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Group Picture Vol. 9

by Making New Enemies

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The best part of my end/beginning of a year is the release of a group picture album. This one is no exception. Favorite track: Lil Sticc - Gidgy, the Moth, and Me.
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1.
Kris Schobert - New Juice Kris has been writing and recording a lot lately, leaving us all wondering if perhaps we’ll finally get the follow up to the Sour Guy s/t EP in 2020? He’s also been super into song with odd time signatures lately, especially quintuplets. After a night spent teaching some friends how to lap drum in quintuplets, Kris gave up on us pleabs to write and record his own song in the odd mathmatetical time signature. And thus, I present to you another quirky Kris classic - New Juice!
2.
Uh?? Walter? You good? "There’s no use in lying to it it already knows no reason to set fire to it it always regrows it’s in the shade it has no pattern it has no name its closer than you’d ever know and if you stray too far from it i promise I will let you know it cant be proven but I can tell that These are good things cause they move the marker higher these are good things cause they make the colors visible and they miss the mark on purpose there’s no underlying current no narration or rhyme to it nothing that floats no story to be passed through dizzy generations forming confederations fighting against the unknown going mad to make anything make sense ive already been where this is going ive heard the music change ive slow danced with the worst of it you don’t need to be scared anymore im now convinced that These are good things cause they move the marker higher these are good things cause they make the colors visible and they miss the mark on purpose"
3.
Dry Goods - Montara Russell Park is a GP veteran, always known for his sharp lyrics, but what is not always talked about is his percussion and instrumentation. I first appreciated it in Sloppy Sand Crab Blues but this song really drives it home. We are lucky to hear Russ tell his life stories through his folk sagas and cheers to another great addition to his GP cannon.
4.
Milk Flud - Burning Brighter Damn. Milk has really stepped it up this past year with his music production and lyrics. Anyone who heard his recent album “Supportive Nature” was blown away, and “Burning Brighter” seems to pick up right where the album left off, yet also, could have been the token pop hit of Supportive Nature. If this is a sign of things to come, I think everyone is stoked for more Milk Flud.
5.
Whirld - Boiling Sun FKA on Group Picture as his real name, Ali Muhareb joins the comp this year bringing electronic (chip tune-y?) and early aughts indie rock vibes from Portland, OR. Ali chants “I’m drowning in loneliness” but in fact I’d venture to say that it’s not loneliness Ali is drowning in but actually a beautiful blend of electronic cacophony and melody. Fascinating production and catchy af, this track will be a repeat offender in this year’s catalogue for me and many others.
6.
Banned From Japan - Love Song Banned From Japan is a vibe. A San Fernando Valley, raw and sincere, vaguely feels like skate-boarding vibe. Here singer Matthew Earle sticks to his guns of brutally honest lyrics drenched in snarky catchy melodies, this time regaling us with a story of forbidden love found and lost. Appearing this year on Sunday Night Salad Season 4, Banned From Japan has become a fan favorite in MNE Land and we are proud to have them back on the comp another year. "Somehow she came across my feed And I thought she was really cute I scrolled through all her pictures Might have jerked off to a few Because I never thought I'd meet her I knew that wasn't true She was dating my homie He was in the pictures too Us three went to Denny's A stop on the ride home She was flirting at the table Like her boyfriend didn't notice I was flirting back He probably cared Two double entendres shared I dropped them off and watched them walk up to the door She turned around and stared For one whole second Now were hanging out and holding hands inside my truck As we're just friends but damn I swear sometimes It feels like we're in love Because we cuddle and we talk about it Sarcasm is key without it No pretending we don't gotta We don't gotta We don't This type of thing weighs heavy on your mind When you can't stop singing and you can't stop crying Cause it's over now I lost two friends If there's a lesson here I hope I've learned it She said "let's not pretend" I dropped her off at his house and we never spoke again."
7.
Chase Hoyt - Ancient Garden Ah yes, our yearly dose of classic rock from the Seattle homie Chase Hoyt. I’m getting a Grateful Dead vibe, from the constant dual harmonies, but with that fuzzy vocal effect and subdued calm delivery, I am reminded that this track is from Seattle, not sunny CA. But Chase Hoyt is not simply a songwriter- he is a guitarist! Perhaps even foremost. Listen to that final solo around 3:15. Woah!!!
