ISSUE 1

EMILY DAVIS

AN INTERVIEW WITH

FEATURING

THE LOWBROW PALACE

WE

EVERYTHING RAD.

ARE

ART. MUSIC. CULTURE.

Editor-In-Chief Crystal Orquiz Piña

Publishing Editor

Cynthia Amaya

Web DesignerAlejandro Alba

Emily Davis Article

PhotographyJoe Nuñez Reyna Rey

Writers

Chris Luna Angela Saavedra

ANiMALSOUL Article

Photography Andrea Ximenez

Writer

Chris Luna

Craft and Social ExperienceArtist

Jean-Luc Thomas

Writer Michael Morales

The Lowbrow Palace ArticlePhotography

Joe Nuñez

WriterIlean De Anda

Art“Olé” Mathew Poe

Graphic Designers

Darrin Perkins Jean-Luc Thomas

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CRAFT & SOCIAL 1

EMILY DAVIS 3

ANiMALSOUL 9

THE LOWBROW PALACE 11

MUSIC REVIEW 14

AN EXPERIENCE WITH CRAFT & SOCIAL

by Michael Morales

Sitting in three different, yet aesthetically harmonious, upcycled designer chairs from some late era, we nostalgically re-live the good ol’ days and play catch up on some five years that have seemed to slip away. The air buzzes gently with the calm sounds of chatter. It’s 8 o’clock and the above average domestic beer alcohol content is already settling in.Across the bar, the grizzly bearded bartender gives a genuine smile to his customer, simultaneously socializing and pouring rich craft beer into carefully chosen glassware with ease and finesse. In myright hand is a Left-Hand Milk Stout. In my left, I handle adelicious and beautifully prepared

roast-beef sandwich dripping with a Left Hand Milk Stout au jus, appropriately named the Drunken Cow. One of my buddies savors an Oskar Blues Old Chub NITRO; the other, a tasteful Deschutes The Stoic. Craft beer, some might argue, is key to the new refined living. Beer connoisseurs, or beer snobs, will be happy to know that El Paso’s craft beer industry has grown into its own these days, going toe to toe with the Texas capitol of hipster. Hitting Craft & Social, one of many new craft beer bars that have popped up around town, made for an enjoyable night.

Jean-;Luc Thomas

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Olé by Matthew Poe

This piece, created by one of El Paso’s many talented artists, can be viewed

at the El Paso Museum of Art.

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e.davis

Photo by Reyna Rey

EM

ILY D

AV

IS

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Emily Davis is an El Paso native folk singer/songwriter whose lyrics and stage presence could be captured in two words: firework pixie. Davis began playing music in 2006 during her high school years. She is well known for her love of punk rock band Bad Religion. When I asked about her most punk rock moment, she explained, “There’s a couple times where I played so hard that my fingers bled all over my guitar.” Aside from her punk influences, Davis also draws inspiration from 70s rock, blues, and folk to turn the act of singing into soulful storytelling. Her unique style has earned her invitations to play at Street Fest and Neon Desert Music Festival. She dropped her first two albums in back to back years with the release of No Real Destination (2010) and Dark Matter (2011). No Real Destination describes Davis’ wandering mood as she addresses the first twenty years of her life and also dives into societal issues. Both albums are accompanied by upbeat music, gloomy lyrics, and haunting melodies that blend folk, punk, and acoustic rock with elements of less orthodox styles. The darkly optimistic lyrics are driven by soaring harmonies and passionately untamed lead vocals. Though her albums are brimming with thoughtful lyrics, Emily Davis was still subject to stereotyping. Gender discrimination has posed substantial obstacles to women in the music industry. Most female artists are judged before they have even played a single note. Often a listener will lose or gain interest based solely on the artist’s appearance. The most successful musicians can go through their careers without receiving appropriate recognition. The implication is that women behind music are merely inspirational or as a vehicle, while men are seen as the actual brainpowers. Regarding women this way is a part of a larger trend of sexism. Female musicians today challenge conventionally held ideas about gender such as the notion that they should play a particular instrument or sing a certain style of song. When asked how being a woman has affected her musical career, Davis responded, “I think there’s a certain stereotype with woman writers. They expect me to sound like Sarah McLachlan, playing vapid-girly songs, and that’s not me. I get YouTube comments like, ‘Oh, you looked better with longer hair.’ I’m sorry; I didn’t know my hair was linked to my musical ability. I used to dress more feminine, but I’ve been trying to be more genuine the last few years.” In spite of the obstacles Davis faced due to gender stereotyping, she still managed to release two albums representative of who she is. Still, while releasing two albums in two years may be indicative of success, Emily, like many others, found it hard to find an audience in El Paso. She cites the city’s obsession with EDM as one of the main causes. The music community was also much less developed in 2011 than it is now. There were less music-specific venues, and there was no one interested in original music. As an acoustic artist, she would also get a lot of criticism for not having a full band.

