Independent
Release Date: December 28th 2018
Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre
Lauren Cimorelli– Running (Single) (iTunes/Amazon mp3)
Track Listing:
- Running
If you’ve been a fan of Cimorelli like myself over the last few years, for any of the band members (who are all in fact sisters) to release some material on their own can cause alarm bells- are the band breaking up? Are some members leaving to pursue a solo career? Is the band evolving in ways unimaginable? Whatever our thoughts that come into our heads, we think them. It was the case when Lisa Cimorelli released her new solo material, of which she stated from the start that ‘…it’s not a “solo project”. This is a side project that I am very excited to share with you. I am not leaving my sisters or going anywhere. This is for anyone who wants to hear more music from me in addition to what I’m already doing with my band…’ and now, we see another Cimorelli sister have courage enough to release a song in a solo capacity. Lauren Cimorelli, the second youngest of the sisters in the group, recently unveiled to the world her debut single, ‘Running’. And we as fans of Cimorelli cannot be more proud of her passion and her song in general, but wonder as well- what does this spell for Lauren’s future with the band? I don’t know at the moment, but till such a time when the band loses (or even gains) members, or even splits up in the future; we will enjoy whatever is given to us, be it new Cimorelli music, or music from each of the sisters in a solo capacity.
As Lauren herself delves into the heart behind the song and what she herself wants to convey, we are reminded that songs like these are a window in time, a snapshot of what someone was feeling at a certain moment. For Lauren herself, the song was about when she was a teenager- ‘…this song is about feeling like a psycho. It’s not being able to eat. It’s wanting to cry for no reason. It’s knowing that in 5 minutes, a guy I really like is gonna pick me up but feeling like I would rather die than go hang out with him. It’s getting up to throw up in the chick fil a bathroom and sitting back down like nothing happened. It’s feeling trapped. It’s feeling out of control. It’s changing my mind constantly. It’s feeling guilty. It’s not being able to process my feelings. It’s about being 17 and terrified…’ As I’ve said in my review of Lisa Cimorelli’s ‘Unloved’, we are met with another song that on the surface, feels like another depressing ‘woe-is-me’ ‘I’m-gonna-run-away-from-our-relationship’ song, but when we take a step back, we understand and realise that these songs need to come out into the open, be a song so that people who also feel this way can relate and understand that they are not alone. And we need to remember, this is what someone is feeling a few years ago. Feelings don’t equal to fact, and for a song to venture out into the iTunes ether, we see a carving of a melody that has taken it’s time to birth, a song that, while sad and depressing in every sense of the word, can evoke hopefulness and change in people as they see that to run from a relationship can either be good or bad, depending on the relationship in the first place. Lauren’s writing from such a vulnerable place takes courage and bravery- well done to Lauren for writing something that will resonate with a lot of people, even if I won’t be one of them (yet, or not even ever!). Even a song like this, as emotive and poignant as it can be, will still be used by God Himself to convey what He wants, to speak into people’s lives and remind us all that though earthly relationships often fail (be it romantic, platonic or otherwise), the relationship God has with His children doesn’t. His love is steadfast, firm, true and unwavering, and if it takes a song like ‘Running’ to realise this fact, then the song has served its purpose- no matter how initially unsettling and dark the song sounds from first listen.
‘…I’m already getting such strong reactions from you guys who have already listened and wow. So MANY people are saying that they relate to the lyrics and that they didn’t think that anyone else ever felt that way. well sis let me tell you – like a million other people do !!!! thank you guys so much for showing so much support. This release was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I wrote, produced, and recorded this entire thing myself. WHILE working everyday on all of the Cimorelli projects we did this year and I was so nervous about what the reaction would be or if it would flop into obscurity ahahah so if this song touched you in any way, pLEASE let me know cause I wanna hear…’ Lauren’s first song is one that is certain to be enjoyed and loved if you are a fan of Cimorelli, more importantly, a fan of their 2017 album Sad Girls Club and that era of music in particular. Lauren has taken a piece of herself and placed it onto the page, and ‘Running’ is a result. Though not as polished or even refined as many other songs from artists that are on a label, it is the presence of this raw and authentic quality (because of Lauren and the band being independent) that will encourage us all to take a step and hear more vulnerable and impacting songs from more indie artists in the future, rather than the mindless radio pop consuming homes at the moment. Well done Lauren for such a heartfelt song, here’s hoping for many more in the future. Maybe, just maybe, she can undertake her solo material and her Cimorelli commitments in tandem. Looking forward to whatever the new solo material brings in the upcoming months ahead. So what are we all waiting for? If we’re a fan of vulnerable music, as we all should be, then take a listen to the heartfelt moments of ‘Running’, as we let the Lord God speak to us and remind us all of the one person who will never run away from us as we enter that relationships- Himself!
Score: 4.5/5
RIYL: Lisa Cimorelli, Cimorelli, Jamie Grace, Plumb, Rachel Platten, BarlowGirl, 1GN, Carmen Justice