This Is Painfully Beautiful

A few weeks ago I posted about the new The Real Tuesday Weld album The End of the World and said that when I received it I'd give it a good listen and get back to you about it. Well I've got it, I've listened, and I can tell you it's beautiful. Painfully beautiful. This is not music for the faint of heart, as it is pretty much guaranteed to break your heart if it isn't already. Of course, I can't imagine someone whose heart is not already rent actively seeking this out.

What can I say. If you know me at all, you know I like sad music. My collection is probably about 75 to 80% sad-leaning stuff. Even the up-tempo tracks have melancholic overtones. But I could barely gather the courage to listen to this.

I don't know exactly what it is about Stephen Coates, but he taps a place deep inside me where all the feelings about love and loss and longing live and brings them to the surface. I suppose it's the combination of his tender vocals and the romantic, nostalgic instrumentation that does it. Whatever it is, I love it and willingly subject myself to it, even if it is painful on occasion.

The Real Tuesday Weld--"Dreaming of You" mp3 off The End of the World (buy)

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