One of the compelling things about great photography is the artist's ability to capture a point in time and freeze it forever. In that sense, Cherry Suede's Since You've Been Gone is a musical photograph, timelessly capturing those fleeting moments when we look back nostalgically at a lost relationship. In the words of singer Randy Scott, "I'm always amazed at the tricks that time plays on our memories. We just seem to gradually filter out the bad parts of some memories and retain only the good parts." Since You've Been Gone reveals Randy Scott and Randy Young's early songwriting influences as much as any other track on the band's debut album. With the folk-rock lyricism of Jackson Browne and Bob Dylan, and the blues-driven rhythm of The Eagles and Tom Petty, the result is a song that is equally at home on country radio, at a folk revival, or on a top-of-the-pops broadcast. Although it's impossible to miss the harmonica in the opening and closing bars, a closer listen uncovers more subtle evidence of the song's roots, from the use of drum brushes, to the keyboard-centric bassline, to the chord progression. With some of these elements removed, the acoustic version of the song leans less on its tempo and structure, and the vibe becomes sadder and more haunted.