“superglue” by joan is a texturally dramatic, emotionally gratifying indie pop masterpiece. With the drive and sentimental chord structure of a Keane song but a slew of modern vocal idiosyncrasies, this track just oozes beauty and nostalgia. It just embodies fullness in such a way that, if you don’t have chills by the end, you’re doing something wrong. Truly, you’d be remiss to find a song more dynamically effective than this.
An ethereal swell of strings is interrupted by a set of acoustic ghost notes, propelling us straight into an explosion of instrumentation. Synths, guitars, background vocals, and drums become one as they course through a suspended chord progression. “Passing downtown / Going home now / Grass is so much greener there,” the singer’s sensitive tone gently floats into the now more sparse, delicate mix. The low-pitched piano stylings mimic the melody and create an atmosphere of intimacy. The other textures slowly layer back in, starting with a few rhythmic acoustic strums and a simple drum groove. Strings perform anticipatory trills as we approach the chorus.
“Oh you / Will never understand that I’m completely lost in you,” the band erupts, complementing the passionate lyricism. All of the poignant words before this culminate in a few simple, straightforward declarations of love. Fast forward a few minutes, and we arrive at the final iteration of the hook, which takes place over a lone acoustic guitar. As the singer utters the last lyric, it’s hard not to get teary-eyed. This song follows the recipe for emotionally effective music meticulously and leaves you endlessly touched.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
