Riptide, which dropped on August 7th, 2020, is the second single released by Canadian-American rock artist grandson in his self-proclaimed new era of music. This new track follows in the footsteps of Identity which was released back in July, and fans are still hopeful these singles will lead to the eventual release of grandson’s first full length studio album.
While much of grandson’s music is politically fueled, this song seems to be more in line with a personal reflection and exploration than it is a government takeover. The track opens after the quintessential distorted guitar with the lines “I have done bad things, did them to good people / Got no self control, it’s the root of my evil,” and then continues to touch on internal battles raged within the artist rather than wars waged on foreign or domestic soil. The first verse ends with the line “save me from myself” which is a powerful sentiment that’s carried on through the chorus and subsequent verses.
grandson has never shied away from discussing mental health, and it seems in this new generation of music he’s embarking on, he’s taking a more pronounced stance on the matter. In Riptide, he shares some of his own personal struggles with the voice in his head telling him all the things he’ll never amount to, and this resonates with fans who not only are faced with the turbulence of political activism in this modern age, but also with the destructive nature of the human race both in terms of destroying others as much as we are destroying ourselves. Hearing an artist like grandson who has risen to have a large platform being honest & open about the mental health struggles they are facing, not only on social platforms, but in their music, is something that is beneficial for the music industry as a whole as it lends itself to helping those who listen as well. Artists like grandson, one that so many young adults look up to, writing and releasing songs that encompass things going on in their own heads can be a spark that lights the fire of raising awareness of mental health issues that often get swept under the table.
The second verse opens with “I get high to leave all these problems on the ground / Then to my surprise they’re right there when I come back down,” which could be seen as a less than eloquent way to state that the use of drugs to solve problems doesn’t really help anything. But it could also be an illusion to everyone having their vices to get through their day. Be it drugs, alcohol, music, etc., people will find a multitude of ways to cover up the issues they face rather than dealing with them head on. Because let’s face it, that can be terrifying. The skeletons in your closet are there for a reason. You can easily shut the door and hide the things that haunt you, only allowing them to be seen as they creep through the cracks when you get tired of holding the door closed for so long.
While this track may not be every die-hard fans favorite, the message that it sends is one we owe to ourselves to be open to receiving. This new era of music from grandson is shaping up to be one of self-exploration & self-improvement, and in the midst of the ever-daunting outside world, we deserve to take the time to reflect inward and face the demons some of us have been hiding for far too long.
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