“My brothers and I were surrounded by music growing up. Not Beatles albums or anything like that; more like the Persian records our parents played all the time. And when we got older, it was up to us to discover everything,” says Kamtin Mohager — the genre-jumping singer/multi-instrumentalist behind The Chain Gang of 1974. In 2012, Mohager signed to Warner Music Group for the release of his third full-length album, Daydream Forever. The album is described as a continuation of the synth-heavy, reverb-laden dreams that made Mohager’s debut album, Wayward Fire, an immediate favorite of the retro set. Production is thicker here, with more elastic bounces. Mohager is currently collaborating with producer Thom Powers of The Naked and Famous for LP3.
As the seasons change and the end of the year creeps near, we’ve asked our contributors to pick their favorite lyrics of 2016 — so far.
— Brenna Ehrlich, Talkhouse Music Editor-in-Chief
“The words I scream are meaningless or holy things/They kiss my tongue before they split to kiss someone.”
— Beach Slang, “Punks in a Disco Bar,” A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings
In my opinion, Beach Slang is one of the most important bands out right now. The punk scene — and modern day music as a whole — needed a band like them. James Alex’s lyrics manage to give comfort to us thirtysomethings who still feel like we’re seventeen at heart. Their songs make me feel like it’s OK to still have this inspiring angst.
(Art credit: Dan Schmatz)
