I read the book Salt, Sugar, Fat this summer, and in it the author talks about something called a "bliss point" in manufactured food--the point at which those three elements are in perfect proportion to each other--any more and the food would be sickening, any less and it wouldn't be quite as compelling and addictive. Ladies and gentlemen, this song is, I think, a perfect example of my specific bliss point in pop music:
Slow build: check
Thumping bass and drums: check
Pleasing chord progression: check
A cappella/minimalist middle section: check
Huge chorus following a cappella section: check
Power singing/yelling: check
Black choir: check
I could go on, but this song is basically a chocolate-covered potato chip. I am powerless against it. And the metaphor extends, because the song is ultimately not that satisfying or nourishing, and I'm sure I will eventually tire of it. But for now I'm listening to it on almost constant repeat.
It has a similar energizing effect to "All These Things That I've Done" by the Killers. Did I ever tell you that I cried the first few times I watched the Nike commercial that uses that song? CRIED. In a Nike commercial. So gross of me. But, in my defense:
The animals? The running? The falling down? (We won't talk about the complicated stories of some of the athletes.) When people are running I can't help myself. I have cried in every single one of my sisters' races, and I can't even adequately explain why. It's like listening to Mariah Carey set her voice free--I am a sucker for effort and mastery and the unconquerable human spirit and so on. For a cynic I am very tender-hearted.
Now I want to compile a list of all the perfect songs, nourishing and otherwise.
Friday, December 13, 2013
and his name that sat on him was death
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment