SKYWAVE
"Girlfriend's Dead"


Skywave's "Girlfriend's Dead" is at once a driven and moody thing, intense and indie movie-sountrackish, the kind of anthemic to wear dark purple velvet and crush on boys with eyeliner to.

Musically, it's all about the powerhouse guitar riff- big and raunchy, urgent as hell, spurred on by drums loaded with anticipation. This song is based on momentum, particularly via dynamic layers, and yeah it's repetitive, but there is method to this creation of cycle: climax and aftermath which are continuously giving way, taking eerie breaths then bracing for the relaunch. Emotionally charged and crafted.

Sadly, I'm less turned on by the vocal line, kind of an awkward and shapeless retro 80's thing (which I guess does extend the eyeliner theme) that lacks any semblance of a singable hook or even a vaguely memorable tag. But that's fine, crank this song to any degree and due to dubious mixing and heavy-handed effects you won't hear the vox anyway. But more than just being a little low in the mix, the delivery seems to lack confidence, perhaps as a tradeoff attempt to faciltiate the ethereal, enchanted quality that appears to be the intended vibe of the vocal. The effect just isn't quite honed.

Overall, this song has some very admirable things going for it, managing to portray what is basically an uncontrived, if slightly derivative, disaffection in a way that is both dark and energized. But I can't help seeing the singer wearing white makeup and a shock of Robert Smith hair though, which is a little unsettling. And I just feel sorry for the poor dead girlfriend.

Charisma: 6.00
Technical Skill: 7.00
Structure: 8.00
Interest: 7.50
Lyrics: n/a
Performance: n/a
Arrangement: n/a
Recording Quality: 6.50
Long Term Appeal: 7.00
OVERALL: 7.00

Gods of Music