WKNC 88.1 FM - North Carolina State University Student Radio
Author:toad maiden
A little Butter makes everything better. Part-time WKNC content manager and graphic designer, full-time sludgy surf rock funk master metalhead. Get in touch with ya suggestions n' such at content@wknc.org.
If you’ve seen “Almost Famous,” the name Lester Bangs might ring a bell. Philip Seymore Hoffman, who plays Bangs in the 2000 film, inspires William, the main character, to pursue his interest as a rock critic. I had no idea he was a real person until I found his book, “Mainlines, Blood Feasts, and Bad Taste,” at Reader’s Corner a couple of weeks ago!
I’ve loved reading his work. Lester Bangs was perhaps one of the most influential music journalists to walk this earth. Though he was best known for his work with Creem magazine, Bangs got his start at Rolling Stone. In 1969, The prolific magazine put an ad out for reader reviews and Bangs quickly responded. Entering a scalding review on MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams,” he was published immediately. He went on to write for Rolling Stone until 1973 when he was fired for “disrespecting musicians.” There’s no secret as to why. His reviews could be scalding, and this is often what he got the most press for.
However, when he started working for Creem magazine in 1971, his love for underground garage music grew. Before he became editor of Creem, he helped define the term “punk rock,” speaking highly of musicians like The Stooges, Lou Reed, and Blondie in pages upon pages of writing.
What makes Bangs especially interesting to me was his unapologetic lack of reverence for rock stars. Though he obviously had a deep love for music, he never hero-worshipped the musicians in interviews. His goal was to get right down to it, right to the music.
He could even be quite radical in this viewpoint at times, going as far as sitting on stage at a J. Geils Band concert with his typewriter on his lap, furiously tapping away a review right in front of the audience. His writing, as well as his humor, were irreverent and even ridiculous at times. Despite this, his words spoke such truth that you just can’t help trusting him.
The weather is finally getting warmer here in NC, and all I want to do is sit on my porch with a nice book, a cup of tea, and some springy tunes. It’s hard to believe that daylight saving time is right around the corner! In honor of the longer, warmer days ahead, I’ve decided to put together a playlist filled with my favorite springtime songs. These tracks give me sitting-in-a-garden-feeling-the-sun-on-my-skin type vibes and I hope they do the same for you!
1. Peach Fuzz – Tyler, the Creator
One of my favorite singles from Tyler, this song just oozes sunny, spring vibes. Even just the title makes me want to go fruit picking!
2. Not Fade Away/Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad – The Grateful Dead
The Dead are the masters of all things jammy goodness, and this track is no exception. I love the beachy, lovestruck sound to this song.
3. Run to the Sun – N.E.R.D
The title “Run to the Sun” says it all. Pharrell’s signature funky style sticks out especially on this track from the N.E.R.D trio.
4. Tangerine – Led Zeppelin
“Tangerine” is actually the song I named my show after! I love the gentleness of it, and it’s one of my all-time favorite Zeppelin songs.
5. The Girl From Ipanema – Stan Getz & João Gilberto
The idea of starting off Spring without some Bossa Nova playing in the background is despicable. This Brazilian classic will for sure remind you of sunny days.
6. One Rainy Wish – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
One of Jimi Hendrix’s softer songs, this psychedelic ballad is filled with lyrics that seem to worship mother nature herself.
7. Hit Me Like That Snare – alt-J & Rejjie Snow
This is one of those songs that I just wish were longer. The bridge at 0:53 is absolutely fantastic.
8. Raspberry Jam – Allah-Las
Allah-Las are arguably the kings of modern surf rock. This song, off the soundtrack of “Self Discovery For Social Survival” is a great testament to that.
9. Sparks – The Who
Even though this track is just an instrumental, the upbeat, soft strumming reminds me of sunshiny afternoons.
10. Dancing Barefoot – Patti Smith Group
Patti Smith is an absolute icon. Period. “Dancing Barefoot” is one of her more pop-leaning songs, but it reminds me of spinning around in the middle of a bright, grassy field!
11. An Idea – IAMNOBODI
What a great little random track! Featuring Emmavie, Zacari, and Josh J., this song is the pinnacle of R&B perfection.
