Once In A Lifetime - All Time Low

All time low is a band that just keeps on giving. Shortly after their eighth studio album release Wake Up, Sunshine the basement boys teased Once In A Lifetime. After teasing fans with an abrupt and slightly confusing audio piece, the band announced their new single Once In A Lifetime, within a few mere hours of the radio play. Fast forward to today and here we are... All Time Low's new single, and it is far from disappointing.

In typical All Time Low fashion, the track is upbeat, energetic, and embodies the ‘classic’ pop-punk sound of the band with an edgy rock undertone. Although seemingly repetitive with the title throughout the song, it is the perfect depiction of a feel-good summer song. Imagine being sat in your car, windows down with the air blasting through your hair and this song blasting through the speakers. That is the song wrapped in one.

A breakup song is nothing new for the band to sing about but this track in particular went down the route of feeling low in the breakup stages of a failed relationship, and the trails that one will take. A rather universal concept seemingly but done in a more All Time Low way. The instrumental almost seems polar opposite to the lyrics, but as we have learned from the bands Wake Up, Sunshine era, the best songs are written out of a hard place. However, it does feel like a continuation from W.U.S. Although it is too early to tell whether or not this new track will be part of the same era, begin a new era or be a stand-alone single like Birthday and Everything Is Fine, one thing so far is for certain. All Time Low has still got it. 

From the get go, the chamber of echoes repeating the title is an abrupt way to open, leaving little to no time for the listener to question if it's worth the 3 minutes of listening. Which it is. Alongside this is a short instrumental pause between the first chorus and second verse, which offers a gentle brief break from vocals before it jumping back into the faster-paced verse progressions. These progressions are snappy and poetic all at the same time, whilst offering dimension and a Monsters like feel to this single. Heavily vocal-led, ringing guitar and steady backline, Once In A Lifetime brings back the sentimental tones of their last album in a rollover sense. But what will come next?

Skeletons - Bronnie

Over the years the ever growing pop-punk sensation that is Bronnie Hughes, has released some stand out tunes; becoming better as they go along. From her first EP, to her recent release, Bronnie has honed her sound. There’s a lot to be said for a musician that can release songs that are both raw and emotional to the core, whilst still being upbeat. It can be done by anyone, but whether it is done well is what’s in question. For Bronnie’s music, there is no doubt about it.

Her most recent single ‘Skeletons’ is the song that every die-hard Bronnie fan never knew they needed until it came. With a heart-warming opening melody to the raw rock vocals of the singer-songwriter, it cuts deep to the core with the overarching theme of mental health. The story behind the track is descriptively painting the picture of someone who is struggling in their life; with skeletons from the past that are still haunting them in the present day. In the past Bronnie has always been vocal about her strong stance on mental health awareness using her platform and her voice for something much more than just her career. It is so easy for artists these days to become too self-involved and in some ways forget their voice can impact more than just someone’s ears, but Bronnie is the fresh few amongst the younger generation of artists who really understand the power they have behind social media within their communities. 

The acoustically driven song, only sits at a very short 2:22 but does not stop Bronnie from putting her all in those 2 minutes. It explores a little bit of everything from a small and intimate feeling introduction to a much more powerful and loud bridge. However the most interesting part that draws you in is not actually the song itself, but the sound bite that closes the song. It was an interesting choice yet a cleverly placed sound bite of a recording that initially marries the ring out of the electric guitar with crackles. It doesn’t take away from the song but it does add a level of definition that most songs in the modern day rarely express. The poem that the listener hears was written by Mary Elizabeth Frye “Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep” is widely known for its symbolism of loss. More specifically the loss of a loved one. The poet wrote the iambic tetrameter poem in aid of a young Jewish girl, who was going through a terrible loss, one that Frye could relate to. Written in 1932, the poem still speaks volumes today, as the authoritative voice is almost demanding that there is no need to feel such sorrow, for they are still alive in spirit and soul. Physically they are gone but they are never truly gone. In relation to the song, the sonnet gives a whole new meaning to ‘Skeletons’ as it’s now no longer just based on someone who is trying to fight their demons, but it invokes a sense of what demons this person could be facing. Although not all of the sonnet is included in its entirety, its power is still very much shone, at arguably the pinochle point of the track. It was a creative decision that Bronnie should be proud of, as it makes the track stand out in its masses. 

Lines Included in the song:

Do not stand at my grave and weep, 

I am not there; I do not sleep,

I am a thousand winds that blow, 

I am the diamond glints on snow,

I am the sun on ripened grain, 

I am the gentle autumn rain.

Do not stand at my grave and cry, 

I am not there; I did not die.

One final note is the single cover, which is minimalist yet effective at not only drawing in the listener but not being the “shining star of the show”. It is designed in a welcoming and eye catching way but almost connotes the sound of the track. The well produced, graciously sung, acoustic track that is ‘Skeletons’. Does it deserve a listen? Definitely. In fact it deserves multiple. Not only will you get the classic rock undertones of Bronnie, and her sound but you also get a heart-tugging emotional song that is the perfect arsenal to any playlist.