Lessons In Love (All Day, All Night)
Neon Trees Feat Kaskade

                I was never a big fan of Neon Trees after having to hear their song “Animal” constantly being played on the radio. I admit, not looking past their first single was really immature of me because their new record “Picture Show” really impressed me.

                Most similar to their hit single “Animal” is their new song “Everybody Talks”. It has catchy drumbeats, well-planned background vocals and a distinct style of note holding that Neon Trees is known for. It’s currently #56 on the iTunes charts, proving that many people like me love this song.

When I saw that their song “Lessons in Love (All Day, All Night)” featured famous DJ Kaskade, I was expecting it to overpower the pop-rock sound that Neon Trees had maintained throughout the album. But instead, I was pleasantly surprised (once again) at how the techno style bass was mellow and very similar in style to Neon Trees’ other songs.

Neon Trees seems to be a band with happy beats and groovy songs. I hope more people see past their one big hit and help them get other recognition for their talent.

-Hana Selly 

Dry the River - Shield Your Eyes

My friend introduced me to the band, Dry the River, just a few days before their first record, Shallow Bed was released. I was immediately captured by the unique vocals in their song, “New Ceremony”. The lead singer’s hauntingly beautiful voice mixes well with the string instruments (includes a violin!) and serene percussions.

My favorite songs are “Shield Your Eyes” and “The Chamber & The Valves” because they tend to be more upbeat than the other songs. All of their songs have a very peaceful quality but tend to sound similar, partially because it’s difficult to understand the lyrics. However, this helps make their sound unique and calm music can always be appreciated. I’d recommend them to listeners of Bon Iver and Sigur Ros.

Playing at huge festivals like Lollapalooza and Isle of Wright this summer, it should be exciting to see the exposure that this band will receive in the near future!

-Hana Selly