Janelane - "Flowers From Athens"
We’re excited to premiere “Flowers From Athens,” the latest single from Los Angeles-based indie-pop outfit Janelane. Through Janelane, songwriter Sophie Negrini has shown that she’s quite comfortable singing about heartbreak, as she’s adept at earnestly conveying the perspective of loss through candid storytelling. Her last single, “14 Days,” saw Negrini despondently recounting how mending a broken heart takes what seems like an eternity, as it cycles through the emotional highs and lows that follow a breakup - all against a stirring, emotionally-charged sonic backdrop.
On “Flowers From Athens,” Negrini once again delivers a pointed account of relationship induced sorrow, but this time, she seems to approach it from a more learned perspective. Both the verses and choruses reflect on the frustrating impermanence of love and the struggles involved in maintaining a long-distance relationship, but the song also fosters acceptance of the sometimes inescapable ending of a partnership through lyrics that acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, this just isn’t a good fit: “Times like these I wish we had just left our love in Manhattan. Was it worth that unseen smile when you sent flowers from Athens?” It’s a realistic mixture, as just because letting go is the best course of action, that doesn’t automatically reverse those intense feelings of love. Negrini’s soft voice perfectly conveys these feelings of longing and the gentle kind of sorrow that comes with anticipating an inevitable romantic split. Her gushing vocals weave in between layers of floaty guitar tones and feather-light keys, allowing her words to really cut deep.
In the video, Negrini tries to make light of heartache, while still tacitly acknowledging the pain it inflicted. Through an old cathode-ray TV screen, the video interposes shots of Negrini playing her gold sparkle telecaster in front of a starry background, talking on a banana phone with a large blue tear running down her face, playing a keyboard while wearing bunny ears, and a single, burning flower - amongst other twee-inspired scenes. Its vintage feel nicely captures the ethereal vibe of the song.
Stream the video below! The song is also available to purchase on Bandcamp. You can also stream the track on your platform of choice, including Spotify.
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Photo by Sophie Berard
