Song of the Day: 'Love is a Fire' by Courrier

Courrier breaths the fiery embers of life into this indie rock tune that’s slow build, escalates into an amazing crescendo of sound. “Love is a Fire” is off of Courrier’s album Cathedrals of Color. This song really captivates you from the moment its opening beats begin. The chord progression is driven by a steady rhythm, the electric guitar summoning its rock edge as its melodic properties lull you into a psychedelic head space.

When you arrive at the chorus, the rock-inspired beats pulsate, pushing the song into an illustrious passion. The strengths of “Love is a Fire” don’t solely lie with its musicality. The lyrics are also deeply effective, evoking vivid imagery with the cascade of emotion being readily described with verve and a wistful retrospective quality.

The protagonist is contemplating the battle between who he used to be, who he wants to be and who he truly is. It is an effective premise at the heart of many human struggles that most of us have experienced on some level. As he gets closer to home, he realizes that the tether he thought had anchored who he is; wasn’t the core of what held him together. The chorus is a simple refrain of this realization and that it’s the love for this unidentified person that is actually the foundation for who he’s become. 

Another strong point of this song is the use of fire as the analogy to describe this love. Equivalating fire to love is tricky, as fire is typically viewed as a destructive property. In contrast, there is the element that fire can keep you warm, consequently being a positive, but if you get too close for too long it can burn you.

So fire is an appropriate comparison for love because as with fire, too much can mean nothing being left as a result. The thought provoking nature of the song is really engaging and that is perhaps its finest attribute. One thing is for sure, this song has burnt a hole in my playlist.