Placeholder, “Nothing is Pure”

Placeholder
“Nothing is Pure”
(Better Days)

A few months ago when Totally Crushed Out interviewed Coastal, we knew that they would be a band that was on the precipice of breaking big, particularly in their brand of revivalist emo. Now armed with a new name (fuck lawsuits, amirite?) and a new full-length, the rebranded Placeholder is sure to keep the momentum going.

What’s great about Placeholder is that they have their sound down pretty well. Their songs are structured incredibly well and the lyrics are nothing, if not simultaneously heart wrenching and honest. Check “What this Means,” “Resent,” and Sunny Day-esque “Written.” These songs are concise, straightforward, and above and beyond most bands’ debut records.

For me, however, the stand out track is “Stay Correct,” which recalls the Get Up Kids’ “Four Minute Mile” aesthetic. It’s catchy as it is raw. It’s chilling how brutal this song is.

Placeholder wears their influences very clearly, but that’s not a bad thing. They’re obviously not going to reinvent the wheel, and there’s something to be said about a band that just writes good fucking songs. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll give “Nothing is Pure” a shot.

— Ryan Pangilinan

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Placeholder Coastal review reviews emo indie rock punk

Not Yet! Interview

Not Yet! Interview
by Ryan Pangilinan

Remember the first time you heard your first Fat Wreck or Epitaph band? Exciting, right? For me, I embarrassingly heard Pennywise on one those Punk-O-Rama compilations and wanted everyday to be Warped Tour. Hey, I was in high school, cut me a break, aiight? Anyway, Columbus, OH’s Not Yet! sounds like a band that would fit perfectly on one of those old punk rock compilations. Fast and melodic, Not Yet! deftly captures the spirit of young love, making mixtapes, skating through the halls of your school, and shoplifting CDs from Sam Goody.

Not Yet’s debut, “It’s a Small World, Alcohol,” is as punk rock as an EP will get: it’s under ten minutes, ridiculously catchy and fast, and boasts artwork from Liz Prince. Obviously, it was right up my alley, so I got on the horn (email) and bugged singer/guitarist Jose, until he answered my questions in which we geeked out over Tony Hawk Pro Skater and Midwest punk girls.

Totally Crushed Out: How did Not Yet! start?

Jose: I had a written the first half of the EP while in other line-ups/incarnations/whathaveyou of Not Yet! I really loved the songs and thought that they deserved to be heard, as I still do. After nine months of living in Columbus without forming a solid line-up to play the songs, I called up my buddy, Bobby, from New Creases and asked him if he’d be interested in recording and playing drums on an EP before I moved back to California.

It’s a Small World, Alcohol is a breakneck pop-punk record that definitely recalls the heyday of 90s bands. What are some of the bands that influenced the writing for this EP?

Well, the first two songs are about the aftermath of a couple of shows at 924 Gilman, the first being a Pinhead Gunpowder show. So they’re a direct and indirect influence on the sound and content, respectively. There are a few direct references to Green Day’s Insomniac in Westbound Sigh. Crimpshrine, J Church and Lookout-era Screeching Weasel are some other older influences. Quite of few modern pop punk bands influenced the record too. Cincinnati Agony is about how the Dopamines are going to be the death of me. The Copyrights and Dear Landlord are a couple of the biggest influences I have on songwriting these days.
 
As a band, Not Yet! is still relatively new. How has the reception been and if possible, would you want to try to tour full-time?

The reception has been awe-inspiring. Within 24 hours of putting up the EP, I had strangers in Russia posting links to it on blogspots. I mean, they even wrote up a description in Russian and everything. There isn’t really a set line-up for NY! quite yet (how appropriate, right?), so I’m not really sure what’s in store for the immediate future. I would absolutely love to play pop punk songs in basements, bars and backyards full-time, if possible. Hopefully the whole line-up situation is finalized soon and we can do some touring up and down the West Coast this Spring. This Summer I’ll be playing 2nd guitar for Rational Anthem on their full-US tour and we’ll be playing a few Not Yet! tunes every night.

Do you have any plans to record a full-length or more EPs?

It’s probably a little too soon for a full-length. I am probably going to record some songs for split 7”s with Bobby this Summer when I come through Columbus with Rational Anthem.

How awesome are midwest punk girls?

So awesome! I mean, punk girls are awesome pretty much everywhere, but the Midwest is the best place to do cheap, stupid, romantic, punk things. I mean, over there “dinner and a movie” means getting dollar tacos or Coneys at a dive bar, followed by dollar 2nd-run movies and then dumpster-diving for VHS tapes ending the night with fishing cold pizza out of frozen dumpsters, with backpack beers ready at hand all the while.
 
Lastly, the EP reminds me of what I would listen to when I’d go out and skate the mean streets of Seattle. How rad would it be to sync “It’s a Small World…” with Tony Hawk Pro Skater?

