Songs of the week (3/28/21)

So if you’ve been keeping up with the LA Parties blog at all you’ll realize there’s no rhyme or reason to it. Which is why it’s fun. On a whim after a few beers at 1:30AM this past Sunday night, I decided once in a while I’m gonna do a “Songs of the Week” post with 5 of my favorite songs lately. Here are five tunes I’ve been vibing on heavy for the past week or so while I was crashing my homie’s couch in Philly.

“E på saken”

Zupermaria

(2020)

I am legit obsessed with this girl’s tunes. My sister has been into her for a while, but finally I’ve gotten on the wave. Zupermaria is a pop artist from Norway who is signed to Sony Norway. Her tunes are really pop, but also really authentic and unique. Lately I’ve been tripping over this track, “E på saken”. It’s the album opener. It opens with some really weird chord voicings, and just kinda blows my mind. Masterfully arranged and produced, excellent vocal delivery. I haven’t really missed concerts (except for Switchfoot) that much since the shutdowns, but I’d love to go to a Zupermaria show where she opens on this track - full band and all. The song’s in Norwegian so it might take a bit to get used to, but it’s worth it. She kinda sounds like Dagny if she sang in her native tongue.

“How Am i still alive?”

Lauran Hibberd feat. Lydia Night

(2021)

I actually found this song on the Going Solo playlist “LA Parties” got added to. LA Parties, then Lauran Hibberd. The two grunge pop artists in alphabetical order - go figure. This song is produced by Suzy Shinn, a really upcoming rock producer right now who just did a Weezer album, and features a verse from the girl from The Regrettes. It’s so perfectly 2002 pop rock. “He drops his trousers and my shampoo” is absolutely iconic, and then the hammer comes in the chorus (the song really should have been named “Pinch Me” for maximum immediacy, but I’ll digress) “I’m dreaming of the life I wanted. Pinch me, I’m happy that I never got it.”

“INTERSTATE”

the refreshments

(1996)

This is a classic for me, from 1996. Roger Clyne is one of the greatest American songwriters of all time, full stop. Outside of a minor hit in “Banditos” on this debut album, Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy in 1996, he’s largely unknown except in his home state of Arizona, where he’s literally in the Hall of Fame. For those of you who don’t know him, he’s basically desert Tom Petty. This song and album have been with me my whole life in a huge way. For whatever reason this week in the heat of my debut single release cycle, and all that comes with it - while I’m crashing my friends’ couch in South Philly - I’ve been listening to this song right before I sleep every night. It’s so classically American. Roger is one of the greatest storytelling songwriters the world has known. A god to the small percentage of the population who know him.

“Penny For your thoughts”

joel plaskett emergency

(2007)

I’ve been a Joel Plaskett fan since the 2000s on a pretty casual level, but the older I get the more I fall in love with his style. Off the top ropes with sarcasm and sneer, a complete reverence for storytelling, rock ’n’ roll firepower to make the greatest of all time raise an eyebrow, and a youthful side that is somehow also mature. This song is kinda old. It’s from 2007. But I’m at my peak obsession with it right now. It’s about not having to be a fan of just one genre of music. Which while right now sounds like a fairly moot point, in 2007, there was so much more pretense about allying yourself with one primary genre. The way Joel talks about all kinds of music in this folky pop rock masterpiece while incorporating tricks like scatting and that 40s “womp womp womp wahhhh” sound is just genius. Canadian artists seem to get slept on far too often, and Joel is no exception. I want new stuff from him ASAP.

“LA PARTIES”

LA PARTIES

(2021)

It’s almost cliche to include this, but I fucking love this song, and it really is one of my songs of the week. Your debut single only comes out once. I’ve been playing the hell out of it, and so have you. It means a lot. I’ve heard this song probably 500 times. It holds up. I’m just so glad it’s finally out there, and I can listen to it on Spotify.