SOW: Modern Kicks by The Exploding Hearts

November 14, 2003 | 0 Comments

The Artist: The Exploding Hearts
The Song: Modern Kicks
The Album: Guitar Romantic
Released 2003

It is with no small amount of sincere sorrow that I bring you this week’s song, “Modern Kicks” by The Exploding Hearts.

First off, this is an amazing song by an amazing band. The album, Guitar Romantic is one that is instantly recognizable as a classic and every song shows off The Exploding Hearts’ special style of pop genius.

Every time I listen to this album, and that’s quite a lot, I feel both happy and sad. If you’ll bear with me a moment I’ll tell you a story that could very well bring a tear to your eye as it does mine every time I think about it.

Sometime back in June I got a call from my brother asking me to come out with him to see a bad he had heard was amazing live — The Exploding Hearts. I couldn’t make it. He came back from that show blown away. He’d also picked up the CD Guitar Romantic and pretty much ordered me to do the same. I did.

I was instantly hooked. The Exploding Hearts sound is so infectious. It’s almost perfect rock pop, it just makes you feel good. Just like my brother had said it would. I listened to it non-stop for a few weeks and planed on putting it up as a Song of The Week.

It never came to be. A few days before I would put the song up, my brother called me and told me that 3 members of the Hearts had been killed in a car accident coming home from a show in San Francisco.

I was stunned and more than a little upset. At the time I felt that there could be no greater injustice in the world. Here was an up-and-coming band, filled with amazing musical talent, taken away before their prime. This defines the word tragic. I don’t cry often, but this really shook me and I just couldn’t help it. They were so young.

I couldn’t bring myself to put the song up. It just didn’t feel right at the time. Now after a few months have passed I still feel like I’ve lost something special and I really regret missing that show, but I feel like their music is so good I need to share it.

So, give a listen to “Modern Kicks” and join me in honoring the memories of a great band lost way, way before it’s time.

Recommended if you like: The Strokes, Cheap Trick, The Ramones, The Jam, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists

Filed under: Song of The Week