"The Softies - 'The Bed I Made': An Album Review" by Griffin S.
"The Softies - 'The Bed I Made': An Album Review" by Griffin S.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Griffin S. is a writer, visual artist and noise musician. You can probably find him manipulating samples, reading James Ellroy or Philip K. Dick and smoking. He lives in Los Angeles.
It doesn’t take an expert to see that the current indie/alternative landscape is pretty fucked. On one hand we have Carhartt-clad zoomers shamelessly swagger-jacking Crystal Castles and Justice with a post-ironic helping of sugary 2000s pop, that no matter how many trend cycles we accelerate through, will never be good. On the other, we have once believed indie-darlings becoming self-parodies and attempt to cling onto relevancy and Pitchfork-goodwill (see: the new Vampire Weekend record). I suppose they didn’t get the memo that Pitchfork now spends digital ink and high scores on pop and mainstream artists, atoning for their past of casting these artists off and ripping them to shreds in old reviews. I think that this is why bands like The Softies feel as refreshing, if not more so, as they always have.
Twee has always served as a consistent bulwark against cynicism and debauchery. While bloghaus bands worshiped at the altar of sometimes good cocaine and a “the world is fucked so we might as well party” mentality, twee bands retreated into their own little worlds, crafting picture book castles of naivete and innocence. Could it get overly sickly sweet and sincere? Most definitely, but there was always something delicate and endearing about the genre.
(Author’s note; please do not indie-sleazify twee music. The surface level revival of bloghaus that is currently in vogue is bad enough.)
The Softies have been at it for a long time to say the least. The duo have been churning out consistently great pop music for years. They seem to remain hidden away in their own personal universe of beautiful melodies and depressing lyricism that, in the hands of less competent artists, could be absolutely disastrous. The Softies balance melancholy and childlike innocence expertly, and this new record is a testament to this.
As the first track begins, it is a knee jerk reaction to think that this album will be deeply tragic. The minimal and haunting instrumentation laid underneath the duo’s sentimental vocals and emotional lyricism makes the listener think that they are going to be in for a brutal and heart wrenching listen. But pushing through that initial reaction shows this record to be wonderfully positive and feel-good. Like retreating into a pop-up book that catalogs an innocent and beautiful relationship. It is the kind of album that makes you want to curl up with your lover as you gaze into one another’s eyes and crack beautiful jokes to one another that you know will one day become convoluted inside bits that remind you that you have found your soulmate.
While the record moves at a brisk pace, it begs you to savor each and every note of it. As you hit the middle track California Highway 99, you become fully immersed yourself in the world The Softies have created. This album is twee at its best, retaining the minimalism of bands like Belle and Sebastian while still feeling wonderfully fresh. There is a lingering tragedy under the watercolor and pastel imagery of these songs, yet it never feels like the duo is beating you over the head with sadness and melancholy. Instead, they remind you that tragedy is a vital part of life and experience. Relationships have ups and downs, yet the truly good ones make you remember why you chose to be with the person you are with. The Bed I Made stands firmly on this principle. It reminds you why life is worth living and why every emotion, good and bad, is so necessary.
The duality of beauty and sadness is what makes this album shine. Haunting guitar and sweet vocals work in tandem to craft a truly unique experience. The title of the record, The Bed I Made, perhaps sums up this album best; you craft the experiences you go through, so please, find the right person and do the absolute best you can, savor it and remember, this is why life is worth living.
You can listen to, and purchase, The Softies’ newest album ‘The Bed I Made’ on their Bandcamp, here.
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