I recently was introduced to a music trio called Chairlift including two men (Aaron and Patrick) and one woman (Caroline). I immediately was hooked the moment I heard the voice of the female lead vocalist. Her voice is incredibly captivating as she sings with power and confidence allowing her to reach a wide range of notes and distinct styles. She does not have the typical sweet, soft sound that female vocalists usually have in the genre of indie-pop rock; instead it is more rugged and harsh. Contrasting the sweet and catchy melodies, she adds her unique touch giving the listener a spectrum of interesting sounds. As I search for other bands to compare Chairlift with I realize the they are as fresh and unique as disco was when it hit the early 70's.
The music they create is extremely catchy and fun, filled with sweet lyrics and odd concepts. One of their songs is called "bruises" in which the lyrics go "I grabbed some frozen strawberries, so I could ice your bruising knees..." This song is about doing bends and flips for someone to show how much you love them, even if it means getting bruised all over. This idea has been done many times before, yet never in the light of headstands and cartwheels. This c.d. has a variety of styled songs however having a common sound throughout making it recognizably Chairlift. This is not a quality that many people can accomplish and one that I look up to as a musician. I recommend this album entitle Does You Inspire You to anyone who wants listen to fun and unique tunes.
3 comments:
I heard this song for the first time this weekend (on the new Apple ipod commercial) and liked it the minute I heard it but didn’t know who it was by. The upbeat tempo and melody immediately caught my ear…the lead vocals are soft and pretty and the lyrics are fun. It would be a great song to jump in your car and take a drive to. My favorite part of the song is when the male vocalist joins in and the woman sings “I got bruises on my knees for you, and grass stains on my knees for you, got holes in my new jeans for you, got pink and black and blue”….the lyrics put a whole new spin on “falling” for someone which I think is catchy, creative, and cool.
Oooh good choice for the post! I've only been listening to "Bruises" but I'll definitely try to get my hands on that full album. "Bruises" is such a chill song! I'm playing it right now during commercial breaks in this insanely nerve wracking football game against Oregon State. The beat is fresh and I like the sounds they use in between verses. I especially like the second time she sings the first verse (it's the same words and it's before the chorus...that doesn't make it the second verse, right? It's just the first verse x2). Anyway, when she sings "Every time I fell on you" and goes up to the high C (at 1:18), that part does it for me. You're right, the female vocalist's voice isn't as smooth and melodious as the singing voices we're used to hearing. It's almost raspy. But it sounds incredibly cute and fits perfectly for the genre. I'm not as into the male vocalist though, but the lyrics he sings are great.
Yaaaay, Chairlift. They seem to be following me around, which I guess means I should get their album. Like the other commenters, I've only heard "Bruises", which my boyfriend introduced me to...I typically think he likes really strange music but I was pleasantly surprised when he turned this on. The female vocalist is certainly talented and I think they add just enough edge to the song to keep it just left of mainstream. I'll try to get my hands on the whole album soon.
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