I’ve always found side projects interesting. Seeing what a musician can do when they break away from the sonic recipe of their home band is a glimpse into another side of their personality.
My personal side project hall-of-fame includes Jack White’s four-piece foray The Raconteurs, Ben Gibbard’s electro explorations in The Postal Service, and Olafur Arnalds’ dance duo Kiasmos.
Shearwater is the side project of Jonathan Meiburg, lead singer of rock band Okkervil River. It appears to be an outlet for Meiburg’s quieter repertoire. But the interesting thing here is that “side project” feels like the wrong term. Shearwater is more like a parallel project than a side project; it has existed for almost as long as Okkervil River itself, and the aquatic nature of both names strengthens the connection.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. The faraway backup vocals in the chorus.
2. The cross-rhythm in the piano as the song winds down.
3. The imagery in the lyrics. “I was a cloud looking down / Your frantic waving did not provoke feeling.” It’s a sad, isolated lyric. But it makes me think of how, from ground level, clouds appear to be far above our heads, while if you’re flying above the clouds, they look to be almost bouncing across the earth’s surface. The apparent distance between them depends on your perspective.
Recommended listening activity:
Re-visiting a neighbourhood where you used to live.