Music Review: Labrinth & Emeli Sande "Beneath Your Beautiful"

Labrinth & Emeli Sande

Beneath Your Beautiful

Album: Electronic Earth

Year:  2012

     Labrinth and Emeli Sande both see through each other’s facades in the benevolent   “Beneath Your Beautiful.”

   Stately strings and a piano open the single, setting a spacious tone. Labrinth is first. Everyone told him to stay away from her. She thinks she’s better than everyone else. Don’t even try asking her out, she’ll respond with a glare. He believes none of it is true. She stands out in the crowd, her stunning looks causing people to gape at her. He’s not intimidated by her intelligence and beauty like others are. She’s human. (“You tell all the boys no/Makes you feel good, yeah/I know you're out of my league/But that won't scare me away oh no.”)

         In the pre-chorus, he thinks her coldness is a defense mechanism. She’d rather shut people out than reveal that the people’s insults have hurt her. Maybe as a pre-teen, she was teased a lot for being smart and it was how she learned to deal with it. By now, though, no one really knows her. However, he would like to take the time to figure out who she is. (“You've carried on so long/You couldn't stop if you tried it/You've built your wall so high/That no one could climb it/But I'm gonna try.”)

          In the chorus, he reaches out to her and begins a conversation. (“Would you let me see beneath your beautiful/Would you let me see beneath your perfect/Take it off now girl, take it off now girl/I wanna see inside/Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight.”)

          Sande is next. She made sure to Google him. He’s an actor on Broadway, currently in a revival of “The Piano Lesson.”  He’s also rumored to have hooked up with a female co-star or two on each production he’s been in, leaving them in tears every time. But she also has the attitude that she shouldn’t believe everything she reads, either. She took him up on his offer to see him in the play. Watching him prepare backstage, she saw a vulnerable man looking for someone to understand him. (“You let all the girls go/Makes you feel good, don't it?/Behind your Broadway show/I heard a voice say please don't hurt me.”)

         The pre-chorus is sung again.

          Sande sings the chorus with the only change being made for the gender.

        Labrinth’s calm, attentive vocals watch her facial expressions and body language as he talks to her. Like him, she’s perceived as mean and uncaring. However, the harsh demeanor shields her vulnerability. There is much to her, if people are willing to give her a chance.

          Sande’s sensitive, adoring vocals concede, knowing she can’t hide from him. He’s someone she can trust and she wants their relationship to begin.

                  In the bridge, Labrinth “ohs” and Sande says part of the verses. They both decide to let each other in. It’ll be scary having someone else learn what upsets them and pushes their buttons. They promise to be there with for each other. (“Oh, tonight/See beneath/See beneath/Tonight/ I'm gonna climb on top of your ivory tower/I'll hold your hand and then we'll jump right out/We'll be falling, falling/But that's okay/Cause I'll be right here/I just wanna know.”)

          In the final chorus, Labrinth assures they will make mistakes. However, it’s something they will work through. (“Would you let me see beneath your beautiful…Oh tonight, we ain't perfect, we ain't perfect/Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight.”)

           The patient “Beneath Your Beautiful” punctures small holes into the surface until it collapses, revealing only substance underneath.