Lazy us, right? Once again, self-titled has outsourced daily content to Mom and Dad (coming up with brain-tickling witticisms every day is tough, guys). Equipped with a batch of new music—songs by Islands, Ducktails, Girls, Japandroids, The Drums and Yacht—we tasked contributor Cassie Marketos with getting her parents reactions. Says Cassie, “My parents must really love me; they’ve willingly submitted themselves to yet another round of torture by indie music. I tried my best to trip them up this time (we all remember how well they did last time), but they refused to be beaten. Dad comes out swinging, as usual, and Mom pretty much just wants to dance. Parents! Can’t live with ‘em; can’t live without their outsider perspective on contemporary culture.”

Islands: “No You Don’t”

Download audio file (islands-no-you-dont.mp3)

Cassie Says: A catchy, surprisingly cohesive pop song—pleasing, but maybe a little too clean for me. Also, I’m hung up on how remarkably similar one sound effect is to the noise my old Apple II made when it crashed.

Her Mom Says: I love the beat. Good vocals and lyrics. Gets me moving. I liked it a lot, but then it got messy. The music’s not clear and overpowers the voice too much. Overall I liked it, though.

Her Dad Says: It’s what you might expect from a guy who looks like this. Techno all the way. Predictability of style does not necessarily portend bad, but “No You Don’t” plays to image predictably. Stays pretty techno, but the style is varied enough and production is good. I might buy this.

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Ducktails: “Welcome Home”

Download audio file (04-welcome-home-im-back.mp3)

Cassie Says: It goes out of its way to be sonic wallpaper. Not unappealing, but also—who cares?! As somebody who knows more than me once said about it, “There’s just something missing.”

Her Mom Says: Repetitive. I don’t care for this. Sounds like someone just messing around on a computer keyboard. I keep waiting for the song to take off, and it doesn’t. Boring.

Her Dad Says: Defined as “Psychedelic/Pop” on their Myspace. It’s not. Wow is this unimaginative and boring. Makes me wanna eat my desk. No reason to own this. I can make the same quality with tissue and a comb.

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Girls: “Lust for Life”

Download audio file (girls-lust_for_life.mp3)

Cassie Says: Music meant to be listened/reacted to straight from the gut, and my gut says: I love it. I love everything about it. I love that it’s just as messy and sloppy and dumbly carefree as I am… Cue the handclaps and lilting echoes of harmonium. It’s borderline destructively ramshackle (those vocals), but in the end it stays duct-taped together long enough to cross the finish line triumphantly—the scrappy kid’s entry in the box-car race. Ya know what I’m saying?!

Her Mom Says: Dreamy but, again, repetitive. Tinny-sounding music.

Her Dad Says: A cacophonous, nonsensical attempt at creativity. The production is poor. The group doesn’t even play in a coordinated effort. Avoid like an outdoor toilet. Save your money.

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Japandroids: “Young Hearts Spark Fire”

Download audio file (02-young-hearts-spark-fire.mp3)

Cassie Says: Ehhh. This sounds too much like the music that jerks would blast from their SUVs after cutting me off in traffic when I was in high school. But I respect their energy and dynamic. This song is a mini-anthem.

Her Mom Says: Too head-banging and loud for me. I like the name, though.

Her Dad Says: The first thing they need is a lead singer. The one they use gets washed out by all the fuzz from the guitar. Speaking of which, shut the pedal off once in a while. This is not enjoyable music, and music should be enjoyable.

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The Drums: “Let’s Go Surfing”

Download audio file (the-drums-lets-go-surfing.mp3)

Cassie Says: Criminally poppy. And how good is that bass line—just chug-chug-chugging through the whole song—giving a cotton-candy tune a bit of back-bone? I would rock out to this in my underwear in the living room, just like I did when I was eight years old and obsessed with Danny and the Juniors, and then my dad would yell at me for dancing on the coffee table.

Her Mom Says: This group is right up my alley. Variety. Good vocals. Great music.

Her Dad Says: These guys combine the Beach Boys and the Four Preps (Beach Boy mentors, actually) with the Pipettes. But the trouble is that their songs finish just as they start. Linear. Where’s the rush? They need lessons from Neil Diamond.

