Thirty Days of Music Day 04 - A Song That Makes You Sad

I really struggled to pick one song for this category because there are so many really incredible sad songs.  For a while I toyed with Konstantine by Something Corporate, but I feel its message isn't actually sorrowful even if the melody is.  I also thought about Winter by Joshua Radin and Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley, but these seemed a tad predictable.  In the end I was stuck between My Love Has Gone by Josh Rouse and Kingdom of Rust by Doves and I went for the latter.

The song itself is not classically, or stereotypically, sad - it's not slow, lilting and soppy, it's not quiet and gentle and it's not about doomed love.  Doves have created a song that is driven and progressive that also exudes earnest emotion and paints a bleak, beautiful picture of England.  Williams' vocals are simple in melody but they encourage contemplation.  He sings out 'My God/ It takes an ocean of trust/ It takes an effort it does' and it feels like the song could be applied to any part of our lives.

The video that so beautifully accompanies it is an almost perfectly appropriate interpretation of the song, and together they make one of the most moving pieces of art I've ever seen.  The shots of England are absolutely stunning and the conclusion of the video seems so genuine - it's as if the director has invested great personal and emotional experience into its creation.

Even though I have little other experience of Doves, this song alone gives me great respect for their songwriting ability and I would also recommend Caught by the River. 

Come back tomorrow for a song that reminds me of someone.