Hello, dear readers! I wrote up a lengthy and detailed review of the new Twenty One Pilots album “Blurryface” on Amazon.com, but wanted to share it here as well! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below, and if you think it is helpful, or informative, please head over to Amazon, and give me a “Yes” Helpful Comment vote there! I’d appreciate it! Enjoy my review, and I hope you do check out this album, and this artist, as I think they are something special, and would love for you to find a new artist to enjoy and support! 🙂
One of the bigger breakout sensations of the past few years from the indie band circuit, Twenty One Pilots (or TOP, as I will frequently refer to them from here on) are also an increasingly polarizing band, as a perusal of the early reviews for their second studio album Blurryface will verify. While their first studio album, Vessel, was hailed as a revolutionary breakout work by many, or at least a very strong opening salvo by an undeniably talented band, it seems there has begun to form a bit of a canyon of thought regarding this, their latest album. While some see Blurryface as a continuance of growth and maturity from Vessel, others see it as a step back, a disappointment compared to what they showed they were capable of in their previous albums (they have two very popular self-released albums that preceed Vessel: a self titled album, and the now unavailable Regional at Best.) So, where does the truth about Blurryface lie? Honestly, I think it’s a matter of subjectivity, and personal preference. As lead singer/songwriter/piano player/scaffolding climber Tyler Joseph sings on the track titled Message Man, “These lyrics aren’t for everyone, only few understand.” This “understanding” he speaks of isn’t an intellectual one, but rather something more innate and unexplainable. Either you listen to TOP’s music, and connect with it on a deeper level than just the sonic or lyrical quality, or don’t. That connection may not happen all at once, but give this dynamic duo from Ohio a little time, and you may just find their music burrowing itself into your inner psyche, and building itself a home!
As you may have guessed from my 5-Star rating, I definitely fall into the category of those deeply affected by the music of twenty one pilots (as it’s typically stylized by the band, and their ardent following, the “Skeleton Clique”), and also feel like Blurryface is another excellent addition into their already sizable discography! This wasn’t always the case, however, as I was one that they needed to grow on a bit before fully connecting to their unusual brand of off-kilter song structure and frenetic genre-hopping. Once the lyrical depth really hit me, which actually happened while listening to a song from their self-titled album titled “Addict With a Pen”, I fell hard and fast for TOP, and have been trying to “share the love” with as many family and friends as I can ever since! I always tell people to get them a little time, and more than one listen, as they are not like much of anything else out there on the radio waves today. But I do believe there are rewards to be reaped from their music, and not just getting to groove to some awesome beats, and catchy (if occasionally a bit cheesy) lyrics!
Blurryface has been getting slowly doled out for over two months now, with the first “Single” Fairly Local being released on St. Patty’s Day back in March. That was followed by Tear in My Heart, which just cracked the Top 10 on the latest edition of Mediabase’s official alternative airplay chart, as it continues to climb the charts. Stressed Out, Lane Boy, and Ride all were released in advance of the album, in three consecutive weeks leading up to today, the album’s official release date (though it actually ended up coming out yesterday.) Stressed Out, in particular, has seen a lot of success, and is currently still climbing the Billboard Hot 100! More on each of these Singles in the track by track to follow. Now that’s it’s completely released, and can be judged as a whole, how does it stack up? Whether you fall into the camp of this being a great album, or just an okay or good album, will probably hinge somewhat on how you feel about artists mixing it up, and deviating from their signature sound. For instance, Imagine Dragons created a similar rift of opinion with their release of Smoke + Mirrors earlier this year, which featured almost as many different kinds of songs as it had tracks, and most of them weren’t like what made them popular in their first studio album Night Visions. TOP’s second album follows that same pattern, and if you consider that deviation, or experimentation in different genres a “bad” thing, Blurryface will probably lose some stars in your book. I, however, love seeing an artist do this, assuming they can do it well, and I feel like both Imagine Dragons earlier this year, and now twenty one pilots, have done it quite well!
I’m going to do a brief track by track overview, so if you already feel your patience with this review wearing thin, just skip down to the final paragraph to get my final verdict on this album!
