Make Warpaint not War
November 2, 2010
I like girls that sing. They’re pretty cool. And a lot of the badder music I’ve heard lately has featured girls singing lead. Relax, this is by no means a qualifier, but merely an observation from a dude who grew up on Mobb Deep and Wu Tang and counts Toro Y Moi, Washed Out, Atlas Sound, Flying Lotus, etc., amongst my favorites of the year. But when I hear a great record fronted by a woman, I get extra jazzed, because it’s outside my normal wheelhouse. Plus there’s the underlying sexual intrigue. Nah mean?
So in addition to the previously mentioned Best Coast, Tennis and Glasser, I’m digging Warpaint. What’s not to love about a group led by three LA girls…called Warpaint. Count me in. Combine killer bass, ethereal/detached vocals and some jangly, darkish rock instrumentation and you get a formula that kills shit, on the “I’m too cool for you anyway” tip.
“Undertow”
“Warpaint”
“Elephant”
Tennis
October 19, 2010
Nostalgia seems to be a popular theme for young artists as of late. Chillwavers Washed Out, Toro Y Moi, Memory Tapes and others have berthed a veritable genre of music centered largely on warm, woozy jams meant to invoke sentimental ganders back in time. If you throw on one of their records, you just might be brought back to the days when you used to ride a tricycle around the block wearing a football helmet. Back when Contra on Nintendo meant more to you than life itself. Back when “Dinosaurs” was on TGIF and Ricky Henderson was your favorite baseball player. The good old days. And the music’s damn good too.
But few songs I’ve heard make me reminisce on shit that I haven’t even experienced. Check out “Marathon” by the husband-and-wife duo Tennis. I don’t know about you, but when I close my eyes and listen to this song, I’m transported to a party on the beach at night. There’s a bonfire, but the entire scene is black-and-white, like in an old photograph. And the girls are dancing. Man, that sounds like fun.
Toro y Moi
January 22, 2010
I love everything I’ve heard so far from Toro y moi. Album comes out February 23 on Carpark, I think. Happy Friday y’all. Check out the video for “Blessa”:
