Kicking off with a fast paced guitar riff, drumbeat, Braedan Lemasters’ raspy vocals, and the lyrics, “There’s more to life than living / more to life than this,” Wallows have just given fans another taste of their upcoming EP, “More.” 

On Thursday, February 20th, Wallows released their newest single, “Coffin Change.” It offers fans the same indie-rock sound they have grown to love, while introducing something fresh. Featuring Lemasters as the main vocalist, the song delivers an upbeat sound while grappling with the themes of existentialism, giving the song a philosophical depth to it, and offering another layer for fans to delve into. 

From the first verse, listeners will be captivated as the band presents a universal conflict: time and its passage. “Time, I used to waste all mine / Now time, time wastes me.” This presents the dichotomy of time as a force that is controlled by you, yet also controls you… something we control and something that controls us. 

As we approach the chorus, Lemasters' soothing vocals turn harsh as the narrative becomes darker and filled with uncertainty. He sing-screams, “If there's a price to pay, maybe I'll find it in my pocket / Pinching all my pennies 'til they shove me in my coffin.” The conflict of time is still present, but now it is viewed through a materialistic lens. These gritty lyrics showcase the desire to save for an uncertain future that has no guarantees, raising the question: why save for a future that may never come? No matter how much we try to prepare for the future, what is to come is beyond our control. 

As Lemaster’s chants “Up, up and away / Up, up and away / Heaven doesn't change / Heaven doesn't change,” the fast-paced beat rapidly slows down for the refrain, where Lemaster's vocals return to softness. He defeatedly sings, “it’s an unrealistic thought.” This moment is grounding amidst the tension of the surrounding sounds, forcing listeners to reflect on their own lives, only to be broken by the beat picking back up, and the second verse questioning, “is there more, more to death than dying?/ Morе, more than life to live?/ If time, time will outrun me / Then why do I still run?”

The music video for “Coffin Change,” seen below, was also released on the 20th, and features the band performing the song live through a fisheye perspective, potentially signifying the distortion of life that is echoed in the song’s lyrics and sound.  

Overall, “Coffin Change” is a candid track universal enough that anyone can connect to it, while leaving ample room for listeners to derive their own, personal meaning from the song. If this song is any indication, Wallows new EP, “More,” will be an introspective dive accompanied by their quintessential multi-layered, crafted sounds. 

But until that’s released, make sure to stream “Coffin Change” and “Your New Favorite Song!”