Oh yeah we do individual song reviews. No I didn’t just decide this. Shut up.
This is usually the answer I’d give to any sorts of goofy questions like “what’s the best song of the decade” or “what’s your favorite song,” or even “if you were a wrestler, what would your theme song be.” Well, this or “S.O.S.” by Lightning Bolt. Anyways, the point is that it’s probably my favorite song.
When I bought “Shine A Light,” I went in having only heard this song, and was initially really disappointed. I had listened to this song basically nonstop, and was completely in love with it. I was too young to understand the power it had, but I could see the demonstration of that power, and I felt like I had to own it. Eating a man to gain his powers and such.
Of things that have not changed as I’ve aged, the power this song holds over me is one of them. It’s hard for me to listen to it and not drop everything I’m doing, and not convulse as it courses through me, and not burst into howls along with Bry Webb. It’s hard not to surrender.
The song itself is everything I love about art rock or whatever you want to call this. There’s more than power chords because the song is worth more than that, and the intricacy of the song is meant to fit in with the power the song has over the songwriters. I wonder if they knew how incredible this song is when they were starting to put pieces of it together, because every part of it is perfect. It’s beautiful in the same way films of predators are, and brutal like the empty streets of modern cities. The savage build, short release, and return to the cacophony of pure goddamn rock music is lifelike in a way only a song can be. This song makes me want to fuck something in half and scream through glass, and all of the other feats rock and roll should make you want to do.
So I guess the song is okay.
WINNER: “Nighttime/Anytime (It’s Alright)”
WHY: It’s perfect to my aesthetic.
Fermata over Whole Rest 