Sunday, August 22, 2010

NEW SUFJAN!


THANK YOU! Finally there's some no-nonsense new Sufjan!  You better finish up the 50 states project, Sufjan ...or else.  A word from his bandcamp:
All Delighted People is built around two different versions of Sufjan’s long-form epic ballad "All Delighted People," a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s "Sounds of Silence." Sounds delightful, yes! The song was originally workshopped on Sufjan’s previous tour in the fall of 2009. Other songs on the EP include the 17-minute guitar jam-for-single-mothers "Djohariah," and the gothic piano ballad "The Owl and the Tanager," a live-show mainstay (and Debbie Downer if you ask us; what’s it doing on a "Delighted" EP?). 

Raise Your Hands!

<a href="http://sufjanstevens.bandcamp.com/album/all-delighted-people-ep">All Delighted People (Original Version) by Sufjan Stevens</a>

Cee-lo Green Tears Up the Internet with F*ck You Single

Cee-Lo you lord.  This is for everyone out there who enjoys good music.


Mp3:

Monday, August 16, 2010

Top 10 Rappers: #4

#4: De La Soul
They're the real deal and some of the most underrated rappers of all time.  Started in 1987, De La Soul would eventually prove crucial in influencing some of the biggest players in the game today like Mos Def and The Black Eyed Peas, placing them among the godfathers of modern rap, while garnering heavy criticism and marginal, fluctuating success themselves.  The best thing about Posdnuos, Trugoy, and Maseo is that they continue to update their sound and style with every new album.  They rarely retread over old material.  With their debut album 3 Feet High and Rising and lead single "Me Myself and I" you get the classic late 80s/early 90s, sing-songy, Fresh Prince style, which is so laughable now but still cool in a retro way.

There's some of the same on their sophomore De La Soul is Dead.  "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)" is in the same vein as "Me Myself and I" but they also come out of the gates with "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa." It's an amazing song about a girl that gets abused by her father and plots to kill him.  Very creative and nuanced (he volunteers at Macy's as Santa, thus the title).  That was 1991 and that sh*t sounds like it could have been released tomorrow.

Then it's Buhloone Mindstate, which starts to incorporate some new jazzy sonic architecture and is one of my favorite albums.  It even features a full instrumental sax solo (no rapping) called "I Be Blowin,'" which yall should grab and drive to (preferably in the early morning or late night) immediately.  Or listen to "I Am I Be," because it's just poetry:

But it's a must to decipher one's queen 
from a worm who plays groupie and spreads around the bad germ
I cherish the twilight 
I maximize, 
My soul is the right size 
I watch for the power to run out on the moon 
(And that'll be sometime soon)

This song is one of De La's most introspective and my favorite on the album.  You should also check out the lead single "Breakadawn" with the MJ and Smokey samples to make you jizz your pants.

With their 4th LP, Steaks is High, the modern sound briefly encountered in "Millie" is expanded and becomes De La's definitive sound.  Good god, all you need is the title track (produced by J DIlla!!!).  I'm gonna say it again: sounds like it was released tomorrow.  "ITSOWEEZEE (HOT)" is a mixture of People Under the Stairs (on the verse) and Kid Cudi (on the chorus).  And, again, this is '96!  Listen to that sh*t! It's crazy. Did Cudi just hear this song and try to build a career off it???  Pay some homage, man!

And then we got the two AOI albums and The Grind Date.  I don't even need to tout these albums; if you're a real hip-hop fan you already know how good they are.  But check out "Oooh" and "Thru Ya City" (another Dilla jam) off Mosaic Thump, "Held Down" off Bionix, and "Rock Co. Cane Flow" off Grind State.

De La Soul are amazing lyricists and producers.  But what makes them so good is their fearlessness in trying new ideas and new sounds.  It pays off in a big way.  


