bail bonds – ON MY OWN
Similar artists: Yot Club, Weezer
Genre: Indie Rock
It’d be nearly impossible to describe pop music or the joys it brings to someone who has never heard it. Similarly, it’d be hard to sell an old-timer fisherman a chocolate dessert if they’d never had one and if you weren’t going to let them try it first. The point is that some of the finest things in life don’t exactly make sense on paper.
But that’s nothing to humans. Love doesn’t make much sense when you add up the numbers and really do the math. Still, judging by the flood of romance comedies or the daring apps coming your way every year, there’s a real market for people looking for it. Pleasure doesn’t make much sense, but there’s always hope it’ll arrive and brighten your day.
bail bonds’ “ON MY OWN” is a lo-fi, guitar-centric song that could’ve easily been just another tune about self-doubt. Instead, because of the fact that the artist’s pop instincts are so strong, it ends up being a tune about self-discovery set to the catchiest melodies this way of Rivers Cuomo’s basement demmos. Yes, you need to experience and even promise that you’re gonna yourself to have some fun. That’s a leap of faith, sure, but it should be worth the risk.
GOSSIP – REAL POWER
Genre: Indietronica
Brashness is an art in itself and a dying one at that. Ever since Sex Pistols scandalized England and the world at large with their bad language, their poor personal hygiene, and their brilliant music, folks in the music world have understood that bad publicity is, often, much better than good publicity.
The fact is that in a world of entertainment where nearly everybody is buying, copying someone else, and trying to look and sound perfect while they’re doing it, those who do not adhere to these rules stand out. This might not be the advice that managers looking for their cut are willing to extend. However, it’s a strategy that allows artists to develop a connection with a fanbase made up of people who are also looking to celebrate their irregularities.
When Gossip first made their grand entrance, the British press greeted them as saviours not only of punk but of dance music as well. Years later, with the single “Real Power,” the Beth Ditto-fronted group proves that they follow the same rulebook. They want to make a splash, ruffle a few feathers, and have a good time doing it. Plus, rest assured, Ditto can still outsing most competition.
