The new California-based garage rock trio, Fast Color, just released their debut single, and it’s the perfect injection of positivity to help jumpstart the new year. Drenched in 50s influence (enforced by the car on the cover), the bluesy tune harkens back to a time of simple rhythms and traditional, repetitive verses. But while the group utilizes all the rules in the early blues handbook, the mixture of surf, garage, and indie rock separate it from other blues tracks just like it. The twang of the guitar is much more 60s, reminiscent of groups like the Beach Boys, adding a bit of fun to the mix. It strolls, nonchalantly alongside the peppy “My love’s got me boppin’ along,” also accompanied by the subtle shuffling of the rhythm section.
The style of the track and its production remind me of another new-but-old-sounding group, Harlem, on their debut label release, Hippies (2010)—a record that actually gained a lot of attention in the indie community as of its release ten years ago. Both create a feeling of false nostalgia (for me, not living through the 50s/60s), both radiate a contagious happiness, and maybe most importantly, they both advertise a fun rapport between the three group members. While a lot of the music industry is focused on musical innovation (me included), it’s nice to sit back, relax, and listen to the roots of these new sounds. And I guarantee listening to this track will spark at least a small fraction of joy in you.
Don’t forget to follow me on all my socials here, and stay tuned for more releases coming this year from Fast Color on their bandcamp!
Hunting It Down 