I was initially gonna use my spacehey account to write this blog, but the site just isn't available in the UK thanks to their new internet safety act or whatever. It's fine. It's cool. Not like I built a whole profile there or anything. I don't think I want this blog to be super public, so however you're reading this, I'd appreciate if you just keep it to yourself. Or if you have to share it, please don't do it with anyone over the age of 45 (that's something I'll do myself. Eventually.)
October is reaching it's end, and the earlier nights have begun to creep in with my tendency to re-examine old cycles I would really like to say I'm done with. I promised myself that this year was going to end differently somehow though, so starting this blog is my way of hopefully fending that junk off for a little while. On that topic, the album I want to talk about today is Breach by Twenty One Pilots; the final concept album in an over-arching narrative across 5 albums in 10 years! I don't want to spend this review doing a deep-dive on the story, because I think that's something best enjoyed if you search for it on your own. However, I will include a link to the band's youtube playlist where you can get started. Twenty One Pilots: The Story This review is MOSTLY spoiler free, and its goal is to hopefully get you (who I am going to assume is a total stranger to Twenty One Pilots) to listen to this album and explore more of this band's work as a whole. If nothing else, I hope my enthusiasm for this band can pick up where my words fail. As a final disclaimer: I will say that I'm INCREDIBLY biased to everything these guys put out because they've gotten me through SO many of my tween to teenage years and I could go on and on and on about how each song on each album has gotten me through very specific bsajfaskdhqwueirhfjkl whatever. look at you being clever with the highlighter. did you think this was an SCP entry? lol. Twenty One Pilots is a two-piece band from Columbus, Ohio that consists of Tyler Joseph (Vox, Keys, Bass) and Josh Dun (Drums, Trumpet, Programming)
1) City Walls (6/10)
This is the most lore-heavy track on the album; and rightfully so since its music video acts as the much anticipated end of a 10 year long storyline. I really enjoyed the flow of the rap verses on this one, although the lyrical content doesn't hold that much significance without underlying context from the story or previous albums. Without spoiling too much, I really enjoyed the bridge's quote from the track 'Holding on to You', as well as how it even attempts to follow up on the phrase it borrows. The chorus in this is spectacular, and I find myself rewinding to the end of the first verse on every listen just to hear it again. Josh Dun's drumming on this song, and really the whole album is noteworthy too. His use of ghost notes, and syncopation between the snare and kick on this track really complement Tyler Joseph's vocals. They always bring out the best in each other and it results in a sound that's full, but not at all overwhelming. The end of this song even interpolates a section of 'Heavydirtysoul' so I'll give it bonus points for that. As far as opening tracks go though, this was definitely a weaker entry in the band's catalogue. While catchy, it still relies heavily on the listener being somewhat familiar with what came before it. This was definitely a song made for long-time fans. I think my favourite part is the outro.
2) RAWFEAR (7/10)
Admittedly, I didn't think I was going to like this track based off of the teasers the band released on social media. I was pleasantly surprised by how fun it was!! The title really doesn't give off that vibe. The lyrics in this are pretty straightforward I think: constantly being motivated to do things out of fear. Lines like 'sounds of empty uzis' bring to mind the ticking of a clock; and the gun imagery adds an extra layer of urgency. This album has a habit of putting most of the lyrical meat in its bridges, and you see it in this track too. Tyler talks about the process of fighting his insecurities being more like an endless crawl than a journey with a foreseeable end, with reference to concepts like being poisoned and trying to build up an immunity to it. Production-wise, this song feels more disco than the others. From the general drum groove to the use of stacking pianos and synths to build a wall of sound towards the final sections of the song. As someone who has trouble focusing on certain things for too long, I really appreciate how much space Josh leaves in between sections of the songs at times. It's cheeky. My favourite part of this song is Josh's drums; they really make the song imo. Although I think 'My Blood' does the disco thing better. Twenty One Pilots especially excel at using different sounds to fill up as much space as possible in their songs, and it can be really refreshing when alot of bands out there just layer the same synth and/or distorted guitar and call it a day.
3) Drum Show (9/10)
This was the 2nd and final single off Breach, and it's my favourite of the two. 'Drum Show' is undoubtedly a long overdue song dedicated to Josh Dun. The lyrics are about having your own personal rock concert on the steering wheel as you make your way home. Josh states that the song particularly references times when he was in highschool/college, and the narrative presented in the verses seem to agree with that. I personally resonate with the line that talks about being 'stuck between a rock and a home'; to me, that's really fun wordplay hehe. The bridge is also sung by Josh himself! This is the first time his vocals have ever been on a studio album by the band. Following its theme, I'd also like to grow as much as Josh Dun has since he started out with the band. It doesn't need to be said that you can expect stellar pop-punk style drumming from a song aptly named 'Drum Show'. The band has also recently been on a streak with fucking kickass distorted bass riffs (see: 'Next Semester' and 'Navigating'). Despite this, the aggression does not undercut the amount of emotion you can feel throughout the final sections of this song. My favourite bit is the outro/D-section that combines the bridge and chorus melodies. Either that or the breakdown. My only complaint is that it isn't longer.
