Trumpeter Swan, ‘Nicole I’m Telling You’ – Free MP3 Download

In 2010, after moving from Austin to NYC, What Made Milwaukee Famous founder Drew Patrizi reemerged with Trumpeter Swan, an acclaimed indie rock band with a whole new sound. Now, he and the gang are back with their sophomore effort, 'The Magnitude of Now,' and the music is just as urgent as the title.

On the new album, due out Sept. 17, Trumpeter Swan deliver songs with infectious melodies to suck you in and thoughtful, hopeful sentiments to keep you coming back for more. Case in point: today’s free MP3, ‘Nicole I’m Telling You.’ While the title might lead you to believe Patrizi is about to put the subject in her place, he actually offers a message of perseverance during times of trouble.

“‘Nicole’ touches on the challenge of wanting to offer support to someone very close who is struggling with life and faced with a difficult, personal decision,” Patrizi tells Diffuser.fm. “How do you stay both optimistic and realistic? How do you help them through while walking the emotional tightrope — not wanting to offer false hope or coming across as Pollyanna-ish, but still providing the strength and support for them to persevere?”

Patrizi accomplishes what he set out to achieve with Trumpeter Swan’s carefully calculated indie-pop. It’s optimistic yet grounded, never veering into overly sweet or naïve territory.

“I had the guitar riff initially and the loose structure for the song, and then often, as I do when songwriting, I recorded a simple demo of just the music and listen to it on repeat while walking around New York,” he adds. “The melodies and words just came — I immediately started pleading and encouraging this person in my head to ‘hang in there.’”