barryorchestra presents...2020: A Playlist - #56.
#56. “Better” by Jack Garratt
Jack Garratt has proven himself to be capable of creating just about any style of music he wants. Hailing from England, he came on the scene back in 2016 with his debut album “Phase”. This was one of my favorite records of that year as it took some of the pop sensibilities of singer songwriter peers like Ed Sheeran or Passenger, and threw it in a blender with razor sharp electronic production that mirrors grime, breakbeat, alternative R&B, and EDM (and yeah, he produces and plays all the instruments). Despite the zany production that his tracks tend to evolve into, a strong song always backs the sonic progression (and don’t get it twisted, he can pull off a ballad just as good as the rest of them). On his latest album, “Love, Death, & Dancing” he writes about his anxieties and insecurities. The song “Better” in particular chronicles his battle with fear as he searches for a drug or sedative to save him from his internal conflict. As very raw as the lyrics read, the upbeat production keeps the song from becoming a dreary affair. The garage style beat in the beginning, accompanied by the clean guitar licks that follow simulate a feeling of running away from something that compliments the track well. I also like the bridge (a bridge in a song these days is such a joy to hear) where the production strips back to predominately his vocals and the guitar, while the descending melody simulates a feeling of sudden suspension, only the fall back into the aggressive beat that has been carrying the song all along. “Love, Death, and Dancing” is a fun, dynamic, and introspective album. If you hate on pop music for it being generally homogenous and boring, allow Jack Garratt to prove you wrong.