Phantom Planet and Bruno Mars

Today I have a really cool sounding song by a band known as Phantom Planet. I only recently heard about this band and this song and have realized how much I missed. This band is so weirdly awesome. That is the only way I can describe it accurately! This song has this cool charm and suave to it while also being energetic and being something that you can't help jam to. The liveliness of this song is so infectious and wonderfully awesome. This song has so many phenomenal things going on in it. To start, the opening is a blast of energy that sets up the rest of the song. This song has moments that are actually like 60's pop music which sounds really incredible with the other musical characteristics we hear in the song. It is kind of cool though because in this case, the pop-esque sounds kind of give way to more of a power pop feel. But this pop-esque feel is brought to us more from the actual instruments rather than the synth. In fact, this song has little no pretty much no synth work and it sounds absolutely phenomenal. This song really makes use of its guitars, acoustic, electric, and bass. The main chorus features the heavy thrum of the bass guitar which is actually one of my favorite parts. I love how at the beginning it opens with the softer part of the chorus repetition which then gives way to the intensity of the bass guitar.  But the verses have a really awesome guitar layering going on. The acoustic guitar doesn't provide the melody line at all, rather it serves as the third part to the harmonies. This is not done frequently and Phantom Planet pulls it off so well. In fact, all the harmonies done in this song are on point and are pretty sick. Each harmony has multiple parts to it and is executed flawlessly. The way they do the harmonies also makes it sound like a brighter, more summery punk song. There is a point in the song when we get to hear some really sick guitar riffs, so graciously provided to us by the electric guitar. There is definitely a punk and grungey feel to this song which I have missed so much. There has not been much new music like this in a long time because synthesizers and electronic programming has become a huge new component. But this song uses only its guitars and the drums. The drums are wicked in this song as well. They don't provide a heartbeat pulse to the song, but simply offer guidelines for the guitars to follow. The percussion work itself is pretty wild and out there. It features heavy hits to the drum but it sounds so damn sick! The only thing I would change is knowing about this song way sooner! This song is absolutely incredible and fun and just energizing. I am definitely going to sift through Phantom Planet's music now because it sounds like it is pretty awesome! For today's instrumental song, I have a version of a song by Bruno Mars. Now before you say anything, I know that this seems like an interesting and unrelated pair. But, if you listen to which Bruno Mars song I chose, you will hear how similar the two songs. This song definitely has a little bit of that pop that Bruno Mars is known for, but it also has some grunge guitar work. In fact, the bass guitar seems to lead the melody of the song instead of anything else. This song definitely has more of a rock feel than a pop one. I think when you hear both songs you will agree with me that these two songs are actually more similar than most people would think. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!