Welcome back to the blog, Michael Waters. Waters is continually carving out a magnificent, peerless lane for himself as one of the finest living architects of human emotion. Reminding us yet again why he stands as one of the most vital, soul-stirring singer-songwriters working today, this brilliant English artist crafts pop and indie ballads that bypass the ears entirely to land straight as raw, unfiltered confessions from the chest. If his devastating masterpiece “Requiem for Earth” has long gone double platinum in our home and on constant rotation in our playlists, he is about to shatter our hearts all over again. He returns to us now with a brand-new offering titled “We’re Much Better People Now,” released on September 18th, and it is time to dive straight into the magic.
With the initial strumming of the strings, the song begins with a melodious, passionate guitar tune that makes you stop right where you are and grab your heartstrings. Once the instrument becomes steady, the voice of Waters joins the composition with a gentle warmth and vulnerability that can only be provided by a virtuoso of such a high rank. It is just amazing how intimate and graceful the introduction is; it is not a mere song anymore, but rather a piece of privacy and spirituality, as if Waters sang those words for your soul.
Intimate, melodic and tender, the song brilliantly weaves in the heaviness of regret and the brilliance of redemption and hope into one of the most amazing soundscapes that will take your breath away by reaching deep into the core of the soul. The song is instantly relatable and resonates with those who have faltered, grown and been redeemed through the process of learning and being rebuilt through the powers of love. The true measure of the artist’s skill lies in the amazing lyricism of “you have a past, you’re not newly minted.” This is a beautiful, poetic statement to the effect that none of us walk into a relationship with a completely clean slate. To judge someone based upon their past when we ourselves have received grace in our lives is the ultimate hypocrisy that the song tears down without mercy. There is no such thing as perfection and there are no holy people. What is amazing about the lyrics is the incredible maturity that they show by refusing to subscribe to damaging concepts like “being used” and by exposing modern discourse involving “body count” as the vacuous noise that it is. Rather than dwelling on the past, the song tells us to forget what happened before and only look forward. In the end, what it teaches us is this powerful fact: as we work to make ourselves better individuals, we have to trust that the individual we have chosen to be with has done their own share of soul-searching.
Perched perfectly at the intersection of soft rock and indie balladry, the song is a total winner with its vast emotional range and melodies that forever carve out a place in your heart. Acting as a true auteur with the songwriting duties being all his own, he brings his remarkable talent as a songwriter to the forefront with every chord. He has an incredibly unique gift of pairing deep and highly poetic storytelling with hooks that are simply unforgettable, something that most artists strive for their entire lives. His endless versatility allows him to take listeners on the full range of emotions, moving seamlessly from quiet and highly introspective moments to feel good euphoria. As far as his vocal performance in this one, calling it a “good job” for such a beautiful ballad feels extremely inadequate. He pours a genuine passion into every single syllable, giving a stunning vocal performance that takes the whole song to a totally other level.
It is now time to explore that particular aspect of artistic expression which gets me all fired up inside, raw, pure and utter intentionality. In one single look at the artwork associated with the track, it is possible for us to get the complete narrative of the song expressed. It is possible for us to witness a masterful blend of visuals provided to us by the artist, in which, to the left, we can see a black-and-white image of a man and a woman. Even as they walk together side by side, there is a certain distance that exists between them because they do not lock eyes with each other. However, on the right, this story unfolds to its fullest. It features exactly the same man and woman, except that now their hands are holding each other while their eyes are gazing at each other through an intense, knowing look. The entire bleak landscape disappears and gives way to a blooming path flanked by green trees, all illuminated by the stunning warmth of a sunset. Through such artistic brilliance with respect to vibrant color schemes, contrasting settings, as well as changes in body language, the artist presents the main theme of the track with devastating perfection. Such a creation truly represents two individuals who, despite their troubled past experiences, were able to meet each other in their healing stage; it shows that they have become better individuals who have undoubtedly become better off together. Such an artwork is an absolute “mic drop” of creative genius and vision that most artists could only wish to attain.
Once again, Waters leaves me speechless. There is something really deep about this song that touches upon the theme of accepting and letting go of the past. The way the music is performed and its emotionality, combined with the way Waters sings, makes me fall in love with his style once more. He is an extremely talented artist, and I look forward to hearing his next song/songs
Stream “We’re Much Better People Now” on Spotify
Follow Michael Waters here and his socials: YouTube
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