Photo by Tim Nagle
One of the many hallmarks of a high-quality song is when the artist finds a way to make opposites coexist with ease. Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” provides an easily identifiable example of this. The contrast between Jimmy Page’s gossamer-like guitar work in the verses and Robert Plant’s foreboding crooning about the impending implosion of a relationship creates an almost captivating effect on the listener. This could be because, on a cognitive level, we’re aware that we are hearing two sonic elements that aren’t “supposed” to fit cohesively in a traditionalized sense – yet they absolutely do. As for how and why? Well, that’s a bit more difficult – or maybe even impossible – to figure out. Yet, it is that unexplainable gray area that holds so much enchantment for the listener to uncover. Like a clever magic trick, we may not always be able to make sense of or sort through the inner workings of all that grabs hold of our attention, but there is undoubtedly something to be said about living with that element of fantasy.
Modern Vices’ latest single, “Not a Problem,” encompasses this element of magic-by-contrast well. Would one necessarily expect a song that repeats the line “I wish that you were mine” to be accompanied by an energetic and almost joyous score? Perhaps not, but that is where the track finds distinction and memorability. Now, this is powerful because it challenges the listener by forcing them to confront their own perceived understanding of the track and encourages them to discover and interpret it in different ways. For example, depending upon if the listener happens to focus on the music more closely than the lyrics, they could come away with an entirely different take on the track than another listener who did the opposite. Another listener could have come away with something completely different altogether. This is a special type of effect because it draws up all the right blueprints for the listener to develop a highly personalized relationship with the track. After all, someone’s interpretation of a musical work is uniquely theirs. This boils down to the very reason we seek out music to begin with: we can shape, mold, and assign our own meaning to it. If a track has the right touch points, the listener can mentally engage with it in a way that essentially customizes it to their life and experiences or interpretations. In the opinion of this writer, this is one of many contributing factors to how positive, lifelong relationships are formed between the listener and a song.
While it is brutally overused (and a bit cliched) for anyone who writes about music to claim that a song “warrants several careful listens,” “Not a Problem” does. This is because there are numerous elements of the track that are deserving of the listener’s isolated, undivided attention. Among them are the narrative that is unfolded in the lyrics, the guitar hooks that pepper the track with melodic flourishes, and the combined strength of the rhythm section – something that gives the track a rich backbone. For listeners who are already familiar with Modern Vices, “Not a Problem” is further evidence of the band’s existing skill and depth. For listeners who are new to Modern Vices, “Not a Problem” serves as a wonderful introduction to their capabilities as a creative unit.
Modern Vices is Alex Rebek, Peter Scoville, Thomas Peters, Miles Kalchik, and Patrick Hennessey. To learn more about them, click here to visit their website. Their album ‘If Only’ is out October 24.
