Hear the harsh hopefulness and jagged beauty in Gal Musette’s “Honeymoon”

“Idealized romances were not based on reality,” Grace Freeman (aka Gal Musette) says about her latest single. In “Honeymoon”, the singer-songwriter explores how hard and beautiful it is to see someone for who they really are.

The soft, melancholy opening frames a nostalgic scene with hope and fear. The melody feels upbeat while the lyrics reference the decay and passage of time.

The guitar, providing a repeated countermelody, battles for prominence with the vocals. Their harmony, trading importance from chord to chord, sets them in equal strength.

“I can see now as clear as day that the summer is gone.” The guitar vamping an upbeat lick and the bright keys illustrate the inner struggle expressed in music. The opposites blend into truth.

Surprising harmonic shifts, like when Freeman sings “now the honeymoon is over” or when the guitar suddenly resolves down bring momentary unity to both emotions. The overlapping simple musical lines that build into a rich expression of swirling emotions lend themselves over and over to these expressive moments.

Until Gal Musette releases more aural thoughts on the complexities of life and love on their upcoming debut album, Backwards Lullaby, enjoy this heartfelt view in “Honeymoon”. On its own, it stands tall. As part of a collection, it offers an incredibly authentic worldview.

Stream “Honeymoon” below.

Update (May 1, 2021): An official lyric video for “Honeymoon” has just been released and you can watch it below.

Ben McCoy

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.