Hearing Aide: Ian McCuen “What It Means To Be Young, Sad, and Alone”

Ian McCuen’s sixth album and the longest by far, What It Means To Be Young, Sad, and Alone is a melancholy, transcendent record. It opens with the repeated line, “Funny how it feels like an art, the way things always fall apart. But eventually, so it goes, we all die alone.” With this air of self-aware critique, McCuen crafts a soothing, yet gut-wrenching depiction of truly what it means to be young, sad, and alone.

Based in Buffalo, Ian McCuen’s first album came in 2017, with three volumes of Songs of Fleeting Permanence over the next few years. They operate relatively solo, writing, composing, and arranging all their own tracks across a wide range of instruments. What It Means To Be Young, Sad, and Alone includes over nine unique instruments, including a harmonica, saxophone, mandolin, banjo, and the ever-present electric guitar.

The full record, boasting an impressive 20 tracks and amassing 80 minutes, follows a distinct style both musically and lyrically. McCuen creates an ethereal soundscape, with delicate vocals that are whispering and soothing. 

The first track on the record, “A Reprise For The Lonely,” acts as an introductory point, both sonically and lyrically, for the rest of the record. However, it creates a strong introduction. The organ-like keyboard commands attention, and the backing vocals and whisper-like spoken word are sad, yet hypnotising. 

Another song to pay attention to, “Checkerboard Purgatory,” comes as the 11th track on the record. Halfway through the massive tracklist, it easily gets lost among the masses, but it distinguishes itself with a catchy guitar track. 

The 19th track on the record, “Vicissitude (So It Goes),” is an impressive 8 and a half minutes. Its vocals are subtle, whispering, and generally mellow, but the melody takes a minor shift halfway through. 

Overall, What It Means To Be Young, Sad, and Alone is truly overwhelmingly sad. However, as a self-described “purveyor of sorrow,” this is exactly what McCuen aims to produce. For those that can indulge in the intense emotional experience of their monumental album, it’s a soothing display of poetry and ambient musicianship.