GOSHEN, Ind. – St. Paul & The Broken Bones, a group that prides itself on delivering an amalgamation of americana, soul and r&b in a modern format, has struck gold again with “Sea Star”, off their upcoming album “Angels in Science Fiction.”
The Alabama-based group manages to sprinkle in the perfect mixture of heartbreak and hope in “Sea Star” with a clear plea to the audience: “Stuck in the sun’s bloom just waiting to die – you are the strong tide pulling me back to sea – now I can’t wait to live again.”
My own interpretation sees this song as being sung from the perspective of a person who has given up, but admits that the right person can pull them out of anything.
“Sea Star” opens with a lament, as it notes to the audience that there are no longer “greener, glorious trees” that are growing around them, but “now it’s just condos and land.”
While it could be a simple push of environmental values, I see it as a nostalgia trip; the singer misses what used to be around them, and laments, as so many of us do, about what used to be.
Now for the instrumentals.
Gorgeous is a word I don’t take lightly, but it’s a good word for the instrumentals that help drive forward “Sea Star”.
What starts as a rather simple beat + lyrics combination steadily crows alongside a modified falsetto voice, and with each added instrument, the song grows more potent.
The reverbed guitar that stutters through the background of the song during its chorus is a perfect addition to the song that deepens it without drawing away from the lyrics so much that it’s distracting.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Birmingham-band, I highly recommend looking into St. Paul & The Broken Bones, as well as their single “Sea Star”.
The full album is out April 21st, 2023.