Rock Co. Kane Flow
 Rock Co. Kane Flow-De La Soul by TheBoyandColors 

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Top 10 Rappers: #5

#5: The Knux
Now these dudes are some crazy nerds from New Orleans.  They actually got displaced during Katrina and wound up in Los Angeles, making a big splash with their live instrument garage-rock and hip-hop skills (they were both in the school band in high school, playing brass).  What's cool is they do both; one track will feature the craziest flow you've ever heard and then the next one will be them trying to sound like The Strokes, which is kind of tight in a cutesy amateur way.  I tend to ignore those songs for the most part though.  It's kinda like when B.o.B does his whole acoustic guitar Keane bullsh**, it's like, "I don't care that you know how to use a capo!  Just stick to rap!"  They also have a kinda Outkast, sing-song rapping style, which is refreshing to hear these days, gotta love melody.  But seriously these guys know what they're doing in the rap/hip-hop department.  And they're live shows are phenomenal.  Here's a little snippet of an interview with them where they try to explain their ability to inject raw energy into their crowds:  

Krispy: Anytime we get invited to anything we goin' do it to
Krispy and Joey: 100%
Joey: No too cool for school sh*t, man.
Krispy: I don't give a f**k if we first, last, none of that extra, like, prima donna stuff.  Numbers that rock hard to ya nose, punk, old-school hip-hop, raw punch ya in the face aggression.

That pretty much sums it up.  Remember what I said before about Kanye and Dre not having the greatest lyrical prowess, but instead creating fantastic soundscapes with mass appeal?  The Knux do that... and rock the mic at the same time, making them a force to be reckoned with.  The best examples of this are their songs: "Bang! Bang!" "Cappuccino," and "The True."  They're all sonically pleasing while at the same time lyrically complex.  They're pretty funny, too.  One "Bang! Bang!" lyric goes: "Your job, yes, ya ho-jocker/ Put that pop on ya like Redenbacher!"  Seriously though, mastery: "Runnin from the rollers/ Heat is for haters up in the holsters/ Mash on these miniature mafia toy soldiers/ My purpose is to apply the pressure to pu**y ni**ers and puppets that perpetrate what I demonstrate he opposes/ I told ya/ Ripping them records like I'm supposed ta..." It goes on.  He has like seven more rhymes for the same word.  That was off "The True."  Keep an eye on these guys.  They're gonna be huge in a few years.  Pick up "Remind Me in Three Days..." if you haven't already.  

P.S.
Y'all should check out/download (for FREE) their new EP here:

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Top 10 Rappers: #6

#6: People Under the Stairs

As a native Angelino, I might be a little biased, but PUTS is where it's at.  Like Kanye and Dre, Thes One and Double K are rapper/producers.  They're decent lyricists, but not amazing.  Instead, their appeal lies in their deference to the hip-hop styles and artists that came before them, as well as their unique production.  PUTS is one of the few groups these days spouting true hip-hop.  You won't find any Daft Punk samples here.  Thes and Double throw down chilled out, jazz-influenced grooves and beats similar to De La Soul circa Buhloone Mindstate while rapping in classic Nice & Smooth throwback essence, yet still maintain their own modern sound.  The "O.S.T." is their masterpiece and features Sugar Hill Gang-esque "Hang Loose," Tribe Called Quest tribute "The Outrage," the chillest song on earth "Montego Slay," Los Angeles love "L.A. Song," and, of course, "Acid Raindrops."  They cover so many different sounds and genres, adding their own flavor and using L.A. as the glue that holds it altogether.  The "O.S.T." is a must-have for Los Angeles residents.  

