Alex Metric :: "Head Straight"

I don't know anything about Alex Metric. If you rewind 72 hours, this song was blaring out of enormous speakers on the third-floor of a walk-up house in Central Pennsylvania. Some girl walked in and told us to turn it down. Excuse me. It's awfully loud. Can you just turn it down ...

No. Get your head straight. This is the new Young Love. This might be the song of the year.

Listen :: Alex Metric - "Head Straight"

32ft Down :: Young Love :: "Black Boots"

Post this week are being flown in from the beach in the Dominican Republic. The write-ups will be smaller, the music a little more off the map, and the theme a little more relaxed. So, enjoy it. 32ft/sec has fallen into the Caribbean. Can you blame whatever happens next?

There are guilty pleasures and then there are guilty pleasures. In 2006, I briefly engaged Young Love's "Discotech." The facts were: 1) it was the catchiest song of the year, 2) we were going out a lot and, 3) it came on, with terrifying regularity at dark, dark downtown dance clubs. Wait. I just made it sound cooler than it was. Let's skip to the end.

In early 2007, I heard "Discotech" in a Gap in Tampa, Florida. For a song that you love, this is a little like finding out your girlfriend has a collection of Barbies that she keeps and plays with. It's corporate. It's out of touch. It's frankly a little embarrassing. And so ended my relationship with Young Love. It just wasn't meant to be.

Fast-forward to three minutes ago (or, roughly, the time it is taking to write this), Young Love has a new song, a new single, "Black Boots." It's not the same as "Discotech," (although, in fairness, what would be?) but it is sort of catchy and sort of that song that every artist puts on their second album that they think will make people pump their fists in the air. But it's good and certainly not bad. And if pleasures have to be full of guilt, this is a shame that I can bear. 

Listen :: Young Love - "Black Boots"