By Lysa Legros
Staff Writer
Wallows, a Los Angeles-based trio made up of Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters and Cole Preston, came back after two years with their new single, “Especially You.” The single heralds their upcoming album “Tell Me That it’s Over,” coming out March 25. The album, a collaboration with producer Ariel Rechtshaid (Vampire Weekend, Haim, Adele), offers a variety of musical genres, ranging from lo-fi post-punk to early ’90s pop psychedelia. “Especially You” presents an exciting evolution of Wallow’s sound that pairs the confessional tone of “Are You Bored” with the exciting production of “Ok.”
“Especially You” encapsulates the excitement and the anxiety of a new relationship. The song’s subdued and gentle lyrics describe a speaker who, despite being enamored with their lover, can’t help but overthink their lover’s actions.
“It’s about when you’re in the early stages of a relationship and you get so worried that the other person’s mind will change at the flip of a switch,” Minnette said. “It’s about stressing over the smallest things for no reason, but it’s definitely self-aware about the fact that I’m doing this all to myself.”
“Especially You” opens up with bombastic instrumentation and a catchy sing-along chant: “Thinking about what you just said, sleepless, now my eyes are red. Living the background, wondering what you meant.” Minnette and Lemaster’s soothing vocals, vibrant synths, crisp guitars and upbeat drums engulf pensive lyrics in a cheerful melody.
The instruments and the lyrics work in tandem with each other. As the singers express the speaker’s confusion about their relationship and their doubts over whether or not they are interpreting their lover’s actions correctly, and how they articulate themselves, the melody counters their anxiety with pleasant up-tempo rhythms or compliments their emotions through distortion, or by disassembling into more intimate sounds.
Before the bridge, the melody exchanges a buoyant and grand sound for a simple guitar melody as the speaker confesses “Can’t stop a mood that swings, I’ll read into anything, I know that’s not what you meant, I got the wrong sentiment.” As the song transitions to its last refrain, it returns to its former arrangement.
“Especially You” explores the distinction between actions and thoughts, the cheerfulness of its sound versus the nervousness of its lyrics. Overall, the song is the sonic journey of a new relationship; it pairs the excitement of the honeymoon phase with the anxiety of just getting to know someone.
The music video, which shows Wallows moving through different sets for photoshoots, echoes the song’s themes of questioning behavior. Wallows, like the characters of their songs, are in a state of pretend action, performing for the cameras, as the speaker attempts to perform for and understand their lover.
As a whole, I enjoyed “Especially You.” The song is relatable, soothing and catchy, and the music video is as entertaining as it is aesthetic. Both the song and the video are filled with details
Pre-order Wallow’s upcoming album, “Tell Me That it’s Over,” here: https://wallows.lnk.to/TMTIO
