NYC musician Stephen Becker has such a poetic turn of phrase that even his bio is a work of art: “Stephen…hails from a sunny hilltop in West LA – Mount Olive, nestled between a crumbling Hollywood Sign and a glinting Pacific, locked in their endless staring contest.” Marvelous!
After learning guitar from an Italian virtuoso and being inspired by ’60s jazz and romantic-era classical music, I had no idea what to expect from Stephen’s new single, ‘Bad Idea’. Turns out, it’s an indie-folk gem about a post-ballet breakup.
Warmth flows almost immediately as Stephen’s beautifully clear double-tracked vocal delivers a light, evolving melody with a Scritti-Pollitti-like falsetto.
The solid march of rhythm guitars is matched by the snare, and everything else hangs from that skeleton.
The song feels like there is something barely hidden beneath the surface – subtle glimpses occasionally peek through – the strange, high-pitched voice in the intro, the occasional nervy burst of piano, the squeaks of the acoustic strings.
The guitar echoes the descending hook, and distant female backing vocals add an eerie glow halfway through. It’s dreamy, delicate, and as it burrows directly through your ears and into your brain, you’ll be helplessly under its spell.
Stephen writes: “Bad Idea is about a breakup that went through after seeing the ballet – the haunting feeling of the dancers’ movements lingering in my mind, the sad-sweet taste of spiked lemonade on the train ride home. I was thinking about and trying to manifest change with a newfound determination to break free from unhealthy routines and patterns in life and in love.”
“Take me for a spin again and call me by a nickname no one knows
Tap me on my arm again, the veins are hard to find when I feel cold
Fill up all the emptiness and watch the days go by like lemonade
When she takes you to ballet
But you’re drunk on MTA”
The track finishes with a repeating piano that sounds like a scratched copy of Tubular Bells. It’s a suitably off-kilter and evocative ending to a wonderfully atmospheric track.
Don’t let the title fool you: Listening to “Bad Idea” might just be the best decision you make today!
Written by Grubby
