Music Review: Anna Nalick "Breathe (2 A.M.)"
Anna Nalick
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Breathe (2 A.M.)
Album: Wreck Of The Day
Year: 2005
Anna Nalick advises her friends to take a few minutes and forget the world outside in the calm “Breathe (2 A.M.).â€
A forlorn piano starts the single, setting a discouraged tone. In the first verse, she says that a close girlfriend calls her. Her girlfriend explains her problem: she's dating a man she's not in love with. She shouldn't have let it go on for as long as it did. Her girlfriend details the looks they would get from other people, noticing their lack of chemistry. Her friend retorts that everyone in the room has doubts about their relationship. They are lonely and settling like her.
In the chorus, Nalick tells her friend that she can't escape her dilemma. She says that life is fixed. It won't freeze or skip past events. She tells her to compose herself and relax.
In the second verse, she discusses a guy friend she knows in the military. His birthday is soon. However, it's an unimportant day for him. He's an alcoholic. Although he's been dry for a while, he can't kick his addiction. She says his sadness is apparent. But when he's joyful, he glows.
The chorus is sung again. There's a minor pronoun change ("no one can find the rewind button, boys").
In the bridge, she says people are in the middle of their troubles when they realize they want out. She adds that people don't learn if they go to the end of it all and deal.
In the third verse, she says it's 2 a.m. in the morning and she can't sleep. Instead, she's putting her thoughts into song. She says that the songs are real to her. With each word she writes, she feels exposed. The lyrics are her point of view and she knows people will use her phrases against her.
In the final verse, she composes herself and repeats the word "breathe" several times.
Nalick, in a polite way, says that people should deal with their problems and not slosh around in it. Like her friend, she has her own issues. Her outlet is music. Even then, she's afraid she will be judged and silenced. Nonetheless, she still takes that risk. Her friends should remember that life is not a dream.
Her vocals are biting and emotional. She sings what she means. If she's think it's a shame that her guy friend is drinking himself to death, she expresses it.
The music arrangement, however, is heavyhanded. It rushes Nalick along or it slows her down. It can’t decide if it wants to be a ballad or have some uptempo to it.
Nalick has the potential to be a really great songwriter. If she continues developing her talent, she will be successful. She takes a usual cliched phrase (light at the end of the tunnel) and makes it literal. She puts in some description and makes the characters human.
"Breathe (2 AM)" is a decent effort from a new performer.
Album: Wreck Of The Day
Year: 2005
Anna Nalick advises her friends to take a few minutes and forget the world outside in the calm “Breathe (2 A.M.).â€
A forlorn piano starts the single, setting a discouraged tone. In the first verse, she says that a close girlfriend calls her. Her girlfriend explains her problem: she's dating a man she's not in love with. She shouldn't have let it go on for as long as it did. Her girlfriend details the looks they would get from other people, noticing their lack of chemistry. Her friend retorts that everyone in the room has doubts about their relationship. They are lonely and settling like her.
"2 AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake/"Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?/I don't love him. Winter just wasn't my season"/Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes/Like they have any right at all to criticize/Hypocrites. You're all here for the very same reason."
In the chorus, Nalick tells her friend that she can't escape her dilemma. She says that life is fixed. It won't freeze or skip past events. She tells her to compose herself and relax.
"Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable/And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table/No one can find the rewind button, girl/So cradle your head in your hands/And breathe, just breathe/Oh breathe, just breathe."
In the second verse, she discusses a guy friend she knows in the military. His birthday is soon. However, it's an unimportant day for him. He's an alcoholic. Although he's been dry for a while, he can't kick his addiction. She says his sadness is apparent. But when he's joyful, he glows.
"May he turn 21 on the base at Fort Bliss/"Just a day", he said down to the flask in his fist/"Ain't been sober, since maybe October of last year."/Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while/But, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles/Wanna hold him. Maybe I'll just sing about it."
The chorus is sung again. There's a minor pronoun change ("no one can find the rewind button, boys").
In the bridge, she says people are in the middle of their troubles when they realize they want out. She adds that people don't learn if they go to the end of it all and deal.
"There's a light at each end of this tunnel/You shout 'cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out/And these mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again/If you only try turning around."
In the third verse, she says it's 2 a.m. in the morning and she can't sleep. Instead, she's putting her thoughts into song. She says that the songs are real to her. With each word she writes, she feels exposed. The lyrics are her point of view and she knows people will use her phrases against her.
"2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song/If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me/Threatening the life it belongs to/And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd/Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud/And I know that you'll use them, however you want to."
In the final verse, she composes herself and repeats the word "breathe" several times.
"But you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable/And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table/No one can find the rewind button now/Sing it if you understand/And breathe, just breathe/Oh breathe, just breathe/Oh breathe, just breathe/Oh breathe, just breathe."
Nalick, in a polite way, says that people should deal with their problems and not slosh around in it. Like her friend, she has her own issues. Her outlet is music. Even then, she's afraid she will be judged and silenced. Nonetheless, she still takes that risk. Her friends should remember that life is not a dream.
Her vocals are biting and emotional. She sings what she means. If she's think it's a shame that her guy friend is drinking himself to death, she expresses it.
The music arrangement, however, is heavyhanded. It rushes Nalick along or it slows her down. It can’t decide if it wants to be a ballad or have some uptempo to it.
Nalick has the potential to be a really great songwriter. If she continues developing her talent, she will be successful. She takes a usual cliched phrase (light at the end of the tunnel) and makes it literal. She puts in some description and makes the characters human.
"Breathe (2 AM)" is a decent effort from a new performer.