For the last seven years, David Wimbish has been developing instances of symphonic, poetic wonderment with various iterations of his band, the Collection. Each successive release for the Greensboro, North Carolina-based sextet has represented a different step in their story of maturation and revitalization, from the tenebrous reflections of Ars Moriendi to the reinvigorating forces of Listen to the River. Albeit, if Listen to the River offered Wimbish a means to shuffle through a place of darkness back towards the light, their forthcoming Entropy represents a full-on evolution for him and the band as they fully embrace a brand new “Beautiful Life”.
“Beautiful Life” sounds like a positive rebirth for the band from its optimistic opening notes. By its effusive chorus, listeners of the rising Collection will undoubtedly have a smile on their face as Wimbish reclaims his happiness and individuality with such vigor. The sing-along folk anthem is paired with an equally-as-charming lyric video created by Peyton Lea, which premieres with PopMatters today.
Although it was one of the last additions to the Collection’s new album, the song makes sense as their leading single. “When I played some roughs to my current partner, she said she loved the songs, but that they felt much sadder than I actually am in person,” Wimbish tells PopMatters.
“I went home and read Wild Geese by Mary Oliver, which I love because it offers a perspective of compassion and grace offered by the natural turning and growing of the world. Viewing change as the natural order of the world helped bring some kind of beauty to the chaos, that forgiveness or repentance can come from just aligning oneself with the earth, and with being quiet; and the song was born.”