New Music and Backgrounds From These Talented Bands/Artists
The highlight of my week is not only bringing new music to everyone on The Bash, but also providing some background on these artists and the inspiration behind a particular track.
I know for some that the lyrics and meaning behind a song are not the priority of a listening experience. In my opinion, if I don't know what the intention of a track is, I will be less likely to enjoy it.
Credit: NPR, Scientific American, Tumblr
Obviously there are exceptions, especially when it comes to genres like House and EDM music. It is purely intended to spark energy and for the most part does so without the use of lyrics.
Getting somewhat off topic, but for those that need an explanation when listening to music, I hope to give you some of that insight with articles like this. It also helps expose musicians that most people probably do not recognize.
Highlighting some artists that week that have recently joined our airwaves, we start with Roe Kapara's "Feel Sexy."
Feel Sexy - Roe Kapara
Roe Kapara started making music just before the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, moving from Nashville to Los Angeles. In the five years following that move, Kapara has built a solid community and reached just over 420,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. His music is not necessarily defined as protest rock, but it definitely draws influence from the lesser than pleasant societal issues of which we all are very much aware. That influence is most prevalent in his 2023 album I Hope Hell Isn't Real.
Credit: Spotify, 89.1 The Bash Instagram, Roe Kapara Instagram
His latest release "Feel Sexy" comments on the idea of self-image and insecurities that we all face. The single also touches on conformity and the focus society places on intimacy and unrealistic beauty standards.
Kapara, in his own words on the new track in an interview with his record label, Epitaph Records:
"It’s about seeking love in a world obsessed with sex and desire while navigating the insecurities I have with my body,” Kapara explains. “I’ve always wanted to make something that felt like 2000s indie rock with a heavy down beat to it. I grew up listening to that stuff, so it will always be in the back of my head when writing.”
The article also goes on to mention how the track feels Modest Mouse-esque, which was a comparison I had also made upon hearing it for the first time. Roe Kapara aimed to create a 2000s indie rock style track and he absolutely nailed it.
Our next song is from a group known as GUNMOLL.
L.O.V.E. - GUNMOLL
Operating out of The Netherlands, this band has only just released music within the last year, with "Welcome To The GUNMOLL-Family" as their debut single. The track name also serves as the title of their first EP release, which features "L.O.V.E."
The song details an internal struggle of deciding whether or not a crazy fling is truly a feeling of love, while also featuring elements of the supernatural playing a part in that struggle. It's a concept that's been used in the past, but it feels unique in that way it's delivered by lead singer Jolien Grünberg.
Credit: V2 Records, 89.1 The Bash Instagram, Festivalinfo
The band describes themselves as neo-noir and that their music feels straight out of a Tarantino movie. Grünberg also had an interesting comparison in the group's Spotify artist profile:
“You could say that we sound like Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Queens of the Stone Age had a wild night together, and GUNMOLL was the result.”
The group has just under 5,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, but it is clear the band has their sights set higher. I think they have the sound to make that happen.
Our final track is from There's A Tuesday, an Australia-based indie rock band.
Margo - There's A Tuesday
The song in question, "Margo", touches on the struggle of closeted homsosexuality and pretending to be someone you aren't in a world that doesn't fully accept who you are. In the track's lyrics, "Margo" is the straight alter ego of the queer woman in question.
Credit: Meow, 89.1 The Bash Instagram, RDU 98.5 FM
The song was released as a single on Valentine's Day of this year and is the latest release since the Aussie group's single "Water Baby" in November of last year, which personally gave me hints of Lucy Dacus. Coincidentally, the band draws inspiration from Phoebe Bridgers according to an article from Welcome To The Gig from 2021, so I guess you could say Boygenius as a whole.
With just over 32,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, the Aotearoa-based group features two front women Nat Hutton and Minnie Robberds, with Angus Murray and Joel Becker on drums and bass respectively.
Keep Up With us!
Thanks for reading as always! Hopefully you've gained some insight and maybe some more music to add to your playlist. Keep up with us and be sure to look out for more articles like this one, as well as other great content on our website.
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