Post from: Submerge Magazine

Words by Adam Saake • Photos by Nicholas Wray

Hey look! It’s fall. Oh, there it goes. Living in Sacramento, you know that fall makes a quick appearance yet there are so many ways to indulge. Having your checklist done early, your Halloween costume pre-ordered and a trip to Apple Hill in permanent marker on the calendar is a good start, but there are still a few things that fly by under the radar. Pumpkin beer is one of them and if you’re not quick to grab a six-pack off the end cap, you might miss out on some limited edition suds that can be quite delicious. What once seemed like a novelty has now become a tradition for some serious beer drinkers and the choices have multiplied. Ales, lagers and even ciders are popping up on the shelves and each offer unique takes on the flavors that this iconic orange squash has to offer.

America’s Original Pumpkin Ale

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery, Hayward, Calif.

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery offers a quality pumpkin ale that is firmly centered on drinkability and not necessarily pumpkin overload. Not to say that pumpkin isn’t the focus here, but on a scale of Linus to Return to Oz, this is somewhere in the Silver Bend Pumpkin Patch. The first initial sips yield the pumpkin and then the luster slightly fades, but still very refreshing. Clocking in at a little over 5 percent alcohol and 11 IBUs (international bittering unit), even grandma might have one with you to celebrate the holidays.

The Hayward, Calif.-based brewery who are also known for their Alimony Ale and Orange Blossom Cream Ale have had their feet in the microbrew market since 1983. These guys definitely know what they’re doing with their pumpkin beer, so you’re safe to grab a six-pack and enjoy.

Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale

Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, Colo.

Surely the most recognizable name we’ll mention here in our Pumpkin Beer spotlight, and either you love it or you hate it. Blue Moon, a Miller/Coors product, hit the scene around 1995 at The Sandlot Brewery in Boulder, Colo. (then just owned by Coors) and it didn’t take long before it had made its way into many watering holes around the country.

Originally launched in 2006, the Harvest Pumpkin Ale has had a facelift this year and according to Miller/Coors has been “re-launched and reformulated this year.” What does that mean? Well instead of brewing the beer with just pumpkin and cloves, they add nutmeg and allspice as well. That and the label become a little less artsy and lot more branded. What you get is a quite enjoyable beer with a good body, smooth finish and great balance between the hops, pumpkin and spices. Coming in at 5.7 percent alcohol, Harvest Pumpkin Ale is a step up in intensity but not overpowering and certainly a beer you can enjoy more than one of.

Pumpkin Lager Beer

Lakefront Brewery Inc., Milwaukee, Wisc.

Located on the Milwaukee River in Milwaukee, Wisc.—pronounced mealy-walk-ay if you’re Alice Cooper—Lakefront Brewery has been crafting quality microbrews since 1987. The brewery itself is a huge tourist attraction to the point where sold-out brewery tours gave way to online ticket sales. Still independently owned and cranking out large volumes of beer, boasting over 20 different selections, Lakefront is testament to the little guy doing big things.

Their Pumpkin Lager Beer, apparently inspired by a Thomas Jefferson recipe that brewery owner Russ Klisch stumbled upon, is as close to pumpkin pie in a beer form that you might find. Pour one into a glass and you’ll immediately notice that the nose jumps out; heavy with pumpkin, cinnamon and clove aromas. The mouth feel echoes the nose; rich yet goes down easy and the use of Caramel and Munich malts lend to the texture and depth of this fun drinking beer. Slightly copper in color and 6 percent alcohol, you might spill a few family secrets after a few of these.

Pugsley’s Signature Series: Smashed Pumpkin Ale

Shipyard Brewing Co., Portland, Maine

Caution: double entendre approaching! Shipyard Brewing Company’s co-founder and Master Brewer Alan Pugsley has outdone himself with this Smashed Pumpkin Ale. Not only will you be “smashed” after a few of these, but your head will feel like Gallagher took his sledgehammer to it in the morning. Packed with so much spice, pumpkin, hops and malts and 9 percent alcohol, this pumpkin beer is truly a trick and a treat. Submerge asked local beer guru Mark Neuhauser of Pangaea Two Brews Cafe what he thought and he called it “very sweet…pumpkin pie in a bottle.” Pugsley uses three different malts including Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich along with two different kinds of hops; Willamette and Hallertau. The high alcohol gives it the backbone and bite, making this beer perfect for any of your spice filled holiday foods.

Of course, it’s no surprise that Shipyard would blow the stem off the pumpkin beer category. These guys are known for amazing craft beers that they’ve been perfecting since 1992. They’re Maine’s largest brewery that also makes Capt’n Eli’s Soda, a craft soda that comes in seven different flavors and are the 19th largest craft brewery in the country. All that from little ol’ Maine, go figure. On top of that, Pugsley is kind of a rock star in the East Coast microbrew world. Back in the ‘80s he bounced around and helped establish quite a number of breweries as well helped design and build breweries in the United Kingdom.

Hard Pumpkin Cider

Ace Cider: The California Cider Company, Sebastopol, Calif.

Alright, here’s your wild card. Ace Cider based out of Sebastopol, Calif., has been making cider for 15 years. Before there were really cider options, there was Ace and over the years they’ve stayed amongst the companies making really high quality, gluten free and delicious ciders. This year is the first year that the company has released their Hard Pumpkin Cider, an apple-based cider that is blended with pumpkin and allspice. Jeffrey House, owner and master cider maker, says that he made 10,000 gallons this year and it’s already all gone.

“People are racing to drink it,” says House.

