The ongoing rants of one man out to introduce the world to the tunes that inhabit the space inside of that region known as his mind a collection of the songs that have shaped his day, his Song of the Day.
Well folks it's time to do this the top 5 tracks of the year as determined by yours truly and rather than to get too into details let's just get straight into today's choice with this pop infused bit of awesome:
#5
Blacklight-Yes You Are
Do you like new wave?
Trick question you fucking love that
stuff and if you need a good example of why but with modern
production advances and touches of the general evolution of modern
pop music to give you the cleanest most dance ready tune you're bound
to get stuck in your head well do I have something for you in the
form of the all mighty Yes You Are's exceptional cut Blacklight.
Kianna Alarid's powerful fucking vocals
are on full effect in this little pop cut from her first uttering of,
“Baby you look like a stranger,” to her just BOOMING delivery of
this songs chorus she commands your attention in a way that not too
many other people in this city can and this song is just one of many
cuts they have that showcase their overwhelming sense of
professionalism present that makes them stand out well and above a
good chunk of their peers.
With a fancy new video and an EP on the horizon this group is looking to take the catchy well produced and focused gems of their previous work and crank them to 11 and dominate 2019 in a way that you won't be ready for but you know you'll be dancing the whole time especially if the tunes are this deliciously 80's sounding.
I'm just going to throw it out there that Yes You Are's Kianna Alarid is quite possibly the best female vocalist in all of Kansas City and that this band may be the most densely talented group of people to boot because one Billy Williams is a fucking phenomenal bass player and excellent front man in his own right with his other project Drugs and Attics and Mrs. Alarid's songwriting partner in crime Jared White is just fucking knows how to craft a great god damn song and of all the surefire hit's in the waiting that this band has at their fingertips I'd have to say that this song is most certainly the easiest pick to highlight.
From it's utterly simple but effective synth lead in and vocal back-masking to Alarid's full throat assault on the chorus this song is 3 minutes of pop perfection in every possible way. The chorus is infectiously catchy, the verses are interesting, White harmonizes in the most complimentary way possible with Alarid, and most of all this song just makes you want to fucking dance.
There's a reason it's been used in a bunch of movies, ad campaigns, and various tv spots it's because this song is just pure unadulterated pop perfection from a band that very well may be the biggest thing to ever come out of this city if they decide to just say fuck it and take over the world already.
So there's plenty of great acts from this city and after spending so much time getting to know their music and talking to plenty of acts I've managed to actually get the chance to interview what I believe may be a band that I could consider the next big thing Yes You Are.
For those unaware Yes You Are are a 5 piece kind of Indie-pop-Alternative act consisting of vocalist Kianna Alarid, rhythm guitarist Jared White, guitarist and keyboardist Jacob Temeyer, bassist Willie Jordan, and Joseph Wilner on the Drums from Kansas City Missouri and Omaha Nebraska which started out as a series of discussions between White and Alarid on various online forums before eventually forming into a full band by about 2014 that have toured around the country opening for the likes of Neon Tree's and playing all throughout the local Kansas City music scene including this years Homegrown Buzz Showcase and Afentra's Valentines Day party thrown by local alternative station 96.5 The Buzz.
After seeing them a few times I've managed to get an interview with them and for this interview I'll be talking to Kianna Alarid and Jared White.
1. So how has your past experiences in other bands shaped how you go about writing and recording music for Yes You Are?
Jared: Nothing could have prepared us for how we were going to be writing songs for this band. Kianna: It’s true… although I’ve written many songs before, there is a huge difference between the way we write for YYA and the way I wrote for my other bands. Everything else felt like some kind of happy accident but Yes You Are’s songs are from somewhere else and come with a different weight. Its like before I was a circus performer and all of a sudden I’m being asked to fight in the UFC. Nothing quite prepares you for that.. but maybe you are better off that you’d at least been in a ring before.
2.So I noticed seeing you live that you guy's go through quite a variety in sounds from the kind of hart hitting Sister Sun to a very larger than life almost anthemic World Without End and Miracle, did that variety spew out of not wanting to get to formulaic or are you just that all over the place in terms of what you're looking to achieve?
