chickfactor zine

April 25, 2025

Lightheaded Interview by Jen Sbragia

We are so feeling LIGHTHEADED

Cynthia Rittenbach and Stephen Stec founded LIGHTHEADED on the Jersey Shore in 2017, aligning with a rotating crew of drummers, guitarists and backup vocalists. After releasing their debut EP and debut album the following year, they have already embarked on some big tours and played some prestigious janglefests—even playing alongside legends like Heavenly, The Softies, and The Ladybug Transistor. Next up is Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming!, out in late June on Slumberland in the U.S. and the UK’s Skep Wax label. It was recorded on the right coast with Gary Olson and the best coast with Alicia Vanden Heuvel, with Fred Thomas adding some reverb from the country’s midsection. The songs contain all the swoons and la-la-las of all great pop and feature guest spots from Starcleaner Reunion and Trinket. We caught up with them about their new album, favorite records and summer plans!

Interview by Jen Sbragia / Images courtesy of Lightheaded

On tour in the Bay for Oakland Pop Fest/recording ‘Thinking Dreaming Scheming!’ Courtesy of Lightheaded

Chickfactor: Please introduce yourselves, and tell us what instruments you play.
I’m Cynthia, I play bass and the xylophone. And sing.
I’m Stephen, I play guitar.

Tell us about the new songs!
Cynthia: we recorded them with only the best. We had a huge group of all of our friends and some of our biggest idols to help record and produce. Recorded it on both coasts in New York, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Some songs with Gary Ladybug, others with Alicia Aislers. Crash Landing of the Clod stands out, all the heartbreak ones always do. Same Drop really, too. It’s sort of an endearing little tune that makes me think visually of umbrellas and binoculars.

Stephen: they’re all newer stuff for us, too. Pretty short songs. Everything pretty much written in 2023/2024 during a sort of wilderness period. Most songs are about falling in and out of love, besides the super obvious one. I think overall, this batch of songs are a little more direct than we’ve been in the past. Maybe we were just going through a phase? We also had a really good group of pals hanging out with us to track on both coasts. Jo and Adam from Starcleaner Reunion added a ton on this album, as did Sara and Madison on quite a few tracks. I hear them so much on the songs they played on, it makes me quite happy.

What is your songwriting process like? Is it collaborative or do you each come to the table with fully formed pieces?
Cynthia: I think most songs are very much a combination of our ideas melted together. Some start with my musical melodies… other times some chords, or a rhythm I like. Other times, just Stephen’s lyrics can be inspiring. But either way, I do really enjoy adding the finishing touches. That part of the process always stands out as one of the most fulfilling. I had a lot of fun on this record doing things we never really did before, like bird sounds and xylophones.

Stephen: yeah, for every song, it’s a total collaboration. There’s never been a single Lightheaded song where we both don’t contribute a lot of ideas to whoever started the initial thought. Like, even if Cynthia writes a whole song, I’ll still write the lyrics for everything, which are very important to the direction of a track. And if I write a whole song, Cynthia will still completely influence the sound by writing the rhythm parts and adding melodies. That openness is really important and freeing to what we are.

What are some of your influences that might surprise people to learn?
Cynthia: I’ve been really into ’90s rave lately.
Stephen: She’s been playing a lot of Method Man and Wu Tang.
Cynthia: Oh yeah, Wu Tang. Shout out Wu Tang. Also, I started following a new playlist. It’s called ‘Best Gregorian Chants’…
Stephen: I myself rip off a lot of Arthur Rimbaud and Tupac.

Are you inspired by non musical things, like art or fashion…?
Cynthia: learning about how computers work has been influencing the world around me. Life is all about systems. It’s made me try to look at things more efficiently. It’s sort of given me a fresh view on my process of creativity.

Stephen: hm, maybe some old video games with 8 bit graphics and memorable soundtracks, I’d say WWE Wrestling, surrealist poetry too, but mainly for me, it’s my students. They are very inspirational in a lot of different ways. The things they do, the comings and goings of their life that they share. Sometimes I’ll even grab a lyric from something they say, or that I’ll say to them. It happened once with ‘Crash Landing of the Clod,’ when I experienced a sixteen year old very loudly trying to have ‘a one on one conversation in a quiet room’. I was like “you have to stop, it’s silent reading,” lolol!

Where would you like to tour or play that you haven’t been yet?
Cynthia: Japan and Germany.
Stephen: Das uber cool, Cindy. Yeah, for us, it was always really France and Japan, but we are crossing France off the list in July. Wee wee! Pretty exciting stuff! Uhm, so that leaves Japan for me, then, I think… New Zealand…?!

Set list for Ladybug Transistor tour at Tubby’s NY. Courtesy of Lightheaded

Tell us about your day jobs.
Cynthia: I am a computer science major right now. Looking forward to an internship.
Stephen: I am a teacher. I love the kids and summers, but the profession has its tribulations. It’s changed a lot. I might leave one day. I keep a list of jobs I think I’d be good at if I didn’t teach English. My top 3 right now are an ambulance driver, meteor hunter, or taste tester. I guess I’m open to job offers.

If you could have a time machine, what long-defunct bands would you go see?
Cynthia: John Lennon or John Legend.
Stephen: The 3 Stooges.

Cynthia and K waiting for Heavenly show. Courtesy of Lightheaded

What’s next for Lightheaded?
Cynthia: I’ve recently gotten a Fostex tape machine, Tascam mixer, and Pro VLA II compressor that I’m looking forward to tracking our next record with in upstate New York with my friends. It feels like one of the most promising lineups yet, to play with Gavin and Madison… hopefully Jacki more, too. We are going to make something special.

Stephen: For the meantime, we have an EP coming out on a great green vinyl for Slumberland/Skep Wax called Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming! on June 27, 2025. Featuring hot new indie pop trax about binoculars, magic carpets, Amelia Fletcher, and a whole lot more you can shake your tambourine to. The b-side of the vinyl will have our debut EP, its first vinyl release. We’re going to play a fun album release show with our buddies Jeanines, Love/Burns, and The Frenchmen, before heading out to Paris and the UK to tour the album for two weeks. We are particularly excited to play July 19th at the Lexington in London with HEAVENLY and to close out the Glas-Goes Pop Festival with an after party at Stephen Pastels record shop. But truly, tell us what’s next for Lightheaded. Drop us a line wherever you can find us!

Bowling alley hair check. Courtesy of Lightheaded

Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming! is out June 27. The first pressing LP is on minty green vinyl. The cassette version only includes songs 1-5; the rest are on the Good Good Great! tape.
BUY: Slumberland Records is releasing it in the U.S.
BUY: Skep Wax Records is releasing it in the UK.
LISTEN to the first single here.

This show already happened. Courtesy of Lightheaded

Records Cynthia Cannot Live Without
Margo Guryan ‘Take A Picture’
Masculin Feminin soundtrack
The Pastels ‘Truckload of Trouble’
The Smiths ‘Strangeways Here We Come’
Dusty Springfield ‘Dusty’
The Particles ‘1980s Bubblegum’
Kraftwerk ‘Computer World’
Belle and Sebastian ‘The Life Pursuit’
Grimes ‘Visions’
Lush ‘Split’

Records Stephen Cannot Live Without
Felt ‘Strange Idol Patterns and Other Short Stories’
The Monkees ‘Greatest Hits’
Beat Happening ‘S/T’
The Magnetic Fields ‘69 Love Songs’
Jonathan Richman ‘I, Jonathan’
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart ‘S/T’
Masculin Feminin soundtrack
The Byrds ‘Younger Than Yesterday’
Rocketship ‘A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness’
The Feelies ‘The Good Earth’

This show is in the past. Courtesy of Lightheaded

Group shot to commemorate the Ladybug Transistor tour. Courtesy of Lightheaded

April 17, 2025April 17, 2025

Sometimes I Want to Return … Sensitive Live Is Out Now

Sometimes I Want to Return: Sensitive Live (Watch now!)

