foldswas pioneering a psychedelic vaudeville act. There is so much going on at once on this vinyl onlyrelease that it makes for a real interesting and quite enjoyable listen. (Suburban Home)

LaGreciaOn ParallelsAfter None More Black broke up, lead singer Jason Shevchuk set out on his own with On Guard,which eventually turned into LaGrecia. "On Parallels" can't touch other things he's done with KidDynamite and None More Black, but it's a good album nonetheless. One thing that kind of mares thealbum is knowing that Jason wrote and recored this album, then dumped his bandmates and label togo back to None More Black. If Jason cares so little about this release, then why should you?(Suburban Home Records)

Little PiecesLittle PiecesLittle Pieces is an indie rock band from Seattle, WA and features ex-Sunset Valley guitaristHerman Jolly. The songs on the album are mostly upbeat that sound like a full band Portastatic. (OneEleven Records)

Look MexicoThe Crucial CollectionThe Crucial Collection is a collection of the bands' first two releases, So Byzantine EP and TheCrucial EP, with exclusive b-side remixes from The Dark Romantics doing "Done and Done." andHistory Invades doing "You Ever Get Punched In The Face For Talking Too Much?", plus a ChrisRucker remix of "You Come Into My House, While I Sleep?". This is a must for any Look Mexicofan or any fan of music in general. Not buying this means you hate music. And babies. (LujoRecords)

LumeriansLumeriansLumerians debut EP is like a soundtrack to Earth’s formation. Thundering basslines, weaving organsand waves of percussion combined with male and female vocals. The sounds are dark at times, andbright at others. They mix equal parts Doors’ psychedelia and Can’s prog without the use of guitars,all the while keeping it modern. (Subterranean Elephants)

CHANGE IN SOUNDMake BelieveGoing to the Bone ChurchGoing to the Bone Church is everything you’d expect from Make Believe. Tim’s inventiveyelping/breathy singing, Sam’s quirky guitar playing, Bobby’s tight basslines, and Nate’s kineticdrumming. The future of Make Believe is still up in the air as members leave and rejoin, thus leavinglisteners wondering if this is the bands last album. In any case, Going to the Bone Church is the bestalbum they could’ve ended their band on. (Flameshovel)

Maps & AtlasesYou and Me and The MountainMaps & Atlases can do no wrong. This EP is a step in the right direction for this band. Their lastrelease, "Trees, Swallows, Houses" had more technical, spastic, yet tight guitars, and was more inyour face where "You and Me and The Mountain" is on the floor with you encouraging you to singalong and tap whatever appendage you can. Each song is amazing in musicianship and listen-ability.(Sargent House)

Meho PlazaS/TWoah man, Meho Plaza is crazy. They are a pop band that is experimentally synth driven that soundquite good. I enjoy how the vocals are calmly sung while all the chaos is going on in thebackground. (Better Looking Records)

Miss AutopsyThe HillThis album makes me feel uncomfortable, like watching strangers fight or when a parent punishestheir kid out in public. Steve Beyerink’s vocals and lyrics sound as though they are pleading and beg-ging with the audience to listen to them. Like a little kid going "Look at me, look at me, I'm doingsomething bad. Come on, look at me!" The awkwardness of this album almost feels intentional as ifplaying something different like this is going to make people like you. (Lens Records)

Mixel PixelLet’s Be FriendsMixel Pixel is a band the hipsters will flock to. Interweaving boy/girl vocals, somewhat lo-fielectronic, lyrics about relationships and enough quirkiness to call it cool. It’s one of thosebands that the one hipster will love and then once everyone else gets into it, he hates on it.Let’s Be Friends has a couple of good songs on it and a couple that will most likely get skipped over.(Mental Monkey Records)

Dillon Buss

Page 14: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

CHANGE IN SOUNDNeva DinovaYou May Already Be DreamingNeva Dinova features Jake Bellows, a touring member and contributor to Bright Eyes, and RogerLewis, drummer for The Good Life, so it’s appropriate that You May Already Be Dreaming wasreleased on Saddle Creek. The album starts off with a couple of slow country-esque songs, similar toSongs: Ohia, which lead into some poppy folk songs and even some fast rocking ones. You MayAlready Be Dreaming is a pretty good album overall. (Saddle Creek)

One Win ChoiceNever Suspend DisbeliefOne Win Choice is familiar east coast melodic hardcore. They have a similar delivery/sound toStrike Anywhere and Voice in the Wire. One Win Choice isn’t treading any new ground with thesesongs, but they are keeping the flame burning on the genre. (Jump Start Records)

The Out_CircuitPierce the Empire With a SoundPierce the Empire With a Sound seems like a foray into the epic unknown. Dark, drawn-outsoundscapes, fuzzed out distorted guitars, and quick tight drumming is what this album equates to.Pierce the Empire With a Sound is at times inspiring, while some moments leave me wanting some-thing else entirely. (Lujo Records)

Oxford CollapseBits"Bits" sounds like a modern day New York Indie band, which is a good thing, since they are fromBrooklyn. This is their second album on the Sub Pop label and easily they best yet. Oxford Collapseis one of those bands that all the other bands want to see play live. They’re a band's band. The musicis tight and inventive and doesn't disappoint on "Bits". (Sub Pop)

Paint it BlackNew LexiconI was looking forward to this album, because Paint it Black’s two previous albums have been quitegood. Overall New Lexicon is good, but the industrial noise contributed by Oktopus (Dalek) couldhave been cut out. I understand that Dan Yemin was going for something different by havingOktopus's interludes in between songs, but it ruined the intensity and urgency that Paint it Black isknown for. (Jade Tree Records)

The Plastic ConstellationsWe Appreciate YouWe Appreciate You is the final album that the boys in MN’s The Plastic Constellations willrelease. They’ve been doing this band since their high school days and have developed a signaturesound that will be missed. We Appreciate You features TPC at their finest. They have crafted a num-ber of memorable songs with this release and it’s their best to date. (French Kiss Records)

PomegranatesEverything Is AliveMy first impression of this band was a bad one. I had listened to songs on the computer andnothing grabbed me as good and I quickly deleted the files. Later on, I popped this album in when Iwas cleaning or something and the pure genius started to take hold of me. So much so that I listenedto this album all the way through on the way to work and back for a good two weeks straight, whichroughly equates to 20 spins. Everything is Alive is relaxing indie pop. Every song has one part thatjust melts you into loving it. (Lujo Records)

PutoisThe Problem Is Not A Problem AnymorePutois has been the project that Bob Mason has recorded under for the last ten years. The Problem IsNot A Problem Anymore is fifty minutes of lo-fi bedroom indie with dark, heart felt lyrics. TheProblem Is Not A Problem Anymore is a good album, but only something I’d put on if I was feelingsomber. (Cerebral Cliff Records)

Pygmy LushMount HopePygmy Lush features ex members of Pg.99, Majority Rule, Malady, City of Caterpillar and Haram."Mount Hope" is lush and simplistic, but the simple instrumentation still get the message across and isa great follow-up to their previous album "Bitter River". (Lovitt)

The Quiet LifeAct NaturalThe Quiet Life blend classic country/folk, complete with slide guitars, with indie rock to createa modern American Folk sound. Did I mention that this band is from the Yankee North; Connecticutto be exact. Sounds like these are usually reserved for the southern gents, but these yanks to a fine jobof it. (Safety Meeting Records)

Ebo Joe Blecha

CHANGE IN SOUNDNeva DinovaYou May Already Be DreamingNeva Dinova features Jake Bellows, a touring member and contributor to Bright Eyes, and RogerLewis, drummer for The Good Life, so it’s appropriate that You May Already Be Dreaming wasreleased on Saddle Creek. The album starts off with a couple of slow country-esque songs, similar toSongs: Ohia, which lead into some poppy folk songs and even some fast rocking ones. You MayAlready Be Dreaming is a pretty good album overall. (Saddle Creek)

One Win ChoiceNever Suspend DisbeliefOne Win Choice is familiar east coast melodic hardcore. They have a similar delivery/sound toStrike Anywhere and Voice in the Wire. One Win Choice isn’t treading any new ground with thesesongs, but they are keeping the flame burning on the genre. (Jump Start Records)

The Out_CircuitPierce the Empire With a SoundPierce the Empire With a Sound seems like a foray into the epic unknown. Dark, drawn-outsoundscapes, fuzzed out distorted guitars, and quick tight drumming is what this album equates to.Pierce the Empire With a Sound is at times inspiring, while some moments leave me wanting some-thing else entirely. (Lujo Records)

Oxford CollapseBits"Bits" sounds like a modern day New York Indie band, which is a good thing, since they are fromBrooklyn. This is their second album on the Sub Pop label and easily they best yet. Oxford Collapseis one of those bands that all the other bands want to see play live. They’re a band's band. The musicis tight and inventive and doesn't disappoint on "Bits". (Sub Pop)

Paint it BlackNew LexiconI was looking forward to this album, because Paint it Black’s two previous albums have been quitegood. Overall New Lexicon is good, but the industrial noise contributed by Oktopus (Dalek) couldhave been cut out. I understand that Dan Yemin was going for something different by havingOktopus's interludes in between songs, but it ruined the intensity and urgency that Paint it Black isknown for. (Jade Tree Records)

The Plastic ConstellationsWe Appreciate YouWe Appreciate You is the final album that the boys in MN’s The Plastic Constellations willrelease. They’ve been doing this band since their high school days and have developed a signaturesound that will be missed. We Appreciate You features TPC at their finest. They have crafted a num-ber of memorable songs with this release and it’s their best to date. (French Kiss Records)

PomegranatesEverything Is AliveMy first impression of this band was a bad one. I had listened to songs on the computer andnothing grabbed me as good and I quickly deleted the files. Later on, I popped this album in when Iwas cleaning or something and the pure genius started to take hold of me. So much so that I listenedto this album all the way through on the way to work and back for a good two weeks straight, whichroughly equates to 20 spins. Everything is Alive is relaxing indie pop. Every song has one part thatjust melts you into loving it. (Lujo Records)

PutoisThe Problem Is Not A Problem AnymorePutois has been the project that Bob Mason has recorded under for the last ten years. The Problem IsNot A Problem Anymore is fifty minutes of lo-fi bedroom indie with dark, heart felt lyrics. TheProblem Is Not A Problem Anymore is a good album, but only something I’d put on if I was feelingsomber. (Cerebral Cliff Records)

Pygmy LushMount HopePygmy Lush features ex members of Pg.99, Majority Rule, Malady, City of Caterpillar and Haram."Mount Hope" is lush and simplistic, but the simple instrumentation still get the message across and isa great follow-up to their previous album "Bitter River". (Lovitt)

The Quiet LifeAct NaturalThe Quiet Life blend classic country/folk, complete with slide guitars, with indie rock to createa modern American Folk sound. Did I mention that this band is from the Yankee North; Connecticutto be exact. Sounds like these are usually reserved for the southern gents, but these yanks to a fine jobof it. (Safety Meeting Records)

Ebo Joe Blecha

Page 15: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

RahimLaughterThis bands name reminds me of 90's rap artists Eric B and Rakim, but "Laughter" is nothing like rapmusic. At all. Each listen of the album reveals increasingly complex melodies, varying vocal har-monies and a wide array of musical instruments, including horns, vibraphones and garbage cans.(Pretty Activity Records)

Robert Scott ThompsonPoesis Athesis"Poesis Athesis" is the latest release by internationally acclaimed (really?) composer RobertScott Thompson and is an astoundingly long album at nearly 78 minutes. It was is was originally writ-ten to accompany Chi Kung Master Terrence Dunn’s video series, the Flying Phoenix form of ChiKung, a slow form Tai Chi exercise. These would be great for Tai Chi, the songs are slow moving andintricate. If listening to this for any other reason though, it may cause sleepiness. (Lens Records)

Russian CirclesStationRussian Circles took hold of the instrumental metal genre with their 2006 release of Enter and arenow back with a new label and a new member. Brian Cook of Botch and These Arms Are Snakeslends his bass abilities and his influences are felt on this release. Just listen to “Harper Lewis” for agood example of Brian’s thick bass licks. Station begs to be listened to on a stereo system with largespeakers. An ipod will not due this album justice. (Suicide Squeeze Records)

The Saint Alvia CartelS/TThis album sounds like a bunch of dudes hanging out writing music and having a blast doing it. Lotsof group vocals with organ accompaniment. Influences from many genres can be heard on this albumfrom The Hold Steady to melodic hardcore to ska core. The energy exuded from this album is conta-gious. (Stomp Records)

Scott Reynolds & The Steaming BeastAdventure BoyThis band is lead by Scott Reynolds, former vocalist of ALL, and is the kind of music an agingrocker is expected to make that has a Dave Matthews quality to it. Adventure Boy walks the linebetween classic indie pop rock with influences from Pinback and Crystal Skulls to lounge music. It’san overall pleasant listen, but nothing mind-blowing. (Suburban Home Records)

CHANGE IN SOUNDScream HelloSmart & Stupid EPThis EP from Scream Hello is a precursor to their new full length that is due out in a few months.They have a Braid/Hey Mercedes sound going on, but in with more punk roots. If their upcoming fulllength sounds anything like this, we are all in for a treat. (Red Leader Records)

Static Radio NJAn Evening of Bad Decisions..."An Evening of Bad Decisions..." starts off high paced and never lets up. They have a stylesimilar to Lifetime and the intensity to match. "An Evening of Bad Decisions..." is an all around wellwritten punk album. Take a chance and give it a listen. (Black Numbers)

StepsondayLittle LightStepsonday is a duo of brothers from Santa Monica, CA with a vocalist that sounds a little likeWeezer’s Rivers Cuomo. They craft perfect little pop songs similar to Weezer, that are honest andheartfelt. Some might say that Stepsonday play it safe with this release and don’t take enough chanceswith the music, which is true, there is a certain amount of familiarity with this album and the genre itcomes from. (One Eleven Records)

Them,Roaring TwentiesFuture SandwichThem, Roaring Twenties sound is very similar to citymates Maps and Atlases, but the differences arein the vocals of each band. The sparse vocals of Them, Roaring Twenties are usually changed withcomputer effects or quick talking/screams, while Maps and Atlases vocals are high pitched and dis-cernable. This album is packaged with a mini board game that allows you to travel the streets ofChicago. (Sickroom Records)

They and the ChildrenHomeThey and the Children fuse ambient noise with hardcore which creates a feeling of an experimentalFrom Ashes Rise. "Home" is an all out assault on your ears and mind with nearly forty minutes ofbrain splitting hardcore. With this release, they have found a place that few have traveled, and areblazing new trails in the process. (Kill Normal)

Issa

RahimLaughterThis bands name reminds me of 90's rap artists Eric B and Rakim, but "Laughter" is nothing like rapmusic. At all. Each listen of the album reveals increasingly complex melodies, varying vocal har-monies and a wide array of musical instruments, including horns, vibraphones and garbage cans.(Pretty Activity Records)

Robert Scott ThompsonPoesis Athesis"Poesis Athesis" is the latest release by internationally acclaimed (really?) composer RobertScott Thompson and is an astoundingly long album at nearly 78 minutes. It was is was originally writ-ten to accompany Chi Kung Master Terrence Dunn’s video series, the Flying Phoenix form of ChiKung, a slow form Tai Chi exercise. These would be great for Tai Chi, the songs are slow moving andintricate. If listening to this for any other reason though, it may cause sleepiness. (Lens Records)

Russian CirclesStationRussian Circles took hold of the instrumental metal genre with their 2006 release of Enter and arenow back with a new label and a new member. Brian Cook of Botch and These Arms Are Snakeslends his bass abilities and his influences are felt on this release. Just listen to “Harper Lewis” for agood example of Brian’s thick bass licks. Station begs to be listened to on a stereo system with largespeakers. An ipod will not due this album justice. (Suicide Squeeze Records)

The Saint Alvia CartelS/TThis album sounds like a bunch of dudes hanging out writing music and having a blast doing it. Lotsof group vocals with organ accompaniment. Influences from many genres can be heard on this albumfrom The Hold Steady to melodic hardcore to ska core. The energy exuded from this album is conta-gious. (Stomp Records)

Scott Reynolds & The Steaming BeastAdventure BoyThis band is lead by Scott Reynolds, former vocalist of ALL, and is the kind of music an agingrocker is expected to make that has a Dave Matthews quality to it. Adventure Boy walks the linebetween classic indie pop rock with influences from Pinback and Crystal Skulls to lounge music. It’san overall pleasant listen, but nothing mind-blowing. (Suburban Home Records)

CHANGE IN SOUNDScream HelloSmart & Stupid EPThis EP from Scream Hello is a precursor to their new full length that is due out in a few months.They have a Braid/Hey Mercedes sound going on, but in with more punk roots. If their upcoming fulllength sounds anything like this, we are all in for a treat. (Red Leader Records)

Static Radio NJAn Evening of Bad Decisions..."An Evening of Bad Decisions..." starts off high paced and never lets up. They have a stylesimilar to Lifetime and the intensity to match. "An Evening of Bad Decisions..." is an all around wellwritten punk album. Take a chance and give it a listen. (Black Numbers)

StepsondayLittle LightStepsonday is a duo of brothers from Santa Monica, CA with a vocalist that sounds a little likeWeezer’s Rivers Cuomo. They craft perfect little pop songs similar to Weezer, that are honest andheartfelt. Some might say that Stepsonday play it safe with this release and don’t take enough chanceswith the music, which is true, there is a certain amount of familiarity with this album and the genre itcomes from. (One Eleven Records)

Them,Roaring TwentiesFuture SandwichThem, Roaring Twenties sound is very similar to citymates Maps and Atlases, but the differences arein the vocals of each band. The sparse vocals of Them, Roaring Twenties are usually changed withcomputer effects or quick talking/screams, while Maps and Atlases vocals are high pitched and dis-cernable. This album is packaged with a mini board game that allows you to travel the streets ofChicago. (Sickroom Records)

They and the ChildrenHomeThey and the Children fuse ambient noise with hardcore which creates a feeling of an experimentalFrom Ashes Rise. "Home" is an all out assault on your ears and mind with nearly forty minutes ofbrain splitting hardcore. With this release, they have found a place that few have traveled, and areblazing new trails in the process. (Kill Normal)

Issa

Page 16: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

CHANGE IN SOUNDV/AKeep Singing! A Benefit for Compassion Over Killing CompilationThis is a benefit CD for Compassion Over Killing, an animal rights group. The album featuresexclusive tracks by Strike Anywhere, Life at these Speeds, Des Ark, Gina Young, and more. Most ofthe artists are either from the singer/songwriter or heavy punk/post punk genres. As a bonus to thisCD, the Liner notes feature selected vegetarian recipes from the artists on the CD, plus a PDF versionthat you can share. (Exotic Fever)

When Dinosaurs Ruled the EarthNot NoiiceThis duel drummed, duel guitared, duel vocaled beast known as When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth have a sound that is big as a dinosaur. If you cloned Milemarker a couple of times and made

them record an album with their original human selves, the result would be Not Noiice. (Chalk Circle Records)

Young WidowsOld WoundsYoung Widows is a band that feels most comfortable playing live. "Old Wounds" was recorded overthe course of a few live shows and in studio performances, then all the best parts pieced together tocreate the best sounding song. "Old Wounds' goes far and above their previous album "Settle DownCity" and it puts them at a greater distance than their previous band Breather Resist. An excellentsophomore album. (Temporary Residence)

JacksonknifeYou Don't Know What You're Talking AboutJackson Knife is a band from NYC who blend Maritime-esque jams with controlled genre switching.Throughout this EP, Jacksonknife easily switches genres from horn-laden rock to string accompaniedfolk songs. This 6 song EP is a great intro to this band. (Self-Released)

Jackson UnitedHarmony and DissidenceI don't know how Chris Shiflett divides his time between playing in the Foo Fighters and writingsongs for his band Jackson United. It's a shame that the music media only focuses on Dave Grohl'smusical outputs, because Shiflett's Jackson United continuously writes great music. "Harmony andDissidence" has currently only been physically released in Japan and Australia and digitally in theU.S. (Liberator Music)

HecubaSirI guess I don't get this band. Devendra Banhart says that “They are best band in LA”. I turned off thealbum before it was even halfway through. There is an odd mixture of musical influences representedin each song, such as: doo-wop, down tempo cartoon music, video game drone, and techno. (ManimalVinyl)

Son, AmbulanceSomeone Else's Déjà VuDrenched in 60's and 70's pop and psychedelia, Son, Ambulance that at sometimes sounds good and bad. The opening track, " A Girl in New York City",starts out at a fast tempo, with a Paul Simon feel, while the next track,"Legend of Lizeth", lead singer Joseph Knapp makes it sound like a cheesyAdam Sandler love song. The rest of the album is hit or miss.(Saddle Creek)

DaedelusLove To Make Music ToI was quite pleased with the first track, "Fair Weather Friends", off ofDaedulus's new long player, "Love To make Music To". It is an upbeat dancesong complete with hand claps and a driving melody. I was hoping the rest ofthe album would be in the same vain, but I was sadly mistaken. "Love To makeMusic To" sees Daedelus using rap artists over his beats, which is a nicechange but the rapper has to be good for it to work. Here, some do and somedon't. (Ninja Tune)

NarrowsS/T 7" EPFans of Botch will instantly recognize the vocals on this 3 song EP, because they are none other thanex-Botch vocalist Dave Verellen's. This band also features members of Tropics, These Arms areSnakes, Makeout Boys, and Some Girls. Narrows sounds a lot like Botch, but you can't fuck with theoriginal. (Deathwish Inc.)