With the popularity of the product, House says they’ll more than likely double or even triple production next year to meet the demand. The cider is quite a unique product that doesn’t scream pumpkin but merely suggests it. The allspice is subtle and you pick up the apple on the finish along with an interesting aftertaste reminiscent of pear candy. This cider is 5 percent alcohol and quite low in sugar content, 9 grams per 12-ounce bottle. If you’re really aiming for pumpkin, I’m not sure if this is for you but overall a tasty cider that fits in perfectly with their existing line.

These beers and ciders can be found at Total Wine, Whole Foods, Corti Bros and other select specialty markets. Call ahead because they are seasonal and will disappear quick.

Still thirsty for more pumpkin beer? Pangaea Two Brews Café has Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale on draft. Pangaea was lucky enough to acquire three of the six kegs allocated to the entire Sacramento area, so get it while it’s here. Or, head over Alley Katz and try a Double Pumpkin Ale on draft from Sam Adams.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Post from: Submerge Magazine

In support of an upcoming stop at the Crocker Art Museum on Oct. 16, 2010 Submerge reached out to the Oregon-born renaissance man. Excited to bring his four turntable and two sampler setup, he talked about the past and present and what to expect in the near future.

I want to talk about the progression of your career. From your early days with MHz on the underground rap tip, to creating what some dubbed as an “indie rock” album, to your last album The Colossus which was a collage of all kinds of genres, you have shown you can do it all. Was it always the plan to be this all-encompassing artist?
No, I never had any kind of any master plan of this is where I want to be in five or 10 years. I’ve just been kind of looking at what’s immediately in front of me, and behind me too, and sort of responding and reacting to those things. One thing that I feel compelled to mention is you brought up the “indie rock” record. I haven’t been working on that in any master plan, but there have been some constants in my career; some common threads that have ran through almost everything that I’ve done. From the beginning of my career to now the most driving influence in everything I do still is soul and R&B music. It has permeated in every record and decision. It’s not conscious or anything, it’s just how it comes out. I know people refer to The Third Hand as more of an indie rock record, and I assume that is because of the singing, but from my perspective if you look at the production and sound of that record, it’s very much drawn from soul, funk and psychedelic rock influences.

Going off what you just said, and I hope this doesn’t come off offensive, but do you think it was labeled that because you are white?
[Laughs] Well, I’ll put it this way… For one, I don’t take that as offensive. I’ll pose a statement to you: A band like TV on the Radio can make a certain type of record, and for better of for worse they are going to get lumped into the category of “black rock.” I don’t know how they feel about it, but I assume a group like that doesn’t really care for that classification. I don’t know, we could play the game of hypothetically speaking thing all day, but to answer the question, it’s entirely possible [laughs]. One thing I will say to play devil’s advocate, I wouldn’t rule out the opinion of it’s how I sang on that record made it feel more like an indie rock singer than, say, a Curtis Mayfield soul record. And you know, to this day I don’t particularly fancy myself as the most accomplished vocalist. On that record, though, it’s not a bravado-heavy style of singing, it’s harmony-dependent. Singing-wise, I can see how people would say it was an indie rock style of vocalization, but to me there is so much more that goes into all music than just who’s singing; it’s the sound of the drums, the production techniques and all that other stuff make up the cumulative effect.

Is it bothersome for someone like yourself who works without boundaries that ultimately it’s the journalists and such who say what each album is? Do you read that stuff and just get a headache?
I learned it doesn’t put me in a healthy place to read reviews of my records. I do everything possible to avoid them actually. Right around the time of The Third Hand is when I learned to disassociate myself from reviews. I vividly remember reading the first two reviews, and they were so wildly disparate it just made me realize it wasn’t making me more effective as a producer, or better yet as a person. The only thing I lament about with the current climate is that it seems we have entered into an arena where the reigns over and the rest follow. It’s funny because I’ve had journalists tell me that other journalists, or magazines and blogs or whatever, wait for the larger source in their field to sort of say what’s good and what’s not, and then everyone else follows suit. As a listener, I don’t think that serves anyone well.

Have you found in the interviews that you do that the level of journalism has dropped?
Yeah, I have found that people are less prepared. A lot of times it seems like I’m answering questions that are straight out of my bio. It doesn’t bother me, but it annoys my publicist the most [laughs]. I’ve gotten used to answering the same questions over and over. But yeah, I have noticed people not doing any research. Again, I’m not reading them, so I don’t see the final product, but the preparation seems to have dropped. There are still a lot of folks writing about stuff that they are interested in, which to me makes the most sense. It seems natural that you would write about the stuff you like opposed to the things you don’t.

OK, fair enough. To switch gears completely, I want to talk about your new label that you created, Electrical Connections, and get your perspective on being an artist/label owner. Was it more work than you expected?
It has been more work than I expected, but not a huge amount. At first it was tough, and I was taking on a lot of things—I reissued three records, put out a box set and released a new album in the course of four months. That period, of what was essentially putting out four records in as many months, was really rough. In hindsight though it’s only about 20 percent more work than what I was used to. I had a small label I was running called Bustown Pride on which I just pressed CDs and sent them straight to the distributors. Honestly, looking at the profit margins and the work that goes into everything, I’m still in awe how any record label can afford to have a staff.

Would you say it was a grueling process with a big reward, a grueling process with little reward, or say a fun process with a great reward?
I would say somewhere between grueling and a tolerable process, with a great reward. The reward for me is ownership of masters, which isn’t always immediately gratifying. It’s basically either going to pay off or not in the future, but I’m still wholeheartedly pleased with the way I’ve gone about it. My biggest concern was that I would put The Colossus out and no one would know anything about it. Love it or hate it, I feel like the visibility is about the same as it has in the past, and that is good enough for me.

