Today saw the release of the newest album from Brooklyn based band The National, titled Trouble Will Find Me. I haven’t heard the album yet (they didn’t option it to Rdio, I guess) but I am enjoying the song I’ve posted above called “Don’t Swallow the Cap”. As you may have gleaned from the title the song, I believe, is about struggling with addiction. What I find funny is that every National song I hear seems so “pretty” and melodic, so you’ve got this song about a pretty serious subject that’s done so beautifully. That’s the joy of The National though and why they’re one of the best bands out there right now.

Imagine you’re marooned in some lazy beach town and are desperate for an icy beverage. You wander around nondescript storefronts, faded cars parked on vacant streets, and a feeling of zombie despair suddenly overwhelms you. In the distance you hear what sounds like be-bop but with driving guitars and a refrain—”why you lookin’ at me?”—and instead of running from it you’re drawn closer. There, through the squeaky doors of a blacked out bar, three guys and a beanie-topped girl are churning out pop-fueled, surf psych rock that forces you to tap your toes and nod your head into a frenzy. This is what it’s like to be sonically invaded by Hooded Fang.

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It feels like spring/summer is creeping super quickly here in Los Angeles, so finding the right albums as the appropriate summer soundtrack is totally key. One I would highly suggest is the new release from Still Corners called Strange Pleasures. Still Corners is the musical collaboration between Greg Hughes and Tessa Murray, who together make some fuzzed out electronic joy.

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