Ebo

Album Reviews by Adam Sever

CHANGE IN SOUNDV/AKeep Singing! A Benefit for Compassion Over Killing CompilationThis is a benefit CD for Compassion Over Killing, an animal rights group. The album featuresexclusive tracks by Strike Anywhere, Life at these Speeds, Des Ark, Gina Young, and more. Most ofthe artists are either from the singer/songwriter or heavy punk/post punk genres. As a bonus to thisCD, the Liner notes feature selected vegetarian recipes from the artists on the CD, plus a PDF versionthat you can share. (Exotic Fever)

When Dinosaurs Ruled the EarthNot NoiiceThis duel drummed, duel guitared, duel vocaled beast known as When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth have a sound that is big as a dinosaur. If you cloned Milemarker a couple of times and made

them record an album with their original human selves, the result would be Not Noiice. (Chalk Circle Records)

Young WidowsOld WoundsYoung Widows is a band that feels most comfortable playing live. "Old Wounds" was recorded overthe course of a few live shows and in studio performances, then all the best parts pieced together tocreate the best sounding song. "Old Wounds' goes far and above their previous album "Settle DownCity" and it puts them at a greater distance than their previous band Breather Resist. An excellentsophomore album. (Temporary Residence)

JacksonknifeYou Don't Know What You're Talking AboutJackson Knife is a band from NYC who blend Maritime-esque jams with controlled genre switching.Throughout this EP, Jacksonknife easily switches genres from horn-laden rock to string accompaniedfolk songs. This 6 song EP is a great intro to this band. (Self-Released)

Jackson UnitedHarmony and DissidenceI don't know how Chris Shiflett divides his time between playing in the Foo Fighters and writingsongs for his band Jackson United. It's a shame that the music media only focuses on Dave Grohl'smusical outputs, because Shiflett's Jackson United continuously writes great music. "Harmony andDissidence" has currently only been physically released in Japan and Australia and digitally in theU.S. (Liberator Music)

HecubaSirI guess I don't get this band. Devendra Banhart says that “They are best band in LA”. I turned off thealbum before it was even halfway through. There is an odd mixture of musical influences representedin each song, such as: doo-wop, down tempo cartoon music, video game drone, and techno. (ManimalVinyl)

Son, AmbulanceSomeone Else's Déjà VuDrenched in 60's and 70's pop and psychedelia, Son, Ambulance that at sometimes sounds good and bad. The opening track, " A Girl in New York City",starts out at a fast tempo, with a Paul Simon feel, while the next track,"Legend of Lizeth", lead singer Joseph Knapp makes it sound like a cheesyAdam Sandler love song. The rest of the album is hit or miss.(Saddle Creek)

DaedelusLove To Make Music ToI was quite pleased with the first track, "Fair Weather Friends", off ofDaedulus's new long player, "Love To make Music To". It is an upbeat dancesong complete with hand claps and a driving melody. I was hoping the rest ofthe album would be in the same vain, but I was sadly mistaken. "Love To makeMusic To" sees Daedelus using rap artists over his beats, which is a nicechange but the rapper has to be good for it to work. Here, some do and somedon't. (Ninja Tune)

NarrowsS/T 7" EPFans of Botch will instantly recognize the vocals on this 3 song EP, because they are none other thanex-Botch vocalist Dave Verellen's. This band also features members of Tropics, These Arms areSnakes, Makeout Boys, and Some Girls. Narrows sounds a lot like Botch, but you can't fuck with theoriginal. (Deathwish Inc.)

Ebo

Album Reviews by Adam Sever

Page 17: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

variancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevvaarr iiaanncceeBoring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring BoringZach PlagueZach Plague aka Zach Dodson is a very talented graphicdesigner by trade. Going into this book, Zach created animage for this book that is rarely seen in mainstream pub-lishing. Zach gave each character their own font and boldedand italicized words to show emphasis. Choosing to designthe book at its signature stage, 16 pages on one sheet, Zachnot only designed a cool looking book but large posters thatgo along with it. It is truly something that has to been seento understand. The story details the troubled relationship ofOllister and Adelaide and the mysterious grey papers thatOllister needs find before the Platypus gets his hands onthem. An intriguing story that will surprise you with eachplot twist and development.(Featherproof Books)

Randy Laybourne ZinesRandy Laybourne has been making thesezines for a while now and they keep get-ting better and better. His two latest zinesare filled with Randy's signature pho-tograpy and art. "It's Time For DinnerBut Nobody's Hungry" features guestartists Pete Taras, Dustin Koop, JasonLee, Pam Gilmour, and StellaMuehlhausen and "Time and Place" fea-ture guest artists Aaron Martinz, MelKadel, and Travis Millard.

Dudes Dudes DudesThis is a free video from DVSshoes, featuring the excellent skat-ing of Kerry Getz, Daewon Song,Jeron Wilson, Zared Bassett, ToreyPudwill, Chico Brenes, SteveBerra, Mark Baines, Paul Shier,and many more. It’s a straightfor-ward video, no B.S. or flair, justgood skating. Pretty much whatyou’d expect. Some good tunes byThe Hidden Cameras, M Ward,Jens Lekman, Black Mountain, anold song I forgot about by ZeroZero, and a hilarious song by theGreenskeepers that features linesfrom Silence of the Lambs. Putthe lotion in the basket.

Susio’s Dirty NutsGet your hands on these dirty nuts.Quality 1” all black skate hard-ware. Check out Susios.com tofind out how you can get a set ofyour own, or scout out your localMN shops and parks.

Portfolio

:

Laura

Austin

Seth

variancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevvaarr iiaanncceeBoring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring BoringZach PlagueZach Plague aka Zach Dodson is a very talented graphicdesigner by trade. Going into this book, Zach created animage for this book that is rarely seen in mainstream pub-lishing. Zach gave each character their own font and boldedand italicized words to show emphasis. Choosing to designthe book at its signature stage, 16 pages on one sheet, Zachnot only designed a cool looking book but large posters thatgo along with it. It is truly something that has to been seento understand. The story details the troubled relationship ofOllister and Adelaide and the mysterious grey papers thatOllister needs find before the Platypus gets his hands onthem. An intriguing story that will surprise you with eachplot twist and development.(Featherproof Books)

Randy Laybourne ZinesRandy Laybourne has been making thesezines for a while now and they keep get-ting better and better. His two latest zinesare filled with Randy's signature pho-tograpy and art. "It's Time For DinnerBut Nobody's Hungry" features guestartists Pete Taras, Dustin Koop, JasonLee, Pam Gilmour, and StellaMuehlhausen and "Time and Place" fea-ture guest artists Aaron Martinz, MelKadel, and Travis Millard.

Dudes Dudes DudesThis is a free video from DVSshoes, featuring the excellent skat-ing of Kerry Getz, Daewon Song,Jeron Wilson, Zared Bassett, ToreyPudwill, Chico Brenes, SteveBerra, Mark Baines, Paul Shier,and many more. It’s a straightfor-ward video, no B.S. or flair, justgood skating. Pretty much whatyou’d expect. Some good tunes byThe Hidden Cameras, M Ward,Jens Lekman, Black Mountain, anold song I forgot about by ZeroZero, and a hilarious song by theGreenskeepers that features linesfrom Silence of the Lambs. Putthe lotion in the basket.

Susio’s Dirty NutsGet your hands on these dirty nuts.Quality 1” all black skate hard-ware. Check out Susios.com tofind out how you can get a set ofyour own, or scout out your localMN shops and parks.

Portfolio

:

Laura

Austin

Seth

Page 18: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

dbDance BandDance Band

Clap your hands like thisClap your hands like thisPhoto by Darin Back

Weather Is Happening @ the Turf Club - June 5th, 2008

dbDance BandDance Band

Clap your hands like thisClap your hands like thisPhoto by Darin Back

Weather Is Happening @ the Turf Club - June 5th, 2008

Page 19: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Interview with Spacebar

“We are trying to make the best music and thebest performance that we are able to”

You came to the Twin Cities from Gammalon because it was in desper-ate need of booty shaking lessons. Do you feel other cities are lessinhibited? It seems us Minnesotans are prone to standing still withour arms crossed at shows.We frankly haven't been to that many other cities yet, but no, they're just asinhibited. Most of the time when we play for a crowd that hasn't seen usbefore there's a lot of blank stares, like, who the hell are these people? Ithink that people expect that we are putting them on, that we're playingsome kind of joke on them, but it's really pretty straight forward and usual-ly by the middle of the set folks have warmed up a bit and start getting intoit, which is always great cause it allows us to be more into it and we put ona better show as a result. We're really a fairly ridiculous thing to be con-fronted with cold, y'know? But even though our act is ridiculous inappearance, we are trying to make the best music and the best performancethat we are able to; it's just put through this lens of our personalities andthe fact that we think we should be having as much fun as possible.There's no point in trying to sit there and act cool, you gotta put yourselfout there.

Video evidence suggests that your mission has been very successful.Have you gotten the response you were hoping for from audience mem-bers?Absolutely. This whole thing would fail utterly if people weren't into it.It's really a big collaboration between us and the audience.

As I said before, when the crowd is feeling the show it really changes thedynamics of your performance and makes the whole show better.

How did it feel to receive Picked to Click and Best Live Artist lastyear? Did it come as a surprise?It was pretty rad. We had something of a hint about the Picked To Clickthing, but the Best Live Artist was a complete surprise. I picked up theCity Pages one day and it was like "what the"?

You guys have such a funky sound. Who influences you musically?We are all over the place. I think pretty much everyone in the band is into different things. None of us had ever made dance music before. Togive you a run down of some of the big ones: Fugazi, Talking Heads,Parliament, Hall & Oats, Fela Kuti, Giorgio Moroder, Marvin Gaye, a lot ofolder stuff. And a lot of stuff that should probably never be put togetherinto one thing.

Who are some of your favorite bands to play with?There are a lot of excellent bands in the twin cities right now. Best FriendsForever, Fort Wilson Riot, Mystery Palace, The Battle Royale, Mel Gibson& The Pants, Nobot, MUte ErA, A Paper Cup Band, Screamin Cyn Cyn &The Pons (they're from Madison).

Ghostface Cow @ Stasiu's, Minneapolis, MN - May 9th, 2008

Interview with Spacebar

“We are trying to make the best music and thebest performance that we are able to”

You came to the Twin Cities from Gammalon because it was in desper-ate need of booty shaking lessons. Do you feel other cities are lessinhibited? It seems us Minnesotans are prone to standing still withour arms crossed at shows.We frankly haven't been to that many other cities yet, but no, they're just asinhibited. Most of the time when we play for a crowd that hasn't seen usbefore there's a lot of blank stares, like, who the hell are these people? Ithink that people expect that we are putting them on, that we're playingsome kind of joke on them, but it's really pretty straight forward and usual-ly by the middle of the set folks have warmed up a bit and start getting intoit, which is always great cause it allows us to be more into it and we put ona better show as a result. We're really a fairly ridiculous thing to be con-fronted with cold, y'know? But even though our act is ridiculous inappearance, we are trying to make the best music and the best performancethat we are able to; it's just put through this lens of our personalities andthe fact that we think we should be having as much fun as possible.There's no point in trying to sit there and act cool, you gotta put yourselfout there.

Video evidence suggests that your mission has been very successful.Have you gotten the response you were hoping for from audience mem-bers?Absolutely. This whole thing would fail utterly if people weren't into it.It's really a big collaboration between us and the audience.

As I said before, when the crowd is feeling the show it really changes thedynamics of your performance and makes the whole show better.

How did it feel to receive Picked to Click and Best Live Artist lastyear? Did it come as a surprise?It was pretty rad. We had something of a hint about the Picked To Clickthing, but the Best Live Artist was a complete surprise. I picked up theCity Pages one day and it was like "what the"?

You guys have such a funky sound. Who influences you musically?We are all over the place. I think pretty much everyone in the band is into different things. None of us had ever made dance music before. Togive you a run down of some of the big ones: Fugazi, Talking Heads,Parliament, Hall & Oats, Fela Kuti, Giorgio Moroder, Marvin Gaye, a lot ofolder stuff. And a lot of stuff that should probably never be put togetherinto one thing.

Who are some of your favorite bands to play with?There are a lot of excellent bands in the twin cities right now. Best FriendsForever, Fort Wilson Riot, Mystery Palace, The Battle Royale, Mel Gibson& The Pants, Nobot, MUte ErA, A Paper Cup Band, Screamin Cyn Cyn &The Pons (they're from Madison).

Ghostface Cow @ Stasiu's, Minneapolis, MN - May 9th, 2008

Page 20: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Photo by Alexa Jones

“We are really trying toemphasize performance as

an art form”Malachi Constant @ the Turf Club - May 31st, 2008

Photo by Alexa Jones

“We are really trying toemphasize performance as

an art form”Malachi Constant @ the Turf Club - May 31st, 2008

Page 21: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Do you feel that it is more important for fans to see your live performance than to listen athome? What can people expect from your show?We are firm believers in live music, but also realize that that's not always possible. We are try-ing to capture the energy of of live show as best we can on our recordings, but they're kind oftwo different things. We are really trying to emphasize performance as an art form, even inrecordings. And that might seem like a strange thing to say about recording, cause that's thepoint, but what I mean is an unmediated kind of performance that doesn't involve computer cor-rection. It seems like a lot of records these days, especially pop records, are so tweaked on ProTools that it just kills a lot of the vibe cause it all ends up sounding like it was made by robots.Everyone wants to go back in and make sure that every drum hit is spot on and every vocal ispitch corrected and all that. Where we're coming from is that you should just be good enoughto perform it on the recording and let it stand cause there's some things that computers just can'temulate. And I know all this sounds weird, cause I play the computer, for fuck's sake, but hey,DB is built on paradox and hyperbole. We're also not the type of group to go into the studioand write and then perform it. We generally write our songs and then perform them out for atleast six months so we can tweak them to people's reaction before we think about recordingthem.

What is the wildest thing that has happened on stage during your set?We had some poor gentleman who was rather intoxicated try and clamber onto stage, trip overthe monitor, and then fall and crack his head open on the floor of the Entry. Bad scene, para-medics, stop the show, all that. Yeah, don't do that.

What does the future hold for Dance Band?We're just going to keep hittin' it as hard as we can and see what happens. We're recording anEP next month that is really exciting. The working title is Geekadelic. That should hopefullybe out in November if everything goes well. But yeah, we'll just keep on buildin' it!

“We're just going to keep hittin'it as hard as we can and see

what happens”Photo by Darin Back

Knife World @ the Organ Haus - January 11th, 2008

Do you feel that it is more important for fans to see your live performance than to listen athome? What can people expect from your show?We are firm believers in live music, but also realize that that's not always possible. We are try-ing to capture the energy of of live show as best we can on our recordings, but they're kind oftwo different things. We are really trying to emphasize performance as an art form, even inrecordings. And that might seem like a strange thing to say about recording, cause that's thepoint, but what I mean is an unmediated kind of performance that doesn't involve computer cor-rection. It seems like a lot of records these days, especially pop records, are so tweaked on ProTools that it just kills a lot of the vibe cause it all ends up sounding like it was made by robots.Everyone wants to go back in and make sure that every drum hit is spot on and every vocal ispitch corrected and all that. Where we're coming from is that you should just be good enoughto perform it on the recording and let it stand cause there's some things that computers just can'temulate. And I know all this sounds weird, cause I play the computer, for fuck's sake, but hey,DB is built on paradox and hyperbole. We're also not the type of group to go into the studioand write and then perform it. We generally write our songs and then perform them out for atleast six months so we can tweak them to people's reaction before we think about recordingthem.

What is the wildest thing that has happened on stage during your set?We had some poor gentleman who was rather intoxicated try and clamber onto stage, trip overthe monitor, and then fall and crack his head open on the floor of the Entry. Bad scene, para-medics, stop the show, all that. Yeah, don't do that.

What does the future hold for Dance Band?We're just going to keep hittin' it as hard as we can and see what happens. We're recording anEP next month that is really exciting. The working title is Geekadelic. That should hopefullybe out in November if everything goes well. But yeah, we'll just keep on buildin' it!

“We're just going to keep hittin'it as hard as we can and see

what happens”Photo by Darin Back

Knife World @ the Organ Haus - January 11th, 2008

Page 22: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

What's the story behind the name? Did you used to carry windsurfing gear?I did not name the store, but the story as I know it has the name decided upon because the store sold skateboards andin 1988 there weren't really any skate clothing brands, so surf brands made up the bulk of the clothing inventory. Weare located next to lake Calhoun (hence the Cal) and the Surf was more of a "surf the earth" kind of deal...surf, skate,snowboard. The store never stocked any windsurfing gear.

Has the shop always been in the same location?The store started as part of the bottom floor in this location and we grew to take over the whole building. The size ofthe space definitely limited our growth, but we have our roots in Uptown and there are not too many bigger spaces anddefinitely none we can afford.

Have you ever had plans to open a second store?I would rather find a bigger space than do a second store. I have been approached about buying other shops and con-verting them to Cal Surfs, but I didn't want to take on the headache. If I was to do a second store I would want tostart fresh from top to bottom and design it to our liking.

What has been the most rewarding thing about running the shop?The people I get to associate with on a daily basis. I get to work with skateboarders and snowboarders everyday...from the staff to the customers. Hopefully we help kids make the decision to become a skater or snowboarder forlife rather than just be some kook that bought a skateboard. I get to be around creative people all of the time and Ilearn something new everyday.

What made you decide to turn the second floor into an art gallery?We have many customers that go to school for graphic design, photography, video production, etc. I was approachedby several customers that asked if I would allow them to display art in one of our front windows.

Yearsof Cal Surf20

Interview with Scott Oreschnick

Everybell & Whistle @ the Turf Club - June 5th, 2008

What's the story behind the name? Did you used to carry windsurfing gear?I did not name the store, but the story as I know it has the name decided upon because the store sold skateboards andin 1988 there weren't really any skate clothing brands, so surf brands made up the bulk of the clothing inventory. Weare located next to lake Calhoun (hence the Cal) and the Surf was more of a "surf the earth" kind of deal...surf, skate,snowboard. The store never stocked any windsurfing gear.

