Categories
Tag: music
Although I was in the first few years of my adolescence when Indie Sleaze was on the rise, I can still remember some distinct sounds of the music from that era. My little iPod nano was my saving grace during the bus rides home from school, it carried a whole world of artists with whom I spent myself creating fantasies of me being cool, older, and reminiscent of the people I would find myself reposting on my Tumblr. These people and this world were drenched in smeared mascara eye makeup, glitter, American Apparel and parties.
The thing, however, that really tied these components of the era together was the music. There were so many versions and approaches to pop, punk and electronic music with artists like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Crystal Castles and Justice being among the many to mention. There was a dirtiness, messiness, and grittiness that captured this sound. It was an overall attitude. To be an influence or a titan in this scene was to not care but have party energy and at 13 years old these were the people who I wanted to hang out with.
I grew older. The era had passed, and many new trends came and went throughout the years. My Tumblr had long been retired, American Apparel had shut down its business, and music had gone through its many evolutions as it always does.
It wasn’t until these past 2 years that I began noticing some very familiar sounds emerging from music and in the normal fashion of trends, it started to rub off on pop culture through the outlets of fashion and makeup. It was crazy to think about how the early post pandemic world brought us trends such as the clean girl aesthetic and music reflecting that cleanliness in the world of overly produced almost too perfect pop hits. The shift started to happen and interestingly enough it was an indie sleaze icon who was helping to lead this and scuff up the pop music scene and make it sleazy again. Charli XCX.
I had listened to her music since I was 14 and was always a fan. She captured this sort of MySpace era of aesthetics, performed her music in small, grimy venues and raves, had the cool, effortlessly messy hair, and party girl energy. She was a party girl and I wanted to party with her, so did her small following at the time. With her new album last year entitled BRAT, the shift started to become more clear to me. She wasn’t the only artist that delivering the sleaziness. Artist such as The Dare, Coco and Clair Clair and Snow Strippers have brought forth a modern iteration of this sound that has shifted the pop culture landscape.
So, where is Indie sleaze now, and how does it show up today? It is evident in the music in we listen to today, but how else? Well we can see it in our fashion trends as well. Throughout the original timeline of the era. There were different approaches to what Indie Sleaze fashion was but there was one thing for sure that it had to have which is that effortlessness and grime. There is a DIY element where there is a a lot of intention but also careless.
It’s always fun when old trends reemerge and have a chance at a second life. Although it could be replicated through music and fashion, there will always be something fresh about it. It is a direct reflection on the current time we all live in. Trends mirror what is happening all around us. Indie Sleaze has come to party once more and for those of us like me who were too young to attend, the time is finally here.
I wanted to share a little playlist of songs I used to listen to during the first wave of Indie Sleaze along with some of the newer stuff that’s coming out right now!
Concerts are literally some of the best experiences you can have but sometimes, they’re not perfect. There’s a good side and a bad side to concert culture, and if you’re planning to go to your first show, you should probably know both.
The Good Stuff
First off, concerts are just a great experience, especially if you go with the right people. The second the lights go out and the artist steps on stage, it’s like the whole place explodes. You’re surrounded by people who love the same music you do, and even if some of the people around you cannot sing you still appreciate every minute of it. Everyone’s singing, dancing, screaming , it’s pure happiness.
Another awesome thing is the connection. Sometimes the artist will stop mid-show and just talk to the crowd, telling stories or saying how much they love their fans. It’s super personal and makes you feel like you’re seen, even if you’re in the nosebleeds with binoculars.
Plus, the memories you make at concerts are unmatched. Even if you lose your voice and your legs hurt the next day, you’ll always remember the night you screamed your heart out with a stadium full of people.
The Bad
Concerts can also be rough.First of all, the crowds. If you don’t like being squished between sweaty strangers, you might have a bad time. People will shove you, step on you, and some won’t even say sorry. Especially in general admission (aka standing areas),it’s like survival of the fittest in there, especially for me standing at 5”3, I see people shorter then me around and I wonder how they are feeling.
Also, getting tickets is a whole nightmare. You think you’re gonna be fine, but then Ticketmaster decides to put you at 30,000 in the queue . And IF you somehow manage to get a ticket, it costs so much money.
Finally, there’s always the risk of bad crowd behavior. Some people don’t know how to act, they push, they fight, they throw stuff on stage. It can turn what should be a fun night into a stressful one if people don’t respect each other.
