Uncle Ears is getting on promotional email lists. That’s good, and that’s also bad. Where is the fun in NOT discovering new music for yourself?
In the case of ‘miniaturized,’ I am going to have to make a rare exception. Music arriving easy-peasy and unsolicited at my front porch that I actually want to hear more than once.
The promo intro goes like this:
Born in 2021 from members of some of San Diego’s most cherished acts (Pinback, Rocket From the Crypt, No Knife, Buckfast Superbee), miniaturized was initially formed as a one-off project for a MusiCares charity show honoring Tom Petty. San Diego-based Timothy Joseph found inspiration from dissecting Petty’s songwriting, coming to revelations about his own work as a musician in the process. With a sudden fresh perspective, he began composing all original material that would shape the future of the band into something all its own. miniaturized is, at its core, a rock band. Still, the sound is so sweeping and vibrant that it overflows, spilling into the more nuanced realms of pop and indie rock and nods to iconic alternative rock of decades past such as Pixies, Built to Spill, The Feelies, Jesus and Mary Chain, and early R.E.M.
New single “The Most” is old school modern rock that invites you in with a rich wall of vocals and instrumentation. Solid beat. Cool guitars. It’s retro-fresh. The meaning beneath the pulsing track suggests a lifetime battle.
Timothy Joseph, miniatures
‘The Most’ comes from personal experience involving the perpetually downward cycle of addiction. For those who have been through it or love someone who has, it’s a dark world unto itself. However, there is hope and help out there if you reach for it.
A nice experience with “The Most” leads me to explore. Are miniaturized more than a single-listen sound? Pretty quickly the answer becomes “yes.”
“Cave In” was the previous single. Taking it down a notch but sounding just as polished but with a rough edge serving them well. Somehow what might years ago have been descibed as “straightforward” alt rock is now a wonder once again in 2023. These guys know what’s up.
Back another single I go, finding “Why Don’t We Play God?” Why not, indeed. The jangle is stong with this one. Three solid singles and suddenly their self-titled debut LP is definitely on my radar.
Then the name dropping and cool cover song make their appearances.
Their debut LP, due out in spring of 2023, was recorded and produced by legendary record producer, Mitch Easter (R.E.M., Pavement, Wilco).
miniatures promo packet
Mitch Easter! And an honest homage to REM with a cover of “Talk About The Passion?” Somewhere in this messed-up universe the fates of music were listening to my inner callings.
OK, let’s give these boys room to breathe. Maybe spin some Let’s Active. Might I recommend one of the very BEST songs of the 80’s?
You can read the whole promo email for ‘miniaturized’ here.
Guess I will check my email more often from here on out. March 31st. miniaturized debut LP. Got it.
UNCLE EARS is a music blog written by David Falk. davidrfalk@gmail.com David was born in 1962 and gravitates towards melodies, adventure, unsigned artists, fresh discoveries. He trusts his ear to know what it likes and loves sharing what he finds. He lives near Seattle, WA, USA.
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