Love is Chemicals can claw my sweater any day.

Everyone knows that hipsters like obscure bands. Everyone also knows that hipsters like sweaters. Thusly, my pick of the day is “Claw Your Sweater” from some indie pop-rock darlings of San Fransisco, Love is Chemicals. Don’t know them? Good. The more obscure, the better the band. True fact. But you should know them–and you should know this song. It’s reminiscent of old school Death Cab (we’re talking The Photo Album-era Death Cab, not Plans-era, you corporate puppets) with its jangly guitar and contains just a dash of Built to Spill and a pinch of Beulah. Nate Grover’s elusively familiar vocals spin an honest tale of hipster love atop the infectiously poppy, yet authentic, guitar hooks. As I’m especially partial to anything pertaining to sweaters, I think the chorus is delicious: “I know better than to claw your sweater with my crooked fingers how they creep you out.” I would never expect that line to embed itself in my mind, but it has. I would let them claw my sweater any day. All in all, a catchy tune by a band that should be bigger than it is–although I must warn you, one listen to this will make you more nostalgic for the good old 90’s indie scene than your old high school pictures and favorite Sonic Youth vinyl.

You can listen to and download “Claw Your Sweater” for free at Love is Chemicals’ myspace (http://www.myspace.com/loveischemicals) or band website (http://www.loveischemicals.net/)

Also, make sure you check out the rest of their stuff and their newest CD, Song of Summer Youth Brigade, so you can condescendingly tell all your friends that you liked Love is Chemicals before they did.