Tender Forever - Wider

Tender Forever – Wider
K, 2007
Acquired: K Records Mail Order, New, 2008
Price: $10

This is by far the record in my collection that has racked up the most play. For a whole semester I put this on every night before bed. I don't exactly know why I chose this record, but I think it might be the calming quality Melanie Valera has on me. I don't know why I love this record, not exactly. I do love it with a fierceness reserved only for classics, and I feel like this is one of those records I will take with me forever. It's really, really inventive pop music. Every move is perfectly played, and the arrangements are just wonderful, full of interesting sounding synthesizers and electronics mixed with an excellent combination of live instruments. The drums, in particular, are awesome. The arrangements are intricate, while the lyrics are intimate. SO intimate. It's a love story, and it's a story about getting your heartbroken (see: the excellent “Heartbroken Forever,” where Valera REALLY lets her voice stretch out). “Tiny Heart and Clever Hand” is a perfect encapsulation of everything the album is, and is a brilliant track one. Really, I don't know why I'm so drawn to this. If I were a lesbian in a rocky relationship, maybe. Or even a rocky relationship in general, and maybe that's why I started listening to it when I did. But it still stands up as one of my favorite records in my collection and one that I feel was overlooked upon its release and hope that someday people appreciate it. It's just a rewarding record that you get more out of upon each listen. Heartfelt and sexy, sonically adventurous but feels like home. I know for a lot of people this won't be their cup of tea, but honestly, if you're a popkid and don't have this one you're missing out! GET THIS RECORD IT IS SO GOOD! I HAVE LISTENED TO IT AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED TIMES!


Here's Tender Forever covering Justin Timberlake's "My Love" and making me feel dreamy:


Video for "So We Could Deal"


"Every Monday" Takeaway Show


Music video for "How Many"


Watching this live video of "Heartbroken Forever" I realize that I would typically think this would be something I hate. But no, now I'm like "This is so great I love this I want to crawl inside of this song and just live curled up in the fetal position."