Del Water Gap Purple Teeth, The Bravery - Review

Written by: Mikaila Storrs

Del Water Gap, also known as Holden Jaffe, has just released the lead single, "Purple Teeth, The Bravery," from the deluxe edition of his 2023 album I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet. The deluxe version is set to drop on August 16, 2024. The album will feature the original 12 songs plus “Purple Teeth, The Bravery,” “Midas,” and a live version of “Doll House.”

The song delves into the dynamics of a toxic relationship, where he reflects on how alcohol—specifically, too much red wine—can give you the liquid courage to say everything you've been bottling up, leading to emotional outbursts that hurt your partner. Then, after sleeping it off, the guilt sets in as you realize you've caused pain to someone you care about.

I find this an intriguing topic to explore, as many people might not acknowledge how common this dynamic is in relationships, especially in your twenties when alcohol is involved. It highlights the cycle where emotions are suppressed, only to erupt in the worst possible way, followed by sweeping the issues under the rug and carrying on until the pattern repeats itself. You can see this through lyrics like “You fall asleep like there’s nothing wrong / I’m on my feet pacing all night long / And in the morning through bleary eyes / You’ll ask me, ‘Baby, have you been crying?’ / Don’t ever think that I don’t love you still / But lately the whiplash is too much to deal with.”

While it's widely understood that communication is the most vital aspect of a relationship, it’s also the most challenging and complex. Sometimes, you hold back because you know that what needs to be said might hurt the other person. As a result, you bury those feelings until they eventually erupt, often in an unpleasant way—when you're either drunk or extremely upset.

To me, this is one of the best-written songs on the album. It was co-written by Nate Company and produced by John Hill, who has previously collaborated with artists like Bleachers, Florence + The Machine, Cage The Elephant, Imagine Dragons, and others.

Listen to “Purple Teeth, The Bravery.” Here