A mellow, retrospective journey
After a three-year album drought, New York City based singer-songwriter Margaret Galspy returns to the scene with her newest release, I Am Both. Accompanied by soft vocals and acoustic guitar, Galspy guides audiences on a soothing, lyrical journey, filled with commentary on society, relationships, and an introspective view of herself.
The main focus of this album are Galspy’s views on relationships, all the negativity that comes with them included. In “Common Ground,” the singer tackles verbally abusive relationships by examining the toxic nature of the hot-and-cold partner. In this relationship, one partner frequently experiences emotional whiplash as the other treats them like an angel one day only to take back all the affection and act as if she is the devil the next. In doing this, the emotional manipulator is trying to make their partner feel lesser than, bringing their partner to a lower level than themselves so they constantly crave their abusive partner’s attention and affection.
Galspy teleports fans into the world of two fictitious characters, “James and Marie,” in her seventh song. Here, listeners are painted a picture of a happy couple that begins to slowly chip away as they grow to resent each other as neither clearly expresses how they feel. Through songs like these, as well as some others in this album, the singer masterfully provides listeners a more cynical look on relationships that others in her genre don’t always express.
Not only is the New York based singer able to convey a realistic story of modern relationships, she also excels in highlighting the harsh realities some have to face within our society. In “Martin Luther King Jr,” Galspy touches on the homeless population and how, instead of being treated as human, they are taunted and belittled. She writes, “It turns out freedom ain’t free,” poking fun at the hypocrisy of the nation’s motto that is frequently repeated but regularly forgotten when it comes to the impoverished.
In “Sharp Knife,” the following song, listeners are introduced to two separate characters, a gay man and a woman, who both deal with the same plight of having to constantly protect themselves while simply living their lives. The man can’t go to a bar without being told he doesn’t belong and the woman can’t enjoy a walk through Central Park without being harassed. In both songs, Galspy meaningfully explores the woes of the underprivileged in society and their struggle for survival in our nation’s current state.
On a more introspective level, Galspy grants audiences a look into her psyche through her songs “Reminder” and “I Thought She Was A Song.” In “Reminder,” we learn of the singer’s preference to do nothing, wasting away, seeing it as a security blanket when it’s truly of no benefit. She longs to be an active participant in her life but has already grown used to the comfort that comes with remaining stagnant. Taking action comes with its own set of drawbacks and dangers. In “I Thought She Was A Song,” Galspy sings of wanting to be more like a peer for whom she holds deep admiration. While others look down on this peer, the singer continues to admire her strength. However, when given the chance to be closer to her, Galspy chooses to remain how she is. This song adds even more depth to the passive path the singer continues to travel instead of taking life into her own hands. Although it’s easy to grow angered by the incapability of change that’s portrayed, this mindset is an awfully relatable one many can connect to.
This album is a masterclass in cleverly tackling numerous profound topics, all done in under 45 minutes while meaningfully exploring each with care. Although her use of sprechgesang (speak-singing) and slow, soft cadence may not be for all, her lyrics are bound to resonate with many.
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