Lyndsie Kiebert | Rawr Reviews
A band not yet on mainstream radio, Twenty One Pilots has recently become better known through the popularity of its third and newest album, “Blurryface,” released last May. The band can hardly be categorized in a genre (indie pop, alternative, rap, ukulele jams?) “Blurryface” is a patchwork of all the sounds Twenty One Pilots has been experimenting with since its beginning. Here’s the top three reasons to listen to “Blurryface,” or to just fall in love with the band in general.
1. Lyrics
Lead singer Tyler Joseph is not only versatile with his voice (TOP’s songs regularly consist of spoken poetry as well as typical melodic singing), but he is often times the band’s sole songwriter. Suicide, family, growing up, love and other heavy themes are common, but without being suffocating or coming off as cliché. Joseph weaves his life experiences within the music, half rapping, half singing. While this may not sound so appealing on paper, the result is both meaningful and fun to listen to.
2. Completeness
You know how even the best albums have their low spots? Thanks to TOP’s variability, no song is “skippable.” Each song, whether it’s the ukulele-filled “The Judge,” the pop-sounding “Tear In My Heart,” or the heavier “Fairly Local,” each contributes to the overall completeness of the album. All 14 songs highlight the band’s artistic strengths and are sure to make for some high-energy, fulfilling live shows.
3. Personality
The band, composed of only Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun, is notorious for quirky music videos and eccentric tweets. The Twenty One Pilots with which the public has become acquainted is funny and peculiar, but not without the profound maturity that can be found in the lyrics of its songs. “Blurryface,” more than either of the band’s older albums, displays this distinct personality really well.
In an interview with Purevolume, Joseph described the evolution of the creative process from the band’s last album “Vessel” to “Blurryface.”
“The biggest thing that I feel on this record that differentiates itself from the last is there’s an awareness of who we are and who we’re talking to and how things will affect people,” Joseph said. “All while trying to maintain that transparency and authenticity that we had when we wrote the last one.”
This transition is apparent, and did nothing but benefit the new album from start to finish. Twenty One Pilots has a definite personality which has only become better defined in recent years. “Blurryface” solidifies the band’s position as an up-and-comer, while remaining well loved by its established fan base.