Song Essays

Teenager by Steve Kidder, Song #1: "Fabulous Things"

“Here is a collection

Of fabulous things

Curated, eclectic

You’re the first one to see…”

Is it shakers, crafted static sounds, both? 

“What is this? Sounds like Bowie, Blackstar era.”

“It’s Steve.”

I was in the lounge, racking up for a game of 9-ball, while something strange and beautiful unfurled from my friend’s portable speaker. Steven Kidder’s debut album, Teenager, opens with the shimmering Fabulous Things, a compelling invitation into this potent sonic collection. 

Surrendering to the song’s soothing percussive introduction, I feel as though in a dream: flapping wings, lapping waves, and hot electricity, all held in a spacious viscosity. “Is that a mellotron?” Birds soar across some inner horizon of my mind, like Blue Angels against a pink dawn, and I marvel at the environment of synths and sounds weaving these wonders within me.

The song’s arrangement is so tasteful, rich yet without superfluity, and as it progresses I am tenderly transported. Instrumental voices evocatively carry me to the song’s emotional and imaginal locus, and I am struck with admiration for their composer. Kidder’s voice is then artfully entangled with the instruments, imbuing those electric actors with humanity and organic fragility.

Someone is opening a door for me, his most special objects arrayed within for our consideration. 

An intimacy is conveyed by Kidder’s song Fabulous Things, the softly-sung lyrics close as my own inner voice while the music whispers in my ears. The storytelling of the synths is scintillating as the song enters new territory around the 1:00 mark. Secrets are being told? Something held in confidence now revealed, cetaceous clouds darken the song’s skies as though to cover this communication.

A monologue rocks across the dark waves of the song’s bridge or middle section, conveying what feels like a clandestine resolution, followed by an instrumental section which is itself worthy of many repeat listenings. Then the clouds break and waters calm, the harmonic shift suggesting sunshine at dawn.

“Here I am singing

It’s all plain to see

Sitting here wondering

Is it good enough, [to love me]?”

It is good enough. Here is original human art, music I longed for without anticipating; fresh, personal, surprising. Teenager is truly a collection of fabulous things. As the song says, Steven Kidder has put “feelings in a thing.” Listen.

-N