Springs And Falls Long Gone

Martin Courtney “Vestiges”

I’m not sure why Martin Courtney decided to make Many Moons a solo record when it basically sounds like the fourth Real Estate album. I’m sure he has his reasons, but as a listening experience, it is pretty much identical to Real Estate, except that the arrangements are maybe 25% more lush and there’s a touch of ‘70s AM radio vibes about it. I suppose the reality is that Courtney is so loyal to his chill melancholy muse that he can’t help but write nothing but gentle, wistful tunes in any context. This would only be a problem if he wasn’t a master of this form. “Vestiges” is one of the best songs he’s ever written, and approaches his recurring theme of nostalgia from the perspective of someone who can’t escape the detritus of his past. The song doesn’t get too heavy, but you can sense the vague dread of mortality as time seems to slip away, and a nagging fear that life is passing this guy by as old friends move on and he’s stuck living amongst the stuff that everyone else left behind. I think this song is about trying to make peace with those feelings, and looking at the coming and going of things like a tide that ebbs and flows. But I don’t know if anyone is really convinced by that, let along the character in the song.

Buy it from Amazon.