"I don't think we're in (Ar)Kansas anymore ToTo" - Dorothy, the Wizard of Oz
One minute there is a storm, and the next you are being whizzed off to Oz (which I've heard is really beautiful). Of all the fictional places, the land of Oz and Emerald City seems, to me, to be one of the most beautiful and intriguing. It is full of the obvious - friendship, magic and adventure - but I think there is more to it. There is more that lies beneath the surface; beneath the yellow bricks. There is a depth, emotion and vulnerability to the characters and the place itself. A fragile nature to even the strongest and most powerful.
The very same is the essence of The Trusted's latest single, 'Arkansas'. Used to seeing the one side to the band that lies on the surface during their live sets, the release of 'Arkansas' appears to uncover another side to the band. The stripped back nature of the track conveys a sense of vulnerability and empathy that is usually cushioned in the performance and musicianship. The lyrics resonate with the rawness, and between them, captivate the listener transporting them to a time when they, themselves, were lost and dreaming of escapism.
Although the track, as a whole, is a lot more mellow than usual, the lyrics speak for themselves and are exposed to a greater extent than previous singles from the band. Personally, I love the 'fuller' Trusted songs; Dale's solos and the frantic nature of the instrumentals in songs like 'Turbulence'; but to hear everything stripped back to the raw emotion is something I have been waiting for. The balance of the complementary drums and the keyboard elements just lift the track at the right moments connoting the highs and lows of hope, realisation, and the drops back to reality.
The lyrics of this song really are something to be delved in: The depth of emotion between the bricks just cement the whole story together, leading the listener on a dual journey: not only the surface level lyrics but what it means to them personally. Not only has it exposed a different side to the band, but more connections with listeners are going to be established as a beautiful understanding between artist and listener is unearthed.
There really is no place like home, but when listening to the single from The Trusted, a storm begins to brew and whizzes the listener off to their own Oz; be it Arkansas or their own personal equivalent; I've heard it's really beautiful.
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