10 Questions: Jessica Hernandez

Jessica Hernandez is the saucy lead singer of  her Detroit based band The Deltas.  She took some time and talked to BLS about her music, the road and a few other things.
Make sure you you catch her this week as she plays a show Friday night at the Doug Fir as part of Musicfest NW.



BLS: With the release of your latest EP Live at The Magic Bag you’ve been able to experience both live and studio recording. Are there elements that you both like and dislike about these two recording processes? Do you have a favorite?

JH: I recently discovered that my favorite recording process is a combination of both. We just recorded a couple new songs for a new 7'' and we recorded to tape. That's kind of the best of both worlds. It has the feel of a live show but its a little safer and more planned out. You get a live feel but if someone totally fucks it up you can just do it again.

BLS: As a first-generation American that was raised in a Mexican/Cuban household. How has your cultural up bring influenced your music?

JH: My parents listening to everything from Bowie to Buena Vista so they definitely had a big impact on my musical taste from a really young age. I still listen to all the music they got me into and I think its a big part of why my sound is all over the place. I was raised on so many genres that even though I go into writing trying to be original, i can sometimes hear where weird little things come from.

BLS: Having grown up in Detroit, the home of rocking soul and gritty rock n roll do you find your music influenced by environmental elements of the Motor City?

JH: I think everyones environment influences them, so yah for sure. Motown was one of those staples when I was growing up. My grandparents are really young and they tell me about how bands like the temptations, supremes and four tops used to come and play at their high school dances growing up. On a subconscious level I feel like the vibe of this whole album coming out is like Detroit. Its somehow really beautiful and really morbid at the same time.

BLS: You included, there are 7 members in your band The Deltas, all playing a broad arrangement of instruments. How do you incorporate all those elements into your songs with out having them feel crowded?

JH: I always write starting with a different instrument. Sometimes its a horn idea first or a piano part or even a drum beat. After I write a vocal melody that's when I figure out how much room there is for everything else. I like having a big band, but I also like simplicity and the contrast of the two. It's nice to play one song with 7 people and a brass section then play another with just a piano and vocals.

BLS: How dose the wide range of instruments effect the writing process?

JH: It basically just makes me feel like I have a lot of freedom to do anything with a song. It can stay bare bones or become this huge production and I know that either way I go I have some great guys that can pull it off. It's nice to go into writing without limitation.

BLS: Is it hard being the only women in the group, or do you like being the queen bee?

JH: I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it. It definitely isn't easy being the only women but it also some how ends up being really peaceful. The guys like to party and I like to be more of a recluse on tour. Since they have their bromance I don't feel bad hiding away to be alone. I could do with less farts and boogers in the van though.

BLS: As the female lead you seem to have been able to find a way to balance the aggression of the music with a feminine sensuality. Who are other female leads from which you’ve gained inspiration?

JH: Dolly Parton, Kate Bush, Wanda Jackson, Tammy Wynette, and basically all ladies of Motown. I feel like a lot of women back in the day really knew how to pull that off. They were all these gorgeous sensual women that were so badass.

BLS: You’re in the middle of a very extensive tour. How has the road been treating you?

JH Honestly for our first year of heavy touring I couldn't ask for anything better. Even if we have a dud playing for like 4 people in some small town, it still ends up being fun and gives you more bonding time with other bands on the road. No complaints.

BLS: What’s the one question you wished more music writers would ask you in interviews? How would you answer it?

JH: How many times has someone puked in the van after a show? 1 too many.

BLS: Name 5 bands you love but who few people have heard of?

JH:

The Growlers

Goran Bregovic

Fools Gold

Cha-chas

Grupo Fantasma Del Peru

From the Shelf: Summer Cannibals - No Makeup (2013)

Summer Cannibals

No Makeup

New Moss Records

The dredge-fuzz rock of the Summer Cannibals debut album No Makeup has a bold thickness to it.  With heavy dream rhythms and precisely punctuated drum beats, the opening track “Sounds” foreshadows the lovely album to follow.

Ripe with the thickened guitar tones more equated with 70’s rock and 90’s grunge the Summer Cannibals have mastered a truly luscious sound on their first album.  The weighty atmosphere of these songs is the perfect home for Jessica Boudreax’s sultry vocals, while the caressing waves of instrumentation is nearly hypnotic in nature.  An instant classic, from yet another Portland band that makes supporting local music way too easy,The Summer Cannibals’ No Makeup foretells of budding greatness. With tracks like the rocking swagger of “Wives” and building drive of “Wear Me Out”this boldly wonderful album is a must have.  Even if you haven’t heard the band yet, pick it up. It will be love at first note.

