I apologize for missing the past two weeks, making up for it with a new artist. I was doing online PR for this new web series from the WB called Rockville CA a month ago that made a point to try and be cool by hosting a different indie artist every week. The writing is pretty terrible and completely an OC-esque ripoff from that season where they suddenly started hanging out in a club so that FOX could sell Modest Mouse records. While the 'witty banter' sucks pretty hard, the bands on the bill are for the most part cool (The Kooks, Kaiser Chiefs, and Travis), but not cool enough to endure five minutes of visual shit.
The first episode is pretty terrible as a show, but the artist featured is an LA-based indie dreamboat by the name of Nico Stai who is definitely worth a listen. Critics have drawn a lot of comparisons from Elliot Smith, The Shins, and every other guy who wears Chuck Taylors and sounds like he has suicidal tendencies. But suicidal tendencies in a good way, not the "I cut myself alone" way.
The first single, once he ever gets signed, will inevitably be "Dead Pony" that's a little more upbeat than his other stuff. But if you're looking for something to pick up, the Dead Pong EP on iTunes is worth checking out. The first song on the EP is probably my favorite, "You Came Around". It reminded me of older school stuff like The Replacements or maybe even a more indie-d out Gin Blossoms - what up 90s rock. "Maybe Maybe" is a real lowkey track and "Miss Friday" is his take on 80s pop reinvented for the year 2009.
I haven't heard any songs other than these four, but these are enough for me to say it's only a matter of time before this guy gets featured on Gossip Girl and makes a quick million on download dollars. And by that time - he obviously isn't cool anymore. Carson Daly already talked about him, so his fall into lameness has already begun.
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