Tuned In

“Some Mad Hope” From Matt Nathanson

I had already been looping Matt Nathanson’s break out album “Some Mad Hope” for months before I found myself taking the trip into downtown Washington, DC to interview one of today’s top bands, Lifehouse at the famed 9:30 Club. Upon arriving and learning that Nathanson would be playing the part of opening act, my PEV brothers and I broke out into an intense high five fest, ecstatic that the Boston native who took over the San Francisco singer/songwriter scene would be supplying his unique style combination of folk, rock and pop for our eardrums.

I’d been hooked for some time, and having never seen Matt perform live, had no idea he would be capable of stealing the show – but that’s exactly what he did.  The strength of his live show is his ability to relate; he says “I am very much on stage like who I am at all times.” If that’s the case, than Matt Nathanson is one guy I want to be on a tour bus with. The guy is hilarious. Before his song “Car Crash,” Nathanson spoke with the crowd, “This song is about a love affair I once had…” the females in the crowd providing an “awwww” and a sigh just waiting to hear about some former girlfriend of his. However, Nathanson then finished his tale, “… my romance, with Hulk Hogan.” Everyone lost it. Nathanson adds, “I feel like I am always putting on a party and I feel like I’m the host. I try to break down the wall between the band and the audience.” And being a good host, he made everyone feel at home. And the crowd returned the favor by singing back his hit songs like “All We Are” and one of iTunes most popular downloads, “Come On Get Higher,” all pieces from “Some Mad Hope.”

Talking about his breakthrough record, Nathanson says, “I used to think ‘Ok, I’ll sell a million records’ but it’s not about that anymore. It’s about ‘How can I evolve?’ You know, how am I going to write the next ‘Boys of Summer’ or ‘Burning Down the House?’ I am always like kind of right there but music always blows my mind that it’s like ‘How do I get closer to writing a record like that?’” The drive and motivation to constantly evolve has been his best ally and at times, his worst enemy. Therefore, it helps that Nathanson takes a very humble view of his career, saying, “It’s funny, I’ve been playing music for so long, that I’ve given up the idea that I’m going to be hugely successful. When you’re a kid you’re like, I’m going to be the next Pearl Jam or I’m going to be the next Radio Head. I’ve given up on that idea and it’s allowed me to let go. I think the music has become better because of it.”

True, Nathanson does not get mobbed when he walks down the street or at a Starbucks (which will most likely be playing one of his songs) but that does not mean Matt Nathanson is not one of the premier musicians out today. Just log onto VH1.com, where currently he is one of the “VH1 You Oughta Know Artist on the Rise” – a distinguished honor only bestowed on a few very select artists. And along with Lifehouse, Nathanson has been headlining shows and opening for the likes of Tori Amos, John Mayer, Pink, Guster and one of Maryland’s mega bands, O.A.R. (whom Nathanson collaborates with on a regular basis).

Nathanson is an example of the quality music selling itself, rather than some entertainer pushing a “product” to make a couple of bucks. “Some Mad Hope” has been out for a year and has undergone a sort of underground Renaissance, re-igniting partly because Nathanson has made become so accessible by utilizing his web sources such as Facebook, MySpace and of course his live shows. Nathanson explains the record best – “In some ways, I think this is a really mature record, but I don’t think it’s necessarily one that says ‘okay, I’m an adult now… I don’t think you need to stay stuck in perpetual adolescence, but you do need to keep part of you frozen — so you don’t lose touch with the wonderment of seeing the world the way you did at 17.” Truer words may have never been spoken. Check out “Some Mad Hope,” in stores and online now.  For more information on Matt Nathanson, check out: http://www.MattNathanson.com

String Theory

One of the best parts of running PensEyeView.com is opening my eyes to a new artist every 48 hours that I otherwise may have never met, or learned about. Featuring a different artist so often has been a more than satisfying experience, and now it has become common practice to receive emails from friends, family and industry professionals teasing me with subjects reading, “Have you seen this guy?!?” or “You HAVE to feature this person!”

Back in 2006, my brother sent me an email of a YouTube video, featuring a guy sitting in front of a piano singing about eating Chinese food on Christmas and going to the movie theater – A habit of American Jews that has become as common practice as sneaking a cookie in before sundown on Yom Kippur. This YouTube celebrity, a young musician named Brandon Walker, just happened to be the first one to publicly divulge a secret many Jews figured was happening everywhere. Some million (yes million) YouTube hits later, the song was a classic.  In 2007, Walker put a new spin on his song, adding an entire music video and again received millions of hits worth of attention. It was then that I was fortunate enough to have him on PensEyeView.com – a feature that appropriately ran on December 25th and 26th last year. Needless to say, when I began work with the Jewish Times, catching up with Walker – almost a year later – was on my list of top priorities.

My initial interview gave audiences a much deeper look at Walker as an artist. Music has been an intricate part of Walker’s life since he was young child, beginning after his family inherited an old upright piano from a relative. He was seven at the time. Walker, who describes music as “the essence of everything,” has stuck to this philosophy his entire life, from playing in bands growing up to honing his craft at James Madison University with his band Midnight Spaghetti and the Chocolate G-Strings (which could very well be the best band name ever). Today, Brandon runs solo, dedicating himself to the overwhelming task of writing and posting a new song every month. He has kept his promise so far and frankly, I don’t know how he does it.

As a music teacher at Beth Tfiloh, Walker tells his students that inspiration is everywhere. “Music picks us up when we need a lift, and just as quickly it induces sadness. Music gives us energy and it mellows us out. It arouses fear just as easily as it brings relief.” His laid back approach to the fundamentals of artistic expression is rewarded by a loyal and eager class of musicians. It also helps that Walker could easily pass as a student himself. I asked him, “Do you feel that you can relate to the kids better since you are young and into similar music as them?”

