When you first see the name of this record, you are probably going to think, “oh, this is going to make me sad”. You would probably opt to listen to it at night or when you’re down to really feel its presupposed vibe. Well, as someone who feels as though she had just gone through an immersive rollercoaster ride after listening to all ten tracks of this Lauri Jarvilehto album, the answer would be yes and no.
Your ears will immediately be graced by synth once “Alive With You” starts playing. The setting of a sad romance film comes to mind, because picture this: a couple just ended a fight or an argument, one of the two starts walking (or driving) away, plus points if it’s raining, and they just stop whatever they’re doing midway and start crying. One magical thing about listening to a completely unfamiliar song is that it’ll create images in your mind, if my description even made sense at all to encourage others to start listening to this record. It really would be best to listen for yourself.
Not only is the production good, but as well as how everything is quite literally arranged chronologically – “Haven” is a great track to put next to the first one, as it gives listeners a chance to get used to what sound Jarvilehto brings to the table with “Songs About Sadness”. And don’t get me started on “Whippoorwill” – it just feels right to be the ninth song on the album, the track before the last one, like it belongs there. When it starts playing, you just know that the end is within the horizon, with the addition of the following lyrics: “This is the story of all/our humankind / this is the story we tell our kids every night”. It is simply beautiful.
Unpredictable is one way to describe this album. Yes, you get accustomed to the vocals, but the rhythm and melodies seem to be unique in every track. For instance, the bassline in “Typhoon” is phenomenal, and is probably the main definition of unpredictable as the upbeat and catchiness of it all is not to be expected with a title like that. With songs like “Maze” and “Fair Insight”, and “Moomin Weather”, anyone would be bound to get lost within, with the tone they are set in and the complexities of their arrangements.
The seventh track, “My Little Butterfly”, sounds like a special message; a lullaby from a parent to a child. Its structure is familiar, warm, with another voice or perspective present within the song that makes the song seem like a conversation. To an extent, a copy of its lyrics would be necessary to fully grasp its gist. Nevertheless, how it sounds on its own makes up for it.
What’s interesting about “Songs About Sadness” is that contrary to the name itself, the last track “Hey Kid” is as upbeat and cheerful as it could get. Sure, the previous songs may have been upbeat but its meaning contradicts it, but this one sounds like a celebration, a lesson. It’s completely different from the vibes “Alive With You” relayed to the listeners, as it comprises a lively solo and beat that would most likely serve as assurance that everything will be alright.
All in all, this record is full of depth, pleasant surprises, and catchy ad libs. It encapsulates life in general, what one is bound to feel within their lifetime. These songs will make you droop down, perk up, tear up, bob your head. It does not tackle one concrete topic, which makes me believe that this is such an unrecognized gem that deserves to be heard.
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About the Author
Kate Clarice Lee is a psychology major in Ateneo de Naga University with a knack for music and writing. She takes interest in playing guitar, poetry, creative writing, and lyrics that—subjectively—hit close to home. Kate mostly enjoys indie, alternative, pop & punk rock music.
