Image credit Coffeecowsncats, via Wikimedia Commons
Every once in a while, I find myself curious about what motivates an artist to release a self-titled album. While it’s common for musicians to self-title their debut, this isn’t always true. For example, the Beatles chose to release a self-titled album — famously known as The White Album — well into their career. Similarly, Weezer has released not one, not two, but four self-titled albums, leaving it up to the fans to give unofficial names for each one.
An artist might use a self-titled album to signify a drastic change in their sound, or mark a new chapter in their musical journey. The ultimate meaning of the act lies with the artist. Recently, a new release in the indie scene has prompted me to reflect on this. A few weeks ago, Dayglow (aka Sloan Struble) introduced his fourth major album, aptly titled Dayglow.
Sloan has plenty of experience with the DIY approach to songwriting. He began writing and producing music from his dorm at the University of Texas, releasing his debut studio album, Fuzzybrain, in 2018. At just 19 years old, Sloan showcased his knack for crafting incredibly catchy music infused with 80s-inspired synths, all while putting his unique spin on the pop genre. To his listeners, he embodies bedroom pop.
Since then, Sloan has released two additional studio albums. Harmony House, while much more polished than Fuzzybrain, did not stray far from his upbeat approach to indie music. Released in 2021, the album reflects themes of loneliness and isolation, a clear nod to its creation during the pandemic. He released his next studio album, People in Motion, only a year later. Each of these albums has its own distinct sound, capturing Sloan’s mindset during different periods of his life. They are deeply personal, reflecting his journey to find meaning in life.
But now in 2024, Sloan introduces us to a hitherto-unseen side of himself — one that is finally ready to fully unveil the world to Dayglow.
Within the first few seconds of the opening track, “Mindless Creatures”, we can clearly see what this album represents. This marks a pivotal moment in his career, where he reflects on his journey from an artist with little direction to an indie sensation grappling with the deeper meaning of it all. This track also sets the tone for the album’s unique sound, which sounds completely apart from anything we’ve ever heard from Sloan before. You can tell that he’s poured incredible amounts of passion into recording this LP.
I could see myself
Like it was yesterday
Yeah, I was just eighteen, with a fuzzy brain
What am I doing here?
from ‘Mindless Creatures’
As listeners, we often overlook the humanity of an artist. What would it feel like to be in Sloan’s shoes? Imagine the thoughts that would cross your mind daily after going from being a bedroom artist to selling out shows across the world, all while being surrounded by “mindless creatures”, as he puts it. He feels constant excitement and pressure, but also a growing distance as he navigates the complexities of fame.
The second track on the LP, “Every Little Thing I Say I Do”, the most traditionally “Dayglow” song of the entire album, was released early by Sloan as a single to warmly introduce the audience to the nostalgic and energetic tone of the album — and it certainly did not disappoint.
The following track, “Cocoon”, continues the theme of self-reflection. From my own interpretation, Sloan delves into the disconnection he feels from the relationships in his life while navigating the chaos of his rising stardom.
‘Cause time keeps moving on,
it’s moving on without you
And I stayed a little long,
a little long in the cocoon
Who knew I could be so caught into it?
from‘Cocoon’
Throughout the rest of the album, Sloan experiments with fresh styles of music that haven’t been seen in any previous Dayglow albums, including several guitar solos, all while maintaining a sense of wonder and energy. The track, “Nothing Ever Does!!!”, a fast-paced expression of Sloan’s frustrations with losing control of his life, shows off this frenetic tempo. Despite the intensity of the lyrics, you can clearly hear that he had a lot of fun recording this song. I like to imagine him trying not to laugh during the chorus.
The final track of the LP, “Broken Bone”, feels like the closing scene of a movie, with an emotional farewell that encapsulates what Sloan ultimately takes away from his journey. He leaves us wondering: has he really broken out of his shell?
But oh, where did I go?
Did I even let myself see the show?
‘Cause I wanna see, now
And oh, it’s hard to believe
That all of this time I’ve been waiting on me
from ‘Broken Bone’
This feels less like an ending for Dayglow and more a beginning. We’ve glimpsed different facets of Dayglow in each album, but it feels like they’ve all built up to this moment. As far as self-titled albums go, I believe this one truly lives up to its name.
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