Phillip LaRue - “Ships”
Phillip LaRue is no stranger to the pages of our blog and he once again appears via his latest track, “Ships.” With a handful of solo albums already under his belt, 2023 is shaping up to be a very good year for his rich craft in songwriting.
“Ships” begins with a unique, acoustic guitar and strings arrangement, delicately performed in staccato, which brings about a sense of urgency. And from the description he provided us of the song, this makes perfect sense: “Ships” is about “leaving everything behind for someone and not looking back.” Although the instruments are wonderfully performed here, LaRue’s vocal is always the reason that we press play on his music.
His voice on “Ships” is very well captured as it delivers a heartfelt performance and we are especially fans of his falsetto, which he is able to effortlessly conjure at the perfect times. These inflections add emphasis to the lyrics and lead the listener to believe every word that he sings. There is almost a Chris Martin vibe here, before Coldplay seemingly left their guitars behind in order to fill dance floors.
At about ninety second in, “Ships” brings us a robust rhythm section and some vocal harmonies, ensuring that all listeners remain engaged. This is a great aspect of LaRue’s songwriting as he lets the track build and widen without losing sight of the message and tone– unfortunately, not all artists take advantage of this, which can make our job of writing about the music extremely difficult. But when we see a submission from LaRue, we can always count on a densely populated production.
Overall, “Ships” is a truly delightful number that will ensure your weekend is filled with good vibes, so give it a spin and, if you have not yet done so, be sure to explore LaRue’s catalogue.
About the song, LaRue adds that is was “inspired by a deep conversation I had with friends on my back porch. After chatting with them, I kept hearing the phrase ‘burn the ships,’ and I thought about my love, Lisa. Despite my past, despite the pain of loss in both of our lives we somehow met each other randomly. It wasn't random, though, and I believe God knew what he was doing in the background of our stories. I was determined not to co-write this one and tackle it on my own and remind myself of who Lisa is, who she will always be. She’s worth burning all the ships for...even my pride, ego and ideals.”
-TM