The Silver Glow of Sydney Sprague’s “nobody knows anything”
Sydney Sprague is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona. She released her first album, maybe i will see you at the end of the world, in 2021, and is gearing up for the release of her sophomore album, somebody in hell loves you. Her latest release comes as the third single off of that upcoming album titled “nobody knows anything”.
“nobody knows anything” is about just that — how most people claim to know (and maybe think they know) a lot more than they actually do.
The lyrics are simple but powerful and straight to the point. With the track being written at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, you can see where the song gets its meaning, but it can really be applied to everyday life.
Throughout the song, the lyrics remind the listener that everything is fine, and not everyone is as smart as they seem.
The song is quite simple without being boring. The backing is a soft techno-pop sound with drums at the focus of the mix. I like how the song sort of blends into itself, without any real break in the music between the verses and the chorus. This nonchalant sort of songwriting is really apt to the message that it’s trying to convey. The music itself has that kind of “whatever” attitude to it. And not to mention her voice is stunning—without even seeming to try it carries the entire song. The lack of any rest in the song creates this momentum that makes it addicting to listen to. It’s also short but sweet, packing a lot of lyrics and layers into the 2 and a half minutes it comes to.
Sprague is being grouped in with the “alt-pop” genre, which is extremely fitting for her music.
She plays with a genre I liked to call bored-pop, where the singer uses a monotone singing voice as a stylistic choice. I know that sounds like a sly insult, but think Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrahams, Lucy Dacus, and the like.
They all create this soothing silver glow with their soft and subtle voices and Sprague has really captured that essence, especially in this song.
The most powerful vocals are actually in the background of the song and are more muted than the leading vocals. These specific vocals come in during the end of the song to give it more variety—although I wish they were included in each of the choruses. Just because I think they’re really cool.
This song is the right balance of edgy lyrics and indie pop ambiance, so if you know anyone who matches the lyrics— “all of these problems are just manifested/ you’re overinvested in all of your negative thoughts/think that you’re smart but you’re not”—give it a listen! And watch out for Sydney’s newest album coming in September 2023.