On the evening of February 12, 2025, in a tiny venue deep in the heart of London’s West End, a very special group of people met to celebrate the launch of the album Sensitive – An Indie Pop Anthology. Available today is sometimes i want to return ~ sensitive live, directed by Tim Sidwell, a filmed version of the record release party where a band called the Sensitivities backed up various singers in celebration of the compilation on Needle Mythology. Watch the trailer here.

In the mid-1980s, a new wave of independent music emerged in the UK. Supported by fanzines and DJs such as John Peel and Janice Long, the musicians emerging from this scene were defiantly DIY in their outlook.
Record labels such as Creation, 53rd & 3rd, The Subway Organisation, and Sarah became synonymous with this emerging scene.
Fusing the vernacular of 60s girl groups, psych-pop and the poetic daredevilry of post-punk trailblazers like The Smiths, Altered Images and Orange Juice, these groups helped define the indie zeitgeist.
Forty years later, in central London, a very special concert took place to mark the release of ‘sensitive’ – an anthology celebrating this scene.
Playing with a very special “house band”, singers from these groups travelled from all over the UK to take part.
What ensued was an unforgettable evening. A emotional one-off celebration, featuring classic songs from the era, which can be heard in their original form on the ‘sensitive’ album.
‘sometimes i want to return’ is the film of that evening. (From the film website)

(Editor’s note: Many of us couldn’t be there so thank you Pete Paphides for making it possible to us to watch this now! This music is basically exactly what made Pam Berry and I start this fanzine. Watching the film is both joyous and life-affirming but also a welcome distraction from the pain of living in the U S A in this moment.)

Pete Paphides and Amelia Fletcher. Photo: Ken Copsey

The film features the following artists:

James Knox from The Waltones

Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey from Talulah Gosh

James Roberts from The Sea Urchins

Sean Dickson from The Soup Dragons

Phil Wilson and Frank Sweeney from The June Brides

Beth Arzy (Jetstream Pony) who sang “Somewhere In China” by Shop Assistants

Pete Astor and Andy Strickland from The Loft and The Weather Prophets

Clare Grogan from Altered Images

Convening for one night only were “house” band The Sensitivities:

Amelia Fletcher (vocals, gutar)

Rob Pursey (bass guitar)

Bob Collins (lead guitar)

Ian Button (drums, backing vocals)

Clare Grogan singing the Primitives’ Crash. Photo: Ken Copsey

Ian Button: There was the bit where Sean D was handing over to Clare G at the practice. I think they knew each other but not sure?

We’d just played “Hang Ten” with Sean but we’d done it really fast, and as he was leaving he told Clare, “Watch out for these guys, they’re punk rockers!”

I didn’t pluck up the nerve to ask Clare if it had been her in a beret across the room from me at a dark and quite empty Theatre of Hate gig in 1980/81. I wouldn’t wear my glasses back then, and I’ve often told people it was her. I don’t know if I want that memory confirmed or shattered!

Rob Pursey: One of my favourite memories of the rehearsals was Pete (Paphides) sitting cross-legged on the floor, listening intently as we worked through the songs. He seemed very happy, and serious at the same time, and I suddenly had a very clear idea of what he’d have been like as a teenager. I got glimpses of teenage versions of loads of people that day. Everyone still seemed able to tap into the idealism and the sheer excitement of the music that defined their youth. I think that’s what made the occasion so wonderful.

The gig was a blur, and we had to concentrate really hard on all these songs we’d only just learnt. But when James started singing ‘Pristine Christine’ a shiver went down my spine and I remember thinking ‘try to remember this moment’.

Andy Strickland and “silver fox of indiepop” Pete Astor from The Loft and The Weather Prophets. Photo: Ken Copsey

Amelia Fletcher: My main memory is trying to carry on doing backing vocals and playing guitar correctly while my childhood hero, Clare Grogan, leant against me and shared my mic, in a rock n roll manner.

I was shocked at how everyone on the stage, and in the audience, looked exactly the same as they did in 1987. The lighting may have been favourable.

The house band in their natural habitat: rehearsal space

Bob Collins: For me, some highlights

1. Also on Clare G entering the room and going from extremely nervous to her immediately putting us at our ease, laughing and joking and not being precious about anything. In particular a great snapshot memory for me is Clare and Amelia doing a quiet practice of the Crash harmonies while i accompanied on guitar. That was a real ‘pinch yourself’ moment.

2. Sean also being super friendly and giving us the long version of the story he tells on the film (it was worth it!)

3. James from the Sea Urchins appearing hugely nervous at first in rehearsal (hope he won’t mind me saying that) but then carrying it off just perfectly. His singing (as evidenced on the film) is fantastic. And the gasp from the room as he took the stage from people who knew who he was, the second gasp from the people that didn’t when he introduced himself, and the third gasp when we actually started the song! This was a song I didn’t really know before we started rehearsing but it became possibly my favourite one of all and, by the time we’d performed, it felt for me like the all time classic that other people already knew it was!

I’ve attached two images – one is obviously the notes for the chords and structure of “Pristine Christine,” and the other is my annotated list of songs. I thought this would give a tantalising glimpse into a couple of songs we didn’t perform (and one one we did but isn’t on the film), but I also thought it might work as a fun competition for chickfactor readers to see who can work out what the annotations next to each song mean (not entirely sure I can remember myself!)

Pete Paphides, Needle Mythology: Rob Pursey was kind of joking when he said that this is the indiepop Last Waltz. In fact, I know he was joking a bit. But I don’t think that’s too far off the mark really because it really dawned on us in the rehearsal room as we saw all the singers coming and going one by one to do their vocals for the only time prior to the concert which was happening that evening that this had turned into something really unique and special and possibly unrepeatable and certainly on the evening that absolute magic, that absolute fizz in the air that you really were watching something you were going to remember for the rest of your life. I’m so glad that for once in my life I had the foresight to ask a camera crew to come along and film it—and a really good one by the way—and there’s an absolute magic in the air.

Everything was a highlight really. It was wonderful to see James Knox give such a charismatic performance of “She Looked Right Through Me.” Beth Arzy really did justice and more to “Somewhere in China” – I think she really got the fragile beauty of that song. The house band were just amazing, they were at it for more than an hour, just incredible, turning their hands to the peculiarities and brilliant detail in every single song. James Roberts from the Sea Urchins just comes strolling into that room like it was only the day before since we’s last seen him and not 30 years ago His voice sounded so beautiful on ”Pristine Christine.” Phil Wilson unleashing his inner rock and roll star, a complete change of personality in stepping on to that stage, it was incredible. Pete Astor, the silver fox of indie pop now, just really imperiously locking into the brilliance of those songs and Andy next to him. Sean Dickson who relived the riotous, carefree energy of Hang Ten, so charismatic. And then of course Clare Grogan, the pure starburst of brilliance and charisma and loveliness, she just charmed everyone around her as you can see in the film. And then that emotional climax, Amelia stepping forward to do “Sensitive,” really doing the song justice, just fantastic, and of course the version of “Talulah Gosh” was just as moving for all of us who were there.

OUT NOW sometimes i want to return ~ sensitive live

available to purchase and download

Clare and Amelia in rehearsal; courtesy of the Sensitivities

The force of nature that is Clare Grogan. Photo: Ken Copsey

March 25, 2025April 6, 2025

An Interview with Mark Goodall About His El Records Book

ON THE PASSAGE OF A FEW PEOPLE THROUGH A RATHER BRIEF MOMENT IN TIME: él RECORDS

40 years since the start of él Records there is now a burst of activities commemorating Mike Alway’s pop-art label él Records. Stefan Zachrisson talks to Mark Goodall about his new book Bright Young Things. The Art and Philosophy of él Records.

”If él wasn’t a label it would be a restaurant or a bar, one of those old bars where there’s no music at all, loads of good conversation, where you have this special relationship with the barman – though not too pally – the idea of something private and delicately euphoric.” A very Buñuel influenced Mike Alway quote from a lengthy Sounds feature on él Records in 1986.

The people hanging around at this metaphorical bar during five years in the mid to late 1980s would other than Alway be such eccentric aesthetes as Philippe Auclair, Nick Currie, Simon Fisher Turner, Bid, Nick Wesolowski, Cat Rees, Julia Gilbert, Matt Lipsey, Jessica Griffin, Vic Godard, Richard Preston, Karl Blake, Jim Phelan and Kevin Wright, to name just a few. During that brief time this group of people contributed to what became a really special record label.

él founder Mike Alway loved 1960s pop culture but, like many of the él musicians, came out of the post-punk era; an environment where pretentiousness and curiosity really could thrive. He was a&r for Cherry Red in the early 1980s, releasing the classic Pillows & Prayers compilation, introducing Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt to each other, and generally introducing ”light music” as a way forward.

Many of the él influences came from film; the name is from a Buñuel movie and directors Powell & Pressburger and Orson Welles were constantly mentioned as influences by Alway. When ”indie” was at its most mundande in the late 1980s Alway instead used él to create a kind of parallel fantasy world – in an admittedly low-budget way – suggesting personas, concepts and titles for the musicians. Some of the results were glorious failures but mostly it really did work.

What is the legacy of él today? Most people cannot name one record that él released. But like many of the best independent record labels of yore él was about more than actual music, even though a lot of great records came out of it. It’s a kind of fleeting spirit, which for me, regarding él, has lived on not only through a great influence on Japanese pop but also with the stylish playfulness of someone like Tyler, the Creator.

So él may seem obscure but it’s not completely forgotten: Spring of 2025 sees the release of two major retrospectives: Mark Goodall’s book Bright Young Things. The Art and Philosophy of él Records and the compilation The Rubens Room. Él Records: In Camera. Furthermore, several former él artists are releasing new music and doing concerts (Louis Philippe, Momus, Hotel Artesia, The Monochrome Set, Would-Be-Goods), while él as a name has for some time been re-activated as an archival/reissue label.

To highlight these happenings I interviewed Mark Goodall about his book. Goodall’s also the author of Sweet and Savage, a book about mondo films, and Gathering of the Tribe about music and the occult. He co-produced and directed the film Holy Terrors based on the stories of Arthur Machen, and is the singer/guitarist in the group Rudolf Rocker. (Text and inteview: Stefan Zachrisson)

Bid from the Monochrome Set; courtesy of Tapete Records

Chickfactor: It’s a book about él – how would you describe your relation to
the label and its music?
Mark Goodall: It was only through conceptualising the book that I realised the scope of él records. Up to that point I had loved bits and pieces of their output – the first Momus LP, the Flair 89 LP, The World in Winter – and of course The Monochrome Set before that. I loved the post-punk/new wave scene and thought it was the most innovative period in pop music history since the 1960s.

What was your main motivation writing the book, the point you wanted to make?
With the book I wanted to explore the unique qualities of the label. There were lot of indie labels, but only one él. To me, the label had a ‘philosophy’ rather than just a modus operandi that stood it apart. That came of course from Mike Alway.

How would you, in short, describe that kind of “philosophy”?
The él philosophy to me seems to be:
1. The aim to create great (musical) art by synthesising other art forms, especially film, fashion and graphic design
2. The idea of creating new music by re-inventing 1960 pop sounds into a new wave
3. To combine the hit factories of the 1960s with Andy Warhol’s ‘Factory’ into a creative form of collaborative practice
This is kind of what my book is trying to explore.

Was there something surprising that you realized while writing the
book, some new insight/understanding?
Through interviewing almost everyone involved in the label, I learned more about the working methods of the label and the artists. The collaborative nature came across in a way that was not evident. Through assembling the records as a distinct body of work, the beauty of the visual aspect of the label became more apparent.

How was it for those involved to look back and talk about their él past? Did anyone say no to being interviewed?
It was forty years ago so memories were somewhat frayed! I think the timing was right – not so long that those involved were no longer around, but long enough for any resentments to have mellowed. I think it was mostly an enjoyable experience and a confirmation of the excellence of the work that they did. The only person who did not respond to an interview was Julia Gilbert (Anthony Adverse).

If you’d pick one él artefact – a song, a record, a cover, a lyric, an image, etc – as the pivotal one, what would it be and why?
Difficult to choose as there are so many classic LPs of course – The Camera Loves Me, Choirboys Gas, Royal Bastard – but probably for me the Marden Hill Cadaquez LP is the most extraordinary combination of originality, variety and skill. In short form, the 7-inch and 10-inch sets are incredible.

él was influenced by things like the past, art, movies etc and created something new. Is there anything going on culturally today that you’d say function a bit like él did?
No, it was totally original, unique, because of that combination you mention, and while the spirit is evident in other labels and artists there is nothing like it today and probably never will be. The world has changed and could certainly do with another ‘él’ but I can’t see it. It was a product of particular historical moment…

Mark Goodall’s book Bright Young Things. The Art and Philosophy of él Records is published by Ventil Verlag on April 11.

A Q&A with Mark Goodall and Louis Philippe about the book takes place at the Rough Trade shop at Denmark Street in London on April 14.

The 25-track compilation album The Rubens Room. Él Records: In
Camera is released by Tapete Records on April 11.

New albums by former él artists this Spring: Louis Philippe, The Road to the Sea, Momus, Quietism, and Hotel Artesia, Everywhere Alone.

Stefan Zachrisson is a librarian in Stockholm, Sweden, who’s also the administrator of Adeste Fideles, a Facebook group about él and writes the CORRESPONDENCE newsletter. Previously he’s been involved in the international pop underground through BCNVT, Friendly Noise and Benno.

March 25, 2025March 25, 2025

Songwriting School with Kendall Jane Meade

Songwriting School
Ten singers and songwriters who have inspired me always, and on my new album, Space. By Kendall Jane Meade

1. Joni Mitchell
An old boyfriend gave me a copy of Blue after we had broken up, and I was instantly hooked. I remember also getting The Softies album It’s Love around the same time. Both albums influenced me like crazy, and still do.

2. Vashti Bunyan
Gordon Zacharias turned me on to Vashti’s album Diamond Day. It was produced by Joe Boyd, who also produced Nick Drake. I loved how incredibly gently she sang. People are always telling me to sing louder in live shows, which I kind of love not doing as an act of rebellion. Vashti would approve. So would Mark Linkous. They both taught me there is strength in softness, too. You just need to find your audience who want to listen to whatever you’re doing.

3. Margo Guryan
My kind of pop queen. A delicate vocalist with a voice like no other. “Take a Picture” and “Think of Rain” are so beautiful, and “What Can I Give You” has a rollicking, party-like quality that I have always wanted to capture in one of my recordings but never get there. Maybe my next album.

4. Christine McVie
Truly an icon. Her solo album, Christine Perfect (Perfect is her maiden name), is amazing. There is a song, “When You Say,” that is always on my eternal playlist. There is a string interlude in the song that’s completely unexpected but works. It’s quirky. I also relate to her as being totally cool with being part of a greater group in Fleetwood Mac. She didn’t need to be in the spotlight, yet she was quietly writing all the hits. I’m also going to cram in here that I love Stevie Nicks’ solo album Bella Donna.

