The Lumineers' new single 'Ophelia' disappoints after a four year wait since the band's widely successful first album.
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Last time most people heard of the American folk rock band The Lumineers, their self-titled first album was packed with commercially successful tracks and most people would have heard ‘Ho Hey’ by watching one advert or another. Other tracks such as ‘Flowers in Your Hair’ and ‘Stubborn Love’ and many others in the album shared the soulful folk sound of ‘Ho Hey’ that made its way into many people’s hearts in an age where auto tune is so widely available. Now, four years after all that success, the band has released a new single ‘Ophelia’ in preparation for the release of their second LP, Cleopatra. Although the track mimics some of the beautiful simplicity of their earlier songs, as a single, ‘Ophelia’ disappoints. Like it or not, this is their first release after a full four years and although ‘Ophelia’ might have been an okay track for the middle of the album, as a single it is undoubtedly anti-climatic.
The song starts off in a promising way, with sounds of stomping, characteristic of The Lumineers ‘we produce music in our back porch’ style. The initial verses are beautifully nostalgic, as Wesley Schultz, the main vocalist regretfully sings “Ah, ah, when I was younger I, I should’ve known better”. However, it all goes downhill as the first chorus starts. Although simplicity has worked for The Lumineers many times before, the repetitive singing of the title of the song “Oh-Ophelia” can only be described as irritating. And it is repeated many times throughout until the song comes to an end as Schultz sings “Heaven helps the fool who falls in love”. It is the combination of the incessant singing of ‘Ophelia’ and the piano in the background which inspires irritability from the listener, especially after a few plays.
With all that said, the single is still worth listening, purely because Schultz’s voice is incredible and the refrains run very smoothly. Hopefully the rest of their much awaited second album will pick up the slack and remind us once again of why we love The Lumineers.
‘Ophelia’ is out now via The Lumineers.
