Like it or not, summer has arrived. I'm looking forward to getting outside for some activities. I just hope that it is not too ungodly hot this year. If you're like me, you need some tunes to accompany the barbecues, camping, tailgating, and fire pits. Here's some lighter options from my usual metal picks.
girlfriends - (e)motion sickness
Like Blink 182, All Time Low, Seaway and other power pop bands with emo leanings? Check out girlfriends. I just discovered them looking at new iTunes releases. It turns out this is a band is made up of singer/rapper/actor Travis Mills and Goldfinger drummer Nick Gross. They also enlist songwriting and producing from Goldfinger singer and musical mastermind, John Feldman. The clever tongue-in-cheek lyrics and teen angst vibes on songs like Toothbrush, Told You So, and the title track have me reminiscing about bands from my college years, and thinking that I will be playing (e)motion sickness a lot this summer. Toaster For A Swim, Scared, and Can You Hear Me Now hit me in the feels like All American Rejects or Blink 182's self titled.
Lit - Taste's Like Gold
Lit are coming off of two underwhelming albums, the last being 2017's country album, These Are the Days. They promised a return to their alt-rock form with their latest release and have mostly delivered on that promise, although some songs are still on the slower side. I actually don't mind their slow songs, however. Instead of skipping them, I'm enjoying the familiar storytelling and warm vocals provided by lead singer AJ. They also tout a new approach to production enlisting Carlo Colasacco who has written with Shinedown. They have No Doubt's drummer Adrian Young featured on "Mouth Shut." They also throw in a cover song of the Cars' "Let's Go" featuring famous writer and producer Butch Walker (Marvelous 3, Pink, Weezer, Fall Out Boy). This album is nothing like their first three, but as Jeremy says, "We're not talking viruses, politics or any of that shit." It could provide some chill background music this summer.
Weezer - SZNZ: SummerOn Friday Weezer released the first single of the summer EP "Records" on a platform that required you to spin yourself (and your phone) like a record in order to play it. My old phone wouldn't cooperate, but luckily I could find it on YouTube and spare myself the dizziness! It's a nice pop-rock song with a sing-along chorus. Rivers is showing off his range including high and low notes on this track as well. The rest drops on the solstice, June 21.
Update 6/22/22
Lawn Chair: The EP opens with a 2 minute song with some classical sounding strings and lyrics about archangels Gabriel and Michael torturing the humans. It's very strange.
Records: The aforementioned single is a classic pop-influenced song and attempts to appeal to the masses. Rivers has always sought the perfect pop song and this is another great tune with a catchy chorus.
Blue Like Jazz: This is like classic blue album Weezer. It's alternative, but catchy. There's melody reminiscent of Mykel and Carli. All of a sudden I am invested in Summers like there is no tomorrow.
The Opposite of Me: Pinkerton vibes are strong here as Rivers sings about being someone else. There is a driving drum beat for the verses broken up by slower, almost headbanging, emo beats. There is some riffing and keyboards that start to rock and then it slows to fade out.
What's the Good of Being Good: Song structure-wise this reminds me of a Pinkerton-Maladroit-Make Believe hybrid. The verse sounds like it is straight off of Make Believe. Then Rivers tugs at the heart strings like a Pinkerton song singing "What's the good of being good when your best friend stabs your back and he lies to the people and drags your name through the mud?" Good guitar work and superb storytelling make this one of the best Weezer songs.
Cuomoville: Very simple at first, this song gives way to some different styles of guitar first very light and airy, and then more ominous and aggressive as Rivers sings "taste your own medicine."
Thank You and Goodnight: Wow. This is one of the best Weezer songs in a long time. We have up-tempo drumming and strumming with lyrics reflective on a successful career, it seems. The latter half of the song is one of the rockingist things Weezer has ever put out. In fact, the last thirty seconds really go hard and lyrics "I'll be seeing you" let you know that they are not done yet.
Here's the linktree for Summer: https://weezer.lnk.to/sznzsummer
I'll be playing this one all the way to Fall!
