Once by the former stage name, “Theodore Sinks”, Teddy Swims has released his debut album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1). It’s an intriguing album based on its title alone. It’s both a captivating image and an implication of at least one other iteration of this story. Teddy Swims is someone I find interesting because of his many complexities. His music consistently features genre fusion between R&B, country, pop, hip-hop and more. Such would come as no surprise given the overlap of interests Swims had growing up. He was a football player from a sports-oriented family who fell in love with performing on stage. His musical roots led to making viral covers on YouTube which eventually brought him here, to his debut solo album. Aside from the album title and the prominent lead singles, Teddy Swims further captivates his potential audience right from the first song, “Some Things I’ll Never Know”. 

My favorite aspect of this song is Teddy Swims’ voice. It has such a heavy tone that feels both soulful and empowering. To further capture such an atmosphere, the mixing has eloquently touched reverb and delay that makes the song sound like it's being performed live in an intimate venue. The engineering mixed with the passionate balladry gives listeners that spine-chilling, needle drop effect that is bound to emotionally grip. 

“Some Things I’ll Never Know” is carried by longing pianos and a complex vocal performance. Swims captures the sentiment of heartbreak both in his words and in the shape of his melodies. Such a characteristic is on spotlight display in the second pre-chorus and hook. To make the song structure more interesting, he slightly shifts the melodies for both emotional impact and to prevent unneeded repetition. The melodies are incredibly complex in the way that they elegantly flow through notes that are just as impressive as they are compelling. 

“Some Things I’ll Never Know” offers some solid songwriting as well. The hook describes a lover that gives the speaker all the answers, comfort, and security that he could ever need. But now, that person has left and the speaker is left with nothing but unanswered questions and uncertainties. The impermanence of security is a theme that invites anxiety into an otherwise blissful song. This person clearly meant a lot to the speaker and, in their absence, the speaker sees just how dependent they were on them. This all circles back to the album’s title, which paints a picture of someone who is damaged but neglects therapy. This person clearly has a desire to get better. However, that desire does not outweigh whatever fears they are running from in regards to therapy. Perhaps an interesting commentary on masculinity and vulnerability. These ideas that explore emotional intelligence vs. ignorance, are interesting concepts that I hope to be explored in this album. The lyrical content of this track allows its melodies to carry a lot of the emotional weight in a way that is impactful and relatable in its nature. 

“Some Things I’ll Never Know” is a powerful ballad that beautifully opens up an album that I am already invested in. Swims strikes me as a guy that knows how to make the most of your attention. He embodies contractions and breaks the stereotypes that people might hold against him. With an appearance that is covered in tattoos, a history of football, and whatever else you can muster up about him, wouldn’t necessarily lead you to assume that he loves performing Shakespeare and writes musically complex balladry. He’s someone that is akin to a melting pot of styles and ideas. He’s someone who knows how to captivate and entertain an audience. I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) is out now and I suggest you give at least the first couple songs a whirl. I would be shocked if you weren’t as invested as I am. 

Author: Jordan

Jordan Wisniewski is a passionate writer and Hip-Hop artist from North Carolina, US.