The end of a Monmouth University spring semester means Blue Hawk Records (BHR) will likely have some music planned. Just like in prior years, BHR is set to release an extended play (EP) vol. 27, titled “From the Basement” on April 24, before the official end of the semester. Produced through the Music & Theatre Arts Department’s Record Label Strategies class this gives students the experience of running their own record label. Overseen by professor and chair of the department, Joe Rapolla, the class is able to learn different aspects of marketing, branding, and distribution of music.
For this album the class hosted auditions in Woods Theatre choosing from 13 student artists. The class eventually picked three to record their originals in Asbury Park’s Lakehouse Recording Studios. This resulted in what the artists are describing as a harder rock oriented sound which captures the 90s basement vibe that can be seen on the album cover.
As for the three artists being featured on the EP, they include Blue Hawk Studio President, Cam Bacon and two bands, Soulstice and Uncle Eddie’s Ghost. The band, Soulstice is composed of singer, Kyla Wang; guitarists, Elijah Elias and Vincent Fazari; bassist, James Matthews; and drummer Michael Fazari. Uncle Eddie’s Ghost is made up of vocalists and guitarists, Will Horn and Alek Dursike; guitarist, Cam Bacon; drummer, Michael Kazigian; and bassist David Thomas II. In true BHR fashion, these bands are proof of constant collaboration.
“This Stage” by Bacon is the first track on the EP. This garage rock song was inspired by classic early 2000s rock bands like Jet, The Strokes, and The White Stripes. Bacon explained that he had an idea for a high energy song in his head and once he got the first few chords out, he knew it was something. As far as the meaning behind the track, Bacon said, “It’s a little bit about dealing with imposter syndrome, not feeling like you’re good enough at something even though you are told that you are.” But, he did point out, like any good artist would, that the interpretation is up to the listener.
While Bacon is the solo vocalist, he credits a lot of the creative work to his bandmates who added to the project. “After the song made the album, the five of us really added all of our own flair and personality to the song, and that’s why I don’t consider myself as the sole songwriter on the song but rather the five of us,” Bacon said. BHR music fans can also look forward to Bacon’s lyrics of, “When I leave this stage will you call out my name?/Some things you pray for, in another day it will change…”
The second song is “Memory Loss” by the band, Soulstice. Drummer Michael Fazari gave some insight to how the song came to be. He said, “My father wrote the song’s lyrics in response to the loss of his mother. At its heart, though, the song speaks to something more universal—the pain of losing those closest to us too soon, and the memories we never had the chance to make.” Fazari also described the song as a 1990s ballad with the chorus, “She’s got memory loss, I’ve got memory loss” that encompasses the heart of the song. The song was also incorporated into Fazari’s father’s latest documentary which is being screened on Sept. 19 at MU.
Fazari attributed his creativity to being able to collaborate in the positive music environment that BHR has created. He said, “My favorite part was working alongside my peers in a professional environment and contributing to a shared creative effort.” And he also enjoyed collaborating with his father and letting the emotional impact be shared with the audience through this song.
The final track on the EP is “Crush” by Uncle Eddie’s Ghost. Dursike, one of the guitarists and vocalists on the record, said that this song is about feeling like a kid when you have a crush on someone. He also admitted that it’s a tribute to his girlfriend, making this what I would dub an indie rock style love song. Like Bacon’s track, Dursike said that this was also inspired by bands like Axe and the Hatchetmen and The Strokes. The creative process between the band members was a lot of back and forth collaboration whether it was the verses or the bridge. And not to mention the obvious laughing and jokes that come with working with your friends.
Like the previous worthwhile student albums, this group of artists along with the BHR team have put in the time, effort, and creative energy to make a solid EP. With the consistent theme of 90s rock, this writer can hypothesize that “From The Basement” will be just as entertaining as the volumes of musical art created in past years within the talented walls of BHR.
