Been listening to nothing but The Fratellis lately.

Here’s some context: For Thanksgiving break, my family broke tradition and came to visit me in Chicago. While I would’ve liked to go home to see my friends (and animals), it was a nice change of pace. We made a small turkey, finally saw the new James Bond movie, walked around Michigan Avenue while it was all lit up for the holidays. All in all one of the best Thanksgivings I’ve had in a while. (Though if you’ve ever tried living in a one-bedroom apartment for five days with your parents and brother, I don’t recommend it.) 

I especially had fun spending a few days with my little brother. Well, I say little… He’s 16. And he’s 2 inches taller than me. And I can’t really put him in a headlock anymore. But in my mind, he’s still my baby brother. And I refuse to admit he’s of driving age.

Anyway, through long El rides and lazy Saturday afternoons, Terry and I listened to a lot of music these past few days, and for whatever reason, we found ourselves rocking out to our favorite weird Scottish band. I got hooked on The Fratellis way back in seventh grade when a friend shoved her iPod earbuds at me and said, “You gotta listen to this.” She was right. I, of course, shared them with the person I knew would immediately fall in love with them: Terry.

The Fratellis broke up back in 2009 or so, and my brother and I made a pact years ago that if they were ever to reunite and if they were ever to play a show in the United States, we’re going. Doesn’t matter where or how much or how the hell we’re going to get there, we’re going. So you can imagine our excitement this summer when we learned they had reunited. Now, just waiting on those U.S. tour dates. Until then, we’ll just scour the net for every obscure and only-released-in-Japan B-side, and we’ll sustain ourselves with side projects and solo albums.

And surprisingly, Jon Fratelli’s solo album is totally kickass. It’s definitely the work of a more mature songwriter, so it lacks some of that wild weirdness we fell in love with on “Costello Music,” but there are a couple songs here that make me remember why Jon Fratelli is still the king of knock-‘em-dead hooks. Terry played “Santo Domingo” for me months ago and it’s been stuck in my head since. It’s got a little bit of a gun-slinging, devil-may-care vibe, and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet.

So, until we get those elusive tickets to a non-existent Fratellis show, my brother and I will be listening to every piece of music the Fratellis have ever touched. (Jon’s side project Codeine Velvet Club is also worth a listen.) With brash hooks and crazy singalong choruses in everything they do, what’s not to like? 

(Source: Spotify)

What Life Sounds Like #19 - “Felony Flats” by Anya Marina

“Felony Flats” is the title track off Anya Marina’s third album, and I think it’s the best one on the disc. Anya Marina is a breathy singer-songwriter who’s dabbled in acting, comedy, music, you name it. She gained a little bit of traction a few years ago when she was featured on the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack with the fantastic “Satellite Heart.” A flirty, soft version cover of “Whatever You Like” has also been making the rounds. She’s feminine, self-deprecating, and at times snarky. She can float from infectious acoustic anthems to pulsing dance beats. The girl’s got talent.

If there’s one musical quality that can almost guarantee a song a place in my heart, it’s a good build. I’m talking about the songs that start slow, almost silent, building slowly to a crashing zenith of sound. Yeah, that dramatic. “Mariella” by Kate Nash (a previous WLSL entry) is a perfect example. 

“Felony Flats” has that quality. She says, “I could tell by your face, I was late” with such delicacy and sadness, but by the end of the song she’s growling, “Come on and get it.” There’s a definite rock ‘n roll vibe, and it’s a song you have to sing along with at the top of your lungs.

(Source: Spotify)

(Source: Spotify)

What Life Sounds Like #17 - “Perfect (In My Mind)” by Gold Motel

It’s been entirely too long since I did a WLSL post, and with Tumblr’s brand new Spotify capabilities, there’s little excuse. I’ve recently been rocking my favorite warm-weather song, this infectiously poppy single by Gold Motel. Frontwoman Greta Morgan first got my attention years ago when she played piano in the underrated Fueled By Ramen band The Hush Sound. As anyone who reads my blog knows, I’m a sucker for good piano rock, and The Hush Sound consequently became one of my favorite bands. They broke up a few years back, with each band member moving on to separate projects, and Greta formed the indie-pop Gold Motel. I’ve been hooked since.

A classically trained pianist, Greta has matured considerably since the early days of The Hush Sound, particularly in her vocals. With Gold Motel, her voice is softer and fuller, and as she sings about being young and in love, it makes you want to throw on some sunglasses and drive anywhere with the windows down. ”Perfect (In My Mind)” works so well because it’s a carefree song about youth and freedom. There’s no theme that works better for weather like this, and to me, it’s not spring until I can whip out the Gold Motel.

(Source: Spotify)