Popular band Wallows released the second single for their upcoming EP on Friday, Feb. 21. They released the first single, “Your New Favorite Song,” on Jan. 10. The second track, titled “Coffin Change,” shares a similar tune and assists in capturing the vibe of the impending record. Within this song, the members of Wallows express their thoughts on the meaning of life and its values.
A “beachy” electric guitar beat and matching vocals begin the three-minute-long track. Although the vocals fade into the instrumental, this song is still understandable and contains an intriguing message.
The first verse reflects, “There’s more to life than living / more to life than this / Time, I used to waste all mine / now time, time wastes me.”
This reflects on the fact and message that simply surviving is not all there is to life — there are experiences to be had and sights or things to be seen.
The guitar slows down and gets softer as the chorus approaches, emphasizing singer Dylan Minnette’s voice and lyrics. He sings, “If there’s a price to pay, maybe I’ll find it in my pocket / Pinching all my pennies ’til they shove me in my coffin.”
He goes on to repeat the phrase, “Up, up and away / Heaven doesn’t change,” two times each, respectively, to finish out the hook.
In an interview with BBC Radio 1, member and guitarist Braeden Lemasters revealed how his readings about history and economics inspired this song.
The band is raising a call for action, urging the audience to understand that money or wealth does not define how our lives will end — we will all end up in the same place.
An individual with greater affluence will not end up in a “better” place than one without this power. Wallows has decided to remind their listeners of this fact, as well as their beliefs, through their sense of expression.
This tune can be described as fun and nostalgic. The quality of the audio is almost reminiscent of indie music from two or three decades ago, transporting the audience into another time period.
The guitar break after the second chorus provides the track with a fresh direction after the repetitive, yet preach-worthy or chant-heavy chorus. Wallow’s new single “Coffin Change” can vividly be seen in a concert setting, with thousands of fans screaming along.
Their upcoming EP “More” will be released on March 28, featuring this piece, the first single and five other highly-anticipated songs.
4/5 stars
rross1@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @wallowsmusic, Instagram
