I was one of the kids who fell in love with Twenty One Pilots (or TØP, as they are affectionately referred to by many fans) after the release of what would probably be considered their ‘breakout’ single, ‘Stressed Out’. I was sixteen then and the lyrics resonated with me despite the fact that I didn’t have to pay any bills at the time. ‘Stressed Out’ was the lead single off of the group’s fourth album, Blurryface, which was released in 2015 and became the soundtrack for my life in many ways. Singer and songwriter Tyler Joseph started the group with friends Chris Salih and Nick Thomas. Salih and Thomas left the band in 2011, after which Josh Dun joined Joseph as the drummer for Twenty One Pilots. Joseph has an incredibly unique writing style that both blends and bends genres, using them as a vehicle for hard-hitting lyrics that address anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues as well as other topics. The group’s sound uniquely pulls together pop melodies, rock chord changes, rap verses, electronica production, and elements of punk such as screaming and clear, loud drums to create an eerily happy sound on face value that develops into sadness, angst, and growth after listening deeper. This dichotomy of real and fake, pain and happiness, confusion and clarity resonates with many hearers, especially teens and those who deal with mental health issues. The amazing thing about Twenty One Pilots isn’t just Joseph’s ridiculously relatable style of songwriting. It’s also the depth of his work. After I was introduced to the group, I was hooked and looked into all of their older work. Their first and third albums (their second album, ‘Regional At Best’ was self released and discontinued once they were signed to their record label, likely because some of the songs on it were re-recorded and released on Vessel), ‘Twenty One Pilots’ and ‘Vessel,’ respectively are dense collections of rich music, each song melodically distinct and lyrically gut-punching. It’s not often that you can find an artist so good that they consistently produce such good music (or one that starts with a sound that’s softer and more pop-like and grows more edgy). I wasn’t quite as fond of their fifth album, Trench (2018), but that’s a story for another day (it’s a great album, I just don’t find it to be quite as completely perfect as their previous albums). However, their latest release has me very excited for their upcoming album. ‘Scaled and Icy’ will be available on May 21st, 2021. A dragon is used on the album cover as well as throughout the ‘Shy Away’ music video, leaving fans wondering what connections the mythical creatures have to the album’s lyrical imagery. ‘Shy Away’ was released April 7th and when I first heard it I fell in love. It’s an absolute bop that (in true Twenty One Pilots fashion) houses everything that’s good about pop music - a catchy hook and simple melody - without creating an overly-repetitious over-produced monster that loses its meaning and soul. It starts with only drums and a synthesizer and builds into a beat-heavy, deeply synchronized sound by merely adding a bass synthesizer, an accent keyboard melody, and some background vocals. This fresh sound definitely coincides with the way that Joseph describes the album, saying in a BBC Radio 1 interview that it is “more colorful” than their previous works. In addition to the incredibly catchy tune, ‘Shy Away’ boasts lyrics that will particularly resonate with people who have followed Twenty One Pilots for a while. During his BBC Radio 1 interview, Joseph said that the song is advice for his brother, saying that “the only thing tougher than trying to figure out what your own purpose is, is watching someone whom you love trying to figure out their purpose.”
The first part of the chorus says “don’t you shy away, manifest a ceiling when you shy away.” Being fearful or unwilling to take necessary actions and sometimes risks in life ultimately forces you back into your own mind, where you create layers of skin to protect yourself from pain, struggle, and growth. This, in a way, creates a ‘ceiling’ that leads to greater isolation. This is also reflected in the first verse, which says “shed your modesty,” pointing to the walls that have been built up to protect a person. ‘Shy Away’ is also a refreshing take on where Joseph is in his life. His previous albums were full of him sorting through his own mental struggles, where he seemed to be someone who was determined but weary and confused. However, he’s starting this album as a sort of mentor. His growth from album to album has always been intriguing to me, but this one is especially so because of how drastic it seems. I’m sure that there will be some sort of angst on the album somewhere, but I definitely think it’s a good thing for Joseph that he is at a place in his life where he can put some of that down. Twenty One Pilots has been the echo of a generation and they continue to be as they evolve, changing their sounds and growing as people. And that’s what good music does.
2 Comments
Joanna Arnsmeyer
4/24/2021 03:18:10 pm
Twenty One Pilot fans woo!! You've convinced me to listen to some of their older albums! I love this post and your blog as a whole!
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Grace Nicklas
4/25/2021 01:41:42 pm
I too was a massive Twenty One Pilots fan at one point and now my little brother is! I loved reading this long form article and I think you styled it amazing! I love the inclusion of videos!! Great job!
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AuthorHi y’all! I’m Morganne: a college student living life in the South. I love listening to, creating, and analyzing music from many genres and across all time periods. ArchivesCategories |