Entertainment
good listener
our five favorite songs of the week!
Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside, "I Swear"
Sallie Ford opens this track, singing in her rockabilly voice, "When I turn on the radio, it all sounds the same." It's a fitting beginning, because this Portland band definitely doesn't sound like many of the groups out there today- and trust us when we say that's a good thing. With Ford's funky vocal stylings and the band's du-wop vintage vibe, songs like "I Swear" sound straight out of the jukebox. We hope they never change.
If there's one thing we've learned after listening to hundreds of albums each week, it's that you can't judge a band by its name. Case in point: YAWN, the Chicago quartet that makes music that's anything but sleepy. Their first track is a mumbo-jumbo mix of drummy tribal rhythms, fun instruments (we think we even heard a rainmaker) and stripped-down vocals. You can pick up their debut LP Open Season this August, but until then listen to "Toys" and get ready to perk up.
DOM, "Damn"
We caught DOM live a few weeks ago when they rocked Brooklyn Bowl during Northside Festival. Their set time may have been an early 8 pm (it was still sunny outside), but by the end of their first song, these guys got everyone dancing like it was post-midnight. And for everyone who's exhausted their ubiquitous jam "Living in America," we've got good news. The band is releasing an EP of new material this August. You can get a sneak listen of the spacey pop track "Damn" in exchange for liking DOM on Facebook. It's a pretty good trade, if you ask us.
Remember Reptar, the dino character from Nickelodeon's series Rugrats?
. That's what first intrigued us about this eponymous band, but it didn't take long to get hooked on their music. After only being an official band for a little over a year, this friendly foursome have already made some serious moves, winning acclaim at SXSW and booking fall tour dates with Foster the People and Cults. Rugrats might be over, but Reptar's only just beginning
Their single "Pumped Up Kicks" may have won
Stereogum's poll for the Indie Song of the Summer,
but
we're currently obsessed with the L.A. band's other track "Houdini." Off their new album Torches, it's got the same pop hooks as Foster the People's other songs, but with added MGMT-style electro vibes. It reminds us of the beach, barbecues and pretty much everything else we love about summer.