Montego Slay

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Up-And-Comers: Rich Kid Sound System


Rich Kid Sound System is an emerging indie rock/rap genre clash. On their debut single, founding members Q and Leo along with band members Freezy and Danny serve up fresh indie rap with Q using a Kanye-flow affectation on the verse with bass and piano banging and Leo adding in a catchy chorus as synth bubbles around him.  It's a breath of fresh air and a great new sound.  Some of the lyrics are a little cheesy: "A little bit of time never hurt no one/ A little bit of work just to get things done/ You gotta slow it down if you on the run."  But the verses are A LOT better, and it's forgivable because the song's just so goddamn catchy.  Another redeeming quality is that these guys actually play all their instruments live for shows instead of relying on a dj model.  Really cool stuff.  They're currently recording their debut album.  Look for it to drop later this year.

Here's "A Little Bit of Time" : 
 A Little Bit of Time-Rich Kid Sound System by TheBoyandColors 

Top 10 Rappers: #8

#8: Aesop Rock
Let me say this before people start sending me hate mail; you're not gonna find people like 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, The Game, etc. on this list.  Those guys aren't good. Just an FYI.

While this dude has some amazing work to his name, I'm throwing him on here for one reason and that's "None Shall Pass."  I think it's maybe the most lyrically complex rap to come out for years.  The rhymes are just weird: "Colorfully vulgar poacher out of mulch/ Like 'I'm 'a pull the pulse out a soldier and bolt'/ Fine, sign of the time we elapse/ When a primate climb up a spine and attach."  I'm still trying to figure out the exact meaning of the song, but from what I can tell it's a very convoluted commentary on modern day rap: "What are we, to heart Huckabee are fuckery suddenly."  I think that's a stab at artists like Kanye who try to be cultured and esoteric by suddenly going to fashion shows and posting Basquiat paintings and architectural pictures on their blogs, when they either have no idea what they're talking about or are interested in the most shallow, purely monetary and faux-classy way.  It's hidden under layers of rhetoric, but Aesop has a lot to say if you look hard enough.    

Here it is: godly.

And here's an AWESOME REMIX (using Passion Pit's Sleepyhead) 

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Top 10 Rappers: #9

#9: Eminem



Here's another rapper that I NEED to acknowledge before we get into the heart of this list.  Everyone bags on him, I certainly don't think he's the best rapper, but Em has f**king skills!! How can anyone deny that?! I understand if you just don't like his music or don't like his recent material (I'm right there with you), but you have to admit the man is a lyrical genius.  I mean jesus hasn't everyone heard the Despicable Rap? And c'mon, The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP  are two of the greatest hip-hop records of all time.  Em's strength lies in his ability to infuse his life and pain into his work.  No I'm not talking about "The Real Slim Shady."  I'm talking about songs like "Stan" and "The Way I Am."  Sadly he hasn't really been going for the visceral lately.  Recovery is a step towards it, but it's too goddamn trendy, with f••king Rihanna and P!nk.  God! Sh•t drives me crazy. Whatever. #9

Also "'97 Bonnie and Clyde" is one of the gnarliest songs out there.  It's pretty much the song that got him in trouble with everyone.  I think it's amazing, like a more morbid Bruno, pushing the boundaries of what can be released and mass-produced today.  

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Top 10 Rappers: #10

Side Note: So I originally started writing this as one post, but as the days turned into weeks and the post got longer and longer it became clear that it would have to be broken up.  So here we go part 1 of the Top 10 Rappers series.

#10 Dr. Dre



Ok, this list HAS to start with Dre.  While he might not have the sickest lyrical skills on the mic, he is one of the founders of the West Coast sound and has two of the best hip-hop albums to his name in the form of "The Chronic" and "The Chronic 2001."  Both are masterpieces.  Along with J-Dilla, Dre is one of the godfathers of modern beats.  His work with Eminem among others as a producer is legendary.  He is truly the original Kanye: a man who doesn't especially focus on lyrical mastery but instead creates an atmosphere of easily accessible sounds and vibes with mass appeal. But the fact that he has been able to do this with a genre as alienating as gangsta rap (which he along with the other members of N.W.A. pretty much invented) is even more impressive than what Kanye is doing today.



