Our Track Of The Day today is twenty one pilots‘ “Fairly Local”, from their Blurryface album.
“Fairly Local” stands out to us due to its sweet sweet bass. Bass that’s so heavy that it holds onto the track and weighs the entire thing down, making it feel like it has to drag itself forward. Bass that ripples through your entire being without apology. Bass that courses through headphones to psyche.
It becomes apparent that the heaviness extends to more than just how it sounds, with “Fairly Local”‘s lyrics seeming like a stream of thought relating to the weight of insecurity and doubt (“I’m evil to the core”), which flows into questions of identity. The second verse comes in and speaks in a way that is empowering more than defeated, using the same sentiment as the first verse, yet turning it around:
“I’m not evil to the core
What I shouldn’t do I will fight
I know I’m emotional
What I want to save I will try
I know who I truly am
I truly do have a chance
Tomorrow I’ll switch the beat
To avoid yesterday’s dance”
There is a moment leading into the final chorus which feels like a pause; open and still, time to think and be, with lighter beats along with heavier pulse beats and angelic vocals. Maybe it’s just me, but the final chorus feels hopeful and that there’s more possibility than it seemed there was, earlier on in the song.Relating to the song theme and title, Tyler shared in an interview: “I think Josh and I learned when we were traveling the world during the last album cycle that everyone’s the same, everyone feels the same issues. So it’s kind of a way of getting on the same level as these people and telling them, in a sense, we understand what you’re going through.”
Check out the official video for “Fairly Local” and stream the Blurryface album via Spotify.
