“Time Bomb” by Rancid

This song has been following me around this year. I first heard it before a Sum 41 show, when they put on a playlist to keep us entertained. I heard it again before an Incubus show, in the same scenario.

On the outset, Time Bomb sounds like a happy, upbeat, and catchy ska song that you could sing along and dance to. But its subject matter is much grimmer. It tells the story of a young boy who stumbles into a life of crime, and meets a tragic demise just as quickly. The song’s jovial beat sonically sketches this story as a caricature or a cartoon — as if it’s commenting on the fact that this social issue has become all too common, that no one even takes it seriously anymore.

On a more universal scale, Time Bomb serves as a cautionary tale on the dangers of not knowing when to stop. Even with respectable endeavors that we undertake, like creative work, we need to continuously stay mindful of what our purpose is. We need to draw the line, so that we don’t do it for the wrong reasons. The protagonist in the story doesn’t draw his, and he pays the price for it. As the song reminds us, “The secret to a good life is knowing when you’re through.”

 

 

“I Miss You” by Incubus

Before the Incubus show last April, I was fortunate to snag the opportunity for a meet-and-greet. Looking back, I definitely could have spoken with them more — and perhaps told them how much their music meant to me. But I was too nervous at the time. Also, the security guards were pressuring us to make it quick.

Brandon, the lead singer and songwriter, was really sweet, though. We talked about why the drummer wasn’t there in the meet-and-greet session, because I wanted to wish him a happy birthday. Brandon then asked for my name, and pronounced it almost correctly. “Cool name,” he said. “I’ll let him know you wished him a happy birthday.”

But never mind my awkward experience, because one story shared by a fellow meet-and-greet attendee really warmed my heart. His mom had recently passed away, and he told the band that he found a lot of solace in their music as he grieved. “It’s okay,” they comforted him. “You’re in the right place.”

That night, Incubus surprised us by playing their song, I Miss You, which they don’t do often. Perhaps the band dedicated this song to that one fan. Or perhaps it was just a coincidence. But for him, he liked to think it was the former. 

I Miss You is such a simple song, but it conveys so much emotion in just four stanzas. As the lyrics poignantly express, “I see your picture; I smell your skin on the empty pillow next to mine. You have only been gone ten days, but already, I’m wasting away.” If this isn’t poetry, I don’t know what is.

 

 

 

“Gimme Chocolate!!” by BABYMETAL

BABYMETAL is a Japanese band fronted by three girls, who sing and dance. They pioneered a totally unique sub-genre of heavy metal called kawaii metal. 

Saying BABYMETAL is weird is like saying grass is green. For a long while, my brain couldn’t process their music. Instrumentally, the music can get really fucking heavy. But it’s partnered with the most “bubblegum” and childish melodies and lyrics, ever. “Wait, what?!” I’d often catch myself thinking.

Overtime, I could finally understand why they’re so loved. For one thing, their melodies are actually really, really good. And secondly, BABYMETAL made me realize that music doesn’t have to be intellectual or introspective all the time. Especially with heavy metal, it’s practically the status quo for the songs and imagery to be all doom and gloom. But BABYMETAL has brought a fun and sunny side to the genre that we didn’t know we needed — just because. And they couldn’t give half a rat’s ass either about the barrage of criticism they get from heavy metal purists. 

Gimme Chocolate!! is one of my favorite songs by the band. As you can guess, it’s about chocolate. More precisely, it’s about the tug-of-war between wanting to have some chocolate, and watching your figure — and ultimately saying, screw it, and just living a little. Oh, it also reflects our struggle to fit into society’s beauty standar… — no, I will not overanalyze a BABYMETAL song.