#ds explores

I have heard a little of Lord Huron. By far their most known song is The Night We Met, and I believe that is how I first came across them. Looking at their discography, I know I have also heard Ends of the Earth. From what I have heard of their work, I know that I particularly like the harmonies they often use. They evoke in me a feeling of nostalgia and safety; there is a warmth behind their music.

I am taking some time now to listen to your recommendations, and I'll leave my thoughts about them below:

The Ghost on the Shore:

From the first listen, this sounds like a song of yearning to me. There is a desperate want to stay, but something is drawing him away. Again it brings forth the nostalgia that I know Lord Huron for, a strange kind sort of nostalgia that reassures you that everything will be alright, even though you may have to leave things that you can't bear to let go of, whether that be people or places or things. Life is ever changing and you just have to take it a step at a time.

Meet Me in the Woods:

From the first lyrics, I can already tell that I am going to particularly enjoy this one. The twist of darkness that runs through the song is hand in hand with the hopeful sharing of vulnerability. It sounds to me as if it is an answer to The Ghost on the Shore; now that our protagonist has returned, he knows of the darkness that is out there and wants to share the pain in order to lessen the load.

Not Dead Yet:

A very different sound to what I have heard from Lord Huron before, but still very enjoyable. Even with the lyrics speaking of tiredness and everything ending, there is joy behind them. A strange actualised freedom to it.

Love Me Like You Used To:

This song sounds very much like a prayer. It seems to describe loosing belief for something that you've always understood to be true. The singer asks for a God to love him like he used to, how he feels his life is more difficult than it used to be, and perhaps that is through lack of faith. But he wants to witness the love before he can go back to believing, perhaps because he fell out of faith due to the difficult times at the start. Each seems to have caused the other. I suppose this could also be interpreted as being sung to someone in his life, someone who he has maybe not done the best by, but is fighting for a second chance, much like his relationship with God.

I do already listen to Car Seat Headrest, and Making a Door Less Open is a fantastic album! I don't think I had taken the time to listen to it in order though, so I took the opportunity to have a listen through the album as it is presented. For me, I feel that Making a Door Less Open really captures the monotony of life and trying to break out of it. It is fun and pessimistic all tied up together (as is a lot of their work). I particularly enjoy Deadlines (Hostile) and Life Worth Missing.

Overall I think this is an album best listened to in a parked car, with heavy rain streaming down the windows (as I am writing this now, the rain has just started pouring down outside, almost as if it knew just how to set the tone). These are songs that dig their way into your heart and make a home in the hollows of your chest.