"Thinking of a Place", the first single from The War on Drugs forthcoming album A Deeper Understanding, took over eleven minutes of synth country rock perfection to chart the pockets in our minds in which particular memories are kept. "Holding On" is simpler: taking half the time to bring these pockets into focus. It's a typical Wart on Drugs song, heavy on the intricate slide guitars, synth backdrop, and ethereal vocals to perpetuate an otherworldly feel.
All of which means that I'm glad there is a music video to give me a deeper understanding (see what I did there?) of the story that "Holding On" tells. The video seems humdrum at first, charting the day in the life of an old man. He wakes up, with a picture of his younger self placed on the bedside table prominently in the frame. After staring at the dripping coffee pot the man sees a white horse in his backyard. The symbolism here is striking, and the man’s age, despondency, and the small matter of who symbolically rides a white horse give the video a foreboding feeling.
Yet the video takes an unexpected turn. Instead of charting what could have been this man’s last day on Earth, the video, and the song form a deeper connection with who this man is to his community. He is clearly loved by the townspeople, and this day does a lot to remind him that, while he isn't a young man anymore, he is still the same person and is capable of the same connections. So "Holding On" isn't about trying to avoid death, but to embrace life. And it only took The War on Drugs six minutes to show us this time.
