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.
“I'm a Scrawny mother fucker with a cool hairstyle.”
You know it takes a certain level of UN-ironic confidence to do a line like that and not sound like a try-hard fuck face and these guy's managed to do that and be one of the few new bands I've heard about that people actually listen to and while their album kind of has a bit too many songs that sound the exact same this song is a fucking exceptional cut that brings a certain energy that I often feel is lacking in a lot of the more electronic heavy down tuned offerings I hear blaring out of most alternative stations I find myself listening to for more than 10 minutes at a time these day's and considering I like my rock to be a more guitar driven affair with a lot of punch to hear a newer act make a tune that is both of those things of course I'm going to be pretty happy.
These guy's aren't reinventing the wheel and if I were to be honest with you this is essentially a vampire weekend tune if vampire weekend didn't suck ass and the fact that it's not in every teenage coming of age movie trailer from here to infinity is nice because this song is one of the few bits of spontaneously energetic Indy rock that's managed to not make me roll my eyes.
These guy's are cool and I hope they don't have the same scenario as the 1975 where teenagers make a bigger deal of them than they need and turn their shows into a hodgepodge of annoying ass screaming fan girls reminding me that I'm too fucking old for this shit.
I saw these handsome son's of bitches
just before I started seeing my current girlfriend.
There's no purpose for that statement I
just think it's kind of funny also I remember them playing this song
at that show and months later it did this weird thing for me where it
dropped, I listened to it, thought it was fantastic, forgot about it,
heard it again, and now I can't help but not jam to this summery
little tune.
These guy's are another pop punk kind
of emo group that make the catchiest most easily sing along session
ready tunes you'd ever heard in your entire fucking life and the fact
that they got a pretty devoted local following should come as no
surprise because they know what the fuck they're doing they're just
in need of everyone else coming to realize these bright airy tunes
are what they need in their lives.
This song is subtle it gently lulls you
in before busting out a very energetic and dreamy chorus that makes
you think of riding the bike along a coast line during the summer as
you see a very attractive girl in a sundress walking by and as she
gives you the sweetest smile you've ever seen in your entire fucking
life you're then transported to this cloud like state of euphoria
that you didn't know could exist nor do you ever want it to go away.
If you haven't felt that feeling then
listen to this song, get that feeling, see these guy's live, get your
fucking mind blown, awkwardly hit on a girl, and live your best
fucking life supporting people making great stuff ya fucking asshole.
9 years it's been 9 years since I started Sam's Song of the Day on the Smashing Pumpkins Forums and to think in 8 day's it's all going to be over and done with and that's got me thinking a lot these day's because the anxiety and depression that comes with these things is fucking real people.
This has been quite a wild ride of spending years posting a shit ton of late night random thoughts, trying to come up with a host of songs for various list, telling as many people possible about what I've been doing, and of course 2 house show's that were quite a fucking time and in that time I've done my best to come up with a host of good finishing articles that are to come in the next week where I'll hopefully get a post about Scruffy and the Janitors on Monday and a big Valentines post that is going to be a trip for whoever decides to read.
That's the future though let's talk about now and then because today is SOTD's birthday and while I could post the same song I've been posting the past few years I figured I'd do something different and make note of something else coming to an end.
There's a band I reviewed on here called Goodbye Gravity and they're throwing a farewell show of their own tomorrow and with the ever looming possibility that I won't be able to see their show I figured the next best thing would be to be able to tell you guy's about it and post a song that feels appropriate in a large way to myself and them as a whole and that's their song Strings.
So before I get too into things I can't lie after rediscovering their release Sunday Matinee I can't deny that this group sounds like this old Emo band I love called Nightmare of You and other local KC act Pink Royal had some odd love child which isn't a bad thing because when the songs are just as solidly good as these guy's had a habit of making I don't mind that one bit and that EP has a host of tracks that kind of have a good alternative tone to them that's very reminiscent of that pre-indie douche period where everybody wanted to be Mumford and Sons and actually plugged their guitars in and rocked the fucking house and of all the tunes that I think best showcase this for these guy's it's probably this appropriately themed closing track.
Lyrically this song is a farewell to day's gone by and yet it's also a hopeful view forward into a world of infinite possibilities and things to come and their exclamation of how they, “Found themselves a better roll,” is just so fucking fantastic it's like they wanted to make the best set closer in existence and they not only managed to do that but also made a tune that they better end their time as a band with because that reality is even more so now than I think they ever intended.
