There’s a lot of history packed into “Thank You,” but you wouldn’t necessarily know it just from listening.
Ricky Barson has been carrying Educatable forward since losing his bandmate and songwriting partner Dom Slone, and that could’ve gone a thousand different ways. He could’ve shelved the project entirely. He could’ve made something dark and introspective. Instead, he’s made a track that genuinely feels like joy without ignoring where he’s been.
The first thing that grabbed me was how the rhythms move. There’s this bounce to “Thank You” that gets under your skin immediately. It’s not trying to be complex or show off, it just wants you to feel good. Those little touches of African and World music influences give it texture without making a big deal about it. They’re just there, adding colour to the whole thing.
Barson’s voice surprised me. Taking over as lead vocalist after being the drummer for years is no small thing, but he sounds comfortable here. Not polished in that overproduced way, but confident. Like he’s found his place in this new version of what Educatable is. The melodies have that earworm quality, the kind that’ll pop into your head two days later while you’re making coffee.
What I keep coming back to is how the track balances everything. You can hear those big, expansive influences like Coldplay and U2 in the way the song breathes and builds, but there’s also this modern indie pop energy that keeps it from feeling too stadium sized. It’s ready for a festival stage but would work just as well in a packed club.