Beach Day's Favorite Records and Musical Instruments (Photos)

Christina Mendenhall

Nat Smallish takes a peek at the grooves that display Third Man Records' logo on Kimmy Drake's most recent Sweat Records purchase: Jack White's "Sixteen Saltines" with a cover of U2's "Love Is Blindness."

See also Beach Day's Hollywood Hot Spots

Before shuttling photographer Christina Mendenhall and me around their beloved Hollywood, Florida, for a tour of their personal hideouts, the musical trio called Beach Day let us poke around their brains and living room. Besides the cats and dog running about, Natalie, Kimmy, and Skyler modeled a few other favorite things. Since they'll release their first seven-inch on Kanine Records next Monday at Radio-Active Records, it seemed appropriate that they discuss their favorite album of the moment and their current instruments of choice.

Just as Nat admires the '50s style that Hollywood embraces, his tastes tend toward past musical eras.

Christina Mendenhall

Nat's Album: Cults - Cults
"I haven't had a favorite album since the Supremes that I can listen to over and over again," Beach Day bassist Nat laughs. Of the Cults album, she says, "It has a really old-school feel, but it's very modern. And it has the right amount of reverb. I feel like a lot bands now are afraid to use reverb. It's just very appealing to the ear. And I can relate a lot to the lyrics. [She sings about] a failed relationship and herself, and she's not talking about gimmicks. It's personal to me."

Christina Mendenhall

Kimmy's Album: Phil Spector's Greatest Hits
Kimmy scooped up this baby at the Los Angeles Amoeba Records a few months back. "It has the Crystals, the Ronettes -- it has all of the classic Phil Spector stuff," she says. "It's two records." Pretty unbeatable cover too.

Christina Mendenhall

Skyler Album: Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
"There's nothing new to be said of Pet Sounds. It's just the most beautiful record ever made," Skyler points out thoughtfully.