‘Miley’ by the SWMRS is an interesting track. I won’t wait until the end of this post to tell you how I feel about it – I fucking love it. I genuinely listen to it 5 times a day and have done since hearing it live about three weeks ago. I don’t write reviews on this blog but I have to express my admiration for this one.
It’s easy to see a song titled ‘Miley’ and assume it takes the passive tone that other similar tracks named after famous musicians do (I’m looking at you Maroon 5)*. While there’s nothing wrong with a feel-good song, I’m finding myself more and more drawn to voices like Mattie Vant‘s or Sundara Karma frontman Oscar Lulu’s who seek to create content that fosters creativity, political expression and personal commentary. We all have personal anecdotes that inspire the things we create and put out into the world – our individual experiences often shape our perspectives and our observations can often provide fresh outlooks on dated ideas or notions. Why not make music that expresses this or better yet, enables and encourages others to contemplate, question and create in their own right?
‘Miley’ delves into lead singer Cole Becker’s appreciation for Miley Cyrus’ ability to rebrand and change her image from the teeny bopper queen she once was. He addresses criticisms she experiences but still supports her efforts to be different and challenge norms. In doing so, Becker argues, she has placed herself amongst some of the great female artists of our time. Through Becker’s celebration of both her artistic and sexual awakening, you’re naturally inclined to feel a deep admiration and respect for him, as well. An educated, 20 year-old male musician is willing to stand up, pen a tune that’s pro-liberation and use his own creative freedom to applaud someone else’s- that’s big.
Bravo, Becker. In creating music that shows how far we can come if we celebrate people doing different things, working hard and having fun with it – you prove how powerful a positive voice can be even if it runs the risk of getting drowned out by so much negativity in the press and depths of the internet. And with the help of your charismatic, engaging band – you even make those lyrics ridiculously enjoyable to listen to.
‘Miley’ is a tune and SWMRS is band worth listening to, and I mean really listening to.
SWMRS is on our tour with The Frights right now – you can grab tickets to those US dates here.
*Refuse to even mention Uma Thurman cough FALL OUT BOY, WHAT YOU DOIN??
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