In a time of great confusion and frustration, Seattle’s PRETTY AWKWARD strives to unite misfits everywhere with the power of music.
When Jackie DeShannon sang “What The World Needs Now is Love” back in 1965, the planet was a mess. America was fighting itself, the war in Vietnam was escalating, and the space race was in full swing. 2020 has less talk of space, and the war has changed, but chaos continues to reign. Our need for love has evolved into a need for community, which PRETTY AWKWARD is trying to offer through their unique sound.
PRETTY AWKWARD exists to defy classification. The Seattle-based band blends elements of their many genre influences into every song they create. Some are more rock-oriented, while others are bombastic pop offerings meant to move hearts and feet in perfect time. The result is a sonic exploration of the possibilities that arise when people choose to express themselves to the fullest extent. If you want to know the members of this band, their music will tell you everything, and that’s the kind of transparency people want from musicians today.
On this episode of Inside Music, host James Shotwell speaks with Austin Held over Zoom. Austin tells James about his experiences during COVID, the story behind PRETTY AWKWARD’s new single “Misfits,” and how the current pandemic is informing his creativity. The pair also lament the lack of live music, which seems to be a recurring theme on our show.
