Culture Shock is in 5 days. Be there. But first, listen to some music.
This weekend Tame Impala announced the name of their third album, Currents, and released another single. The band set the bar high with "Let it Happen," but "'Cause I'm a Man" is so good. This simple bass line creates this calming effect that you totally don't get with the noise-heavy "Let it Happen," but both songs share this incredibly unique sound that combines elements of classic rock but with obviously digital voice alterations and synths (less so in this song). If these songs are any indication, and I'm sure they are, Currents will be an awesome album, continuing this trend of ridiculously great music in 2015.
Another awesome song from another awesome band from another awesome album that's coming out this year. "Gimme All Your Love" is simultaneously gritty and slick, creating this sultry sound that makes you want to sit in a dimly lit bar and drink bourbon. And I don't even like bourbon. at the 2:26 mark the Shakes will make you feel feelings that you probably didn't know you even had; isn't that the whole point of music anyway?
This is the lead singer of Dashboard Confessional singing the emo classic, "Hands Down" at Taylor Swift's best friend's birthday party. Yes. You and TSwift both listened to Dashboard Confessional in 8th grade. You and TSwift still drunkenly sing Dashboard Confessional.
Kintsugi, Death Cab for Cutie's latest album is very good. This track is classic Death Cab-melancholy, moody, introspective, great lyrics ("there's a flaw in my heart's design/for I keep trying to make you mine" *crying emoji fire emoji crying emoji*). Everything about this song is sad. Lead singer Ben Gibbard's vocals sound like he's exhausted from loving this person, the subtle percussion is too sad to make more noise and the guitar sounds like that feeling when you're so heartbroken that just getting out of bed is too much. This song is so good.
Sorry for throwing another sad song at you, but this song came on shuffle and I completely forgot how good it is. There was a time in my life that I would scour Youtube for live versions and unreleased Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin songs and looking for a live version of "Hammers and Strings" brought back some great memories circa 2011. The sound quality isn't the best but I'm constantly impressed by the amount of passion that Andrew McMahon puts into his live performances.
Want to hear this song live? You can. Just come to Culture Shock on Saturday.
