First Impressions are whiz-bang reviews of singles, 7″s, EPs, and LPs which are given a review after a single listen. This is a great way for TGEFM to showcase some of the releases which may not get a full review on their own.
The Ragpicker Merch, LLC – 23 Sep 2022
I think Bad Secret are aces. I’ve yet to hear a song from the band that doesn’t land right. First with the fantastic Demo-ONE, then with the outta nowhere (and effective) Billy Joel cover “The Downeaster Alexa”, and most recently with the lead guitar rushes on the 4-song Vinyl-ONE, the band’s empowering and cryptic Ramonescore buzzes at a deliberate mid-tempo with hooks to burn and singalongs to be had. The maelstrom gets me every time.
So when I saw a new single for the Beau McNamee project Dresden The Mark, I had to check it. First off, the song is a different direction altogether, with spaced-out synthesizer carrying the melody and pulsing electronic drums keeping the song moving forward, it clearly calls back to 80s post-punk (think Closer-era Joy Division or New Order, maybe). Moments of sparse minimalism give way to ethereal and dream-like hums and Beau’s clearly enunciated vocals fit in nicely, shifting from confident bellows to hushed whispers, all slathered in atmospheric reverb. It’s certainly not Bad Secret, but it’s really good.
- Song Comes From: The Tangled EP
- Album Release Date: 07 Oct 2022
- Purchase/Pre-Order: Digital / Physical
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ryan is a reviewer and news editor for TGEFM. He’s very secretive, he might be an alien.
