Scene and Heard – CCCXXXI: (Now We’re) Done – The Solsters ft. Evan Croft (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

The Solsters make a fascinating point with (Now We’re) Done. Break up songs don’t have to be depressing! You hear the phrase and you can’t help put envisage a long haired guy in a wide brimmed hat waxing lyrical in depressing tones over his 12-string guitar about losing the love of his life. Or an indie pop girl with fashionable glasses getting simultaneously sassy and soppy about the way that she’s been treated aided and abetted by a working knowledge of A minor. A minor? Wow! That’s how you can tell that she’s serious!

But Solsters offer a better approach. Whilst the lyrics address the same subject matter, it comes from a healthier place. This isn’t a song of victims and unrequited love, of broken hearts, well, maybe hearts that are a bit damaged, and teenage irrationality. This is a song that comes from a more mature place. This is the, “I think we need to talk “ song, the “ Look, if we are really honest…” relationship on the couch song.

And better even than its healthy and grown up approach to such situations is the music. As I said, break up music doesn’t have to be depressing and although it is emotive and analytical, reflective and soul searching, it is still full of groove and beat. It takes the golden age of soul and doo wop vocal quartets, blends it with fresh pop sounds, under pins it with modern synth sounds and electronic textures and the result is a tune that away from its lyric could move to the coast and make a decent living in an up town supper club.

It’s great, a real balance of old-school and cutting edge, of upbeat musical infectiousness and the harsh reality of the lyrics. I guess this is what you get when pop grows up and starts to talk about the realities of adult life.