Take a Step Back and “Just Pretend” with Future Generations

Future Generations use spoonfuls of sugar to make sure the medicine goes down on “Just Pretend.”

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Stream: “Just Pretend” – Future Generations

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I’ve been in a bit of a Nick Cave mood, working my way through the discography of a man permanently contemporary to midnight and falling into complete and utter devotion to the Goth kid’s reverend because I’m committed to this personal quest to solve his latest work Ghosteen as part of his latest grand oeuvre, the MicroKorg trilogy.

To anyone with ears, Nick Cave’s music begets tragedy.

Invariably, his music is made for somber, grisly moods that should not be mainstays to the conscious but periodic to the spirit. Dark chocolate music made for dour tastebuds and ineffable persons—somewhat, the ring of truth to the bell that all Cave fans wear is a penchant for depression.

Hence the supposed need for the innocent, gleaming, shiny indie “pop” in “Just Pretend” by Future Generations. To play the game, let’s pretend that I actually think “pop” is a genre and not just an adjective.

just pretend - future generations — Just Pretend – Future Generations

“Just Pretend” is a song that is hard to define in any other way but “pop.”

Which I suppose is why I choose to disregard pop as a genre. It’s an intellectual sandtrap. Anything can be pop and once something becomes pop all other, more important stylistic elements become secondary to a genreform that only goes so far as to describe a bubbly sensation about the body which fizzles all through to the digits. Except this sensation is not in any way special to pop, it’s called being upbeat, goddamnit. (Rock can do it, R&B can do it, Electronic can do it, Hip-Hop can do it, Funk can do it and, sure as shit, Country can do it too.)

Well I’ve
Been around found about a
million ways to get through
Champagne, mary jane
fogging up my bedroom
Take a walk to the park get a clear view
Work a job, get a check, give it all away
It’ll make more sense to me someday
Till then I’ll just keep on breathing

There’s never gonna be an explanation
When you’re wasted
You only need to show your dedication
On occasion

Upbeat like an amusement park, cotton candy and a big fucking plush bear. Read: the video for “Just Pretend.” And as far as upbeat videos go, this Costco sample for serendipity does a pretty damn good job; no pretensions here, I just love a good lofi Adventureland home recording. It’s no gutbusting pinata bat to the balls feature for America’s Funniest Home Videos, but a feel good nostalgia trip to Christmas in Venice beach nonetheless.

Given my mood, it’s hard not to fall into resting Wednesday Addams face (à la Christina Ricci) once upon given this lo-fi jangle soft rock balloon. “Thanks, I hate it,” scrawled all over my visage in a silent scream that belies the point: angst. Why do we need bubbly hooks from Eric Grossman? Why do we need gated reverb vox from Eddie Gore? Why do we rely on melodic Passion Pit em-gee-em-tee-ery and Toro y Moi by Phoenix sonic adjacency?

For the same reason I will be dancing to the B-52’s or Toploader or Cherub in my living room: “Sometimes you just need a guitar solo.”

Well, I would like to amend that statement to “sometimes you just need fun.”

Future Generations Dive into Their Fun, Sizzlin’ “Landscape”

:: INTERVIEW ::

So, for better or worse, Future Generations took James Murphy serious and got innocuous for the new single, dressed up in indie lo-fi garb and playing like this is the new slang for a while, that their hypnagogic keyboard and guitar spritz is the medicine to the stubborn mood crepuscular of a Goth behind a grand piano and a MicroKorg synth.