Immediately the scene is set after the drum fill as a comforting “ooos” and “ahhs” glide overtop of a mid-tempo rhythm, accompanied by a surprising groovy bass and precisely placed piano. The feeling of longing on a road trip starts to set in, a journey has begun and you’re along for the ride. It’s New Year’s Eve and there are Buckeyes in the shadow of the moon. The lyrics seem a little cryptic on first listen, but you feel a homesick heart wandering through life trying to get back to a life once lived. The word “Babbler” comes into play here. The word as so many contradicting meaning any one of them could fit within the context of the song. He states that the desert put it in his ear, but is it just rambling on incoherently, or is it somehow reveling a secret?
The lyrics have a musical response to them at the end of each section which takes the form of different instruments, namely a pedal string guitar and a string section. Some strings glide overtop adding a sparkle to the background vocals, some add an element to the story, signifying a change in lyrical content. These little phrases of instruments between lyrics act as a passage of time or scene change allowing the listener to follow along with the story. Let’s not forget about the trumpet that comes in after the lyrics when he says “someday I know you’ll never leave me, but we’re far from the hard light tonight.” Trumpets normally have higher timbre the pierces through a mix, however after this dark revelation, the trumpet plays in a lower register. It’s possible this correlates to idea behind the entire song. The trumpet has a perceptually positive sound but is purposefully being played to downplay its potential, maybe it’s the story teller came to the wrong conclusion.
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About the curator - Nick Malpezzi
Nick Malpezzi is a lover of nature, cats, beer, and music. When he’s not at his day job he is recording artists, working on films, writing music, taking pictures and enjoying life. He believes complexity is derived from simplicity, which is seen in his musical tastes and original productions.
