Category: Music

The Lumineers Interview — Self-Titled Debut Album


 

The Lumineers did not come across The Dishmaster’s desk by accident. I’m on a constant hunt for new music, which includes an overloaded news feed flooded with music blogs and magazines. But with all that research, I rarely find anything worth listening to. You can therefore imagine my shock and happiness when I found The Lumineers. I discovered them through Paste Magazine, who voted them one of “The 20 Best New Bands of 2011.” I immediately listened to their EP, followed by playing their Daytrotter session on repeat. When I reached out to their team for an interview, I was elated when they invited me to their “Ho Hey” video shoot, which was filmed at a broken-down, old hospital that is also the home of some familiar movies, including Saw and Pearl Harbor. Though I was briefly afraid that ghosts might attack me, my nerves were immediately calmed when I met the band. They had been shooting all day and somehow still managed to sustain their fun, laid-back energy. I’m told by their manager that they revved up their dedicated, suspender-wearing extras with a live performance prior to the shoot, and it’s no surprise that everyone loved it. These guys are good. Our interview took place a few days later. They answered all my questions with the right amount of humility and honesty. In fact, after forty minutes I said, “I’ll let you off the hook. I’ve kept you way too long.” The band then said, “No, ask us anything. Keep going if you have more questions.” I took their bait and held them hostage even longer. Their self-titled debut album hits stores April 3rd. Enjoy the interview, and watch their “Ho Hey” video below.

As the daughter of a dentist, I’m intrigued by your name. How did you come up with it?

Wesley Schultz (Lead Vocals, Guitar, Piano): We stole it. We were playing at a place in Jersey City and they accidentally called us the name of a band performing the following week.

Why the move from New York to Denver?

Wesley: We wanted to move to the middle of nowhere and write songs. It was pretty random. We wanted to go somewhere new and cheap. It’s an absurd proposition to tour and live in New York. We wanted a low overhead. But we didn’t expect to find the really great music scene [in Denver]. There was a huge community of musicians.

How did Neyla join the band?

Neyla Peckarek (Cello, Piano): I just finished school and I had nothing on my plate and didn’t know what was next. I got a teaching degree and they don’t hire a lot of teachers in [December]. I checked the musicians page of [a Craigslist ad]. They sent me a couple of tracks and it was a pretty natural fit right away. I wasn’t looking to be in a band at all. It forged naturally. They wanted to go on tour, and I said yes.

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Taylor Armstrong & Dana Wilkey Hosted a Crisis Center Fundraiser

I had the pleasure last night of putting on my “real reporter” hat to attend Taylor Armstrong & Dana Wilkey’s fundraiser to support the 1736 Family Crisis Center. Aside from the obvious points about their philanthropy, I’d like to take this moment to point out how good these Real Housewives look in person. I realize that’s a superficial take on an important evening, but The Dishmaster is admittedly superficial — and I simply couldn’t help myself. Seriously though — it was a great night with some very kind ladies. Armstrong gave a brief speech at the event, joking that the tabloids have done a good job of explaining why she’s involved. Because I’m music-obsessed, my favorite part of the evening came from X Factor finalist Drew Ryniewicz, who sang two original songs. I officially understand why Simon Cowell took such a liking to her. She’s got the kind of potential that will flourish with the right team behind her. I’ve posted one of her X Factor performances below.

Crash Kings at the Troubador — Killed it!!

When you’re friends with the band performing, it can be either a complete disaster or a complete success. In the case of Crash Kings at the Troubador, it was not only a success — it was magical. The sold-out venue was filled with die-hard fans, who bobbed their heads and sang along to every word. In fact, I spotted an A-list celebrity beside me (whose name I won’t mention due to my Dishmaster integrity), and I overheard him say, “This band is fu*king incredible!” And he’s right. They blew me away. Tony Beliveau (lead vocals, keys) has the kind of on-stage energy that gets talked about years later in those hip music circles when one person says to another, “Dude! Have you seen Crash Kings live? They are insane!” He was joined by his brother, Mike Beliveau (bass), who doesn’t just dominate the stage, he’s also easy on the eyes. Their third member, Jason Morris (drums), also has an incredible stage presence (I have to admit my bias toward drummers — they’re just so damn cool — and Jason is no exception). They played music from their new record, which judging from what I heard live last night — will be a chart-topping success. It’s difficult to articulate what makes music good. But I know it when I hear it. And I heard it last night.

Jennifer Lopez Cries Over Jeremy Rosado on American Idol’s Top 12 — Unprofessional?

Jennifer Lopez picked Jeremy Rosado as her wild card during Thursday’s “Top 12” episode of American Idol, and the decision involved a lot of crying. Perhaps I’m an insensitive prick, but aren’t all these talent-show-tears a little unprofessional? It’s a competition show! Buck up! If the judges can’t compose themselves, how will the contestants? I’ve attached the clip below, followed by the very famous scene from A League of Their Own when Tom Hanks says, “There’s no crying in baseball!”

Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump Launches Self-Hate Tirade — Retires From Music?

