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Photo: Will Wark

A new year brings fireworks, sparklers, and a clean slate, but it also brings reflection on the year past and what we have lost. Atlanta duo hey, nothing, made up of Tyler Mabry (he/him) and Harlow Phillips (they/them), is starting the new year with “Barn Nursery,” their latest single that focuses on loss and the feelings that come with it. 

“Barn Nursery” opens with Phillips’ sweet and tender vocals, accompanied by guitar and a simple drum beat. The song’s lyrics are honest and clear-cut, laying the singers’ pain out for listeners to hear. In the second verse, Phillips sings “If I could've changed your mind / If I knew I was out of time / Would've met you on the ice,” followed by “I'm stuck waiting on the same light / Waiting on the same light,” the same lyrics that round out the first verse. 

The bridge consists of a single word, “Bye,” repeated over and over. The single-word bridge gives a feeling of finality and acceptance before the third verse begins and turns that right on its head. Mabry sings the final verse and his vocals, much more midwest emo than Phillips', add an air of heartbroken desperation to the end of the song. The final verse begins with the same lyrics as the second, “If I could’ve changed your mind,” but then diverge with Mabry crying out, “I would've ran that fucking light / I would've watched you grow up right / And never have to say goodbye.” Despite Mabry wishing that he didn't have to say goodbye, Phillips can be heard throughout the third verse singing “Bye.” It feels as though Phillips has come to terms with the loss while Mabry is still working through his guilt and pain.

Despite its simple instrumentation and straightforward lyrics, “Barn Nursery” tackles the complexity of grief and guilt with care and grace. hey, nothing has started their year on the right foot and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for the duo.

Listen to "Barn Nursery" below: