Cayucas

Cayucas shares video for “Big Winter Jacket”

Californian indie-pop group Cayucas have come a long way since their 2013 debut, Bigfoot, but they still take pride in their graceful guitars and vocals. Today, they have shared the video to “Big Winter Jacket,” the lead track from their sophomore album, Dancing At The Blue Moon. The music video’s setting is in an American suburb with shots of home video footage with specks of scenes from a 1950s-esque neighborhood that seemed fresh out of the first Back to the Future film. Watch below.

Dancing At The Blue Lagoon is out now on Secretly Canadian.

 

The Melodic Tree’s Weekly Playlist

1. Ragged Wood – Fleet Foxes

2. Mansard Roof – Vampire Weekend

3. The World at Large – Modest Mouse

4. Don’t You Evah – Spoon

5. Caring is Creepy – The Shins

6. You Only Live Once – The Strokes

7. Lazaretto – Jack White

8. Glacier – James Vincent McMorrow

9. Not A Crime – Gogol Bordello

10. Pink Wonton – Man Man

11. Cayucos – Cayucas

12. For Someone Far Away – Jordan Velez

13. Grand Optimist – City and Colour

14. Sugar – Shout Out Louds

15. Change Your Mind – The Killers

16. Out of Control –  Clear Static

17. Many of Horror – Biffy Clyro

18. Would That Not Be Nice – Divine Fits

19. Percussion Gun – White Rabbit

20. You, Me and the Bourgeoisie – The Submarines

Melodic Tree’s Weekly Playlist

Summer is officially upon us and these songs will help you get through these longer and hotter days:



1. Dreaming – Smallpools

2. Undercover – Nightmare & The Cat

3. Cayucos – Cayucas

4. Crag – Human Behavior

5. The Best – The Rocketboys

6. Love Lust – King Charles

7. Daydreamer – Young the Giant

8. Horchata – Vampire Weekend

9. The Wire – Haim

10. I Can Lift a Car – Walk the Moon

11. Head On [Hold On To Your Heart] – Man Man

12. Little Games – The Colourist

13. Bitin’ The Bullet – Grouplove

14. Dirty Night Clowns – Chris Garneau

15. Homecoming Heroes – The Head and the Heart

 

Cayucas – Bigfoot

Cayucas seems to pay homage to their home state of California in Bigfoot, with bright lyrics and simple instrumentations in a lo-fi setting. Zach Yudin, lead singer, started as a solo project named Oregon Bike Trails, however, he then expanded this project into a band with his twin brother, Ben Yudin on bass, and Casey Wojtalewicz on drums. A short but lovely album, Bigfoot seems to have a warm sound. There is obvious influences from early Vampire Weekend albums, but, Cayucas seems to build on this influence rather than simply trying to mimic Vampire Weekend. With that being said, these influences are not bad as there is still something unique to Cayucas’ sound.

The vocals throughout the album are breezy and simple. Yudin echoes his voice and seems to add an effect that would have sounded different than if there were simply just backing vocals. Lyrically, there may not be much depth in emotional meaning, there is still a charm in them that will leave the words cemented in your mind for days after listening. Yudin seems to use gentle vocals throughout the album and it sounds as if he mixes dialogue with his singing.

Instrumentals are simple and informal but seems to give Bigfoot a rounded sound when combined with the breezy vocals. There are a few interesting rhythms throughout the album, especially in “Ayawa ‘kya.” With the way Cayucas plays on this album, they seem to paint a landscape of the California coastline, but there is no main focus, simply a panoramic. Combining a natural sound with electronic, Cayucas seems to blend their surf pop influences, such as the Beach Boys, and their own unique sound in a seemingly effortless way.

An essential on any summer playlist, Bigfoot is a quintessential debut from Cayucas. However, as they continue to grow as a band, there is no doubt that they will develop their own style. In this thirty minute album, the band is able to create a nostalgic feeling for a summer bonfire on a beach in California in Bigfoot. Recently playing at Bonnaroo, Cayucas will be play shows in Canada and various cities across the west coast.