Words by: Julia Poholek

Arriving just in time to warm up the chilly breezes of late-Autumn, New England-bred duo Late Night Thoughts have released a heartfelt new EP, Bridges & Tunnels. With earnest lyrics tackling the ups and downs of young adulthood, the five-song piece shines brightly and inspires an optimistic perspective toward life’s hardships.

Comprised of Brian Rauch [vocals] and Michael Harlow [instrumentals and backing vocals], the two met as students at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, in a course titled “Protest Through Song.” They soon teamed up and began writing together, ultimately leading to their first EP — 2018’s Moonlit Memories. Taking their musical partnership to the next step, Rauch and Harlow have since relocated to Brooklyn, where they can be seen regularly playing shows around the city and gaining a following with each appearance.

The EP opens with “Get Back Up,” a positive song centering around the theme of recovering from a turbulent time and coming back stronger than before. The song builds gradually, moving from an acoustic introduction with soft vocals to a percussive chorus with a catchy beat and rhythmic clapping. This build mimics the personal growth that the lyrics describe, altogether lending itself to the idea of finding strength and self-motivation.

“Sacrifice” comes in strong as the second track — and it’s immediately clear why it stands at the helm of the EP as the lead single. The song walks us through the tension of having a romantic relationship while also pursuing a dream. The band explains, “The hook of the song is ‘one thing I won’t sacrifice’ but it’s intentionally ambiguous if that ‘one thing’ is the romantic partner, or the pursuit of a dream…because we can’t live without either of them.” Anyone familiar with this struggle will find solace in the song’s message of forgiveness of oneself – embracing stability in whatever form you can find it.

Bridges & Tunnels breaks out with a ballad falling into line — one boldly goes straight for the heartstrings. Approaching a difficult topic head-on, Faith lays bare the painful feelings of a long distance relationship losing its luster and fading away. Anyone who has experienced the dissolution of a relationship of any sort will find identity here, but the song is acutely aware of the insecurities and uncertainties that are unique to long distance relationships in particular. “I don’t know how to/How to give you all of me/I hop on a plane across the sea/Love can’t have conditions/Maybe it’s not the distance.” Brian Rauch’s vocals are showcased here as he shares the confusion, emptiness, and grief of these revelations.

“Love Ain’t Cheap” is an ode to finding richness beyond the parameters of financial wealth — being rich in love. As we’re mirrored in the darkness of a culture that’s unhealthily obsessed with monetary value, this track challenges those ideas of conventional wealth. “Living life in luxury/We got everything we could ever need/Even though we’re broke this love ain’t cheap.” It provides the much-needed reminder that a healthy relationship shouldn’t depend on money or material possessions, and that ultimately, love is more valuable than money.

Rounding out the EP, “Inches” is a tender commentary on how rewarding it can be to go slowly in the beginning stages of a relationship. Here, we see the band come into their own and stand tall in the maturity they’ve gained through the lessons learned in the previous tracks. Says Rauch, “Every facet of our being has taken a giant leap forward, from the clothes we wear to the videos we make and the music itself. This EP will take you on a journey through what life has been like for us as young adults trying to live out our dreams while struggling with our fears and holding on to love.” Through celebrating the idea of handling a new relationship with care, Rauch and Harlow reach a level of emotional intuition that has been an undercurrent running through the whole EP.

Bridges & Tunnels is an antidote to those struggles we face in our quietest moments with ourselves. It’s an EP you turn to for the comfort of knowing you aren’t alone in those internal conflicts. After this five-track piece, you’re bound to move forward feeling refreshed – finding your heart and mind working in sync.

WEBSITE | YOUTUBE| FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM