The Common Reeds – Fear
Interesting people need to be surrounded at all times by interesting things, be they real or fake. After nearly completing a journey that saw him conquering about half of the known world, Alexander (soon to be dubbed “The Great”) traveled 500 kilometers through the desert to commune with the Oracle of Ammon, a sacred stone that could impart knowledge.
You can just imagine how bored Alexander must’ve been to take on the journey. All the victories certainly fed the ego and grew the conqueror’s madness. But what about entertainment, drama, mystery? Some of us require a sacred stone, once in a while, and more importantly, a great big desert that needs crossing before we can reach it.
The Common Reeds could’ve chosen a much simpler musical path for themselves, but that would’ve been a waste of a good story. That’s because “Fear” does sound like a great tale, some kind of wild campaign into the unknown, some monster that needs taming. It all starts modestly enough with folk-rock guitars. But before you know it, the vocals have taken off and won’t take it any easier before the prize has ben won. This is, in fact, a shamanic folk-rock and you’re part of the glorious ceremony across the desert.
Big Society – Every Stage of a Genuine Heartbreak
It’s the Western world that has imposed the new standards around dating, and, nearly every corner of the globe has accepted them. It must’ve sounded nice. There were all those romantic comedies featuring big name actors and all of the books where everyone ends up happy. This didn’t just offer possible dating standards and strategies. This was supposed to be a way to solve every single issue related to love and human loneliness. How could it fail us so bad then?
It’s genuinely baffling that we advise people to go searching for love when so many end up torn and mangled beyond recognition on their journey. It’s amazing how many dismembered bodies pave the road to love or, at least, to peace and romance co-existing. And, with all of these things so well and widely known, it’s amazing that nearly all artists write lovely, dopey songs about falling in love. They ought to pay compensation for all the damages that they’ve inflicted. Call me a good lawyer!
Big Society’s “Every Stage of a Genuine Heartbreak” is a song for all the souls that mangled and wrecked just because they were brave to sail into the sea and got caught by the storm. They’re not only the victims of bad luck, but of poor advice also. Love can be a horrible, evil thing and in the softly, desperately sung indie-pop of Big Society you get a measure of just what you’re up against. You’re probably going to go out into the sea no matter what we say, but know that either slaughter or genuine love awaits. Take the odds if you must, but find a good lawyer.
