Will Butler: Surrender Single Review
While the claps and the backing vocals screaming for you to dance and sing along make for a mediocre song, it’s better compared to other singles released during quarantine.
Originally published 8 Aug 2020
Knowing Will Butler as a member of the art rock band Arcade Fire, the fact that “Surrender” is a better song than the majority of Everything Now already serves justice towards the new single.
This being my first introduction to Butler’s solo work, I can’t compare “Surrender” to anything that preceded it. I can’t say that it excites me to listen to more of his music, but it’s not a bad statement, either. It has elements of Arcade Fire, specifically the “whoa-oh-ohs” that are so prominent in hits like “Wake Up,” but the melody and mood of the song is significantly more pop than the art rock group.
Aside from the backing vocals, the clapping rhythm is another defining characteristic of the single. With these elements combined, the song is just screaming for you to sing, dance, and clap along. It’s another fun song released during quarantine, and while that still makes for a mediocre song compared to others, it’s not as annoying as other songs more obviously about the pandemic that I’ve heard.
I’m not sure how else I can express my feelings for this song. It’s not great, it’s not terrible. It doesn’t seem to be trying to be a seriously memorable or impactful number, it’s more just saying that life is still going on even if society has taken a five for the time being.
Rating: 3/5