Has the shop always been in the same location?The store started as part of the bottom floor in this location and we grew to take over the whole building. The size ofthe space definitely limited our growth, but we have our roots in Uptown and there are not too many bigger spaces anddefinitely none we can afford.

Have you ever had plans to open a second store?I would rather find a bigger space than do a second store. I have been approached about buying other shops and con-verting them to Cal Surfs, but I didn't want to take on the headache. If I was to do a second store I would want tostart fresh from top to bottom and design it to our liking.

What has been the most rewarding thing about running the shop?The people I get to associate with on a daily basis. I get to work with skateboarders and snowboarders everyday...from the staff to the customers. Hopefully we help kids make the decision to become a skater or snowboarder forlife rather than just be some kook that bought a skateboard. I get to be around creative people all of the time and Ilearn something new everyday.

What made you decide to turn the second floor into an art gallery?We have many customers that go to school for graphic design, photography, video production, etc. I was approachedby several customers that asked if I would allow them to display art in one of our front windows.

Yearsof Cal Surf20

Interview with Scott Oreschnick

Everybell & Whistle @ the Turf Club - June 5th, 2008

Page 23: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

I said no problem as long as you hang it. It took about four years before somebody finally took advantage of that and once one per-son displayed something we were asked regularly by other customers if they could display something as well. Eventually we hadenough people asking that I figured it made more sense to devote some real space for the art to hang than to keep snowboards on dis-play in the middle of summer. We made a commitment to the customers that have supported us throughout the years.

How does Cal Surf stand out from other Minnesota shops?We have history. We have been around twenty years and that is tough to do in this business. Most people go out of business in adown cycle or they burn out on running a store. It is not a great way to get rich. We care about skateboarding and snowboardingnot just for today but for what they have been and what they will be. It doesn't matter if it is cool to skate tomorrow or not. We willstill be skating. It doesn't matter to us if you skate ditches or boxes, you still skate and we respect that.

How has skateboarding changed since the shop opened twenty years ago?It has grown exponentially and has brought a more diverse population to skateboarding. When I started skating, it was all punkrock, skaters were politically and socially active and you were stoked just to meet another skater that actually lived in your state.You knew every skater in your state. Now there are all types of people skating- creative types, jocks, five year olds, mall kids- who-ever. Skateboarding does not define people that skateboard the way it used to. There are many people who skateboard, but farfewer that are skaters.

You guys recently had an anniversary party and a special shoe release, any other events planned for this year?We definitely have some stuff coming up that we can't discuss yet. We will have a few more art shows, some more special make-upproducts, etc. We play it loose and many of our opportunities are last minute, so you will know when we do.

Will skateboarding ever go back underground?I hope not. There are so many opportunities for skateboarders right now. Lots of kids are sponsored, some pros can make a living,there are more and better parks, a lot of jobs in the skateboarding industry are available... lots of good stuff. However, I hope thingsconstrict a little bit to get all of the people in skateboarding that are just in it to make a buck out of the industry. A kid doesn't learnabout skateboarding at a mall store. If that kid is sold the wrong product and he or she just spent his or her year's allowance on anew complete, it is probably the last skateboard he or she buys. That store will not nurture a skateboarder. I hope our industry doesnot continue to favor chain stores, mail orders, box stores over the independent skate shops. The independent shop gives skate-boarders a place to hang out, meet up, support each other. It supports skateboarders. If skate shops are gone there will be a lotfewer skateboarders coming up. I also think that although skateboarding will never shrink to the paltry number of skaters there waswhen I started, the DIY ethos will always exist in skateboarding. Although there are a ton of kids that skate that aren't "skateboard-ers", skateboarders still work to find their spots or they create them if they can't find a spot. There are more people pouring con-crete, building garage ramps, etc....creating spots. The kids doing small local skateboard companies and local videos also can keepskating underground. So although skating may not go underground, the underground is alive and well in skateboarding!

Ettrick @ Medusa - April 24th, 2008

I said no problem as long as you hang it. It took about four years before somebody finally took advantage of that and once one per-son displayed something we were asked regularly by other customers if they could display something as well. Eventually we hadenough people asking that I figured it made more sense to devote some real space for the art to hang than to keep snowboards on dis-play in the middle of summer. We made a commitment to the customers that have supported us throughout the years.

How does Cal Surf stand out from other Minnesota shops?We have history. We have been around twenty years and that is tough to do in this business. Most people go out of business in adown cycle or they burn out on running a store. It is not a great way to get rich. We care about skateboarding and snowboardingnot just for today but for what they have been and what they will be. It doesn't matter if it is cool to skate tomorrow or not. We willstill be skating. It doesn't matter to us if you skate ditches or boxes, you still skate and we respect that.

How has skateboarding changed since the shop opened twenty years ago?It has grown exponentially and has brought a more diverse population to skateboarding. When I started skating, it was all punkrock, skaters were politically and socially active and you were stoked just to meet another skater that actually lived in your state.You knew every skater in your state. Now there are all types of people skating- creative types, jocks, five year olds, mall kids- who-ever. Skateboarding does not define people that skateboard the way it used to. There are many people who skateboard, but farfewer that are skaters.

You guys recently had an anniversary party and a special shoe release, any other events planned for this year?We definitely have some stuff coming up that we can't discuss yet. We will have a few more art shows, some more special make-upproducts, etc. We play it loose and many of our opportunities are last minute, so you will know when we do.

Will skateboarding ever go back underground?I hope not. There are so many opportunities for skateboarders right now. Lots of kids are sponsored, some pros can make a living,there are more and better parks, a lot of jobs in the skateboarding industry are available... lots of good stuff. However, I hope thingsconstrict a little bit to get all of the people in skateboarding that are just in it to make a buck out of the industry. A kid doesn't learnabout skateboarding at a mall store. If that kid is sold the wrong product and he or she just spent his or her year's allowance on anew complete, it is probably the last skateboard he or she buys. That store will not nurture a skateboarder. I hope our industry doesnot continue to favor chain stores, mail orders, box stores over the independent skate shops. The independent shop gives skate-boarders a place to hang out, meet up, support each other. It supports skateboarders. If skate shops are gone there will be a lotfewer skateboarders coming up. I also think that although skateboarding will never shrink to the paltry number of skaters there waswhen I started, the DIY ethos will always exist in skateboarding. Although there are a ton of kids that skate that aren't "skateboard-ers", skateboarders still work to find their spots or they create them if they can't find a spot. There are more people pouring con-crete, building garage ramps, etc....creating spots. The kids doing small local skateboard companies and local videos also can keepskating underground. So although skating may not go underground, the underground is alive and well in skateboarding!

Ettrick @ Medusa - April 24th, 2008

Page 24: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Interview with Colin Johnson Photography by Adam Bubolz Sarah Johnson @ the Turf Club, St. Paul, MN - January 19th, 2008

Interview with Colin Johnson Photography by Adam Bubolz Sarah Johnson @ the Turf Club, St. Paul, MN - January 19th, 2008

Page 25: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

How does Me and You Cherry Red compare to last year's Virgin Dust American Lips?Were there any major changes as far as writing and recording?"Me and You Cherry Red," was more of a focused mood where all of the stuff was written atthe same time as opposed to assembling and organizing a portion of the songs we wrote overthe first year of being a band. "Virgin Dust..." was done in a studio, whereas "Cherry Red"was recorded in our practice space by us. Doing it ourselves gave everything a more laidback feel and it was easier to experiment because we didn't have the stress of wasting any-one's time but our own.

Was there any pressure to put out another album so soon, or was it more of a naturaloccurrence?We just got home from tour and were so eager to write new stuff that it came about really nat-urally. The only pressure we felt was having it live up to our expectations. It was all writtenand recorded in a little over two months. A lot of late nights and doubts about the recordingtechnique but it all just kind of worked itself out.

What inspires your songwriting?People and America. I know that sounds awfully dumb, but it's such an interesting place tolive and there are some fucking strange people here, and touring really opened our eyes tothat. The best part of traveling so much is that it takes you out of you perceived comfortzone every night and forces you to adapt to your situation. There are times where it makesyou feel like half a person and others when you find yourself having one of the best conversa-tions of your life with someone you wouldn't have met under any other circumstance, and it'sreally exciting. This country is so huge and bizarre, it's indescribable, but we try, hahaha.

Favorite local bands to play with?There is so much great and interesting stuff right now that I'm afraid I'll leave someone off,but a short list would definitely include: Daughters of the Sun, Skoal Kodiak, To Kill a PettyBourgeoise, STNNNG, Blind Shake, Birthday Suits, Tender Meat, Private Dancer, SpiritualMansions, Mute Era, Pet.s, Gay Beast, Sarah Johnson, Knife World um...I know I'm forgettingsome, but that's just off the top of my head.

You've already toured quite a bit this year, what does the rest of 2008 look like as far astouring?We're doing a week in July with Daughters of the Sun, and then a month on the East coast andMidwest in the fall.

Portfolio

:

Adam

Bubolz

Daughters Of The Sun @ Heliotrope Fest - May 16th, 2008

How does Me and You Cherry Red compare to last year's Virgin Dust American Lips?Were there any major changes as far as writing and recording?"Me and You Cherry Red," was more of a focused mood where all of the stuff was written atthe same time as opposed to assembling and organizing a portion of the songs we wrote overthe first year of being a band. "Virgin Dust..." was done in a studio, whereas "Cherry Red"was recorded in our practice space by us. Doing it ourselves gave everything a more laidback feel and it was easier to experiment because we didn't have the stress of wasting any-one's time but our own.

Was there any pressure to put out another album so soon, or was it more of a naturaloccurrence?We just got home from tour and were so eager to write new stuff that it came about really nat-urally. The only pressure we felt was having it live up to our expectations. It was all writtenand recorded in a little over two months. A lot of late nights and doubts about the recordingtechnique but it all just kind of worked itself out.

What inspires your songwriting?People and America. I know that sounds awfully dumb, but it's such an interesting place tolive and there are some fucking strange people here, and touring really opened our eyes tothat. The best part of traveling so much is that it takes you out of you perceived comfortzone every night and forces you to adapt to your situation. There are times where it makesyou feel like half a person and others when you find yourself having one of the best conversa-tions of your life with someone you wouldn't have met under any other circumstance, and it'sreally exciting. This country is so huge and bizarre, it's indescribable, but we try, hahaha.

Favorite local bands to play with?There is so much great and interesting stuff right now that I'm afraid I'll leave someone off,but a short list would definitely include: Daughters of the Sun, Skoal Kodiak, To Kill a PettyBourgeoise, STNNNG, Blind Shake, Birthday Suits, Tender Meat, Private Dancer, SpiritualMansions, Mute Era, Pet.s, Gay Beast, Sarah Johnson, Knife World um...I know I'm forgettingsome, but that's just off the top of my head.

You've already toured quite a bit this year, what does the rest of 2008 look like as far astouring?We're doing a week in July with Daughters of the Sun, and then a month on the East coast andMidwest in the fall.

Portfolio

:

Adam

Bubolz

Daughters Of The Sun @ Heliotrope Fest - May 16th, 2008

Page 26: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Has the increase in gas prices put a strain on touring and playing out oftown?Getting out west has become more difficult for sure. Most of the drives arelong and coming from Minneapolis, there's not really a quick way to get outthere. It's too bad because some of our favorite places to play likeMissoula or Oakland aren't easily accessible, it's not like you can just dothem on the weekend.

What do you do on the road to keep yourselves occupied betweenshows?We listen to and talk about music. It seems like such an obvious answer,but it eats up probably 90% of our time. Some of us will be reading orsleeping and a song will come on that sparks this huge debate of whether ornot it's good, and what's good or bad about the production. I think touringhas helped us all become so much more aware of what we like and whatmakes an album stand up to repeated listens. We listened to "Time of theLast Persecution" by Bill Fay upwards of maybe 15-20 times this last tour,almost once a day. The fact that we could do that not only speaks volumesabout how amazing that record is, but also gives us the drive to createsomething as timeless and addictive.

How was SXSW this year? Any memorable moments or performances?SXSW was fun, I guess. Hahaha, that sounds so shitty, but we were there for a total of 35 hours, 10 of which were dedicated to sleeping, so it wasn't like we were able tosoak it in. We went to a party on a bridge where Pissed Jeans and Fucked Up were playing at 2 in the morning but got bored and went and got some burritos.

Last year you asked fans to design a t-shirt for you. Any plans for more art contests and such?Probably, we're still getting used to the idea of having other people do artwork for us, but if we like something we're always up for using it.

Where can people find your album?Treehouse, Roadrunner, Cheapo, Electric Fetus, and Eclipse for sure. You could also download it on any number of torrent sites.

“This country is so huge andbizarre, it’s indescribable” Tyler Benson, backside nosegrind. Lakeville Timmy Johnson, ollie. Farmington

Has the increase in gas prices put a strain on touring and playing out oftown?Getting out west has become more difficult for sure. Most of the drives arelong and coming from Minneapolis, there's not really a quick way to get outthere. It's too bad because some of our favorite places to play likeMissoula or Oakland aren't easily accessible, it's not like you can just dothem on the weekend.

What do you do on the road to keep yourselves occupied betweenshows?We listen to and talk about music. It seems like such an obvious answer,but it eats up probably 90% of our time. Some of us will be reading orsleeping and a song will come on that sparks this huge debate of whether ornot it's good, and what's good or bad about the production. I think touringhas helped us all become so much more aware of what we like and whatmakes an album stand up to repeated listens. We listened to "Time of theLast Persecution" by Bill Fay upwards of maybe 15-20 times this last tour,almost once a day. The fact that we could do that not only speaks volumesabout how amazing that record is, but also gives us the drive to createsomething as timeless and addictive.

How was SXSW this year? Any memorable moments or performances?SXSW was fun, I guess. Hahaha, that sounds so shitty, but we were there for a total of 35 hours, 10 of which were dedicated to sleeping, so it wasn't like we were able tosoak it in. We went to a party on a bridge where Pissed Jeans and Fucked Up were playing at 2 in the morning but got bored and went and got some burritos.

Last year you asked fans to design a t-shirt for you. Any plans for more art contests and such?Probably, we're still getting used to the idea of having other people do artwork for us, but if we like something we're always up for using it.

Where can people find your album?Treehouse, Roadrunner, Cheapo, Electric Fetus, and Eclipse for sure. You could also download it on any number of torrent sites.

“This country is so huge andbizarre, it’s indescribable” Tyler Benson, backside nosegrind. Lakeville Timmy Johnson, ollie. Farmington

Page 27: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Nate Reimnitz, back heel. Burnsville Popcorn, polejam. Bridge Spot

Nate Reimnitz, back heel. Burnsville Popcorn, polejam. Bridge Spot

Page 28: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Nick Wosika“My camera has allowed

me to see some prettyamazing things.”

Charlie Hussman, wallplant. Midwest Skatepark

Do you prefer film or digital, or both?My life is based on two things, instant gratification and karma. Digital forsure.

To you, what is the hardest part about photography?Keeping enough charged batteries with you.

Do you have a favorite photo of your own? Of someone else's?I have a few favorites. My dog Fender and my ’66 Fender Bassman. MarionGaboriks goal celebration. Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes at the FineLine. A studio shot of Nate Paulson who skates for me at Renegade. Andany picture I have ever taken of my niece Jessica or my wife Anna.

Any photographers you admire?I am not all that into famous photographers and such. I can probably namefive and three of them are skate photographers.

Which do you like better, skate or snowboard photography?Skating for sure. Cold weather wreaks havoc on your gear and metering inthe snow is a pain. Plus it’s cold. Plus in snowboarding the riders usuallyhave their faces covered. I like to see the emotion in the face and what theeyes are doing.

How or where can people see your work?Hopefully on the cover of this issue. (laughs) My website www.letter3pho-tography.com The Renegade website www.renegadeboardshop.com I have photos all over myspace of various Minneapolis based bands andcountless skateboarders. I am trying to put a show together this summer.That’s about it.

Nate Paulson, rock to fakie. The Barn

Nick Wosika“My camera has allowed

me to see some prettyamazing things.”

Charlie Hussman, wallplant. Midwest Skatepark

Do you prefer film or digital, or both?My life is based on two things, instant gratification and karma. Digital forsure.

To you, what is the hardest part about photography?Keeping enough charged batteries with you.

Do you have a favorite photo of your own? Of someone else's?I have a few favorites. My dog Fender and my ’66 Fender Bassman. MarionGaboriks goal celebration. Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes at the FineLine. A studio shot of Nate Paulson who skates for me at Renegade. Andany picture I have ever taken of my niece Jessica or my wife Anna.

Any photographers you admire?I am not all that into famous photographers and such. I can probably namefive and three of them are skate photographers.

Which do you like better, skate or snowboard photography?Skating for sure. Cold weather wreaks havoc on your gear and metering inthe snow is a pain. Plus it’s cold. Plus in snowboarding the riders usuallyhave their faces covered. I like to see the emotion in the face and what theeyes are doing.

How or where can people see your work?Hopefully on the cover of this issue. (laughs) My website www.letter3pho-tography.com The Renegade website www.renegadeboardshop.com I have photos all over myspace of various Minneapolis based bands andcountless skateboarders. I am trying to put a show together this summer.That’s about it.

Nate Paulson, rock to fakie. The Barn

Page 29: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

How did you get into photography? What draws you to it?Photography is something I’ve always wanted to do but growing up we didn’treally have the money for it. So when I got to that point in my life when Istarted making some decent money a camera was my first purchase. Theadventure of getting the shot is what draws me to it. My camera has allowedme to see some pretty amazing things.

Do you have formal training or are you self taught?I attended Hennepin Technical College for one year shortly after I bought myfirst camera. They had two tracks you could follow. Shoot weddings and por-traits or go to the commercial side of things and shoot beer bottles and such.Both bore the living piss out of me. I wanted to be a photojournalist andshoot sports and rock shows. I asked the photo guys at HTC if they coulddesign a curriculum for what I wanted to do. I told them were a lot of peopleout there just like me who didn’t want to shoot weddings. They weren’t hav-ing it so I dipped. They next day I e-mailed every newspaper I could lookingfor a part-time job. I got one call back. It was from the Faribault Daily News.The photo editor said bring down some samples. I brought down like 10 pho-tos in a manila envelope. So bush league but the guy hired me. He gave me abag of gear and said go shoot this volleyball game. I look in the bag and therewas a Nikon D1X. I had never used a digital camera before let alone a D1X.Those things were like five g at the time. I looked back up at him and said,“You got a manual for this thing?”. He laughed. Handed me the manual and Ileft. I had just become a professional photographer.

Andy Eline, tree jam to fakie. Spirit Mountain

What was your first camera that you bought before the D1X from theDaily News?I had a canon rebel. A 2000 I believe. I bought a slow telephoto lens and areal nice 50mm.

Do you prefer black and white or color?It depends on the subject. When I shoot bands I love black and white. Forskating and such definitely color.

Where has photography taken you? Any plans to travel?I have been on the bench for Wild games. In the dugout for Twins games. Ihave gotten to meet and see a lot of really cool people in and around theMinneapolis music scene. As far as travel goes I may have an opportunity togo on the Dew Tour this winter. I probably just jinxed that though. I'mdown for whatever as long as it's fun.

Last time you said "Damn, I wish I had my camera right now."I pretty much always have a camera on me. Either the crappy snappy or themoney maker. If I have a moment it's usually a conversation with myselflike, "Nick, you idiot, why didn't you shoot that?"

Advice for younger photographers just starting out?Keep shooting. You are gonna fail and that's a good thing. You will learnfrom your mistakes or discover a new method and your photos will get bettereverytime you shoot. That and don't skimp on gear. Save for the good stuff.If you by crap you'll just spend more money in the end.

How many years have you been taking pictures?I’ve been failing constantly for seven years.

Favorite subjects to shoot?Music, skateboarding, and people I love.Matthew Stanek, Buck Hill

How did you get into photography? What draws you to it?Photography is something I’ve always wanted to do but growing up we didn’treally have the money for it. So when I got to that point in my life when Istarted making some decent money a camera was my first purchase. Theadventure of getting the shot is what draws me to it. My camera has allowedme to see some pretty amazing things.

