Tag: Perfume Genius

MIXTAPE: What’s In a Name? Thin Lear’s Moniker Mixtape

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Upon relaying my artistic moniker to people, I’m usually met with one of two reactions: 1. “Oh, weird…that’s interesting” or 2. “Oh, weird… I don’t get it.” (I guess a third option would be, “Well, that’s stupid.”)

My process of finding a moniker came out of a desire for artistic freedom in my writing, as I felt constrained performing under my government name, the far less interesting sounding “Matt Longo.” Within a moniker, my writing (in my mind) could be uninhibited despite me being, you know, the same human.

Originally, I was thinking I’d go by “Tin Ear,” as I simply liked the sound of the way the words sat together, but I quickly discovered that was already a glam band from the ’70s. Then, around the time of my name hunt, I had a very strange dream wherein I sat on a subway car across from a gaunt, regal-looking king. I awoke with the words “Thin Lear” in my head, no doubt the result of my brain privately re-working “Tin Ear” and conveniently giving me a dream origin story to go along with it.

What a journey, I know. So, to celebrate the release of my new EP, A Shadow Waltzed Itself, I’ve put together a Mixtape of some of my favorite solo artist monikers, for various reasons, all paired with choice tracks. Enjoy. – Thin Lear

“Maybe I’m the Only One for Me” – Purple Mountains

A sad and beautiful song from a modern master, David Berman. The moniker is pitch perfect; it conveys majestic sadness, like so much of his art.

“Golden Wake” – Mutual Benefit

An underrated moniker for an underrated artist, Jordan Lee. It’s off Love’s Crushing Diamond, which is really one of the finest complete albums of the 2010s, with its homespun warmth.

“Come Down in Time” – Bedouine

The thoughtful moniker of Azniv Korkejian, whose music is equally as carefully considered. Her take on Elton John’s track from the classic Tumbleweed Connection really rivals the original and wraps the melody in an achingly delicate arrangement.

“Beauty of the Shifting Tide” – Thin Lear

Oh, hey, would you look at that? It’s me. How’d that get in there?

This tune is the closing song off the new EP, A Shadow Waltzed Itself, and also the most personal, unfortunately. I had been walking along the beach in a bad mood for seemingly no reason one day, so removed from my surroundings, watching my partner and daughter enjoy themselves ahead of me. I began to envision myself as this sullen entity that was just kind of trudging behind joy – and the uselessness of that role in a family. This isn’t a place I find myself in all the time, but it happens; I wrote the song later that night as I was so disgusted with my default settings. In the song, my narrator acknowledges his envy of the tide, how it can change on a dime with all its might and that his own will “breaks in half the time.”

It sums up my greatest fears in a few minutes and is my least favorite song I’ve ever written, as I depict myself in such harsh lighting, but it felt like I needed to put it out for that very reason.

“Tyrant Destroyed” – Twin Shadow

A cool, catchy moniker for an artist who makes cool, catchy music. And what an opening track this is off his debut album, Forget. It’s such a sure-footed, fully-realized artistic mission statement to kick off a career.

“Noon” – Twain

I really can’t express why the moniker of Mat Davidson is so perfect. Maybe it’s because the arrangements and vocals in his music are so careful and delicate that the whole thing feels like it could split in two at any moment.

“Honey” – Drugdealer & Weyes Blood

Two excellent monikers for the price of one. Michael Collins & Natalie Mering doing a pitch perfect ’70s pastiche.

“Hood” – Perfume Genius

Maybe the most brilliant moniker on the list, achieving a level of poeticism we can only all aspire to with our monikers. “Hood” is one of the best songs ever written that clocks in at under two minutes, delivering a devastating gut punch in no time at all.

“The Mermaid Parade” – Phosphorescent

Matthew Houck’s music does indeed sound like a radiant glow in the dark. A killer breakup song from 2010’s Here’s to Taking It Easy.

“Only Son of the Ladiesman” – Father John Misty

Well, you knew this one was coming. Truly a perfect moniker for Josh Tillman, as it conveys a mystical sleaze and it’s funny, mysterious, and inviting.

Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez

Out Now: Joh Chase

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

This week, we’re excited to feature Joh Chase in Out Now. Joh is an artist from Seattle, Washington now rooted in Los Angeles, California. They’ve spent the past two decades developing their craft as a songwriter and performer and they’ve opened for artists like Noah Gunderson and David Bazan. Joh’s music steps outside the lines of any single genre and blends influences of blues, folk, pop, and indie rock.

Joh Chase’s brand new album, SOLO, was released today. It features diverse sounds, intimate lyrics, and an exploration of love, loss, self-discovery, and independence. Our conversation touches on why they create music, their greatest fear, and their process of self-funding tours and crowdfunding albums.

Why do you create music? What’s more satisfying to you, the process or the outcome?

I create music because I am lucky to have claimed music as something that I do. I just do music as much as humanly possible, because it makes me feel alive and helps me know who I am and how much I love the world and life and others. Both the outcome and the process are satisfying. The payoffs for showing up always feel rewarding, but the long game reward of gaining muscle memory around showing up when it feels like the last thing you wanna do, is its own kind of reward.

