Now that Valentine’s Day is over, let’s talk about exes.
As it turns out, a lot of people probably became exes on Valentine’s Day. That’s right: flowers and chocolates and heart-shaped boxes aside, Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular times to dump somebody.
Seriously, people have studied this and produced science-y graphs to back up their claims:
Okay, I haven’t double-checked the science behind this study (it’s mostly based on Facebook data) but it’s pretty fascinating. And it makes sense; people hold on to a flagging relationship to avoid being alone on February 14th, hoping that a card with a half-assed pun will turn things around. There’s the pressure to do something grand and romantic, so the potential for disappointment is high. This leads to muttered comments, which leads to arguments over half-finished bottles of wine, which leads to people walking in opposite directions. Blame it on winter.
But if you’re like Californian duo EXES, you believe that all the exes in our lives- relationships, homes, experiences -those are the things that shape us. By their own admission, their songs are inspired by exes. The result is music that packs an incredibly bittersweet punch.
So as bitter as a Valentine’s Day break up might be, don’t think of it as a failure. It’s just another part of the past. And years from now as you’re cleaning out your closet, you might find some artifact from a long-ago ex. You’ll pick it up and you’ll remember that once you were head over heels for them.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. The combination of light voice and heavy production makes for a nice contrast, reminiscent of Sylvan Esso.
2. The tone of the lyrics changes depending on whether you choose to believe she’s singing about a current love, or a past one.
3. In the second half of the chorus, there’s a synth that repeats a descending scale, while a backing vocal slowly climbs the scale. People walking in opposite directions.
Recommended listening activity:
Hanging the clothes in your closet in order from oldest to newest.