SoCal native and Swarthmore College student. I speak California English every day.
California English
“Drive You Crazy” by Dungeonesse
I am a huge Wye Oak fan, so I was stoked to hear that the band’s lead singer, Jenn Wasner, was starting the indie pop side-project, Dungeonesse. The group’s self-titled LP was released this past week and is the current front runner for my go-to album of summer 2013. “Drive You Crazy” is my current favorite track, led by its addictive chorus.
“Texas” by Magic Man
I had the pleasure of seeing Magic Man, an up-and-coming group from Providence, RI, when they opened for the stellar St. Lucia at Bryn Mawr College a couple of weeks back. The band’s energetic synth-driven tunes, as captured by “Texas” above, provide the perfect backing for the singer’s Cure-like voice. With Magic Man’s recent signing to Neon Gold Records and Columbia Records, the future of the band is looking especially bright.
“Ya Hey” by Vampire Weekend
With each additional song (see previous here) that is released from Vampire Weekend’s forthcoming album, Modern Vampires of the City, the more my excitement builds. With the release of “Ya Hey”, Vampire Weekend displays some of their deepest lyrical content yet, tackling one of the world’s most hot-button topics: religion. This, combined with gorgeous instrumentation and an incredibly catchy chorus, equates to one of the year’s best tunes.
In honor of the 10th anniversary of the iTunes music store, my most-played song is “Apartment Story” by The National, coming in with 134 listens.
(Source: Spotify)
“Little Games” by The Colourist
I first learned about The Colourist when one of my favorite bands, St. Lucia, posted a remix of the Orange Country group’s tune, “Little Games.” While I love St. Lucia’s additions to the track, the original (which you can listen to above) has some added spunkiness that I am particularly fond of. With the discovery of The Colourist, I am stoked to add another stellar band from my homeland of SoCal to my list of up-and-coming groups!
“Wakin on a Pretty Day” by Kurt Vile
Kurt Vile and I are two sides of the same coin. He is from Philadelphia, but his music sounds like it comes from Southern California. I am from Southern California and go to college in Philadelphia. It makes sense then that his new tune, “Wakin on a Pretty Day”, makes me feel right at home even though I am 2800 miles away.
(Source: Spotify)
“Modern Hearts” by The Knocks ft. St. Lucia
Two of my favorites band have come together and made the catchiest tune of 2013. Press play and make your spring a little brighter!
“Diamonds” by The Boxer Rebellion
I became a huge fan of The Boxer Rebellion after listening to their self-funded and released album, Union, in 2009. Four years later the band is as good as ever, evidenced by their gorgeous new single, “Diamonds”. This track is particularly suiting of my contemplative mood recently as my college graduation approaches and the uncertainties of the real world are coming into focus. The chorus perfectly resonates with the doubt that fills my mind: “I’m no good next to Diamonds/When I’m too close to start to fade.”
Two New Vampire Weekend Tunes
This cold, rainy day in Philly just became a lot more bearable with the discovery that my favorite band, Vampire Weekend, released two new tracks today! Both “Step” (watch above) and “Diane Young” (click to watch) will be appearing on the band’s forthcoming album, Modern Vampires of the City. If these songs are any indication, this record may be VW’s best to date, which is the ultimate compliment.
