Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, Post Punk Revival
Release Date: November 18th, 2012
Label: North Hill Records
Writers: James Urie
With 2012 still continuing to rage on just a little more than a month before it ends, artists are still releasing nothing but new music and the fourth quarter of this year has certainly seen some great releases. Among the great stars to do so within this year has been James Urie. Urie has single handedly climbed his way up the ranks of the music ladder having dealt with an almost ending career, depression and alcoholism not to mention having to shake his "pop boy" look away from himself so people could see him not for his pretty face, but most of all for his musical talent. Although having a successful year in 2011, releasing his sophomore effort
"Tales From The Struggle" that opened up closed doors where Urie exposed all his deepest feelings about how broken he actually was throughout the time after his flop debut album
"Climbing" was released leading up to the time the second record was released, and Urie was ailing. The truthfulness and core of the album was met with a critical acclaim and new found fame, success and number one's for James Urie. But that was just 2011. Being proclaimed "one of the most hyped artists of 2012" Urie raged through this year having won two Fan Choice Awards in 'Sexiest Male' and 'Best Male Artist' and taking no time to hop back into the studio to work on his new soon third studio album that will be showing a more confident and empowering Urie. He officially announced his 3rd studio album to be named
"Sex, Drugs, & Complications" that sees Urie overcoming personal struggles that come with the aftermath of depression - including anger, finding a new found strength as well as new found love through a range of emotions that Urie offers. (Urie wed Gemma Kane sometime last month). So this success story is in no way of an end and although Urie has obvious complications, you can clearly see that this once lost soul has finally become one and all will see this in his new record to be released later this month.
We are not here to exactly talk about all of Urie's achievements this year but before we get to the new single, Urie follows this new track entitled "Bulletproof" as the 3rd official single off of
Sex, Drugs, & Complications. This track comes after the leading single "Farewell". The single shot to #1 on the Digital Charts and peaked at #3 on the Radio Charts and "Retaliate" reached the #1 position on both the radio and digital charts.
"Bulletproof" starts off with an eerie backing beat that moves along the opening eeriness of the song, followed by a few short keyboard notes that are present for the opening of the song. Although this lasts for just the first 12 seconds of the song, it may leave the listener already eager for me. Right as these seconds pasts, drums unleash onto the track that makes the initial sound of the track become more catchy. The drums play along for a few seconds in a repetitive manner for about 6 seconds and the bass guitar finds it way right behind the drums making a beautiful mixture of sounds followed by those quite deep keyboard sounds that were heard in the beginning of the song and finally the guitar strums are hard making this final opening piece quite ace. These instruments make a enjoyable introduction and start to the track, but what we are also waiting for is the prowess of a voice that Urie possesses, and sometimes having the listener wait for the actual vocal is the right idea. As this concoction of instruments continue, Urie's voice breaks out onto the track finally. His signature, strong, powerful but at the same time hallow and possessed like voice is heard. He sounds quite angry as these instruments compliment his voice well in this Indie/post punk-revival like sound that screams 80's as Urie opens up. "Why is it that no one speaks |About my time before |The days where I stood there |And stared off at the road|I even knew myself|My heart was hardly adorned And all you did was choose to judge me |No one even alarmed" - behind this pound beat Urie opens up about his time "before" once again recalling the days where he was seriously oppressed, almost feeling as if he didn't have a heart.. but at the same Urie is speaking some one(s) or something with much anger as this person seemed to judge him when he was at his lowest. The instruments and backing beat is still pretty light but when the hook comes about, the guitars get stronger and the percussion stay at the same pace as well as the drums as Urie begins singing> "I admit I had a few screws unloose |But that doesn't mean it's justifiable |For you too continue to shoot |And if roles reversed|You'd feel the same way I now do too"> Urie admits that he did have screws unloose mentally but at the same time he is explaining that whoever was hurting him even more is wrong and that if they were in his place, they'd feel the same anger he does today. The backing instruments and beats become stronger as Urie belts out the chorus. The guitar bursts behind Urie's voice as the song picks up a few notches. "So you can take that gun and aim it to your head|Or test your luck and aim it to my chest |Pull the trigger
