013 calamity

SOCIAL REPOSE
Social Repose is an independent music powered by Richie Giese. Social Repose was started in 2011. He spent about four years getting set up and making music before he started getting noticed. In the summer of 2016 I had a friend send me a link to his channel, where I found many great covers. I found  his content to be for a much younger audience, but his body of music to be getting stronger. His covers are all amazing, and often improve upon the original songs. After that I jumped on the bandwagon and started getting acquainted with his music.

A few months later I saw him at the White Oak Music Hall, which as anything but. It was a pretty run down show, and I didn't get to see him play when he was at the Viper Room in 2019. I met him during his Yalta tour, a few months before the release of Filthy Pride. Spoken to him one on one a couple of times, and find him easy to relate to. He is very polite to his fans, and happens to be a great conversationalist.

The appeal lies in the unapologetic showcasing of his battle with his inner demons. The heavy strokes of sadness and anxiety give fans an anchor to hold onto when caught in their own trenches. Even if I don't agree with his personal choices, I can detach myself from him as a person and enjoy his music. What he chooses to do or say towards his partners doesn't concern me, so I don't look to dig in there. We owe the people we admire privacy, and it really isn't our place to tell them what to do or how to live their lives.


CALAMITY
Calamity came to be because Richie says that's all his life has been since he released Empress. I loved the darkness in this new album, and freaked over the spoken word piece that opens this album up with hard to swallow lyrics. The video for Me was filmed with real fire behind him because he's crazy. Imagine all the things that could have gone wrong... But thanks anyway! It's a real good video.

Richie's parents, particularly his mother are usually at the forefront of his music. This time they were alluded to in x0. I found the bulk of the album to deal with his decline in popularity over past scandals, as well as vaguely alluding to disappointments in relationships since then. Richie's hot takes about everybody being a narcissist have been forever immortalized in a catchy tune that happens to be my least favorite in the album. As usual, my favorite songs were the ones that had to do with relationships.

The Social Repose signature is a brooding, moody reflection on those dark aspects of yourself that others can't accept. I love how honest he is about being a villain/monster/generally bad for you. I love the hues of all the feelings being portrayed accurately, as you'd experience during sharp ups and downs. His music illustrates all of that perfectly.

LEAVING MY HEART BLACK 'CAUSE NONE OF THE BLOOD REMAINSMuch like Lil Peep's music you will find many, many allusions to thoughts of dying and what will happen after he's gone. People who can't relate to suicidal thoughts or what it's like to be crippled by depression will probably not enjoy his music as much, although lots of the songs on this album make up for their darkness by being catchy.

My favorite Calamity song is "Is This Love?"

Is this love?
Are we alone now?
Listen to my heart it screams your name
Look into my eyes, you've fixed the pain
Love is desperation
Locked and loaded temptation
I break my back to settle with you
We can grow old and not die alone

Is this what it's like to fall in love?
Having that impression in my bed is just enough
I feel just enough
But am I enough for

Do you feel alone without me?
Cause I feel alone without you
I know you said you'd be out late
You said you'd call
I check my phone
Left on read
I check it again
No reply
Maybe you misunderstood where my problems lay

AAAAAAAAAAAA
Counting the minutes
AAAAAAAAAAAA
Daylight breaks
AAAAAAAAAAAAA
Is this love?
AAAAAAAAAAAAA
This isn't love, it's a hostage situation

Is this what it's like to lose my love?
Having that impression in my bed is not enough
I didn't feel enough
But I'm not enough for

I've created another problem
There's so nmany that I can't solve them
I just needed a quick connection
Instead of yelling at my reflection

I'm shooting up as you shoot me down
Did you give up to escape my rut?
Not sober
Never happy
We were perfect
How could that be?

I think the album is really good, just wish it had more tracks. A 30 minute album often leaves me wanting more. We usually have to wait at least two years for a full length album to come out. Richie said he would be coming out with EP and single releases. We'll just have to stay tuned to hear what he dreams up next.

TRACKLIST



I feel a bit of anxiety regarding independent artists because their income is based off how much their fan base streams their songs and buying their merch. Please show your favorite artists support during these tough times. Many of them won't be seeing a sustainable source of income until the lockdown and stay at home orders are lifted.









The Mercy Kill era of Social Repose promised some promised some artistic growth, and I was not disappointed. It's exciting when an artist you love grows and the music you love gets better and better. I know this project has been endangered many a time, but I am grateful to Richie for not caving into the trenches. The music he makes is there for me. It tempers me when I get caught in cyclical trenches of my own. Those of us who live with an invisible illness, in this case depression, have to invest more of ourselves to live a functional life. Artists who are transparent about it earn my heart. The music that they make soothes the aching alarms that sound off inside me when I know I'm about to be hit by a wave.

After the wave has rolled over and demolished me, I find myself humbled by feelings of clarity. This music offers me support and clarity at the times I need it the most, that's why I am endorsing this artist today. I want to encourage you to check Calamity out.




All of the album launches I have witnessed have helped me in some way. Having new music to relate to or playlist your life to can lift some of the heavy feelings that come with problem solving in your daily life. This release came right when I needed it. I'm grateful for the many saving graces helping keep me happy during these difficult days.