The Research "I Love You But..."

After opening the song by repeating the titular statement (which ends with "but I'm scared of fucking up") a few times, the vocals drop out and the music continues, establishing the musical equivalent of an awkward silence. I'm left with the impression of a boy talking on the telephone to his girlfriend, relieved to have expressed himself, but leaving her with nothing to say. And how should a girl reply to a statement such as this? It's the epitome of a self-fulfilling prophecy---repeat it enough times and sure, it'll happen. At the end of the first verse, he re-emphasizes his hemming and hawing: "I can't see you waiting at the chapel, really/honey, there won't be a wedding/ not until my hands are steady/and my tongue is tied". "I Love You, But.." (mp3) is, in many ways, exemplary of so many dominant popular themes related to love these days---emotional constipation and stammering hesitancy equates to nobility, as long as it's presented in a precious manner and without a whit of passion whatsoever.

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