Located in Baltimore Maryland’s south side between a church and a market exist a staple of the community like no other. The building plainly bears the name Access Art, however inside; an exploration of the minds of our youth is taking place as it only could through art.

Youthlight is an afterschool arts program with a strong focus on photography and media literacy.  The program is a 40 week long program with curriculum that is created to be unique from year to year. The photography aspect has been credited with allowing the youth to empower themselves, build leadership skills, and explore their creativity.  While the media literacy portion exposes the youth to discussions with guest speakers, inventive exercises and social issues.

Looking at some of the student’s work is almost like looking into someone’s diary. The work that they have produced over the time they have spent in the program, and many of them outside of it, is nothing short of inspiring. The photographs that are obviously personal are usually the best. They feel raw and gritty, while at the same time being overwhelmingly expressive; it’s hard to evoke the feelings you get gazing at some of these pieces. They seem to reveal so much about the people involved, and by extension the creator, because these are such personal pieces.

The program has been effective in advancing the lives of the local youth in countless ways. Students have been able to develop portfolios of work containing a caliber of work capable of gaining national attention.  The work of participants has been displayed in a plethora of venues including the Baltimore Museum of Art, Evergreen house, and the Walter’s Art Museum; a feat sure to build self-esteem. Several of the students have received both high school and collegiate scholarships due to the body of work they created in the Youthlight program. Students have attested that the program has helped them gain a focus on academics in addition to leveling their behavior. Many afterschool programs have claims that they help our youth, but not many of them can say that they actually explore and capture what was “amiss”.

For more information contact:

Marshall Clark
Youthlight Director

2446 Washington Blvd.
Baltimore MD 21230

Tel. 443-831-3011
youthlight@mac.com

While we here at Artison prominently feature other artists, we have decided to let you in on a secret, we are artists too. Now that you know that, there is more to tell. We made it onto kickstarter, which is a platform used to fund artistic projects. Our project that made the cut was Dreams of an Insomniac, a film we’ve been working on for some time now.

A few details are below, but if you want all the info you’ll have to head over to Kickstarter. They have an exclusive video too, so check it out.

Dreams of an insomniac is a single film that will be released in two separate ways.

Dreams of an Insomniac is a compilation of 6 short stories that overlap through the thoughts, actions, and eyes of the main character. The first script, of the six, City of Lost Dreams was written over a year two years ago. .

It is that script, City of Lost Dreams which will be released separately from the rest. Since City of Lost Dreams story is so strong it demands to be heard in its own right. It is slated to be between 15 and 20 minutes by itself and deals with a woman who is the victim of Murphy’s Law.

The other 5 will be released with the first movie and edited together to showcase the entire Dreams of an Insomniac story. The scripts where written in such a way that they could be viewed separately, almost like the Animatrix, except when you watch them together there is a story that joins them all seamlessly.

The story of Dreams of an Insomniac is as follows: essentially Dante rediscovers things about his past that haunt him and they are beginning to take a toll on his present and future. His dreams and his waking hours cause him such restlessness that he can’t sleep. As a result he dreams wide awake and some of his nightmares have merged into his day to day life. He must decode it all in order to move forward or forever be trapped in his dreams.
It’s because of these overreaching story arches that will make Dreams of an Insomniac unique, that in addition to it being a mix between psychological drama and thriller.

Kadawatha is a pretty interesting group; they have a lead singer of Sri Lankan origin, a band bio that makes their namesake sound narcissistic, and a history that’s not even two years deep.  Yet their band, led by Daniel Kadawatha was an impressive enough act to be invited on tour by Paramore, so they warrant our attention.

Leading the EP is the track Gonna Stay which is more or less a punk rock ballad. It plays well and finishes strong. Daniel shows good amounts of vocal control while keeping with the pace of the up-tempo song. And for some reason there appears to be more character in his voice in this song. The pacing in the song is a nice contrast to the other songs and really sets the tempo for the rest of the EP

The Ranger has a strong assault of guitars, overpowering all else in the song including Daniel’s voice at times, although not in a thrash metal way. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t come off as powerful as it would at first seem as Daniel’s vocals don’t quite compliment the production at hand.

Agape, the last song of the EP, contains strong melodies throughout which carry the song, and Daniel really shows his vocal range sending his voice soaring high into the clouds; right up there with the airy production. The beginning has samples of a train station mixed with guitar strums; it almost creates the music video for your, a testament to the songs immense detail. The guitar riffs, played intermittently through the song, are distinct and have a pleasant effect on the songs rhythm and overall sound; which is of course the best song on the EP.

