“On the surface, TV Girl is a sunny, throwback splash of ‘60s
French pop and southern California soul. Yet, under that shiny veneer
lays a dark heart, beating with sharp wit and cynical alienation, and
the music is all the more alluring for it. TV Girl, comprised of Brad
Petering, Jason Wyman, and Wyatt Harmon, was formed in 2010 by
Petering as an outlet to blend the love of Spector-esque girl-group
pop with an emerging interest in hip-hop. Featuring shimmering vocals
and sampled beats, the self-titled debut EP of the same year turned
heads online immediately; the group’s lush vintage rhythms and
timeless pop hooks were even making waves on the BBC. They continued
to release increasingly popular EPs and mixtapes between tours.
In 2014, TV Girl unveiled their first full-length, the critically
acclaimed French Exit. The album keeps true to the TV Girl charm with
a bevy of electronic samplings infused throughout light and airy
guitars, whirring organs, and ethereal vocals. However, this record is
not all summer nostalgia, and there are plenty of times where French
Exit reads like disaffected fiction. The moody characters in these
songs are fueled by revenge as often as love, underpinned by
desperation and a deep yearning to connect.
Their 2016 follow up, Who Really Cares, finds the band doubling down
on their heavy use of samples. Combining the aesthetic of 90’s hip
hop with modern psychedelic pop, Who Really Cares offers a glimpse
into the psyche of a love scorned twenty-something.”
TV Girl’s latest album, Death Of A Party Girl, sustains the dream
pop, neo-psychedelic feel of previous work. Petering delivers prosaic
storytelling in third-person narration, recounting tales of wistful,
romantic flings and mini-dramas starring various shades of the
archetypal manic pixie dream girl. The songs are echoing and surreal,
cut with samples of dialogue from movies and radio shows that convey a
grainy, vintage feel. Standouts include “King of Echo Park,” its
beachy vibe conjuring images of skinny palm trees, graffitied
skateparks, and humming lowriders; "7 Days Til Sunday", a swaying,
upbeat bop where the narrator reminisces of rooftop parties and one
night stands in Manhattan; and the intoxicating "Every Stupid
Actress".”
------------
For 19-year-old Jordana Nye, kaleidoscopic bedroom pop songs aren’t
merely outlets for observations, but ways to endure and embrace
turbulence. Listeners can hear in full by listening to the re-release
of her treasured debut album Classical Notions of Happiness which is
comprised of the album in it’s original form alongside three new
bonus tracks.
Classical Notions of Happiness is the culmination of a decade of
practice and a slow delve into the expanses of SoundCloud. “I had
all these singles and I just wanted a place where I could put all of
them,” she explains.
The project was recorded over the past two years between Maryland, New
York, and her new home of Wichita, Kansas. Jordana describes her
notions of happiness as coping mechanisms, graceful in their
fluctuation: “Sometimes it’s about naivete, and wanting people to
validate your existence. Other times, it’s about being in love, and
how happy you can be when you are. And other times, it’s just
craving that, and trying to find a way to feel normal again.” Taken
altogether, Classical Notions of Happiness offers a snapshot of an
artist on the precipice of her youth and the vast unknown that
stretches out just beyond.
Margin Walker Presents TV Girl ALL AGES headliner Jordana supporter
music
2131
Views
22/07/2020 Last update