Our history is painful to revisit, and too agonizing to want to relive. Those are the words I said verbatim to the individual I had always considered to be the one that got away when they reached out to reunite. I’m more than willing to admit now that the connection I perceived between them and I was not a connection but my mild fascination with serendipity. Our meeting was an accident that would have never happened if not for extenuating circumstances beyond our control. The relationship that unfolded was happy but grew sour because of our vastly different ambitions. I think Axe & the Ivory's "Find It" perfectly captures how difficult it is to detach from a romantic situation that no longer serves either partner involved.
"Find It" is an indie-folk song about the impassioned fight we have with ourselves regarding the preservation of a relationship that has grown tumultuous. Each member of the quartet that makes up Axe & the Ivory adds a compelling musical component to the song and a layer to the story being untold before the listening audience. It opens with a melancholic piano melody as lead vocalist Rosie Roberts laments a partner's need to communicate their emotional exhaustion while admitting their hesitation to speak of its existence. James Lovell's drumming then cuts through to provide rhythm while simultaneously serving as an increasing urgency for the two partners to communicate. Ben Lovell's vocals then accompany Rosie's. Together, they provide a gorgeous harmonization that attests to things both parties could have done better within the relationship. As the frustration of the situation at hand grows, Ben and Paul Cooper’s stringed instruments act as a countdown for the end of the relationship. Finally, the musical elements come altogether at once to signify the boiling point of this relationship; a decision about its fate needs to be made. The song then ends with the same melancholic piano melody it began with. The title along with the song's end can be interpreted as a double entendre for the fate of this relationship. It gives listeners an interesting choice: how would they prefer the song to end? A listener can decide that the couple within the song is desperately finding the energy to continue their bittersweet romance, or they’ve found the strength to admit its no longer working.
Axe & the Ivory consists of the musical talents of Rosie Roberts, Ben and James Lovell, and Paul Cooper. Hailing from Adelaide, they've become Australia's best-kept secret. Hopefully, their debut single, "Find It", sees to the alternative folk-indie group's visibility. I look forward to hearing more original pieces from them, and I'm envious of anyone currently residing in Australia. Axe & the Ivory are performing live at The Barn in Wombat Flat on Saturday, December 3rd. But if you find yourself bound elsewhere like me, virtual love in the form of streams, likes, and follows are always appreciated, too.
Written By Giavanna Gradaille
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