Dave Sheinin Doesn’t Need a Ruler to Know ‘The Measure of Things’

Baltimore-based alternative artist Dave Sheinin recently released a new single, “The Measure of Things,” and it’s a gem of depth, style, and substance. The song explores themes of aging and second chances with precise eloquence, highlighting Sheinin’s background as an award-winning Washington Post sports reporter and best-selling author.

Prior to his career as a reporter, Sheinin trained as an opera singer at Vanderbilt University. “My dalliance with opera was a whirlwind romance (long story short: I discovered my voice pretty much by accident at Vanderbilt and was cast in a school opera within weeks of starting out as a voice student) but a serious one (I was accepted to some grad schools and contemplated making a go at it). But ultimately, I decided I didn’t love opera enough to make it my career,” he explains.

Sheinin notes his current melodic, pop-influenced rock ‘n’ roll sound was always his first love, so his return to the genre feels like home. Audiences will agree after listening to “The Measure of Things” or “St. Paul,” another track from Sheinin’s EP, that he’s right where he should be.

Throughout “The Measure of Things,” Sheinin asks a lot of questions: “How’s your heart? / Torn apart / If you turned the key today / Do you think it’d even start?” The song’s chorus seems to challenge the powers that be from the perspective of someone who has gained insight from life’s experiences: “I don’t need a ladder / To breathe the air of kings / I don’t need a ruler / To know the measure of things.”

Sheinin explains “The Measure of Things” is about “not being afraid of aging, and not being regretful of the roads not taken, but of embracing the accumulation of wisdom and perspective that comes along with age.” Lyrically and musically, the song exudes confidence and bears the maturity of a spokesperson who has grown to embrace their whole selves while still being open to becoming.

Fans of Jason Isbell and Father John Misty will identify with Dave Sheinin’s style in which every element of the composition feels poetic, speaking to the realities of the human experience with brutal honesty. “This late-in-life venture as a singer-songwriter is more of a return to my true roots,” says Sheinin. “Why I waited so long to do this is a completely different (and complicated) question.”

“The Measure of Things” reminds listeners of the importance of pursuing dreams regardless of where you find yourself in life starting right now, and Dave Sheinin is leading by example. After 30-something years of giving voice to other people’s stories as a reporter, Sheinin is now inspiring audiences with his own story, and his is one worth sharing – no third-person needed.

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