The guys from Real Estate might be some of the chillest people in Indie-rock. They make sunny day relaxed pop punk, ideal for a lazy morning or a slow afternoon. As a five piece their music is simple but not minimalistic; their songs sound like they were written on a bright summer day inside of a beach house full of pot smoke. I personally enjoy these kinds of songs in the fall, when the grey winter is approaching but the sun still sparkles through the changing colors on the trees. It is the warm reminder in cold weather that the sun is going to come back.

On stage their music is almost like a lullaby as it relaxes you to the core. They play their songs with energy and enthusiasm but they’re not songs that are going to make you jump around, they are songs that are going to make you feel good with a certain pleasantness. Their front man Matthew Mondanile, who also releases chill-wave music under Ducktails, looks like a the nerd of Indie-rock. They shoot the shit on stage, bantering with the audience and striking me as guys who would love to kick it with their fans. They’re not pretentious or whiney- just laid back cool guys whose music will make you feel happy.

Their single “Its Real” is their most upbeat song and contains an incredible catchy chorus. Here’s some pics by Adam Forslund:

The opening band was Big Troubles. I saw them about a month ago also at The Crocodile but opening for The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. They’re very similar to Pains in the sense that they’re trying to be the new past. Their guitarist slides his instrument as if he is emulating Johnny Marr of The Smiths. Their vocals are the sappy whiney sound that exploded in the early 2000s that bands like Pains are still holding onto but the singers in Big Troubles lack the confidence or power to make their sappiness worthwhile.

Their newest album is called “Romantic Comedy” which seems completely fitting. While they played I noticed all of the girls occupying The Crocodile. They smiled and danced, completely infatuated with Big Trouble’s tunes. I stood trying to hide the look of boredom on my face. Its kind of like a romantic comedy; girls swoon while guys tolerate.