Hey,
Once again, Twitter, my faithful friend, has been a valuable
resource. Thanks to it, I found a super-cool British band called Get Cubs.
These four guys remind me of
exactly what made me fall in love with alternative music in the first place.
First, it’s originality. Writing a song is one thing, but it’s completely
another to make each song sound similar, yet different in ways that one does
not always expect. It’s more than just changing keys, adding in a bass solo,
and going, “hey, look, we’re original.” It takes real musical ingenuity to
craft an original, new sound. Next, an infectious melody. Sure, every person
who listens to music at one time or another will say they’ve had a song stuck
in their head, but it’s something entirely different to have a melody or a
simple line that no matter how hard you try, it’s there. Take one of songs “Hold On,” for example. The
outro has been stuck in my head for the past three days, because of the simple,
haunting beauty of the line. It’s not that the song is just catchy (which
believe me, it is!) it’s that you can tell some thought went into it, a little
love, a little attention. Music should make the listener get goosebumps, make
them have to listen, make them want to listen, and bring them a slice of
happiness. Thirdly, varying musical instruments. Get Cubs, in their song “Hold
On,” features varying types of percussion and a very Mexican-sounding trumpet
section, further cemented by the sombrero wearing trumpeter in the music video.
It’s simple, really, just a trumpet, but it catches the listener on surprise,
like “whoa, where did that come from?”. Fourthly, creativity. I’ve touched on originality
and musical ingenuity, but creativity is a little different. Originality has to
do with creating something new, something different, and musical ingenuity is
essentially the same thing. Creativity encompasses a band’s ability to write
lyrics, create a real song, not just music, and how they accomplish it. Some
examples of Get Cubs’ creativity are found in the song “Lucy.” (Side note: I am
referencing the acoustic performance, which I believe highlights their talent even
better than the original. I am, after all, a sucker for acoustic performances
:D) the lyrics are gorgeous, Josh’s voice melds perfectly with the other
instruments, and the simple percussion is the cherry on top of the musical
sundae. J
Also, anytime a band adds in a xylophone, they have my respect. Good choice,
Get Cubs. J
So, enough generalization. I’m in
love with Get Cubs because of the fact that they sound just as good in studio
as they do live. Not enough musical acts these days can boast that. I applaud
bands, Get Cubs included, who have that ability. It’s a shame that it’s so rare
these days, but it’s the truth. I digress, like I always do. J I love the emphasis
their music places on the guitar and bass lines. I admire Daryl, the drummer,
for creating sick beats and refusing to just sit there and bang his drums like
so many “bands” these days. My favorite songs, thus far include the acoustic,
stripped down performance of “Lucy” and the essential indie track “Plastic
Parade.” If you like British-indie-pop, you’ll love “Plastic Parade.” In
“Lucy,” the boys bring raw emotion to a striking song. In all of their songs, their
energy is commendable.
Lastly, I have to mention the music
video for “Plastic Parade.” It cracks me up every time! The guys just have such
a goofy, light-hearted approach to the video. I love it. The music industry is
full of musicians who take everything way too seriously, so it’s nice to see a
group of musicians who just have fun with it, like they do with their music.
Get Cubs is one of my favorite
indie groups right now, and I’m happy to share them with you! So, check them out
here, follow them on Twitter here and like them on Facebook here
Until next week!
~Bella
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