Rage Against the Dying of the Night
Will Chant explores the solitary in “Ode To a Fellow Loner”
I first interviewed Will Chant with his L.A.-based band Rose Avenue in October of 2020. Chant had co-written and co-produced the band’s recently released album This Game We Play. In addition to Chant, Rose Avenue is comprised of Langdon Dearborn (Keyboards,Guitars, Vocals), Aram Behshid (Drums), and Iman Behshid (Bass). As a side note here, I highly recommend listening to the Rose Avenue portfolio. They are lyrically sophisticated, talented musicians creating tracks with impressive auditory depth.
Will and I reconnected several months later for the release of his single “How Fast Do You Like to Drive.” He had intermittently been releasing solo music since 2018, but the pandemic afforded some additional introspection time perfect for songwriting and releases. The latest of his solo tracks “Ode To A Fellow Loner” dropped last Friday.
I was instantly infatuated with Chant’s body of work because of his vocal similarity to John Wozniak of Marcy Playground. As a Gen X-er in college, the Marcy Playground self-titled debut echoed in just about every hallway in my dorm and shown several times an hour on MTV (when MTV was good and had music). When I heard him for the first time on the Rose Avenue track “Ruth” I was teleported back to that time in my life, and it made me an instant Rose Ave and Will Chant fan.
In this age of streaming services, attraction to vocal tones only takes a listener so far. What sustain’s Chant’s work is his ability to write relatable songs. “How Fast Do You Like to Drive” recounts the tale of two young people in a relationship sneaking off late at night to make out and in the process get stopped by the cops for speeding. The tender, reckless abandon detailed in the lyrics are painted musically by the vocal delivery and the simple acoustic guitar in the track.
In his latest single “Ode To a Fellow Loner” he uses that same delicate musical brush to paint a scene maybe not as comfortable, but one that may be relatable.
you were said to be so wise, beyond your years that you had dreams like no one else
but still you’re dreaming of a friend to sit across from you and talk
so tell me, what’s your favorite show? to watch then you’re alone, and you feel it’s time to rest your head, but it’s barely 10 pm
Struggles with loneliness and isolation have been daily struggles for many since the onset of the pandemic. I recently spoke to some students about starting high school “in-person” and trying to find new friends or reconnect with their old ones. Most of them focused on how peers partially listen to each other now or put in ear-buds and totally separate themselves. Each part of a whole, but completely alone.
drift off to sleep
dream like only you can dreamyou can tell me when did you outgrow that hoodie that you stole, when you were 13 and your mom said no, can’t be dressing like the poor street folk
you were sober till you knew rules could be broken, did you choose to be alone or was it chose for you?
looking back I wish my hand was there for you
At any age, loneliness and isolation, whether chosen or imposed, do have reverberations in the makeup of an individual. Sometimes they keep a person grounded, and other times they knock you off track. Chant manages to capture musically both what it is to be a loner, but also the struggles of relationships with other loners. What is most poignant is the repeated use of, and double meaning for, sleeping and dreaming. The echo used in the final production during these parts is hauntingly effective.
but no one teaches a young boy just how to speak his mind, no I’d be silent till the day I died, but when you were quiet trust me I knew why
so I’ll let you drift off and dream that you’re running to my door
like I wanted back in the sixth grade
we’ll sit in silence and let our thoughts float awaydrift off to sleep
dream like only you can dream
drift off to sleep
A final, item of note is the cover for the single — two trashcans with spray-painted smiles sit side-by-side in a sun-drenched alley. It is the visual dichotomy of the song brought to life on film. On the surface it is a cute picture inviting a listener to check out the track. At the same time, painted smiles and isolation are artificial — harkening back to the very real “otherness” of being a loner.
no one understands the quiet girl who sits alone, but they watch her every move
keep her in the shadows while the flowers bloom
and no one understands the quiet boy who sits alone, but they watch his every move
I’ll be in the shadows without you
Will Chant has a gift for musical storytelling. “Ode To a Fellow Loner” is an exploration into darkness — timely, relatable, and intimate. It can be immediately streamed on Spotify and iTunes.
