satsuma scout – These Trying Times (2022)
We have all faced times when things just seem hopeless and you don’t quite have the strength to push through to better days. This is where satsuma scout comes in with his single ‘These Trying Times’. A hopeful rock anthem, the track connects with the struggles we all face, while offering the strength we need to move forward and head toward a brighter future.
As part of his upcoming EP, the single follows their debut ‘Day Zero’ which has been very well received across the world. While many of the songs from the EP, including this one, have been over a decade in the making, they carry relevancy that truly transcends time. After missing music for almost a decade, satsuma scout started writing new music and revisiting some of his older songs, giving them a new lease on life.
‘These Trying Times’ has a really honest and authentic feeling that filters into your soul from the first second. There is a stripped-back melody that is driven by a singular guitar that makes its way through the silence. As the single progresses, this guitar line is joined by drums that add a bounce to the soundscape. The bop of the drums gets your feet tapping to their movement, while adding depth to the sound. The almost melancholic feeling of the opening guitar line is shaken off as the two instruments join forces and create a bopping rock movement. This new movement is matched by the vocals that bring the boost you need to fight through the tough times. Overall, it is a relatively minimalistic melody, but this adds to the authenticity of the single.
As the single guitar line opens the track, satsuma scout’s vocals join with a heart-wrenching confession of pain and sadness. His performance in the opening verse is wonderfully pained and will tug at your emotions, filling you with his melancholy. Not only is this a showcase of his emotive power, it also serves as the starting point for the hopeful journey of the lyrics. As he heads into the chorus, some of the pain drops for an understanding that he needs to move forward. These first steps gain power as the single progresses and he urges us all to accept that we are in tough times and need to push forward. It is a strangely empowering single that edges around self-deprecation, weariness and hopelessness.
Through the powerful emotions of ‘These Trying Times’, satsuma scout moves from pained melancholy to a tentative strength and hope for the future. Using a stripped-back melody that builds as the vocals power through tough situations, he creates a driving force that pushes you into a more positive state. His vocal performance hits you with pain and sadness, before slowly moving toward strength and empowerment.
Find out more about satsuma scout on his Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