Jared: I hear a lot of bands today whose songs all sound the same. You hear the first song and it's “Wow cool riff, so groovy I'm gonna get my indie dance on!" Then it's like that same thing for the next 10 songs. Very proficient at what they're doing but you start thinking “Wait a minute... is this some type of formula for success you think you've developed?" I just can't buy into it. There's something wrong about that... Something that can't last. Kianna: There is formula and there is mama’s milk… one is synthetic and the other is organic. They’re similar in many ways and will both nourish a baby but one comes from a much more powerful source. What we care about is the source.. what the songs turn out like isn’t as important to us. We follow the inspiration and it takes the songs where they need to go.
3. So Why shouldn't we fuck with Buffy Saint Marie?
Jared: You shouldn't fuck with Buffy Sainte-Marie because her name alone has enough medicine in it to blow your brains out. She's got a newish song about power in the blood that could summon a vampire. Kianna: Yeah, the girl from our song is like Buffy the Vampire Slayer plus the actual Buffy Sainte-Marie put together. So she’s a young, wise, ultra talented, native american vampire slayer. She also drives around in a pimped out, purple Astrovan packed with crossbows and whatever else a young vampire slayer might need to do her work. Does that sound like someone you should fuck with? 4. So you guy's are not only crafting some huge sounding songs but you're a damn spit fire when it comes to your live show where does all that energy come from and what's your favorite song to play live?
Jared: The energy must come from the songs and the music.. all I know is that it's not forced. We just feel like jumping around and dancing and moving to the music. Kianna: Something just comes over me when I step onstage and that first song starts. The songs are alive.. its an energy that takes over. Its not me, because otherwise I would definitely tap into that every time I need to wake up at 6:45am. Coffee doesn’t even come close to the kind of supernatural energy that the songs bring to me onstage. ;) 5. Any bands that you've enjoyed playing with local or on a more national scale?
Kianna: We love playing with Rachel Mallin and The Wild Type. They’re great people and are growing into a super solid band. They’re new stuff is awesome.
6. Aside from obviously releasing the next big album of 2016 are there any big plans you have up your sleeve? Jared: Our song HGX was licensed to Pepsi for a national ad campaign. We don't know any details yet except the deal is done. We figure if Bob Dylan will license to Pepsi then it's an ok thing to do. Kianna: Yeah, the Pepsi thing is awesome, we can’t wait to see what happens with that. We’re wizards over here though, so we have huge sleeves and lots of tricks up em. 7.So to those interested when can we all get to see you guy's live?
Kianna: We are playing this Friday June 24th in St Louis at The Demo and this Saturday June 25th at Californo’s here in KC. We have some great shows coming up throughout the summer like supporting Holy White Hounds at Riot Room (outdoors) on July 9th and the Spirit of KC Fest at CrossroadsKC at Grinders on August 12th. We may also have a big show announcement for the 4th of July! Stay tuned to our social media for updates!
Stay tuned you most certainly should below you'll find links to Yes You Are's various social media accounts along with their excellent A Dream Ep which recenlty got posted onto Spotify, I'd like to of course take a second to thank these guy's for their time and inform all my readers to go check them out.
You know covering all this local music is a pretty damn good time and there's a shit load more I have to cover but you know this blog being called Sam's Song of the Day I figured I'd actually cover a couple of individual tracks that have been in pretty heavy rotation or that are just REALLY FUCKING GREAT in this edition of the KC Showcase known as KC's Finest 10 where it's just 10 tracks/acts you should give a listen to right now with a little Youtube Playlist at the end of this post so here's in no particular order 10 kick ass Kansas City acts...
So if you're into acts like All Time Low, Panic! At the Disco, and maybe Boy's like Girls to an extent I think you could find a lot to dig about these handsome little group of alt rockers Tall Tales.
They sure know how to have delightfully poppy melodies and almost dreamy tones but still manage a little bit of girth in how they approach songs and this semi-romantic little bit of clever wordplay in the form of Queen of Hearts a delightfully catchy little number that's very simple in a lot of way's but ever so satisfying with just the right blend of pop and New Wave that I think it could get some good traction for people who want to just jam and have some fun.
