RedHawk Radio

Coconut Records

Nighttiming

Coconut Records is solely comprised of the multitalented Jason Schwartzman. Yes, the star of the hilarious dry-humored I <3 Huckabees, as well Louis XVI in Marie Antoinette. So what does an environmentalist and a king have anything to do with indie rock?

Well… a lot. Few know that Jason got his start as the drummer for the band Phantom Planet, who he left in 2004 to film I <3 Huckabees. Thankfully though, Jason is tip-toeing back into the music business with his debut Nighttiming, under the name Coconut Records. Jason reverts to a sound more closely related to Phantom Planet’s first release, …Is Missing (1998), before “California” became their signature song, and before the gritty rock of Big Brat. Back to a more carefree-California-dreaming type of indie rock, with a little Weezer thrown in.

The album’s name-sake song, “Nighttiming” has a fun, mock-disco type vibe, perfectly suitable for those times when you just feel like dancing around your room obnoxiously and lip synching the words into your bathroom mirror. “West Coast” seems to be almost written in response to Phantom Planet’s “California”, with lyrics like “I’m going back home to the west coast, I wish you would put yourself in my suitcase”.

Jason may be a big movie star nowadays, but he has certainly proven that he still has a knack for creating catchy, irresistible indie rock.

Rotation Tracks: Nighttiming, West Coast, It’s Not You It’s Me

Rating: 8 out of 10