The Devil Wears Prada Should Know Better
Not many people know this about me, but I’ve got a bad habit when it comes to food: if it tastes good, I don’t stop. I’ll always go for those last few bites that push me from satisfied into regret. That’s exactly how I felt listening to the last breakdown on The Devil Wears Prada’s “Wear the Flowers Never Grow.”
The song itself is huge—an emotional ballad that feels alive, moving. Larger than life. But then they tack on a very standard-issue breakdown at the end. Prada should know better. It’s like the extra bites you didn’t need.
Let’s talk about something more embarrassing than my eating habits: the state of metalcore. Over the last decade, butt rock riffs and copy-paste choruses have crept in. It drives me insane. Heavy music’s bigger than ever, which is great, but I shouldn’t have to wonder if my coworker’s talking about Sleep Token or Dying Wish when they say they’re into “metalcore.”
That’s why songs like Greyhaven’s “Cemetery Sun” resonate with me so much. It’s not hard to see the progression from Every Time I Die and Dillinger to this. Or Soulkeeper’s “Go Ask Alice”—frenetic, chaotic, grind energy in the same vein as The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. It's a good thing you're not my coworker.
I’ll admit, sometimes my own brain twists into a pretzel trying to come up with comparisons for new music. But if a band genuinely throws me off, it’s usually a good sign. That’s exactly what happened with SUPERLIMINAL by Dead Mall. One minute I’m thinking Terror or Comeback Kid, the next it’s Drug Church or Spiritual Cramp. The only constant? This album is fun as hell, and this band is special.
Equally fun is finding a band whose sound I've been craving. Lately, that’s been the jangly, heartfelt sound of bands like Tigers Jaw and Braid—as long as the singers can actually sing. Enter Flycatcher. Their new single “Truth” nails it, carried by vocals that are soothing in all the right ways.
That’s my week. A little lighter on the listening than usual, but the gems stood out. Let me know what I missed!