She described one particularly bad night at an artisan display show: “My friends’ band played first. I get there and they’re playing their set, and everyone’s into it. The minute they stop playing, the artisans start tearing down and leaving in mass which caused the audience to leave. By the time I’m playing, there’s only four drunk people left. I got through three songs before being so disheartened by their behavior that I stormed offstage.” While this was not a new experience, it was the tipping point for Davis who was burnt out, and also dealing with depression. Contrary to popular belief, depression is not a mood; it is a medical diagnosis that can last few months or a couple years depending on the severity. Causes may include chemical imbalance in the brain or stressful life events. Major depression is characterized by a persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest, and can lead to a variety of conditions. Though I did not go further in depth with Emily about the severity of her depression, she did let me know that it was part of the reason she decided to step away from music. In 2013, Emily Davis took a personal hiatus from performing that would last two years. Davis changed her disposition in the spring of 2015 after she was approached by Bad Religion to open for their April 9th engagement at Tricky Falls. There was a bit of a curve, though. Davis claimed to have forgotten her own songs during the break and had to relearn them. Soon enough she was back on track and completed writing three new songs in the span of two weeks. Emily Davis’ third full-length CD, The Worst Kind of Curse, was released in September of 2015. It was mixed, mastered, and produced by Rick Parker with production assistance provided by Michael Minjarez in Los Angeles. The album deviates from the sound of her previous albums by employing a heavier, more visceral vibe. Centered in the heart of the album is the theme of impermanence. Davis commented, “I like that El Paso is spread out, and it gives you the opportunity to connect with people. I’m influenced by other people’s stories, and I like to write from their perspectives. I see my music as Tourette’s: if I have a new song inside I have to get it out or else I get really frustrated.” The music culture in El Paso has changed in the years Davis has been absent. When asked about her favorite local artists, Davis had a seemingly endless list of names to talk about. She was clearly a big fan of many other local musicians in and around El Paso. She claimed that she is happy with the current scene and that it is the best it’s been in ten years; there are more people and venues, making the scene more receptive. Hopefully our city can continue to build on a music scene that is still in its infancy—one that will see Emily Davis and all of our other artists thrive for years to come.

Written by Chris Luna

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“If there was a soundtrack for the desert, I think it would be folk.”It was the alluring imagery of the fiery desert that ignited Emily Davis’ lyrically driven acoustic fusion of folk and punk music. Growing up in a region geographically isolated by the surrounding mountains and acres of dry golden sand, Davis’ sound was infected by the southern folk rock of the 70s that she was raised on. Bands such as Simon and Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, and the Doobie Brothers all had a major influence as she developed her characteristic folk sound. But with the release of her third album, The Worst Kind of Curse, Davis has left behind the soft gentleness of her first two albums, No Real Destination (2010) and Dark Matter (2011), and evolved into a more “aggressive folk.” “The majority of the songs on my first album were songs that I wrote in my late teens so I kind of jokingly call it ‘the album about boys and stuff,’” Davis said. “I released it when I was 20 and my voice was a little higher back then.” After performing for over ten years, the self-taught singer-songwriter has become a veteran of the local music scene; it becomes apparent in her songs “Scatter Me” and “In My Bed Alone” that she has aged into a more mature individual. Davis has overcome the anxiety and insecurities that once stopped her from doing anything music related for two years and her voice has even gotten a bit deeper. “I think this album is the one I’m most proud of,” Davis said. “This is the sound that I always had in mind but had trouble executing.”

