Pop music’s night of red carpets and glitz has passed, and Denver’s very own were overlooked for Best New Artist. To help heal the wound, here is a track from a promising new Denver band, .
When you use the words “angular” and “mathematical” to describe music, it often connotes a style akin to prog rock, which downplays melody and emotion in exchange for remarkable technical proficiency. (Think: Rush.) But as with any generalization, there are the exceptions, and the exceptions here are amazing. Modest Mouse and Built To Spill come to mind. And now, add Confluence to that category.
Confluence’s music is like a squirrel chase, darting this way and that with tight, unexpected turns. But that’s simply the structure. What hangs on that structure are melodic riffs and emotive lyrics. While the songs tend to lack a solid hook that sinks in and stays with you like a pop chorus — not necessarily a band thing — there is nary a lemon song on their first EP, “I Haven’t Really Been Living,” available for $1 on Confluence’s site. With members all having notable experience playing in Denver, this EP shows promise. Here, we “Lexa Harper” for you to gank.
Please note that downloads offered via Steal This Track are intended to whet your appetite, and are NOT CD-quality recordings. If you want those, please support the artists by buying their music and/or seeing them live.
If you’re a band or musician ready to expose your fresh sounds to the readers of Reverb, email your tracks — along with any interesting facts about them, as well as a photo or album art — to Steal This Track for consideration.
Josh Johnson is a Denver freelance writer and Reverb contributor. He is also a co-host/co-producer of the Denver podcast .