8.
Jake Lee - Chill Hangs Although he says it’s due to a lack of a drum set, it’s still really cool to hear one of Jake’s songs in a WMAHMO style. A quick sugar rush of melody and upbeat rhythms, Jake (aka Bleeding Gums Murphy) adds another infectious tune to the GP catalogue this year, giving us all a small glimpse into his personal life and leaving everyone scratching their head wondering why he doesn’t make a full album? He’s clearly one of the most accessible and experienced songwriters on here.
9.
Isabel Zacharias - Big One Appearing on Group Picture previously under the name Babytooth, Isabel is a very talented singer / songwriter that we are lucky to have in the group photo. This song makes me feel like I’m in a rainy Portland living room waiting for the coffee to be ready and my friends to arrive- which is a very warm feeling indeed. Isabel- when is the full length album??? "but in the other misty movie she wants to fuck her old best friend truth is the truth is pretty gooey so I want the truth instead hey hey hey if this is the last night we can come here then I wanna be with my best friend good in the glow of what is unclear I wanna go back to that but which way, way, way maybe a big day in the distance from the 1 I think I see it so cute disguised as what we wanted but what did we know? and in another, better movie I’d never get to be your friend how do I think I’m so confusing if you always understand the way, way, way, way, way, way see, there’s a big one in the distance who told you this was a business? and if everyone is different then what do they know?"
10.
Pump Fake - Out the Bag Um???? No but for real this is actually impressive and refreshing amongst a bunch of sappy singer songwriters. Turn this up and let’s get to the gig!
11.
Jer - High Horse The Newfie / Portlander Jeremy Murphy (Riled, Chain) is joined by his wife Teal and friend Ethan Conroy on this year’s track. I always love Jeremy’s tracks because they remind me of a baroque Bob Dylan and always carry a charm that makes me nod and smile like “it must be right, boys”. "i'm tryna find some other way to make some money without waisting away i’ve spent the time waiting and waiting but nothing ever seems to be coming my way but if that’s just how it goes it must be right, boys, it must be right don’t leave no stone unturned ever since i was a young boy there’ve been some choices hard to except i don’t know how anyone does it cuz once i'm ready there ain’t nothing left but if that’s just how it goes it must be right, boy, it must be right don’t leave no stone unturned cuz we could never ever be satisfied no we could never be satisfied but that’s alright no one ever tells you how they got their high horse and never done wrong, never done wrong any other way you place it turn and face the fact that we ain’t dumb and your mind has never done wrong, never done wrong well there goes my life careful not to wake me been 30 years still going steady and i’ll take my time waiting and waiting even if i'm dead before i'm ready but if that’s just how it goes it must be right, boys, it must be right don’t leave no stone unturned cuz we could never ever be satisfied no we could never be satisfied but that’s alright"
12.
Bidwell Park - Fomo After a couple years off of the GP train, Sam Evans and Toast (FKA Menage A Sabre) are back with a track that immediately stood out to me as what could be the quintessential GP9 track. Catchy, home-recorded, and quirky, this song knows exactly what it’s here for: a bit of self-expression among friends for the sake of self-expression among friends. Lyrics like “My friends all live in different states” remind us that is is GP9 now, not GP2 anymore, and the fact that we are still unified by these sweet little songs across state lines only makes this whole tradition that much more special.
13.
Emo Dreamboat - Stay Creative Benny Ward (also the writer / singer behind Hemingway) has recently ditched Bandcamp for Soundcloud. His new emo rap persona Emo Dreamboat has taken some of us by surprise, but in reality, we shouldn’t be that shocked. Benny has always been changing it up- from pop punk, to writing zines, to making movies- Benny knows what it means to stay creative. Granted I think Benny might be excusing some poor behavior in the pursuit of creativity in this song, but the ethos remains! Also Benny- you can really rap! I dig it.
14.
Walter X - Always Leaving I am so happy that the WMAHMO / Walter Etc. cover project, Walter X, is becoming a GP staple. This year he slaps us with Always Leaving, traditionally a baroque folk song about traveling, is now a melodic hardcore and chip tune anthem that makes me want to thrash around at a punk show in a Denny’s. As if this project wasn’t nuanced enough, Walter X changed some of the lyrics of this song to namedrop some of the places he travelled this last year, making this part homage to Walter Etc. and part travel memoir of Walter X, which is incredibly niche and obscure, and here at MNE- we love niche and obscure!
