After bells and whistles, everything goes downhill. Look, I’m not pessimistic all the time, and neither is Adeoluwa’s baby, but love is not simple. Love is the single most consequential indulgence; Hercule Pirot said “Romance never goes unpunished.”
To love is to borrow from the universe, to ask more than you have the right to. It is a debt the universe will collect. In exchange for Bells and Whistles, you will give bits of your soul. So be careful when you ask “Let Me In.” Even still, when Ade hits the chorus on “Dey Forever” love feels worth it on every level. Screw it, I’ll jump of this 20,000 ft cliff, and I’m doomed to a shattering end but for several moments falling will feel like flying.
“Coloured In” reminds me of that sweet delusion. Those few moments after you’ve dived off that cliff and all you feel is the wind blowing against the coal in your heart. In those moments, the fall is healing you. It feels like love is doing all it promised to do. You’re sure you made the right decision, and so you had the audacity to open your eyes — only to find out “Old ways die hard.”
Here comes introspection. Why me? Why them? Why us? Why now? Mo’s Song is a story of defiance. Haven’t you been there before? Summoning strength against all odds. Why won’t you? It’s only fair to fight. A true lover is a fighter.
Then you realize it takes two to fight, two to dance, two to fall, if there was ever a chance of flying. “Never Show It” Is the part you see you were on your own in this ring, fighting a suffocating darkness, and your dance was a lonely waltz to a sad song.
Why don’t they realize this? Why won’t they keep Bells and Whistles ringing forever? “S’okan” asks many questions, the universe provides no answers, but the melody will soothe your ache.
“Turninoniown” is one my favourites from this album. It is sweet, it is dramatic, it rumbles, it is intense, it is a man embracing himself because loving is not a crime. Loving is not a sin. It is noble to try, even if one fails. I forgive you, but those days are gone.
“Those Days are Gone” is acceptance. But it’s beyond acceptance. It’s growth. Love is a treacherous journey that can be traumatic, but it’s a worthy journey. When Ade sings “New days are here” It’s hard not to imagine day breaking into night. Music, the kind of music Ade makes, allows for survival. And so After Bells and Whistles feels like being buried in a garden, where broken and bruised seeds are revived and given a chance to flower again.
Artist: Adeoluwa
Album: After Bells and Whistles