It's a shame that life leads us all to a path that requires we end the things we love but at the very least we could leave a soundtrack to eventually go back and enjoy what once was.
Happy Birthday Sam's Song of the Day it's been great so stay tuned because the 16th is going to be special.
You know I'm really mad that these guy's became such corporate sellouts because that first album was a fucking banger and their second record still holds as something I more appreciate rather than enjoy in retrospect but that's irrelevant because even so there's one track they did that lead to the eventual sellout that I conveniently still remember as something special.
Out of My League-Fitz and the Tantrums
So I had to look back at my older post to remember just what it was about this track that had any relevance for me and looking back it's because this was a bit of a difference maker for this band they went from just being a throwback act to making more modernish indie rock affairs with killer melodies and great vocal harmony courtesy of the immensely talented Noelle Scaggs and this song is a good example of those properties in effect and even after the mass commercialization it's still a solidly great track that I still remember just randomly seeing uploaded onto YouTube at some random ass hour of the night giving a listen and just being blown the fuck away that I just had to make a random shot in the dark post that until I started covering more local acts was the most viewed post on this entire website so I've always had an interesting connection to this tune because it made me think maybe just maybe I may know my shit.
Now that's not so much the case anymore but for a brief moment in time I thought so...
SO there's this band from here in KCMO called Dreamgirl and when you look them up on Spotify their top song has over 5 million streams which is insane for a local act so I'm wondering why is that the case?
3 minutes and 54 seconds later....
OH that's why they're fucking great!
OK I'm going to be honest I've known about these guy's for a while now and to say they're the most appropriately named group around is an understatement with some lighter than air vocals and a penchant for making some really groovy indie pop tunes you have a group who makes you feel like you're having a slow dance at a prom with every groovy groove they make and if you get the chance their self titled release from last year is quite a good release and they're making more strives towards a national tour so there's even more chances for people all around to experience the dream for sure.
Excuse me for a second while I fangirl out a bit on ya because this fucking group sometimes they just fucking get it.
HOLY FUCKING JESUS CHRIST ALMIGHTY IS THIS SONG FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC!
Ah ever since they dropped this little new wave tune on Spotify I've just been in awe people it's a simple song about the scary parts of love and relationships with a host of questions to ask about if the struggles make the relationship and how differences are a real thing (I'm into analogue, you're into digital) Rachel Mallin has written what's a very simple tune but the thing that makes it something special is it's lighter than air dreamy instrumentals and her just exceptional vocal performance.
There's a vulnerable charm to her subtle yet captivating singing that just hooks me in a way that she's yet to really do and in all honesty I get some these weird spine shivering feels whenever I listen to this song because of these slight vocal deliveries that are equal parts strong and sultry, weak yet confident, just the type of things I find myself obsessing over how to properly contextualize to you guy's but yet I fail at doing so beyond just telling you it's maybe the best song they've put out yet and to think I just originally remembered it as a captivating but overly feedback heavy live track the first time I heard it.
I like to give these guy's hell for not putting out I Pick Winners but when the songs coming out are this I can't be mad in the slightest this is a phenomenal piece of work you need to hear now.
Neon Tree's are maybe my guiltiest pleasure and one of the most criminally underrated commercial pop rock bands to ever walk the face of the earth and I truly would put their 2012 release Picture Show in my top 10 albums of all time looking back and as cheesy as it is that and this album both inspired me to write a story I am still working on to this day and would one day hope to turn into a comic or movie or even Netflix series or something.
This song is a bombastically catchy and snarky fucking tune that showcased a band like me hiding their eventual decline into obscurity though one last bombastic effort of vitriol covered in some false sense of joy that is this songs poppy instrumentals, Tyler Glenn's cheeky vocal performance, and the kind of playful lyrics.
Overall looking back at this list there was a host of strong fucking songs from the criminally overlooked, "Black Soap," by Ex cops, Kimbra's, "90's music," and many many more that didn't even make the list it's rather crazy in all honesty.
What's also crazy to think of for me because I almost didn't make it beyond this year and this album at the time was basically an emotional crutch that I clung onto for dear life because I was confused, scared, and on the constant verge of wishing I'd never decided to get better but rather fade away so it's hard to reflect on these emotions and reading that number 1 post I figured that I had a lot I wanted to say but never really could bring myself to actually bringing forth and this is when my writing really started to be affected because of it.
