If you’ve ever found yourself at 3 a.m., staring at the ceiling, wondering where it all went wrong, then Misfit Memoirs by UniversalDice might be the album you didn’t know you needed. It’s a collection of songs that feels less like a record and more like the kind of late-night conversation you have with a friend who’s just drunk enough to be brutally honest. There’s love, regret, a bit of self-loathing, and, of course, a dream in which Paul McCartney casually drops off a song idea like a neighbor lending you a cup of sugar.
From the opening track, “My Heart is in Your Hands,” it’s clear that UniversalDice isn’t interested in playing it safe. What starts as a straightforward love song sneaks up on you, culminating in a three-guitar solo that somehow makes perfect sense. It’s the kind of song that feels like a warm embrace until you realize that, actually, it’s the memory of a warm embrace, and now you’re alone in your apartment eating peanut butter from the jar.
Then there’s “Once Upon a Time,” a song that tells a couple of true stories—though UniversalDice wisely avoids clarifying whether they’re heartwarming or tragic. This is a theme throughout Misfit Memoirs; it doesn’t so much tell you how to feel as it nudges you toward existential dread and then offers a cup of coffee and a pat on the back. “Kiss Me” continues the trend, setting up a classic love-and-loss scenario but layering it with swirling piano and reverse guitar, making it feel less like a breakup anthem and more like the sound of your subconscious reminding you of every mistake you’ve ever made.
The existential reckoning starts with “I’m Not Me Anymore,” which is a polite way of saying, “Welcome to your identity crisis.” From there, we go to “Curse,” a song about parents and children, which I initially assumed would be sweet but turned out to be more like realizing, halfway through Thanksgiving dinner, that your parents were just as lost as you are. “I Hate You”—featuring the cheery follow-up lyric “’cause you hate me”—continues the emotional spiral, while “Forgive Me” asks if maybe, just maybe, you’ve been wrong about everything. By “Stay,” you’re not sure whether to laugh, cry, or text your ex.
Just when you think you’ve figured out the mood of this album, UniversalDice throws in “Delectable,” a song allegedly inspired by a dream in which Paul McCartney handed the band a melody. I’m not saying I believe it, but I’m also not saying I wouldn’t start sleeping with a notebook next to my bed just in case Mick Jagger decides to drop by.
By the time we get to “Forgot to Say,” the final track, there’s a sense of completion—though not the kind where everything wraps up neatly. Instead, it’s the kind where you’ve gone through something significant, and now you just need to sit quietly for a while.
Misfit Memoirs isn’t trying to be trendy or fit into any neat category. It’s messy, thoughtful, and occasionally gut-wrenching in a way that feels deeply personal. And really, isn’t that what great music is supposed to do?
Anne Hollister
