I’ve been searching for the past few months for new music that makes me feel great. Searching Spotify playlists, YouTube suggestions in the sidebar, even perusing the $2 CD rack in Strand Bookstore for something that peaked my interest just to make sure I wasn’t really missing out on anything.
I found some good, I found a lot of okay, but nothing great. Nothing with melodies or chord progressions that make me dance, and lyrics that make me want to scream them while speeding on a highway (you know the feeling).
And just as I was giving up my search, fresh out of Philly arises Blame Candy.
I’ve been hearing about them for a little while. The press releases and the self-promotion on social media that I was feeding into courtesy of frontman Chris Greatti, with whom I’ve been keeping up to speed since the 2013 Basic Vacation era.
Life Like You is what I’d been looking for! The indie rock quartet’s first single gets me. The independent guitar melody that kicks off the anthem sets the tone for something upbeat and catchy, and is soon rounded out by a full-band sound, which you can’t help but tap a foot to, at the very least.
They followed up this week with When I Was Cool, single number two! YES! Where have you been hiding?! Again, we’re hearing a strong guitar melody driving the song straight to the top. A sound that’s aggressive in its lyrics yet simultaneously chilled out… I can dig it.
I can confirm that they live up to their recorded sound in a live performance. I stopped by World Café Live in Philadelphia on October 3rd to hear a set, and that’s when I was convinced that Blame Candy is on the rise to be one of indie’s next big hits. Song after song I fell in love with this band’s sound, and I’m confident everyone is falling in line right behind me. Everything about Blame Candy from their classic, flashy style, to their charisma onstage, to the simply incredible music they are producing makes for nothing less than perfection.
When I hear Blame Candy, I think of… Blame Candy. I don’t think of anyone that I can really compare them to because this band doesn’t really remind me of anything but a new sound blended with something fairly reminiscent of classic 80’s rock. When I think of Blame Candy, I think of the most original sound I’ve heard in a while, with just enough of a pop influence to make themselves radio-worthy.
Keep. It. Coming.
Don’t miss their first EP release, EP1, out this Friday, October 21.