The DUSK Issue: Real Estate
Words by Easton Parks & Photos by Bailey Krause
Indie, a genre marker originally used to distinguish independence, has changed into a label for bands outside of the mainstream, though now even mainstream artists don the indie tag. Beyond my fascination with the degradation of the term, indie is synonymous with a very special band hailing from New Jersey: Real Estate.
Real Estate are pseudo-cousins to the Brooklyn indie hipster bands of their time. Although many fans claim nostalgia as a driving force in their love for this band, Real Estate would prefer to not fully lean into that. Their laid-back suburban vibes have kept their fan base sporting beanies and drinking IPAs – but not going full hipster. Known for their dreamy, lush reverb-soaked guitars and soft melodic vocals it’s impossible not to sway and twirl your cute little mustache while enjoying some classic early ‘10s indie.
Longevity has been a scarce quality in music, but Real Estate has combatted those negative forces for over 15 years. “I think the main thing is that we’ve been playing music since well before the band existed, like I’ve known Alex since eighth grade and the same thing with Julian, we grew up together,” says Martin Courtney, frontman and guitarist of the group.
Although they currently live scattered across the country, working together in the band keeps their friendship alive. “It’s still fun, so we keep doing it, and much to our surprise, people still keep coming to the shows. It would be a hard thing to walk away from, at least in its entirety, knowing that there’s still a viable world of people who are interested in our music,” says bassist and vocalist Alex Bleeker.
Now more than ever, the band’s pop sensibilities have come out on their latest album, Daniel, through jangling melodic tunes and acoustic guitar. Real Estate leans into a classic pop structure and “three-and-a-half minute songs” while carrying strong melodic senses which allow the album to feel like a warm and welcome daydream.
“This was the first time where we made a decision to make a certain type of record. Whereas in the past it was like, here’s a group of songs, we have enough to make a record, let’s go record them,” Courtney said.
Around the early 2010s many groups like Real Estate were rising up out of the Northeast. The presence of Beach Fossils, Wild Nothing and Woods led to a kind of cross-pollination, resulting in a healthy local scene. While still very much rooted in New Jersey, even citing fellow New Jerseyans The Feelies as inspiration, Real Estate cites Brooklyn as a common stomping ground for themselves and indie bands alike during that period. “There was a lot of, for lack of a better term, DIY underground music happening in North Brooklyn, that because of the internet and the way it was being used at the time, pre-Spotify algorithm but still heavy internet usage discovery of music, made it a very special and unique time to be in a band,” says Bleeker. Courtney added, “the bands that are still around from that era you feel a kinship with for sure.”
Daniel marks a new chapter in Real Estate’s catalog, with less emphasis on structural complexity and more attention to their natural catchiness. A lovely variety of instruments including pedal steel guitar grace the project as the lyrical themes touch on overcoming uncertain times and maturity. Despite its 2024 release, the songs on Daniel were written in 2022. “During that time of writing music, it was like, ‘I want to write songs for the world that I hope is coming and not what I’m living in right now,’ something that feels more welcoming and bright,” Courtney said. “Daniel was like a breath of fresh air for us; let’s lean into our pop side, and it felt like a welcome reprieve. Everyone needs a minute to just enjoy a nice record,” Bleeker said.
When asked about beauty in their music Bleeker said, “I do think there’s a thing as subjective beauty and certain cultural touchstones or tastes formed together to inform people’s ideas of beauty. ” According to Bleeker, Real Estate likes to make music that sounds pretty from their own perspective rather than getting bogged down in traditional beauty standards.
While beauty may not be objective, it’s hard not to hear sprinkles of charm in the group's music. During my outing to the High Noon Saloon on February 5th, I found myself next to one of the only children at the show. This young boy eventually got tired of standing on his feet, so an employee gave up his seat. This beautiful scene from the tour was an elegant reflection of the fanbase, contributing to an endearing atmosphere and a wonderful night.
