Music has the power to change the conversation on mental health. Whether you’re a rock ‘n’ roll lover, pop aficionado, or hip-hop head, artists connect with fans across a wide variety of genres. While it seems like most have a hard time talking about mental illnesses in real life, music has always been a way to express what is hard to say out loud. Maybe before you realized what you were experiencing had a name, a certain song let you know that at the very last, you weren’t alone. Experiences with mental illness have inspired many artists in the music world to pick up their pens and channel their struggles into music. Depression and anxiety are lyrical themes that are becoming more prevalent thanks to the increasing awareness and discussion that’s growing around mental health.
One such artist, is the mystery collective, The Used Notes. The Kent, England based group recently released their single “Scream Please”, which ably affronts the subject with a soulful composition, and an eloquent supporting video.
We don’t know much about The Used Notes, except that they were conceived as a studio band, launched in 2017. Quite sincerely, I think that’s all we need to know, because the essential and more significant aspects about this project is related throughout their music and performances.
Before listening to the latest single, “Scream Please”, I ran through all of the band’s work could find on the net, and my first impression was that they had already set the bar extremely high from day one – both musically and vocally. The Used Notes blend a mix of soul, jazz and pop, together with a flicker of bohemian flavor.
The band’s songs includes superb vocals, catchy melodies, rich organic sounding instrumentals, and strong composition. They include a balance of tracks that will meet a variety of listeners’ tastes.
Easy-going and filled with emotions as well as amazing lyrics, The Used Notes’ songs can be played everywhere and at all times, and at any volume. One moment they tug at listeners hearts, the next making them want to enjoy life and groove. However they never forget to feed the mind, just as much as they feed the soul.
Which is precisely what The Used Notes achieve with “Scream Please”. It is a tremendous step for The Used Notes, and the highest they have set the bar for themselves yet. Sultry and crisp, while treating a deeply thoughtful subject, “Scream Please” is melodically-stunning, and its lead female vocals are pure ear candy. It is a gorgeous mid-tempo nu-soul jam with a neat pulsating beat that should be a radio staple at some point in the future.
Needless to say it is also fantastic due to its meaningful self-empowerment message that listeners can relate to: “Scream please, let them know you’re for real. There’s nothing wrong with the way you feel. It’s not a fantasy or dream. So follow me and just scream please. Let it out and let it show, everything you do, everything you know. All the pain that’s hidden way so deep.”
It is a wonderful thing that songs like this exist because they help us understand people in difficult situations. It also makes us recognize our own mental state and, hopefully, helps us treat ourselves a little bit better. Life can be cruel and sad, but there is no other way to deal with the world without expressing your true emotions, so “Scream Please”!
No Comment