(Single from album, "Little Hell")
Continuing the string of requested reviews started before Christmas and then halted briefly for the year summaries and some landmark reviews (best of the year, worst of the year, best song ever etc.), City And Colour's "Weightless" comes as something of a pleasant surprise and also something of a discovery...
So, considering this was, for me at least, a new band, I did some reading into the artists involved, and discovered that it was actually an evolving side-project by Dallas Green, whose songwriting, guitar playing and vocals made up a large section of melodic/post-hardcore screamo band, Alexisonfire's output, prior to their dissolution in 2012.
Interestingly, the metal influence (and here, experience with the genre also) can be heard in City And Colour's songs, but it isn't overriding or particularly obvious, and acts more as a tip-of-the-hat to the musical style rather than categorising the music itself along with Green's earlier work.
What I found with City And Colour, and with "Weightless" especially, was that the aspects of American metal music (vocal phrasing particularly), were present, but toned down and made more melodic and instrumentally gentle. It's like the heart and soul of heavier rock music, but with less attitudinal pacing and losing none of it's personality and character in the process. I think it is for this reason that I enjoyed "Weightless" so much; that and the heavy use of atmospheric effects on the guitars, something you'd find a lot on an indie record as well (though I can't say that, or I'd look horribly biased)...
As per a heavy rock musician, there is a heavy emphasis on emotion as a subject matter, and this comes across to the listener in both the music and the words, and the delivery of the latter as well. The singer tells of a love who has walked away from him, and his repeated feelings of betrayal and loss are amplified by the recurrence of the cymbal crashes and resonating guitar chords. It's a powerful sound to say the least, and, whilst the wit of the lyrics leave a little to be desired, the instrumentation carries the tone and atmosphere of the record's message, beautifully.
Said instrumentation is quite heavily layered, and on this track especially, the rhythm section rules. The bass and drums are heaviest on the ears here, and whilst the wah of the guitar is prominent, it just isn't as loud as the very poignant drumming, the overriding vehicle for delivery on this single.
Perhaps also worth a mention is the fact that this song failed to chart in the UK. If and when songs like this come along, I'll either mention that the song bombed or I won't, but here, I am actually surprised. The fact that this track didn't even creep into the top 100, even the bottom 10, is shocking really, given it's grace and majesty over most of the other drivel that makes it to the charts. It's possible entirely that this is down to the simple fact that City And Colour have, firstly, not been promoted in the UK that much, and that, secondly, they are, after all, an American export; which is why it comes as even greater shock that the single failed on home turf as well...odd...
Regardless, I like it. A great recommendation, it also adds some variety to the music on the blog, and counts as yet another track I'd never heard of until writing this, but am now glad to have found out about. Check it out for yourself. It's got soul, and that can be rare nowadays. See what you think...
★★★★
Versions of “Weightless”
Album/Single Version - 3:32