With the name Electrical Connections, I have to ask about a video I saw of you where you built a wireless MIDI controller that linked up to your MPC… I gotta say, it was pretty awesome. I know you enjoy building and tweaking your equipment. I wanted to know if you have any other big projects in the works?
[Laughs] Recording-wise yes, I just moved and I set up a new studio space that is much bigger than my previous. The added new space will allow me to have several rooms that are all inter-connected in the house. The ergonomics of doing completely live music, or synth-orientated music, or sample-based music and having each in their own spaces but will all great. It’s all wired into one control room, and I have video and USB feeds going through each room. There are times you don’t want to blend it together, but one of the things I really liked about my last record was having all kinds of themed approaches to recording. I get bored doing the same thing over and over, but I like the idea of doing just sample-based music, but I like to be able to easily blend them. I have a couple records finished that I’m in the process of getting ready to be released. I’m just waiting to get the studio done.

Can you divulge on those?
Yeah, the first one… I’m pretty into horror and sci-fi soundtracks from like the mid-‘70s to like 1984. It’s all instrumental, and sort of an homage to that kind of cinematic approach to scoring music. I also did a record with a group I started with a singer named Aaron Livingston, who is featured on The Colossus. It’s all him singing and me on production, the group is called Ice Bird. Those two will be coming out in the next year for sure, hopefully before that.

And with a little foresight, how will journalists label Ice Bird?
[Laughs] I have no idea. I have proven to be a poor judge of that.

Last one. This interview is in support of your upcoming gig in Sacramento at the Crocker Art Museum. I have a feeling this may be different from a typical club gig you might get on tour, so I’m wondering if or how you change up your set depending on the setting?
I try to stay prepared. In the last year I’ve been using Serato [DJ software], but in the past I had to create dub plates so that I’d have everything for the live show. If I find myself in front of a crowd that doesn’t necessarily know my music, and they just want to hear something else, it’s like an eject button. Depending on the crowd though, I try to keep focused on doing my own thing.

RJD2 will perform as a featured guest at Neo-Crocker 2010: A Modern Culture Party at the Crocker Museum on Oct. 16. The party will run from 8 p.m.–2 a.m. and will also feature performances from DJ Shaun Slaughter, the Sacramento Ballet and much, much more. Tickets are $75 in advance and $90 at the door. For more information, go to www.neocrocker.com.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

It’s coming back around. Young artists are expecting more from their culture. Take the art of Kehinde Wiley, for example: He paints the stereotypical street hustler in gentlemanly poses against backdrops of elegant tapestries, juxtaposing the ghetto with the affluent. Sacramento’s DLRN is analogous to Wiley’s vision of celebrating the complexity of hip-hop culture.

Hip-hop has reached a reputable age, and decades deep it has its own version of royalty. As of late though, it has become less of a culture, less of an art form and more of an economic commodity. Sean La Marr, under the nom de plume 5th Ave, sees a potential for change without leaving the sleepy city of Sacramento. La Marr’s video for the song “Dear Langston” is a testament to his hometown pride, as it used Wiley’s art as inspiration—showcasing the city’s talented inhabitants mimicking the regal poses of the elite—the same poses present in Wiley’s portraits.

It’s clear La Marr loves Sacramento hip-hop with the sincerest of hearts. Our interview was intended to discuss the new record his group, DLRN, is dropping this week. Yet, it was during our post-interview hangout session that he revealed his passion for the local scene.

Last year DLRN dropped its No More Heroes record with the intention of introducing new heroes to the hip-hop canon and creating an alternate narrative not traditionally found within the genre. “From an MC standpoint, I was very disillusioned with it,” 5th Ave said. “I came to the realization that a lot of the faces of hip-hop these days I do not relate to. I don’t see them as role models or the influential voices that they once were.”

DLRN, formerly known as Delorean, consists of MC 5th Ave, born Sean La Marr, and producer Jon Reyes. DLRN is retro-fashioned and reactionary, operating in a space that is not quite conscious rap and not quite club rap either. “We’re a product of different time periods and different people, that’s part of how we came up with the name Delorean,” Reyes said.

Unfortunately, a Spanish trance-pop had already claimed the Delorean moniker.

“Our tastes are more eclectic than most acts you’ll hear,” La Marr said, which means they were aware of a possible conflict in their future if they kept the name. By dropping the vowels to DLRN, the group hoped to dodge any cease and desist suits or mistaken-identity tour dates.

“It’s funny because we knew about them when we decided to go with the name,” La Marr said. “We just decided we better blow up before they do. But, then they were on ABC, they had a national tour and became Pitchfork darlings.”

La Marr continued with an anecdote, “We almost didn’t get booked at a show in Seattle because they played at the same venue two weeks prior. We’ll have stuff posted on our Facebook page about events that they’re doing and vice versa.”

Reyes added, “We can’t really hate it, because they’re a really talented band.”

The duo is excited about the switch, citing MGMT and MSTRKRFT as other successful bands that dropped the vowels. Sacramento is now tallied at two non-vowel band names (the other being CHLLNGR) with potential to join the celebrated ranks.

The topic evolved into a discussion over the ethereal trends in cycle of kindred band name themes—such as bands named “wolf-something” or rappers named Lil’. Apparently, there was a birth explosion of Deloreans around the early Naughties. “We thought about adding a word to make it Delorean Brown,” La Marr said. Reyes interjected, “A good reference to one of the greatest wrestlers of the modern era, D’Lo Brown. “ La Marr continued, “But, it turns out there was a Delorean Brown already in Sacramento. Here I think we’re being clever.”

