Soft Punch - “My Head”
USA-based Soft Punch has just released “My Head.” The track feels like a brilliant homage to classic, indie pop / rock songwriting, evoking the classic tones of groups, like REO Speedwagon, giving us driving guitars and big choruses.
The song is built around a strong rhythm laid down by the resolute drums and warm bass lines. These two elements never take centre stage, but they brilliantly push the guitars and vocal into the foreground. The electric guitar takes turns in the spotlight with the vocal. Bursts of open chords hammer home the rhythmic hook of the song and punctuate the important moments. When the vocal is front and centre, it effortlessly guides the song with muted string textures. This creates a nice contrast and ebb and flow, especially over the chorus sections.
The chorus is gorgeously infectious and can only be described as an earworm. Built around catchy “oh ohs,” you can’t help but want to sing along. “My Head” gives us brief pause from the solid gold indie pop / rock in the dynamic break. Layers are removed and slowly added again, allowing delay effects to fill the space. This creates a trippy atmosphere, which suits the song’s introspective and quirky lyrics. A burst of trippy, distorted guitars follows before leading listeners into the final chorus.
The outro of the song returns to the trippy guitar tones. This section sounds almost like a free-flowing jam, reminding me of heavier psychedelic music from the late 1960s. The vocal performance is characterised by a modest yet engaging delivery. The rhythmic phrasing perfectly matches the song’s pulse, forming a cooperative relationship between the vocal and music.
Soft Punch‘s “My Head” is an indie pop / rock masterpiece. It nails the catchy chorus and has an addictively good, musical ebb and flow. The song is taken from the album, Above Water, which is out September 15th. And if you like what you hear, be sure to check out the previous single, “Here / Now,” a gentle and hypnotically pulsing slice of indie pop dessert. The rhythm will keep you entranced as the vocals gently wash over your ear canals. Packed with layers of synth and a steady electronic beat, we can only hope that the forthcoming record beholds more music that has been cut from the same cloth.