12. Ivy – Frank Ocean
It would be injustice not to include at least one Frank song on this playlist. Though it’s a bit melancholy, for some reason this track reminds me of the shift from Winter to Spring.
Leaf Hound was one of those bands that slipped through the cracks in the early 1970s but are now receiving the recognition they deserve. After only one album, they went on the do other things, most notably their singer, Peter French, who joined Atomic Rooster in 1971. But what an album it was! “Growers of the Mushroom” has all the elements of British blues and proto-metal: blistering riffs, raspy vocals, and a twinge of psychedelia. Though Leaf Hound was not as influential as similar bands from the time, like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, one can imagine the impact they could’ve had if they continued.
One of their most outstanding accomplishments was the hit song “Freelance Fiend.” Wow! What an incredible track. Though Peter French is heralded for his signature ’70s-esc screeches, what really stands out to me is the dance between the two guitarists, Mick Halls and Derek Brooks. “Hipshaker” is another stand-out track.
In 2007, Leaf Hound spontaneously reunited to release one more album, this time with a completely new lineup. Peter French reinstated himself as lead singer, but the rest of the band included Tom Smith on guitar, Pete Herbert on bass, and Dominic French on drums. Including a collection of new tracks, remastered oldies, and songs from Atomic Rooster, the album was a success. However, “Growers of Mushroom” became somewhat of an artifact among record collectors, sometimes selling for over $4,000.
It’s no doubt their popularity has soared exponentially since their disbandment, going on to inspire artists like Tame Impala and Wolfmother. Leaf Hound is definetely worth taking a listen to!
Members: Peter French (vocals), Mick Halls (guitar), Derek Brooks (guitar), Stuart Brooks (bass), Keith George-Young (drums)
Discography: Growers of Mushroom (1971), Unleashed (2007)
Best Songs: Freelance Fiend, Drowned My Life in Fear, Stray, Hipshaker, Too Many Rock ‘N’ Roll Times
ALBUM: “Mink Mussel Manticore” by Mink Mussel Creek
RELEASE YEAR: 2007/2014
LABEL: Spinning Top Records
RATING: 8/10
BEST TRACKS: “They Dated Steadily,” “Meeting Waterboy” and “PROMISING QUINTET RISE TO POWER (MACHO PEACHU)”
FCC: Clean
When I first heard the song “They Dated Steadily” on my Spotify Discover Weekly playlist, I would’ve never thought Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker was behind it. With its heavy metal riffs and psychedelic feel, I immediately fell in love with the 13-minute-long song and the album it came from, “Mink Mussel Manticore.”
Parker and Allbrook originally formed Mink Mussel Creek in 2007. “Mink Mussel Manticore” came into being the same year, but wasn’t officially recorded and subsequently released until 2014 when the two musicians reunited. By this time, both Pond and Tame Impala had reached international success, so the gem that is Mink Mussel Creek was left widely forgotten. “Mink Mussel Manticore,” their only album, delves more into the heavier side of garage rock and psychedelia. Imagine “Thickfreakness” by the Black Keys on steroids sprinkled with some Hendrix-esc guitar, and then you’d get something like “Mink Mussel Manticore.” It’s hard to believe the album is only seven songs long. Each track feels like an epic, filled with layers of wild riffs and beat switches.
It’s easy to see how both Pond and Tame Impala stemmed from Mink Mussel Creek, but as Parker and Allbrook went their separate ways, they both softened their tone. What I love about “Mink Mussel Manticore” is its unapologetic heaviness. It’s the kind of album you have to play on full blast. Tracks like “Cat Love Power” and “HANDS OFF THE MANNEQUIN CHARLIE” switch pace often, keeping you on your toes and wanting more. Though songs like “PROMISING QUINTET RISE TO POWER (MACHO PEACHU)” and “Meeting Waterboy” stray more into the funk/blues arena, the rest of the album is a sludgy, fuzzy psychedelic journey.
