1.
"A Teenager In Love" - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart (The Pains of Being Pure At Heart)
I think we've all been in love with someone who is either in love with someone or something else, or they don't notice your affection at all. The fashion in which 'A Teenager In Love' comes across is that of a straight forward love song, but upon closer inspection it's really about unrequited feelings and that person you love who is self-destructive and emotionally distant. I like this song because on the surface it seems to be something else and it takes a keener look to elucidate truer meanings.
2.
"To Die In LA" - Lower Dens (Escape From Evil)
Another track about dangerous love. Lower Dens is slowly becoming one of my favorite bands at the moment. That would explain why they've made my playlist twice. This song has a fun tempo and I can't stress how much I love the vocals provided by Jana Hunter. The lyrics talk about being in love with someone who's definitely not relationship materiel and probably emotional abusive. The words are simple but there's just enough information to conjure up a sad narrative. In a lot of ways the song is hopeful as the person in the song learns to wise up and move on. Or as Dan Savage says, "Dump the motherfucker".
3.
"Cool Slut" - Chastity Belt (Time To Go Home)
And the fun songs continue. This time in the form of Washington State band, Chastity Belt. 'Cool Slut' is the anti-Slut Shaming anthem. We live in a society here in the United States where it's okay for men to be open and verbal about their sexual conquests but when women do it they are looked down upon and shamed. I'd like to think we are moving into a more progressive state but the reality is that it's still a very steep, uphill battle. I'm a staunch advocate for equality of any kind. Especially if that equality comes in the form of an awesome song. "It's okay to be slutty", and I agree.
4.
"Le Slow" - Granville (Les Voiles)
'Le Slow' is another feminist themed song. The lyrics talk of a woman who doesn't want to slow dance with a guy and that's she's not like other girls. She says that she's not like famous women either, in that she is not an object for a man to project his expectations or fantasies onto. This song has a great retro feel to it and the guitars are a perfect match for lead singer Melissa Dubourg's amazing voice. It comes off as cute, but it's really about female empowerment.
5.
"I Hope Time Doesn't Change Him" - The Drums (Encyclopedia)
Aside from the Emo undertones, The Drums have some great tunes. This song is slow and the lyrics are fairly minimalistic which I like. It's about falling for someone, perhaps in a platonic sense, and hoping (as the title states) that time doesn't change them. There are times when a person comes into someone's life and the relationship shifts as time progresses. I think most people can relate to not wanting things to change and hoping that a friendship stays exactly as it did at its apex. 'I Hope Time Doesn't Change Him' is a simple yet effective song that is all the while complex and visceral.
