Happy Birthday

Frontman/Vermont native Kyle Thomas blends 90s alternative, twee, 60s rock, and garage punk in an exuberantly. Nevertheless, it combines into fairly straightforward pop rock with all sorts of endearing quirks borrowed from its other influences. The lyrics are consistently cute and lighthearted (most of them deal with being an awkward/sexually frustrated teen.) It ultimately sounds a lot like Girls, especially the vocals or maybe the World Record. It's full of hooks that evoke lots of 50s rock and dreamy california influences. The Instrumentation mostly consists of the standard guitar/bass/drum but they thrown in a lot keyboards. FCC violations on 6+10. Recommend 1, 11, 4, and 5 in that order

1.* (3:00) the single as well most immediately catchy song, mainly thanks to a great chorus. mixes the ramones and sondre lerche.
2. (3:00) really clean, textbook harmonization. the guitars really overwhelm everything else though
3. (2:35) 50s rock. jangly guitars. it builds/simmers for a while (but is by no means a soft, slow song)
4.* (3:38) reminds me of grease, the musical. the vocals and guitars are really playful
5.* (4:00) soaring guitars and synths. the guitar plays along with the vocal melody and I think it works well (though some might disagree)
6. (3:39) FCC: "fuck"
7. (2:05) channels belle&sebastian or tullycraft both stylistically and lyrically. a bit of brian wilson thrown in as well
8. (3:29) soft falsetto vocals with pianos & acoustic guitars mixed in too
9. (2:19) samples under pressure (bowie), but then moves on, like track 5, to sound like grease
10. (1:58) FCC: quite a few "shit" 's
11.* (3:40) mellow pop rock. sunny california sounds

George Lu