New York-based musician Gabrielle Marlena‘s new single and video for "Older Than Me" discusses the problems she had with dating an older man. The source of her frustration is peeled away in the music video’s imager, featuring a wedding dress, cake, and of course, an older man (in a wheelchair, played by Marlena’s sister). The track’s languid rhythm, rolling drums, and Marlena’s tender delivery give the song th aura of a confession from a friend, including self-deprecating moments detectable in both the lyrics and the video. The title stands out as the pinnacle of an outburst outlined through the song’s crescendo, a realization that each aging year brings an opportunity to take control of one’s life. It plays to the artist’s benefit to admit her faults in the relationship, naming the specifics about exactly what makes her feel the way she does. – Susan Moon
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