The Worst Kind of Curse, which was released in September of last year, differs from her first two albums by delving into more diverse subject matter and dealing with more emotional themes. Songs like “Folklore” and “Beautiful Tomb” deal with the idea of impermanence and address death directly, having been inspired by the death of a close friend. “Not every song deals with death but death is often used as a metaphor for understanding certain situations in life,” Davis said. “The songs take different perspectives on death. For example, ‘Beautiful Tomb’ looks at death in a humanist perspective, where your body might die but aspects of you will continue on, so I say that one day I’ll be scattered beneath a canopy of leaves. I might not physically be there, but my remains might be there and it’s part of that image that gets created in your mind.” The album showcases a new-found aggressive energy that was perhaps inspired by Davis’ love of punk rock. Davis is known for her slight obsession with Bad Religion and in April of last year she got to live one of her life-long dreams when she opened for her favorite band at Tricky Falls while they toured in promotion of their recent album True North, released by Epitaph Records. “I was very honored and fortunate last year to get to open up for Bad Religion,” she said. “It was probably the best day of my life.” It was through her acoustic covers of Bad Religion songs on YouTube that over the last eight years Davis was able to make connections with people from all over the

THE EVOLUTION OF EMILY DAVIS

Written By Angela SaavedraPhotography By Joe Nuñez

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country. Her YouTube channel has gained more than 10,000 subscribers and each of her videos, where Davis is seen playing both cover and original songs, have surpassed 4 million views. “My covers helped me meet people who have similar interests, similar political and philosophical ideologies, and similar taste in music and I’ve actually formed friendships with those people that I’ve met online.” Not only did Davis gain friendships, but she managed to gain many loyal fans. In early 2015, over 170 of her fans donated through the crowdfunding site, IndieGoGo, to help her raise money to record The Worst Kind of Curse. “I was so doubtful the whole time, thinking ‘we’re not gonna make it, I’m not gonna make it,” Davis said. But with the help of her fans she was able to exceed her goal of $7,500 by over a thousand dollars. “I was blown away! People are crazy amazing and really generous.”And it was money well spent. The money raised covered the cost of recording her album The Worst Kind of Curse at a studio called Fox Force Five in Hollywood, CA. It also funded the filming of her music video for the song “Lovely Ugly Oddity” where Davis shows off her fun, quirky dance moves. The money left over also helped to fund her recent tour where she travelled throughout southern states including Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico, then up the western coast to Oregon, Idaho and back down through Utah and Arizona.Davis is planning a tour for March where she will travel throughout Texas during spring break and is also planning a more extensive tour for the summer with her band’s current lineup which includes bassist Jorge Torres, guitarist Frankie Orona and drummer Mike Sanchez. All three are experienced musicians who have been a part of the El Paso music scene for years, playing in bands such as SoundOnSound and Takanakuy. “I’m a firm believer in our music scene,” Davis said. “Having been a part of it for a decade, I can tell you that there’s a lot of talent here and there’s a lot of people who support one another and encourage one another. I think we have a really unique vibe here that other cities lack. There’s this intimacy and support that I’m really happy to be a part of.” Since the release of her album, The Worst Kind of Curse, Davis has “leeched” onto the stage making appearances around the city as often as possible. Not only does she perform often, she also makes it a point to go to as many shows as possible. So if you find yourself at a local show around town, chances are that you’ll see Davis there, showing support to her fellow musicians. If anyone understands the courage it takes to be vulnerable and put yourself out there in front of a crowd, stripped down with nothing but a guitar and a dynamic voice, it’s the desert born singer-songwriter, Emily Davis. You can pick up The Worst Kind of Curse CD or t-shirt at one of Emily’s next shows, or listen on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and Bandcamp.

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“The best advice I’ve ever gotten has been to ‘never give up.” These are the words of Ivan Arellano, guitarist for the band ANiMAL SOUL. He and his brother Alan, who plays bass, were the first to greet me as I pulled up to their home, where they hold rehearsals. Vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Jourdan Harper was seated at a control station producing one of the band’s new songs. On top of serving as their rehearsal space, the group has built their own recording studio in the corner of their music room. Not long after, we were joined by the youngest Arellano brother, Valente, who plays the drums. Ivan received his first guitar from his father and began playing music at an early age. Music is a passion that quickly infected Ivan, and one he introduced to his brothers as they grew old enough to play. Led Zeppelin and other classic rock bands are the foundation of his sound, but Ivan claimed to also draw influence from hip hop and blues guitar players. “I just like to listen to as much music as I possibly can,” he said. He recalled the early days of the El Paso music scene: “There was really only like three places to play. Bombardiers, and a couple other places, but there wasn’t really a home for original music. All the bar owners expected you to play three-hour sets of covers because that’s what they were looking

