“Vanish” by Blueburst – A Song Feature

 

     There was a time when guitars roamed the world as undisputed rulers. There were other instruments that were critical to the health of the ecosystem, such as the drums. But for more than a decade that began in the 60s and continued into the 70s, the guitar was the dominant species. In some ways, today is superior because we can readily visit the heyday of the guitar using one of our favorite music platforms. And occasionally, a song such as Blueburst’s “Vanish” appears, allowing us to experience in real time the excitement that guitar enthusiasts once felt on a far more frequent basis.
 
     The bio at the website of Blueburst describes their sound as “lush, guitar-based Alternative Rock, firmly rooted in 80’s Alternative and Post-punk, but with a timeless feel and foot pounding pace.” We aren’t so arrogant to claim to have a better understanding of their genre and roots. But for “Vanish,” we identify 1971. The song features 12-string guitars, which were played by far more musicians at that time. Of course, the synthesizer was not commonplace in 1971, but that was the year The Who released "Won't Get Fooled Again" with its iconic synth-like effect of a standard organ. Blueburst seems to give nod to The Who in general and Keith Moon’s drumming in particular when “Vanish” exits a synth-driven segment at 3:49.

     The vocals are strong and the lyric of “Vanish” are interesting. The lyrics are included at the bottom of this post. The voice belongs to Craig Douglas Miller, who is reviving a music career he’d once written off. Miller is 50 years old, which is older than most musicians preparing to release a debut album, but far too young to have first-hand experience with the 60s and 70s. After major label interest for his Alt-Rock band in the 1990’s never quite panned out, Miller entered a 20-year musical hibernation, the result of untreated depression, writer’s block, and “a few too many gin and tonics” as Miller puts it.

      Miller was motivated to leave his hibernation when he found a trusted mentor and collaborator in guitarist Marty Willson-Piper (The Church, Noctorum, and All About Eve). The other musicians of Blueburst include drummer Michael Jerome (Better than Ezra, John Cale) and bassist Ryan Kelly (Dayroom).  
 
     Miller explains that his lyrics “reflect the angsty times we’ve all recently experienced, through the lens of his renewed lust for life and music.” Blueburst will release singles each month through the summer, and a full LP in Fall 2023.
 
     The band is named after the finish on Miller’s favorite guitar. And he says he is “ripping off” an idea by Peter Gabriel in releasing a piece of art with each song release. The art for “Vanish” is a watercolor done by his wife Holly. He says:
  “She, as the tortured artist, is convinced that it’s terrible. But I love it, and I think it really captures the mood of the song, the idea of just leaving all the angst behind and getting the hell out of dodge.”
 
      We listen to “Vanish” and think of the movie “Field of Dreams.” Near the end of the movie, the character played by James Earl Jones gave a monologue explaining the importance of Ray’s baseball field to the connection people have to their history, despite the many changes over time. The speech can be adapted to reference Rock and “Vanish:”
  “The one constant through all the years of Rock has been guitar. Genres have rolled by like an army of steamrollers. Rock has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But guitar has marked the time. This song -- it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again.”
 
     “Vanish” by Blueburst

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueburstMusic
Website: https://blueburst.band/
Bandcamp: https://blueburst.bandcamp.com/
 
Lyrics of “Vanish” by Blueburst
Ride with me, she said
Let's get gone
We're no good this way
Barely hanging on.
 
There's no pot of gold
For sticking out another year
In a picture show that no one pictured
A hell that no one feared.
 
Why are we the ones who have to care?
Why don't we just vanish in thin air?
I'm not strong enough to carry
It's not our fault, so let's be on our merry way
Let's give up today.
 
All behind us, she said
Clear ahead
They won't even miss us
Never heard a word we said.
 
It's their world that they created
And they're not gonna change
They're the ones who lied and hated
Terrified by strange.
 
Why are we the ones who have to care?
Why don't we just vanish in thin air?
They built a world where they are ruling
Why should we endure their drooling power play?
Let's get out today.
 
Why are we the ones who have to care?
Why don't we just vanish in thin air?
I hope that hope prevails at last
But this all moves too fast to lose another day
Let's give up today
Let's give up today
 
Let's give up