Not sure how this connection came to be, but Karen Black is angling her way into indie rock. At the very least, her appearance/duet on Cass McCombs‘ recent Dreams Come True Girl adds a certain surreal level to this tune and video. The song itself is a sweet channeling of Ricky Nelson, and I just think it’s very cool…
Staying with the laid back vibe, the New Jersey band Real Estate has been getting a fair amount of coverage lately. I went to the Jersey Shore this past summer and wish I had known about these guys then. A hazy, lazy brand of surf inspired rock that would serve as the perfect backdrop as you hang out on the dunes with some beer and friends. Aptly named Beach Comber is my personal favorite.
Kind of staying on the beach, the Florida band Surfer Blood just came onto my radar. They say they’re not surfers, and their music wouldn’t be classified as surf rock, so don’t be mislead. I’d say their music is straight up indie rock-pop, with some nods to 80’s arena rock (one reference I heard about their song Swim was to the ‘supergroup’ Asia. I can’t deny the accuracy, but somehow it’s not a bad thing here!). Aside from that, Floating Vibes may be my favorite song of the moment.
Finally, one of my posts wouldn’t be complete without something a little more brash; enter Turbo Fruits. This trio is headed up by Jonas Stein, formerly of the Nashville high school punk band Be Your Own Pet. These guys are just playing fun, garage/punk/rock music that plays on a bunch of references, but none too heavily to get them pigeon holed. Naked With You, a bit of a Who-inspired garage rocker, is getting some notable airtime in the UK. The one that hooked me is the stoner-confessional Mama’s Mad Cos I Fried My Brain – both can be heard on their myspace page.
In the meantime, here’s a very under-produced live version of Mama’s Mad where it’s obvious the boys got ‘up’ for the performance.
djeddieo.com 