Strap in for a whimsically morbid, melodic, funky alt-pop opus, ‘USE ME’ from Bailey Grey!
Ever wondered what would happen to your remains after you died? Well, Bailey pondered long and hard on this crucial matter, and she came up with a bunch of interesting ideas. That pretty much forms the premise for ‘USE ME’. Bailey fuses her jazz, pop and indie rock influences to deliver a track that lands somewhere between Billie Eilish, Robbie Williams and a smoky-voiced Amy Winehouse. Oddly joyful for the subject matter and superbly funky.And it works!
USE ME opens with abstract piano jabs, groovy bassliness and crashing drums. Setting the tone for Bailey’s deep, silky smooth vocals to enter. Its a groove that immediately has your attention. Her voice oozes with panache and personality, making every line feel laden with mischief and wit.
The lyrics are hilarious and feel like something you’d hear in an improv comedy session. “Mix my ashes in an hourglass / Pour my blood onto crashing waves / Make my spine into a guitar.” Morbid? Yes. But also darkly beautiful.
By the chorus, has you strangely intertwined and invested in her vivid fantasies, in an almost spiritual acceptance of death. And that’s the biggest takeaway from this track for this listener. It does not make light of death itself, but questions our over-the-top serious ways in dealing with it. Especially in the way we process the remains of those deceased. In that, Bailey’s “USE ME” is a breath of fresh air. A delightful reminder that even in death, you can leave with your sense of humour intact and convey a beautiful message about who you were to those after you.