“Certainly. Plenty of my students have said to me, ‘Mr. Walker, how old ARE you? You look like a teenager!’ So, even if I try to create that separation of student and adult, I’m not so sure the kids would buy it. That said, my students are respectful people, and despite our relative closeness in age, all my students recognize and respect my position as a teacher.” Keeping his title as probably the coolest teacher there, he adds, “Although they probably get away with more in my class than anyone else’s!”

But don’t take this as a fault for Walker. Music is about self expression, and letting go… and getting away. With music you have to go deeper than what you read in a book or see on a board – music is a world of open opportunity, for anyone to take full advantage of. Walker explains it best, “I think music is amazing. It has the power to guide our emotions.” Guidance is something that Walker offers to his students who, although like to tease him about his youthful appearance, will turn to him when they themselves are told a career in the arts is not a normal “path” to follow.

This is a problem that every artist has faced in their life – as Walker (and I) can attest to. When you are a kid and you pick up a guitar, sit down at piano or grab a paint brush, it is encouraged – in some case considered “cute”. Somewhere along the way though, artists are told it is better off as a hobby rather than a profession. Just imagine if The Beatles got “real jobs” or artist Jeff Koons listened to critics who said he was “wasting his time” or if Walker’s parents told him that sitting for hours at that piano would never take him anywhere.

Luckily, Brandon’s family and friends encourage him. He says, “They support me. If I want to move to LA and go for it, they’re behind me. I even got my entourage lined up, Marky Mark style.” Kudos to Walker for having the guts to follow his dream, and better yet being an example for others. After all, 1 million plus viewers can’t be wrong.

For more on Brandon Walker, check out http://www.BrandonWalkerMusic.com 

To find more great artists, check out http://www.PensEyeView.com every day!

Get Tuned In to Justin Stein

“Tuned In” to Shwa Losben

When I was little, my bubby used to call me a character. This was partly because I would do just about anything to make her, or anyone around me, laugh – even when most of the time it was at my own expense. Since then, I’ve surrounded myself with individuals who share a similar zest for life.

When I first met 25-year-old singer/songwriter Shwa (short for Joshua) Losben earlier this year, this “character” was being compared to everyone from Elliott Smith to Coldplay. Bit by the music bug rather early, the former Holland, Pennsylvania resident picked up a trumpet at age ten and then moved to the guitar in the seventh grade. Besides his interest in music, Shwa was very involved in the Jewish community at a young age, such as being a bar mitzvah and attending summer weekends with The North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY).

Shwa admits that his first stab at music, with a junior high band, did not go as well as he would have liked. “We were awful,” he recalls. Still, Shwa could not let those early, failed attempts at music halt his dream. Throughout high school he honed his skills, bouncing around with bands that had slightly more potential. However, it was not until Shwa attended college at American University in Washington, DC that he found a healthy home in the powerful DC music scene. As he landed regular gigs at the popular DC venue, Grog and Tankard, people started to really react and take notice of Shwa and his music. Not bad for the boy who once attempted Pearl Jam and Beatles cover songs with his eighth grade garage band.

When I caught-up with Shwa last week, he was still as positive as ever – cracking jokes and, well, being a character. Since leaving DC, he has found a home in New York City. And, with everything that New York has to offer, what does Shwa love best? “It’s great to know you can get dinner anywhere at 3AM.” Living in the city also gives Shwa the opportunity to stay in touch with his extended family. His older sister, who is a rabbi on Long Island, hopes that he will swing by for the high holidays. The job of a traveling musician does not exactly offer the best chance to attend synagogue. However, if his sister has anything to do with it, maybe that will change, for it’s family that Shwa leans on for support. “They’ve all been immensely supportive, especially my parents. I think they wanted me to go to grad school at first, but after they saw my CD in shrink-wrap, they became my biggest fans. I think they’ve sold more CDs than anyone else!”

Shwa is currently promoting his album, “Chop Chop”, which was released in February, 2008. When I asked Shwa what to expect from “Chop Chop”, a true songwriter’s album, he says, “At one point we were playing mouth trumpet and running it through distortion. We banged spoons on a toaster. We used kid keyboards from the 80s… just a lot of cool sounds. At the same time I feel like there’s a lot of open space in the songs, which is a cool thing too.” USA Today recently featured “Chop Chop” fan favorite, “Myriah”, on their Pop Candy podcast and XM Radio came calling as well, playing Never Too Soon to Compromise. Additionally, the Comcast Network featured Shwa on the program Backstage in May.

With the crowds growing at every show, Shwa is getting more comfortable with the intense New York music scene. So, what can fans expect from a live show? “Fire dancers. Lots of animals running on the stage…and gift bags,” Shwa says. Even though he is currently on tour and performing on a regular basis, Shwa – who in one word describes himself as a “Diva” - still manages to keep a steady head on his shoulders. “I’m still living off of grilled cheese and PB and J. I’m not really living the dream just yet.” After all, if everyone who dreamed of being famous got their wish, we’d all be celebrities, which takes away the appeal. That’s the crazy thing about dreams - you have to be willing to face the struggle that comes along with them. Something tells me that Shwa is pretty good at handling any struggle that may come his way.

For more information about Shwa Losben, check out www.ShwaMusic.com. To learn more about my interviews with various artists in the entertainment industry, from around the globe visit PensEyeView.com - it all starts with a pen, paper and a vision.