While this EP may be passed up by the frugal music lover, costing $5 or $1.67 per song, it comes with Artison’s approval and hopefully by now that counts for something. So the next time Kadawatha comes into your town, which you can check here, be sure to pick up their EP.

So what does chaos sound like? Anti-Heroes seem to have the answer. Brimming with gusto the pair believes that they have what it takes to grab you by the ear; and with what they have so far, these promises probably won’t end up broken.

The lineup includes two musicians hailing from Baltimore, the fervent (and talkative) Peter Parker, and the blasé Doc, whom together form Anti Heroes. Parker handles the vocals, lyrics and production while Doc manages the percussion, backup vocals, and production as well.

While initially meeting up in a hip hop club, the charismatic musicians later became reacquainted at their “day jobs” and began a conversation that would lead up to their eventual collaboration.  At first this collaboration included other artist to play other instrumentals as the project was more akin to a band, however, as the undertaking began to pan out it became apparent that there were only two reliable members of the group. As a result the band became a twosome.

A twosome that describes themselves by stating:

We are not your saviors.
We are not here to rescue you.
We are here to take everything you know…
…and Burn it to the Ground.

That’s quite the motto, but where does this rage/bravado cocktail come from? The answer is their music.

The two have a rich history musically between them, and that is no exception here. Parker was the front man for thrash metal acts and Doc had been on tour around the country playing with some major bands. But what appears most daunting about the two is there synergy. Musically, they feed off of one another. Parker may have some lyrics and a beat and then Doc would come in and add his drums and thoughts, then Parker would tweak. It could start the opposite way or more abstractly, but either way a song would erupt; an eruption that requires you to stand back to take it all in. Their music so powerful, the lyrics blunt, and that’s exactly what they are going for; the delivery of their message, in its most raw and uncompromised form.

Update: It has been some time since this interview was conducted, and since then Anti Heroes is no more. However, Peter Parker still carries on as an independent act and we plan to contact him about a follow up, so keep your eyes peeled.

This year’s Honda Civic Tour 2010, headlined by Paramore, was a very rewarding concert to those in attendance. Including Kadawatha, New Found Glory, Tegan and Sara, in addition to Paramore, the lineup was solid and sonically varied enough to keep the audience in the stands throughout.

Honda has described this year’s show as:

The legacy of the Honda Civic Tour burns bright, and Paramore is the latest band representing the roots of the music that started it all. Since the tour’s inception in 2001, powerful acts like blink-182, Incubus, Good Charlotte, Black Eyed Peas and Fallout Boy have rocked audiences across the U.S. This year’s supporting acts include Canadian indie rockers Tegan and Sara, Civic Tour alumni New Found Glory and newcomers Kadawatha.

Kadawatha performed first with a 5 song set which included a few songs from their EP also titled Kadawatha. Kadawatha’s performance was the most surprising since most of the concert goers probably had never heard of them and the experience was entirely new. Several of their songs where extremely well performed, particularly Agape, and the guitar riffs and soaring vocals of Daniel Kadawatha certainly weren’t a low point of the concert.

New Found Glory was the second act, performing many of the songs that made them famous and one cover, Kiss Me. Their performance was lively and energetic with lead singer Jordan Pundik coasting through the crowd in Merriweather Post Pavillion’s pit. Other than the obvious highlight of all their hit songs, was the humor endued performance. During one selection, Don’t Let Her Pull You Down, the band held up posters to get the audience to sing along during the chorus. During the middle of the performance these signs where changed from “Don’t, Let, Her” to “Buy, Our, Shirt”, it was definitely a memorable moment.

Tegan and Sara performed right before our headliners and where undeniably able to hold their own. They had a diverse selection of songs including Alligator and Paperback Head, with most being from their most recent album Sainthood, of course, but all of which matched the tone of the concert at that point. There humor was also a highlight of their show with Tegan slinging some pretty interesting one liner jokes. One of which indicated that Sara wanted to be “on top of Rihanna”.  But the all jokes aside Tegan and Sara’s performance was top notch, not to flashy, but very passionate and funny.

