Review: "Human" - Gard Read

Gard Read may have released the most raw and relatable song of the summer. "Human" is so clearly focused on how it feels to be drowning. No one notices, no one understands, and it's an all out fight to stay afloat. "Human" paints that in such a vivid way that there is no need to question what the song is about. One of my favorite lines says, "And there's a riot in my body, and there's chaos in my mind / I need a wonder / And all the walls are burning up in fire / When I'm going under." As someone who's experienced being overwhelmed to this extreme, I couldn't think of a better way to describe this feeling. Another strong line that further describes the point says, "It's killing me, can't sleep, thought it fill me / But I'm running on empty / But I'm only human / And what am I supposed to do / I'm stuck on this feeling / That pulls me down into the blue." We come to realize exactly what the artist is saying, and in our own way's we can relate to the season of life they're walking through.

The overall vibe of the song is melancholic and weary. As the listener we can feel the defeat and the sadness that the artist is trying to communicate. This creates a very solemn tone and mood. In this case, I feel like the tone is introspective and bogged down. There's inner reflection coming from the person writing the song, setting the stage for the mood. We can gather that the mood is meant to be utterly heartbreaking and gloomy. Factoring in the lyrics helps build this case, having somber words and phrases like the excerpts listed above allows us to get from point A to point B in a matter of seconds. Instrumentation ties it all together, the pacing keeps things cool in a gloomy-winter-day kind of way. The mix of piano, deep drums, and electronic synths meld together creating an intricate and delicate song, chock full of emotion.

Born in Norway with English roots, Gard Read was part of a very creative family. He was introduced to the music industry at a young age but eventually distanced himself from it after experiencing some back and forth. After coming back from his break he said, "I did not find my voice until recently, I have now released my debut single." Since then he's released his EP entitled "Human." He considers himself a man of few words but also states that, "Sometimes, it can be easier to talk about stuff through music." Gard Read has also said, "This is how I express myself. You're kinda having a one way conversation with me. Thank you for listening!" If you're on the hunt for a song to tug your heart strings this summer, check out "Human" by Gard Read.

Written By Destiny Rundquist

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