Angel Olsen’s song “What It Is” from All Mirrors is a masterpiece. It’s funny, sad, heartening, and heartbreaking all at the same time. While not a breakup song per se, it’s definitely not a celebration of being in love either. We may need to invent a new category for “reflective love songs” just to have a place to put it. Lyrically, she’s picking a snarky, philosophical fight with our relationships. Here are the first few verses and chorus to explain,
It’s easy when you’re passionate
It’s easy when you know your way around
It’s easy when you love something
It’s easy if you know exactly how
It’s easy to openly say
Oh, that you could never change your mind
That feeling coming over you
It would never dare leave you behind
It’s easy if you tell the truth
But knowing what it is, it’s not enough
Knowing that you love someone
Doesn’t mean you ever were in love
It’s never easy to admit
That maybe you just want
Just to feel something again
You just wanted to forget
That your heart was full of shit
You just wanted to forget
You just wanted to forget
Musically and sonically, this has to be experienced. Headphones help, or play it on a good system turned up. The vocal compression and distortion, the strings – the whole production is pure artistry by everyone involved in the making of this cut. It’s worth mentioning, similar notes apply to the rest of the album as well, this song is just one of the standouts.
Here’s the YouTube link to the song as it appears on the album and then a stripped-down, live solo version to get a sense of its bones:
