Family Mart Share Starlite

Mike Lee is just churning out the dreamy pop hits; month after month we get a dreamy pop tune from his new project Family Mart. This reminds me a lot of some of the later work from Pains of Being Pure at Heart; its sort of peeled away that distortion-heavy guitar sound in favor of a lighter swirling sound. Personally, I love the 1 minute mark when the jangling guitar chord pops in to work in contrast with the tracks main sound, leaving you with the slightest hook to reel in the listener. Plus, some Audrey Scott backing vocals add in a nice thick melody to work with Lee’s voice. Tuesday can’t start until you’ve had your pop!

Family Mart Share My Anarcha-Feminist Crush

Mike Lee (Fanclub, LUDGF) has been taking advantage of quarantine to flesh out some ideas I imagine were brewing long before we even met Family Mart, his latest project. On the latest single, things open up a little subdued, with a muted guitar ringing behind Lee’s softened voice and this elegant piano line…it’s an emotional set up for the listener. Moments later drums drop in a little bit more, adding a textured energy level to the song’s gentle pop approach. There’s even a little vocal support on this one from Lani Thomison, touching up the melodic notes that emanate from the tune. Welcome to the softer side of Family Mart!

Dream Pop from 1996

I guess I’m on a big Mike Lee kick as of late, which is probably never a bad thing, if you’re asking. Last week we shared his new band Family Mart, and this week, I’m here to spotlight another great project he’s working on, 1996. He’s composing these songs with the help from fellow musicians, with each track recorded by an artist in a different city; seems like the perfect quarantine goals. This round, we’ve got Lauren from Velveteen Echo on vocals. Don’t let the angelic wash of her voice tease you, as the song quickly drops into place, adding dance floor rhythms and that ensnaring guitar style carrying you off in a pop tornado. I love the way her voice is used at different levels too, giving this sort of ghostly beauty to the song’s horizon. Going to be excited to see where this is all going.

Pleased to Meet You: Family Mart

Austin’s got tons of really incredible songwriters, and Mike Lee has definitely been one voice we’ve fawned over since his early days on the local scene, first with Letting Up Despite Great Faults and then Fanclub. But, he’s turned his current focus to a new project, Family Mart, and we get our first little taste below. Upon the first few listens, one of the things I adored about this track was the way he employs that dreamy guitar jangle, but instead of rushing it, he gives the song plenty of space, letting the drum beat keep the pace for everyone. It ends up leaving all these space for the soft tones of his voice to fit in between the cracks; it ends up pushing the melodies to sort of rise to the top. Plus, we get a bonus when his voice finds a foil with his friend Ali Wagner (Hex Boyfriend); her addition builds in this delectable contrast…not to mention the tune does get a slight bit fuzzier, which I certainly don’t mind! Without further delay…we present you with Family Mart!