Birthmark (Nate Kinsella from Joan of Arc) with Turning Violet Violet and The Sky Drops

BIRTHMARK
I'm stuck in here / I'm stuck / Wish I didn't have a name / Wish I could get lost / I'm stuck in here / I'm stuck

The basic human desire to break free from one’s true self -- if only for a moment -- is a feeling Nate Kinsella (the sole songwriting force behind Birthmark) knows all too well.

Choose any song on Antibodies, Birthmark’s third full-length, and you'll quickly find lyrics that reveal Kinsella isn't always at ease with being the person that he is.

I get so scared, honey / I… Show more can never be somebody else / ... / I get so tired of hearing my own voice

"I really do try to present myself as a positive person in normal everyday life," Kinsella says, "But I also spend a lot of time thinking about death and feeling guilty, remorseful, regretful, and everything in between."

And so, Antibodies became Kinsella's outlet for the adverse thoughts constantly lurking just beneath the surface.

From the contrast of how he views his own ugly faults in relation to his wife's beautiful flaws ("Your Imperfections") to his self-proclaimed inability to keep on living if a loved one were to be violently taken away ("Pacifist Manifesto"), Kinsella earnestly examines his own fears and shortcomings.

And yet, despite a lyrical slant toward acute self-criticism, musically Antibodies unfolds to the ebb and flow of a gentle, unhurried cadence that is often the hallmark of a record comfortable in its own skin.

This trait might not seem so surprising, though, when you consider the organic origins of its sounds.

From vibraphones to violins, cellos to clarinets, each instrument on the album was played either by Kinsella or a session musician. Even the stunning backwards string section on "Shake Hands" was painstakingly composed and performed with an actual string quartet.

Elsewhere, album closer "Big Man" resonates just as deeply from the opposite end of the musical spectrum. Pairing only a sparse bass guitar with Kinsella's reverberating vocals, the song is undeniably captivating in its sublime simplicity.

That such a wide range of tones and emotions are represented so artfully is made even more remarkable when taking into consideration the relative speed with which the album came together.

Having spent three years working on his previous album Shaking Hands, taking only four months to craft Antibodies required Kinsella to amend his past songwriting techniques.

"This time around I worked very quickly and decided to embrace initial ideas without second guessing myself," Kinsella explains. "I really tried to imagine the songs first before I started to record them, instead of building a song from the recording process."

To further streamline the process, Kinsella enlisted the help of producer Jason Cupp. Working with an outside engineer for the first time had the immense impact of enabling Kinsella to focus less on the technical aspects of recording and more on the music itself.

As such, the experience of making Antibodies became a liberating experience for Kinsella -- allowing him to function outside his normal boundaries in exactly the way his lyrics indicate he yearns to.

And in the end, Antibodies finds Kinsella closer to being at peace with the knowledge that, as he has learned, "for better or worse, you can't escape you ever."

I wish I could be anything I have to be / But if I were anything different I wouldn't know the difference

TURNING VIOLET VIOLET
Turning Violet Violet has graduated from an emerging pop rock outfit into a fixture in the Philadelphia indie music scene. It’s been a busy year for the band. They sharpened their live edge playing with Glasvegas, East Hundred, Oh Land, Mr. Dream, and many others all over the east coast. When home, TVV has been furiously working on new material for their 2012 release DOUBLE CURE.

THE SKY DROPS
The Sky Drops are gaze-rock duo Rob Montejo and Monika Bullette. This Delaware twosome unearth an ocean-size of sound -- a superforce of a guitar, drums and vocals. "What a Loveless-era My Bloody Valentine kicking Elliott Smith from his grave would sound like (with a twist of lemon)." - Andrew - fan of The Sky Drops

Rob Montejo's previous band Smashing Orange was one of the original American shoegaze bands, peers of Lush, Ride, and Swervedriver. Smashing Orange released 4 records and 2 singles (including UK releases), toured the USA, UK and Europe, and were signed to MCA Records. Monika Bullette sang in the alternative band NERO, drummed for Licorice Roots, and was one of the first musicians to capture the power of the Internet by releasing the Bullette debut album "The Secrets" on the web in 2005.

Since becoming a duo, Rob and Monika have taken their moody sonic maelstrom through the Northeast Corridor, Midwest, West Coast, and UK to rapt audiences. Self-managed and self-booked, they have played with Cold War Kids, Chairlift, The Dirty Projectors, A Place to Bury Strangers, and Spindrift, amongst many.

They recorded the five song EP Clouds of People in Rob's studio. It was self-released under Fridabear Records in 2006 to critical praise. "The fuzz rock anthem "Now Would Be", the sublime "Hang On", and the pop stunner "The Go Go Go" are among the best tunes you're likely to hear this year." - The Big Takeover

Their DIY ethic has taken them to tour the UK in 2006 and twice to California in 2007 (including a performance at the Clean Air, Clear Stars Festival). The sweeping "Hang On" video was filmed in a classic Richard Neutra home in Los Angeles. They frequently packed up the Volvo wagon to tour throughout the Midwest and East Coast.

Recording of the debut album Bourgeois Beat began in 2008, but due to an unforeseen medical problem, Rob was unable to play guitar for most of the year. Recording resumed in 2009 and the record was released in August. The cryptic beach motel video for "Truth Is" was shot on Super 8mm.

The Sky Drops are now on the road with plans to tour worldwide.

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