SONG OF THE DAY (#245)

'tentang city,' by white shoes and the couples company

all right, kids -- this is some of the most amazing stuff i've heard in a very long time. and i can't believe i've never heard of 'em before a month ago! and i can't believe they're from jakarta! bloomin' jakarta. it's all sorts of awesome, but you just don't expect to hear this kind of brilliant, sunny, bacharach-inspired pop coming from indonesia. my gosh, it's incredible.

aprilia apsari and yusmario farabi formed the band while the two were teaching at the art institute of cikini. the story goes that sparks flew, and like any self-respecting couple does, they formed a band. lucky, lucky, lucky for us. we get to reap the rewards of the union.

when stuff is as warm and beautiful as this, it's easy to overlook the prodigious talent behind it [i'd quite literally kill for songwriting chops like this]. debut albums simply aren't supposed to be this confident, skilled, and perfectly executed. 'white shoes & the couples company' may have been released in 2005, and it's only january 6, but shoot, it may have already won my favorite album the year award. i can't imagine anything topping it. it's just that good.

visit them here and here and say hello to your favorite new band. they're certainly mine. and check out the video for 'windu & defrina' -- it's 100% perfect.

→ white shoes & the couples company: tentang city
→ white shoes & the couples company: nothing to fear
→ white shoes & the couples company: windu & defrina / video