Tag: Peter Martin

Peter Martin Vividly Encapsulates the Challenging Climate of Trying to Be a Musical Artist Today on Indie Folk Single “Trying To Break A Band”

Peter Martin really delves into the the depressing end of trying to be a musician in the modern cultural milieu on his song “Trying To Break A Band.” The old formula, or so many people thought and still think, is you play a bunch of shows however you can and someone discovers your music either at a show or these days by stumbling across your music randomly somehow or on a playlist. Then maybe you have the social skills or contacts to get an opening slot for a cool gig and that raises your profile some except it never really does. The opening lines of the song will hit some as crushingly hard in their summation of reality for most: “If a tree falls down and nobody hears it/Did it really sound like my music career?/I’m bleeding myself white paying or PR/And on top of that my laptop packed up/Intonation’s fucked on all of my guitars.” Because you can pay for PR to hopefully get someone who will pay attention to your music that might have an audience with the right kinds of people who crave what you’re giving. Maybe someone will pick up on your music on TikTok and you’ll go viral. But probably not. And with music journalism and blogs in the gutter/all but non-existent since its early 2010s peak and little or no incentive for people to champion your work it can be pretty dispiriting. Martin expresses this ennui perfectly in his delicate melodies and fragile guitar work. That sense of hitting your head against the wall of apathy and neglect for creative work that is a feature of our culture today. Yet the ability to articulate this mood and state of mind so vividly and poetically sure has to count for something and Martin’s warmth of tone is compelling and fans of Owen Ashworth and Sparklehorse will appreciate the emotional notes Martin strikes throughout the song. Listen to “Trying To Break A Band” on Spotify and follow Peter Martin on Instagram.

Peter Martin’s Dream Pop Song “Musical Chairs” is a Wry and Subtle Dig at Incompetent and Corrupt Political Leaders

Peter Martin, photo courtesy the artists

A warm drone leads us into Peter Martin’s “Musical Chairs.” Vocals that float like an incandescent presence in the musical fog drift in and the song unfolds more brightly at the halfway point. Hovering tones haunt the background and a spare guitar figure contributes to an increasing luminosity of tone along with a gorgeous, slow synth burst toward the end before strings ease us out of the song. Overall it has an effect like someone waking up in the early morning, before sunrise with vague memories of a dream. Which is perfect considering the backdrop of the song written by the band in a single day was the resignation of Tory politician Liz Truss who was Prime Minister of the UK from September 6, 2022 until October 25 of the same year, her term in office an exercise in ineffective incompetence and a passing dream of a nation still mired in the supply side economic foolishness that plagues much of the Western world. Truss was just a blip on the Conservative Party continuum and this song and its tranquil vibes is like an amused noting of business as usual but perhaps more absurd than usual. The title of the song is both subtle and on the nose which is an achievement in itself. Given that part of the inspiration for the song was a reading of the writing of the great Mancunian poet John Cooker Clarke and his inspired witticisms the song seems like a fully realized work of dream pop and social commentary. Listen to “Musical Chairs” Spotify where you can find other songs by the band.