With a new name, DLRN sought out to craft its followup to No More Heroes. The Bridge was recorded at Pinnacle College in Rancho Cordova, which La Marr described as a “sterile” environment in comparison to Omina Labs, where No More Heroes was recorded. It took time, but DLRN enlisted the help of its student body to help them settle into the new digs. “It’s good working with people that you’re friends with outside of the music,” Reyes said. “It makes for very chill sessions.”

Reyes described the recording process for The Bridge, out July 20, 2010 as a free download, as a humbling and surreal experience. The students that volunteered were mostly fans of DLRN prior to the sessions. “Those are the people you’re making it for and they are sitting right next to you,” he said.

Accessing the privilege to hear the new record has been kept to limited company—possibly on a “nothing leaves the studio” policy. The reasoning is DLRN has a purpose with its messages. It’s encoded in the video for “Dear Langston” and on The Bridge. The two releases reference one another, and provide insight into the already planned third album. When I asked the name of the next record, I was met with stoicism and a round-about answer. “There is a hint in the last song,” La Marr said. “I hate to not tell it to you, but when you hear the next DLRN project it will make sense.”

I did not hear the hint in my exclusive The Bridge listening session. But I did hear a reason alongside the Cloud City record to be excited about local hip-hop in July. The Bridge’s first video features Prometheus Brown of Blue Scholars, while the record has further appearances by Hopie Spitshard, Illecism and Chuuwee. That’s all I am allowed to disclose.

DLRN has major plans to kick off August by celebrating the release of The Bridge in what La Marr hopes will be the biggest hip-hop event of the summer. After hearing the words “tequila tasting,” “kegs of free Miller High Life,” “free sushi” and “the Miller High Life girls,” I am not opposed to declaring it the event of the summer either. “I’ve been to a lot of hip-hop shows and I’d hate for this to be just another hip-hop show,” he said. The release party is Aug. 6, 2010 at Beatnik Studios.

In my brief tenure with Submerge, I’ve met a lot of local rappers, most of which have this ambition, rooted in frustration, to overcome their surroundings. It is a career plan that includes reaching or leaving for the Bay Area and Los Angeles markets. La Marr never once spoke with a belittling tone toward his hometown. Instead, we sat for an extra half-hour talking about our favorite Sacramento rappers, putting me on to a great local joint by Blee featuring Doey Rock. “You know what, come to the show and I’ll have a mixtape for you of all my favorite Sacramento shit,” La Marr said. I left thinking, it’s that kind of dedication to the scene that makes someone the founder of a collective such as the Neighborhood Watch. He’s got our best interests at heart.

Go to Beatnik Studios on Aug. 6 for DLRN’s The Bridge record release party. Free Tequila tasting and beer for those 21-and-over will be available. There will also be VIP wrist band bottle service. Come dressed as Alice in Wonderland and get in free. Prize awarded for best costume.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Budweiser claims to be the King of Beers. If you consider sales numbers alone, it’s difficult to dispute such a claim. With its billboards, pop culture-defining Super Bowl ads and presence at just about every bar, pub, tavern, concert and sporting event in the United States, there is no beer more ubiquitous. So we acquiesce; yes, Budweiser is truly the king of beers, but if that’s so, that makes Guinness the sagely old druid inhabiting the forests surrounding the kingdom. Sorry to blow your minds like that, but it’s totally true. Guinness is like Magic the Gathering, but better because you don’t have to be a nerd to drink it and it’ll give you a hearty buzz.

There is no beer on earth quite like a Guinness. Sure, there are far more adventurous and esoteric choices. In fact, right here in Sacramento, there are a plethora of homegrown brews that provide a wide breadth of flavors and brewing styles—all of which deserve your attention. But Guinness should always hold a special place at your beer-drinking table. Rich, creamy and delicious (and believe it or not, relatively low in calories and alcohol content), Guinness is readily available at most pubs, restaurants and supermarkets (or at the very least, any such establishments that are worth going to). It may have been your first foray from the world of dark beers. Anywhere you go, no matter what drinking establishment you may venture into, if the place serves Guinness, rest assured you can enjoy a quality adult beverage at a decent price.

Know this: as you watch your trusty barkeep serve you a pint of Guinness, you’re not just having a beer, but you’re partaking in a tradition that dates back centuries. In 2009, Guinness celebrated its 250th anniversary, making this noble Irish stout older than the United States. The story goes that in 1759, Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease for an unused brewery in Dublin, Ireland. The signing cost ran him around $100 and rent was settled at $66 annually. Arthur died in 1803, but Guinness is still brewed in that same brewery to this very day.

It’s easy to see why Guinness has stood the test of time. It’s truly a beautiful sight to behold: from the rolling cascade of a perfect pour, to its creamy head and its dark, rich color (considered dark ruby as opposed to black), Guinness looks like a work of art in a glass. But are all pints of Guinness created equal? There are rules that must be followed to build the perfect pint—a ritual, if you will: According to Guinness, a pint should take just under two minutes to pour. The pouring process is two-fold; first, a quick pour into a tilted, tulip-shaped pint glass (Imperial, please). This first phase should fill the glass about three-quarters of the way. The pint should then be left to settle before finishing with a slow pour that should result in the head forming a dome over the mouth of the glass.

With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, you may be asking yourself, “Are Sacramento pubs and taverns doing their part to uphold the Guinness tradition?” Fear not! We here at Submerge took it upon ourselves the arduous task of scouring the streets of Sacramento in search of the perfect pint. Don’t get stuck drinking green beer this St. Patrick’s Day—have some respect for yourself! Read on and discover the best place to gorge yourselves on sweet Guinness this March 17.

