“Five Years” is the excellent debut single from Toronto-based band Fjord Mustang. Hazy guitars and laid-back vocals construct a quaint introduction, perking up alongside a yearning hook and the punctuating, melodic “it’s irrelevant,” rise. The jangly guitar procession approaching the two-minute mark is also particularly catching, parts Johnny Marr in the yearning guitar tones, all while gravitating to a more upbeat pop fervor — more in the vein of Neko Case-fronted New Pornographers tracks. “Five Years” shows superbly hooky songwriting and crisp production from Fjord Mustang, whose upcoming releases I’m certainly anticipating now.
“This is a song about the hesitation of finding your own voice and confidence to speak up,” the band says. “It’s difficult, but if you do the hard thing, you won’t be haunted with regret years later.”
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“Five Years” and other memorable tracks from this month can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of October 2021’ Spotify playlist.
The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Indie Rock.
Fjord Mustang’s 3rd single – Fortune, released December 17 – is equally stirring.