Money and Love is Cartel’s first solo release. Like the musical influences that spawned it, the EP is a mix of old and new. Several songs, like the vintage pop/rocker “No One,” were written before Kaiser Cartel’s formation. Others, like the rave-up title track, are newer compositions. “Julia,” one of the album’s harmony-drenched highlights, was written somewhere in the middle. Cartel looked everywhere for inspiration: relationships, the road, even old Alfred Hitchcock movies.
The recording process began at The End Studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, with Mike Cohen (Lucinda Black Bear). Cartel recorded the songs simply, strumming an acoustic guitar while two friends chimed in on bass and lead guitar. He then sent the bare-boned recordings to his friend and occasional tour mate Kristoffer Ragnstam, an indie pop musician living in Gothenburg, Sweden. Ragnstam, along with his bandmate Joel Lundberg, added layers and arrangements to Cartel’s songs, turning what began as a skeletal EP into something more fleshed-out and eclectic.
“I let Kris and Joel add whatever they wanted,” Cartel says, “and didn't get in the way of their process. I felt good about the songs and my performance -- and as a fan of Kris’ band, Kristoffer and the Harbor Heads, I was honored that they wanted to contribute to my recordings.”
Some finishing touches were added several months later, when Ragnstam and Cartel rendezvoused in L.A. at New Monkey Studio (originally owned by Elliot Smith), and then later at the home of Aqualung’s Matt Hales, who’d previously worked with Cartel on the Kaiser Cartel albums March Forth and Secret Transit. Together, the musicians added handclaps, backing vocals and piano.
The result is a recording rooted in honest, straightforward songwriting -- the sort of singer/songwriter fare that Cartel regularly performs at his solo shows, with nothing more than an acoustic guitar to back him up -- and dressed up with full, genre-spanning arrangements. It’s an album that builds a bridge between opposites: between old and new, love and loss, rock and pop, solo songwriting and full-band recording.
Insider
Benjamin Cartel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And everything you've dreamed of
Yeah, you're the Dark Angel
It don't show when you break up
And I'm the one who oughta know
Yeah, I'm the one left in the dust
Oh, I'm the broken-hearted fool
I'm an insider
I been burned by the fire
Oh, and I've had to live
With some hard promises
I've crawled through the briars
I'm an insider
It's a circle of deception
It's a hall of strangers
It's a cage without a key
You can feel the danger
And I'm the one who oughta know
Yeah, I'm the one you couldn't trust
Oh, I'm the lonely, silent one
I'm the one left in the dust
I'm an insider
I been burned by the fire
Yeah, and I've had to live
With some hard promises
I've crawled through the briars
I'm an insider
Well, I'll bet you're his masterpiece
I'll bet you're his self-control
Yeah, you'll become his legacy
His quiet world of white and gold
And I'm the one who oughta know
Yeah, I'm the one you left to rust
Not one of your twisted friends
I'm the one you couldn't love
I'm an insider
I been burned by the fire
Oh, and I've had to live
With some hard promises
I've crawled through the briars
I'm an insider
I'm an insider
The song "Insider" by Benjamin Cartel is a melancholic yet powerful reflection on the feeling of being left behind after a romantic relationship. The lyrics narrate the story of a person who falls in love with someone who has a dangerous and mysterious past, but who ultimately ends up breaking their heart. The first verse introduces this person as the "Dark Angel," someone who seems to have everything they ever wanted, but who "breaks up" without showing any emotional vulnerability. The singer, who is left behind, is portrayed as a "broken-hearted fool" who was never enough for their lover.
The chorus of the song is a declaration of the singer's resilience: despite having been hurt by love before, they are still an "insider," someone who has gone through the fire and come out of it burned but alive. The metaphor of crawling through briars suggests that the singer has been through difficult times, but has managed to survive and keep going. The second verse paints a picture of a "circle of deception" and a "hall of strangers," a world in which the singer couldn't trust their lover and felt trapped without a way out.
The final verse is a poignant acknowledgment of the singer's feeling of being replaced by someone else. The references to the lover's "masterpiece" and "legacy" suggest that they have moved on and found someone they value more than the singer. The line "Not one of your twisted friends" suggests that the singer couldn't fit into the lover's world, and was ultimately rejected. Despite this, the singer still asserts their identity as an "insider," someone who has survived heartbreak and is still standing.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got a dangerous background
You have a past that could potentially harm others.
And everything you've dreamed of
Your life has gone according to plan.
Yeah, you're the Dark Angel
Despite your outward appearance, you have a dark side.
It don't show when you break up
You hide your true emotions well, even during a breakup.
And I'm the one who oughta know
I have experience dealing with you.
Yeah, I'm the one left in the dust
I've been abandoned by you before.
Oh, I'm the broken-hearted fool
I've been hurt by you and foolishly allowed it to happen.
Who was never quite enough
I was never fully able to satisfy you.
I'm an insider
I have inside knowledge of who you really are.
I been burned by the fire
I've been hurt in the past by trusting you.
Oh, and I've had to live
I've had to endure the consequences of my actions and yours.
With some hard promises
We made some commitments that were difficult to fulfill.
I've crawled through the briars
I've endured difficult situations in our relationship.
It's a circle of deception
Our relationship is built on lies and deceit.
It's a hall of strangers
Our relationship feels unfamiliar and disconnected.
It's a cage without a key
Our relationship is confining and restrictive.
You can feel the danger
There is a sense of fear or alarm in our relationship.
Yeah, I'm the one you couldn't trust
I no longer believe in your word or actions.
Oh, I'm the lonely, silent one
I feel isolated and unheard in our relationship.
I'm the one left in the dust
I've been left behind and abandoned by you.
Well, I'll bet you're his masterpiece
You are someone he is very proud of.
I'll bet you're his self-control
You've helped him remain in control of his actions.
Yeah, you'll become his legacy
You will be remembered as a significant person in his life.
His quiet world of white and gold
He has created an ideal life with you, filled with peace and prosperity.
Not one of your twisted friends
I don't share your same values and morals.
I'm the one you couldn't love
You were never able to truly love me.
I'm an insider
Despite all of this, I still have a deep understanding of you and our relationship.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, O/B/O CAPASSO
Written by: Tom Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ABC News In-depth
You may recognise some footage in this documentary, this program was produced in collaboration with Ben Zand and Vice TV.
If you'd like to learn more about the mothers searching for Mexico's disappeared you can read our accompanying article here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-22/las-rastreadoras-del-fuerte-digging-for-mexico-disappeared/100297006
Callum Gillman
I noticed that.. great work ABC.. as per usual... keep it up
Ahmad David Rifkin
I thought the most powerful is the Mighty CJNG of Jalisco, the woman was saying that the most powerful Sicarios were Sinoala that's confusing....
Jxi
Don’t care didn’t ask
Jbizzle2
@Ahmad David Rifkin CJNG is just as big as CDS right now
Doobie717
@Jxi and they dont give a shit what you think on their channel 👍 cheer up little fella
James Deslaurier
Hearing the kid talking about wanting to be a vet really hit hard. The poor kid is being forced to the wrong thing, but wants to do the right thing.
Jeffrington
Poor kid wish him the best
Jp
That’s why we shouldn’t be getting mad or petty shit that our parents and brother / sister do to us.
DoryanTheCritic
But the kid will continue to do the wrong thing, and will end in the wrong thing. Well, he's already there. Nothing poor about him, he's just one of thousands that likes easy money. When sons of narcos don't want to be part of the family business, they can always say no and not rejoice in the riches of wealth.