I woke up today at dawn, roused by the pink morning sun at the time of day when I usually would be lying down to go to sleep. I rolled out from under the faux fur comforter and went to wash the sleep off my face. Afterwards, unsure what to do with myself at the ungodly hour of seven in the morning, I went out for a stroll around Broad Ripple. I settled myself against a silver maple where I could watch the sky turn orange above my favorite unkempt vacant lot. Realizing the only way to properly enjoy such a sunrise was with a dart and some music, I lit up a menthol and hit shuffle on my liked playlist. After skipping one or ten songs, I settled on one I’ve been chewing on for a minute now, Lindsey Troy’s new single, “I’ve Seen the Willow Trees.”
You’ll recognize Troy from the hard-hitting LA rock ‘n’ roll band Deap Vally, to which she lends both voice and guitar. Over the course of five albums, Deap Vally has made a name for themselves with their raw, adrenaline-packed sound. Troy, however, has entirely sidestepped this image with her breakout solo single.
“I’ve Seen the Willow Trees” is much more somber than the songs Troy wrote with Deap Vally. It’s peaceful. Absolute zen, a quiet kind of beauty that paired excellently with the sunrise. And so, I sat there against my tree, and I listened to the song. And then I listened to it several more times, each time picking out something new that I hadn’t noticed before. The rhythmic piano and chilling strings, the lyrics that flow like the final gentle trickles of a stream fighting off the late November freeze. Then comes the sudden swell and a burst of twinkling synth accompanied by a driving beat. I sat there listening to “I’ve Seen the Willow Trees” until the sky had turned blue, then stayed put and listened to it a few more times for good measure.
I’m usually not one to go for these sorts of soft listening tracks; I like something with quite a bit of bite to it, but this one got in my head and made itself cozy. Even as I walked back home, I found myself humming the tune, trying my best to pull the words out of the back of my head.
You can find “I’ve Seen the Willow Trees” streaming on your platform of choice now. This breakout track, which seems indicative of a prolific solo career for Troy, is one you won’t want to miss. After you’ve heard it several times, you’ll also want to check out the music video, which you can find on YouTube now. Though it is a torment to the soul and a cruel and unusual punishment for the mind, I have to recommend rising at an early hour of the day to listen to this tune. It’s best enjoyed while the streets still have a purple tint, preferably surrounded by lush scenery and isolated from any worldly distractions. In that state, it’s positively moving, able to catch your breath, and raise bumps on your skin.