You know in the 7+ years I've obsessed over this woman I have yet to ever put her atop my year end list starting with her guest spot with Gotye on the first list and into Vow's which in retrospect is a hell of a pop album but my writing around 2012 was at best the cringiest point of my life and 2014 a confusing mess of things as well as a surprisingly strong year in retrospect in terms of both the songs on that years list and the amount of effort I really put into this blog and over those years I've gone through a lot and done a lot of growing as a person in terms of where I've ended up in life and what I consider good music or writing but through all of this Kimbra has been an artist that I've consistently supported and enjoyed watching do her thing and this year not only did I get to see her again but she gifted me with something I didn't realize I've always wanted.
Kimbra made a fucking Doo-wop song and it is the best god damn thing EVER! If you look back on the earliest day's of this blog you'd know that since I started this I've grown an appreciation for old school Rhythm and Blues and the kind of simple yet clean way it presents what's at their core very simple songs that don't need to rely on complex song writing but rather the vocalist ability to properly emote feelings from the words through their performance and Kimbra being one of the most underrated vocalist in the game not only stood up to the plate but hit it beyond the stratosphere and has crafted what's truly an instant classic to be appreciated for decades to come in my humble opinion.
This is truly the only instance of ever hearing a song that I didn't know I needed in my life but now that it is I never EVER want to let it go. This is sorrow, regret, joy, and every which what emotion a song could possibly make you feel on top of a rhythm that's so tight, clean, and simple that it doesn't need any fancy effects what so ever just Kimbra's beautiful sultry delivery and a steady drum beat with some light baroque instrumentals near the end just to keep things just that extra bit of exceptional.
I fucking love this god damn song more than life itself people and I think Kimbra not only recorded the best song of her entire career here but she's honestly probably made the single greatest song of the decade and I'm sure I'll always have that sentiment for sure.
I didn't do a whole lot of going out this year and in terms of writing and inspiration through music I just haven't felt a god damn thing but for how long and important this all has been for me there's still moments that had to hit me and of all the things I've heard this tune hit me in a way that I truly can't recall having felt in quite some time and seeing her live from my tickets I won in a show that I'd literally waited years to have happen again only confirmed that this is one of those number one picks I'll never regret and in all honesty the only song I could put here no matter how good the rest of my picks really were.
That's the end of the year list I wasn't going to not post something on here and stay tuned for one more announcement later this month just before January of 2019 folks because it's maybe the most important thing I'll ever announce on here and I need everyone to be there.
It was quite wonderful to get to post on here again and this years song selections where quite the pleasure to post and listen to I'd like to take a second to thank everyone for reading, sticking around, sharing the post, and of course just generally being there don't have too much fun this holiday season and stay tuned for a HUGE announcement coming soon.
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.
OK before I talk about the mind blowing quality of this track I need to get it out of my system that my biggest musical crush is fucking back with new music and to say I'm a giddy little fuck is an understatement because she's still as relentlessly talented as she is maybe as the late great Prince said, “the most beautiful girl in the world,” and the video to this song left me literally wide eyed, breathless, and I just couldn't look away at the majesty of beauty being presented before me.
Alright now that I got that out of my system Everybody Knows it's a fucking excellent little danceable indie pop number that's yet another showcasing of an artist that just loves to blur the line between electronica and funk by mixing insainly catchy beats that's just captivate you as a listener and send you on a trip that'll leave you convulsing in such a way that you don't know why but you can't help but want to move and groove about relentlessly and that's before her just utterly beautiful vocals just come in and prove why she's the most captivating artist of her time for me she's an otherworldly creature of talent that just leaves me speechless, gitty, and blown away every time she continues to make music that's truly showcasing that she's an artist only looking to do what she wants and not what you think you want her to do.
This song almost didn't make the list in all honesty but one day after having it just in my head here and there I sat down and listened to it and that entire long winded paragraph happened and I knew that it'd be utter sacrilege to not include this utterly breathtaking track and if you haven't given this artist a chance you need to change your tune because she's something special people and this world needs to recognize that already she's maybe grown more than anyone could have ever thought 5 years ago and it's only a matter of time before you realize that people.
Things got a whole lot more groovy all up in this bitch now didn't they?
With production courtesy of the all mighty Hembree's Isaac Flynn what we got here is a track that eludes plenty of 80's New Wave tones in it's heavy use of synthesizers with that patented surf rock vibe that little Mrs. Mallin and company are known for along with a vocal performance that has small hints reminiscent of a Cyndi Lauper with it's eccentric verses backed with a chorus that's about as pop perfect as it get's you get a late release tune I recall seeing get played in it's early stages of writing that managed to completely morph into something great whenever they got around to recording it.
