B-Side Guys

Water flows persistently through Shrimp Planet’s “Constance,” a track that uses aquatic imagery to chart the emotional currents of a marriage that appears to have drifted apart. The band establishes this motif immediately with the imperative to “splash your way through the summer,” creating both setting and metaphor in a single, economical phrase.

What distinguishes this emo offering is its restrained approach to relationship discord. Rather than resorting to the genre’s sometimes characteristic emotional explosiveness, Shrimp Planet opts for a more contemplative examination of matrimonial disconnect. When the narrator addresses the eponymous Constance with “you have my last name but you’ll never have all my faith,” the delivery conveys resignation rather than rage, suggesting a relationship that has eroded gradually rather than collapsed catastrophically.

The production choices complement this thematic exploration, with instrumental passages that ebb and flow like the tides referenced in the lyrics. Particularly effective is how the arrangement creates space around the direct address of “Constance, are you listening?” highlighting the question’s dual function as both literal inquiry and acknowledgment of emotional distance.

Maritime sacrifice emerges as a central motif, particularly in the striking image of giving “fingers for you,” suggesting a relationship where personal pieces have been surrendered, perhaps to the sea of commitment. This nautical thread continues with the invitation to “catch the waves that I left you,” positioning the narrator as both departed sailor and the force creating disruption in their wake.

The track’s final observation that Constance might “live in my head for free” introduces an intriguing psychological dimension, suggesting that physical separation hasn’t diminished mental preoccupation. This cognitive persistence contrasts with the physical distance established earlier, creating tension between absence and omnipresence.

“Constance” stands as evidence that emo’s emotional palette extends beyond the primary colors of anger and despair to include more nuanced hues of contemplation and wistfulness. Shrimp Planet has crafted a maritime meditation on marriage that navigates familiar waters with refreshing subtlety.