Love Song for Kyrie Snow is not a love song in any sense of the phrase. William Steffey’s five track EP is stark and honest, focusing on the darker emotions brought on by failed relationships.
The music is not much to brag about. The combination of electronica, rock and pop sounds intriguing in theory, but in practice it is thin accompaniment that doesn’t do the solid lyrics justice. Guitar, synthesizer and percussion are blended together on every track but become repetitive, leaving the listener with a vague sense of unease.
The lyrics literally save the album. Although there are five songs on the EP, one is a remix of the title track. What Steffey lacks in musical innovation, he makes up for with well-crafted lyrics that showcase his writing talent. His Louisiana background is evident as he invites listeners to “put an ear to Ponchartrain” or asks, “Was it you with me in the Crescent City?”
The title track is not a love song, but a song filled with accusations. It is sarcastic and sad because although the singer is trying to move past the girl by mocking her and pretending the good times they had were a figment of his imagination, he returns to the realization that he loves her despite the constant abuse he heaps upon her throughout the song.
All of the tracks have the same theme: the darker emotions associated with love gone wrong. These are songs that only people who have been put through the wringer romantically could relate to. Anger, bitterness, denial, resignation and quiet determination ooze from this album like teen angst from “Dawson’s Creek.”
“Hands down, it’s a breakup album,” Sheffey states in the promo. “Sometimes it takes more than love to make a relationship work.
While not recommended for anyone in a remotely happy relationship, this is a decent album to listen to if you are going through a relationship and feeling a little introspective. “Love Song for Kyrie Snow” won’t brighten your day, but at least you’ll know that there is at least one other person out there who can relate to a relationship going down the drain.
By Emma James
A & E Editor
