Famous Friend is nostalgic in new single, “Carmen San Diego”

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Following a comeback year of touring, Famous Friend has released the second single off of his upcoming EP, Blue. With a surfy guitar and upbeat rhythm, LA-based artist Famous Friend, a.k.a. Zachariah Carlson, yearns for a relationship always just out of reach in “Carmen San Diego.” 

Lovers of Dayglow and Wallows will enjoy the phased and surfy guitar melody sprinkled in between verses as the bright kick and snare give the song a beat that can lift your spirits. In keeping at this pace, “Carmen San Diego” is perfect for drives along the beach or dancing with friends in the summer. Even so, Carlson is aware of how repetitive this instrumentation can get and sets an arpeggiated synth in the back of the mix. Along with a fun bass line, Famous Friend knows how to keep a listener interested while staying well within the confines of indie pop and surf rock. 

“I try to be intentional with my use of nostalgia,” says Carlson, carefully constructing imagery that keeps the object of his affection slight out of distance to listeners. The lyrics “its been a long road to something and god it wasn’t fair” beautifully convey a sense of dejection that contrasts well with the forward-moving bass line and drums, perfectly setting up a song fueled by childhood nostalgia.

However, these lyrics can be hard to digest within the production. While the vocal production and delivery sit well within the genre and style, they quickly become hard to understand and pay attention to. Granted that most listeners will be drawn to the overall atmosphere of the single, it’s a shame that Carlson’s lyrical talents are so easily overshadowed and lost within the production.  

Despite this, “Carmen San Diego” is a vibrant song and creates excitement about what Famous Friend has to offer in his upcoming music.

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Ezra Kendrick
Ezra Kendrick
Ezra Kendrick is a writer based in Brisbane, Australia. She is currently finishing her Bachelors in Music specialising in writing while she interns for Melodic Mag.

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