Brooklyn’s Fort Lean yearns to be the biggest band in the world and have the work ethic to back it up, at least that’s their claim. They want to be Springsteen, U2 or Oasis. Again these are things they’ve chosen to aspire to, which is commendable. After listening to their EP, I see the potential, but I don’t see that monumental convergence of confluence in the near future. What I do see is, mind you is based on a four song EP, a band much like Okkervill River with a unique sound just starting to find their way. They have a distinct indie sound that is endearing and shows a quality of style that most bands do not have.

I loved their EP. It was different, affectionate, with a punk rock edge, but they’re raw. I like that rawness though. It reminds me of being a kid and the feeling where you can get anything you want and the world is your oyster. It isn’t until later after years of rejection and sacrifice that we become jaded and realize that oysters are the things we kill so we can get pearls and eat at fancy restaurants. Fort Lean is quite good, but it’s such a small sample size.

I want more. I want to be able to go through their discography and point to the time when it clicked when they came together and that’s when we knew they were about to hit the scene with fury. They’re not there yet. I don’t know if they will get there. Potential is a funny thing. Everyone thought Okkervill River had potential after their two fantastic albums (The Stage Names and The Stand-Ins) came out a few years back, but their last albums haven’t impressed and the only thing we can look at are their angry Twitter posts. I don’t want such a fate to befall this band, but giving a future to a band with only four songs out is the stuff of science fiction and movies like Big.

They say they have a strong work ethic. They say they want to be the biggest band in the world. To that I say prove it. Prove to me that you can be great. Prove to me that every single album you release will be better than the last. Hustle your asses out there for fans, play anywhere someone will give you a nickel to get on stage. Build your audience from the ground up. I don’t sell myself out for bands, I don’t seek their attention or their reverence and nor should they seek mine. We all have our own agendas and selfish needs to consider. That being said, this is one band I am pulling for. They seem like they have the talent, the desire and the drive to make it. The rest is up to them to prove that will do all those things I said to make it happen. Can they do it? It’ll be a fun ride to be on if they do.