B-Side Guys

When Brooks Barry sings “Staring at the cracks in the ceiling,” he transforms a bedroom ceiling into an emotional atlas. His latest single as Brooks The Boy navigates the treacherous waters between a six-year relationship and its five-month aftermath, creating something both intimately personal and universally relatable.

The track’s production perfectly mirrors its emotional landscape. Each element feels deliberately placed to support Barry’s most vulnerable vocal performance to date, with rock instrumentation that surges and recedes like waves of grief. The influence of Sueco and Knuckle Puck shows in the dynamic shifts, but Barry makes the sound entirely his own.

What sets “Middle Of The Ending” apart is its precise emotional cartography. The lyrics map out specific timeframes – “6 years away/5 months in” – while the arrangement creates a sense of time suspended. When Barry delivers the line “those odds are 3 to 1,” it feels less like statistics and more like emotional probability.

The chorus builds its power through accumulation rather than force. Each repetition of “I’m stuck in the middle of the ending” gains weight as the song progresses, like a realization that gets heavier with each passing day. The production supports this journey, adding layers that mirror the complexity of processing loss.

Barry’s skill as a producer shines in how he structures the song’s emotional arc. The verses feel claustrophobic, matching lyrics about drowning and darkness, while the choruses open up into cathartic release. It’s a masterful representation of how grief comes in waves – moments of clarity punctuated by periods of confusion.

The bridge’s bitter observation “you found where you belong well good for you” delivers its sting through restraint rather than rage. It’s a moment that showcases Barry’s growth as a songwriter – knowing exactly when to pull back rather than push harder. The instrumental backing creates a perfect pocket for this revelation to land with maximum impact.

What’s particularly striking is how Barry avoids the trap of self-pity. Even at its most raw, “Middle Of The Ending” maintains a self-awareness that elevates it above typical breakup fare. Lines like “I won’t change you/but I can’t replace you” acknowledge both the futility of hope and the impossibility of moving on.

As Brooks The Boy continues to gain traction on platforms like Apple Music, “Middle Of The Ending” suggests an artist capable of transforming personal pain into universal connection. It’s exactly the kind of song that justifies his mission of “writing songs to help find a home for your feelings.”

By exploring this specific emotional territory with such precision and care, Barry has created something that transcends individual experience. “Middle Of The Ending” isn’t just about one relationship’s dissolution – it’s about that peculiar suspended animation we all face when trying to process loss while watching someone else move forward.