City And Colour - 'Astronaut'
Whether out venturing with his post-hardcore band Alexisonfire, collaborating on the folk duo You + Me with Alecia Moore – who is more widely known as P!nk – it is safe to say that Dallas Green has kept himself busy over the last four years. With the first release since his 5thalbum ‘If I Should Go Before You’, Dallas has finally revived City and Colour and is reflecting on his blessed life.
There is a kind of sanctitude that emanates from City and Colour’s sound; and with the opening moments of ‘Astronaut’ being bathed in reverb and scintillating synths, it feels as though he has picked up where the last album left off. What is clear from all of his songs is that Dallas Green is a wanderer and it is this idea which takes hold of ‘Astronaut’. He describes stealing time from death, being above the curvature of the earth and under the motion of the moon. It is this vividly poetic lyricism that makes Dallas a transformative musician, and towards the end of the song, a psychedelic guitar solo showcases his evocative guitar skills.
Speaking of the inspiration behind ‘Astronaut’ Dallas says: “I always think of the relationships in my life that have been fractured because I ended up doing what I do for a living.” Considering that the song opens with the lyrics: “give me one more year and I’ll be around” does this mean that we could be on the brink of a final City and Colour album, before he hangs up his guitar and focuses on family life? Fingers crossed not; but if so, then we cannot help but feel blessed by the wealth of music that he has given us over the years.
Words by Tyler Damara Kelly