Holy Wave - 'Cowprint'
In the emotionally fraught world of song-writing, less is often more. Succinct interactions, hazy recollections and subtle idiosyncrasies add a certain delicate poetry to the art of storytelling through song.
Holy Wave frontman/guitarist Ryan Fuson beautifully encapsulates all of the above on the Austin-based psychedelic outfits latest single “Cowprint” released via the Seattle independent label Suicide Squeeze Records. Exploring the hypnagogic intersection between memory and the tangible world, "Cowprint" is a lyrical daydream combining 70s psych-tinged guitar melodies with the fragmented yet lingering recollections of a first meeting: “One more cigarette before I go, left a note in the pocket of your coat, says ‘I’m so glad I met you’”. The simple choral refrain of "Got my headphones on” repeats as if the trail of thought evaporates, highlighting the passage of time and the growing distance between protagonist and the memory.
Fuson says of the track "This song is partly about a trip to Iowa to help a friend move. The first night I was there, I ended up meeting my partner, and this is about leaving after that first trip where I met her. I was thinking about our relationship and the things we use to help us feel better when we are down or the things that can give us strength when we need a little more to stay positive. I decided to write it in a kind of letter to her. It just made it feel a little more personal for me.”
Fuson’s vocal meanderings are underpinned by sublime, journeying guitar riffs (redolent of fellow lo-fi artist Kurt Vile) and a propelling bassline whilst the song structure evokes In Ear Park era Department of Eagles. Kyle Hager (bass), Joey Cook (guitar), Julian Ruiz (drums) and Tomas Dolas (keys) add a sense of direction to the track without detracting from the nostalgic delicacy of Fuson’s remembrance until the song reaches a tense and uncertain denouement, heralded by brooding, Mildlife-esque synth arpeggios.
Were those warm memories recollected on the long bus journey home? Were they remembered years later? Did the events really happen at all and are they happily remembered or are they confined to the reoccurring malaise of a missed opportunity? Did they resurface in an instant of spontaneous reflection, and then like a dream, dissolve into the mundanity of the present moment?
He’s got his headphones on.
Words by Eliot Otelli
