It’s so easy, especially in today’s world, to get caught up on the internet about all the terrible things happening in the world. Even if you were to get rid of all your technology, this influence has still inspired your favorite writers to create based on these powerful emotions. While it is important for artists to speak out about whatever it is that fires them up, it can sometimes get overwhelming to be constantly inundated with negative messages and sadness. I find it rarer and rarer these days to find an artist which exudes a positive message in both their music’s sound, as well as their lyrical content. Thankfully, Lael Neale has provided us with a little bit of hope with, “For No One For Now.”
Beginning with a subtle white noise, the song immediately gives off an old-school vibe reminiscent of something being played off of a dirty piece of tape. Soon after, a lo-fi electric drum beat rushes in, giving the song some speed. Once a magical-sounding organ joins the mix, the song’s puzzle has been completed and is officially ready to go. Lael Neale’s voice cuts through the mix, seemingly at a higher volume than the instrumentation, with next to no low end, once again adding to the lo-fi and old-school feel of the track. With the way that it is mixed, her voice tends to be the focal point at any given time during the song, which I believe was done to draw attention to what she is saying and not necessarily how she is saying it. While the vocal melody seems to stay in its lane, never deviating too far from the path it set out on, it avoids becoming an endless drone thanks to Neale’s occasional singing flairs.
Although the song lasts for nearly five minutes, Neale keeps the lyrics simple and to the point, allowing the listener to immediately understand her thoughts without over-complicating things. A common theme throughout the song, as the title would suggest, is the essence of moving forward for your own sake. While she recognizes that she is doing all of these mundane chores alone, she knows that she will not be alone forever. She sings, “There’s a light in the alley / There’s a breeze lifting curtains / Laughter from the street / It’s a new day, but I’m making toast in the kitchen / For no one, for now.” Even in her moments of solitude, even the little signs of light shining through an alley or the curtains fluttering in the breeze brings her a sense of comfort.
By combining an appropriately matched instrumental to her upbeat and positive thinking lyrics, Lael Neale has created a song which is highly welcome in today’s world. With nothing but negativity surrounding us, no matter where you look, it was refreshing to hear someone singing about their positive outlook on the future. It also comes as a reminder to the listener that when things are at their lowest, they can only go up. While I would’ve liked to see the vocals mixed more subtly into the rest of the song, I can understand why the choice was made to have them stand out as they have. Everything taken into consideration, I believe that Lael Neale has created a song which shares a message and achieves the specific goal it was created to fulfill.
