Kendra: The first thing I noticed listening to ‘Predicated’ was that you have this wonderful control over your harmonies. Did you grow up singing in your bedroom, with a brush in hand, taking notes from any artist to learn that skill?

Ja’leeyna: Thank you so much! I honestly wasn’t one of those girls oddly enough! I just found out I could sing by other people telling me I could and began to sing at local talent shows. Eventually, my parents wanted to make sure I was fine-tuned in my “vocal blessing” and started me with vocal lessons! 

I loved Brandy since I can remember! I think she was just a great representation of a dark skin woman that had the vocal skills, and also had talent and drive to have her own television show!

Kendra: Another noticeable thing about your music is that you put a lot of your faith into it. Did you come up in church choirs? 

Ja’leeyna: Honestly the only song that was faith-based being “Thank You” was me, of course, paying homage to God for bringing me as far as he did because most people tend to think I was raised in a church or sang in church choirs but that was not my case! I’m just truly blessed with a voice! 

Kendra: I mentioned it already, but ‘Predicated’ is your latest release, and being from Michigan – I’d love to know if you had to compare the overall vibe of the record to a spot in your home state, what would it be and why?

Ja’leeyna: Not really! I haven’t been to many places in my home state so I can’t really compare my own music to anywhere specific. 

Kendra: Going back to that vocal control, it was really noticeable in “Thank You,” a song I couldn’t get enough of. Everything about it made me think it could’ve been in that scene in ‘Sister Act 2’ when they’re in the church and Lauryn Hill is singing with her friend playing the piano. Are you the one playing the keys?

Ja’leeyna: Thank you so much!! I love that movie so I’m glad it was able to bring you back to that! Unfortunately, I am not the one on keys. The producer’s name is Pyano. Found him and this track on YouTube, and couldn’t get enough of it, and knew I wanted to write something for the glory of God to it. And there went “Thank You.”

Kendra: I did want to ask about 2020’s “Strangers” because the cover art features ‘The Proud Family.’ Seeing that they did bring it back recently – what song off ‘Predicated’ would you love to hear on the Disney+ series? 

Ja’leeyna: Haha! I don’t keep up with any Disney+ shows that often. Not even the new ‘Proud Family,’ I know it’s crazy. So really I’m not sure, but I will start looking into that. think it’ll be cool to maybe have one or some of my songs in TV shows and films! 

Kendra: Time for a side note – with it being summer, I’d love to know your go-to summer anthem? Like what song must you listen to when the weather is perfect and the sun is out? 

Ja’leeyna: Right now in 2022, I’d have to say my summer anthem is going to be between “Boom!” by Scootie Wop, a super dope Christian rapper, “Whole Lotta Choppas” by Sada Baby, or “Mind Yo Business” by Lakeyah featuring Latto. Those have been in HEAVY rotation so far!!

My ALL-TIME summer song though is going Usher’s “U Don’t Have To Call.” That song is the epitome of a young summer! It feels like “I’m good tonight, either way, it’s warm outside and that’s where I’ll be, so don’t wait up!!” 

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Predicated’ out now, what are your plans moving forward? Is there a possible tour in the works?

Ja’leeyna: A tour would be GREAT! I think especially with this EP it would be so easy to have a great pull out of my own music I could do! I would just have to set that up, but it probably wouldn’t be for another year or so for proper preparation and marketing! Plus by then I’ll have more music out!! And speaking of Usher I have a song coming out with one of his most popular songs being sampled and my FIRST MUSIC VIDEO along with it!! I’m super excited about this! All coming out toward the end of 2022, date TBA!

The post Predicting Big Things for Ja’leeyna  appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: You’ve got so many creative aspects about you, have you always been someone drawn to the arts?

Carmen Mi’Chelle: Yes, I always have. I love the arts! I love music, painting, acting, crafts, writing, poetry, etc. I grew up in a musical family. My mom is a singer and me and my brothers all played instruments, so I heard music all the time. I was also in the glee club as a child and quickly adapted to loving the stage and being an extrovert in the arts.

