Every time you listen to a song, it leaves an impression on you. The best kind of music is when you're either left feeling awe-struck and emotional after your first listen--which is rare--or you're left intrigued. This is the better way to listen to music because it begins with a spark that grows each time you listen to it. You continue to discover more about the sound, you notice new things like the slight lilt of a bass, or a lyric will suddenly seem clearer than before. This is the best kind of music because it pulls you into a whirlpool of discovery.
When you first hear pronoun's music, it's like dipping your toes into the water. The melodic tunes and steady pulsing beat are like waves lapping at your feet. So you take a step further, you listen again. Next time you'll become more aware of Alyse Vellturo's almost crooning vocals, and the lyrics take on more and more meaning. Before you know it, you're sucked into a whirlpool and you're hooked on the music.
So this isn't the kind of music where you memorize a song a certain way, and any other renditions or covers simply don't meet your expectations--in fact, the opposite is true for pronoun. The more you listen, the more your perception of the music evolves and changes, and the live performance has a similar effect.
pronoun's EP was first recorded in Vellturo's apartment, and it's like you're listening to someone confess their innermost thoughts at 3 AM after hours of conversation--after all the small talk, fluff, and laughter, something shifts and you get something pure and a little bit vulnerable. pronoun's concert at the Brooklyn Bazaar this past weekend put their sound in a new light...and gave it a fog machine.
Many popular singers, especially female vocalists, have these big, resounding belting sounds, but Vellturo's voice takes that notion and turns it on his head. That softer, melodic lilt has a different kind of power to it, and as the night wore on, pronoun's music eagerly filled the space with a resonating confidence.
Some of the highlights from the concert were the pure joy and excitement over having fog machine--you know you've made it when you get to use a fog machine onstage--and two covers: "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley and a rendition of "Losing a Whole Year" by Third Eye Blind, followed by Vellturo's announcement of "this is definitely the biggest place I've ever played." The night made us remember what live music is about: sharing stories under dimmed lights, having fun, and simply playing music.
In addition to music from the EP, pronoun's latest release is a single called "It's the Way," which was written after the election results came out. Not only is it a great song, but all the proceeds go directly to Planned Parenthood.
pronoun is a story I want to read, a soundtrack that I want to hear, and there are so many great things in store for its future.
Go listen right now.
