Lover
Noah Gundersen / Lover / 2019 / COOKLP738
For most, change is a scary and daring feat. It’s a sign of growth, but it can be hard to break free from what makes you comfortable. Noah Gundersen, the Seattle derived singer-songwriter, had to take that leap in 2019 with his fourth album release Lover. Known typically for his indie-folk style, Gundersen branched away from his norm to explore pop, sound textures, and programming to incorporate into his passionate lyrics. I discovered Noah via my Spotify Discover Weekly Playlist years ago as his track First Defeat off his debut LP Ledges entered my shuffle. When the track ended I was in awe with how eloquently presented it was. Noah is a truly intimate poet. As I grow, change, and approach 30 years old I hope I can embrace Noah’s thought process and retain with me the sentimentality and messages this album shares.
Lover takes an intimate, deep dive into Gundersen’s feelings and mind. Title track Robin Williams is an ode to the late comedic genius. Noah doesn’t hold back as he spills his emotions from the get-go, and I commend him for that. I grew up watching a lot of movies with Robin Williams, so he certainly holds nostalgia within my childhood memories. No one ever expected him to take his own life - we just saw the portrayal of a joyous actor and assumed it carried home with him. The song delivers a message around a general disillusionment that surrounds artists - celebrities are humans too. In the background of Noah’s acoustic guitar sits ghostly, Harrison Whitford-style guitar ambience that I love. Any sound that adds texture alongside context I’m all about. Third track Lover is a substantial, intensifying song that interweaves simple drums, swells, synthesizer, and grand piano chords into a large refrain - “I don’t need no lover. But I sure like keeping you around. I don’t need no lover. I’ll try not to let you down”. Love can be complicated, and Noah expresses this through his desperate, cloying voice. His narrative is transferred into succeeding song Watermelon (my favorite track on the album). Noah’s metaphoric side comes out to play here - “But you were something sweet enough to stick. A Jolly Rancher, wet against my lips. And my teeth digging into your watermelon skin. And I don’t know what to do now”. Songwriting at it’s finest. Upbeat ballad Lose You rides on a melodic wave of positivity and hope of not losing a lover. The piano-driven chord progression uplifts me listen after listen.
Lover was produced by Andy D. Park (Death Cab for Cutie, Neon Trees) and Noah Gundersen. If you enjoy Lover, I recommend also checking out his latest record A Pillar of Salt as well as his duet split with Phoebe Bridgers Killer + The Sound.
