Blondfire, Local Natives, and Sóley

by Chris

Blondfire

Awww, don’t those two look cute together? Actually they don’t; they’re brother and sister. They also happen to be the principal artists of Blondfire, an indie pop band from Los Angeles. Erica and Bruce Driscoll’s first endeavour was Astaire, which toured locally and recorded in their parents' basements. (Stay in school, kids.) The group released the Extended Play Don’t Whisper Lies, which contained the hit single “L-L-Love.”

However, a legal situation forced the duo to change their name. Blondfire was born. Under this new name, the group released one album in 2008, My Someday, but their singles and extended plays, the aforementioned Don’t Whisper Lies and Pretty Young Thing, were by far greater successes. My favorites include “Walking with Giants,” “Waves,” and their newest single, “Where The Kids Are,” released late in 2011.

The vocals of Erica are lovely, but the melodies make Blondfire what it is. It’s upbeat and carefree but with passionate undertones, the kind of sound you’d hear only on Alt Nation. Helping to create such a unique sound is a backup group of musicians directed by Bruce. Together, Erica, Bruce, and their backups have achieved recognition, and they are indeed “walking with the giants.”

Local Natives

Local Natives (originally Cavil at Rest) is a indie pop band based in Los Angeles started by UCLA graduates Kelcey Ayer, Ryan Hahn, and Taylor Rice in Orange County. Bassist Andy Hamm and drummer Matt Frazier joined in 2008 to complete the group. The group released its debut album, Gorilla Manor, in 2009, embarked on a European tour in 2011, and parted ways with Andy Hamm in the same year. Nik Ewing joined the group in 2012. In 2013, the group released its second album, Hummingbird, which is noted for its divergence from the subject matter of their first album. 

I stumbled upon Local Natives quite unexpectedly while randomly clicking on thumbnails in YouTube Narnia. (YouTube Narnia is where good music lives, by the way.) What I noticed, and perhaps what you’ll notice, is the versatility of this band: “Heavy Feet” is well, heavy; “World News” is upbeat; “You and I” is almost mournful; “Breakers” is simply powerful. However, though the atmosphere of each song differs, extraordinary drumming is a common thread uniting them all.

Fans of Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire, and Fleet Foxes will probably find aural bliss in the choruses and melodies of Local Natives. Actually, anyone who enjoys indie rock should listen to Local Natives. I did, and here I am writing about it!

Sóley

Sóley is actually a member of the Icelandic indie-folk band Seabear, which contains six other members. The band has been active since the beginning of the century and has released three albums. However, the truly extraordinary talent of Sóley Stefánsdóttir revealed itself in her debut independent album We Sink, released in 2010, after she’d toured the world with Seabear.

Sóley’s music is euphorically melancholic. There’s no other way to describe it. She combines her impressive pianist abilities, her extensive knowledge of composition, and her beautiful voice to create music that should be used as a soundtrack to dreams. Indeed, all of her songs take on an otherworldly atmosphere, transporting the listener to some far off land rife with both macabre adventures and heavenly landscapes. The light, delicate melodies contrast with dark lyrics in a seamless way solemn achieved.

Like all good independent music, the songs of Sóley can be found running around in YouTube Narnia. “Smashed Birds,” “Pretty Face,” and “Dance” are among my favorite songs. Each is like listening to someone else’s dream. Hopefully Iceland will produce more artists like Sóley.