With his material for the band soon to end, Hillsburn’s outgoing songwriter Paul Aarntzen has a shining neon soul coming through on the band’s newest single “Waking Up.” The latest look at the material for Hillsburn’s forthcoming album recorded with acclaimed producer Howard Redekopp (Mother Mother, The New Pornographers), it’s an invigorating taste that has you wanting more. But there’s a whole mess of sorrow underlying the pop of this track.
The song kicks into high-gear from the first second and hardly drops for a moment. Buzzing synths, punchy drums, and relentless bass push the song along constantly. Rosanna Burrill’s vocals cut cleanly through the pulse, matching the tightness of the instruments in sharply chopped phrases. The precision is pointed, evoking a bit of Metric, but an undeniable warmth flows across everything; Redekopp’s fingerprints are wonderfully clear. There’s a feeling of fresh night air whipping through car windows, an ingrained need to barrel forward.
Its sound may burn bright, but Waking Up has darker coals at its core. The energy manifested here and the contrary mental state is plain:
“Me and Mary go to work, we come home.
Me and Mary get by.
Me and Mary we don’t long for nothing.
We don’t mind, we don’t mind.”
The band states that the song is largely about coming to terms with how few of us truly get to live out our childhood dreams, as well as the privilege that surrounds those achievements.
“The rest of us are left to ‘modify horizons,’ to get by as best we can, and often to do so by relying on drugs / TV / fill-in-the-blank to provide a little numbness and respite. It’s a stark portrayal, and yet the song’s protagonist imparts a sense of empowerment gained from coming to see things as they are.”
The bittersweetness of “Waking Up” is potent, especially in a year with so many plans and dreams thrown off course. Hillsburn is going through big changes of their own with an integral member parting ways. But the beauty comes from the way this song drives forward despite the hardships. “Waking Up” reminds us not just to look clearly at our reality, but to never stop moving forward.
According to Hillsburn, we can expect a new album in early 2021.