Joshua Chase Miller's New EP Made Me Cry in my Car in a Good Way

Morning commutes suck. Sitting in traffic on 95 south is not exactly my favorite way to pass time, but it does give me time to listen to new music. Usually if I’m crying while driving to work, they’re angry tears, but this morning they were emotional, uplifting tears caused by the beautiful new EP, Mend, by Joshua Chase Miller. Sixty seconds into the first song and I’m already feeling some sort of way. I haven’t even had time to process the lyrics or the meaning, but the song is already eliciting an emotional response from me. That’s how ya know it’s a good one.

We were lucky enough to chat with Josh about Mend, the meaning behind the lyrics and what he hopes people get out of his music! Each song is very unique but also cohesive in how they feel throughout the EP. Josh tells us the the songs were all written at different times over a couple years but they definitely all have a common thread. And while the songs sound like they are addressing another person, they are actually conversations that Josh feels he needs to have with himself. “All of the songs are somewhat about reflection and trying to figure out how to make a situation better for yourself, no matter what that situation may be.” Interestingly, the main themes that Josh addresses are self reflection and coping mechanisms, writing the songs themselves is almost a form of therapy.

I think that the lyrics allow the listener to apply their own meaning to each song. The exact story or situation is not obvious and laid out for you, and that is Josh’s intention. “The main thing I hope people get out of listening to my music is whatever they’re looking for, whether it be hope, solace, self reflection, etc.” It’s like free therapy for us lucky listeners!

Everything about Mend is beautiful. The lyrics, the singing, the instrumental arrangements, it all comes together to create a mood altering experience. Josh tells us that it was absolutely a group effort when it came to recording, “My buddy Allen Tate produced the EP and basically did whatever he needed to do to help me get out of my head, and bring the songs to life. Tyler McDiarmid engineered the EP and I’m so thankful for that. He was so great to work with and knew exactly what needed to be done to achieve the sound we wanted for the EP. Michael Hanf did all of the percussion on the songs. He’s one of my favorite drummers so it was a huge honor to have him on the EP. Stephen Chen played baritone sax on everything, and John Brandon played trumpet. Their ability to play their instruments is seriously unreal. They were able to work with me and figure out some of the ridiculous charts I wrote up (sorry guys). After everything was done with tracking, Kyle Joseph mixed and mastered the EP. I went into his studio and I was able to just sit back and listen to his mixes and I was absolutely floored. Having this cast of people working with me HUGELY influenced how this EP turned out. Originally “Visitors” didn’t have any drums on it. He had Mike just go nuts on the drum kit at the end and that was clearly the right choice.They’re all so good at what they do, and beyond capable of doing what was needed, and it was an honor to work with them.”

Josh’s EP release show is tomorrow night (September 21) at Bourbon and Branch with Rubber and Sophie Coran!! Find tickets here, and listen the Mend here!!

Philly Music Fest Builds Community

In advance of this year’s Philly Music Fest, Cherry-Veen Zine spoke to Greg Seltzer, the festival’s founder, to get the inside scoop. This year, the festival will be hosted from September 25-28th at Milkboy, Johnny Brenda’s, and World Cafe Live, and will feature zine favorites Sixteen Jackies, Ali Awan, Foxtrot & the Getdown, Petal, Thin Lips, and many more. The impressive lineup for Philly Music Fest is a cross-section of the local scene. An avid concert-goer himself, Greg says the bands he chose to play are not only some of his personal favorites, but represent the diversity in background and genre that Philly has to offer. “It’s really important that this isn’t just an indie rock music festival,” Greg says. When he invited supergroup Sun Ra Arkestra to play, he knew they’d be one of the few jazz bands to perform. “The connective tissue of this festival is not genre. The connective tissue of Philly Music Fest is Philly,” says Greg.

Greg Seltzer, like many of the behind-the-scenes actors in the Philly music industry, does not have a background in entertainment. He started his career as an accountant, then went back to school to become a business lawyer. Now, he spends most of his time advising large and small businesses on law and contracts. Organizing Philly Music Fest, therefore, is a passion project for Greg. As a Philly resident, he recognizes the talent in this city and wants to highlight it. His background in business adds a unique perspective to the industry. Unlike other festivals, Philly Music Fest has no promotional fees, no employees, and is able to keep costs low while still compensating the artists above market rates. All the proceeds from ticket sales are donated back to musical education charities in the city.

Greg describes the mission of Philly Music Festival as a cycle. It starts by highlighting and supporting current bands, and ends with investing in the next generation of musicians in Philadelphia. Funding for public music education programs in Philly schools has been drastically cut over the last decade. This not only decreases the number of career musicians Philly will produce in the future, but also denies school children a healthy outlet for stress and creativity. Musical charities like Live Connections and Rock to the Future do their best to fill the void left by budget cuts in music education, but they’re severely underfunded. Last year, Philly Music Festival raised $25,000 for these charities, and hopes to exceed that number this year. “It’s all about investing money back into the kids who are going to be the next musicians in our city,” Greg says.

Another admirable quality of Philly Music Fest is its emphasis on community-building. The festival features not only local musicians, but food and beverage suppliers as well. All thirty taps at World Cafe Live are taken over by local breweries such as Victory, Conshohocken, and Levante. Stateside Vodka and Revivalist Gin are also contributing to the beverage program. La Colombe, Federal Donuts, and Di Bruno Bros. will all be donating food for the event. The generosity of so many of these companies was inspired by Philly Music Fest’s mission, because as it turns out, “so many of these places happen to be run by people who deeply love music,” says Greg.

Philly Music Fest also includes an opportunity for music fans to become more involved in the scene. “Inside Hustle” is a panel discussion hosted at World Cafe Live Saturday at 12:30 that features key voices in the music industry of Philadelphia. “The Philly music scene has a lot of parts, and it doesn’t always work together,” says Greg. The mission of events like “Inside Hustle,” therefore, is to bring together recording engineers, managers, agents, record labels, and music journalists alike. Greg hopes that Philly Music Fest will continue to inspire all actors in the music industry by promoting independent venues, highlighting new music, and encouraging collaboration. “Philly Music Fest is the anchor for all the pieces in music,” he says. Whether you’re an artist, a fan, or have any other role to play in the music scene, Philly Music Fest is for you. Cherry-Veen Zine will be there all four days, and we hope to see you there as well!

photo by Jenn Seltzer

Lylyly- "I Thought I was Dying (Same As Yesterday)

Released on August 29, Lylyly’s new music video for “I Thought That I Was Dying (Same as Yesterday)” has become one of CVZ’s favorites. The zine has always been intrigued by what Lylyly and frontwoman Emily Mineo produces. This video especially showcases Emily’s talent and adds layers of emotion to the song.