nothing but thieves — MUSIC

by emma schoors

“Real Love Song” is a song about a dirty, rip out the whole of your soul love.

Rarely do love songs delve into the deep, dark, real territory that Nothing But Thieves have reached into with this song. It almost feels counterproductive to try and explain it in words other than the ones that Conor Mason sings so vulnerably.

“This is a dark song, real dark.

Feral tear off your skin to the bone dark.

I’ll drink myself to death dark.

Do anything to feel your breath on my neck dark.”

The second verse greets listeners with lyrics detailing the depth of destruction that comes with a certain type of love. The kind of love that grips you firmly by the shoulders and convinces you that you need it to breathe. The kind of love that sits in the forefront of your mind at all times, no matter what. The kind of love that is unconditional to a dangerous fault.

“This is a love song, so what?

Did it slide into your heart?”

Real Love Song, an album by Nothing But Thieves on Spotify

These two lines have stuck to me like no other lyrics have for a while. There’s a grain of salt I carry with me while listening to love songs, because so many of them are sickeningly sweet. It feels pointless to listen to a love song that doesn’t pull at the heart strings. Well, this one does. It pulls at every last heart string.

“Got a thing about you, and it won’t go away.”

This song is about a love that won’t go away. There’s a love song (similarly deep, and similarly dark) by The National that references John Hersey’s novel My Petition For More Space. In the novel, Hersey details love in devastatingly accurate terms, terms with a likeness to “Real Love Song.” Terms that sum up the type of love that just won’t go away. “It was not just my hurt look, it was not really a hurt look at all. It was the look of a steep fall.”

A steep fall is what this song feels like. A steep fall into a form of love that’s not often explored because it hurts and it’s hard to write about. Somehow, Nothing But Thieves have turned this dark corner of love into a beautiful tune. That’s the funny thing about music; it can turn even the deepest of cuts into art.

BY EMMA SCHOORS

Nothing But Thieves reminds us that heaven’s a mindset away with their latest single, “Is Everybody Going Crazy?”

Hailing from Essex, England, the band has seen nearly every destination on the face of the planet. Playing packed shows in places like Russia, Thailand, the US, and Mexico, relentless touring has earned them a dedicated, close-knit group of fans, and plenty of life experiences from which to derive musical inspiration.

Almost nothing provides more vivid inspiration than current events, and the band is no stranger to delving into politics and religion. Debates surrounding both subjects have fueled global citizens to take action against bigotry and intolerance in recent years.

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Lyrics from Nothing But Thieves’ catalogue are known to be soulful and intensely relevant, thanks to guitarist Joe Langridge-Brown, who often shares lyrics from the band’s songs on his social media.

This new tune is no different in that respect. It digs into the heart of the problems global citizens are facing, which seem to have no end. A pandemic is flurrying around the world, for a start.

The anxiety and utter hopelessness that people are experiencing is acknowledged with the line, “We’re so hopelessly faded.” However, this pessimism is met with optimism and gratitude with, “In this wounded, sinister place, we’ve only got each other.”

Lead singer Connor Mason is known for his Jeff Buckley-like vocals, but he has a style all his own that is worth a thousand words. His angelic voice is almost reminiscent of a guitar, which blends effortlessly with guitarist Dominic Craik’s well thought out parts. This combination of melody and grit is part of what makes the band members so compatible.

Philip Blake is the heart of the band, with gritty bass riffs that add an edge to the lightness of Mason’s vocals. Similarly, drummer James Price is a master of his craft, opting to create a drumming style all his own instead of fitting the mold. This adds another layer to the complex machine that is Nothing But Thieves.

Each and every member of Nothing But Thieves is irreplaceable, which ensures quality, deeply relatable songs that touch the hearts of nearly everyone who encounters them.

“Is Everybody Going Crazy?” isn’t the first song that the band has hit out of the park, and it won’t be the last.