O’Mally’s (1109 2nd Street, Sacramento)
POUR 7.7
ATMOSPHERE 7
VALUE 7.7
TASTE 215

Our first destination on our epic journey. O’Mally’s scored favorably, but not exceptionally, in every category. $4.50 is a great price for a pint of Guinness, but it was served in a regular 16-ounce glass, thus leaving a small 4-ounce void in our souls.

de Vere’s (1521 L Street, Sacramento)

POUR 10
ATMOSPHERE 9
VALUE 6.3
TASTE 300

Though the spotty cell phone reception in the back room made it difficult for Submerge’s advertising director Jonathan Carabba to tweet, “beers at de Vere’s” on his fancy-ass iPhone, de Vere’s atmosphere and pour were both of the highest quality. A knowledgeable bartender schooled us on the history of the pub. Hell, Guinness even issued de Vere’s its own branded tulip imperial pint glasses. However, at $6 per imperial pint, how are we supposed to enjoy our favorite stout and still pay said fancy-ass iPhone bills?

Streets of London (1804 J Street, Sacramento)

POUR 7.5
ATMOSPHERE 5.8
VALUE 10
TASTE 1,469

If you like seeing boobs and fights—and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?—then this is the place for you. In fact, two scrums broke out during our time there. But don’t let Streets of London’s rowdy interior fool you, those comely lasses behind the bar can serve up a killer pint. Our pours were excellent, and at just $5 for an imperial pint, we had plenty of money left to invite Guinness’ best friend Jameson to the party. Now, who wants a head butt?

Bonn Lair (3651 J Street, Sacramento)

POUR 5.3
ATMOSPHERE 9
VALUE 8
TASTE 835

This is a quaint and neighborhood-y place—pretty much Streets of London’s cozy antithesis. We loved the atmosphere, but unfortunately, atmosphere doesn’t get you drunk. We paid just $4 for our regular pint, which is a good enough deal that we won’t miss our extra 4 ounces; however, our pour left much to be desired. Our bartender shaved off our bubbles from over the mouth of the glass. We mourned the loss of our foam dome by ordering a second pint.

Gallagher’s (1201 K Street, Sacramento)

POUR 7.5
ATMOSPHERE 5.8
VALUE 10
TASTE 4,147

Our final stop on our long and harrowing quest. We almost didn’t find the place because you have to walk through a lobby to get there, but all in all, Gallagher’s wasn’t all that bad. The pub is a part of The Broiler Steakhouse, but on this night, our only meal came in a glass. The bartender gave us a quick and loveless pour, and it showed in a flimsy head, but with a value that rivaled Streets of London, Gallagher’s was a fitting if not somber ending to our journey.

THE WINNER!

As you can see, we took a very scientific approach in this guide to finding the most perfect pint of Guinness Sacramento has to offer. We attempted to factor in “Taste” into the scoring, but it became quickly apparent—as scores rose into the stratosphere—that Guinness is like sex: even when it’s bad, it’s still really fucking good. Strangely enough, the more we had, the better it tasted. Go figure! But enough with the buildup, who was crowned champion in this perfect pint face-off? Obviously, the winner is you for deciding to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with such a fine beverage (also, Submerge for figuring out a way to write off two nights of solid drinking on our 2010 taxes). We congratulate you! Wherever you find yourself on March 17, order yourself a frothy pint of plain, and know that you’ve made the right choice. But, you know, drink responsibly.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

If your father was one of the most respected and beloved songwriters of all time, and your mother was one of the most polarizing figures in pop culture, anonymity would be difficult to come by. Still, Sean Lennon has managed to keep a relatively low profile–and that’s fine by him. The only son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sean hasn’t flaunted the fame that was his birthright. Instead, though he’s followed in his parents’ footsteps, he’s taken an almost workman-like approach to his music career.

“I pretty much started off playing bass with Cibo Matto, and I came to music from that part of the game, which is being a player and someone who plays in someone else’s project, like a session musician,” Sean explains. “That certainly is as much, if not more, a part of who I am as a musician as being a frontman.”

When Submerge spoke to Sean over the phone from New York City, he was keeping himself busy as usual, putting together a mid-February show at the Brooklyn Academy of Music that will honor his mother’s music. Sean says that organizing an event of such magnitude is a new experience for him.

“I’m sort of in pre-production for this BAM show, which is kind of complex, because there are a lot of players involved,” he says. “I’ve never actually participated in organizing anything of this scope, so it’s been a lot of work, but it’s been a lot of fun as well… We have a lot of guest stars performing my mom’s songs, and she’s going to be performing with them, and I’m sort of music directing and producing.”

Sean was also busy with his own music. His latest project is the eerily titled Ghost of a Saber Toothed Tiger, a duo that consists of himself and girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl. GOASTT is still in its nascent stages, but Sean says that he hopes to tour and have an LP out by this summer. Though the name may sound menacing, judging from the songs posted on the group’s Myspace page, GOASTT creates dreamy, incandescent pop soundscapes. He and Muhl are currently in rehearsal for a show at Union Pool in Brooklyn, which will take place Feb. 19, 2009. Sean says that rehearsing for both shows simultaneously has had its challenges.

“I’m rehearsing the BAM show at the same time, so it’s confusing to remember all the different sets–all the chord changes and stuff,” he says. “It’s interesting to have to think about two different projects in the same week.”

