Red Skies Mourning also known as Chris Aleshire is a solo artist and multi-instrumentalist based in Bowie, Maryland. He is deeply influenced by Rap, Hip-hop and R&B and is currently seen experimenting with Rock and Pop. With his background as a US Marine and years of youth spent in Metal, Hardcore and Rock bands he is a seasoned artists self-admittedly influenced by artists like Twenty-One Pilots, Post Malone and AJR. Red Skies Mourning has been releasing music since 2021 and “Beautiful Things” is the latest addition to his extensive discography.

The airy yet heavy synth is one of the more prominent elements on the track. The striking cover art hints at this through its minimalist and sultry use of pink and purple. Red Skies Mourning gives a husky and satisfactory vocal performance filled with emotions and country inflection. The vocals are accompanied by a scratchy recorder-like sound which I thought sounded very organic.

Instrumentally the track is simple, highlighting the keys on the first verse while letting the second verse be more upbeat and percussion-heavy.  The track starts off sounding like a simple piano ballad influenced by choir music that is slightly haunting. The electronic elements and the percussion build-up do not lead anywhere intense or hardcore; the emotion and tenderness remain central. I really enjoyed the electronic notes the song ends with.

Lyrically the track explores difficult times in the past, overcoming them and gathering a sense of self while still being afraid of loss.  The memories of a better time and the longing for someone to come back are delved into. Themes of family, faith and God repeat themselves feeling like a reinforcement of identity. The line “Don’t take the beautiful things that I got” repeats itself and serves as a genuine expression of the hope that you don’t lose love.