Kendra: So let’s talk about your latest single, “I Was Wrong.” Not every day do we hear a song that admits a wrong. What inspired this track?

Carmen Mi’Chelle: I was originally asked to write this song for a new upcoming film. Since writing was my first love, I was able to dig deep into a past time where I may have felt pain from losing someone. Sometimes it’s not always the other person. Sometimes it’s you. And it’s ok to admit that. Especially when you really love someone.

Kendra; In this, as well as in “Summer Baby,” you kick things off by speaking a bit. That is something that takes me back to the ‘90s. Was this your way of paying homage to the R&B of then?

Carmen Mi’Chelle: Man, yes I love the 90’s music era. I listened to Ashanti, Brandy, Toni Braxton, Alicia Keys, and so many more of my favorite R&B ladies! I also added a melody inspired by SWV in this song because I felt it in the music. I believe that real music will never die as long as we keep it alive. A lot of the music of the 90’s inspired me to be the artist that I am now. 

Kendra: You’ve got a few tracks officially out now but almost two dozen on your Soundcloud. Are there any plans to revisit those songs from four…five years ago and make a record at some point, or are you focusing on the new material you’ve got going on in your head?

Carmen Mi’Chelle: My SoundCloud was more like a diary to myself. It represents all the times I was in a state of creativity and high emotion inspired by life. I love to record myself and store my music because you never know when it will be useful. I like to just let my music flow and feel the vibe. As of right now, my goal is to share myself with the world through my music whether it’s new or revisited. 

Kendra: Speaking of, are there plans to drop a record this year?

Carmen Mi’Chelle: Yes! I actually dropped a re-release on May 29th of my song “Bad Thing” which was first featured in the movie and its soundtrack “DYMEZ”. So yes, I have new music on the way! 

Kendra: You’re out in Detroit. Now that’s not a city I’m too familiar with. What’s the music scene out there like?

Carmen Mi’Chelle: Honestly, believe it or not, the music scene is very versatile. I float throughout the underground music scene and I’ve heard and met so many dope artists ranging from rap, poetry, spoken word, live bands! I love it all! And I’m proud to represent the dopeness that comes out of Detroit! As for myself, I don’t put myself in a box with genres. I appreciate and create all types of music and cannot wait to share that with the world. 

Kendra: Again, you’ve got a lot of creative aspects about you because on top of being a singer you’re a model and an actress. What are some goals you have with being on screen? 

Carmen Mi’Chelle: Yes! One of my goals is to work with Tyler Perry and Issa Rae! I plan to be in more commercials and work on set with popular movies and TV series in Hollywood! I’m also a producer and scriptwriter. I will be filming the first feature film I wrote called “Captured” this year and I’m so excited for this process! Look out for it on Tubi and Amazon Prime soon. 

Kendra: Time for a side note – with it being summer, I’d love to know your go-to summer anthem? Like what song must you listen to when the weather is perfect and the sun is out? 

Carmen Mi’Chelle: I love, love, love listening to music with high vibrations like Erykah Badu for example. Music that’s about manifestation and good vibes so that I can meditate or sit in the sun and relax. But my go-to for summertime mornings when you wake up and clean your home like a Sunday morning is Dionne Farris – “Hopeless.”

Kendra: Lastly, with “I Was Wrong” out now, what are your plans moving forward? We talked a bit about new music, but what about performances soon?

Carmen Mi’Chelle: I’ve had a couple of performances since the release, and I have more upcoming events. Meeting new people and networking, I will see many shows in the near future. So stay in tune with the journey as one my goals is to perform in states across the country!

The post Carmen Mi’Chelle Heats Up Summer, Baby appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: You probably have it down to a science by now, but how do you manage to balance your mind when creating music with Clear Soul Forces and also for yourself as a solo artist because it seems like there’s been no slowdown on either side?

Noveliss: It’s really two completely different creative outlets so it’s like, not having to draw from the same place to generate the art. In that sense, I’m always fresh and never too overwhelmed.

Kendra: When did you start putting the foundation for ‘Book of Changes’ down? Was this something inspired by all that’s gone down around the world over the past year?

