2 – “Song For Zula” – Phosphorescent.
It takes audacity to open a song with a line that mimics massive hits of both Bette Midler and Johnny Cash. But Matthew Houck, the man behind Phosphorescent, does exactly that here, when he sings “Some say love, is a burning thing. That it makes a fiery ring.” He definitely gets your attention from the first note.
Beyond that first line is a wonderful, mournful backing track. His weary vocals have the sound of too many nights at the wrong end of a bottle, seeking comfort for his pain. And the rest of the lyrics slowly lay out his case before he floors you with his closing lines,
“But my heart is wild. And my bones are steam.
And I could kill you with my bare hands if I was free.”
It’s a nuclear bomb of a song, one that will absolutely destroy you if you’re not careful.