(Organic Indie Pop) Port Streets debut EP

[mbfrancis]

Hello, hope all have been well--

I've been mostly absent from this board for a few years, but I haven't been inactive musically. I just released an EP of organic indie pop, it's called "Port Streets" -- kind of Dawes meets Best Coast (maybe).

I recorded the whole thing at home on Reason, with the exception of some parts (e.g. drums, B3) which I sent out for. I got a ton of friends to help, including people I've met online. Most of the instruments are real, with some exceptions (e.g., rhodes on Air Enough to Breathe is a the Rhodes Overdrive FSB preset, organ on Girl from Galway is JP's Combo B3T). I exported all the tracks to WAV and had other people mix...my ears suck.

I'm super proud of the music, it's available on all formats, I'd love to know what you think: https://songwhip.com/port-streets/port-streets

Here's a preview video of the songs, you can see if you like it.

If you dig the music, please follow us on Facebook or Instagram and get on our mailing list - links here: https://linktr.ee/portstreets.

If anyone has any questions about how it was recorded, I would be happy to answer here or directly. Although I haven't been super active lately, I've always been really grateful for this community and how helpful everyone is. Hope you enjoy the music.

Cheers!
Martin

[Benedict]

I like it.

Always great to hear Reason ppl doing more than cliche EDM/Retrowave/Trap (or whatever is sidechain-heaven this month).

Seems really nicely done overall. Fresh and "real" feeling. Just like music should be. I like the sense of variety too; like each song is clearly a different vision.

If you ever want a Mix Engineer, I am available and love working on this sort of material.

[mbfrancis]

I like it.

Always great to hear Reason ppl doing more than cliche EDM/Retrowave/Trap (or whatever is sidechain-heaven this month).

Seems really nicely done overall. Fresh and "real" feeling. Just like music should be. I like the sense of variety too; like each song is clearly a different vision.

If you ever want a Mix Engineer, I am available and love working on this sort of material.

Great, thanks so much, Benedict. I love chillwave/retrowave too but this is what comes out when i write songs! Thanks for mix offer -- I'll have another EP coming out in a few months, when I get to mix I'll reach out.

[MarkTarlton]

I agree with Benedict, it's nice to hear something that is organic, and not the usual EDM we hear over and over on RT. This deserves to be distributed beyond this forum, hopefully you have some other avenues to spread the word! great job

[Wav-E]

sweet EP, I like it

[mbfrancis]

I agree with Benedict, it's nice to hear something that is organic, and not the usual EDM we hear over and over on RT. This deserves to be distributed beyond this forum, hopefully you have some other avenues to spread the word! great job

Thanks Mark, really appreciate it,means a lot. Just starting to promote it, so we'll see how it goes. Posting here was a start ha.

[Some Desperate Glory]

This is just fantastic stuff... reminds me so much of the music I listened to on LIVE 105 as a teenager in the late 80s/early 90s, and then again on KROQ as a young man. This could have been a huge EP 30 years ago. I'm hearing Trashcan Sinatras, James, a bit of the softer side of Material Issue, the Ocean Blue, and so on. Amazing work. 100% professional.

Bravo!

[teddymcw]

Wow, great stuff. Extremely refreshing and unique tho any music has elements of others so I can say that I heard a little reminiscence Counting Crows style in there as well but I've never heard a style quite like this and it's wonderful!

[mbfrancis]

This is just fantastic stuff... reminds me so much of the music I listened to on LIVE 105 as a teenager in the late 80s/early 90s, and then again on KROQ as a young man. This could have been a huge EP 30 years ago. I'm hearing Trashcan Sinatras, James, a bit of the softer side of Material Issue, the Ocean Blue, and so on. Amazing work. 100% professional.

Wow thanks so much, means a lot. Yeah you and I clearly had parallel childhood ha...I grew up on KROQ (I'm in OC). Loved TCS and James. Not sure if I should rejoice or cry at "[t]his could have been a huge EP 30 years ago."

Wow, great stuff. Extremely refreshing and unique tho any music has elements of others so I can say that I heard a little reminiscence Counting Crows style in there as well but I've never heard a style quite like this and it's wonderful!

Thanks, man, appreciated!

[Benedict]

Not sure if I should rejoice or cry at "[t]his could have been a huge EP 30 years ago."

I'd have no argument with it being a huge EP today. I just guess Carl knows that people may not be as open to honest music today as they were then.
I am seeing signs of that changing tho so don't be disheartened as if you can connect with the people who will support this (and it seems you found a few here) then you can grow with it.

[guitfnky]

fantastic work! I feel like I hear a bit of Death Cab mixed with Brit-pop (among other things), and it’s just a great sound. and the mix is

[Fotu]

Excellent! Like others, I agree it's great to hear this genre coming from Reason. Curious: how long did it take you to complete this work?

