Rock purists and poptimist critics both underestimate the same thing about pop music. More often than not, it’s gonna be sad. Well, maybe not abjectly sad, and definitely not morose and downcast. That’s why we have The Smiths, The Cure, and Depeche Mode.
The word I’m looking for is bittersweet. It’s that somewhat intangible feeling that exists either right before or right after your heart gets broken. You’re either on your way to the saddest moment of your life, or you’re on your way up and out of that emotional valley.
That is the beauty of good pop music.
Thus, to contradict Rob Gordon in High Fidelity, we know that the conflicted feelings about love, loss, and rebirth came first. Humans eventually felt the need to put those emotions to music and share them with others. As anyone who’s ever cried their eyes out on a long drive while listening to their favorite songs about heartbreak, the catharsis that can arrive in those moments can rarely be duplicated in other ways or mediums.
And that is the appeal of Welcome Center.
Longtime friends Jesse Smith and Aaron Sternick have an innate ability to craft sparkling pop songs with just the right amount of angst and pain. On Talk Talk Talk, the duo’s new self-released EP, they have artfully lashed together ‘80s synth-pop with ‘00s indie-pop. Only three songs long, the project overflows with heart, energy, and positivity – all thanks to nifty guitar licks and luscious saxophone solos. Yet, it’s the subtle undercurrent of mournful contemplation that gives the music its teeth.
“Burn” enters with thick synth pads and acoustic strumming, and it’s a 6-minute love letter to the old ideas and people you really need to leave. The 4-minute pop anthem “Parasite City” offers bright vocals, layered percussion and fantastic ‘80s-fueled guitar fills. I also connected with the message of looking up and out for answers to big questions instead of following bad influences. Clocking in at 5 minutes, “Loser” serves up ‘80s radio-pop goodness, right down to the guitar techniques, warm synths, and upbeat drumming.
It’s the epitome of 21st century road trip music. Welcome Center combines elements of Death Cab for Cutie, Cursive, M83, and Stars with aplomb. A delicious cross between a slow burn and over-the-top pop, they’re perfect for moonlit drives on empty rural highways. I imagine blaring Talk Talk Talk at full volume with the windows down as my friends and I have deep conversations about life.
The music isn’t complex, but it doesn’t have to be. The delightful delivery of tasty grooves provides strong retro energy never feels like cheap pastiche. However, the authentic mood and the familiar lyrical themes matter most to me. They’re what initially attracted me and then held my attention. The songs are sad, but only just so. They manage to somehow wallow in its pain and look forward to the future in equal measure.