Initially bursting onto the scene with an eclectic blend of electronic and indie rock music just under ten years ago, Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Shamir isn’t boxing himself inside petty genre classifications on “Our Song,” the latest single and video to his upcoming album Homo Anxietatem.
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Still keeping in touch with his love for rock, there’s effortless confidence in how Shamir widens his horizon and shows he can make elevated pop just as well as any of the other genres he’s flirted with over the years. And though his unique vocals and lyricism are still at the forefront, it’s his undying gratitude for his two bandmates, Grant Pavol and Rhea Freed, that make the song something special.
With help from Pavol and Freed, who also appear in the video performing the track live, Shamir shows a strong understanding of what makes a pop song catchy. Instrumental-wise, there are some resemblances to The Strokes when they first broke out, specifically “Hard To Explain” from Is This It. But that has more to do with where pop music is at now.
That’s not a discredit to Shamir and co, who make it their own with nasally vocals and songwriting that could have come from them only. The latter half, in particular, is one of Shamir’s most dynamic performances on any of his songs to date, made even more personal with the sight of him standing alongside Pavol and Freed in the music video.
Homo Anxietatem will be Shamir’s ninth album thus far in his vast and diverse career, a notable feat considering it averages one album per year since his debut in January 2014. When someone’s workflow is that consistent, it’s not hard to believe stories like how Shamir made his 2017 album Hope in just a weekend. But “Our Song” is different. “It took about three months to write this song, which is the longest it’s ever taken me to write a song,” he said on the song’s creation. No matter how long it took to create his upcoming album, there’s a lot to look forward to if “Our Song” is any indication.
Words: David Sosa
“Our Song” by Shamir is out on all streaming services. For more on new music and live performances, including his UK tour and a release party for Homo Anxietatem in NYC, follow him on Instagram, TikTok, and Bandcamp.
