Pick of the Week: Arlo Parks “Hurt”

By Meghan Hockridge, Staff Writer

Accompanied only by a steady backbeat and baseline, Arlo Parks puts her lyricism at the forefront in "Hurt". It's the second track off the British singer/songwriter's debut album, Collapsed in Sunbeams. Parks takes no time to get right into the brutality in the song, opening with the lines "Charlie drank it 'til his eyes burned / Then forgot to eat his lunch / Pain was built into his body / Heart so soft, it hurt to beat." Every word rings clear with the drums and bass not distracting, but even accentuating the rhythm of her voice. 

Parks cites Sylvia Plath and Joni Mitchell as two of her biggest inspirations. With those influences, it's no surprise that she has such affinity for poetic lines. They make even the most painful moments sound beautiful. She even takes a moment in the song to flex this skill with a spoken section. 

One of the most beautiful things about this song is the hopefulness Arlo Parks brings to the chorus. She repeats "wont hurt so much forever" over and over again. The track ends with Parks almost muttering the phrase to herself for over a minute. She uses this line to talk directly to the listener, repeating it to reinforce the importance of impermanence.

Every Monday, our music staff brings you a new Pick of The Week, detailing some of our favorite songs. Check out our previous Picks of the Week here, and make sure to tune in to WERS 88.9FM!