for.” “Bon Jovi?” interjected Alan. “‘Wanted Dead or Alive,’” answered Ivan with a laugh as he remembered. Ivan shortly departed from El Paso to Los Angeles, and formed the band Drug the Kids. Alan also spent a short time in California to join the band. “It was one of the most interesting times in my life, and I honestly learned more than I ever learned doing anything in my life,” pronounced Alan. In the meantime, youngsters Valente and Jourdan were keeping busy back home. The pair met in high school and formed local bands such as Neon Phrases and Wake Up Stranger.How was ANiMAL SOUL formed? The Are l lano boys came back home after the dissolut ion of Drug the Kids

Photography by Andrea XimenezWritten by Chris Luna

Ivan Arellano

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and, naturally, started playing with their brother Valente.“We wanted it to be us because we were super tight and I have confidence in them,” said Alan. “Jourdan, even though he’s not our blood brother… There’s something there that’s inexplicable to the four of us.” Valente inserted that he’s “the realest homie, and Mexican as f—k.” It was a natural synthesis for the four brothers. Jourdan described the band as the “personification of four individuals coming together through the medium of music.” The band derives their name from the Jewish concept of a body being separated into two souls. The animal soul is the one that gives life to the physical body and is the source of animalistic desires, as well as kindness and compassion. The band definitely has a unique sound. While it’s a live rock band at the core, they incorporate elements of hip hop, and use walls of synthesizers to create a landscape. Topped by Jourdan’s

smooth and passionate vocal melodies, their sound is unlike any band I’ve seen or heard from in El Paso. “It’s just so much easier because in other bands people have different tastes, and we all grew up listening to the same stuff. There’s also the fact that we’re all considerate of each other’s opinions which you don’t get in other bands. We’re all focused on the overall product instead of trying to shine individually,” said Ivan. “Sometimes if you don’t know someone’s musical tastes, it can be really hard to get on the same page when you’re trying to jam. In my old band it was impossible; it was such a bad way of working,” finished Valente.I asked the boys about their label, and how it has affected

the band. “We never have to book our own shows, which has helped a lot. You also get to know everyone in the scene,” answered Valente. The band is currently signed to Electric Social Records. Founded in 2013, Electric Social started with the vision of exposing the local talent from El Paso, Texas. Their goal is to help musicians focus on their music by providing support in areas such as booking, marketing, recording, and everything necessary to connect the artist with the audience. Their current roster includes rock, hip hop, and electronic artists from both sides of the U.S./Mexico border. ANiMAL SOUL recently toured with their label mates The Other Half and Kilo & the Dew this past January. The Electric Social West Coast Convoy tour included stops in Tucson, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. A tour like this is a rarity as very few bands ever travel out of El Paso.

The band is hard at work writing and self-producing their upcoming EP titled Color. Although it was initially Jourdan at the controls, I saw each member take a turn making their own tweaks to a, so far, untitled song throughout the night. “We’re not sure if this one will make it. We want to make sure that all the tracks fit together so nothing sounds out of place,” said Ivan. The writing process they employ is definitely unique and interesting. As opposed to writing up an entire song before recording, the boys record ideas and then collaboratively add to a song until there is a completed product. It is a very organic process that certainly produces a cooperative sound. They will be holding a release party on March 25th at Tricky Falls at 8 PM featuring their Electric Social comrades and a few special guests. If you’d like to stay informed, you can find ANiMAL SOUL on Facebook, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and Spotify. There you can also listen to their current singles: “Trips” and “King Kobra.”

