Sometimes growing up feels more like a downfall than a progression. As you get older, your time becomes limited, as do the endless opportunities you once had in your youth. Priorities change, you start taking fewer risks and become disinterested in things that once held your undivided attention. Yes, these are all facts of life. I know that’s a very melancholic way to start this, but I’d like you all to know where I’m coming from.
Music was that thing for me that once held my undivided attention. It used to be the core of my existence —not to say it’s not still a HUGE part of my life— but adult life makes it harder to be invested in it as much as before. This last year, 2013, was a very busy year for me which caused me to be more disengaged from the constant thirst I once had for new music.
I want this year to be different. I want to explore new hearts and minds as they lyrically and musically seep into my cranial cavities and project the secret worlds of strangers. I want my heart to feel like it’s about to explode when a hook hits home and I want the hair on the back of my neck to raise as a single note marks the climax of an outstanding track. I want to find songs that will set my soul on fire. I want to revive the music fan within me and I want to encourage you to do the same. I’ll be here every Friday, writing about a different band, and I hope you’ll be here too. Let the flames begin.
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The Band
Choosing the first artist/band to kick off this weekly feature was hard. I wanted it to be someone that not only caught my attention during my first listen, but that also had room for growth. I wanted them to be accessible enough to fit the likes of many, but that didn’t have a generic sound.
Modern Baseball, the indie-punk Philadelphia four-piece, struck my fancy and I hope they strike yours as well.
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There are some bands that within seconds of hearing them, you know you’re going to love them. This is not one of those bands. Modern Baseball is what I like to call a “silent-killer.” You’re not quite sure if you’re going to like it —BUT SUDDENLY— you’re hooked.
Their album starts, and a slightly quizzical expression is etched on your face. You’re not sure of how to react, but as the song builds, so does your fondness for them. Before you know it, you want to sing along at the top of your lungs without actually knowing any of the words.
Quirky and slightly cynical, their debut album Sports takes you on the journey of trials and tribulations every human faces at one point, usually in their young adulthood. Though their lyrics do lack a bit of maturity, they sure sound pretty as a slight, baritone drawl elongates each word a millisecond longer than necessary.
Not particularly complex, but eccentric enough to capture and retain your attention, their 2012 release features dynamic drums that work as the skeleton to almost every song. Constantly detailing musical passages with a frisky cymbal smack or offbeat combination, the drums keeps you attentive throughout Sports.
Equally enthralling is the guitar. If the drums are the spine, the guitar is the organs. It fits perfectly within the skeletal structure the drums provide, filling the most necessary parts of each tune with a sweet little melody that kisses your ears. They stray away from hard-edged harmonies and stick to soft, repetitive phrases.
Though their first album set a solid foundation for Modern Baseball, their sophomore LP is sure to be a vast improvement. The recently released first single, “Your Graduation,” from their upcoming album, You’re Gonna Miss It All makes me certain of that. The recording of this new track is much cleaner, lyrics are more cleverly crafted and their hooks are tighter. This two-minute-and-forty-three-second song makes it seem that Modern Baseball kept everything that was good from Sports and accentuated it for their forthcoming Feb. 11 release.
Be sure to check out Modern Baseball’s bandcamp for their full discography, and feel free to subscribe to my Spotify RTMF playlist. I will be updating it every week with three choice tracks of the bands and artists that will be featured.
Three Choice Tracks
1.) I Think You Were in My Profile Picture Once
2.) Coals
3.) Tears Over Beers
