The Namesakes and the indie rock angst, melancholia, power of "Your Crowd"

 

"I should be miles away / instead I'm here and I'm being stuck in your crowd / see my way clear / to being stuck in your crowd..."

The rolling melancholia of "Your Crowd" by Launceston, Australia based The Namesakes is easy to get into, especially when it erupts into a rattling somber dinge that you can head bang to. The angst that is captured in evocative vocals that may (or may not) be about being with someone you care deeply about but not relating to his or her friends and simply wanting to melt into the wall and disappear, is so relatable. That kind of emotional disconnect might be relatable in other ways too, like falling for someone who you find out has the exact opposite political view, or someone who has friends who you might consider to be a bad lot. 

At least this is some of the things I thought about while listening to the percolating guitars (love the tones and shapes), the vocal melodies that interweave through those plaintive electric strings, the shoegaze-esque drones of sound, the utterly heavy raucous drama painted with stabs of feedback and fanning lead guitar work and big bass and drums pushing it all up emotional landscapes. Very cool, very nostalgic too, hints of 90's post grunge and early aughts indie rock. 

Good job boys. 

-Robb Donker Curtius 

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM 

https://thenamesakes1.bandcamp.com/track/your-crowd

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6DyXpajmDtIttMpcg02qG1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymWtzzzG-gA



Melodic, song-focused rock 'n' roll with flashes of 60s pop, classic punk, British and Australian indie and American college rock.

The Namesakes, Australia, indie rock, shoegaze, alt rock, alt pop, "Your Crowd", somber pop, angst ridden, drama, relatable, melancholia,