Jayson’s Pick: “Blowin’ Up” by Kiwi. Jr
Jayson’s DJ pick of the week is “Blowin’ Up” by Kiwi. Jr.! Growing up together in Charlottetown, Prince Edward, Canada, they officially formed the band in 2015, and released their first album, Football Money, in 2019. The group’s influences include groups like The Velvet Underground and The Strokes, influences they continue to explore in “Blowin’ Up,” a single on their new album of the same name. The song is about existential anxiety and the overwhelming nature of life, “how about the weight of the moon lately?”, and the bands own hypothetical funeral due to their success “they’re all dressed in black, we’re blowing up, ya, we’re real gone.”
Listen to “Blowin’ Up” below!
Dan’s Pick: “Main Street USA” by Grace Potter
Dan’s DJ pick of the week is “Main Street USA” by Grace Potter! Hailing from Vermont, Potter’s influences include jazz and Americana, saying in another life she was “some kind of Southern lady,” and many classic rock artists. She has both toured and performed with acts such as The Rolling Stones and Kenny Chesney. “Main Street USA,” her upbeat and jammy new single, presents a scene of a joyful filled small-town, one with “boys and girls and the jukebox playing.” Then she asks, are these common themes that evoke nostalgia for the past accurate, or painting over a truer history?
Listen to “Main Street USA” below!
Stephanie’s Pick: “easy rider” by untitled (halo)
Stephanie’s DJ pick of the week is “easy rider” by untitled (halo)! The alternative rock group formed in Los Angeles in 2023, and their unique name comes from Ed Ruscha’s artwork, Aurora. Drawing influence from Blink-182 and Deftones, the band has described the emotional tone of their music as “California Melancholia.” Their new single, “easy rider,” perfectly encompasses this tone. Portraying the track as a “tortured love song,” it’s directed towards a partner in the finale of a chaotic relationship, by telling them “the light’s leaving your eyes, everything will be alright,” when really, there’s no point of return.
Listen to “easy rider” below:
Casey’s Pick: “Dance Away” by The Bends
Casey’s DJ pick of the week is “Dance Away” by The Bends! The alternative rock band formed in 2023 at LSU, and first played together in dorm jam sessions. They rose to play crowded house parties, before they went viral when Zach Bryan called their song “Makeup” song of the year, gaining millions of streams. Drawing heavily from influences such as Arctic Monkeys and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, their new single, “Dance Away,” is very groovy and an earworm. The song is about heartbreak and realizing the relationship is gone, but now, he’ll “dance away, I’m a already gone,” simply moving on.
Listen to “Dance Away” below:
Catch next weeks DJ Picks here, and keep tuning into Lightning 100!
