The throbbing bass line that opens the new single from Old Joy (aka Chicagoan veteran musician Alex Reindl & assorted friends) is somewhat of a misdirect, feeling like it’s setting a scene for a song that never quite comes.
With the threat of a gothic, post-punk tune looming overhead, “Pocket” develops gradually and unassumingly into something unexpected and strikingly beautiful.
Like Heatmiser collaborating with Teenage Fanclub on a Big Star cover, it’s full of knowing, cutting wit and stylistic confidence. It’s a literary tour de force but a small selection of lyrical highlights include lines like “Just ask the waitress / the one on the dayshift / she looks like she’s certain to know” and “You’re in love with your legend and you won’t fail to mention that you had a pretty good band once”.
Despite the giddy feelgood vibe and overall sound of the song, there’s clearly an underlying undertone of suppressed despondency and quiet desperation bubbling beneath the surface. This is most notable, and indeed, most explicit around the halfway point when Reindl sings “And when you’re feeling good / you think maybe you could just climb onto a higher plain / but when you meet your maker you’ll see she’s a faker / you’re gonna slide right down again”.
Lyrically, this is one of the best things we’ve heard all year. Musically, it’s also pretty fucking good.
Pocket is the second single off the forthcoming record Why Burn Bridges You Can Live Under, which is due out September 18th on Candlepin Records. We’ll certainly look forward to hearing it.
Take a listen to “Pocket” below.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
