Nathan Deering – Blowin
Similar artists: The Apples In Stereo, R. Stevie Moore
Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Garage Rock
The singers and bands who are signed to major record labels are a lot like the rich kids from your first days in school. Sure, they get to wear all the best clothes and can brag about their holidays in expensive places. And, yeah, it’s likely that their parents pressure them into getting the best grades. That might make them pretty competitive as well.
But don’t let that intimidate you. Their moment in the Sun is generally short. They rarely amount to anything once the support of their parents is not there to guide their every path. People don’t really love them, they’re just used to having them around. And, worse of all, the rich kids themselves don’t feel like doing much of anything either. They’re just there for the ride.
Whatever is to happen to the music industry, one thing is clear – the truly independent artists will win out. You simply need songs like Nathan Deering’s “Blowin,” tunes that seem written out of genuine excitement and a desire to explore one’s creativity, and not because a music producer ordered it into existence. Deering is a young songwriting machine that can barely keep up with his own ideas. Keep doing that, and the world will come calling.
Leta Facta – Secrets
Similar artists: The Strokes, Joy Division, The Mars Volta
Genre: Post-Punk, Indie Rock
At the end of the day, it’s best to know who your enemies are early on. Bands do a lot of planning about what style of music they’re going to play and who is going to like it. Yeah, yeah, that’s fine. But it wouldn’t hurt them to imagine just who will absolutely hate their guts, boo them at shows, and post negative reviews online. Those people are just as important and likely a goldmine in ensuring that they have a career.
You can’t please everyone all the time. And, if you think that you can, you certainly require a few year’s worth of therapy. Besides, most people are idiots. Why would you want to please them? Do you really want your band to be loved by someone who listens only to the radio or to heavy metal records made by people who look like they’re on a larping quest?
Leta Facta’s “Secrets” is the music of people who like a few very specific types of music that oughtn’t go together. Well, they don’t care, and by the sounds of “Secrets,” they power through their tracks with great confidence. Will it be enough to get some people to hate them? They should hope so. Because if that happens, they are almost sure to receive a tremendous amount of love from other, more exploratory types.
