Scattered Tree (Photo Credit: Drew Reynolds)
For Day 4 of our Summer Playlist, we’ve got a fresh batch of sunny minded songs from Scattered Trees, Blackbird Blackbird and Future Islands.
Scattered Trees are a Chicago band that is gaining a lot of attention with their third album, Sympathy. A rumination on loss and acceptance, it deals with some serious subject matter, but does so in the context of some great indie pop melodies. On 4 Days Straight singer Nate Eiesland cries “Oh no, we both have broken hearts/Oh no, yours just took you away” as a catchy guitar line crunches along. He might be sad, but the lighthearted melodies keep things from getting depressing.
Blackbird Blackbird is the solo project of of 23-year old vocalist/producer Mikey Maramag (though for live shows he brings along a full band, which sounds cool). He has been prolific as of late, releasing a number of EP’s and an LP in just six months. His songs are atmospheric and smooth, with airy synths riding laid-back bass grooves – just the type of song that goes well with the quiet moments of a summer day.
Future Islands step up the tempo a bit with a disco-y electronic beat. Perhaps the most notable thing about them however, is their singer’s unique delivery. First time you hear him it’s a surprise, as it’s not exactly the voice you’d expect to hear with this sort of music, but after a few bars he proves a talented singer with a singular style.
For more music, be sure to check out Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of this week’s Summer Playlist!