You want to watch me wither|But when I stand together |It really makes you quiver |I'm so bulletproof |I bet your wonderin' too |Yeah I've pulled it together |Your bullets nothing to sever|I'm so bulletproof|Bullet proof, I'm so bullet, bullet proof" > Urie yells out this catchy chorus with so much emotion explaining that he's now bulletproof and that these bullets that are shot at him is nothing to sever obviously speaking symbolically about something or someone that once hurt him that he holds this anger to, no longer has anything to inflict on him as well as getting a point across that this person is hating the fact that he is succeeding. The instruments and beat that we heard at the beginning of the song find it's place bringing the first chorus to the second verse as this track continues. In this verse, Urie seems to open up more about this being or person that hurt him. His vocals, sounding strong yet emotionally fueled with anger croons through the next verse. He sings: "Before this all
When you shot out your words |They pierced through my skin |Nothing ever felt worse |I'm surprised that I even survived
And you continued to thrive |But look who's dying out now?|I'd like you to sit down and think about how"> By now the listener is obviously wondering, who exactly is this person that at one point or another would break Urie down, but at this point now..is dying out?" He continues to sing "Your pulse is now falling way behind mine |If it was some years ago |I'd be where you are now|But look at you, all slow and withering|Still shooting toward me, for the sake killing me"<As Urie continues to give more clues in this complex track. The being is now all slow and withering yet still trying to get to James for the sake of getting rid of him and automatically the guitars get stronger and the percussion stay at the same pace as well as the drums as Urie begins singing the hook of the track "I admit I had a few screws unloose |But that doesn't mean it's justifiable |For you too continue to shoot |And if roles reversed|You'd feel the same way I now do too" followed by the guitars logging up with the drums and backing beat and unleashing the chorus of the track. Urie belts out once again the catchy lyrics of this Indie rock/alternative/punk revival track. Following the chorus, the openings beats and instruments once again take over for a few seconds bringing us to the bridge of the song where the track breaks down with no guitar, just the percussion, drums and bass as Urie sings in a whispery manner: "Oh this is the life, the one that I imagined |Oh this is the life, the one from my dreams|Oh this is the life, where I get to watch you turn to steam"| > As he calmly sings about life, and watching this being or person disappear and turn to steam. After this is said, the beat picks up once more and the chorus unleashes one last time, with Urie belting out the final chorus of the track with all the instruments coming together. > "So you can take that gun and aim it to your head|Or test your luck and aim it to my chest|Pull the trigger|You want to watch me wither|But when I stand together |It really makes you quiver |I'm so bulletproof|I bet your wonderin' too|Yeah I've pulled it together
Your bullets nothing to sever |I'm so bulletproof|I'm so bullet, bullet proof , bullet proof|< As the track has a big and triumphant/angry ending as it comes to an halting stop.
Urie's 3rd single taken from "Sex,Drugs & Complications" will be released this Sunday to Radio and Digital outlets. What are your thoughts on this angry ode on a figure of Urie's past who has obviously caused much anger to Urie?
Why is it that no one speaks
About my time before
The days where I stood there
And stared off at the road
I even knew myself
My heart was hardly adorned
And all you did was choose to judge me
No one even alarmed
I admit I had a few screws unloose
But that doesn't mean it's justifiable
For you too continue to shoot
And if roles reversed
You'd feel the same way I now do too
So you can take that gun and aim it to your head
Or test your luck and aim it to my chest
Pull the trigger
You want to watch me wither
But when I stand together
It really makes you quiver
I'm so bulletproof
I bet your wonderin' too
Yeah I've pulled it together
Your bullets nothing to sever
I'm so bulletproof
Bullet proof, I'm so bullet, bullet proofBefore this all
When you shot out your words
They pierced through my skin
Nothing ever felt worse
I'm surprised that I even survived
And you continued to thrive
But look who's dying out now?
I'd like you to sit down and think about how
Your pulse is now falling way behind mine
If it was some years ago
I'd be where you are now
But look at you, all slow and withering
Still shooting toward me, for the sake killing me
I admit I had a few screws unloose
But that doesn't mean it's justifiable
For you too continue to shoot
And if roles reversed
You'd feel the same way I now do
So you can take that gun and aim it to your head
Or test your luck and aim it to my chest
Pull the trigger
You want to watch me wither
But when I stand together
It really makes you quiver
I'm so bulletproof
I bet your wonderin' too
Yeah I've pulled it together
Your bullets nothing to sever
I'm so bulletproof
Bulletproof
I'm so bulletproof , bulletproofOh this is the life, the one that I imagined
Oh this is the life, the one from my dreams
Oh this is the life, where I get to watch you turn to steam
[4x]
I admit I had a few screws unloose
But that doesn't mean it's justifiable
For you too continue to shoot
And if roles reversed
You'd feel the same way I now do
So you can take that gun and aim it to your head
Or test your luck and aim it to my chest
Pull the trigger
You want to watch me wither
But when I stand together
It really makes you quiver
I'm so bulletproof
I bet your wonderin' too
Yeah I've pulled it together
Your bullets nothing to sever
I'm so bulletproof
I'm so bullet, bullet proof , bullet proof