Music can have interesting synesthetic qualities. Certain songs can seem to reflect and even shape your experiences and the world around you. The way we feel, the thoughts we have and the events that happen can all have interesting relationships with the songs that seem to be fitting accompaniments. A song you hear today you may love but tomorrow may not be that intriguing or appropriate for your mood. Sometimes you can’t stop wanting to hear a song because it fits so well with the season and the mood you’re in. Two such songs that I’ve been really hooked on lately have been Eric’s forthcoming single “Strange Power/So She Says”. Something about these two songs seems to codify the falling leaves, cool breezes and confusing changes that Autumn always brings with it. They speak of relationships and strange powers that affect us in ways we can’t explain and can’t ignore. They convey a mood, much like Autumn, which is invigorating like the first cold winds that blow but that has an element of sadness and the poignant fleeting nature of life.
In a way, this new single evokes a similar feeling and kinship with one of my favorite records (and one that was influential in getting me back into music after a hiatus) The Pistol Arrows ‘Look’. That being said these new songs are definitely fresh and new and unlike anything that Eric has previously recorded. I guess it would be appropriate to call this single a true double A sided single. Neither song is a B side or lesser accomplishment. ‘Strange Power’ the lead off, starts off with ominous piano and drums not unlike the children’s song ‘Halloween’s Coming’ and from there it maintains this thumping pensive groove under lyrics of the Strange Power of attraction. There is a full sparseness here that feels like nothing extraneous is present and all the parts are working synergistically together. The song does away with the traditional A, B type structure as it enters an upbeat outro section that nicely segues into the feeling of the second song. The outro lyrics evoke the poignant feeling I mentioned earlier and there is a sense of resolve about the fact that many things in life are never resolved. ‘So She Says’ starts off with a mysterious upbeat modern New Wave type vibe and progresses along that line interweaving synths, drums, guitars and vocals in ways not often heard this side of something great like Modern English’s ‘Melt With You’. “It’s too dark in this house” nicely encapsulates the sentiment of a lot of the lyrics which explore parting and relationships and the “houses” where such things take place.
In short, this has been an attempt to describe how much I love these songs and to preview what you will soon be hearing when they are released early next month. We have a lot of other good releases on the way which we’ll be mentioning in future postings. I will soon be heading over to Norway to play some I and I shows. You can read more details on that on my iandimusic.com site and I hope to post some stuff here and there on the trip. For now I’ll leave you with the cover of Eric’s new single below. Appropriately it’s a photo of Eric’s friend trying to catch the setting sun.
Adam
