How could you forget last year’s smash hit Old Town Road? It was hard to avoid. When the original version landed at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, it became the shortest song since 1965! It took the crown from I’m Henry VIII, I Am by Herman’s Hermits. Thanks, Wikipedia!
What does the Lil Nas X tune have to do with Welsh bedroom pop quintet Rosehip Teahouse? While the link is tenuous, their latest release, Thought Number 3, comes in at one minute and forty-five seconds, eight seconds shorter than Old Town Road. While this is strikingly short for a single, the rule book is written in pencil and should be erased and rewritten from time to time.
Thought Number 3 is a concise slice of melodic drifty pop that glows with a twee radiancy. It begins with euphoric church organs fused with irresistible vocal timbres and melodies. Shiny synths blink and drift around the track like glitter while twinkling guitars sparkle and pluck at the heartstrings.
There is a jolly exterior to Thought Number 3, but this acts as a cloak to the true sentiment of the song. Lyrically, Faye Rogers tackles difficult mental health issues in a candidly head-on fashion. While the lyrics deserve to be applauded for bravery alone, how her honesty is portrayed is an artful skill.
While there are longer songs, Thought Number 3 offers so much in such a short space of time. Released via Sad Club Records, this track is a slice of honest, scintillating indie greatness that tells us everything we need to know about Rosehip Teahouse.