4) Garbage (8/10)
'I feel like garbage.' That's it. Those are the lyrics. My mood spoils really easily this time of year so this song has been on rotation a bit more often to help me keep it in check. The trees, bushes, bugs and birds here are really pretty though, so that's been helping a little too. It's worth noting that when Tyler tries to be direct with his lyrics, they can come off as somewhat clunky. This is especially apparent, in my opinion, on the album 'Blurryface'. Nevertheless, I think after 15 years of writing music he's managed to find a sweet spot for himself, and his maturity definitely shows throughout the band's most recent work. The first thing I said while listening to this was that it sounds like an Oasis song. The simple, steady 4/4 drum groove coupled with the piano riff, and strings in the background are what give off that vibe to me. The pre-chorus (I think?) is has a really fun call and response scheme and this makes it arguably one of the catchiest tracks off the album. I like how Tyler's vocals become less processed in the bridge, when he poses the question 'would you move closer...?' My favourite part in this song is 'yeeeeaaaaahhhhh' :DD As an additional tidbit: 'The Hype' from 'Trench' also does the Oasis thing, but I think it does it slightly (just slightly!) better.
5) The Contract (6/10)
I have some mixed feelings about this track, since it was the first single that came out for the album. I loved it on first listen. Once Drum Show came out I like this much less, and once the whole album came out I felt like this was one of the weakest tracks. Since then after taking some breaks from listening to it, I feel like my opinion has since leveled. This song is the most Linkin Park that the band has sounded since 'Heavydirtysoul', while STILL managing to implement a sombre piano riff. While 'RAWFEAR' details Tyler's journey overcoming his fears, the talk of necromancers, peeking through blinds, checking doors, and pacing around the room in 'The Contract' work perfectly to evoke the feeling of spiralling or having a panic attack. There are some sections where the autotune/vocoder used on his voice can be a bit grating, but I hold the belief that it acts in the song's overall favour; especially in the second pre-chorus where Tyler starts to scream. I think I just like glitchy voice effects lol, it's very reminiscent of stuttering while trying to speak. This song (like many others on this album) was produced by long-time friend of the band Paul Meany, who has helped the guys put out some of their best work ever (see: the 2018 album 'Trench' and 'TOPxMM'). The main synth riff in this song is his work I believe. Any song that has a breakbeat also earns bonus points from me, so I was really happy with Josh's stuff in this. So happy, in fact that you WILL see me air-drumming this on public transport. My favourite part of this song is the second pre-chorus!!!
6) Downstairs (8/10)
Twenty One Pilots' 2013 album 'Vessel' and its 2011 predecessor 'Regional At Best' contain some of my favourite works ever. So when I heard the teasers and realised that Downstairs was going to be a completed version of a demo the band released in 2012, I was ECSTATIC!!!! THRILLED!!!!... HAPPY!!!! In true fashion to that era of the band, the lyrics from 'Downstairs' alludes to Tyler's struggle/journey(?) with his faith. I think you can get the gist just by listening to the lyrics (so I'm not going to talk about them much), even if you decide to interpret differently based on your own faith/life experiences. As far as I know though, this is the only song of theirs that quotes the bible directly. Aside from that, I enjoy the small references to tracks like 'Doubt' and 'Polarize' from 'Blurryface'. The band had a penchant for using really heavy electronic sounds in the early 2010s, almost akin to rave/edm music, and that old habit reared its head again here. The use of synths in place of where I think an orchestra would normally fit greatly emphasises Tyler's vocals; and the way they wax and wane throughout the highs and lows of the song helps you feel the emotions that Tyler makes his way through, even if you may not exactly relate to them. This song also features something really special in its final chorus, along with fantastic layering of lines from the verses. I also love the amount of screaming in this song. I wish I could scream like that. Tyler Joseph is batshit crazy with it man. My favourite part of this song is the final chorus.