West Coast fans can catch Sean Lennon when he performs with GOASTT and also plays with his mother in the Plastic Ono Band at this year’s Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco. Sean co-produced the band’s latest album, Between My Head and the Sky, alongside his mother. The album was released in fall 2009 and received a very positive reception from critics. Sean worked with his mother on a record previously well over a decade ago. Rising was released when Sean was just 17 years old and led him to a worldwide tour with his mother. Though he says he was well aware of his mother’s capabilities going into the recording of Between My Head and the Sky, he found that Ono was still full of surprises.

“I was still surprised at how inspired she was and how prolific she was,” Sean says. “On the most prolific day, we did six songs. She came in with six song ideas, and we recorded them all in one day. The whole record was made in…seven days, recording wise, and then the rest was spent mixing. It was really fast. It was more like a jazz record than a pop or rock record, which are usually belabored.”

In the following interview, Sean Lennon discusses working with his mother, his girlfriend and the excitement of wearing many different hats.

Last year, you put out Between My Head and the Sky with your mother. I heard an interview with her on NPR where she said it was your idea to resurrect the Plastic Ono Band name for this album. Why did you decide to do that?
It was my mom’s band, and I felt it was her best band name. It was really just a matter of aesthetics. I didn’t realize how people would react. I think a lot of people were excited, but I wasn’t really trying to say I was resurrecting the original Plastic Ono Band, which was basically Ringo [Starr], Klaus Voormann and my dad and my mom. It was more that I just liked the sound of the name. I think it’s a cool-sounding band name, and it’s her band, so I figured since it was her band, she had the right to use it.

Was it something she was open to right away, or did you have to talk her into it?
No, no. She was fine with it. I think it was one of the three coolest band names of all time: The Velvet Underground, Spiders from Mars and the Plastic Ono Band. I don’t think any other band names are cooler than that.

From what I’ve heard of the album, it seems like there are a lot of different jumps stylistically, but would you say there’s a common bond between the songs?
I think so. For me, I’m the last person to be thrown off by mixing or shifting between what one would call musical genres, because I don’t even notice it. At this point in time, music is such a diverse landscape, I can’t imagine making a record that just sounds like one thing all the way through anymore. It almost seems like you’re upholding a tradition if you’re doing a jazz record, and it’s the same sound all the way through. It’s almost like a ritual. In this day and age, I feel like there’s so many different styles of music and there’s been so many fusions between different styles that there are no limitations to what you can do on one record. To me, when we were making the record, I wasn’t thinking in terms of genres, I was thinking what was appropriate for each lyric and moment.

Before you mentioned that you made the Rising record with your mother when you were 17. Now you’re a man in your 30s. Did being older affect the working relationship between you and your mother?
Yeah. I think I might be more professional. I have more experience. More tricks up my sleeve. I have more of a sense of what I like and don’t like. I’m probably more patient with myself and others, I think–I hope.

You’re playing a show later this month with your other project, Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger. How is that project going?
That project is going great. We just finished a 45, 7-inch. That’s going to be coming out soon. We’re going to be touring this summer, I think, and we’re going to try to finish the record by the summer. I hope we can. It’s hard, because I’m also running the label and have my hands in a lot of different things, so it’s hard to be sure. Sometimes I wish I could just focus on the band and nothing else. I’m trying to wear many hats and see how it works for me.

Can that get frustrating?
It’s never frustrating in itself, because it always feels really fun. It feels like I’m on a roller coaster while I’m juggling or something. It’s exciting, but it can be taxing physically. I can get really tired and not sleep that much because I have to do so much, but I’m sure everybody’s in that position at this point. One of the main things is doing all the visual artwork as well. It takes time drawing. For the label [Chimera Music], we do all the drawing in house, which basically means my kitchen has a drawing table. That in itself could be one job, you know? Trying to do that, design the merchandise and mix the songs and write the songs and perform the songs…no, it’s not frustrating, it’s really fun, but sometimes my body feels really taxed, mostly from not sleeping enough.

With GOASTT, you work with Charlotte Kemp Muhl, who’s your girlfriend. How is it working with your girlfriend on a record as opposed to working with your mother?
It’s totally different just because they’re completely different. There’s nothing similar about it. For me, the most exciting thing I’ve ever done was start this band [GOASTT]. I’ve been really having fun. It’s almost the first time that I’ve ever been proud of what I’m doing. Working with Charlotte has been the most inspiring time of my life.

Sean Lennon will perform twice at Noise Pop: Feb. 23, 2010 at Fox Theater in Oakland with The Plastic Ono Band and Feb. 24 at The Independent in San Francisco with GOASTT. For more information, check out www.noisepop.com”

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Driving east through Midtown, I was on my way. With my hair pulled up in a ponytail, a college sweatshirt on my back and a water bottle in my bag, I was determined to be prompt to photography class.

A long, late night of work and an early morning of class had the guttural depths of my belly begging for baked goodies. Luckily, I just “happened” to be driving in the lane nearest to The Bread Store and was able to pull over and appease the craving for a crunchy-topped bran raisin muffin. Prompt? Psssssht, I made like a Parisian and embraced a laissez-faire approach to time for a pastry.

Walking up to the cash register, I looked over and was enthralled with the beauty before me. Who knew a cold, bright morning would be the setting to one of “those” encounters?

Never expecting such a serendipitous situation, I made an acquaintance Nov. 5 that inspired me to share my story with my dear Submerge-ists.

Through the groggy beginning of one of those sleep-in-Saturdays, the wonderosity of oncoming winter winked from the center of the glass shielded display at visitors of The Bread Store, with the glistening golden of an icy, orange confection, never before seen.

