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Issue #68

Issue #68 - Japanese Breakfast and HAIM (The Protest Issue)

Apr 21, 2021

Under the Radar is excited to announce the full details of our new print issue, which is out now nationwide (on newsstands, in such stores as Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million, and elsewhere) and available to buy directly from us here. The issue features Japanese Breakfast and HAIM on the two covers and is another edition of The Protest Issue, which examines the intersection of music and politics and features musicians photographed with protest signs of their own making. It follows Protest Issues we also published in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.

The issue features protest sign photo shoots with Japanese Breakfast, HAIM, Julien Baker, Tegan and Sara, Arlo Parks, David Byrne, Julian Casablancas, Phoebe Bridgers, Shamir, Lucy Dacus, Bartees Strange, Valerie June, Ezra Furman, Thurston Moore, The DecemberistsColin Meloy, Jarvis Cocker, Pussy Riot, Adrian Younge, Mxmtoon, Soccer Mommy, Dan Deacon, Algiers, The Dears, Devon Gilfillian, Sad 13, Sharon Van Etten, Ganser, Arlissa, Madeline Kenney, Moby, DIIV, Oceanator, Porridge Radio, Kelly Lee Owens, Braids, Steve Earle, Natalie Prass, Local Natives, Black Belt Eagle Scout, Margo Price and Jeremy Ivey, Chicano Batman, Cults, Hamilton Leithauser, and more.

The issue also features interviews with Wolf Alice, Fleet Foxes, Jessie Ware, Cassandra Jenkins, Arlo Parks, Julien Baker, The Weather Station, Tegan and Sara, Shamir, Adrian Younge, Squid, Dry Cleaning, Mogwai, Billy Bragg, Lucy Dacus, The Decemberists, Thurston Moore, Moby, Middle Kids, Still Corners, Helena Deland, Lael Neale, Deep Sea Diver, The Avalanches, Future Islands, CHAI, and several others.

COVER STORIES

Japanese Breakfast

The first of our two cover stories is on Japanese Breakfast (aka Michelle Zauner). Matt Fink spoke in depth with Zauner about her upcoming new album, Jubilee, and her new memoir, Crying in H Mart. Shervin Lainez photographed Zauner for the cover exclusively for Under the Radar in New York.

“I always feel like I need to experience so much turmoil in order to create something beautiful.” – Japanese Breakfast (aka Michelle Zauner)

“I knew I wanted to make a jubilant record.” – Japanese Breakfast (aka Michelle Zauner)

“I think everyone grieves differently, and I think it’s important to encourage people to explore different parts of grieving.” – Japanese Breakfast (aka Michelle Zauner)

“I’d be totally okay going back into the minivan and playing shows to 50 people, if they would have me. I’m still very in love with that lifestyle and happy to have it on that scale.” – Japanese Breakfast (aka Michelle Zauner)

Japanese Breakfast (photo by Shervin Lainez)
Japanese Breakfast (photo by Shervin Lainez)

Japanese Breakfast (photo by Shervin Lainez)
Japanese Breakfast (photo by Shervin Lainez)

HAIM

For our second cover story, Celine Teo-Blockey spoke in-depth to HAIM about their acclaimed recent album, Women in Music Pt. III, among many other topics. Koury Angelo exclusively photographed them for Under the Radar in Los Angeles.

“There is never any hesitation. I just have never known to not write songs about my life. And I’ve never held back information or lyrics because they’re too personal.” – Danielle Haim of HAIM

“What’s been so cool about this record is as we’ve been more open about what inspired a lot of these songs and the feelings, we’ve felt a stronger connection with people listening to the album.” – Danielle Haim of HAIM

“I know some people like to think we live together in bunk beds. But we don’t.” – Este Haim of HAIM

“There’s not a better feeling than being like, ‘I’m gonna leave home [on tour] and hopefully by the time I get home, all the bad feelings I’m leaving behind are just going to get healed.’” – Alana Haim of HAIM

HAIM (photo by Koury Angelo)
HAIM (photo by Koury Angelo)
HAIM (photo by Koury Angelo)
HAIM (photo by Koury Angelo)

DETECTION

The front-of-book Detection section features interviews with: The Avalanches, Julien Baker, Andy Bell, CHAI, Deep Sea Diver, Fleet Foxes, Future Islands, Goat Girl, Cassandra Jenkins, Lost Girls, Lost Horizons, Middle Kids, Shamir, Still Corners, This Is the Kit, Tunng, Jessie Ware, The Weather Station, and Wolf Alice.

