Hawai - In My Head

My heart beats fast out of it's chest
Seeing you dance, what a glorious mess
Was something there, maybe in a stare? 
How can i forget when a kiss was shared
I broke it down, knees to the ground
But the only thing i found: the invisible sound
The night rolled on, it fell into the dawn
I wish you would return 'cause i miss the way it burned

Mostly cribbed from their website (which is much more thorough than most young bands'): Orange County quartet, Hawai (pronounced "huh-why") released debut single “In My Head” in 2015, stirring up a local buzz and gaining spins on KROQ. With its lush guitars, energetic beat, cinematic production, and oh so catchy refrain, it’s liable to stay stuck in your head long after one listen.
Also: Dammit, busy life meant skipping the Knox Hamilton show last night in Austin, and I think Hawai may have opened. SMH

RIYL: Local Natives, Knox Hamilton, Finish Ticket

Upcoming Shows

Wyldlife - Desperate Times

New York rockers Wyldlife are pretty rockin' for a band that shares a name with the middle schooler version of the religious group Young Life. Their latest album, Out On Your Block, showcases a terrific mix of punk, glam and garage and is full of catchy, anthemic cuts that are mostly about rocking out and having a good time. Hat tip to my brother, Steve, for the recommendation.

RIYL: The Strokes, The Cars, The Exploding Hearts, The Clash

Upcoming Shows

The Dirty Nil - Verona Lung

You're leading me on
Come alive and run amuck
You marvel around sugar gal
Verona Lung corrode my tongue and be on my side babe

Ontario's The Dirty Nil have another rockin' garage hit with their recently released collection of their earlier singles and EPs, Minimum R&B. It's got a bit more rough edges than last year's Higher Power, but in this case, that's a great thing.

RIYL: Meat Wave, Beach Slang, PUP, Single Mothers

Upcoming Shows

Gypsies on the Autobahn - Kelly

There's wide range of styles and influences on Born Brief, the debut album from Dublin's Gypsies on the Autobahn and it makes for a mixed bag when listened to in a sitting. Something I did several times this past week. To my ears, many of the tracks are standard Irish rock fare and while their mostly solid, they don't really shine. A few tracks, however, are really nice. The lead single, "Torrents", for example, has a really nice almost prog-rock overtone, and "Kelly" has that kind of fun upbeat jangle I like in some of my favorite dancehall bands. If you're into Irish music it's worth a listen, for sure.

RIYL: Little Comets, Hermitage Green, Bell X1, The Maccabees

Upcoming Shows

Car Seat Headrest - Unforgiving Girl

Welcome to the Welcome Center
Make a U-Turn
My phone is freaking out
I'll lose my shit while it re-routes but
She moves and
She speaks and
She's on a chain that moves towards perfection
Baby, the effects are so good these days
If there were gears behind those big brown
Eyes, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference

Re-recording can be a bit tricky but in the case of "Unforgiving Girl - The She's Not A Single Version", Car Seat Headrest has a winner. The original, off their standout LP "Teens in Denial", is good, but I really love what has been done here. Maybe it's just the Pixes-esque vocal call-outs, I'm a sucker for those, but I'm digging it. Anyway, we needed a bit more Car Seat Headrest on here. What was Rick Ocasek thinking not letting them use "Just What I Needed"? Get with the program Rick! Car Seat Headrest is awesome.

RIYL: Cloud Nothings, Built To Spill, Frankie Cosmos, Parquet Courts

Upcoming Shows