Trademark Issues – Fables of the Deconstruction
Genre: Americana, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
Bob Dylan once talked about a hero that won the war after losing every battle. Now, in most areas of life, this is merely a tale that people tell themselves to get through the day. In art though, on rare occasions, people do end up with all the spoils after never even managing to qualify for the public’s attention throughout most of their career.
R.E.M. was the band that first made alternative rock a genuine mainstream proposition across the world. They hadn’t exactly been the band tipped to do this. They were a band beloved by many, described by some as a U.S. variant of the Smiths, whose mysterious, understated early records made devotees out of a small number of people.
Their influence, especially that of those early records, can be heard everywhere nowadays though. It can be heard in the great jangle-pop guitar sound that dominates Trademark Issues’ Fables of the Deconstruction. It’s modern college rock, the kind of music you’d envision a young whippersnapper getting their education from internet courses might enjoy.
The Effens – Step Dog
Genre: Grunge, Alternative Rock
I don’t want to praise nostalgia. But, how about them 90s, eh? While critics were furiously debating which of the grunge teen idols of the time were most honest about their pain, those folks, real and pretend grunge musicians, were busy writing a colossal amount of classics.
Songwriting ain’t what it used to be. It’s changed, that’s normal. However, for the most part, it has left melodies, dynamics, and clever chord progressions behind. Blame kids returning to old guitar music n being nostalgic, or blame it on the fact that they’re famished for a bit of musicianship and songwriting skill.
This is precisely what The Effens’ Step Dog delivers. A single that sounds as if it was cut out and stolen from A Bush recording session, Step Dog has the melodies, dynamics, and power that, no doubt, would have made it a prime contender to become a colossal hit back in the 90s. I’m not saying that those days need to return, but songs like this deserve your attention.
1 Comment