Perhaps to offset the exhausting political season, 2024 has delivered a bumper crop of simply irresistible bangers that have transcended musical genres. Taylor Swift wasn’t the only artist Gen Alphas and Baby Boomers could agree upon, as Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and Chappell Roan owned the summer, the same way Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, and Beyonce dominated Spring. Sitting out the fray this year were rock and pop’s most reliable lads, as Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Ed Sheeran are all between album cycles. That’s why “Used to It”, the latest single by NYC’s NOSHOWS, is such a welcome and epic arrival as we bust out the spiced lattes and wander through foliage.
NOSHOWS is to singer/guitarist Max Satow what The Pretenders is to Chrissie Hynde and Tame Impala is to Kevin Parker – a brand, a band, and a playground for his recordings and a live show that can range from a 1-2 person act to an explosive full band performance. In just over a year, he’s cemented NOSHOWS as an East Coast phenomenon, dazzling audiences at Bowery Electric, Mercury Lounge, Milkboy, and several intimate events staged by UK tastemakers Sofar Sounds.
“‘Used to It’ is about dealing with loss and adapting to new normals,” Max tells us. “It seems like some days the only thing we can count on is change, so we have to find ways to cope and navigate life in positive and healthy ways.” Max’s family founded The Jed Foundation, a non-profit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults, providing skills and support many teens need to thrive. It was inspired by and named after his uncle, who years ago took his own life.
On his own, Max created a mental health community called Magnify the Mind to educate and advocate for those who need emotional support. “As someone who has dealt with anxiety, I know how hard it is to come to terms with situations that are out of our control. I hope this song helps to remind people that we’ve all been through situations like these.”
Max co-produced NOSHOWS’ prolific studio output with Marc Swersky, co-writer of Joe Cocker’s track on the bajillion selling soundtrack to The Bodyguard. Marc has produced countless Popdose favorite acts over the years, including Gedeon Luke and the People, The Gray Vines, and current Brazilian superstar Ashley Delima (now known as Unna X). Marc tells us ‘Used to It’ will kick off a planned 6-track Tightrope EP song cycle that will last through Spring 2025.
While NOSHOWS’ 2023 debut EP, Wants and Needs, showcased incredible potential, Tightrope is nothing but dazzling payoff – fully performed, produced and packaged for radio play from Z100 in New York to KROQ in LA, not to mention the Alt Nation and Spectrum channels on Sirius XM, so let’s hope these stations add it soon. More likely, the path from here to there will include NME, Later… with Jools Holland, BBC Radio 1, and Top of the Pops because UK audiences are quite often more adventurous and better primed to be early adopters of fresh talent from the States. Then again, these days a single TikTok video could go viral and break this artist worldwide, so we’ll see how this plays out.
“For the ‘Used to It’ video, we really wanted to capture the idea that even the most difficult life changes can bring about new growth and goodness,” said director Brielle Brown. “When you’re stuck in that space between a closed door and one that’s not quite open enough to walk through, it’s hard to have a wide-lens view. But eventually, we find our way to new beginnings.”
When this writer first listened to an advance copy of the full Tightrope EP, I was teleported back to a High Fidelity moment I experienced a decade earlier at Easy Street Records in Seattle, when they put on the self-titled Delta Spirit album. Then and now, I was absolutely blown away by a series of songs I could not have imagined ever living without before. Hopefully there’s no security footage of me having a quasi spiritual experience as I grooved throughout the store as each new track unfurled. NOSHOWS and Delta Spirit singer Matthew Vasquez share a vocal tenor and creative spirit, which is what plunged my jaw to the floor upon first listen to both records. When I played the track for a friend, their reaction was “this is the BEST SONG Harry Styles never recorded” and I couldn’t agree more.
Further listening:
Connect with NOSHOWS on Instagram.
Video credits:
- Producer: Brielle Brown
- Directors: Brielle Brown & Kirby Sybert
- Cinematography & Edit: Kirby Sybert
Still images by Shervin Lainez. Tightrope EP artwork by Story & Bone.
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