REVIEW: Little Hurt — My Head Hurts (SINGLE)
Colin Dieden, under the moniker Little Hurt, has experienced notable success with this new project since leaving indie darlings The Mowgil’s, will expand his profile exponentially with the release of “My Head Hurts”. This new single and its accompanying video illustrate the deepening riches of Dieden’s songwriting and his vulnerability is more evident than ever before. The Kansas native harbors enough angst to power several bands and expresses his dissatisfaction with scalpel-like precision. Adopting a terse and conversational style for the lyrical content avoids any potential pretentious turns of phrase and complements the music well.
WEBSITE: https://www.facebook.com/littlehurtofficial/
The song’s length neatly dovetails into those elements. Clocking in at two minutes fifty seconds, Dieden wastes no motion or time getting under a listener’s skin and resists any self-indulgent impulses. “My Head Hurts” benefits from top notch production; we live in an age when indie artists often sound every bit as polished as any mainstream release. Dieden’s vocals are placed up front in the mix, but he never attempts dominating the performance.
He sings with a wealth of inspiration. His voice embodies vulnerability without sacrificing power and there’s a smattering of soul in his delivery certain to ensnare many listeners. Dieden’s phrasing is often plaintive, but attentive admirers will note the absurdity underlying this litany of woe. It is rife with dark humor but understated throughout.
This is not an instrumental showcase. The individual performances on the track’s limited instrumentation serve the song, first and foremost, and the arrangement is seamless throughout. You won’t hear any extended instrumental breaks or gee whiz soloing. The playing, instead, dramatizes the song for listeners and exhibits five star taste from first note to last. “My Head Hurts” may lack a showcase moment for some spectacular solo, but do not mistake that for a lack of creativity. There are interesting flourishes placed throughout the track that give it an added twist.
Its tempo keeps the track percolating at a steady bubble and the explosive effect of the song’s chorus, pop-influenced but nevertheless raw and unbridled, is a peak moment during the cut. The physicality of the performance cannot be denied. Dieden has produced a top notch promotional clip for the track. It is a lyric video, but he did not stop there and keeps the eye busy. He presents each line in a variety of positions and scripts and the visual imagery accompanying his writing has the consistent ability to capture your attention.
SMART URL: https://orcd.co/myheadhurts.
Some listeners may find his lyrics cringe-worthy; they invoke polarizing tastes. It will resonate as performed poetry in language stripped of any affectation whereas others will dismiss the track has histrionic tripe set to a beat. It is a fair estimation, however, that scores of listeners will hear Little Hurt’s “My Head Hurts” as a powerful piece of pop discontent. Colin Dieden’s creativity is in full flower here and gives listeners a track they will not soon forget and promises even greater peaks to come. It will certainly rank as one of 2020’s more memorable singles and should exert wide appeal.
Colin Jordan
