The Moss - Alive
Picture this: the year is 2015 in Oahu, Hawaii. Two teenage friends, Tyke and Addison, spend their days surfing the lavish waters of the North Pacific. In between surf sessions, the duo decides to play music for the local diners and taco trucks, unknowingly building something that would eventually lead to a full band with over four hundred thousand monthly listeners on Spotify alone. Now, this may sound like a great plot for a coming of age film but in fact, is it a real story showcasing none other than The Moss.
The Moss, as I briefly mentioned, is a band that first began on the shores of Oahu, Hawaii, between friends Tyke James (vox/guitar) and Addison Sharp (guitar) in 2015. By 2018, the duo morphed into a four piece band thanks to new additions Willie Fowler (drums) and Brierton Sharp (bass) and the group left the beaches of Hawaii for The Beehive State, settling in the grand city of Salt Lake City, Utah. They climbed their way up the ladder by playing classic venues such as Kilby Court and now just before they’re due to kick off their summer tour, The Moss has released a single titled Alive.
Much like the group’s overall origin story, Alive fits right in an indie movie’s soundtrack. It is rejuvenating with the carelessness of summer time that balances with the heartbreak of being; making for a song that’s both easy on the ears and deep in meaning. Tyke (and the rest of his band members) takes us listeners through a pensive telling of what I always call a “mid-youth crisis” (shoutout to Hozier for giving that a name).
Essentially, it is that era that many face within their early 20s of uncertainty. Why are we here? What is my purpose? Do I have anything to show for what I’ve done with my days so far? What does it all mean? It’s a very daunting thing to go through and Tyke manages to perfectly capture the back and forth of it all through lines such as “Hey, hey, look at me, a promising young person. Did I ever feel alive?” (chorus), “It's been a while since I felt my heartbeat beating. Been a while since I felt my age. Took me a while, but threw that shit away. I'm getting better every day (Getting better every day). Maybe a little more afraid” (verse 2), and “All this time I wanted feeling but I ran, I ran, I ran. Did I ever feel alive? 'Cause this makes me feel alive” (bridge).
Apart from the lyrical content and value of Alive, the instrumentals are just as in-your-face. Fowler’s presence on the kit in specific is an extremely potent element of the song that drives it to heights of expertise. In fact, the entire rhythm section is worth writing about because Sharp (Brierton) is just as commanding on the bass throughout this song. With the amalgamation of styles each instrumentalist brings to the table, The Moss truly radiates with remnants of inspirations like Cage the Elephant, The Backseat Lovers, Briston Maroney, and the up-and-coming Sunroom.
Post-Alive, The Moss has mighty plans for this upcoming concert season. They have their summer tour this month where they will play shows along the east coast in cities such as Charleston, Pensacola, Amagansett, and others, some of which will be performances opening for Flipturn. Furthermore, they have a headlining tour that kicks off this fall in Denver that will carry on until the end of October alongside supporting acts Cannons and Hey, Nothing. That tour will not only hit cities such as Columbus and Madison but also overseas destinations like Leeds, London, and more.