Last but not least was this year’s headliners Paramore. With it being there tour and all they had no choice but to rock the house and rock the house they did, performing many of their hits in front of an ever changing backdrop. They opened strong with very high profile and high energy songs, including That’s What You Get and Decode, which saw Hayley Williams shaking her head as if to fling it from her body as she sashayed across the stage. In the middle they played some songs that where not from any of their albums as they slowed the pace for a few acoustic performances. This was short-lived however; as they quickly livened things back up with several more hits performed in front of music videos/video collages. And just when we thought it was over and they had said good night to the crowd, fired of an auditorium worth of explosives and left the stage; the band came bounding back onto the stage for one last song. It was a fitting end to arguably one of the greatest tours of 2010.

Mike Posner, one of Duke University’s latest graduates, is also, interestingly enough, one of the radio waves newest hit makers. Producing two mixtapes an album, touring, and signing with J Records all while attending school start to finish is surely inspirational, but does his studio album, 31 Minutes To Takeoff deliver?

The answer is mostly yes. The album certainly has a pop sheen on it, however, if you were a fan of what he had produced prior to his stepping into a J Records recording studio, this album may not be what you expected. In his two mixtape outings A Matter of Time and One Foot Out the Door, both hosted by Clinton Sparks and DJ Benzi, Mike Posner created a rapping serenade of sorts that worked, and very well at that. His mixtapes seemed to be primarily electro and hip-hop oriented and his guest list only furthered that sentiment. Have a listen to Smoke and Drive and Mirror’s Edge, two of the most classic mixtape songs ever recorded.  It was here that Mike Posner seemed so at place and in control. Maybe it was J Records not knowing how they would market a hip-hop electro fusion with a splash of pop and a dash of rock, or maybe it was the absence of Benzi and Sparks, but either way hip-hop got dropped. Unfortunately for some, that’s where some of the best Mike Posner was.

Needless to say that’s what the album is missing, but it doesn’t keep it from being one of the better releases this year, and that’s because, for some odd reason, Mike works without it. The album was mostly sonically infectious and when it wasn’t the songs still weren’t easy to skip, there was something that made you listen, must be Mike. At just under 40 minutes the album is definitely Mike Posner concentrate, all songs, no filler and only one tainted moment; (Déjà vu featuring Boyz II Men, which was a mess) what more could you ask for in a debut.

Song by Song Take:

1. 31 Minutes to Takeoff – Intro
2. Please Don’t Go –electric influences, club ready, infectious, lyrically appropriate, very effective
3. Bow Chicka Wow Wow – a smart and infections song, cruising on an old school beat, playful and poppy
4. Cooler Than Me – his single for about 2 mix tapes and one album now, and the song holds up as well as it did then, catch beat, strong hook, radio friendly, in other words a hit.

If I could write you a song to make you fall in love/ I would already have you up under my arm/ I used up all my tricks, I hope that you like this/ but you probably won’t, you think your cooler than me.

1. Déjà Vu – the stark contrast between Mike Posner’s rapping and/or singing and Boyz II Men’s harmonious sound causes a catastrophe on the track, not to mention that the beat is just as spastic and disorderly.
2. Do U Wanna- interestingly enough the rock influences from producer Cisco Adler permeate into the track to great effect. The drum and horn combination grips the track along with whoever is listening. The lively instruments are a highlight on the album and Mike Posner luckily doesn’t lose his footing on the vocals.
3. Cheated – while it won’t receive the emotional response of tracks of similar subject matter, Keyshia Cole’s I Should Have Cheated, the track is electronic and dance inspired and will certainly make a limb or head bounce along to the beat
4. Gone in September – sounds sincere, a little more emotional, the more acoustic sound works to mikes advantage, the sonic journey gets better and better as the song goes on.
5. Save your goodbye – another more emotional track, the production gives a slightly haunting vibe with lyrics like “you’re everywhere I go” being chanted in between the hollowed howls in the background.
6. Synthesizer – synthetic and heavily electronic inspired beat topped off with some light crooning, not very sincere but listenable all the same.
7. Delta 1406 – the track sounds purposefully light and airy, the ambience created is reminiscing of late 90’s trance music, probably the most personal track on the album.
8. Falling – a fitting end, with a ballad-like feel complimented by a choir of voices harkening the track with angelic tones.

Drake, one of the most recent contributors to Young Money’s dominance of the current state of Hip Hop, is primed to give the industry more of what it has asked for with his new release, Thank Me Later.  In 2009, Drake established himself as hip hops prime MC, delivering pop oriented hits, and another welcome departure from gangster rap upon the release of his mixtape So Far Gone.  An EP rerelease of his mixtape and two Grammy nominations later, Drake provides us with another escape into his world. Thank Me Later, plays out pretty much as you would expect it to, and considering the excellence of Drake’s most recent work, this is not a disappointing quality.

