Will Shenton
San Francisco is an eclectic city when it comes to independent music (well, it's an eclectic city when it comes to just about everything, but that's a different story). When I saw that local artists The Y Axes described themselves as "space pop," I couldn't help but grin. It's a wonderfully noncommittal genre, but it's also about as accurate as you can get in so many words.
Their latest track, "Meteorite," is an emphatically energetic pop song that draws from elements as diverse as dream pop, synth pop, and dance rock—as they would say, it's "pop music for nerds." It's a great example of utilizing inspiration sparingly, and avoiding the pitfalls of derivative homage into which so many of our favorite artists occasionally fall.
These guys are clearly and genuinely self-aware, which is a rare trait even among the postmodern. They balance gleeful fun with academic intrigue, and "Meteorite" promises to be a perennial favorite as a result. I'm looking forward to seeing The Y Axes around town, and I wouldn't be surprised if the next few months see them established as household names among the hip here in the Bay.