David Petty- Curiosity

David Petty

Curiosity
self-released; 2019

​4.0 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

David Petty is a musician from Olympia, Washington who recently released Curiosity. Petty has a background in engineering and decided to make a complete DIY project. On his Bandcamp page he states, “This indie rock album presents memories of a marooned astronaut who reflects upon in his last moments of life.” That topic seems like it would be awfully depressing but the music was surprisingly upbeat.

​He opens with the title track “Curiosity” which is indicative of the type of style you will hear throughout the album. The music did remind me of bands like The Strokes, Local Natives and a couple of other like minded bands. There are some synths which provide some atmosphere on this song but the main elements were guitar, bass, drums and of course vocals. It’s a catchy song and really well done from beginning to end.

Up next is “Mostly Harmless” which is another really well written song. There is a tiny bit of ’50s pop thing going on during the bridge but the influence from The Strokes seemed most noticeable on this song.

“Satellite” might be the highlight. The synths are a little more upfront in this song and I thought the subtle build to the memorable chorus was well implemented. “Poltergeist” is very chill and contains a groove that you can slowly sway to while the single worthy “Octopoda” picks up the energy while continuing to deliver catchy melodies. “Cattle” has a slightly different feel. This song is a little nostalgic with a tinge of Americana. I also really loved some of the unique ways the energy builds in the song.

“Almost Getting Nowhere” is a fun tune and probably the most dance worthy song on the album. “Imagine & Machine” was another song with some nostalgia while the closer “Happy Birthday, Computer” utilizes a vocoder and ends with a smooth and funky jam. There is some inspired sound design happening on this song.

Curiosity is a great album from beginning to end. Petty’s songwriting is top notch as is the production. Recommended.

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