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Yacht: “Summer Song”

Download audio file (06-summer-song.mp3)

Cassie Says: Oh, yeah. I’ve pretty much been waiting my whole life for somebody to say this to me: “Come on over. We’re having a party for you.” Yacht is great for spacing out to, which, as my boss will tell you, I love to do.

Her Mom Says: This is very different. I like it, but for the life of me I can’t find the words to describe why. It’s very easy to listen to, and it being so different made me really want to pay attention.

Her Dad Says: They love the synthesizer and drum kit for sure, but then the vocals start and mix well with the sound. They may be accused of over-producing it, but like the weather in San Francisco, if you don’t like it now, wait three minutes.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday. (Shame on y’all who forgot!) And what better way to celebrate than to put Mom to work reviewing music, right? We gave self-titled contributor Cassie Marketos a batch of songs—including tracks by Micachu, HEALTH, the Juan Maclean, Phoenix, Woods and St. Vincent—to force-feed her mom (and dad) and record their reactions. Says Cassie, “Young people don’t listen to our parents—not about our friends, not about our jobs and especially not about our music. So when I sent my folks these songs, I was already sniggering to myself over how much they wouldn’t ‘get it.’ Um, can I get a fork to eat those words with? My mom and dad may be your standard-issue parental types, but their astute reactions to contemporary music might just mean that I have to start accounting for all their other opinions about my life. Dammit.” 

Micachu: “Lips”

Download audio file (02-lips.mp3)

Cassie Says: A sugar rush. All chug-chug-chug and frantic collisions and tugging on guitars with gushing synth-y sound effects. If mitochondria had musical taste, this would be it. I like it even though I don’t want to.

Her Mom Says: I really liked this. Good beats with drums and lots of energy. If I was cleaning the house to this, I would be dancing instead.

Her Dad Says: Fun. Cute. Touch of early ’60s. Overproduced. I might buy this.

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HEALTH: “Die Slow”

Download audio file (die-slow.mp3)

Cassie Says: Grinding, steady, industrial dance music. Less noise freak-out and more tightly focused than before. The chorus is hypnotic. I’m a slave to the beat!

Her Mom Says: Wow! Techno plus. Not my style of music, but it’s good listening. I really like the drums.

Her Dad Says: Certainly has a “big” sound. There is a lot of talent, and they will be better when they learn to channel it. Not ready to buy their music just yet.

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The Juan Maclean: “Happy House”

Download audio file (10_Happy_House.mp3)

Cassie Says: A good pop song is a good pop song, and Juan couldn’t hide his under all the slick disco-synth in the world (not that he wants to).  The female vocals work well, bringing the songs back to earth before they get too spaced out. Best heard in close proximity to strangers while sweating in the dark.

Her Mom Says: This started out catching my ear, but… Nice beat, but same sounds went on way too long. Wouldn’t buy.

Her Dad Says: The ’70s-style electric piano is nice but nothing new. Won’t get to my collection.

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Phoenix: “Lisztomania”

Download audio file (phoenix-lisztomania.mp3)

Cassie Says: Definition fun and fancy-free. It’s good in a technical sense, well produced, but I’m bored. I’m sorry!  

Her Mom Says: Good variety in style. I liked the vocals in this one. A little bit of a disco touch would be the only drawback for me.

Her Dad Says: Light and fun with a good range of styles. Tight performers with good musicianship.

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Woods: “Rain On”

Download audio file (woods-rain-on.mp3)

Cassie Says: An abandoned house of a song. Charmingly dilapidated and strangely poignant. I absolutely love it.

Her Mom Says: Makes me move with the music right away. Easy laid-back tunes. A little bit garage-band style. Singers make feel like I am back in Japan.

Her Dad Says: Folksy touch with an interesting production quality. I liked it for its cleverness. Want this in my collection.

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St. Vincent: “Actor Out of Work”

Download audio file (04-actor-out-of-work.mp3)

Cassie Says: Precious and whimsical. A slightly cynical fairy tale. St. Vincent’s music reminds me of those light-saturated dream sequences in prime-time television shows where everything is slightly fuzzy and glows. Coincidentally, that’s also how listening to it makes me feel inside.

Her Mom Says: At first I didn’t like the constant, hard beat with the fairy-tale voice. [But then] the voice blended much better with music. The singer too child-like sounding.

Her Dad Says: Broadway show tunes with a techno background. Lose the voice.