So, Say Anything is coming out with a new record, Anarchy My Dear
on March 13th. I started listening to some of their previous records and pondering what makes their music not just catchy, yet intellectual at the same time.
I've included a couple songs for your consideration from 2009's self-titled Say Anything
. Both of these songs melodically put you at ease, get you tapping your foot, while simultaneously barraging you with not exactly what I would describe as "happy go-lucky" lyrics. This almost forces you deeper into the song, it becomes more than a song, and the listener becomes emotionally, and intellectually invested, almost along the lines of songs that tell a story.
This isn't anything new in music at all, especially in this genre, Saves The Day's "As Your Ghost Takes Flight" instantly comes to mind, and even Bohemian Rhapsody opens with "Mama, just killed a man" sung over a beautiful piano melody. These songs above though, what I guess could be considered better examples since the themes and lyrics persist through the entire song.
So where does this leave your head as a listener in the milliseconds between notes, chords and words. Naked, uncomfortable. When we feel uncomfortable we seek shelter, comfort. Where do we find it? The next verse, or the next few notes. What this results in the is intellectual almost sort of interaction with the song, even if we've heard it a million times before, it makes us think. Not in a manner of being preached to, or coerced, but just general turning of the cogs.
I think there's a lot of value in that. A song might not have a specific message you're supposed to think about, maybe you're just supposed to think with the songs for a few moments and escape your own.
on March 13th. I started listening to some of their previous records and pondering what makes their music not just catchy, yet intellectual at the same time.I've included a couple songs for your consideration from 2009's self-titled Say Anything
. Both of these songs melodically put you at ease, get you tapping your foot, while simultaneously barraging you with not exactly what I would describe as "happy go-lucky" lyrics. This almost forces you deeper into the song, it becomes more than a song, and the listener becomes emotionally, and intellectually invested, almost along the lines of songs that tell a story.This isn't anything new in music at all, especially in this genre, Saves The Day's "As Your Ghost Takes Flight" instantly comes to mind, and even Bohemian Rhapsody opens with "Mama, just killed a man" sung over a beautiful piano melody. These songs above though, what I guess could be considered better examples since the themes and lyrics persist through the entire song.
So where does this leave your head as a listener in the milliseconds between notes, chords and words. Naked, uncomfortable. When we feel uncomfortable we seek shelter, comfort. Where do we find it? The next verse, or the next few notes. What this results in the is intellectual almost sort of interaction with the song, even if we've heard it a million times before, it makes us think. Not in a manner of being preached to, or coerced, but just general turning of the cogs.
I think there's a lot of value in that. A song might not have a specific message you're supposed to think about, maybe you're just supposed to think with the songs for a few moments and escape your own.
No comments:
Post a Comment