"The dreamy sounds of cicadas chirping and a cool breeze blowing through the trees tastefully open and close the song. Greene's voice is warm and smoky, with a bittersweet tenderness similar to Suzanne Vega. Meanwhile, the instrumental arrangement underneath develops dramatically over the course of the song. During the double chorus at the end, the backing vocals from the bridge continue to chant a reassuring mantra, as if to counteract the head-spinning feeling of being in love. Using angelic harmonies and a playful give-and-take between major and minor modes, “Safe in the Shade” is a dark alternative pop song that grapples with loving someone from a shadowed distance." 

--Katie Halligan