SENSOR NOISE and Jason Wade Reviewed
SENSOR NOISE – GNOMES
There’s probably nothing out there besides the things that you can see and touch. But what if there was? There’s likely nothing that hasn’t been already analysed and written down in great detail in some tome centuries ago, and we should stop looking. But what if we’re all supposed to keep looking, to keep making every effort to find something new and revelatory?
The fact is that once we know the search is over, we can just about say farewell to any new, great songs. If, for example, you accept that love is just a chemical reaction in the brain and nothing more, how can you keep singing about it in the same way?
But growing certain means getting old. With that in mind, why not embrace the endless possibilities and mysteries with the charming psych-pop group Sensor Noise. On the wonderfully breezy “Gnomes,” the band explores not just the idea that weird, little creatures appear to those who participate in chemistry experiments on the brain, but the very idea that there are things (and creatures) calling out for us and looking to have us discover them. It’s a sweet thought and a track with delightful lyrics and vocal delivery.
Jason Wade – Spare Change
Rock stars don’t make house calls (unless you’re a Russian billionaire happy with dropping a few million in their laps), and they don’t write direct solutions to your problems. But make no mistake about it, real rockstars show up when you need them the most.
Still, the process doesn’t simply function as predictably as a Swiss timepiece. Not even the greatest of songwriters are able to tell you when they’re going to pull a rabbit out of a hat, or when they’ll just end up with chords and melodies that feel forcefully cobbled together.
If you believe in the magic of rock stars, what you have to do is give yourself enough time to wait for it to happen. Jason Wade produces some of those nifty, unexplainable tricks on the modern-meets-retro of “Spare Change.” What it all means is, certainly up to you, but there’s enough bounce and enthusiasm in which all those lyrics and melodies tumble into the track to make you realise that you’ve witnessed something special, a veritable glimpse into something that holds real, important answers. It’s the kind of pop song that’s worth waiting for.
