Friday, June 12, 2020

“Blame The Record” by Vandalye – A Song Feature


     While most bands are struggling to merely stay afloat in the Indie waters of 2020, Vandalye motors along with purpose and direction. Their album “Cigarettes & Minarets” was released in February, and they have already dropped two more singles. The first, “Little Piggy,” lyrically touches upon the political commentary of George Orwell’s book “Animal Farm.” The second, “Blame The Record,” is also lyrically insightful.

     Vandalye describes “Blame The Record” as a synth movement that highlights anxiety and depression on a day-to-day basis. The synth resides in the lower frequency range of human hearing, but the song is skillfully textured via a clean, almost delicate guitar. The vocals consistently portray a purposefulness, while being nuanced with respect to cadence and other characteristics that breathe life into the lyrical message. We are particularly impressed by the shift upon reaching a slight pause in the melody (at 1:16). Going into the pause, the lead voice is supported by soft backing vocals. After the pause. the vocals drop down an octave and have greater depth (likely overdubbing).

     Vandalye is a trio based in Dubai, U.A.E. Their genre varies from song-to-song. In fact, the best description of the genre sometimes changes within a single song, as is the case in “Little Piggy.” 

     Quoting their bio:
  Formed in Dubai and consisting of identical twins Lucas and Thomas McCone and lead singer Scott Attew, Vandalye have seen a quick rise in their music career. After being the opening acts for music giants like Sir Elton John and Lionel Richie, Vandalye released their debut album "Cigarettes & Minarets" in February 2020.
  Despite hitting several Spotify Editorials with their first album Vandalye decided to go for a bigger and heavier sound with their upcoming EP. With Lucas composing music for feature films on the side he wants to incorporate film music to Vandalye's sound with big synths and ambient guitars

     “Blame The Record” by Vandalye





Lyrics of “Blame The Record” by Vandalye
It’s creeping in
Like the walls around me
They’re paper thin

To the world outside oh
It’s shaking me
To my core
This is breaking me
I’m coming down

And don’t tell me what you think
Don’t tell me what you know
Just slow the fuck down
I feel like I’m in the middle of the ocean
Without a boat I’ll drown

And don’t you think
That I thought about this
By now
Blame the DJ
Blame the record

Oh it’s midnight
And I’m falling slowly
Now it’s 5am
And I can’t get down oh
For the sleep ahead
Crashing over
As I sink again
I’m coming down

And don’t tell me what you think
Don’t tell me what you know
Just slow the fuck down
I feel like I’m in the middle of the ocean
Without a boat I’ll drown

And don’t you think
That I thought about this
By now
Blame the DJ
Blame the record

Oh I, didn’t see you walking over
Under cover of darkness I saw your shadow
From a street lamp
On an old parked car

You didn’t quite know what to say
My dear
Oh neither did I
Did I
You couldn’t quite find the right words
To say

And don’t tell me what you think
Don’t tell me what you know
Just slow the fuck down
I feel like I’m in the middle of the ocean
Without a boat I’ll drown
And don’t you think
That I thought about this
By now
Blame the DJ
Blame the record

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