02-24-19
Alt-J’s opening song from their highly anticipated sophomore album set a tone for an album rife with moments of emotional conflict and complexities. Hunger for the Pine, sort of says it all in the title. The desire for something so profoundly intoxicating like that of “pining” over a love, yet it being just out of reach, enough that it feels like it’ll never be achieved again.
The video mostly inspires the image, Alt-J songs create such vivid imagery by themselves it’s hard to create a different interpretation to what’s being presented. There isn’t much insight into the situation being played out in the video. The beginning opens with no context; we see a man running through the woods, but running in a manner consistent of fighting for his survival. Slowly we begin to see an onslaught of arrows being shot at him. Steadily throughout the video, he is sporadically pierced by the arrows throughout his body until he reaches a clearing.
While listening to Hunger for the Pine I’ve always imagined a person wrestling with the reality of having to separate from a reality/partner that he’s been living with for so long. They may be separating with the intent and hope for returning; ultimately they know this isn’t true.
The borrowed female vocals from Miley Cyrus speak to a broader theme within popular culture. The use of one of the world’s most famous artists, and the line “I’m a female rebel,” specifically, acting as a unified voice of the changing times. Though we may know this is the best action to take, and we hope to come back to a safe state, we know that will never be the case. Instead, we watch as things continue to progress, no matter how much foreboding we have within. We may hunger for the safety of memory, but ultimately this is a reality that we can no longer have.
Lyrics:
Sleeplessly embracing
Butterflies and needles
Line my seamed-up join
Encased in case I need it
In my stomach, for my heart
Chain mail
Hunger of the pine
Hunger of the pine
Sleeplessly embracing
Yawn yearns into me
Plenty more tears in the sea
And so you finally use it
Bedding with me you see at night
Your heart wears knight armour
Hunger of the pine
(I’m a female rebel)
(I’m a female rebel)
(I’m a female rebel)
Sleeplessly
Embracing
You
Realization grew on me
As quickly as it takes your hand
To warm the cool side of the pillow
I’m there for you, be there for me
I’ll hum the song the soldiers sing
As they march outside our window
Hunger of the pine
Sleeplessly
Embracing
Sleeplessly
Embracing
You
Sleeplessly
Embracing
(I’m a female rebel)
Sleeplessly
Embracing
You