Here's the song, with lyrics:
Here's why I rage at the song :
0:18 "You can be rest assured" - No, you can't. You can rest assured, you can be assured, you can even be rested, but you cannot "be rest assured." Rest is already a verb, there is no need for the word "be." This line already makes me think: "oh man, I'm listening to a song written by a total idiot" before I even get to the refrain.
0:28 "They feed and they suck until you're unconscious / it's never enough they kill your subconscious" - Did he just rhyme unconscious with subconscious? Come on, man! That's such lazy songwriting! How bout a sweet Biblical reference instead like "they feed ya to the wolves they're just like Pontius." Anything but rhyming a word with itself! Why my phone's not ringing off the hook with songwriting requests I have no idea.
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| Note the TWO guys with mohawks - clearly hardcore. |
0:36 "I'm ready to dieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" - This line comes off so whiny and emo that I almost wish he'd go ahead and die rather than sing about his feelings. If you're gonna be a heavy band and try and pass yourselves off as heavy metal, don't cry about your feelings in a whiny little voice in the middle of your song.
My criticism of the chorus section is similar to that of the "I'm ready to dieeeeeeeeeeeeee" whine, as it essentially expounds upon said pre-chorus teaser line.
I have to hand it to them, though. The riff in this song is awesome, and is the only thing that keeps me from turning the radio dial. Ten Years has managed to write a song that makes me tap my foot to the riff and seethe with righteous indignation at the idiotic lyrics at the same time, and that, readers, is an accomplishment in and of itself. Good job, Ten Years, you have caused a war between my ears and my brain, and they're locked in a stalemate.
Like the song? Hate the song? Well, you'll be hearing it twenty times a day on the radio for the next few weeks either way. Happy Thursday.
I used to love Ten Years! You may remember their songs "Wasteland" and "Through the Iris" on the radios circa 2005/2006, and both of those were modern-hard-rock masterpieces. One of my good friends also bought their album "Autumn Effect" and she brought it to work one time when we were closing shop, and the filler songs were good as well. I would've ranked Ten Years in my top 10 (years) back in the day, even.
ReplyDeleteSo when I was listening to the modern rock station in Green Bay and heard the DJ say "up next we got new stuff from Ten Years", I was pretty excited since the "new stuff" by Breaking Benjamin was fairly decent. I have to say, for bands I used to like, I would say Nickelback and Ten Years have taking the biggest changes for the worst. "Shoot it Out" is absolute trash, and seeing as how I haven't been a "big" fan of them since high school, I really don't see myself getting back into the band. Where they lose me--a single fan--they probably have in turn gained twelve more with their mainstream garbage, and I guess some will see that as an accomplishment. *shrug*
I just realized that my post sounds like hipster/indie rhetoric, but it's the honest-to-God truth! I used to be a fan, they wait 4+ years to release a new album, I lose interest, and then they release this "song." Sorry, but that's not how you keep a fan.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the triple post, but after posting my two posts is when I actually read your entire article, and I must salute you for your grammatical critique of "rest assured;" spot on, spot on.
ReplyDeleteKnew you'd like that. It's like a cheesegrater to my ears every time.
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