Do you have formal training or are you self taught?I attended Hennepin Technical College for one year shortly after I bought myfirst camera. They had two tracks you could follow. Shoot weddings and por-traits or go to the commercial side of things and shoot beer bottles and such.Both bore the living piss out of me. I wanted to be a photojournalist andshoot sports and rock shows. I asked the photo guys at HTC if they coulddesign a curriculum for what I wanted to do. I told them were a lot of peopleout there just like me who didn’t want to shoot weddings. They weren’t hav-ing it so I dipped. They next day I e-mailed every newspaper I could lookingfor a part-time job. I got one call back. It was from the Faribault Daily News.The photo editor said bring down some samples. I brought down like 10 pho-tos in a manila envelope. So bush league but the guy hired me. He gave me abag of gear and said go shoot this volleyball game. I look in the bag and therewas a Nikon D1X. I had never used a digital camera before let alone a D1X.Those things were like five g at the time. I looked back up at him and said,“You got a manual for this thing?”. He laughed. Handed me the manual and Ileft. I had just become a professional photographer.

Andy Eline, tree jam to fakie. Spirit Mountain

What was your first camera that you bought before the D1X from theDaily News?I had a canon rebel. A 2000 I believe. I bought a slow telephoto lens and areal nice 50mm.

Do you prefer black and white or color?It depends on the subject. When I shoot bands I love black and white. Forskating and such definitely color.

Where has photography taken you? Any plans to travel?I have been on the bench for Wild games. In the dugout for Twins games. Ihave gotten to meet and see a lot of really cool people in and around theMinneapolis music scene. As far as travel goes I may have an opportunity togo on the Dew Tour this winter. I probably just jinxed that though. I'mdown for whatever as long as it's fun.

Last time you said "Damn, I wish I had my camera right now."I pretty much always have a camera on me. Either the crappy snappy or themoney maker. If I have a moment it's usually a conversation with myselflike, "Nick, you idiot, why didn't you shoot that?"

Advice for younger photographers just starting out?Keep shooting. You are gonna fail and that's a good thing. You will learnfrom your mistakes or discover a new method and your photos will get bettereverytime you shoot. That and don't skimp on gear. Save for the good stuff.If you by crap you'll just spend more money in the end.

How many years have you been taking pictures?I’ve been failing constantly for seven years.

Favorite subjects to shoot?Music, skateboarding, and people I love.Matthew Stanek, Buck Hill

Page 30: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Alan Gerlach, front board. Wirth Park Ian Wheat, 5-0. Cannon Falls Kevin Gard, hardflip. Lakeville John Armendariz, kickflip. Mankato

Alan Gerlach, front board. Wirth Park Ian Wheat, 5-0. Cannon Falls Kevin Gard, hardflip. Lakeville John Armendariz, kickflip. Mankato

Page 31: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Alan Gerlach, front board. Wirth Park Ian Wheat, 5-0. Cannon Falls Kevin Gard, hardflip. Lakeville John Armendariz, kickflip. Mankato

Alan Gerlach, front board. Wirth Park Ian Wheat, 5-0. Cannon Falls Kevin Gard, hardflip. Lakeville John Armendariz, kickflip. Mankato

Page 32: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

How did you get into photography? What draws you to it?Photography is something I’ve always wanted to do but growing up we didn’treally have the money for it. So when I got to that point in my life when Istarted making some decent money a camera was my first purchase. Theadventure of getting the shot is what draws me to it. My camera has allowedme to see some pretty amazing things.

Do you have formal training or are you self taught?I attended Hennepin Technical College for one year shortly after I bought myfirst camera. They had two tracks you could follow. Shoot weddings and por-traits or go to the commercial side of things and shoot beer bottles and such.Both bore the living piss out of me. I wanted to be a photojournalist andshoot sports and rock shows. I asked the photo guys at HTC if they coulddesign a curriculum for what I wanted to do. I told them were a lot of peopleout there just like me who didn’t want to shoot weddings. They weren’t hav-ing it so I dipped. They next day I e-mailed every newspaper I could lookingfor a part-time job. I got one call back. It was from the Faribault Daily News.The photo editor said bring down some samples. I brought down like 10 pho-tos in a manila envelope. So bush league but the guy hired me. He gave me abag of gear and said go shoot this volleyball game. I look in the bag and therewas a Nikon D1X. I had never used a digital camera before let alone a D1X.Those things were like five g at the time. I looked back up at him and said,“You got a manual for this thing?”. He laughed. Handed me the manual and Ileft. I had just become a professional photographer.

Andy Eline, tree jam to fakie. Spirit Mountain

What was your first camera that you bought before the D1X from theDaily News?I had a canon rebel. A 2000 I believe. I bought a slow telephoto lens and areal nice 50mm.

Do you prefer black and white or color?It depends on the subject. When I shoot bands I love black and white. Forskating and such definitely color.

Where has photography taken you? Any plans to travel?I have been on the bench for Wild games. In the dugout for Twins games. Ihave gotten to meet and see a lot of really cool people in and around theMinneapolis music scene. As far as travel goes I may have an opportunity togo on the Dew Tour this winter. I probably just jinxed that though. I'mdown for whatever as long as it's fun.

Last time you said "Damn, I wish I had my camera right now."I pretty much always have a camera on me. Either the crappy snappy or themoney maker. If I have a moment it's usually a conversation with myselflike, "Nick, you idiot, why didn't you shoot that?"

Advice for younger photographers just starting out?Keep shooting. You are gonna fail and that's a good thing. You will learnfrom your mistakes or discover a new method and your photos will get bettereverytime you shoot. That and don't skimp on gear. Save for the good stuff.If you by crap you'll just spend more money in the end.

How many years have you been taking pictures?I’ve been failing constantly for seven years.

Favorite subjects to shoot?Music, skateboarding, and people I love.Matthew Stanek, Buck Hill

How did you get into photography? What draws you to it?Photography is something I’ve always wanted to do but growing up we didn’treally have the money for it. So when I got to that point in my life when Istarted making some decent money a camera was my first purchase. Theadventure of getting the shot is what draws me to it. My camera has allowedme to see some pretty amazing things.

Do you have formal training or are you self taught?I attended Hennepin Technical College for one year shortly after I bought myfirst camera. They had two tracks you could follow. Shoot weddings and por-traits or go to the commercial side of things and shoot beer bottles and such.Both bore the living piss out of me. I wanted to be a photojournalist andshoot sports and rock shows. I asked the photo guys at HTC if they coulddesign a curriculum for what I wanted to do. I told them were a lot of peopleout there just like me who didn’t want to shoot weddings. They weren’t hav-ing it so I dipped. They next day I e-mailed every newspaper I could lookingfor a part-time job. I got one call back. It was from the Faribault Daily News.The photo editor said bring down some samples. I brought down like 10 pho-tos in a manila envelope. So bush league but the guy hired me. He gave me abag of gear and said go shoot this volleyball game. I look in the bag and therewas a Nikon D1X. I had never used a digital camera before let alone a D1X.Those things were like five g at the time. I looked back up at him and said,“You got a manual for this thing?”. He laughed. Handed me the manual and Ileft. I had just become a professional photographer.

Andy Eline, tree jam to fakie. Spirit Mountain

What was your first camera that you bought before the D1X from theDaily News?I had a canon rebel. A 2000 I believe. I bought a slow telephoto lens and areal nice 50mm.

Do you prefer black and white or color?It depends on the subject. When I shoot bands I love black and white. Forskating and such definitely color.

Where has photography taken you? Any plans to travel?I have been on the bench for Wild games. In the dugout for Twins games. Ihave gotten to meet and see a lot of really cool people in and around theMinneapolis music scene. As far as travel goes I may have an opportunity togo on the Dew Tour this winter. I probably just jinxed that though. I'mdown for whatever as long as it's fun.

Last time you said "Damn, I wish I had my camera right now."I pretty much always have a camera on me. Either the crappy snappy or themoney maker. If I have a moment it's usually a conversation with myselflike, "Nick, you idiot, why didn't you shoot that?"

Advice for younger photographers just starting out?Keep shooting. You are gonna fail and that's a good thing. You will learnfrom your mistakes or discover a new method and your photos will get bettereverytime you shoot. That and don't skimp on gear. Save for the good stuff.If you by crap you'll just spend more money in the end.

How many years have you been taking pictures?I’ve been failing constantly for seven years.

Favorite subjects to shoot?Music, skateboarding, and people I love.Matthew Stanek, Buck Hill

Page 33: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Nick Wosika“My camera has allowed

me to see some prettyamazing things.”

Charlie Hussman, wallplant. Midwest Skatepark

Do you prefer film or digital, or both?My life is based on two things, instant gratification and karma. Digital forsure.

To you, what is the hardest part about photography?Keeping enough charged batteries with you.

Do you have a favorite photo of your own? Of someone else's?I have a few favorites. My dog Fender and my ’66 Fender Bassman. MarionGaboriks goal celebration. Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes at the FineLine. A studio shot of Nate Paulson who skates for me at Renegade. Andany picture I have ever taken of my niece Jessica or my wife Anna.

Any photographers you admire?I am not all that into famous photographers and such. I can probably namefive and three of them are skate photographers.

Which do you like better, skate or snowboard photography?Skating for sure. Cold weather wreaks havoc on your gear and metering inthe snow is a pain. Plus it’s cold. Plus in snowboarding the riders usuallyhave their faces covered. I like to see the emotion in the face and what theeyes are doing.

How or where can people see your work?Hopefully on the cover of this issue. (laughs) My website www.letter3pho-tography.com The Renegade website www.renegadeboardshop.com I have photos all over myspace of various Minneapolis based bands andcountless skateboarders. I am trying to put a show together this summer.That’s about it.

Nate Paulson, rock to fakie. The Barn

Nick Wosika“My camera has allowed

me to see some prettyamazing things.”

Charlie Hussman, wallplant. Midwest Skatepark

Do you prefer film or digital, or both?My life is based on two things, instant gratification and karma. Digital forsure.

To you, what is the hardest part about photography?Keeping enough charged batteries with you.

Do you have a favorite photo of your own? Of someone else's?I have a few favorites. My dog Fender and my ’66 Fender Bassman. MarionGaboriks goal celebration. Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes at the FineLine. A studio shot of Nate Paulson who skates for me at Renegade. Andany picture I have ever taken of my niece Jessica or my wife Anna.

Any photographers you admire?I am not all that into famous photographers and such. I can probably namefive and three of them are skate photographers.

Which do you like better, skate or snowboard photography?Skating for sure. Cold weather wreaks havoc on your gear and metering inthe snow is a pain. Plus it’s cold. Plus in snowboarding the riders usuallyhave their faces covered. I like to see the emotion in the face and what theeyes are doing.

How or where can people see your work?Hopefully on the cover of this issue. (laughs) My website www.letter3pho-tography.com The Renegade website www.renegadeboardshop.com I have photos all over myspace of various Minneapolis based bands andcountless skateboarders. I am trying to put a show together this summer.That’s about it.

Nate Paulson, rock to fakie. The Barn

Page 34: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Nate Reimnitz, back heel. Burnsville Popcorn, polejam. Bridge Spot

Nate Reimnitz, back heel. Burnsville Popcorn, polejam. Bridge Spot

Page 35: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Has the increase in gas prices put a strain on touring and playing out oftown?Getting out west has become more difficult for sure. Most of the drives arelong and coming from Minneapolis, there's not really a quick way to get outthere. It's too bad because some of our favorite places to play likeMissoula or Oakland aren't easily accessible, it's not like you can just dothem on the weekend.

What do you do on the road to keep yourselves occupied betweenshows?We listen to and talk about music. It seems like such an obvious answer,but it eats up probably 90% of our time. Some of us will be reading orsleeping and a song will come on that sparks this huge debate of whether ornot it's good, and what's good or bad about the production. I think touringhas helped us all become so much more aware of what we like and whatmakes an album stand up to repeated listens. We listened to "Time of theLast Persecution" by Bill Fay upwards of maybe 15-20 times this last tour,almost once a day. The fact that we could do that not only speaks volumesabout how amazing that record is, but also gives us the drive to createsomething as timeless and addictive.

How was SXSW this year? Any memorable moments or performances?SXSW was fun, I guess. Hahaha, that sounds so shitty, but we were there for a total of 35 hours, 10 of which were dedicated to sleeping, so it wasn't like we were able tosoak it in. We went to a party on a bridge where Pissed Jeans and Fucked Up were playing at 2 in the morning but got bored and went and got some burritos.

Last year you asked fans to design a t-shirt for you. Any plans for more art contests and such?Probably, we're still getting used to the idea of having other people do artwork for us, but if we like something we're always up for using it.

Where can people find your album?Treehouse, Roadrunner, Cheapo, Electric Fetus, and Eclipse for sure. You could also download it on any number of torrent sites.

“This country is so huge andbizarre, it’s indescribable” Tyler Benson, backside nosegrind. Lakeville Timmy Johnson, ollie. Farmington

Has the increase in gas prices put a strain on touring and playing out oftown?Getting out west has become more difficult for sure. Most of the drives arelong and coming from Minneapolis, there's not really a quick way to get outthere. It's too bad because some of our favorite places to play likeMissoula or Oakland aren't easily accessible, it's not like you can just dothem on the weekend.

What do you do on the road to keep yourselves occupied betweenshows?We listen to and talk about music. It seems like such an obvious answer,but it eats up probably 90% of our time. Some of us will be reading orsleeping and a song will come on that sparks this huge debate of whether ornot it's good, and what's good or bad about the production. I think touringhas helped us all become so much more aware of what we like and whatmakes an album stand up to repeated listens. We listened to "Time of theLast Persecution" by Bill Fay upwards of maybe 15-20 times this last tour,almost once a day. The fact that we could do that not only speaks volumesabout how amazing that record is, but also gives us the drive to createsomething as timeless and addictive.

How was SXSW this year? Any memorable moments or performances?SXSW was fun, I guess. Hahaha, that sounds so shitty, but we were there for a total of 35 hours, 10 of which were dedicated to sleeping, so it wasn't like we were able tosoak it in. We went to a party on a bridge where Pissed Jeans and Fucked Up were playing at 2 in the morning but got bored and went and got some burritos.

Last year you asked fans to design a t-shirt for you. Any plans for more art contests and such?Probably, we're still getting used to the idea of having other people do artwork for us, but if we like something we're always up for using it.

Where can people find your album?Treehouse, Roadrunner, Cheapo, Electric Fetus, and Eclipse for sure. You could also download it on any number of torrent sites.

“This country is so huge andbizarre, it’s indescribable” Tyler Benson, backside nosegrind. Lakeville Timmy Johnson, ollie. Farmington

Page 36: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

How does Me and You Cherry Red compare to last year's Virgin Dust American Lips?Were there any major changes as far as writing and recording?"Me and You Cherry Red," was more of a focused mood where all of the stuff was written atthe same time as opposed to assembling and organizing a portion of the songs we wrote overthe first year of being a band. "Virgin Dust..." was done in a studio, whereas "Cherry Red"was recorded in our practice space by us. Doing it ourselves gave everything a more laidback feel and it was easier to experiment because we didn't have the stress of wasting any-one's time but our own.

Was there any pressure to put out another album so soon, or was it more of a naturaloccurrence?We just got home from tour and were so eager to write new stuff that it came about really nat-urally. The only pressure we felt was having it live up to our expectations. It was all writtenand recorded in a little over two months. A lot of late nights and doubts about the recordingtechnique but it all just kind of worked itself out.

What inspires your songwriting?People and America. I know that sounds awfully dumb, but it's such an interesting place tolive and there are some fucking strange people here, and touring really opened our eyes tothat. The best part of traveling so much is that it takes you out of you perceived comfortzone every night and forces you to adapt to your situation. There are times where it makesyou feel like half a person and others when you find yourself having one of the best conversa-tions of your life with someone you wouldn't have met under any other circumstance, and it'sreally exciting. This country is so huge and bizarre, it's indescribable, but we try, hahaha.

Favorite local bands to play with?There is so much great and interesting stuff right now that I'm afraid I'll leave someone off,but a short list would definitely include: Daughters of the Sun, Skoal Kodiak, To Kill a PettyBourgeoise, STNNNG, Blind Shake, Birthday Suits, Tender Meat, Private Dancer, SpiritualMansions, Mute Era, Pet.s, Gay Beast, Sarah Johnson, Knife World um...I know I'm forgettingsome, but that's just off the top of my head.

You've already toured quite a bit this year, what does the rest of 2008 look like as far astouring?We're doing a week in July with Daughters of the Sun, and then a month on the East coast andMidwest in the fall.

Portfolio

:

Adam

Bubolz

Daughters Of The Sun @ Heliotrope Fest - May 16th, 2008

How does Me and You Cherry Red compare to last year's Virgin Dust American Lips?Were there any major changes as far as writing and recording?"Me and You Cherry Red," was more of a focused mood where all of the stuff was written atthe same time as opposed to assembling and organizing a portion of the songs we wrote overthe first year of being a band. "Virgin Dust..." was done in a studio, whereas "Cherry Red"was recorded in our practice space by us. Doing it ourselves gave everything a more laidback feel and it was easier to experiment because we didn't have the stress of wasting any-one's time but our own.

Was there any pressure to put out another album so soon, or was it more of a naturaloccurrence?We just got home from tour and were so eager to write new stuff that it came about really nat-urally. The only pressure we felt was having it live up to our expectations. It was all writtenand recorded in a little over two months. A lot of late nights and doubts about the recordingtechnique but it all just kind of worked itself out.

What inspires your songwriting?People and America. I know that sounds awfully dumb, but it's such an interesting place tolive and there are some fucking strange people here, and touring really opened our eyes tothat. The best part of traveling so much is that it takes you out of you perceived comfortzone every night and forces you to adapt to your situation. There are times where it makesyou feel like half a person and others when you find yourself having one of the best conversa-tions of your life with someone you wouldn't have met under any other circumstance, and it'sreally exciting. This country is so huge and bizarre, it's indescribable, but we try, hahaha.

Favorite local bands to play with?There is so much great and interesting stuff right now that I'm afraid I'll leave someone off,but a short list would definitely include: Daughters of the Sun, Skoal Kodiak, To Kill a PettyBourgeoise, STNNNG, Blind Shake, Birthday Suits, Tender Meat, Private Dancer, SpiritualMansions, Mute Era, Pet.s, Gay Beast, Sarah Johnson, Knife World um...I know I'm forgettingsome, but that's just off the top of my head.

You've already toured quite a bit this year, what does the rest of 2008 look like as far astouring?We're doing a week in July with Daughters of the Sun, and then a month on the East coast andMidwest in the fall.

Portfolio

:

Adam

Bubolz

Daughters Of The Sun @ Heliotrope Fest - May 16th, 2008

Page 37: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Interview with Colin Johnson Photography by Adam Bubolz Sarah Johnson @ the Turf Club, St. Paul, MN - January 19th, 2008

Interview with Colin Johnson Photography by Adam Bubolz Sarah Johnson @ the Turf Club, St. Paul, MN - January 19th, 2008

Page 38: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

I said no problem as long as you hang it. It took about four years before somebody finally took advantage of that and once one per-son displayed something we were asked regularly by other customers if they could display something as well. Eventually we hadenough people asking that I figured it made more sense to devote some real space for the art to hang than to keep snowboards on dis-play in the middle of summer. We made a commitment to the customers that have supported us throughout the years.

How does Cal Surf stand out from other Minnesota shops?We have history. We have been around twenty years and that is tough to do in this business. Most people go out of business in adown cycle or they burn out on running a store. It is not a great way to get rich. We care about skateboarding and snowboardingnot just for today but for what they have been and what they will be. It doesn't matter if it is cool to skate tomorrow or not. We willstill be skating. It doesn't matter to us if you skate ditches or boxes, you still skate and we respect that.

