Erik J. Matthews and Brittany Metz join forces on this single, presenting gorgeous vocal harmonies that lean in something of a Simon and Garfunkel direction. The poetic imagery and self-reflection in the lyrics add to this nostalgic effect, as does the simplicity of the acoustic guitar set-up.
From a songwriting perspective, the melody of the song has a familiar feel – it’s easy to get into it, it’s comforting in that we recognise the style and this arrangement of notes, descending at the end of each phrase. Structurally the song moves forwards in a manner that holds your interest though, the sections and the cut aways – the solo vocal moments, the switch to the hook, the development of the story line – all of this helps add layers of detail to an otherwise fairly standard piece of performance. All of this, actually, fuses beautifully, resulting in something that finds itself floating much higher than the opening moments may imply.
By the end of the song, the concept lingers in your mind, certain lines stay with you – those roses at the door draw intrigue and invite you to replay the song or relive the experience to gain a little more clarity.
Lyrically this song is stunning, this is where it steps up to greater levels, in my opinion. Not too many songwriters achieve this level of poetry and realism combined these days, it feels literal and metaphorical in equal parts. The song ponders life and our role within it, and so this connects on a profound level, and actually – the delicacy and the familiarity and the warmth of the soundscape, makes this connection much stronger. The whole thing provokes thought and invites you to consider yourself and your world a little more closely. The song itself is a beautiful piece of writing and performance, more than fit to accompany that process.
