Forth Wanderers: The Longer This Goes On

Dateline Montclair, NJ 2018. The Forth Wanderers break into the scene. They’re cool and, even better, they’re local kids going national. And then, just like that, they exit the stage. Poised for success— and seemingly right on the verge of it (as much as an indie rock type band can have these days) — they recede and vanish. In the meantime I started taking guitar lessons with their guitar teacher. Hipster Jr graduated from the same high school they graduated from and Hipster Jr. Jr. started at that same high school. A lot has happened in the past seven or so years. Which, unfortunately, doesn’t include this type of music getting any more popular.

This type of music being a tough one to categorize. Sure, it’s indie rock on some level, but it’s not that kind of indie rock. It’s inflected with a tinge of Pixies (which aligns with their last album and is most evident on the bop, “Call You Back”), but is also shoegaze and even a little bit jazzy at times. It’s lush in its production and orchestration, but just a bit dirty underneath. I’m not at all comparing them to Radiohead, but there is something about the BPMs and sometimes plodding pacing with just a bit of creak underneath that plays in that same space. It sometimes feels like a high school slow dance in an alt universe. See “Make Me” as a primary example. It feels the way an antique disco ball reflecting warm light looks in a smokey room.

It’s not uncomplicated music is what it comes down to. There’s just a lot going on. Even when you get the Strokes guitar parts going in songs like “Barnard,” with its cascading repetition and rollicking old-timeyness. Unlike the feeling I had after listening to their last album, Forth Wanderers, where the songs started to blend together, this one is varied and endlessly interesting. So much so it almost demands a re-listen. Because, honestly, on my first cursory spin through, I wasn’t feeling it. The production felt too reverby. The music almost too esoteric for its own good. This, again, is the same complaint I’ve had that has mostly to do with me getting older. I barely enjoy food without a little kick. And struggle to enjoy music that doesn’t hit some sort of guitar pedal that downshifts things into angry guitar distortion. I need the hit to feel something (so the trope goes). This ain’t Fight Club, though. This ain’t post-hardcore mosh pit fodder. And that should be fine. It’s really fascinating earphones music that has something to say. Mostly, why do we need to follow trends or sound like anything other than what we are. I do have a feeling they listened to the extended Kim Deal universe, which is often a lot quirkier than this thing, but treads some of the same ground. Which ain’t a bad thing.