#jimestack

The fourth song in “minor” grabs my attention cause it starts with a Wurlitzer electric piano that’s playing around with changing velocities (the force applied on the keys, which changes their volume and tone) and a subtle, nice delay. That it starts with these kind of dynamic choices in a few simple chords is enough to set the mood. I also love the hoarse sound it does when the keys are lifted. 

Gracie starts singing with that whispery voice that we now recognize, the one that makes us feel we are there with her, as if she were telling us that story herself, face to face. An accompanying bass gets in halfway through the first verse, as well as a gentle synth ambient pad and a light, repetitive percussive synth. Then, in the chorus, the bass gets a bit more complex, with some step notes in between. A stronger synth ambient pad is also introduced here, and the Wurlitzer mimics the vocal melody.             

At the end of the chorus, we start hearing some electric snares, which foreshadow what’s coming next: In the second verse and throughout the whole song now, a minimalistic electric drum-set will be playing. 

The second chorus adds some vocal harmonies, a common technique we hear in almost every song nowadays, specially in the pop genre.

For me, what the producers do best, and besides everything that’s also obviously great, is adding new sounds every now and again— like in the second chorus, after the words “when quiet,” where we hear a falling short melody that’s actually arranged vocals with some effects — and small breaks that make the song breath (you can hear this after the second chorus, just before the instrumental part).

We also hear a new sound before the last refrain, kind of a distorted synth-ish guitar or guitar-ish synth  (these days it’s hard to know what’s what just by hearing it; I’d really like to know the process behind every new production). 

Then we get to the final chorus, where the producers get rid of most sounds and take us to a calm place. They leave the vocals, the bass, and a brass instrument that might have been there before, but I’m just noticing now. For the final four bars, they add the Wurlitzer chords again and it’s a wrap. 

Structure-wise, the song is really simple. Its got one verse, then it jumps straight to the chorus, then a short second verse, and finally a refrain. Then, we get the same chorus, the same refrain, and the same chorus once again— that works as an outro just as well. 

Lyric-wise, though, it’s fantastic. The vivid imagery throughout the song places a coming-of-age cinematic short inside my head. A romantic relationship of…kids, basically, which doesn’t make it any less important. Those moments mark us, whether we are 50 or 16.         “We played grown-ups”… who doesn’t. Who doesn’t think they are mature and prepared for an emotional commitment when we are that age? Yet, it tends to be chaotic and full of drama, ‘cause most of us like that, cause it makes us feel all sorts of emotions. But we eventually get tired of that. We grow up and mature, as one should. And those who get caught in those kind of games are in for serious dysfunctional relationships.

Personal Favorite Phrase: “Slept on floors of angry mornings”

Objective Findings:  

Key: Db

 Instruments: Wurlitzer electric piano, vocals, analog bass, electric percussions, at least two synth ambient pads, and that brass instrument (be it a sax, a trumpet, a horn) at the end. 

Chord Progression: I-V-VI-III (I-V-III)

Effects: Reverb, delay, stereo imaging, a chain of compressors, equalizers and limiters.

Note: I’m sure they worked with more effects, but these are the ones that are more noticeable to me.

What do you think of “Tehe”?

Jim-E Stack