Weyes Blood, “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody” | Track Review 🎵

Weyes Blood makes a superb return with “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody,” the lead single and opener from her fifth LP, And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow.

“Oh, it’s not just me, it’s not just me / It’s not just me, it’s everybody.” She’s back! Who, you ask? Why 🎙 Natalie Mering, best known as singer/songwriter 🎙 Weyes Blood.  We last heard from Mering in 2019 when she released her fourth studio album, 💿 Titanic Rising.  Now, in 2022, she’s back with her fifth LP, 💿 And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow, with the epic, six-minute-plus single, 🎵 “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody” leading the charge. “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody” was written by Mering. She produces the record alongside 🎛 Ben Babbitt and 🎛 Jonathan Rado.

“It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody” commences beautifully and enigmatically. It opens with a crescendo of lush strings, prefacing a groove and warm piano chords.  Weyes Blood then enters, singing radiantly and expressively. Throughout the course of the record, she never over-sings, maintaining poise while bringing just the right oomph.  The songwriting, as to be expected, alongside the refined music backdrop, is the biggest selling point.  Mering sings her relatable, poetic, thoughtful lyrics with incredible authenticity.  “Sitting at this party / Wondering if anyone knows me / Really sees who I am,” she sings at the beginning of the first verse, continuing, “Oh, it’s been so long since I felt really known.” Woo – those words hit hard.  Similarly, lines like, “Living in the wake of overwhelming changes / We’ve all become strangers” (verse two) and “Yes, we all bleed the same way” pack a sizable, ultra-relatable punch.

Final Thoughts 💭 

It’s a requirement that six-minute-long songs be good.  No worries in the case of 🎵 “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody” because it’s EXCELLENT.  This record thrives thanks to expressive vocal performance, elite songwriting, and excellent production work.  The idea that we are all in this together is written all over “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody.”

🎙 Weyes Blood • 💿 And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow • 🏷 Sub Pop • 🗓 11.18.22

[📷: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay, Sub Pop]