BEST TRACKS: “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen,” “Hope You’re Feeling Better” and “Samba Pa Ti”
FCC: Clean
There exists few music groups who managed to combine so many genres of music better than Santana. Though the original group first came into being in 1966, their first brush with true fame came at Woodstock in 1968. Carlos Santana, front-man, founder, and the only consistent member of the band since its formation, was a mystery to the world before he was thrust onstage last-minute at the hands of his manager, a man named Billy Graham who was organizing the iconic festival.
In a seemingly impossible combination of jazz, funk, blues, rock, and Latin music, “Abraxas” emerged. Originally released in 1970, it was Santana’s second studio album after the massive success of their first, “Santana.” Carlos Santana and his band introduced Latin music to the classic rock scene in ways nobody had seen before. “Abraxas” was no exception. Searing guitar riffs overlap the sounds of bongos and jazz pianos to create a sound that was truly revolutionary for the time. With psychedelic rock being very much a white man’s arena in the early ’70s, Santana was a breath of fresh air for all to experience the fusion of Latin music and rock n’ roll.
“Black Magic Woman,” one of Santana’s most heralded songs, turned Peter Green’s (Fleetwood Mac) bluesy classic into a samba you just can’t help dancing to. In a cover of Tito Puente’s hit, “Oye Como Va,” Santana adds his own spin with a funky piano line. “Hope You’re Feeling Better,” the second to last song on “Abraxas,” goes in a completely different direction, sounding more like a song from Deep Purple than a Latin-fusion band.
Overall, “Abraxas” will always be one of my favorite albums because of how diverse and experimental it is. It’s a great testament to the incredible exploration into music that was happening in the ’60s and ’70s. Give it a listen!
It’s Valentine’s Day! I feel so full of love every time I think about the people who listen to my show every week, so I decided to make a V-Day playlist just for y’all! Filled with classics, newbies and lots of romantic goodness, it’s all the lovey-dovey songs that I’m obsessed with. The full playlist is about almost two hours long, but here are of few of my choice favorites:
1. I Love You So – The Chantels
The Chantels are most known for their hit single, “Maybe,” but “I Love You So” has to be the most romantic song they’ve released. It just makes ya feel good.
2. Sweet Thang – Shuggie Otis
I’ve been super into Shuggie Otis recently. His work on the steel guitar is impeccable and I love how he mixes funk and the blues. “Sweet Thang” is a great ballad perfect to listen to any day of the week, but especially on Valentine’s.
3. I THINK – Tyler, the Creator
“IGOR” has to be one of the most prolific albums released over the past couple years. I love the way Tyler has softened and really refined his work. “I THINK” shows off the hopeless romantic he really is.
4. Still Together – Mac DeMarco
I remember listening to this song over and over again in 9th grade when I first heard it. Five years later, and it’s still one of my favorites.
5. Nancy (With The Laughing Face) – Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra is one of the original masters of the romantic ballad, but this song really makes me misty-eyed. Written about his wife, it’s so beautiful and heartfelt.
6. Prototype – Outkast
The lyrics say it all: “I hope that you’re the one/ If not, you are the prototype/ We’ll tiptoe to the sun/ And do thangs I know you like.”
7. Hey, Hey, What Can I Do – Led Zeppelin
“Hey, Hey, What Can I Do” was originally released on the B-side of the “Immigrant Song” single in 1970. It’s a soft, acoustic track, displaying a side that the iconic heavy rock band rarely showed.
8. Girl – The Internet (feat. KAYTRANDA)
Syd’s vocals on this song are fantastic, especially since they’re mixed with the rest of The Internet’s funky instrumental talent.
9. Not Fade Away / Goin’ down the Road Feeling Bad – The Grateful Dead
Is your love bigger than a Cadillac? As per usual, the Dead show their mastery of feel-good, eclectic rock in this live version of “Not Fade Away.”
10. Paris, Tokyo – Lupe Fiasco
Last but not least, “Paris, Tokyo” is a sweet song about love that crosses borders and travels around the world. It’ll always be one of my favorites!
Make sure to check out the full playlist below for more tender jams!
Did someone say they wanted some fresh-pressed juice? I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Nashville-based rock group, Fresh Squeeze, whose mission is to give rock a “breath of fresh air.” Made up of Leo Faillace (bass), Max Marotta (drums), and Victor Arruda (guitar), the trio and I sat down to talk about musical inspirations, upcoming albums, and record collections!
