KALEO: “Backbone” Single Review
It appears that I am late for the fourth single from the Iceland-based band, KALEO, but after listening to “Backbone,” I have cleared not missed much.
Initially, I was hooked by the tone of the song compared to the first three singles released. And the low tones of the string section in the right ear build tension and add to the atmosphere.
But the song progresses quickly — a bit too much for my taste. It starts with the acoustic guitar and vocals with a melancholy tone, but it suddenly shifts to anguish. Which isn’t too terrible, as those emotions are similar, but it changes to the point where the beginning of the song isn’t recognizable anymore — it is too inconsistent. So while I was hooked by the first few measures, it drops my attention.
Of course, the change in tone isn’t solely responsible for that. With the shift, the melody also loses all charm. It resorts to repeating the same few measures over and over again — the lyrics, too. It keeps you at the edge of your seat — but not in a good way — you keep waiting for it too change and do something different.
Besides the lyrics being too repetitive, they don’t quite fit the song, either. They feel like a pair of shoes that are technically the right size, but feel just a bit too tight. Some of them are just flat-out dumb, like “Back against the wall/Saying, ‘Where’s your backbone, brother?’” And the climax feels forced, too, like a means to an end. It just adds to the feeling that the song is progressing too fast with little explanation as to why.
So with a great foundation, everything falls apart in the later measures. What was the point of the song? It doesn’t quite hone its point with the rushed progression. There is no characterization for the subject of the lyrics — he’s just there. It is unclear what kind of relationship the speaker had with them, or if it’s himself he is referring to. But it does prove that a song can be overdone.
Rating: 1.5/5