This band kicks ass and they are one energetic and amusing live show if you get the chance to see them and this song in particular is just fun as hell to kind of echo along to it's uttering of the phrase WHITE TERROR seriously I'll just be chillin at home and get that line stuck in my head and just kind of sing it.....don't judge.
I don't entirely know just what it is but this short track just kind of keeps getting stuck in my head and amusing the hell out of me with it's kind of Gothy sound and completely groovy tone I just kind of keep listening to it over and over hoping they give it the proper studio treatment.
This song is just the sweetest thing and I've gone into just how great a songwritter Rachel Mallin is on here already and this song is just another example of her knack for making the most amusing indie rock you'll hear.
Just a damn catchy song with plenty of tone changes to keep things from getting predictable and plenty of bad ass dreamy guitar work from all involved along with plenty of amusingly tongue and cheek lyrics to keep things amusing.
If you've read my write up of these guy's The Beautiful Fight EP you know that they've got a pretty bad ass record on their hands and this song being the opening track is a good start to get you a pumping your fist along to a pretty bad ass track.
From beginning to end this song just hooks you in and only get's better with each and every listen you give it.
This song has a very Neighbourhood kind of dreamy vibe to it and I'm pretty sure it's beat would make one bad ass sample for a rap act with it's super smooth bass lines and tight guitar work you have quite a relaxing track on your hands but what's funny is this band actually puts on a really bad ass rock show if you get the chance to see them and this song is so bad ass when the amps are fucking cranked and the guitar work is really given some time to shine but this studio cut is still pretty great and quite a good sit back and chill track.
So this band at points kind of reminds me a bit of some earlier Neon Trees with their knack for crafting damn good New Wave toned tracks with dreamy chorus' and easily sing along song structures that kind of feel like a lost relic from the 80's and their track Just Curious as great as it was to introduce them time is really showing that their song crafting is only getting even better and this song is a good example of just how strong this group is getting.
It is a damn good song that feels like the best 80's teenage date flick like you should be driving in the moonlight with a pretty girl listening to this track before pulling off to to a great little make out spot. Just a damn good time for all.
Yet another act who's most recent release I covered not to long ago and this song the Title track of their debut album and one of my highlighted tracks is just that a real highlight in every way and one bad ass catchy fucking rocker that is more punk then classic rock which of course I'm all for.
HOLY DAMN have I been rotating the ever loving fuck out of this song seriously it's just such a larger then life rocker with a kind of addictive quality to it that keeps me coming back and back screaming it's chorus over and over, just straight up good old fashioned big addictive chorus driven rock and roll that's all killer from the opening lines to the very end it's a non-stop rollercoaster ride of straight fucking awesome. 9. The Greeting Committee-Out of My Head
How Many of you can say that you got to touch faces with the lead singer of a band while singing into the microphone along with them to the best line of any given song? I can and god damn it's fucking great almost as great as this song.
It's a very simple rocker that just kind of has a youthful charm and simplicity to it that kind of reminds you of when you just liked a song because it's fucking great and Addie Sartino's repition of, “Get out of my head, You!, Get out of my head,” at the bridge near the end of the song is just fucking great live because she'll throw her all and then some into it.
I can't wait for the full length to get recorded but until then even after a year plus I still think this song holds up. 10. Hembree-Can't Run Forever
Well here we are the last song on my playlist of awesome and it's from a band that's been keeping hush-hush since their exceptional Christmas show busily recording what's sure to be one bad ass fucking album and the only track currently available on their Spotify Can't Run Forever is a dreamy cut with a chorus that I can't help but love and constantly sing even at the most inappropriate times or whenever I'm just walking around my house.
This song is fucking great and it's still leaving me salivating for more music from one of my favorite local acts and a group that I can't wait to see just fucking make it big.
Well there you have it 10 songs to go listen to RIGHT THE FUCK NOW that are a pretty decent variety of sounds of awesome coming from the must see music capital of this great country of ours and if any of these bands would love to continue being awesome I'm all for that and if you want to listen to them the play-list is right here below so enjoy just a small slice of what this town has to offer with convenient links to each bands social media accounts on each name if you like what you hear.