Noveliss: It’s definitely something that’s inspired by the world’s climate over the past couple of years. It’s a project that was created in isolation and you can tell when you listen to it. Dixon Hill reached out a little over a year ago and we started to send ideas back and forth. The project really became something special and has a much bigger concept behind it than we originally thought it would.

Kendra: The album features “Sincerity and Reverence,” a song that is inspired by The Ancient Chinese Book of Changes. Was this something you’d read and looked to for some time?

Noveliss: Absolutely, I’m really into Chinese philosophy and martial arts so I’ve read plenty of Chinese philosophy books and also Japanese as well. But the big thing here is that it’s not just the one song that is inspired by these readings, but the entire project.

Kendra: On the flip side, when it comes to being moved by Japanese publications and art, you are an avid anime fan. I’ve gotten the chance to talk to a number of Black cosplayers about anime and many have said they love it because the struggles often found in these anime tales mirror the struggles Black people face. For you, what initially drew you into anime, and what has been the most moving part of it all?

Noveliss: I was a kid of the Toonami era and that’s where my anime journey really began. Shonen anime is like the gateway to anime culture. Just seeing a character you like and identify with, go through so many adventures and so much adversity over a long period of time changes you. You feel connected to the characters, especially since the shows are long enough to be with you throughout multiple stages of your own life. It sounds crazy but you connect with these characters so much they actually feel like you know them personally and they’re your actual friend. You care, they inspire you. For me, it was Naruto.

Kendra: Do you think you’d ever be up for scoring an entire anime-inspired, live-action film? If so, which anime would you want it to be based on?

Noveliss: Oh man that would be a dream come true. Anime has a bad track record when being converted into live-action but it definitely can be done. The live-action Rurouni Kenshin films are amazing. I’d probably want to work on something similarly grounded in reality like Samurai Champloo.

Kendra: Back to ‘Book of Changes,’ with that out in November – are you planning on doing any COVID-safe shows this fall, or are you waiting for the new year to get to any sort of touring?

Noveliss: I definitely miss touring and being on the road, it’s a big reason why I was able to commit to music full time. So as things get safer I’ll be back out there.

Kendra: New album, possible shows – what else can we be on the lookout from you as we say goodbye to 2021 and hello to 2022?

Noveliss: Definitely this Book of Changes album, I can’t wait for this to be out into the world. I’m also working on a silent mini-martial arts film with a dope soundtrack done by me. Also another album with my guy Hir-O and hopefully more Con appearances and things like that. Peace!

The post Book of Noveliss appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Some time ago Asklepius was made up of a pair of talented musicians, but when they met another – they knew his skills and insight could not be ignored. With that, Justin and Matt combined forces with Dave, and Asklepius took their sound to the next level. Today, they have a new record out and talked to us all about ‘Relative to a Mood,’ Greek mythology, and so much more in this back and forth.

Kendra: You got your start back in late 2016. Was a creative outlet your response to the election results around that time?

Justin: Though none of us were happy with the election of Trump, we didn’t form this group as a reaction to the political climate of the United States. Around that time, I had just gotten back from spending four months – pretty much off the grid – in New Mexico working at Ghost Ranch as a Youth Programming Coordinator. Shortly after, Matt moved back to Detroit from the Lansing area, and we started jamming again at my studio space at the Russell Industrial Center.

Matt and I have had several music projects since we met in middle school so Asklepius was just a natural progression of that relationship. Some of the songs on our first EP – ‘Rapture, Circulation, and Lullaby’ – are old songs we resurrected and reworked from our former project, Penny Arcade Peepshow. For me, this project is more of an extension of my spiritual life rather than of my political beliefs – not to say that those things can’t overlap, but that was not the initial intention when we began this project.

Kendra: Since then you’ve dropped two EPs. How do you feel you’ve each grown as musicians from ‘Four Shadows The Past’ to ‘Relative to a Mood”’ Or rather, what has been your musical “Metamorphosis?”

