Don’t Get Lemon is a captivating, paradoxical, and chic pop trio hailing from Austin and Houston, Texas. Their music exudes an aura of detachment while maintaining a catchy and danceable quality. Drawing inspiration from the vibrant music scenes of 1970s Berlin and 1980s Manchester, DGL aims to captivate the listener’s senses with their fusion of glam and synth-pop elements. While there may be other alternatives to DGL, one wonders if we could truly embrace them.

Taking its name from Michaelangelo Antonioni’s iconic 1966 film set in swinging London, Don’t Get Lemon’s track “Blow-Up” offers glimpses into the unseen darkness. The lyrics, crafted using William Burroughs’ cut-up technique, and imagery inspired by David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet,” weave together bittersweet melodies that offer a fresh perspective on the traditional three-minute pop song.

We sat down with the band to talk about their new video for “Blow-Up,” below!

1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically?

The song explores the dark underbelly of what seems to be a normal and mundane surface level reality, themes explored in films Blue Velvet and Blow-Up. The lyrics take these surreal dreamlike vignettes, and using the cut up technique, attempts to create order in an orderless world. We visualized this song because of it’s own influence from film.

2. What was the inspiration behind this video(visuals, storyline, etc.)?

The inspiration visually was repurposed from those two films, Blue Velvet and Blow-Up.  We took the light nature of suburbia and contrasted that with the Lynchian darkness of night that hides beneath it. From Blow-Up we borrowed swinging 60s London fashion, even recreating the protagonists outfit. The video director Jennifer Battaglia also took parts of the lyrics like, “building tooth castles in my mind” and tried to visualize, that’s where the sugar cube idea came from.

3. What was the process of making this video?

We filmed the video over two days around Houston before a show we were playing. We filmed around various parts of Houston but most of the shots are in the West University neighborhood and also the east end. Those two neighborhoods have a constraint that helps the light and dark parts of the video. We also got two friends to act in the video, the two mod girls, on of which, Darenda, sang back up vocals on the song.

Your daily dose of indie goodness! Dive into these epic tracks below!

SOUP CAN Magazine’s upcoming event CANDEMONIUM, is set to take part at the North to Shore Festival in New Jersey, this weekend 6/11. The event which takes place on Sunday, features Shawn Rock, Bernard Collins, Paradise Crysty, Kenny KP Walker and the Chris Rockwell Collective.

Event Information: 

Soup Can Magazine presents Candemonium: Hip-Hop and Spoken Word Party 

Date:June 11th, 2023

Time: 1-3pm

Location: 2101 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ

Admission: Free, All ages

Organized by Soup Can Magazine 

www.soupcanmagazine.com 

The performers for the day will be:

•Bernard Collins – Spoken Word poetry and art (@nardpics)

•Paradise Crysty – Spoken Word poetry (@paradise_crysty) 

•Kenny Kp Walker – Spoken Word poetry (@kennykpwalkerjr) 

•Shawn Rock – Hip-Hop Artist (@shawnrock_thedon) 

•Chris Rockwell Collective – Music & Poetry (@mrchrisrockwell / @chrisrockwellcollective) 

Shawn Rock and Chris Rockwell Collective co-headline with support from poets Paradise Crysty, Bernard Collins, and Kenny Kp Walker at C.R.O.P.S., a non-profit organization dedicated to revolutionizing open public spaces in Atlantic City. 

This event promises high energy, empowered performances, and of course the latest issue of Soup Can Magazine, with portions of sales benefiting C.R.O.P.S.  

Admission is free, but you can reserve a spot online. C.R.O.P.S. is located at 2101 Atlantic Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

SOUP CAN Magazine is a quarterly art & poetry print publication based in New Jersey, aiming to celebrate diversity and dismantle systems of oppression through cultural expression. We feature artists, musicians, and poets from across the globe.

The song “Marry Me Once” by Kristen Rae Bowden is a soulful expression of the hardships of love. A listener can hear the inspirations of a variety of styles such as folk, soft rock, and a resemblance to country that intertwine themselves together to create a spiritual experience for all audiences. This song serves as an anthem for those who treasure the freedom that comes from finally mastering self-love. The soft piano melodies followed by the rocking drums represent the highs and lows of the artist’s experience that inspired the song.

