The sea has been fodder for many literary and songwriting folk. Whether you’re looking out upon its vastness from the shore or experiencing its fury within, it is an awe-inspiring experience that stirs up a range of complex emotions. For singer-songwriter S J Denney, he feels at home on the beach with his maritime inspired, folk tune, “All I’ve Ever Known.” With a methodical, folk rock melody, Denney captures the lonesome isolation of being marooned on a metaphorical island of your own creation.
On this track, Denney subsists on a delicate, acoustic laden melody that subtly skims along undulating waves. While striving for an isolation theme, it evokes visions of sitting at the foot of the seashore and watching the tubular tides rush in. There’s nothing but you, the sand and the sea. As captivating as that scene may seem, it cannot be your whole world.
Denney relates loneliness and helplessness to the age-old metaphor that “no man’s an island.” Although he is not seeking a “rescue,” he acknowledges that “no man’s an island without a helping hand to hold him while he’s hiding in castles made of sand.” With the right guidance, cloistering one’s self from the world is a temporary solution that is easily swept away by the shifting tides of life.
Once everything starts to crumble around him, Denney finds a seismic shift underneath his feet. As “the tide comes in,” it vanquishes his solitude as his “kingdom’s crashing down.” Nothing is spared, including everything he’s “ever known.” This is an individual’s realm built on familiarity. Once everything is upended, it bears no resemblance to the comfort zone he’s manufactured for himself.
Comfort and familiarity are what Denney relies upon with this relaxing folk tune. While “All I’ve Ever Known” explores reclusive themes, the sonic backdrop is welcoming to the ear. You can’t escape the calming ambiance that settles in over you.
Written by Travis Boyer
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