Super Cassette has flipped the script with their third and final pre-release single for their upcoming debut LP titled. Their first two singles were both indie/ power pop songs with lyrics to put any emo song to shame when dealing with depression and mental health. The first single was the eponymous “Continue?” which dealt with depression, mental health, and questioning the desire to continue living. The second single “Path Through the Past” was another sad song about hopelessness and the inevitability that everything gets worse and all good things come to an end.
Singer and songwriter Max Gerlock has stated that the album is a concept album of sorts, documenting their journey through a long depressive episode and coming out on the other side. The first two singles are also the first two songs on the album, but this third and final song is also the final song on the album. While we will have to wait to experience the rest of the journey, this song very clearly demonstrates Super Cassettes ability to write something positive that feels as warm as the message.
From the first notes this song feels different, more upbeat. The other songs were poppy, but the beat from this song feels… hopeful. The lyrics are about everything being tied together, being a small piece of an interconnected world in a way that inspires instead of making you feel small. As they sing “We don’t face this alone” there is a joy in realizing that, by being a small piece in a big world, that the things that once felt overbearing and crushing are not as important.
Later in the song we get the admission, or perhaps the realization that “Apathy shackled me, fed on my energies, only let go of me when I heard a voice sing to me” before returning to the chorus. There is a special beauty in a song that is not about being happy, but in coming out of depression and seeing and acknowledging your struggles, but looking at life through a new lens.
To further capture the essence and meaning of the song, the album was recorded in a live studio session with the whole band playing together as one, whereas the bulk of the album was recorded more traditionally, with each instrument being recorded separately. The energy and joy of the whole band performing together really makes the song feel special.
With amazing songwriting and lyricism, it’s hard to believe that that is not the only beauty in this song. The keyboard in this song is absolutely beautiful, and there is plenty of attention given to it towards the end of the song to help carry the mood of the song. Then, to end the song, we get a nice earworm of a guitar melody paired with a drum beat that carries the song off to the end of the album in a way that makes the mood of the song stick with you well after the music has ended.
This song is absolutely brilliantly written. Knowing the story the album is telling and being introduced now to the beginning and the ending, there is no way I could not purchase the entire album. I am anxiously awaiting the December 1st release date to hear and feel how the story develops, to endure the struggles, the depression, and to experience the joy of coming out on the other side.
Check out the video here, and pre-order the album here.
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Written by Gimpleg