Aubory Bugg details the process of moving on with her album ‘i think i had something once’
Album cover by Caity Krone
Starting off strong, Aubrey opens the album with a song about losing childhood. ‘I think I had something once’ is a song all about yearning for the past, thinking about the future, and how we change as people. “I guess that I have to live with every person that I have or that I’ve never been.” It’s very folk, and makes you want to wistfully sit in your childhood bed again.
‘circumstances’ begins with the same soft guitar. Aubrey could potentially be singing about the different stages of life, in and out of relationships, trying to find the quote-unquote “right right” but never being able to due to obstacles or excuses. She sings loud notes that resonate.
When I first listened to ‘wasted potential’ I was instantly transported back to the first time I heard ‘Girl Crush’ by Harry Styles. The starting guitar notes sound very similar to me, and something about it just reminds me of the infamous Harry song. As the song progresses, though, it’s a slow build and confession to fearing the potential of a relationship while the other person fears wasting the other’s time. The lyric “I think this could be something, Honey, if you let it” professes the dynamic of the relationship and the patience that the singer, Aubory in this case, is willing to show.
‘the one you want to lose’ this song reminisces about the lost friendships over time and the hurt that came from the end of the relationship. There is a piano in this one and background vocals. The song is commanding and a declaration of how much the breakup hurts.
‘nosedive’ is one of the singles that have already been released. This may be the most upbeat song thus far, it’s rhythmic and instantly catchy. Based on the lyrics “nothing like the right guy, wrong time” we can interpret this song to be about losing a “first love” and the bittersweet feelings that follow, half-wishing for a do-over, half praying no further contact is made.
Switching gears ‘still want you to’ takes on a much slower, melancholic tune that deals with themes of hurt or staying in a relationship that deep down isn’t right. They want to be with someone and are willing to be a punching bag for said person because it feels worth it to be together. Lyrics such as, “I will pull my punches till I’m black and blue” and “I hate how you hurt me, but I still want you to” depict the dynamics of the relationship, the desperation of just being with a person despite how bad it may be. This is probably a personal favorite of mine.
The seventh song on the album ‘i’ve come to realize’ talks about relationships outside of romance – platonic and familial. There are prevalent themes of grief tangled within the lyrics: the passing of a loved one. The song touches on the idea of having relationships with people knowing that eventually, it will all come to an end. There is a bit of existentialism intertwined in this song, accepting that everything does end, but that it’s okay to accept that and continue loving a person. The end is a few powerful notes, sounding almost like a trumpet or horn of some sort, signalling a new beginning or end.
‘just embers now’ is an anthem for a relationship ending on a positive note. It’s a punchy tune recalling the last moments of a relationship but also the lessons learned, good and bad. “Taught me love is fleeting, but it’s no hard feeling” is an interesting lyric that spoke to me, possibly talking about how easy it is to love, but that it’s also sometimes over for the better.
Photo by Caity Krone
Track nine starts with the classic metaphor of Icarus and the sun. ‘i can’t’ follows the story of unrequited love, the idea of a relationship with a particular person that has no real weight. There’s a chant-like bright “you should’ve could’ve, would’ve if you wanted to” that changes the meaning of the song: the fact that the singer knows it’s not a fault of theirs or accepting that it’s not worth begging for.
This one is Aubory’s personal favorite; ‘farewell to dreaming’ is a piano track, recalling a past relationship that she is glad is over. This one was a little hard for me to try and decipher; the message is clear: a final goodbye and declaration that no more thoughts will be wasted thinking about this particular past relationship, though there is a sense of longing with the ending lyrics, “what a life we could’ve had if the word worried like that,” which I think is particularly beautiful because it is still positive despite not being hopeful for another try.
‘close enough’ is the penultimate song. This song follows similarly to the other songs thematically: the final step to getting over a relationship and deciding that it’s enough to try and move on. Aubrey sings wonderfully in this one, lots of powerful belty notes that could act as a declaration of moving on, happy cheers almost.
The final song ‘sometimes (i love you)’ is likely about her new relationship, the longing of wanting to tell a previous partner about her new one. The different emotions felt, the ups and downs, and difficulties of moving on. The lyric “I don’t wish you well because I don’t waste wishes on you anymore” is proof of sorts that she’d moved on and that times are different. The song ends with a powerful chorus that I love. This is a declaration that this is the last song Aubory will write about this particular person, which is stated through this being the last song on the album.
All in all, Aubory Bugg managed to capture the rocky process of healing and moving on, the backtracks, regret, and complex emotions that come with doing so. She created a folk masterpiece that is perfect for the end of summer transitioning to fall, the start of a new season literally and metaphorically.
