Bob Gaulke – Fundamentalists
Similar artists: Caetano Veloso, Gang of Four, Scritti Politti
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, Alt Pop
Some of the most highly-celebrated musicians of the past century actively supported one political cause or another. Most of them acted in good faith. Some of them fashioned themselves as would-be Martin Luther Kings with guitars.
This doesn’t mean that you should do the same. Especially not now! If you’re looking to become politically involved and work as a musician, you’d better pick a cause that is favored by the mainstream! Act in any other way at your own peril.
And it’s not like your predecessors knew much more than you did. Bob Marley supported an Ethiopian ruler that feverishly fought against Somalia. John Lennon preached love and understanding but was violent to his first wife. And Bono and Chris Martin preach against poverty and global warming from their towering mansions.
Bob Gaulke’s sophisticated mix of styles found in Fundamentalists could well be read as an invitation to take it easy, think for yourself, and, preferably, choose not to be active. Most intriguing is the fact that this all sounds like some agito-pop song from the 80s. It takes a good deal of knowledge to write this kind of thing and a lot of guts. Somebody has to say it!
Othrship – Looking For A New Home
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Indie Rock, Dream Pop
We’re all the product of the people and the behaviors surrounding us. We can’t really help soaking up the things that are all around us. Still, we can actively put ourselves in a situation that is advantageous to our growth.
How many people knew music made beyond the borders of their country or international Anglo-American hits just a few decades ago? Not many unless they were rabid record collectors willing to spend big on imports.
Strange, otherworldly music is nothing uncommon to most listeners. Not just that, but the majority of them have heard a version of the music that includes elements of folklore from some exotic, far-off place.
Othrship use psychedelic sounds and world music as the building blocks for Looking For A New Home. It’s a song about hopes for a better and different world, one preferably in a different galaxy. It’s a colored dream for your imagination, and it’s throwing at you all the otherworldliness it can muster.
