We Made This Thing A Mess

Crumb “Side by Side”

The lyrics of “Side by Side” are sung from the perspective of someone who’s changed their life to suit someone else regardless of its negative impact on them. It’s very clear and direct, but the music complicates the sentiment by making the song very emotionally ambiguous. I think a lot of the point here is that we’re listening to a person who hasn’t decided how they feel about the situation they’re in, and any simmering resentment in the lyrics is clouded by their affection for the person they’re addressing and maybe a little bit of self-loathing and guilt. Lila Ramani’s vocal performance mostly conveys ambivalence, but you can hear stronger feelings rise up to the surface through the song. The arrangement and structure is pure Crumb – hazy and zoned out but very brisk and dynamic, all building towards a musical refrain that provides a catharsis that doesn’t contradict the indecisive feeling of the song.

Buy it from Bandcamp.