Kristen Rae Bowden states, “This song is about carrying your own emotional burden and not asking others to do the tough work for you of getting to really know yourself and love yourself. When I wrote this song I’d been noticing how common it is for people to covertly expect their partners to do this work for them. I’ve been that person myself, and it’s bad for everyone involved. You can’t fill your own emotional void with someone else’s love. That won’t get you through.” This message is clearly expressed through the song. The longing and torment is heard especially through Kristen crying out through her singing. This makes for a very emotional piece.

Kristen is very similar to artists such as Stevie Nicks or Carole King in the passion in which she sings and because of the similar folk/rock style her music is in. These are also both artist who write from a very personal and emotional place, which Kristen Rae Bowden excels in. There is a delicacy as well as a strength in which Kristen sings. She conveys how personal the song is through her lyricism and passion in her voice. 

The music video for this song features lots of imagery from nature. Kristen embraces an earthy as well as vintage vibe as she showcases her song. The style of this music video contributes to defining the song as a folk song. It also adds to the spiritual element for the listening experience. The style in which she dresses creates an almost goddess-like presence for the artist. In the video, she reflects on her past where she used to crave marriage, but in the present, she has embraced her freedom and self love. She does this while standing on a mountain, representing the clarity and perspective she now has on the matter.

For more Kristen Rae Bowden…

Website // Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // YouTube // TikTok // Spotify // Soundcloud

In recent years, Jelly Kelly has consistently produced music that surpasses their previous work, showcasing their evolution as a band. Led by Keith Kelly, who is also a singer and guitarist in Monogold, Jelly Kelly started as a side project but has grown into a distinct entity. The band consists of Jared Apuzzo on drums, Nicolas Dube on guitar, and Dom Bodo on bass. 

Their music combines melodic riffs and buzzing instrumentation to create a unique and nostalgic sound. Their latest video, “Vitamin D,” carries a specific theme of isolation and the relationship between imagination, confinement, and the outside world. The video, beautifully illustrated and animated by Brendan Sullivan, effectively captures the emotions and the blurred state between reality and self-imposed boundaries. 

Watch “Vitamin D”

This track is part of their new EP, “Warm Water,” out today, June 2.

Listen to “Warm Water”

Jelly Kelly is renowned for their fusion of indie and rock aesthetics, which is evident in their latest artistic endeavor. The mix on their new EP “Warm Water” creates an open and spacious atmosphere, allowing room for the listener’s imagination to roam freely. The layered instrumentation laced throughout adds depth and provides a captivating backdrop to Keith Kelly’s precise and captivating vocal melodies. The band creates a diverse soundscape that emphasizes certain words and explores intriguing melodies. Keith Kelly’s vocals glide through the tracks with precision and intensity. With their alluring tones, the instruments pave the way for a mesmerizing musical experience that will leave you coming back for more. Recognized for their energetic live performances and their contribution to the ever-evolving Brooklyn sound, Jelly Kelly is poised to satisfy your musical cravings. Make sure not to miss their latest album, “Warm Water” available now.

Respected and revered alt-rock songwriter Ron Hawkins boasts a celebrated catalogue over 20 records deep – some are solo offerings, and others feature backing bands the Do Good Assassins or Rusty Nails.

“Church of the Chemical D.J.” is a song about how we sedate ourselves against the hardships and austerities of capitalism in the 21st Century – less an Orwellian hellscape of authoritarian control and more a Huxleyian wasteland of self sedated automatons. Ron was trying to make a cool tune first and foremost, but by the time he was finished, he realised he couldn’t stop himself from getting into the deep shit. 

It’s the focus track from the six song EP, Trash Talkin’ at the Speed of Sound, which was produced by Devon Lougheed (Sky Wallace Band / Altered By Mom).

Ron explains the inspiration for the album: “I feel like as I watch people, I love trying to imagine how they navigate their way through life, with a late stage capitalist nightmare as the motivator. All that in addition to wondering where and how I fit into the equation.”