X Ambassadors have released the second installment in their new collaborative project, (Eg). Describing the project on social media, the band stated that they decided to start (Eg) because they missed collaborating with other artists due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “(Eg) is a project that is completely dedicated to the spirit of collaboration,” the band shared, “Each episode is an exploration of creativity, a small window into the mind of the featured artist.”
The project kicked off with a collaboration between X Ambassadors and rapper Terrell Hines titled “Ultraviolet.Tragedies.” The newest release is with Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Jensen McRae. Along with the songs, the group is posting short video diaries showing the conversations between the collaborators and X Ambassadors lead singer Sam Harris
In the video accompanying “Skip.That.Party.,” Harris kicks it off by sharing his admiration for McRae’s music, citing its “poetic realism.” McRae expands on that, discussing her upbringing in the suburbs of Los Angeles, witnessing the realness and boredom of suburbia along with the lights and action of Hollywood. Central to the track is the idea of regret, and how during this time of lockdown and isolation, one can’t help but be stuck with their thoughts and thinking about what could have been done differently.
The track itself is an emotional ride. Featuring guitar, handclaps and a lot of distortion, the song has an understated, yet confident power, starting out as a whisper, before the chorus during which McRae and Harris’ voices unleash on each other. The track tells the story of the breakdown of a relationship, poetic and heartbreaking. “If I could go back and unmeet you, friend // The one that told us to ‘Make nice, shake hands,'” the vocalists wonder aloud in the chorus. The lyrics are brutally honest, especially as the chorus finishes out with the lines, “If I could drink a little less red wine that night // I would tell myself to skip that party // I would do it in a fucking heartbeat // If I could write you out the narrative of my brief life.”
While heartbreak and the end of relationships is a long-established topic in music, X Ambassadors and Jensen McRae tackle it in the ways they know how: with full disclosure and innovative twists on the genres they choose to explore.
Check out the video for “Skip.That.Party” below.
Featured Image: KIDinaKORNER