This EP wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for THPS! The first verse in Westbound Sigh is about my Millencolin tattoo, and how their song Pepper, which I first heard on the THPS3 CD soundtrack, kind of saved my life (or ruined it) by making that whole punk/music thing click in my head. I remember reading online the THPS games are being re-released, but they couldn’t get the rights to all of the old songs. If anyone at Neversoft or Activision is reading this, feel free to use any of the songs!

Go download Not Yet’s EP at their Bandcamp, like, three weeks ago. You can also find additional info on their Facebook.

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Not Yet Not Yet! pop-punk Columbus OH midwest bands

Waxahatchee Interview

Waxahatchee Interview
by Ryan Pangilinan

It goes without saying, that Waxahatchee’s “American Weekend” is one of my favorite records in the last few years. It made the top of my list for favorite albums for our sister site, Redefine, and it continues to amaze me with every spin. We at Totally Crushed Out champion Waxahatchee’s singular band member, Katie Crutchfield (PS Eliot, Bad Banana, The Ackleys), chiefly because her songs are gut wrenchingly honest, relatable, and, quite frankly, catchy.

“American Weekend” comes out today through Don Giovanni Records and Crutchfield sat down with us to discuss all things Waxahatchee (with a little Guided by Voices).

Totally Crushed Out: What was the impetus of Waxahatchee? At the time of the cassette release, both Bad Banana and PS Eliot were active. Did you feel like the songs that would become for Waxahatchee didn’t fit anywhere with those two bands?
  
Katie Crutchfield: It really grew out of an urge to make acoustic music again. I sort of ‘started’ on an acoustic guitar and I played under the moniker ‘King Everything’ when I was in high school. The birth of Waxahatchee really just started out of a desire to make music like that again while simultaneously wanting to disassociate from the cheesy music I wrote when I was younger
 
American Weekend originally saw release through your imprint, Delta Queen. How did its release via Don Giovanni come about?

American Weekend has had many different phases of ideas for release. I wrote and recorded it in a week in my room at my parent’s house and I was pretty damn sure that no one was ever going to hear it, much less release it. Allison (my sister) really encouraged me to release it properly and in good time and that’s where Delta Queen came from. We were particularly broke at this time and while we were trying to facilitate the release I was approached about doing a Waxahatchee record by Don Giovanni. It seemed like a smarter idea to let an awesome, established label properly release this particular record. It’s a personal milestone and I was afraid I’d screw it up. I trust DG more than I trust myself with the endeavor.  
 
Upon this wider release for American Weekend, you’re also embarking on an extensive US tour. What sort of things are you anticipating for this run, specifically as a solo artist?
 
Playing music alone for lots of people is a lot harder than with a band. The screw-up stakes are higher. In PS Eliot, I had a whole lot of other sounds going on to cover up my nerves and mistakes. I guess I’m just expecting to be more nervous. This is also the first time in years that I’ve been on tour for this long. I’m really excited though. Leaving your life behind for multiple months is always so bizarre and hard but I’m looking forward to it.

Personally, I really enjoyed the lo-fi aesthetic of the album and split cassette. One of things that we talked about last time when discussing PS Eliot, was the difference between Bike Wreck and Introverted Romance. For all intents and purposes, do you think that Waxahatchee will remain a lo-fi solo project or do you see it growing further, whether you implement past recording techniques or have a backing band?

Its really funny you ask that, it’s been on my mind a lot lately. I’m in the middle of demoing for the next record and planning to record it right when I get home from the tour. As of right now my plan is to record it at our house on Waxahatchee creek, myself, just the way I did AW, the only real difference being that there will be more instrumentation. After 9 weeks of tour, that idea could change. As for long-term plans, I’m not sure. The real difference between this project and my other projects is that I have no one else influencing or actively participating in any creative decision. It’ll really just depend on my own development with the songs I write in the future.
 
One of the things I liked about American Weekend is how relentlessly raw it is. In a way, it reminds me a bit of Songs From a Blue Guitar by Red House Painters. And again, personally speaking, I found it to be particularly poignant and meaningful when I was going through the end of a long-term relationship. Whether the songs are steeped in real life or have a fictive nature, are there moments when reflecting on American Weekend where you feel like you’ve put too much of yourself out there, or do you think that it would be moot since people, myself included, will relate to the album and its content in their own way?
 
All of the lyrics for Waxahatchee are a lot more organic and true and explicit than my other lyrics. I realize that it means I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve and at times even (more so in newer songs) airing some dirty laundry. Truthfully, it’s just more satisfying for me to write that way.
 
Following the US tour, what other plans do you have in store for Waxahatchee?
 
Making a new record in the spring to hopefully be released in the fall. I’m also planning another tour in the summer, probably in July!
 
