BEST NEW TRACKS: MAJOR. - BETTER WITH YOU IN IT

Major's newest single "Better With You In It," is a soulful ode to love and appreciation!

It's easy to take those who are closest to us for granted. Our loved ones can be like the air that we breathe, the ground that we walk on, the sunshine that warms our faces and thaws the frozen Earth. They can be so close to us, so utterly indispensable, that we cease to see them, despite the fact that we would die (or wither) without them.

Perhaps this is what causes the gradual cooling of long-standing romantic relationships or the hard feelings towards our families. We become so used to them being there and all of the support that they give that we simple cease to see them or feel the warmth of their love.

Up-and-coming soul singer Major. asks us to re-investigate how we approach our relationships on "Better With You In It." Instead of taking that person for granted, assuming that they will always be there, Major. imagines a relationship where both partners want to be together, choosing one another over and over, day after day. Yes, this can be scary and vulnerable, as our loved ones could walk at any time. If we love something, however, we must set it free, or it was never really love to begin with.

MAJOR. - BETTER WITH YOU IN IT

Soulful love ballads exploring freedom, fidelity, and appreciation are nothing new. That's part of what makes Major such a major talent. While Major.'s music has some modern flourishes - the swelling synths, the mellow hip-hop downbeat, the tropical riddims, but it's tempered with Major's honey-sweet vocals and earnest sincerity. He's been compared to vintage Sam Cook, which is a high compliment indeed only one album into a career.

We Are: The Guard would like to think Major.'s ascent, and "Better With You In It," is a sign of a vintage soul resurgence. Our world could desperately use some Otis Reddings and Bill Withers, in these turbulent times. Major.'s music is in keeping with classic soul/r&b traditions, emerging from an honest-to-goodness label and creative scene, with the production houses of BOE/Empire music group. "Better With You In It," is the next cornerstone in raising Major.'s empire, as the song has already been featured on Oprah Winfrey's Black Love docu-series. It's also produced by Harmony "H-money" Samuels, who has previously written songs for huge pop names like Ariana Grande, Ciara, and Fifth Harmony.

It's gratifying to see such a pure-hearted song getting so much love and traction. Fans are already dropping their own love messages to Major. on his Facebook page, telling him how much they love the single, how much it means to them. Perhaps sincerity is not so dead as we thought. We Are: The Guard would love to think so! We'll keep digging and bringing you the most open-hearted, forward-looking jams to help it happen. 

J. Simpson occupies the intersection between criticism, creativity, and academia. Based out of Portland, Or., he is the author of Forestpunk, an online journal/brand studying the traces of horror, supernatural, and the occult through music, fashion and culture. He plays in the dreamfolk band Meta-Pinnacle with his partner Lily H. Valentine, with whom he also co-founded Bitstar Productions, a visual arts collective focused on elevating Pop Culture to High Art.