Someone asked me the other day who my Top 5 bands are, and it got me thinking. Not just about who I'd put in my 'Top 5', but what does the question itself mean?
I find that the music I like the most I can relate to, through the lyrics and overall mood of the songs they play. To me your favourite music should be like the soundtrack of your life, to an extent. I mean, to me, the music you listen to (especially if it's a big part of your life) very much defines you as a person. You can, more often than not I've found, get to know a person's personality through the music they listen to quite easily. For me, the Silversun Pickups do a good job of representing me as a person: my feelings, thoughts, triumphs and tribulations.. all encompassed in a couple of splendid albums. Hence why they are my 5th favourite band of all-time.
An interesting bunch, to say the least.
I don't think it's a coincidence that 3 of my Top 5 bands have female bass guitarists. Maybe I believe in equality in band line-ups, or perhaps I just dig a girl who can slap a good bass.. either way I feel it brings something to the table, having a female member in bands. Besides that, I separate the Pickups from other alt-indie rock bands because of their sound. Kind of like a distorted punk-shoegaze rock sound, kind of like an evolved Smashing Pumpkins sound. Like Billy Corgan of the Pumpkins, Brian Aubert has a distinct melancholic tone to his voice that serves well along side his own screeching guitar work and the bands keys and synths. I like the use of simple bass lines and guitar riffs in my music, that garage rock type sound. Keep it simple I say. That's probably why I can't get right into the hardcore-punk scene, I just don't feel break-downs are as enthralling as a simple 4-note bass-line.
Listen to: Catch & Release, one of their softer tracks on 2009 release Swoon.
Download: Their latest album, Swoon. I've listened to it on repeat over 100 times easy.
Probably my favourite of theirs. On their 2006 album Carnavas.
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