By Paul Nern, News Editor
[Photo courtesy of Julia Weber]
My dad wouldn’t call himself much of a musician. He is a 62 year old semi-retired English professor who has heavily dabbled in poetry. But he is a musician because he chiefed OU’s tenured professor program that allows you to take a sabbatical to study your field, or whatever. And what he did was write songs and record his music over the course of an academic semester.
Tag: Features
Hardcore Holidays 2022 Q&A: Girl Cologne
By Roman Salomone, Contributor
[Photo courtesy of Oliver Fleming]
On Nov. 10, 2022, ACRN hosted “Hardcore Holidays” at The Union in Athens. Alongside a DJ set, two fantastic bands took the stage, and one of them was Cleveland-based Girl Cologne. I had the opportunity to sit down with the band prior to their set to talk about how they got started, their 2021 album Phases, the local scene in Cleveland and some underrated Weezer songs.
Q&A: Matt Vinson
By Julia Weber, Features Editor [Photo courtesy of Sophia Matinazad] Matt Vinson is the bassist in the Ohio-based folk band Caamp. He also plays solo music as The Wonderfool, and is an Ohio University alum. I recently talked with Matt about the upcoming Ohio University Music Industry Summit, his time spent in Athens and Caamp’s…
Battle of the Bands 2021 Q&A: Salva Bryn
By Ethan Bloomfield, Staff Writer
[Photo provided by Salva Bryn via Instagram]
The 2021 Battle of the Bands took place in Athens at the Union Thursday night, and it was one to remember. An array of wonderful acts came to compete, not the least of which being Salva Bryn, an experimental electronic artist who put on the most unique and energetic show of the night. I was able to sit down with her and ask a few questions about her music, the show, and her plans for the future.
Q&A: Plastic Lemonade
By Amy Szmik, Copy Editor
[Photo provided by Plastic Lemonade via Facebook]
Q&A with Nathan Cain (vocals, guitar and harmonica), Damon Bonar (electric guitar), Kyle Willison (bass), Kaitlyn Markert (vocals and ukulele) and Joe Ash (drums) of Plastic Lemonade
Beli and the Pulse of L.A.
If the band Beli were a car, they’d be a 1974 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Not a lowrider, but a nice vintage ride with the potential to be converted into one. The body of the car is painted orange copper candy pearl, but the roof’s exterior is a seamless white. On the dashboard is a laminated image of the virgin Santa Maria. Hanging from the rear view mirror are two Royal Pine car fresheners. A purple LED mood light lines the inner rim of the car’s roof. When this car drives by during the day, one would expect it to serenade a quiet suburb with the classic trumpets emblematic of musica ranchera. But at night, when the LED lights are turned on, this car looks like the wheels could invert and turn into jet engines. You’re more likely to find this car parked on a cul-de-sac, windows up, with the faint sound of Lil Peep playing.
Finding Comfort in a Hopeless Place, a Guide To Xiu Xiu
By Venus Rittenburg, Contributor
Editorial content warning: sexual abuse, self-harm, suicide, depression
Xiu Xiu (pronounced shoo-shoo) is my favorite band. I’m drawn to them for many reasons, but some of those are the same reasons that people find Xiu Xiu polarizing and challenging to listen to. In the wake of their recently announced 15th album, OH NO, I’m here to provide a guide to Xiu Xiu, what I find appealing about them and how to get into them, because with a discography this diverse and wondrous, there’s something for everybody.
Learning to Listen: ACRN sits down with George and Gary Schwindt, formerly of Flogging Molly
Learning to Listen: ACRN sits down with George and Gary Schwindt, formerly of Flogging Molly
By Taylor Linzinmeir, Staff Writer
It’s 7 a.m. in George Schwindt’s Los Angeles home at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. He’s already awake. The former drummer of Celtic-punk band Flogging Molly no longer abides by a touring schedule, seeing a different city and culture every day. Instead, he is beholden to the schedule of his 8 and 6-year-old kids. If they’re awake, he’s awake. If they’re hungry, he’s making breakfast.
Group Feature: ACRN’s Top 15 Albums of 2020
15. Rico Nasty – Nightmare Vacation, [Sugar Trap; 2020]By Kwase Lane, Features Editor It’s kind of weird how long Rico Nasty’s been around without dropping a debut album. I mean, I’m not complaining; if anything, this is a bonus. Nightmare Vacation encapsulates all of Rico’s growth as an artist and is a pleasure to listen…
Group Feature: ACRN’s Top 10 Movies of 2020
10. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm [Amazon; 2020]By Kwase Lane, Features Editor Reprising his role as everybody’s favorite bumbling Kazakhstani reporter, Sacha Baron Cohen took a second go at a Borat film, and he stuck the landing even more flawlessly than he did in its predecessor. The first Borat movie does what it sets out to well,…
Covers: An Overview of Approaches for Reimagining Pop Music
By Jonah Krueger, News Editor So, you want to cover a song? Wonderful! Let us start by congratulating you for making this tremendous decision and reinforce how excited we are that you chose us™ to help you along this rewarding journey. Legally, we are required to inform you of the potential risks involved with covering…
Vaporwave and Punk Rock: Opposite Aesthetics, Similar Goals
By Ethan Bloomfield, Contributor
Anarchy is a complicated idea. Generally, when one thinks of anarchy, they think of burning buildings, burly men with mohawks and motorcycles and a lawlessness only seen on the silver screen. While this is anarchy, the real definition of the word according to Merriam-Webster is simply “an absence of government.” Why does any of this matter? Why am I telling you any of this?
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