Litany/Twitter
This week: “Call On Me” by Litany (Litany, 2018)
Why we’re into it: There’s no time wasted with this track, because it throws you right into the fray with blunt lyrics and music to match.
There’s something to be said about honesty—well, there’s a lot to be said about honesty. But how do you find those pearls of truth in all the songs about that never-ending chase for love, or heartbreak, or the possibility that, in fact, sometimes love isn’t necessarily what you’re looking for?
Jake Nicolaides, who’s in charge of production, and Beth Cornell, who rules the vocals, seem ready to play when they get into their newest track, “Call On Me.” They waste no time bringing you into the fun, with beats and keys that allude to the sense of playfulness Cornell’s vocals construct. “You know I got a free house tonight/I’ll rent some films for us to see” opens the track, with no subtlety—but who wants subtlety when so much else is possible?
As the chorus rolls around, the plainness of the lyrics are refreshingly bold: “I don’t wanna be in love/I don’t wanna be your baby.” Nicolaides’ production bounces with joy, as the two artists are so obviously connected and eager to indulge in happiness that’s fun and guilt-free.
By the time the bridge rolls around and the song begins to close, Cornell’s tone shifts, inserting a frisson of insecurity that gives depth to the track. It’s only a moment—a fleeting thought in the night while waiting for a lover. She breaks out of her trance and shakes it off before belting out the final chorus.
The song balances a tone that can be either slow and sensual or strong and aggressive, but it doesn’t lose its pace as something playful and light. Cornell and Nicolaides have made something quite special with this track, and it’ll be on repeat all December long.
