Inspired by a pandemic and feeling isolated from the outside world, Vampire Citizen (a pop/rock duo, composed of Arizona’s Blake Mathews and Juju Stone) created their debut single, Crazy Times in California. If you like Blink-182, Twenty One Pilots, or newer Machine Gun Kelly, Vampire Citizen will definitely satisfy your ears. With distorted guitars and pop-leaning vocal production, this track is catchy, danceable, and just emotional enough to bring you back to your angst-filled adolescence (the good parts, of course), while taking a modern spin to keep it fresh.
Mathews’ vocals capture the prime pop/punk essence of 2005 while the lyrics explore themes of reckless youth and young love. He’s able to combine the pent up frustration of quarantine with a feeling of freedom that so many can relate to in California. Along with bittersweet angst and danceability, Crazy Times in California tells a story. The wide-eyed nineteen year old protagonist carries an air of invincibility, arrogance, and rebellion, while letting us in on his soft side. He sings about being completely infatuated with his California girl, and Mathews’ powerful vocals bring a lust filled desperation that carries the plot.
Mathews and Stone knew each other as kids, both growing up in Phoenix. As they got older they went separate ways, each taking their own musical path. About a year ago, they reconnected through a mutual friend and decided to form Vampire Citizen. They co-write and co-produce all the songs, Stone plays multiple instruments for the duo, and Mathews brings the killer vocals. The first of many releases, Vampire Citizen is sure to catch the attention of many. Listen to Crazy Times in California on all streaming platforms or check it out for free on their website: www.vampirecitizen.com. You can also find the duo on Instagram at @vampirecitizen.
