LAZORE – “On My Own”
LAZORE – “On My Own” – Single Review
Ohhhhhh I tried to tell the guy…I tried to warn him, subtle as it might have been.
Back at the end of July, the last time we had LAZORE on our pages in review for his single “Break Slowly,” I mentioned that it’d likely be a long time before he was able to top that one for me personally. Despite the fact that he takes more cracks at the bat than most artists/bands do with his consistent and constant creative output, the reality is still the same – striking true gold in the art of music making is rare. It simply doesn’t happen all that often, no matter how hard ya try. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that if you don’t take enough time away, you don’t get the perspective and objectivity you need in your work to push it even further – just ask Tool. Productivity has its positives and negatives for sure.
That being said, it can often be the lifeline we need as well…and there’s no steadfast rule that says we have to outdo ourselves artistically each and every time we make something new. It’s a nice idea, but it’s not nearly as practical as you might think. In my opinion, LAZORE should be plenty happy about the fact that he’s putting out quality tunes left & right…and where there’s someone like me saying that he might be lucky to ever drop a song that’ll be better than “Break Slowly,” there will be fifty others that’ll happily proclaim each tune he puts out is the best one he’s ever written. It’s really up to us individually as to what we take stock of or how much space we let these opinions of ours take in our brains. I could get bent outta shape about how I’m one of the only reviewers out there in the independent scene that’ll tell you what’s real without fear of whatever the consequences might be, or upset that basically none of my peers will tell folks anything but the happy-happy stuff, or I could put my head down and just do the work. Similarly, LAZORE could spend too much time thinking about trying to write a song better than “Break Slowly” which might never even happen…so again, head down, and just do the work. Do right by yourself and the vision you have for creating the success you want as you define it, and nothing more – that’s really all that’s ever going to matter. “On My Own” is a solid tune, simple as that. I think it sounds a bit hesitant and a little more forced than the natural flow we’re used to from LAZORE, but it’s nothing so detrimental that anyone could describe it as off-putting. It still works, it still has strong hooks – heck, it’s even got a bridge in it the band Feeder would have loved to have written into one of their songs!
My theory about “On My Own” is that you get to know the LAZORE from behind the scenes more out in the open…like…there’s a good chance that written in these lyrics you’ll hear, you’ll find a detailed map of what actually brought him to this particular chapter in his personal life. It’s not gonna be the happiest track you’re gonna hear this year if you’re listening closely, but it’s definitely coming from a real place. I don’t know that for a fact, I just know it to be true. LAZORE tends to write songs about what he sees & experiences…and it’d probably be a bit strange to assume he broke that pattern with “On My Own,” you feel me? That’s likely what I’d consider to be the biggest positive about this single though…the lyricism. So what if it ain’t all that upbeat? It makes a strong connection through straightforward observations & a factual recounting of the thoughts and feelings he experienced in the breakdown of a relationship – and whether you think it’s his best track or just another really good LAZORE tune aside, you can’t discount how relatable the down & out side of music can be. Not only do we sympathize and empathize with our main man here, but we recognize he’s come out stronger on the other side for having survived another emotional train wreck. We know that ain’t always easy, and not all of us pull through. Like I was tellin’ ya…sometimes productivity can be a lifeline…sometimes you make songs like “On My Own” for cathartic reasons, or the sense of closure we need in order to be able to make other songs about different topics in the future. I felt similarly towards “Break Slowly” too when it came to the theme…you get the sense that LAZORE has been going through it outside of the music and he’s turned to the art as the process & means to help himself heal. Not every track has to be the best song in our catalog, but that doesn’t make them any less necessary to the whole of what we create – make sense? Without a track like “On My Own,” or a “Break Slowly, we might not GET another LAZORE track at all…you see what I’m saying? It’s an important step in the right direction when it comes to the healing process…you gotta vent this stuff out, and when you do, the real breakthroughs begin and the next level appears. You’ll hear him take some ownership of his part in the breakdown of the relationship and objectively observe what occurred, you’ll hear the struggle to come to grips with his present reality, and through the music, you’ll hear him moving on to become the person he was always meant to be and leave the past behind. I think it’s fair to say that “On My Own” is probably a lot more for LAZORE than it might be for any of us, but there’s no doubt that he’s still ended up with a catchy cut that’s got potent emotions & the accessibility you know he adds to his music. Dude’s consistent with his quality and professionalism, and regardless of where the material ends up on anyone’s playlist, be it the top or be it the bottom, he should be relentlessly proud of what he puts into his music and how it represents him as an artist, 100%.
Find out more about LAZORE from his official website at: https://lazoremusic.com
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