indie underrated

Jason Smith and Kevin Boggs are back with Lanterna Magica, the newest release from their indie-pop collaboration Night’s Bright Colors. 

The fifth song on the LP, “The Trivial Pursuit Of Happiness,” is one of our favorites. 

If the title is any indication, the song is characterized by a tongue-in-cheek tone that culminates in its catchy, nonsensical chorus of fa la las and la dee das. Don’t think for a second, however, that it lacks sincerity. The verses are comprised of deep, fleeting ruminations on existence, decision, and meaning that give the song’s whimsy its essential context. 

This interplay between seriousness and playfulness is also noticeable in the music. The performances are skillful and the mix is tight, but the arrangements are wonderfully experimental and risky. To us, this reads as evidence of a dedicated and explorative artistic process and we applaud Smith and Boggs for it. 

If you like Elliott Smith and/or other artists on the Kill Rock Stars label, we think you’ll like this too. Listen to “The Trivial Pursuit of Happiness” and the rest of Lanterna Magica on Spotify now!

Goddamn Wolves starts their newest project, The DOOM EP, with a bang. An atomic bang for that matter. Don’t worry, it’s not as dire as it sounds (the song, that is, not the message.) Are we starting to contradict ourselves? Perhaps that’s fitting for a review of “We’re Doomed.” 

The track is characterized by an uptempo arrangement consisting of bright guitar, heavy drums, and catchy melodies. Upon first listen, it might even sound joyous. However, with moments of sonic dissonance scattered strategically throughout the song, GD Wolves perfectly capture the mood of tense uncertainty that they sought to reflect when creating their new EP. 

“We’re Doomed” is a perfect example of content and form working together in harmony to communicate a message. 

It reminds us of Cheap Trick, but that frantic guitar solo around the 2:10 mark has Pixies written all over it. Be sure to check out the entirety of The DOOM EP on Spotify.