Brooklyn lady trio The Vivian Girls, are back in town for an evening of girl-studded surf guitar, opening for Best Coast tonight at Bottom of the Hill. The Girls have been buzzing since their first album two years ago, a lo-fi garage rock favorite offering friendly reminders of surf and turf, skipping through town in high-waisted shorts, and being honest about the small things. Since the Guardian has interviewed them in the past, it was time for the Vivian Girls to spill some real secrets — their iPod’s top 10 most-played lists. Guitarist Cassie Ramone and drummer Ali Koehler agreed to give up the goods. (Bassist Kickball Katy doesn’t have an iPod. She just kicks ass).
Ali’s top 10:
1. Meneguar, “House of Cats”
Also used to be Cassie’s most played song before she got a new computer, so you know it’s Vivian Girls approved.
2. Woods, “Be Still”
I think this song has the absolute perfect fidelity. Woods is my favorite band making music today and take up most of my top played songs on iTunes.
3. Lemuria, “Origamists Too”
This song is so sexy. For fans of Leatherface, Lemonheads, Superchunk.
4. Yellow Fever, “Culver City”
Our label, Wild World, just released a full length by this band. I haven’t been this excited about a new band in ages.
5. The Babies, “Meet me in the City”
This song is such a fucking HIT. The Babies are Cassie’s side project with Kevin Morby of Woods. They wound up sounding like the Pixies in the best way possible.
6. Happy Birthday, “Girls FM”
If Pitchfork doesn’t give this band Best New Music they are fools.
7. Daniel Johnston, “Some things last a long time”
I defy anyone to write a more sincerely heart-wrenching breakup song. I’m not even heartbroken and I want to cry listening to this.
8. Best Coast, “When I’m With You”
I think Bethany (of Best Coast) described this song as sounding like Miley Cyrus, produced by Leslie Gore or something, which is exactly what I want to hear.
9. Hefner, “The Hymn for the Cigarettes”
I’ve always wanted to cover this song. It’s by Hefner, a John Peel-approved sloppy British pop band from the late 90s, and romanticizes smoking. I don’t smoke but this song sort of makes me wish I did. It also has the best line ever, “How can she love me when she doesn’t even love the cinema that I love?”
10. Cub, “My Chinchilla”
My now boyfriend put this song on a mixtape for me when we first started hanging out and it was insta-love.
Cassie’s top 10:
(Keep in mind that I got a new computer 3 months ago, so my top 10 list is pretty weird because of that).
1. Cassie Ramone, “Dance If You Wanna”
This is a song I demoed for Vivian Girls. It’s pretty embarrassing that it’s at the top of my list, but that’s life. It’s a weird song about dancing and crying that sounds kind of like the early Beatles to me.
2. Washed Out, “Belong”
I’ve always had a strange relationship with conformity, and this song perfectly encapsulates my struggle with it.
3. Ariel Pink, “So Glad”
I love that it’s called “So Glad” yet the chords make it feel so dismal and hopeless.
4. Heavy Hawaii, “Sleeping Bag”
These guys make perfect music that sounds like the Beach Boys on acid, or a soundtrack to you being stoned on the beach all day.
5. Pearl Harbor, “California Shakedown”
This song is really beautiful and sad. Pearl Harbor is one of the raddest new bands.
6. The Chantels, “The Plea”
My favorite Chantels song other than “He’s Gone.” It has one of my favorite bass lines ever, also used in “Oooh Baby Baby” by the Miracles and “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle” by the Royalettes and Deneice Williams.
7. Happy Birthday, “I Wanna Stay (I Runaway)”
Kyle Thomas from Happy Birthday told me that the melody for the verse of this song was inspired by Vivian Girls, which I consider one of the highest compliments I’d ever been paid.
8. The Bitters, “Can You Keep A Secret?”
When we were on tour with Fucked Up, I discovered that Ben Cook is as big a fan of Burt Bacharach as I am. That might be the reason the Bitters have some of the best-written songs of any of the “lo-fi” (I quote because I don’t approve of the term but I don’t see an alternative name for it) scene today.
9. The Chantels, “He’s Gone”
Self-explanatory. We’ve been covering this song, because it’s the best song ever.
10. Yellow Fever, “If I Never Find My Way”
This song has an amazing jam part in the middle, reminiscent of Steely Dan or Neil Young.