Sebadoh's jangly guitar parts and bouncing basslines have long belied singer Lou Barlow's melancholic ruminations on failure, indecision, and abject apathy. The fear of failure is palpable on new single "State of Mine" (the second to be released off the forthcoming Defend Yourself) with Barlow's fear translating into a terror of decision-making. When you never make a firm commitment, you're never let down. As he slowly reveals throughout the course of the song, he's not just worried about his own shortfalls, but those of his children as well. In many ways, it's garage-inflected update of CSNY's "Teach Your Children". "Failure is a state of mine," Barlow readily admits in the chorus' close. But he bottles that fear up, knowing he's "gotta be stronger" for his children's sake. In holding his head up high, he's taking CSNY's advice to heart: "Can't know the fears that your elders grew by."
Sebadoh's new LP Defend Yourself (their first in 14 years) is out September 17 via Joyful Noise.
No comments:
Post a Comment