“Where Is the Water” by Anna Curreen is the gold standard for a moody and melancholic pop song.
It is quite a slow burn regarding sonic progression, allowing for every second to be savored. One verse does not sound exactly like another, but they are not drastically different from each other, either. The first chorus is mainly just simple acoustic guitar chords, subtle electric guitar, and a drum kit keeping the beat while the vocals take the lead, though sounding distanced and reverbed. Halfway through the second verse, things diversify more; the electric guitar enters on the downbeat, creating additional texture. This strategy appears throughout the rest of the record, especially in the choruses as they repeat. The main quality of “Where Is The Water” that I personally love the most is that it expertly adds and takes away instruments, vocal dynamics, and various production elements tastefully. It assists in expressing the lyrics, but also keeps the song interesting.
The narrator in “Where Is the Water” yearns for a place to let go of her troubles as they are acclimating to life–and what has changed–after living in a state of despair or depression. This track thematically explores what it is like to come out of a serious rut, and how daunting the world truly is once you fully re-enter. In the chorus, Curreen sings how “if tomorrow comes around/you can go ahead and count me out” which is impactful to me for two specific reasons: “if” is the main functioning word here, as it implies that for her, tomorrow is not guaranteed, which can be interpreted as a symbol for hopelessness or more literally. The other is the second half, which signifies the very human response to isolate one’s self in a time of vulnerability. This song has many powerful one-liners that tug on a listener’s heartstrings.
“Where Is the Water” is the first release and title track of Anna Curreen’s fall EP. Curreen describes how she “wrote this as a reflection on re-entering consciousness after a period of dissociation. Coming to realize that you've lost touch with friends, missed opportunities, and floated through life. Only then to remember how scary and overwhelming the world can actually be when you feel it all - ultimately leading you back to a state of numbness.”She cites one of her inspirations as Lizzy McAlpine, which is apparent in the track, especially in her vocal delivery and singer-songwriter lyrical style.
Overall, “Where Is the Water” is a well-crafted and well-performed track, and I will tune into her upcoming EP, as everyone else should.
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