With “down in the garden,” rising artist TJBUCKLEY delivers a haunting and intimate single – the second release from his upcoming debut album FALLING OUT OF THE IVY TREE. Set against a backdrop of soft melancholy, the song is a deeply personal meditation on Alzheimer’s disease and the emotional weight it places on loved ones. Described by the artist himself, “This song isn’t for you, it’s for me,” this track blurs the line between poetry and song, offering a stark window into vulnerability and the fragility of memory.

“down in the garden” began life as a poem, and it retains the lyrical intimacy and metaphorical depth of its origins. Though TJBUCKLEY never explicitly names the illness in the lyrics, the sense of cognitive fading and emotional distance is palpable. Imagery of a once-familiar place now overgrown – “the garden” – becomes a metaphor for the mind, where once-vibrant connections are now tangled or lost.

The song doesn’t attempt to explain Alzheimer’s. Instead, it evokes how it feels – watching someone disappear in slow motion, still present physically but slipping away emotionally. There’s a reverence here, not just for the person suffering, but for the family left in limbo, forced to grieve before death has arrived.

Musically, “down in the garden” is sparse and meditative. Gentle acoustic textures intertwine with ambient soundscapes, reinforcing the theme of fading clarity. TJBUCKLEY’s vocals are raw and understated, almost spoken in places, adding to the track’s confessional tone. The production avoids unnecessary flourish – this is not a song that tries to uplift or distract. It instead sits with the sadness, letting it speak.

This restraint is its power. The song’s atmosphere invites silence between lines, as if giving someone space for memories to surface – just as Alzheimer’s does, in unpredictable bursts.

“down in the garden” marks an important step in TJBUCKLEY’s emergence as a narrative-driven, emotionally fearless artist. His debut album FALLING OUT OF THE IVY TREE is shaping up to be a collection that explores internal decay, family legacy, and emotional resilience. This track, in particular, underscores his strength as a storyteller and poet, using songwriting as a vehicle for personal catharsis and public empathy.

Rather than aim for wide relatability, TJBUCKLEY dares to say, “this is for me.” Ironically, that honesty makes it resonate even more.

“down in the garden” will feel like familiar sonic territory for fans of artists like Sufjan Stevens, Phoebe Bridgers, or Gregory Alan Isakov.

“down in the garden” is a graceful and devastating song, written not to entertain but to remember, honor, and process. TJBUCKLEY captures the quiet devastation of watching someone fade from memory, and in doing so, ensures they are never forgotten. This is not just a single – it’s a eulogy in bloom.

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