Heave Media

Your Listening Pleasure

Take a listen to Headlights, Coconut Records and Yeni Raki

Headlights – Cherry Tulips - Somewhere among the cornfields and drunk frat boys in white baseball caps that encapsulate Champaign, IL is an indie pop band called Headlights. After a well received EP and full-length, and lots of touring, this male/female fronted group is back at it again with upbeat number called “Cherry Tulips.” Driven by a simple 1-2 drumbeat, alt-country-reminiscent guitars, and keyboards and xylophones to round out the mix, “Cherry Tulips” is a beautiful, gentle song that would appeal to fans of Rilo Kiley or Death Cab For Cutie.

Coconut Records – West Coast - Cinephile superhunk and former Phantom Planet drummer Jason Schwartzman proves he’s got songwriting chops to go along with his charismatically quirky demeanor on his self-recorded and self-released solo debut under the moniker “Coconut Records” (not to be confused with “Coconut Records,” the German dance label responsible for Haddaway’s “What Is Love”). Starting off with a cute piano riff and tambourine shaking, “West Coast” builds into a full-fledged pop-rock song, complete with Schwartzman’s gentle and surprisingly pleasant vocals. Even if you hate his acting, it’s hard to deny that Schwartzman has got a knack for writing sweet and sugary pop tunes. And yes, this may have come out almost a year ago, but it still sounds fresh and vibrant to these jaded ears.

Yeni Raki – Weight of the Horizon - Upon first listen, this Chicago-based four-piece sounds like The Futureheads-meets-The Arctic Monkeys with Television and the Replacements thrown in for good measure. But with vocal harmonies, a solid rhythm section, catchy chord progressions and a guitar riff interlude that would put Iron Maiden to shame, “Weight of the Horizon” proves that Yeni Raki is one of the few bands that can transcend their influences to create something both original and incredible. Basically, if you like any of the bands I’ve mentioned in this blurb, these young men just might be up your alley. If you’re in the Chicagoland area, see these guys live – their EP doesn’t do them justice at all.

STREAM: Headlights – Cherry Tulips

STREAM: Coconut Records –West Coast

STREAM: Yenk Raki – Weight of the Horizon

Posted by Jason Prechtel on Feb 11, 2008 @ 12:00 am