Dean St. – calcium.
Similar artists: Twenty One Pilots, Mt. Joy
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
Dean St. make the most commercial-sounding alternative rock, but it’s all a clever ploy, which is, well… what you’d expect from alternative rock.
A moratorium on non-Jamaicans playing reggae music should’ve been put in place a long time ago. Enforcing such a law would’ve certainly helped protect us against some of the most blatant, grossest attacks on popular music. But, not we’re stuck with what we have.
Every fat Westerner sporting a money belt and sweating profusely over a barbecue knows a reggae groove when they hear it. But that, in itself, presents on opportunity. Becoming a rockstar is not just about producing great tunes (though that never hurts) but about being smart enough to know how to get noticed.
Dean St. know how to make an impression with the seemingly impossibly saccharine “calcium”. But just like their beloved heroes, Twenty One Pilots, there’s a hint of irony here. Are they enjoying playing white reggae? Not clear. It worked for Thew Police, and judging by the lyrics, the duo has a sense of humour about it all. All of these should be enough to produce hits.
Johnny Cattini – Atmosphere
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
Johnny Cattini knows that most music listeners are the same. We all love to laugh, cry and tap our feet to gentle pop music.
On a frosty Friday evening, a man and woman meet for what has been presented to them as a small speed-dating event. Their eyes meet. The man tries to make conversation about history and science, two subjects over which he has invested countless hours. The woman is surprised as these are precisely the two subjects that have occupied her imagination for years.
Naturally, both of them hate each other. They’re bored. After all, their friends always go on about science and history. These are fascinating topics, but undoubtedly not sexy. They dislike each other because nobody wants to be romanced by discussing the Roman Empire.
Johnny Cattini’s “Atmosphere” is music for those with a light disposition, a tender heart, and a glass rose in one hand. It’s music that gets by on the singers’ excellent vocals and unbashful emotionality. This is not music for geeks but for lovers. It’s soft pop.
