album review – that lemon life

Moral Panic

Hola everyone.

How are you all doing today? I hope you’ve all had a nice weekend and that your Monday is going well so far. I for my part had a great, relaxing weekend with tons of sleep (thank god), which is something I really needed, so I’m super happy about that. To be honest, after the crazy busy days the past week, it felt good to finally put everything on hold for a second and just breathe for a bit. Part of a reason for that is, as I hinted at in my last post, that my friend Lauren and I really launched our own magazine called GEM (holy frick, that really happened, OH MY GOD). I gotta be honest, I still can’t believe that this is real and that we actually made it happen, especially as this has been such a big dream of mine for so many years. To say that this is an absolute dream come true would be an extreme understatement and I honestly can’t wait to share the whole story with all of you, so please stay tuned for my upcoming post on that.

But for today, I’ve actually got something different planned, something very exciting and something that is very close to my heart – the new Nothing But Thieves album. And no, I’m not being a bit overdramatic right now, because this album, without exaggeration, is my favourite album of the year, without a single doubt. I’m not saying this because I got to talk about it all with Conor, the band’s frontman, or because I’ve always loved this band to the moon and back. I’m really just talking about the music here, so please believe me when I say that this album truly is a freaking masterpiece from start to finish. It’s fun, it’s dark, it’s political and it’s a real rollercoaster all in one. And it’s just so so so important. But you get that really quickly once you take a closer look at the lyrics.

And so, as I’m so in love with this album and as I actually got to have an early listen of it, I’ve obviously had to write a little review of it for my magazine, which was published a few weeks ago, but which I’d still love to share with all of you amazing people today. It’s definitely one of my favourite pieces I’ve ever written, so I truly hope you enjoy it. Please let me know in the comments what you think of it, and the album too, obviously. And yeah, until then I hope you all love the album just as much as me, and, as always, I wish you all a lovely week and thanks for reading. x

Amid ‘Moral Panic’ – a Nothing But Thieves album review

In a world filled with uncertainty and destruction, almost nothing offers more inspiration as lively as the current events, and the British rockers of the acclaimed indie group Nothing But Thieves are no newbies to skilfully mixing politics, mental health issues, and social struggles with their own experiences and turning it all into magnificent songs. It comes to no surprise then that this is also how the group’s latest work, their third album ‘Moral Panic’, came to be. It’s an album that doesn’t shy away from spotlighting today’s world and its problems. The tension in the air. And all of us.

At its core, ‘Moral Panic’ acts as a mirror for all of us, for a society that has become too idealistic, too ‘Hollywood’ and too afraid to face its darker sides. The record’s opening track titled ‘Unperson’ quite literally personifies that, having lead singer Conor Mason cry out about the loss of himself, in a modern world where demand beats supply not only with material goods but with living, breathing people, making him question his identity while being convinced he’s an ‘unperson’, someone not fit for ‘public consumption’. The song screams of frustration of a youth being drowned out by a regressive ideology in a world where ‘is not what you think it is, it’s worse’.

It’s the beginning of a story that is continued in the band’s ultimate hit of this year ‘Is Everybody Going Crazy’, a song that could’ve not been released at any better moment, right when the world started to shut down in the midst of a global pandemic and toilet paper unexpectedly became a somewhat new currency. It’s a heavy-hitter that comes with its own dystopian edge, but also a sense of comfort that we might not be alone in these times of emotional struggle.

‘This is the last day of my life‘, grief-stricken words chanted by Mason, are what follow at the start of the next piece, the eponymous ‘Moral Panic’, a song that proves that Nothing But Thieves might have more trumps up their sleeves than what they make it seem. Packed with a captivating beat that almost resembles a dance hit, the track feels as light as it is heavy, with lyrics talking about a state of panic and anxiety, but a rhythm that makes it impossible not to move with it.

