The songwriting duo Rumour Den (AJ Gilmore and Steve Simms) are back with Part of the Problem. The song explores the painful realization that a relationship wasn't helping either person heal. The Northern Irish pair have been collaborating for a long time, and this is evident in the consistency and precision of this track, which carries genuine emotion.
It's about two people, each with a burden of their own, and a relationship that wasn't helping them heal. The narrator realizes he wasn't making the other person feel better; he was just holding them back. It's an uncomfortable truth, and the song remains true to it.
AJ's lyrics evoke this feeling in a powerful yet straightforward manner. No drama in the writing, only clear storytelling in his warm and worn voice. This is well complemented by Steve's music, which never distracts from the lyrics. Their typical approach to working with words and music gives the song a very natural emotional flow.
This track is more direct and grounded than their recent single Sea of Trees, which had a darker atmosphere. It shifts from urgency to a gentler acceptance. No big choruses or flashy guitar parts. Instead, the song takes its time and plays the story out slowly and calmly, allowing time for each moment.
The best part of Part of the Problem is that it doesn't seek easy answers. The narrator tries to understand himself, but the song shows that emotions cannot be easily resolved. After working together and developing their sound for many years, the decision to remain honest rather than neat is a sign of growth in Gilmore and Simms' songwriting.
As part of the build-up to a full collection due later next year, Part of the Problem shows Rumour Den at their most mature. They transform emotion and confusion into something quiet and powerful. It is human and real, and it lingers after the end.
