Off His Upcoming June LP, We’re Premiering The Latest Single From The March Divide — A’90s Pop Rock-Inspired Track That’ll Help You Believe In Better Days.

Welcome to Song of the Day, where we hip you to all the new local releases you should be caring about. By highlighting one new North Texas-sprung tune every week day, our hope is that you’ll find something new to love about the rich and abundant DFW music scene five days a week. 

The March Divide – “I’m Not Perfect” [Exclusive Premiere]
RIYL: the ides of March
What else you should know: Fort Worth-based Jared Putnam has a soft spot for ’90s pop rock. Performing as The March Divide for a number of years, his sixth LP, Lost Causes, is due out in June. He’s currently on tour all over Texas and surrounding states, and we’re honored we get to premiere his latest single, “I’m Not Perfect.”

The 10-song Lost Causes finds Putnam backed by bassist Ernie Garcia and drummer Jason West. Together with noted producer Mike Major, they made a love letter for 1990s rock bands like the Gin Blossoms, Counting Crows, Tonic and Sister Hazel with a hint of Cheap Trick. (Major once worked for the Gin Blossoms, by the way.) And you hear this mix all over the pleading “I’m Not Perfect,” which is a few seconds longer than three minutes.

Putnam tries to have a sense of humor about how grim life can be, especially in the last few years. If the world will end, there should be some laughing. And that goes into him writing upbeat tunes with lyrics about isolation and inner demons.

“Writing sad songs about utter loneliness comes very naturally to me,” he said in his press release. “These kinds of songs are very therapeutic for me to write.”

Written from the perspective of addressing the dark stuff so others who feel this way don’t feel alone, Putnam sounds like a guy who wants to be open about his struggles. That’s a more grounded way of being honest, and not playing the sad-guy routine for sympathy.

“I’m Not Perfect” might be an open nod to the 1990s rock that was on the radio a lot after Kurt Cobain died, but it doesn’t sound like a retread. Compare it with songs from August and Everything After or New Miserable Experience and it sounds inspired, but not taking direct lifts from those records.

So enjoy the sounds of the March Divide and toast to better days ahead.

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