Tall Ships - Life Goes On

Tall Ships describe their newest song ‘Life Goes On’ as “the dark side of our new [‘Will To Life’] 7”,” and, aptly, as “what 5 more years of the Tories would sound like.” So, naturally, it’s pretty bleak. “Life goes on, goes on, for much too long,” croons frontman Ric Phethean over a lonely singular guitar, a slight hint of bitter aggression underpinning sorrowful loops and melodies. Steadily, it begins to build cinematically, piling layers elegantly on top of one another.

There is hope struggling underneath - maybe it is all going to be okay. Maybe, just maybe, Big Dave will be packing his bags and moving out of number 10 tomorrow. As ‘Life Goes On’ reaches a characteristic Tall Ships crescendo, the darkness clears and the overlaying vocal harmonies align. This is hardly the first time that Tall Ships have managed to juxtapose lyrics filled with despair with a disconcerting contradictory feeling of joy, and wverything about ‘Life Goes On’ lends itself to sorrow and yet somehow it feels uplifting, too. Tall Ships aren’t lying; ‘Life Goes On’ showcases their darker side, but it looks like they haven’t given up completely on the light just yet either.