My personal answer: you can never have enough sad songs. The average, probably more normal, music listener answer: half an album is plenty, right?
Kameron Marlowe released his album Sad Songs for the Soul today, and it is a masterpiece for those who love a sad country song. Truly, I would love to sit down with him and ask about the ease he has writing these kinds of songs, especially as a successful, engaged, and happy person.
why do people love sad songs?
Easy, the same reason most people love all songs- they are relatable! Happy, love songs are great. It is cool that people share the same accomplishments and love that we do individually. The problem with this is that people want their happiness and success to be unique from others, otherwise why would it be special? We as a society are inherently selfish and boastful with our highs. But no one really wants to talk about the lows. No one wants to admit to losing a loved one, a break up, losing a job, or failure. When a hurt person turns on the radio and hears someone singing exactly how they feel, listeners get lost in the words and forget that an artist is singing to millions of others over the radio airwaves. It builds a connection between an artists and a fan, but it also builds a silent community of broken people who believe they are the only one experiencing whatever it is that they are going through. Sad songs bring people together better than happy songs.
my favorites
This was an album that I had to listen to multiple times because it flowed incredibly well, being that most songs had a similar messaging and style, I had to remind myself which song I was listening to. The stand out on this album for me was Marlowe's cover of "Burning House" by Cam. Kameron has said in multiple interviews how unique the song is, and it is really one of the most iconic heartbreak songs of more recent times in my own opinion. Marlowe has an insane voice with so much rasp and soul that conveys the true pain in the song. I couldn't think of a better male voice to cover this song, and I honestly would love to see a duet of this song from Marlowe and Cam.
I am not sure if Kameron intended any connection between these two songs, but I have been queuing "Highway Song" and "Dear God" back to back. "Highway Song" is a almost an admission of sin and question of whether Heaven is really in the cards. Two songs later in "Dear God", Marlowe is pleading out of exhaust and brokenness, hoping that God listens to him in the wake of all the sin. The two songs lined up feels like a journey through a broken persons faith, and even though this person has comes to terms with their hurt, they can't fall completely into trusting God. It sounds really depressing, but it is so realistic and honest, which I love so much.
Marlowe admitted that the most broken of the album is "If You Stay" even though it is one of the happier sounding songs on the album. The song is about a man pleading with the woman he loves to stay in their relationship and all of the promises to change that he makes. I agree with Marlowe that this the saddest song, and a great last track on the album. These two people have reached the end, and listeners don't get an end to the story of whether or not they actually make it. Ouch!
passion project, but should this become more common?
These days, you do not see country artists taking huge leaps outside of the music they typically produce. Marlowe himself is no stranger to a heartbreak song, but most of his fans aren't begging for an entire line up of 10 tracks to cry out loud to. He has spoken about the project saying that these are the sort of songs he loves to listen to personally, and if he did not release Sad Songs for the Soul in this manner, some of these songs may not have made it out of the bank. From one standpoint, I understand that this may not be the album that gains millions of new fans or takes him high on the charts. However, it is the kind of project that his current fans will appreciate deeply and will recognize its value. Passion projects like this are what reinforce long-term fandom, and gives artists something to point to when they think of what they are most proud of. As a selfish music listener, I always wish for artists to release music they are proud of, not a project that has enough variety so at least one song will make it to radio. Passion projects that look like this Kameron Marlowe release will likely never be commonplace, but I will continue to search for them and hold an appreciation for artists who take that risk.
Listen to Sad Songs for the Soul now!
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