Eliza & The Delusionals Take a Thematic 180 with "Sentimental"
By Caitlin Denny
Seven months after the release of their second EP, A State of Living In An Objective Reality, Australian rockers Eliza & The Delusionals recently released their newest single, “Sentimental,” and it does not disappoint.
The band are no stranger to heartbreak, which is especially noted with their 2019 hit, “Just Exist” (which was their debut single in the United States). The track is currently close to 3 million plays on Spotify after having gained traction on Sirius XM’s Alt Nation, where listeners voted it into the No. 1 spot on the Weekly Alt18 Countdown. After it first hit No. 1, it remained in the top 10 for weeks.
With the success of “Just Exist,” alt music fans awaited the release of their latest EP, which came during a monumental month for the band. At that point, they wrapped up a tour with Silversun Pickups and were slated to hit the road with beabadoobee on the Sirius XM Advanced Placement tour. Unfortunately, the pandemic put the latter — and their plans to perform at iconic North American music festivals Firefly, South by Southwest and BottleRock Napa Valley this past summer, and to open for alternative band PVRIS this past spring — on hold.
So, along with other musicians these past few months, their process of songwriting was also pushed to a halt. Finally, however, “Sentimental” is the first song the band has released since the COVID-19 outbreak, proving that uncertainty can be a time of growth, reflection, and creativity.
The song is a complete lyrical 180 from “Just Exist,” as its subject matter is more hopeful, as opposed to the hit single — while listening to it, as cliche as it sounds, I couldn’t help but feel sentimental, which is odd considering its recent release. I felt this weird sense of giddiness when I heard the chorus kick in — “Cause it's blue right now/ But we'll do it and do it again.” The best way I can describe the feeling it evoked is by comparing it to how I felt when I first met my boyfriend five years ago — feeling hopeful, content and on top of the world. If the feeling of falling in love had a sound to it, this song would be it.
What makes Eliza & The Delusionals unique is that every time I listen to them, I envision being in a crowd, without a care in the world, and listening to music. The group has a way of creating a sound unlike any other, with touching lyrics, ’90s nostalgia guitar riffs, and vocals that sound can make you feel like you’re at a live show in a dive bar (in a good way). I can’t wait for the day that we can enjoy live music again, but in the meantime, Eliza and The Delusionals will fill the void.
Keep up to date with Eliza & The Delusionals!