Ellery Twining is a singer-songwriter who puts his own spin on pop music. The 6th single “S.B Butler” off of his second album “Results” is both sonically and lyrically experimental. He makes several creative and artistic choices on the single that leave the listener intrigued.
“S.B Butler” has vocals delivered like spoken word, which makes for interesting delivery and unconventional song structure. The vocals of Ellery Twining are echoed out and is performed in rhythmic monotone, bringing one’s focus onto what is being said. The bass guitar that runs as an undercurrent is one of my favourite elements on the track. The riff on it gets really groovy midway and adds texture. The distorted electric guitar that is supposed to sound noisy, is mixed such that it is not distracting or overwhelming. The percussion is kept light throughout, serving as the backbone of the track and the higher pitched strings bring in a sense of brightness. Sound effects that resemble the ripples of water are used liberally.
The title of the track is mysterious, while the songwriting is about the childhood of the singer in a small town. One often hears joyful and nostalgic recollections of youth; however, Ellery Twining flips this narrative on its head and instead chooses to focus on the hurt, danger and trauma of growing up. This dark tale involves both the physical and emotional pain of looking after yourself and even hints at death. The section on curse words was some of the most realistic writing on the track.
The sonic and lyrical experimentation on “S.B Butler” is really refreshing and I look forward to the direction Ellery Twinning takes in the future.