L-R Sam Kiszka, Josh Kiszka, Danny Wagner, Jake Kiszka
Greta Van Fleet, play a sold-out show at The Observatory North Park on Sunday, September 23. ListenSD asked Sam Kiszka, the band’s bassist, to give us an idea of what he is listening to at the moment. His sexy, funky playlist shows off his diverse musical tastes.
1. Hozier — “Jackie and Wilson”
Based largely on a dreamlike conceit of a wandering mind, Hozier considers ideal love in a very precisely executed Rock & Soul anthem. The song takes you on the journey through his stream of consciousness, & drops you off wondering who you are beyond the field of your own vision.
2. Kamasi Washington — “Final Thought”
Kamasi Washington’s “Final Thought,” ironically occurs 37 minutes into his monstrous 3 hour Epic masterpiece, starting off cool & collected. You find yourself blindly following the organ exposition into the hazy nostalgia of a smokey jazz club. Washington then immediately catapults your mind (& all organized thoughts) into the chaos of hammering latin percussion piloted by a very truthful horn line. The unharnessed emotion of the performances demand your full attention before the horn section returns, to make it’s point clear, then to taunt you.
3. Ray LaMontagne — “Shelter”
Ray LaMontagne’s vague tale of lost love will leave you crippled with tears rolling down your cheeks. It’s minimal production thrusts forward his raspy soprano, singing passionately & genuinely about the many paradoxes of love.
4. Lewis Del Mar — “Such Small Scenes”
The lyrics are sharp, abrasive, & somewhat mocking in this concise 2 minute Alt/Pop address of irritation for a past significant other. “Such Small Scenes” is quintessentially Lewis Del Mar. It’s led by aggressive lead percussion & bouncy synth bass, garnished with single-note guitar melodies, & best of all, the intro/outro will make you question whether or not your stereo is broken.
5. CLOVES — “Wasted Time”
Few have the ability to pair fearless audacity with overwhelming beauty & there aren’t many that wield the poetic prowess to make a soul feel so well understood. But CLOVES does it all in “Wasted Time,” nothing short of a lyrical masterpiece. The song addresses going through the monotonous motions of existing every day, lacking the confidence to even interact with others. It takes you on a trip through an aching anxious mind & launches you into a whole new song at the end. One that sounds like it was snagged out of the grasp of the universe, leaving you somewhat perplexed as to what you actually know about yourself.
Pre-order their first full-length album, Anthem of The Peaceful Army. If you didn’t get your tickets for the show this time around, make sure you don’t miss them on their next tour. They will not be playing “small venues” for much longer!