“Y do U” by T3AGRAY is a vulnerable rock ballad imbued with both heaviness and simplicity. You’ll absorb the rock undertones while still floating along the wave of gentle, heart-wrenching emotionality. Without any dramatic eruptions of instrumentation or belted melodies, T3AGRAY still manages to get across the desperation and pain of a troubled relationship.
It begins with a few humble power chords, carving out a bittersweet progression. The vocals come in on some “La’s,” then swiftly shift to the first verse: “Sometimes I lay in bed / Thinking about the things I said to you.” His voice has that moody, alternative affectation we tend to associate with this genre. Chords ring out with shimmers of echo and reverb, underpinned by a distorted, distant drum groove.
As we continue on, we’re gifted with a lot more emotionally gratifying elements. Harmonies and background vocals envelop the pre-chorus. The lyrics become even more descriptive, therefore more poignant. T3AGRAY’s vocal performance gets more and more emotive by the minute. Before you know it, we’re drifting into the outro, which fades away with the same motifs and textures as the intro. This full-circle technique gives the song this sort of depressing edge–like it starts and ends just the same, despite the burst of content in between. It’s an incredibly effective way to structure a song, and in this case, it certainly adds to the message.
Be sure to give T3AGRAY a listen! Not only is this song a brilliant display of artistry, but his other discography demonstrates that as well.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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