5. Sandy Denny
I cover one of her songs, Solo, on my new album, Space. That song is one of those tunes that I have loved for decades. I feel that it tells my story as of late, so I finally recorded it. Sandy’s voice is stunning and airy and also ethereal. Her work in Fairport and her solo work are otherworldly.

6. Kirsty MacColl
Gail (Chickfactor editor and longtime pal) turned me on to Kirsty. Her strength and confidence is what I admire. There is such life to her voice, and her songs are so brilliant. I would say that “Days” is one of my favorites. A little-known fact is that she sequenced U2’s The Joshua Tree because her husband at the time was U2’s producer, Steve Lillywhite.

Margaret White and Kendall Jane Meade at SXSW – Photo: Shelby Meade

7. Joan Baez
What an absolute icon. Totally brave, outspoken, and a truly sensitive soul with the balls to take an antiwar stance from such a young age. “Diamonds and Rust” and “Sweet Sir Galahad” are two of the songs she wrote during the heyday of her career, and they are both stunning. I highly recommend the recent documentary about her called I Am A Noise.

8. Patsy Cline
While she didn’t write many of her songs, her voice and delivery broke my heart and soothed me at the same time. I remember being a college student at Boston University, finding her music at a used record store and hyper fixating on “She’s Got You” and, of course, “Crazy,” which was written by Willie Nelson.

Kendall at SXSW this year. Photo: Margaret White

9. Juliana Hatfield
I was a huge Blake Babies fan and later a fan of her solo work. She can do it all and is still one of the strongest performers out there. I remember seeing her solo shows back when I was in college at TT The Bears in Cambridge. After one show I saw her in the ladies’ room and she was dripping in sweat, that’s how passionately she performs.

10. Kim Deal
She was the coolest part of the Pixies, and the Breeders albums were a massive influence on me. So catchy, cool, and effortless. I’m so happy she has a new album out. Just thinking of her makes me want to crank up “Divine Hammer” in my car and drive fast. You can hear this influence in the choruses of my new song “Stereo” off of Space.

Listen to Kendall’s new record SPACE here!

Kendall and pals at SXSW. Photo: Shelby Meade

January 2, 2025January 3, 2025

chickfactor 2024 lists: Ladybug Transistor Tour Diary

The Ladybug Transistor at Deep Cuts in Medford MA. Photo by Ben Stas.

Top tour experiences with The Ladybug Transistor: December 2024
by Jennifer Baron (The Ladybug Transistor + The Garment District)
Being a total fan girl while touring with the fantastic Lightheaded and Tony Molina band (and having Mark Robinson on the bill in Medford, MA) and sharing the stage with Ladybug members from all iterations of the band each night was absolutely dreamy—every night was a joy, with beautiful venues and fantastic audiences, and I just wish we could have lived it all in slow motion!

Rest area snowball fight in New Hampshire

Here are some of my top highlights from an abbreviated tour diary of sorts:

On the drive from Keene, New Hampshire to Kingston, New York: Visiting the iconic Hogback Mountain Country Store perched atop scenic Route 9 in Marlboro, Vermont, just after a serene December snowfall. A Vermont fixture since 1936, the cozy shop is located at the Hogback Mountain Scenic Overlook at 2,250 feet. The sweeping views span breathtaking Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, pointing to Mount Holyoke, where I attended college. Perusing the shop and natural history museum, with an incredible section of maple syrup, donuts, libations and apparel—that I could not fit in my suitcase.

Scott McCaughey playing with The Ladybug Transistor at Mississippi Studios in PDX

Having the wonderful Scott McCaughey join us for our cover of Gene Clark’s “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better” at the fantastic Mississippi Studios in Portland, and meeting Scott’s adorable dog Gladys during our sound check. And also seeing you there, Gail, along with dear friends from Pittsburgh and college. A beautiful venue throughout.

Sasha Bell, Scott McCaughey, Jennifer Baron at Mississippi Studios

Two sublime, and related, vegan dinners from venues where we performed:
At The Atrium plant-based restaurant inside Public Records in Brooklyn: Hibachi grilled tamarind Jewel yams with tamarind yogurt, salsa macha, pumpkin seed gremolata, coriander and mint. From Checker Hall inside The Lodge Room in Highland Park, Los Angeles: Sticky sweet potato dish with garlic glaze, aji verde, hazelnut and harissa oil. OMG, take me back.

LBT and Tony Molina band in the Mission District

Reuniting with our dearest friend Alicia Vanden Heuvel for the West Coast tour; revisiting Atlas Cafe in the Mission where we used to love going for breakfast when we toured in California with friends such as The Aislers Set, the Lucksmiths and Of Montreal. This visit was WAY TOO BRIEF. Thank you for everything, Alicia and Tony!

The Ladybug Transistor cocktail made for our show by the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco and having it be exactly the kind of cocktail I love: tequila, grapefruit, lime, grenadine and soda. Loved having The Telephone Numbers plus DJs Jessica B, Coleminer and Miller Genuine Daft help to make this night so extra special.

Jacki Walburn from Lightheaded playing with The Ladybug Transistor at Public Records in Brooklyn

Having Jacki from Lightheaded “play” an apple (and tambourine) while joining us for “The Swimmer” (see 1:53) at Public Records in Brooklyn, and likewise, finally getting to “play” an apple myself, after all of these years, along with Ladybug percussionist dynamo Eric Farber, who joined is for our show at The Lodge Room in LA.

LBT at The Lodge Room in LA. Photo by Darian Sahanaja

Seeing the one and only, Joe Belock, aka WFMU’s Three Chord Monte, along with the ever-fabulous Jack Silbert, at our show at Public Records in Brooklyn. Thank you Joe, for spinning The Garment District!
Having original Ladybug drummer Ed Powers join us for “Rushes of Pure Spring” at Nova Arts Block in Keene, New Hampshire, where we had a blissful reunion of so many old friends from NYC and New England.

Spending the night at Gaia Hotel in Anderson CA (thank you Scott McCaughey, for the pro tip!) … but too cold for the hot tub!

Åke Strömer at Love of Fuzz in Troy New York

Visiting the terrific Love of Fuzz music store in Troy, New York, thanks to pedal-making, van-driving and merchandise-selling Swede guru, Åke Strömer.

Random and good-natured practical jokes and snowball fights at the many rest stops we frequented along the way.

IYKYK: Enjoying the best-in-the-game, late-night Smiling Pizza and blowing a kiss to my old apartment on 7th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Reunions of all sorts on this tour, including a mini high school reunion and Frock reunion (Sasha from Ladybug, Annie from Spent and me!) in LA. So good for the soul, heart and spirit.

Receiving gorgeous local flowers grown by Stephen Hunking (who helped us recreate the original packaging for “The Albemarle Sound” reissue), who runs Mooncake Flower Farm in Camas Washington, which graced our stage, and van, for the West Coast shows. Check out his new band, Dew Claw!

Favorite new sparkly vintage necklace scored at a vintage and antique warehouse in Kalama, Washington.

Staying in the house where we used to live (Marlborough Farms) in Brooklyn, while hunkering down in the basement studio for rehearsals and making frequent trips to the Flatbush Food Co-op. Taking breaks to watch “The Making of Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and have Sasha do tarot readings and cook us amazing dinner!