It is at that moment that the album turns onto a new page, one that is filled with hope and the discovery of love. Shining tracks ‘Real Love Song’, ‘Free If We Want It’ and the ever so enchanting ballad ‘Impossible’, which has only recently become an even bigger blessing to the ears as an orchestral version recorded live at the famous Abbey Road Studios, have the band repeatedly look behind the romantic, idealistic nature of love and reveal the unrequited or almost painful reality that many of us experience all too often. Hymnic and of terrific wildness, the songs sparkle with triumphant-euphoric melodies, which Mason performs with moving, almost operatic vocals, and grainy, addictive guitar riffs that help lead them to a perfect balance.

The biggest surprise of the album – and it might be seen as the heavy, guitar-based black sheep – comes with the album’s number 10, titled ‘Can You Afford To Be An Individual’. Usually, a band to embody their stories and experiences in metaphors, this almost scream-ish track has the group instantly get rid of all thoughts and hints of double-meanings, with Mason roaring ‘Oh, you are you a walking contradiction in a MAGA-hat’ and ‘So who are you to tell us where we do and don’t belong / And who are you to tell us who to love and who to not / Because your mother told you, you would win when you were young’. It is obvious that the song is addressed at Donald Trump, the 45th and current President of the United States, a political figure the band has expressed resentment towards on countless occasions, and the overall heated political climate. It is without a doubt the most daring track of the whole LP, but also the hardest one to not fall for, as it introduces a new side of the Southend-On-Sea-based five-piece that sparks a longing for more.

A ray of sunshine is what the closing piece ‘Before We Drift Away’ feels like then, with a strong classical base embedded in the background and Mason’s stunning voice sending a message so hopeful and personal that there could hardly be a better way of ending this album. With it, the whole record, which until that point had come with its own expiry date, suddenly gets a sense of infinity, like it will still be there long after this is all over and we are all gone.

It’s that mix of huge monstrous riffs, energetic, sometimes angry, sometimes loving lyrics and calmer, more reflective moments, all of which feel so beautifully connected, that brings ‘Moral Panic’ close to near faultless. There’s a sense of scale unrivalled by near enough any other release of this year, with astonishing lyricism, stunning vocals, and incredible musicianship that might just coin Nothing But Thieves as one of the most exciting and intriguing indie-rock bands out there. Born from a time that couldn’t be more uncertain, the quintet has created an expressive little work of art that urges listeners to engage with their own minds in order to bring a dash of positivity to a steadily darkening world. One that could not possibly need it any more than right now.

Nothing But Thieves third album ‘Moral Panic’ is out now everywhere via Sony/RCA.

Follow Nothing But Thieves on Instagram, Twitter and Spotify.

Text by: Laura Weingrill // photo credit: Jack Bridgeland

thatlemonlife presents: LEMON – the magazine

Hola everyone.

How are all my lovely readers doing? Oh my god, it feels like I haven’t been on here and talked to you for ages. I’m so incredibly sorry for the long long silence. You can probably guess why I couldn’t find the time to really post anything… yes, you’re right, good old uni work, innit? But as of Tuesday last week, I am finally free again and also done with my second year at BIMM. Which still sounds so insane to me. I can’t believe I’m already done with my second year and only have one year left to go. Time just flew by, my god.

But actually, now that I’m finally back, uni stopping me from posting anything on here is more fun than anything, as it is also the reason for me coming back and for today’s post. Because as most of you have probably seen from the title of this post, I want to present you with something today that is probably one of the most special and most meaningful projects of mine that I ever got to share with you guys. And it’s all thanks to uni. Never thought I’d ever say that, but here we are. Thanks, BIMM. But let’s not spend more time talking around it, but let’s get right to it. I proudly present to you – my very first own music, arts and lifestyle magazine LEMON. Can you hear me screaming in excitement?

Okay, I know, this is super exciting, and, please believe me, I’m more than on the edge of my seat now that I finally get to share it with you. But first, let me tell you how we got here. As I already mentioned, this is all thanks to my university, which made me fall in love with design and specifically magazine design and now for my end project of our ‘Making Magazines’ course had me design and write a complete 16-pages magazine. I know you’re probably thinking what a crazy and difficult task, but out of all my courses, this was one was definitely the one that I enjoyed the most.

