Review: Amid the Old Wounds - Rebreather (Single)

Label: Time as a Color Records, etc.

"It's a Lockdown" are the first words on AMID THE OLD WOUNDS' new 3-track-single, and eventhough the title track "Rebreather" is not specifically about the pandemic and its affection on the human's psyche, the isolation and the social distancing most definitley left their mark on those songs. 

It's probably pure speculation, but there seems to be an ongoing story taking place on this record. The prologue is a relationship gone waste. It hurt bitterly and changed a lot in the character's general dealing with his emotions and intimacy. Still deeply damaged, our character questions himself and his life in the first chapter. Self love, emotional independence, the feeling of going back and forth, and the fear of falling spinelessly back into old patterns are the overall themes. In the second chapter he intuitively holds onto what's left, trying his hardest to make it work, at least for himself. But he has to admit that it's already too late and he has to move on, even when some parts of himself want to cling to all those broken pieces. He sometimes can't believe his inner voice when doing so, but at least he tries to convince himself that he was not the fault. Then... here we are... in the last chapter, in the middle of the lockdown. A time where it's not about feeling alone, a time where it's about being alone. A time that justified lonesomeness pretty easily. "As if this winter spoke exactly for itself". At least our character wasn't alone while feeling alone. But this time also gave some time to cope with his wounds. Some space. Some time to breathe. Some time to reassort emotions. After all, the happenings of the past still hurt as fuck and are inked into our character's soul like a tattoo that covers his whole back. Yet, he eventually comes to a longing, even a bit hopeful outlook for himself: "I wish I was significant / to someone significant". 

Musically the press release dumps this perfectly in the middle of JEREMY ENIGK, THE NEW AMSTERDAMS and early DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL. I'd probably like to add Johnah Matranga/ONELINEDRAWING. It's Emo-tinged Acoustic/Singer-Songwriter-stuff that should hit for everyone into the mentioned bands. The magic about AMID THE OLD WOUNDS lies in the beautiful, honest, sincere, easy-to-relate-to, yet always thought-provoking lyrics. It's amazing how much depth, how much meaning you can pack into nine minutes and some verses. 

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