Do you create music primarily for yourself or for others?

I’m very “Oliver Sacks” about music. I unabashedly create music for selfish reasons – coping, pleasure, and connection. And then I love playing music for people or hearing the music of others because everyone has a “secret public song space” in their bodies and minds and they want to be there as much as possible.

Your songs cover a wide range of genres with traces of blues, pop, folk, and indie rock influences. How do you navigate genre diversity while maintaining a cohesive sound throughout the album?

I think the genre diversity and how that comes across in the different sounds is a reflection of the kinds of music I used to make and the sounds that have stuck with me throughout the years. Using the baritone saxophone, finding a way to express some soul music as well as some Americana licks amongst folky tunes indie folk/rock sounds are endemic to my musical expression. Over the years people have said, “Oh your voice would sound good singing… country, bluegrass, blues, soul…” and in this record I found a way to fit the genres to my voice, a bit. The surprising Flaming Lips-sounding party that is “Daniel” or the more jammy “Smoother” with its less Western sounding scale, are consequences of me feeling 100% happy with creating and releasing music that genre melds, as opposed to making sure I stay in some sort of shape, genre-wise.

The lead single, “Avalanche,” is both explosive and personal. What is the inspiration and significance of this track?

I honestly cannot remember the exactitude of where or when I wrote “Avalanche.” It was in the same set of songs as “Gone” when I first wrote it, but I can’t remember that session as well as I can remember the writing of “Gone.” The song centers itself around the powerful polarity of belonging and loss. Love is not just the “hot fire sex flame” of pop bangers, but also the unexpected mountain shelf of love that you didn’t know you had until it was gone.

This album, SOLO, reflects your do-it-yourself perspective as an artist. Could you share the challenges and rewards of self-funding tours and crowdfunding projects?

One of my favorite books that I was reading around the time that I decided to do the crowd funding that led to this record is the book Real Artists Don’t Starve. The book inspired me to go back to school while I was making this record. The record business is tough and very uncontrollable, but I will never stop making music. So it’s not a question of “do I want to keep making music”, but rather how and at which costs? I think some artists or bands are in a place where they feel comfortable sharing the financials of their music business with fans and some do not for many valid reasons. I feel comfortable sharing with my fans, I need $x to do this, will you help me make it happen. It’s much more acceptable now to have folks follow your Patreon or Substack or subscriptions than it was, so I feel grateful that there are things like Kickstarter and Patreon etc.

What would a “perfect day” look like for you?

Eating a Berliner from Black Forest Bakery in Los Feliz with my coffee, going home to the studio and making music or playing out with my band.

What’s your ideal vision for your future?

I’m sitting behind some tape machine or TEAC-2A, coming up with my next record and building more beautiful songs. I’m walking my dog and going to queer line dancing and the LA women’s soccer games with my city and then touring and meeting wonderful people and getting to play music for them. Definitely going back to Europe for more shows – I’d really love to do that.

What is your greatest fear?

My dog dying when I’m on tour.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Get pet insurance.

What is your current state of mind?

I’m so deeply excited about playing these new songs for people this year and for people to hear this record. I couldn’t sleep last night after doing my taxes, ’cause I was so buzzed from the band rehearsal.

Who are your favorite LGBTQ+ artists and bands?

Brittany Ann Tranbaugh. Brennan Wedl. Bitch. Melissa Ferrick. Perfume Genius. Hand Habits. Sasami. Rhett Madson. Rachel Mazer. Ryan Cassatta. Brittany Howard. Sinead O’Connor. Jonnie Reinhart. Hurray for the Riff Raff.

For anyone reading this who might not be out of the closet, were there any specific people, musicians, or resources that helped you find yourself as a queer individual?

Willie Nelson’s “He Was A Friend of Mine” – I think struggling to come out of the closet or living in it or the aftermath of coming out revolves around loss of community and friendships. Nelson’s version of this song helps me still deal with some of the sadness around that loss. I was lucky enough to get sober and it was through the 12 step community that I met lovely, strong, vulnerable queers in LA who showed me the beauty and joy of what it’s like to be out and to be sturdy in your own way. I’m also spoiled with LA’s LGBT center – it’s an incredible organization with so many resources and events. Find the queers you want to be when you grow up. And then be the queer you want to be when you grow up.

What does it mean to you to be an LGBTQ+ musician?

I think it means that my music gets to be a safe LGBTQ+ place. That my shows and my music centers the queer experience.

What are your release and touring plans for the next year?

After touring this summer to promote the record on the West Coast, I’ll head east later in the year and jump into some Folk Alliance conferences. No release plans on the radar yet after SOLO.

How do you find a balance between the business and artistic aspects involved in your career as a musician?

I honestly don’t totally know. It’s intuitive and chaotic and intentional and has been part of my personality or my way of life for so long, now, that I don’t know if I can pinpoint one precise center of gravity. I have to protect my creative time, nurture my playfulness in life, let myself ditch friends or ditch overworking or ditch over-cleaning to let those creative moments remind me of who I am. I am lucky to have a manager, a team at Kill Rock Stars and friends who support me and my music. Inside of community, the glaring nature of the music industry is dulled out quite a bit.

Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez