By Mark Bowman
Jack Tatum burst onto the scene in 2010 with Wild Nothing’s Captured Tracks debut full-length “Gemini.” This release solidified the return of the 1980’s C86 inspired chorus pedal laden pop songs.
Captured Tracks had a stranglehold on the reigns to this huge machine with a roster of bands that included Wild Nothing, Beach Fossils, DIIV, Mac Demarco and more; all sporting a very similar brand of rock music. This sound was so catchy, immediate and fresh that these bands reshaped the sound of indie music. This was indie rock.
The sound quickly became saturated and these Captured Tracks bands who had built a foundation on this sound were forced to progress and pivot into a new sound that is unique to each of them. A testament to how good these bands really are is that they’ve all successfully done so. Beach Fossils with their George Harrison inspired record “Somersault,” DIIV with the heavy, discord, almost evil sounding record “Is The Is Are,” and Mac Demarco with his heartfelt acoustic Americana hits “This Old Dog” and “My Old Man.”
Finally, Wild Nothing has made the most obvious and palatable crossover of them all. Tatum’s new record, “Indigo,” sounds like a bonafide 80’s hit pop record. Tatum’s signature catchy sparkling guitar lines remain throughout giving this pop record a modern twist on a classic sound.
You can hear music from “Indigo”, the new Wild Nothing record, on New Music Fridays with DJ Tom, beginning at noon this and every Friday.
