“If You Care” – Post Modern Connection
There’s a refreshing Haircut 100 vibe to this sprightly romper with a melancholy undercurrent. Two guitars in interplay anachronistically drive us forward–crisp skittery guitar for the rhythm, a bright finger-picked guitar on top for the lead. I’m really connecting to the maturity of the sound here, and while I’m not even exactly sure what I mean by that, I’m guessing it’s to do with a few different details: the dusky tone of front man Tega Ovie’s wistful voice, delivered without electronic gimmickry; the aforementioned guitar work, which you’re not hearing much if any of in the music aimed at and consumed em masse by the TikTok generation; and also something in the lyrics, which seem at once simple and elusive and conjure a scenario that feels miles removed from the uncurbed rhyming and pouty relationship micro-management stories that infect pop music produced by and/or aimed at the aforementioned generation. On the one hand this is old guy talk; on the other hand, if musical standards have any long-term meaning, there is good reason to be dispirited by a lot of what’s out there getting millions of streams here in 2023. In this context, “mature” is a major compliment and breath of fresh air from a new-ish band.
Post Modern Connection is a duo from British Columbia, with Georges Nasrallah alongside Ovie. Theirs is a multicultural partnership–Ovie is from Nigeria, Nasrallah from Lebanon. PMC used to be a larger band but they seem to have reduced post-COVID. “If You Care” is a single released in September. Post Modern Connection has one EP under their belts, 2021’s Clustered Umbrella, and a second one coming out in November, entitled A Welcome Change, which is where you’ll find “If You Care.”
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