Sunday, August 1, 2010

Kitsune Perfects Electronic Compilation



My friends over at the at Kitsuné have recently released another fantastic club/electro compilation.  Entitled "Kitsuné: Gildas and Masaya - Tokyo" after the creators of the Kitsuné label Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki's Tokyo sessions, this pulse pounding mix is a feeling of pure enjoyment that spreads throughout your body causing involuntary dancing and mind orgasms.  The music is perfect whether you're in the club or in the car.  Personally, I don't go anywhere after 9pm without it blasting.  The album features a slew of remixes woven in with original songs.  As with any good electro mix, the songs merge and dissipate seamlessly; sometimes you won't know where one song ends and the next begins.

I'm gonna point out a couple tracks here (although they're all amazing):

First, check out "Starlighter" by Jupiter.  I'd never heard of them until recently but they're tearing it up these days.  They haven't really put out a bad song to date.  Just don't get them confused with the other Jupiter on iTunes (they're a bad disco cover band).  

I think we've all gotten a little tired of Phoenix these days.  I know I have.  But this remix of Lisztomania really revitalizes the song and makes it sound fresh.  Listening to it will produce the same glee that you felt when you first heard the song, you know, before it got played 1,356,798,800,238,000 times!

Which segways right into another of my favorites "Back Down (Cut Copy Jackmaster Remix)."  Munk is just pure genius.  If you haven't already, check out their song "Down in L.A. (Shazam Remix)."  It's a must have for L.A. residents and an awesome song for non-Angelinos as well.  Their latest album is called "Cloudbuster," which is good, but I'd recommend getting the remixes of those songs.  And Cut Copy just goes to town on this with some throbbing piano, ambient sonic architecture and a lot of cowbell.

Last of my favorites is the one you can't buy individually.  You have to drop down for the whole album in order to hear the magical wonder of "Rich Girls (The Twelves Remix)."  Normally, I'd say not to buy an album for one song, but since the actual album is sooooo good (and since it's a mix that needs to be heard in it's entirety), I have to recommend buying the entire thing.  God "Rich Girls" is already a great song by itself just enhanced to heaven by The Twelves.  Seriously just jump to 55.50 on the soundcloud mp3 and listen to it.  

Track List: 
1 - Softwar  Colour Flight
2 - Jupiter Starlighter
3 - Two Door Cinema Club  I Can Talk (Moulinex Remix)
4 - Logo  La vie Moderne
5 - Friendly Fires Paris (Aeroplane Remix)
6 - Phoenix  Lisztomania (Holy Ghost! Loves Paris Remixomania)
7 - Munk Back Down (Cut Copy Jackmaster Remix)
8 - Pony Pony Run Run Hey You (Crystal Fighters Remix)
9 - Daniel Haaksman Pobum Coco
10 - Les Gillettes Pompeii
11 - Yelle  Qui Est Cette Fille
12 - Heartsrevolution  CYOA (80Kidz remix)
13 - Jennifer Delano  Amsterdam (Looking for a Spot) (RipTidE Remix)
14 - Crystal Fighters  I Love London (In Flagranti dub)
15 - Classixx feat. Jeppe  I'll Get You
16 - The Virgins Rich Girls (The Twelve Remix)   
17 - The Good Natured  Your Body is a Machine (Zebra and Snake Remix)


Here's the entire set:

Friday, July 23, 2010



This track is the sex:

Electric Daisy Carnival Breakdown


One girl overdoses and everyone goes crazy. Raves are on the hotseat these days so I thought it timely to post the EDC review that my school chums did recently:
Apes With Barrels: EEDEESEE

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Saw this on IndieBlogHeaven.  Gotta love Jack White. Check it out:



http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834520f5d69e2013485989668970c

Grab ceo's "Come With Me" For Free!