And actually, the whole idea for LEMON began right here, on this very blog. Because in a nutshell, the magazine is a paper version of this very blog – without the sometimes way too personal oversharing and babbling around. From the start, my goal was to translate the feel of this blog, its ambiance, its style, and its fun and passionated character to the magazine and create a paper that is just as sweet, creative, and interesting. Obviously, the look was also just as important and, for me as a perfectionist, also the part I worked on the most and hardest. I think in total I worked on it for about three months, which made it possible for me to create a magazine that I couldn’t be any more proud of. And I even got to include my obsession and love for Twenty One Pilots (I just had to, sorry not sorry). And yes, I’m probably prouder of that than I should be, but I got to put Brad Heaton, the ultimate photographic genius, into the spotlight and my favourite band at the same time and even put Ty on the cover, so I can only see this as the biggest achievement ever.

Overall, creating this mag has probably been one of the most fun things I’ve ever done and I couldn’t be happier to share it with you, so without further ado, here it is. My magazine LEMON. I hope you enjoy it. Or even love it.

Omg, this is just so exciting. I honestly hope you enjoy/enjoyed my magazine. As already mentioned, all the design was done by me and all the articles and pieces you can find on the pages were also written by myself. Unfortunately, Brad wasn’t available for an interview, so I had to use some quotes from past interviews and his reddit q&a for my feature on him, but I don’t think that lessened the quality of the piece in any way. His pictures with their magic and striking beauty are the highlights anyway.

Again, I truly hope you enjoy the mag just as much as I do. This is my first attempt at creating my own magazine and now that I can literally hold it in my hands, it feels like another path for me has opened itself up. It has definitely become a project for me that I want to come back to in the future. Maybe, one day, LEMON will be a real magazine one day and waiting for you to pick it up from the store. How crazy does that sound? Even just the thought makes my tummy fill with butterflies. But until then, here’s the very first version of this super special paper. I’d love to hear your opinions and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to leave them down below. And, of course, I hope you’re all doing great and feeling well and I wish you all the loveliest week. And as always, thanks for reading. x

Infinitely Ordinary

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another Friday and another end of the week. How are you guys? I hope you’ve had a good week, despite the current circumstances, and that you’re looking forward to the weekend. Also, guess what guys? I went outside today… without any reason. I know, what a shocker. And you know why? Because the quarantine here in Austria is officially over and I’m finally free to leave the house whenever I want. Weheeeeeee. I can’t believe it. It makes me so incredibly happy that we’ve already reached that point here, but also sad because the UK is still doing so bad and I have no idea when I’ll be able to fly back. I remember after I had left London, I told my mum that we should immediately fly to the first country that was doing well again, where life had gone back to normal. And now we already are in that country. Oh, the irony. But oh well, I’m glad I’m home, no matter what.

Thankfully, music has kept me calm and collected throughout this madness and has brought me a lot of highlights and happiness. Just like today. Because today, after what felt like an eternity, The Wrecks finally released their debut album and I can’t even put into words how happy I am that it’s finally in this world.

I’m not going to lie, I might be a bit biased when it comes to this band. Their song Favorite Liar was my most listened track of 2017 and even other years included it’s still high on top. So when I heard that they were about to release an album, I could only just about contain my excitement. And a debut album as well. I don’t know why, but I feel like debuts always have this unique touch of excitement and newness. There’s nothing like a first album, the first time a band really gets to show and present its talent in its full colours. And today is the day The Wrecks finally get to show us who they are. And I swear, they didn’t disappoint. Very much the opposite, to be honest. Because Infinitely Ordinary is even better than I had imagined.

