Sex and drugs may fuel a lot of rock'n'roll songs, but not all of them. Take "I've Got Something I Can Laugh About" from San Francisco's Ash Reiter. "The song began when I was visiting my parents," remembers the band's namesake and lead singer, Ash Reiter. "I was sitting at the kitchen table having trouble putting words to a new song when my sister stumbled into the room, spilling a cup of tea all over the floor. My mom said I should write about being embarrassed, so I took on shame and embarrassment as a theme. In the end, though, it comes down to leaving that stuff behind and being able to laugh about it even if it still pains you a little--and that's where the song title comes from."

This track is no downer--it opens with, as Reiter puts it, a "grandiose intro a la Pet Sounds, with lots of reverb and layered vocal harmonies," and builds from there, with ahhhs and ooohs giving it a '60s girl group spin. "We love to blend traditional pop structure and melody with contemporary production tricks. If there's an opportunity to add a little shimmer or sparkle, we'll take it!"

We don't blame them: The end result is a gem of a retro pop song that never gets too sweet. It's off of the five-piece's sophomore album, HOLA, which comes out November 30--but we've got an exclusive first listen (and download!) here. Give it a spin if "you're trying to get over an awkward or embarrassing moment," says Reiter, before adding, "But flying high above a tropical island on a pegasus while sipping Mai Tais wouldn't be so bad, either."
REBECCA WILLA DAVIS
Visit ashreiter.com for more info.

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