Thursday, August 7, 2014

Two Sides to a Break-Up

So I've been a fan of Jason Mraz for over 10 years now. His voice gives me the same feeling I get when I eat a warm Krispy Kreme. His songs are fun, yet full of meaning and his life philosophy can be really helpful when you are having a dark day. He's also super handsome, and can rock a hat, so that doesn't hurt. When I learned that he was dating another singer-songwriter named Tristan Prettyman a few years ago, I was intrigued. The idea of two singers coming together and making duets in life and on stage is a really romantic one to me. Check out their performance of their song, "Shy That Way" to see what I mean:



 They seemed to have this epic romance. They had a big build up to being together, broke up and then found their way back together so that Mraz could ask her to marry him. What a happy ending! Or not. A few months after his proposal, the engagement was off, he grew his hair like a wild hippy and put out the song, "I Won't Give Up", which made the break-up fuzzy on the details, but we were all pretty sure that Prettyman must've done something to really break this boy's heart and hopefully she'll get her shit together because weren't they so cute?



I mean seriously, what girl wouldn't want her man to sing this to her after a break-up. Well, maybe after a nice shave and hair cut. So collectively, most likely subconsciously, we were all on Jason's side without even thinking that there are two sides to every break-up. 

So enter my iTunes gift card for my birthday and a purchase of Tristan Prettyman's CD Cedar & Gold released 10 months after Jason professed that he wouldn't give up (I know I'm two years late, but whatever). The first thing that strikes you about this disc are the song titles:

1. Second Chance
2. Say Anything
3. My Oh My
4. I Was Gonna Marry You
5. Quit You
6. Bad Drug
7. Come Clean
8. Glass Jar
9. When You Come Down
10. Deepest Ocean Blue
11. The Rebound
12. Never Say Never

Upon first glance, I saddled in for an ass-reaming the likes of which haven't been heard since Alanis made us all swallow her Jagged, Little Pill back in the 90's. I got it, sort of. "Second Chance", "My Oh My", "Bad Drug", and the hilarious "The Rebound" all make you rally behind Prettyman as she flips Mraz the high, hard one. Others, especially "I Was Gonna Marry You", and "Glass Jar", just make you feel sad. These two in particular really tell Prettyman's version of the events including the engagement and subsequent break-up. She also calls Mraz out that he did, in fact, give up on her.

I have to say after listening to this disc that I am feeling really sympathetic to Prettyman and more than a bit disappointed in Mraz who sings about these really idealistic, romantic ideals that seem faded and fake to me now. So in that way I guess I'm mad at Prettyman too for pulling back the curtain on one of my favorite artists.

Lastly, as a fellow writer of angry girl music, this really is some of the best I've heard. And as a break-up album goes, it captures every emotion you feel after having your heart ripped out, including the rebound guy, and trying to talk yourself out of ever going back to him/her again. It's a must listen for anyone who has recently been dumped, or likes reliving the feeling (are those people real?)

Enjoy the single "My Oh My"