The title of this piece has gotta be one of my favorite opening lines ever—my ears perked up upon first hearing “Useless (Without You)” and I haven’t put the song down since.
Elmiene is such a powerhouse talent. A true R&B songster with a classic voice—light and airy, yet precise and angular. He’s got a balance of rasp and tonal clarity that every singer yearns for. First class vocals are effortless for him and you can tell, but he’s absolutely putting work into his pen.
“Useless (Without You)” is a concept song chockfull of metaphors, detailing how losing the one you love flips you, twists you and turns you upside down. You’re showering in your clothes, sleeping with the lights on, playing your piano with your guitar “‘cause when it comes down to it/It’s different without you, yeah”. The outro is the most heartbreaking part as Elmiene nakedly pleads and wails from that indelible, delicately yearning chest voice: “how did this end up being my reality?” It’s a relatable feeling that unfortunately never gets old in this life—and Elmiene captures it for the millionth time, but it still nails you right where you need it to. This song has made me cry more than once this year and I’m sharing it with y’all to get into your feels too while the weather is still a lil cold in NYC.
Also get into Someday and Mad At Fire - my two other faves.
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CD Radio is a platform where I muse about the music I’m listening to and tell you why I love it. In this digitally gluttonous/hyperconsumptive/painfully oversaturated music and media climate, a lot of people are struggling to keep up with music or find good music at all. CD Radio is my answer to that problem— I’m helping you cut through the noise and not just discover but properly experience great music because there’s still so much of it, and not enough space and time to revel in it. Think of me as scraping off the top for you.
— Cahleb