Twenty One Pilots is a band that surpasses the trends that, arguably, should not be in their favor. The late 2010s can be defined by waves of alternative R&B, EDM and Rap overtaking everything it touches. Alt-Rock acts are not nearly as big as they were in previous decades. Despite this, acts of this type are still around—most notably, Imagine Dragons and Twenty One Pilots. But an important distinction between the two is that Twenty One Pilots shows variety and experimentation in their songs.
Unless if one’s a part of their dedicated fanbase, the band’s 2015 sophomore album, “Blurryface,” is probably the general public’s introduction to them. It displayed infectious tunes that were easy to sing along to whilst including lyrics that were thoughtful and relatable. The sounds were a mesh of rap, alt-rock, pop, electronic and reggae-infused sounds. The album even added a creative level of thematic imagery, with its fictional character Blurryface serving as a focal point for the album and as a representation of, lead singer, Tyler Joseph’s fears and insecurities. Although it was extremely successful, the album could still be dwindled down to inoffensive pop-rock that failed to differ from what it was critiquing.
Three years later, the duo, composed of Joseph and Josh Dun, has returned with their new album “Trench,” an immense upgrade from their previous record. Joseph’s songwriting continues to be his strong suit, but it is now properly accompanied with a production value that is just as brilliant due to its focus and complexity.
The album opener, “Jumpsuit,” immediately captures the listener with its emotional build up which was properly executed through Dun’s drums and the infectious guitar riff. It quickly sets the darker tone and, for loyal fans, provides some pay off from the cryptic Easter eggs the band was providing prior to the album’s release.
Overall, the lore the band provides for “Trench” is that of a fictional character, Clansy, and his disillusionment with the world Dema which he appears to feel trapped in. This backdrop can help put tracks like the opener, “Nico and the Niners” and “Bandito” into context, but it’s not going to tarnish the listener’s experience if they don’t know the details behind this fictional tale.
Tracks like “Levitate,” “My Blood” and “Neon Gravestone” show a heightened level of awareness and vulnerability in Joseph’s psyche that are commendable. “Levitate” provides a great beat and rap in which Joseph disses the music industry and the pressures he faces from outside forces to succumb to those structures. “My Blood” is a heartfelt ode to his loved ones, perhaps his brothers, which is accompanied by an insanely catchy bassline and disco-inspired hook. Finally, on “Neon Gravestone”—through a lovely piano and subtle drums—the song touches on the sensitive subject of suicide by looking into the risks that come from society’s habit of glorifying the event and romanticizing the person’s life. He even provides a grim prediction of how his hypothetical suicide could positively affect his music career.
“Pet Cheetah” is perhaps the highlight of this versatile album. It’s the band’s most experimental track in their discography; the lyrics are objectively odd but open to interpretation by the listener. The instrumentation is filled with build ups and fuzzy electronic beats that may require multiple listens to fully grasp.
“Trench” refuses to let “Blurryface” be the peak of their career. It serves as proof of their ability to provide consistently introspective and detailed lyrics while managing to step into new musical arrangements. “Trench” is great for Twenty One Pilots fans and for non-fans to give a try.
