Indie rock is an amorphous concept, a descriptive label that casts a wide net over a vast expanse of sounds in an attempt to categorize popular music that exists just outside the mainstream. Despite the variety of styles tagged with the “indie” label there is a universally recognized magic that occurs when guitar, drums, and vocals combine in just the right way that perks the ears and stirs the soul unlike any other. Esoteric earworms crafted by barbershop quintets, confectionary celebrations of community fundraising, and forlorn anthems to cities on the edge of forever have contributed to the canonical definition of the roots-indie sound, a base from which so many artists have constructed thrilling new interpretations for the perpetually restless, a million ships launched from a single harbor.
Washington D.C.’s BRNDA is the latest crew of indie adventurers to embark on an interpretive exploration of the all-encompassing emotional unknown, charting a course towards their forthcoming full-length album, Do You Like Salt?. The latest single arrives as “Aunt Linda, c. 1989,” a quiet slice of life in musical form that delivers tactile emotions with a plainspoken manner that feels as textural as a hand-me-down cable knit sweater. Simple guitar riffs meander over a shuffling beat with no particular sense of urgency, comfortable in the predictable repetition and measured success of a small-scale daily life unfettered by the noise and commotion of big city aspirations. Many other artists choose to rail against the normalcy of suburban routine, but on “Aunt Linda, c. 1989” BRNDA celebrate the warm familiarity of vanilla and potpourri, the meditative zen of a not-too-far evening commute, and the humble confidence of an off-the-rack suit purchased for the first day of a new job. With diligence and proper care, a gold plated life can shine just as brilliantly as a 24-karat counterpart, practical adornment for a practical life.
Juxtaposed against preceding singles it’s apparent that BRNDA are not indie traditionalists but are instead flexing and bending the style’s boundaries in a myriad of directions that at once calls into question what an indie record is supposed to sound like as well as celebrates the malleability that stands as one of the style’s core tenants. The quiet, introspective angle of “Aunt Linda, c. 1989” serves as an understated center point from which BRNDA can launch off into unexpected directions, safely tethered to the notion that home is a place we can always go back to.
Stream “Aunt Linda c. 1989” exclusively on Alt Citizen. Do You Like Salt? is out August 20th via Crafted Sounds and available on vinyl via Bandcamp and streaming on Spotify. Follow BRNDA on Instagram.
