When you think back on some of the most romantic moments in cinematic history, what comes to mind? Is it Kate Winslet tumbling down a hill in the rain only to be swept up by a dashing young gentleman? Is it Julia Roberts, just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her? As someone who will never say no to a good rom com, I’m realizing now that so much of what I think of as ‘romantic’—these big, dramatic gestures of love that come and sweep you off your feet—isn’t necessarily all that’s out there with something insightful to say about love. Sometimes love, in its purest form, is just love. No drama, no pouring rain, no feuding families. The last song from Smokescreen’s impressive latest album A Strange Dream, “I Love Only You,” celebrates the unbridled bliss that love can offer.
Los Angeles-based Smokescreens turned heads with their debut album and since then have amassed a loyal following of indie music lovers. In A Strange Dream, the band teamed up with David Kilgour (the legendary New Zealand musician best known for pioneering the Dunedin sound) to produce their most potent record yet.
“I Love Only You,” the last track on the record, is a love ballad for the best of times. There’s no extreme peak or valley, no moment of climactic sonic distortion. With its breezy guitar hooks and gentle piano lull, at heart the song speaks to a pure love—no frills, no strings attached. When the party’s over and you walk back home holding the hand of the person you love, this is the song you would listen to as you wait for the first signs of hazy sunlight in the city. “When it all weighs you down, I’ll be the one who’s coming ‘round,” frontman Chris Rosi promises. “I love only you.”
“I Love Only You” is drama-free, but that isn’t to say that it’s one-note. Around the two minute mark, a swirling ostinato engulfs the song as Rosi repeats, “I’ll be the one coming ‘round.” A phrase repeated that many times with that much fervor might read like a threat, but the swooning melody and sincere delivery make it feel like a promise.
Over the years Smokescreens’ lineup has seen quite a bit of change, but the heart has always remained the same. On their latest LP, A Strange Dream, they sound more honest and contemplative than ever. It’s not always easy to make the small moments in life feel momentous, but in “I Love Only You” love, in its simplest form, shines.
