Poison Oak – Waiting (2020)
A lot of people have experienced that wait to meet up with someone whose words don’t match their actions. Poison Oak is providing the soundtrack for these times with their single ‘Waiting’. Blending their invigorating rock sound with the flow of waiting for someone who is not really very good for you, the band has you falling under their spell.
The raw and emotive lyrics wrap around an adaptive rock sound for a single that keeps you hooked from start to finish. While the song came together quickly, it is more than a simple pop-rock track as it consolidates the rousing attitudes of the band’s home. The lead single from their upcoming EP 1996, the track has you eager for more.
‘Waiting’ opens with James Balthes’ vocals which have this real pop-rock vibe to them. He sets the scene from the first moment with vivid clarity. The flow of his vocals turns into something more aggressive and annoyed as he works through waiting for someone who never arrives. As the song progresses, there is a sense of realisation in his vocals that the person he waited for is not worth his time. While there is this realisation, the lyrics also carry a thread of wanting to continue seeing the person and justifying everything.
Below his vocals is a catchy melody that is light at the start and builds in presence. The flow of the melody has your foot tapping to the beats before you realise what has happened. There are multiple layers to the melody that sonically represent the different threads of thought woven into the lyrics. The ending line of the melody has a light tone that almost sounds like resignation to waiting for the person.
Poison Oak takes you on the emotional journey of waiting for someone who doesn’t show and is not good for you in ‘Waiting’. Balthes’ vocals have a wonderful edge to them as he works through realisation, justification and finally resignation to the situation. The melody bolsters his performance with an engaging pop-rock flow.
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