Arizona
Lymbyc Systym
All-Time Best Band: Sun City Girls
All-Time Best Solo Artist: Stevie Nicks
Best New Band: Lymbyc Systym
Dry those big, drippy emo tears, Jimmy Eat World fans (and anyone who loves the theme to King of the Hill, written by fellow Arizonians the Refreshments —same diff), but when we want an example of what extreme heat and isolation can do to a band, we’d rather look to the fraternal order (and disorder) of Sun City Girls. Sure, they have 20 years, dozens of undocumented releases, hundreds of unwitting protégées and thousands of fans befuddled into devotion — but what matters is their one big, weird legacy. | While we’re taking about the effects of extreme heat, check out Stevie Nicks’s hair in that video for “I Can’t Wait” — holy static! What she lacks in conditioning she makes up for with trailblazing talent, inspiring subsequent songstresses to up their sass quotients (while also allegedly inspiring Lindsey Buckingham to strangle her against a car). | The limbic system is a medical term that refers to various brain bits responsible for, among other things, long-term memory. What were we just talking about? Ah, yes, Phoenix’s Lymbyc Systym, a brother folktronica duo who are shrewd assemblers of charming melodies, propulsive rhythms, and electronic doodles.
Video: Sun City Girls
Video: Stevie Nicks
Listen: Sun City Girls, "The Beauty of the Benghazi"
Listen: Stevie Nicks, "Edge of Seventeen"
Listen: Lymbyc Systym, "Truth Skull"
