“Haunts Me Now” invites dissection. Certainly, the single from Radiator King separates itself from the pack because of the candidness carried in the intelligently written lyrics, as well as the vocal commitment to the sentiment of those lyrics. Still, only by examining some of the individual elements of “Haunts Me Now” can the song be fully appreciated. It isn’t a true dissection, because it is an examination of individual “limbs” and how they cooperate with the rest of the body.
The first example is the 12-second intro and its gentle attractiveness. The guitar tugs at the listener’s attention and sets expectations for the body of “Haunts Me Now.” Then, the vocals enter, and the expectations require a reboot. The voice is not melodically smooth in a manner consistent with the intro. Instead, memories are presented by a gruff voice. The reminiscing explains that while he once was “left black and blue for days,” he can now take on any man here. But for the most part, a memory of the past still “haunts me now.”
Another element that deserves attention occurs at 1:10. The statement is “Someday you’ll see my face on the television screen.” The next few notes are descending, sending the message that the television appearance will not be a positive one. The chorus follows, with the lead voice being joined by a more melodically pleasing (female?) voice. Brilliantly, the chorus leads to a short Spaghetti Western segment – perhaps “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” where “good” is an appropriate description only in comparison to the others.
Radiator King is the brainchild of New York-via-Boston troubadour Adam Silvestri. He identifies Brooklyn as his base. "Haunts Me Now" features drummer Brian Viglione (Dresden Dolls, Violent Femmes), guitarist Derek Cruz (Jesse Malin), and bassist Ed Goldson (Ghostface Killah, Passion Pit). It was produced by Don DiLego (Jesse Malin). The song is on Radiator King’s third LP, “Unborn Ghosts.”
Press materials helpfully explain that “Unborn
Ghosts” grapples with the idea that you can’t run from the past, that you
must confront your demons. And that if you do, waiting for you on the other
side is a future in which you can tap back into the spirit of youth, with all
its curiosity, wonder and blank-slate possibility. “The album title is a bit of
a double entendre,” Silvestri says. “On one hand it represents youth, innocence
and the magic of what is yet to be, and on the other, these ghosts from your
past that continue to haunt you. And I think to be able to fully access that
magic, that part of us that can be lost or hidden but that never really dies,
you have to free yourself from the ghosts.”
“Haunts Me Now” by Radiator King
Website: http://radiatorkingmusic.com/
Bandcamp: https://radiatorking.bandcamp.com/
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