“You bring the ocean, I’ll bring the motion
Together we’ll make a love potion”
These lines from Family of the Year’s single, “St. Croix,” are a fairly accurate précis of the band’s aesthetic: equal parts a California-cool sound and beats that demand hand-clapping accompaniment fused to produce music that is truly a treat for the ears. Packed with simple harmonies and a tambourine plugging along in the background, “Buried” has a similar upbeat ease.
Building on Buildings
Current Seas
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
The Frequency
8:30 PM; $12/$14
But this Los Angeles-based band isn’t, sonically speaking, just a one-trick pony. Despite their most recent album, Loma Vista, containing its fair share of indie-pop tunes, Family of the Year successfully demonstrates impressive versatility with tracks like “Hey Ma,” a protracted, poignant song brimming with homesickness and nostalgia. With enigmatic lyrics and gentle vocals, “Hero” also showcases FOTY’s softer qualities.
Formed in 2009, Welsh brothers Sebastian (drums, vocals) and Joseph Keefe (vocals, guitar) have remained at the core of this ensemble. Currently, Family of the Year also consists of Florida native James Buckey (guitar, vocals) and Christina Schroeter (keyboard, vocals) who hails from Orange County. Together they recorded the 10-track full-length sophomore album Loma Vista.
Throughout the years, FOTY has crafted quite the resume by playing with prominent groups such as Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Good Old War, fun., and Mumford & Sons. Most notably, however, FOTY won the opportunity to open for Ben Folds’ performance with the Boston Pops Orchestra, triumphing over 700 other artists competing for the same honor.
For those who admire Fleet Foxes’ alt-rock sound, The Head and the Heart’s sweet lyrics, and The Shins’ pop-filled formula for songwriting, FOTY won’t disappoint. So, head to The Frequency on Tuesday for an evening brimming with the summery tunes Family of the Year so consistently delivers.