Family of the Year: "Hero" and "The Stairs"

By Michael J.W. Stickings

I'd never heard of L.A.-based indie band Family of the Year until last week, when I was checking out Batocchio's blog Vagabond Scholar and came across a post featuring a clip of "Hero." And that was it. I became an instant fan, realizing that it was my loss I'd never heard of them before and that I'd have to make up for it.

Since purchasing Loma Vista (2012), their second full-length album, within minutes of that discovery, they've continued to grow on me. It's a wonderful album, rich in texture and authenticity, and they're a pretty great band.

Here's Family of the Year performing "Hero" at Strange Fruit Studios in Mission Viejo, California, last year (the clip Batocchio posted), as well as the video for "The Stairs." They're my two favorite songs on Loma Vista, and that's saying something.

Enjoy.