I think now is probably a good time to let you all in on one of my favourite bands ever. This is a band that had a few members graduate from the same high school that I went to, and are still friends with english teacher from my Senior year in high school. They make incredible summer driving music, and are pretty much the paradigm (or at least I like to think so) of Los Angeles/California/Beach music. They're most recent album, Over and Over, is incredible, and has been played more times than almost any other thing on my iTunes.
The 88 (though originally known as The Freeloaders) have a pure sound that hearkens back to the 1960s. I've never had anyone listen to it and not immediately ask who it was that was playing. The vocals, done by Keith Slettedahl, are pure bliss, and the jingly piano with electric guitars sounds just majestic. I really can't get enough of The 88.
They've been featured recently in a Target commercial, on plenty of TV shows (including How I Met Your Mother, and The Hills) and the (quite awful if I don't say so myself) movie, You, Me and Dupree. More recently, they signed with Island Def Jam Records, which isn't the best label in the world, but will allow them to get some more national exposure.
The mp3s I have today are available from their website.
[mp3] The 88 - Sunday Afternoon
[mp3] The 88 - All The Same
[mp3] Elliott Smith (with the 88) - Can't Make A Sound (4/01/03)
And finally, one of my favourite songs: The 88 - Hide Another Mistake (video)
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