After a long hiatus – nine years to be exact – the band Trails and Ways comes out of what they describe as a “foggy, coastal indie-pop world” armed to the teeth with pop hooks and karaoke-ready harmonies. And it is this near decade of relative silence that resulted in the track “Young,” a coming-of-age song of sorts, one that reflects on earlier music and–as the title suggests–being young.
But while the lyrics begin to explore the lessons of getting older, the melody blends elements of bossa nova and dream pop. For a band that was nearly ubiquitous in the indie-blog world over ten years ago, they have not lost a step. The aesthetic remains high caliber “all natural indie pop,” and in the age of automated reproduction, this is a welcome reprieve from the hyperpop that so often dominates the airwaves and digital platforms that distribute music today.
The song asks “How does it make you feel? / When I ask you to pull your own weight,” suggesting a relationship that is evolving over time, one that will ultimately demand more from the partner. These lyrics imply that there is value in evolution, but that transformation often relies on the kind of memories that can only come from a thick relational history, one that makes it worthwhile to weather the inevitable turbulence and change.
In this spirit, Emma Oppen reminds the listener: “You’ll have to remember when we were young.” These are the lyrics of a more mature songwriter, but the melody remains as charming as ever. Check it out through the link below.
Written by SilenceKid
