Overnight’s Emo Dream Pop “Whittier” is a Break-Up Song That Dissolves a Cycle of Abuse

Overnight, photo courtesy the artists

Overnight packs a lot of feelings and thoughts into its song “Whittier.” It’s reminiscent of the more introspective end of late 90s emo made by people who were also into slowcore and Elliott Smith. The structure of the song starts things off with an urgency to match the intensity of the conflicted feelings expressed. The lyrics recount the romantic niceties of someone who isn’t being completely up front with the object of their affections, or one of them, the kind of person who uses their empathic capacities and sensitivity to manipulate other people to get what they want as long as the illusion lasts. But halfway through the song the tone shifts to more ethereal tones and guitar work and the lyrics recounts the realization of how it’s not one’s responsibility to make sure someone that treats one shabbily feels good and supported in their low key emotional abuse and that not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings doesn’t mean you need to be a doormat. What unites the two parts of the song is an overall mood of what one might call melancholic exuberance meaning you allow yourself to get swept up in a will to both feel all the pain of a breakup and all the confusion, disappointment and anger at yourself for allowing yourself to be in a bad situation, that sort of transmuted guilt, and the psychic energy to exit the situation even if it seems like you’re being mean to certain people. Abusers depend on that social pressure among your friends and family to get hooked back in to a codependent interpersonal dynamic. This song is about having enough self love to declare that someone else’s warped psychology doesn’t have to be a part of your life anymore even if part of you is still in the habit of thinking so. Most break-up songs are informed by too much bravado but “Whittier” is a gorgeously crafted example of of raw vulnerability and honesty with all the edges worn off. Listen to “Whittier” on YouTube and connect with Overnight at the links below.

Overnight on Bandcamp

Overnight on Instagram

Overnight on YouTube