Promote This: Kye Alfred Hillig, Pity Kiss & Suburban Dirts
Promote This is a long-running NadaMucho.com feature wherein we write about songs and videos by emerging and unsigned bands. Send submissions to @nadamucho with hash tag #PromoteThis. This installment includes Pity Kiss, Suburban Dirts and Tacoma’s Kye Alfred Hillig, who’s new record The Buddhist will be officially released with a show at Neumos on Thursday, September 15.
Kye Alfred Hillig – “Ex” and “Ugly We Were Born”
Here’s a new band to watch in the South Sound. That bass lead in to “Ex” from Kye Alfred Hillig’s 12-track digital album Real Snow has a thickness that suggests the approach of rock, but it ends up as the musical spine of a singer-songwritery effort from this Tacoma resident. Augmented by electronic and acoustic keys and some subtle finger-snap beats, the tune is striking. Whoa, here come harmonizing back-up vocals – well done, Kye. “Ugly We Were Born” does get us into rock territory, but with keyboards washing in and out and a clever mix of electronic and acoustic drumming. I think the more electro musical backing on the chorus is more effective than the verses that border on classic rock.– Abe Beeson
Pity Kiss – “Goodbye to Hopeful”
Right off the bat, this song title sounds like the name of a 90s band who, despite never quite making it big, briefly had a chart-topping hit, which appeared on numerous compilations and indie film soundtracks around the time of its release, and then was never heard from again. For better or for worse, the band brings me to Central Perk during a Phoebe Buffay performance. Pity Kiss’ “Goodbye to Hopeful” is somewhat sterile, combining all the components of a song without adding any indication of feeling or intent, resulting in a special strain of karaoke. – Cameron Deuel
Suburban Dirts – “Fire On The Campsite”
Admittedly, I’m not one for downhome twang, but Suburban Dirts have a complete sound that at least makes it easy to understand their vision. The music video for “Fire On The Campsite” straight-up rules. The art direction is odd, sometimes even unsettlingly so, and I will probably develop nightmares from them, but the song itself is enjoyable. If you’re a fan of when country skews more bluesy or alternative, then head over to their site and buy an album. The band is only a few years old and they could easily make the festival circuit rounds. – Cameron Deuel