
Notelle – Sufjan Stevens
Genre: Alt Pop
Pop culture references are the hyperlinks of the entertainment world. And, they are as ubiquitous now as using a drum machine. Rappers frequently reference Kurt Cobain or The Beatles. Indie-rock bands namecheck actors cheekily, often directly in the group’s name. And, entire sub-genres have been created as a vehicle to write songs about Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. What’s it all mean? Well, it means that everyone has an internet connection. Going the trouble of acquiring a record or DVD collection has been reduced to merely a strange hobby.
Yes, there was a time, back when pop music was still wet behind the ears that music was either brand new or closely replicated the flavour du jour. Nowadays, pop music can be anything with black metal, grunge, or, even symphonic elements sprinkled into recent hit singles. This gives pop artists a lot of leeways. But, it also puts them in a position where their fanbase will have to latch on to those references just like being in on an inside joke.
Notelle’s Sufjan Stevens is a song that references the famous singer-songwriter, features the bravado characteristic of modern rap, and production fitting of modern metal songs. The lyrics shift between nerdy references and swaggers strutting. Overall, there’s something charming about the confidence and geeky exuberance of the song. Noelle certainly has the charisma to carry this. And, in a world where it’s hard to tell one prospective pop star from the other, this feels like a breath of fresh air.
Witxhes – A part ache
Similar artists: Suicide, Joy Division, Darkthrone, DAF, Swans, The Stooges, Bob Hund
Genre: Post-Punk, Industrial, Krautrock
Knowing the right people doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll end up being like them. Planting posters of Cristiano Ronaldo or Michael Jordan on your walls doesn’t automatically make you a world-class athlete. There’s also the matter of the excruciating amount of work involved. And, some think that there’s also the matter of possessing the elusive quality that people usually call talent. But, having the right influences will certainly help shape your destiny.
Or, at the very least, it will make you a more interesting person to be around. You know, folks like Liam Gallagher will tell you that music critics write because they look too goofy to actually be in a band themselves. This sounds witty, but I bet that it’s false. Can you imagine what Lester Bangs’ band might have sounded like? Wouldn’t Nick Kent have become a punk had he stuck with making music? Most likely. Talent is really beside the point.
Witxhes’ A port ache sounds like the work of musicians that have the very best taste in music and the kind of mental anguish that living in Scandinavia may enforce. But, these things work in the music’s favour. This is a tune that has all the ferocity of Suicide or Iggy Pop. It has no finesse, not even by punk standards. However, there’s something so unhinged and filled with the self-belief that it is hard to argue against it. Some people just have the right posters on their walls, and they are the musicians that we should trust.