Establishing the mood with a textured and immersive soundscape with intricate guitar riffs, Songbirds + Sirens open What If with reflective questions posed by each band member about how they met.
Ryan Smiley and Stu Miller respectively share the lyrics, “What if the sky went dark, what if I never knew, what if I didn’t dance when you asked me to?” and “What if my two left feet kept me from saying hi, what if my fear had let you walk on by?”
We love how this paints a vivid picture of what could have never been. The authenticity is tangible and the duet expands into a cohesive tapestry of sound with a super relatable message and a high emotional quotient, particularly with the chord progressions.
The astral electronica details add a psychedelic and cosmic edge to the track and the passion that the message is delivered with is truly awe-inspiring. We could imagine this being featured in a film like The People We Meet on Vacation, or an episode of My Life with the Walter Boys.
The guitar solo is transcendental and leads us through to a super emotive bridge and finale with an epic climax. The last lyrics are a genius touch bringing us back into the present moment, where it did all work out and they are here right now sharing their love and voices in unison.
Songbirds + Sirens is the emotional electro-pop project of husband and wife production and songwriting duo Ryan Smiley and Stu Miller. Together they have performed around the world with artists including Freddy Jones Band, Tracksuit Wedding, Coles Whalen, and Mz Vendetta, appearing at renowned venues such as Red Rocks, Mid America Center, JazzFest New Orleans, and War Memorial Auditorium, TN, while also sharing the stage with OneRepublic, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Pat Benatar, Lita Ford, and Mr. Big.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added What If to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we anticipate future releases from the incredible Songbirds + Sirens.