Juliana Hatfield picks up the pieces on her third single “Fall Apart.” The track premiered earlier this week on WBUR, Boston’s NPR station, showcasing another glimpse into the new album ‘Lightning Might Strike’. While much of the record captures a period of change, “Fall Apart” specifically revisits old traumas with Hatfield’s signature blend of serious subject matter and infectious melodies.
“Trauma is a big word,” she explains to WBUR. “It means a lot of different things to different people, depending on how you look at it. And it’s a bit of a trendy word. But it’s a real phenomenon.” Hatfield takes a difficult situation, using a guitar tossed into the deep end of a pool as a metaphor for being discarded, and delivers it through uplifting melodies. WBUR notes this duality of dark and light runs as a common thread throughout her career, writing, “While the subject may be serious, Hatfield’s penchant for writing catchy and upbeat pop songs remains strong some 21 albums into her career.”
Despite the dark subject matter, Hatfield views the song with optimism. “I do make a point to say I fall apart now and then. It’s not that I have fallen apart and you can never put me back together,” she said. “I’m just talking about things that are real. Yes, I fall apart sometimes, but I get back on the horse. This is life.” The honesty in her approach creates a relatable portrait of resilience that resonates beyond the personal.