Wow… there’s a lot of cool things happening on this song. FIrst we got the warped, tortured guitar sound R.E.M. must have been going for on “Monster.” It’s exotic, dangerous, unsettling, qualities that just must get harder and harder to do as you fight musical calcification, even for the best of bands. (I mean let’s face it, “Accelerate” is a relative success, right?)
Anyway, no need to knock anyone else, let’s just talk about how great THIS song is. Let’s start again with that other-worldly, jagged guitar riff. Then, layer after layer of beautiful vocals start to unfold, and a sparse, almost military drum beat, all combining to carry an unspoken, but somehow uplifting, sense of hope and beauty across a sea of dread and despair.
Of course that’s without understanding a single lyric, or really even trying. See, I’m very tired, and I just saw the last half of this MTV documentary on a sad and completely insecure college freshman girl trying to date a popular boy and also start a “love your body” group for overweight students. Both efforts are met with almost total indifference and not so gentle condescension. It was quite painful to watch, a social skills horror movie full of “don’t open that door!” moments. So, “Albatross” became our heroine’s future redemptive theme song, in my mind. She’s gonna realize not to make herself a doormat, our girl. Then, years from now, she’s gonna listen to this song and only distantly remember the sadness and confusion she’s feeling right now.
Besnard Lakes, “Albatross” (full song!) from the forthcoming album THE BESNARD LAKES ARE THE ROARING NIGHT