Tuesday Double Feature: JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound "Rouse Yourself" & Luke Winslow-King " Moving On (Towards Better Days)"

This week's Tuesday Double Feature includes videos for two uniquely interesting artists that just happen to share room on the Bloodshot Record label and will be playing shows her in Portland this coming week. So enjoy the videos and if you like what you see, go check them out live.

JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound - "Rouse Yourself"


The lovely soul music of JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound is the kind of dance inspiring ear candy that makes you glad to be alive.  Having just released their latest album Howl, the boys will be playing this Thursday evening at Lola's Room downtown. Here's the 411:

Thursday, August 15th
Lola's Room
1332 W Burnside
Doors: 7PM / Show:8PM
Adv.: $15 / Day Of: $17
All Ages


Luke Winslow-King - "Moving On (Towards Better Days)"


The music of Luke Winslow-King is a throw back to a simpler time when jazz and blues were more closely related. Touring on the heels of his latest album The Coming Tide, Winslow-King will be stopping to play two free show in our area. Here are the details:

Friday, August 16th
McMenamins Edgefield
2126 SW Halsey St
Show: 7PM
Free
21 & Over

 and

Sunday, August 18th
Elizabeth Caruthers Park
3508 SW Moody Ave
Show: 3PM
Free
All ages

Cure for the Mondays: The Heavy - "Can't Play Dead"

The Heavy - "Can't Play Dead"

Blues and voodoo seem to go hand in hand, it must be all the mojo.



The rocking soul music of UK's The Heavy has all the manic feet attitude of James Brown's ghost. Known for the commercial use of their song "How You Like Me Now?" this band is so much more. With a funk and groove that's undeniable, you'll find that you can't stop dancing. Don't believe me, then check them out for yourself this Tuesday, August 13th at our own Mississippi Studios. Here's all the info:
Mississippi Studio
Doors: 8PM / Show: 9PM
Adv.: $12 / Day Of: $12
21 & Over

Living Room Performance: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Medicine

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - "Medicine"

Mophonics Studio, NewYork New York

2010



Recently at BLS we've been talking a lot about soul music. So I thought we'd get the women's perspective in the bluesy seductiveness of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.Still riding high from the release of last years The Lion The Beast The Beat,Grace and the band have spent their summer on tour and will continue into Fall. Having just come through town last month, we might not get to see her live again until next year, but the great thing is no matter her touring time table we always have her music.

Sound Art: The Heavy North American Tour

By Tony Whitebeard of New Analog Design

Designed By Tony Whitebread of New Analog Design the North American Tour Poster for The Heavy is truly bitchin'.
Sporting the image of a dapper Wolf-man caught in mid transformation, this poster lends itself well to the ferocious power that the band is know for.
Catch the band this Tuesday, August 13th at Mississippi Studios.
Here are the details:
The Heavy
The Silent Comedy
Mississippi Studio
3939 N Mississippi
Doors: 8PM / Show: 9PM
Adv.: $12 / Day Of: $12
21 & Over

10 Questions: Andy Rosenstein Of JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound

The powerful Neo-Soul group JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound have been making some of the most groove luscious music to come out of Chicago in years. Extremely busy with the release of their latest album, Howl,earlier this year and a tour in support. The band will be swing into town to play Lola's Room this Thursday, August 15th.(See latest Triple Crown)
Andy Rosenstein, who lends keys, percussion and vocals to the band was generous in taking some time out of their busy schedule to talk to us about the band and their latest release.  

BLS: It’s been about a year since By the Light of the Stereo checked in with you. How has 2013 treated you? Are there any new developments with you and the band?

AR: 2013 has been pretty wild so far. In the winter and spring we finished the new record Howl and got all of the new music ready to perform. Since May we've been on the road. We played South By Southwest again and hit up the Firefly Festival out east, which was amazing. We went to France and are heading back for a tour all around western Europe in October. It's been great.

BLS: Back in May you released your latest album Howl. With this being your third album how was the recording and promotion experience different this time around?

AR: I wasn't in the group when they recorded the last record (Want More) but I joined months before it officially came out and did the entire Want More tour as a member of the band. I can say without hesitation that we did a lot more driving last time around. This time, thankfully we've done some flying to gigs, mostly for the west coast. It has made it a lot easier to travel so much. The other big difference this time around is that we've been getting a little more radio play, which really helps.

