Searows loves you carefully with new EP, ‘End of the World’
Photo by Marlowe Ostara
On an introspective journey to become more gentle and feel deeper, my early-to-mid-twenties have welcomed an indie-folk soundtrack with open arms, turning to the likes of Adrianne Lenker, Bon Iver and Faye Webster for answers in a particularly dissociative time. There’s an endearing quality in the vulnerability of modern folk music that provides a warmth akin to that of visiting the house I grew up in, or contemplating that one love that never really materialised. Such ruminations are inevitable in the hands of Pacific Northwest native, Alec Duckart, also known as Searows.
Alec received international acclaim on TikTok towards the back end of 2021, gracing an audience every-so-often with heartfelt acoustic covers and short teasers of original music. The community that he fostered is a perfect example of the otherwise ineffable experience of covid-era TikTok, in which new algorithms brought us closer to those that connected to certain artists on the same level. As somebody from a small town in England, raised on the likes of Bowie, The Cure and The Smiths, this was my first experience of connection through American indie-folk music. Alec’s comment sections are an exclusive club that nobody expected to queue up for, and I already care for everyone inside. I can feel the warmth coming from the entrance as the doorman quizzes me on my knowledge of Phoebe Bridgers and Ethan Gruska. Through the dim lights, I can make out the faces of Lizzy McAlpine, Gracie Abrams, Ethel Cain and Leith Ross. As I take off my coat, it becomes clear to me that Searows is soon to be my favourite artists’ favourite artist.
Alec’s lyrics lean on themes of yearning, estranged relationships and growing old. He seems to be on his way to mastering the ability to articulate life’s most personal intricacies with a soft conviction. His latest release, and first EP, ‘End Of The World’ is nothing short of a healing listening experience. It is to be bathed in sweet intonations and intimate three-part harmonies, then carried to bed in the arms of open tuning. It comes as no surprise that I have wept uncontrollably to this record since the release of its first single, more times than I am willing to admit.
Photo by Marlowe Ostara
‘Funny’ is an open window into Alec’s introspection. It is clear from its opening lines, “Funny how it disappears / The second you give in / When the world comes to terms with the way that it spins.” that we are hearing a stream of consciousness; witnessing Alec bite the bullet on an utterance of harsh realities. As the track develops, the lyricism becomes more optimistic, as he admits he must eventually let go in order to heal.
“I can’t heal what I hold on to”
There seems to be this underlying tone of optimism throughout the EP, each track an ode to coming of age, patiently. ‘Older’ is not too dissimilar, as Alec contemplates the dichotomy between feeling too old and too young at the same time, while reflecting on childhood memories like “[building towers] out of water and sand”. ‘I have more than enough’ is a teleological reminder that the reassurance we need might just come in the form of touching grass. In a press release, Alec said that after “[spending] so many days in a row alone in [his] room”, the inspiration for the track came from taking a walk around his neighbourhood, sitting with some cats and watching a crow for a while. I can deeply relate to the philosophy that sometimes, a walk around the place you grew up can heal even the deepest of wounds. Walking through the fields near my family home, parallel with my dad and often in silence, have served as some of the most introspective and inspirational moments in my life. I would encourage all of you to go outside and take a walk with a loved one, before you decide if the world is ending or not.
I guess Searows’ ‘The End of the World’, is a 30-minute reminder that although there may be tension on the surface, there is a gentle tide underneath that will carry us to where we are meant to be. With such a generous run-time for just a six-track EP, it is obvious that Alec exudes this patience in his work, allowing space to breathe in the ninety-second intro to ‘Collector’. Over six months prior to its release, Alec teased ‘Collector’ in a TikTok video, taken while his cat, Eddy, slowly falls asleep on his knee. I hope this is testament to its lullaby-like nature.
‘End of The World’ feels like a step in the right direction from the previously self-released ‘Guard Dog’ album (A melancholic masterpiece in its own right), landing itself as the inaugural release on Matt Maltese’s new record label; ‘Last Recordings on Earth’. I can only hope that Searows’ path to indie success is one that he continues to walk at his own pace, and that he finds time to watch the crows, and sit with the cats every-now-and-again.
Favourite tracks: Older, Collector, Funny
