Today, we sit down with Nate Sirotta. He is the founder of – and digital publicist at – Impulse Artists, a boutique digital marketing and publicity agency based in Portland and Los Angeles. Since he lives in the Pacific Northwest, I tried to talk Sasquatch. But it was more fun catching up and delving into his work, to be honest.
Portland band The Stubborn Lovers are here for a good time with their latest single “Drivin’ 22.” Their country-rock vibe shines in this track with an authenticity that only that kind of music can bring. The electric guitar riffs and upbeat vocals make for an extremely catchy tune. The lyrics relate to the child in all of us. They are bursting with nostalgia, with vivid opening imagery of a family making their way down Route 22:
Daddy’s at the wheel of a Ford Country Squire, Mama’s putting makeup on down to the wire, Sister’s in the back spilling Goldfish on the floor, Shepherd’s in the way back scratching at the door.
The track is reminiscent of a simpler time by embodying the ambiance of an American summer. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to go back to the land of family road trips, fast food stops, and even the backseat fights with your siblings.
Be sure to check out their upcoming album Mother Road, out August 17. Keep up with the band here.
Portland-based art-folk musician Michael Charles Smith is hitting a high note with the soundscape provided by his often ambient melodies and soft – yet assertive – vocals in his new 12-track release, In The Shadow. Bathed in a raspiness that is both emphatic and ethereal, Smith’s lyrics are apt to tug at the heartstrings of many, as they paint him as a vulnerable, masterful lyricist.
Beginning with the upbeat track “Hello Hello”, the album establishes a true journey for the listener, pace changing with each no track, and mindsets shifting from one end of the spectrum to the other, as he repeats, “I’ll die alone” in third track “Angel, and then softly croons, “I must have fallen in love” immediately following, in fourth track “One Word”.
The variety in the soundscape of In The Shadow makes sense, when the album is put into context. Inspired by his past struggles with addiction, Smith has come to terms with his circumstances, transforming that energy into a beautifully well-rounded body of work that you might never turn off. We’ve got the exclusive streaming premiere below.
