Falling Stars and Lonely Planets
Lonely Planets by Falling Stars - Newer Music Friday
When I first hear a song, I like to imagine it as a person. Usually I can see it first — visualize the features of it, turning the sounds into something I can see. However, sometimes the traits of a song pop out to me, ones that remind me of the very traits I love most in a person. The latest single from Cleveland-based band Falling Stars is one of these songs to me. “Lonely Planets” is like a familiar face in a place full of strangers, a friendly “hello” in a sea of silence, exactly the type of song you need after a long, exhausting day.
You can certainly hear the influence of The Replacements on this song, which is always a plus one in my book. (Actually, more like a plus ten thousand!!) In my opinion, “Lonely Planets” would fit perfectly on Pleased to Meet Me, with a vibe somewhere in between “The Ledge” and “Can’t Hardly Wait”. The song has a vulnerable feel that’s evident in the vocals, but also in the instrumental. The repetitive guitar riff allows for an easy earworm, one that I personally won’t be able to (and don’t really want to) coax out any time soon.
There’s a lot of moments in “Lonely Planets” that I really enjoy, but I’ll take this time to highlight just a few. First off, the two-part harmony on the chorus is something I keep going back to. I’m a big harmony fan, and I really enjoy how it feels like the harmonies are on the same level as the lead vocal, because a lot of times they end up getting unfairly pushed to the background. “Lonely Planets” gives justice to harmonies, and rightfully so!! I also really love the driving nature of the drums — the crashing of the cymbals towards the end is something that can be tricky to navigate, but is perfectly done in this song. I also like the rallying tone of the vocals, as they complement the power of the lyrics very well. Furthermore, the steady guitar and bass combo work together to top off this sundae of a song with a delightfully ripe cherry.
However, I think my favorite thing about “Lonely Planets” is its crystal-clearness. Okay, duh. It’s a modern song, it’s not gonna sound like a crackly old vinyl, of course I know that!! But other than the obviously fantastic production on the song, Falling Stars manage to create this clean clearness that displays every amazing layer in “Lonely Planets”, something that I’ve noticed in all their past songs as well. I think it’s this distinct clearness that makes their sound so attainable and unique, the special ingredient that makes “Lonely Planets” so easy to listen to and even easier to love.
But wait! There’s more! “Lonely Planets” is just a triumphantly jammin’ taste of Falling Stars’ new album, aptly titled Lonely No More, coming to you October 27th (mark those calendars!!) on Tee Pee Records.
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