Not since 2013âs âStill Saneâ by Lorde has a singer been able to build a song around the phrase âthe swing of thingsâ â and Sydney-based artist MAY-A is here to change that. Where Lorde plods in suburban ennui though, MAY-A erupts into gauzy guitars for a pop-rock chorus payoff only rivaled by the likes of, say, Baby Queen. The verses meld self-deprecation (âI think Iâm bad newsâ) and pining (âI wish youâd callâ) into one plaintive diary entry tossed into the trash, but the emotional crux of âSwing of Thingsâ lies in the bridge, stripped back to reverbed handclaps and mood-lighting synths fit for a dingy bar bathroom at 1:00 am.
MAY-A says, “‘Swing of Things’ is about that longing feeling for things to go back to normal even though you know if you give yourself time to heal, you’ll be better than you’ve ever been. It’s about learning how to live life by yourself again once someone has left your life. Sometimes you need to cut a person off so both people can grow better separately, and most of the time, that process sucks. âIs your heart out on your sleeve now you’re gone?â. âIs the grass more green from where you’re from?â are questions I was dying to ask both them and my future self. Ultimately, ‘was this worth it?'”
Hear âSwing of Thingsâ on the PopMatters Picks Spotify playlist.