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Album Review: Nate Ruess – Grand Romantic

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por Personal Altwire

Nate Ruessโ€™s first solo album is a compilation of songs that focus solely on the subject of love, in one way or another. The album begins with the trackย โ€˜Grand Romantic (intro),’ which is short, sweet and a great startย of whatโ€™s to come; an even better intro to the following song: โ€˜AhHa.’ โ€˜AhHaโ€™ is the second single Nate released from the album and is,ย in some ways, a counterpart to the hit Fun. song, โ€˜Some Nights.’ ‘AhHa’ takes the following well known lyrics from โ€˜Some Nightsโ€™ย and puts a spin on the song:

โ€œOh, itโ€™s for the best you didnโ€™t listen, Itโ€™s for the best we get our distance (oh oh woah oh), Itโ€™s for the best you didnโ€™t listen, Itโ€™s for the best we get our distanceโ€

Nateย does this toย show that this is his solo album and preemptively dispels any potential comparisons to his solo work and the band Fun.

Towards the end of โ€˜AhHa,’ Nate Ruess is reflecting on his past decisions in a note to his mother, telling her thatย heโ€™s ready to let out the โ€˜Grand Romanticโ€™ thatโ€™s been kept within himself. Again, this lyric is a breakaway from Fun. and foreshadows the following songs on the album.

โ€œMom, I think theyโ€™re trying to keep the grand romantic in me, Now that we got bottom lines, But mom, I think Iโ€™m ready to free this grand romantic in meโ€

The remaining 10 songs on the album follow the theme of a โ€˜Grand Romanticโ€™ and tell a story from one song to the next. The third song on the album, โ€˜Nothing Without Love,’ is the beginning to a failing love story, but one that may be worth the fight. He refers to both himself and their relationship as a sinking ship in a storm; a metaphor that can been seen in other songs throughout the album.

โ€œThree years at sea after the storm, On this sinking ship that love had put me onโ€

The fourth song on the album, โ€˜Take It Back,’ begins with yet another metaphor, comparing the love to two ships. This song tells the story of lovers drifting farther apart, and wanting to get back to where they were, but both are struggling with the task.

โ€œWell we’re just two ships passing through the nightโ€

โ€˜You Light My Fireโ€™ is the fifth song on the album and is a little more upbeat then the ones before it. This song is more about the reasonย a failing relationship is being held onto; even though the lovers may be drifting apart, their fear of being alone and the fighting might be the only thing holding them together.

The Sixth song on the album, โ€˜What This World Is Coming Toโ€™ (featuring Beck), continues along the storyline ofย a failing relationship and shows a bit of the selfishness of holding onto something that has beenย taking a big toll on both sides. On one end, we see the female counterpart bruised and beaten down,ย yet on the other side,ย the male isย holding on because she has made him who he has become by being his inspiration and solace through some dark times.

โ€œI watched as your wrist began to bruise, Threading ribbons, weaving patterns, Beautiful and blueโ€

โ€œYou know that I can’t stop thinkin’ ’bout you, You’re the source of everything I do, You brought faith to songs I sing, So I went and bought a diamond ring, I wanna spend each night here with you, Yeah you took everything I was, And you turned it into something I’ve becomeโ€

Following โ€˜What This World Is Coming Toโ€™ is the song, โ€˜Great Big Storm.โ€™ Here we see yet another comparison to the sinking ship in the storm.ย The song suggestsย the realization that maybe itโ€™s time to let go because the fight has become unbearable on both sides, yet, neither is ready to cut the cord.

โ€œBecause we’re holding our own in a great big storm, And though we’re cutting it close, We won’t let goโ€

โ€˜Momentโ€™ is the eight song on the album which brings theย part of the story where the relationship ends. Its sad for both ends, especially for our male character. It shows a realization that some things that may have appeared to have been right, have been wrong all along. This is a sad part of the story and may even show a bit of vulnerability from our male side.

โ€œWell, I’m fine, I just need a moment of your time, To get all my things and let go, Well, Iโ€™m fine, I just need a moment to say goodbyeโ€

The next song on the album, โ€˜It Only Gets Much Worse,’ starts with another metaphor to the storm and shows the regret to ending the relationship, along withย the potential outcomes of the future. This song is sad, slow and goes straight to the heart. Itโ€™s beautiful and tragic, making it one of the best songs on the album.

โ€œAnd no, I didn’t mean to let you go, I didn’t mean to bruise but I lost control, What didn’t mean a thing destroyed us bothโ€

The tenth song on the album is โ€˜Grand Romantic,’ and again, it is a slow, tragic yet beautiful song. In this song, we hear our grand romanticโ€™s pain and struggle since ending their love.

โ€œAnd I, I just wanted you so bad, I don’t know where I’m going, don’t know who to trust anymoreโ€

โ€˜Harsh Lightโ€™ is the next song on the album and shows our male having a bit of fun at a bar by becoming very inebriated. In a way, this could be a song about him finding happiness again by going out and having fun, yet, it could also be a song about putting his pain into the bottom of a bottle.

โ€œMy eyes are drained from the one that got away, So tonight I’m going out, tonight I’m gonna stay out, In walks eighty long boots, looking for a date, I would make the first move, but I’m too drunk to enunciateโ€

The twelfth song on the album is entitled โ€˜Brightsideโ€™ and is the last piece to this love story. We see our male character convincing himself that leaving was the right choice, yet at the same time, thinking thatย on โ€˜the Brightside,โ€™ maybe things could have worked out. The song is a perfect end to a wonderful album, and leaves us wondering what will become of the two loves weโ€™ve learned so much about.

โ€œYou know, I think it says a lot, That I could wake myself up from this dream, Grab the things that are most dear to me, And although I could have loved you better, I had to get the fuck out of the bedโ€

โ€œOh God, I wish that I was on the bright side, These friends of mine could spend the whole night dreaming, While you’re holding me tight under the moonlight, Just you and me, babe, we’ll spend our whole lives singingโ€

Overall, this album andย it’s story is truly a work of art. Itโ€™s beautiful and tragic. Itโ€™ll bring you up and take you down.ย Thatโ€™s what is so genius about it. Anyone can enjoy the songs Nate has created for us and anyone can feel the pain; maybe even the joy in each lyric. One can only hope that this is not a tragic love story that Nate Ruess himself has experienced, however, if this is true a true story, to the girl who broke his heart, we thank you.

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