I’ve always wondered what kind of criteria someone has to have to become a crayon/ice cream flavor namer. It’s a job I’ve always coveted because equating colors and flavors to unlikely material is one of my favorite past times. Clearly I have too much time on my hands, but in any case, it would be a bomb job to add to my LinkedIn account.

Some of these people, I think, are on the song-naming circuit. Sometimes song names make zero sense when you listen to a song, kind of like a good portion of modern art. Dance music, especially, can piss me off with names. Making the repetitive vocal track as the name of a song is really clever, you know? It never gets old.

That got slightly side tracked, my bad. Back to the main point of this post which is highlighting one half of the beloved James & Evander dyanmic duo, Adam Myatt, also known as Empty Pockets. He branches off from his usual dream pop production pair to create a melancholic downtempo medley of delicious songs. Gosh, nothing makes me happier than downtrodden, depressing beats.

1. Can’t Decide

Like the bandcamp page described, the murky vocals and slithering acoustic guitar is a perfect blend of sunny rain. Not the annoying kind with rainbows and crap, but a constant transition between the two. This had an Iron & Wine feel to it (probably with the vocal bending) but not in a twangy way that can annoy me about the band. This song is riddled with nostalgia and coffee, making for a well balanced early morning tune.

 

2. Jan. 25th, 1982

Sad song. While there’s no clear indication of what the date means to Myatt, there’s clearly an overwhelmingly melancholic quality to the song. It wasn’t as big of a stand out to me as far as the EP goes, but it does make for a song I enjoy thinking to.

Screw grammatical errors.

3. Shipwrecked Shell

The first thing I thought when listening to this track is a Postal Service esque feel to the rhythm and timing of the song. It brought me back to middle school and listening to their music on bus rides home. Maybe I was one of those typical angsty teenagers, but it did bring an onslaught of memories one late night while listening to this song. It’s got this gritty feel to the synths and drums which, not only makes you depressed, but also angry. It’s an interesting composition with the perfect name to go with it. It makes you feel empty and lost just like a shipwrecked soul.

 

 

Listening to all of this James & Evander music, as well as shortcircles and other Oakland based producers makes me want to move out to that city. Who knows – it may join the list of prospective cities I move to after Vancouver and Tokyo.

You can download the free Empty Pockets EP off Myatt’s bandcamp page which is linked to the photo above. Go have fun and stuff.

 

-jo.