'Staring Out The Windows' is an intricately woven tale of young romance, falling in love and the consequent lessons of heartbreak.
Delivering a passionate blend of big-hearted indie rock and lyrics as honest as they are emotive, Melbourne artist Seb Szabo is transporting listeners to a beguiling, hypnotic realm with his newly-released debut EP, Staring Out The Windows.
A sonic poet inspired by the cinematic indie rock of Coldplay and Kings of Leon, Szabo’s warm six-track EP is the stuff of lighters-in-the-air magic.
With a resonant voice reminiscent of Gang of Youths’ Dave Le’aupepe, the EP is a captivating combination of both subdued, acoustic instrumentation and simple pop-inspired melodies, and jubilant ascending guitars and vibrant percussion, all woven neatly together with smooth production.
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Szabo’s croon remains intimate and charming throughout, but what’s often more notable through the EP is his intricately beautiful thoughtfulness and cinematic style of songwriting, painting an honest portrait of his own experiences of life and love. There’s undeniable beauty and intimacy forged from this, and it’s here that we’re delicately handed an intimate window view into his personal life.
Beginning with EP opener ‘November’ which is an upbeat, guitar-lead track that surrounds delving into a new relationship with no fear of heartbreak; where one is ‘alone but never lonely’, and leading into the breezy ‘Waste A Little Time’ which represents the ‘honeymoon’ phase of the relationship with an emphasis on lightness, fun and an all-encompassing experience, and the melancholic ‘Enough’, which portrays the unstable ground of the two lovers as cracks in the relationship begin to appear, Szabo creates an intimate and vulnerable journey that envelops the listener into vivid cinematic introspect of their own experiences.
Continuing on the emotional voyage, ‘Postcard’ is a build-up of thoughts and feelings following a relationship break – expressing all of the things you cannot say from a far away location; while the delicate and drifting ‘Broughton Street Lookout’ is about pausing and reflecting on a relationship that has all but ended, fractured but with purpose.
Arriving at the final track ‘Even If You Break My Heart’, having taken us on almost a spiritual journey, Szabo is self-assured and alluring. Written in a place of resolution, experiences of love and heartbreak are tightly packaged in a confident indie-rock bop that’s the perfect bookend to the EP.
“This record is the first five years of my life out of high school, trying to remain hopeful amidst a journey of broken love, self-discovery and ultimately, courage in my convictions as a human being and artist,” Szabo says.
“The primary story here is of first love and long-distance romance, and the naivety and anguish that comes with it. I gambled on love with someone interstate and lost, and it wore me down in ways I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I like to think I emerged with my sense of self intact, despite its repeated fracturing, but the entire experience’s joys and challenges are reflected in these songs.”
Raw and relatable, Szabo has presented his most intimate feelings and emotions for the world to see, in a rather spectacular fashion. The EP’s impressive anthems are lush and tender, with the ability to stand alone or play a part of the larger narrative at hand.
With an extravagant voice, this EP epitomises Szabo as both an expert songwriter and proficient musician. Having already earned himself a solid reputation as the enigmatic frontman of Atticus Street, Szabo launched this solo endeavour in 2019 with his debut track ‘Tears We’ve Been Holding Back’, and has since seen him embrace a vibrant new sonic direction, with songs that both lift your spirits and empty your lungs.
Taking inspiration from icons Bruce Springsteen and Coldplay, Szabo is forging his music journey with the release of ‘Staring Out The Windows’, with a bonus track featuring powerhouse Gretta Ray set for release in October 2021.
‘Staring Out The Windows’ is out now. Check it out below.
