“Chandeliers” is a light but moody pop song, crafted beautifully by Summer Fiction. Summer Fiction crafts orchestral pop movements with dreamy vocals blending the pop styling of South America and Europe. Read More »Summer Fiction: Chandeliers [Video]
The Twees, whose name sparks memories of Sarah Records and a bad ass song by Tullycraft, are back with a new EP called These Girls. With this new offering The Twees are sounding, well, less twee. This is probably a good thing as they tend to be described as post-punk and their home is Brooklyn (not that the latter means anything in terms of being twee or not being twee). Read More »The Twees: On The Spot [Video]
This video, “Hotel” by Happy New Year, gives the listener/viewer a first-hand experience of what I would assume it feels like to be drunk and tripping at the same time. Nothing is clear; the world is a dizzying, strange place filled with odd, strange people. Colors, too, are at one moment vivid and the next a blur. Things overlap. Happy New Year’s song is a dance-worthy nightmare, filled with pleasant beats and eerie sounds. The vocals of Eleanor Logan, too, are highly uncanny. In fact, this all fits the video: it shows a girl getting high on wild fruit and her ensuing peyote-esque trip. Read More »Happy New Year: Hotel [Video]
Callers met in New Orleans before ultimately relocating to Brooklyn. This isn’t necessarily important in their creation of music, merely a statement of historical fact. Well, that’s not entirely true. When I think of New Orleans, I think of a place somehow lost post Katrina and struggling to renew their culture. But it’s different; things are different. So culture has changed. Of course, this is all in my head as I have not been to New Orleans. But in a way, I hear that side of New Orleans (at least the version that resides in my head) in Callers. The band’s sound is difficult to describe, highly unique, and a bit odd. It’s like that music in Twin Peaks — a bit other-worldly and a smidgen awkward. Likewise, their video for the song follows suit. And that’s what makes it damn good. Read More »Callers: How To Hold Your Arms [Video]
One of my favorite singles of the year is Dream Talkin’ by Family Trees. With an old-time, lo-fi pop sound and great melodies and lyrics alike, Family Trees is also among my favorite new artists of the year. Now to round out the list of three — they’ve put out a great video for their song “No One Will Ever Know”. Like the music, the video is simple, lo-fi, and hints at a different time… oh, somewhere in the late 60s to early 70s. It’s a great introduction to director Amanda Finn‘s work; hopefully something we’ll see a bit more of in the near future. Read More »Family Trees: No One Will Ever Know [Video]
After watching “The Mirror” by Kordan, you’ll probably be thinking precisely the same thing I am — not enough videos feature the layers found within this one. And if they did, they probably wouldn’t be as effective as they are here. Kordan is a Brooklyn-based dream pop trio with moody synth lines and numbing, dark vocals. Like their music, this video is entrancing, filled with enchanting drones and a mysterious personality. Read More »Kordan: The Mirror [Video]
There’s something special brewing in Brooklyn and it largely surrounds one Joe Pruitt, whose band Family Trees gave us the single Dream Talkin’ a short while ago. Well, Joe just dropped me a note about his other band, Son Of Rams, and once again I’m smitten. Son Of Rams veers in a slightly different direction, namely Pruitt and company give it a psychedelic edge, although it is undoubtedly upbeat pop. “Triple Eyed” is a new song filled with vocal hooks and catchy fuzz-filled riffs and a wild, psychedelic guitar solo. It’s a bit of a change from Family Trees, but boy does it still have that lovable summer pop sound. Read More »Son Of Rams: Triple Eyed [mp3]
Family Trees is a Brooklyn-based trio made up of Ryan Trott (guitar and vocals), Amanda Finn (drums), and Joe Pruitt (bass) and they create Woodsist-like light, beachy acoustic pop music with barely discernible hints of garage and lo-fi electronics. Catchy and hypnotic, “Dream Talkin'” is the perfect summer tune, fit to stretch out on the porch on a hot, clear, starry night. Those nights when the nightlife croaks softly in the background, or laps gently on the coast in the distance. It’s a song you listen to with your best friend, look them in the eye, and nod, knowing there’s little else that would make that moment any better. Read More »Family Trees: Dream Talkin’ [7″ Review]
Few bands can call the small state of Rhode Island home. In fact, I’d be surprised if, over the four… Read More »Fang Island: Daisy [Video]
Picking up their Home(here) EP, one gets the impression that Big Tree is somewhat of an organic band. The smooth screen-printed cardboard cover is minimal but effective, and the music contained within follows suit. Placed somewhere between folk and jazz and blues, Big Tree is a mesh of many genres. “The Concurrence Of All Things” is the EP’s opening track and it hits the band’s highlight traits. Read More »Big Tree: The Concurrence Of All Things [mp3]