Jourdan Harperr

Alan Arellano

Valente Arellano

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I might be giving away my age by saying this, but I’m from a time in El Paso when asking someone where he or she wanted to go for drinks on Saturday night was not always an option. There were a couple of places that you would always frequent because the variety just wasn’t there. Since then, El Pao has boomed with hipsters, moustaches, bike riders, and craft beer drinkers. Despite there being so many places to go, the Lowbrow Palace remains a mainstay among local music “scenesters” looking for rad music, good vibes, hot dudes, and a stiff drink. The Lowbrow has seen its share of changes: name changes, shifts in ownership, and a mini facelift that made it the place you see standing today. Brian Chavez of Splendid Sun Productions is no stranger to a challenge. You have probably heard his name before because he is one of three people who spearheaded Neon Desert Music Festival (NDMF). Splendid Sun Productions turned their dreams into reality and made NDMF the huge production that it is today.

“It was an easy decision for Splendid Sun to purchase The Lowbrow Palace; we needed a home base and, as Production

Company, it just made sense,” said Chavez. On any given Friday or Saturday evening,

you are able to roll up to the neon sign and pink dinosaur to meet up with familiar faces. You show

up for the live music — local or mainstream—and can meet some great new and friendly people

in the process. Jorge Avitia, an avid showgoer and frequent of the quaint kitschy bar, said, “It’s a cool little spot

where you can watch some indie synth band and then some crusty gypsy punk band tomorrow. I kind of like that it doesn’t subscribe to one particular genre of music.” This holds to be a sentiment that is known throughout our community. Owners of the bar agree that any and all sorts of genres should be showcased and Lowbrow sticks true to their word. The Robinson St. Block Party and the Lowbrow Music Series are the epitome of musicians from all walks of life working together to bring to El Paso a great time. Past

The

A Place Where Everyone Knows Your NameWritten by Ilean de Anda Photography by Joe Nuñez

LOWBROW

Trost House

Palace

Andromeda Theory

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performances include Kilo & the Dew, Bulletproof Tiger, Dubois, Stan Z, The Ataris, La Luz, and Hawthorne Heights. Chavez encourages all local bands to reach out to the venue and book a show at The Lowbrow Palace. Metafisix, a local rapper, has showcased his talents there several times: “I think Lowbrow really embodies the music scene in El Paso. As the talent has grown, so has the venue. It’s rich in history and continues to be a major stop for the touring acts that are on the come up.” Chavez would agree: “We get bands zzthat are on the cusp

of becoming big, and they have a tendency to do so after

they play at The Lowbrow Palace.”

Whether you are headed to The

Lowbrow Palace to catch a show, a

block party, meet friends, or ditch your

lame Tinder date, you are guaranteed to have a great time. While you’re there, leave some advice on the bathroom walls, take Instagram pictures with the pink dinosaur, high five your college professor, and don’t be afraid to stand really close to the stage to support local music.

A Beautiful Rush

Gentlemen

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IF WE WERE TURTLESA Music Review By Joseph Saucedo

“I’ll Find France Another Day,” by local math-rock darlings, If We Were Turtles, is a piece that embodies a paradigm shift from traditional rhythms into a realm of unorthodox syncopation. The striking guitar-driven intro lends itself to the artistic stylings of Grizzly Bear, while thedrumming emulates the technicality of Radiohead’s Philip Selway. The coin-drop texture of the rhythm guitar against the skintight speed of Luis Bueno’s snare roll incites a mental preparedness in the listener for the inevitability of change. Change, that is, in the call and response nature of the chorus, featuring half-time drumming coupled with intricate guitar licks that delights my inner Minus the Bear fanboy. Between the pounding trudge of the beat lie drum fills, impeccable in their creativity and timing. The staccato picking of one guitar against the haunting chime of the other resolves the pace of the song, however momentarily. Both guitarists, David Vasquez and Chris

Gards, then engage in a duality of dexterous melodies, one on the cleaner highs, and the other on the fuzzy lows. Towards the end of the song, as disco beats meet harmonizing guitars, one can appreciate the rumbling punch of Pete Bueno’s bass as it ties the counter-rhythymseamlessly together. If We Were Turtles is surely a band of time-signature savvy musicians with a knack for layering melodies against the backdrop of elaborate rhythms. While many consider them the flagship of math-rock, Turtles, in their own right, are developing a sound uniquely theirs. These haunting melodic undertones driven by skillful drumming and expressed through the impassioned vocals of David Vasquez make If We Were Turtles the breakout local band to watch out for in 2016. To listen to “I’ll Find France Another Day,” head over to If We Were Turtles’ Bandcamp page.

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IF WE WERE TURTLES

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ISSUE 1

MARCH 2016