Music Theory: Sophomore TSH

- The Secret Handshake hit us with a well-timed release, My Name up in Lights, today.  The songs were made for summer weather and I kept the album on the pod while enjoying a beautiful day on campus. TSH's One Full Year is one of my most played albums, but the new album is a nice move toward a lighter sound. Lights mimics the TSH live show, which in its simple goal of getting people to jump, strips the intricate synth progressions down to basic dance beats and funky bass lines. 

-The second-best track on the album, 'TGIF,' recounts the glory of 90s sitcoms, referencing Boy Meets World and Full House among others, which should bring pop-laden smirk to the face of anyone who grew up in the 90s. I was a little disappointed there wasn't at least one slower song, but every track on the album, especially 'Saturday,' has the potential of becoming the type of essential underground summer anthem that 'Summer of 98' was last year.    

Summer of '98 - The Secret Han...

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Design Major: TSH x TWLOHA

-The Secret Handshake has teamed up with the emo-centric but worthy campaign To Write Love On Her Arms to release this summer tee for the ladies. The release comes in accordance with the launch of TSH's Summer of Love tour, featuring Breathe Carolina.
-The graphic resembles a lot of TSH art and references the lyrics to TSH's infectious electro-pop anthem "Summer of 98."
-Despite the trillions of kids you see in TWLOHA shirts at Warped, I still think it's a good cause. Be like me and pick a design other than the standard black with white text and you'll stand out at least a tiny bit while supporting a meritorious organization. more

Design Major

 This is a Secret Handshake t-shirt, and I think it's effective.  The Secret Handshake, if you're unaware*, is a solo synthmo outfit from Texas, that just may bring the autotune emo pop movement thats blowing up in the myspace subterranean, to the masses. At least, I think he's got a better chance than that other Texas based musician of the same genre. Great shirt, nonetheless.

*aka old and totally unhip

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