Wave - California
You know what one of my pet peeves is? Canadian bands singing about the United States. Somehow it just comes off as one of the worst forms of self-imposed cultural alienation as laid out by Antonio Gramsci. It makes sense that US bands would sing about the US— it’s where they’re from and what they know. But Canadian bands, having grown up hearing songs about the United States, believe that not only is it natural for US citizens to sing about the United States, they believe its natural that all people should sing about the United States, as if it is home to the only locales worth honouring in song. The people who control culture have created the idea that all people should aspire to live in these places, and rather than focusing on what we have nearby everyone just starts fantasizing about how much better life would be somewhere else. The same criticism could be leveled at people wanting to move to Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, or whatever other regional center, but today’s post is about Wave, and Wave want to move to California.
Well, guess what Wave? There’s nothing in Niagara Falls preventing you from getting whatever sort of car you want to fantasize about driving (a 1987 Corolla, apparently). Nor will California make it easier for you to sip on tequila every night— as a matter of fact, given your ages at the time you wrote this song, things would have been quite a bit more difficult. Although I will grant that it’s a lot more likely no one will know your name there.
NOTES:
- These guys still look as much like Kewpie dolls as I remember.
- Like soulDecision, Wave spend a fair amount of time singing into the camera, but since they wear sunglasses, it comes off as less disorienting. Good move.
- At the 3:18 mark, when the singer is obviously meant to have found his soul mate sitting at one of the many beach fires that are constantly happening in California (can anyone verify if this is true?), could he possibly look more disinterested?
- Those “wee-ooh-wee” vocals in the chorus are pretty good.
- Every news article I can find about this band makes sure to mention that unlike American boy-bands, these guys write their own songs and play their own instruments. That really was an issue back then, wasn’t it?
- It’s interesting to note that the less relevant you are, the more fans can get away with hyperbolic statements on your Wikipedia entry, since according to the “Current Projects” section of Wave’s page, Paul Gigliotti is producing the “hottest band” in Niagra Falls, known by their all-caps name ATHENA FLASHING. No link is provided.
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