Plaid Shirts and Skinny Jeans R Us

Listening to: 'Always Like This' by Bombay Bicycle Club [I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose]

You know the look. Yes, that one. Plaid shirt, skinny jeans and canvas sneakers. Coupled with bed hair and geeky specs. Soft spoken, bordering on socially inept. With a guitar (or manbag) slung over one shoulder. Oversized headphones. Playing something depressing by The Smiths...well, pretty much anything by The Smiths. The quintessential 'quirky indie boy' look.

OK I just thought way too much into that. Aaaanyway, the point I was trying to get to was that the boys that fit this mould seem to have created a musical sub-genre to match their outfits. I call it 'quirky indie boy rock'.

So, what qualifies as 'quirky indie boy rock'? I hear you ask. Well here are a few that have caught my eye (or ear, rather) -

Vampire Weekend - Giving Up the Gun

Vampire Weekend are probably the most established out of the bands featured here. Their first album had gems like A-Punk, Oxford Comma and Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (the music videos for the last two were directed by Richard Ayoade - Moss from The I.T. Crowd - and there's your random fact for the day). Their new album has produced equally catchy tracks such as Cousins, Holiday, and this one. I think Cousins is probably my favourite single off the new album so far, but I decided to put 'Giving Up the Gun' here because...well watch it, and you'll see why ;-) (I wasn't a fan before, but after seeing him in this video...*sigh*).

The Drums - Let's Go Surfing

Like Vampire Weekend, these guys are also from New York. Are they breeding quirky indie boys over there or what? Hmm. Anyway, I haven't heard much from these guys, but I do love this song. I'm guessing the use of the playground chant has a lot to do with it, but I'm not complaining.

Stornoway - Zorbing

Wahey, something from the UK this time! These guys are from Oxford (I'll try not to hold that against them :P ). I had a tough time deciding which of their tracks to include in this post - they're all so cute! Anyway I think I'm gonna stick with Zorbing, simply because of the trumpet. But please check out I Saw You Blink as well.

Bombay Bicycle Club - Always Like This

I'm gonna end with another British band - these guys are from London. They're probably my favourite out of the bands listed here. I'm not sure if it's 'cos of the music, or 'cos their drummer's name is the suspiciously Sri Lankan-sounding 'Suren de Saram', or 'cos said drummer is actually kinda fit. Must be the music, yes *innocent look*.

I've liked all the singles they've put out so far - Evening/Morning, Dust On the Ground, Magnet and the newest release, Ivy & Gold - but my favourite is still this one. The hook is unbelievably catchy. Here, see for yourself.

So yeah. I think that should be enough quirky indie boy rock to keep you going for a while. I'm not sure what genre I'm gonna cover next. We'll see.