Formed somewhere in sun-dripped San Diego, TV Girl is currently made up of Brad Petering, Jason Wyman, and Wyatt Harmon. Though previous collaborative member, Trung Ngo, had a huge creative hand in composing “French Exit”.

Petering’s voyeuristic lyrics and vocals play second string to the pulsating, lazed beats which envelop each track. This artistic inversion becomes a main signifier of TV Girl’s discography. Certainly, some would find Petering’s soft alto musings less inspired than other bands with more charismatic lead singers. Mostly, I appreciated the nuance.

This 12 track work combines low-fi synth beats with firm roots in indie. All of this is tightly wrapped with candid lyrics. Playful percussion dots most of these tracks. The top-ranked gem of the track list, “Louise”, pays slight homage to the stylistic moniker of fellow indie-band, The Drums, by combining ‘laxed, upbeat music paired with lyrics marking heartbreak, loss, and tragedy:

“She woke him up and she whispered

But the answer wasn’t good:

‘Whatever made you think I would ever love you

Even if I could?’”

The albums first single, “Birds Don’t Sing”, begins almost as if the main hook, complete with tambourine and brass overtones, is playing beyond a closed door. Simple guitar strumming becomes forefront here, creating a scene of someone possibly taking respite from a bass-heavy party to pick some chords alone.

This synesthesia can be invoked by a listener in a lot of tracks on this album. TV Girl is nothing short of expert in creating multi-layered imagery in which these songs exist. Further examples of that are found in tracks 5 and 9: “The Getaway” and “Lovers Rock” respectively, which feature samples from both American and French noir films.

This choice of sampling could have easily come across as contrived. However, the well-plotted musicality of this group is too sound to shake, even with the dubbed background vocals of Lauren Bacall-types. Instead, the samples add a narrative backbone to an album that otherwise could have seen the vocals swallowed by synth.

All 12 tracks easily take place in the same vernacular; TV Girl brands themselves both relentlessly and successfully. Described on the group’s Bandcamp page as “12 songs about lost lust, too much love and not enough,” the themes are arching and all-consuming. Oftentimes, all three of them converge in a single track.

More notably thematically, TV Girl provides consistently redefined descriptions of women. There is no one muse that this album chooses to “pixie” and spends all 12 tracks consumed by defining and lamenting. In other words, there is no tragic, trailing love story here.

With that said, most of these songs feature some kind of female pro- or antagonist. Lead singer Brad Petering leaves these descriptions of the women in his songs enigmatic, at times almost universal. This allows room for muse to exist as human, as opposed to desirable objects of consumption. It’s subtle, but a win nevertheless.

Overall, this album is a strong group debut. With catching melodic hooks, prosaic lyrics, and innovative sampling, TV Girl is a group largely overlooked in an ever-popularizing genre of music. Their freshman album boasts their chops and should rightfully toss their hat into the arena with the likes of other alt indie powerhouses like Vampire Weekend. 9/10 for French Exit.

Link to Bandcamp:

https://tvgirl.bandcamp.com

Link to ‘Lovers Rock’ Music Video:

https://youtu.be/ksEHfUof184

Link to ‘Birds Don’t Sing” single:

https://youtu.be/L3KHQfLBK_w

The post Innovation in an Undefinable Genre: TV Girl’s “French Exit” appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Ahh yes, ’tis the season! If you’ve been out and about shopping at pretty much any retail store this holiday season, then you’ll know that Christmas music has been playing since November 1st. I love Christmas, don’t get me wrong. However, it gets very monotonous by the time Christmas actually arrives. This year, l’ll provide you with some Christmas songs that will get you in the Christmas spirit and not make you want to rip your hair out. Without further ado, lets dive into the 12 Days of Pop Punk Christmas.

1.) Jingle Bell Rock by Hot Chelle Rae

Let’s start with a classic Christmas song with a pop punk twist. With a rockin’ guitar rift added to the jingle bells, it makes for a great listen if you want to keep things classic.

2.) All I Want For Christmas Is You by My Chemical Romance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8rjrPIGZ5U

While many people opt for the Mariah Carey version, many of us will settle for the MCR version. If you like My Chem’s raspy, emo, pop punk/post hardcore sound, then you will probably like this version a lot better than others.

3.) White Christmas by Panic! At The Disco

Okay, seriously, Brendon Urie’s voice on this track is stunning. It’s low enough to compare to Bing Crosby’s version, but it still has it’s own distinct sound. If you’re a fan of anything Panic!, you’ll surely love this.

4.) Yule Shoot Your Eye Out by Fall Out Boy

This one is probably my favorite of this list. It’s basically just a break up song with a Christmas twist on it. Some of the lyrics are remnant of their first album, Take This To Your Grave, with lyrics like “All I want this year / is for you to dedicate your last breath to me / before you bury yourself alive”, “You’re the last thing I wanna see / underneath the tree.” I mean, that’s kind of implied when you look at the title.

