Home Music Forstory, Song of the Day: "Daylight"
Forstory, Song of the Day: "Daylight"
Local Indianapolis band Forstory just advanced in the Battle of the Bands after last night's performance, so this one's for them.
This week we've been taking a look at some of the new bands that have been popping up in Indy recently, and have already covered quite a few of the new releases we've seen in 2020. But there's something more immediate and satisfying about the Battle of the Bands, that we couldn't go without at least mentioning it. The Battle of the Bands is taking place at The Hi-F in Fountain Square every Wednesday this month, and on until it's done. Out of twenty-four competing bands, only one will win $10,000 and a touring van.
Forstory just got one step closer to that grand prize last night, when they took first place after an audience vote. As another way of congratulating them, we'll be looking at their song, "Daylight" today.
But before we get into our song of the day, here's a little more information on Forstory, for anyone who's either unfamiliar with them, or just a little curious.
Forstory
Forstory is an Indie Pop band from Indianapolis, Indiana. On September 15th, 2018, Forstory released its debut single, "You Don't Get Me," laying the groundwork for the band's blend of diverse styles and sounds into catchy hooks and thoughtful songwriting. Since then, they've continued to make quite the splash in Indianapolis, releasing a total of six singles over the course of the year.
Comprised of singer Sydney Frank, drummer/producer Michael Slonim, guitarist Cole Chavez, bassist Gordon Housman, and saxophonist Drew Montgomery, Forstory exploded onto the Indianapolis music scene with their debut at New Faces Night at Hi-Fi on April 13th, 2019.
Yesterday, Forstory competed in the Battle of the Bands hosted at The Hi-Fi. They ended up winning the first round of semifinals last night, and will be advancing along with Jake Schlegel, who came in second place. Be sure to go see them play for the next round.
"Daylight" is one of the leading singles that Forstory released last year. And as good as it is, it'd be surprising if you didn't hear it during the Battle of the Bands. The song kicks off with a heavy synth and serene vocals from Sydney Frank, with some finger snaps added in to make you think you're listening to a Lorde song. Montgomery's smooth sax also flutters in to mirror Frank's melody.
But what makes the song for me personally is Chavez's infectiously groovy riff. The tone on it is perfectly gritty, and contrasts well with Montgomery's sax. It sounds like the riff is just ripping through the record. Of course it helps that all of it syncs up with the drums and piano, which provide nice accents.
One of my favorite parts in the song comes in as a little inserted joke toward the end. As the outro reaches a climax, the music cuts out abruptly. And while you may think you're about to get another version of that sick riff, instead you just get these words spoken through a voice changer, "Cole looks like Michael Pena". Then the riff comes online, this time with a short, supporting sax solo (that honestly could have gone on for longer, and I would have loved it even more).
With everything about "Daylight" that works so well, be sure not to sleep on Frank's vocals. Throughout the track, she demonstrates an incredible amount of range, power, and control over her voice. Not only that, but you can feel the emotion in her tone, which only gives more power to the poignant lyrics. "We broke each other with no intention / Innocence learned a brand new lesson / We broke each other with no intention / But here we are / The day is ending".
Overall, I think that "Daylight" is a fantastic song that deserves a lot more attention. Hopefully this year we'll see a full length album from Forstory, because I really want to hear more. Forstory is a band that has their sound down, as well as their craft. That's a rare thing from a band just starting out, but it bodes well for the rest of their career.
I don't know every band that's competing in the Battle of the Bands, but based only on "Daylight", my money's on Forstory to take it all. But we'll see how it shakes out.
If you enjoyed listening to Forstory's song, "Daylight", you can listen to more of them by visiting them on Spotify To find out more about the band, you can find them on Facebook, or go to their website.
Finally, for more coverage on the local Indy music scene, be sure to check out the LemonWire Music Corner, where we're showcasing local artists from the Indianapolis community.
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Paul Taylor is a freelance writer based out of Indianapolis.
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