Brave Liaison, Better Off, Single Release 07.07.2023

Better Off is the brand new single by British Alternative Rock band Brave Liaison from Cambridge. As with all their releases, the melody is easily remembered, hummed, automatically dragging your foot along until the move becomes a mirror to the rhythm of the bass and the drums. Simple in its composition, yet efficient and powerful, Better Off won’t leave you unmoved.

Ever since I discovered Brave Liaison last year, I have followed the band with great interest and enthusiasm. Better Off follows the pattern of meaningful lyrics and brings a dimension to the band’s music that I particularly affectionate. I’ve said it before, Brave Liaison has something to say and it’s worth a listening.

Partial to the bass

If you know me at all, besides a great voice, I am always very partial to the power of the bass. The sound gets under my skin and I must say that Better Off does not disappoint here either. After all, I do love a good expressive bass with my cup of morning rock. It makes me so happy 😅. After a few listen, I managed to comfortably settle in a very familiar musical loop enjoying the strength sipping through the music… only then did I start paying attention to the words.

Astonishing feat coming from me, yet it is known to have happened before.

Note to self: the sound of this bass is killing me 🙃🎶! I can’t explain why, it just does…

Meaning behind the words

At first, the song made me think of a toxic relationship gone sour… two people unable to live on, although apart. Some kind of negative influence they’d have on one another. The chorus was explicit enough to have me think that way.

I’ve tried so hard to escape you
Why can’t I just erase you
From the back of my mind

I have also been wondering whether the “Fake friends” in the verse below had anything to do with the song Fake Friends from the band’s first album Everything’s Affected. What does this mean though? Have the said “fake friends” influenced her to leave him? Therefore he is hurting after a break-up that did not take into account anyone’s true feelings… that’d be another type of plot line. It rings true though.

I’ve gotta say you looking better all for it
Those fake friends you seem to be adoring

The more I listened the more I started to think that this was not all there was to the story.

I feel like I might not survive
It’s your face that haunts me every night

We may all relate to the words, one way or another through our own experiences. Yet, the music is not melancholic. There is no sadness to it, but rather it has a latent anger to it, an unwillingness to forgive… the actions of the other maybe. It is powerful indeed, and quite puzzling. What does the title of the song imply? Better Off… without me, without you… one vanishes from the other’s life… how? what has happened? how did they leave? Is it a break-up like we are all acquainted to, or is it a break-up with life itself?

Although straight forward lyrics, they still leave a doubt about the actual situation depicted in the story… it is what I like most about Brave Liaison. They bring forth very easily identifiable situations for the listener, but always manage to bring a subtle twist to it. I believe that in the end, because life isn’t straight forward, nor can the message be. Is it intentional on the band’s part? I haven’t the faintest… what is clear is that it is worth paying attention.

So here I was, pondering over the meaning behind the song… relating to it a bit, drifting towards the far away past, back to the present… knowing that somehow, the melodies and rhythms held the clue to what I was listening to. As always, this is just my interpretation of it, I know nothing of the intent behind the song (you’d have to ask Tom and co. for that 😘). My wish got answered when the band announced the video. Produced by Sam J. Lance who, as I understand it, is Brave Liaison‘s partner in crime when it comes to photography and videos.

Effective Music Video

Me getting my hands on the video, clapping and excited in front of my screen. My singing along got replaced by “Wait what?” and then “uh?” and then all the ensuing questioning about the story. Very effective!

Both actors are doing such a great job. They are lovable and their expressions are so raw that I can almost feel what they are portraying. I am a sucker for good stories and this is a great one. Thank you Brave Liaison, Sam J. Lance, Halistair Hunt and Frankie Soan. I enjoyed Better Off even more with the video and that is saying something.

09:59 am… 10:00 am the music starts and he wakes up with a start… alright she left him… or not 😅. She wears black… is he a ghost she bumps into or is she the ghost. Did she leave or did he kill her… or did she kill him… or yet again, did either killed themselves? Metaphoric photography or red thread of a clever story line. Sam J. Lance, my hat off to you!

How’s it feel to be the one who took the high road

Leaving the fight behind, putting an end to the relationship or choosing to live while the other chooses otherwise… The characters in the story are both trying to get on with a life that is – or isn’t. The color red at some point in the video brings more doubt. Passion gone wrong, anger mixed with sorrow… I really love this because the more I dig, the more questions I have 😂. Who’s the ghost? He or she? Are they really ghosts or just tricks of the subconscious showing what is lost because one walked away. Regrets or remorse.

In the end there is no need for an answer, I believe that as long as we can relate this will touch us more than expected. One thing is certain is that I am not done thinking about this. Between the lyrics and the music video, my mind is racing in all directions. I picked the obvious direction, and now that the writing is done, my mind screams to take the other…

Casual or painful break-up between two people; crime of passion or suicide driven by the hardships of life (or the relationship itself); but I also came to think of individual growth one character being the past self while the other is the present. The story being that the past self is still hanging on to the present, not wanting to let go. What do you think? Could that last one make sense? Let me know in the comments section 😘. The lyrics and the video are leaving so much room for interpretation, it’s brilliant! 👏👏👏

Now go give Brave Liaison some well deserved luuuuvvv’ 👇👇👇

You might also like Tom Lumley & The Brave Liaison, No Trust 04.11.2022

Bonus for the fun

Tough exercise for a French girl 😅 here are the lyrics as I heard them… just for the fun of it, Brave Liaison, please tell me where I got it wrong ❤️‍🔥

If you think we’re all better for it
Let me tell you about those months of loneliness
How they’ve eaten me alive
Only on the inside

I’ve been breathing just to keep composure
As the inevitable gets closer
To killing me in my stride
When I’m on the outside

I feel like I might not survive
It’s your face that haunts me every night

I’ve tried so hard to escape you
Why can’t I just erase you
From the back of my mind
If you’ve decided to hate me
Why can’t you just erase me
From the back of your mind

I’ve gotta say you looking better all for it
Those fake friends you seem to be adoring
How’s it feel to be the one who took the high road
How’s it feel to be the one who’s not boring

I know it now what it’s like to be locked in
With every door and opportunity closing
I bet you’re feeling better now I’m not talking
To you every night keeping you from sleeping

I feel like I might not survive
It’s your face that haunts me every night

I’ve tried so hard to escape you
Why can’t I just erase you
From the back of my mind
If you’ve decided to hate me
Why can’t you just erase me
From the back of your mind

Let me tell you about those months of loneliness
How they’ve eaten me alive
Only on the inside

I’ve been breathing just to keep composure
As the inevitable gets closer
To killing me in my stride
When I’m on the outside

I’ve tried so hard to escape you
Why can’t I just erase you
From the back of my mind
If you’ve decided to hate me
Why can’t you just erase me
From the back of your mind

– © 2023 Brave Liaison, Better Off, released 07.07.2023.