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Rigged or not--I'm happy to see Birds & Batteries high on the list. With their new EP, I expect big things from them to come if they continue in a similar direction as "Villians."
It might be a weird system but it's not unnecessary... First of all, there are two polls: one is just for fans and readers, the other ones is mostly based on the vote of people who work in the local scene (we call them scene makers) who basically spend almost every day of their lives listening to local music: venues booking agents, record store staff, DJs etc. This 2 poll system allows us to give exposure to very new up and coming local artists we select that bring their fans to vote for the readers' poll, AND to the top emerging artists from the past year according to our jurors. Ideally the Best local artist of the past year should have votes from the jury, the writers and the readers, but more often than not these bands don't promote the poll amongst their fans (probably because they are at a level where they don't think they need the exposure) and therefore don't get many votes. A few readers' votes though can be enough to determine the more complex chart chart too, like it happened in Austin with the winners and in NYC with the positions from #2 to #7. This year in SF the band Girls had too wide of a margin, but the readers' vote allowed Orchestra of Antlers and Grand Lake to reach the Top Ten.
Album is another addition to the recent wave of indie records that revisit a more classic pop sound (think 50s and 60s soul/surf/British invasion) through a contemporary lens. Girls find a way to include all these influences from the past without trivializing their own music or sounding like a band that wishes they were from a long gone era. They instead make the songs their own, making the influences more of a reference point than the band’s entire sound. Also adding to Album's contemporary sound are the lyrics and voice of Christopher Owens. His voice sounds honest and familiar, like a friend telling you about his problems. The lyrics are, for the most part, straightforward, no excess of metaphors and convoluted stories. Lines like “I wish I had a suntan/ I wish I had a pizza and a bottle of wine/ I wish I had a beach house/ And we could make a big fire every night” don’t attempt to blow you away with their epic qulaities, but rather feel genuine and relatable. Not to say that Owens strays away from deeper subject matter, but rather approaches them with a beautiful simplicity. The chorus of “Hellhole Ratrace” touches on a very personal theme without over exaggerating the point, “And I don’t want to cry my whole life through/ I want to do some laughing to/ So come on and laugh with me/ And I don’t want to die without shaking up a leg or two/ Yah I want to do some dancing too/ Some come on and dance with me”.
Album has a sound and energy that is truly Californian. Guitars drenched in spring reverb, background vocal oohs and ahhs, and an optimism and outlook on life that can only be found in certain parts of California, San Francisco being one of them. It’s good to know that no matter how many condos and shopping centers are built the spirit of California is still alive somewhere and, thanks to Girls, we have the proof!
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