“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.”
– Aldous Huxley
“Pieces” by Sum 41
When I was a kid, I had a chuck-full of illegally-downloaded Sum 41 songs in my PSP, which I mainly used as an mp3 player. But every time Pieces played, I would skip it. It was one of those songs that I did like, but that I would seldom find myself in a proper mood to listen to. I would keep skipping this song well into adulthood, until I heard it live in concert last month.
I had been going through a horrible episode at the time, and I guess this had a part in my relating to the song differently. As soon as the singer, Deryck played the opening D minor chord on his Telecaster, I somehow felt like I was about to be opened up to an entirely new world of meaning.
As I sang along to the lyrics, it suddenly dawned on me that the song is about depression. Until that night, the line, “This place is so empty, my thoughts are so tempting. I don’t know how it got so bad,” had never hit me so hard. And I could say just the same for the rest of the lyrics. During those few minutes, tears welled up in my eyes. I would never listen to the song in the same way again.
“War” by Sum 41
After the Sum 41 show, I started exploring more of their newer albums. And the song War from the 13 Voices album has particularly struck a chord in me. I’ve listened to it almost every day since.
According to Deryck, this is the song that saved his life. He has had a troubled history of drinking himself to death, and this song came about when he very nearly relapsed into his old ways.
He was just about to reach for a bottle when ideas for the lyrics of this song suddenly appeared in his mind. Since then, the song has served as a reminder, or a pledge, for him to keep pushing forward in his war against his self-destructive impulses.
For me, this song not only gives me the strength to persevere through my own troubles. But it also represents the beauty of dedicating yourself to an art. A lot of times, it can seem like your art is a living entity that is looking after you and your mental health. I can personally attest to this, because this is a big reason why I write articles here every single week. I constantly have ideas that I can choose to focus on and pursue, rather than give in to my darker tendencies.
“The Sea of Emotion, Part 1” by Joe Satriani and Steve Vai
Interesting things happened when I went to a Steve Vai show last year. Before the show, a security guard personally approached me to record a few videos for him. And after the show, I had a conversation with my Grab driver who easily recognized Steve Vai’s name and had the common knowledge that he was a “legendary guitarist”, despite never having listened to his songs.
I can objectively say that Steve Vai, as well as his teacher and longtime friend Joe Satriani, are among the greatest guitarists in history. While their playing styles are distinctive from one another in their own right, no one quite plays as intuitively and as passionately as they do.
Over 30 years ago, Steve and Joe publicly talked about composing a song together. Even then, the unwritten song had a title. It was named after a field which they called The Sea of Emotion, where they would hang around as teenagers late at night, and talk endlessly about life. And now, the song is finally here.
There are tiny easter eggs scattered throughout the song, as it pays homage to Steve and Joe’s long history. It even makes use of a chord progression that they would improv over during their guitar lessons way back then. All in all, it’s a really wholesome track which celebrates a lasting friendship. We’re lucky to be living in the same time as this legendary teacher and student duo.
“Lay All Your Love on Me” by ABBA
I love ABBA. The more I listen to their music, the more I’m in awe of the sheer amount of detail that they put in making each song as good as they can possibly be.
Lay All Your Love on Me is a great example of this. The song has such an ethereal feel to it, that listening to it makes me feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience. It’s like I’m attuned to frequencies and vibrations that are beyond my physical senses.
While it has a great melody, the song likely wouldn’t have the visceral effect that it has if it weren’t for the brilliant production. They resourcefully used various techniques to evoke that dreamy, spacey atmosphere. For one thing, they used a harmonizer in the line just before the chorus, giving it a declining sound effect. Then there’s the use of the vocoder in the chorus, which makes the vocal harmonies sound like they are being sung in church. And these are only the tip of the iceberg, based on what I’ve learned.
At least in my opinion, the song hasn’t been done enough justice in covers, because no other artist has come close to being as masterful as ABBA in using the studio as an instrument. This is the value in perfecting the little things. You get to leave your imprints and make your art truly yours, in ways that no one else can easily replicate.
“Are You In?” by Incubus
Sometimes, music is how I retreat into an alternate reality. In the case of Are You In? by Incubus, it’s one where there is simply peace, and people are coexisting in harmony.
In light of recent events in Malaysia, where KK Marts have been firebombed with molotov cocktails, this song is especially relevant now. Perhaps it’s timelessly relevant, as a similar phenomenon happens all the damn time, whereby politicians and public figures ride on resolvable or even frivolous issues in the name of “religion”, and play on the people’s conservative fears. And time and time again, we see how “religion” ironically brings the absolute worst out of people.
Anyway, Incubus’s music has been a great source of solace. What makes it so meaningful to me is its intimacy and vulnerability. I often get the sensation that I’m hearing the lyrics off of someone’s personal journal — unvarnished words that weren’t meant to be shared with the world. Yet, I find this comforting, because I recognize my own thoughts in the lyrics — the very same human insecurities and anxieties that I would otherwise think I am alone in having.
The particular version of Are You In? I’m thinking of is from their Live in Malaysia 2004 album. Of course, I’m biased in thinking this is the best version there is. Very biased, probably. But it’s a hopeful one, because you can hear everyone in that Malaysian crowd singing in unison and enjoying themselves. No hatred or extremism. Just a love for the same music that they all happen to share.
Izzat Zailan 