This song is a step in a direction that is a bit different from the feedback heavy indie vibes of Dropout and Degenerate Matters scattered styles but it still maintains lyrics that are equally playful in both Mallin's vocal delivery and content from lines about cutting one's own hair and how growing older leads us all to take more of a conscious effort to, “Wake up before noon,” and put a better effort towards your psychical appearance that express the continued themes of growing into one's self that's populated this young performers output for the past few years.
They did an excellent little interview explaining the influences that created this track that you can view riiiiight....here:
Although I did manage to ask one Rachel Mallin what her's and the wild types plans for 2018 were and well the response was a simple list:
"Tour
Liberation
money
hopefully
new work
strong bands
more fans?"
-Rachel Mallin
Sounds like the making of the next great song to me.
These guy's rule and this song is a great late year tune that just kind of crept in and took me by surprise just how much I loved it keep on keeping on Rachel I see you really being some thing huge.
The Midwest Music Foundation decided to throw a show in order to help raise money to help out a group of local Kansas City acts in their attempts to go to South by Southwest and being that this show not only featured two of my favorite bands in this fine city of ours but it happen to be at the new Record Bar which by all accounts is pretty much the cream of the crop in terms of awesome fucking venues to see a show in this city it's pretty fucking obvious that sickness be damned I may have missed one bad ass showcase but I sure as hell was gonna chug that medicine and make this show and god damn it's a good thing I did because the heat was fucking brought tonight mother fuckers.
The bands showcased in this show were Vigils and Thieves, Momma's Boy, Jessica Paige, and the Phantastics which is quite a varied bill in all honesty but with that in mind let's get to the bad pictures and thoughts on these sets.
These guy's are so fucking great and this show after having a member change recently was a retreading of the waters of sorts and their first show at the new Record Bar and they did quite good if I say so. The first few songs admittedly were a bit rushed with Vicious Ears being a great way to pump up the crowd if not a bit faster than normal and after a few heavier more energetic tunes the songs eventually started getting smoother and things were sounding right and these guy's delivered yet another great set especially Haunting which was pretty fucking spot on vocally Sarah Storm just fucking knocked it out of the park here and gave an incredibly angry and awesome performance of People are Parasites following it somehow being one of the few vocalist I've ever heard actually get better as the set goes on.
If you haven't given their EP Neverland a listen go do so because this band is awesome and their shows even after some line up changes are still solidly fucking good and will most certainly hook you.
This time with all members included and well if I were to be blunt people........HOLY FUCKING JESUS CHRIST ALLMIGHTY THEY BROUGHT THE FUCKING FIIIIIIIIIIIIIAR TONIGHT!
For fucking real this set was just one great big ball of fucking awesome from their odd but awesome choice to start with the epic Make Believe to track after track of straight up bad ass fucking surf rock tinged power pop indie rock goodness this band was focused, tight, and firing on all fucking cylinders and delivered a set that just was pure proof that they are the best god damn band in the land and tracks like Sweet Girl, R&R, and Be A Good Boy can't come out soon enough because legit the year plus of working on these songs has become a set of pure non stop great and with an upcoming EP that will most likely be better than anything anyone else is going to put out I get the feeling that 2017 will be the year of the Momma's Boy just you wait.
Fuck it's going to be hard to see a show this god damn good now thanks.
So yeah after picking my jaw up and re-adjusting to reality I managed to catch this set kind of in stride and from what I heard she's a very talented vocalist with a lot of charisma on stage that knew how to get the crowd into her blend of kind of Country tinged kind of doo-whop pop tunes and her set was a solid set of tracks with my favorite being a very bad ass Zutons cover.
Upon getting to talk to her for a bit after her set and getting a complimentary copy of her album which you can go download at her bandcamp which is provided in the link above that I was listening to on my drive home I can say that if you got the time and want to listen to something on the lighter side this set of 8 songs is quite a good listen and I'll be keeping her on my radar.
I can't lie I didn't stay for their whole set because I just kind of couldn't do a whole show tonight but I will say these guy's brought the fucking funk like for real their just a non stop whirling ball of energy that had the whole house a moving and really if you were to properly appreciate this very tight group of musicians I'd advise you get a DD or Uber knock back all the fine beverages and get on that god damn dance floor because they make music to dance to and they know how to make a crowd want to dance.
Tight funky grooves, a stage show just overflowing with charisma, and some very well rounded songs this band did a damn fine job this night and really proved why I keep tabs on when they're next shows are because this night was quite good to them and anyone willing to go out and give them a view that's for damn sure.
