Dry Ice and the Crescendos – “Permanently” [Song Review]

“Permanently,” the new single from Dry Ice and the Crescendos, is the second single from the band’s upcoming debut album, Heart and Soul.

The song narrates the slow dissolution of an idyllic relationship, a dissolution mirrored in the feel of the melody, shifting from warm and loving to darker, abrasive tones, revealing a slide into edgy, cutting harmonics.

The brainchild of CL Turner who has played keys, by ear, since he was 10, Dry Ice and the Crescendos is Turner’s session group, made up of an anonymous group of stellar artists from well-known rock bands, as well as a Grammy-winning producer.

Opening on soft, emerging guitars, followed by gentle, velvety vocals, a quick drum fill leads to the tune escalating to layers of burnished pop-rock. A shimmering breakdown, rumbling drums, and a snarling guitar announce the harmonic change – the entrance of pounding percussion, pushing textures, and a volatile, incandescent guitar. The once silky vocals assume hard, rising timbres.

Quixotic and yielding at the beginning, “Permanently: gives listeners a sense of building tension, going from gracious to plangent severity.

CL Turner, photo of CL Turner

Run Time: 4:13
Release Date: August 20, 2023
Record Label: Independent