On November 18, 2022 Natalie Mering, otherwise known by her stage name Weyes Blood, released her fifth studio album, And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow. This most recent expression of sentiments has enchanted and captivated audiences old and new with its succinct composition and riveting lyricism. Mering’s philosophy of song-writing echoes a sense of folklore and mysticism which she explains is because, “shared myths are part of our psychology and survival.” She employs this mindset efficiently in this album which reflects on the isolation and effects of a worldwide pandemic and the myriad issues that prevail in our modern world. How do these shared myths aid us in a time when survival is fraught with complications?
The first track on the album, “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody,” offers a mediation on the various existential concerns that seem to flood our sense constantly. She sings, “Living in the wake of overwhelming changes / We’ve all become strangers / Even to ourselves.” However, as the title suggests, it is clear that Weyes Blood is establishing this emotion as something shared by everyone, even if it is an isolating experience. In another sense, the title also alludes to a recurring theme within this album: accountability. What is rational and how can we be responsible in a world that is disintegrating within our grasp, where individually and holistically, the problems become aggravated. Mering notes that, “it’s all part of one big thing” which emphasizes the interconnectedness of everyone and everything despite various boundaries or barriers that divide us all.
Many of her songs center upon modern conflictions, issues that have become internalized and extensive. In her second song, “Children of the Empire,” she questions the idea of control in our modern world—why does everything seem out of our hands when it’s sprouting from them? What is being created is simultaneously being consumed. This track employs gorgeous chimes, echoing the aura of the past but the upbeat drum set keeps us moving forward.
The fifth track, “Hearts Aglow,” speaks to the aimlessness of the time we are living in. She sings, “hearts aglow, we don’t know where were going” which gives us the release from the anguish that has been building, the release that we were hoping for. Our bodies heave a sigh and Mering’s vocals allow us to transcend beyond the anxieties within us all. This song feels almost like a conversation with “A Lot’s Gonna Change” from Titanic Rising, evoking similar chord progressions and thematic concepts.
Not enough can be said of Weyes Blood’s incredible vocal power which disrupts and reassures at the same time; she makes us acknowledge the anguish but soothes our senses in the same moment. The velvet touch of her voice is the perfect vessel for such poignant lyrics.
Mering builds off of her star shattering fourth album, Titanic Rising (a KCOU Top Album in 2019). In a sense, “In the Darkness” and “Nearer To Thee” functioning similarly as reposes, moments to re-center oneself. Adding to the cohesion of the piece. Furthermore, how she has arranged the album, in a thematic and titular sense, points to the genius construction of her music and her forethought with each release. Just as her songs reflect the contrasts of modern life, the juxtapositions that rule our existence, the relation between the singular and the whole, Weyes Blood has formulated another album that is effective with each individual song, as a combined album, and as a collective discography.
I will allow the reader to make their own connections regarding the comparison of In the Darkness, Hearts Aglow and Titanic Rising, but it certainly seems to me that these albums are in conversation with one another. The titles themselves seem to work as magnets with one another, attracting and repulsing, an undeniable traction amongst themselves.
One thing is clear: Natalie Mering is an angel on Earth. She has carved a place in KCOU’s hearts, year after year, with her eloquent albums and stunning arrangements, and I know that space will only grow.