Finally, iTunes puts up a good Single of the Week.  Mr. ceo would like you to download it: iTunes Link

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Wolf Parade: Expo 86 Review


"Expo 86" is the third studio album from Canadasian-rock marauders Wolf Parade.  The new LP   is defined by its cohesion between songwriters Dan Boeckner (guitar) and Spencer Krug (keys).  On previous albums "At Mount Zoomer" and "Apologies to Queen Mary," the songs sounded very hollow, isolationist, as if Krug and Boekner were clashing and competing to be heard on every song, or if they weren't competing they sounded absent or bored on the tracks that weren't theirs.  "Expo" is the first time that Wolf Parade has sounded like a BAND, which isn't necessarily good or bad.

It all starts with Krug's "Cloud Shadow On the Mountain" which sounds remarkably similar to Black Sabbath's "Paranoid."  I'll put them up at the bottom so you can compare them.  You might not hear it at first, but they have the exact same drumbeat, tempo, and a very similar structure.  Listening to the song, there comes a part where I'm waiting for that famous riff that is played at the end of Paranoid's verses (on "pa-ci-fy" and "sa-tis-fy, here they should land on "find your horns" and "scorpion" but, alas, they don't *sigh*).  Anyways the song is great, very weird lyrics about scorpions and dreamcatchers.  Looks like Krug's gotten into peyote recently (aka again and all the time lol).

Then comes Boeckner's "Palm Road," a fairly straightforward song about watching the apocalypse from an island.  Cool stuff.  These two tracks are pretty good examples of the Wolf Parade from Mount Zoomer and reminiscent of some the work off "Apologies."  I agree with Pitchfork's review here that the examples of band cohesion start after "Palm Road."  It's interesting that the first two songs talk about a dream of being reborn and the destruction of society.  Perhaps these are conscious metaphors for Wolf Parade's inception of a new musical approach and the destruction of their old one on "Expo."  The reason I say this is because the cohesion is so apparent from this point on that it seems weird to me that there would just be two isolationist tracks at the beginning that don't fit in with the rest at all.  Maybe it's bullsh**. Whatever.

Anyways then it's Krug's "What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had to Go This Way)," which is driven by a pulsating Boeckner riff and classic affected Krug lyrics.  Krug accentuates the mood with ethereal synths and the drums keep pounding.  There's an annoying breakdown in the middle, which gets tedious. But it's a fine track and a  great example of the two working together.  Cool lyric: "I've got a sandcastle heart/ made out of fine, black sand./ Sometimes it turns into glass/ when shit gets hot."

Boeckner's "Little Golden Age" takes the inverse approach:  driving synth, accentuated by a simple guitar riff and nuanced and personal lyrics from Boeckner about drinking and waiting for things to be perfect and then it never lasts.  He sings "Freeze, freeze, freeze Little Golden Age."  Time is fleeting.  One of the best songs on the album.

Then it's Krug's "In the Direction of the Moon."  It sounds cool, cohesion and everything blah blah blah.  It's alright. Nothing great here.

Finally it's time for "Ghost Pressure," my favorite song on the album solely because it has the coolest synth part in the world.  Boeckner howls "Little vision come shake me up, shake me up!" and finally at the end Krug chimes in and the two close it out together.  They rarely sing together, so it's awesome to hear.

"Poboy's Nerfect," besides the really stupid title, is cool jam and has one of the simplest song structures I've heard from Wolf Parade.  Coolest line on the album: "...built this city on cocaine lasers."

"Two Men in Tuxedos" SUCKS!

"Oh You, Old Thing," has two great synths (and a Spanish guitar for a millisecond).  This is one of Krug's best on the album.

"Yulia" is the most anthemic and most epic song on the album while also being the second shortest.  You can imagine it being a crowd favorite at gigs, with the easy chant-chorus of "Yulia, Yulia, Yulia" which often reminds me of Elvis Costello's "Allison."  