15.
Within You Without You - Elbows Jacob from New Hampshire’s Perspective, a Lovely Hand to Hold is an underrated song-writer and musician. Usually spouting out mathy-indie-emo jams, this acoustic track shows us that yes the guy really can sing! Add some strings, the whistling, and a cold winter night and I’d cozy into this song anytime. Welcome to the comp Jacob.
16.
Alex Maddox - Devil’s in the Details GP veteran Alex Maddox- usually known for his luscious pop acoustic songs- has returned to San Francisco and started a band called Sure, Man which leans a lot closer to pop-punk and garage rock than his previous “meet you by the pier” precedent. In this track, I feel like Alex (consciously or not) is blending his new and old styles- the new post-Demarco indie guitar tones and slightly slacker sentiment, mixed with a basic “just chords and lyrics” songwriting approach which has always been the backbone of his craft. The two styles fuse effortlessly, leaving us with another classic Group Picture track.
17.
Jimmy Montague - Love is the only thing that matters Described on Twitter one time as “oldies for DIY kids” (I think that’s what it was??) Brooklyn’s James Palko aka Jimmy Montague joins the comp for the first time this year bringing us this beautiful ballad that shows he is ready to rival any of the sappy songwriters of the MNE clan. Jimmy’s songs boast an impressive collection of brass sections, string arrangements, and strange chords that only a true virtuoso could pull off. We are lucky to know the guy!
18.
Dakota Loesch - Hematodipsia The weirdo actor / musician from LA / Chicago is back another year with perhaps his strangest track to date. The chill Casio sounding beat? Classic Dakota. The odd subject matter? Classic Dakota. The mix of geographic references amongst the defining of big words? Not even gunna ask. Dakota’s wit and creativity is always a few steps ahead of the rest of us, and that is why he is always a source of inspiration and pride for the MNE clan. "schadenfreude’s when they get off on your pain happenstance is how all good luck gets explained louiston is not a harbor town in maine but hematodipsia is folx who get off on blood and anyone that’s kissed ya knows you get off on blood mishegoss is lots of shit thrown in your way nouveau riche is why the coke is always great waco, texas was a harbor town in maine and hematodipsia is folx who get off on blood and anyone that’s kissed ya knows you get off on blood and renfield’s disease is, uh when you drink your own blood and yeah, you know me, like, uh i’d like to drink your own blood hematodipsia is when you and blood fall in love so give me a kiss my love and you can suck all my blood so hartford, virginia? it ain’t in virginia so heartache might kill ya, so might mild dyspepsia... mesopotamia means, “don’t be afraid, my love!” mesopotamia means, “don’t let me stay, my love!” mesopotamia? that’s a harbor town in maine, my love and hematodipsia, hematodipsia"
19.
Queentide - Sticky Salty Queentide are a relatively new "porch rock" band from Santa Barbara, CA who are making quite the splash (no pun intended!) on the local scene. This track to me is a perfect blend of 90s alt rock and the sentiment known by millenials as "chill". Check out their EP "Sticky Salty" on Spotify and welcome Queentide to the comp!
20.
Bloodchugger - Cry Cry Cry Uhh this is legitimately as scary as sounds can get. Ian Farmer is a weird dude, and when left alone in his own studio, The Metal Shop, for too long, this is what you’ll get- a spooky and anxious sound collage for Christmas. It’s honestly refreshing when this comes on, even if it scares me to listen to while alone…. Ian, you should score a horror film!
21.
Humphrey, Stone, and Toast - Leave Me Alone The millennial CSN? The rambling madman Humphrey Orlando has been blessing the comp since day one, and Toast has been accompanying both him and Sam Evans on most the tracks since then. This year they’ve combined forces with Stone, and bring us another laid-back banger than sort of reminds me of Dave Matthews in the best way possible. Welcome back, boys, and let’s get a full length HST album in 2020!?
22.
Lil Sticc - Gidgy, the Moth, and Me Ummm???? This is the first song ever written and recorded by the mysterious Lil Sticc and it leaves me both raising my eyebrows in polite amusement and thirsty for more of this cute and catchy cheese-pop. Will Lil Sticc become an MNE staple in years to come or is this another Group Picture One Hit Wonder? Only time will tell...

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Album curated by Milk and Walter.

Art by Kate Sandstrom.

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released December 25, 2019

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Making New Enemies California

www.makingnewenemies.org

Art Collective / Utopian Cult /
Soul Posse

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