Stream Hot Flash Heat Wave's LP 'Neapolitan'

On the real, I spend a lot of time writing about artists who liberally utilize synthesizers like I smother mayo on fries. Even Tame Impala's record is slathered in the stuff (synths, not mayo), so it's nice to dig into Hot Flash Heat Wave's debut album, which embraces guitars and perfect pop melodies. The San Francisco-based band who've been buds since high school flip between songs like "Malibu" and "Tastes Good"—a very Weezer meets the Beach Boys bent, with candied hooks, fuzzy guitars—and tunes like the Smiths gone new wave jangle of album opener "Hestitation."

"For the album we thought: why choose one flavor when you could have all three?" explain the quartet. "Like the ice cream, the album has its chocolate, its vanilla, its strawberry—its various genres, flavors, and colors that come from the different tastes and musical backgrounds of the band members.

"So on top of being good friends who hung out all the time and bandmates who gigged a bunch, we were living under the same roof, a.k.a. spending all of our time together. Cooking, partying, hanging, writing music, you name it, we did it together. (Unsurprisingly a ménage à trois or two were thrown into the mix).The situation really forced us to mix our personalities and musical differences together and to open up, experiment, compromise, and ultimately bond. The album kind of reflects that wild era of our lives."