Truehoods – Queen City Sounds and Art

Truehoods condensed a lifetime of lived experienced into “Polymer.” The track is only one minute thirty-seven seconds. It begins with a simple bass chord and tambourine that loops across the song in hypnotic fashion with little samples of noise and subtle scratches dropped in to give the song some variety in the beat. The two rappers offer a perspective of people who have seen the degraded temptations of the world around them to lose sight of goals and of one’s humanity when trying to navigate a society that doesn’t offer many people much of anything in terms of a way of making an adequate living with integrity and certainly no guidance or nurturance. Often we have to discover our paths for ourselves and why it can be more rewarding and important than what might seem exciting for some on a trail chasing after elusive and dubious rewards. The line about “Self-protection from nonsense” and “Loch Ness monster swimming outside” speaks to the ways which one must cultivate to avoid foolishness and self-destructive ways. And later “I’ve got the fire leading the way” points out how an inner guide and self-motivation can too often be all you have to keep yourself from taking council with scoundrels. But in the song we also see how we also don’t exist without connections and the lyric “family ties keep me going when the darkness arrives” refers to our genuine social connections that can help sustain us when we’re faltering. It’s a line about being willing to be vulnerable and to be able to trust people that care about us in our time of need and the importance of these personal ties. And closing with the bit about “say a prayer then say adios” the rappers tell us that sometimes we have to wish people well but not get mired in habits that diminish our horizons. The song says a lot in such a short time with an immediate accessibility that makes repeated listens not only easy but desirable. Listen to “Polymer” on YouTube and follow Truehoods at the links below.