How did Fresh Squeeze get started?
Victor: It started out in college when we all went to App State. I was in music doing the recording program. Max came in and started doing the marketing program, and then Leo was always hanging around the studio. It’s funny because everybody would be like “Dude, there’s this guy that looks just like you.”
Leo: We were both like, “Who the f*** is this guy?” And then, sure enough, I finally met him. And we’re both Brazilian too.
Victor: So, we met in college and became friends. We started jamming and playing a couple shows here and there. Eventually it just evolved into the band when we started writing music.
Leo: Technically, they had another group. I was just friends with them for a couple of years because they had a group called The Daze.
Max: I’ve known Victor for a while. We were friends with Leo when we were with The Daze because our bands would play shows together. I remember I didn’t like him at first and I thought, “This guy’s an a**hole.” But one time we played a show together at Deep South when it was still open and it was really cool. Then Leo started coming around the house when we first moved to Boone and we just became really good friends, watched anime together, and, you know, played lots of music. It wasn’t until The Daze fell apart and Leo stuck around until we said, “F*** it. Let’s just make a band.” We officially started at the beginning of 2020 and it’s really grown in just a year. We were actually called “Tres Leches” at first and we would play little frat parties. We kept saying to ourselves, “This is hitting hard. Like we could definitely do something.”
How did you guys get into music? Where does that passion come from?
Max: I was in the car coming home from hockey practice in seventh or eighth grade and I heard Cream’s “White Room” and it was like a lightning bolt hit me. And I was like “Yeah, this is what I want to do.” I wasn’t really very specific on what I wanted to do, but I had a guitar at home so I just started playing and taking lessons at this place called the Clayton Music Academy. That’s where I met Victor. From there we just started playing a lot and we would jam, but there was never a drummer, so I said, “I’ll play drums.” Ten years later, we’ve toured and had lots of practice and here we are.
Victor: My story is a little weird. I started young playing piano. I was in band playing clarinet. I was just like, “What is music? What do I like? I don’t even know. 50 Cent? Heck yeah.” It wasn’t until I was in middle school I got into Green Day and I was like, “Wow, there’s this instrument called the guitar and it makes you look really cool.” Much better than clarinet, you know? I got a guitar for my birthday and I started listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers. And then I was just like “Wow, this is real guitar now.” And then, you know, from there it spiraled into Led Zeppelin, and I started going back to all the good s*** and just obsessing over guitar. I’m constantly learning Van Halen, Slash, Led Zeppelin, all that stuff. Then I was like, “I hate everything but guitar now and that’s all I want do with my life.”
Leo: For me, it was playing violin in fourth grade. It was purely out of the fact that my parents told me I had to learn an instrument, and I didn’t like it that much. I would try to learn these folk songs, but I couldn’t get sheet music because I didn’t have money because, I was like, in fourth grade. One day my dad got my mom The Beatles “Love” CD and I took it into my room and just started listening to it constantly. I would just be singing and my sister would be there too. We would try to figure out the harmony. We didn’t even know what harmonies were. We were just like, “I’m just gonna sing this high part and you’re gonna sing the low part.” Then that developed into me saying, “I just need to get a guitar now.” So, I got a classical guitar and I learned all the Beatles songs on that.
Who do you find yourselves listening to the most? What kind of artists inspire you?
All: Jimi Hendrix!
Max: Jimi Hendrix. Huge one. You know, Zeppelin, the major guys from like the late ‘60s early ‘70s. But lately I’ve been really into the hip-hop broken beat stuff like Knowledge, J Dilla, lots of Thundercat too. Really just a lot of the modern, jazz-funk stuff.
Victor: We listen to a lot of Hendrix and we collect a lot of vinyl. Our music tastes are scattered from Miles Davis jazz to Mahavishnu. We just search for new sounds, new albums that we like. We’re not really molded to one style. You know? It’s all over the place and we love everything. Even Mozart.
Favorites from your vinyl collection?
Victor (left) showing his favorite record, “Land of the Midnight Sun” by Al Di Meola.Max (right) displaying “Reggae Dub,” his favorite vinyl. Leo (left) showing one of his favorites, Fol Chen’s “Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune’s Made.”
