Single: Get You Good
Artist: Stroamata
In the rough times, music can be a wonderful way to cope with intense feelings. Stroamata appears to recognize this need for music to comfort us during the ups and downs of our lives, and their latest single seeks to remind us of our internal strength that we sometimes forget we have. However, when simply listening to the song as a recording, “Get You Good” didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
Inspired by Radiohead, The Doors, and The White Stripes, Stroamata seeks to push the boundaries of rock and roll, and create a new genre of rock music.
Formed in Boston, Stroamata played many different venues around the city during the early 2000s. By the time they had released their first album, Things Left Lying Around, in 2008, they had fine-tuned their sound and were comfortable playing together live on stage. Since 2008, they have released a second album, and moved to New York City, where they continue to play many live shows.
I feel that perhaps their comfort with playing live shows is something that fails to be captured when they record a song. Stroamata’s single “Get You Good” is comprised of strong lyrics with equally strong music. The guitar is dramatic and the drums are hypnotizing, but the song failed to capture my imagination. I listened to it several times, and I couldn’t feel the spark of emotion between the singing and music, even though this song is intended to be very emotional.
I checked out another one of Stroamata’s singles, “Anything”, and found the same thing. The lyrics were full of emotion, speaking of the darker side of love that is infected with desperation and obsession, and the music brilliantly accompanied the singing. But once again, my imagination wasn’t captured.
I decided to watch their video for the single “Dollar“. After watching the video, I understood why the other songs failed to capture my attention. Stroamata’s music is both an audio and visual experience. The lead singer emphasizes her singing with her body language and facial expressions, something that we obviously can’t hear. And the guitar, drum, and bass playing is more than creating music, the musicians also appear to be vivid entertainers that put all of their emotion into their playing. After realizing that Stroamata is best enjoyed live, or at least in a recorded video, I adjusted my initial impression of “Get You Good” and “Anything,” trying to imagine how the songs would be performed by the band.
The songs have their charms, but I think that seeing Stroamata live on stage would help me gain a better understanding and appreciation of their music. Unfortunately, Stroamata is only playing in New York at the moment. But if you happen to find yourself in that city, like rock music, and have a chance to see Stroamata perform live, I have a feeling that the show would be one to remember.
Samantha Stevens is an aspiring writer who loves combining her love for literature with photography, painting, music, and all creative pursuits.
