There’s a quiet moment built into Hand Gestures’ latest single, “Justin’s Funeral”. This pause has been expertly carved from the heart of their self-titled debut LP, a project that stands fully committed to self-reflection and the sometimes-painful tenderness of memory. As masters of alternative rock that exists as something intimate and emotionally textured, the band continues to dig even deeper on this track, offering what might be the most human and resonant song they’ve shared from the project.
“Justin’s Funeral” is ultimately a musical self-portrait from frontman Brian Russ. The track looks back at a lifelong relationship with music. By extension, it also offers a glimpse into the personal turning points, losses, and transformations that have shaped him throughout this relationship. The song itself doesn’t dramatize the realities of these experiences. Instead, it speaks with honesty and almost nonchalance under the weight of everything.
However, the aesthetic of the track also gives it a uniquely personal texture that nobody could have anticipated. It doesn’t try to hide the rough edges of grief, growth, and memory. Instead, it almost works around them. Only by doing so did Hand Gestures create a listening experience that is spare, unfiltered, and deeply personal. Russ feels as though he’s letting us in on a secret that we’re only just ready to hear.
Ultimately, “Justin’s Funeral” is something that lingers, a piece of meaning that transcends a song of mourning. It asks us to consider how music becomes a language for the things we can’t speak, and how we continue to process loss and the lessons we gain from it long after it’s over. Its arrangement is stripped back to underscore the emotion it carries, allowing room for silence, breath, and thought. Nothing is more than what it truly is, and for that, the whole piece feels incredibly unembellished.
Tags
Alternative rock