Safe and Sound
More Than Happy - WILLIS (Newer Music Friday)
What’s the best music to “think” to? I’d assume most sources will tell you classical music, or maybe jazz. Usually people will recommend songs without lyrics, as they leave space for the listener to sit with their own thoughts. Often times study playlists are full of laid back, gentle songs that can be put on a low volume and received with a slight smile as work is done. However, I’d like to offer my own opinion on the matter. I think the best music to “think” to involves a deeply layered instrumental, lamenting lyrics, and a soundscape that surrounds the entirety of the listener. So naturally, I was thrilled to find that today brought a song that perfectly fits this feeling, and that’s WILLIS’ brand new single “More Than Happy”!
One of my favorite aspects of the song is the vocals, as they’re some of the most expressive I’ve ever heard. The lyrics of “More Than Happy” are devastating, and yet they sound as if they’re said with a sad smile, the type you wear when you want to cry but are in front of people you’d rather not cry in front of. They become more powerful as the other instruments increase, coming to the conclusion that “you didn’t mean it/and you never did” in a moment that feels like a resigned version of one of those “yelling at the sky in the pouring rain” movie moments.
The swelling switch from the verse to the chorus is the part of the song that I find to be the most compelling. There’s something about a chord progression playing underneath crescendoing screeching guitars that has a ultra-powerful stop and pause effect on the listener. It takes you by surprise when you hear it for the first time — while the vocals do indicate that they’re going to lead into something different, the sudden increase surrounds you entirely, in a way that almost feels like you’re watching water rise around you without being able to move. The guitars drive this feeling with their nonstop buildup. This isn’t a time to panic though, as the thrumming bass and steady drums keep you above the danger, safe and sound. Well, safe and sound enough to hear lyrics that’ll break your heart. But still!
“More Than Happy” is a song that has infinite descriptive possibilities. If it was a color, it would be dark blue with bright orange highlights. If it was a type of lighting, it would be a disco ball. If it was a setting, it would be a cold winter night. If it was a number, it would be 3! (I know this may not match your own mind’s descriptions, so feel free to plug in your own impressions!) So yes, it’s true that WILLIS has not created a traditional “thinking” song. However, what they’ve done is created a space for their listeners to reckon with their deepest thoughts, guiding them through two minutes and forty-eight seconds of pure hypnotizing music that I think is more conducive to solving your problems than any other song in the world. This is a type of song that listens back to the listener, the type of song where every instrument reassures you that everything’s going to be alright even if you relate to the lyrics, and that is truly beautiful.
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