And then there is the phenomenal Cavo-O-Sapien, where everyone just goes berzerk.  It's very punk-rock with crazy spastic vocals from Krug and complex riffs from Boeckner, featuring some Boeckner chanting and then Krug sings the guitar melody and I'm like WHAT WAS THAT?  and don't forget about the Cav-O-Sapien!!!!  IT'S CRAZY and tons of fun.

"But I've got you/ until you're gone..."

Now when you're comparing Wolf Parade's "Cloud Shadow On the Mountain" and Black Sabbath's "Paranoid," listen to "Cloud Shadow" from 0:23-0:34 seconds and then immediately listen to "Paranoid" from 0:12-0:24 seconds. Same drumbeat, same structure.  If you go back and listen to "Cloud Shadow" your mind will even fill in the "Paranoid" guitar riff at the ends of the verses. Pretty cool.

Cloud Shadow On the Mountain-Wolf Parade by TheBoyandColors

Black Sabbath - Paranoid by Stelios_K

Ghost Pressure-Wolf Parade by TheBoyandColors


Cave-O-Sapien-Wolf Parade by TheBoyandColors


Overall let's go with a 7.5 good vibes/10.

I'll Try Anything Once (But I'm Still Going with the Demo)


“I’ll Try Anything Once” is an early demo of what would eventually become The Stroke’s “You Only Live Once” off their third LP “First Impressions of Earth.”   This early version has been a fan favorite for ages and was released as a b-side on the “Heart in a Cage” single, but it’s hard to find and isn’t featured on iTunes or other online music retailers.  Recently, Julian Casablancas has released an EP entitled “Live from Electric Lady Studios, WRXP New York,” which features a live recording.  However, the latest take lacks the intimacy that is one of the demo’s main attractions.  Sofia Coppola agrees, choosing the demo version as the main musical accompaniment for the trailer of her latest film "Somewhere."


I'll Try Anything Once-Julian Casablancas by TheBoyandColors

Memory Tapes Messes With Your Mind


Memory Tapes is a puzzler.  His songs kind of have a Caribou-y Hot Chip-y feel but then throw in a little Neon Indian and season with 80s pop.  It’s an interesting concoction and it’s been a chore to try to pin it to a genre.  I guess the term is glo-fi or “chillwave.”  Toro y Moi are in the same camp.  In this case I think the genre isn’t important.  The sound is diverse weaving from post-dilla beats, to weird Flylo-esque samples, to indie pop, to world music, to house and electronic.  Part of the fun is tracing the songs as they morph and evolve over their duration.  Listen to “Bicycles” and “Stop Talking” and see for yourself. 


Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Magic Kids Keep the Endorphin Levels High with "Summer" Jam


“Summertime is for sweethearts” croons Bennett Foster in a velvety voice that sounds low but isn’t really before eventually launching into a Brian Wilson falsetto accompanied by orchestral strings which then fade away, allowing a wavering organ to slip in and out of tune and warble in playful youth and insanity. This track is a phenomenal ode to masters Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson.  Magic Kids are doing for orchestral pop what Sufjan Stevens did for orchestral folk: inventing it.  And it really is some of the freshest most interesting music I’ve heard lately.  Check out their single “Summer” and keep your eyes peeled when their album drops later this year.  

New Arcade Fire is Well-Received


Arcade Fire released two singles today from their upcoming third album entitled "The Suburbs."  The first is a double single featuring songs "The Suburbs" and "Month of May." These are two of the earliest virally-released songs off "Suburbs" and have been on the Arcade Fire myspace for some time.  Next is the "Ready to Start" single. Now, this one justifies the post title.  The song has already shot up to #10 on the iTunes Alternative Chart, surpassing Edward Sharpe's "Home" and Sky Sailing's "Captains of the Sky" and has reached #177 on the overall chart (that should tell you something about the state of the Alternative genre lol).  Good for them! Personally, I'm not really sure if I like the new songs.  I think "Ready to Start" is a great pulse-pounder, one of Arcade Fire's best (and maybe the only) high-energy rock songs.  But there's NO CHORUS! Oh Arcade Fire, you're only, yet really annoying, flaw. Write choruses!  On the other hand the song has some really cool lyrics: "Businessmen drink my blood/ like the kids in art school said they would."  I don't know what to think.

