In an attempt to get a little more information about this track, I typed “Marfa Syracuse” into Google. Of course, the algorithm decided to tell me it would take over twenty-nine hours to drive from Marfa, Texas to Syracuse, New York. Thank you, Google. I didn’t need to know how to get to my hometown from the U.S.-Mexico border, but I appreciate your gumption.
Here, both Marfa and Syracuse do not refer to places in the U.S. Marfa is the band, and “Syracuse” is their new single, with the name referring to the city on the Sicilian coast. On the new track, they sing all about doing their best to escape from the trappings of everyday life, even when it follows them wherever they go.
Marfa hail from Hamburg, as a trio of Jörn (drums), Johanna (bass/vox) and Fabian (guitar/vox). So it makes more sense that they would take a vacation to the Italian islands rather than the often-snowy Central New York region. But even on such a gorgeous rendezvous, they find that they run into the same old odious and obnoxious characters: Entrepreneurs selling wares, “dickheads” blocking the view, people taking far too much time in the breakfast buffet line. No matter where you go, you can’t escape the demons.
The song gives a little ’90s indie, a touch of shoegaze, and a helping of hardcore, delivering a fine balance between vacation vibes and frustrations with interruptions to relaxation. It’s quite a solid track musically, and lyrically, it’s relatable. Surely you’ve wanted to have unbothered time in a faraway place, only to have some irascible oaf spike your cortisol levels until your flight home.
And again, although I know the lyrics don’t refer to it, I always get a kick out of anything with the name “Syracuse” in it. Trust that I’ve tried finding peace back in my hometown. It didn’t work. The song’s meaning hits hard for me.
Take a listen to Marfa’s “Syracuse” below, and if you find yourself traveling anytime soon, may you be protected from dickheads.
Written by Will Sisskind