Final Thoughts
Even with all the downsides, concerts are still SO worth it. Yeah, you might get shoved around and spend too much money, but the feeling of seeing your favorite artist live is just unbeatable. You’ll laugh, maybe cry, probably lose your voice, but most importantly, you’ll leave with memories you’ll never forget.
Listen Now
In this episode of the VC Social podcast, three friends, Raya, Cristian, and Devonte, share music with each other, spotlighting artists with under 500,000 monthly listeners. From musicians in the community to musicians worldwide, there is so much undiscovered talent and, together, they are here to share it with you. Hopefully, you can find some new music and new favorite artists over the next 45 minutes.
Interested in the songs played? Here is the playlist, which is not in order of discussion, but it’s all there for your listening enjoyment!
If you want to see more from this trio, you can check out their socials!
In the age of digital streaming, independent record stores are an important facet in keeping physical music, local scenes, and community alive. Record stores offer music fans a place to browse music of all genres, new, used, and perhaps discover something great they’ve never heard. Ventura County has a vibrant array of independent shops, each with their own purpose and variety of music.
Salzer’s Records is the music and physical media powerhouse of the county. The Ventura location, started by Jim Salzer, has been in business since 1972 after a slow start in South Oxnard in the mid-60s. After his passing in recent years, the company is still owned and operated by his son, James, to this day. Salzer’s has become an icon of the county as its two-story location stands overlooking the 101 freeway. Many people who have lived in the county know of Salzer’s. Whether they’ve heard the name or have passed by the building on their commute, it’s always the first look inside that people really realize what a special place it is.
Institution is the word I would use to describe Salzer’s. An institution through and through is a place that has stood in its community for decades, offers a sense of community, and truly makes the place it’s located that much more special. Taking a walk inside is like stepping into a time capsule. You find the style and architecture of the place to bring back memories of something you may have once known. T-shirts, stickers, books, memorabilia all line the walls and the paths are paved with bins upon bins of any music you could imagine. CDs and vinyl are both mainstays of Salzer’s with people from all over coming to sell or trade their own collectibles here. The second level is almost like a completely different store. All sorts of holistic accouterments, socks with your favorite cartoon character or a witty joke perhaps, incense, candles, any sort of smoking device that may suit your needs, and a room near the back that definitely draws eyes. Perhaps the biggest draw of Salzer’s comes from the (bi)annual event called Record Store Day. RSD as its frequently called is an event in which independent record stores receive special releases, reissues, represses and specific vinyl only available on these days. Smaller record stores may only get a few of these very special releases so trying to seek out something you’re looking for can be difficult. But Salzer’s is known for getting many of them each year, garnering lines out the door and around the building of people trying to get their hands on something rare. It becomes a destination for many each year for this reason and It’s beyond just being for music lovers to congregate but truly a stand out part of the community as a longstanding business that really has something for everyone.
Grady’s Record Refuge, located in midtown Ventura, opened its doors in 2003. Grady Runyan is a music enthusiast who sought to bring collectible vinyl, fair prices and a wide array of genres, media and equipment. Some record store visits can feel like you’re searching for a diamond in the rough. Flipping endlessly through bins of artists trying to find something eye-catching or maybe something you’ve been searching for; Grady’s is anything but. Coming here is like walking into a goldmine. The store has an incredibly diverse catalog of genres and artists from anything like 60’s hard-bop jazz, traditional English folk, psychedelic rock, no-wave, obscure punk compilations, garage, hip-hop, you name it.
Flipping through the various bins can be almost too rewarding and if you’re trying to not break the bank, you’ll have to force yourself to just stop looking, otherwise you’ll end up spending all your time and cash in your wallet rounding off your collection. It’s a place where you walk in and feel like you’re transported back in time to when you didn’t have all the music at your fingertips and finding something new was just a matter of looking hard enough. Grady’s is the record store for true collectors and music fans alike.
American Pie Records is the newest edition to the county’s music paradises. Located in old town Camarillo, the business opened back in 2022. Although it’s still new to the area, it filled a gap in what was missing from this part of town. Specializing is rare and used LPs, American Pie is another store that makes you feel connected to. The music playing through the speakers might be an ultra rare Rolling Stones record where you can hear all the pops and static in the wax. The bins are lined with jazz galore and psychedelic deeps-cuts from the 60’s onwards.
