Just after releasing his first solo album in January, Sevendust co-founder, Clint Lowery used the coronavirus quarantine productively, to write, record and release his second album, Grief & Distance. He releases 3 new songs, and accosted versions of his previously released “What’s The Matter?” and “Kings.”
Lowery explains of this EP “this EP was my way to process the loss of my mother, and the hard hit and the uncertainty of my livelihood from the pandemic. I escaped into my basement and into the songwriting process…it never fails me.” This EP is beautiful, and has very heavy themes throughout each track. With everyone affected by the pandemic, it’s widely relatable.
Opening the album is “Distance.” It begins with a great synthy-build, and the song has so much variety with its swells and regressions in the instruments. It really shows the artist’s versatility. The lyrics that stand out to me, remind me of what I got from “Kings” about achieving success, but at the cost of yourself. “Want you to show me some grace, I see that look on your face…some die before they begin, those damn clichés will not end, the truth gets under my skin. Our insecurities fly, I’d save the world, but I’m tired.”
“Haunted” is the song where I really feel Lowery’s pain from the loss of his mother. The lyric are so raw as you can see the stages of grief through them. “Don’t tell me I’m wrong. God knows I had no choices, we play it all our, screaming at God like a dog. The memories aren’t pure, all our best days are haunted.” The chorus pains my heart for the writer as I can hear the back and forth of grief where one day you’re moving on, and the next day, you don’t know how you’ll move on. “Keep your eyes closed, now and forever. Take your last breath so I can let you go. Keep your eyes closed, hold you together. Take your last breath slow, I can’t let you go.”
The acoustic tracks give them such a new meaning. The lyrics are pretty dark, that gets lost in the upbeat versions. The simplicity lets the lyrics sink in like never before. “I wish there was something more to come to bring my heart around, don’t mean to be insensitive or dumb, but do we really care anymore? You think it’s strange, but that’s alright.How’s it feel to be so predictable? I’m all about pretty things, but what about the soul we lost.” And in “Kings,” the lyrics of “I’ve been through hell just for this, I’ve had my say, I found my way. Even thought I came down for it. We’re dying at the bottom, but we lived. The bottom but we lived like kings.”
His second album takes on calmer melodies and tempos, but packs in deep lyrics. It’s a hauntingly beautiful album, and builds a connection to the artist, as it allows the listener to feel and understand the deepest grief.
Lowery’s sophomore album is available on all major music platforms. Get our copy today!
Track List:
- Distance
- Haunted
- I’m Wrong
- What’s The Matter (Acoustic)
- Kings (Acoustic)