Everyone’s got a ghost. Not a floaty skeleton dressed in a bed sheet, but something that follows them around and scares them every so often.
Some ghosts specialize in the mistakes of the past. Others focus on the near future. Or the worst-case future. Some just stick with the everyday anxieties of the present. Some unlucky folks get stuck, Scrooge-style, with all three.
While fears and anxieties are well-trodden paths for songwriters, few bands capture the feeling as effectively as Halifax indie rockers Wintersleep on “Weighty Ghost.”
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. Many songs dealing with this type of subject matter go too poetic or too literal. Wintersleep keeps the lyrics balanced between the figurative (I got out of bed today / swear to God I couldn’t see my face) and the relatable (Sick of those goddamn clouds.)
2. The persistent organ almost allows the listener to imagine the band performing in a church.
3. It’s got a surprisingly joyful vibe for a song about feeling lost and aimless. Maybe it’s more of a jubilant exorcism than a lament. It’s got a similar gospel rock lurch as the song featured on this blog 702 weeks ago.
Recommended listening activity:
Purchasing a night light to keep the ghosts away.