Tim: Spoiler so your expectations don’t get dampened and you don’t end up yelling ARE YOU KIDDING ME like I did: there is, tragically, no key change here.
Tim: Man, I was FUMING when she dropped into the final chorus at the exact same pitch that was used previously. COME ON, there’s a reason there are buttons in every major song production program to alter pitch nice and easily, know when to use them.
Tom: Thanks for the spoiler – although I will note that the middle eight has a few similar tricks up its sleeve, even what I’ve been calling the “Killers Manoeuvre” where it drops into a minor key for one chord.
Tim: It has all the textbook indicators of a middle eight that’s coming up to it: gently calming down, an almost a cappella quiet rendition of the chorus, sudden ramping up to do it all again a triumphant tone and a half higher, and then…nothing. What was the producer thinking? “Oh, key changes are so passé, we won’t be taken seriously.” Mate, I hate to break it to you, but THIS WON’T BE TAKEN ‘SERIOUSLY’. It’s not ‘authentic’ music, it’s not going to be featured on Pitchfork, so just KNOW YOUR GENRE and EMBRACE IT.
Tom: And here’s the thing: they’re clearly not embracing it. Maybe it’s just because I’m travelling through Germany right now and the song seems apt, but I broke into a big smile when that verse started. String hits, gently building instrumentation — and then, a chorus that just seems a bit anaemic in comparison.
It’s a shame, there’s a lot of potential. It’s so nearly there.
Tim: FUMING, I am.