The large, center-staged tray was filled with orange bread, the gentlemen behind the counter answered when customers inquired. Oh, but it wasn’t just some measly orange bread, it was Orange Cobblestone Bread with vanilla bean bourbon icing. A quick sample made me feel like a purchasing pushover; I decided I needed two goodies.

Orange has almost always been a flavoring that kids would choose only after the red flavor (cherry, strawberry) of candies, popsicles and gummi snacks were gone. And to me, orange has been a second-class flavor. This only slightly sweet orange bread was unique, causing me to consider the folly of my second-classifying ways.

For $2.25, the nearly inch-thick slice of Orange Cobblestone Bread was doughy, had a great crust and was topped with vanilla bean and bourbon icing. It was French bread-like, but doughier, crunchy and sweet in places. The icing topped it off. The top of the bread was textured with escaped bubbles of dough that hardened and offered that melt-in-your-mouth crunch that glazed fritters have, with that vanilla bean bourbon of an icing blessing.

This “baked good” was so difficult for my culinary mind to understand. The hybrid bread was a melding of different classifications of meals, techniques and expectations. It was bread, it was breakfast, it was dessert; it was sweet and not so sweet. Uni-cultural fusion baking?

I had to hit the streets and figure out this culinary conundrum. Back at the source, Bread Store employee of two and a half years Lauren Cassavoy was on site. She put me in touch with the man responsible, head baker Kevin Reynolds, but not before raving about how much she loved the bread and still had half a loaf at home.

A five-year veteran at The Bread Store, Reynolds has spent 20 years in the business of baking. The Tower Café, New Roma Bakery and River City Brewing company are just a few of the Sacramento spots contributing to Kevin’s culinary credentials.

As it turns out, the Orange Cobblestone Bread was the result of a happy—and ingenious—accident. Kevin had to do something with leftover orange zest and orange essence from The Bread Store’s orange cookies. Since he had some scraps of ciabatta bread dough, he threw it all together, baked it in a pound cake tin and iced it for consumption.

When he made and tasted his creation, Reynolds realized, “People are going to want that.” He then admitted, “I was just trying to use stuff.”

Reynolds has begun to have more creative control, Cassavoy told me. A new schedule establishes a rotation of featured baked goods each second, third and fourth Saturday. But Reynolds will get to work his magic on whatever he likes each first and fifth Saturday. If the Orange Cobblestone Bread was any preview of what Reynolds has in store, I recommend marking your calendars for a trip to The Bread Store the first Saturdays of the month.

There’s no telling when the Orange Cobblestone Bread will return. It would all depend upon whether or not he has the basic ingredients are on hand.

With orange being such an essential holiday fruit, the time seems right. With inquiries from lots of interested eaters (that means you, Sacramento!), Andy Smith and other folks calling the shots at The Bread Store just might see the benefits of baking this bread for Sacramentans more often.

Screw Atkins, everything about bread says love. Everyone could use more love—especially if it’s zesty and sweet, like Orange Cobblestone Bread.

Post from: Submerge Magazine

Sometimes the best things in life happen spontaneously. Two strangers bump into each other and end up falling in love; a lunch break spent in a new café opens up an unexpected career opportunity; a stray dog or cat wanders into your yard, and two years later you’re inseparable. The things we don’t plan for end up being the most meaningful. Such is the case for Tampa, Fla. based progressive rock band Tides of Man. In December 2007 the talented young group of musicians—Tilian Pearson (vocals, guitar), Spencer Gill (guitar), Adam A. Sene (guitar), Alan Jaye (bass) and Josh Gould (drums)—convened on a whim when Jaye booked a show before the band even had any material together.

“He decided to randomly book a reunion show,” Pearson recently shared with Submerge, referencing an old group that some of the members had played in prior to Tides of Man. “We just wrote new material and played adapted versions of material from their previous band.” Three of the songs from their recent full-length debut, Empire Theory (out now on Rise Records), were actually written during that 10-day dash to prepare for the first show. If it wasn’t for the spontaneous last-minute decision to play that show, Pearson pointed out, the special chemistry that exists amongst the group might not have been discovered so easily.

“I knew it immediately,” Gill said of the band’s unique chemistry. “When Tilian first came in to play with us he just started singing the lyrics, I don’t even remember which song it was, but I was like blown away.” The rest of the members agreed that they knew they were onto something “special” as soon as Pearson stepped into the picture. The young vocalist has a rare talent indeed, and has frequently been compared by fans and critics alike to such frontmen as Anthony Green of Circa Survive, Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of The Mars Volta, three of the most notable voices in the genre. The comparisons to such great bands are welcomed by the members of Tides of Man. “I take it as a compliment no matter who the band is, even if it’s a band I don’t personally listen to,” said Sene.

“Different people who come from different parts of the world who grew up in different environments will make their own comparisons,” Pearson elaborated humbly. “A lot of the times the comparisons made are above where I think our music is.”

The truth is such comparisons are well deserved. Empire Theory mixes all the ingredients of a buzz-worthy indie release into a delicious concoction of dynamic, well-formulated songs with smart, meaningful lyrics. Parts of “Not My Love” and the title-track clearly resemble the highly rocking, raw, early work of Coheed and Cambria (Second Stage Turbine Blade); “Western Scene” boasts impressive soaring vocals similar to those found on any Circa Survive record (especially Juturna); and “Rescue” has the tripped-out, almost ugly (but in a good way) parts that The Mars Volta have made such an integral facet of their sound.