What’s your music-making process like?
Max: It’s very equal. Usually, one of us will have an idea and then we all do our thing with it. It’s always different because sometimes we might be jamming all together and play something that’s sick. Other times, Leo and Victor will have an idea together and I’ll come in and tweak some of the arrangements and stuff.
Victor: We like to put songs together right there on the spot. Even if it’s like Leo’s idea or Max’s idea, we want it to be all of us coming together and making something cool. We can all make music on our own, but it’s like, it’s whatever you know. But this really put everyone’s brains together and we come out with something really creative.
Leo: The thing that’s special about how we write is that we never decide we’re gonna write something. It just happens, it’s never planned. It’s spontaneous. It’s comes out of whatever’s in our head at the time. We’re not thinking about it, we’re just doing it.
Victor: Now, sometimes we’ll be straight up jammin’. Those are the best ones when we just start playing and then we’ll hear an idea. One of us will grab an iPhone and turn on voice memos to record it. Voice memos saves our a*****. It really lets us go back and be like, “Oh that sounds cool, let’s go with that.”
Max: There’s a lot of methods, but it’s usually jamming, you know, improvising together. We’ll formulate an idea and grow it like a plant. It’s very harmonious process. It’s really fun. I mean, we just wrote one yesterday and it’s the most complex song we ever written. We’re lucky that it’s really easy. This has been the easiest group to write with that I’ve ever been a part of. We just click.
Victor: As long as we’re having fun, having a good time, that’s all that matters.
Leo: We’ll get into some little arguments, but they’re pretty much irrelevant. It’s always the little things and they never last more than five minutes.
Max: We have a system. Since there’s three, if it’s two against one, we’ll just use the winning idea, which actually works really nicely. Because four people, you got two and two. There’s too much division. There’s something magical about just the trio.
Where would you like to see the band go in the future?
Victor: We definitely want to tour the U.S. and I feel like that’s our nearest goal to achieve short-term. We’re releasing music and putting out our album. We’re doing a couple live bids too and we just did one with a studio here, which is really cool. But short-term goal is just to try to tour the U.S. as soon as possible.
Max: But ultimately, we’re going to be one of the best rock bands in the world. That’s no bull****. We’ve dedicated our lives to it for a long time and that’s definitely what we’re trying to do. Every band wants to be that. We want to revitalize the rock genre because I feel like it’s very kind of like neutral black-and-white, very dark.
Victor: It’s become this weird thing nowadays, especially here in Nashville. Like what the f*** happened to rock n’ roll? Rock has been boxed nowadays, and we just want to break that box.
Leo: You listen to music from the ‘60s and ‘70s and it’s so much more creative. It goes different places. We want to break that box, but not be a nostalgia act.
Max: We’re not trying to be what was, like Greta Van Fleet, or like a lot of other bands who are trying to be “vintage.” We love that stuff, but we’re trying to really reinvent it. We want give rock a breath of fresh air. We love every type of music. All these great rock bands that we love, they loved every type of music, so they tried to incorporate it. That’s kind of what we try to do. Music is so vast nowadays, there’s so many sub-genres, so we really try and pull from everything and just make it one thing. But ultimately, it’ll always be rock and how that’s we feel the spirit and essence of it.
Any new music on the way?
Victor: Yeah, we got some juicy stuff coming.
Max: The album comes out February 14. We did a live session at this place called Castle Recording Studios in Nashville and we filmed seven choice songs from the album. We’re working on just putting out really nice content videos. We set up microphones here in our living room and we do these weekly jam things where we’ll improvise and we post it on our social media.
Leo: We have basically most of the next album written and planned out. We’re just finalizing those and we’re going to record them probably in the next couple months.
Max: And then hopefully a tour in late May. We’re planning like maybe a week or two long tour and around Athens, Nashville, North Carolina, kind of just in the South East.
Victor: Our main thing is really just getting this album out there. We’re in the middle of mixing up this Castle [Recording Studio] live session so that’ll kind of coincide with the album release. We’re thriving over here. We’re also able to, you know, not spend a bunch of money on these things just because we have connections in these recording studios.
