Lots Of Love Coming Your Way Thanks To Shinedown

Shinedown's new "How Did You Love" explores the question of how one presumably gets remembered in this life. An unexpected piano riff gets us into this discussion regarding what type of mark we left behind. Ostensibly it's about the sort of love you distributed to your friends, family, etc. Shinedown bursts into high gear during the choral refrain as a means of demonstrating how passionate they are towards this topic. Vocalist Brent Smith fully engages in now or never urgency and that's what takes this song up as many notches as it can possibly go. Zach Myers pummels you through guitar work that, as they say in football, doesn't take a down off. Check out how potent it sounds at the bridge. Conviction, thy name is Brent. Each note comes through so clearly that your tone deaf ninety year old grandpa could grasp this message. Shinedown has previously demonstrated how adept it is at marrying thoughtfully cooked harmonies to excellent vocal technique. Whether it's soundtrack work or studio craft, these Floridians know how to hammer home a point until you've got it committed to memory. These lyrics point out how losing yourself in the shuffle on the way to your preordained headstone carries with it untold agony. So while you're on your knees in the religious institution, hoping your God has that direct line to your soul, best remember how did you treat people on this side of the life sphere. Brent stresses that it's up to you to find your own way while you're hear so that, in the final analysis, regret has no chance to poison your heart, and therefore infect the hearts of those around you who were silly enough to let you into their inner circle. All of what makes Shinedown an awesome outfit to be reckoned with comes through in this slightly under three and a half minute ball of flames and life ethic examination. As you might expect from a song draped in such royal finality, headstone and cemetery imagery factor in largely. Life's a one take film so you'd better leave no doubt about the sort of man or woman you had hoped to be because after the curtain comes down that's what they'll take away. If the cat that ate the canary grin is your final visual offering to the wider world then others can remember for all eternity a guy who remembered to pack a smile alongside his workaday lunch pail. Eric Bass plunges into our chests fearlessly on bass. He knows how to hammer home the now or never vigor so we have to at least acknowledge the sense of uneasiness pondering one's final sentiments can dredge up. I've always respected Brent for how masterfully he gets his tonsils wagging for us. No lack of bravado or horsepower from him. Even during songs that aren't as weighty as "How Did You Love" Brent can command an audience's total attention simply by refusing to dial down his macho muscle flexing. Drummer Barry Kerch pounds away without fear but also without hogging the center of attention. In summary "How Did You Love" strikes the sort of energizing pose that's impossible to hate.