Australian-born LA-based artist Wons Phreely releases retro indie pop track “Restless to Run” for our enjoyment.
The singer-songwriter has released the Bowie-inspired song on Spotify, Deezer and on YouTube in the form of an aesthetic music video.
The catchy intro and repeating synth/guitar hook remind us of 70s and early 80s music such as The Who’s Baba O’Riley and Bowie’s Ashes to Ashes.
Falsetto vocals sing of a nostalgic coming-of-age story, leading us into a restless pre-chorus building up to a dreamy yet upbeat chorus.
“I’d like to dedicate this song to the spirit of embracing failure.”, Wons says on the song. “That’s what I connect to in rock and roll. I wrote it after the passing of David Bowie. I actually found myself crying a little, which is something I’ve never done over the passing of a famous person. It felt almost like the end of an era when artists could experiment, and still be accepted by pop culture, with no consideration for commercial results. Just self expression on who they are and how they felt. Bowie’s first few albums completely flopped, and yet an industry and the public still supported him until he had formed his musical identity and began to connect through a very personal expression of who he was. Same goes for artists like Springsteen, Prince and Elton, who were failures for their first couple of records, but carried on anyway in a time when music was not so much an industry. And these artists arrived at some truly unique styles and self-expression that still resonates today. Time is a tricky one. It’s about learning who you are as you grow into yourself. Bowie made me want to make music thats fun, camp, glamours and sexy.”
The music video has a strong aesthetic, featuring Wons drumming and singing in a yellow t-shirt on a yellow background with cutaways to sunny LA suburbs and retro cars. The song’s impact is heightened by the accompanying clip’s suburban angst. “I wanted the video to feel like simpler times,” Wons says. “It was deliberately shot with a lo-fi approach using a handheld iPhone with no lenses or smooth, stabilized shots. The aim was to convey innocence and romanticism—a longing you can only really capture and express through music.”
Listen to the track now on Spotify:
Watch the music video on YouTube:
Find out more about Wons Freely on Instagram and his website.
Track added to the Indie Gems Spotify playlist.
Andy is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and sound engineer.