American Pie Records proves that a new record store can make waves in the community and really become a place for people to sit around, talk about, listen to, buy, and sell music. In the past year the store added a second location, just 2 doors down from the original.
This not only expanded the music inventory but doubles as a coffee house in the afternoons and a jazz club on the weekends. Styled and decorated as the sort of coffeehouse feel of the 50’s the drink menu still connects the store to its music roots with drink names referencing iconic records or artists, such as a milkshake called “The birth of the cool”. The new location offers customers “the 45 lounge”, a separate lounge room in the back of the store that lets people relax, play records, and hangout with any drinks or desserts ordered at the store. It’s a fantastic inclusion to an already very unique store. Having a “hangout” area is something that is absolutely needed in a community space such as his. It drives people to talk to others about common interests which is something that is so needed in today’s world.
Each of these stores holds their own purpose in the community. Whether it be a one stop shop for all your music memorabilia, t-shirts, albums, patches etc. Or a spot to go sip coffee, flip through record bins and hear live music. Or even dig for some real gems you can’t seem to find anywhere else, all record stores are important for keeping people’s love of music alive.
Music has always been the universal language. No matter what country of origin, listeners are able to distinguish an emotional presence and overall feeling from the melodies, rhythm, and movement of the song. So this got me thinking about the overlooked behavior of choosing music when we have those emotional moments. What makes people put on certain songs? Specifically, when you are feeling sad, happy or angry, does the listener choose music to lift them out of that emotion or stay present in that mindset. I decided to set out get some answers!
The Psychology behind music selection
A lot of different choices can be made based on mood. Picture this, two people are having the exact same awful of a day then return to their respective places of living. They decide they want to decompress their day by turning on their speaker and putting on some music. Regardless of them going through the same awful day, even then, they would still most likely choose music from opposite sides of the spectrum. One might put on more of a Midwest Emo/EmoViolence/ Emo Hardcore and sit in their respective emotions and ride it out. The other might put on more 80s New Wave/ Synth Pop/ Goth Rock and dance it out right there in their living rooms to exert that awful day away. Why does this happen? I wanted to find out what music listeners choose based on their moods.
Instagram poll results
I took to my instagram, posted some polls on my story, and gathered my own data. These polls were centered around 3 major emotions. Sadness, Happiness, and Anger. Respondents were asked about their music choices when experiencing any of those three emotions. Do they choose music that matches the mood or do they choose music that pulls them out of that given emotion. About an average of 50 users participated in the research below. Heres what I found.
Sadness
First up, we have everyone’s good old companion, sadness. When asked about what music they choose, most people chose music that matches their mood. This means they are pressing play on the tunes that make them shed a tear or amplify those sad thoughts. In this way, they’re riding the wave and getting off it when they feel ready to. I think it is important to think about how a lot of the music in the mainstream, regardless of the genre, has a reoccurring run in with sadness. Whether this would be with an Electronic Pop hit about a breakup or a Indie Rock song about hating your 9-5, that all point to the same baseline of sadness. It’s a more normalized emotion within the music sphere and in our everyday and one to be processed, this is where music is often the helpful tool. When in comes to the other 19 percent in the poll, they are the ones to put the tunes to get them out of the pit of sadness. This would consist of upbeat, pop, bright songs to pump up the energy to move through it.
Happiness
When respondents were asked about they hit play on when it comes to happiness, there was also a huge gap that presented itself across the data. It appears that when users felt that they were having a good energy in their day where they felt energetic, happy, and joyful most users wanted to continue that vibe with some tunes to encourage rather than mellowing themselves out. In this instance more fast paced, high energy, bright songs would be in the rotation rather than some stripped back, calm, and grounded songs. This again would be another emotion that would be normalized in our mainstream with songs being used to get us hyped up and happy. This would be considered a more accepted emotion alongside sadness to be able to process through music in a healthy way. Feeling warm, joyful, and excited? Great put on some ABBA!
