Being gaslighted is a raw wound purposefully picked at and prodded. But in “Soap”, even though we follow the victim’s thoughts, we’re not defeated. Butch Wifey walks a tight line between the false beauty of believing the lies and the destructive confusion that erupts from this abuse.
As “Soap” opens, the sparse, detuned guitars create a jarring sensation—beautiful, haunting, and yet somehow not quite right. Chloe Ponder’s quiet vocals drip in like a soft self-admission of guilt. Her vulnerable vocals emphasize the adamant guitar.
The push and pull of heavy lyrics over full orchestration creates unresolved tension, luring listeners into the next bar, hoping for that full resolution. “I’ll find you in my head, tripping over words I thought you said,” she reveals. Underneath, the harmony pulses away with thick, fully voiced chords like repeated lies.
As the song concludes, dwindling to acoustic strumming and humming, we feel exposed. We want to return to the beginning to feel that tension again, hoping for the complete resolution we know won’t come.
Stream “Soap” below.
Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.
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