[mbfrancis]

I'd have no argument with it being a huge EP today. I just guess Carl knows that people may not be as open to honest music today as they were then.
I am seeing signs of that changing tho so don't be disheartened as if you can connect with the people who will support this (and it seems you found a few here) then you can grow with it.

Thanks, Benedict...yeah I'm sure it will resonate with someone, I'm just trying to figure out the best way to promote it.

fantastic work! I feel like I hear a bit of Death Cab mixed with Brit-pop (among other things), and it’s just a great sound. and the mix is

Yes yes 1000x yes -- DCFC + Britpop is totally where I'm coming from. Grateful I got good people to mix.

Excellent! Like others, I agree it's great to hear this genre coming from Reason. Curious: how long did it take you to complete this work?

Honestly, it took a long time...it's a whole story. I took 15 years off music and started writing and recording again like 8 years ago. Most of these songs were finished 3 years ago, I've just been paralyzed with fear to get them out. Fear of crickets, of no one giving a s&*t. Now that it's out, I'm afraid to promote it lol, to post on IG and FB about it, to post live performances. It's been almost a spiritual thing, working through this..it's a huge struggle for me...don't want to look stupid etc. (Any help/advice appreciated.) Good news is that I have a ton more songs coming, next EP coming in 5 mos...I haven't worked 8 years to do 6 songs ha.

Probably more info than you wanted but there you go.

[Fotu]

Honestly, it took a long time...it's a whole story. I took 15 years off music and started writing and recording again like 8 years ago. Most of these songs were finished 3 years ago, I've just been paralyzed with fear to get them out. Fear of crickets, of no one giving a s&*t. Now that it's out, I'm afraid to promote it lol, to post on IG and FB about it, to post live performances. It's been almost a spiritual thing, working through this..it's a huge struggle for me...don't want to look stupid etc. (Any help/advice appreciated.) Good news is that I have a ton more songs coming, next EP coming in 5 mos...I haven't worked 8 years to do 6 songs ha.

Probably more info than you wanted but there you go.

Well, IMHO it is not just good enough to fearlessly promote... it is good enough to create its own waves. Really, the writing (music and words) are great, good melody, and production that is so friendly to the ears. (FYI I used Spotify).

Yes, it echos some of those old bands (I'll add hints of 'The Producers' and 'Mike Greene' from looong ago), but it sounds fresh to my old ears.

Anyway, you've got a fan in me, and looking forward to your next releases.

(I don't have any advice, given I'm about 8 years behind you , other than the usual 'feel the fear and do it anyway'!)

[Some Desperate Glory]

Not sure if I should rejoice or cry at "[t]his could have been a huge EP 30 years ago."

Sorry if that came out wrong! I meant people are fickle and only really like what is presented to them as "modern". The music is stellar and you could definatley build a real following. And I hope you do! It's just it isn't going to get on MTV sadly (and 120 minutes is long gone...). I mean I feel like a couple of the 100s of songs I wrote are actually pretty good and could have been successful in the late 80s, but I know that times have changed. And that's OK.

[Benedict]

Most of these songs were finished 3 years ago, I've just been paralyzed with fear to get them out. Fear of crickets, of no one giving a s&*t. Now that it's out, I'm afraid to promote it lol, to post on IG and FB about it, to post live performances. It's been almost a spiritual thing, working through this..it's a huge struggle for me...don't want to look stupid etc. (Any help/advice appreciated.) Good news is that I have a ton more songs coming, next EP coming in 5 mos...I haven't worked 8 years to do 6 songs ha.

Never be afraid to talk about your "stuff". Hiding it won't help yet even typing/saying it helps it come clearer in your mind.

This may help: https://benedictroffmarsh.com/2018/02/0 ... -the-work/

[MannequinRaces]

Please pardon my language but I fucking LOVE this. I've loved Girl from Galway in all its incarnations over the years. One of my top five songs I've heard on ReasonTalk for sure. I play it frequently. I've got the full EP downloaded through Amazon Music and will give the whole thing a spin in the car tomorrow. Very proud of what you all have accomplished. The female vocals add a nice touch and the production on this is just superb.

[mbfrancis]

Wow, thanks for all the responses, guys.

@Fotu thanks so much. If a fan, please follow us on your favorite channel (or email)...we just recorded some live stuff yesterday, more to come.

@Carl no worries I know my stuff isn't super modern, glad you like it. I would love to know what bands today it *does* sound like...currently I'm going with Decembrists/Best COast/Dawes.

@Benedict that blog post is fantastic...so rich with helpful advice: "#5 is that the more product you have out there, the greater chance you have of jagging a new fan." Life is a funnel...we have no idea what is going to resonate with whom when. have to just get stuff out.

@MannequinRaces thanks so much! Yeah these songs are old ha, I'ev been workshopping them online for years. So so glad you dig it.

Thanks again all!

[Dabbler]

Hell yeah. This is great.

[mbfrancis]

Hell yeah. This is great.

Thanks, Dabbler!