"Mid90s opens with a wide shot of a long hallway in a traditional home in complete silence. Then, in what seems like a fraction of a second, we meet our young protagonist bolting out of, presumably, his brother's room. His older brother immediately catches him and beats the living shit out of him. With each punch the sound breaks through the theater at a pitch and bass level purposely set to cause discomfort.
And I'm sitting there thinking, 'Jonah hill wrote and directed this?'
Mid90s is Jonah Hill's filmmaking debut, and with it he takes a distinct and significant step forward in his career. We are seeing a lot of skate content at the moment, but Jonah's Mid90s is not limited to that. It isn't at all a cute, coming-of-age, awkward-boy-finds-his-family-dreams-and-purpose-through-skating type flick. It's rough, it's poignant, gritty, ugly; it’s downright wrong in certain moments. But it's the truth, and he wouldn't want it any other way."
Photos and Interview by Joseph Charles Viola
"As the voice behind Snail Mail, Jordan did not anticipate the attention and acclaim she’s since received... as those songs unfold in my headphones, I can hear the gears of both her and my mind turning, attempting to find logic and sense behind the struggles we all face in our queer, adolescent upbringing.
And while many times there are no answers, Lindsay Jordan writes music to fill that gap with something—anything—that can help provide that necessary closure to move forward. Lush, her most recent and first full-length album, does exactly that."
Photos and Interview by Joseph Charles Viola
"Cass is a pioneer in photography, pushing sexuality beyond overt eroticism. Whether in her commercial work or on Instagram, she invites a sensory experience that is both emotional and energetic, which has carried her career. In Bed is Bird stripped down, doors all open. Cass shares a fearless invitation— office sought her insight."
Interview by Joseph Charles Viola
"The MTA had me running late as usual, so Haley, AKA Sloppy Jane, stopped by a local thrift store to kill time. She later mentioned going back to grab a record she had to have: the Mickey Mouse Disco LP. Meanwhile, she's still topless and covered in blue "vomit"—a concoction she makes herself and that plays a vital role in her project.
...Elements one can expect from her passionately visceral performances: guitar, drums, xylophone, slide whistle, laughter, choir vocals, a rotting suit, television, ruby red slippers, vomiting blue dye... An articulate, intelligent, and quite wild woman, she utilizes the fiery curiosity and unaffected spirit within children to combat the weight of the world and navigate the creative spaces in her head: "a strip club, a sitcom, a playground, and a house of God."
Photos and Interview by Joseph Charles Viola
"The NYC Pride Parade is among the largest, longest-standing LGBTQ+ community gatherings. Alongside its growth each year, there has also been an evident increase in corporate backing and commercialization...
So, rather than head to Stonewall on Sunday, we set out to the NYC Dyke March, described as ‘not a parade.’ It is a protest for the ‘self-proclaimed Dykes’ of the community. While celebratory, it is mindful of present societal issues, understanding that we can enjoy how far we have come and fight back concurrently."
Photos and text by Joseph Charles Viola
"Raul Lopez continues his journey of breaking the mold with his Luar F/W18 collection. Pieces of Me consisted of eighteen menswear and womenswear looks, altogether acting as an abolition of the traditional notions of femininity.
The conceptual take on feminine and masculine composition exuded a blatant disregard and an other-worldly 'fuck you' to the aspects of conformity that hold us back from our — as he dubbed it — 'paths of truth.'"
Photos and Interview by Joseph Charles Viola
"Frances Quinlan's voice is fascinating. It wields a power that alludes to the strong women preceding her—the raspiness of Janis, the honesty of Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette—yet is still impossible to define. Because while the references heard through her belts and howls are endless, her sound truly is her own. You still may not even know who she is.
Hop Along... With the release of their most recent record, Bark Your Head Off, Dog—another intense, vulnerable triumph with a refreshingly quirky sound—office sat down for a chat a day before their biggest show to date: selling out Brooklyn Steel."
Photos and Interview by Joseph Charles Viola