-Take Back Thursdays- Tula Vera “Again and Again…”
The ambiance of Tula Vera is enchanting and one that cannot be easily replicated. Their eclectic energy and mixture of spooky indies blues stole my soul the minute I heard the first riff of their guitars. The lead vocals written and sung by Claire Parcells and Dylan Drummond are mesmerizing, raw and inspiring. The modern twist on classic elements of rock puts them entirely in their own category of music. Their energy is unmatched. Which is why I can proudly say that their debut album Again and Again… is one that has heavily impacted me on a personal level.
If you’re looking for an album that will broaden your musical palette, make you feel safe, and call attention to how significantly impactful loving oneself is- you’ve found it right here. Again and Again… kicks off with their song “Hell Breathes Fire” which, to me, is a ballad about moving on and no longer wasting your time on people who don’t deserve it. This song is empowering and lays the foundation for the rest of the record. Drummer Margaret Marino has a crisp tamborine accent throughout the entire song, beautifully tying all of the sounds together.
The third song on the album, “Gone with the Leaves” is truly what gravitated me to this band in the first place. It’s breathtaking. It saved me when I was in a really dark time in my life. The lyrics “I’m sorry I lost it yesterday, but I need you. Talk to the trees or let it out with me; tomorrow you’ll miss me but I’ll be gone with the leaves,” are potent and tender. For me, they’re saying you can leave that horrible situation you’re in, you can get away from your abuser, you can succeed and you can believe in yourself… as long as you follow the leaves. Theoretically speaking, the leaves are a safe space, a sense of home we are all longing for. Sometimes getting back to your roots and leaving what isn’t right for you is the only option you have to take your power back. We are all the leaves- constantly changing and flying away when we outgrow the spaces we are in.
The fifth song on the album, “Leave it on the Breeze” is another bop that follows the common theme of nature being used as a synonym for mental health struggles. It begins with bassist Joe Jansen complementing Claire Parcells in a very slow intro, followed by a thunderous entrance from the lead guitar and drums. They state “Wouldn’t be the same, without the rain cause a day never goes by without your name on my mind.” Then they talk about how people we love can sadly push us into the ground with them. They mix this with the ideology that life is supposed to get easier when the sun is out, but sometimes we find ourselves still searching for the breeze. My favorite part is when they tie it all together by proudly declaring, despite all of the trauma, “I’m still standing.”
Everything Tula Vera releases is cohesive and has a deep meaning, which is why I hold their music close to my heart. They are still actively releasing music and have been since 2015, so I highly suggest checking them out on Spotify, YouTube or SoundCloud. This dynamic team perfectly recounts the messy side of humanity we all tend to overlook. I suggest you listen to the songs from start to finish and truly allow yourself to feel the raw emotions this tenacious album invokes in you