Music Seen: Music Supervisor Hot Picks * Sleigh Bells’ “Tell ‘Em”

Artist: Sleigh Bells

Song: “Tell ‘Em”

Why I Luv It: Following in the neo-sacred footsteps of greats like Diplo, Switch, Major Lazer, M.I.A., and Santigold, Sleigh Bells is arguably the hardest hitting, rock-infused version of this near unclassifiable punk/hip-hop/noise/hardcore/island/dance hybrid musical style that’s currently pushing the sound-systems of every cool-kid club on this side of the western hemisphere to their absolute limits and way beyond!!!!

Sleigh Bells!

So I guess that means Sleigh Bells is loud, hey?  Yes, it’s really f*#king loud (I challenge you to find a definable wave form in any of their song-files…lol), but that’s not all that makes them interesting. Derek E. Miller’s guitar sound is reminiscent of Eddie Van Halen’s classically over-driven wail from 1984’s “Eruption,” and Alexis Krauss’ vocals are in a word, beautiful. Oh, and these kids are from Brooklyn, NY, so “Where Brooklyn at?  Where Brooklyn at??  Where Brooklyn at??!!!!!!!!!!!” Need I say more?

Scene I Can See It In: If you’ve got a modern day 902010/Hills/Superbad/Animal House inspired TV-show or film with an edge focusing on the dark and light sides of the daily antics of middle school/high school/college teenage youth of today, than you’ve got yourself a possible global hit of an opening theme-song in the Sleigh Bells’ track, “Tell ‘Em.”

Straight out the gate from 00:00 this song screams “stadium-anthem meets club-banger,” and I gotta’ tell ya’, if some kid’s throwing a party behind their parents’ backs somewhere, you better be invited. The house is coming down when this track’s blasting in it!!!!!!

From the mind-numbing slap of the snare, to the chest pounding machine-gun beat of the bass drum, to Derek’s often sustained, other-wordly, over-driven guitar scream gently complimented by the gloriously melodic, staccato chant of Alexis’ vocals, “Tell ‘Em” accomplishes all it needs to by harnessing teen angst and celebration as accurately as any song ever before its time.

Lyrically, you couldn’t do much better than “Tell ‘Em” for the everyday teen-angst –party storyline as it is blatantly accusatory and delicately inspirational all at the same time. This song simultaneously calls every kid out for their faults while patting them on the back for doing a great job. It’s quite a rare and amazing musical find these days, and I’ve got to be crazy to put it up for grabs like this!!  Ahhhh, what the hell!!  You’ll see what I mean by perusing the lyrics below and take a listen to the track at their Myspace page:

“Tell ‘Em”

All the kids, all the kids these days
All the kids, all the kids these days
Do you really wanna be that way?
Do you really wanna be that way?

Let me say, let me say, let me say
Let me say, let me say, let me say
Does it really have to be that way?
Does it really have to be that way?

And, did you know you could make me scream?
And, did you know you could make me scream?

Like the kids in the neighborhood
Like the kids in the neighborhood

Tell me what to say, tell me what to say
Tell me what to say, tell me what to say

Did you do your best today?
Did you do your best today?

All the girls, all the girls these days
All the girls, all the girls these days
Did you do your best today?
Did you do your best today?

All the boys, all the boys these days
All the boys, all the boys these days
Look away, look away, look away
Look away, look away, look away

Cocaine, champagne, cocaine, champagne, cocaine, champagne

Let me say, let me say, let me say
Let me say, let me say, let me say
You could do your best today
You could do your best today

— Dave Hnatiuk

Dave Hnatiuk is a Music Supervisor/Senior Sound Designer for MTV On-Air Promotions, NYC. Visit him at Music Supervision Central or The Song Hunters.

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