There are old school masters at crafting a story for a song, like Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, and there are new school masters, like Luke Elliot.
The American who has planted roots in Oslo and has released his 2nd single, “What It Is” from his upcoming album, Let’Em All Talk (May 19th).
Luke says this of “What It Is”,
This is a piece about my family before it fell apart. It’s still difficult for me to listen to. It happened in Sweden with Peter Kvint in about 5 minutes. I struggled with the lyrics for a while, but the melody came immediately.
What I find unique about this song is that while a song crafted in heartbreak, once the chorus hits, I instantly feel it being a big celebration of love and can easily picture it at weddings, especially with the lyrics, “you’re what it is I love.”
The sweeping choir eases the heartache, but that heartache echoes through the weeping strings, Luke’s vocals, and lyrics.
For me, that contrast in feelings is what makes “What It Is” beautiful. Listen to the song below.