How has skateboarding changed since the shop opened twenty years ago?It has grown exponentially and has brought a more diverse population to skateboarding. When I started skating, it was all punkrock, skaters were politically and socially active and you were stoked just to meet another skater that actually lived in your state.You knew every skater in your state. Now there are all types of people skating- creative types, jocks, five year olds, mall kids- who-ever. Skateboarding does not define people that skateboard the way it used to. There are many people who skateboard, but farfewer that are skaters.

You guys recently had an anniversary party and a special shoe release, any other events planned for this year?We definitely have some stuff coming up that we can't discuss yet. We will have a few more art shows, some more special make-upproducts, etc. We play it loose and many of our opportunities are last minute, so you will know when we do.

Will skateboarding ever go back underground?I hope not. There are so many opportunities for skateboarders right now. Lots of kids are sponsored, some pros can make a living,there are more and better parks, a lot of jobs in the skateboarding industry are available... lots of good stuff. However, I hope thingsconstrict a little bit to get all of the people in skateboarding that are just in it to make a buck out of the industry. A kid doesn't learnabout skateboarding at a mall store. If that kid is sold the wrong product and he or she just spent his or her year's allowance on anew complete, it is probably the last skateboard he or she buys. That store will not nurture a skateboarder. I hope our industry doesnot continue to favor chain stores, mail orders, box stores over the independent skate shops. The independent shop gives skate-boarders a place to hang out, meet up, support each other. It supports skateboarders. If skate shops are gone there will be a lotfewer skateboarders coming up. I also think that although skateboarding will never shrink to the paltry number of skaters there waswhen I started, the DIY ethos will always exist in skateboarding. Although there are a ton of kids that skate that aren't "skateboard-ers", skateboarders still work to find their spots or they create them if they can't find a spot. There are more people pouring con-crete, building garage ramps, etc....creating spots. The kids doing small local skateboard companies and local videos also can keepskating underground. So although skating may not go underground, the underground is alive and well in skateboarding!

Ettrick @ Medusa - April 24th, 2008

I said no problem as long as you hang it. It took about four years before somebody finally took advantage of that and once one per-son displayed something we were asked regularly by other customers if they could display something as well. Eventually we hadenough people asking that I figured it made more sense to devote some real space for the art to hang than to keep snowboards on dis-play in the middle of summer. We made a commitment to the customers that have supported us throughout the years.

How does Cal Surf stand out from other Minnesota shops?We have history. We have been around twenty years and that is tough to do in this business. Most people go out of business in adown cycle or they burn out on running a store. It is not a great way to get rich. We care about skateboarding and snowboardingnot just for today but for what they have been and what they will be. It doesn't matter if it is cool to skate tomorrow or not. We willstill be skating. It doesn't matter to us if you skate ditches or boxes, you still skate and we respect that.

How has skateboarding changed since the shop opened twenty years ago?It has grown exponentially and has brought a more diverse population to skateboarding. When I started skating, it was all punkrock, skaters were politically and socially active and you were stoked just to meet another skater that actually lived in your state.You knew every skater in your state. Now there are all types of people skating- creative types, jocks, five year olds, mall kids- who-ever. Skateboarding does not define people that skateboard the way it used to. There are many people who skateboard, but farfewer that are skaters.

You guys recently had an anniversary party and a special shoe release, any other events planned for this year?We definitely have some stuff coming up that we can't discuss yet. We will have a few more art shows, some more special make-upproducts, etc. We play it loose and many of our opportunities are last minute, so you will know when we do.

Will skateboarding ever go back underground?I hope not. There are so many opportunities for skateboarders right now. Lots of kids are sponsored, some pros can make a living,there are more and better parks, a lot of jobs in the skateboarding industry are available... lots of good stuff. However, I hope thingsconstrict a little bit to get all of the people in skateboarding that are just in it to make a buck out of the industry. A kid doesn't learnabout skateboarding at a mall store. If that kid is sold the wrong product and he or she just spent his or her year's allowance on anew complete, it is probably the last skateboard he or she buys. That store will not nurture a skateboarder. I hope our industry doesnot continue to favor chain stores, mail orders, box stores over the independent skate shops. The independent shop gives skate-boarders a place to hang out, meet up, support each other. It supports skateboarders. If skate shops are gone there will be a lotfewer skateboarders coming up. I also think that although skateboarding will never shrink to the paltry number of skaters there waswhen I started, the DIY ethos will always exist in skateboarding. Although there are a ton of kids that skate that aren't "skateboard-ers", skateboarders still work to find their spots or they create them if they can't find a spot. There are more people pouring con-crete, building garage ramps, etc....creating spots. The kids doing small local skateboard companies and local videos also can keepskating underground. So although skating may not go underground, the underground is alive and well in skateboarding!

Ettrick @ Medusa - April 24th, 2008

Page 39: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

What's the story behind the name? Did you used to carry windsurfing gear?I did not name the store, but the story as I know it has the name decided upon because the store sold skateboards andin 1988 there weren't really any skate clothing brands, so surf brands made up the bulk of the clothing inventory. Weare located next to lake Calhoun (hence the Cal) and the Surf was more of a "surf the earth" kind of deal...surf, skate,snowboard. The store never stocked any windsurfing gear.

Has the shop always been in the same location?The store started as part of the bottom floor in this location and we grew to take over the whole building. The size ofthe space definitely limited our growth, but we have our roots in Uptown and there are not too many bigger spaces anddefinitely none we can afford.

Have you ever had plans to open a second store?I would rather find a bigger space than do a second store. I have been approached about buying other shops and con-verting them to Cal Surfs, but I didn't want to take on the headache. If I was to do a second store I would want tostart fresh from top to bottom and design it to our liking.

What has been the most rewarding thing about running the shop?The people I get to associate with on a daily basis. I get to work with skateboarders and snowboarders everyday...from the staff to the customers. Hopefully we help kids make the decision to become a skater or snowboarder forlife rather than just be some kook that bought a skateboard. I get to be around creative people all of the time and Ilearn something new everyday.

What made you decide to turn the second floor into an art gallery?We have many customers that go to school for graphic design, photography, video production, etc. I was approachedby several customers that asked if I would allow them to display art in one of our front windows.

Yearsof Cal Surf20

Interview with Scott Oreschnick

Everybell & Whistle @ the Turf Club - June 5th, 2008

What's the story behind the name? Did you used to carry windsurfing gear?I did not name the store, but the story as I know it has the name decided upon because the store sold skateboards andin 1988 there weren't really any skate clothing brands, so surf brands made up the bulk of the clothing inventory. Weare located next to lake Calhoun (hence the Cal) and the Surf was more of a "surf the earth" kind of deal...surf, skate,snowboard. The store never stocked any windsurfing gear.

Has the shop always been in the same location?The store started as part of the bottom floor in this location and we grew to take over the whole building. The size ofthe space definitely limited our growth, but we have our roots in Uptown and there are not too many bigger spaces anddefinitely none we can afford.

Have you ever had plans to open a second store?I would rather find a bigger space than do a second store. I have been approached about buying other shops and con-verting them to Cal Surfs, but I didn't want to take on the headache. If I was to do a second store I would want tostart fresh from top to bottom and design it to our liking.

What has been the most rewarding thing about running the shop?The people I get to associate with on a daily basis. I get to work with skateboarders and snowboarders everyday...from the staff to the customers. Hopefully we help kids make the decision to become a skater or snowboarder forlife rather than just be some kook that bought a skateboard. I get to be around creative people all of the time and Ilearn something new everyday.

What made you decide to turn the second floor into an art gallery?We have many customers that go to school for graphic design, photography, video production, etc. I was approachedby several customers that asked if I would allow them to display art in one of our front windows.

Yearsof Cal Surf20

Interview with Scott Oreschnick

Everybell & Whistle @ the Turf Club - June 5th, 2008

Page 40: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Do you feel that it is more important for fans to see your live performance than to listen athome? What can people expect from your show?We are firm believers in live music, but also realize that that's not always possible. We are try-ing to capture the energy of of live show as best we can on our recordings, but they're kind oftwo different things. We are really trying to emphasize performance as an art form, even inrecordings. And that might seem like a strange thing to say about recording, cause that's thepoint, but what I mean is an unmediated kind of performance that doesn't involve computer cor-rection. It seems like a lot of records these days, especially pop records, are so tweaked on ProTools that it just kills a lot of the vibe cause it all ends up sounding like it was made by robots.Everyone wants to go back in and make sure that every drum hit is spot on and every vocal ispitch corrected and all that. Where we're coming from is that you should just be good enoughto perform it on the recording and let it stand cause there's some things that computers just can'temulate. And I know all this sounds weird, cause I play the computer, for fuck's sake, but hey,DB is built on paradox and hyperbole. We're also not the type of group to go into the studioand write and then perform it. We generally write our songs and then perform them out for atleast six months so we can tweak them to people's reaction before we think about recordingthem.

What is the wildest thing that has happened on stage during your set?We had some poor gentleman who was rather intoxicated try and clamber onto stage, trip overthe monitor, and then fall and crack his head open on the floor of the Entry. Bad scene, para-medics, stop the show, all that. Yeah, don't do that.

What does the future hold for Dance Band?We're just going to keep hittin' it as hard as we can and see what happens. We're recording anEP next month that is really exciting. The working title is Geekadelic. That should hopefullybe out in November if everything goes well. But yeah, we'll just keep on buildin' it!

“We're just going to keep hittin'it as hard as we can and see

what happens”Photo by Darin Back

Knife World @ the Organ Haus - January 11th, 2008

Do you feel that it is more important for fans to see your live performance than to listen athome? What can people expect from your show?We are firm believers in live music, but also realize that that's not always possible. We are try-ing to capture the energy of of live show as best we can on our recordings, but they're kind oftwo different things. We are really trying to emphasize performance as an art form, even inrecordings. And that might seem like a strange thing to say about recording, cause that's thepoint, but what I mean is an unmediated kind of performance that doesn't involve computer cor-rection. It seems like a lot of records these days, especially pop records, are so tweaked on ProTools that it just kills a lot of the vibe cause it all ends up sounding like it was made by robots.Everyone wants to go back in and make sure that every drum hit is spot on and every vocal ispitch corrected and all that. Where we're coming from is that you should just be good enoughto perform it on the recording and let it stand cause there's some things that computers just can'temulate. And I know all this sounds weird, cause I play the computer, for fuck's sake, but hey,DB is built on paradox and hyperbole. We're also not the type of group to go into the studioand write and then perform it. We generally write our songs and then perform them out for atleast six months so we can tweak them to people's reaction before we think about recordingthem.

What is the wildest thing that has happened on stage during your set?We had some poor gentleman who was rather intoxicated try and clamber onto stage, trip overthe monitor, and then fall and crack his head open on the floor of the Entry. Bad scene, para-medics, stop the show, all that. Yeah, don't do that.

What does the future hold for Dance Band?We're just going to keep hittin' it as hard as we can and see what happens. We're recording anEP next month that is really exciting. The working title is Geekadelic. That should hopefullybe out in November if everything goes well. But yeah, we'll just keep on buildin' it!

“We're just going to keep hittin'it as hard as we can and see

what happens”Photo by Darin Back

Knife World @ the Organ Haus - January 11th, 2008

Page 41: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Photo by Alexa Jones

“We are really trying toemphasize performance as

an art form”Malachi Constant @ the Turf Club - May 31st, 2008

Photo by Alexa Jones

“We are really trying toemphasize performance as

an art form”Malachi Constant @ the Turf Club - May 31st, 2008

Page 42: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Interview with Spacebar

“We are trying to make the best music and thebest performance that we are able to”

You came to the Twin Cities from Gammalon because it was in desper-ate need of booty shaking lessons. Do you feel other cities are lessinhibited? It seems us Minnesotans are prone to standing still withour arms crossed at shows.We frankly haven't been to that many other cities yet, but no, they're just asinhibited. Most of the time when we play for a crowd that hasn't seen usbefore there's a lot of blank stares, like, who the hell are these people? Ithink that people expect that we are putting them on, that we're playingsome kind of joke on them, but it's really pretty straight forward and usual-ly by the middle of the set folks have warmed up a bit and start getting intoit, which is always great cause it allows us to be more into it and we put ona better show as a result. We're really a fairly ridiculous thing to be con-fronted with cold, y'know? But even though our act is ridiculous inappearance, we are trying to make the best music and the best performancethat we are able to; it's just put through this lens of our personalities andthe fact that we think we should be having as much fun as possible.There's no point in trying to sit there and act cool, you gotta put yourselfout there.

Video evidence suggests that your mission has been very successful.Have you gotten the response you were hoping for from audience mem-bers?Absolutely. This whole thing would fail utterly if people weren't into it.It's really a big collaboration between us and the audience.

As I said before, when the crowd is feeling the show it really changes thedynamics of your performance and makes the whole show better.

How did it feel to receive Picked to Click and Best Live Artist lastyear? Did it come as a surprise?It was pretty rad. We had something of a hint about the Picked To Clickthing, but the Best Live Artist was a complete surprise. I picked up theCity Pages one day and it was like "what the"?

You guys have such a funky sound. Who influences you musically?We are all over the place. I think pretty much everyone in the band is into different things. None of us had ever made dance music before. Togive you a run down of some of the big ones: Fugazi, Talking Heads,Parliament, Hall & Oats, Fela Kuti, Giorgio Moroder, Marvin Gaye, a lot ofolder stuff. And a lot of stuff that should probably never be put togetherinto one thing.

Who are some of your favorite bands to play with?There are a lot of excellent bands in the twin cities right now. Best FriendsForever, Fort Wilson Riot, Mystery Palace, The Battle Royale, Mel Gibson& The Pants, Nobot, MUte ErA, A Paper Cup Band, Screamin Cyn Cyn &The Pons (they're from Madison).

Ghostface Cow @ Stasiu's, Minneapolis, MN - May 9th, 2008

Interview with Spacebar

“We are trying to make the best music and thebest performance that we are able to”

You came to the Twin Cities from Gammalon because it was in desper-ate need of booty shaking lessons. Do you feel other cities are lessinhibited? It seems us Minnesotans are prone to standing still withour arms crossed at shows.We frankly haven't been to that many other cities yet, but no, they're just asinhibited. Most of the time when we play for a crowd that hasn't seen usbefore there's a lot of blank stares, like, who the hell are these people? Ithink that people expect that we are putting them on, that we're playingsome kind of joke on them, but it's really pretty straight forward and usual-ly by the middle of the set folks have warmed up a bit and start getting intoit, which is always great cause it allows us to be more into it and we put ona better show as a result. We're really a fairly ridiculous thing to be con-fronted with cold, y'know? But even though our act is ridiculous inappearance, we are trying to make the best music and the best performancethat we are able to; it's just put through this lens of our personalities andthe fact that we think we should be having as much fun as possible.There's no point in trying to sit there and act cool, you gotta put yourselfout there.

Video evidence suggests that your mission has been very successful.Have you gotten the response you were hoping for from audience mem-bers?Absolutely. This whole thing would fail utterly if people weren't into it.It's really a big collaboration between us and the audience.

As I said before, when the crowd is feeling the show it really changes thedynamics of your performance and makes the whole show better.

How did it feel to receive Picked to Click and Best Live Artist lastyear? Did it come as a surprise?It was pretty rad. We had something of a hint about the Picked To Clickthing, but the Best Live Artist was a complete surprise. I picked up theCity Pages one day and it was like "what the"?

You guys have such a funky sound. Who influences you musically?We are all over the place. I think pretty much everyone in the band is into different things. None of us had ever made dance music before. Togive you a run down of some of the big ones: Fugazi, Talking Heads,Parliament, Hall & Oats, Fela Kuti, Giorgio Moroder, Marvin Gaye, a lot ofolder stuff. And a lot of stuff that should probably never be put togetherinto one thing.

Who are some of your favorite bands to play with?There are a lot of excellent bands in the twin cities right now. Best FriendsForever, Fort Wilson Riot, Mystery Palace, The Battle Royale, Mel Gibson& The Pants, Nobot, MUte ErA, A Paper Cup Band, Screamin Cyn Cyn &The Pons (they're from Madison).

Ghostface Cow @ Stasiu's, Minneapolis, MN - May 9th, 2008

Page 43: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

dbDance BandDance Band

Clap your hands like thisClap your hands like thisPhoto by Darin Back

Weather Is Happening @ the Turf Club - June 5th, 2008

dbDance BandDance Band

Clap your hands like thisClap your hands like thisPhoto by Darin Back

Weather Is Happening @ the Turf Club - June 5th, 2008

Page 44: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

variancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevvaarr iiaanncceeBoring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring BoringZach PlagueZach Plague aka Zach Dodson is a very talented graphicdesigner by trade. Going into this book, Zach created animage for this book that is rarely seen in mainstream pub-lishing. Zach gave each character their own font and boldedand italicized words to show emphasis. Choosing to designthe book at its signature stage, 16 pages on one sheet, Zachnot only designed a cool looking book but large posters thatgo along with it. It is truly something that has to been seento understand. The story details the troubled relationship ofOllister and Adelaide and the mysterious grey papers thatOllister needs find before the Platypus gets his hands onthem. An intriguing story that will surprise you with eachplot twist and development.(Featherproof Books)

Randy Laybourne ZinesRandy Laybourne has been making thesezines for a while now and they keep get-ting better and better. His two latest zinesare filled with Randy's signature pho-tograpy and art. "It's Time For DinnerBut Nobody's Hungry" features guestartists Pete Taras, Dustin Koop, JasonLee, Pam Gilmour, and StellaMuehlhausen and "Time and Place" fea-ture guest artists Aaron Martinz, MelKadel, and Travis Millard.

Dudes Dudes DudesThis is a free video from DVSshoes, featuring the excellent skat-ing of Kerry Getz, Daewon Song,Jeron Wilson, Zared Bassett, ToreyPudwill, Chico Brenes, SteveBerra, Mark Baines, Paul Shier,and many more. It’s a straightfor-ward video, no B.S. or flair, justgood skating. Pretty much whatyou’d expect. Some good tunes byThe Hidden Cameras, M Ward,Jens Lekman, Black Mountain, anold song I forgot about by ZeroZero, and a hilarious song by theGreenskeepers that features linesfrom Silence of the Lambs. Putthe lotion in the basket.

Susio’s Dirty NutsGet your hands on these dirty nuts.Quality 1” all black skate hard-ware. Check out Susios.com tofind out how you can get a set ofyour own, or scout out your localMN shops and parks.

Portfolio

:

Laura

Austin

Seth

variancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevariancevvaarr iiaanncceeBoring Boring Boring Boring Boring Boring BoringZach PlagueZach Plague aka Zach Dodson is a very talented graphicdesigner by trade. Going into this book, Zach created animage for this book that is rarely seen in mainstream pub-lishing. Zach gave each character their own font and boldedand italicized words to show emphasis. Choosing to designthe book at its signature stage, 16 pages on one sheet, Zachnot only designed a cool looking book but large posters thatgo along with it. It is truly something that has to been seento understand. The story details the troubled relationship ofOllister and Adelaide and the mysterious grey papers thatOllister needs find before the Platypus gets his hands onthem. An intriguing story that will surprise you with eachplot twist and development.(Featherproof Books)

Randy Laybourne ZinesRandy Laybourne has been making thesezines for a while now and they keep get-ting better and better. His two latest zinesare filled with Randy's signature pho-tograpy and art. "It's Time For DinnerBut Nobody's Hungry" features guestartists Pete Taras, Dustin Koop, JasonLee, Pam Gilmour, and StellaMuehlhausen and "Time and Place" fea-ture guest artists Aaron Martinz, MelKadel, and Travis Millard.

