Diandra Reviews It All

When you hear the name “Tall Friend”, you think of a gentle giant; one who can pluck fruit from the longest tree and kindly offer it you first. This is the image I had when I was about to listen ot Tall Friend’s Safely Nobody’s, which will be released on August 11. The image was not far in terms of capturing the vast stretches of generosity a person will do to make someone feel better and loved. Yet, Safely Nobody’s adds nuance to this kindness by centering around lead singer Charlie Pfaff’s care for her mentally ill mother.

When a child switches roles with their parents, and has to assure they feel loved, safe, and comfortable, that child’s innocence is lost. Yet, is their lost heart, too? Safely Nobody’s is the tale of a child that dealt with adult issues way too soon, and now reflects on how they made her a woman. It is in this notion that Safely Nobody’s feels too raw to be opened; like you found a series of tracks/ tapes of someone confessing their darkest turmoils. You feel like you should press stop, but you also are confounded by the urge to listen to how a heart breaks for others but mends itself. Pfaff is clearly observing how interpersonal relationship with friends, family, and lovers all trace back to her mom, of which can be heard crying in the first track “Mother”. It is a brilliant set-up to the album, and a warning for listeners that this is going to be “rough”. Tracks like, “Oats”, “Small Space”, and “Radio” are like journal entries being read out loud by Pfaff for the emotional punches and daily routines they garnered. She has a voice that is lax and unmoved, which amps up the sentiments of her situations. From “Apoptosis” and “Natural Things” she sing-talks her way through songs like she is actually going through her day, and trying to analyze how she invested/ displayed her love or whether she is going numb to the sentiment. We all look back on our day, and ask ourselves whether we acted our best, but Pffaf’s mom’s situation is more tense and demands more virtue. Was she patient enough? Was she kind enough? Was she good enough?All these questions circles in 2 minute tracks that rely on guitars, as mood changers, to go from elaborately arranged to quietly pensive. Thus, for a stilling, thoughtful album to observe the power of love or, at least, the search for it, checkout Tall Friend And Safely Nobody’s On August 11. Click Here For More Information.