Have you ever had something that reminded you of an old relationship? A restaurant, a shirt, maybe even a drink? In Drew Schueler and Herine’s latest collaboration, “Whiskey Sour,” they sing of the connection that alcohol held for a couple. It’s about the simple things that bring you back to those old, sweet moments, like the first sip of a drink pulling you to the thought of being in an ex’s arms– being unable to escape from the thought of them. Through a combination of clever wordplay and soft strings, “Whiskey Sour” is reminiscent of rainy nights and memories.
Schueler and Herine have truly outdone themselves with “Whiskey Sour”-- everything about this song is excellently composed. From the gentle strings to the threading beat, “Whiskey Sour” sounds like those lonely nights when you’re missing a person you can never have again. It evokes buried memories, tamped down in your heart long, long ago. The instrumentals are definitely responsible for this melancholic feeling, but the songwriting takes a good amount of the credit, too; superbly written, “Whiskey Sour” cleverly manipulates its lyrics to be both about the narrators’ relationship and the alcohol that bound them. As the chorus goes, “Wishing we could take it back to sweet/Talking for hours/Now the whiskey’s sour." “Whiskey Sour” is about a couple whose relationship was connected by drinks, and now that they’ve split, even the smallest sip of alcohol brings them back to the days when they were together. Knowing this, it makes the song’s wordplay even more impressive, as Schueler and Herine manage to balance both the language of relationships and alcohol. The whiskey’s gone sour, no longer sweet like those nights spent together as a couple.
Drew Schueler is a rising pop singer-songwriter and producer based out of Nashville, Tennessee. In 2023, Schueler made his mark in the pop world by being named the Grand Prize winner of the 2023 Nashville Songwriters Association International Song Contest. And, as well as being a three-time NSAI Song Contest Finalist, his 2020 single “Head Start” has 1.6 million plays on Spotify. With his excellent songwriting and vibrant vocals, Schueler is only heading upwards. Similarly, Herine is an indie-pop artist from Nashville. A lover of music since childhood, Herine was exposed to music and writing all her life, and was launched into a fruitful songwriting career. Her music is fun, personal, and upbeat– all things that the best pop songs are, but with the perfect amount of Herine’s distinctive touch to each of those elements. She released her debut single “Favorite Things” in 2021, with “Whiskey Sour” being her first collaboration with Schueler. When you listen to “Whiskey Sour,” make sure to enjoy it with your drink of choice (alcoholic or not– whatever works for you!) and sink into its wistful beat and artful lyricism.
Written By Alexa Leung
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