Ades' singing really makes the song shine, and her delivery has a rawness to it that makes it feel unfiltered, which lets the tension and unrest show through on their own. Instead of intensifying the emotions, she reveals the imperfections, thereby intensifying the sense of discomfort. The singers know things have changed, and pretending otherwise only worsens the emotional spiral.
"Merry Go Round" is good at handling musical differences. The softer parts make the listener think, but then the harder, more forceful parts come in and break the mood, which is like being emotionally overwhelmed. This back-and-forth motion does a good job of recreating the jagged dynamics of a situation that is getting out of hand, with both calm and chaos present.
"Merry Go Round" is not just about being mad, it's also about how badly you want to see it. Carol Ades makes that realization a powerful listening experience. It feels real, tense, and like you can't ignore it. The song doesn't simply loop around, but it prompts you to contemplate the moment when you must make a decision between continuing in circles or ultimately stopping.