Spencer Fox ’11
Staff Writer
Last year, the Staples music scene was vibrant and alive, featuring artists as diverse as the crooning vocals of the short lived Sleeping Giants and the breakbeat-driven Bluebird Handwriting.
Most of these bands, however, were made up of members of the class of 2010, meaning that most groups dissipated after graduation last year.
That said, three Staples musicians are still making eclectic and enjoyable music; they are Andrew Medina ’12, Jake Shore ’13, and Ellen Kempner ’12.
Jake Shore has been seen on his Tim and Eric–inspired edits seen on Good Morning Staples, or perhaps by his patented hat, with the brim pointed in a prompt upwards 45 degree angle. However, the Staples sophomore is also a budding electronic music artist.
“[My music]’s weird. It might be unlistenable to some people,” Shore said. Shore’s music consists of distorted break beat rhythms, with arpeggiated synth leads layered on top to created a textural and pulsating groove.
Staples alum Mikey Holmes ’10, who was part of Bluebird Handwriting, was the one who helped Shore get on the road to producing such music. Shore’s contemporaries traffic in music of a different sort.
Ellen Kempner ’12 has done quite the job of establishing herself as the residential go-to folk singer of the Staples community.
Drawing influence from The Tallest Man on Earth, Elliott Smith, and Regina Spektor, her sincere brand of acoustic songwriting is a great foundation for this year’s Staples music scene.
Kempner is no stranger to Staples music; she has played a few shows with last year’s acoustic heavyweights Max Stampa-Brown ’10 and Jeffrey Cheng ’10. When asked about the benefits of being one of the last remaining musicians, Kempner said that she relished the lack of competition and the amount of legroom to establish her name.
On the other side of the spectrum, is Andrew Medina ’12, or as he is better known, Rada.
Medina, an aspiring rapper, is highly determined.
“This is something I’ve been dreaming for my entire life, since the first rap song I’ve ever heard. And I already consider it worth it. The fact that anyone listens at all definitely keeps me going,” Medina said.
Medina’s drive is not his only distinguishing factor; he also draws upon a long list of influential artists. He even claims to have compiled a list of over 100 artists that impact his songwriting.
Luckily, what the music scene lacks in numbers, in makes up for in diversity. Only time will tell if it can repeat the success of the past few years, but regardless of quantity, Staples’ remaining muscicians look promising.
