"He surfaces suger-laden melancholic hooks through a curtain of haze and
thick low end: all the essential ingredients of catchy electronic pop."
The first album you ever bought?
No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom.
Because of my mom, I grew up listening to a lot of lady
songwriters/lady-fronted bands like Laura Nyro, Carly Simon, Fleetwood Mac. In
fourth grade No Doubt had just crossed over from ska and I was just starting to
discover music on my own and it felt really fresh and new to me. When you’re
that age you’re such a perfect receptor for ANYTHING that’s popular, while also
lacking the ability to judge and filter it. ALSO No Doubt was my first concert,
and it’s really nice to have this memory of Gwen Stefani before she became this
icy, humorless representation of mainstream corporate music.
Your last album bought?
I’ve become less and less of a purist about where my music comes from. These
days if I want to hear something really fresh or some really interesting
producers and songwriters I’ll go on Soundcloud. A lot of times I’ll put myself
into a k-hole on there to get inspired before hitting the studio. Spotify, too.
Last year I got really fired up about new Frank Ocean album – I bought that
just to get around the Apple Exclusive.
Favorite album of all time?
I have a handful I go back to all the time:
LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
David Bowie – Station to Station
Kate Bush – Hounds of Love
Kanye West – Yeezus
Least favorite/most disappointing album?
I am 30 now, and I think much less of a hypebeast about new albums than I used
to be. As much as I loved watching that train wreck of a rollout for Life of Pablo, the record itself doesn’t
hold up a year later. Maybe disappointing isn’t the right word, just
overshadowed by the public process surrounding it.
Last concert?
I saw Shamir last month and his new stuff is really cool, huge departure from
the first record. Also Marie Davidson at this tiny divey club in South Philly
was transcendent.
Favorite concert ever?
In 2013 I was coming back the next day from a show in Brooklyn and so hung
over. Like “puking in bathroom sink of a midtown McDonald’s” hung over. Just a
mess. It was cold, it was February, and I was waiting through bus after bus to
ride standby back to Philly. I played a totally forgettable show later that
night, BUT THEN I ended up at this huge warehouse dance party. Parquet Courts
was playing and this was right after Light
Up Gold came out. It was a total communal experience where everyone
was dancing and losing their shit and dragging me out of post-hangover into
this higher state.
Least favorite concert?
I’m old and picky about concerts now, I don’t really go if I’m not sure I’m
going to have a good time. Probably the closest thing would be Kanye’s most
recent tour, where he cancelled the Philly date twice after I’d been so hype
about it. Sorry for talking about Kanye much… now you know how my friends feel!
Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
The people. Every time I play a show in PGH everyone is so friendly and
hospitable, down to earth. We’re both the oddball big cities in this backwards
state and I always enjoy meeting y’all. Also yinz > jawn.
Thanks, Aaron. I have always had this weird love/hate relationship with Philadelphia. It's like we are supposed to be 'sister-cities' or something, yet the only thing we do share is being stuck in the Commonwealth.
