Every week, the Milwaukee Music Premiere sponsored by Density Studios connects the city’s artists with our listening audience. If you’re an artist with a track you’d like us to debut exclusively on Radio Milwaukee, head over to our Music Submission page to learn how.
Can a song be an instrumental and still have lyrics? No. That’s how definitions work. But when I listened to Glitzy’s new track “Clover” — premiering to the world right here, right now — I found it took me to the same headspace as the best instrumentals: getting lost in all the best ways so your thoughts can drift places you might not have gone otherwise.
Some of that has to do with the first minute-plus of the song being completely wordless. A loping bass line gets you into things before the full band jumps in to lift the energy level a couple notches. But not too many.
As Glitzy guitarist/vocalist Curtis Wells explained using a description I’m fairly certain has never appeared in a Milwaukee Music Premiere, “I wanted to write a big fuzzy slow song romanticizing looking into my boyfriend's eyes when they're stoned. It's mostly about how love can make being with someone feel so solid and grounding, and the nonconformity of queerness.”
Big and fuzzy and slow is exactly what this song is — like a carnival-game prize come to life. Content to let that vibe do most of the work, Glitzy doesn’t clutter up proceedings with lyrics. In fact, in another Milwaukee Music Premiere rarity, here’s literally every word in the song:
Eyes of clover
Glazing over
Eyes of clover
Glazing over
And I don't wanna fit in
I don't wanna fit in now
I don't wanna fit in now
If I could go back
If I could turn back time
I think I'd do it
I think I'd do it right
When those are done, the band lets the horses out of the barn just a bit for the last minute, ramping up the pace another couple notches to set an almost celebratory tone. It’s a very cool song that almost demands you lean your head back, close your eyes and let the big fuzzy slowness take over.
“Clover” will play on 88Nine throughout today (7:30 and 11:30 a.m.; and 3:30, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.) and is also available on demand via the player at the top of the page. The track will land on Glitzy’s upcoming sorted out EP, which makes its debut April 4 with an accompanying release show at 7 p.m. that night at Linneman’s.