Justin: First and foremost, adding Dave on bass has been a huge “Metamorphosis” for our sound. As a duo comprised of piano and drums, adding a bassist just made sense. Dave helped to round out our sound, and his addition also freed me to experiment more with the keys. I utilize a loop pedal, so before Dave joined, I would have to double up on bass and melody, which often muddied our sound – and not in a good way – during live performances. Now, our sound is much clearer, driving, and rhythmic; the shapes we create have more definition.

You should be able to hear those distinct differences between the two EPs – ‘Relative to a Mood’ is much more upbeat, high-energy, and a little less ethereal. Also, we have a better grasp of our sound. As I stated previously, we used old material as the basis for ‘Four Shadows the Past,’ which was great soil to sprout from – but now with Dave and these new songs, I feel our sonic identity is being solidified, and we are blossoming as a group. But I do want us to continue to transform and adapt moving forward; it’s cool we are developing our signature aesthetic, but I don’t want that to hinder us from experimenting with new ideas moving forward. I commonly use the tag line “We are a Myth / a Song / a Lyric that is Ever-Evolving” and that to me is the essence of what Asklepius is and always will be.

Dave: Every time that I’ve joined a new band, I’ve always reinvented aspects of my identity as a bassist. Whether that means details in rhythm, or the use of effects pedals, or little licks – catchphrases if you will – I tear down and evolve a bit. Over a longer story arc, this has meant moving into a garage rock band and thumping it out after playing more blues and funk when I lived in Cincinnati – or upon moving to Chicago finding myself in a noise oriented free-playing project. Wildly different genres when one focuses on the details of making something that sounds tight and cohesive.

So moving into Asklepius, I was faced with the additional, and new, challenge of writing parts to songs that were already finished. Other times, there is simply a part that someone else already put together, stitching it into the fabric of a piece of music. In learning the songs off of ‘Four Shadows the Past,’ I had to respect what had already been said on that record while also adding to it. Reflecting on the process is interesting in the sense that I became a session musician. Most of the time when a band is forming, everyone finds their role and space within the sound of the group organically. That’s the only way I had previously done that. So now when we play the old songs live, they still sound the same but bigger.

And the timing was fantastic. The songs for the new EP were in development at the time so I got to do both the learning and the new writing simultaneously. With the new material, I could carve a little space out for myself and influence the direction a little bit. I still took a back seat role in a lot of ways of being new to the band; we were still figuring out the mesh after all. At certain points, that ran us directly into walls. For example, the end of ‘Ascension’ flips from a 4:4 to a 5:4 time signature. As an untrained musician, I never really counted time before. I just played groove. So in a basement on the eastside of Detroit, we had to slow it down and get me comfortable with that. I more or less synthesized the old groove player and the new counting player by keeping the time with some dancing!

Kendra: For Dave, what do you feel you added to the overall audible aesthetic of this record? For those not in the know – this is Dave’s first release with the band.

Dave: I love this question. ‘Foreshadows the Past’ to me has a very cinematic sound. As in, it could literally score a great black and white, indie drama. At least that’s what a lot of the material evokes as an image for me. There is a crispness in two percussion instruments in duet with each other. It’s delicate. The bass, given the nature of being in a low register and a stringed instrument, has a lot of mud to it. One does not typically get feedback with drums and keys, but you sure can with the bass. Ask any sound engineer: the bass is one of the harder instruments to contain in a live environment. The science of it is fascinating. So that is the underlying way that I have impacted the sound of the group. There is now a bottom that swings and swells, and in a good way provides a “bull in a china shop” kind of chaos; it is robust.

On ‘Relative to a Mood,’ the music has more force. I push Matt in different ways than Justin does. It’s the fundamental conversation of a rhythm section. Add to that my different influences and ideas that weren’t there before inform our playing in new ways. “Jubilation,” for example, had an entirely different feel to the opening section. It was softer and moved through a chord sequence. When I jumped in, I drove the song in pace and intensity with a single chord tonal center and a dancer’s swing. This is the sound of energy.

