Song of the Day: Ablebody - Backseat Heart

Song of the Day
01/02/2017
Jim Beckmann
photo by Michael Delaney

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is "Backseat Heart" by Ablebody, from their 2016 album, Adult Contemporaries, on Lolipop Records.

Ablebody - Backseat Heart (MP3)For the past several years, sibling musicians Christoph and Anton Hochheim were more likely to be seen, and heard, as performing members of indie pop bands The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and The Depreciation Guild. Yet, while they were mainly support for those bands' principle songwriters (Kip Berman and Christoph Hochheim, respectively), the LA-based twins also maintained their own project and self-released an EP and various singles and covers under the name Ablebody. It wasn't until this past fall, though, that Hochheims decided to make a go of it, with the official release of their debut, Adult Contemporaries.

Unsurprisingly, the new LP fits right in the wheelhouse of those other two bands, steeped as it is with '80s-influenced dream-pop, shimmering guitars and keys, hazy vocals and dreamy melodies. Today's featured song, "Backseat Heart", is the album opener and sets the stage with a soundtrack-ready sound that could instantly pop Andrew McCarthy's collar or crimp and tease Demi Moore's 'do. The twins tease a bit themselves, adding a few tricks from shoegaze and psychedelic song-craft playbooks, as with "Backseat Heart"'s extended intro, which also repeats midway through, to breakup the Haircut 100-like tropical pop guitar hooks. While we wish brothers Hochheim the best with any continued participation in TPOBPAH, we can't wait for more display of their Ablebody.

You won't find any upcoming dates listed yet for Ablebody, but if and when they do tour, you'll find all about it on their Facebook page. Until then, check out the official video for "Backseat Heart" below.

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