BLS: Compared to the rollercoaster energy of your last album, Howl plays with a more sedated and even keel. What do you attribute this too?

AR: I think on this album we were looking to make music where we didn't restrict which of our influences we would include. That allowed us to think about post-60s/70s sounds that we like, but that the band had pushed aside in the past-- synths, brit-pop, disco, modern electronic sounds, etc. Somehow when we added all of that together, it might have come out a little less rock'n'roll.
Another factor might have been me joining as the band's first keyboard player who wasn't just a side-man but who worked on the songs and arrangements. Unlike Billy and Ben I don't come from Post-Punk music, so I might have softened things a little.

BLS: Emotionally this album has more prevalent themes of loss, pain and regret. What dose this reveal of your head space when writing these songs?

AR: We wrote Howl during the year and a half of touring on Want More, so we definitely had plenty of time away from people we loved, and complications associated with that. I think that's part of it.
We also recorded Howl in Montreal because we wanted to work with Howard Bilerman, a producer with both Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade albums to his name. Going away to record was also meant to keep us focused on the work, and a little isolated from everyday pressures. It definitely succeeded in making us isolated. Montreal is great, but December there is grey and cold, and I think that comes through, even though it's not a wintery or downtempo album.

BLS: In the process of creating these last three albums have you picked up any new influences along the way?

AR: Everyone in the band is always listening to music that's new to them, whether it's something that just came out or an old gem they just discovered. We also share things that we each take for granted but that other members of the band don't know. And we definitely keep up on what is happening in the music world.
For example, we wrote and recorded Before You Die months before Get Lucky was released, but both songs have Nile Rodgers and Chic as major influences. It must have just been the right time.

BLS: You’re currently on the last leg of a fairly extensive US tour with a European tour looming in the near future. How has the road been treating you this time around? Are their any new experiences waiting for you across the pond.

AR: There are always new experiences out there. This will be our biggest tour of Europe yet, and I know everyone is really excited. The road can be incredibly fun, but it can also be pretty challenging. The trick is to roll with the punches as best you can and try to have perspective and appreciation for all the strange things that happen.

BLS: You recently released a video for “Rouse Yourself” staring Aubrey Plaza (of NBC’s Park & Recreation) and Jake Johnson (of FOX’s New Girl). What was it like to have such recognizable individuals working on this project?

AR: It was very cool for both Jake and Aubrey to make time for us. Jake's an old buddy of Billy's and has come out to see us a handful of times. He also put up a JCBUS poster in his 'bedroom' set on The New Girl, which I know a lot of people saw. With a music video-- and with making an album more generally-- the goal is to get the most people possible to hear your music, and having some big names helps on that count.

BLS: Do you find the road as a source of inspiration or do you feel the studio is more conducive to your creative process? With your busy schedule have you had a chance to write any new material?

AR: For me, it's the studio all the way. I can't write on the road because there's no privacy and quiet. When I'm at home alone is when I can clear my mind. I think to varying degrees that's generally the way the other guys work, too, but I don't want to speak for everyone.
On the other hand, I saw a shouting hobo in a park in Toronto a few weeks ago and I intend to lift a few of the things he said wholesale for a song at some point. He had some really top-shelf craziness.

BLS: If you could open for any of the forbearers of Soul, alive or dead, who would it be, and why?

AR: Hard question. I think Sly Stone, but not because our music and his have a ton in common, but just because he's my favorite.

BLS: Name 5 bands you love but who few people have heard of?

AR:
Bailiff : Great chicago indie rock trio with a lot of blues influence, but done in what I think is a unique way. They're about to put out a brand new record, which they let us hear, and it's amazing.

Wild Belle: Chicago brother-sister group with a really sexy, spacey dub reggae kind of sound. They may be famous already-- hard to say what counts these days-- but they're really excellent.

Escort: killer disco band from New York. Think we're going to playing some gigs with them sometime soon.

Rubblebucket: horn-section lead indie rock band from New York with tons of character and humor. Fronted by a super bad-ass gal who plays baritone sax. Every member of the group is an insanely talented and tasteful player.

Hudson Branch: Another indie group from Chicago. Beautiful, expansive tunes, interesting orchestration, and a lead singer who sounds a lot like Paul Simon. Think these guys could be massive if they get a break.