Music Review: New Hollow "She Ain't You"

New Hollow

She Ain’t You

Album: N/A

Year: 2013

          Mookie Clouse isn’t over his ex-girlfriend in the  astray  “She Ain’t You.”

        A pensive guitar opens the single, setting a dejected tone. He had to do a double take and he thought he was going to faint. She bumped into him while in line and apologized. He told her it was ok and then introduced himself. They spent an hour talking before she had to leave for class. She’s the first girl he’s liked in about six months. (“It's been awhile since I saw your face/Maybe that's helped me move on/But I met a girl not a day too late/And of her I'm awfully fond.”)

           In the pre-chorus, he realizes his friends may catch on. When she met his parents for the first time, they couldn’t speak. They knew right away why he was attracted to her. (“And I hope my remedies don't show/As I try to, try to let you go/Cause it's awkward, oh so hard to see/The similarities.”)

         In the chorus, she likes to wear her hair in a bob. Like his ex, she has blue eyes and is a Scorpio (they were born a month apart, the most). Guys would notice her even on her frumpiest days. However, she’s someone to keep him distracted from his pain. She’s not who he really wants. (“She's got your hair/She's got your eyes/She's got your exact same horoscope sign/She may be pretty/She's something new/But that means nothing/Cause she ain't you.”)

          He spots his ex walking across campus, chatting with a friend. He keeps glancing at her. It’s the closest he’ll ever get to her again. He returns to his dorm room and writes a song about her. (“I find it hard not to look your way/But I get in what I can/And I find this song just a bit cliché/But I pray that you'll understand.”)

        In the second pre-chorus, he says she heads a study group and always opens the doors for everyone. However,. all she cares about is reading Us Weekly and Vogue. She recaps her favorite shows (which seems to be all of them.) He sits by the tree, waiting for her to get out class again. He wishes his ex would come over and make out with him right in front of everybody. He doesn’t like starting over. (“That there's nothing, nothing on her mind/And she's far too far too, far too kind/If you miss me, kiss me, one more time/At least for old time's sake.”)

          The chorus is sung again.

        In the bridge, he adds that she likes wear her baggy sweatshirts and fold her hands within them, too. They have the same habits, it seems. However, it’s not actually like he was dating his ex again. (“She's got your hair/She's got your eyes/She's got your 90's sweatshirt style/She may be pretty/She's something new/But that means nothing.”)

        The chorus is sung again to end the single.

      Clouse’s galled vocals snap at his girlfriend. She looks like she’s about to cry. But he’s not really interested in making her feel better. He’s worried about the guy he saw his ex with today. Is that her new boyfriend? She asks him what’s wrong. He yells at her to leave him alone. He prefers to use her as a replacement while not actually treating her like a person. Other than that, she can just go away.

      The self-absorbed “She Ain’t You” is miserable to be around and has some serious issues.