“Down” records the memories and desires of the band themselves. They begin by relishing in the youthful, lively, times of their past- painting a picture they dream of now. But this imagery is dreamy only because they were. The greatest feeling of this time, the feeling so greatly missed, isn’t their romanticized struggle; but the hope found in it, the fact that they could only go up from there. Now, as the title implies, the hope they retain is beginning to point “down”. Being nostalgic for ideas of the future naturally holds a particular twang of disappointment, but the lyrics describing it never drift towards this dangling pessimism. Rather, this is a work of revival and finding hope in memories of the past rather than dreams of the future.
To reflect the themes of nostalgia and dreaminess found in the lyrics, the song starts off with a distant electric pulse that nearly matches the enchantment of the story about to be told. The first word of it is “remember”, a fitting introduction used for the majority of these anecdotes. That beat introduced at the start retains its pace as the story goes on, following a conversational and calm tone. When it drops, though, it carries a kind of break in emotion. It is almost as if these memories are a dangerous temptation to give in to, the relief of doing so being overpowering. The vocalist does an impeccable job of displaying this, skillfully balancing earnest emotions with the adorned tone of pop. This balance is noticeable even in the general upbeat energy of the song, it could easily slip into melancholy, but that’s never been The Strike’s approach and in a motivational piece like “Down” their ability to create a catchy song no matter the subject matter shines through.
The Strike is an alternative-pop group that began in L.A., and began an odyssey of fame almost immediately following their creation. Their debut album, Faint of Heart, released in 2017,was the definition of an instant hit. Their work was featured in the iconic Netflix original To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and garnished a wide and international fan base for the group. The band seemed to have a goal of visiting everywhere these fans were made as they soon set out on a global tour. The group visited Dubai, China, Australia, and the U.S. via stage. Their performances were particularly notable on the occasions wherein they shared the stage with other remarkable artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Journey, and Carly Rae Jepsen. They still appear live regularly, find more information about these unmissable performances and the band below.
Written By Hailey Schap
FOLLOW THE STRIKE
Comments