“The Hudson,” a lyrical reinvention of songwriting
Album cover for The Dream, by Alex G. Harper
When I learned that Ashe and FINNEAS were starting a band together, I freaked out. As a longtime fan of Ashe, with her hits “The Moral of the Story” as well as “Till Forever Falls Apart” (which was a collaboration with Finneas), I had no worries about the selling point of this new band.
Following their successful first single, “The Little Mess You Made,” which felt reminiscent of “Silver Springs” by Fleetwood Mac, I had high hopes for the next song.
“The Hudson,” the second single release, is a melancholy resolution. It is not outwardly loud or dramatic like “The Little Mess You Made,” rather, it is a solution to conflict. The failure of the relationship laid out in the lyrics is not anyone’s fault. These two characters are stuck in a love story that was not meant to be, and they accept it, agreeing to try again in a year.
“The Hudson” is nuanced. At first, I didn’t understand the song, disliking the slow tempo and muted voices; however, I realized this was a song that focuses on lyrics. Often, as a listener, we gravitate towards more extravagant music, but we forget the simple things. We frequently forget that artists are storytellers, and that how they tell a story can vary; sometimes, the words are more important than the melodies.
If asked, I would say that this is a Favors release reminiscent of “Capricorn” by Vampire Weekend. It is the slow song of the album, but it is a song that, like poetry, is meant to be dissected. When you listen, you should focus less on the beats and more on the lyrics, which are golden poetry.