If you’re ready to have your mind blown by two of the smartest musicians in the game–who just so happen to both be teens, get ShiSho in your ears. The folk-punk sister duo, consisting Vivian Ramone (guitar/vocals) and Midge Ramone (accordion/vocals), will be playing tonight at the Beachland tavern with Tristen and The Very Knees. Ready for something that makes you think? This is it. Check out their playlist and grab your ticket to come on out!
PRESS PLAY: SHISHO – TRACKLIST & WHY THEY PICKED ‘EM:
1. “Ice Age” – St. Vincent/David Byrne
Midge says: “I like both of these artists separately but together they are amazing. This song makes me think of introverted people. It inspires me as an artist because it makes me think of all the people I’d like for Shisho to collaborate with like They Might Be Giants.”
2. “My Song 5” – Haim
Midge says: “I like Haim because they are a sister band and that’s something that we have in common. I like the base-y vibe it has.”
3. “History Eraser” – Courtney Barnett
Midge says: “I love her songwriting talent. She knows how to tell a interesting story.”
4. “Party City” – The Julie Ruin
Midge says: “Kathleen Hanna is one of my favorite people ever. Her new band is great and she has influenced me as an artist and a person by the Riot Grrl movement and her music.”
5. “You Can’t Hurry Love” – The Supremes
Midge says: “They were pioneers of women in music. I’m really into early sixties music right now. It’s simple and clean.”
6. “Lazy” – Daniel Johnston
Vivian says: “This song is practically written about me and my least favorite facet of my personality (and it’s offensively catchy). Daniel Johnston is a huge songwriting inspiration for me. His lyrics are so effortlessly beautiful and tell always stories.”
7. “My Pal Foot Foot” – The Shaggs
Vivian says: “This band is very near and dear to my heart. Their story is so wonderfully bizarre and their music even more so. I love their songs for those reasons, but also because over the summer I volunteered at a summer camp with my good friend where I helped to lead a “Music Appreciation” interest group. Basically my friend and I just played a bunch of music that we liked. I played the cover of this song that was on the Better Than The Beatles cover album and the kids asked to hear it over and over again. About a month ago, one of the girls posted the original song to my Facebook Wall and was so excited that she’d found it. That’s the power of The Shaggs.”
8. “Oblivion” – Grimes
Vivian says: “Grimes is more of an artist than a musical inspiration to me. I love her music and I think it’s really beautiful; however, I can’t relate to her songwriting style or her music in an instrumental way. But she has branded herself so well. She knows exactly how she wants to be seen, and does a great job of separating Grimes from Claire, while still remaining innovative and authentic (and sometimes changing/contradictory) and I think that’s really cool.”
9. “Randy Scouse Git” – The Monkees
Vivian says: “I LOVE THIS SONG. I’ve been trying to focus more on the musicality of my songs lately, and this song embodies exactly what I’ve been trying to do. One of our more recent songs, Interactive Theater Art Piece, follows a similar soft/loud/soft (there is totally a word for this but I’ll be darned if I can think of what it is) musical pattern and I really dig it. Also this song was written by a Micky Dolenz who is still a teen heartthrob if you ask me.”
10. “I Might Need You To Kill” – The Thermals
Vivian says: “Holy cow. The Thermals rocked my world in middle school. I would listen to them constantly. They validated my angsty existence and I loved Hutch’s voice. I still love Hutch’s voice and I’m still substantially angst-filled and I still love this band. They are so good. I try to model my own singing voice after Hutch now, without ripping him off (hopefully).”
Vivian adds: “I wanted to make a note that this is mostly just stuff we have been listening to lately and that inspires us right now. Of course there are other bands that inspire us all the time like They Might Be Giants and the Dead Milkmen, but these are more like current favez.”