May 14 min read

Lonely Little Kitsch - Stuck in Place... Or Are They??

Cover Art Photo Credit: Alex Heidbuechel

By: Jay Broderick

Toronto, ON – Ahhhhh…. new music! Yes, we all love the stuff we grew up listening to. The songs during our coming of age will forever hold a special place in our hearts and will always be a part of our musical repertoire. Despite how many times we’ve heard our favourite tracks, we never seem to be able to get enough. But at one point, that music was new, wasn’t it? It’s why I’m always on the lookout for more. We haven’t even heard some of the best music of our lives yet. This gold is just waiting to be discovered.

Here at the magazine, we receive a fair amount of new music promos from publicists. We even have bands reach out to us directly, all with their creations, in hopes for a listen, and a little blurb in our humble publication. Unfortunately, we just can’t get to it all, but we definitely have a place in our hearts for local music, whether they be seasoned veterans or brand new on the scene. And sometimes, a band just hits the right cords, and they simply cannot be ignored.

It was just over a year ago that a band reached out to us here at the magazine with their debut single. The band was Niagara’s Lonely Little Kitsch, and the track was called “The New Scene” which had been opening up some ears. The song was gaining airtime on Sportsnet’s broadcasts of National Hockey League games, and is still receiving radio airplay now. Even the band's second single "Monster" replaced "The New Scene" as the NHL opening montage on Sportsnet. These are such a great tracks that we'd be remiss if we didn't check out the duo of Kristen Goetz and Nolan Jodes' 3rd offering.

Kristen Goetz & Nolan Jodes of Lonely Little Kitsch

Stuck in Place

"Stuck in Place" is the title of the band's newest offering. With the new track, Kristen and Nolan pull the mood down in a song that has the world passing by the singer who is stuck in the same old mundane town. Just going through the same old motions while the rest of the people have moved on to much bigger adventures. At least that's how it appears.

A slow acoustic strum introduces the track. The beat takes hold once the musical accompaniment from drums and bass guitar kick in. You recognize the rhythm and tempo that is going to set the mood over the next 4 and a half minutes, but the feeling really takes hold once Kristen Goetz's smoky vocals come through.

This song has a much more somber feel than the band's first 2 singles. I picture myself sitting alone in a dark, smoke filled tavern. The same old characters coming and going. Some sit alone at the other end of the bar, some give a nod of recognition as if to say "Hello!". I look back down at my glass and lift the elixir to my lips.

Goetz's partner Nolan Jodes offers vocal harmonies throughout the track, but it's just before the 3 minute mark where the the tempo begins to build. Goetz and Jodes reverse roles as Jodes takes over the vocals as Kristen vocalises with "oohs" and "aahs". I somehow think of Canada's master of poetry, Leonard Cohen's voice, during this section of Nolan's vocals. 30 seconds later, Goetz's smokiness returns, and Jodes offers some "ooomph" during the line "the world keeps burning".

Despite the lyrical content with its seemingly discontent for the plight of the writer's situation of being stuck in their hometown, the band claims that it really isn't about that. As a means to contradict, the song's video is a montage video driving through their hometown of St. Catherine's, Ontario. Perhaps the song is more of a wakeup call. Stop comparing yourself to everybody else. Especially in this world of social media, where everybody seemingly is living the best life ever. The reality of course is that the overwhelming majority of people have the same day to day struggles that we all have, and the real story behind the posts are drastically different. To bring it back to living in a "one-horse town", home will always be home. In a recent X Ambassadors show that I covered for Digital Beat Magazine last week, the band's singer Sam Harris speaks about leaving your hometown, and how it rarely turns out the way you had hoped. At the end of the day, there's no place like home!

While there is admittedly (sadly in fact) not a ton of music in the artists catalogue yet, Lonely Little Kitsch seem to effortlessly create catchy, memorable music. It's no easy feat, I'm sure. But they have the gift! "Stuck in Place" is another great track from the band, and super easy to listen to. It'll make you feel. It'll make you tap your toes and nod your head. And it'll make you hit repeat, at least a couple times!