We’ve had seven sunny weekends in a row, which must be some kind of record for the Northwest. As such, it’s been the perfect time to take out the Bimmer. And in related news, Andi’s dad thought it would be a fun project to spend a weekend sanding it down and giving it a new paint job. Score. Read More »Fense’s Radio Show: May 18, 2012
Not too long ago, Denmark artist Trentemøller released a video for their song “My Dreams”, featuring vocals by Marie Fisker. You can watch it on Vimeo here. They have now given “My Dreams” acoustic treatment, with a softly strummed guitar and less-hyped, yet no-less invigorating vocals by Fisker. Read More »Trentemøller: My Dreams (feat. Marie Fisker) Acoustic Version
“The Stars Above Looked So Bright And Green” by Swedish band Let’s Say We Did is a play on opposites, a bittersweet tune that effortlessly blends joy and sorrow. Sunny pop melodies back pleasant, melancholy vocals. It’s all a bit comforting, the sway that’s borderline jangle yet contemporary to modern Swedish indie pop, the soft guitars and playful percussion, the harmony vocals that chime in during the chorus. Read More »Let’s Say We Did: The Stars Above Looked So Bright And Green
Oh shit. Punk rock meets 60s surf rock and is then compressed into lo-fi obscurity. That’s what you get with Guantanamo Baywatch. No joke. Their new album, Chest Crawl, pairs more accessible instrumental tracks like “Barbacoa” and “Massage My Taj Mahal” (I nominate for best song title of the year) with those containing vocals. Read More »Guantanamo Baywatch: Surf Rock, Elvis, and Raunchy Punk
White Lung‘s loud, hyperactive punk is easy to get into. The guitar hooks match perfectly the female-fronted vocals of Mish Way, all backed by a hard-driving percussion. “Take The Mirror” is the opening track off their forthcoming sophomore LP, Sorry. Read More »White Lung: Take The Mirror (Video)
A 13-year hiatus after what I’m guessing was a single LP. Seems a bit odd, but The Shrouded Strangers do a good job pulling it off. Their hiatus included the band’s duo forming, recording under, and touring as two other bands. After forming in 1999 and dishing out their debut LP, Yes, We Are the Shrouded Strangers, the dynamic Harrisonburg, Virginia duo of Aaron Carlson and Mike Scutari have returned, now based out of Oakland, with Lost Forever. Read More »The Shrouded Strangers: Lost Forever
Sunny pop hooks clash with punk riffs and witty lyrics/vocals in The Everson’s debut LP, Summer Feeling. Influences run rampant,… Read More »The Eversons: Hyacinth Girl (Video)
Referencing early indie pop artists like Orange Juice, Electricity In Our Homes is precisely what I look for in a pop band: a hint of jangle guitar, some catchy harmony vocals (a male, a female, maybe more) and a melody that gets stuck in your head. “Oranges” has an off-beat sound that is hard to ignore. Read More »Electricity In Our Homes: Oranges
Last weekend was my grandmother’s Celebration of Life. It would have been her 92nd birthday. We all had margaritas (it was also Cinco de Mayo; I had three) and told funny stories about her life. It was a blast, a good closure and celebration to a woman who meant a lot to a lot of people. Read More »Fense’s Radio Show: May 11, 2012
Insanely infectious, “Try Me Out Sometime” is a homage to the heyday of 70s puck rock. Broncho makes the song’s rapid pace seem almost laid back, a hint of unbounded garage-pop. This is, no surprise, emphasized by Ryan Lindsey’s punchy vocals and complemented in full by a backing band that includes Johnathon Ford on bass, Ben King on guitar and Nathan Price on drums. Read More »Broncho: Try Me Out Sometime
