Artist: Brian Noyes Single: Dollhouse Man Genre: Indie Pop, Power Pop, Retro Guitar Rock Pop Release Date: February 7th, 2025
Brian Noyes has been quietly shaping Seattle’s indie music scene for a while now, balancing his time between his psych pop group Tomten and playing keys for Papercuts. With his upcoming album Seelie Court, he’s stepping further into his own sound, a rich, dreamy take on baroque pop.
“Dollhouse Man,” the second single from the album, is a playful yet deliberate nod to the whimsical side of 60s psychedelia, filtered through the lens of a modern-day songwriter with a knack for baroque-pop craftsmanship. Noyes openly cites The Kinks as a primary influence, and it’s easy to hear—the song has the kind of off-kilter, character-driven storytelling that Ray Davies excelled at. But beyond that, there’s a clear through line to the more whimsical side of Donovan, who, in turn, was a major influence on John Lennon. That lineage shows up in the song’s lilting melody, hushed yet wry vocal delivery, and the warm, nostalgic production.
The track’s origins are as endearing as its sound. Noyes credits his daughter’s Fisher-Price toy phone as the spark for the song, imagining himself as a “toy man” living in a dollhouse world. This childlike curiosity permeates the music, from the wonky Wurlitzer 140B electric piano to the meandering Moog solo that feels like a cheeky homage to the era of cheesy yet earnest pop. The instrumentation is lush but never overbearing, with a mix of nylon string guitar, synths, and subtle orchestral touches that create a sense of intimacy. It’s psychedelic, yes, but in a way that feels grounded and personal rather than sprawling or indulgent.
The song’s music video and visuals only reinforce this toy-box psychedelia. A Hofner hollow body guitar, a Beatles-esque aesthetic, his own face on a doll—it all fits the playful, slightly uncanny atmosphere that “Dollhouse Man” creates. While plenty of artists dabble in 60s revivalism, Noyes isn’t just imitating the sound. He understands the humor, the looseness, and the ability to be both sincere and ridiculous at the same time.
Noyes’ vocal delivery is another standout, drawing inevitable comparisons to Donovan with its gentle, almost whispery quality. There’s a distinct through line here—Donovan’s influence on John Lennon, The Beatles’ own dalliances with toy-like whimsy (Yellow Submarine, anyone?), and Noyes’ modern reinterpretation of that lineage. The lyrics, while simple, are evocative: “What if I was a toy man? Maybe I’m slowly becoming one…” It’s a line that captures the song’s essence—a blend of fantasy and self-awareness, delivered with a wink.
The production, helmed by Nicholas Wilbur (known for his work with Phil Elverum and others), is crisp yet retains a lo-fi warmth that suits the song’s nostalgic vibe. The accompanying music video, with its surreal visuals of Noyes’ face on a doll, only amplifies the track’s playful absurdity. It’s a visual and auditory package that feels cohesive, a testament to Noyes’ ability to marry concept with execution.
For a Seattle artist, this is a bit of a departure from the city’s typically moodier indie output, but that makes it all the more refreshing. Noyes isn’t chasing trends—he’s building his own little world, one Fisher-Price phone call at a time.
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This song and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating DA DA DA – Best New Music
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