Drake provides us with about 60 minutes of self analysis, 808 and heartbreakish crooning, lifestyle and fame commentaries, hip hop posse tracks and in short a good listen. Drake supplies us with good deal of quality material with little filler, but a lot of high quality production and a tight coherent album.  His lyrics are top notch, easily able to convey his analysis of music against sports and then back against itself, all the while revealing his imminent implosion from the pressure of his new life; as demonstrated in the following section from the song Thank Me Now:

“damn, I swear sports and music are so synonymous / ’cause we wanna be them and they wanna be us / yeah so on behalf of the demanded / and the entertainment you take for granted / you could thank me now… / and oh my goodness you’re welcome / you’re welcome /  at this point me is who I’m trying to save myself from /rappers hit me up and I never know what to tell them / cause they think that I can help them get back to where they fell from”

The supporting cast on Thank Me Later appears to have been handpicked, with most of the other artist offerings actually contributing to the creative work of the song. Like Jay-Z’s verse on Light Up “Drake, here’s how they gon come at you / with silly rap feuds try to distract you / in disguise in the form of a favor / the barzini meeting, watch for the traitors” The other contributors, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, The Dream and more are more likely a highlight then a hindrance for the songs on which they appear, functioning as a complement to Drakes commanding of the track.

So in short, if you like Drake’s album will largely hinge on if you appreciated So Far Gone, which if you didn’t, it is something I would recommend you revisit. Drake’s crooning sounds sincere and his edge isn’t outclassed by rappers heralding a hood; not to take away from his upper tier lyricism. Thank Me Later demands that you check it out, I suggest you comply.

4.5 out of 5 Stars

force

C.A.R.M.E.N., one of the latest ‘fab girl’ groups to come out of Baltimore, has been very busy doing big things these days, but this is no overnight success. These amazingly humble and sweet young ladies are seven years in the making. C.A.R.M.E.N., which is an acronym for ‘Chasing Aspirations Redefining Music while Enticing a Nation,’ is made up of three beautiful women. The founding members are Brittany and Roxie, who are two childhood friends from Baltimore MD, and they were later joined by Texas native, Lana.

Having asked the girls how they’ve been able to survive in this brutal industry for so long, they replied, “We really have an understanding of the music business being a business,” which is important in today’s music. The girls are involved in all aspects of their careers from approving tracks and writing lyrics to being closely involved with their manager, Christal McClendon, who was also present during the interview.

C.A.R.M.E.N. is not just three pretty faces and not your typical R&B girl group; these girls have plenty of style and attitude. “Our style is very eclectic, and we do have traditional R&B tracks. We also do Hip Hop, Rock, and Punk songs as well,” said the group in unison as we lounged and chatted. That quote is very fitting since they’ve been inspired by such female powerhouse artists like Pink, Kelis, and others. I asked the girls where I could hear some of their music and they said, “Right here,” and started to belt out Jodeci’s ‘Feenin’ right there in the restaurant! It was a wonderful experience. Not only did the group have one of the strongest harmonies I’d ever heard, I also heard each individual’s powerful voice. It was amazing, and by the time they were finished, all three floors of the Baltimore restaurant were roaring in ovation.

We ordered a round of drinks, and we began to really get to know each other. They’ve been very busy in the past few years having performed at Showtime at the APOLLO, and a tour with platinum recording artist, Mya. They opened for Bad Boy recording artist, B5, and former Roc-A-Fella recording artist Tierra Marie at the Lyric Opera House in Baltimore. The group’s long road of ‘paying their dues’ did not go unnoticed; the girls were offered a deal and signed to Atlantic records. Unfortunately, they were dropped from the label. Knowing that was quite a devastating blow and something that was tough to deal with, one question arose in my mind and forced its way out of my mouth, and it was, “How did you girls deal with it?”

“It was hard and sad, but we just got over it! We really didn’t have a choice except to keep on going,” replied Roxie. Who would expect anything different from this very confident and determined trio? Lana added, “We want to take it to the top!” “They really didn’t know what to do with us, and they were focused on their present artist at the time,” said Brittaney. That huge disappointment does not stop the girls from believing they will be signed again.

