In my many years of song-listening, I’ve found a few songs that present a weird combination of laid-back sound and high-intensity motivation. For example, Ben Kweller’s “Penny on the Train Track” made me actually go to train tracks and … well … lay a penny on the track (OK full disclosure, that’s a lie – it was my sister, Celeste, who actually went and laid a penny on the train tracks. She’s always the cooler one).
So after that disclaimer, if you still trust me enough to keep reading, let me introduce to you another single I’m quickly getting into: High Tide 15:47‘s “And the Bubble Burst.” The track reminds me a lot of that compelling combo Kweller had. The Newcastle sextet puts together an indie-rock-pop-infused ballad that gets your toes tapping from its opening beat, but its catchy, laid-back sound also has a compelling message: walk a mile in my shoes/they don’t feel like they used to. While it may be more difficult to convince someone to actually switch shoes than to lay a penny on a train track, the song has been replaying in my head since I first heard it. It’s a great sound with a great message – one we could all probably stand to hear a time or two. So give it a listen or two!