Rhys Crowther’s ‘The Sunrise Was Beautiful, I’m Sorry You Missed It ‘is a deeply personal reflection, transforming raw emotion into an evocative sonic journey. This album resonates with Crowther’s reflective exploration of life’s complexities, shining a light on themes of love, loss, depression, and gratitude through melodies that linger.
Crowther’s approach is intimate and comprehensive, as he meticulously recorded, produced, and mixed each track himself, with occasional instrumental depth from drummer Glenn Welman and trumpeter Gonzalo Pereyra. The album invites listeners to navigate a spectrum of emotions, weaving together passages of pain and self-discovery.
The album unfolds as a deeply personal journey, with each song arranged and labeled in a chronological order that mirrors the artist’s path through his experience of depression. This structure creates a narrative arc, allowing listeners to witness his emotional evolution, from moments of darkness to glimpses of hope. The result is a record that feels both vulnerable and unfiltered, inviting listeners into an intimate space of reflection and healing.
Opening the collection is the delicate track ‘The Sunrise Was Beautiful’, a hauntingly beautiful piece led by gently plucked guitars that trace the lyrical melody. This tender instrumentation draws attention to the fragility in the artist’s voice, creating a sense of closeness and introspection. As the song progresses, it launches into orchestral moments that swell with raw emotion, adding layers of depth and expanding the emotional landscape. These crescendos convey a powerful sense of yearning, as if reaching for something beyond the present struggle, and capture the complex mix of beauty and sadness that comes with the first light of dawn.
The theme of sunrise and sunset weaves throughout the album, symbolising the cyclical nature of highs and lows along his journey. Each track reflects a different stage of this progression, and the recurring motif of light and darkness serves as a poignant reminder of the changing emotional tides. The songs are filled with a tender warmth, with soft, understated vocals that complement the gentle instrumentation, lending a sense of compassion to the narrative. Every note and lyric feels carefully considered, carrying an honesty that is both painful and comforting.
It closes with ‘Sorry You Missed It’, which departs from the more solemn tone with an uplifting, almost optimistic instrumental arrangement. The gentle shift toward brighter sounds in this final track conveys a newfound sense of openness. The upbeat feel of the instruments suggests that, while the journey has been arduous, there is now a lightness and resilience that wasn’t present before. This hopeful closing marks a fitting end to the album’s narrative, leaving the listener with a sense of possibility. In its entirety, the album is a testament to Crowther’s courage in expressing a raw yet tender portrayal of human resilience. With each note, ‘The Sunrise Was Beautiful, I’m Sorry You Missed It’ captures Crowther’s journey toward self-acceptance, making his work not only a testament to his craft but a compelling invitation for listeners to find solace in shared vulnerabilities.
