Best Covers: She & Him “Till I Die”

She & Him (Zooey Deschanel + M. Ward) have shared a cover of The Beach Boys’ 1971 song “Till I Die.” It is the latest release from the duo’s upcoming Brian Wilson tribute album, Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson, which will be out on July 22 via Fantasy. Listen to the cover and view their upcoming tour dates below.

4Ever Songs: The Beach Boys “Surfin’ U.S.A”

David Marks, who was a guitarist in The Beach Boys from 1961-1963, explains on the DVD Brian Wilson Songwriter 1962 – 1969, that he and Carl Wilson would play guitars every day after school, and one day Carl brought home the album Chuck Berry Is On Top. They loved the album and introduced Berry’s sound to Brian Wilson, who loved the rhythm parts and put together “Surfin’ U.S.A.” based on that sound. Brian changed the lyrics and added a hook, but it is basically a rewrite of Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen.”

The muses of La Musa: Nadine Shah

Having flown the nest at 17 to pursue a career as a jazz singer in London, Nadine Shah is well known for her formidably individual tone and fearless approach to songwriting, as she holds nothing back with her politically infused lyrics. Influenced by artists such as Nina Simone, The Beach Boys, Dolly Parton, Frida Kahlo and Arthur Russel, her sound has often been described as a blend between PJ Harvey and Nick Cave, with her brooding, intensely atmospheric cocktail of stylish gothic pop and jazz-kissed indie rock nodding to the likes of Anna Calvi and Richard Hawley. 

Following 2017’s ‘Holiday Destination’, Nadine Shah’s fourth album ‘Kitchen Sink’ is set for release on 5th June via Infectious Music, and she’s now sharing a new track.

Introducing…SWMRS

Pretty much everything SWMRS begins with the same bit of trivia. Yes, this Californian punk rock band features Billie Joe Armstrong’s offspring – even if this wasn’t the case, though, one would imagine comparisons to Green Day would surely still be drawn.

After all, SWMRS, completed by frontman Cole Becker, his brother Max on lead guitar and bassist Seb Mueller, share many sonic traits with the arena-conquering band they’re so often associated with. A punk band at their core, their sound borrows a lot from out-and-out pop – LP ‘Drive North’ offers rousing choruses with frequent nods to The Beach Boys as much as Ramones, The Clash, or Stiff Little Fingers. Ahead of the release of their new album Berkeley’s On Fire next month, SWMRS have unveiled a brand-new single and video, Trashbag Baby.

Divus Julius presents…Arlie

Arlie, the band, came together on Vanderbilt campus in 2016. Their early singles “Big Fat Mouth” and “Didya Think” gained traction on Spotify’s curated indie playlists. And now, to much anticipation, the band has released its first EP. They call it “Wait.”

There’s something very “Vampire Weekend” about Arlie’s “Wait.” A band of recent college graduates releasing a debut project both technically mature and unabashedly youthful. Yet, where Vampire Weekend revels in its own Ivy League preppiness, Arlie projects a more playful, summery image of young adulthood. The result is an album that alludes just as much to The Beatles and The Beach Boys as it does to Arlie’s contemporary indie counterparts.

Music by Bergman: The Magic Gang

South coast heroes The Magic Gang have released their debut album. The band are a potent live force, while a flurry of singles have perfectly outlined their art-rock manifesto.

The Magic Gang are a Brighton four-piece apparently weaned on Norman Blake’s aforementioned group, Weezer, The Beach Boys, The Beatles and the recently departed London duo Ultimate Painting. The best thing about their self-titled debut might be their four-part harmonies: a raggle-taggle chorus full of personality.

Music by Bergman: Papooz

Papooz popped up in the spring of 2015, playing smooth melodies and rhythms that swayed the hips with a pop spirit tinged with an exotic je ne sais quoi. Hailing from Paris, Ulysse and Armand both grew up with music from the 70s, digging in their parents’ record collections from The Beach Boys to The Velvet Underground. They became inseparable friends, both keen on music. They called themselves Papooz because they liked the way it sounded, along with the tropical tone in it and the recollection of a Native American tribe’s cradle.  Parisian singer-songwriters Armand and Ulysse lead the band with their high, soft, feminine voices front and centre on the group’s Fall 2016 debut album ‘Green Juice’.