The Road Trip: Vermont

The Smittens are a five-piece indiepop band from Burlington, Vermont. Formed in 2002, The Smittens have been winning the hearts and minds of indiepop fans and discerning critics in the U.S. and abroad with an impressive and rapidly expanding catalog of fresh and fancy bubblegum-inspired revolutionary twee pop.

Accomplished songsmiths all, the six Smittens—Max Andrucki, Colin Clary, Dana Kaplan, Holly Chagnon, and David Zacharis—switch up instruments and song-writing to create brilliantly lyrical and hyper-catchy pop songs of all colors, shapes, and sizes.

The Smittens formed around a desire to fill the twee void in Burlington. “We wanted to do the music that we wanted to hear,” says Zacharis. “We were feeling underrepresented.” Their first album Gentilefication Now! came out in August 2004; its follow-up, A Little Revolution was released roughly a year later. Their newest album, The Coolest Thing About Love was released last July.

With Kaplan, Andrucki, and Clary all chipping in on vocals and everyone collaborating on songwriting, the result is a charming blend of styles and harmonies, and songs with titles like “Twee Valley High” and “Doomed, Lo-Fi and in Love.”

One song that I really liked is "Something Sassy." It's a good song - not their most "popular," but still a personal favorite.

Something Sassy by The Smittens

The Smittens have shared the stage with the likes of the Mountain Goats, Stars, and Kimya Dawson. They're pretty cool, and I'm glad I stumbled upon them! Hope you enjoyed them too ;)


Honorable Mentions:
Saro by Samamidon
Sun Medalion by King Tuff


Thinking of a band from Vermont that I should know? Leave it in the comments section!