Will Brown’s “A Thing (Our Thing)” Explores What It Means To Draw a Line
Photo by Kelia Ideishi
Philly-based multi-instrumentalist Will Brown is back with another fuzzy and ethereal single, “A Thing (Our Thing).” A lo-fi, DIY enthusiast, Brown is ready to take his sound to the next step since the release of his debut EP, 2019’s No Relief, which featured other prominent local artists like Logan Roth of the eclectic jazz project Trap Rabbit.
“A Thing (Our Thing)” is a dichotomy of extended, punchy guitar solos and breathy vocals thanks to Ang Bocca. As with the rest of his releases, Brown plays all the parts on this track, a testament to his immeasurable talent as a solo artist. His tone is one of raw edginess and refined, echoing instrumentation.
This track is arguably a more lyrically-mature song than some of his other releases, exploring what it means to navigate a modern relationship. It’s about initially falling too hard for someone that you had the intention of drawing a line with. What does it mean to be casual? What does it mean to love someone from arm’s length? And then what does it mean to not care anymore, once that line is firmly drawn? There’s a lot of duality within this song, evident in the way the guitar tends to directly parallel specific vocal melodies, and then when it breaks off into a rhythmically hectic drum beat. There’s a feeling of firm structure as well as slight chaos, which is a definite comparison to the feeling of a casual “thing,” as he’s attempting to decode.
Even the title itself is cool - it makes “A Thing,” seem so casual and impersonal, but (Our Thing) adds a level of intimacy. Our thing implies something more, but when you’re with someone from a distance, it’s difficult to truly see just how close you can get. The repetitive “don’t you worry about a thing” emphasizes how relationships should be easy, but rarely ever are. Even his rough-around-the-edges vocals paired with Bocca’s breathy soprano play on the same theme. Brown titled this in a subtly genius way, and I admire his way with words.
You can stream “A Thing (Our Thing) below, and catch Will’s single release show at Ortlieb’s this Friday, February 21st, with Lovecartel and The Big Easy.