Standard Tap was blasting Mad World by Tears for Fears (my preference over the Gary Jules version) for their outdoor seating. When I write blasting, I heard it from an entire block away. Love Will Tear You Apart by Joy Division followed. If you like New Wave, you bond with fellow humans instantly in 2020 because there are so few of us. This is a business strategy as it brings in a targeted group.

I make mention of this to give you a sense of music I like and to share a song / group that I’ve become fond of, The Night Game. Here is their latest release:

The YouTube video says 3,500 views, but I’m sure the stats are lagging. As much as I like the song, I would like to look a bit deeper at the message which is a guy leaving Los Angeles for anywhere else because he’s tired of the fake nature.

Some examples of the city he’s tired of: valet, pressed juices and health food, Soho Houses, rooftops, hair glue, fast friends in big stupid hats, head shops, laundry mats, actors, girls who smoke cigarettes, pool parties, fame on the internet, where every dream turns into ashes, and the sea of fake lips and eyelashes.

To me, this song is calling out what what trendy continues to head towards and what introspective people can’t stand. The one line I like is “I don’t need a new start just a little change of view”.

I dug a bit deeper into the group and read that John Mayer asked them to open for his tour when he heard “The Outfield”. Here is what Martin Johnson says about the release of the Outfield:

“This song felt like the best introduction to what I’m trying to do and a really good way to segue into the project, it felt anthemic, without being a throat jammer.” He also stated, “I didn’t want to force something out into the universe without feeling like it was a genuine extension of my personality,” he explained. “For once in my life, I had the luxury of time, so I just went into the studio and took the time it takes.”

That was back in 2017 and to see that a person cares about the “genuine extension” of their music, I find endearing. When we compare songs like these to WAP, it’s scary. I only hope that good music like this in 2020 can keep the new wave style with synthesizers and intelligent vocals alive.