First of all, the probably most unique aspect of the album is that every song sounds different. I’m not gonna go into much detail, because I’m a strong believer that you can spoil an album just as much as you can spoil a movie and I definitely don’t want to spoil this fun rollercoaster of an album for anyone. So I’m going to keep the overall tracks and what they sound like a secret. All I’m gonna say is that they all sound phenomenal and that the debut couldn’t have been a better one. It’s an album that lights up the rainy day when you’re stuck inside with nowhere to go. It’s an album that makes you think of Californian beaches and the ease that comes with being young and free. And it’s album that reminds you that there’s always something to look forward to, even if it’s just a nice piece of music.

I know that a lot of bands have decided to postpone their albums due to the current situation, which I totally understand. Still, I’m insanely happy that The Wrecks decided against that and went on to release their album as planned. Because the world might not be able to go to music stores now and get physical copies of songs and albums, but I think especially now we’ve got even more time on our hands to listen to some good music. And Infinitely Ordinary is no exception to that. It was definitely worth the wait and I already can see myself playing this over and over again. Naturally, this also means that I can’t recommend it enough to you guys. I swear you won’t regret giving it a listen. These boys really deserve all the attention they are receiving and I can’t wait to watch them grow bigger and bigger in the upcoming months. And hopefully come to Europe so I can finally see them live. I sure damn will be standing in the front row, waiting to hear this masterpiece of an album live. And until then it will stay as a staple of my quarantine playlist and hopefully of yours as well.

And there you go, guys. This is today’s music recommendation from yours truly. I hope you enjoy the album just as much as me. And if you want to find out more about the guys, here are their Spotify and Instagram accounts. If you give them a listen, I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch. And until then I wish you all a lovely weekend and hope that you’re doing good. And, as always, I’m sending you the tightest hugs and thanks for reading. x

Nothing But Them

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog and another Friday. I hope you’ve all had a great week and that you’re looking forward to the weekend. Usually, at this point, I’d be starting to tell you all about my favourite songs of 2019, but I have to interrupt the usual program for an important announcement – Bombay Bicycle Club are back and have just released their album and I need to talk about it.

First of all, I have to explain why this album and this band’s comeback means so much to me. At the end of 2016, Spotify recommended a song called “Shuffle” by the band Bombay Bicycle Club to me and I, unsurprisingly, fell absolutely in love with it. And the band in general. That was the good part. But then I found out that I had been too late, too late for this amazing band that had broken up a few months before I stumbled over and into them. To put it short, I was devastated. For years I had been on the safe side, but now even I had found the one band that I had been too late for. The one band I was sure I’d never get to hear new music from, never get to see live.

Fast forward to this week’s Wednesday: I’m leaning against the barrier in the tiny Concorde 2 in Brighton, excitedly chatting to my friend Lauren with the prospect of seeing Bombay Bicycle Club live for the very first time. Even now, two days later, it feels like an absolute dream, like it never really happened. But it did. I was really there, dancing around in the front row of this small venue to the fantastic Bombay Bicycle Club. Needless to say that I teared up to all their old songs, the ones that have been accompanying me for several years, and cheered to all the new ones that I’ve been longing for for so long.

And now, after all this time, their new album “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong” is finally out and it’s both everything I’ve always wished for and a total surprise. A lot has changed, but Bombay still sounds like Bombay, with addictive guitar strokes, energetic beats, and enchanting lyrics. Somehow, their music has become more intense, the lyrics more direct, perfectly transporting the overall theme of finding comfort in music in troubled times. And with the beautiful “Racing Stripes” as the closing track of the album, the LP really does feel like a big, tight hug. One you definitely want to come back to again and again.

If I had to choose my favorites, it would definitely be “Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)”, the first song to see the light of day after their hiatus, the amazing “I Can Hardly Speak”, the lovely “Do You Feel Loved”, which is pure heaven live, and the intense “Let You Go”, a track that feels more like an adventurous journey than a song. Obviously, this doesn’t mean that the remaining songs are any less amazing than my favourites, to be honest, I actually feel like this list of preferred tracks is bound to change about every day. And that just underlines how great this album truly is.

