Lauv, Modern Loneliness | Track Review 🎵

Lauv (Ari Leff) releases an excellent 10^th single, “Modern Loneliness,” in advance of his debut album, ~how I’m feeling~.

Lauv (Ari Leff) is one talented dude.  He’s a singer with a beautiful, expressive voice that’s able to easily convey emotion and ‘vibes.’  Furthermore, he’ s a gifted songwriter who is able to write lyrics that a personal, as well as centered on the relatable topic of love.  And did we mention he produces as well, in pop style with some R&B and electronic touches thrown in? After releasing the playlist, I met you when I was 18. in 2018, he releases his official debut album, ~how I’m feeling~ (March 6, 2020).  The song at hand, “Modern Loneliness,” marks the 10^th advance single from the effort.

On “Modern Loneliness,” Leff writes with a songwriting team comprised of Jonathan Simpson, Michael Matosic, Michael Pollack, and Mike Elizondo.  Of those writers, Elizondo and Simpson also produce alongside the artist.  The four-minute-plus number is characterized by its sad, lonely tone, but the music is quite beautiful, dynamic, and even groovy once the drum programming/percussion component comes into play. The second verse in particular possesses quite a soulful vibe, with the guitar, robust bass (and Elizondo staple), and the aforementioned groove.  Now, onto the songwriting and theme!

“I’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout my father lately / The person that he made me.” Like on “Changes”, a personal favorite from ~how I’m feeling,  Lauv is in reflective  mode – introspective.  On the first verse, following the statement about his father, he asserts, “And I’ve been tryna fill all of this empty / But, fuck, I’m still so empty / Yeah, I could use some love.” On the second verse, Leff remains sad, singing, “If I could cleanse my soul / Then I could fill the world with all my problems / But, shit, that wouldn’t solve them / So, I’m left here alone.”  Of course, the centerpiece is thee chorus:

“Modern loneliness
We’re never alone, but always depressed, yeah
Love my friends to death
But I never call and I never text ‘em
… We love to get high, but we don’t know how to come down.”

Final Thoughts

To reiterate, Lauv/Ari Leff is one talented dude.  Throughout the singles leading up to his debut album ~how I’m feeling~, he’s showcased incredible musicianship. He has a nice, expressive voice, which is quite pronounced here as he embodies the loneliness and sadness, both more restrained early on, and more assertive towards the end.  “Modern Loneliness” is another win for Leff, period.

Lauv • ~how I’m feeling~ • AWAL • Release: 3.6.20

Photo Credit: AWAL