First Impressions

Kidding Myself by The Acrobats is a melancholic, introspective piece from their album Beautifully Broken that captures the emotional turmoil following heartbreak.

With a stripped-down, raw approach both lyrically and musically, the song immerses the listener in the mind of someone caught in the throes of longing, confusion, and emotional stagnation.

It’s a quietly powerful track that leans into vulnerability, offering a slow burn of sadness wrapped in figurative realism.

The Acrobats prove themselves not only as musicians, but as storytellers, letting the song’s narrative unfold with a delicate, unforced honesty, and I love it.

Kidding Myself – Lyrical Interpretation

The lyrics are the heart of this song, and they pulse with a wounded sincerity. The song opens with the vivid description of walking through life with headphones on, not to enjoy music, but to avoid human interaction — a clever and tragic metaphor for self-isolation.

Lines like “I love you / Where did my logic go? / My head is spinning and I haven’t a clue” speak to the internal battle between reason and emotion.

The chorus repeats the declaration of love, not as a romantic gesture, but as a confession of entrapment — unable to move on, unable to let go, those that have loved and lost will instantly connect with that concept.

There’s a sharp awareness in the writing. The phrase “cosy futility” is especially touching, capturing the strange comfort in going through the motions of healing without actually healing.

The use of a “trusty notebook and pen” is symbolic too — capturing the idea of someone attempting to process, reflect, maybe even write their way through the pain, but ultimately admitting to themselves that they are just “kidding myself”.

In essence it’s a song about holding on long after it’s healthy, and knowing it, yet still being unable to stop, like me at an all you can eat buffet.

Composition & Vocal Delivery

Musically, “Kidding Myself” matches the lyrical content with restraint, poise and intelligence. There’s a well balanced keys & guitar led arrangement that doesn’t distract from the words but instead frames them with quiet sensitivity.

The production is intentionally understated — possibly lo-fi or minimally layered — giving the vocals room to breathe and resonate, It has a slight sense of Blur or Oasis to it’s sound and vocal delivery and production approach.

On that note the vocal delivery melds perfectly with the song style — there’s an authenticity to the performance that suggests the lead singer Chris Keogh isn’t just interpreting lyrics, but living them.

The slight cracks or imperfections in the voice, the scanning & pacing of the lines, and the softness in the phrasing all add to the emotional weight. Nothing feels forced.

The song doesn’t build to a dramatic crescendo, and that’s a strength — the consistent performance speaks louder than any explosion of sound ever could before ending abruptly and leaving you wondering where it went, a great metaphor for a prematurely ending relationship.

Kidding Myself – Overall Impression

Kidding Myself is a beautifully sad song that offers no easy resolutions and nor should it. It captures the quiet, mundane grief of heartbreak in a way that’s both poetic and relatable.

The Acrobats lean into minimalism and lyrical depth to deliver a track that stays with you long after the final line.

It’s not flashy or melodramatic — it’s raw, reflective, and deeply human. For anyone who’s found themselves stuck in purgatory between letting go and holding on, this song will strike a familiar chord, but then again maybe i’m just Kidding Myself.

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Footnote

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