Leo: They believe in the music too. They want people to see it so they’re just trying to give us what they can.
Victor: And everybody needs help now, you know, even Castle Recording Studio. We’re helping them by giving them our services and our money while they’re helping us. So, there’s just this symbiotic growth of beauty and jam goodness.
Max: Jammy goodness always.
It’s hard to capture how awesome this trio’s spirits are with words, so that’s why you should check out the full interview coming shortly to our WKNC podcast, “Off the Record,” which can be found here! Tune in to hear us talk more about spirit animals, our shared Brazilian heritage, and terrible band names.
If you want to check out Fresh Squeeze for yourself, you can follow them on Instagram and listen to them on Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube. As they said, their new album, “Not From Concentrate,” comes out on February 14, so make sure to give it a listen!
“Not From Concentrate” Album Cover (Artist: Leo Faillace)
Instagram can be a truly soul-sucking place, but there is one reason why I’m still on it: the artists. There are so many incredible illustrators, designers, and painters that constantly give me inspiration. Here’s a list of some of my absolute favorites to hopefully inspire you too!
1. @kid_kura
Source: @kid_kura on Instagram.
Kid Kura does these amazing psychedelic illustrations that I can never get enough of. Most of their work is digital, but they also do a lot of zines too! The artwork shown above was from their campaign for Vice’s astrology signs instagram higlight.
2. @flesh_png
Source: @flesh.png on Instagram.
@Flesh.png is an anonymous artist that I’ve been following for a while. Though their work is mostly done on Procreate, I love the texture and collage-like quality they add. It’s been awesome to see them grow as an artist over the past few years!
3. @a.creature
Source: @a.creature on Instagram.
Ines J., the artist behind @a.creature, has created an entire cult following with her woozy and surreal illustrations. Her style is so unique, yet her skills are obviously very diverse. She is probably one of my biggest artistic inspirations. The way that she manages to breathe life into even the simplest doodles is amazing.
4. @mariamedem
Source: @mariamedem on Instagram
You can’t help but feel relaxed when viewing María Medem’s work. Using muted yet vibrant colors and images of nature, her illustrations seem to speak directly to your soul. Based in Spain, María specializes in “silent comics” and has published several books.
5. @birdofclaydesigns
Source: @birdofclaydesigns on Instagram.
Who knew that Sculpey could be so breathtaking? Luna Fae, the sculptor who runs @birdofclaydesigns, uses oven-bake clay to make incredibly intricate jewelry, knick-knacks, and other oddities. Her attention to detail is astounding, especially when it comes to all those little mushrooms!
6. @alisonzai
Source: @alisonzai on Instagram.
You could spend hours going through Alison Zai’s drawings and never get bored. Her hand-drawn comics are humorous and honest, perfectly depicting the pitfalls of human nature and relationships. Though they look simple, her style and way with words is incredibly endearing.
7. @pantspants
Source: @pantspants on Instagram.
I would be a fool if I didn’t mention Josh Mecouch, more commonly referred to as just “pants.” His simple cartoons are both creepy and hilarious. He somehow manages to create these charming little drawings with simple, messy lines and one main character, a silly balding fella with a mustache and glasses.
A lot of people think of Pond as Tame Impala’s cousin, which is an easy assumption to make considering Jay Watson is a core member of both touring bands. However, Pond has a lot more to offer than what meets the eye.
Based in Perth, Australia, Pond is a psychedelic garage-rock band made up of Jamie Terry, Shiny Joe Ryan, Jay Watson, Nick Allbrook, and James Ireland. Pond actually began as a collaborative project that existed in order for Allbrook and Watson to make music with as many guest artists as they pleased. Though they’ve traded members with Tame Impala several times, they’ve managed to release eight albums since 2008.
You’ve probably heard Pond’s “Paint Me Silver,” but the rest of their discography, especially their early work, is a treasure trove of grooviness. Their first album, “Psychedelic Mango,” is psychedelic indeed. It echoes the strangeness of 60s underground psychedelia bands like Ultimate Spinach and 13th Floor Elevators. Pond’s 2012 release, “Beard, Wives, Denim,” adds a bit more grunge, especially with songs like “Moth Wings” and “Sorry I Was Under the Sky.” Things for Pond only got better from there. Their popularity skyrocketed as Tame Impala’s success grew. Their fourth studio album, “Man It Feels Like Space Again,” added a playful, poppier element to the psychedelia they already mastered. “The Weather” followed the same trend, but also produced their hit song “Paint Me Silver.”
