‘Me, My Lover, Her Lover, Part 1’, is the latest single from songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Martin Walker, who performs under the name of Art Schop. The track is taken from ‘The Fifth Hammer’, his fifth studio album.
It might seem a very strange topic to write about: love triangles, hypotenuses, and forging hammers; for Art Schop however it’s perfectly reasonable. In his non-music life has a degree in Physics from Oxford, and worked as the Information Services Director for the global law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, as well as writing and publishing fiction, plus a book of original philosophy, which connects the nature of material existence to the meaning of life – so drawing inspiration from the likes of Daniel Heller-Roazen’s book, ‘The Fifth Hammer: Pythagoras and the Disharmony of the World’, is just an average day.
In ‘Me, My Lover. Her Lover, Part 1’, we encounter Pythagoras as he waxes philosophical about triangles; specifically the romantic one he finds himself in, where he is just one of his lover’s lovers, and, how it’s all perfectly balanced – at least for his lover.
Art Schop’s vocals are reminiscent of Johnny Cash’s in his cover of Nine Inch Nails’, ‘Hurt’ – all gravelly and sombre, somehow resigned to whatever comes next. They’re set against a slowly strummed guitar-based instrumental – additional percussion enters when Pythagoras passes by the forge on his walk – as well as some lovely plinky plonk keyboards, and it feels as much like poetry as a song. This isn’t too hard to understand when you consider he’s essentially transforming Heller-Roazen’s essays into music, while somehow still managing to keep it deeply personal.
There’s a strong folk vibe to ‘Me, My Lover, Her Lover, Part 1’ that is only increased by the poignancy of the backing vocals. They feel mournful, despondent; there’s no regret, just a resignation – it is what it is.
Watch the music video for ‘Me, My Lover, her Lover, Part 1’ below, and find out more about Art Schop and his music online via his official website, YouTube, Spotify, Facebook, and Instagram.
