“Chasing Sleep” by The Good Williams Fringe – A Song Feature

 

      It was the skillful coordination of emotional and melodic crescendos that provided the incentive for adding “Chasing Sleep” to our Indie playlist. The first two minutes certainly carry emotion, as the person sleeplessly ponders unrealized dreams and recognizes that the loss is self-inflicted. But at the 2:14 mark, the song swells in synchronization with growth in the display of emotion. The vocals become less vulnerable and more determined, delivering the listener to the final verse of “I want to live.”
 
     The appeal of the song from The Good Williams Fringe extends beyond the crescendo. The vocal processing is intriguing. Perhaps the intent is to reflect a dream state without using the breathy and reverb processing often used in Dream Pop. “Chasing Sleep” instead employs an approach similar to an early line (“Now she’s hit the big time”) in “Honey Pie” by The Beatles. “Chasing Sleep” does capture an early-recording megaphone feel, much like The Beatles, who are said to have chopped off the vocals at both ends of the frequency range. It would be interesting to know the techniques of The Good Williams Fringe.
 
     The guitar that first enters at 1:42 is another interesting feature of “Chasing Sleep.” The guitar is allowed to have a low-resolution metallic sound. It is not a sound often heard in recordings having the preparation and quality of the single from The Good Williams Fringe.
 
     “Chasing Sleep” is the focus single from the seven-track album “No Place Safer,” which can purchased at the Bandcamp site – CLICK HERE. The Good Williams Fringe is songwriter Boone Williams and a rotating cast of friends, family, and collaborators. They are based in Somerset, Kentucky. The credits for the album note that percussion is from Jon Modaff and the female backing vocals belong to Lilly Watkins.

     “No Place Safer” reflects a growth and transformation from Williams' earlier work to a darker, more ominous writing style. "I wanted it to feel like dread. Like how it feels just before things turn for the worst," says Williams. The album was released via DanceCryDance Records. 
 
      “Chasing Sleep” by The Good Williams Fringe

Bandcamp: https://thegoodwilliamsfringe.bandcamp.com/album/no-place-safer

Lyrics of “Chasing Sleep” by The Good Williams Fringe
I can’t stop myself from thinking I
I might have brought this on myself this time
There’s no keeping track of who to blame when I
I might have missed this all in another life
 
I lay in bed
Chasing sleep
Realizing
That I’m the one
Keeping me
From my dreams
 
I lay in bed
Shamelessly
Realizing I’ve gone too deep
Hold the light
Stay awake with me
 
I lay in bed
Chasing sleep
Realizing
That I’m the one keeping me from my dreams
Oh, I’ve done it again
I’m waking up for a moment in the middle of the night
In a cold sweat again
Oh, you know
And I know what that means
 
I want to live
I want to live
I want to live forever
I want to live
For a long, long time
I’ll see all of them die