I’m full of energy after my first listen to “Audacity” from Oreaganomics. This Lincoln, Nebraska team is good at making songs that sound defiant and yet invite you to quietly challenge the world. Unlike the freewheeling first album, their new *And Introducing…shane!!!* single is tighter and still contains plenty of quirky and emotional energy. Since I love all kinds of music, anything original always stands out to me and this one does just that.
“Audacity” is a protest song that is soft-spoken, not loud. The music sounds almost like a lullaby, tougher than its lyrical story, with acoustic guitars, soft percussion and little pieces of brass playing together sweetly. The singer’s vocals are strong and soothing, melding together catchy tunes and a gentle jazz-style lo-fi sound, making you feel that they were whispered from a place hidden in a basement. They used their basement and the Bandlab platform to record which results in a warm but unfinished kind of sound Missing in today’s highly refined genres.
The song deals with the struggle to be heard by those who have power, feeling the disappointment of having no voice. I would see people unable to stand up straight because of how heavy it seemed. The floating piano and light grooves give a gentle push to help you continue. It’s an unusual sound but not hard to listen to and it has Love’s sense of adventure but without losing its Oreaganomics touch.
The wild part is the story behind it—after finishing the recordings, band member Shane stopped talking. Whenever I feel like I’m tired of pretending, “Audacity” is the song I want to listen to.
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