indie

Earworm: “Flaws” by Bastille

You all know my weak heart for indie rock.

And we all know how much I love the UK. And having recently rediscovered Bastille through YouTube of all places, I figured I’d share this with you all.

I’ve had Bastille’s debut album Bad Blood sitting in my music folder for the longest time, my friends had recommended them to me and I downloaded their album without even thinking about if I would like their music or not. This is one of the greatest leaps of faith ever, because lo and behold, I love their music. They’re a high quality four man group, and Dan Smith’s vocals definitely throw it over the edge.

And his hair? DAMN HIS HAIR IS AWESOME. (This lil bit about hair is a little joke at The Big Cheese and my other cousins who mock me and my “One Direction” hair. By the way, my gravitar is inaccurate to my face, now. I should change that.)

Anyway.

Bastille is great, listen to the entire album Bad Blood. Look up their acoustic sessions on YouTube. Find their Abbey Road sessions, too. It’s incredible. The violins and the vocals it’s just heavenly.

Regular:

Acoustic Live in Paris:

Abbey Road:

Join Spotify!

I know, I know. Pandora has been your go to. Or maybe you just pirate your music. Possibly you just use YouTube for all of it.

Well now is the time to stop that. Ever wonder how I come up with such obscure songs for my Earworms? Well you shouldn’t, because I try my best to inform you lot of how I came across the songs. Regardless, the predominant culprit is Spotify. (more…)

Earworm: “Ocean’s Deep” by Born Ruffians

Judge my indie music taste. I dare you.

[Disclaimer: hipster music has gotten to me.]

Born Ruffians is a band incredibly popular on SoundCloud, and I realize why. Their sound is infectious. “Exuberant pop,” I heard, was one of their taglines on SoundCloud. And it reigns true to its word, this description.

Lead singer Luke Lalonde has one of those whiny voices girls swoon over, but I’m glad zero of my friends know of this band, for they’d ruin it for me.

My largest fear for indie bands (and yes, this is so ‘hipster’ for me to say) is to see them become a radio/production company puppet. One where their music no longer comes from the heart but from trying to make pop hits. Acts lose their integrity from fame, it’s the sad truth. Sure, some bands handle it properly, such as Fall Out Boy and Paramore and Panic! at the Disco (all coincidentally signed to Fueled by Ramen records). But many bands just go to shit.

Born Ruffians is unheard of, and they’re unspeakably good.

Have a listen to this acoustic jam.

And here’s the regular edition.

Let me know which one you prefer!

Earworm: “The Run and Go” by Twenty One Pilots

Who knew Ohio could produce such great musical duos?

Akron already blessed us with The Black Keys, and here come along twenty | one | pilots from Columbus?

Surely they were a well known band before I discovered them, but wow my ears are pleased. Very pleased. They’re another fantastic band signed to Fueled by Ramen.

My friend Marco had been trying so hard to get me to listen to their music, always plugging them into conversations here and there. At around 4 in the morning, I decided, hey, what’s some new music to listen to? Oh, right, these guys! And here I am. Pointlessly rambling to a computer screen hoping for you guys to read this and listen to the same music as I do.

Unfortunately, the voice of lead singer Tyler Joseph does have a bit of a resemblance to Nate Ruess, lead singer of fun.

So here. Enjoy it.

Earworm: “Horchata” by Vampire Weekend

What in the blazing balls is a Horchata?

horchata

Okay, so that’s a horchata. Why did Vampire Weekend use a Mexican concoction as a song?

I’m honestly too lazy to delve deeper, though. I like the song, it’s soothing, it’s fun to say “horchata.”

There’s no music video, but the live version is available. Oh, and this just makes their fanbase look like 16 year old hipster girls.

Top 30 Favorite Songs of All Time: #8 “Young Blood” by The Naked and Famous

Arguably this New Zealand indie electronic ensemble’s best known song, it lands at #8 on my list which is, as a reminder for you all, in no particular order besides me just telling you how it is.

This was the first song I listened to when I downloaded the Spotify app months ago. This song turned me onto testing my musical tastes, yknow?

The beat is mellow and it really relaxes me. Call me a hipster, I dare you.

Top 30 Favorite Songs of All Time: #17 “Eyes Wide Open” by Gotye

Ah, yes, Gotye. A hit here in America because of Somebody That I Used to Know. Most people here where I live don’t give two shits for the rest of an artist’s music so long as they have one hit, which, in all honesty, pisses me off. If you find an artist appealing, look further into them. It’s a simple enough task, nearly everyone, even 2 year olds, have access to some sort of browser of the interwebs to view or listen to some songs.

One of my more personally favored songs happens to be what I believe to be his best song off the album Making Mirrors, Eyes Wide Open.

Have a listen, boys and girls.

Earworm: “My Body” by Young the Giant

Nothing but good things have been spewing from the depths of Spotify’s radio station based off of artist Foster the People (except for the occasional Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj garbage due to Foster the People’s mainstream popularity).

My listening to Young the Giant is a byproduct of my listening to Foster the People. And I don’t regret it.

The song that’s been festering in my mind for a bit now is My Body.

On their Remix EP, the song is remixed by one of my favorite bands, Two Door Cinema Club.

Earworm: “I Can’t Make You Love Me/Nick of Time” by Bon Iver

“Justin Vernon’s voice could cure AIDS… Fact.”

Wow. All I can say is wow. His voice is magnificent, and I only got into the indie folk band’s music when I started using Spotify, a few weeks ago.

No wonder they won a Grammy. (As if awards really mean a person/group is talented…)

Have a listen. Somehow the piano just makes me… Feel.