This song's alright, I think I'd have been quite happy with it as a mid-FAWM effort. But I would've liked a more bombastic opener tbh. This is the first FAWM in years where I haven't had the first day off to work on a big overambitious song, so this is a more low-key start to proceedings that I'm used to. I'm also feeling a bit ill and sorry for myself which I think contributed to the low energy of it all.
ANYWAY, enough excuses.
This is a song about being in my thirties and starting to feel like I'm missing out on stuff - that thing where at certain gigs or bars you feel too old in a crowd of much younger people now, or on the gay dating apps being in that hinterland where you're too old to be classed as a twink but too young to be a daddy, or not understanding certain memes because a new generation has come along now and my millennial bullshit is passé.
Anyway saving pasta water to use in your sauces is the sort of thing boring grown ups never shut up about online, so one of my petty acts of rebellion against the aging process is to gleefully hurl that starchy liquid gold down the sink and keep cooking with Dolmio.
30-something in a onesie,
desperate twilight-years twink
how the world moved on without me
I'm posting yesterdays memes,
a fish that rots from the link
oh how the world's moved on around me
and if you cut me,
I'll still bleed archaic millennial pink
but the world forgot about me
so sacrilegiously,
I pour my pasta water down the sink
yeah who the fuck is gonna stop me?
@ofishell Feb 2022
How does one not fall instantly in love with a song that starts with the line "30-something in a onesie / desperate twilight-years twink"??
All I can say is, just wait until you're 45. It doesn't get better. LOL
Seriously, though, I love this song so much.
@jennakole Feb 2022
Wildly relatable and a bop to boot. Giving me the moon & antartica vibes. Really enjoyable.
@tukayandryan Feb 2022
Ha! This made me chuckle. Layering works well and nice effect on the vocals. Nice job!
@gammafied Feb 2022
The setup and lyrics are hilarious. I like the bass and distorted bell tone. The vocal effects and layering are very nice.
@nobodyofficial Feb 2022
Good lyrical melodies
@mikedebenham Feb 2022
Who needs bombast? I'm sitting here eating reheated curry and this is just what I needed. Great lyrics. (You'd best not be teasing about the ska, btw. You promised ska, you will deliver ska.)
@evinwolverton Feb 2022
I understand what you mean about wanting a bombastic start, but this minimalism is classsssss. The entire lyric is spot on, but I especially love "I'll still bleed archaic millennial pink." Good good good shit.
@kissinginpublic Feb 2022
Nothing wrong with a low key opener. Just sets the scene for a track 2 BANGER. No pressure…
I enjoyed this. Made me feel old though.
@loveonamixtape Feb 2022
I will refrain from pasta-splaining to you about how valuable that pasta water is (after all, who am I to stop you?) and just say that I *love* this as a metaphor for getting older. I love the subtle build to the arrangement and how mellow and spacious it is. Your voice and delivery sound great, too. Sometimes it's best to start FAWM not with a banger, but a groovy whimper.
@jackdawfactories Feb 2022
Sometimes a prologue is better than an overture. This is really, really nice.
@seemanski Feb 2022
Loved your word play on this. It is a really sparse arrangement which really helps bring out the vocals and melodies and makes you really focus on what you are singing about. Good stuff.
@toms Feb 2022
Great melody! Your prosody (if that's the right word) is also out of sight here.
@sailingmagpie Feb 2022
Hey, you may be in your thirties but at least you can still rebel against the pasta water hegemony!
I enjoyed how sparse arrangement and there's so great lines in here. Overambitious opening songs are overrated anyway!
@alyxanderjames Feb 2022
Love this, it's such a mood! It may not be the elaborate start you usually do, but I think what you've got here works really well and is a super solid kick-off to FAWM!
@balancelost Feb 2022
Long live the Dolmio rebellion. Although I find it very hard to believe that Grindr doesn't have a very specific box for those in your exact situation. All good stories start in the middle don't they, like your album. This is a welcome break from the silence that came before it, and now you get to do the flashbacks (bangers) and the next chapter (anthems). Tastefully spacious arrangement here, and plenty of things to keep the mix fun. I like the bassline.
