Laila Kharouba and Nick Babcock make up the duo Your Paris
There are a lot of songs about breakups out there, so it can be hard, especially as a new artist, to stand out from the crowd. With “The Weather,” pop duo Your Paris manages to bring a fresh take on the subject, focusing on that awkward state after the fact in which you tend to bunker down and ignore phone calls from friends, desperate to talk about anything other than your romantic life.
Laila Kharouba’s dreamy voice aches with this desire as she pleads, “Can we just talk about the weather?” and reminisces about her lost love. As the other half of the story, Nick Babcock’s smooth, R&B tinged vocals echo that sentiment, as he ponders whether or not to call his ex and ultimately decides against it.
But perhaps the most relatable line of the song, “I’ve been crying on the closet floor and getting stoned,” hits the realism of breakups better than most.
Your Paris, which has been self-declared “Ariana Grande meets Fleetwood Mac,” has yet to make a full length album, but has released several singles since forming just before the Covid pandemic hit. Check out the link below to stream “The Weather” and more!
Trying to describe the monumental achievement that Swift’s team has accomplished with the Reputation Stadium Tour would be a nearly impossible trick to pull off.
The SweetWater 420 Festival returned to Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park on April 22 – 24 for the annual musical and beer festival for the ultimate SweetWater experience. From an all-star musical lineup of acts consisting of approximately 50 bands, ranging from The Roots, to The People’s Blue of Richmond to our very own Ludacris, the SweetWater 420 Festival was the place to be at with an amazing cross section of music from rock to R&B to hip-hop to bluegrass to electronica and indie all mixed together to give it the perfect vibe for a fantastic weekend. There was something for everyone to indulge in.
The music was hot and the beer was cold, especially in The SweetWater Experience Tent where you had the opportunity to taste test up to 40 distinct beers, sit down and listen to brew masters, then follow up with Q & A sessions afterwards. Plus there was always the chance of sitting down and having a beer or two with a band, like Leftover Salmon.
What makes the 420 Festival so special and such a huge part of Atlanta is it’s really more than just having a good time, yes, that is part of it, going out and having fun with friends, listening to some of your favorite artists perform live, but it’s also about being with people in a pretty cohesive environment and respecting the environment that we all share together. The saying at the festival is “we’re here for a good time, she’s here for a longtime” (referencing mother earth and to pay respect and homage to her).
Founder of The SweetWater Brewery said it best “When you love what you do, it’s not work.” And how could you not love the perfect weekend in spent in Atlanta being immersed in music, beer, amazing food and great works of art from local artists.
All photos by Danielle Boise for Target Audience Magazine.
Saturday, April 23 420 Festival Photography Coverage
Chrome Pony
North Mississippi Allstars
Maceo Parker
Tokyo Police Club
Dawes
The Word
Rebelution
The Roots
AWOLNATION
Bastille
The SweetWater Experience Tent
Atmospheric – This is what it’s like to be at The SweetWater 420 Festival. Filled with later, friends, beer and a great time.
Sunday, April 24 420 Festival Photography Coverage – photos by Danielle Boise
Leftover Salmon
People’s Blues of Richmond
Waking Astronomer
Voodoo Visionary
Manchester Orchestra
Nahko And Medicine For The People
Atmosphere
Michael Franti & Spearhead
The Bright Light Social Hour
Ludacris
Robert DeLong
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
The SweetWater Experience Tent
Atmospheric – This is what it’s like to be at The SweetWater 420 Festival. Filled with later, friends, beer and a great time.
The Holbrook sisters are back with SHEL’s second musical offering, entitled The Laboratory Sessions. After a period of braving the road on tireless tours in support of their first album, these four talented ladies from Fort Collins, Colorado have presented us with a new batch of concoctions. Somehow they managed to find time to write music in between their gigs and rigorous workout competitions, at times being forces to compose while taking shifts behind the wheel. But now the new release is upon us and I must say, it’s quite tasty!
Warning: Side effects may include extreme musical addiction and enjoyment.
It was sheer happenstance that I stumbled upon SHEL (Sarah, Hannah, Eva, and Liza), but I’m quite happy that I did. Within two weeks of discovering their music I was watching them perform in Washington D.C. and didn’t even own their debut album until after the concert had wrapped up. Since then I’ve had the honor of interviewing Hannah about the band and her own solo release, become even more of a fan, and thus have eagerly awaited this follow-up album since its announcement. The ladies used PledgeMusic.com to crowd-fund the LP, and provided a great number of rewards for supporting the effort. What I especially liked was that they offered various release packages, ranging from the bare-bones digital album & commentary bundle, an all instrumental version of the album, as well as early demos and cell-phone recorded tastes of the songs as they were just coming into being. From bud to blossom, and from digital to the kitchen sink, the ability to get inside this album and look around was vast.
The Laboratory Sessions, when compared to the self-titled debut, feels very organic. While the previous release was fantastic and built one strong song upon the next, the new album feels like a more united, focused effort. The quartet haven’t abandoned the folk-rock-pop amalgamated roots that they established from their outset, so no worries there. But Eva said something that struck me in the commentary released alongside the work, saying that as she writes more and more music, she does so “to move people. Not to be like, ‘Look what I can do,’ but ‘Look what you can feel.’” And this album does that, backing away from some of the showier aspects of the debut, but brimming with emotion and experience. Take for example “You Could Be My Baby,” which sounds like a near, dear relative of The Beatles’ “Come Together,” sung with a confidence previously unheard from the girls. On the other end of the spectrum we have “I’m Just A Shadow,” as bleak and haunting as any dirge I’ve had the pleasure of hearing. Of course, we can’t leave without a good ole fashioned drinking song, and “Moonshine Hill” comes to our rescue. It’s a personal favorite, I must confess.
Some of you might say, “How can the album be a united, focused effort if it goes from confident to bleak to songs about drinking?” Well, firstly, it’s one song about drinking. Secondly, you should go listen to the first album. Great release, but its songs range from the circus to owls to a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Battle Of Evermore” and then some, whereas this one focuses more on personal relationships, overcoming fears, and homesickness. And alcohol, but that’s one song! The only song which feels a little detached is “Lost Without You,” and this is because it features singer-songwriter Gareth Dunlop in a duet with Eva, as opposed to the four-piece Holbrook harmonies that we’ve come to know throughout the rest of the release. But it’s a good song, so I can’t blame them for including it.
The Holbrook sisters have been busy in the last few years. Not only have they done a ton of touring, but Hannah has released a solo piano EP, Eva has co-written several songs with the aforementioned Gareth Dunlop (the song “Hold On” made it into the movie The Best Of Me), and they have continued to write and create their own music videos for existing and new songs! It’s amazing that they even had time to write this new album, but I suppose that’s why they sometimes chose to compose while driving from town to town. I wouldn’t recommend trying that, kids. The Laboratory Sessions is a welcome addition to SHEL’s growing catalog and that’s coming from a well-satisfied customer and fan. Now is the perfect time for you to do a little experimenting of your own and see if a dash of SHEL cures your musical ills. I’m not selling snake oil, I swear.
Buy the song, “I Was Born A Dreamer,” to help an animal in need: iTunes | Amazon Buy the song, “You Could Be My Baby” at: iTunes Buy the song, “When The Sky Fell” at: iTunes
