When he’s not battling Demogorgons as the lovestruck dweeb Mike Wheeler in “Stranger Things,” Finn Wolfhard might be found shredding atop his friend Mac DeMarco’s shoulders. “Even if I wasn’t an actor I’d still be making music right now,” he says. The 15-year-old fronts a playful indie rock quartet named Calpurnia, whose debut EP, Scout, comes out June 15. Wolfhard recently called us up from London, where he’s filming an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel The Goldfinch, to discuss the music he’s currently playing on repeat.
Jonathan Richman: I, Jonathan
I first heard Jonathan Richman on “Roadrunner,” which is his band the Modern Lovers’ big hit, and then I was reading an interview with Mac DeMarco, who was talking about how inspirational Jonathan Richman was and how young people should really listen to him. So I bought The Modern Lovers on vinyl and listened to the whole thing over and over again. Then I started listening to his solo stuff. I like I, Jonathan a lot. It’s like the happiest music ever. It was so ahead of its time, and there’s so much social commentary in his music that applies to this weird time that we live in.
Frankie Cosmos: “Jesse”
I have a playlist of stuff that I listen to on the way to set, which includes Frankie Cosmos’ new single, “Jesse.” There’s something about their music that is very chill, and Greta Kline’s voice is almost hypnotizing. If I ever catch one of her songs on the radio, it’s almost like I can only focus on that. I found out about her because I was watching The Squid and the Whale for the first time and I looked up the younger brother on IMDb and there was trivia about him that said he was the “older brother of Greta Kline.” Greta actually had a small part in that movie, too.
The Growlers: “Red Tide”
The Growlers are from Costa Mesa, California, and they make chill, lounge-y surf-rock, with a lot of Spanish and Mexican influences. They have a cool history: They used to hold a music festival every year in Santa Ana called Beach Goth. I randomly came across their KEXP sessions and fell in love with their music. The lead singer’s voice is incredible.
