Former Mowglis member Colin Dieden serves inspiration and catchy hooks with the latest single from his new project, Little Hurt.
The pop-punk songs of the early 2000s lied. The hardest part of becoming an adult isn’t growing up, but realizing the personal development is an endless journey that has more twists and turns than anyone can predict. Even if you like who you are right now, the chances of you remaining that person for another year are incredibly slim, and Little Hurt is here to share the soundtrack for growth you desperately need.
“Alaska” is a song for anyone that has felt alone in a room with their closest friends. That feeling is enough to make a person go running towards the nearest door, hop in their car, and drive as far from everything they’ve known as their credit cards will allow. The problem with doing so is, as anyone who tried will agree that you only end up feeling the same in the end. It’s then you realize that the thing you need to confront is yourself, or rather, the person you are becoming.
That’s a massive realization, of course, but Little Hurt makes it easy to embrace with the bright and bouncy sound of “Alaska.” The song delivers its emotionally-charged message with infectious lyricism and an instantly memorable hook. After all, who can claim to have lived a life without considering dying their hair and running away? That experience is universal, and Little Hurt uses “Alaska” to make the existential dread of change we all recognize a little less intimidating.
Speaking to the inspiration for the song, Colin Dieden says: “Alaska” was the second song I wrote after starting Little Hurt. It came from a deep desire to separate myself from some aspects of my past that I found painful. That feeling of wanting to throw away everything you’ve ever known and start again.”
The magic of “Alaska” lies in the way Dieden delivers his message of self-realization. The first two verses make the idea of running away seem fun and enticing, but as the story progresses, the distance he’s creating becomes the space needed to confront himself. The hair dye and excuses may work in the short term, but a look within must take place before he can be happy again. He knows he has work to do, but as is our nature, he’s willing to try avoiding it as long as possible.
But all of that only tells why the song matters. “Alaska” is also an incredibly fun song that sounds like summer feels. There is a lightness to the track the makes the message easier to digest, which is highlighted by a fantastic trumpet solo. You can easily picture the song playing on BlueTooth speakers at the beach or slipping into a road trip playlist before the leaves begin to fall. It’s the kind of track that has something for everyone, and it leaves the impression that we will be hearing (not to mention wanting) much more from Little Hurt soon.
