The Music Nerds

Local dance punk staples Guidance Counselor just released their new album, and holly balls is it good. Like, I don’t think you will understand how good it is, until you listen to it and realize the shear awesomeness  blasting into your ear holes.

Both my brother and I call this band, for next big thing out of Portland. We sincerely believe that they are going to be the next, Starfucker, or Elliot Smith, or…. nope that’s the only famous Portland musicians I can think of. With songs that are this well made and this catchy, I can’t see why they wouldn’t be.

The stand out songs on this album, are in my opinion “Life is Tyte” and “I don’t want to speak”

The first is a pop/dance gem effortlessly switching between joyous and melancholic. Starting out with rippling synth and then building up to a perfectly timed crescendo into a dance hall beat. Ian Anderson’s vocals work magic here, leaning between a melancholic voice that mumbles the words out, and singing joyfully.

“I don’t want to speak” is a synth punk dance masterpiece. Ian’s voice screams and cracks, like a better version of James Murphy over crunchy synth beats, and a driving bass heavy drum beat. With a great breakdown in the middle that then goes into the final moments with cymbals blazing away, it blew my mind the first time I heard it. Especially so since, I remember seeing him perform two years back with only a bank of electronics in front of him, and a microphone to scream his lungs into.

Kudos to Ian, Andy, Brett, Keil, and anyone else who worked on this album. You have created something that is incredible.

This is a video of people getting hit in the face with cupcakes. The song behind it is ” I don’t want to speak”