Today’s song rec: “Wish You Were Here” x Incubus
Okay, SORRY!!!! I’m obsessed with Incubus right now and I think you should give them a chance on this lovely Summer Solstice. I would go as far as to say that this should be the Simp Lagoon theme song, like if it had Laguna Beach-esque opening credits. “Wish You Were Here” has the same joyous optimism as “Come Clean” by Hilary Duff and “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, walking a similar line between being elatedly present and ‘reaching for something in the distance,’ as Natasha would say.
There’s something about 2023 that is really driving me back to the early 2000s local alternative radio festival classics that love to mix some extremely watered-down version of ska and these bizarre turntable sounds. Also, Brandon Boyd was the hottest person in every shitty festival he ever set foot in and we have to respect that. But beyond this aesthetic defense, I don’t know! I kind of think they’re genuinely good and they’re set to be my #1 most-listened-to band of the year. I think it’s okay to live in the Laguna Beach days of it all, especially here in the Simp Lagoon.
Photo by Michael Ochs!