Hello and welcome back to Three Songs to the Head where we share three songs that moved us, three songs we love, three songs we can’t get out of our heads! Today, we’re featuring The Hoot Hoots, Chris King & The Gutterballs and Spekulation. Enjoy!

–Jake Uitti

The Hoot Hoots have one of the most unique voices in Seattle music. When one of their songs comes on you instantly know it’s them, yet the music is never boring or a re-tred. Their big guitars, slick and sly accompanying synth and powerful rhythms are playful and inspiring. Plus, they’re super nice people and, it should be mentioned, they’ re in charge of this festival. The band just released their latest LP, Colorpunch, and their song “Heroes” touches on memory, respect for those before us, and sunshine. Sounds like the perfect elements for The Hoot Hoots!

I heard Chris King & The Gutterballs on a late Sunday night hang at The Blue Moon about two or three weeks ago, and ever since I’ve been playing them almost every day. They’re a mix of The Growlers and The Walkmen while still keeping that original spark. If you purchase the cassette version of their LP, you’ll hear all the recorded wobbles and slinks that only partially come through on electric recordings of their tracks. Either way you hear their music it will be a treat.

The thing about Spekulation is that he gets better and better with each track he releases. This is no easy task for someone who’s had music heard by probably millions of people. And his ethic when producing tracks is something I especially love: sampling some of the best work of other Seattle artists. It’s this loop-di-loop affect, this give and take, that’s always happening, which produces the thought, upon hearing a great work by a Seattle artist: maybe Spek will flip that into a beat! This is the case with a Jason Parker tune here: