Slowin’ It Down

As someone that enjoys all kinds of music (except country, if you’re just tuning in), sometimes it’s nice to listen to slower, more peaceful songs. I’m the kind of person that can headbang to Blink 182 one day and sing an opera the next. Okay that’s extreme. But, Kicktunes describes a lot of fun and upbeat artists. However, I want to highlight some of the slower songs that I love and explain a bit about their meaning.

To start, I want to highlight none other than Lord Huron lead by singer Ben Schneider. It’s impossible to pick one of their songs because they’re all amazing and meaningful. But, I’ll go with “The Night We Met.” There’s a good chance you’ve heard it before: it’s in season 2 of 13 Reasons Why and it’s his most popular, and for good reason. His voice is so amazing. You can feel the emotion in his words and his voice. The lyrics that really get me are “I had all and then most of you / Some and now, none of you.” You can hear the regret in his voice for letting his love get away from him. This song has a very nostalgic sound and is relatable to anyone with regrets. Each line starts strong and powerful, and almost drifts off quieter, as if he’s still deep in thought. The band’s soft and melodic sound just enhances the lead singer’s emotion, really putting focus on the words and the feeling behind them.

The next song I want to talk about is “Wasteland, Baby!” by my guy Hozier. I loved this song when Wasteland first came out in 2019, but it became a favorite after I watched him perform it live. Now, it’s not one of the songs with the little Apple Music star next to it, but I am telling you it’s an amazing song. It is basically an acoustic track with slight magical sounds in the back. He plays the same chords between his lyrics, giving it movement throughout. I am not musically inclined enough to understand what these chords are exactly, but every time I hear them together I get chills because they are SO beautiful. Don’t even get me started on the words. I’m sure there are varying interpretations of this track, but my understanding is this: when Hozier envisions the end of world (hence, the theme of the entire album Wasteland), he finds peace in knowing the world will end with his love by his side. I know, how depressing. These lyrics get me: “And the stench of the sea / And the absence of green / Are the death of all things / That are seen and unseen / Are an end, but the start of all things / That are left to do” and then he ends with “I’m in love, I’m in love with you.” I mean COME ON. To me, “but the start of all things” is talking about his everlasting love that transcends life here on earth. How beautiful and morbid.

Another favorite of mine comes from Sufjan Stevens. Stevens definitely has a unique sound, but his song “Should Have Known Better” is simple and beautiful enough for anyone with any kinds of life regrets. His soft voice is already so calming and soothing, I don’t know how a man is able to make his voice sound the way he does. This song has a certain sequence that I love. He has this humming verse, where you can tell he is building up to something. He says “Mm mm oh / be my rest, be my fantasy.” But, the best part of this song is the refrain. There’s a big break before it starts, where you can tell there is something coming. Each time he sings “Don’t back down,” his tone gets higher and higher. So impressive for a man to sing that high. The last lyrics “My brother had a daughter / The beauty that she brings” is just so beautiful. He’s reflecting on choices he’s made, and it sounds like his niece is what really made him realize everything he’d been missing.

I can’t talk about these indie-folk songs without mentioning Bon Iver. One of my favorite artists of all time, I’ll talk about a couple of his songs that you need to check out. “Holocene” has a guitar intro that is so peaceful. It makes you feel as though you’re in a movie with some sad scene by a river. His lyric “And at once I knew I was not magnificent” encapsulates the entire theme of this song: our worries and our issues are much smaller than we realize. We are small on this earth. Another Bon Iver favorite is “Skinny Love… OBVIOUSLY. Everyone knows him from this amazing love song. “C'mon skinny love just last the year / Pour a little salt we were never here” is his classic line. In explaining this album, For Emma, Forever Ago, he stated "Emma isn't a person. Emma is a place that you get stuck in. Emma's a pain that you can’t erase." He had actually broken up with a girlfriend at the time (not named Emma) and the album depicts the story of his life in that moment. He struggled to find a lasting love and locked himself in a cabin in Wisconsin, thus creating the album. Listen to the entire album if you want to cry yourself to sleep- he was going through it! His newest album from 2019, i,i, is very unique. Weird song titles and unique sound. My favorite, titled “Hey, Ma” is one of the more normal songs (if you can call it that). He sings “Tall time, to call your Ma / Hey, ma / Hey maaa,” and you can tell he’s missing his mom. Throughout the song, he reminisces on times as a kid, and realizing the sacrifices his mom made for him. “I was tokin on dope / I hoped it all wunt go in a minute” really shows his troublemaker side as a youth that he regrets. So, this is your sign to call your mom!!

To finish, I’m going to cover one of my favorite bands, The War on Drugs. If you haven’t heard of them, you need to listen!! They are in my top 3 bands of all time. While I consider them slower paced, they definitely add more rock and pop flare than the previous folk-singers. “Thinking of a Place” comes from their newest full album A Deeper Understanding. This song is very melodic and has a bit of a saunter to it. The song reflects on a specific spot that is omniscient to whatever the listener feels. The slow beat juxtaposes nicely with the guitar solo midway through, almost as if the singer is deep in thought. It makes you think of a place special to you, maybe where you met your spouse, where you spent time as a kid, it all applies. “But I’m thinking of a place / And it feels so very real.” What is your place?

Sometimes, we just get in a sad mood. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the result of something sad, but you know what I mean when I say we sometimes just like to listen to slow music. These songs are perfect tracks for you to check out if you’re looking for a peaceful playlist.

Later Jammers!