Without Pandering, The Memories Encourage Us All to be on the Lookout For When Life Sends Us a Helping Hand When We’re Down on “Second Try”

TheMemoriesKelseyReckling_sm — The Memories, photo by Kelsey Reckling

Instead of tapping into Laurel Canyon vibes and fuzzy, 90s rock, The Memories seem to have been influenced a touch by 70s power pop (think The Raspberries and Big Star) and 90s indie pop via the Elephant 6 collective for its single “Second Try.” Half the band is also in the great garage punk group White Fang but the only element that translates over to The Memories is a knack for solid hooks and surprisingly clever yet thoughtful lyrics and a spirit of fun and hopefulness. “Second Try,” though, has melancholic tones and atmospheric jangle in the guitar work and what might be described as an elegance of tone and sincere hopefulness. As if to say sure you’re down, you’ve weathered what seems a long string of misfortunes that simply isn’t ending but keep an eye out for when things aren’t always working against you by not adopting a defeatist attitude. The lyric “don’t deny the help if it comes to you, be kind” is just one of the turns of phrase in the song that builds on a theme of being aware of subtleties in opportunity to hang on to to pick yourself up a bit and not constantly beat yourself down. In fact, “Take life by surprise” and give it a, yes, second try or third or twentieth or more. But it’s the uplift in the melancholic tone and not offering the usual platitudes that makes this pop song something more noteworthy. Listen to “Second Try” on Soundcloud, follow The Memories at the links below and look out for the new album Pickles & Pies out May 29 through Gnar Tapes and Axis Mundi Records.