Ball of Wax 49 Songs: Darryl Blood – “Dead Memories”

Smooth as molasses on a hot summer day (if you will), Darryl Blood‘s “Dead Memories” is laid back and perfect. It’s the sound of afternoon light through a dirty window falling on a shag carpet. It’s the soundtrack to your river tubing trip to Leavenworth. It’s both of those, and it’s also a slower kind of country shuffle, stereo left guitar arpeggiating to Blood’s Tweedy-esque vocal while a pedal steel sings counterpoint on the right. Crisp rim clicks and solid bass, backing a certain resignedness: “circumstance has come and gone, memories seem so useless.” The chorus asking, “if you love me let me know, if you don’t need me then let me go.” Passive. Resigned and passive, like that float on the river, and similarly pleasant.