Concluding, I can only recommend giving this album a listen, you won’t regret it, I swear. A year ago, I never thought I’d ever be able to say that I’ve just listened to the new Bombay Bicycle Club album and that I was able to see them live. But now all of these things have come true and I really can’t believe it. And to make things perfect, I’m also going to see them again on the 7th of February. Life is beautiful, truly. And to Bombay, I can only say – welcome back, guys. Please stay this time, we missed you.

As always, I’d be super happy to hear from you guys, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch and share your opinion. I’d love to hear what you think about the album. Also, I hope you enjoyed this post and wish you all a great weekend. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

Tim’s last farewell

Hola everyone.

How are we all doing on this beautiful Friday? I hope you are all well. Sorry for not posting anything on Monday. As I had mentioned in my last post, I just moved back home from Brighton and got here on Sunday night, which means the past few days have been filled with unpacking all my stuff, washing clothes and getting used to the literal hell that is the outside until at least 7 pm. Okay, no, I don’t want to be one of those cringy people who complain about the weather all the time. I actually really love that it’s 8 pm right now and that I’m typing this while sitting outside, still wearing shorts. It’s this warm. Lovely.

But that’s not what I wanted to talk about. Yes, I know, the weather is a highly fascinating topic, but no. Today, I thought, I’d finally write my already announced post about Tim’s/Avicii’s new, posthumous album “TIM” that just got released. Some of you might remember that last time, I briefly mentioned the release and that I had gotten the chance to go to the album release event in London. Which is exactly what I want to fully explain today. And, of course, I want to dig deeper into the whole album and tell you my thoughts. So, buckle up for a hell of an emotional EDM ride.

As most of you will probably know, I’ve always been a big fan of Tim. He was the one who got me into EDM and I, for sure, wouldn’t be the person I am today without him. Which is also why his sudden death last year hit me this hard. It was the first death of a celebrity that really broke my heart. Even more so after watching his documentary “Avicii: True Stories” and seeing how the industry and his idiot of a manager broke him into pieces. In 2016, Tim announced his official retirement. This, on the one hand, made me sad, because I knew that I would miss seeing him live. But on the other hand, I also liked how he had decided to choose himself and his health. Not the business. Not the money. He just wanted to get better. And I really thought he had. But unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. And now after listening to his new album, I can’t help but ask myself if we maybe ignored Tim’s own SOS.

Here the music, which suggests a pure love for life, there the musician, who himself was anything but happy with his own. But that isn’t the only reason why the release of “TIM” is inevitably bittersweet. On the one side, us fans all over the world now get the chance to celebrate twelve new hits, but on the other side, the fact that the artist behind these songs cannot celebrate them with us fills the music with a deep melancholy and breaks my heart a little. A certain, profound mix of emotions I also felt while attending the album event in London one week before the official release. In different cities all around the globe, Tim’s team had put up cubes that fans could walk into and experience his new songs for the very first time. But besides getting the chance to listen to a few seconds of the album, the whole event meant so much more. Because in order to get to listen to the snippets, you had to put your hand on the touchscreen placed inside the cube. The screen then connected itself to another cube in another city where somebody else’s hand had also been placed on it. As soon as the connection had been made, you could actually see the other hand next to yours on the screen and after that, the song started to play.

I know, you could now say that it was all fake and that they just showed some silhouette of a hand, but it wasn’t. I got connected to someone in Stockholm, presumably a girl, as the hand featured a ring. And I know it might sound strange, but in that very moment, I felt such a deep connection to that person. Two human beings, two strangers, doing the very same thing and getting to hear the very same song at the very same second. It was just so special. And it definitely accomplished its goal, as I did not only get to connect to someone who wasn’t even in the room but also to the other fans who visited the cube. I might not have known Tim personally, but I can definitely say that he would have loved this.

