By: Kayleigh Drake 

I first heard of TV Star a couple years ago through what is probably my favorite compilation of all time: From Far It All Seems Small: A Compilation From Seattle’s Underground. It was released on KR Records, which is the label that Mark Palm from Supercrush owns and operates, and it consists of 14 songs from bands I was largely unfamiliar with prior to listening. Since Seattle has long been known for its legendary music scene — and since I’ve been a Supercrush fan for many years — I knew the comp was gonna be good. And it was so good, in fact, that I ordered it on the holy trinity of hard copy formats: CD, cassette and vinyl. And it didn’t leave my car CD player for a solid year.

Anyway, lore drop aside, TV Star was one of the bands on the aforementioned comp, and their song “Ride” made me instantly become a fan. So, I was stoked to see that they released their very first full-length album, Music For Heads, just a few days ago on April 24. They had released a handful of EPs and singles in the years prior, but this time, we got a full 10-songer. And it’s really good.

For starters, the aforementioned Mark Palm plays bass in this band, so that’s inherently rad. It’s fronted by Ashlyn Nagel, who provides stellar vocals that almost remind me of our fellow Birmingham native Katie Crutchfield (aka Waxahatchee). 

Soundwise, this record is very catchy and also kinda dreamy. Pretty much every song is radio friendly. It’s like jangly, psychedelic-y indie-pop with a hint of twang. Kind of like if Crooked Rain by Pavement was also “Driving On 9” by the Breeders, while simultaneously being the Brian Jonestown Massacre if they were also the Stone Roses. All-around good stuff. 

Now, there are some records out there that start off with a bang. Just immediately in-your-face. This is not one of those records. Rather, it starts out with an extremely chill, mid-to-downtempo track (“The Package”) that invites you to sit back, relax and enjoy the tunes. And that sets the tone for the remainder of the album.

A few standouts include “Reality Cheque,” which was one of the singles released about a month before the album dropped. It incorporates just a touch of shoegaze, which obviously I’m a fan of. And the chorus, “You’re on a roll, you’re on a tear,” will absolutely get stuck in your head, so just be prepared for that. 

“Lodestar” is another highlight, and while it wasn’t a single, it certainly could have been. It starts out with a nice, thick chord progresh that continues into some straight-up power-pop. “Out Of My Bag” is another one of the singles, and it might be my favorite track on the whole record. That’s due in part to this insanely catchy guitar lick that weaves in and out throughout. It’s one of my 1-2-3-repeaters for sure.

Overall, this album is perfect springtime listening. Put it on during your next Hot Girl Walk on a nice day. Play it as background music for your next get-together. Blast it out of a Bluetooth speaker at a picnic. Hell, play it in a grocery store. It’ll fit the vibe no matter what.

Listen to it on Bandcamp right here! (And while you’re at it, grab a copy of it on that gorgeous baby blue vinyl.)