Seven Songs a Week: 04/10/21

Hello, Welcome to Seven Songs a Week.

Today’s song is a request. I told my brother that I was making a music review blog for class and he wanted me to listen to “Me in 20 Years” by Moses Sumney. My brother has been begging me to listen to Sumney ever since he discovered him during a rough time in his life, I never did because I wasn't particularly fond of Sumney's vocals after hearing them on the "Euphoria" special on HBO. After seeing the praise he gave Sumney and the impact he had on him I gave him a try.

Single Cover for "Me in 20 Years"

Moses Sumney released "Me in 20 Years" as the third single off of his double album "Græ." The song deals with Sumney look forward into the future, wondering if love will "let [him] down again?" or if he'll die alone "like a star." Sumney fights the other side of his bed as the "cavity" of his ex-lover consumes it. The past also consumes Sumney which is portrayed in the second verse with the lyrics "Does your milk still turn to rot too soon? Do you still hoard souvenirs and make them mirrors of sentimental veneer?" I find the milk to be a metaphor for the present and the souvenirs are the past. Sumney doesn't pay too much attention to the present and eventually when he tries to place himself in the present, he can't because its too late. People get souvenirs to remember a moment or place they have been to, Sumney uses the word "hoard" to show how unhealthy his memories are and how he chooses cover his memories with them like veneers. During the bridge, Sumney tries his hardest to hold on as he is desperate for love. Sumney repeats to himself that it is "...little bit more..." trying to convince himself that it will be. The song ends with Sumney still wondering if he truly is destined to be by himself because of his many broken relationships and even though he decided that he is, he'll have to see in 20 years.

Sumney released the video for "Me in 20 Years" on July 22nd 2020, fitting the lyrics and my metaphors to T. We find Sumney at the age of 49 in what we can assume is the year 2040, 20 years later. An aged Sumney sits at the end of his bed with gaping crater in it. We got a glimpse of the crater and it is deep almost breathing, The crater seemed to become it's own being and it lives in Sumney's bed. Sumney cannot lay there because he will fall into the crater and his old feeling for his relationship. Sumney seems to realize this and tries to forget with a glass of milk, he forgets about the past and is in the present while he enjoys his beverage. He gets distracted from the milk once he sees an old shirt, presumably his lover's, and is brought back 20 years and looks like his old self again. Sumney bathes in the feelings this shirt brings him, dancing and remembering the good old days. As Sumney waltzes with the shirt, he spills his milk and is brought back to reality. Sumney loses his beverage and his time in the present as he dwells in the past. Sumney ends up on his bed once more finally gives into temptation and falls in the crater. Sumney believes this is a good thing but he just ends up dead, alone in his apartment

I personally do not like this song too much, I find it to be whiny. Sumney also finds the song whiny, he stated that "[the song] sounded like an old lady screaming to herself in the middle of Whole Foods." I don't like his high vocal range and loud production either but I can tell when someone is talented and Sumney has plenty of it.

I give “Me in 20 years” 3.9 years in the future out of 5.

I hope you enjoyed my review. How do you feel about "Me in 20 years"? Leave a comment and a request for next Saturday down below.

I listed my sources below in case you are interested in reading more.

Take Care,

Jonathan