Additionally, I give Justin a counter melody. He already creates his loops and essentially has a melodic conversation with himself – a healthy and productive one I might add! But now, there is the opportunity to be free from the restrictions of only setting a loop to achieve the advancement of a musical idea. The end section of “Jubilation” best demonstrates this point. Justin and I take turns contouring the melody. I push up to walk the line down and then he scoops it from the bottom to take it back up to home. So the ways that this happens on the new EP are a lot richer and dynamic than on the previous one.

Kendra: Greek history fans probably already recognized Asklepius as the god of medicine. Not me, I got a D in that class as Disney’s ‘Hercules’ is not the best way to study for a final exam. Anyways, why that particular god?

Justin: This question is deep, but I will attempt to keep my answer somewhat short. I am a huge mythology nerd, and I wanted this project to have a name with epic resonance – one to reflect what our sound would be. At first, I was leaning toward Dionysus but strayed away from that deity for a few reasons: 1. Matt and I had gone through – and in many ways were still going through – a Dionysian phase in our young lives, which can be a lot of fun, but also quite destructive and unhealthy. I wanted this new project to be a shift away from that madness, excess, and ecstasy into something more uplifting and positive; 2. Art has always been a healing process for me. By the end of 2016, I was already a few years into a focused medicine path, and I was ushering in a complete transformation of my life. I wanted this project to embody that and reinforce the new direction my life was taking; 3. Asklepius is known as a necromancer, one who can raise people from the dead. First off, that’s just badass, but it also has a deeper meaning in regards to the band’s history, we literally resurrected old songs from a lost time to birth this new project. We also use my grandfather’s (Joe Groppuso) paintings as our cover art. He is my eternal muse and the ancestor who watches over my life and creative endeavors. With everything we create, his spirit is there!

Kendra: Usually, this is where I ask people what they have planned in the coming months but with the world in a strange place right now, plans aren’t as concrete as they typically are. You can go ahead and let us know what you have tentatively planned but can you also share a song that never fails to get you through when the world around you feels like a mess?

Justin: We have a couple more music videos in the works as well as two singles we finished while recording ‘Relative to a Mood.’ This should be enough material to last us through the remainder of the year, which is exciting! We are very fortunate to be sitting on this material given the uncertain situation we find ourselves in. The two singles are another leap in our sound; the two of them together have this Yin-Yang vibe. Other than that, we’re hoping that live shows will start back up again sometime soon(ish). We are getting to a new point with our live show that is exciting, and we would love to bring it to the world; touring is definitely the next step for us, but that is up in the air till the state of the world settles. We will probably spend the rest of the year writing a lot of new material and evolving our sound. We already have 3-4 pieces that we are currently fleshing out, and some little pieces that are slowly but surely taking form. You might even hear singing, chanting, and spoken word in our future songs! We are indeed mixing up a lot of powerful medicine for your soul.

Dave: Plans don’t exist right now. Things still change daily as Detroit has been hit hard by this pandemic. I live in one of the worst zip codes in terms of the outbreak, and my primary income comes from dine-in restaurant work – that future is looking bleak right now. The number of times that I’ve had to tell myself or a friend “one day at a time” is ridiculous. It’s a stressful environment, to say the least. So in the backdrop of all that, there is plenty of time to promote and release the new EP. When we were making it over the course of the last year, we noticed how many moments sounded like pure joy. Putting that feeling out there at this time I think honors our intent as a band.

As for a song, one I keep coming back to is Rage Against the Machine’s cover of “Maggie’s Farm.” Specifically the line “I’ve got a head full of ideas that are driving me insane.” There is just something so complete in the context of the lyrics and the sound on that track. And then that in and of itself is just as complete in the context of what’s going on all around me. It’s as close to perfection as I’m going to get in terms of aurally and narratively responding to the anger and sadness and helplessness that I’ve felt for myself and so many others frequently in my very isolated quarantine.

Matt: For tough times, I listen to “Feeling Yourself Disintegrate” by the Flaming Lips. I find the song calming and the lyrics make me realize that everything will be just peachy keen.

