CAPTAIN WILBERFORCE: “I Haven’t Got Any Famous Friends”

The bright, piquant pop of Captain Wilberforce owes much to its British birthplace; listeners will immediately pick up on the shades of ELO, XTC and Squeeze in these bouncy, tart gems. But we’ve included it on our Hollywood playlist because songs like “I Haven’t Got Any Famous Friends” explore the age-old story of struggling as a creative artist amidst a community of celebrated pros, which is basically the story of Los Angeles. “I had to cancel rehearsal. They needed me at the store/ I’m tearing my heart out. You just ignore me/And I haven’t got any celebrity support,” sings frontman Simon Bristoll, and though his frustration is palpable it’s hard to feel too bad for him when he’s singing against such a plangent, peppy guitar and whirring, summery synthesizers. Such a sparkle would make it the perfect accompaniment to makeover or shopping montages in teen films. After all, if Jane Q. Dork can turn herself into the prom queen, then maybe the song’s protagonist can quit his retail day job and be a full-time celebrity rock star soon.

PLAY ALL SONGS