The Cure - Close To Me

I've waited hours for this
I've made myself so sick
I wish I'd stayed asleep today
I never thought this day would end
I never thought tonight could ever be
This close to me

Just try to see in the dark
Just try to make it work
To feel the fear before you're here
I make the shapes come much too close
I pull my eyes out
Hold my breath
And wait until I shake

But if I had your faith
Then I could make it safe and clean
If only I was sure
That my head on the door was a dream 

Keith and I both loved The Cure in the 80s, and agree we lost interest sometime... before others. (Wish has exactly three good songs, people. Sorry, "Friday I'm in Love" is NOT one of them.) We disagree on exactly when it went sideways. (How can you NOT love "Just Like Heaven"? Ridiculous.) Regardless of that grave error in judgement, I know one of his favorite songs ever comes from the same album as this track, today's Most Important. And I picked "Close To Me" because OHMYGOSHPEOPLE! He.is.finally.coming.home.TONIGHT. Hold my breath and wait!

Upcoming Shows

Swimming with Bears - Do What Your Told

Looks like
We're gonna seize the day
Give all that you have away
Run towards the sun
Hold tight
They try to hold your feet
But you gotta find a way
If you wanna live

I met three of the four bear swimmers in a notoriously long SXSW line, waiting to see Beach Slang, Bleached, and Minus the Bear, just chatting about music and tattoos, wishing for taco delivery... Anyway, come to find out they are this local band with quite a lot of buzz (well over 100K Spotify listens, opening one show for Weezer last year, booking several SX showcases this year) who've been compared to The Police (less so Eliot Sumner) and get inspiration from Explosions in the Sky. Happy to know that even if I don't catch them performing over the last couple days this week, there will definitely be other chances in Austin later on. Oh, and I think they mentioned getting to tour the whole country later this year!

RIYL: FOXTRAX, Royal Teeth, Young Rising Sons

Upcoming Shows

Run River North - 29

"29" was already one of my favorite tracks from Run River North and must've been one of their's too as they re-recorded two versions for their 2017 EP. Happy to hear this slightly tighter rendering, and to see them at SX again this year. Also hoping they keep growing and gaining popularity outside of indie festivals.

RIYL: Local Natives, Young the Giant, Tokyo Police Club, Killers

Upcoming Shows

Au/Ra - Kicks

Handprints in the concrete
They run, they run, like
Young birds with the red cheeks
Always
Barefoot on the sea glass
Sharp ones, sharp ones, they
Don't learn when they cut class

What's dust to you is gold to me
(Gold to me)
But we're just different books to read
Where every single chapter
Is another cliffhanger

Last year at SXSW, I fell in love with the music (and adorableness) of Norwegian singer Aurora. This year I'm anticipating a similar reaction to a similar-named singer from a very different place (Antigua; Ibiza-born), and a very different sound. Hoping to catch her at one of the showcases she's in next week.  

RIYL: MUNA, Emily Warren, Tove Lo

Upcoming Shows

Funeral Advantage - C.E.O.T.7.K.

 ... gave me nothing
So I gave nothing back

I've been listening to this song for a couple weeks, ahead of the latest record (Please Help Me, released 4 days ago) from Funeral Advantage. Reverb-y, shoegaze-y, kinda Cure-like, but owing a lot to George Harrison (according to Tyler Kershaw, the lead guitar, vocals, and songwriter), they prefer to be simply labeled "pop". If you live in the NE of the U.S. (the band is based in Boston), try to catch their release-party tour this month.

RIYL: Tape Waves, Day Wave, DIIV

Upcoming Shows