California Oranges...

I can't as yet find a website for this band, but they're on Darla Records and the Darla website says this, "Darla's Sacramento crew have finished their third new wavey power pop record chock full of rockin' guitars and sweet vocal harmonies." I suppose this is as apt and description as any, but it just goes so much deeper than that. I really try hard not to run head long into long bouts of hyperbole when I'm talking about music because A) talking great about lots of bands eventually denigrates the value of a writers opinion (i.e., that schmuck likes everything) and B) because I don't believe in piling on to the music blog-internet hype machine unless a band really deserves it (I'll give you Arcade Fire but I'm playing that record way less than I thought I would) and C) I really am only mildly to completely not impressed by most music that I hear (that's one of the reasons that posts have slowed down considerably here at Bars & Guitars). But I am absolutely wowed by California Oranges third album Souvenirs. I want to make a compelling arguement for why everyone should go out and buy this record. I want to wave my magic music wand and have it heard. I've been listening to this record intently, as if it's going to disappear and I won't have it any longer. It's not groundbreaking. It's not strikingly original. It's simply a well done rock record full of songs about breakups, love, and the SCENE. Its it "new wavye"? I guess but not in a derivative way. You can hear The Connells, The Hoodoo Gurus, The Buzzcocks, Velocity Girl, The Fastbacks, and the list goes on. Is it "power pop"? I suppose, but I don't have a pat definition of that for you. There are guitars that buzz and saw, boy/girl vocals, upbeat tempos. I could talk about The Darling Buds or Red Five or other obscure rock bands with girls. I could even talk about the Bangles but none of it would be able to convey how deer in the headlights this frickin' record makes me. Maybe it's because it reminds me of a time when I was younger and music meant everything and my friends and I treasured the bands that we discovered. I know, I know I'm being a big sap. But this records is great and I want you to hear it. 12 songs in 34 minutes. Perfect. As always here are a couple of tracks, but seek out more, listen to the whole thing. Let me know what you think after you bounce to this.

From Souvenirs:

Next Season

Run Away