Anger
Here’s where it gets interesting! Given that the previous polls had a rather huge gap between the answers, this one was actually cutting it quite close. When users were asked about moments where they felt Angry, 55% of them said they would much rather choose music to continue on the rage. 45% said they wanted to put something on that would help them calm down and get to a better headspace. I think with the other emotions in the study, I can’t help but notice how Anger is more of the emotion that is not as easily accepted in the mainstream and in our everyday. It’s violent, its dark, and it can be visceral. As we should know, Anger can and is a healthy emotion to experience yet many user were wanted to choose music to calm them down and contrast the anger overall. When it comes to the choices for matching the mood this could consist of Hardcore, Metal, and maybe even a sprinkle of something Punk adjacent. Those wanting to calm themselves down are going more for the soft and mellow tones of Jazz, Acoustic, or Folk.
Let’s Rewind
At the end of the day, music choice is all subjective and changes from person to person! As mentioned previously, but two people feeling the same emotion and going through the same type of day, won’t neccessarilay mean that they will end up choosing the same music to decompress after a long day. That in of itself is really interesting! The main take away from this study was really the curiosity of how people make their moody music choices and present the findings. This is to get us to be a bit more aware of what we hit play on when we are feeling emotional. Do we go with the flow or go against it?
Moody Playlists
To finish things off here are some of some playlists of songs from my personal library that I would put on for when I fell Happy, Sad or Angry. When comparing myself to the results, I am definitely more of the listener to choose music that matches the mood entirely. I think this is a pretty good representation of myself but I encourage you to make some playlists to have ready when those emotional moments happen!
Categories
805 Rising
By: Alyssa Moreno
Hello everyone, long time no see! The last post I made on here consisted of a playlist that contained songs from exclusively Ventura County artists. Well, today I’m back with one of those artists, Young Lord, a rising rapper out of Oxnard.
I took the time to sit down with Young Lord at his studio to get a little insight on what’s next for this career and what he’s planning for the year 2024. And of course I got a tour of the studio!
He was extremely welcoming and felt like a friendly face which made asking questions a little easier on me. “So how are things with your music lately, anything we should keep an eye out for?” I asked the 25-year-old rapper.
“Oh you know, things are good, I’m working on a lot of new stuff that I can’t wait to release hopefully as soon as possible, and start getting to work on some of ideas I have for the future” he replied.
“Sounds like you have the near future planned out, but what’s happening right now in the life of Young Lord, any recent releases we should add to our current music rotations?, I asked.
“Yeah, I actually have a couple of recent releases that should be on everyone’s radar,” he laughed, “No, but seriously I did just drop a few tracks on all streaming platforms called BACK2BACK and Dior Cologne Freestyle, and I even dropped music videos to both songs on Youtube.”
“Oh, I’ll be to link both songs so that all our readers and viewers can watch and listen, so now that those songs are out, what’s next in terms of marketing what’s already released?” I asked Young Lord.
After listening to both songs and watching both music videos, I’ve decided not to link them in this article because they weren’t so family friendly, but I still think everyone who’s interested in checking them out should absolutely do so! I still really like both songs. Both songs feature Young Lords unique melodies and catchy word play with equally as enticing visuals to match.
“Well, that’s what I’m trying to figure out right now, I do what I can on social media you know like Instagram and TikTok, and my label helps me out with the advertisements, but I want it all to be very organic and not too try hard, you know what I mean?”
“Yeah I definitely understand where you’re coming from, it can be hard to want to push your art onto people, but how else will they know if you aren’t constantly telling them?”
We exchanged a back and forth of what’s to come for the Oxnard local rapper, but we’ll save that for another time, he wanted everything to come out when he was ready to put it out, and as an artist I respect that.
After some conversation he took me around the studio to see where he does most of his work, and of course I took pictures.
It’s such a cool and creative space, so much art surrounding you while you create art, I told the young rapper. The space felt inspiring and motivating, Hopefully I’ll be back here soon with more updates on the rising star out of Ventura County, Young Lord.
Be sure to follow him on Instagram @RealYoungLord
Follow me on Instagram @MorenoAlyssa_
And follow the VC Social on Instagram @VCSocialBrand
On February 23, 2024, the Ventura Music Hall hosted a musical phenomenon, The Frights. They’re a band that seamlessly blends some elements of surf rock, punk, and alternative sound. In combination this creates a feeling that is both nostalgic and refreshing in a modern way. What sets The Frights apart from other bands is not just the way they strum their guitars, but their commitment to staying authentic since the very beginning. In today’s day and age artists find popularity by using auto tune. The Frights on the other hand embrace the imperfection of their raw and unfiltered voices. This approach to sound is a great reminder that music is really just another art medium.
