Following the release of Blonds' vibrant indie EP 'Spare Time', we wanted to hear about 5 songs the Californian artist loves and what they mean to him. Check out his answers below!
1. Blink-182 - "Every Time I Look For You"
It's no secret that I'm a lifelong Blink-182 fan. Every time I play guitar I'm emulating (or at least trying to emulate) a mix of Tom Delonge and Jack White. I love this song's dense, pretty guitar melodies and its driving speed. It also displays Blink's most brilliant use of having two lead vocalists when Mark and Tom go back and forth in the song's pre-chorus, which is yet another thing I try to emulate in my music when I layer my vocals. Overall, a great track from a legendary band.
2. Glaive - "astrid"
I think I've listened to this song every day since I found it a few months ago. If there's any song I wish I could have written myself that came out in the past 10 years, this is it. The dense, pretty guitar melodies, the gripping harmony layers on the chorus, the speed and efficiency of the song, the unique lyrics, and most importantly the way the song somehow manages a fantastic beauty combined with fun punchiness is nothing short of amazing.
3. The White Stripes - "Icky Thump"
This is my favorite guitar solo of all time. Jack White is my favorite guitar player, and this song is a big reason why. This song, and much of the White Stripes catalogue, is a masterclass in badass songwriting. The solo is so messy but precise in a way that exudes mastery and it elevates the menacing tone of the song. Plus the lyrics are just the right type of esoteric where there is a consistent meaning if you look for it, but beyond that, the words fit a tone first, and tell a story second. I'll never forget the first time I heard this song on the radio coming home from dinner with my dad and my friend. All conversation stopped as we were floored by Jack White's genius.
4. The Jungle Giants - "She's a Riot"
Fun, surfy, and poppy; "She's a Riot" is a jam for the ages. The chorus lyrics "she's well known to police 'cause she looks like a riot" are my favorite lyrics of all time. It's just so pop without sacrificing cool. Not to mention the lead guitar melody in the chorus wildly slides around the guitar and perfectly matches the euphoria I feel when surfing. This is an underrated classic from the 2010's indie era.
5. Nirvana - "Heart Shaped Box"
Nirvana was what my mom played for me while I was growing up and, like any overly emotional 10 year old, I wanted to *be* Kurt Cobain as a kid. That sort of childhood idolization never really leaves you, and to this day I still worship Cobain and his music as divine creations. "Heart Shaped Box" is my favorite Nirvana song for its HUGE guitar in the chorus and it is one of the best showcases of the band's signature dynamic range where they go from deadly quiet to suddenly oppressively loud.
Don't forget to check out Blonds' stand-out track 'Something Nice' from his EP 'Spare Time'
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