Kevin Bronson on February 6th, 2014

0

We have no idea whether there’s a beach in Fayetteville, Ark., but if one exists, it must have a pretty great view. And a nifty party soundtrack, thanks to an outfit called the Airplanes. The vehicle for songwriting of Joshua Vest, the quartet, which includes Andrew Donovan, Joel Paul and Rob Storms, has but two EPs and two singles to its credit, including an EP last spring on the now-defunct Manic Pop Records out of Minnesota. The surfy garage-pop of the single “Paper Hearts” is emblematic of Vest’s California dreamin’, but his riffage reveals other roots too, including jangling Britpoppers and pop greats Big Star. In fact, it’s hard to shut down a chorus that wishes “You and me and some Big Star 45s.” Somebody point these guys in the direction of the West coast, awright?

||| Stream: “Paper Hearts,” “Waiting for June” and “Big Star 45s”