Thematically brilliant in so many ways, The Third Man deliver a piece that has your heart swept away in no time on “What She Wrote”. The achingly poignant indie pop ballad from this 4 piece Edinburgh based outfit is supple and restrained, but so heart-achingly heavy in its expression. It’s a song about a relationship that’s hit a wall, finally arrived at a point of no return. While the powerful vocal harmonies guide the song melodically, the real differentiator and point of emotional attachment comes through this spoken word performance that moves through the song throughout. It’s woven through with a letter she writes to her lover as a spoken performance, hushed and whispered but focused throughout.
It’s a flooded song, a powerful and holistic arrangement that’s all encompassing, enveloping, and ever so emotional throughout. Leaving is always difficult and breaks are even more painful to be had, but a tune like this makes that point of detachment that much more acceptable.