Washed Out: smooth it out (this is the story about the drifter....) - Oh My Rockness

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Washed Out: smooth it out (this is the story about the drifter....)

March 1, 2010
This is soooooo smooth. And yes, that's a lot of Os. Washed Out is the one-man bedroom pop project of South Carolina's Ernest Greene. And woah dude, he's put together some of the finest music to "chill" to (as much as I hate that word --- "chill" is almost worse than "funky") that we've heard in a long time.

His synth/guitars/laptop songs have such an easy electro swirl about them and are crafted with perfect pop execution. Though he recorded them in his home, there's nothing about Greene's songs that sound amateur. Maybe Timbaland is his neighbor and came by to borrow a cup of sugar and on his way out helped on Greene's mixes. Who knows?

His vocals, though partially hidden under a few relaxing layers of technology tricks, are the exact fit needed for Washed Out's hammock rock vibe. You can definitely dance to some of these songs, because they've got all those smooth beats and rhythmic things going on. But we prefer to just slowly sway on our back while staring up at the underside of a palm tree. Why work up a sweat?

Listening to Washed Out reminds us we don't have a care in the world (until it's over, then we remember our student loan debt and how we need to go to the store and get a container of milk, a loaf of bread and a ----- DANG IT! We knew we'd forget the third thing Mom told us to be sure to get!).

Also playing this show is Small Black. Come on, now! You know we be lovin' us some Small Black! And that's not all, Small Black serves as Washed Out's band for his set. So double sweet and stuff!

Washed Out and Small Black play two SOLD-OUT shows (sorry) at Mercury Lounge, on Sunday, March 7th, and Monday, March 8th.

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