tcr! rages against toxic love in raw, alt-rock track, ‘On Vancouver Island’!
Listening to this laidback, yet emotion-laden ballad from the emerging Chicago-based indie artist, tcr!, reminds one of early Gorillaz! ‘On Vancouver Island’ is from his latest EP release, ‘Dear Rabbits’.
We open onto stripped down acoustic arrangements. The tone is sombre and reflective with a hint of bitterness. tcr!’s low, haunting vocals launch into a whimsical, situational prose. “There’s a coming tide, run and hide, I open the door and out you slide, you left my side… Smiling from the outside with cocky pride… You played with my head, I don’t know where you are…”
The lyrics convey hurt, betrayal and anger, barely covered up with biting wit and humor. As the artist himself shares the track’s meaning, “Brutally honest lyrics examine the dynamics of a toxic relationship without pulling punches or mincing words.”
Built upon a straightforward, acoustic progression, the track unfolds leisurely, in a mind of its own. Aburuptly, emotions rise and tcr!’s flow becomes more intense and visceral, seeking the impossible, to start again.
The second half of ‘Vancouver Island’ is when we get to see a more emotional, reflective side to this heartbreak opus. tcr! brutally reminisces the good, the bad and the downright ugly. As his rant grows more candid, erratic and pained, you’re really drawn into the hurtful, dysfunctional nature of this connection. The acoustic arrangements swell as well, and its creates a hypnotic bubbble of pain and catharsis, ultimately concluding the track.
‘On Vacouver Island’ stands out for its brutal honesty and raw emotion. Sure, it ain’t the most melodic composition you’ll hear today, but rather is a fitting farewell to a love that hurt so much. I