Personally, I would say that the album itself couldn’t be more special and emotional and straight up important. Tim himself was always fond of being one of those songwriters who like to mix heaviness with ease. A concept that runs like a thread through all his musical works – as well as his latest pieces. Because, once you look and listen beyond the fantastic beats and euphoric rhythms of the new songs, you suddenly get to hear lyrics like “Can you hear me? SOS. Help me put my mind to rest.” and “And I think I just died. I think I just died.”. And that is why the release is so bittersweet. The lyrics depict the state Tim was in while writing and producing the new tracks before his death in April last year. They tell the story of someone who was lost but still holding onto the last fragments of strength and hope. But it still wasn’t enough. No wonder I had to fight back tears while listening to the album on the tube in London. Crazy how songs can say so little but mean so much.

In addition to these unfinished songs, Tim also left countless demo clips, notes, texts and emails behind in which he described exactly how his new album should sound. Enough material that his songwriting colleagues Kristoffer Fogelmark, Albin Nedler, Vincent Pontare and Salem Al Fakir (Vargas & Lagola) decided to complete the tracks without him, but as close as possible to his visions. The result can be seen as the late testimony of a troubled but inspired musician. Or simply as a palette of excellent electronic beats that never fail to put a smile on the face of any music lover. I, for my part, have deeply fallen in love with the following three tracks, for various reasons. They all feature amazing beats, fantastic lyrics and make me want to listen to them again and again. But most importantly, I adore the stories they tell.

Although it may just be a small ray of hope in the midst of a tragedy, Tim’s family has recently launched the “Tim Bergling Foundation” to raise awareness for mental illness and suicide prevention in the music industry, which I think is an amazing cause and a fantastic idea. The net proceeds of Tim’s new album also go to the foundation, which I think he would’ve loved as well.

Unfortunately, “TIM” doesn’t give us any answers as to what might have happened to him during the last years of his life. But there is something else in the album – a musical heritage that will shape not only the soundtrack of today’s but also that of future generations. Tim may not be with us anymore, but his music will live on forever. And I know that the world will always remember him as one of the greatest artists. I definitely will.

But what do you think about the album? Do you agree with my thoughts? Please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below, guys. And, as always, I hope you enjoyed this post and wish you all a lovely weekend. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

This is Trench

Hola everyone.

Looks like we’ve come to another Friday, huh? How has your week been? I hope it’s been great. I’m honestly really looking forward to the weekend. And believe it or not, but while I’m writing this, I’m actually sat outside, at the beach. The weather has been close to perfect the past days and it kind of feels like the summer is having a little comeback here in Brighton. And oh yes, I’m more than loving this.

But besides the weekend, there’s something special that I’m even more looking forward to. The music lovers among you, who’ve read the title of this post, will probably already know what I’m about to talk to you guys about. Yes, I have the absolute honor of discussing the hot and new album Trench by the one and only Twenty One Pilots. God, I can’t even begin to tell you how long I’ve been waiting to finally say this. Long. But as the clock struck 12 tonight, the world was blessed with this new album. And I’m not just saying this because I’m a huge fan of Tyler and Josh and their amazing music. No. I’m saying this because those 14 songs on that album are freaking masterpieces. The whole album is a masterpiece. Welcome to Trench.

So, let’s start right at the beginning. Trench is the fifth album by Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, better known as the band Twenty One Pilots. To be honest, when I heard that they were finally releasing a new album, after their one year long hiatus, I went nuts. You know, TOP aren’t just a band. They are special. Like really special. I’m just gonna go and say that I do know and listen to a lot of bands from different genres. But TOP are on another level, their music isn’t like anything I’ve ever heard before. A statement that became even truer when I heard their very first single Jumpsuit, then Nico and the Niners, Levitate and My Blood. And even more when I got to understand the meaning behind all of these songs. If you want to check out my review of them, where I explain the whole story of Dema and Clancy and what’s it all got to do with a jumpsuit, please click here.

