By: Colin Vallee (@colinjbeard)
The "anxiety generation" is definitely a term that's been used to define this wonderfully doomed group of millennials, right? If not, then consider this the official coining of that term. Between the constant onslaught of notifications from our phones, the impending destruction of the world with its disappearing flora and fauna, and the realization that the bourgeoisie the French Republic fought to overthrow never disappeared, they just got better PR (looking at you Mr. Gates).
It's no surprise then that tons of music these days would broach the topic of anxiety, both personal and existential. “Breathe Out,” the lead single off of Philadelphia stalwart Curtis Cooper’s new album, Graceful, serves as both a form of catharsis and a road map to it.
Starting in a jaunty 5/4 and smoothing out into a more relaxed 6/4, Cooper said they were trying to create a type of breathing exercise. "It's wild how much better I feel when I'm super anxious and remember to just start taking deep breathes [sic]," Cooper said via email.
The song itself is a densely packed sub 2-minute intro to the forthcoming album. You can hear what sounds like woodblocks, sustained strings, beautiful shimmering guitar tones, harmonies, and some clonky metal percussion bits that give the whole song a kind of garage-party-in-the-sunshine vibe. Full disclosure, I've heard the rest of this album and “Breathe Out” is merely the tip of a dense, thoughtful, and complicated album. This is Cooper's third proper full length, coming two years after Messy.
Curtis Cooper’s Graceful is out June 3rd.