Let me start this post by saying I was never a fan of Fall Out Boy. The first I ever saw or heard of Patrick Stump was at a PBS event where different singers paid tribute to Buddy Holly, and Patrick Stump was one of them. He blew me away. He was in good company that night, and that company included: Stevie Nicks, Chris Isaak, Graham Nash, and Paul Anka. Stump not only went to bat with the heavy hitters — he beat them. So when I heard he was coming out with a solo album, I was very excited. Unfortunately, the album was terrible. To put it plainly, he went the wrong direction entirely. His incredible voice became an afterthought to what was presumably an attempt at writing catchy tunes. But I wasn’t the only person disappointed by Stump’s latest album. Stump was disappointed too. But his disappointment surrounded the criticism, not the product. He took the time to write the self-hating monologue below:

The truth is wherever and whoever I am, whoever I am whenever I release whatever release is my next, whoever said recording is recorded with: I will never be the kid from Take This To Your Grave again. And I’m deeply sorry that I can’t be, I truly am (no irony, no sarcasm). I hate waking up every morning knowing I’m disappointing so many people. I hate feeling like the awkward adult husk of a discarded once-cute child actor. I’m debating going back to school and learning a proper trade. It’s tempting to say I won’t ever play/tour/record again, but I think that’s probably just pent up poor-me emotional pessimism talking (I suppose can be excused of that though right? I am the guy from That Emo Band after all).

It’s a shame that Stump can’t learn from his error, brush off the dirt, and keep moving forward. The guy is an incredible singer, and I find that it’s the best singers who take criticism the most personally. Knowing one’s flaws can often lead to self-destruction. So Stump — if you’re reading this — you’re fu*king great. Keep singing. Watch the video below to see him perform Buddy Holly’s “Everyday.”

‘The Voice’: Did Adam Levine Abandon Javier Colon?


NBC has two seasons to make the winners of The Voice into huge stars and after that, they will lose all credibility. American Idol may be threatened by The Voice, but Idol has made some of the biggest stars in history and it is therefore more than just a talent show. So this brings me to a very important question: What happened to Javier Colon? Where is he? Why isn’t he booked on late night shows singing a hit single? When is his album coming out? And most importantly — why the fu*k isn’t Adam Levine doing anything to propel his career? Adam appeared on Howard Stern yesterday and mentioned Colon, saying that he’s trying to help him, and Colon is “struggling.” He also made a moderately condescending remark about how the winners have to take their career by the reigns after the show is finished. Perhaps he should look to Blake Shelton who took Dia Frampton on his tour. You don’t get to sit on your throne touting that you “won” season one, especially when the contestant you won with can’t sustain a career.

Whitney Houston’s Funeral — Should Not Have Been Televised

I am absolutely disgusted by the way the media has treated Whitney Houston’s death, and I’m even more disgusted that the people in her inner circle agreed to televise her funeral. I was equally disturbed when Michael Jackson’s grieving children had to mourn their father’s death while simultaneously speaking in front of the entire world. Have we lost our humanity? Whitney Houston left her daughter behind, and this poor child is being pummeled with media inquiries. I don’t want to hear anything about Bobbi Kristina until Bobbi Kristina is ready to talk. Until then, let the child grieve, and keep the media out of that process. A funeral is for family. If the public wants a part of it they can remember her by listening to her records in the privacy of their home.

The Best Judge on ‘The Voice’ — Blake Shelton

If I were a contestant on The Voice, it would take me one millisecond to choose Blake Shelton as my mentor. The reason? He’s the only judge with post-show loyalty. It’s not about winning the show, it’s about what happens after you win the show, and a huge part of an artist’s success is whether other artists with more fame promote them. And Blake Shelton constantly promotes Dia Frampton and Xenia, two contestants from the last season of the show. Sure Adam Levine won with Javier Colon, but does he invite him to sing at Maroon 5 concerts? In fact, Dia Frampton is joining Blake Shelton on tour. You can’t beat that type of exposure. There is no way Christina Aguilera would make that same type of offer.

Adele’s Grammy Speech — Addresses her “Rubbish Relationship”

I’m late in posting this, but better late than never. Adele’s Grammy acceptance speech for album of the year further proved why she’s deserving of her success. Aside from the insane quality of her album, she’s humble and appreciative, and she has a sense of humor about herself. In the video below, she says her record is inspired by her “rubbish relationship”, which is just “something really normal” that everyone has been through. Her comment got me thinking. While it’s true that every musician in history has likely written about heartbreak during the course of their career, this album had an unprecedented, unique impact. She has an unmatched, raw authenticity that differentiates her from other musicians that sing about their “rubbish relationships.” And if you don’t believe me, click here for further proof.

American Idol Debacle — Contestants Pass-Out, Faint Constantly

Either American Idol is depriving their contestants of oxygen, or the producers have a knack for choosing very dramatic people. Can someone please explain why every contestant seems mentally unstable? If you can’t hold it together during this phase of the competition, how exactly do you plan to be a star? One contestant actually left the rehearsal to call his mother from a hotel, and the conversation included at least fifty “I love yous.” Perhaps the contestants aren’t eating? Maybe the room is excessively hot? But if that’s true, then why do the judges look perfectly healthy? And did I mention that Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, and Randy Jackson have the worst taste in the history of the show? These singers are horrific.