Personally, after listening to those four songs and now the album, I’d say that we’ve all just got to witness TOP moving on to another level and another era. Not just because of the story, but also from the musical point of view. Because on the one hand, Trench gives us the typical sound of TOP that we all love so much, but on the other hand it’s a complete change and surprise. It’s still schizophrenia pop – yep, that’s their own genre, created just for them – but also very different. It’s a total rollercoaster, from start to finish. Genres change within the songs and between them. The rhythms seem very soulful, sometimes even moving towards RnB. There are breathtaking rap parts, followed by tear-jerking violin lines and lyrics that tell you nothing but the truth if you just listen to them closely. That’s what I’ve always loved about TOP and Tyler’s writing – he doesn’t hide anything, he just doesn’t make it too obvious.

But what exactly is Trench? Well, that’s a question that’s not easy to answer – like with most things when it comes to TOP and their music. After researching for hours and hours and listening to and reading the lyrics, I’d say that Trench is far more than just a story about an imaginary city called Dema and a trapped guy called Clancy. At the end, the album is about Tyler and Tyler only. About his ongoing fight with depression and anxiety (Morph), about suicidal thoughts (Chlorine, Cut My Lip), about the death of his grandfather (Legend), his love for his wife Jenna (Smithereens), his struggles as an artist and writer (Pet Cheetah) and about his relationship with the clique, their fanbase (The Hype, Leave the City). Once you look over those mostly cryptic lyrics and acknowledge the deeper meaning of them all, this album becomes a really personal one. This is also why while listening to it for the very first time, I didn’t know what to do with myself as soon as it ended. I had so many different emotions trapped inside me. I felt happy and sad, broken and mended, conflicted and ecstatic. And there were still tears glistening in my eyes, both happy and sad ones. And even after all these hours that have passed since, I still can’t fully get my head around it. It’s just too much. But in the best way ever.

Looking at the songs themselves, I kind of feel it’s really hard to split them from another. They just fit so perfectly and carry the story of the album like a red thread, that it becomes especially impossible to chose a few favorites. I can just tell you which songs had the biggest impact on me during the very first listen: Jumpsuit, My Blood, Neon Gravestones, Bandito, Legend and Leave The City. Some of these got me because of the lyrics, some due to the huge surprise of musical changes. But all of them are amazing. As are the rest, of course.

I would actually love to discuss every single song with you guys, especially as I literally googled and kind of analyzed every single one, but that would turn this post into a never ending one. Due to this, I’d just like to stick to most of the songs that I stated above and kind of go through all of their meanings.

Jumpsuit

I’ll never forget the very first time I listened to this and watched the video for it. It blew me away. As some of you may know and also as I’ve mentioned right at the beginning of this post, I’ve already analyzed this one, so please click here to find out more about the mind-blowing story behind this song and its followers.

Neon Gravestones

This is the one song that actually struck me because of how true and direct the lyrics are. The song starts off with a calm piano rhythm and then goes into the more upbeat drums by Josh, followed by an amazing rap by Tyler about suicide and how society nowadays glorifies those who end their lives. He especially addresses artists who end up being never forgotten because they ended their lives at the peak of their career. They are the ones who have their names in neon lights, which then become neon gravestones, once they die. Tyler then continues talking about his own death (“I could go out with a bang”), and that he doesn’t want us to remember him because of his death, but because of his life. The song then both peaks and ends with a powerful, rhythmic rap about how we should rather glorify life and celebrate those who spent their time living it, for example grandparents (this part especially gets a far greater meaning once you get to Legend and find out what’s it about).

