Disco Kisses

You know how you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover? It's bad form. But... I totally judge books by their covers. And I judge bands by their band names. I'm sorry, but it's a first impression kind of response. If a band has a silly name, I'll be less likely click on a link that leads to their myspace page. I think that a band should have a name that somehow conveys what they are trying to achieve with the sound.

The name Kisses just sounds like it's going to be a a girl group or a boy/girl duo. It's definitely not stuff you wanna listen to when drinking beer with the boys. And that assumption is more or less correct. Jesse Kivel (Princeton) and Zinzi Edmunson have created sad-eyed songs that have strains of 70's disco, 80's new wave and electro Europop. Sounds about right.

Kisses - Bermuda (mp3) (buy)

Higher Education

I thoroughly enjoyed Princeton's older material. The simplicity of their 2006 debut A Case of the Emperor's Clothes piqued my attention in the group with its strong melodies and concise but stripped down acoustic guitar pop. I don't know how I wasn't aware of their 2008 Bloomsbury EP, a concept album about an imaginative group of British intellectuals, no doubt inspired by the group's stay in London, UK.

On Sept. 29, 2009, they will release Cocoon of Love, which of course, is an advancement of these last two records, with both subtle songwriting and philosophical lyrical content about how those people, places and things you encounter immense themselves into your memory.

Sounds deep, but I hope the structure of their early, perhaps more naive, older songs still shine through.

Princeton - They Sing in Her Head (mp3) (buy)

Princeton - Calyso Gold (mp3) (buy)

Princeton - Ms. Bentwich (mp3) (buy)

Cool Los Angeles

Meet Princeton.

They are a three piece, consisting of Jesse and Matt Kivel and Ben Usen, hailing from Los Angeles. I first heard of them through My Old Kentucky Blog and was instantly was drawn to their sparse folkish arrangements with poppy melodies from their first EP entitled "A Case of the Emperor's New Clothes EP". Their next release entitled "the Bloomsbury EP" is set to be released in the summer and currently they are touring with the Vampire Weekend in the states, but with any luck, they should be getting the indie hype that their fellow tourmates are receiving.

Apparently, the group first got the idea to pursue music after watching the movie "That thing you do" as kids. What a defining moment!

Princeton - Blackbeard (mp3)
Princeton - The Indifference Curve (mp3)

And also give a warm welcome to Midnight Movies.They are quartet also hailing form Los Angeles with a sound that conjures up images of late nights and the sight and sound of lights and cars passing through a big city. Their new ep, "Nights" features a version of the song "Patient Eye" on their last album "Lion the Girl" which has been remixed by James Iha (of A Perfect Circle and the Smashing Pumpkins). I could tell by the first few bars that this is going to be one of the few bands whom will define 2008 for me. Their sound is strangely familiar but I can't quite pin down the influences.

Midnight Movies - Patient Eye (James Iha Remix) (mp3)
Midnight Movies - Parallel Paramour (mp3)