Today, NYC jangle pop outfit Trinket shared their stunning debut EP New Hobby. It is a remarkable collection of charming indie pop tracks that beautifully summarize their song-writing journey thus far; in that regard, the title is meant to be taken as a joke, considering just how seriously the trio have been working on their craft over the past few years. Sound-wsie, they are a perfect mix of stoic 80’s guitar rock and self-aware postmodern pop à la Alvvays and Big Thief, centering on idealization and projection, hope and nostalgia. Vocalist and guitarist Madison Kate explained the importance of this debut EP:
The songs from this EP all came about as my first few songs writing for a band. I started writing these songs around summer 2021. I had just gotten fired from a really terrible job, and was unemployed and really had time to throw my all into Trinket. Having that time to work on this band and record these songs felt like such a gift, and gave me the opportunity to really learn how to write, record songs, and manage my own band.
Title track “New Hobby” is an exhilarating amalgamation of sound; metallic, gritty guitars, deep, murky basslines, and quirky vocals all converge to create a mesmerizing pop track that feels lost in time in the best sense. Kate’s vocals are at once elastic and earnest, relaying a narrative centering around desperately wanting something “better” and “brighter” but also perhaps harboring the secret desire to succumb to fate. The guitars rage and burn, but there’s a dazzling undercurrent throughout the track that ultimately hints more at hope than fatalism.
New Hobby is out now.
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photo courtesy of artist
kid with a vinyl 