Not every situation has an easy answer. There are times where a solution immediately pops up and that’s that, but it’s not the norm. The more likely scenario is that reflection, thought, and some tough choices will have to be made in order to make the best of things. This can be tough to face, but it’s necessary to make a healthy choice. There can be both pain and resolve in that process, a truth that has informed Philadelphia duo Rosu Lup (Jonathan Stewart and Josh Marsh) in their new single, “What You Need.” We’re thrilled to premiere the track this afternoon right here.
You can immediately tell a lot of thought and care went into “What You Need.” The layering in the instrumental is beautiful, with guitars, drums, and strings all getting their moment in the spotlight while also working as a soft, considered whole. As the song progresses, that instrumental builds and changes as the mood shifts. That shift is brought about by mature, thoughtful writing. The lyrics gradually shift from a desire to salvage a situation before slowly realizing the only right solution is to let things end, which is a hard truth to face. The vocals do an amazing job of conveying all of the emotions involved in that truth, from hope to sorrow to acceptance. “What You Need” is a deeply nuanced, beautiful track that will have listeners thinking about it for a long time.
Stewart and Mars went into detail about the song, saying:
“‘What You Need’ is a mosaic of sorts. As songwriters we needed to explore writing in a new place and to draw inspiration from doing so. We had the opportunity to work with James McAlister at his studio in Los Angeles- it was life giving on many levels. The song itself explores the working out of a marriage that was dissolving, and the realization that it was what both individuals needed to move forward in life. We can’t expect ourselves to be all things to all people, and that’s ok.”
You can listen to “What You Need” below. The track is taken from Rosu Lup’s upcoming second album The Ranger, set for release on November 8.