Griffith Observatory full December Moon. Photo by Sam Blehar

Controlling the dome speed at Griffith Observatory in LA

During a few days off in Los Angeles with my cousin Sam after the tour: Being invited to control the speed of the dome at Griffith Observatory; the best pupusa breakfast ever at the Atwater Village Farmers’ Market with dear friends I first met years ago while living in NYC (thank you, Jeff Feuerzeig, Dean Warheam and Matt Chesse!); finding the Ennis House in Los Feliz; revisiting the Laurel Canyon Country Store …

L-R: My dream supergroup! Matt Chessé, Dean Wareham, Britta Phillips, Jennifer Baron, Darian Sahanaja, Sasha Bell, Domenic Priore, Jeff Feuerzeig and Becky Ebenkamp after our show at The Lodge Room in LA

It was deeply meaningful to play our music and be able to exist in a bit of an alternate universe bubble for a few weeks on both coasts during this truly multimodal tour! THANK YOU to my Ladybug bandmates and to every single person who attended these shows, listened with enthusiasm and helped us to sell out of our vinyl and T-shirts. Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records is currently planning a repress of “The Albemarle Sound” reissue and we hope to see you all again soon!

Best pupusa breakfast ever at the Atwater Village Farmers Market in LA

The Ladybug Transistor and Lightheaded in Brooklyn

January 1, 2025January 2, 2025

chickfactor lists 2024: round four

Paul Kelly (Birdie/East Village): Top Ten London Pubs
I should probably keep some of these pubs secret but hopefully most readers are in the US anyway.

The Betsey Trotwood – Farringdon Road, EC1
King Charles 1st – Northdown Street, N1
The Shakespeare – Arlington Way, EC1
The Angel – St Giles High Street, WC2
The Dolphin Tavern – Red Lion Street, WC1
Hemingford Arms – Hemingford Rd, N1
Bradley’s Spanish Bar – Hanway Street, W1
The Lamb – Lamb’s Conduit Street, WC1
The Blue Posts – Berwick Street, Soho
Cittie of Yorke – High Holborn, WC1

Erin Moran (A Girl Called Eddy)
My Top 10 Albums of 2024 (new releases and new to me discoveries)
1. The Lemon Twigs/A Dream is All We Know
2. Laetitia Sadier/Rooting for Love
3. Jerry Merrick/Follow
4. High Llamas/ Hey Panda
5. The Cure/ Songs of a Lost World
6. Blossom Dearie/ Verve-Third Man Special Edition
7. The Pearlfishers/ Making Tapes for Girls
8. Joni Mitchell/ Hejira Demos
9. Walter Wanderley/Kee-Ka-Roo
10 Rod Stewart /Never a Dull Moment

Jim and Emily (Jim Ruiz Set)

Top 5 Dutch Artworks Visited by Jim and Emily with Belgian Beer Pairings

1. Rembrandt’s The Night Watch – Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Pair with – St Bernardus Christmas Ale. “A strong, dark, quadrupel, It tastes of licorice, apricots and marzipan.”

2. Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring – Maurits Huis, Den Haag. Pairs well with Chimay Grande Reserve (blue) Trappist Ale. “It exhibits a considerable depth of fruity, peppery character (including hints of plum, raisin and nutmeg).”

3. Frans Hal’s The Regentesses of the Old Men’s Almhouse Haarlem – Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem. Pair with a Cherry Chouffe, “a Belgian Brown Ale – with cherries added. Ruby-tinted, it has a full cherry aroma with notes of strawberry, almond, spices, and port. Round-bodied, soft, and delicate, it has a satisfying finish, with very slight bitterness.”

4. Dom Tower and Church, Utrecht – Paired here with La Trappe Tripel, “a strong coppery-gold Trappist ale with an off-white foamy head and an enticing aroma of fruit, honey and spice. Coriander adds an herbally spicy note to its fruity, well-balanced bittersweet taste.”

5. Rietveld Schroeder Huis, Utrecht – Pairs nicely with St. Bernardus Wit “The Aroma is wheaty, with apple-like tartness; herbal-spicy notes of coriander, white pepper and orange peel are complemented by a light, honey-like sweetness.”

All descriptions taken from the Belgian Style Ales website.

Gail O’Hara / chickfactor editor in chief
Jessica Pratt, Here in the Pitch
The Innocence Mission, Midwinter Swimmers
Yea-Ming and the Rumours, I Can’t Have It All
The Umbrellas, Fairweather Friend
Rachel Love, Lyra
Chime School, The Boy Who Ran the Paisley Hotel
Myriam Gendron, Mayday
Reds Pinks and Purples, Unwishing Well
The Softies, The Bed I Made
La Luz, News of the Universe
Tara Jane O’Neil, Cool Cloud of Okayness
William Tyler, Future Myths
Milton Nascimento + Esperanza Spalding, Milton + esperanza
Tears Run Rings, Everything in the End
The Green Child, Look Familiar
High Llamas, Hey Panda
Pernice Brothers, Who Will You Believe
Kathryn Williams and Withered Hand, Willson Williams
Yasmin Williams, Acadia
Kate Bollinger, Songs from a Thousand Frames of Mind
Magic Fig, S/T
Mt Misery, Love in Mind
Jim White and Marisa Anderson, Swallowtail
Mary Timony, Untame the Tiger
Broadcast, Spell Blanket + Distant Call
Ladybug Transistor, Albemarle Sound
Birdie, Some Dusty (oh hey, yes, I wrote the liner notes!)
Sacred Paws, Another Day
Iraina Mancini, Sugar High (St Etienne Version) I played this endlessly
The Clientele, Trains in the Night + Claire’s Not Real
The Cords, Bo’s New Haircut/Rather Not Stay

+ also too:
– Karaoke parties: highlight was Janice Headley’s version of Cibo Matto’s “Birthday Cake”
– Road trips: Going to Olympia with JJ, Nancy and Yvonne was super-fun (save for the drive home) and we got to see Lois and Heather Dunn play together and Lois even slayed the room as Calvin in “C Is the Heavenly Option” – EPIC!
– Timberline outing with visiting pals
– USWNT winning Olympic Gold: triple espresso FTW!
– Portland Thorns (esp. beating Orlando and witnessing 12 years of #12 Captain Christine Sinclair): Please stop trading away our favorite players and hire more women in the NWSL FFS.
– Portland Timbers (esp. beating the cup winning LA Galaxy): Please get a new owner and GM ASAP.
– West Coast Heavenly Tour; TMF 69LS friend reunions; YLT + Built to Spill; Alvvays and the Beths in the town square. Swansea Sound + meeting Hue

Me and Charles at the studio making the album

Kendall Jane Meade

I had my head down most of the year making my upcoming album (shameless plug: my first “solo” album, Space, comes out 2.28 on Mother West), but when I wasn’t recording or obsessing over something or other about the record, I was loving experiencing the following things:

SONGS

“Dominoes” by Mary Timony

“A Little Longer” by Johanna Samuels

“Slim Pickings” by Sabrina Carpenter

“Girl, So Confusing” by Charli xcx (feat Lorde)

“Tiny Flame” by The Softies

“Right Back To It” by Waxahatchee feat MJ Lenderman

“Deeper Well” by Kacey Musgraves

FILMS

Flipside by Chris Wilcha

23 Mile by Mitch McCabe

A Complete Unknown by James Mangold

LIVE SHOWS

Magnetic Fields two nights in a row in LA with Gail Chickfactor

Mary Timony at the Lodge Room

Matthew Caws (solo) at a KCSN event at Houdini’s old mansion in LA

Kacey Musgraves in Dallas

Ladybug Transistor at Lodge Room

Mac DeMarco at the Greek with my nephew

Mitski and Sharon Van Etten at the Hollywood Bowl

The Love Hangover at The Bowery Ballroom in NYC

Matthew Edwards at SYZYGY in SF

Joni Mitchell and Friends at the Bowl

Will Sheff at this groovy stoner event at the Philosophical Research Society (and I even got to sing a song with him),

Joan Wasser at the Cha Cha Lounge in LA.

OTHER STUFF

Buying my niece her first guitar (she chose a Fender acoustic).

