This article is the second part of a song-by-song breakdown of The Aubreys’ debut album, Karaoke Alone. If you’d like to catch up with my analysis of the first six songs, you can check it out here!
Track Seven: Need to leave the theatre
This song opens up Karaoke Alone’s second act. A few simple lyrics echo over a dreamy, melodic instrumental.
“I shouldn’t be here, but I gotta be. / I’m sorry that I ran away.”
Malcolm’s rich vocals have returned, drawing the listener back to the album’s titular track. This simple song almost acts as an interlude between the first and second halves of this album, weaving the 2 together into 1 final piece.
Track Eight: Face to Face
Similarly to Resale, I love this song, though I don’t have a whole lot to say about it in regards to the album as a whole. The lyrics continue with the themes of loneliness and lost relationships that are covered throughout, and I believe Karaoke Alone’s other songs just pull this off more successfully. However, I do love Finn’s vocals and the lead guitar on this track.
Track Nine: Twenty Two
Honestly, I can’t seem to make much sense of this song’s lyrics. As is common with The Aubreys, this song feels pretty personal to the writer and doesn’t leave many clues as to what it’s referencing. Though, according to a fan online, Finn had said at a concert that this song (which was unreleased at the time) was about the bus. This leads fans to speculate that the lyric “Twenty-two, another two, no energy” refers to both the 22 and 2 bus routes in downtown Vancouver.
Track Ten: Dog Behind
In my opinion, this is one of the most vulnerable songs on the album, both sonically and lyrically. With nothing but a stripped-back, acoustic guitar, Finn sings about the loss of a pet. While this song can be taken quite literally and still be filled with emotion, a whole new layer is added when you consider Karaoke Alone’s consistent themes of growing up, change, and the loneliness and uncertainty that often come with that.
“Old red, turning grey. Wasn’t there to see it, wasn’t there to stay. / All dogs obey the law, and all dogs should leave their paws behind. / Old pain shifts away. Old enough to own it, still old enough to play. / All dogs get old enough, and all dogs don’t have the choice to stay.”
Track Eleven: Blue
The second-to-last track on this album reminds me a lot of Finn and Malcolm’s previous band, Calpurnia. Specifically, their final single before disbanding, Cell. The fast-paced, grungey guitar, paired with Finn’s lead vocals, feels like somewhat of an homage to their early work.
Track Twelve: You’ll Have to Wait
This song is one of the best album-closers I’ve ever heard. It’s the longest song on the album, and for good reason. It slowly builds momentum over its 5 minute runtime, starting with Malcolm’s voice, as found in the album’s titular and middle tracks, repeating a simple lyric:
“Not today, you’ll have to wait.”
As he continues into the first verse, the pace begins to quicken, along with sharp bursts of drums. He then repeats the chorus a second time, as an upbeat baseline slowly creeps in underneath. The instrumental that has been slowly building now is richer and complex, yet continues to grow still. After nearly 40 seconds, it reaches a peak and begins to fade out.
Just as you think the song is coming to a close, Malcolm’s voice can be heard again. He echoes the same melody as the chorus, but with alternate lyrics.
“Today is great, today is so great.”
The song then explodes into a swirling finale of dreamlike instrumentals. This musical breakdown is easily the best 2 minutes of their discography so far. It sounds raw, colourful, and nothing short of perfect.
It feels like the ending to a coming of age story, which really is what Karaoke Alone is at its heart. Two teenagers growing into young men, learning to navigate life and all its challenges. It’s something universal and yet almost impossible to describe. I truly believe this song manages to capture that feeling, and the result is incredible.
While I hope my analysis has helped paint you a picture of this amazing piece of work, it truly comes together in a way that can only be experienced through hearing the music itself. You can listen to Karaoke Alone, as well as previous singles from The Aubreys below. I highly encourage checking it out (if my 3 page essay didn’t convince you already…)