3. Pop Winds - Earth To Friend

"What you live for, is gonna kill you soon," followed by, "What (do) you live for?" This seems like such a horribly depressing contrast to the bright beat behind it. Before you get a chance to really think about it, there is a sudden change, in key and in tone. Pop Winds have the answer: "Sunlight." The answer is life, and Earth To Friend has this in spades. Pop Winds are, I am pretty sure, members of the equally awesome Majical Cloudz, and this is their final release, though MC will likely continue making music. I would say Pop Wind's make highly intelligent pop, like what Animal Collective does, except twice as good and much less obnoxious. They have a way of taking a simple guitar riff and looping over it, creating textures and layers and it's always something interesting. My only problem with the album , and this is purely selfish, is I wish that it was longer. At only eight tracks, and three interludes of sorts, we get really only five songs. I mean, these are all grade A, (particularly the title track which could very well be the most played song by me of the year) but there is a little to be desired. If this is the last music they made together, I would say they really outdid themselves. However, do not fret. Check out Majical Cloudz Turns Turns Turns and feel reassured that this won't be last you hear from them.