So yeah this was yet another excellent time at the wonderful Record Bar with plenty of acts that I hope impress all the important people up there at SXSW and this night was pretty simply one great big pile of fuck yeah.
Look what I found....it's a mother fucking starboy!
Another weekend another show people and this one last night was FUCKING GREAT and here's yet another round-up for you guy's to go check out.
So I went to local venue The Tank Room which in all honesty is one of my favorites the staff there are super cool, the atmosphere is great, and they get some bad ass bands to play there so if you get the chance I very much advise you go see a show there because they continued their track record of doing a quality job with this show which was for a Lousiana based indie-pop act Royal Teeth with opening acts Rachel Mallin and the Wild Type and Nashville artist Tristen so on to the terribly taken photos and descriptions on the sets I watched.
Funny story here obviously I didn't get to see these guys last week and it seemed that they wanted to more than make up for that because they did a fucking stellar job at this show from the blisteringly awesome opening track I Pick Winners a fucking stand out track from their as yet to be recorded follow up to Degenerate Matters they hit the ground running with a furious blend of awesome surf rock tones and infectiously catchy hooks that I can only imagine being a truly big track from a band that ever since I first saw them at this very venue last April have really seemed to grown and improve tenfold really their playing this night was tight as hell, they were super comfortable and very witty in their on stage banter, and they overall held themselves in such a way that's quite an improvement since the first time I saw them and that's quite great to see because they really are such a wonderful and talented group of people who are crafting all sorts of excellent songs and on this particular night they played a couple of new songs that admittedly are in the rough stages but in time will most definitely be something great especially the song they closed with who's name I forgot to write down but god damn it was a somber little number who's opening chords sent shivers down my spine and was really really good.
I've seen this band a boat load of times and this night in particular really showcased why because they give a fucking great show that has only continued to grow better and better as they get more comfortable with each passing performance and if you get the chance go see them.
So I'd never heard any of Tristen's music and had no clue what to honestly expect and from the opening chords of their track Save Raina I was pleasantly surprised with a series of incredibly blue grassy kind of dust bowl sounding tunes that were sang by someone who's voice reminded me of a Neko Case to some capacity in her slight country ting with her alternative rock melodies that perfectly went along with a series of songs that as her set went along picked up in energy and quality.
This chick was dope and if she's in your neck of the woods I'd say give her a listen if you're into a more folk influenced kind of country tinged brand of alternative rock I'd say you can really get to digging her and the fact that she's also a poet could result in a pretty solid experience for people who want some well written tunes.
I can't lie to you people these guys are some youthful looking folks and their music really reflects that with an energy and stage presence that can only really come when you're young, hungry, and ready to take over the world this band I hadn't really heard to much of before this show and wasn't entirely sure what to expect and what happened was quite a pleasant surprise.
These guys got some fucking energy and this show was a nearly non-stop series of infectiously catchy indie pop tracks similar to groups like Echo Smith or the Mowgli's that left the crowd dancing like crazy from pretty much the get go with all sorts of howling tracks and chorus' that were easy to sing along to even if you didn't know them to well to begin with you got this feeling like you did by the end of their set because the songs themselves were incredibly easy to sing along to with their excessive oh's and ah's and plenty of simple clap along beats they made you want to move, jump, and sing along that's for damn sure.
I really REALLY dug these guy's and their more pop sound that made tracks like, “Is it Just me,” and, “Wild,” a real pleasure to see live and their cover of, “Heartbeats,” which was the second song in their set and the one I remember being really fond of when I was giving them a listen a couple of day's before the show was FUCKING PHENOMENAL like I've been a huge fan of that song for years now but their arrangement which is actually pretty close to the original version is fucking great they managed to maintain a very poppy tone that makes you want to move but somehow also manage to pull a Jose Gonzalez and give a vocal performance that really has this expertly written track just hit you square in the fucking feels and give you this really kind of spine tingling sense of joy that reminds you why songs are so great sometimes.
This bands ability to feed off the crowd and make them go even harder is quite impressive and by the end of their set I was most certainly invested and will definitely be seeing them again the next opportunity I can make and if you can I very much advise you do the same because these guy's are really quite a show.
(my first set list of the year)
So yeah this night was fucking great and minus a certain sense of tension from some shenanigans I could care less to really get into there's nothing to really complain about here all the bands were killer and the fine folks at the Tank Room did an excellent job in mixing them and really making it all worth my money all thumbs up here.
