Tuesday, August 29, 2023

“Will We Really Let It End Like This?” by Yeah Nah Yeah – A Song Feature

 

     Yeah Nah Yeah is Australian slang for “Yes.” It is also the moniker of the duo comprising Ali Calder (keys, vocals) and Thomas Keating (guitar, vocals). Their bio states that they are “A little bit Yeah and bit Nah, but mostly Yeah.”

     Our favorite song from the duo is "Will We Really Let It End Like This?” They explain the song:
 “Tom wrote it after watching some people very close to him go through a breakup. It's about the devastating process of untangling your life from someone else. And the desperation you feel trying to hold onto something that is slipping away. When it is all over and done with you ask yourself: ‘Will we really let it end like this? Will we really give up on something that took so long to build? Is this really it?’ And so your life goes on without that person. You have new experiences, meet new people… you take up old hobbies again and find new ones. But something inside you still wonders if it's really over. And sometimes after finding a way back to yourself, you find a way back to that person too."

     “Will We Really Let It End Like This?” by Yeah Nah Yeah 
   


Lyrics of “Will We Really Let It End Like This?” by Yeah Nah Yeah
I have been afraid
I am not invincible
I'm holding on this time to be alright
 
Stupidly I wait
For your words they bruise my bones again
Won't you hold my hand so I can mend?
 
I said I'd calm down but now I'm falling apart
Drinking in the sun because I just can't start to feel
Anything at all
 
I told you it's a phase something I'm going through
Another week down now I'm losing you I know
 
Will we really let it end like this?
Will we really let it end like this?
 
Divide our lives in half
Divide our friends on principle
Pull the photos off the wall
 
I said I'd calm down but now I'm calling again
For the seventeenth time just fucking listen to me
I know things need to change
 
I'm not just going to sit here and pretend I'm alright
I'm not just going to let you go and ruin your life
No I won't
 
Will we really let it end like this?
Will we really let it end like this?
 
I'm not alright
I'm not okay
I've been waiting everyday
Will we really let it end like this?
 
If this is our last try let’s make it last all night
Don't want to wake up and find out that I've been dreaming
[Repeat 3 times]
If this is our last try let’s make it last all night
Don't want to wake up and find out that you’re really leaving
 
Will we really let it end like this?
Will we really let it end like this?
 
I'm not alright
I'm not okay
I've been waiting everyday
Will we really let it end like this?
Will we really let it end like this?
Will we really let it end like this?


Monday, August 28, 2023

"Love Like a Grain of Sand" by 3FIVE3 – A Song Feature

 

     If you're searching for a solid investment with lasting dividends, we highly recommend considering "Love Like a Grain of Sand." There are times when a proper appreciation of a song requires a listener to return to the track multiple times, ideally with varying states of mind. The lyrics make the 3FIVE3 single one such song. Upon the initial exposure to "Love Like a Grain of Sand," the spoken-word verses immediately captivate with their intelligence and relatability. However, the richness and the volume of the content can be overwhelming on the first pass, necessitating additional engagements. Then, in the final stage, a listener starts taking personal possession of individual statements within the 3FIVE3 track. The lyrics are included at the bottom of this post.
 
     The song was written by Jimmy Bowman and Elliott Godden, with Elliott Godden contributing the guitar. Additionally, Cathal Brophy is the bassist on "Love Like a Grain of Sand." In explaining the song, Bowman said:
  I wanted to write a self-help track, especially as life is hard at the minute for a lot of people in a world literally on fire. Sometimes it’s easy to forget the small things that make our existence worth the struggle. ‘Love Like’ is a call to arms to be better and do better. A nudge to exercise self-love and a meticulous consciousness of the people and places around you. A reminder to love delicately, however you can every day, as if it’s your last.“
 
     "Love Like a Grain of Sand" by 3FIVE3


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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3five3band/
 
Lyrics of "Love Like a Grain of Sand" by 3FIVE3
Ever feel like your best days are behind you?
False idols, artificial sun, last to the party, spat out chewing gum.
Slow down, life, it teaches you how to live it if you live it long enough.
Try to die a little less inside because I can’t see what you can see,
But if you believe, believe in something tangible, believe in the sublime, believe in now
But love like a grain of sand.
Whatever you do, just love, like a grain of sand.
 