7) Robot Voices (7/10)
A rework of the song 'My Soft Spots My Robots' by the band Blanket Approval, 'Robot Voices' is an adorable song about finding love this year! I think this song has the least lyrical depth in this album, but that's not necessarily a bad thing; it's just sweet dude. Got me kicking my legs and writing in my diary about someone safe and warm and shit (it's up to you to decide whether I actually do this or not). Also, it acts as a great breather between 'Downstairs' and the latter half of the album, where arguably the BEST tracks sit. I'll admit that initially, this was my least favourite song off Breach excluding the opening track. The band definitely plays around with fun instrumentation here and there, but this track is just too 'generic indie rock' for me. Other people may enjoy it though. Who knows. Maybe I'll like this song more in Spring or Summer I dunno it's a cynical month for me dude. My favourite part of this track is the pre-chorus! 'I just wanna dance in style and stay awhile~'
8) Center Mass (10/10)
FAVOURITE TRACK ON THE ALBUM. WHAT THE HELL. I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT LYRICAL CONTENT JUST GO LISTEN TO IT YOURSELF THAT'S HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO ME. I LISTENED TO THIS AND WAS PIERCED THROUGH THE CHEST. Oh yeah the band also decided to include 'Josh Dun' as a lyric in this song; something they've done in nearly every project since he joined the band in 2011. I lied. The lyrical content in 'Center Mass' talks about Tyler's habit of shrinking himself down as a means of facing the pain. I like the slight hint of sarcasm in the first verse, as Tyler reflects on this (seemingly recent?) tendency he has. the words 'center mass' are used to evoke the imagery of a combat dummy in a shooting range, and help capture the general setting of being under attack and feeling desperate to protect yourself. It's still a bit unclear to me if this song is referring to a singular event in Tyler's life, or if it's more a reflection on multiple different things. Most of the emotion in this song is simply just felt more than it is deciphered if that makes sense? At early-release listening parties, Tyler Joseph mentioned in a recorded message that 'Center Mass' wouldn't be that well liked upon first listen. THAT MF WAS DEAD WRONG. The song's groovy, almost heist-movie-esque, jazz rap verses hook you in before serving you 2 cute little choruses. Then finally, they decide to slap you in the face with that DISGUSTING, RIBCAGE-GRAB-INDUCING bridge/breakdown. Filthy. Asshole band smh. Go listen to the song. If you can't tell the bridge/breakdown in this song has a very special space in a very special locked box in my heart. "You can't use dashes like that Isaac." Whatever. Go relearn html if you're so smart.
9) Cottonwood (8/10)
Any song with tree imagery in it is automatically one of my favourites (again, see: 'Vessel' and 'Regional At Best'). 'Cottonwood' tells the story of Tyler grieving his maternal grandfather, and the song is aptly named after Cottonwood trees; trees that remind him of his grandfather's hair. Again, I think the lyrics in this song should speak for themselves, so I'll only make a couple of notes. I like the amount of repetition some of the lines in this song has. To me it's very similar to the process of ruminating on the same set of circular thoughts when going through any type of grief. "Who are you saying these things to?" The final reprise of the chorus strangely elicits a sense of comfort as the instrumentals start to swell and brings to mind the sudden appearance of a fond memory after a tough day. My favourite part of this song is the chorus.
10) One Way (8/10)
I really like the funk feel of this song. It does sound alot like 'Imagination' by Foster the People, though executed slightly differently. The use of a synth in place of where Foster the People would instead a layer several guitars gives it that signature 'Twenty One Pilots' sound. If 'Center Mass' details Tyler's methods for dealing with unpleasant experiences and regrets, I feel as if 'One Way' is Tyler expressing his overall frustration of how much his past can affect him at times. This might not really be right because I'm not exactly sure of the meaning of the song's second verse; to me it just loosely fits. Instrumental wise there's not much that really sticks out to me here, though I like the synths and background vocals. This song is just nice to walk to. It's transition into 'Days Lie Dormant' is also one of my favourite things about this album. My favourite part of this song is the first verse! (Am I dreaming?/Can I take back who I was before?) It's a very familiar train of thought.
11) Days Lie Dormant (9/10)
Another short section. This is Tyler's one mandatory song about his family. This fusion between blink-182 and a broadway showtune is so stupid. I really love the amount of feel changes in this song, and the subject matter is sweet and straightforward so I don't really have any crazy thoughts about it. All I can say is that Tyler really has a way of getting an idea across well, and the stray sounds of his living/dining room that creep their way in the third chorus add an extra layer of vulnerability as he switches up the lyrics. Then the song ends. definitely. My favourite parts of this song are when Tyler screams "YOUUUUUU" in the verses.
12) Tally (10/10)
My second favourite song off this album!! 'Tally', the penultimate track on Breach. It's written from the point of view of someone in a relationship. There's no indicator of whether its dynamic is platonic, romantic, or familial, but I don't think it really matters that much anyway. The point is it sometimes just means everything to have someone believe in you, somehow. Even when you feel as if you keep disappointing people. Even when you feel like it's better to isolate yourself from them to mitigate harm. This also has pretty apparent parallels to the lore! I won't say how though. I like the keyboard work in this. The electric organ makes it sound like it was sampled from a baseball game or something. The arpeggiating synths during the chorus scratch a particular spot in my brain. They very much make the song feel like it belongs on 'Vessel'; and I'm a sucker for that so yeah. Tyler also high note that wavers into a scream in the refrain before the final chorus is just magical. Josh does more breakbeats so I'm happy. I actually don't think I have a favourite part for this song. Each section works together pretty cohesively and the overall energy doesn't change much throughout the track. I just like its overall subject matter, and how energetic it is.
13) Intentions (10/10)
Tyler has said in a letter posted to his social media that 'Intentions' was his interpretation of the ending presented in the 'City Walls' music video. Breach acts as the conclusion to a story that is ultimately about trying to break out of cycles. Even if you end up not getting as far as you wanted to, it's important to remember that you at least tried with intention; and as long as you can be sure that the sun will rise tomorrow, you will always have the chance to try again. Maybe you'll learn something new. This song has the same instrumentals to the song 'Truce' from Vessel; which is one of my favourites by the band. Anything that references this song is an immediate 10/10 for me. You should try listening to either song in reverse.