Anti-folk album of grief, anger and hope.
Brooklyn-based singer has taken time away from the production desk and joined with the Once in a Lifetime Band to bring us a new set of songs. “Lord, Why Do You Do These Things To Me?” came about in the winter of 2023 as Baird was going through a difficult personal time. As you would expect, this has spilt over into the music and lyrics in the collection.
Baird’s voice and words are at the forefront of the songs, leaving you in no doubt as to what he is saying and how he feels. Anger, rage, love, compassion and a giant dose of humour are evident throughout the ten-track outing. Billed as an Anti-Folk album, it is a breakneck speed look at life in less than thirty minutes. That is not to say some tender moments call for reflection before returning to an almost punk rock style guitar.
Opening with the title track, Baird counts the band in, and they are up and running. As you can imagine from the title of the song, the singer is trying to come to terms with life and what is thrown at them. Not many people go through life seamlessly, without asking “Why me?” at some juncture. It’s when it piles up that it becomes all-consuming.
‘Light in the Tunnel’ is destined to become a crowd favourite. As Baird went through all his family issues, he hid behind a virtual mask. This song explores the journey of coming from behind the façade to sharing with others. Solace can be found in the shared experiences of others.
There is almost an early Ben Folds Five feel to the songs, with the exceptional use of the piano. “It Kills Me To See You Sick” starts with a plaintive piano and melancholy vocal before exploding into the anger and pain that come with sickness and death. It’s a powerful theatrical piece of music. “I wish you would all die too / Instead of her” may sound harsh, but in the context of the song, it works.
Humour is restored with ‘I Can’t Bring My Blue-Haired Partner Home For Christmas’. Behind the comical lyrics is the real issues faced when you look to introduce a partner or friend you like to your family, potentially the most judgmental crowd you have to face. Baird goes through a list of different scenarios, including a coke head and a plus-sized partner. He explains that the people are all actual friends, “Every one of the verses in this song is based on real experiences I have had or purposely avoided due to the possible conflict”.
The wonderful ‘Pelican’ is a get-up-and-dance-around-the-room anthem. To quote Baird, the bottom line is simply “We are just working with the things we’ve got”, and who is to judge anyone for how they live? Everyone’s circumstances are different.
Concluding with ‘When You Were Castrated’ a cathartic song Baird wrote about his dying father. He was not able to bring himself to visit as the end drew closer. Not wanting to see such a powerful man struck down and helpless. It is another muscular rocker, and the grief Baird feels is evident and so real. Hoping it will give others the strength to face the helplessness of loss.
It’s a very short record, well under thirty minutes, leaving you feeling emotionally drained but with new perspectives on life and death. As Baird bemoans, “That’s life, anyway it seems / when you’re riding on the coat tails of a dream”. A lesson to us all: keep dreaming.
