Written by Suzanne Leszczynski
After a 3-year hiatus, Canadian alt-rock outfit, Locket, has returned with a boom, delivering energetic new single “Sonic Bloom” via Fearless Records. This song was the first new piece of music vocalist Brad Garcia began writing for Locket in 2020, with nothing but an instrumental frame to hold what would become a lyrically introspective masterpiece.
The song begins with fuzzy guitars and muted vocals, a seemingly mellow start that takes a mere 26 seconds to explode into a powerful and passionate chorus introduced by a buildup of quickened drum taps and blaring guitar strums. Garcia belts the beginning of the first chorus and listeners are immediately thrown into a whirlwind of euphoric energy, swept up by the positivity of his lyrics.
Thematically, this song marks an honest reflection of past struggle and the road to actualizing a fresh perspective on life. The entire song is structured in a back-and-forth sonically stylistic and lyrically emotional juxtaposition. Lyrics such as “Met each other in a house, doused in gasoline…window panes bursting out” are presented as a series of defeating flashbacks trying to emerge in softer verses. These flashbacks are soon conquered by the band’s more recent optimistic experiences in confident choruses launched by the words “Backflip, weightless ‘round the room.”
“Sonic Bloom” was written as a love letter to Garcia’s wife, friends, and Locket. The song is dedicated to all that the band has accomplished over the 10-year music-making trek between the band’s previous moniker, Safe to Say, and the Locket we know today. This song is also dedicated to the equally important personal accomplishments of everyone in the band over the past few years. Garcia notes that a healthy and crucial step for the band’s ability to grow as a collective has included reflecting on and developing different aspects of their lives as individual members, from experiencing marriage to strengthening their bond as friends rather than just professional partners. “Flowers thrown over your head. It’s true that I’m all in” is proof of the band’s dedication to re-discovering what it means to build beautiful relationships outside of music, creating a new love for making music, and wholly falling into what they love as a result.
A defining moment in the song that perfectly exemplifies the band’s current outlook on life comes at the end of the second verse when the music cuts out; Garcia’s voice is left to powerfully highlight the words “Overgrown and amplified.” It’s clear that Locket is a band proudly in bloom and if this song is telling of what’s to come, there’s a whole lot more blossoming from Locket to admire.
“Sonic Bloom” is available on all streaming platforms. Be sure to keep up with Locket on Twitter @locket! If you’ve heard the song, let us know what you think by tweeting us @lgndsoftmrw!