Miami-based indie pop band Ex Norwegian got reviewed on Virgin.com last week. The band has a dizzying array of influences and styles. Yet the songs are a catchy blend that doesn’t gets boring. Listen to “Add Vice” to see what I mean… Read my review of Ex Norwegian here.
Want to read more of my Virgin.com reviews? Check out my Virgin.com Review Archive
Official music video for “My Imagination” by Spirit Kid. Directed by Avi Paul Weinstein. Read my review of this album here.
Multi-instrumentalist Emeen Zarookian (aka Spirit Kid) is a real find, an artist with a flair for hook-filled melodies with energy and pop genius. Very much in the Elephant Six mold, his style fits right alongside classic Apples in Stereo and Olivia Tremor Control with it’s twee vocal elements and solid indie production. Opening up with the “You Lit Up For Me”, it rushes along like warm breeze and comes to a slow wind down. The sound of classic Beach Boys, Beatles, and The Kinks are easy to spot influences that float through the entire album. Each song has compact little arrangements, like “My Imagination” is pure pop ear candy full of multiple harmonies and “la la” choruses and shifting minor chords aplenty. The uplifting “The World Doesn’t Stop” is another lovely gem, with bass/lead guitar interplay and intoxicating builds. “Flytrap” adds some 70’s funk bass and Santana styled guitar rhythm. The very Lennon/McCarnety styled diversions (“Wait A Minute” and “Your Friend Too”) have a more pysche-pop spacey flavor that suit the album cover. Every song requires multiple listens to appreciate all that intricacy and there is no wasted ideas here either. This is the little album that could, so give a chance and you won’t regret it.
Listen to “You Lit Me Up” as part of a “Weeds” promo. Awesome!!!
A favorite of this site, Jeff Litman continues to gain traction with last year’s “Postscript” album. His recent NYC shows and great music videos like this one really help spread the word. Oh Yeah!
Taylor Locke is the lead guitarist of California’s Rooney. He’s also formed a new band with Chris Price (Price), Mikey McCormack (Everybody Else) and Charlotte Froom (The Like) called Taylor Locke and The Roughs. I was lucky enough to speak with Taylor (and we don’t even mention his famous ex-girlfriends) but we do talk about how the band got together and his relationship with Rooney frontman Robert Schwartzman and both new albums. Get his latest album here.
Listen to my interview with Taylor Locke here!
(about 20 minutes long… so let it stream)
