Jerry's Pick: "South"

"South"-Hippo Campus

A couple of things I learned this week...

1. The hippocampus is the name of a small region of the brain that controls memory.

2. Hippo Campus is a Twin Cities-based indy-alternative band made up of four 20-year olds who just released their second collection of songs.

Guitarist Nathan Stocker explained to WRGW, “I was in psychology class one day and I was reading about the brain and was like 'Yo, that’s a cool word,' and split it up into two words and that’s a band name!"

And what-do-ya-know... after just a couple of listens to the new Hippo Campus track "South," my hippocampus had me humming the catchy tune during the days that followed.

A simple, easy-going, infectious opening guitar riff leads into a 30-word stanza that ends with, "Chest hum, a black gun and forty dollars." Huh?! Now, I haven't the slightest idea what they're singing about there, but I do kinda like how that curious line rolls off the tongue.  "Chest hum, a black gun and forty dollars." Righteous.

By the second verse, Jake Luppen's vocals turn raspy taking on an edgier feel while the lyrics become a little bit clearer, apparently coming-of-age lines from a bunch of coming-of-age guys.

'“South' is about growing up, and recognizing where you come from, and the environment that you’ve grown up in, and accepting that that was then... and this, now,” Stocker told The Current's Andrea Swensson.  “It’s about personal growth.”

The band's jangly-guitars may sound more West Coast than Upper Midwest but I also found some similarities to Two Door Cinema Club, Shout Out Louds, Vampire Weekend and maybe the Shins.

For a bunch of nerdy-guys just out of high school I must say they sure do sound like polished recording studio vets. But see what you think. Their music video clip is "South."

Jerry's Pick: "You're Alive" & "Go Go Go"

"YOU'RE ALIVE"-PANIC IS PERFECT
"GO GO GO"-PANIC IS PERFECT 

I should have written about this band the very first time I heard one of their songs, but I got lazy.  The tune was "Go Go Go" (something I lacked at the time) and was one of my favorite alternative picks from earlier this year.

Well, the group behind "Go Go Go" released another single last month and thus gives me a redeeming opportunity to shine my little spotlight on the San Francisco indie-band known as Panic is Perfect.

This five-member group of guys was founded by multi-instrumentalists Jeremy Belzer and Mike Hoffman both of whom had a chance to absorb different musical influences while traveling the world from America to Asia to Africa, an experience which provided that key touch of uniqueness when finally settling down to record in California.  (It's probably the reason why the lyrics to "Go Go Go" are part English, part French.)  But as far as Stateside inspiration, they cite several acts including Passion Pit, Phoenix, Two Door Cinema Club and -- one that was immediately very obvious to me -- Vampire Weekend.  (Allow me to add A Silent Film and Keene.)

Like "Go Go Go," the track "You're Alive" is a relationship-inspired composition and -- although lyrically more linear -- is a mini-tale of a Paula and Jimmy and their need to escape told over a well-crafted uptempo and very catchy backbeat.

In an recent interview with StairwayToNirvana, the band pointed out that in this on-line obsessed world, music has the redemptive and healing power to bring people together again.  Panic is Perfect seems to be doing their part by producing a pair of positively-titled pop songs that will definitely contribute additional energy to your iTunes library and (quite possibly) your day, too.

As of this posting, the band does not have a music video for "You're Alive," but you can click here to audition the audio track.  But first, check out the awesome vibes in this Panic is Perfect clip for "Go Go Go!"

So... what are you waiting for?!  "Va Va Va!"