1. Zella Day, “Sweet Ophelia”
Yes, Zella Day is set to become queen of indie pop one day, and she’s starting her ascent to the throne with a set of literary references to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, without the intra-familial violence. Yikes. But, on a serious note, listen.
2. The Temper Trap, “Sweet Disposition”
You’ve probably heard this song too many times -- (500) Days of Summer, anyone? -- and have never learned its name. Well, today’s your day! This song is old, but gold; The Temper Trap released “Sweet Disposition” from their album Conditions in around 2009, but it’s still worth a listen 7 years later.
3. Kate Nash, “Merry Happy”
The next Lily Allen? Nah. Sure, they’re both sassy, independent British women who don’t like being told what to do, but that’s the thing: Kate Nash wants to be judged on her own terms. And, as you can hear in “Merry Happy,” she boasts an identity incomparable to any other artist’s.
4. Feist, “1234”
Again, you probably heard this song in an iPod Nano commercial who knows how long ago, and you never bothered to Shazam it or Google the one phrase you remember from the lyrics. Heck, maybe you came across the song on Sesame Street. Feist’s songs are catchy enough, but “1234” is probably one of her best works yet.