In addition to American Weekend, what other records or bands do you think the kids should check out?

Well, I’m going to take this opportunity to plug my sister’s new band Swearin’ from Brooklyn. They just made a demo and it’s so awesome. I hear Sourpatch have a new record coming out also. I’m doing a few shows with them on this tour.

Lastly, how good is that Guided by Voices reunion album?

I really like it!!

Waxahatchee’s American Weekend is out now on Don Giovanni and catch her on a full US tour. Dates can be found on the Facebooks.

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Waxahatchee features interviews Katie Crutchfield PS Eliot Don Giovanni Records

Bayside Interview

Bayside Interview
by Ryan Pangilinan

New York outfit Bayside is easily one of the most sonically polarizing bands out on the scene today. While their earliest material featured the band playing breakneck speed pop-punk, their sound developed quickly into what you hear now, which blurs the lines between several genres. Their latest record, “Killing Time,” is, at times, caustic, frenetic, but mostly, it’s poignant and one of the few smart punk rock records out there. So, in short, it’s very much a Bayside album. While on some down time from their co-headlining run with Saves the Day, bassist Nick Ghanbarian and drummer Chris Guglielmo sat down with Totally Crushed Out to talk about their new label, the current scene, and how it’s like to be considered an older band these days.

Totally Crushed Out: Killing Time came out a little while ago, but I feel like there was more of a gap between this record and Shudder than Shudder and The Walking Wounded.

Chris Guglielmo: We definitely had the gift of time to do this album, so that would explain the longer gap in between. We signed to a new label (Wind-Up).

Nick Ghanbarian: That was the thing, we needed to find a label. We were free as of, like, the April after Shudder came out and we signed the February after that. Then almost six or eight months after that, we were recording. We took our time writing because we knew it was an important album in our life as a band. We wanted to come out with a bang, so we took our time and put our best foot forward in every part of it.

TCO: Was there a point after Shudder where after you had fulfilled your contract with Victory where they suggested that you continue with them, or were you like “Well, we took this as far as we can, let’s move on.”

NG: I think it was both. We were pretty intent on seeing what else was out there and they kind of [said], “Well, do you want to do another album? Or don’t.” It wasn’t like “Oh my God, we need to keep Bayside.” If we wanted to stay, they would’ve put out another album. There was no major concerted effort.

TCO: Do you feel like being on Wind-Up, there’s more of a push for your band, or is it still a DIY approach?

NG: We definitely signed to a label that would allow us to continue doing whatever we wanted basically. We wanted to have more of a push behind us, which Wind-Up did, but I think in the long run, we wanted to have whatever control and whatever say we want in our music…. It’s a new label, but it’s still us in charge.

TCO: So they haven’t tried to pair you up on the Creed reunion tour?

CG: (laughs) That’s what we were excited about. We approached them with what we do and they were surprised with how much shit that we do on our own, so I think they were excited, as were we, to have that kind of relationship.  There was no this is controlling that. We meshed together.

NG: Labels, these days, it’s not like it was. Whether they believe in you or not, they won’t blindly sink a bunch of money in your band. It’s almost like you have to prove your record sales and the numbers have to prove something for them to send more money. Maybe in the 80s and 90s, it wasn’t that way, but the internet turned that upside down, so you have to prove yourself to be a commodity before they spend money.

TCO: Do you think that you would’ve been a strong enough unit to start your own imprint and put out your own records?

CG: We definitely spoke about the idea, just fucking around, but distribution is tough. But as far as touring and everything, it’s possible. It’s more of a viable solution everyday. And nowadays with the way that things are run, it’s probably the best way to make the most amount of money.

NG: Record deals these days, specifically talking about 360 deals, protects the labels. They’re protecting themselves from losing money and the band still does what it needs to do. Unless you’re on one of these super small, post-hardcore labels like Run for Cover or No Sleep, it doesn’t matter what label you’re on.

CG: And now because of the internet and everything, there’s so many bands and so many labels. I remember when I listened to [Saves the Day], they were on Equal Vision and I would say, “Oh, they’re on Equal Vision” and I would check out Equal Vision bands. Now, there are so many labels and so many bands, it’s just fucking all over the place. You can find the same band ten times on X amount of labels.

TCO: It’s like back in the day, there used to be a lot label loyalty. I remember getting those Equal Vision samplers and go out and buy The Stryder, or whatever.

NG: It used to be a little bit more similar, too. Now the range of bands on any label goes from pop-punk to metal or anything between. If you got a Revelation sampler in the early 90s, it’s all pretty similar, so that loyalty made more sense then.

TCO: I always felt that way about your band. You guys always stuck out like a sore thumb. When I first got Sirens and Condolences to review ages ago, I was like “It’s a Victory record. Am I really gonna like this?” And then I checked out and I dug it, and it sucks that there are labels – not so much now – that when they put out a record, I wouldn’t necessarily give ear to that band.

