Promote This: Campana, David Johnson & The Pro-Nouns
Promote This is a long-running NadaMucho.com feature wherein we write about songs and videos by emerging and unsigned bands. This installment includes Campana, David Johnson, and the Pro-Nouns.
Campana – “Xtra! Xtra!” and “INTRSTLR”
Campana is the solo project of Teron Bell of COSMOS, Seattle’s MoPop Sound Off! 2016 Battle of the Bands Champions. As Campana, Bell offers a uniquely polished take on experimental hip-hop that, at times, brushes with Pacific Northwest rap weirdo alumni the likes of Shabazz Palaces. On “Xtra! Xtra!” horn bursts wail while Bell nimbly touches on social injustices throughout American history. “INTRSTLR” is a confusing arrangement because it pieces the start of two potentially good songs into one space. If you’re looking for a local source of Donald Glover and Chance the Rapper influenced rap oddities, look no further. – Cameron Deuel
David Johnson – “Supersede the Satellites (feat. Ninjanun)” and “Sweet Mother Jesus”
I knew it was a longshot but I was a little disappointed to find out that this is NOT Arizona Cardinals starting running back David Johnson but is, instead, Seattle-based singer-songwriter David Johnson (pictured above, photo Jim Toohey). “Supersede the Satellites” is a sweet song with a nice message: don’t let obstacles get in your way, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Johnson facilitates a cool iconoclastic gender-swap thing with “Sweet Mother Jesus,” which has a Southern rock twang. If you appreciate the nuance of songwriting, this might be right up your alley. – Cameron Deuel
The Pro-Nouns – “Fifth Amendment” and “Gypsy Queen”
After a recent spate of electronic artists sent my way for #PromoteThis assignments, I was excited to finally hear some electric guitars from The Pro-Nouns, who shared some recordings on their BandCamp page in late 2015 and have been gigging around the region ever since. “Fifth Amendment” is a timely reggae thing about black people getting shot in the street by cops, which is depressingly familiar these days. White guys doing reggae can be a bit of a crapshoot, but while the lyrics are maybe a touch clumsy they do OK. “Gypsy Queen” is straight ahead 70’s rock compared to the reggae song. I’d like to hear a little more fuzz and crunch, but it’s catchy as hell even without that. The Pro-Nouns are all over the map in a (mostly) good way. I would go see this band, if I ever left the house. – Andy Bookwalter
The Pro-Nouns @ Fisherman’s Village Music Festival by Christine Mitchell