An outstretched hand in a sea of strobes
Take it, walk into the gelid night.
Wear your heart on your sleeve because words unspoken bear the biggest weight.
Don’t fear the unknown, how fucking sensible,
What’s rational about dinosaurs, then us, on a spinning rock somewhere in the ever-expanding abyss?
Wake up, take strides, grasp the day proud to say you saw it
And if you believe, believe in something tangible, believe in the sublime, believe in now,
And love like a grain of sand.
Whatever you do, just love, like a grain of sand.
 
When it feels like the end know there’s a million routes,
We’re all shambling towards our last page.
Don’t write it for yourself, don’t count yourself out, don’t ever think you have it made.
And if you have, make it for someone else, share stories in pubs and over mugs of tea,
Listen to what people are saying, stop planning your next line and bask in their pasts, hear their words, actually listen,
Because words aren’t a plaything, they set us apart and tether us together, manacled by the skies, bound by the commonality of the setting sun.
So do less, but do more, watch with your eyes, the world as it unfolds,
Usher in new eras and mourn those you lived through by carrying on.
Remember that everything you do has a knock on effect,
Every person you touch, carries something of you into the future, you never truly die.
So, if you believe, believe in something tangible, believe in the sublime, believe in now
And love like a grain of sand.
Whatever you do, just love, like a grain of sand.
 
Cherish the evenings spent staring at the ceiling, they got you this far.
Know that the persistent dull ache that filled a hole someone left in you stings less after time.
Acknowledge that time is immeasurable so don’t squander it with spite.
If the day is lost, by all means wallow in self-pity but hold on for the next one, it soon comes.
Remember people are only as good as the ones around them.
Know that positivity in the face of adversity is fucking brave, and impossible to erode,
So smile, even if the crisis in your iris is plain to see.
Speak out, don’t suffer, you’ve got one ticket to the races and those fences come down.
So if you believe, believe in something tangible, believe in the sublime, believe in now, And love like a grain of sand.
Whatever you do, just love, like a grain of sand.
 
Know that leaving a mark on this world, your legacy, isn’t grandeur gestures or a litter of kids,
Simply be remembered for making the lives of those around you a joy,
A better existence through empathy and being there, is just as admirable.
There’s no playbook, no point scoring, no pressure,
Be the change you wanna see because it don’t cost a penny to hold someone tightly and share in their life.
And when they leave you moth-eaten and aimless, understand the pain is a reminder of the love endured, a measure of the bond you shared,
You loved before, you’ll love again.
Those memories made will see you through as you pass on flecks of their character to the next in need of their wisdom.
You keep them alive. You keep the fire burning.
You muster yearning because if you believe, believe in something tangible, believe in the sublime, believe in now,
And love like a grain of sand.
Whatever you do, just fucking love, like a grain of sand.
 

Friday, August 25, 2023

“Nova Scotia” by FAERYS – A Song Feature

 

    The power of “Nova Scotia” is showcased in its dynamic two-part intro. However, the full might is not displayed during the energizing opening, because the debut single from FAERYS has much more to reveal. The song commences with attention-grabbing Bluesy guitar and an irregular rhythm. Then, a commanding voice declares, “Let’s go!” and the song is propelled into guitar-drive for the second half of the intro. If a listener remains unengaged, it’s certainly not the fault of FAERYS.
 
    “Nova Scotia” unexpected shifts when the intro ends. Abruptly, the synth seizes instrumental control. And in place of the earlier commanding male voice, the lead vocals are from a female with a firm command of Rock sensibilities. The single possesses many layers. FAERYS stated that “The objective was to smash big riffs, catchy vocals, and gritty electronic sounds together into a high energy banger!" Objective achieved! The track remains in almost constant motion, seamlessly transitioning between various permutations of vocal and instrumental prowess.

     FAERYS have elected to remain mysterious for now. The band appears to be a collaborative effort, with contributions to “Nova Scotia” being recorded in multiple continents.
 
