Singled Out: Jangling Sparrows' Estuaries

K. Wiggins | 01-22-2020

Jangling Sparrows just released their new album "Bootstraps And Other American Fables" and to celebrate we asked Paul Edelman to tell us about the song "Estuaries". Here is the story:

"Estuaries" is the lead off track to the new album and for good reason. Along with the closing and title track, it helps bookend this body of work. It's a song about perspective, about seeing the forest through the trees. In my view it helps provide context to the stories inside the rest of the album.

It's about telling you that I'm not just some smile and make the best of it type of person. People are more willing to take advice from someone if they feel that you can relate to their pain and that's what I try to do here. This is why, musically, it's such an aggressive song. I want to capture the angst in a visceral way. I want the listener to immediately feel that.

Lyrically, I'm trying to convey the understanding I have, from my experience, of deep pain and suffering. Of course, I can't go into whole stories but that's why it manifested in lines like, "I woke up like a sandblasted infant with the craggly finger of everything's emptiness poking on my forehead, pushing on my chest...". It's important for me that anyone listening, that might be feeling in pain, knows that I completely understand that level of hurting. Not just sadness but a total sense of mocking pointlessness.

As well, The repetition of the hook line might be a little much for some, and it's not usually my style, but in this case it's intentional. I want to burn the thought in the listener's head, scream it. I want whoever might benefit from this to know they aren't alone. They are understood, there are more of us out there and there is a way out. The hook line is supposed to connect to the idea that these things are natural.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!