kind of, sort of, but not really

“What do they sound like?”
“Kind of island-influenced, but not. So…kind of like Vampire Weekend, but they don’t really sound like Vampire Weekend. And kind of dancey. But not really.”

As ridiculously general and non-committal as the above exchange is, it’s a fairly accurate description of the LA quartet Princeton. Radiating ease, brothers Jesse & Matt Kivel, Ben Usen, and David Kitz played the opening set for Camera Obscura at the High Noon Saloon in Madison, WI on April 4, 2010.

Princeton first caught our attention in 2008 with their Bloomsbury EP, and continued to impress with a steady stream of singles from their full-length, Cocoon of Love. Princeton’s music translates well live; the members swap instruments, the Kivels trade vocal duties, and the songs bring a sense of sun-drenched leisure to even the darkest corners of the club. The band also took the opportunity to debut a handful of new songs (plans are to record in June), all of which got me excited for the new record (especially the sublime “Andre”).

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Princeton will continue their US tour through April. For photos from the show, click here.