“I’m not trying to watch instruments bro, I just wanna see some knobs being twisted.” While wildly amusing and sometimes gathering agreement from myself, this quote sums up a main direction that music has taken in the electronic age. So while many artists continue to push the boundaries of what computers can do, Chicago octet Kids These Days succeed in taking us on a whirlwind through genres and eras with a true appreciation for musicianship. The sounds come together via trombone, trumpet, drums, bass, keyboard, vocalist, and rapper to form a refreshing blend of soul/jazz/hip-hop/blues/rock. The band’s members, all 18 or 19, met while studying at a music school while simultaneously attending high school. While the horns blare and vocalists Liam Cunningham and Macie Stewart provide a contemporary soul sound reminiscent of The Black Keys, MC Vic Mensa provides flavor with solid lines and a flow that reflects a maturity far past his age. He’d definitely be able to hold his own on traditional hip hop beats, but his style matches so perfectly with their sound so I’d hope he doesn’t stray too far away. Their Hard Times EP is for sale on iTunes for $3.99 and if there were ever a time to step back from stinginess, this would be it. They’re currently working on a full length album entitled “Trap House Rock.” Their band interest on facebook is “we enjoy positive vibrations and bangin out dat dope music,” which is so odd because we’re all about the same things over here. If you are too, it’s time to get keen. Scope some of their videos below.

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+jangbar