#15
Gardens & Villa: “Star Fire Power”
[from Gardens & Villa / Secretly Canadian] 

More than once in the past year, I’ve christened 2011 as the year in which I truly embraced my love for bass lines that are recorded very dry and trebly and get shoved way upfront in the mix of songs. I’m addicted to them. It’s become a problem that I have no intention of fixing. Hearing “Star Fire Power” for the first time may have been the final domino to fall on my eventual acceptance of that particular musical fetish. In truth, I’ve probably heard this song more than any other since it’s release as I quickly turned it into the main ringer for my phone. A decision which I have yet to regret.

I don’t know if “Star Fire Power” is the stand out track from the debut record from Gardens & Villa, but it definitely has the kind of hooks that reach out, grab onto your collar and pull you inside of the song. I missed my chance to witness the band’s first performance in Portland and have not yet forgiven myself for denying my eyes and ears the privilege of seeing and hearing singer Chris Lynch lunge across the stage with his flute (yes, his flute) in tow.

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