Small Pockets Fires Off a Quaint Summer Bop with New Single ‘good reason’

Atlanta-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Joe Kirby, also known as Small Pockets, broke onto the scene in January with his debut single 'Mavalene', an electronic, spacey, mid-tempo indie-pop tribute to his grandmother. Pulling from a similar musical cloth, 

Kirby's new single ‘good reason’ is comparably lighter and embodies a more youthful vigor; taking on finding interesting things to do over the summer. 

Coming in at just under two minutes, 'good reason' is a brisk, dancy portrait of adolescent summer downtime.

The track simmers to life with an arpeggiated pattern over a static synth before the drums usher in a bright and infectious lead guitar riff. Kirby comes in shortly after with a spacey delivery of the first few verses, setting the scene: "Hole in the Screen Door, hot as can be / HVAC is shot and we've got no means / Bellies are full of meal deal 3's". 

The lyrics go on to describe the process of moving to a new town, making new friends and trying to find ways to distract yourself from the heat of the summer ("Ads up on Craigslist, make some new friends / Cruise down the highway, tan my skin"). Interspersed between the verses is the aforementioned bright and catchy guitar riff, enhancing the chilled yet exuberant nature of the music and topic. After the final verse comes a small acoustic bridge over the recurring backing melody before a lively synth solo simmers the track back down into ambient noise.

All in all, 'good reason' is a fantastic indie-pop song that takes inspiration from acts like Grouplove, MGMT, and Beach House. Despite being released towards the end of winter, it would make a great addition to any upcoming summer playlist.

 

Kenneth Butcher

@kazu_kb 

Image: 'good reason' Official Single Cover (PRESS)