I’m a firm believer that the musicians and the artists of today are much more skilled compared to when I was starting 2 decades ago. You have all the resources you need, hence the game right now is being authentic. Let me introduce you to The Iddy Biddies and their sophomore album, “The World Inside,” and read why discipline and authenticity is key.
‘It’s Just a Show’ started with this colorful acoustic guitar lick that perfectly sets up the overall feel of the whole album. I specifically like the bass line because of its bouncy and playful cadence. When I initially listened to it, I knew that I was going to be deep into that Americana indie folk pop ride, and honestly, It didn’t disappoint because of how catchy the hook is.
‘Mr. September’ didn’t waste anytime and decided to hook us up with that trippy/psychedelic chorus hook that shows The Iddy Biddies Beatles influence. Even in the initial listen, the influence is already imprinted in the music. There’s a specific section where the bass lick is positioned at the center front of the track, which is a great move because it perfectly highlights that p-bassy mid-scooped tone.
‘Follow You Anywhere’ started with this chorus effect infused with a bit of overdrive guitar lick that doesn’t sting but perfectly captures the overall heart of the track, followed by that Motown/Americana bass line that sounds and feels jumpy, but is the right fit. This track feels and sounds like a track that would be a soundtrack to a 90s rom-com movie.
The title track of the album, ‘The World Inside,’ is Americana indie pop. It doesn’t have that huge and over-the-top arrangement, but what it has is soul. Storytelling through lyricism and simplicity, and that’s what made this genre great. You have to be disciplined enough to serve the song in its entirety.
I specifically like the chord progression used in ‘Believers.’ It’s front and center, and it has a story. I think it’s just me, but having a minor chord as a root note is either it’s just a minor third and major first, or it has an incredible progression, and by far, The Iddy Biddies was able to execute that very well.
The sixth track, ‘Love Wonders Why,’ has this Motown-ish bass line that works perfectly with that drum pattern. The chorus hook is catchy because of it’s minor chord feel which is very unusual. Most commonly, chorus hooks are geared towards a major chord, but on this one, we get a taste of how articulate The Iddy Biddies are with songwriting.
The main highlight of the track, ‘Fortunate Sons, ’ is the bass line. It carried the whole track because of its progressive yet chill feel. That’s a great testament to how great a player is. If it sounds too easy, even though there are a lot of things happening, it means the player is already in that master level.
‘Strange World’ sounds like a track that was created in the Beatles era because of its crawling-like drum pattern, the overall feel and sound of the mix, and the overall progression of the track. ‘Whispered Things’ highlights its groovy indie pop influences because of how the bass is played. I think that’s what made this album special. The bass is the main indicator of how the song would work, and for that, I bow down.
The chorus hook on ‘Words You Like To Say’ is it’s center piece. It’s wordy, and at times, the melody sounds bouncy, but it works well because out of everything that I’ve heard in this album, this hook got stuck in my head, and that’s the power of great songwriting, while on the other hand, ‘In Heaven’s Lobby’ feels rushed because out of all the songs in this album, this track is by far has the fastest tempo which is why again, it feels rushed.
“The World Inside” by the Berklee-based indie collective, The Iddy Biddies, is what Americana indie pop should sound like. I don’t have a comment skill-wise because anyone in this day and age can play, but to write and produce an album in that genre is like playing chess in a game of checkers.
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About the Author
He has been in the music industry for two and a half decades. Currently, he plays bass guitar for a rock-reggae band called EnjointPh and a funk-fusion trio called Banky. He also hosts a podcast titled Usapang Musiko with Ervin Besana, which explores topics such as music, arts, and philosophy.
