42. Single Review of Psychedelics by Savannah Campbell

Originally published September 17th, 2024

About the Artist

This review hits home for me. Literally. Because this artist is from the same city I’m from. Like me, Savannah Campbell calls Gallatin, Tennessee home. I first heard of her when I happened across one of her fliers promoting an album release while I was in the lobby at my son’s guitar lesson.

Campbell started releasing music in the summer of 2023, with her first single, Neon Seconds. She released her debut album, Wrong Side of the Radio, on September 15th, 2023, just over one year ago. “By blending music of past decades with her storytelling voice, Savannah has created a truly original sound that has something for everyone.” (Spotify bio)

Savannah Campbell’s music and style defies borders. It’s not just country or folk. It’s not just rock or soul. It has a sound that could fit in today’s music, the 90’s, or the 60’s and 70’s. Her low and raspy voice compares Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell, with references to Fiona Apple, Jewel and Sheryl Crow as well, though she is more of an alto than the latter two.

You can read more about Savannah Campbell at her website, and you can follow her on Instagram and Facebook to hear more news about new releases, performances, and more.

About the Song

Psychedelics Is a folk, indie record released on August 23rd, 2024. It plays for just under 4 minutes. It features acoustic guitar, drums, a fiddle-style violin, organ, piano, bass guitar, and electric guitar, as well as lead and backing vocals provided by Campbell. 

It is a slower tempo piece and it fits nicely into the folk genre.

About the Music

Everything about the melody and accompaniment of this song is done in a whisper. Even the builds. Introducing one element after another, as if each instrument is sneaking into a meeting, wanting to do so unnoticed, I found myself having to listen to the record a couple of times to determine when some elements were introduced. It was a very delightful production element that really set the tone of the overall work. The instrumentation of this song pairs with Campbell’s voice eloquently. She doesn’t give the perception that she would ever shout at you to get your attention. Instead, she seems to have the ability to silence a room by raising her hand. Even the instrumental performance seems to hang in the balance, waiting to hear what she is going to say next. 

About the Lyrics

Speaking of what she’s saying, the lyrics in this record are incredibly profound. “What did you think would happen? Livin’ life on psychedelics? You knew what the world was supposed to be, but you thought that you found magic.” At the start, we don’t know if the author is being literal or speaking metaphorically, but it seems to imply that the subject is living in a dream and the narrator is bringing them back to reality. 

“Colors getting you down, my friend? That’s not how they work, better try again. The man in the mirror is lying but is he really you? The man on the stage is crying but what is he supposed to do?” After hearing these lyrics, I think the song is more about life and it not meeting the subject’s expectations. Furthermore, the subject is being spoken to like they’re one person but it could be any one of us. I particularly enjoy the line “Colors getting you down, my friend? That’s not how they work, better try again.” The narrator seems to be saying to the subject that the beauty is there, the subject needs to look from a different perspective. I think that is one of life’s most unexpected lessons. We all grow up with expectations and we live a reality. Serenity is when we discover that our reality exceeds our expectations. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen for everybody. Some people have unfortunate life experiences and some people can’t appreciate the fortune in their lives because they’re too fixated on their expectations. 

I am not going to try to speak on that? What do I know? Life is for each of us to figure out. Campbell seems to have made that determination herself. She’s taken the approach to ground the subject. 

Final Thoughts

Psychedelics is an incredibly intelligent song. Melodically it’s like a river, with each element introducing itself like a new current; taking the listener further and further down stream. 

Lyrically, this is the kind of song that means something to me now and it could mean something completely different in a couple of weeks, then mean something different from that in a couple of years. It’s about where we are, where we want to be, and where we’re meant to be. That changes for all of us. 

One thing is clear. Savannah Campbell is where she is meant to be. Behind a guitar, in front of a microphone, sharing her music with listeners willing to withstand the current of her message.