The Weekend Fuzz: Multiverse of Music
“Music should be about what you like, not what you don’t.”
Are we the first generation of musical enthusiasts that constantly define their tastes by what they dislike? The majority of my friends are not very interested in music; at least not to the extent I immerse myself, and their knowledge doesn’t stem too far off the Top 40. Admittedly, I struggle when we talk about music. It’s hard to have a conversation with someone who’s favorite artist is Kesha; or trying to explain to someone who still religiously listens to Metallica that Cass McCombs is the greatest song writer of our generation.
Education is the best approach, I find. The greatest thing about music today is that no matter how many artists you hear, how many blogs you read or how many trendy websites you sign up for, there’s an entire universe of tunes you’ve never even heard. For every flavor of music, there is an endless expanse of artists you’ve never heard of making music you’d love. I try and convert one friend at a time one mixtape at a time, but the truth is that I can’t even keep up with the scene myself.
In lieu of my wordy introspective last week, let’s dive straight in to the tunes before I get too carried away
[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Chance-the-Rapper-Acid-Rain.mp3|titles=Chance the Rapper – Acid Rain]
Chance The Rapper – Acid Rain
For your friend who still can’t get over “early Eminem”, Chance the Rapper, a 19 year old from Chi-town, is fresh off his first appearance at SXSW and he’ll be at Lollapalooza in the late summer. Love the flow, and his lyrics fit right in to that uncommon “honest rap”, or the original old school.
[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Different-Sleep-Get-Ahead.mp3|titles=Different Sleep – Get Ahead]
Different Sleep – Get Ahead
For that friend of yours that stays up till 3 AM and has self-diagnosed insomnia, send them this song by Different Sleep. This track probably belonged on my post last week about dreams, and it was only a few hours after I published that I first heard it. In keeping with the Chicago theme, Rafa Alvarez aka ‘Different Sleep’ hits a vibe that could lull even the most rugged WoW addict in to a deep slumber. The chillest of chill.
[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/PEACEforever-California-Daze.mp3|titles=PEACE – California Daze]
PEACE – California Daze MP3
For your friend who still listens to the Beatles and thinks the Beach Boys were the greatest thing to ever happen to music, we have Peace. The UK seems to have a strange affinity for making music that sounds like it was made in some oceanside sea-shack on the outskirts of LA, and California Daze is certainly no exception. These guys are starting to blow up (you can tell how relevant an indie band is by checking the word count on their wikipedia page), and their first full length album dropped just a few weeks ago. Keep your bananas peeled for these guys
[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Small-Houses-Oh-Hiding-Out.mp3|titles=Small Houses – Oh, Hiding Out]
Small Houses – Oh, Hiding Out
And finally, for that friend of yours that wishes country music didn’t turn so “pop rock”, send them this track by Small Houses. The indie-country-folkie scene has always been massive, and it continues to be the force behind every metropolitan folk-fest. Small Houses is a Michigan based quartet of poets, headlined by Jeremy Quentin. For that Sunday drive on a dirt road in your rusty pick-up.
Enjoy the tunes and enjoy your weekend!
