Haunting in its vulnerability and empathic relationship to escape, Vinn Lombardo's “Sedatives and Alcohol,” the artist's latest single, is a stunning combination of confessional songwriting and dimensional production. Altogether, the song is a perceptive exploration of mental distress, avoidance, and self-contradiction. As the artist's third release, it is certainly the most vulnerable of the songs.
A moody soundscape lays the ambiance of the song from the very first notes, precisely minimalist as it is heavy with emotion. Hilariously, I would describe Vinn Lombardo's vocals as lived in, which almost sounds creepy to say. Vinn’s singing creates an intimate experience of whispering secrets into your ear while relaying the intoxicating temptation of temporary relief. The lyrics are quite raw and unfiltered, reflecting the complex feelings of a person who is diving as deeply into the greatest coping mechanism of all, but also having an inner dialogue of being able to feel anything at all.
The use of the title is literal and not metaphorical, and that is what brings it home. There is nothing glamorous about the blackness represented in these lyrics, only a reflection of what could only be described in a moment of creativity. The song fuses genres of alternative R and B, lo-fi pop, and touches of electronica. The production soundscape of sounds is purposeful. Ranging from the heavy synth reverb to the ghostly backing vocals, each sonic selection is deliberate and suitable for the storytelling experience. It's a sound worth remembering.
"Sedatives and Alcohol" is not a party anthem; it is a sobering meditation on survival. VinnLombardo provides something impossibly real.