Hosting a residency at Hotel Cafe in October and playing every week was great for me to brush up on my act as a performer. It was also a wonderful way to gather old and new friends. Benjamin Cartel, Nicole Lawrence, Alie Byland, and Eli Wulfmeier opened the shows, and they were excellent.

Making time for long, healthy hikes with friends in and around LA (a bonus of living here).

Feeling very ladylike by joining The Huntington in Pasadena, which hosts the most beautiful art collections and has huge botanical gardens to get lost in. My friends and I took our moms there for high tea, and it was so sweet.

I spent 3 days in Palma de Mallorca for a friend’s big birthday. It was stunning, and I would love to go back. Shout out to all the pastry shops in Palma and the beautiful beaches.

I got to spend time in Detroit with my Dad and play my now annual holiday show at a little dive bar called The Polka Dot.

Wrangling many of my friends to play on my new record in LA, Detroit, and NYC, and wrangling others to make content with me and artwork and all of the things that go into making and promoting an album. Feeling very grateful.

Dickon Edwards

SONGS:
Chappell Roan, ‘Good Luck, Babe!’,
Jessica Pratt, ‘Life Is’
Gigi Perez, ‘The Sailor Song’
Tess Parks, ‘California’s Dreaming’
Pet Shop Boys, ‘Loneliness’
Bruno Mars and Rosé, ‘APT.’
Claire Rousay, ‘Head’
Laurie Anderson, ‘Road to Mandalay’
Emma Anderson, ‘Taste The Air (Julia Holter Mix)’
Charley Stone, ‘Free Food’
Janis, Perez & YANIS, ‘Pharmacoliberation’
Noel, ‘Dancing is Dangerous’
Abstract Crimewave ‘The Longest Night’
Fuse ODG, ‘We Know It’s Christmas’

BOOKS (fiction):
Alan Hollinghurst, Our Evenings
Nat Reeve, Earlyfate
H. Gareth Gavin, Never Was
Khaled Alesmael, Selamlik
Chloe Michelle Howarth, Sunburn
Iain Sinclair, Pariah Genius
Justin Torres, Blackouts
Adam Macqueen Haunted Tales
Henry Van Dyke, Ladies of the Rachmaninoff Eyes (reissue)

BOOKS (non-fiction / memoir)
Katherine Bucknell, Christopher Isherwood Inside Out
Claire Dederer, Monsters
Xiaolu Guo, My Battle of Hastings
Liam Konemann, The Appendix
Salman Rushdie, Knife
Hanif Kureishi, Shattered
Claude Cahun, Cancelled Confessions

BOOKS (poetry):
Peter Scalpello, Limbic
JP Seabright, George Parker, Jaime Lock, Not Your Orlando
Camille Ralphs, After You Were, I Am
Jen Calleja, Goblinhood (poems and essays)

FILMS / TV:
Orlando, My Political Biography
Wilding
Scala!
Poor Things
Past Lives
Feud: Capote Vs the Swans

PLACES:
The Goat Ledge Beach Cafe, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex
Black Gull Books, St Leonards
Cute (exhibition), Somerset House, London

Oed Ronne (The Ocean Blue)
There were four standout records I heard this year, 3 of which came from people I was hashtag blest to play shows with this year.

Bart and the Bedazzled – Blue Motel

We got to play a few shows with Bart and his band the Bedazzled this year – all charming, warm, and incredibly talented. Man, Bart has the ability to command the room. Though a few years old, this record was in the background of all year long for me. Absolutely lovely.

Fave track: The House that Built Itself

Asteroid No.4 – Several Shapes of Solar Flares

We also got to play a few shows with Asteroid No. 4 for a few shows this last year. Always rocking sunglasses and walls of melody and guitars. Amazing band.

Fave track: Rescue

Wayne Faler – Wayne Faler

Wayne plays guitar in Bart’s band and on this, his debut, he sort of reminds me of Deebank-era Felt and the Go-Betweens. I love the way the 7/4 hook of Millwood St sucks you in. I’m at risk of wearing this album out for reals.

Fave track: Millwood St

The Tyde – Season 5

Thank goodness there was a new Tyde record this year. Kind of stylisitically the same touchstones but also here with a dash of Mike Post and more of a tropical flavor. I love this record.

Fave track: Heal Thyself

Read more lists: round three

January 1, 2025January 2, 2025

chickfactor lists 2024: round three

Andy Pastalaniec (Chime School)
We did a bit of touring in 2024! In no particular order here’s some of our favorite food and drinks along the way:

1. Espresso and Patisserie at Le Sullyin Paris, France.
2. Picon Bière – Amer Picon (orange liqueur) mixed with Kronenbourg 1664, at Le Hasard Ludiquein Paris, France.
3. Pie and Mash; Scotch Eggs, from Tebay Farmshop, Tebay, UK.
4. “$2.95 All-Day Breakfast” at Bon’s off Broadway, Vancouver BC.
5. Anything on the menu at Salsa & Beer, Los Angeles.
6. GONZO Ramen, Carlsbad, CA. Seriously the best Ramen any of us have ever had.
7. Curry and Porotta bread from Kerala South Indian Restaurant, Coventry, UK. On the same block as Just Dropped In Records!
8. Cheeseburgers at Hattie’s Hat, Seattle, WA.
9. Buckfast Tonic Wine, Glasgow, UK, for a much needed pre-show “pick me up”!
10. Fresh salads, juices, and packet sandwiches from any and all motorway stops in the UK; they kept us healthy on tour!

Seablite with Laetitia Sadier (photo courtesy of Seablite)

Seablite: Places we’ve never been but want to go:
1. Aoshima, “cat island” – Andy
2. Berlin – Jen
3. Transylvania – Galine
4. Hashima Island, Japan – Lauren
5. The Troll Hole Museum

Dawn Sutter Madell (Agoraphone) + Trixie Madell (Girl Scout Handbook)
Best Shows We Saw Together 2024
PJ Harvey at Terminal 5
Sun Ra Arkestra at Central Park, Sony Hall
Kim Gordon Central Park
Yo La Tengo at Sony Hall
Bikini Kill at Paramount
Adrienne Lenker Music Hall of Williamsburg
Quasi at Bowery Ballroom
Off Pink at a record store
Julien Baker, Torres at Webster Hall
Bratmobile at Warsaw
X, Jon Spencer, Lydia Loveless, Finom at Square Roots Festival, Chicago
Sweeping Promises, Jessica Pratt, Brittany Howard, Grandmaster Flash, De La Soul, Mannequin Pussy, Muna at Pitchfork Chicago
Son Rompe Pera, Fishbone at Prospect Park

Evelyn Hurley (Cotton Candy)

Favorite book: my favorite book this year was published in 1970, it’s “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”, by Dee Brown. This was my choice for my non-fiction bookclub, so I also forced a few other people to read it. It was so well written, easy to read, interesting, fascinating, enlightening and unbearably tragic. I can’t stop thinking about it, and I wish I’d read it 30 years ago.

Favorite cocktail: the Hugo, which is St. Germain elderflower liqueur, Prosecco, seltzer & mint. Except I put the liquid in a blender and add ice and make a slushy, which is fabulouso, but dangerous, lol

Favorite meal: post graduation dinner at Thompson and Bleeker in Ithaca NY. Amazing pizza, fantastic salads, delicious cold beer, and not insanely expensive!!

Favorite radio shows: I love listening to two radio shows on WMBR.org, “Coffee Time” from 2-4 on Friday, and “Backwoods” from 10-12 on Saturdays. Both remind me that the weekend is coming or is here, so time to chill out!

Favorite movie: “My Old Ass” which was so sweet and lovely, see it if you can!

Favorite songs: “Gild the Lily,” by Billy Strings. It’s a country music song that reminds me of country songs that my mom would listen to on the radio when I was a kid. Plus, it’s about birds singing, which is lovely.
I also love that song “Sexy to Someone” by Clairo; it’s catchy, cute and the keyboards sound so cool.