Dudes Dudes DudesThis is a free video from DVSshoes, featuring the excellent skat-ing of Kerry Getz, Daewon Song,Jeron Wilson, Zared Bassett, ToreyPudwill, Chico Brenes, SteveBerra, Mark Baines, Paul Shier,and many more. It’s a straightfor-ward video, no B.S. or flair, justgood skating. Pretty much whatyou’d expect. Some good tunes byThe Hidden Cameras, M Ward,Jens Lekman, Black Mountain, anold song I forgot about by ZeroZero, and a hilarious song by theGreenskeepers that features linesfrom Silence of the Lambs. Putthe lotion in the basket.

Susio’s Dirty NutsGet your hands on these dirty nuts.Quality 1” all black skate hard-ware. Check out Susios.com tofind out how you can get a set ofyour own, or scout out your localMN shops and parks.

Portfolio

:

Laura

Austin

Seth

Page 45: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

CHANGE IN SOUNDV/AKeep Singing! A Benefit for Compassion Over Killing CompilationThis is a benefit CD for Compassion Over Killing, an animal rights group. The album featuresexclusive tracks by Strike Anywhere, Life at these Speeds, Des Ark, Gina Young, and more. Most ofthe artists are either from the singer/songwriter or heavy punk/post punk genres. As a bonus to thisCD, the Liner notes feature selected vegetarian recipes from the artists on the CD, plus a PDF versionthat you can share. (Exotic Fever)

When Dinosaurs Ruled the EarthNot NoiiceThis duel drummed, duel guitared, duel vocaled beast known as When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth have a sound that is big as a dinosaur. If you cloned Milemarker a couple of times and made

them record an album with their original human selves, the result would be Not Noiice. (Chalk Circle Records)

Young WidowsOld WoundsYoung Widows is a band that feels most comfortable playing live. "Old Wounds" was recorded overthe course of a few live shows and in studio performances, then all the best parts pieced together tocreate the best sounding song. "Old Wounds' goes far and above their previous album "Settle DownCity" and it puts them at a greater distance than their previous band Breather Resist. An excellentsophomore album. (Temporary Residence)

JacksonknifeYou Don't Know What You're Talking AboutJackson Knife is a band from NYC who blend Maritime-esque jams with controlled genre switching.Throughout this EP, Jacksonknife easily switches genres from horn-laden rock to string accompaniedfolk songs. This 6 song EP is a great intro to this band. (Self-Released)

Jackson UnitedHarmony and DissidenceI don't know how Chris Shiflett divides his time between playing in the Foo Fighters and writingsongs for his band Jackson United. It's a shame that the music media only focuses on Dave Grohl'smusical outputs, because Shiflett's Jackson United continuously writes great music. "Harmony andDissidence" has currently only been physically released in Japan and Australia and digitally in theU.S. (Liberator Music)

HecubaSirI guess I don't get this band. Devendra Banhart says that “They are best band in LA”. I turned off thealbum before it was even halfway through. There is an odd mixture of musical influences representedin each song, such as: doo-wop, down tempo cartoon music, video game drone, and techno. (ManimalVinyl)

Son, AmbulanceSomeone Else's Déjà VuDrenched in 60's and 70's pop and psychedelia, Son, Ambulance that at sometimes sounds good and bad. The opening track, " A Girl in New York City",starts out at a fast tempo, with a Paul Simon feel, while the next track,"Legend of Lizeth", lead singer Joseph Knapp makes it sound like a cheesyAdam Sandler love song. The rest of the album is hit or miss.(Saddle Creek)

DaedelusLove To Make Music ToI was quite pleased with the first track, "Fair Weather Friends", off ofDaedulus's new long player, "Love To make Music To". It is an upbeat dancesong complete with hand claps and a driving melody. I was hoping the rest ofthe album would be in the same vain, but I was sadly mistaken. "Love To makeMusic To" sees Daedelus using rap artists over his beats, which is a nicechange but the rapper has to be good for it to work. Here, some do and somedon't. (Ninja Tune)

NarrowsS/T 7" EPFans of Botch will instantly recognize the vocals on this 3 song EP, because they are none other thanex-Botch vocalist Dave Verellen's. This band also features members of Tropics, These Arms areSnakes, Makeout Boys, and Some Girls. Narrows sounds a lot like Botch, but you can't fuck with theoriginal. (Deathwish Inc.)

Ebo

Album Reviews by Adam Sever

CHANGE IN SOUNDV/AKeep Singing! A Benefit for Compassion Over Killing CompilationThis is a benefit CD for Compassion Over Killing, an animal rights group. The album featuresexclusive tracks by Strike Anywhere, Life at these Speeds, Des Ark, Gina Young, and more. Most ofthe artists are either from the singer/songwriter or heavy punk/post punk genres. As a bonus to thisCD, the Liner notes feature selected vegetarian recipes from the artists on the CD, plus a PDF versionthat you can share. (Exotic Fever)

When Dinosaurs Ruled the EarthNot NoiiceThis duel drummed, duel guitared, duel vocaled beast known as When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth have a sound that is big as a dinosaur. If you cloned Milemarker a couple of times and made

them record an album with their original human selves, the result would be Not Noiice. (Chalk Circle Records)

Young WidowsOld WoundsYoung Widows is a band that feels most comfortable playing live. "Old Wounds" was recorded overthe course of a few live shows and in studio performances, then all the best parts pieced together tocreate the best sounding song. "Old Wounds' goes far and above their previous album "Settle DownCity" and it puts them at a greater distance than their previous band Breather Resist. An excellentsophomore album. (Temporary Residence)

JacksonknifeYou Don't Know What You're Talking AboutJackson Knife is a band from NYC who blend Maritime-esque jams with controlled genre switching.Throughout this EP, Jacksonknife easily switches genres from horn-laden rock to string accompaniedfolk songs. This 6 song EP is a great intro to this band. (Self-Released)

Jackson UnitedHarmony and DissidenceI don't know how Chris Shiflett divides his time between playing in the Foo Fighters and writingsongs for his band Jackson United. It's a shame that the music media only focuses on Dave Grohl'smusical outputs, because Shiflett's Jackson United continuously writes great music. "Harmony andDissidence" has currently only been physically released in Japan and Australia and digitally in theU.S. (Liberator Music)

HecubaSirI guess I don't get this band. Devendra Banhart says that “They are best band in LA”. I turned off thealbum before it was even halfway through. There is an odd mixture of musical influences representedin each song, such as: doo-wop, down tempo cartoon music, video game drone, and techno. (ManimalVinyl)

Son, AmbulanceSomeone Else's Déjà VuDrenched in 60's and 70's pop and psychedelia, Son, Ambulance that at sometimes sounds good and bad. The opening track, " A Girl in New York City",starts out at a fast tempo, with a Paul Simon feel, while the next track,"Legend of Lizeth", lead singer Joseph Knapp makes it sound like a cheesyAdam Sandler love song. The rest of the album is hit or miss.(Saddle Creek)

DaedelusLove To Make Music ToI was quite pleased with the first track, "Fair Weather Friends", off ofDaedulus's new long player, "Love To make Music To". It is an upbeat dancesong complete with hand claps and a driving melody. I was hoping the rest ofthe album would be in the same vain, but I was sadly mistaken. "Love To makeMusic To" sees Daedelus using rap artists over his beats, which is a nicechange but the rapper has to be good for it to work. Here, some do and somedon't. (Ninja Tune)

NarrowsS/T 7" EPFans of Botch will instantly recognize the vocals on this 3 song EP, because they are none other thanex-Botch vocalist Dave Verellen's. This band also features members of Tropics, These Arms areSnakes, Makeout Boys, and Some Girls. Narrows sounds a lot like Botch, but you can't fuck with theoriginal. (Deathwish Inc.)

Ebo

Album Reviews by Adam Sever

Page 46: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

RahimLaughterThis bands name reminds me of 90's rap artists Eric B and Rakim, but "Laughter" is nothing like rapmusic. At all. Each listen of the album reveals increasingly complex melodies, varying vocal har-monies and a wide array of musical instruments, including horns, vibraphones and garbage cans.(Pretty Activity Records)

Robert Scott ThompsonPoesis Athesis"Poesis Athesis" is the latest release by internationally acclaimed (really?) composer RobertScott Thompson and is an astoundingly long album at nearly 78 minutes. It was is was originally writ-ten to accompany Chi Kung Master Terrence Dunn’s video series, the Flying Phoenix form of ChiKung, a slow form Tai Chi exercise. These would be great for Tai Chi, the songs are slow moving andintricate. If listening to this for any other reason though, it may cause sleepiness. (Lens Records)

Russian CirclesStationRussian Circles took hold of the instrumental metal genre with their 2006 release of Enter and arenow back with a new label and a new member. Brian Cook of Botch and These Arms Are Snakeslends his bass abilities and his influences are felt on this release. Just listen to “Harper Lewis” for agood example of Brian’s thick bass licks. Station begs to be listened to on a stereo system with largespeakers. An ipod will not due this album justice. (Suicide Squeeze Records)

The Saint Alvia CartelS/TThis album sounds like a bunch of dudes hanging out writing music and having a blast doing it. Lotsof group vocals with organ accompaniment. Influences from many genres can be heard on this albumfrom The Hold Steady to melodic hardcore to ska core. The energy exuded from this album is conta-gious. (Stomp Records)

Scott Reynolds & The Steaming BeastAdventure BoyThis band is lead by Scott Reynolds, former vocalist of ALL, and is the kind of music an agingrocker is expected to make that has a Dave Matthews quality to it. Adventure Boy walks the linebetween classic indie pop rock with influences from Pinback and Crystal Skulls to lounge music. It’san overall pleasant listen, but nothing mind-blowing. (Suburban Home Records)

CHANGE IN SOUNDScream HelloSmart & Stupid EPThis EP from Scream Hello is a precursor to their new full length that is due out in a few months.They have a Braid/Hey Mercedes sound going on, but in with more punk roots. If their upcoming fulllength sounds anything like this, we are all in for a treat. (Red Leader Records)

Static Radio NJAn Evening of Bad Decisions..."An Evening of Bad Decisions..." starts off high paced and never lets up. They have a stylesimilar to Lifetime and the intensity to match. "An Evening of Bad Decisions..." is an all around wellwritten punk album. Take a chance and give it a listen. (Black Numbers)

StepsondayLittle LightStepsonday is a duo of brothers from Santa Monica, CA with a vocalist that sounds a little likeWeezer’s Rivers Cuomo. They craft perfect little pop songs similar to Weezer, that are honest andheartfelt. Some might say that Stepsonday play it safe with this release and don’t take enough chanceswith the music, which is true, there is a certain amount of familiarity with this album and the genre itcomes from. (One Eleven Records)

Them,Roaring TwentiesFuture SandwichThem, Roaring Twenties sound is very similar to citymates Maps and Atlases, but the differences arein the vocals of each band. The sparse vocals of Them, Roaring Twenties are usually changed withcomputer effects or quick talking/screams, while Maps and Atlases vocals are high pitched and dis-cernable. This album is packaged with a mini board game that allows you to travel the streets ofChicago. (Sickroom Records)

They and the ChildrenHomeThey and the Children fuse ambient noise with hardcore which creates a feeling of an experimentalFrom Ashes Rise. "Home" is an all out assault on your ears and mind with nearly forty minutes ofbrain splitting hardcore. With this release, they have found a place that few have traveled, and areblazing new trails in the process. (Kill Normal)

Issa

RahimLaughterThis bands name reminds me of 90's rap artists Eric B and Rakim, but "Laughter" is nothing like rapmusic. At all. Each listen of the album reveals increasingly complex melodies, varying vocal har-monies and a wide array of musical instruments, including horns, vibraphones and garbage cans.(Pretty Activity Records)

Robert Scott ThompsonPoesis Athesis"Poesis Athesis" is the latest release by internationally acclaimed (really?) composer RobertScott Thompson and is an astoundingly long album at nearly 78 minutes. It was is was originally writ-ten to accompany Chi Kung Master Terrence Dunn’s video series, the Flying Phoenix form of ChiKung, a slow form Tai Chi exercise. These would be great for Tai Chi, the songs are slow moving andintricate. If listening to this for any other reason though, it may cause sleepiness. (Lens Records)

Russian CirclesStationRussian Circles took hold of the instrumental metal genre with their 2006 release of Enter and arenow back with a new label and a new member. Brian Cook of Botch and These Arms Are Snakeslends his bass abilities and his influences are felt on this release. Just listen to “Harper Lewis” for agood example of Brian’s thick bass licks. Station begs to be listened to on a stereo system with largespeakers. An ipod will not due this album justice. (Suicide Squeeze Records)

The Saint Alvia CartelS/TThis album sounds like a bunch of dudes hanging out writing music and having a blast doing it. Lotsof group vocals with organ accompaniment. Influences from many genres can be heard on this albumfrom The Hold Steady to melodic hardcore to ska core. The energy exuded from this album is conta-gious. (Stomp Records)

Scott Reynolds & The Steaming BeastAdventure BoyThis band is lead by Scott Reynolds, former vocalist of ALL, and is the kind of music an agingrocker is expected to make that has a Dave Matthews quality to it. Adventure Boy walks the linebetween classic indie pop rock with influences from Pinback and Crystal Skulls to lounge music. It’san overall pleasant listen, but nothing mind-blowing. (Suburban Home Records)

CHANGE IN SOUNDScream HelloSmart & Stupid EPThis EP from Scream Hello is a precursor to their new full length that is due out in a few months.They have a Braid/Hey Mercedes sound going on, but in with more punk roots. If their upcoming fulllength sounds anything like this, we are all in for a treat. (Red Leader Records)

Static Radio NJAn Evening of Bad Decisions..."An Evening of Bad Decisions..." starts off high paced and never lets up. They have a stylesimilar to Lifetime and the intensity to match. "An Evening of Bad Decisions..." is an all around wellwritten punk album. Take a chance and give it a listen. (Black Numbers)

StepsondayLittle LightStepsonday is a duo of brothers from Santa Monica, CA with a vocalist that sounds a little likeWeezer’s Rivers Cuomo. They craft perfect little pop songs similar to Weezer, that are honest andheartfelt. Some might say that Stepsonday play it safe with this release and don’t take enough chanceswith the music, which is true, there is a certain amount of familiarity with this album and the genre itcomes from. (One Eleven Records)

Them,Roaring TwentiesFuture SandwichThem, Roaring Twenties sound is very similar to citymates Maps and Atlases, but the differences arein the vocals of each band. The sparse vocals of Them, Roaring Twenties are usually changed withcomputer effects or quick talking/screams, while Maps and Atlases vocals are high pitched and dis-cernable. This album is packaged with a mini board game that allows you to travel the streets ofChicago. (Sickroom Records)

They and the ChildrenHomeThey and the Children fuse ambient noise with hardcore which creates a feeling of an experimentalFrom Ashes Rise. "Home" is an all out assault on your ears and mind with nearly forty minutes ofbrain splitting hardcore. With this release, they have found a place that few have traveled, and areblazing new trails in the process. (Kill Normal)

Issa

Page 47: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

CHANGE IN SOUNDNeva DinovaYou May Already Be DreamingNeva Dinova features Jake Bellows, a touring member and contributor to Bright Eyes, and RogerLewis, drummer for The Good Life, so it’s appropriate that You May Already Be Dreaming wasreleased on Saddle Creek. The album starts off with a couple of slow country-esque songs, similar toSongs: Ohia, which lead into some poppy folk songs and even some fast rocking ones. You MayAlready Be Dreaming is a pretty good album overall. (Saddle Creek)

One Win ChoiceNever Suspend DisbeliefOne Win Choice is familiar east coast melodic hardcore. They have a similar delivery/sound toStrike Anywhere and Voice in the Wire. One Win Choice isn’t treading any new ground with thesesongs, but they are keeping the flame burning on the genre. (Jump Start Records)

The Out_CircuitPierce the Empire With a SoundPierce the Empire With a Sound seems like a foray into the epic unknown. Dark, drawn-outsoundscapes, fuzzed out distorted guitars, and quick tight drumming is what this album equates to.Pierce the Empire With a Sound is at times inspiring, while some moments leave me wanting some-thing else entirely. (Lujo Records)

Oxford CollapseBits"Bits" sounds like a modern day New York Indie band, which is a good thing, since they are fromBrooklyn. This is their second album on the Sub Pop label and easily they best yet. Oxford Collapseis one of those bands that all the other bands want to see play live. They’re a band's band. The musicis tight and inventive and doesn't disappoint on "Bits". (Sub Pop)

Paint it BlackNew LexiconI was looking forward to this album, because Paint it Black’s two previous albums have been quitegood. Overall New Lexicon is good, but the industrial noise contributed by Oktopus (Dalek) couldhave been cut out. I understand that Dan Yemin was going for something different by havingOktopus's interludes in between songs, but it ruined the intensity and urgency that Paint it Black isknown for. (Jade Tree Records)

The Plastic ConstellationsWe Appreciate YouWe Appreciate You is the final album that the boys in MN’s The Plastic Constellations willrelease. They’ve been doing this band since their high school days and have developed a signaturesound that will be missed. We Appreciate You features TPC at their finest. They have crafted a num-ber of memorable songs with this release and it’s their best to date. (French Kiss Records)

PomegranatesEverything Is AliveMy first impression of this band was a bad one. I had listened to songs on the computer andnothing grabbed me as good and I quickly deleted the files. Later on, I popped this album in when Iwas cleaning or something and the pure genius started to take hold of me. So much so that I listenedto this album all the way through on the way to work and back for a good two weeks straight, whichroughly equates to 20 spins. Everything is Alive is relaxing indie pop. Every song has one part thatjust melts you into loving it. (Lujo Records)

PutoisThe Problem Is Not A Problem AnymorePutois has been the project that Bob Mason has recorded under for the last ten years. The Problem IsNot A Problem Anymore is fifty minutes of lo-fi bedroom indie with dark, heart felt lyrics. TheProblem Is Not A Problem Anymore is a good album, but only something I’d put on if I was feelingsomber. (Cerebral Cliff Records)

Pygmy LushMount HopePygmy Lush features ex members of Pg.99, Majority Rule, Malady, City of Caterpillar and Haram."Mount Hope" is lush and simplistic, but the simple instrumentation still get the message across and isa great follow-up to their previous album "Bitter River". (Lovitt)

The Quiet LifeAct NaturalThe Quiet Life blend classic country/folk, complete with slide guitars, with indie rock to createa modern American Folk sound. Did I mention that this band is from the Yankee North; Connecticutto be exact. Sounds like these are usually reserved for the southern gents, but these yanks to a fine jobof it. (Safety Meeting Records)

Ebo Joe Blecha

CHANGE IN SOUNDNeva DinovaYou May Already Be DreamingNeva Dinova features Jake Bellows, a touring member and contributor to Bright Eyes, and RogerLewis, drummer for The Good Life, so it’s appropriate that You May Already Be Dreaming wasreleased on Saddle Creek. The album starts off with a couple of slow country-esque songs, similar toSongs: Ohia, which lead into some poppy folk songs and even some fast rocking ones. You MayAlready Be Dreaming is a pretty good album overall. (Saddle Creek)

One Win ChoiceNever Suspend DisbeliefOne Win Choice is familiar east coast melodic hardcore. They have a similar delivery/sound toStrike Anywhere and Voice in the Wire. One Win Choice isn’t treading any new ground with thesesongs, but they are keeping the flame burning on the genre. (Jump Start Records)

The Out_CircuitPierce the Empire With a SoundPierce the Empire With a Sound seems like a foray into the epic unknown. Dark, drawn-outsoundscapes, fuzzed out distorted guitars, and quick tight drumming is what this album equates to.Pierce the Empire With a Sound is at times inspiring, while some moments leave me wanting some-thing else entirely. (Lujo Records)

Oxford CollapseBits"Bits" sounds like a modern day New York Indie band, which is a good thing, since they are fromBrooklyn. This is their second album on the Sub Pop label and easily they best yet. Oxford Collapseis one of those bands that all the other bands want to see play live. They’re a band's band. The musicis tight and inventive and doesn't disappoint on "Bits". (Sub Pop)