The album’s title is inspired by a quote from French philosopher Charles de Montesquieu that goes, “An Empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war.” And according to the group, Empire Theory is a concept record (much like many of the aforementioned bands’ albums), about forgiveness and uncompromising love. “I came up with the story line pretty much right after I saw the movie American History X,” said Sene.

“Just basically the whole, ‘tragedy and chance to forgive’ kind of idea inspired it,” Pearson interjected.

The band enlisted producer Matt Malpass (who has worked with such artists as Copeland, Relient K, Manchester Orchestra and Lydia) to man the knobs at his home studio in Atlanta, Ga. Pearson said that as soon as he heard Illuminate, the Lydia record that Malpass produced, he knew they had to record with him. They spent a total of four weeks recording with Malpass and made it clear they would have loved to have spent even more time there. “It was an awesome house,” said Sene. “It had a very retro look to it. It was a cool place to be while making a record.” Pearson chimed in with, “Yeah, we felt like badasses in there.” That confidence clearly shines through on Empire Theory, where Tides of Man holds nothing back on an impressive debut.

Let’s review, shall we? Incredible melodies (without the assistance of auto-tune) from a talented vocalist? Check. Smart, well thought-out lyrics? Check. Solid, captivating instrumentals? Check. Deep, profound concept record? Check. Literally all of the pieces are in place for a successful career. And with a credible business team already built around them including legit management, label backing and booking agents, Tides of Man are ready to share their music with the world. “I would say the long-term goal is to get as big as possible,” Sene joked. Then, laughing, “I might as well just say it, ‘to be the biggest band ever!’ How realistic that is, I don’t know, but it’s definitely worth a shot. Set it as your goal and shoot for the stars.”

Tides of Man is currently out on the “Squash the Beef Tour” with Emarosa and Sacramento’s own Dance Gavin Dance. The tour, which also includes the bands Of Mice and Men and Of Machines, will hit the Boardwalk in Orangevale on Saturday, Sept. 26. The band played Sacramento for their first time this summer alongside A Static Lullaby and Gould remembers it fondly. “We had a group of five dudes who traveled for like three hours to go to that first show in Sacramento,” he said. “They said they were from somewhere on the outside of San Francisco. We didn’t know anyone out there even knew who we were.”

Post from: Submerge Magazine

When Musical Charis’s vocalist Jessie Brune says her band doesn’t “function like a traditional band,” it’s hard to argue with her. In fact, you’re better off not calling Musical Charis a band. It’s an arcane notion, anyway.

Submerge spoke with Brune prior to Musical Charis’s performance at the Beatnik Studios one-year anniversary celebration.

Has this been a project that’s been a long time in the works? Did you go to school for music or education?
We all have various backgrounds in music and teaching, but it wasn’t a preconceived notion. We live in an area where we’d drive by this empty building every day. We saw the number and Blake decided to call. It was weird, because the day before, Blake was like, “Why don’t we give lessons? Why don’t we just teach or do something cool, something different, because the whole band scene thing is overrated, and it’s a bunch of bullshit most of the time…” It basically occurred overnight. It was something that just fell into our laps, like a big blessing.

On the business side of things, are you hoping to set up the school as a 501(c)(3)?
We’re trying to seek sponsorship and whatnot. We’re heading in that direction. For now, we’ve been paying out of pocket and through sponsors. It always seems like so much money, every time bills come around, it’s like, “Oh my gosh, this is crazy. We’re 22, we’re 25, how are we going to pay for this?” But always at the last second, something comes through. I think that’s because when you’re trying to do something good, it works out.

How much time are you able to dedicate to the school given the other stuff you’re doing?
We’re at the school every day. We get to practice there, and we get to run our business out of there. We record, mix and write there, as well. Even if there’s not a specific lesson that we’re doing, we’re still there, so it’s kind of like killing two birds with one stone, if you know what I mean.

It’s a multi-use facility for you, then?
For sure. Basically, it’s a circular thing. We’re nurturing…musical desires in people, and in turn, we get a place to practice and a safe haven to write.

What was meeting with the mayor like?
Hmm. Let me think. He was really cool, because he grew up in Oak Park, and he’s a big inspiration for a lot of young people, because he made something of himself. He’s doing a lot in the community. We feel like a lot could be done in Oak Park, especially. He was a really nice guy—I met him a couple of times—and he’s really willing to listen, which is awesome, because I’m just this 22-year-old girl, a musician kid, but he listened to what I had to say.

Before, you sounded a little disillusioned with the idea of a music scene. Is that with music scenes in general, or specifically Sacramento?
We’re not jaded by any means. We’ve all had our experiences with the music industry and know that it’s full of snakes and is a bunch of bullshit. But as far as the local scene goes, I think there was a shift that’s going to occur, and hopefully a lot of the good musicians, the true musicians—true being the key word: good intentions, and those who actually love their art and don’t try to pre-package everything and put barcodes on their asses… We’re hoping there’s going to be a generation that’s factoring the art itself, instead of making money. I mean, there’s these kids who grow up and they have everything given to them. Their mom pays for them to be on the front page of Purevolume, and their mom pays for their ad to be in AP magazine. That’s just not real. That’s not true. We’re tired of seeing that happen a lot.

Is that something you try to impart on the kids who come into the school?
We’re not trying to tell them they have to think or feel a certain way. We just want to hang out with them and be real. I know there are programs out there that teach them how to paint their nails black, straighten their hair and be part of the scene, but we’re not trying to do that. We’re just trying to generate good musicians.

The Musical Charis Music School is located at 3600 Stockton Blvd. in Oak Park.
For more information about the school, the band and the imminent release of their full-length album, go to www.musicalcharis.com.

Post from: Submerge Magazine