C’batch – “If There Was Ever a Fool (One of a Cast of Many)”: A Funny Take on Love
Everyone wants to experience true love, but sometimes we forget the kind of things love can make you do. It can make people do some pretty strange stuffs, we all have probably watch someone make one questionable decision one after the other and go like WTH! What on earth was he/she thinking? Then there’s you, you sometimes wanna give advice, and other times you just sit back with your popcorn and watch it unfold. C’batch takes a closer look at this side of human behaviour in his new single, “If There Was Ever a Fool (One of a Cast of Many).”
One thing about life is that, especially if you’re in the creative industry, you get an idea, sometimes even film it, then it sits waiting and waiting and finally your friend’s heartbreak happens and it gives you the other piece to complete your project and this is how this song came to be. The instrumental foundation comes from a live guitar improv captured on film way back in 2012, while the lyrics were penned years later after watching a friend stumble through a trainwreck relationship. What makes me like this song is how he didn’t write a typical sad-cliché ballad about a breakup, C’batch leaned into dark comedy, bitter irony, and the sheer absurdity of human romance.
Love sometimes makes us do things that we even ourselves never planned on doing. The foolish choices we make under the spell of love, we mostly let our emotions lead instead of following logical reasoning. Sometimes you don’t even realize how you’re being played, look at it from being in a relationship with someone where you’re the only one spending, buying gifts and never receives any. You treat them like a precious jewel, yet they don’t give a f about you.
They make you feel as though they are the prize and belittle you. Yet you don’t see it because you love them soo much that your judgement is clouded. You make decisions and you don’t even consider yourself, everything is about them and their happiness, but what about you? Don’t you deserve to be happy? To love is to give and receive! It’s no secret that title itself gives away the joke, when it comes to being a complete fool in love, you are rarely the only person standing in line.
Pay attention here, when you listen to the track closely, you realize how it’s built around expressive, fluid electric guitar work that twists and turns over sprawling orchestral layers and moody ambient textures. There is a quite a fascinating tension at play here, the grand, cinematic backing feels sweeping and dramatic, while the lyrics maintain a dry, sarcastic edge. You get these massive walls of art-pop instrumentation wrapped around a story that does not take its characters too seriously, making it more difficult to group the song into one category unlike his previous release which was more reggae like.
This one make the guitars the star of the show, surrounded by those orchestral arrangements. It has a heavier, more theatrical character, with a cinematic quality that makes it feel almost like a scene from a film, whilst his previous release was more on classic roots, R&B, reggae and electronic elements coming together. There’s also a difference in the storytelling, whilst this is more on complicated behaviors people sometimes display in relationships, the other was a reggae tribute connected to a particular musical influence and tradition. So when you look at both releases, you realize C’batch is comfortable exploring different genres, styles and aspects of music, and human life. His willingness to experiment and follow an idea to wherever it leads also makes him special.
“If There Was Ever a Fool (One of a Cast of Many)” is worth hearing if you enjoy expressive guitar work, layered arrangements and storytelling that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It has drama, personality and a little mischief. And let’s be honest, we could all use a reminder that when it comes to love, foolishness is rarely a one-person show. Go stream “If There Was Ever a Fool (One of a Cast of Many)“, and have a laugh about certain stuffs you did for love!
Enjoyed that and want more from C’batch? Check him out on the links below;
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