“I didn’t have a very good relationship with myself until I was much older.” – Robbie Chater of The Avalanches

“When people that I don’t know or aren’t very close to pass away it doesn’t normally affect me, but with David Bowie it felt a bit more personal.” – Andy Bell

“I believe if people have a positive mind the next action they take will be positive.” – Yuuki of CHAI

“When I started writing this record it was quite a dark time for me, questioning where I was going with my life.” – Jessica Dobson of Deep Sea Diver

“When I made it back to shore I felt so relieved and happy to be alive—in a way that you aren’t on a daily basis unless you are confronted with the possibility of death.” – Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes

“We wanted to be open to making some weirder songs this time.” – Samuel T. Herring of Future Islands

“We wanted to challenge people’s perspectives of who we are.” – Lottie Pendlebury of Goat Girl

“I was really going through a crisis and capturing that on tape.” – Cassandra Jenkins

“The way we were told what art is might be very informed by The Bible.” – Jenny Hval of Lost Girls

“In the aftermath of [my mum’s death] I felt the real need to lock myself in a room and deal with it emotionally in whatever way I could and make music.” – Simon Raymonde of Lost Horizons

Lost Friends was bombastic and loud, but this album feels more raw and fragile. There’s a deep satisfaction in making an album that comes from that place.” – Hannah Joy of Middle Kids

“This is the first record sonically where I feel like I’ve hit the sound on the head.” – Shamir

“In today’s world with so much information, where so much is known we believe there is still mystery out there, the intrigue of what’s around the corner, of what’s beyond.” – Tessa Murray of Still Corners

“I’m trying to express the power, groundedness, and energy some people have, even though they don’t realize they have it.” – Kate Stables of This Is the Kit

“I wanted to write about how sex has become less risqué, and how people have become freer with their sexuality, and safer when it comes to STIs as a result.” – Sam Genders of Tunng

What’s Your Pleasure? awakened a confidence which has been so incredible for me as a songwriter and an artist and a mother and a woman.” – Jessie Ware

“Every time I make an album, I always think I’ve figured things out, and settled on a sound. But then I can’t repeat myself, even if I wanted to.” – Tamara Lindeman of The Weather Station

“We needed to go away and remember who we were as individuals.” – Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice

Julien Baker (photo by Crackerfarm)
Julien Baker (photo by Crackerfarm)

PLEASED TO MEET YOU

Our Pleased to Meet You new bands section highlights these exciting new artists: Helena Deland, Dry Cleaning, Ela Minus, Lael Neale, Arlo Parks, and Squid.

“I do feel extremely grateful for the attention the record has gotten in spite of there being no touring, no in-person meeting.” – Helena Deland

“Being in a band had never been on my radar, I wasn’t sure I could sing with musicians in a room, let alone at a gig.” – Florence Shaw of Dry Cleaning

“One thing I wanted to avoid as much as I could was the performance and the music becoming a routine.” – Ela Minus

“The words are always the most important part [of a song] to me.” – Lael Neale

“I wanted [my album] to be a kind of time capsule of my adolescence. So it was a lot of looking to the past for inspiration.” – Arlo Parks

“I think jazz is way more punk than punk will ever be.” – Ollie Judge of Squid

Arlo Parks (photo by James Loveday)
Arlo Parks (photo by James Loveday)
Lael Neale (photo by Wendy Lynch Redfern)
Lael Neale (photo by Wendy Lynch Redfern)

PROTEST ISSUE

Our Protest Issue section includes interviews with: Amelia Bauer of Noise for Now, Billy Bragg, Lucy Dacus, The Decemberists, Valerie June, Moby, Thurston Moore, Arlo Parks, Tegan and Sara, and Adrian Younge.

“After the 2016 election I was particularly concerned with what might happen to reproductive rights under the new administration, so that motivated me to focus in and see what I could do to make a change.” – Amelia Bauer of Noise for Now

“The thing about [former Prime Minister Margaret] Thatcher you do have to recognize is that she was a genuine radical and she had a vision, albeit a vision I was vehemently opposed to.” – Billy Bragg

“The purpose of protesting or donating or educating yourself is for the future.” – Lucy Dacus

“Neuro diversity is a way of seeing the autistic brain as just another way in which human brains are wired, that it’s neither right nor wrong.” – Colin Meloy of The Decemberists

“I’m worried that we won’t have a planet for these younger generations.” – Valerie June

“Let food cost what it actually costs. If you remove subsides from food, a gallon of milk would cost $25, a family of four would eat at McDonald’s for $90.” – Moby

“I find that the essence of resistance is knowing that love is the true nature of the human condition.” – Thurston Moore

“When we see something is wrong or if there’s something that we want to change, we have to be active in our indignation.” – Arlo Parks

“There is a legacy attached to feminism that was not inclusive.” – Sara Quin of Tegan and Sara

“Our nation teaches the youth a filtered form of history…where slavery is a paragraph or a couple of pages in a book that’s 500 pages.” – Adrian Younge

In our article How to Be a Proactively Environmentally Conscious Artist, we speak to several artists about how to be more environmentally friendly as an artist.

