Pete Yorn
Hawaii
Shelly Music
Buy via Bandcamp | Listen Below
While everyone and their mother seemed sycophantically transfixed by the parallel news streams of Beyoncé and Drake’s forthcoming albums this past week, it was actually the notably quieter, more understated arrival of another album that genuinely piqued this writer’s interest above all of the pervasive hype-machine clamor.
Not that we needed reminding, considering his consistently inspired output over the past 21 years dating back to his breakthrough debut LP musicforthemorningafter (2001), but Pete Yorn’s tenth album Hawaii testifies to the stamina of his songwriting prowess. At 33 minutes in duration, the follow-up to 2019’s Caretakers and 2021’s covers set Pete Yorn Sings the Classics is a lean, taut affair. But its brevity and clarity prove to be blessings, as the ten tracks presented here waste no time in illuminating Yorn’s (and his co-producer confidante Jackson Phillips’) well-proven penchant for crafting songs that merge instantly memorable guitar-driven melodies with lyrical resonance and depth.
Its title a metaphor for the escapism and consolation that so many of us have increasingly coveted amidst the irresolution, isolation and trauma—in its myriad forms—of the ongoing pandemic, Hawaii examines the ways in which we seek to reconcile and carry on through the emotional and psychological vicissitudes of our lives.
“In a lot of it, you’re dealing with archetypes, as well, like Hawaii as this archetype in our mind of this perfect place,” Yorn recently explained to Paste. “But ultimately, wherever you go, you’re stuck with yourself, you know? And you bring your own baggage. I’ve been to Hawaii before, where I’m looking forward to a vacation, and I’ve had great times there, and I’ve had shitty times, where I’m stuck in my own head and not able to enjoy it. So it’s this idea that, wherever you are, if you could find this peace that lives within, then you can actually have a good, purposeful existence, and you don’t have to go to Hawaii, if you know what I mean.”
Finding peace, however, is seldom—if ever—a linear path, as a handful of songs eloquently encapsulate. The propulsive, shuffling “’Til the End” finds a “tongue-tied” Yorn stifled by indecision, while “Stay Away” explores disconnectedness and the need for escape, as he reflects, “When all the leaves fall away / Leave you until the storm has ended / Want you to stay away / Till I find what it was I lost / I wanted to stay away.” Similar themes of detachment appear in “Miss Alien,” with an empathetic Yorn consoling in lines like “Restless night / Doing alright / Tears are in your eyes / All the time / Rest tonight / Rest today / Come on over when you're ready.”
The impermanence and intangibility of love define three of the album’s standout moments. “Blood” is a gorgeously executed account of elusive love, complemented by the sparse yet powerful piano-led ode to a love that never materialized in “Further” and “Ransom,” a sobering, strings-laden account of evading an unfulfilling affair.
A number of songs strike a more sanguine tone, however, beginning with lead single “Elizabeth Taylor,” a shimmering, nostalgic nod to Yorn’s nascent days in Los Angeles back in the mid-90s and his defiance in navigating his own transition to the City of Angels, despite the expectations and guidance of others. “Fred & Wilma” is a beautifully wistful ode to the longevity and fidelity of companionship, cleverly likened to “a one-night stand that got out of hand.” The percussive “Never Go” evokes the inevitable malaise of parenthood and how it challenges the vitality of battle-tested parents’ connection with each other. Ultimately, the bond that ties the two people together triumphs as the source of stability and comfort amidst whatever hardships they encounter.
The restlessness of Pete Yorn’s voice and the world-weary yet wholly lucid self-awareness he conveys through his words are touchstones that have always connected for me as a listener. And as with the albums that have preceded it within his prolific repertoire, Hawaii offers ample solace in the recognition that we’re not the only ones who don’t have it all figured it out in this life. Perhaps we will never have all of the answers. But acknowledging this reality may just be the key to carrying on and living the best lives we can.
Notable Tracks: “Blood” | “Fred & Wilma” | “Further” | “Ransom”
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