1. Heavydirtysoul – TOP is known for bringing it on their album opening tracks, and this one is certainly no exception! Right off the bat, you get some distorted sound effect, and then drummer Josh Dun lets loose on the drums, and Tyler Joseph starts rapping so fast you’ll have to use repeated listens to fully grasp every word of the electric flow he’s spitting. A driving piano punctuates the chorus of the song, as Joseph slows it down a touch, and asks “Can you save my heavy dirty soul, for me? I wasn’t crazy about this track upon first listen, but after many repeated listens, it has moved up my favor almost as fast as the beat moves the song along! Even a couple of lines that can at best be described as awkward, and honestly are a little cheesy, can’t stop this from being a fabulous opener to the album! (Rating: 8 out of 10)
2. Stressed Out – If any song on this album can be described as a “typical” twenty one pilots song, this would be it. Changing tempos, a strong beat, and lyrics that are very personal to the writer, yet can relate to anybody listening. It was an immediate hit on its release, and also features a companion music video that is easily one of the most enjoyable this reviewer has ever seen! Stressed Out talks about insecurities born out the stresses of adult life compared to the simplicity of childhood. The “character” of Blurryface is introduced in this song, and will make a few more appearances throughout the rest of the album, as he is what Joseph refers to (in various interviews discussing the album) as the personification of his insecurities, doubts, and fears. A great track in this writer’s opinion, and bonus points for being my three young kids’ favorite song! (10)
3. Ride – This track brings in a definite reggae vibe, and will certainly be many a listener’s summer jam this year, as this almost begs you to blast it in your car with the top or windows down! Joseph mixes in some thought provoking lyrics about pondering who you’d live for, die for, and if you could kill. Yeah, pretty heady stuff, especially for such a chill song musically, but typical twenty one pilots. Another fave of mine. (10)
4. Fairly Local – While this was the first track released from this album, it was not immensely popular, even among member of the “Clique.” It features a very dark and intense electronic soundscape, and is truly differenty from anything TOP has done before, and anything else they do on Blurryface. Still, it has some nice lyrics in contrasting verses where Joseph first sings about his insecurities, and then sings about defeating them. Blurryface (represented by a pitched down voice) makes another appearance here, immediately trying to suck the songwriter back into despair, but a triumphant finale of the chorus indicates that he was not successful. So overlooked at this point by many, I almost think it’s now underrated. (8)
5. Tear in My Heart – When TOP fans were online prior to this track’s release, speculating about what it would be about, some people specifically said that “They said they’d never do a love song”, so it can’t be that. Well… They were wrong! Frontman Joseph indeed became bit by the love bug at some point over the past few years, and got married earlier this year. That happened the weekend before this Single came out, along with a video, and it was readily apparent that twenty one pilots had officially created their first ever “love song”, though it has a definite TOP twist. The video actually depicts Joseph’s new wife Jenna beating the pulp out of him at one point, as the song posits that “sometimes you’ve gotta bleed to know, that you’re alive and have a soul.” Obviously, I don’t think they are condoning literal domestic violence here, but rather the ability that the loves of our lives have to cut through that armor we put around our heart, and make us a better person for it! My favorite song on the album, and bonus points for being the song that finally convinced my wife to like twenty one pilots! (10)
6. Lane Boy – If you’re into conspiracy theories, you’ll find it interesting that the record label for TOP, Fueled by Ramen, suddenly didn’t release a video for this song, or even acknowledge its existence on their promo page on the official website. This song deals with the record industry, and takes not so subtle digs at the way it’s run, and the expectations that get put on artists to put out certain types of “common” songs, which Joseph admits there are a couple of on this album. He sings “They say stay in your lane boy, lane boy, but we go where we want to.” And they certainly do on this song, starting with more of a reggae/jungle vibe, and finishing it with an almost two minute outro of EDM influenced electronics. It will certainly be a show stopper live, which is really where these guys are at their best, consistently topping people’s “best concert” lists. Not one of my favorites from the album, but still a very good track. (8)
7. The Judge – One of the things that TOP did that was very popular on Vessel, is having a couple of songs that featured the ukulele, and that is back here on Blurryface, first on this upbeat track. Joseph sings towards an unknown judge of some kind to set him free, though he doesn’t even seem to know if he’s surrendering or revelling, as he states at one point in the lyrics. The piano comes in strong again at the end of the track, which is the longest on the album. This will definitely be a popular sing-along at the concerts, as along with Tear in My Heart, it is one of the most upbeat songs here, at least musically. (10)
8. Doubt – The second half of the album is where things take a bit of a turn, though depending on your perspective, that will either be good or bad. For me, it was a mixture of both. Doubt comes along with a dark overtone, and has a very R&B style sound to it, that would fit in fine on my local Hip-Hop and R&B station. Lyrically, it is clear that the singer (Joseph, as always) is being honest about his doubt, regarding what almost has to be God, given the context of the song, while reaffirming his belief by virtue of that very doubt. This has the ability to be a divisive track, even amongst fans, because it is so different from anything else in the twenty one pilots’ cannon. Additionally, not everybody is a fan of R&B music, including this wrtiter. However, shockingly to me, I really like this song, and it all comes together to form a very enjoyable package, and one of my favorites from the album! (9)
