Of Pirates and Plums
Images of brazen pirates and sunken treasure bubble up from the sand. Shipwreck, Scarborough, ME. Photo by Finn Kennedy.
Over the last few summers, my family and friends and I have found ourselves in Maine. We spend a week along the Atlantic amid the sun and sand, wind and waves, and, often, fog and drizzle in the same coastal town. On our first visit, our curious lot set out exploring one early evening, wandering the quiet streets to their sandy terminus at the beach. As we walked away from the summer cottages and electric lights, we got ever closer to something unusual…a large wooden, ramshackle spine sticking out of the sand. Holy crap, a shipwreck! Iconic images of swashbuckling pirates—of the Johnny Depp-Jack Sparrow variety—sunken treasure, and general hijinks popped in our heads. We wondered if we were the first to see this ancient ship.
Alas, when we got back to the computer, we discovered quickly that the shipwreck was indeed well known. The wreck of the Howard W. Middleton has been half buried in its muddy grave and delighting plucky beachgoers since 1897. Even the street leading to the beach is named “Shipwreck,” which would have been a dead giveaway had we noticed it. ‘Tis a rock and wicked thick fog that took out the Middleton, no marauding pirates were involved. All of the schooner’s crew members made it safely off the ship, walking out of the fog and into local folklore forever.
This midsummer Plum Indie pick is much like the Scarborough shipwreck, though this time I am actively seeking out discovery. I want new and diverse voices to add to my indie library. I want to hear a fresh take on the indie sound I love, even if I’m not the first to lay ears on it. I do some digging and find what I am looking for in the Entity article “5 Women of Color Who Are Making Waves in Indie Music” by Tashfina Rahman. I am intrigued by the indie musicians who Rahman profiles and I randomly choose Asli Omar, lead vocalist of the Houston-based band The Tontons, as my starting point. I venture upon The Tontons’ 2014 album "Make Out King and Other Stories of Love” and this discovery is what I imagine it’s like to have your shovel connect with a golden box of coins after digging away all day. The album is a treasure trove of cool indie tunes and The Tontons, made up of Omar as lead vocalist, bassist Tom Nguyen, guitarist Adam Martinez, and drummer Justin Martinez, have created a really interesting sound.
“When Omar sings, “Me, I’m the pirate girl, drink all your wine,” I’m transported back to our beach vacation—of ocean tides and sand and mired ships.”
I’m immediately drawn to “Wild Kind,” a beautiful, lilting song that is resplendent in grit and sass. For the first few measures, it’s just Omar’s incredible, distinctive voice and Martinez’ guitar with a sort of bubbling, underwater effect setting the space. When Omar sings, “Me, I’m the pirate girl, drink all your wine,” I’m transported back to our beach vacation—of ocean tides and sand and mired ships. Now, I have new pirate images to go along with the Jack Sparrow ones…of brazen women pirates kicking ass, taking names, and draining wine cellars. When the drums and bass come in, I’m already happily along for this high-seas adventure ride.
Does it diminish our shipwreck enthusiasm at all to not be the first to stumble upon the wreck of the Middleton? Nope. Does it make it any less refreshing and exciting to discover The Tontons’s “Wild Kind” after the song has been out there for a few years? Not at all. According to their website, The Tontons will have a new album out soon. I hope this is true because this band is a shiny, bright gem. “Wild Kind” is definitely worth a listen; add this delicious plum pick to your playlist.