Album of the Year, 2012

I always pick the one album that I have liked best out of the entire year. Many great albums came out, but there could only be one that I absolutely loved and can listen to all the time without skipping songs. This album in particular is Barchords by Bahamas (aka Afie Jurvanen).

Everyone has a different take on albums and songs. Though, to me, this album is a concept album. An album of being in love and losing that person that you love. The opening track “Lost in The Light” has this very powerful lyric that sometimes makes me well up and breaks my heart. “before we were lovers, I swear we were friends.” On a personal note, I went through a break-up. Yes, I may have not been with this person very long, but in a way, I was so emotionally attached to them, and the day that person and I ended our relationship was just a very powerful impact. I did my best to cope through it, but when I listen to “Lost in the Light”, it just reminds me how I long to see this person and be with them, but it’s just not possible.

As you continue to listen to the album, it becomes slightly upbeat and you try to understand the singer’s (Afie’s, perhaps) POV of his love and loss. “Caught Me Thinking” makes me feel all the “what if’s” of a relationship. I definitely had a lot “what if’s” and truth be told, I still have plenty of those. “Montreal”, an acoustic tune, reflects the doubts that the person felt when they started the relationship, the relationship ended, and then the person wants their loved one back, and in a way, pleading not to give up on them. Hinting, I suppose, to wait for them and they’ll be a better person to be with.

“Okay Alright I’m Alive” reflects and expresses “Yeah, the relationship ended, but I’m okay! I could do without this person!” I’m pretty sure that this happens to a lot of people after their break-ups. You feel awful, then you a hit point where you think everything is okay and you don’t need this person. The upbeat feel of this song then comes down to a very mellow spot with “Never Again.” The tune reflects the fact that you let that person go and that you will never be with them again. I hold this tune very close to me because of the choices I have made and I’m sticking with them; I refuse to go back. “Overjoyed” continues the mellow flow, where the person expresses that this person frees them from the pain, but in a sense longs for them. As you listen to the album, you really begin to understand that the person has lost this person and emphasizes in the song “I’ve Got You Babe”. You once had this person, you held them, and then you lost them for whatever reason it could be.

This record takes a pause from the loss aspect with “Any Other Way.” When I first heard it I was happy because the person reflects that their loved one is expecting a bundle of joy and expresses that he’ll be so happy with the baby and his loved one because they’ll be together as a family. Though, I think this could all be in the person’s head and just imagines things being this way.

Of course, this album is supposed to express wanting someone back after losing them. “Snow Plow” deeply expresses how much they loved this person and how much they miss them. It reflects the kind of love this person gave them and towards the end, it questions if love itself can last forever.

“Your Sweet Touch” was my Summer tune of 2012. The first time I heard this song was when I went to visit Toronto to go see my dearest friend. Whenever I listen to this song, I reflect heavily on how much I wanted this person. The song expresses the desire and passion that they have for their loved, and how they long for their touch, even if won’t be for a long time, but just to be touched and to be desired by them would be suffice.  The guitar solo towards the end of the song makes me picture of having a moment of passion with the person and just being happy that you get to be theirs, if only just for those short moments.

“Time And Time Again” is an acoustic poem. Expressing how “time and time again” you think of this person and all the possibilities that could’ve been in the relationship, despite that it’s actually over. Lastly, “Be My Witness”, the last track of the album, is an expression of words that you want to tell your loved one. You want them to know everything you’ve felt, they want to know how you’ve felt, and pondering on the possibility if they could ever be together, possibly forever. It’s only a possibility, maybe it’s just in his head. Then again, these are the thoughts that props into someone’s head when a break-up occurs and you’re just left with the aftermath.

This is my take on the album. It could be wrong for all I know, but I’ve always believed that music can be interpreted in so many ways, and this my interpretation. This album did help me cope and deal with the break-up. I’m still trying to get over it, but I like to take it one day at a time.

And if this person that I once cared so much about reads this:

I don’t hate you, I could never hate you. You brought so much joy into my life even if it was short-lived. You were probably the best thing that ever happened to me. I do things for my well-being and with sincerity, I wish you the best in everything.