The post Asklepius: Challenges, Additions & Greekery appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Everyone processes different aspects of their lives in a myriad of ways. Some of us smile through it, others breakdown, and then there are those who create. The latter is just like Jason Singer, a Michigan native otherwise known as Michigander. He put a particular period of his life to song and the results are telling tales sewn together with hooks and notes on Michigander’s Where Do We Go From Here EP, out September 13th on C3 Records. We talked about the music, let downs and more in this exchange.

Kendra: The songs you penned for Where Do We Go From Here are from a specific period of your life, which we’ll get to in a second. First though, content aside, how do you feel this album showcases your growth as a musician compared to 2018’s Midland?

Michigander: This was the first time I got to write a whole bunch of songs in one consistent work environment. So I never had to set up or tear down gear to record and write which was nice. I think it allowed me to focus more on the arrangements and instrumentation of the songs, which I think made them better

Kendra: With this new album, you dove deep into the chaotic and often excruciating years known as the mid-20s. Like yourself, I too have a collection of songs for that time in my life, but I didn’t write Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” or The Wonder Years’ “Passing Through a Screen Door.” Listening to them now though I’m reminded of how far I’ve come. Is that how you feel about the songs that make up your new record? Like do you get a cathartic feeling performing them and, do you feel like that’ll be the case as you continue to sing them years down the road

Michigander: Yeah, I think these songs were sort of way for me to process that period of my life. I feel like I came out the other side with a better grasp of who I am as a person and where my place is in this world. I think these new songs were a good way to release all my confusion and move on from it.

Kendra: Listening to “Poplar” definitely took me back, especially when you so wonderfully delivered the line, “Don’t want to let you down.” With that, do you feel as if we put way more pressure on ourselves to live up to an ideal standard than others put on us?

Michigander: I think that line is more about not letting my friends down. I’m not one to care about what strangers think of me, but I really do care what my close pals think of me and what I’m doing. I often feel responsible for their well being, especially while we travel. It can be hard to try and make everybody happy.

Kendra: With a record release show at home kicking things off and a stop in NYC soon after, do you ever set any goals for yourself when on tour? Maybe not eating this and that, or making sure to take in a sight or two in each new city?

Michigander: Besides trying to get as much sleep as possible and drinking lots of water, I don’t have many goals. I feel like the more I travel the more I appreciate being home. I’ve come to realize that cities, for the most part, are pretty similar. You’re always looking for a good cup of coffee, a good meal, and a good record store.

Kendra: Let’s take a musical break really quick. If you were in Zombieland you’d already have your name down, but with that…if the living dead did start to pop up, where in Michigan would you feel safest?

Michigander: I feel like a hotel somewhere would be a good place to hold up in. Lots of rooms. Lots of exits. Lots of floors. I could be wrong, but I think that’s where I’d go.

Kendra: And lastly, you’re new record is our September 13th and you’ve got a tour starting then as well. Are there any other plans you have for 2019 or are you already thinking about 2020?”

Michigander: I think the rest of this year is just the set up for what’s to come in 2020. I still feel like I’m just getting started!

Catch Michigander on Tour This Fall:
9/13 – Pontiac, MI – Crofoot Ballroom
9/17 – Cambridge, MA – The Middle East
9/19 – Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade
9/20 – Philadelphia, PA – Milkboy
9/21- Vienna, VA – Jammin Java
9/22 – Harrisonburg, VA – Golden Pony
9/25 – Charlotte, SC – The Evening Muse
9/26 – Atlanta, GA – Smith’s Olde Bar
9/27 – Nashville, TN – The High Watt
9/28 – Indianapolis, IN – White Rabbit
10/3 – Columbia, MO – Rose Music Hall
10/4 – Eureka Springs, AR – Chelsea’s Bar
10/6 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
10/8- Davenport, IA – Racoon Motel
10/9 – Davenport, IA – Racoon Motel
10/10 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon

The post Michigander: Sound Periodical Accounts appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Today we’re not in the best place. That doesn’t mean that hope we held onto back then is gone for good though. We still have the chance to feel that electricity as we hit the polls as hard as we did once upon a time. They say all it takes is one vote, and yes – that’s true but bands like The Accidentals are showcasing that it takes a village and then some. Motivated by the world around them, often times crumbling around them, they were able to find strength as they penned “Heavy Flag.” A call to action and a reminder of our responsibility to this nation, to ourselves.

