SINGLE REVIEW: MARTA - OVERSTAYED
There must be a great back story to be unearthed surrounding Marta, in 2018 she made the album "The Story", which listening now seems to be something of a classic, it has certainly aged well. However since then we can't find anything she has released but she is back with a bang for sure with "Overstayed".
Musically it is pretty sparse, some electronica is joined by electric guitars playing out moody hypnotic, scene setting riffs, however it is Marta and her delivery that steal the show.
With just an acoustic guitar accompanying the opening verse, it focuses the attention on Marta's vocals, and they have a vulnerable tinge to them, it is almost confessional. The words are almost teased out as if she doesn't want to say them, for this is addressing a relationship that has run its course, continuing on autopilot, and with sudden change someone inevitably will be hurt.
"Guess the bed we made is comfortable,
Makes it easier to overstay
There’s nothing wrong with being vulnerable
But it’s harder when it feels this way
Perfect on paper
Perfect in your dreams
Perfectly dysfunctional for me"
The second half of the opening verse pulls no punches, each of those "perfects" hits hard. The first line saying everything seems to look okay, but the "your" in the second line carries a lot of weight, it underlines whose vision of happiness is being met. The final line really underlines just how much it isn't working out for Marta.
The chorus sees Marta almost painfully explaining the situation
"I overthink
I over feel
You breathe, I break
We call it fate
Loving shouldn’t feel this way
But I still anyway
I pulled away
We both overstayed"
The final line is eventually repeated after quite a pause, with real sadness and regret deeply etched into it, as Marta stresses each of the constituent syllables elongating the word considerably.
The second verse is bleak, Marta knows that things cannot continue. Musically the second verse fills out with percussion
"Guess the house we built is beautiful
Feels like it’s been haunted nowadays
I would give you all my love for free
til there’s nothing left for me"
A sole banjo subtly undercuts Marta repeating "Both overstayed"
A final chorus begins more or less with just Marta, which makes it all the more absorbing, eventually the guitar and banjo reappear but they are muted.
The final guitar riff echoes the one that started things off and we are left hanging. It feels like there should be another verse but it is absolutely perfect as there isn't. On hearing it the first time, it immediately went straight to repeat for a further five times. Marta's vocals carry the weight of the decision she is about to make, they also convey that although it is hard, it is the right thing to do
Even the cover picture is somewhat hypnotic, Marta staring at her reflection in a mirror, with candles placed before the mirror.
Overstayed is released October 23rd - Link to the pre-save: https://ffm.to/marta-overstayed