“We didn’t want to not do any physical products at all, but we wanted to do them not using any first-time plastics and using sustainable materials.” – Guy Lawrence of Disclosure

“Everyone always talks about having a smaller footprint. I say, ‘I want to have a bigger footprint, but I want it to be a good footprint.’” – Howard Lawrence of Disclosure

“Now is the time to do something for your future, children’s future, and their children’s future. We’ve tried to use our music to make sure these environmental issues are heard.” – Trevor Terndrup of Moon Taxi

In our What Comes Next? article, our Politics Editor Steve King spoke to rising progressive stars and activists about what we have to do to move forward from the Trump administration.

“Statistics say 40% of Black and brown businesses may never reopen [after the pandemic]. So, what we do to focus on revitalizing opportunities for Black and brown owned business is going to be key.” – Malcolm Kenyatta

“It’s abundantly clear that voters across the nation are ready for a real change in the way our criminal legal system works, and for whom it works.” – Eliza Orlins

“If President Biden wants to show young people and the progressive movement that he is serious about helping the working class he will eliminate all student debt and make public college tuition free.” – Adam Christensen

“To me, [President Biden] needs to show that the Democrat Party is the party of the people. Trump struck a populist nerve that we need to take back.” – JD Scholten

“Since the climate crisis is a threat multiplier, that means every single issue in our lives will be touched by its effects.” – Jess Phoenix

We did protest sign photo shoots with the following artists:

Algiers
Arlissa
Julien Baker
Beauty Pill
Bedouine
Black Belt Eagle Scout
Braids
Phoebe Bridgers
David Byrne
Brittany Campbell
Julian Casablancas of The Strokes
Chicano Batman
Jarvis Cocker
Cults
Lucy Dacus
Dan Deacon
The Dears
DIIV
Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz and Sad13
Steve Earle
Ezra Furman
Ganser
Devon Gilfillian
HAIM
Hatchie
illuminati hotties
The Invisible
Valerie June
Madeline Kenney
Kelly Lee Owens
Hamilton Leithauser
Local Natives
Colin Meloy of The Decemberists
Ela Minus
Moby
Thurston Moore
mxmtoon
Oceanator
Arlo Parks
Piroshka
Porridge Radio
Natalie Prass
Margo Price and Jeremy Ivey
Pussy Riot
Shamir
Soccer Mommy
Bartees Strange
Tegan and Sara
Trevor Terndrup of Moon Taxi
Sharon Van Etten
Jess Williamson
Adrian Younge

Julian Casablancas (photo by Koury Angelo)
Julian Casablancas (photo by Koury Angelo)
Bartees Strange (photo by Wendy Lynch Redfern)
Bartees Strange (photo by Wendy Lynch Redfern)
David Byrne (photo by Shervin Lainez)
David Byrne (photo by Shervin Lainez)
Arlissa (photo by Koury Angelo)
Arlissa (photo by Koury Angelo)
Tegan and Sara (photo by Trevor Brady)
Tegan and Sara (photo by Trevor Brady)
Adrian Younge (photo by Koury Angelo)
Adrian Younge (photo by Koury Angelo)

THE END

For our regular last page feature, The End, we ask a different artist the same set of questions about endings and death. Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai is this issue’s participant.

“I’m sure whatever happens [after death,] it’s way beyond our simple levels of comprehension. Real end of 2001 cosmic shit.”

REVIEWS

Issue 68 has a selection of album reviews, including of the following:

Flock of Dimes: Head of Roses
Juliana Hatfield: Blood
Iceage: Seek Shelter
Japanese Breakfast: Jubilee
Lambchop: Showtunes
Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime
serpentwithfeet: DEACON
SPELLLING: The Turning Wheel
Matt Sweeney & Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy: Superwolves

DIGITAL SAMPLER

Each issue comes with a digital sampler that is a free download and includes up to 38 complimentary MP3s. This issue’s digital sampler includes tracks by:

Adrian Younge
Allie Crow Buckley
Andy Bell
Another Michael
Baio
Bernice
Bright Eyes
Brijean
Craig Cardiff
CHAI
Deep Sea Diver
Helena Deland
Faded Paper Figures
Field Music
Fleet Foxes
Julian Hatfield
Hogz in Dandyland
Iceage
Japanese Breakfast
Cassandra Jenkins
Kiwi Jr.
Loma
Lost Girls
Lost Horizons
M. Ward
Mogwai
Lael Neale
Ora the Molecule
Arlo Parks
serpentwithfeet
Still Corners
Suit of Lights
Sweet Spirit
Tunng
The Weather Station
Jane Weaver

DIGITAL MAGAZINE

The digital version of the issue (for iPads, iPhones, Macs, and PCs) also features extra interviews not found in the print magazine, as well as additional full-page photos from our photo shoots for the issue, including more protest sign photos.