Paint it BlackNew LexiconI was looking forward to this album, because Paint it Black’s two previous albums have been quitegood. Overall New Lexicon is good, but the industrial noise contributed by Oktopus (Dalek) couldhave been cut out. I understand that Dan Yemin was going for something different by havingOktopus's interludes in between songs, but it ruined the intensity and urgency that Paint it Black isknown for. (Jade Tree Records)

The Plastic ConstellationsWe Appreciate YouWe Appreciate You is the final album that the boys in MN’s The Plastic Constellations willrelease. They’ve been doing this band since their high school days and have developed a signaturesound that will be missed. We Appreciate You features TPC at their finest. They have crafted a num-ber of memorable songs with this release and it’s their best to date. (French Kiss Records)

PomegranatesEverything Is AliveMy first impression of this band was a bad one. I had listened to songs on the computer andnothing grabbed me as good and I quickly deleted the files. Later on, I popped this album in when Iwas cleaning or something and the pure genius started to take hold of me. So much so that I listenedto this album all the way through on the way to work and back for a good two weeks straight, whichroughly equates to 20 spins. Everything is Alive is relaxing indie pop. Every song has one part thatjust melts you into loving it. (Lujo Records)

PutoisThe Problem Is Not A Problem AnymorePutois has been the project that Bob Mason has recorded under for the last ten years. The Problem IsNot A Problem Anymore is fifty minutes of lo-fi bedroom indie with dark, heart felt lyrics. TheProblem Is Not A Problem Anymore is a good album, but only something I’d put on if I was feelingsomber. (Cerebral Cliff Records)

Pygmy LushMount HopePygmy Lush features ex members of Pg.99, Majority Rule, Malady, City of Caterpillar and Haram."Mount Hope" is lush and simplistic, but the simple instrumentation still get the message across and isa great follow-up to their previous album "Bitter River". (Lovitt)

The Quiet LifeAct NaturalThe Quiet Life blend classic country/folk, complete with slide guitars, with indie rock to createa modern American Folk sound. Did I mention that this band is from the Yankee North; Connecticutto be exact. Sounds like these are usually reserved for the southern gents, but these yanks to a fine jobof it. (Safety Meeting Records)

Ebo Joe Blecha

Page 48: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Kay Kay and his Weathered UndergroundKay Kay and his Weathered UndergroundKay Kay and His Weathered Underground features members of Gatsby’s American Dream, theLashes, Forgive Durden, the Northwest Philharmonic plus more and at times sounds like if Ben Foldswas pioneering a psychedelic vaudeville act. There is so much going on at once on this vinyl onlyrelease that it makes for a real interesting and quite enjoyable listen. (Suburban Home)

LaGreciaOn ParallelsAfter None More Black broke up, lead singer Jason Shevchuk set out on his own with On Guard,which eventually turned into LaGrecia. "On Parallels" can't touch other things he's done with KidDynamite and None More Black, but it's a good album nonetheless. One thing that kind of mares thealbum is knowing that Jason wrote and recored this album, then dumped his bandmates and label togo back to None More Black. If Jason cares so little about this release, then why should you?(Suburban Home Records)

Little PiecesLittle PiecesLittle Pieces is an indie rock band from Seattle, WA and features ex-Sunset Valley guitaristHerman Jolly. The songs on the album are mostly upbeat that sound like a full band Portastatic. (OneEleven Records)

Look MexicoThe Crucial CollectionThe Crucial Collection is a collection of the bands' first two releases, So Byzantine EP and TheCrucial EP, with exclusive b-side remixes from The Dark Romantics doing "Done and Done." andHistory Invades doing "You Ever Get Punched In The Face For Talking Too Much?", plus a ChrisRucker remix of "You Come Into My House, While I Sleep?". This is a must for any Look Mexicofan or any fan of music in general. Not buying this means you hate music. And babies. (LujoRecords)

LumeriansLumeriansLumerians debut EP is like a soundtrack to Earth’s formation. Thundering basslines, weaving organsand waves of percussion combined with male and female vocals. The sounds are dark at times, andbright at others. They mix equal parts Doors’ psychedelia and Can’s prog without the use of guitars,all the while keeping it modern. (Subterranean Elephants)

CHANGE IN SOUNDMake BelieveGoing to the Bone ChurchGoing to the Bone Church is everything you’d expect from Make Believe. Tim’s inventiveyelping/breathy singing, Sam’s quirky guitar playing, Bobby’s tight basslines, and Nate’s kineticdrumming. The future of Make Believe is still up in the air as members leave and rejoin, thus leavinglisteners wondering if this is the bands last album. In any case, Going to the Bone Church is the bestalbum they could’ve ended their band on. (Flameshovel)

Maps & AtlasesYou and Me and The MountainMaps & Atlases can do no wrong. This EP is a step in the right direction for this band. Their lastrelease, "Trees, Swallows, Houses" had more technical, spastic, yet tight guitars, and was more inyour face where "You and Me and The Mountain" is on the floor with you encouraging you to singalong and tap whatever appendage you can. Each song is amazing in musicianship and listen-ability.(Sargent House)

Meho PlazaS/TWoah man, Meho Plaza is crazy. They are a pop band that is experimentally synth driven that soundquite good. I enjoy how the vocals are calmly sung while all the chaos is going on in thebackground. (Better Looking Records)

Miss AutopsyThe HillThis album makes me feel uncomfortable, like watching strangers fight or when a parent punishestheir kid out in public. Steve Beyerink’s vocals and lyrics sound as though they are pleading and beg-ging with the audience to listen to them. Like a little kid going "Look at me, look at me, I'm doingsomething bad. Come on, look at me!" The awkwardness of this album almost feels intentional as ifplaying something different like this is going to make people like you. (Lens Records)

Mixel PixelLet’s Be FriendsMixel Pixel is a band the hipsters will flock to. Interweaving boy/girl vocals, somewhat lo-fielectronic, lyrics about relationships and enough quirkiness to call it cool. It’s one of thosebands that the one hipster will love and then once everyone else gets into it, he hates on it.Let’s Be Friends has a couple of good songs on it and a couple that will most likely get skipped over.(Mental Monkey Records)

Dillon Buss

Kay Kay and his Weathered UndergroundKay Kay and his Weathered UndergroundKay Kay and His Weathered Underground features members of Gatsby’s American Dream, theLashes, Forgive Durden, the Northwest Philharmonic plus more and at times sounds like if Ben Foldswas pioneering a psychedelic vaudeville act. There is so much going on at once on this vinyl onlyrelease that it makes for a real interesting and quite enjoyable listen. (Suburban Home)

LaGreciaOn ParallelsAfter None More Black broke up, lead singer Jason Shevchuk set out on his own with On Guard,which eventually turned into LaGrecia. "On Parallels" can't touch other things he's done with KidDynamite and None More Black, but it's a good album nonetheless. One thing that kind of mares thealbum is knowing that Jason wrote and recored this album, then dumped his bandmates and label togo back to None More Black. If Jason cares so little about this release, then why should you?(Suburban Home Records)

Little PiecesLittle PiecesLittle Pieces is an indie rock band from Seattle, WA and features ex-Sunset Valley guitaristHerman Jolly. The songs on the album are mostly upbeat that sound like a full band Portastatic. (OneEleven Records)

Look MexicoThe Crucial CollectionThe Crucial Collection is a collection of the bands' first two releases, So Byzantine EP and TheCrucial EP, with exclusive b-side remixes from The Dark Romantics doing "Done and Done." andHistory Invades doing "You Ever Get Punched In The Face For Talking Too Much?", plus a ChrisRucker remix of "You Come Into My House, While I Sleep?". This is a must for any Look Mexicofan or any fan of music in general. Not buying this means you hate music. And babies. (LujoRecords)

LumeriansLumeriansLumerians debut EP is like a soundtrack to Earth’s formation. Thundering basslines, weaving organsand waves of percussion combined with male and female vocals. The sounds are dark at times, andbright at others. They mix equal parts Doors’ psychedelia and Can’s prog without the use of guitars,all the while keeping it modern. (Subterranean Elephants)

CHANGE IN SOUNDMake BelieveGoing to the Bone ChurchGoing to the Bone Church is everything you’d expect from Make Believe. Tim’s inventiveyelping/breathy singing, Sam’s quirky guitar playing, Bobby’s tight basslines, and Nate’s kineticdrumming. The future of Make Believe is still up in the air as members leave and rejoin, thus leavinglisteners wondering if this is the bands last album. In any case, Going to the Bone Church is the bestalbum they could’ve ended their band on. (Flameshovel)

Maps & AtlasesYou and Me and The MountainMaps & Atlases can do no wrong. This EP is a step in the right direction for this band. Their lastrelease, "Trees, Swallows, Houses" had more technical, spastic, yet tight guitars, and was more inyour face where "You and Me and The Mountain" is on the floor with you encouraging you to singalong and tap whatever appendage you can. Each song is amazing in musicianship and listen-ability.(Sargent House)

Meho PlazaS/TWoah man, Meho Plaza is crazy. They are a pop band that is experimentally synth driven that soundquite good. I enjoy how the vocals are calmly sung while all the chaos is going on in thebackground. (Better Looking Records)

Miss AutopsyThe HillThis album makes me feel uncomfortable, like watching strangers fight or when a parent punishestheir kid out in public. Steve Beyerink’s vocals and lyrics sound as though they are pleading and beg-ging with the audience to listen to them. Like a little kid going "Look at me, look at me, I'm doingsomething bad. Come on, look at me!" The awkwardness of this album almost feels intentional as ifplaying something different like this is going to make people like you. (Lens Records)

Mixel PixelLet’s Be FriendsMixel Pixel is a band the hipsters will flock to. Interweaving boy/girl vocals, somewhat lo-fielectronic, lyrics about relationships and enough quirkiness to call it cool. It’s one of thosebands that the one hipster will love and then once everyone else gets into it, he hates on it.Let’s Be Friends has a couple of good songs on it and a couple that will most likely get skipped over.(Mental Monkey Records)

Dillon Buss

Page 49: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

CHANGE IN SOUNDGhost of the Russian EmpireThe MammothGhost of the Russian Empire is the Austin, TX band with a big name and an even bigger sound. TheMammoth sounds similar to Radiohead, but more straight on rock. Each song is a layered sonic land-scape and well played. (Self-Released)

Girl TalkFeed The AnimalsGregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, is the ultimate mash up artist. Where other musicians mash up twobands together, each song on "Feed the Animals" is comprised of 20 plus samples from different artistto create whole "original" songs. It is quite fun to listen and notice all the samples you can recognize.One of the best parts of "Feed the Animals" is on the song "like this" where he mashes Lil Mama "LipGloss" rapping over Metallica's guitar riff from "One". So, so brilliant. You can currently purchasethis album on the Girl Talk website for any price you want. (Illegal Art)

The Hard LessonsB&G Sides"B&G Sides" starts off on the right foot with the track "See and Be Scene" with anthemic guitar riffs,winding moog and a catchy hook. From there, the rest of the album doesn't falter but never reachesthe same level of awesomeness that first track had. A pretty good album overall, but I wish theywould have kept the ingredients in the first song throughout the album. (Quack Media)

Head Like A KiteThere Is Loud Laughter EverywhereHead Like A Kite’s latest album sound more like an electronic Beck album then a Head Like a Kitealbum. Their previous album was chock full of guest vocalists and was a pretty good album. There aresome good songs on There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere, but skips over the line into electronic fewtoo many times and looses its focus. (Mush Records)

Her Space HolidayXOXO Panda: The New Kid RevivalAlthough I’ve heard a lot about Her Space Holiday, I’ve never heard their music until this album. Thisalbum is pretty good all the way through, but after a few listens, you start to notice the similarities inall the songs. Each song’s beat is emphasized with the tambourine or handclaps, which makes it feelas though they had the same beat in their mind throughout

recording, and just changed the music around that one beat. As long as you don’t pay any attention toit, this album is great. (Mush Records)

IncommunicadoLosing DaylightIncommunicado, despite having a Spanish sounding name, are from Pittsburgh, PA. They play punkwith the intensity of early At The Drive-In with a slight Bouncing Souls feel. (A-F Records)

The InteriorsThe InteriorsThis album is solid all the way through. Each song has it’s own personality, but the album has a cohe-sive feel. There is plenty of inventive song-writing and hooks throughout. (54-40 or Fight!)

Joan of ArcBoo HumanRumors have circulated that this album was influenced by the divorce of lead JOA’s Tim Kinsella andhis wife. From listening to this album, you can tell the lyrics are directed at someone and Tim isn’tpleased with them. The music on Boo Human is probably the most straight forward and accessiblemusic in the Joan of Arc catalog. Tim still continues to get better and better with each release. (Polyvinyl Records)

Jr. JuggernautGhost PoisonJr. Juggernaut is the sound of American guitar rock in the same vain as Springsteen andMellencamp. This Los Angeles band combines three part harmonies with guitars and the occasionalharmonica to produce something wholly down to earth. (Suburban Home)

Justice of the UnicornsAngels with UzisAngels with Uzis starts the album off with sounds of a cheerful crowd getting interrupted bygunfire and ends with people screaming. Justice of the Unicorn sounds like Neil Young, Say Hi, andthe Comas with the juvenile lyrics of The Aquabats. For an example, listen to the song “Jesus Had aSweet Girlfriend” The music is pretty good, inventive and fun; things that I think that they were goingfor.(Little Lamb Recordings)

Keenan Cawley

CHANGE IN SOUNDGhost of the Russian EmpireThe MammothGhost of the Russian Empire is the Austin, TX band with a big name and an even bigger sound. TheMammoth sounds similar to Radiohead, but more straight on rock. Each song is a layered sonic land-scape and well played. (Self-Released)

Girl TalkFeed The AnimalsGregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, is the ultimate mash up artist. Where other musicians mash up twobands together, each song on "Feed the Animals" is comprised of 20 plus samples from different artistto create whole "original" songs. It is quite fun to listen and notice all the samples you can recognize.One of the best parts of "Feed the Animals" is on the song "like this" where he mashes Lil Mama "LipGloss" rapping over Metallica's guitar riff from "One". So, so brilliant. You can currently purchasethis album on the Girl Talk website for any price you want. (Illegal Art)

The Hard LessonsB&G Sides"B&G Sides" starts off on the right foot with the track "See and Be Scene" with anthemic guitar riffs,winding moog and a catchy hook. From there, the rest of the album doesn't falter but never reachesthe same level of awesomeness that first track had. A pretty good album overall, but I wish theywould have kept the ingredients in the first song throughout the album. (Quack Media)

Head Like A KiteThere Is Loud Laughter EverywhereHead Like A Kite’s latest album sound more like an electronic Beck album then a Head Like a Kitealbum. Their previous album was chock full of guest vocalists and was a pretty good album. There aresome good songs on There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere, but skips over the line into electronic fewtoo many times and looses its focus. (Mush Records)

Her Space HolidayXOXO Panda: The New Kid RevivalAlthough I’ve heard a lot about Her Space Holiday, I’ve never heard their music until this album. Thisalbum is pretty good all the way through, but after a few listens, you start to notice the similarities inall the songs. Each song’s beat is emphasized with the tambourine or handclaps, which makes it feelas though they had the same beat in their mind throughout

recording, and just changed the music around that one beat. As long as you don’t pay any attention toit, this album is great. (Mush Records)

IncommunicadoLosing DaylightIncommunicado, despite having a Spanish sounding name, are from Pittsburgh, PA. They play punkwith the intensity of early At The Drive-In with a slight Bouncing Souls feel. (A-F Records)

The InteriorsThe InteriorsThis album is solid all the way through. Each song has it’s own personality, but the album has a cohe-sive feel. There is plenty of inventive song-writing and hooks throughout. (54-40 or Fight!)

Joan of ArcBoo HumanRumors have circulated that this album was influenced by the divorce of lead JOA’s Tim Kinsella andhis wife. From listening to this album, you can tell the lyrics are directed at someone and Tim isn’tpleased with them. The music on Boo Human is probably the most straight forward and accessiblemusic in the Joan of Arc catalog. Tim still continues to get better and better with each release. (Polyvinyl Records)

Jr. JuggernautGhost PoisonJr. Juggernaut is the sound of American guitar rock in the same vain as Springsteen andMellencamp. This Los Angeles band combines three part harmonies with guitars and the occasionalharmonica to produce something wholly down to earth. (Suburban Home)

Justice of the UnicornsAngels with UzisAngels with Uzis starts the album off with sounds of a cheerful crowd getting interrupted bygunfire and ends with people screaming. Justice of the Unicorn sounds like Neil Young, Say Hi, andthe Comas with the juvenile lyrics of The Aquabats. For an example, listen to the song “Jesus Had aSweet Girlfriend” The music is pretty good, inventive and fun; things that I think that they were goingfor.(Little Lamb Recordings)

Keenan Cawley

Page 50: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

CHANGE IN SOUNDBrassSet & DriftSet & Drift is the 8-song debut from Brass, which sounds like a post punk version of Minus the Bear.Vocalist Joe Webber has a strong and distinct voice while the rest of the band combine post punk,math rock, and the DC area sound into a tightly woven album that I would recommend checking out. (Self-Released)

Broadway CallsS/TPop punk is still alive and well, and good too thanks to Oregon’s Broadway Calls. Their self-titledrelease is 14 songs that will have you singing along the whole way through. There isn’t one song onthis album that disappoints. (Adeline Records)

Brothers and SistersFortunately On their second release, Texas's Brothers and Sisters combine country twang with 60s popsensibilities, kinda like a country version of Chicago's The 1900's. I normally don't get intocountry like this, but this album is easy to get into and hard to forget. (Calla Lily)

The CoastExpatriateThe Coast is a Canadian band and "Expatriate" is their debut full length. They couldn't have done abetter job on their debut than they did with this ablum. Each song is good and has a high repeat factor.Once the major indie media gets a hold of this album, this band is gonna blow up. Get in on theground floor now! (Aporia Records)

Collections of Colonies of BeesBirdsBirds has the feeling of flight, soaring through soundscapes meticulously designed to please the ear.Somewhat of a departure from their previous Customer, Birds follows a more conventional guitar,bass and drums and relies less on electronic elements. CoCoBees have a way to make the listener findsomething new each time they listen, without getting bored. (Table of Elements)

Drag the RiverYou Can't Live This WayYou Can’t Live This Way is the latest release from indie county purveyors Drag the River. Sure, YouCan’t Live This Way is an excellent album, I just never could never get into the whole Americanaindie rock scene. (Suburban Home)

Empire! Empire! (I Was Lonely Estate)Year of the Rabbit 7”Empire! Empire! sounds like a mixture of the Appleseed Cast, American Football and Explosions inthe Sky with vocals like Geoff Rickley from Thursday (during the slow parts). This 7” shows a lot ofpromise for a future full-length. (Count Your Lucky Stars Records)

Extra LifeSecular WorksExtra Life is the new band led by ex-Dirty Projectors guitarist Charlie Looker. The closest thing that Ican relate this band to is Tool. The music is quite adventurous, ups and downs in song rhythm andinteresting chant like vocals make this album far from being forgettable. (Planaria Recordings)

Falcon ArrowS/TFalcon Arrow is an instrumental band from Minneapolis with drums and looping bass riffs. There areno other words to describe this album, other than amazing. The drumming is tight and the bass isinventive, never making this album boring. Their closest brethren in the instrumental genre would beDianogah due to the similarities in bass work . Each song is in the two to four minute range, whichkeeps the album from stalling out. A great debut and I can't wait for more materital from this band.(Self-Released)

Finest DearestFinest DearestAt first listen this band’s music reminded me of The Cranberries, with female vocals reminiscent ofMinneapolis’s Vox Vermillion or Sleater-Kinney. Their debut album is quite good and is a good indi-cator of where this band is headed. (Bloodtown Records)

Foot FootTrumpetLos Angeles’s married folk duo Foot Foot are back with the fury of a full band to back up theirinteresting sound. Trumpet is good, but at almost a hour long, it struggles to keep my attentionall the way through. (Oedipus)song and Marie Litton's vocals shine through with complete compatibility