Kendra: It’s safe to say that America hasn’t been doing well in recent years. Some would say it’s embarrassing. With that, do you feel like we could ever bounce back from our current state?

Katie: Our generation has to step up. We are counting on them to get out to the polls and vote for people that care about long-term sustainability. As a band, we’re all in our early 20’s and looking at our future. We want to live in a world that takes care of its resources and each other, every voice to be represented, and reasonable discussion and critical thinking. A century ago women and minorities were fighting to even have the right to vote. We need to take advantage of that ability, think critically about the next 50 years, and listen to each other in order to create the future we want to live in.

Kendra: What was the last straw that made you pen “Heavy Flag?”

Sav: I don’t really recall a “last straw, but then again, I kind of lose myself in songwriting. When I need to dump off excess emotion, it’s usually in the form of a song. “Heavy Flag” came into existence in May of 2016, at 2am, while I was contemplating my future. I was looking at a famous photograph called “Raising the Flag at Iwo Jima” and playing around with the chord progression on a viola. The weight of that flag both physically and psychologically seemed incredibly heavy. That concept became the refrain of the song.

The rest of the words were inspired by my frustration at how far we have come towards changing the historical story and how far we have to go, and how important critical thinking is to achieve a higher level of understanding. Our generation can’t be complacent or afraid, and we can’t be short-sighted. We have to be involved. All of that came together to create one of the more intense songs I’ve ever written, but one that nails down the feeling.

Kendra: The story behind when you were writing the song is very striking. Seeing that picture of the flag being hoisted up at Iwo Jima and the flag being both physically and psychologically heavy. For you, what issues weigh the heaviest?

Sav: For me, the weight of the flag in the photograph mirrored the weight of the responsibility we all share. I feel that there is a lot of divisiveness in the country. It’s harder than ever to understand each other. There’s distrust and anger from all sides. There are people who have lost hope in the power of their vote. The midterms are really where your vote counts. This is where you can really affect change. We all have an equal, human right to our vote, to our voice.

Kendra: Right now the most important thing people can do is vote. Would you say “Heavy Flag” is a call to action in a way?

Katie: “Heavy Flag” is definitely a call to action. That’s why the timing of this song’s release is crucial for us. We’ve seen stats that only 20% of 18-24-year-olds are committed to voting in the 2018 midterms. We need to change that statistic. With the release of “Heavy Flag,” we’re launching a series of “#TUESDAY” Get Out the Vote events with Seth Bernard and the Clean Water Campaign across our home state of Michigan. We’ll be handing out information on how to vote and encouraging critical thinking about our resources and our future. Beyond the midterms, we want to continue to spread the message that it’s important to stay aware, stay informed, and stay engaged with your community.

Kendra: You’ve done some 200 shows this year and are still on the road. Are current audiences hearing “Heavy Flag” live?

Katie: Yes! As soon as we got off the road touring our 2017 album Odyssey we recorded four singles in LA and including “Heavy Flag” and started rehearsing the live version. The best part was getting together as a band to evolve the song from the acoustic demo to electric 5 string violin/electric cello/drums. As soon as our drummer Michael started playing the alternating beat on the toms, the song amped up to another level. We’ve been playing it from east coast to west coast this year and it remains one of the most impactful songs each night.

Kendra: Do you feel like you could eventually make a whole politically charged album, maybe an EP?

Sav: When you tour the US nonstop for four years, you experience a lot of viewpoints, you get a snapshot of people’s lives, and you start to understand things from different perspectives. You also see the most beautiful places and learn gratitude for the sanctuaries that still exist. You get to see first hand, music education is changing lives for young people and programs are working to strengthen communities. More often than not we find people genuinely care about each other regardless of politics. We use songwriting as a form of therapy, and sometimes songs just write themselves. Often our songs just reflect those moments, those stories, whatever we are trying to make sense of in the moment.

