Sylmar – Enniskillen Family
Genre: Psychedelic / Freak Folk, Dream Pop, Alternative Rock
Some of the best kinds of protest songs are the ones that disguise their message either so that people are able to adopt it without really knowing that they did, or so that only a handful of fortunate ones know what the tune is really about. Did you know that Ice Ice Baby is a visionary anthem speaking about the perils of global warming?
When it comes to border disputes it is best to keep your opinions concealed. Take Morrissey for example. His stellar career can be broken down between pre and post-pin-wearer. And, around this parts, if you only utter the word Yugoslavia you might get bought a drink, or get smacked in the jaw.
I’m certainly not clever enough to uncover the riddle of Sylmar’s Enniskillen Family, but I presume it has something to do with the Irish not wanting to be sucked into the bizzaro, racist clusterfuck of Brexit, quite the heavy topic for a band from Cincinnati.
Should I have this entirely wrong, my interpretation takes little away from the gentle, clever, passionate performance. You will notice ethereal melodies, a nice production, and, most importantly a really clever verse that gets played only once. That’s what real champions do! Real champions that want to play with the audience’s heads. The best kind.
Secret Shame – “Pure”
Genre: Post-Punk
Intimacy is very underrated, especially in a time and age where nothing is left to the imagination. Consider this for a second. If you are even a mild internet user, you are treated to more personal information belonging to acquaintances, celebrities, or strangers, than anyone else in the history of mankind.
Does this really help make us better? Or, is it, perhaps, pushing us further away from each other? It certainly makes pop music, for the most part, a more difficult thing with which to relate. The majority of pop stars feel an obligation to share their wealth, their wisdom, and personal information in a bid to keep up with the things generating online traffic.
True gentleness and intimacy are lost in most modern music. This is what Secret Shame attempts to restore with their single Pure. A gentle, post-punk-influenced, dreamworld of a tune, the group’s single feels like the kind of demo that a songwriter might only share with closest friends. This is a home movie meant to be seen by no more than a few friends. In doing this though. Secret Shame touch upon something universal.
