Title: A Bunch of Weeds
Artist: Warm Morning
Label: Other Eyes Records, 2016

Back in 2014, when I started this blog, Warm Morning is one of my first targets. I had an interview with Simone two years ago when they just released their third album, 'Stolen Beauty'. Compared to that, their fourth album, 'A Bunch of Weeds', which was just released, sounds a bit different.

I have been listening to them since their second album, 'Too Far From The Stars', and I can say that their musical improvement from album to album is impressive. Impressive means they are open for exploration without losing any signature of their sound. You can still feel the 60s pop or Sunshine Pop atmosphere - The Turtles, The Beach Boys, you name it - in a mix of charming chamber folk.

While in 'Stolen Beauty', the composition tends to give more space for chamber folk, 'A Bunch of Weeds' lies in the middle. The result is, songs like 'An Ode to Hella', 'Charming Red Lips of Dark', 'Cumberland Street', 'The Boy and Marlene Ghost', 'Lucid Madness', for me, feels like summary of who Warm Morning is. Still using the same formula - melancholy string arrangement and sweetness of pop - I feel Warm Morning has reached their own checkpoint, where maturity and joyful meet. I am super happy for this album, hope you are too.

​

Title: Smash / Still Apart
Artist: Varsity
Label: Self-released, 2016

This is a confession: I have been lazy to update this blog. Don't need to mention a reason, being lazy is being lazy. However, during my lazy times, I didn't put myself away from looking for new music. I found some of great musics, wanted to write it down, but, as I said, I was lazy, and those great musics were just ended up for my ears, not shared. One of them was Varsity.

I found their bandcamp in the beginning of this year. So many times I told myself I should write them down. And one month ago, it happened again. That time I ensured my self that it was a go. I would move my lazy ass and write about this Chicago band. So here it is. Ok it is one month late, but still, here it is.

This band is a mix of pop, rock, psychedelic, very rooty yet at the same time very poppy. I am not sure what that means, but let's say it's my version of "damn interesting", "damn good", and others alike. They stole my attention since 'Sad, Sad, Sad'. Another interesting thing about them is they always come up with double single EP. Well, not always (they had more songs in their earlier releases), but lately they do. It is quite a benefit for digital download - your download will be faster due to its smaller size material - especially the free one. Yes, they release their songs on "Name Your Price" mode.

Musically, I figured them out as 90s pop woman-vocal band meet 60s garage rock music. But the other time, I think that I'm just narrowing their music. Because in fact, Varsity is more that it. Indie pop, indie rock, you name it. Or, to be more accurate, just check them out.

​