They dropped their self-titled debut in 2009, and since then they’ve gradually ascended in popularity. It wasn’t until 2012’s Vessel that they really got on most people’s radar, and a lot of that had to do with them signing to Fueled By Ramen, which marked their first experience on a major label. No matter who you are, when you start touring with acts such as Neon Trees and Walk The Moon, your name is going to get out there quickly. Thus, it stands to reason that Blurryface is their most anticipated album to date. ‘Fairly Local’ and ‘Tear In My Heart’ led the charge, and did a reasonably good job of rounding up momentum for the band’s fourth LP. After months of snowballing expectations, the threat of Blurryface failing to deliver loomed not only as a possible outcome, but also as a likely one. After all, mainstream music – even at its most forgiving – is a fickle creature. However, Twenty One Pilots managed to take something that quite honestly should have failed and turned it into a resounding success. So what’s their secret? The obvious assumption is that the album must be very consistent that it is devoid of filler or perhaps even a home run from start to finish. However, none of that really qualifies as being the case. The true strength of this record lies in the creativity that spawned it. Blurryface is more than just an album title – it’s a character within a story who represents Tyler Joseph’s doubts and insecurities. This becomes apparent on ‘Stressed Out’, in which Joseph expresses concern over everything from his music (“I wish I found some chords in an order that is new / I wish I didn’t have to rhyme every time I sang”) to growing older (“I was told when I get older all my fears would shrink / But now I’m insecure and I care what people think”). He then ties all the loose ends together by introducing his alter ego: “My name is Blurryface and I care what you think.” Understanding Blurryface’s psyche goes a long way in grasping the record musically, because quite frankly it’s all over the map. The album jumps between hip-hop, rock, pop, and even reggae as if genre boundaries don’t exist. Tyler Joseph alternates between rapping, singing, and screaming like they’re all the same, and he even alludes to the idea on the curtain-opening ‘Heavydirtysoul’ when he states “this is not rap, this is not hip-hop / just another attempt to make the voices stop.” Despite the music’s schizophrenic nature, it’s all true to the Blurryface persona – and in that sense, it’s artistic. This album transcends the realm of music to become a cathartic vessel for Tyler Jospeh – and on a larger scale, anyone who immerses themselves in the experience. After all, everyone has a Blurryface alter ego. Outside of its musical and thematic creativity, Blurryface is also chockfull with lyrics that are actually crucial to the album’s vitality. When you have a work that relies on emotional proximity, what is written on paper is equally as important as the notes being played. That’s where Twenty One Pilots absolutely hit the nail on the head everything here is expressed perfectly for the given situation.
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