#1 - Morning Theft - Skeleton Twins
A countdown wouldn't be complete without
a really great story to go with one of the higher ranking songs.
Actually this tale picks up where the #3 song left off - with the
suicide of Chris Cornell. Cornell was found dead on May 18th of this
year and it kicked me back into a bad spiral of depression. I had
already been struggling with a new and abusive boss as work, plus the
shocking realization that I had been married for an entire year without
actually knocking it was causing me to lose my marbles each and every
night. I couldn't sleep for 3 or 4 days after the suicide, and I felt my
mental abilities declining very quickly with each passing day. There
were multiple nights where I would drive home by the river and tell
myself that it would be so easy just to swerve over and call it a life.
Things came to an impasse on May 27th when my boss, in no uncertain
terms, told me that I wasn't worth training for the job and thought it
to be a waste of her time to have to deal with me.
Rough
stuff, I know. I remember going to Arby's to grab some food before the
concert I knew I was going to have to cover, and I was crying in my car
and wiping away the tears when I got there. I felt bad for the poor
clerk because he kept coming to check on me, hoping that it wasn't
something that the restaurant had done to upset me. I sat there for a
good 2 hours just talking myself into meeting with my photographer,
going to the show, writing my article and then ending my life. I was
ready. May 28th was going to be my last day on Earth. And then....
Morning Theft happened. The article I wrote for that night can be found here,
but the crux of it is that I stayed at that bar until almost 4am
talking to Nick and Jenelle (guitarist and singer) from Morning Theft
about life, death, depression, suicide, and especially music. Those two
literally convinced me to stay alive that night, and for that I will
always be grateful.
That story is important in writing
about this song, as well. It deals with mental illness, depression and
suicidal thoughts. Jenelle Rowland's voice pierces through the atmospheric wail of Nick McKenzie's guitar hitting high and deep notes at a rate that would make even the most accomplished vocalist blush. The backbeat of Cody Reynolds' drum and J.D. Johnston's bass drives the song forward at a slow and mournful pace and Rowland tells her story, as if pieced together from an asylum journal. It's a tremendous song, and for good reason it has more than twice the amount of plays on Spotify as any other song off of their most recent EP, "...these terraformed ends". The EP title comes from a poem McKenzie wrote and features 4 solid tracks led by the single Decry. The sound is experimental and artistic, as if all 4 are trying to paint an exquisitely tortured portrait. I've also heard them perform several of their new songs live and I have to say - this is a band that is only getting better as they continue writing.
Despite working for a publication covering local music in 2017, I certainly did not anticipate a local song capturing the #1 spot in this countdown. Regardless of the above story, there were still other great songs encompassing 2017 that could have made it to the top of the mountain, but no song spent more time in my ears and on my mind than this one. It just goes to show the amazing impact that music has on our lives, and how a single event can alter a life in such a critical and fantastic way. Thank you, 2017 for helping me find my way.
Title: Skeleton Twins
Artist: Morning Theft
Album: ...these terraformed ends.
Previous #1s
2016: DMA's - Lay Down
2015: Purity Ring - Heartsigh
2014: Cadets - A Drop In The Ocean
2013: Surfer Blood - Demon Dance
2012: Fun. - Some Nights
2011: Young The Giant - My Body
2010: Hockey - Song Away
2009: Morrissey - I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
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