Gardens & Villa are a nice folk-y pop band of five from Santa Barbara. So I hate them already for living in paradise. JK, bros. Just a J to the K. This band makes some easy-going pop that has some pretty pleasant melodies. And even better, those melodies are sung in a falsetto (which sounds like Danielson sometimes) using sparkling guitars and sweet synths and, oh yeah, lots of BIG TIME... flutes? That's right. Flute-core in full effect!

So yeah, Gardens & Villa's music comes at you with this laid-back, chill and chime-y vibe. Maybe it's the whole paradise thing. But (thankfully, for some) there is no surf-rock beach situation going on here. It's not that kind of chill. It's also not the drone-y (i.e. druggy) kind of chill either. It's just kind of, well, groovy chill. (Did I just write "groovy?" Hey, don't blame me... blame the bass.)

Gardens & Villa recently signed to Secretly Canadian so look out for an album on that fine label. Maybe these guys should try and tour with Vampire Weekend? Just a suggestion. Anyway, get into Gardens & Villa if you like pop that punches you out, mellow style.

Gardens and Villa play the El Rey Theater, on Thursday, July 7th.