Bronze "Bronze"
From Under the Radar Magazine:
Chicago indie band Bronze are set to debut their self-titled LP, a record that hearkens back to a bygone breezy and sun-dappled era of AM radio pop. Band members Dylan Ryan, Scott McGaughey, and Nic Johns are all veterans of the indie rock underground, having played with bands like The Motels, Cursive, Ben Lee, Red Krayola, and Man Man, but found themselves wanting to pursue a pop experiment. They were united by a shared love of the soft rock and yacht rock of the ‘70s like Roxy Music, Robin Gibb, and Steely Dan.
The band created Bronze as an attempt to evoke those influences, playing with sleek studio craftsmanship on a DIY budget. They have been sharing a series of new singles from the record this year, “Jewelry is Magic,” “Light on Shadow,” and “Grand Canyon,” and today they’re back with a final taste of the album, “Mezzanine,” premiering with Under the Radar.
Their latest singles have further proven the band as devotees of vintage radio pop, with each track playing with a slightly different tone. “Jewelry Is Magic” was flashy and catchy while “Light On Shadow” and “Grand Canyon” felt lithe and airy. “Mezzanine” immerses the band in a similarly kitschy retro pop veneer, but pulls them in a simmering nocturnal direction, akin to bands like The Blue Nile. The track pulses with subtle bass grooves, weaving luxuriant funk undercurrents amongst the sleek guitar licks and drum machine beat. The results feel exceedingly smooth and effortlessly playful, offering the sort of easygoing charm born from a studied love of the band’s influences.