3 Feet High & Rising: Pittsburgh Post-punk/New Wave Band Chantillion Re-emerge with New EP "Great set! Lotta energy" (self-released)

Pittsburgh-based Post-punk/New Wave band Chantillion aren't exactly a new/"rising" artist, as this column's title might suggest—they've been active since releasing 2017 single "Brassque"—but they are, in fact, new to these digital pages of The Witzard. Chantillion's line-up consists of Amos Levy on "lead synthesizer," Jackson O'Connell-Barlow on synth/vocals, Justin Pelissero on bass guitar, and Gregg Weber on drums. O'Connell-Barlow is a frequent collaborator and affiliate of Shark Tank's Height Keech & Mickey "Free" Freeland. Jackson O'Connell-Barlow currently has an active solo project dubbed MRS.PAINTBRUSH and was once in a Hip-Hop group called Grand Buffet with Jarrod Weeks AKA Lord Grunge from Shark Tank, as well. During their Grand Buffet heyday, Jackson & Jarrod were commonly refereed to as Mr. Pennsylvania, Nate Kukla & Plaps and Fred Durts, Matt Kukla & Viceroy, respectively. Weber previously drummed with Cyrus Gold and Glow In The Dark, while Pelissero played with Cyrus Gold, as well as Miracle Worker.

Chantillion's musical output, thus far, at least, is a bit more Post-punk/New Wave/World music-leaning, as opposed to Jackson O'Connell-Barlow's previous Hip-Hip/Indie Rock-leaning output with Grand Buffet. Their music is, also, commonly labelled as "Hardstyle" (ie: EDM/Electronic?) "Pittsburgh," and "Rock" on Bandcamp, as well. "CHANTILLION was born out of an interest that both I & Gregg (drummer) had in creating a Post-punk-ish band that lacked rhythm or lead guitar. I'd always wanted to collaborate with him sometime because he's such a physical player, I knew it would be a loud, cathartic experience," Jackson O'Connell-Barlow recently told The Witzard, via email. As O'Connell-Barlow explains it: Gregg Weber recruited his frequent collaborator, Justin Pelissero, to fulfill bass guitar duties; while Jackson recruited Amos Levy, an accomplished Pittsburgh-area Hip-Hop DJ and producer around town then-known as DJ Thermos, who always wanted to play synth in a live band. "It's a fun project for me to put ideas that'd never work in the context of my more eclectic home studio project," Jackson O'Connell-Barlow further explains.

Chantillion have previously self-released two singles, "Brassque" & "CROWS '87," as well as a 2018 EP laughably titled For Those About to Rock / We Will Sue You. Now, Chantillion have returned with an equally-awesome 3-track EP fittingly dubbed "Great set! Lotta energy," which, I'm guessing, was named in honor of a favorable review of a live gig. Although, clocking in at a brief 16 minutes total, Chantillion's "Great set! Lotta energy" explores a multitude of styles, sonic textures, and studio trickery. I would, personally compare it to something somewhere in-between Scissor Sisters and Franz Ferdinand. Honestly, one of the finer non-musical moments throughout the EP takes place after the main musical section of closing track "Jamminator," wherein someone suddenly exclaims, "Oh, f**k yeah, brother! It's the weekend! You know what that means... Brewdog and some HAMMM-BURGERS! HAMBURGERS AND HOT-HOT-HOTDOGS!!!" and then, "I LIKE FOOTBALL... I LIKE BASEBALL... WE LIKE BASKETBALL!" Chantillion's latest EP, "Great set! Lotta energy" is currently available to stream, purchase, or download at your leisure on Bandcamp.

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of...

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra...

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel...

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