Glassberry, aka Layla Aghaee, is exploring indie rock, shoegaze, and slowcore directly from the Bay Area.
Her latest single, “Drive,” is four and a half minutes of exploration of the control and comfort of self-destruction.
Starting the track off with a soft electric guitar accompanied by a slow but calming set of drums, the song sets the scene for a perfect late-night drive.
I just wanna drive
For no reason
Let’s go north
And end in the evening
Glassberry’s siren-like vocals kept me completely entranced the entire time, like a siren song directly from my headphones to my brain.
I just like
Yeah I just like the feeling
In control
Of motions beneath me
So let go of the wheel dear
I know what I’m doing
This last pair of lyrics woke me from my tranquil daze and had me focusing on the storyline of the song: why is someone else holding the wheel in the first place?
The narrator seems to be reassuring another person, but the reassurance feels increasingly threatening. An interesting power dynamic comes into play, where the narrator wants control, even if that control comes at someone else’s expense.
I see a sign
Straight up ahead
I’m gunna drive
Right into it
The cold feels nice
From the inside
It gets warmer
As we get closer
What started as an innocent drive, wanting to go enjoy the feeling of a day on the road, evolves during the track to be a metaphor for knowingly moving toward something catastrophic.
The storytelling through the music combined with her vocals is nothing short of a masterclass, and is incredibly addictive to listen to. I will be listening to more Glassberry in the future!
Written by Emily Stabell
