'I Know What It’s Like', a new single from WILCO frontman Jeff Tweedy in anticipation of his second solo album, WARM, is like a hug from an old lover: it’s comfortable, simple, but carries with it a bag of mixed emotions.

At his foundation, Tweedy is a natural and powerful storyteller with the ability to imbue a few words with enough depth to create meaningful narratives.

On 'I Know What It’s Like', this innate skill for building poignant glimpses into life is in full view, with lines like “When the lights are dim/ In my window I have a twin/ I’m always looking out/ And he’s always looking in,” giving the listener a profound image of reflection in the face of lost love.

 

In addition to Tweedy’s powerful lyrics, the single’s instrumental arrangement enhances a feeling of nostalgia and relatable sorrow that lingers even after the last notes close. It’s the kind of song that changes every time you hear it — the bare-bones chorus echoing through one’s mind with a message of love, loss, or remembrance depending on each listener’s circumstances each time they hit play.