Personally, I’m a much bigger fan of Pond’s early work. Either way, I appreciate the growth they’ve experienced as a band. They’ve made huge strides after coming from being viewed as Tame Impala’s spin-off to having their own unique identity.
Discography:
Psychedelic Mango – 2009
Corridors of Blissterday – 2009
Frond – 2019
Beard, Wives, Denim – 2012
Hobo Rocket – 2013
Man It Feels Like Space Again – 2015
The Weather – 2017
Tasmania – 2019
Best Songs:
Moth Wings – Beard, Wives, Denim
Medicine Hat – Man It Feels Like Space Again
Don’t Look At the Sun or You’ll Go Blind (Live) – Psychedelic Mango
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and you know what that means! It’s time to buy a box of chocolates, get comfy in bed, and shamelessly watch romantic comedies until your stomach hurts. Whether you’re doing it alone, with a special someone, or with a whole group of friends, here’s ten of my all-time favorite rom-com’s to get you through V-Day!
1. Bridget Jones’s Diary
Number one on the list is always and forever going to be “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” This movie never fails to make me laugh, especially since Bridget and I share so many of the same qualities. Loosely based off of “Pride and Prejudice,” “Bridget Jones’s Diary” follows a clumsy “spinster” as she stumbles through boyfriends. It’s also a great Christmas movie too!
2. The Photograph
LaKeith Stanfield and Issa Rae are fantastic in “The Photograph.” After Mae finds a photograph from her estranged mother’s life following her death, she falls for a journalist, Michael, who is investigating it. It’s deeply heartfelt and is a must-watch for Valentine’s Day.
3. 10 Things I Hate About You
This movie is a cinematic masterpiece and an absolute classic. Similar to “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” the plot roughly follows Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) pays borderline-criminal Patrick (Heath Ledger) to date abrasive, terrifying Kat Stratford so he can go out with her sister, Bianca. This movie is filled with lots of drama, bad jokes, and the best Y2K wardrobe.
4. Always Be My Maybe
“Always Be My Maybe” is one of those delicious Netflix Originals that you just can’t stay away from. Ali Wong plays Sasha Tran, a successful restaurant owner who moves back to San Francisco and reconnects with her childhood best friend, Marcus Kim (Randall Park). Even though she’s engaged, her feelings for Marcus still linger.
5. The Big Sick
Based on actual events, comedian Kumail Nanjiani tells the story of how he met his wife, Emily, and how their relationship was upended by Kumail’s parents and a mysterious illness that puts Emily in a coma. Though the plotline sounds a bit on the serious side, it’s ridiculously funny and definitely worth a watch.
6. The Princess Bride
“The Princess Bride” was one of my favorites growing up. Just like the kid from the beginning, it was my go-to sick day movie. This epic follows Buttercup and Westley on their journey to be together amidst evil kings, pirates, giants, and Rats of Unusual Sizes.
7. How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
This movie is guaranteed to give you some laughs. Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) is a writer for a women’s beauty magazine, unfulfilled with her shallow work. In order to get a promotion, she comes up with an article about “what not to do when dating.” To have content to write about, she starts “dating” Benjamin Barry and intentionally acts completely insane.
8. Love, Simon
“Love, Simon” is more of a tearjerker than a comedy, but it’s so good I just had to include it. Sure, it might be a little cheesy, but you can’t help being touched by Simon’s story. As he’s trying to find the anonymous online boy he’s crushin’ on, Simon finds himself being blackmailed by someone at school who threatens to out him.
9. Twilight
Last but not least, I present to you the best movie ever made, the first “Twilight.” It’s so bad that it’s objectively good. While it’s meant to be a drama, you know that if you’ve seen “Twilight” it leans much more towards comedy. Always worth re-watching if you’re feeling lonely or sad on Valentine’s Day.