As we sat there and continued to chitchat over our cocktails, the girls were very warm and open. They were willing to share their personalities and lives with me, and seeing this made me realize that these three very different individuals have to spend an awful lot of time together, yet they’ve been together for seven years. The girls explained, “We never fight, we are all close, we know when someone needs space, and we respect that.” Hearing that made me think it was very commendable because after that amount of time most would break under the pressure of personal lives and business. As women so dedicated to their craft, I wondered if they had any plans of family, or if boyfriends are an issue. Roxie said, “I definitely want a family some day, and when the time comes that’s what I’m going to do.” Lana said she also wanted kids one day, and Brittaney has a beau in her life. “He totally understands my job and he is very understanding,” says Brittaney.

After a while we finally noticed the time. We’d been talking and having such a great time, and it felt as if we’d known each other well before this interview. We exchanged hugs, and all parted our ways in separate vehicles. With such creative spirit, raw God given talent, and wonderful personalities to match, we have no doubt that these females will be super stars in the very near future. So we proudly present C.A.R.M.E.N. as your artist to know.

by Niyeka Harris

“Claire Hux is more than music, it’s a movement”, says DLake, MC and half of the ultra futuristic and highly entertaining sonic duo. Claire Hux first came to fruition during a 2004 party where rapper DLake was working as a DJ. At the party, DLake invited singer, Symbol, to collaborate on a few songs; asking him to smooth out the tracks with his velvety vocals. The chemistry was instant, the performance electric; Symbol and DLake had discovered magic. “It was a really good reception to the first show, but we needed something better than Symbol and DLake”, says DLake. After a few messages back and forth over Instant Messenger, they finally came up with the name Claire Huxtable, which, for legal reasons, had to be shortened to “Claire Hux.”

Flashback, if you will, to the 1980′s sitcom, The Cosby Show. The character, Claire Huxtable, was an outstanding attorney, wife, and mother; the foundation of the iconic Cosby family. However, Claire Hux’s music does not reflect the innocence of its namesake, rather far from it. Their music is live and raw with topics that span from smoking weed to having sex after a night out at the club. When asked what makes them different from other groups, the answer given was surprisingly honest. “I don’t know too many people that got balls big enough to get on stage with some leopard skin tight pants, white makeup, bow tie, suspenders, and still pull the ladies” says lead singer, Symbol. “What separates us? That’s to be determined; you [the listener] got to decide. The only thing I like to do is entertain. I want you to have fun. I want to entertain you.”

Trying to determine what makes Claire Hux different from their fellow artist is easier than searching for invisible similarities. These hipsters say that their music falls under the category of “genre-less music.” However, for all intensive purposes, and the unequivocal need for the“real world” to classify music, one would say that Claire Hux is a mixture of Baltimore club, 80’s Retro, Electro, Hip-Hop, and Pop, laced with an array of pulsing synthetic beats. They are in the lab without the pen and the pad. “I don’t only want to make you dance,” says Claire Hux’s Symbol. “I want to make you have sex too!”

Claire Hux’s ambitions are not limited to entertaining the masses; they are actively preparing for complete and utter world domination. “We want to take over all forms of music and entertainment,” says DLake. “We got a lot to prove because people don’t know us yet .. that’s what keeps me hungry”. Claire Hux continues to work hard for their fans, making music that is new and innovative. “When you wake up in the morning, I want you humming my song. When you’re going to bed, I want you to do the same thing. I just want to take your soul,” says Symbol.

Capturing souls and the entire world will not keep Claire Hux from remembering their roots. They are inspired by greats like Prince, P-Funk, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Scottie B, and others. “Back in the day when I was coming up, everyone I looked up to were entertainers. You didn’t see anyone back in the coffee shop with jeans and a tee-shirt trying to sell you their shit,” says Symbol. Claire Hux holds themselves to a higher standard above most artists in any genre. They believe in giving the audience what they paid for, a unique experience they could only get at a Claire Hux concert. As Symbol said so eloquently, “Put the balls to the wall and let it all hang out.”

Check out the new Claire Hux mix-tape that dropped May 23 called “Claire Hux presents Black is the New Wet”. Don’t forget to listen to a few tracks; it’s something good to bob your head to.

by Jessica Mason

Robotic and percussive are two words that a local beat boxer would describe his work as being. That beat boxer is Shodekeh, hailing from Baltimore and those two words are pale in comparision to what he actually can do. Shodekeh realized his gift at the tender age of eight years old, back in the eighties when beat boxing was at it’s peak of popularity. Inspired by Dougie Fresh, Biz Markie and Rozelle; Shodekeh proves that he could very well belong to that elite group.

By James Tibbs