Establishing the mood with a 1-2 count-in and strummed acoustic guitar soundscape, Esteban Obando opens Montreal (Feeling it All) with a high emotional quotient and delicate timbre as he sings, “Heart is melting in my throat, never felt like this before, making angels in the snow, grabbing my arm and pulling me down…”
We immediately connect with the raw authenticity and poetic prowess that manifests. The metaphorical depth of the prose is sublime and the cinematic allure of the track would make it perfect for a sync placement in a film like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Good Will Hunting.
Fans of Elliott Smith will most certainly be able to connect with what Esteban Obando has created, and the chord progressions and narrative of the song truly tap into our heart’s centre. We appreciate the subtle piano riffs, especially in the middle eight.
In essence, Montreal (Feeling it All) is about being overwhelmed by memories and emotions whilst experiencing a snowy scene that feels reminiscent. The concept of the snow creates a feeling of being “frozen in time” which is hugely poetic, and allows Esteban to reflect on places, experiences and feelings that he may have kept hidden.
The song also explores emotional vulnerability. Esteban usually seems guarded, but the repeated hook “feeling it all” suggests he is finally allowing himself to fully experience his emotions. In that sense, the song is super cathartic. The crescendo at the finale is a nice touch and feels like a self-realized boost of confidence.
On the concept and his creative process, Esteban says, “Montreal (Feeling it All) is a love letter to a time and place in my life. I’m originally from Colombia but I grew up in Montreal and now I live in LA. It’s about the nostalgia associated with my time in that city. It’s a very sensory song but the lyrics are mainly about experience, memory and nostalgia.”
He adds, “I recorded it as the first single off of a waterfall release album which I’m calling Tiny Pieces of Tape vol.1, all recorded through a ’90s Tascam 424 Mk1 Portastudio (essentially a 4-track cassette tape machine). The reason I’m doing it this way, with no editing, only four available tracks and minimal effects is to capture the intimacy, immediacy and warmth of the songs. I want to strip away anything that is unnecessary, embrace the quirks and imperfections that are inevitable with this workflow, and let the song and tape tell the story.”
This authenticity really does shine through, and our comparison to Elliott Smith was not rogue at all, as Esteban confirms, “Elliott Smith used the exact same portastudio I’m using to record Roman Candle. If it was good enough for Elliott Smith to create beautiful music with, it’s definitely good enough for me. I’m also heavily influenced by his songwriting, guitar work and vocal style (relying heavily on vocal doubling). I also love Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens, Jose Gonzalez, Bon Iver, Adrianne Lenker, Wilco, Ben Gibbard and Neutral Milk Hotel.“
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Montreal (Feeling it All) to our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Esteban Obando, including Sometimes, and No Rain in LA.