Track of the Week

 Today’s track of the week has been out for a few weeks now, but after the release of the rest of Snail Mail’s ‘Valentine Demos’ EP I’ve been listening to it more and more. ‘Easy Thing’ is the only completely unheard song on the EP, although all the demos are definitely more different to the studio versions than I was expecting, with lots of lyrical and musical changes. That said, I love this EP and think it’s really cool that Lindsey has decided to let us in on what is essentially a behind the scenes snippet of her writing process. 

Musically, ‘Easy Thing’ is definitely slightly folk-oriented, even featuring what sounds like a wooden flute. This is a style I love for them, it really complements Lindsey’s voice especially with how under produced the recording is. I can see how the track didn’t fit on the studio album, but even as a stand-alone it would be totally breathtaking, the demos EP is just a whole extra bonus. Even without the more ‘studio’ elements of Snail Mail’s music, ‘Easy Thing’ boasts that typical clever songwriting and guitar skills. And one of the best things about it, I feel, is that even with the folky vibes it has clean electric guitar which is something I use a lot on my own songs for a smoother, warmer feel. This also helps it fit more with the Snail Mail aesthetic.

Lyrically, it centres around connection and, like most of Snail Mail’s music, manages to be deeply personal and specific while still appealing to a wider audience who can relate to the sentiment. This, I think, is something we’re seeing way more in the present day and part of the evolution of songwriting over time. One particular lyric I love is ‘Was I just a concept of clothing to you?’ because I think this, especially in context, definitely shows in a realistic way the spirals involved in the mental process of a breakup. It’s a particularly creative and specific way to address this, which encompasses everything I adore about Lindsey’s writing style. 

So, in short, listen to Snail Mail. And once you’ve listened to them, listen to this demos EP so that you can fully appreciate the raw, stripped back songs in all their glory, and also just how much goes into the production process because the difference is insane.