The Brush – Your Keep
In a parallel reality, perhaps, Elvis Costello is not an angry young Brit enraged by Thatcher’s politics, but an angry young American bemoaning the effects of capitalism and the end of the U.S.’s unquestioned influence over the world.
Add to that description some laid-back, slacker vibes, and you might approximate the sound of The Brush. Hearing their single Your Keep is like watching any death-defying stunt performed with the utmost calm. The song’s theme and the music itself is certainly Apocalyptic-sounding, but the artists seem to barely twitch a muscle as they’re laying out the bad news.
On a musical level, the tune is jig-sawed together from dreamy vocals, melancholic saxophone, and the loneliest cowboy guitar sound you’ve heard in a while. It’s stylish music for the end of the world.
Casa Lagarto – Tofino
While some groups were busy riding the rebranded, black and white aesthetic of surf rock all the way to the bank and into the hearts of teeny-boppers everywhere, others were getting lost in the endless pit of reverb, giant sandy beaches, and cool melancholy.
Casa Lagarto’s Tofino is less a single as it’s a love proclamation to the beaches themselves. And, while every summer has to end, and few would be caught digging their feet in the sand without the sun blasting over their heads, this tune, just like the Beach Boys at their most cheerful, provides the illusion of an endless summer.
This is music best served very early in the morning, or very late at night. Either way, it’s best to choose a time when reality hasn’t quite snuck in just yet.
