POP ETC are another small band making big waves on the J1 scene. Formerly known as The Morning Benders, this California trio have been bubbling around touring with bigger bands and caught a break a few years back on the Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2 soundtrack. Their most recent disc Souvenir features a bouncy and atmospheric blend of indie synth pop sounds and melodic singing. The album did not make a huge impression on me except for the songs "Please Don't Forget Me" and our #3. The album sounds like it's almost there, and the band just needs a little more polish to make it big.
It's hard to argue with our #3 hit, "What Am I Becoming?". It dropped early in January and has been blasting through the year leaving little to doubt. For a long time I considered it to be the absolute best song of 2016 and was surprised that two years in a row a song from early in the year would take the overall crown. The title tells the tale - it's a story about a person who finds love and is changed by it, except that they are changed in a bad way. "I couldn't smell the smoke, and now I watch the flames" singer Jonathan Chu laments. Easily one of my favorite choruses on the year, and an all around pounder, especially for those who have been through such a life. The video features the daily exploits of a shut-in man whose life is deteriorating. He brushes his teeth, chills on the couch, and orders copious amounts of takeout. It somewhat goes along with the song in it's bizarre nature. At the very end he decides to make a run for it, which is what the actual song essentially hints at needing to happen.
It's such a great song. Enjoy!
Title: What Am I Becoming?
Artist: POP ETC
Album: Souvenir
Previous #3s
2015: Slipknot - (A) Skeptic; (B) The Devil in I
2014: Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting On You)
2013: The Airborne Toxic Event - Timeless
2012: Walk the Moon - Anna Sun
2011: Matt and Kim - Good for Great
2010: Fear Factory - Final Exit
2009: Owl City - Fireflies
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