Everyone in the band has different political views. But as a band, we can all agree creating a sustainable future should be a nonpartisan effort. Those issues will probably find their way into our songwriting in the coming years

“Heavy Flag” is a song about us, about our responsibility to that future. We need to use our voices to protect it and contribute to a healthy democracy. In order for a democracy to be healthy, we have to show up.

The post The Accidentals Find Strength Lifting a Heavy Flag appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: There seems to be quite a bit of bands coming out of Lansing. Is there a good music community being built up over there?

James Radick: I feel like Lansing is in a pretty good place, and I’m proud of that. With that said, there’s still strides we can make as a community to be more diverse and inclusive. We have a couple really good spaces here, but it’s still, like many communities, largely white guys making music. I think with more representation our community will improve, which is better for everyone. The more voices and insight the better. We’re making strides. We’re getting there.

“To Fit Better in a Room”

Kendra: You have this eclectic sound that fuses indie with emo, but there is also this base of punk mentality. Did each of you bring each style separately and then you gracefully married them over time?

James: The four of us each have our own music preferences, that’s for sure. I have always been drawn to the catchier bands in the indie/emo world, and I think a lot of that comes through in what I bring to the table with songs. Josh, our other guitarist, is a lot more musically knowledgeable than I am, and he brings in a lot of these really interesting songs and structures that I can’t possibly imagine coming up with. Danny, our bass player, has the most punk influence out of all of us, and he’s always looking to play faster. Our drummer, Dave, has this philosophy where he thinks drums are there to showcase the song, not distract from it. He’s the first person I’ve personally ever worked with who is like that, and the egomaniac inside me loves it. But, he always knows exactly what the songs need, and how to make it work. He’s been really, really great to have on board.

Kendra: We can hear all of that and more on your latest release, Honest Light. You dropped it back in early May and so far – have you been happy with the response?

James: When we were working on this album, I think we weren’t really sure what is was going to be. And I think it all really came together, stylistically, as we recorded it. That’s what I love about recording: you begin to notice the themes and narratives present in a record. We’ve put out a couple EPs, and they all felt just like collections of songs. With the full length, we wanted something that felt really cohesive. When people tell me that they listen to the record all the way through, that really means something to me. I love hearing what songs people like, and how they relate to them. That’s what making music is about for me: being able to make those connections with people.

Nowadays it’s really, really special when people actually listen to an album from start-to-finish. With the availability of streaming and the popularity of playlists, having people take the time to listen to an album all the way through really means something to me.
This is a really, really long-winded way of saying, “yes.” I’ve had some people have those conversations with me about favorite songs and things that struck a personal chord with them. That means the world.

“Years Ago”

Kendra: Listening to it, I got this more recent Taking Back Sunday meets Dashboard Confessional. Were those any of your influences growing up?

James: I don’t think any of us would consider TBS or Dashboard as influences, BUT that doesn’t mean that we don’t have sonic similarities. I think those bands draw a lot of influence from the Saves the Day’s and Sunny Day Real Estate’s of the world, which are both definitely bands that are influential to us. I don’t really think people make music that is 100% original: making music is more about a unique amalgamation of influences and experiences coming together to form songs.

Kendra: One of the songs I personally liked the most off Honest Light was “Years Ago.” I just felt it had a lot of heart in every note. Do you guys write with your hearts on your sleeves? Like are you the types that only write from personal experiences?

James: All of my lyrics have, to this point, come from personal experiences. I wish that I could be a John Darnielle-type and craft these phenomenal songs that are based outside of real-life experiences, but I haven’t ever been able to do that. Will that change going forward? We’ll see! But music has always been a very therapeutic process for me – especially writing lyrics. This album especially was about putting the thoughts and feelings I had previously tried to run from out there – being honest was my intent (hence the name of the album!

Kendra: Lastly, what are some immediate plans from you guys this summer? Do fans have any shows to look forward to – or are they waiting until the fall?

James: Our immediate plans are to slowly get back into playing more shows. We took a pretty big break from playing out, so that we could focus on our personal lives and creating this record. As we continue to get settled in, we want to start pushing the band more. We want to get out and share this record that we are so very proud of. I think it’ll start kicking into full gear come fall.

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