The digital magazine features additional interviews with Arab Strap, Bernice, Cults, Django Django, Field Music, Thurston Moore, and Jane Weaver. Plus there is an extended interview with Jessie Ware. There are also bonus Protest Issue interviews with Billy Bragg, Future Islands, Hamilton Leithauser, The Mountain Goats, and Mxmtoon.

“There was blood and a girl fainted and I had to go to hospital for stitches.” – Malcolm Middleton of Arab Strap

“I was so excited and I got so scared in what I think was the first five minutes of the film…that I threw up everywhere and my mom had to take me home.” – Robin Dann of Bernice

“Anybody with a platform should be speaking out.” – Madeline Follin of Cults

“Karl Lagerfeld said we were his favorite band at one point. He invited us to play at the Chanel after party during Paris fashion week.” – Vincent Neff of Django Django

“I probably got into reading books for pleasure thanks to Terry Pratchett and his Discworld novels. The mix of satire and fantasy appealed to the 16-year-old me.” – Peter Brewis of Field Music

“The most thrilling part was the cool PE teacher Mr. Glynn picked me up and carried me to my dad’s car and all the girls were jealous.” – Jane Weaver

Cults (photo by Ray Lego)
Cults (photo by Ray Lego)
Thurston Moore (photo by James Loveday)
Thurston Moore (photo by James Loveday)

The digital version also includes additional album reviews on the following releases:

Arab Strap: As Days Get Dark
Julien Baker: Little Oblivions
Bell Orchestre: House Music
Blanck Mass: In Fernaux
Allie Crow Buckley: Moonlit and Devious
CHAI: WINK
Dry Cleaning: New Long Leg
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and The London Symphony Orchestra: Promises
Greta Van Fleet: The Battle at Garden’s Gate
Cassandra Jenkins: An Overview on Phenomenal Nature
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: L.W.
Loney dear: A Lantern and a Bell
Mogwai: As the Love Continues
Van Morrison: Latest Record Project: Volume 1
Lael Neale: Acquainted With Night
Remember Sports: Like a Stone
Squid: Bright Green Field
IAN SWEET: Show Me How You Disappear
Teenage Fanclub: Endless Arcade
Matthew E. White and Lonnie Holley: Broken Mirror, A Selfie Reflection

Click here to buy the print or digital version of the issue.

Click here to subscribe to the print version of Under the Radar.

Click here to support us on Patreon.

Interviews
Arlo Parks on “Collapsed in Sunbeams”
CHAI on “WINK”
Cassandra Jenkins on “An Overview on Phenomenal Nature”
Cults on “Host”
Deep Sea Diver on “Impossible Weight”
Dry Cleaning on “New Long Leg”
Ela Minus on “acts of rebellion”
Ela Minus on “acts of rebellion” (The Extended Interview)
Fleet Foxes – Robin Pecknold on “Shore”
Future Islands on “As Long As You Are”
Goat Girl on “On All Fours”
How to Be a Proactively Environmentally Conscious Artist
Japanese Breakfast – The Under the Radar Cover Story
Jessie Ware on “What’s Your Pleasure?”
Jessie Ware on “What’s Your Pleasure?” – The Extended Interview
Julien Baker on “Little Oblivions”
Lael Neale on “Acquainted With Night”
Lost Girls – Jenny Hval and Håvard Volden on Their Debut Album “Menneskekollektivet”
Middle Kids on “Today We’re the Greatest”
My Firsts: Peter Brewis of Field Music
Protest: Arlo Parks
Protest: Billy Bragg on Lockdown, Thatcher, and QAnon
Protest: Colin Meloy of The Decemberists on Neuro Diversity
Protest: Lucy Dacus
Protest: Moby on the Positive Environmental Impacts of a Plant-Based Diet
Protest: Tegan and Sara
Protest: Valerie June on Climate Change and the Black Lives Matter Movement
Squid on “Bright Green Field” and How They Got Their Name
Still Corners on “The Last Exit”
The Avalanches on “We Will Always Love You”
The End: Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai
The Weather Station on “Ignorance”
This Is the Kit on “Off Off On”
Thurston Moore on “By the Fire”
Tunng on “DEAD CLUB”
Wolf Alice on “Blue Weekend”

 

Reviews
Afrique Victime
Blood
Bright Green Field
Endless Arcade
Jubilee
Latest Record Project: Volume 1
Seek Shelter
Showtunes
Superwolves
The Turning Wheel
WINK