The undisputed leader of the 2010 UW campus music revival is the Nod. And that's not just because vocalist/guitarist Brett Newski has made a hobby of promoting undergraduate bands.
As Easy, Maverick shows, the Nod's energetic party rock captures the vibe of the movement. All the while, the lyrics document the sometimes delirious, sometimes sobering life of a swaggering Wisconsin student-musician.
"She's a Wreck" is a flirtatious and rambunctious rock song that sneers at a sexy, sloppy journalism coed who calls "just to get with my friends."
Then there's the problem of figuring out what to do when you grow up. "Vinyl Blues" stares down the disappointment of a young musician who knows there's no money in the business. "You're scratched up if you can't get paid for what you like," sings Newski.
The Nod are keenly aware of the freedom of youth, and ultimately, they celebrate it. "Naked in Public" is a blast of melodic garage rock that acknowledges today's playfulness as tomorrow's irresponsibility. "You can't do this stuff at 40," Newski sings.
Easy, Maverick is what being a college student sounds like.