(Suburban Home)

Portfolio

:

Michael

Stenerso

n

CHANGE IN SOUNDBrassSet & DriftSet & Drift is the 8-song debut from Brass, which sounds like a post punk version of Minus the Bear.Vocalist Joe Webber has a strong and distinct voice while the rest of the band combine post punk,math rock, and the DC area sound into a tightly woven album that I would recommend checking out. (Self-Released)

Broadway CallsS/TPop punk is still alive and well, and good too thanks to Oregon’s Broadway Calls. Their self-titledrelease is 14 songs that will have you singing along the whole way through. There isn’t one song onthis album that disappoints. (Adeline Records)

Brothers and SistersFortunately On their second release, Texas's Brothers and Sisters combine country twang with 60s popsensibilities, kinda like a country version of Chicago's The 1900's. I normally don't get intocountry like this, but this album is easy to get into and hard to forget. (Calla Lily)

The CoastExpatriateThe Coast is a Canadian band and "Expatriate" is their debut full length. They couldn't have done abetter job on their debut than they did with this ablum. Each song is good and has a high repeat factor.Once the major indie media gets a hold of this album, this band is gonna blow up. Get in on theground floor now! (Aporia Records)

Collections of Colonies of BeesBirdsBirds has the feeling of flight, soaring through soundscapes meticulously designed to please the ear.Somewhat of a departure from their previous Customer, Birds follows a more conventional guitar,bass and drums and relies less on electronic elements. CoCoBees have a way to make the listener findsomething new each time they listen, without getting bored. (Table of Elements)

Drag the RiverYou Can't Live This WayYou Can’t Live This Way is the latest release from indie county purveyors Drag the River. Sure, YouCan’t Live This Way is an excellent album, I just never could never get into the whole Americanaindie rock scene. (Suburban Home)

Empire! Empire! (I Was Lonely Estate)Year of the Rabbit 7”Empire! Empire! sounds like a mixture of the Appleseed Cast, American Football and Explosions inthe Sky with vocals like Geoff Rickley from Thursday (during the slow parts). This 7” shows a lot ofpromise for a future full-length. (Count Your Lucky Stars Records)

Extra LifeSecular WorksExtra Life is the new band led by ex-Dirty Projectors guitarist Charlie Looker. The closest thing that Ican relate this band to is Tool. The music is quite adventurous, ups and downs in song rhythm andinteresting chant like vocals make this album far from being forgettable. (Planaria Recordings)

Falcon ArrowS/TFalcon Arrow is an instrumental band from Minneapolis with drums and looping bass riffs. There areno other words to describe this album, other than amazing. The drumming is tight and the bass isinventive, never making this album boring. Their closest brethren in the instrumental genre would beDianogah due to the similarities in bass work . Each song is in the two to four minute range, whichkeeps the album from stalling out. A great debut and I can't wait for more materital from this band.(Self-Released)

Finest DearestFinest DearestAt first listen this band’s music reminded me of The Cranberries, with female vocals reminiscent ofMinneapolis’s Vox Vermillion or Sleater-Kinney. Their debut album is quite good and is a good indi-cator of where this band is headed. (Bloodtown Records)

Foot FootTrumpetLos Angeles’s married folk duo Foot Foot are back with the fury of a full band to back up theirinteresting sound. Trumpet is good, but at almost a hour long, it struggles to keep my attentionall the way through. (Oedipus)song and Marie Litton's vocals shine through with complete compatibility

(Suburban Home)

Portfolio

:

Michael

Stenerso

n

Page 51: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

CHANGE IN SOUNDBeehatchBeeHatchBeehatch is the new collaborative project from Phil Weston (Download, Plateau) and Mark Spybey(Dead Voices on Air). The experimental noise/ambience genre is one that I’ve never gotten into andI’ve hated on Mark’s music in the past, but this Beehatch does have a few bright spots on it. (Lens Records)

The BellraysHard Sweet And StickyHard Sweet and Sticky, the latest release from CA’s The Bellrays is packed to the gills withsoulful singing from Lisa Kekaula and rocking guitars provided by Bob Vennum. The Bellrays haveplenty of talent but whenever I listen to them, I imagine them headlining nightly barroom shows and Ican’t figure out why. (Anodyne Records)

Bird NamesOpen RelationshipIt is impossible to tell you what Bird Names sounds like, but I will try. Imagine pop, country,folk, and psych rock fused together into each song cohesively, not chaotically, and you have whatBird Names is. I can only wonder what kind of influences this band has to be so musically diverse.Somehow they are all over the place and tight at the same time. (Unsound Records)

BirthmarkThe LayerBirthmark is Nate Kinsella’s (Make Believe, Joan of Arc, December’s Architects) solo project andThe Layer is his first release. You’d be surprised what a great voice Nate has and why he is hiding allthis talent behind the drum kit when he could easily be a successful solo artist. The track “FlightlessBird” may be one of the best songs released this year. (Coraille)

BraindeadNo Consequences"No Consequences" is a raw, ambitious, and divers hardcore album. It clocks in at just over 23minutes and is brutal all the way through. You can tell the influences of east coast hardcore like Civ,Quicksand and Turning Point. (Burn Bridges Records)

Opposite: Mike White nollie flips off a junior high schoolstage in Barstow, California

Here: Nick P. grinds off a homemade polejam inNorthEast Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Alina Simone Everyone is Calling Out To Me, Beware"Everyone is Crying Out to Me, Beware" is a cover album featuring the music of Russian cult icon,Yanka Dyagileva, a Siberian punk-folk singer who drowned under mysterious circumstances in 1991.Ukrainian born, but U.S. raised Alina Simone sings the entire album in the Russian language. Themusic and Alina's voice are pretty good. I can only see people who are a fan of Alina's music or enjoyRussian sung folk, to enjoy this album. Others may be bored with it.(5440 or fight)

Alkaline TrioAgony and IronyAfter some label issues, Alkaline has finally jumped the indie label dingy to the major label cruiseship called Epic and it seems they lost their luggage, aka integrity, in the transition. "Agony andIrony" isn't bad, it's better than "Crimson", but with this release they have moved on from the soundand tone of their early albums, and fans of those albums are going to hate this. "Agony and Irony"sounds way over produced and radio friendly. It's the kind of album that your mom would like andmight even suggest to you after she heard it on top 40. To truly enjoy this album, I suggest you turnoff your indie morals and enjoy the music. It will sound worse if you think about what you’re listen-ing to. (Epic)

AnnabelNow That We're Alive"Now That We're Alive" features 5 infectious indie pop jams. It seems Annabel took a class in emohistory and was influenced by bands such as The Get Up Kids and The Anniversary. "Now That We'reAlive" is a fairly good album, and hopefully they continue with this sound on their next album.(Self-Released)

The AnniversaryDevil On Our Side: Rarities and B-SidesNearly five years after they broke up, The Anniversary pleased fans by releasing a double disc set ofrarities and b-sides spanning the time between "Designing a Nervous Breakdown" and "YourMajesty". "Devil On Our Side" is a stroll down memory lane when emo was just starting to gettrendy. There are some real gems on these albums, but the songs may suffer from under productionand that the days of this style of music is over. If you want to get nostalgic, buy this album.(Vagrant)

AstpaiCorruption Concealed (Under Deceptive Slogans)Astpai is a punk band from Austria that sound like a mixture of From Ashes Rise and TheLawrenceArms. With alternating vocalists, Corruption Concealed stays more interesting than if there were onlyone singer. (Jump Start Records)

CHANGE IN SOUNDBeehatchBeeHatchBeehatch is the new collaborative project from Phil Weston (Download, Plateau) and Mark Spybey(Dead Voices on Air). The experimental noise/ambience genre is one that I’ve never gotten into andI’ve hated on Mark’s music in the past, but this Beehatch does have a few bright spots on it. (Lens Records)

The BellraysHard Sweet And StickyHard Sweet and Sticky, the latest release from CA’s The Bellrays is packed to the gills withsoulful singing from Lisa Kekaula and rocking guitars provided by Bob Vennum. The Bellrays haveplenty of talent but whenever I listen to them, I imagine them headlining nightly barroom shows and Ican’t figure out why. (Anodyne Records)

Bird NamesOpen RelationshipIt is impossible to tell you what Bird Names sounds like, but I will try. Imagine pop, country,folk, and psych rock fused together into each song cohesively, not chaotically, and you have whatBird Names is. I can only wonder what kind of influences this band has to be so musically diverse.Somehow they are all over the place and tight at the same time. (Unsound Records)

BirthmarkThe LayerBirthmark is Nate Kinsella’s (Make Believe, Joan of Arc, December’s Architects) solo project andThe Layer is his first release. You’d be surprised what a great voice Nate has and why he is hiding allthis talent behind the drum kit when he could easily be a successful solo artist. The track “FlightlessBird” may be one of the best songs released this year. (Coraille)

BraindeadNo Consequences"No Consequences" is a raw, ambitious, and divers hardcore album. It clocks in at just over 23minutes and is brutal all the way through. You can tell the influences of east coast hardcore like Civ,Quicksand and Turning Point. (Burn Bridges Records)

Opposite: Mike White nollie flips off a junior high schoolstage in Barstow, California

Here: Nick P. grinds off a homemade polejam inNorthEast Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Alina Simone Everyone is Calling Out To Me, Beware"Everyone is Crying Out to Me, Beware" is a cover album featuring the music of Russian cult icon,Yanka Dyagileva, a Siberian punk-folk singer who drowned under mysterious circumstances in 1991.Ukrainian born, but U.S. raised Alina Simone sings the entire album in the Russian language. Themusic and Alina's voice are pretty good. I can only see people who are a fan of Alina's music or enjoyRussian sung folk, to enjoy this album. Others may be bored with it.(5440 or fight)

Alkaline TrioAgony and IronyAfter some label issues, Alkaline has finally jumped the indie label dingy to the major label cruiseship called Epic and it seems they lost their luggage, aka integrity, in the transition. "Agony andIrony" isn't bad, it's better than "Crimson", but with this release they have moved on from the soundand tone of their early albums, and fans of those albums are going to hate this. "Agony and Irony"sounds way over produced and radio friendly. It's the kind of album that your mom would like andmight even suggest to you after she heard it on top 40. To truly enjoy this album, I suggest you turnoff your indie morals and enjoy the music. It will sound worse if you think about what you’re listen-ing to. (Epic)

AnnabelNow That We're Alive"Now That We're Alive" features 5 infectious indie pop jams. It seems Annabel took a class in emohistory and was influenced by bands such as The Get Up Kids and The Anniversary. "Now That We'reAlive" is a fairly good album, and hopefully they continue with this sound on their next album.(Self-Released)

The AnniversaryDevil On Our Side: Rarities and B-SidesNearly five years after they broke up, The Anniversary pleased fans by releasing a double disc set ofrarities and b-sides spanning the time between "Designing a Nervous Breakdown" and "YourMajesty". "Devil On Our Side" is a stroll down memory lane when emo was just starting to gettrendy. There are some real gems on these albums, but the songs may suffer from under productionand that the days of this style of music is over. If you want to get nostalgic, buy this album.(Vagrant)

AstpaiCorruption Concealed (Under Deceptive Slogans)Astpai is a punk band from Austria that sound like a mixture of From Ashes Rise and TheLawrenceArms. With alternating vocalists, Corruption Concealed stays more interesting than if there were onlyone singer. (Jump Start Records)

Page 52: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

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Page 53: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Top: Bozeman. Photo: Nicholas RolstadBottom Left: Craig Norgaard, Wildcat.Photo: Joe ZimmermanBottom Right: Matt Larson, Wildcat.Photo: Joe Zimmerman

Opposite: Caveman ollies off the wheelchair ramp to 5-0 onthe rail at a schoolyard in Barstow, California

Here: Nelson anguishes with a swollen member after landingon his head trying to skate the same rail that caveman ollied to5-0 in Barstow, California

Montana

Top: Bozeman. Photo: Nicholas RolstadBottom Left: Craig Norgaard, Wildcat.Photo: Joe ZimmermanBottom Right: Matt Larson, Wildcat.Photo: Joe Zimmerman

Opposite: Caveman ollies off the wheelchair ramp to 5-0 onthe rail at a schoolyard in Barstow, California

Here: Nelson anguishes with a swollen member after landingon his head trying to skate the same rail that caveman ollied to5-0 in Barstow, California

Montana

Page 54: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Left: Chris Pernula, layback slide. Photo: Paul Right: Paul Pernula, boardslide. Photo: Chris

Here: Nick Riley kickflips over the rail and down a doubleset on a busy street in Iowa City, Iowa.

Opposite: Caveman backside 180's over a fence at the endof a set of stairs in Barstow, California Backyard Park

Left: Chris Pernula, layback slide. Photo: Paul Right: Paul Pernula, boardslide. Photo: Chris

Here: Nick Riley kickflips over the rail and down a doubleset on a busy street in Iowa City, Iowa.

Opposite: Caveman backside 180's over a fence at the endof a set of stairs in Barstow, California Backyard Park

Page 55: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

welcome to thephoto issue

memo:

Cokey with a BS smith in Fargo. Photo by Sandbox

welcome to thephoto issue

memo:

Cokey with a BS smith in Fargo. Photo by Sandbox

Page 56: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Joe Zimmerman, Frontside 3. Photo: Todd Morgan

Is it difficult to find time for all of your artistic endeavors while maintaining apro snowboarding career?Not really. The way that I snowboard keeps me busy but I make time for everythingelse. I really try to balance my life out, too much of one thing will make me go crazy.

How would your life be different if you hadn't become a professional snowboard-er?I wouldn’t have many of the things I have now, I’d probably be some lost personsearching for something to do.

What influences your artwork?Everything, mostly just my feelings in my head.

Do you ever worry about breaking your drawing hand again, and do you takeany extra precautions with it?No, if it happens it happens. When I did break it I just did a ton of left handed stuff.My drawings for the most part are pretty shitty. For me the text is the most importantpart, and most the time I can’t read it anyway.

T.J. SchneiderT.J. Schneider

Joe Zimmerman, Frontside 3. Photo: Todd Morgan

Is it difficult to find time for all of your artistic endeavors while maintaining apro snowboarding career?Not really. The way that I snowboard keeps me busy but I make time for everythingelse. I really try to balance my life out, too much of one thing will make me go crazy.

How would your life be different if you hadn't become a professional snowboard-er?I wouldn’t have many of the things I have now, I’d probably be some lost personsearching for something to do.

What influences your artwork?Everything, mostly just my feelings in my head.

Do you ever worry about breaking your drawing hand again, and do you takeany extra precautions with it?No, if it happens it happens. When I did break it I just did a ton of left handed stuff.My drawings for the most part are pretty shitty. For me the text is the most importantpart, and most the time I can’t read it anyway.

T.J. SchneiderT.J. Schneider

Page 57: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

EditorsChris Pernula

Adam Sever

Contributing PhotographersLaura Austin (LAustinDesign.com)

Darin BackAdam Bubolz (ilikethelights.com)

Alexa JonesTodd MorganPaul Pernula

Nicholas Rolstad (myspace.com/neonloveclothing)Sandbox

Michael StenersonNick Wosika (Letter3Photography.com)

Joe Zimmerman

Contact/Contribute/SupportSwimmer’s Ear

P.O. Box 1616Monticello, MN 55362

Swimmer’s Ear is a product of Subtitles Publishing™

Swimmer’s Ear MagazineNumber Twenty Three

Nic

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On the cover: Popcorn, back smith.Photo: Nick Wosika

EditorsChris Pernula

Adam Sever

Contributing PhotographersLaura Austin (LAustinDesign.com)

Darin BackAdam Bubolz (ilikethelights.com)

Alexa JonesTodd MorganPaul Pernula

Nicholas Rolstad (myspace.com/neonloveclothing)Sandbox

Michael StenersonNick Wosika (Letter3Photography.com)

Joe Zimmerman

Contact/Contribute/SupportSwimmer’s Ear

P.O. Box 1616Monticello, MN 55362

Swimmer’s Ear is a product of Subtitles Publishing™

Swimmer’s Ear MagazineNumber Twenty Three

Nic

hola

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rait

On the cover: Popcorn, back smith.Photo: Nick Wosika

Page 58: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

Do you prefer film or digital photography?Film. I have no idea how to work a digital camera. Everything on my site is either 35 mm or 120 film.

Have you ever considered snowboard photography?Sorta but not really. I think I could take some photos but I really just like shooting things that catch my attention.

What prompted you to start the Snowboard Realm series? You've already gone past issue 30, any planson slowing down?Umm just wanting to give something back, show kids what it’s like, share my season with them shred and havefun. Not film for some lame ass company that was going to charge my sponsors thousands of dollarsto tell me my art "snowboarding" wasn’t good enough to be in the film. I don’t really plan on slowing down, I’mjust going to keep doing what I’m doing and do it until it isn’tfun anymore, then do something else.

Do you consider snowboarding an art form or a sport?What do you think the majority of other riders consider it?I think I just answered that. For me it’s just self expression orsomething like that... I dunno, it is art but not like a painting ormusic to me. I think if I thought of it as a sport I would try toohard and get caught up in being the best. I just snowboard tosnowboard how I want to, not how others want me to. I haveno idea how other people view it, I’ll ask some guys tomorrowfor the Realms episode 34.

You have ridden for Capita for many years, what makesthem stand out from other companies?For me it’s just more of a family. I know a lot of people say that but people at Capita are my best friends. If I havea problem I call them, if something goes well I call them. We talk about Capita, we talk about life. For me Capitais so much more than just a sponsor.

What do you see in the future of snowboarding as far as trends, popularity, etc.?I think a lot of people will do their version of the Realms, they will just put way more into it, have other peoplemake and film them, edit it on Final Cut and time it to the music. Which doesn’t really bother me, since I don’thave any of that, ha... I hope that snowboarding just becomes more friendly.

Do you prefer film or digital photography?Film. I have no idea how to work a digital camera. Everything on my site is either 35 mm or 120 film.

Have you ever considered snowboard photography?Sorta but not really. I think I could take some photos but I really just like shooting things that catch my attention.

What prompted you to start the Snowboard Realm series? You've already gone past issue 30, any planson slowing down?Umm just wanting to give something back, show kids what it’s like, share my season with them shred and havefun. Not film for some lame ass company that was going to charge my sponsors thousands of dollarsto tell me my art "snowboarding" wasn’t good enough to be in the film. I don’t really plan on slowing down, I’mjust going to keep doing what I’m doing and do it until it isn’tfun anymore, then do something else.

Do you consider snowboarding an art form or a sport?What do you think the majority of other riders consider it?I think I just answered that. For me it’s just self expression orsomething like that... I dunno, it is art but not like a painting ormusic to me. I think if I thought of it as a sport I would try toohard and get caught up in being the best. I just snowboard tosnowboard how I want to, not how others want me to. I haveno idea how other people view it, I’ll ask some guys tomorrowfor the Realms episode 34.

You have ridden for Capita for many years, what makesthem stand out from other companies?For me it’s just more of a family. I know a lot of people say that but people at Capita are my best friends. If I havea problem I call them, if something goes well I call them. We talk about Capita, we talk about life. For me Capitais so much more than just a sponsor.

What do you see in the future of snowboarding as far as trends, popularity, etc.?I think a lot of people will do their version of the Realms, they will just put way more into it, have other peoplemake and film them, edit it on Final Cut and time it to the music. Which doesn’t really bother me, since I don’thave any of that, ha... I hope that snowboarding just becomes more friendly.

Page 59: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23
Page 60: Swimmer's Ear Magazine #23

swimmer’s

Joe Zimmerman, Indy. MontanaPhoto: Todd Morgan FREE

#23ear

photo issue #3

swimmer’s

Joe Zimmerman, Indy. MontanaPhoto: Todd Morgan FREE

#23ear

photo issue #3