Alkaline Trio - Dethbed
 

This review:

- Music people recommend me
- Songs that have a special place in my heart
- Whatever music’s on my mind at the time of the review (In this case, I had been listening to on the way back to my dorm.)



If anyone knows why they spelled the title that way, I’d love to know.

Off of the album Crimson(2005), comes Alkaline Trio’s Dethbed. The bassist, Dan Andriano admits that the band spent a tad more time on Crimson than they had on other albums, this could be the reason why this album stands out so much when I listen to Alkaline Trio. But don’t quote me on that… I don’t rate albums for a reason. xD

The first time I heard this song, I was falling asleep in the car waiting for my sister to come back from the mall. I’d heard some Alkaline Trio in the past when I was with one of my friends, but I never asked her for any of the CDs or to burn any of their work for me. I downloaded this discography because it was recommended to me BY her…. I never really listened to it. Because I didn’t have the actual album, and instead I used a torrent, I was able to receive all of the demos of the songs as well as the songs themselves.

Anyway, while my Zune was on shuffle, this demo of this song came up. Drifting in and out of sleep, I closed my eyes to what I figured I’d heard a million times before. As the music continued playing, I found myself almost unable to move as I listened to the lyrics.


Nothing entirely impressive, but for some reason, the chorus (above) really hit home for me. I found myself repeating the song for the next half hour, unable to understand what it was about the song that made me feel like breaking down. Playing the chorus repeatedly, I realized that I was tearing up. None of the rest of the song was affecting me this way, and I became more and more frustrated as the chorus passed and the song continued. To this day, I'm not exactly positive what it is that makes me feel that way, it could be something in my past or it could just be a really sad song. Generally, the lyrics above are able to tell an entire story in just a few lines, and I think maybe it was too much for me take in.

This song means a lot to me, but the actual version isn’t nearly as emotional for me as the demo version was. BECAUSE this song means so much to me, I have no interest in rating it.

Eh. ^_^ Thank you for listening, reading, maybe commenting and criticizing? I’ll post the regular version up so that you at least get a feel for the song if you don’t know it already.

Hi AwwSugar,
Could it be that it is called "Dethbed" rather than "Deathbed" because the protagonist in the song isn't really dead, but rather just feels dead because he was left by someone he loved so much that he felt life wasn't worth living without this person?

I enjoyed the beat of the song very much. My honest response, when I first read the chorus, was "Oh no...this makes me think of that guy I knew during college who was lying down, inebriated, on the lawn in the rain outside my dorm one evening because I didn't want to date him...I just wanted to be friends. He didn't go on to be part of a rock band, did he?!"

My other thought was that the person in the song is very emotionally dependent on the person he is singing about. I hoped someone would help him up, dry him off, and then help him distract himself with life for 6 months, until he gets to the point where he realizes he is better off without this person who left. That being said, it never feels good to feel abandoned...that is a very painful feeling.
--Veg

You're idea of the title is actually really interesting, I like it. It sounds like it could be the reason they spelled it that way.

I enjoy the beat, too. ^_^

It's weird, I had a really hard time reading the last paragraph of your response and I teared up, I don't know what it is about this song, I really don't.

Thank you for reading up and everything, it's always good to know someone's paying attention.

--Sugar

This review:

- Whatever music’s on my mind at the time of the review
- Instruments or anything musical I think I should share with you
- Music people recommend me

Purcell - Dido and Aeneas, "When I am laid in earth" / Emma Kirkby

I'd first been introduced to Purcell when I played in my high school's acoustic Guitar Ensemble. The pieces he wrote were arranged for guitar quartets and such... They were absolutely wonderful but I never looked into any of his work any further than that.

During my last year of high school, I took AP Music Theory and since most of that class is getting ready for the test aurally, we listened to dozens of pieces. One of the pieces we were supposed to analyze was When I Am Laid in Earth. We only heard about 20-30 seconds of the piece, but I was already hooked. I decided, after class, to ask my teacher what that piece was, because I was determined to hear more of it.

The intervals and chord progressions set an emotional storyline while the pure vocals and careful strings take you on a journey. All of this before you even know the story of the opera. The beauty of this piece is you don't have to know the story before you listen.

I can't really say anything else. This piece is beautiful. Emma Kirkby's voice is absolutely stunning. According to my teacher, this part of the opera is the most emotional... Listen, let me know what you think.

That's an example of the voices that never fail to give me goosebumps ...

i totally thought i had commented in here congratulating you on the journal, but i havent! unacceptable man.

anyways i cant say i had heard this song before i came in here but i have to agree on the analysis of the chorus. its quite effective in terms of wordchoice :)

The ones in your head, Nine? :wavey:

^_^ Thank you for the congrats. You should write one of your own, darling.

And yeah, the word choice is... nearly haunting.

more of the back of my neck :D

There are voices on the back of your neck?

Most music verging on operatic tends not to do much for me but thats a nice piece of music nonetheless i must say. Anyway, very worthy reading so far.