9. Polarize – Here is another track that people are sharply divided on, with some really liking it, and many listing it as one of their least favorite from the album. I am firmly in that latter group of people, and interestingly enough, every other person I have listened to the album with feels the same way to. It’s not the lyrics, which are all about polarizing the good and bad in ourselves and becoming a better person to those we care about around us. But something is causing this song to live up to its name, and I have to lay the blame at the musical tenor, which is hard to really nail down, and never really grabs me as particularly interesting or appealing. Having said all this, I don’t dislike the track, I just don’t like it as much as the rest of the album, giving it its distinctively low rating. (6)
10. We Don’t Believe What’s On TV – The ukulele makes a comeback once again here, in an even more upbeat fashion in this unusal song that is very hard to peg. While there’s no doubt that for many fans, it’s a highlight, and one they’re looking forward to in concert, I’m not as high on it. It’s a solid track, no doubt, but it’s meaning is more ambiguous than normal (that’s saying something for a TOP song!), as some insist it’s a song about Tyler singing towards his band-mate and drummer Josh, while others, like myself, feel it makes more sense if it’s another “love song” to Jenna. Regardless, it’s a fun, ubeat, and rousing crowd-pleaser, even if it’s not one of my personal favorites. (7)
11. Message Man – I have a feeling this is going to be my “Migraine track” on Blurryface – a song that most of the TOP fans love, and list amongst their favorites, and I am only so-so about, and list it towards the bottom for that album. I like some of the lyrics, but not others, and some of the music is cool, but not all of it. It’s not a “bad” track, by definition, but it’s just nothing remarkable for me either. I’ve seen many fans of this track popping up already, so give it a spin, and see for yourself. I will say it has grown on me since my first few listens. (7)
12. Hometown – After what has been (for me) a string of solid but unspectacular tracks, things take a sharp turn, and my second favorite song on the album drops in! Hometown is another one of the divisive tracks on this album that some people love, but a lot of TOP fans list towards the bottom of their favorites, due to its radical departure from “typical” twenty one pilots sound. What we have here is a groovy, and alternative radio-ready song with a distinctive 80’s flair, that seems to take parts of U2, The Cure, and Depeche Mode, and mashes them all together with a tinge of the modern band M-83. Being a fan of all of those artists, I am naturally a big fan of this track, and while it does stray from the style TOP typically deal in, it works here, and I wouldn’t mind seeing another track or two like this in future albums – provided there aren’t many more than that. I think the fact that this track is so unique is part of what makes it a standout, similar to doubt. The lyrics are some of the more cryptic on the album, as the chorus sounds like a dig on the artists’ hometown of Columbus, but Josh has said in an interview is really more metaphorical. So, listen to it for yourself, and see if you can figure out the metaphor! (10)
13. Not Today – This is another peppy, upbeat track, in the vein of The Judge (minus ukulele), with bouncing piano and drums driving it along as Joseph sings about a subject he describes in the song as being “down”, thus making the music a contradiction. However, the song’s message still feel positive when it wraps up, though with claps, and a guest trumpeter sending the song to a rousing conclusion, it’d be hard to feel anything other than uplifted when it resolves. This should prove to be a popular track for listeners, both TOP fans, and newcomers, and while it doesn’t get my highest marks, it is still one of my favorites. and a solid second-tier song! (9)
14. Goner – Tyler Joseph has written a plethora of emotional songs over the years for twenty one pilots, and even refers to him and his fans the Skeleton Clique as “the few, the proud, and the emotional” on Fairly Local. But he ups the ante from all his previous emotional offerings here, creating a song that I get goosebumps not only listening to at its rousing conclusion, but also when I simply think about said conclusion! I won’t say much, since I don’t want to ruin it for you on your first listen, but it’ll get you somewhere. Like it or not, it’ll certainly prompt a reaction. Additionally, it is a very fitting conclusion to this amazing album, sending it off on the proper note of triumph, as Tyler Joseph stated in an interview. If you’ve heard the original Goner that Joseph performed on a video that came out a couple of years ago, you really don’t have any idea of what you’re in store for with this new. completed version! Not only is it much longer, the mini-accordion is gone, replaced by beautiful piano, which was what he originally composed the song on. But that finish… Woah! I challenge you to listen to it, and then let me know of a more powerful expression of raw emotion in a song. Definitely one of the album’s highlights, and fan favorite for years to come! (10)
So that’s my detailed review of Blurryface, by twenty one pilots! I hope it was of help to you (even if you skipped the track by track portion), and that it offers a solid basis for my belief that this is one of the best releases of the year so far, in a year that has been PACKED with excellent new albums by great artists! Is it a perfect album? No, and I’m not even sure that I’d say it actually tops its predecessor, which basically was perfect. But is it a great album, that offers a lot of varied music for a lot of people with varied musical tastes? Much like Smoke + Mirrors earlier this year, I definitely think it does that, and is a very worthy Sophomore Studio album for this up and coming band, that can only get better and bigger in the years ahead! So while it’s definitely a 5 star album in my book, I’ll give it a 9 out of 10 and a 1-10 rating scale, as it drags a little bit in my opinion towards the end, through tracks 9-11, and there is too much reliance on “yeahs” and “nos” throughout the album, which I think only “hit” about 50% of the time, and seem like needless filler the remainder of the time.
Bottom Line: Do yourself a favor, and check these guys out if you haven’t already! And give them at least a few listens, in the event that they don’t do it for you the first time around. I have a feeling their infectious tunes will start growing on you like algae on a sloth! Twenty One Pilots are definitely on an upward trajectory, and it’s certainly not too late to get on and go for an exciting ride with them!
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