Think Sanity – Closest to Happy (2021)
There are many songs out there that represent different things to different people and ‘Closest to Happy’ is one of them. The single from Think Sanity touches on the struggle against depression and mental health problems that many people face, but hits differently for each person. This is true even for the band where it represents everything from choosing to not look for the next bad thing to happen, to finding the strength to overcome problems, and the epitome of being a musician.
This layered single comes from the collective brains of Trent Johnson (bass), Jack Vermuth (guitar), Andie Johnson (vocals) and Christopher Collins (drums). The band came together in 2020 when Trent, Jack and Andie were looking for a drummer after some unfortunate events with a past project, and finally found Christopher. Once together, they got started on making new music, focusing on mental health with a satirical style.
The rolling guitar line that opens ‘Closest to Happy’ is epic from the first note and really sets the bar for the rest of the single. The combined tones of the guitar and bass are amazing and push you into the thrumming movement of the melody. There is an amazing movement to the melody that creates layers of sounds that work together, while unleashing their own tones into the soundscape. The rolling of the guitar comes back later in the track. It is a very addictive melody that sweeps its way through your brain to take you on the journey of the single.
While the music is sinking its hooks into your brain, Andie Johnson’s vocals pull you into the thoughts and experiences of the lyrics. The lyrics are amazing as they bring the feeling of anxiety and other mental health problems to life. Through the descriptive wording and easy reliability, you feel the moments of the single as though you have lived them. This all comes to a peak in the chorus as the lyrics acknowledge that we all look for ways that things could get worse. While there is a clear message woven into the lyrics, there is also a feeling to the performance that there is more beneath the surface. The interplay between the melody and vocal performance also allows the single to hit differently for every listener.
Think Sanity brings a layered message through the epic rolling guitars and expressive vocals of their single ‘Closest to Happy’. The music is packed with layers of sound that bring the emotions and experiences of the vocals to life. While there is a clear movement to the vocal performance, there is also a layering of meaning, allowing the single to hit differently for each person listening to it.
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