walk the moon - anna sun
[these ohio indie pop boys offer up one of the most joyous songs of the season (and silly one take choreographed video to boot!) i dare you to not offer up a cheesy grin after hearing the swirling guitars and sing a long chorus. love these boys!]
the kooks - junk of the heart
[sweet, simple and short. the kind of perfect happy retro-ish singles the kooks roll out with perfect ease! that's why we love them so!]
sara bareilles - gonna get over you
[this also garners the video of the week claim and all around brings a smile to your face experience for the weekend (thanks to director jonah hill!) enjoy!]
young galaxy - we have everything
[nothing like a happy indie pop song from our friends up north in canada to start off your monday! taken from their current album 'shapeshifting', the trio of young galaxy actually recorded the album in sweden which they claimed changed their sound drastically. i liked them way back in 2008 and they put me in a great mood then, so i'm not complaining of this alleged 'change'!]
patrick wolf - the city
[how did i miss this gem by the talented kook patrick wolf when it first came out in january? well it's better late than never as patrick offers up the best 80's left of center pop revival track i've heard in ages (the cheesy saxaphone is back!!!) genius!]
brooke fraser - something in the water
[nothing like a sweet bowl of singalong to guide you through this bank holiday weekend! singer songwriter brooke fraser hails from new zealand and has already established herself as a multi platinum selling artist over yonder. with the instant likeability of this new track, i'm thinking crossing over to our ponds won't be far behind. i dig, so should you...]
plain white t's - rhythm of love
[always riding that fine line between twee and just sweet, the PWT's return with a lovingly gentle tune that'll offer nothing but nice smiles for the day. go out and hug someone today will ya?]
the naked & famous - young blood
[may i present to you a nice addition to happy song of the summer! taken off their upcoming debut album 'passive me, aggressive you', these new zealanders are causing quite a ruckus on the blog front with their indie pop power sound. this has been on steady repeat since i've heard it, and you should be doing the same!]
jonsi - animal arithmetic
[oh my gosh, you just want to turn this song up and just run through fields with your hands up or jump up and down with fireworks going on behind you. pure joyous fun!]
pearl and the beard - voice in my throat
[nothing like a brooklyn trio to offer up one of the cutest songs i've heard in ages! throw in the fact that there are enough counter melodies in this song to tickle the fancy of any music nerd and you have the definitive happy song of the week! more please! (thanks to wanderlustsoho for the tip)]
the crookes - bloodshot days
[cute new song and video from our previous wongie discovery a few weeks back. i can't shake the fact that these boys TOTALLY sound like old school housemartins, which is not a bad thing. definitely a wonderful addition to my fave bands of 2010!]
jamaica - i think i like u 2
[produced by xavier de rosnay (justice), this poppy duo offer up this weeks happy song of the week (with an electric guitar to boot!). like it? get a free mp3 of it too!]
darwin deez - radar detector
[from the independent:
"Darwin Deez are a pretty strange and enduring looking bunch.
A crossbreed of The Strokes, yet they possess a personality and sense of humour, (much unlike the Last Nite trendies), and there is an element of Flight of the Conchords- if you can manage to take that seriously.
Dressed up in bright pastel colours, and almost resembling a tube of Loveheart candies, this colourful bunch look like they’ve dragged themselves out of a 80s’ New York.
Singer, Darwin (“Darwin is the name my parents gave me. Deez is not my real last name though. It's like Sasha Fierce”), who personally reminds me of a elfin type creature, sports a shiny luscious mane of brown curls (on a recent 6music interview he admitted he doesn’t use shampoo. Pop fact number one!), complete with a headband to hold his pretty locks in place, and a turquoise jumper that looks like something I wore in nostalgic family photos dating back to the early 90s; this front man pixie is something else."
as for the video, personally, i kind of dig this version shot by the f.d.c. featuring the kids of P.S. 217]
darwin deez - radar detector (f.d.c. video version)
[here's more info on the FDC program:
FDC/PS 217 Parent Association After School Program is a collaborative effort between PS 217 and FDC to provide after-school activities to children in kindergarten through fifth grade. The after school program provides working parents with an affordable option for after school programming and wraparound care for other school sponsored after school activities.]
kate nash - do wah doo
[nothing like a bit of cute to make your day go by faster! kate nash returns with the 1st single off her sophomore album 'i just love you more', produced by bernard butler (suede, duffy). it's a catchy retro pop song with enough horns to blast you into happy land! yaaay!]