Bandito

Do you know this feeling when you listen to a song and you never want it to stop? Ever? Because that’s what happened to me while listening to this. Bandito starts off with a distant beat that kind of resembles the noise of a heart rate monitor. Later on, during the chorus, the rhythm moves up a bit while still retaining the slowness of the beginning. And then Sahlo Folina comes. Those are the two words that act as a guide that moves you towards the second, more upbeat half of the song. What makes this song stand out for me are those exact parts when Tyler creates his own choir by singing Sahlo Folina over and over again, while the drums in the background become faster and faster and draw you into them. I couldn’t help myself but feel my heart beat faster with every second that went by. But what’s the meaning of the song? Honestly, yes, the lyrics are indeed as cryptic as you would think, but as always the clique is better than the whole FBI team out there. From what I could find the song actually is about Tyler and Josh and their lives between the Blurryface era and the Trench era. But even more so, the song is about Tyler being trapped in Dema and creating Trench to feel some sort of control. It’s about his creative life, which also connects to the translation of Sahlo Folina that I found on Reddit:

“In Bandito the line “Sahlo Folina” appears several times. I’ve seen several people think this is something backwards, but it actually has its own meaning. “Sahlo” means to enable in Somali. Folina is a name and according to a name website I found, it means this: “Your name of Folina has made you happiest when you are expressing in some creative, artistic way, and not conforming to strict routine”. So “Sahlo Folina” means to enable expressive creations. This makes a lot of sense considering the next verse is all about his ability to create the world of Trench.“

Legend

Don’t be surprised, but this is actually the only song on the album besides Smithereens that really has a happy sound to it. It has got it all – a light beat, a dreamy ukulele in the background and Tyler’s raw voice. Naturally, you would expect to be happy while listening to this, right? But nope. Because once you listen to the lyrics, you can say straight up bye to your makeup (if it’s still intact), because here they come, the tears. For me, this song is the saddest one. I mean, most of them have a deep, sad meaning to them, but Legend literally crushed my heart. Because this one is about Tyler’s grandfather and his death. We get to hear the story of how he got Alzheimer and how Tyler couldn’t really cope with it. And how he got to hear the beginning of the song, but not the end, because it took too long. And how his niece will never get to meet him. While listening to the song, I kind of felt like I was a part of Tyler’s life. And honestly, I just wanted to give him a hug.

Leave The City

This is the last song of the album and for me, also the perfect finale. And while listening to it, you can actually feel Tyler and Josh thinking the same. The song isn’t the last song just because. It has to be there. Not just because it’s a musical masterpiece, with extremely soft vocals and a slow beat that wraps itself around you like a blanket. It’s there because of its meaning. The city, Dema, isn’t just a city, but represents Tyler’s anxieties and depression. As we know from songs like Jumpsuit and Nico and the Niners, Clancy aka Tyler is fighting to break out of the city, he wants to leave it. And this is the point this song describes. Tyler is finally coming to terms with his mental health problems and knows that he will be strong enough to overcome them at some part of his life, but for now, he wants to focus on staying alive. It is once again an ode to the fans, the faces facing him, as he stays in this safe space that is Trench, together with them, and although he’s far from home he’s not alone. This thought is underlined at the very end of the song, which finishes with the lyrics “they know what I mean” (they = the clique) and also the same chord as the one in Truce. Overall, it feels like one of the most dedicated and emotional songs of the album, that resonates with you long after it’s over.

For me, those very meanings turn Trench into such a special album. When I heard that TOP were making a new album, I knew we would get something new, but I for sure wasn’t expecting this. And I can’t even begin to tell you how proud I am of these two guys. It isn’t just the breathtakingly amazing production (well done Tyler and Paul Meany) or the astonishing lyrics, it’s the overall package. In the words of my mum, this album doesn’t just feel like an album, it feels like a book, like a story. And yes, it is a story. It’s the story of Tyler and Josh and the clique altogether. Ultimately, Trench isn’t a city or a place, it’s us. We are Trench. We are Twenty One Pilots.

So guys, there you go. I know this has ended in being quite a lengthy post, but honestly, I could’ve said so much more. I just really wanted to share it all with you guys, even more because this band and the album mean quite a lot to me. And I really, really hope that you enjoy this album too and of course this post. I will leave the spotify link down below, so you can have a listen for yourself. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts down below, please do tell me what you think about it. And until then I wish you all an amazing weekend and hope you’re all doing alright. And, of course, thanks for reading. x