There's something in the water
There's something in the water
There's something in the water
There's something in the water
—
Are you so secure in being everything you know?
Don't you fear that god is watching?
Am I really worthy to be chasing any dream?
When I'll always be my worst mistakes
"Smile for the cameras (smile for the cameras)
Aren't you contented in attention?"
"Everyone loves you (everyone loves you)"
Yet they've never seen my fangs
—
Could you still love me?
They sic me through the curtain
How did I make it?
How did I make it?
How did I make it out alive?
Driven by self preservation
When I could be your prey
How am I different?
How am I different?
Different from the wounds I pried
—
'Cuz saying anything is trying too hard
But silence is a bastard
Out on the edge of the knife, oh my!
Letting the audience fester
Can anybody be a saint these days?
Each breath congeals and rasters
Out on the edge of my mind, oh my!
Become undone in ashes
—
[Wolf howls]
Moving in slow motion 'cuz there is no other way
Any sudden move could scatter them
Lonely are the stars void of silent observers
Bursting into dust and questions
"Aren't you happy? (aren't you happy?)
They all look up at you"
"Shining star girl, shining star girl"
Remove this fowl her foul coop
—
Could I lay right down?
At the crossing of penance
Let it come over
Let it come over
Let it come all over me
Some part of this useless meat
Must satisfy your mercy
Take whatever pleases
Take whatever pleases
But you won't find a purity
—
'Cuz saying anything is trying too hard
But silence is a bastard
Out on the edge of the knife, oh my!
Letting the audience fester
Can anybody be a saint these days?
Each breath congeals and rasters
Out on the edge of my mind, oh my!
Become undone in ashes
—
It's just too much to come clean
Too little to just breathe
I forgive you, I forgive you
But I still can't sleep
I've been listening to this whole album pretty extensively for the past two or three weeks... and that's quite a task since the thing totals 1h23m. woof. Anyway, I was obsessed with Vylet Pony's 2021 album CUTIEMARKS (And the Things That Bind Us) for quite a while back in 2023. I got turned onto it by Tape Girl's Twitter (damn that's a throwback, remember Tape Girl?) and listened to it on repeat while playing Factorio. But that's besides the point!
Survivor's Guilt is my favorite song off Vylet Pony's 2024 album "Monarch of Monsters." I say it's my favorite because it's the one I enjoy listening to the most. Does that make sense? I love the arrangement - how it starts with a bass guitar, the tom work on the drums, the repetitive bass groove, the drum fill that leads into the first verse, the call and response vocals, the way she changes her voice between singing and screaming, the vocal layering, the little instrumental transitions between the vocal parts, it just all sounds super good.
That's not even touching on how I connect to the lyrics... I can't quite make sense of them as a whole painting a clear picture, but certain lines jump out at me as someone who's experienced long term grooming and sexual assault. Especially all the sexual imagery ("let it come all over me") and the stanza beginning "Some part of this useless meat...". It reminds me of the relationship I used to have for a long time with my body and sex. It really succintly summarizes the lack of self-worth and willingness to debase myself to try and please others I carried with me for a long time. Other songs on this album really viscerally explore those themes. Check it out if you want to hear queer prog rock.
