When the world is continuously on the brink of extinction, people are thrusted into a never-ending state of helplessness. The brief moments when we do find relief or bliss, an odd wave of guilt washes over us. It feeds into the belief that misery must be a constant, communal experience. Thankfully, bands like The Collection remind us that we’re allowed to feel a range of emotions; even the love that’s found in their new single, “Love at the End of the World”.
“Love at the End of the World” is a love ballad about finding romance in a turbulent world lost in persistent pandemonium. The song opens with soft piano notes while lead singer David Wimbish laments over adversities that have become habitual within the first verse. The verse describes daily, dystopian measures like unaffordable housing, nonexistent insurability, climate change, insurmountable brutality, and performative activism. It’s difficult to be the generation of idealists when our dreams are “under the ashes of today”. The piano notes begin to rise towards the end of this verse and are accompanied by violin strings to reflect the sorrow of the situation we find ourselves in; seemingly the end of the world. But all is not lost, as both instruments revel in the peak of their richness listeners are treated to a chorus that provides optimism. The chorus highlights how love can be found under undesirable circumstances and doubles as a motivator to endure another day. Existing under detrimental conditions becomes mildly bearable when we have a love to look forward to, and we shouldn’t “feel guilty for feeling” this way. The ending of the chorus introduces a brief horn instrumental solo to mark the joy this newfound love has brought in. The next verse focuses on intimate adversities like the desire for a family (when most do not share that vision) and experiencing loneliness before the chorus is brought back around as reassurance. Reassurance that it’s okay to allow ourselves to feel anything outside of impeding gloom and doom. As the song progresses, atmospheric elements such as additional percussions and a choir, are incorporated to provide a cinematic experience. By the time the song ends, listeners have been enveloped in a symphony of overwhelming love. Despite the current tribulations we face, The Collection always manages to put a hopeful spin on the most tumultuous state of affairs.
“Love at the End of the World” is the last song featured on The Collection’s newly released EP, How to Survive an Ending. The EP centers on overcoming the adolescent fear of denouements. Each song on the EP focuses on a different ending: the end of the world, the end of a serious relationship, the end of an aspect of your identity – the rest of the endings you’ll have to hear for yourself. These denouements, however, do not translate into the end but simply the end of specific chapters of your life. While some are painful and take what can feel like centuries to heal from, they allow more space for the inception and creation of new chapters. For fans ready to take on the next chapter, The Collection announced touring dates to see them live! The tour begins next Friday, February 17th, at the Lowell Winterfest in Massachusetts. The rest of their performance dates and locations can be found here. If you’re unable to attend any performances, showing them some virtual love in the form of streams, likes, and follows is always appreciated, too.
Written by Giavanna Gradaille
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