A B & The Sea
I’ll admit I sometimes sit on band that initially grabs me just to make sure the initial impression is worthy of sharing. This approach can go either way; sometimes the quirk which first drew me in turns cloying after a few listens, other times it just keeps getting better. In the case of A B & The Sea it was the later. Upon first hearing their retro leaning classic pop singles I got my hands on any and everything I could from them and it is all delectable. The quartet meld a bit of surf rock with a touch of sunny pop -70′s flavor- to create a delightfully addictive sound. Their new EP Boys & Girls is rich with tunes meant to be played during a breezy summer day complete with barreling bass drums, hand claps and plenty of finely crooned “ooohs” & “aaahs.” They’re doing a mini west coast tour this summer and hopefully hopefully they’ make their way out East soon.
Simon Fagan
Irish singer/songriters Simon Fagan’s second LP Outside Looking In hit the digital market last month and it is also one of those releases that needed a little time to marinate. His music is incredibly comfortable, you can slip into the arrangements and lyrics without much effort which can be said about a lot of average music. Fagan’s real talent is found on the third or fourth listen to his album when you realize how tight his instrumentations are and the careful measure he uses to deliver the lyrics. He knows his voice well and has a real knack for dynamic delivery which gives his material genuine emotional weight. Give him a go, you’ll find yourself hitting repeat more than you’d expect.