Ready to Start-Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire "Ready To Start" by OctopusWindmill

Monday, July 19, 2010

The Beat is Too Sick!



So I heard this beat a while ago (The Bully Plank by Paper Tiger) and was just waiting for someone to rap over it... well, no one did.  So I said, "Okay. I'll do it."  Here it is. Hope you like it.

P.S. "Ambushkas" means "ambushing babushkas," at least to me. (BTW if you wanna download the mp3, just click the downward facing arrow in the right sidebar of the soundcloud below. it's free.)

Heart Left in the Sand:
Heart Left in the Sand-The Boy and Colors by TheBoyandColors

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Summer of Surf Rock: Wavves, Japandroids, Surfer Blood, and More!


Summer 2010 is here and so are the music trends:

Trend #1: Surf Rock

Artists- 
Japandroids
Wavves
The Drums
The Soft Pack
Cloud Nothings
Male Bonding
Surfer Blood
The Young Veins


This list starts on the punk-ier side with Japandroids and Wavves, bands whose popularity among the likes of Pitchfork and Sterogum perplexes me; these are the same sites that utterly despise Blink-182.  Wavves and Japandroids have a VERY Blink-esque sound so why are they exempt?  My theory is that since garage-punk was so common and popular back in the 90s, it was easier to be "that guy" and rebel against it, listen to The White Stripes, and think you were cooler than everyone else.  But now that garage-punk is almost extinct, hearing a band like Wavves or Japandroids sounds fresh and cool.  But whatever, I've always been a Blink fan and as long as it isn't to emo-y I like the genre. More Kool-Aid!  

After that we transition to the pop-y-er side of surf rock: The Drums, The Soft Pack, and Cloud Nothings.  All three are very different.  The Drums are super upbeat with lots of energy and songs about Summer and surfing.  Soft Pack's strong suit is their simplicity; early on while listening I designated them the California-Strokes.  Now obviously, they're not nearly as good as the Strokes (most of their lyrics fall pretty flat) but it has that kind untampered-with, raw guitar-bass-kickdrum style.  It's quintessential "alternative." If The Strokes were from Cali playing out of a beach-garage in Santa Monica, this could be them.  Cloud Nothings is classic modern/indie pop music with 90s-style punkwhine vocals and an organ player, which is a nice touch.          

Male Bonding and Surfer Blood walk the line between the punky surf rock of Wavves and Japandroids and the ambient choruses of The Beach Boys.  On their respective albums you'll find fist-pounder's like Male Bonding's "Year's Not Long"  and Surfer Blood's "Swim," but also shimmery time reflections "Franklin" and "Catholic Pagans."

Lastly, we have the Beach Boys, I mean the Beatles, I mean the Kinks, I mean The Young Veins.  They are comprised of the guitarist and bassist from Panic! at the Disco, which really threw me off and predisposed me to hate them but after giving 'em a fair listen I have to say, they're making some pretty good music. They go full Beach Boys on their solid summer jam "Take a Vacation!"  Apparently, other times they're the Beatles or the Kinks, but really it just sounds like 60s pop... which in my opinion is a good thing.     


Here are the killer tracks:


Post Acid-Wavves by TheBoyandColors
Younger Us-Japandroids by TheBoyandColors
Saddest Summer-The Drums by TheBoyandColors
C'Mon-The Soft Pack by TheBoyandColors
Didn't You-Cloud Nothings by TheBoyandColors



Floating Vibes-Surfer Blood by TheBoyandColors
Take A Vacation!-The Young Veins by TheBoyandColors
So there you have it.  Get ready for a summer of beach, sun, and surf (rock).  

-TheBoyandColors