There is a musical category we felt somehow got lost between all the Britney Spears’, Christina Aguileras and Backstreet Boys of the 90s. We know these artists have all resurfaced in the 21st Century, but we are emphasizing the late 90s because that is when ethereal pop-indie got caged away. We made up our own genre, but we can stereotype the tunes of the Gin Blossoms, Nathalie Imbruglia, Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Cranberries and The Shins, as having all three elements, pop and indie with a toast of fancifulness. These epic 90s tunes are not lost in the history of music, but their defined genre can no longer prevail in this century without having enough bands to unlock the past. The Seattle-based band, Motopony, might hold that key to unleash the genre that has been long forgotten.
Fronted by lead singer, songwriter, former fashion designer and writer Daniel Blue along with collaborators Buddy Ross, Brantley Cady and Thomas Williams, Motopony will release their self-titled debut on May 24th via tinyOGRE. Spreading throughout the Seattle music scene, Motopony is garnering attention and we think you Shockya readers deserve to be introduced to a group that will be responsible for recreating and unearthing sounds that established the music we hear today.
The album kicks off with the captivating track, “June”. At first, we had a difficult time putting our finger on the sound of Motopony. We must always keep our loyalty to you guys, even when there are beginning doubts. These uncertainties were not whether or not we liked the track, but more of where is this song going to take us. When we press play on a tune and this thought grazes through our minds, we know we have found our newest obsession. Motopony’s “June” opens with swiftly sounding vocals against a few strokes of a guitar. These tempos are not consistent throughout the track, which keeps our ears pinned to the speaker. The lack of predictability of “June” reminds us of a tune of the 90s, most likely one from The Shins album, but while it might be reminiscent of the 90s, it still is refreshing and spontaneous in its own right.
Our chances of guessing the tempos of Motopony’s tracks remained unreliable as we reached the song, “I Am My Body.” To be able to make a beat slide into the next one without a hint of obviousness truly defines a talented band. “I Am My Body” begins with jingles of the piano establishing an upbeat tempo that breaks with jazzier instrumental sounds. Blue’s vocals are at the forefront with this track and their power is only heightened as the beat of the song picks up. What is most stimulating about the tune is the harmonizing of the vocals towards the end. It is not your typical blending of the voices, but rather the use of different pitches that are still creating a cohesive sound. We are not sure how Motopony did it, but this harmonizing sounds much better than the usual.
We are onto the next track, saving the best for last. We couldn’t think of a more appropriate track title for Motopony than “Euphoria.” The best word to describe this closing number is beautiful. Blue’s vocals are able to make the word euphoria sound more exhilarating than the definition alone; if that is even possible. His vocal range travels over a plentiful amount of octaves. The lyrics of “Euphoria” aren’t as happy as the listener might want them to read, but the sullen feeling is pleasurably soaked in hope. The track left us with an uplifting message that every listener can connect with, unless his or her life is entirely void of grief. Times might be troublesome at the moment, but the future is hopeful if you seek the positivity of it. Words we shall continue to live by.
From start to finish, Motopony is full of spurts of atypical elements that complement one another to create a unified and original 11 track album. As a relatively new and unheard of band, Motopony has taken those necessary risks to push them to the top of the music scene. We have definitely missed the tunes of the 90s. And Motopony has unquestionably shown us why. More importantly, the Seattle group has proven that time and talent can make a genre of the past even better.
by Lonnie Nemiroff