Track Review: Ugly // Chris Caulfield
Known for his heartfelt, insightful and honest melodies, singer-songwriter Chris Caulfield is not afraid to explore those gritty, grimy areas of life people often flit over in casual conversation. Touching on topics like chronic pain, depression, anxiety and personal relationships, this Canadian musician uses personal narratives to resonate with audiences. Following a decade away from music, Chris returned with his single ‘Gripped’ in 2021 (or at least that’s according to Spotify). Since then, he has been embracing his solo project with enthusiasm bringing audiences numerous singles to enjoy. The latest addition to his discography is the single ‘Ugly’.
On the heels of his critically acclaimed single ‘Porchlight’, ‘Ugly’ draws together the best of commercial pop and emo-rap. The second collaborative project with music engineer Aaron Bryn, ‘Ugly’ captures the tumultuous relationship between guilt, inner turmoil and despair with the need to protect people around us. Exploring various viewpoints, Chris reflects on the darkness in our souls from different angles to gain an overall insight into these profound issues.
“I was trying to fluidly explore multiple viewpoints, perspectives, multiple points of impact…when it comes to my actions and how they have affected others. We sometimes go on these selfish pursuits and put our heads down to work, and we can lose sight of other things around us or even elements of ourselves if that’s not balanced to a point.” – Chris Caulfield on ‘Ugly’
What I truly enjoy about ‘Ugly’ is not how the lyricism reflects an inner confusion, but how the vocals and instrumentation are a perfect sonic expression of the theme. The foundation of the melody is led by a commercial pop tone; however, Chris’ gruff vocals seem to scream out in frustration and desperate vulnerability to strike a chord deep down in our souls. He pierces our hearts and sends shivers along our skin while retaining an intense intimacy with listeners. I highly recommend Chris Caulfield to, well, everyone!
This artist was found on Musosoup #sustainablecurator