Corker and the Venn Diagram of Genre
Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network
Show Name: Buried on Bandcamp
Episode Title: Corker and the Venn Diagram of Genre
Episode #1
You are listening to Buried on Bandcamp the podcast with your host Taylor.
In this episode of Buried on Bandcamp the Podcast, we discuss the band Corker, their album Falser Truths, and the fluidity of genre.
Segment 1: Corker
In this first segment, I talk about a band I’ve discovered recently by the name of Corker.
- Hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, under the record label Future Shock
- Their first full release, an EP titled A Bell That Seems To Mourn, was released on September 3, 2021
A Bell That Seems to Mourn was labeled under the punk, coldwave, industrial, post-punk, and synthpunk genres. Keep that in mind, because it’s going to connect to what I talk about later. I do like ABTSTM a lot, but it’s not my favorite of their two albums. https://futureshockrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/a-bell-that-seems-to-mourn
Segment 2: Falser Truths
After nearly exactly two years of radio silence from Corker, on September 1st of 2023, they presented their second release and their first actual album, called Falser Truths. This was how I discovered the band- I saw the album was recently released and I thought the album cover was cool, so I listened and enjoyed it. My personal favorite on the album is Seeking, Marching- not only do I simply like the sound, I also like how well it combines two genres.
https://futureshockrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/falser-truths
Segment 3: Seeking, Marching
Seeking, Marching is a very fun song for me because of how well it blends two genres that granted, are pretty close to begin with, but to hear so clearly in the same song- it’s very cool to me. The song opens with some kind of instrument, I’m not sure what it is, but it has such a unique sound it grips you in immediately. After that, the bass and some miscellaneous electronic noises come in, then the guitar and drums come in, and finally, the deep and buried yet still powerful vocals arrive last. Now, on Bandcamp, for Falser Truth’s genres, it is listed under punk, coldwave, darkwave, post-punk, and punk rock. I’ll admit it- I’m not the most knowledgeable with identifying genre. I was specifically curious about coldwave and darkwave listed. I didn’t know what either of them was- darkwave I only know from music I like that’s been labeled as such, but I didn’t know what it entailed. And coldwave I’d never heard of. So I looked it up.
- Coldwave is distinguished by its emphasis on electronics and simplistic approach.
- Darkwave, on the other hand, is characterized by its heavy, emotional lyrics and minor key tonality.
I recognized all of these traits in Seeking, Marching! It made me feel clever for realizing it, and it made me realize how clever the song really was. This realization made the song and the album all the more enjoyable.
Music Credits:
- Breezy – mandimore
- Silver Key – Corker
- The Cold Air – Corker
- Seeking, Marching – Corker