Riley Riley (Artsick/Boyracer) – Favorites of 2024:
Music in alphabetical order:
Adrianne Lenker “Bright Future”
Beth Gibbons “Lives Outgrown”
Billie Eilish “Hit Me Hard And Soft” The concert was amazing.
Doechii “Alligator Bites Never Heal”
Kim Deal “Nobody Loves You More”
Mo Dotti “Opaque”
Rachel Love “Lyra”
The Softies “The Bed I Made”
WUT “Mingling With The Thorns”

Fav local Seaside/Monterey Bay things:
1. Mando Surf Company is a local surfboard shaper and a friend of mine. Their boards are gorgeous pieces of art, one of which ended up at SFMOMA for their “Get in the Game” exhibit.
2. Pop and Hiss is a new local venue/record shop/bar in Pacific Grove. Super cool spot to check out if in the area.
3. Captain Stoker Coffee is delicious and the best coffee in Monterey IMO

Fav things I did:
1. Oakland Weekender 2024 happened at Thee Stork Club and was amazing… again!
2. Played a PNW mini tour with my favs, All Girl Summer Fun Band and Kids On A Crime Spree. Major bonus: got to see Gail!
3. Played a couple of shows with my besties band, WUT and got to join them for a couple songs live.
4. Danced to an incredible set by Kid Frostbite with friends.
5. The new Boyracer record called “Seaside Riot” came out and I am so proud to be part of it.
6. Drove down to Big Sur with my family, parked on a cliff and saw the Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet… it was breathtaking and such a memorable moment. It was last visible 80,000 years ago.
7. Read “You Better Be Lightning” by Andrea Gibson
8. Dog cuddles
9. Hiking in Big Sur
10. Got to hangout with Kim Baxter from AGSFB in Monterey… we had the best time getting some food and sitting by the water.
11. Recording new Artsick
12. Mushroom Tea…

Alicia Vanden Heuvel (courtesy of Alicia)

Alicia Vanden Heuvel: Top Ten live shows that I had the pleasure of attending (in no particular order)

RYLI at the 4 Star Theater! This is Yea Ming Chen’s new band & I was driven to dance. That woman knows how to write a pop song!
Watching Josh Miller play bass in Chime School AND Anna Hillburg Band, both experiences are mind-bending
Watching Ladybug Transistor reunion live in LA at the Lodge Room. Trumpets, flutes, & song craft from Sasha, Jennifer, Gary, Julia, and Jeff. What a group!
Gerard Love at Glasgoes Pop! What a voice! (And with the crowd singing along it was like the best party)
Heavenly at Glasgoes Pop dancing with Kenji (The Fairways forever) & Ari (Poastal forever)! I nearly died!
The Softies, with Anna Hillburg at Bottom of the Hill, because OMG it’s The Softies. Also, bonus, Rose sang a song with Anna & it was epic.
Galore! Anywhere they play, every time. Three part harmonies and killer melodies. I die again.
Shannon Shaw at the Fox with my buddies Noelle & The Deserters. Epic venue, epic night.
Lightheaded at the Oakland Weekender!! They ripped! I was not expecting the ferocity of pop that came our way, all the way from Jersey, I love them.
Jessica Pratt at Bimbos. Her album made my year, and seeing her perform the songs live was otherworldly.

Laura Watling (Tears Run Rings) Top 10 Songs of 2024

1. Caribou- Campfire
2. Seefeel- Multifolds
3. Chris Cohen- Night and Day
4. Real Estate- Airdrop
5. Orcas- Riptide
6. Mahogany- A Scaffold
7. Bedroom- Her Ghost
8. Epic45- New Town Faded
9. Dottie- Disappearing
10. Royksopp- Camera Obscura (but actually the whole album, Nebulous Nights)

Read the lists ROUND ONE
Read the lists ROUND TWO
Read the lists ROUND FOUR

December 29, 2024January 2, 2025

chickfactor lists 2024: round two

The Umbrellas on CF19, 2022. Photo: Gail O’Hara

The Umbrellas: here is our end of the year list, we decided to rank gas stations!

The Umbrellas were on the road ALOT (possibly far too much) this past year. Given this, what better way to wrap up 2024 than a retrospect of where we spent a majority of our time, gas stations…?

One9 – This fueling station we believe is a newish franchise. The whole sign and exterior looks like it was designed by a silicon valley software developer. They have hot food items, a lot of car accessories you wouldn’t normally find (like hub caps), and the latest trending food items. Nick tried an Oreos Coca-cola and commented that it tasted like cleaning supplies.

Kum & Go – Ha ha ha … get your mind out of the gutter! This midwest franchise only has a few locations, but each one is more charming than the last. Generally friendly staff who don’t mind you giggling when you bring one of to their “Kum & Go” t-shirts up to the counter to purchase.

Sinclair- That dinosaur logo is cool! Maybe it has to do with the fact that these are not terribly common in the bay area, but whenever we stop into one there’s an indescribable sense of nostalgia and whimsy. It feels like an old-timey gas pump attendant dressed in all white with a newscap is going to pop out from behind the big fiberglass Dinosaur they have on display. While other chains have rebranded or updated their logo … that dino has always remained, plastered on their fueling pumps.

Buc-ees – An allegory for what America is: Large, overwhelming, and hundreds of bathroom stalls. A must-stop for anyone driving through the south or mid-west. What more is there to say that hasn’t been said by bands and short-form video influencers alike? Matt says to make sure to try the Brisket sandwich. Pro-tip: skip the prepackaged bagged jerky and go straight to the counter for the fresh stuff.

Love’s – Love’s is like a reliable old friend that will always be there for you. Love’s doesn’t judge you when you’ve had one too many hard seltzers and you stumble around looking for their mini-tacos. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to catch the Love’s x Del Taco combo. Love’s would never dream of thinking illy of you! Hot showers, hot food, and hot deals (each location has a discount food rack of unsold seasonal items). Through and through The Umbrellas are a Love’s band. So spread the love and stop into your local Love’s the next time you need to top off your tank.

Kid slang! 2024 – Claudia Gonson (from the Magnetic Fields)

Huzz- attractive…non derogatory

Fine Shyt- sexy person, non derogatory

Link- hooking up

Bop- ho, derogatory

Buss – really great

Eats (“that eats”), ate up- really great

Cooked -done for

Cooking -doing well

Gyat- ass

Rizz -charisma, your ability to pull

Pull- your game, your ability to attract people

Game- your ability to get people to have a crush on you “she’s got game”

Low key – verbal tic, like “like”

Chalant – extrovert, over sharing, not mysterious

Non chalant – mysterious

Dip- leave

Crash out or tweak – I’m gonna lose it

Glazing- over praising

Tuff- good

Peter Momtchiloff with Jen Sbragia, Portland OR (Photo: Gail O’Hara)

Peter Momtchiloff (Heavenly, Would-Be-Goods, Tufthunter):
Best trailside vittles of 2024

Ox and Finch, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow (with the Would-be-goods)
Taberna La Concha, Calle Cava Baja, Madrid (with Jessica and Heavenly)
Donde Augusto, Mercado Central, Santiago de Chile (with Heavenly and Anto)
Kouraku, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles (with robot)
Souvla, Hayes Valley, SF (with the Umbrellas)
Old School Pizzeria, Franklin St, Olympia (with Heather and Pat)

Daniel Handler / Lemony Snicket: For whatever reason, my attention span seemed to increase this year. For example:

Best long poems I read or reread this year:
Liu Shang, “Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute”
Matthew Rohrer, “The Others”
John Ashbery, “The Wave”
Annelyse Gelman, “Vexations”
Alice Notley, “In The Pines”
Laura Henrikesen, “Laura’s Desires”

