Regular Gen-X Nothing reader, Amy, sends me a link to this song, “Bad Dream,” and postulates the following: “Doesn’t this sound like it came from the early 80s?”
Usually, I don’t listen to much new music. It’s mostly garbage. Seriously. Anyone who gets off performing about their “Wet Ass Pussy” must die a slow, painful death. Don’t get me wrong; I like a good wet-ass pussy like the rest of the straight male population. What I don’t need is a song about it. If we’re going to be suggestive (versus flat-out nasty), then no problem. Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “Relax,” no problem. Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Come On Eileen,” go for it. Even older Madonna is fine, as one can’t get through 1984 without remembering “Like a Virgin.”
There has been some music from the last twenty years that I’ve come to appreciate for one reason or another. Sometimes it’s the actual talent that catches my ear. A well-produced song achieves the same. But these works need to be pointed out to me. I won’t search for them because I am entirely content listening to my Gen-X Megamix or albums from bands I love. Electric Light Orchestra comes to mind. Jeff Lynne is a God. Fight me.
And who doesn’t like Pink Floyd? (People in one of the Facebook Gen-X groups I haunt. Traitors.)
So I gave “Bad Dream” a listen. At first? No. The synthy string pad suggested we might go there, but then the electronic thump-thump-thump began. That’s not very 80s. But I waited for it, and I wasn’t disappointed. I won’t say tears of joy filled my eyes when that vintage 80s sound filled my ears, but a noticeable gasp of ‘what the fuck is this?’ definitely filled the air…in a good way. The best I can describe this song and the band, having listened to a few more of their works, is ‘modern-day 80s.’ The songs are super-wet with reverb, boxy-sounding drums, and ethereal female vox. These were hallmark production attributes of many songs from the 80s. One comment I saw described the song “Bad Dreams” as legally doing MDMA (Ecstasy) in NYC in 1981.
Okay. Fair enough. Not something I’ve personally done, but I can certainly imagine it.
It’s honestly refreshing to see a group of Millennials who paid attention to the music their parents listened to. It even seems the group’s guitarist and keyboard/bass player were metalheads who liked Pantera and Slayer. Nice.
If you’re an 80s fan, I highly recommend giving Cannon’s latest effort, “Fever Dream,” a spin (or a listen if you don’t own a phonograph, and you really should).
Cannons are totally Gen-X Nothing approved!
We had awesome music in the 80s. It nerves me that it was there was a whole uproar to label songs as explicit back then. I’ll stop there.