Icehouse by The Red Betty is the embodiment of country music from the beautiful storytelling to the heartfelt chords of the guitar. The Brazilian born and New Jersey based singer-songwriter used her raw musical talent to create an emotional body of music that many people can relate to. Icehouse tells the story of the perils of love and eventual heartbreak but also closure and healing. The Red Betty’s breathtaking vocals and her unique style in Icehouse made for a special listening experience.
The opening song on her album, “Six Feet Under Love”, immediately catches your ear with satisfying guitar and violin chords followed by The Red Betty’s soulful vocals. The song speaks of a love that lasts a lifetime and until death do them part. Regardless of what her partner does, she has unconditional love for them. She sings, “Baby you outta know/ You can break my heart as you go/ I’ll follow you to yonder/ Gonna love you/ ‘Till I’m six feet under.” The song is a testament to the enduring love that we have and the strength of hearts to keep loving.
“Sinners & Believers” is one of my personal favorites on the album because of the lyricism and the instrumental. The song captures the essence of what a relationship is between a “sinner” and a “believer”. While one person is lying or cheating and treating their partner wrongly, the other believes and tries to see the best in them. However, it becomes hard for a partner to constantly believe, and part of healing is seeing someone for who they are. While it does not mean love is lost, it does mean choosing yourself rather than being hurt. “Sinners & Believers” speaks to those of us who have been in toxic relationships but have healed from them.
The song “House of a Broken Heart” is a turning point of the album that begins a time of healing. “House of a Broken Heart” speaks to those who have been continuously hurt and decided to walk away from someone. Despite the pain we feel in our hearts, we leave for the sake of a “peace of mind.” The emotional guitar instrumentals and the background vocals capture the pain of moving on from heartbreak. The main vocals in the song express heartache and the emptiness of leaving someone.
Icehouse ends the album with “The Love I Needed”, a powerful message of healing from an outgrown love. The slow ballad and choir vocals create an ambience of nostalgia. The song emphasizes how we need love, but also how we outgrow it and must move on. Love comes and goes to give us what we need in the moment but sometimes it does not last forever. “The Love I Needed” ends Icehouse on an uplifting note that reminds us that we need love as much as we need healing.
Icehouse is an album that captures the stages of grief when it comes to heartbreak. In the beginning, we acknowledge our unconditional love for a partner and our willingness to stand by them regardless. The love begins to hurt, and we outgrow it, opening space for healing in our hearts. Icehouse is the perfect song to listen to while going through our own stages of heartbreaks because it reminds us of the reality of love. Love can be beautiful, but it can also be painful enough to make us move on.
Written by Kyla Hutchinson