Recommended If You Like: CSNY, Donovan, The Yardbirds, Fleet Foxes
“What a lovely day to say goodbye,” sings New Mystics in the artist’s debut single “Sparrows.” It’s an odd way to begin a life, with an ending; beneath those words there lies a dark truth that only the artist knows. They are the words of someone who wants more, and can no longer sit still; the words of someone who is ready to break free from their chains, to escape one world and enter another.
In closing one door, a new one opens. It takes a lot to make a fresh start, but New Mystics sets about the path of rebirth and renewal on the entrancing “Sparrows.”
Maybe we should go
where the sparrows go
I can hear them say
What a lovely day to say goodbye
Such a lovely day to say goodbye
Listen: “Sparrows” – New Mystics
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A brand new project out of TH3RD BRAIN, New Mystics combines the nostalgic folk sounds of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young with the colorful, dreamy soundscapes of Donovan and modern acts like Fleet Foxes, Beirut and The War on Drugs. Yet despite its outwardly nostalgic, wistful aura, “Sparrows” is anything but that: New Mystics’ debut is a rejection of the past, with an eye on the future.
The song uses the image of the sparrow as a metaphor for freedom, employing the bird’s ability to take flight as the visual interpretation of leaving one’s current surroundings without hesitation.
Sparrow right outside my window pane
Tight line conversation
Straight as far as I can see
Far beyond the cold front
Travel at great speed with hard rest
Straight into the sun
The sparrow is not limited to one place; on the contrary, its adventures seem limitless to the narrator, its only hindrances being gravity and the strength of its own wings.
The true depth of the song comes out in its chorus, where the folk leanings peak and the singer taps into profound emotion. The statement ,”What a lovely day to say goodbye,” is at once poignant and hopeful:
Maybe we should go
where the sparrows go
I can hear them say
What a lovely day to say goodbye
Such a lovely day to say goodbye
The words might, in other situations, feel backwards, yet they work so well in this case. When the dream is to escape your current confines, leaving is like a hallowed kiss: It will set you free. Ultimately, that’s what “Sparrows” is all about: Freedom.
Freedom isn’t easy: One needs strength, self-determination, patience, and so much more – but New Mystics has his heart set on a new life. The artist’s identity is secret, but the bio says all we need to know: “I’ve made a lot a music in my life, I’ve created and toured with some of the greatest bands in the world… But I’m losing my fucking mind and I want to live another life.” This is all we need to know that “Sparrows” truly comes from the heart.
A new artist is emerging, carrying with him a familiar sound that is at once fresh and enchanting. Listen to New Mystics’ “Sparrows” and be on the lookout for more from this artist in 2017.
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cover: New Mystics © 2016
