Today is Friday and as usual, I spent my morning on the prowl for a “Friday” song.  No, Rebecca Black’s hot mess of a YouTube video will not be gracing your ears via Haute Thought today; though if you want to have “fun fun fun fun,” you go right on ahead and add that song to your Internet history.  I came upon “ATL to LA to ME” through a Facebook invite for the following event: “Stamps comes to Chicago for the first time ever!!!!!”  With that much enthusiasm packed into one tiny invite, I had  to click it.  The invite came from a fellow BBQ food enthusiast and Chicago suburban kid, who just happens to be the lead singer and guitarist of Stamps.  This Los Angeles based indie band is made up of of former Hush Sound singer/guitarist Bob Morris, vocalist/organist Ren Patrick and drummer Adam James.  (Thanks to the group’s website for that quick description!)

“ATL to LA to ME” has two components that create an addicting song: a catchy bass line and awesome guitar solos in the middle and end of the song.  I’m not talking a quick rip; I’m talking the kind of stuff you’re usually only graced with at a concert.  The moment when the guitarist goes off on a musical tangent and the crowd’s excitement escalates.  These guys were smart and included some of that in the recorded version of the song.  I applaud whoever made that decision.  If you’re talented, you might as well show it, right?  The bass line during the bridge even acts as the perfect build-up. 

But wait!  There’s more!  Another plus of “ATL to LA to ME” is the straightforward and vulnerable nature of the lyrics.  “I miss you, won’t you hurry home to me?”  I didn’t have to dissect something and reference a 17th century novel to catch that.  He misses someone, and he wants this aforementioned someone to hurry home.  Thank you for coming out and saying it.  Also, thank you for naming your EP “Tramps” because we all need a little more wit in our lives.  (Tramps by Stamps – get it?)

Now that I’ve listened to all of the songs on the group’s Facebook page, I feel more than comfortable peer pressuring the Chicago readers to head to Subterranean on April 3rd because, I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but…Stamps is coming to Chicago for the first time ever!