Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Indie Music: Natalise & the Sunset Run "The Lucky Ones"


by Germar Derron

I watched the music video for "The Lucky Ones." No, I studied it. Well, it started as a casual listen for this review, but something pulled me in. Quite organically, I drifted from a casual first time listener to a serious student of whatever this sound was. Instantly, I felt weep-ish. I didn't cry, but I could have. Simultaneously, I felt intense joy and sadness, better described as warmth. All of that is "The Lucky Ones."

"The Lucky Ones" could be described as traditional pop, and that description would be accurate. Natalise's pristine vocal is reminiscent of many top pop female vocalists of the past 15 years. The vocal cadence is doubled and harmonized perfectly. That too is standard for certain modern versions of the pop genre. The strings, acoustic guitar, and piano push this into a more spiritual space. That space could be a place of worship or a state of mind. But the track strays from anything typical by somehow being something more.



The instrumental arrangement doesn't overpower the vocals. Often, on similar alt-pop type tracks, I can feel the band members trying to shine. Here, I don't notice them. I don't "hear" them; I feel them. They compliment the lyrical component well. It's restrained. Usually, that instrumental restraint leads to a disconnected track, like when that church soloist sings over a CD track karaoke style. But that's not the case here.

Earlier, I mentioned a warm feeling. That feeling emanates from a warm sound and warm message. Even with the innate sadness of the song, while listening, I feel like a "lucky one." Not sure I've ever written "feel*" so much in any piece.  Four out of five stars.

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