Following the release of their debut single 'Jetlag' we caught up with California-based grunge-pop band STARRY EYES to find out more about what goes into their eclectic sound. Be sure to check out their 5 picks below along with 'Jetlag' at the end of this article.
1. Radiohead - "Fake Plastic Trees "
Kyle: "One of my favorite songs ever from one of the greatest albums ever has aged like a fine Burgundy. The album version is a masterpiece but to see them in this stripped down studio with the camera literally in Thom’s face half the time is amazing. They are fully engaged in the song and Thom’s eyes are squeezed shut the whole time while he’s absolutely crushing every note. It’s a chills inspiring performance and lays down the gauntlet for any band to sound as good or better live as they do on the album. But the best part is after the final chord rings out, and angels have descended from heaven and all the world has come together in the majesty and beauty of this performance, Thom starts bitching about how much he hates the guitar he just played. Legendary."
2. Blake Mills - Lucinda Williams "I Just Wanted to See You So Bad"
John: "Blake is a beast of a guitar player. His arrangement of this Lucina Williams song really shows his mastery of the fretboard and I’m always inspired by watching it. Plus I love Daneelctros so that's cool too…."
3. The Killers - "When You Were Young" - (Song Exploder)
Kyle: "The Killers are brilliant and unlike many rock bands of their day that reached superstardom, they continually pushed the envelope on every record and evolved their musical style as they grew into adulthood. To me they always felt like the adults in the room compared to their peers and I always respected they way they handled themselves. This brilliant segment from Song Exploder is a Killers fan’s dream to watch as they break down the song that took them from Hot Fuss to Sam’s Town (my favorite Killers album). From a songwriter’s perspective it’s inspiring to see how each member of the band equally collaborated a brilliant suggestion at the earliest stages of the song to create the foundation of the song. It’s the very definition of lightning in a bottle — when the whole universe aligns and everyone is on the exact same page and magical things happen. Fuck I love this song."
4. AFI - "Bleed Black"
John: "One of my favorite albums of all time. From start to finish, it’s so expertly crafted and sounds amazing. It’s dark, moody, and dramatic. This is one of my favorites on it and the bridge section ends with a warm clean guitar arpeggio that gets me every time!"
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Funky Monks” Documentary
Kyle & John: "Arguably one of the greatest documentaries of all time when it comes to purity and unadulterated access to a band making one of the most celebrated albums of all time. Every scene in here is pure artistic and entertainment gold. To witness Rick Rubin shape and craft these four drugged out animals over the course of a couple of months while living together in a makeshift Hollywood hills mansion studio. And to watch these musical geniuses work out these songs which have since become masterpieces... It’s one of the most inspirational things we’ve ever seen. Bonus points watching AK hit on every female within a 4 block radius. Absolute mayhem. 10/10"
Watch STARRY EYES 'Jetlag'
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