Light comes and goes, colors fade and bloom.
Thomas Austin’s “The Morning” orients us towards the dawn, and the ways in which we can harbor its grace even through the night.
When I first listened to “The Morning”, immediately it reminded me of a church hymn. The charming and simple piano melody that is introduced within the first minute and a half, repeats itself throughout the song in the meditative way that church songs often do. This at times can feel monotonous, especially if you’re a kid who just wants to get to coffee hour, but with attentive lyrics and beautiful instrumentals the simple melody invites patience rather than restlessness.
The use of strings gives the song a special warmth and roundness, they weave through the sound in comforting swells and harmonies. The piano has a gentle percussiveness, and soft mallet cymbals make a frequent appearance, which add emotion and a bit of drama.
Austin’s voice can be compared to Sufjan Stevens’, with the addition of some characteristic indie flair. This style lends itself beautifully to his honest and grounded vocal performance.
There is something intimate about the sound of the piano, and how you can hear the pedals thumping against the wood that I especially like. It’s almost as if you’re lying on the ground next to the instrument while someone plays. This simplicity and closeness of sound reflects the themes shown in the lyrics, of finding a closeness to God in the honesty of life, which can often be a hard thing to accept.
“The Morning” takes us all around the sun. Austin sings about the shifting of light, the transition into night, and the trust we need to have that the morning will come.
And I’m longing to feel something true again
But to sit at your side
Is to learn how to wait
‘Cause in the morning I’m gonna be new again.
This verse later repeats itself with Austin shifting the focus from himself to “she”, referring to his grandmother who struggled with dementia. That line about being “new again” in the morning holds a new meaning. It is a message of hope, that though darkness is a cycle, so is light. Even if only for glimmers of memory or joy, the trust in that light to never leave us is necessary to getting through difficult times.
It was her memory first
Like the end of a day
Fading out with the break of the evening
Austin’s roots as a Christian reflect strongly in his relationship and trust in God’s light. It can be a hard thing, to let go and have faith, especially when all you want to do is fix and understand what is beyond your power.
“The Morning” is an important meditation on the cycles in life, faith, and the changing light that teaches us how to adapt and trust.
Listen to “The Morning” below, and follow Austin at thomasaustinmusic.com.
