By Joe Vickrey
With so much music in the Provo music scene, it’s easy to get sucked in and start listening to music in a bubble. It’s always great to see what awaits you in the broader world of sonic textures, and to find new recommendations that can inspire you to make music differently than you did before.
Here are five songs from a variety of indie artists around the world! We hope something here helps spark that inspiration.
Jett Jano – “HUGS (Love on Rx’s)”
This is the most infectious song I’ve heard this year, hands down. It’s irresistibly danceable. The hooks hook and the vocals seduce. I had to smash that repeat button because this track got me feeling so good. Self-described as Alt-R&B, “HUGS (Love on Rx’s)” has me wondering where this genre mashup has been all my life? The beat is great and the chords are pure romance. What an absolute banger.
Hotel Draw – “When You Go”
Maybe it’s because I’ve been on a big Wilco kick, but Colorado’s own Hotel Draw have been hitting hard for me. Rooted in what I would consider Alt Country, this is a band I think Utahns should harass into playing at Velour. Let’s cyberbully them into playing a bill with HATCHBACK and The Penny Candies. It would be such a good lineup for a Provo folk show.
“When You Go” is a killer example of blending traditional country elements like pedal steel guitar, prominent harmonies, and twangy vocals with modern production elements. The song occupies a unique space in that regard, and it feels like a foggy forest of heartbreak with a guitar solo.
Saynt Ego – “Voices”
I have a firm belief that Electronic music sounds best on summer nights, and Saynt Ego reinforces that. From the first notes I was transported back to a time when I was speeding around the highways of Oregon with the windows down in my absolute beater of a first car.
“Voices” is a somber and vibey tune that makes me feel classy by listening to it. The song conjures up a meditative state with its groove – and with it, a warm elegance. It makes me wish the song would never end. This track is a must for anyone who’s been obsessed with Indigo Waves’ most recent album.
Kerry Freeman – “Hard to Fall”
The guitar tones of “Hard to Fall” really hooked me in. I felt like I was hearing a Wildflowers-era Tom Petty track and I couldn’t turn away.
If you don’t listen to lyrics, then this a very happy tune. As a lyric nerd, it is not a happy song… but it gave me a good chuckle as he opened with “It’s been raining so long I don’t remember being dry.” Kerry’s lyrics paint such a vivid picture with such simple phrases and it’s driven by a top notch band. That feels like the sign of genuine country to me.
LetsBeAstronauts – “Untitled (No, No)”
LetsBeAstronauts is the coolest band name I’ve heard in a hot minute, and as suggested, they take their listeners to space. If you’re looking for a hypnotic slow-burn rocker, then “Untitled (No, no)” is for you. Brooding and dark, LBA crafted a score fit for any emo alumni’s library, and it secured a place in my Circa Survive-centered playlist. This song blasts off with jangly and spacey guitars before ramping into a flaming finale of cymbals and tasty screams.
The song features a lyrical motif of the phrase “You got what you wanted,” to which I respond: Yes, yes I did.