Best long songs I liked this year:
Gerard Cleaver, “The Process”
Destroyer, “Bay of Pigs”
Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell, “Mutron/Arabian Nightmare”
Nichuminu, “Aberraciones y Milagros”
Matmos, “Ultimate Care II”
Yukihiro Fukutomi, “5 Blind Boys”
Prince, “Automatic”

Julie Underwood: Your Girlfriend Made You A Mixtape
My favorite books I read in 2024:

Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk by Kathleen Hanna
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne
Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley
Long Island by Colm Tóbín
Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino
My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand*
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters*
The Rachel Incident: A Novel by Caroline O’Donoghue*
*originally released in 2023

+ My favorite albums of 2024

Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter (tie)
Charli xcx – Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat (tie)
Waxahatchee –Tigers Blood
The Hard Quartet – self-titled
Cassandra Jenkins – My Light, My Destroyer
Fontaines D.C. – Romance
Rosali – Bite Down
The Umbrellas – Fairweather Friends
Jessica Pratt –Here in the Pitch
Kate Bollinger – Songs From A Thousand Frames of Mind

Ed Mazzucco / Shelflife Records, Tears Run Rings:
10 songs I listened to a lot in 2024

Colle – Green Edge
Crimson Whisper – Joshua’s Gaze
Dummy – Soonish…
Mo Dotti – Really Wish
Memory Drawers – Hart
Mahogany – A Scaffold
The Horrors – Lotus Eater
Seefeel – Sky Hooks
Caribou – Come Find Me
Chris Cohen – Wishing Well

Read round one
Read round three
Read round four

December 23, 2024January 2, 2025

chickfactor lists 2024: round one

James McNew (Yo La Tengo, Dump)

Caley Conway, Partner
Refrigerator, Get Lost
Jeff Parker, The Way Out Of Easy
Mountain Movers, Walking After Dark
The Special Pillow, Meets The Space Monster
Little Hag, Now That’s What I Call Little Hag
Daga Voladora, Los Manantiales
Shady Cove, Part II
Oneida, Expensive Air
Cornelius, Ethereal Essence
Roger Moutenot, Microcosm
Ava Mendoza, The Circular Train
David Nance, David Nance & Mowed Sound
Alan Sparhawk, White Roses My God
Tim Heidecker, Slipping Away
Alan Licht, Havens
Julie Beth Napolin, Only The Void Stands Between Us

Mark Robinson (Teen-Beat Records, Cotton Candy)
Kali Malone, All Life Long (record)
Miranda July, All Fours (book)
Kim Gordon, The Collective (record)
Ruben Pater, Caps Lock (book)
hollAnd, Green Text (record)
Katherine Small Gallery (store)
White Manna, Hackensack, NJ (restaurant)
Henry Smith, Film No.18 (Mahagonny) (film)
Bakar, Halo (record)
Escape-ism Black Gold (record)
Mount Kimbie, The Sunset Violent (record)
Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga, The Courage to Be Disliked (book)
King Krule, Shhhhhhhh! (record)

Papa Slumber’s Top Ten Listens of 2024 (Slumberland Records)
Ability II – Rediscovered (I9M)
Autocamper – Blanche (Safe Suburban Home)
Jesse Garon & The Desperadoes – Janice Long Session 11.11.86 (Precious)
Shabaka Hutchings – Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace (Impulse!)
Rachel Love – Lyra (The Cat Collects)
The Moment of Nightfall & Tony Jay – Winter Dream (Kilikilivilla)
Sharp Pins – Radio DDR (Sharp Pins)
Nala Sinephro – Endlessness (Warp)
The Softies – The Bed I Made (Father/Daughter)
v/a – Lost Paradise: Blissed Out Breakbeat Hardcore 1991-94 (Blank Mind)

John Jervis (WIAIWYA Records)

I’m not going to get any less angry, so here we go:

Fanzines – loads of brilliant photos, pictures and writing, perhaps replacing record sales. Maybe we all need to evolve…

Clairo – get the latest lp if you haven’t already..
now..
really, are you still here?…
go… get the latest Clairo album, come back, read on…
Do not read on without that Clairo lp
YOU GOT IT? Ok, read on

Heavenly – they have returned just when we need them the most – May I be among the first to solemnly declare allegiance to the flag of FUCK YOU NO WAY

Saturday Night Fever – seen for the first time in 2024, after nearly fifty years of being told “it’s not what you think it is” it wasn’t what I thought it was. Led to me listening to a LOT of disco, good and bad, and buying a LOT of paint.

Italian exploitation soundtracks of the 70’s – turns out it’s the best music there is

Despair – we did our best, it was fun while it lasted, but the cunts have been voted in, promoting the far right, buying politicians and media networks – but remember everyone who didn’t vote for it, we stand together, we are here for each other. I don’t know what it means, but if there is anything I can help with I am here – wiaiwya on most media (fuck you billionaires, we will use your networks while we can) – please get in touch – we are here for each other…

The future – it is ours… it has to be.

FUCK YOU NO WAY

Can you say cunt in America? Hope you can’t and you will anyway- because he is one!

Happy literal Christmas!

Theresa Kereakes (photographer, historian, documenter)

Some books from 2024 that I have read/am reading and thoroughly enjoy – not in hierarchical order, but I do love Joni Mitchell more than most things:

• Traveling on the Path of Joni Mitchell by Ann Powers is my fave of the new books I’ve purchased this year because, well, Joni. There is not a wasted syllable in it, and the “traveling” and “path” is an extended metaphor for both Joni and author Ann Powers.

• How Women Made Music includes two photographs by me, but that’s not why I love it. It is an important reference work of NPR dispatches with thorough curation by Alison Fensterstock. I have lost track of how many people who have received this book from me as a gift. If you still haven’t gifted anyone anything yet – I highly suggest How Women Made Music. And sharing good reads isn’t just for Christmas or year-end lists.

• In Under a Rock, Blondie’s co-founder, Chris Stein delivers a delightful valentine to the NYC of his youth. It’s no wonder Blondie was a pioneering musical project. I wish that NYC still existed.

• The surrealist next door, my former neighbor and lifetime icon of pop surrealism, Robyn Hitchcock also paints a picture of his Groover origin story in 1967: How I Got There and Why I Never Left. He made a companion album to go along with it, which is a fave listen as well.

• The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of the Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture. I lived in NYC for 20 years, but I read the Village Voice long before and long after I lived there. What a fantastic biography of a print icon! Bravo Tricia Romano on your widely heralded book!

• Cue the Sun: The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum I’ve worked in television, and I grew up in Santa Barbara and witnessed the Loud family open their lives to the PBS series about them – An American Family, which was the first “reality show” in the early 1970s. Emily Nussbaum nailed this on every point; she has been writing about television for a long, long time and deftly connects all the dots. I am a hard one to convince, since this particular example took place in my very hometown at the peak of my snarky teenage phase. Read for yourself, Emily got it right !

• Miss May Does Not Exist: The Life and Work of Elaine May, Hollywood’s Hidden Genius. I have a personal obsession with the films ISHTAR and REDS, which Elaine May wrote, and co-wrote (no on-screen credit for REDS), and so does the author Carrie Courogen who appropriately identifies Elaine May as “Hollywood’s Hidden Genius.” This is a phenomenal effort and it places my head in a space that helps me understand why I am happy when I’m immersed in ironic satire.

Music and Film – Mostly I was underwhelmed this year – too much hype; too little deliverance. That being said, The The in concert was impressive, with the first set being their new album, Ensoulment, and after a brief intermission, a set of hits and fan faves. Way back in January, I saw Elvis Costello & the Imposters put on the best concert (3+ hours!!) I’ve ever seen and heard.