5.) Fool’s Holiday by All Time Low

Fool’s Holiday is another favorite of mine. It’s catchy, and also kind of cheesy. The song follows a boy who wronged a girl, and he’s waiting for her to return to him. “I swear that I’m more than just broken promises / decorations can change like tinsel and ribbon so / do not open til you’ve got forever to spend / with me on a fool’s holiday.”

6.) Nothing For Christmas by New Found Glory

This solemn sounding tune isn’t actually a depressing Christmas song. NFG sings about falling in love, and how they already have everything they want. “And Christmas is coming / so don’t buy me anything / I got what I wanted / I got what I needed / it’s you, it’s you, it’s you.”

7.) I Don’t Wanna Spend Another Christmas Without You by The Ready Set

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bHfYzXRUnc

This catchy tune is about two lovers spending Christmas apart. “Oh, if I could choose / I would never spend another Christmas without ya / and if the fat guy in the chimney comes through / he’ll give me the opportunity to unwrap ya”. While it lies on more of the pop side of pop punk, it still features some catchy guitars and clapping in there, mixed with (you guessed it) jingle bells.

8.) This Christmas by The Summer Set

The Summer Set put a really nice spin on this song, with the high pitched vocals, drums, and electronic beats. It’s a nice break from your average cover of “This Christmas,” plus it has modern day electronic elements thrown into it, making it a great listen.

9.) Alone This Holiday by The Used

This break-up Christmas song is the opposite of what we think it would be. The lyrics go, “Make Christmas your own / you throw the thought of us away / you’ll be alone this holiday.” This song is perfect for that bitter friend that hates everything related to Christmas.

10.) Last Christmas by The Maine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE8BiThO1Ok

While this version doesn’t have many differences from the version by Wham!, it still serves as an updated pop punk version that we all asked Santa for.

11.) Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass by All Time Low

This song is perfect for anybody who is going through heartbreak during the holiday season. The song itself is upbeat sounding, with lyrics that essentially curse a girl that did them wrong. “Don’t ya think, it’s kind of crappy / what you did this holiday? / when I gave you my heart / you ripped it apart / like the wrapping paper trash.”

12.) Happy Holidays, You Bastard by Blink-182

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oqcju1Tw_c

This song is definitely not for the faint of heart. You probably don’t want to play this on Christmas in front of your grandma, unless she is a die-hard Blink fan. To say that this song is pretty vulgar would be an understatement. It has a lot of repeating lyrics such as “It’s Christmas Eve and I’ve only wrapped two fuckin’ presents,” “I hate, hate, hate your guts / and I’ll never talk to you again / unless your dad will suck me off.”

Happy Holidays!!

Feel free to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr where I upload concert pictures and you can be up-to-date on where I’ll be next.

The post 12 Days of Pop Punk Christmas appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The band is a folk-pop trio comprised of Emily Hope Price (cello, keys), Jocelyn Mackenzie (percussion), and Jeremy Styles (guitar). All three are talented vocalists and musicians. They highlight one another’s musicality with solid harmonies and cultivated instrumentation.

They have released two previous full-length albums God Bless Your Weary Soul, Amanda Richardson and Killing the Darlings as well as an EP Black Vessel. The three best words to describe their sound are passionate, lamenting, and eloquent.

(Links to live performances provided on song titles.)

1. You
The album starts with a strong, “Can you hear me?” which grabs the listener’s attention immediately. This is a classic love song directed to someone who needs to know for certain that the relationship they’re in is solid. The band recently released a new music video for “You” in support of the idea “Love is Love.”

2. Again Animal
“Again Animal” was the first single released from this album, but it is not one of my personal favorites. It has a good driving beat and typical Pearl and the Beard harmonies. The best section of song is near the end, when the band strays from the original flow of the song.

3. Good Death
“So it goes, so it goes, so it goes. Quiet now this lump of heart.” This song is a great one to listen to during extremely stressful times. For college students, stress is quite common. But I also like how this song acknowledges how life moves on no matter what happens, even though there are extremely hard moments. I believe a good death refers to a beautiful relationship that deserves a gentle breakup. Although splitting up seems inescapable like death, this tender song pleads for an amiable end.

4. Burn Me Up (The Gordian Knot)
The Gordian Knot refers to an extremely difficult or involved problem. It would be easier to burn the knot than untangle it. The strongest lyrics of this song are: “You had my heart but it’s gone now. Like everything else, it’s gone gone gone gone now.” Sometimes we fall out of love, whether it be with a significant other, a friend, or even a hobby. Sometimes we need to figure out how to remove ourselves from extremely complicated situations. And often, we have no idea how. I really enjoy the groovy synth sounds throughout this song. There is a composure present that isn’t as prominent in other songs in the album.