     “Nova Scotia” by FAERYS
Streaming/Purchasing options: https://ffm.to/faerys
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faerysmusic/


Friday, August 4, 2023

“A Stone in the Mouth of the Ocean” by Luke Beling – A Song Feature

 

     With each song release, Luke Beling artfully guides his listeners along sonic journeys through various textures. Hailing originally from South Africa and currently finding his inspiration in the embrace of Hawaii, it’s fitting to compare his latest single to an emotionally uplifting experience of riding a wave. “A Stone in the Mouth of the Ocean” mirrors a successful surf on a wave that steadily builds in force before gently releasing the surfer near the shoreline. [Note: Beling’s explanation of the song (which will follow) is far more insightful and motivational.]
 
     “A Stone in the Mouth of the Ocean” commences with a quiet demeanor. The piano is the initial instrumental standout. Almost a minute passes before an electric guitar and gentle female backing vocals enter. An appealing rhythm is added later. And around the two-minute mark, the force behind Beling’s vocals surges. The sophistication and texturing of “A Stone in the Mouth of the Ocean” reach their peaks beginning at 2:38. Yes, that harmonica slides in well with our reference to sophistication. Then, the journey through textures nears its end when the song delivers the listener to the shoreline, as it returns to the beauty from which it started.
 
     The single is the title track from an upcoming debut album from Luke Beling. The multi-instrumentalist contributes vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo, and harmonica on the song “A Stone in the Mouth of the Ocean.” The female voice belongs to Erin Flood Fortier, while the electric guitar is the contribution of Glen Yoder. Other musicians on the track are Nate Barnes (drums) and Tyler Fortier (vocals, organ, keys, piano, bass).
 
     Beling briefly describes “A Stone in the Mouth of the Ocean” as a song involving “coming to terms with our human frailty in this big universe we call home.” His social media accounts dive deeper into the inspiration behind the song:
  When the sea pounds against a shore of stones, it can often sound like the stones begin to sing. Sometimes a wave will dislodge a stone and drag it to the ocean floor. But eventually, that stone resurfaces, carried by deep currents, back to the bed, shining again underneath the fiery sun.
  Reflecting on this, I wrote A Stone in the Mouth of the Ocean as a sort-of stream-of-consciousness declaration to myself. Sharing the same name as the album title, the song is a meaningful preface and encapsulation for the body of work to come.
  From time to time, we all thrash against feelings of insignificance, and often life’s constant pushing and pulling seems unbearable, impossible to make sense of. Sometimes the hardest thing is to just be. To remain unreactive, moving or not, with blind trust and hope.
  Like a stone. Like a stone in the mouth of the ocean.
 
     “A Stone in the Mouth of the Ocean” by Luke Beling


Lyrics of “A Stone in the Mouth of the Ocean” by Luke Beling
All the shadows here still dancing, got to tell my feet to keep moving
Before the merchant screams buy some more
Before the drilling machines find the oil
Before the air I breathe comes heavy for talking
 
All the games I play I keep losing
Trying to tell myself to stop proving
Before the man with glass asks my name
Before the lady’s cash buys my fame
Before my leather mask burns up bright into flames
 
Before the tight rope walker leads me to the slaughter
The bankroll daughter ships me 'cross the border
With a bottle full of bitter
A note from the vicar
Blood on the holy altar
 
All the time I spend understanding
Trying to find my way to keep advancing
Before the ankle tag lights up red
Before the muscled stag lays down dead
Before the sleeping gas pins me to the bed
 
All the darts they keep on flying
Got to find my way to keep trying
Before the needle nights pierce my skin
Before the bookie writes my tally in
Before the closing price knocks me on the chin
 
Before the tight rope walker leads me to the slaughter
The bankroll daughter ships me 'cross the border
With a bottle full of bitter
A note from the vicar
Blood on the holy altar
 
Before the boneyard prison gives me their decision
The old time religion tells me what I’m missing
That ancient tradition
Land of the hidden
Men of the circumcision
 
Before the steamboat captain drowns me in the basin
The war-torn nation tries negotiation
With a proclamation
My condemnation
Stone in the mouth of the ocean
 
I’m a stone in the mouth of the ocean
I'm a stone in the mouth of the ocean
Just a stone in the mouth of the ocean
 
All the shadows here still dancing
Got to tell my feet to keep moving