Seattle-based musician Aaron Semer has released the indie-folk single “Settle In” from his forthcoming folk-punk album Cape Disappointment. The sentimental track, which explores the various meanings of “settling” into a relationship, grounds itself in soft-spoken, steady vocals that narrate a fisherman’s search for love, likely an allusion to the phrase “there’s plenty of fish in the sea,” which suggests that there is an abundance of people with whom we can find a romantic connection. Semer plays off this idea of endless possibilities, advising that we refuse to make exceptions or acquiesce in our search for “the one,” giving ourselves the chance to eventually “settle in,” or feel at home, with the right person.
The track is not so much the chronology of a love story as it is an exploration of the journey to find what Semer describes as “real” love. In a rather idealistic turn of events, listeners are able to envision a world in which both love and a strong sense of individualism are possible — Semer’s long awaited search for “the one” is fruitful, and he is rewarded with a relationship that offers him the comfort and stability he’s been searching for. Lyrics such as “you don’t have to try to be anybody / because that kind of love, it just never lasts / baby you can settle in” encapsulate the track’s overarching message that if we are persistent in our hope and allow ourselves to be patient, we can find a love that truly feels like home.
While the initial demo of the track was acoustic and featured Semer’s vocals accompanied only by his guitar, this release incorporates percussion elements and piano chords that enunciate the verses and allow the chorus to swell dramatically. As Semer sings of “casting a wide net” and reeling in “one you just can’t forget,” jilting piano keys and softly crashing drums expand the emotional impact of the lyrics in a way that was left understated in the acoustic demo.
Ultimately, “Settle In” is a hopeful, heartwarming folk ballad that encourages us to keep the faith in our pursuits of real love. While the lyrics are responsible for imparting the didactic tale of the fictional fisherman, it’s Semer’s earnest and tender vocals that buoy “Settle In” along gentle waves of sentimentality. If there were ever a song fit for the first dance at a wedding, this would be it.
Settle In
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