NG: I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t affect us. There was a serious lag for, what I would say, our first two albums. People love those albums now, but they didn’t then. They didn’t give them a chance. They assumed a Victory band would sound one way and we didn’t sound that way. It’s funny when people are requesting songs from our first two albums, when there are six, seven hundred people a night requesting those songs, but when they came out, we were playing in front of 70-100 people.

TCO: Yeah, I remember seeing Bayside in Tacoma with Danger: Radio and Silverstein and there were, like, 30 people there.

NG: That’s probably back in the Sirens and Condolences days. Now a kid comes to a show and says, “Why don’t you play ‘Just Enough to Love You’?” Because no one liked that song for five years and barely anyone does now. (laughs)

TCO: Do you feel Walking Wounded was the album where more people started to discover your band?

CG: Yeah.

NG: Up until now, that was the one that we put out and immediately saw decent success. I think this one, Killing Time, is very similar, too. Sirens and self-titled, those probably took years for people to grasp on and people got Walking Wounded and went back and got those other albums.

CG: That album (Walking Wounded) was also a weird time because it was the first album that I did with the band and I think the sound of the album, musically, was different for Bayside. Not like left-turn different, but different from Sirens and self-titled and people were like “Huh?” I guess it caught on faster.

TCO: I feel like Bayside is one of those touchstone bands that consistently puts out records where you talk about real shit, inner turmoil, and not just a lot of vapid shit. In 90, 91, 92, you had bands like Face to Face and the ilk that did that, and now there are more bands that are addressing being a twenty-something and just being fucked up and not knowing with what to do with your life.

NG: That’s the stuff that resonates with people. I’ve always liked music, but I feel like we grew up on pop music. We grew up on Madonna and Michael Jackson because we didn’t have older brothers, sisters, neighbors, or cousins who were like “Oh here’s Black Flag, here’s a Minor Threat tape.” So the first time that you stumble and discover Bad Religion or Green Day in the early 90s, it actually has to speak to you. If you have to discover it, it has to give you chills and feel like “Oh my God, what is this?”

I feel like these days, it’s important for bands like us, that have been around for a while, support these younger bands because those are the bands that are going to sustain things, even further past us. These things matter. It’s important for bands that want to be career bands and want to help people in their lives, it’s important to band together and help each other out and almost create that scene. It’s all self-sustaining.

TCO: You guys are at a point where you are a career band. Do think Bayside is at a place where you can tour not as relentlessly? Obviously, you guys are a little older and it seems unreasonable to go out every two months.

NG: It’s hard because we’ve always been slow and steady. Every album’s a little bigger, every tour is a little bigger, but it’s not like we’re sitting on a big chunk of change. We’ve kind of made enough money to –

CG: — Live.

NG: Yeah. We were never super successful. It’s a weird time because I feel like we have to tour less, because we can’t just tour. This is our third time in Seattle in 12 months, so it’s tough. It’s a weird time for music, it’s a weird time for us to be touring the way we do. When you start getting into that realm of being an older band, it’s almost like you’re going to lose steam if you tour the way you did, six or seven years ago. So I feel like we could benefit from coming here once a year. There might be twice as many people here if there was more demand. At the same time, we never were super successful. We never had a peak. For the past five years, we’ve been peaking. It’s always been a little bit bigger, so there has always been a need to continue to tour, to put out albums. Not doing that is a choice we have to make. It sucks to be a band and have to make decisions for financial reasons. To do less, as individuals, would hurt us a little bit.

CG: And with people our age and older, I see them thinking about [the] girlfriends that they’ve had for a solid amount of time, and family, and having a place back home and that affects how we think because we’re not really kids anymore. I mean, I consider myself pretty immature, but I think we’re all thinking about big picture-life-stuff, you know?

NG: There’s examples of bands, like Hot Water Music, that are bigger now than they were before and they don’t tour that much; they have other things going on.

TCO: It’s also one of those things where they were like “Fuck it, we’re done” and kids were like “Oh I missed my chance to see them!” I’m not suggesting you guys do that.

CG: It’s that whole “leave them wanting more” thing. If you just disappear and then when you come back, people will be psyched.

NG: There’s plenty of examples of bands…you don’t really have to break up, maybe you just go on some kind of hiatus/take-time-off-do-adult-things. Then book a week of shows, and do Bamboozle, do whatever.

CG: Or you can do just do what every band does and break up. Then nine months later –

TCO: Reunion tour!

CG: (laughs) Don’t say we’re breaking up. We’re not breaking up.

The very intact Bayside has a new album on Wind-Up called “Killing Time.” Singer Anthony Raneri and Ghanbarian host Gumshoe Radio on Idobi. Keep abreast of all things Bayside on their website.

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Bayside interview pop-punk emo features Wind Up Records