5. Yet
If we are lucky, we can find people who love us despite all of our flaws. Even better, we can find others that we love endlessly. This acoustic, calming song exemplifies the vulnerable state lovers are in when they accept each other fully. The song is short, sweet, and sappy. It’s not an extremely groundbreaking melody, but it appeals to the comfort of a trustworthy partner.

6. James
Snappy snare drum, minor key, and suspenseful chords are all guaranteed to draw my attention. I was hooked by this song the first time I heard it. Trouble is, I only like the first half. The mantra “James, release me” starts to make me feel like I am being held captive by the song itself. That may be exactly the point because James is holding the narrator against her will. Nonetheless, I wish the song would end around four minutes (versus seven).

7. Devil’s Head Down
I liked Devil’s Head Down the first several times I heard it, but I have to be in the right mood to enjoy it’s brash electric sound. It’s a song I expect sounds much better live, just because of the quality of the instruments used. Jeremy takes the lead on vocals, which is rare and appreciated.

8. River
Water, like love, is one of the world’s most abundant and yet most complex things. We are made up of both, and we need each to function. River is an attempt to define a particular relationship’s version of love, though I do not find it extremely successful. I’m left with more questions than answers. The mystery makes me want to hit repeat and start my analysis all over again, but it’s also just a really soothing piece. 

9. Take Me Over
Cello, drums, guitar, harmonies, passion. Ah, this is a Pearl and the Beard song. This song is a great tribute to the musical accomplishments the band had throughout the years. “See you when I see ya, maybe in about two years.” They make such intense music together that they need to take a break as much as they may not want to. Just as a romantic partnership that has reached it’s limit, a clean separation allows us to find ourselves again. Take me over no more.

10. Anything
Anything was definitely an experimental song for the band, with unclear lyrics and random electronic sounds. They developed the lyrics from a process the band mates call Mumblecore. Basically Jeremy would mumble nonsense syllables along to the melody before writing actual lyrics. The band decided to turn his mumbles into words for the song. They have proven that they would do anything for a sultry ballad.

11. Oculus
Oculus is a storybook of a song that follows a being known as Oculus. After some research, I learned that Oculus is Latin for eye. The Oculi in Pearl and the Beard’s world provide clarity, more so than the moon. We may not be interested in what Oculus offers us, but he provides us with information we need to know. My interpretation of the song could be completely wrong, but the song allows for many meanings. I picture a dark, dungeon-like scene when I listen to all the background jingles and noises. Acoustic piano can do no wrong.

12. Landmine
“Wait, wait, wait. Sweet ammunition. Please, please, please. Sweet ammunition. Amen.” I feel a sort of agony when I listen to this song, but I get it stuck in my head on a regular basis. We all know people that just have something about them that we can’t stay away from. We know it could and probably will blow up in our faces, but we wait and plead for ammunition. The strength of the electric guitar and the ever-increasing tension has me holding my breath. I’m anxiously awaiting the explosion.

13. Such a Fool
“You’ve got that wall up in your heart again, darling. Don’t you feel at home with me?” Even if the last song of their last album had been upbeat, I would have been an emotional wreck. This song breaks my heart. Especially the lyrics: “Oh I know what I should do. I know what you will do. Such a fool.” I highly recommend repeated listens for relationship problems causing despair or confusion. It seems appropriate to me that Pearl and the Beard ends their album on a sad, soft note. They had a great run, but they cannot tear down the walls preventing them from moving forward as a band.

Grade: A-
Listen to Beast here:

The post Album Review: “Beast” by Pearl And The Beard appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Musically, all the instruments in the album play as if they represent a state or feeling in their songs. The acoustic is gentle, the strings are sorrowful, and the percussion is angry.  They complement the core of the album, which is undoubtedly the lyrics.

Damien Rice proves his powerful skills as a songwriter through his depiction of the failures of love.  The album seems to be caught in the moment after a lover wakes up from a dream and into a harsher reality while not being sure which one he’d rather be in.

Here are some of my favorite lyrics with their corresponding songs:

From the song, which titles the album, “My Favourite Faded Fantasy.”

“You could be my favourite faded fantasy
I’ve hung my happiness upon what it all could be”

Painful lyrics from the song “Colour Me In.” 

“So I tried to erase it

But the ink bled right through

Almost drove myself crazy

When these words led to you”

From one of my personal favorite songs, “The Box,” presumably about feeling trapped in a situation or relationship and contemplating the consequences of leaving.

“I have tried but I don’t fit

Into this box you call a gift

When I could be wild and free

But god forbid, then you might envy me…”

Lyrics pinpointing the failure of love in the song “Long Long Way.”

“’Cause love is tough

When enough is not enough”

From the song, “The Greatest Bastard,” which explores delusions, dreams, and facing reality.

“Or am I just dreaming once again?

Some dreams are better when they end”

If you want to know more about Damien Rice or follow his music, like him on Facebook or visit his website. Listen to the album in it’s entirety below:

The post Album Review: My Favourite Faded Fantasy by Damien Rice appeared first on KRUI Radio.