A very intriguing aspect of The Fright’s music journey is how they are able to achieve an inherently timeless sound that has found its way into the ears of the new generations through social media platforms. Most notably TikTok has become an unexpected ally in introducing the band’s surf rock sound to a wider audience. Songs like “You Are Going to Hate This” and “Tungs” have become one of their most popular performances and a great contributor to the new exposure was from rising social media platforms like TikTok.
The band released their first EP “Dead Beach” and their first ever studio album “The Frights” in 2013 and have become a household staple in the surf rock community. Although the band has seen some changes throughout the years, they still manage to maintain their raw unfiltered sound. The lead vocalist Mikey Carnevale has been with the band since the very beginning and is joined by Richard Dotson, Marc Finn, Jordan Clark, and Elias Avila.
For those who are not very familiar with The Frights, here are their
Top 5 most streamed songs, and for good reason.
5. Kids
4. Crust Bucket
3. Tongues
2. You Are Going to Hate This
1. Tungs
Missed the show? Have your own!
Live At The Observatory is a great album to listen to if you want to experience or relive the feeling of hearing The Frights live.
In this week’s episode, hosts Alexander Shaw, Jace McDonald, and Juan Lopez sit down to talk about the music genre known as “punk rock”. Alex and Jace have both listened to punk for a large part of their lives, while Juan is a relative newcomer to the genre, having been given a hand selected playlist of both their favorite songs. Together they sit down to talk about music, passion, and the human condition.
Snapper Jack's Taco Shack – VC Social
Categories
Of Bones, Ash, and Song
Vid. Gunnþra. Gjoll. Leiptr. Elivagar, Elivagar. A well-taught purveyor of norse mythology would recognize these terms as a handful of the eleven rivers associated with the Élivágar, or “ice waves” that existed in the primordial void at the beginning of the world. A connoisseur of the new and experimental, however, may recognize them as lyrics to the Heilung song also titled “Élivágar”, with text from both old norse texts and the poetic edda and set to music in a chant meant to be felt down to the bones. Heilung, meaning “healing” in German, is an experimental folk band founded in 2014 by Kai Uwe Faust, Christopher Juul, and Maria Franz, describing themselves as a music journey. When asked about the name, Faust states “The listener is supposed to be left at ease and in a relaxed state after a magical musical journey that is at times turbulent”. So why am I talking to you about this?
Music has always been a big part of my life. I have a music note tattooed behind my ear, have studied a variety of instruments throughout my life, and even my stories are meant to sound like the songs that are constantly going through my head. It was the first thing my mother introduced me to that I fell in love with, and the thing we have always bonded over. So in 2018, she sent me a video, believing that the music as well as heavy themes of nature, spiritualism, and culture older than almost any country around today would be right up my alley. It was by a band called Heilung, one I had never heard of before, and the song was called “Krigsgaldr”, roughly translating to “war chant”. The lyrics were pulled from the Eggja Runestone, sung in proto-norse, with a music video created from the Tanum Petroglyphs of Sweden. I was immediately in love. I found a full recording of a live concert on YouTube and watched the entire thing when I got off work, and as soon as tickets were announced for a show in Los Angeles we were in queue to buy them. I painted our faces, and that night we went to a show that began with a smudging ritual and ended feeling more like a ceremony than a concert. It was the last concert I went to before COVID started, and it is the best show I’ve been to.
Heilung is a band that stems from spiritualism. The founding members have all embraced paganism and/or shamanism in some shape or form, and their instruments are made from bone, ash, and pelts. They wear elaborate outfits on stage, partially based on the traditions of the Eurasian circumpolar populations as well as reproductions of Nordic bronze age attire. Their beats are built to induce the same trances that would have been attained during these ceremonies. When performing in the US they invited representatives of local tribes to participate with them, beginning their shows with “Remember that we all are brothers. All people and leaves and trees, and stone and wind.” Their music gained immediate traction from their release of “Ofnir” in 2015, having tied for the World Tradition Award in the 18th Independent Music Award for their song “Norupo” and been selected to compose the soundtrack for “Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II”. It is also a band that, in a few short years, has come to mean much more to me than ever thought it would. I’ve never been a person who says any song is “just music”. Music is powerful. It is meaningful. It is one of the things that connects us across time and space. In the case of Heilung, most of all, it is a healing.
VC Social 