Music Review // Strange Plants "Lay Your Mind"

  When "Lay Your Mind" begins, you'll hear this nice percussion groove which can bring out acoustics with it, but by the time the song really kicks in, Strange Plants will have you feeling like you're in outerspace.   Musically complex, I can feel this one somewhere between David Bowie and a song from "Breakfast Club" soundtrack but also some more modern rock sounds like The Killers.  You're going to hear what you hear in terms of rock music within, but it has a very distinct sound (maybe you'll even pick out an artist such as U2) and I feel it depends on the influences of the listener as well.

Lyrically Strange Plants are discussing something within this song which I feel we all need to talk about more and that is our mental health.  If you're aware of what's going on in the world right now, you're probably full of a lot of emotions.  The idea of "Lay Your Mind" can feel like someone spilling their guts to a professional therapist, but at the same time, I think everyone just needs someone to talk to- even if it's not on a paid level- where they can just get things out.   A professional may not be able to help you anyway, but a friend just letting you know you're not alone in how you feel might be enough.

With lyrics such as "She says she's knows / She's got a hold and she won't let go" it can feel like a sense of comfort in having someone there for you.  To have that one person in your life like that could be life-changing.   On top of that, there are the lyrics: "She looks so calm / I carry on" because we need that person to kind of calm us down and ease our mind, not also be panicking along with us when the world is literally on fire.   Sometimes you might be on either side of this, but talking and listening are both so important.

One of the things I really feel like I enjoy the most about the song "Lay Your Mind" is that when you're listening to it you can hear these layered parts, especially at times like the chorus.  This can feel like it represents just how much chatter we hear in our daily lives and how overwhelming it can be, without really making the song feel too over-complicated and trigger these emotions in the listener.  Being able to represent that while not causing it isn't easy, but Strange Plants finds a way and hopefully you will as well.