new music

Has music been sucking lately or is it just me? I haven't been inspired to buy anything in a long time. This is ironic because I'm almost exclusively using Pandora now and it seems like that service should be better than most at identifying new bands. Nothing. I got nothing. I've been making the rounds too. Somewhat less frequently. Pitchfork, NME, etc. Nothing. Absolutely nothing exciting.

Until today. I was filing through the Top 2010 albums (so far) on Amazon. Initially it was depressing. I went through everything and found nothing that inspiring. Sure I could pick up the new Goldfrapp. She's always good. But I have all her stuff and I'm looking for something new. Yea I know the new album is a change for her. But still. Okay I'll pick it up.

Anyway. I get through the whole list and nothing. Then I'm back tracking through the albums and realized I missed one.

The Drums


Now it's a little derivative. Obvious influences from The Smiths and The Cure and The Beach Boys (Does all modern music stem from Pet Sounds? I think so.) Plus maybe some Ocean Blue and the vocals have a bit of a Pet Shop Boys quality to them. But it has a weird combination of being more haunting and more silly than those bands. I can't quite explain it. Try this one on for size. And by the way do they look really young? Holy shit. And they're from Brooklyn. Bonus. And its $5.


So as I'm going through The Drum's back catalog on YouTube and frantically downloading everything, I stumble upon,

Washed Out


Great name. It fits the music. Here's a funny blurb from Wikipedia,

Washed Out is the stage name of musician Ernest Greene. In June 2009, Greene moved back home to the rural town of Perry, Georgia and started producing songs in his bedroom studio[1]. He soon won the favor of a number of influential music bloggers after they found his music on his MySpace page.

Welcome to modern music marketing folks. He's like a modern day Aphex Twin. They're calling this Chillwave which I think is a good name for the genre. And it obviously has shoegaze as a precursor. Other chillwave bands I haven't listened to include Neon Indian, Toro Y Moi, Millionyoung, Teen Daze, Memory Tapes, Collarbones, Night Bus, Blackbird Blackbird, Small Black, and Nite Jewel. I'm on it. Here's Washed Out. You'll get the sense initially that it's a slow R&B song from the 80s. Or maybe George Michael is going to start singing. But as soon as the vocals come in you'll be thinking Slowdive or Pink Floyd (the David Gilmore stuff). It's really good.


And most importantly. Both bands have put out solid albums. Every song a winner.