@dancrook Feb 2022
banger mate. always look forward to your creative output in February. love this title. and the authenticity shining through. I send out a playlist each month to my demo club and this is gonna get added for SURE.
@skylermf Feb 2022
I love this!! The little “world moved on without me” echoes of the hook are my favorite part. Super relatable message built of of individual and meaningful moments
@adforperu Feb 2022
No, YOU pass the water! haha lol thank you thank you. I'm really into this, your vocal is very great, the falsetto bits especially. The sparse mix and wide stereo field is rather gorgeous, everything sits in their own spot (sOcIaLlY dIsTaNcEd Of CoUrSe).
@frenchcricket Feb 2022
I know you like to kitchen sink — I would expect a fusilli musical elements —but everything here is really well balanced; the restrained approach here works fantastically well.
This belongs at the top table in my 'How to create space' thread'.
The music comes on like a wave. The lyrics as always are brilliant: the 3rd verse in particular. Some of the best you've penned. They are sad but very relatable: how hasn't felt cannelloni in their thirties?
That sort of scoopy falsetto leap is a wonderful hook. And I love the call and response. Just a really great start—stop being so hard on yourself, boy!
@paulh1237 Feb 2022
That melody is so gooood. Those acoustic guitar little runs are great as well, really stark. Totally stuck in my head this.
@wurzelfrau Feb 2022
Hahaha great. Wow i really felt that one. And I really think this is a fantastic opener!
@jorh Feb 2022
Haha I can relate to this, I always accidentally chuck away the pasta water before I reach the part in the recipe where it says to use it. And I feel your pain, r.e losing the twink status but having nothing else to latch onto Fab lyrics - love the unique, quirky examples you use to convey getting older. Really enjoyed the light but intriguing production too, really pulls you and let’s you sit in the lyric. Nice work.
@pumpkinhead Feb 2022
Now that is a strong start of this years FAWM. I knew you would deliver but this is even stronger than I expected. Simply brilliant. Peace
@thedutchwidows Feb 2022
Really nice. Spacious, relaxed, kinda resigned sounding, all of which suit the bang on lyrics. Wait till you hit your 40s!
@owl Feb 2022
These lyrics are amazing, I love this so much on so many levels! I was going to start writing down parts I liked but it was every line. Anyway what a wonderful idea for a song and perfect metaphor. Have you read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn? There’s a passage about pouring coffee down the drain that reminds me of this.
Love the glittering production too, so many lovely sounds!
@judypie Feb 2022
Oh god, you had me at Pasta Water. I don’t even need to push play!
FINE. I HAVE.
Probs unsurprising but I love it, you’re my fave lyricist dude! The pink line.. *chefs kiss*
I could never hope to so nonchalantly spit out the fucks as you do! More more more pls pls pls
@feb21sundari Feb 2022
Great. I like the feeling of "me and the world". It is possible that many fellows are currently living in a bubble and disconnected
@shortdan Feb 2022
I think this is a perfect opener actually. I love the stereo width of the mix - there's plenty of space to breathe and appreciate all the pingy, pongy, twangling, twinkling goodness.
I have also never saved my pasta water (fwiw!).
@auditasum Feb 2022
Evocative title. I'm feeling the left-behind twinkly millennialcore. Were were supposed to do something with pasta water?
@vomvorton Feb 2022
True that it's not an in-your-face opening banger, but I really like the spacious mix, the pulsing super-low bass is really nice and the twinkling plucks are lovely. Really great less-is-more lyrics too. Who IS going to stop you? I'm nearly 40 and I've never saved my pasta water, not once.
@saulius Feb 2022
If someone had given me this song and said this is nominated for Grammy Song of the Year, I wouldn't have been surprised. The only reason I'd be suspicious is because it's not over-produced, which is one of the things I really like about the song. IMO, I'd like a bit of a different opening. The thump of the drum seems incongruous with the theme and the rest of the song's vibe. But I don't have any suggestions. Once the singing begins, there's nothing that I'd change. It's an honor for me to even get to comment about this piece.
@andybalham Feb 2022
I really like the sentiment of this and the sparseness of the instrumentation. Really nicely put together and very effective.
@cloudhopper Feb 2022
very good feel to this
omg there was a twitter war about whether to put salt in pasta water
anyway, nice vocals and a very good sounding song