As with their previous releases, Burning Brides demonstrate the ways in which the different aspects of their musical vision benefit from their mutual inclusion, as the Brides’ ability to pummel with brute force contrasts nicely with the pop sensibilities that they continue to hone. Coming on the heels of 2007’s bruising Hang Love, the newest Brides album plays as a heavy yet sun-kissed portrait of a band whose continued evolution has allowed them to access unbridled levels of energy and confidence. The Brides have compiled a freakishly good catalogue and sterling reputation for ripping it up live in the years since their inception, but the bond and resulting comfort level between singer/guitarist Dimitri Coats and bassist Melanie Coats have never been more evident than on Anhedonia. The album stands as further evidence of the band’s unique talent for incorporating some of their favorite influences while producing a signature sound that remains the backbone of their sonic exploits even as the Brides explore some new facets of that blueprint.
Two elements primarily define Burning Brides’ ethos and remain interwoven throughout their catalogue: the willingness to hurtle headlong into caterwauling rock and roll oblivion and the recognition of when to choke back before hitting full-on supernova status. Were either offshoot of the Brides’ musical DNA practiced within a vacuum, the overall potency of their work would not be fully realized. While Burning Brides may never be accused of killing anyone softly, they have always had a keen appreciation for the moments when a thunderous riff can be momentarily supplanted with a lilting vocal harmony or serpentine bassline, as the band seem to recognize the value in both headbanging and hip-swaying. Much of this phenomenon can be attributed to Dimitri Coats’ voice, as he possesses the kind of range that enables him to evoke ear-bleeding howls that would make Linda Blair blush alongside rhythmic melodies without sacrificing pitch or tone. Perhaps most importantly, Dimitri’s voice contains the kind of stomach churning emotive quality that unfurls itself as if it was being transmitted via a previously forgotten dream. His ability to summon different approaches underscores the Brides’ overall penchant for going big without losing any resonance, and beginning with the album opener Lovesick, Dimitri calls in some vocal reinforcements in the form of real-life bride Melanie.
Anhedonia marks the first time in the Brides’ recorded history that Melanie has joined the fray on the mic, and her introduction to the formula proves seamless, as she lends the proceedings an added depth that ultimately distinguishes this batch of songs from their predecessors. The inclusion of Melanie in the booth is an exciting development for a band already teeming with a seemingly inexhaustible arsenal, and her teaming with Dimitri on tracks like Flesh and Bone points a way in which the Brides will undoubtedly expand that arsenal moving forward. Anhedonia is similarly packed with examples of the ways in which the Brides have gelled over the course of their last two albums. Having endured considerable professional and personal turmoil in the period leading up to the 2007 release of Hang Love, the Coats welcomed drummer Pete Beeman into their inner circle and proceeded to exorcise their demons with a torrent of bonecrushing body blows and knockout shots in which entire nations died, serial killers hit the streets, and all of Mother Nature burned courtesy of Dimitri’s imagination. While Anhedonia still possesses the weight of earlier releases, it’s refreshing to see the Brides emerge with their fangs temporarily sheathed. Anhedonia definitely packs a punch, but the record serves notice that Burning Brides don’t necessarily have to lead with their fists. The songs on this record seem to permeate the space between your ears and worm their way up your veins without going the scorched earth route. Whether it’s the upwardly spiraling riff of Summer Leaves or the sporadic bursts of If One of Us Goes Further, the Brides have successfully navigated the feat of producing a guitar-oriented album that most often forsakes nosedives for attempts at flying into the sun. The album explodes in reds, oranges, and yellows, and Dimitri’s opening declaration “What falls apart comes back together/ the body heals with time” stands in stark contrast to some of the themes he has most recently explored while setting the regenerative tone that encompasses much of Anhedonia.
The Brides stay true to their form in allowing the balance of the record to rest upon Dimitri’s guitars, and the erstwhile guitar hero helps shape the mood of the record by opting for cleaner guitar tones even as he puts forth some Jimmy Page-esque guitar lines that manage to reverberate without muddying the waters. Dimitri has never had any problems going the overtly (or subversively) anthemic route, but his progression as a songwriter is paramount on one of Anhedonia’s standout tracks, This Is a Wave, which emerges as a surf rock elegy that calls to mind the elegant melancholia of Nirvana’s All Apologies. Whether they’re exploring more nuanced approaches or cranking their pedals in fullscale paint-peeling mode, Burning Brides bring a palpable passion to their songs. The Brides have never been interested in putting rock in quotation marks or trafficking in ironic conceptualization, as Dimitri succinctly surmises in Start Your Own Religion, “Rock and roll is dead/rock and roll is free/ rock and roll is everything to me”. With Anhedonia, Burning Brides have continued to cement their legacy as proponents of the kind of rock and roll that can render all other pleasures powerless, as they’ve created an album that aptly showcases their strengths while highlighting a desire to push the boundaries of the qualities that make them so unique. - Brant Miles
Rainy Days
Burning Brides Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Junkyard
It makes you happy to know you're a star
of the grapevine
We're gonna put you right back where you came from
We're gonna get you every tuesday
Rainy days are following your tiny rings of fame
Rainy days will shoot a cloud of grey into your vein
Rainy days will make you feel like everything's the same, hey
When you were younger your mama sang you a lullaby
And now you're older you want a piece of the big sky
Gonna put you right back where you came from
We're gonna get you every thursday
Rainy days are following your tiny rings of fame
Rainy days will wash away the color from your brain
Rainy days will shoot a cloud of grey into your vein
Rainy days will make you feel like everything's the same
Save yourself some time
and turn yourself around
You're not the only one who thinks they've found
A way to make it all make sense
But it's just a mess
The lyrics to Burning Brides's song Rainy Days seem to be addressing the fleeting nature of fame and the dangers of chasing it. The first few lines reference a friend who has had the time of their life, but now is seemingly being pulled back into obscurity. The line "of the grapevine" suggests that perhaps this friend's fame was always just gossip or rumors, and not based on any real talent or accomplishments. The repetition of the line "We're gonna put you right back where you came from" reinforces this idea of a return to normalcy or anonymity.
The chorus uses the metaphor of rainy days to describe the effect of fading fame. Rain is often associated with sadness and gloom, and in this context it seems to represent the loss of energy, passion, and creativity that can come with a loss of fame or recognition. The line "Rainy days will make you feel like everything's the same" suggests that without the highs and lows of stardom, life can become dull and monotonous.
The final verse seems to be cautioning against the dangers of trying to make it big. The line "Save yourself some time and turn yourself around" suggests that chasing fame is ultimately a waste of time, and that it's important to find fulfillment and purpose outside of superficial measures of success. The line "But it's just a mess" underscores the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the music industry and the pursuit of fame.
Line by Line Meaning
You had the time of your life my friend
You enjoyed your experience to the fullest, my friend
Junkyard
A place where discarded items are stored
It makes you happy to know you're a star
Knowing that you're well-known brings joy to you
of the grapevine
This fame has spread through rumors or gossip
We're gonna put you right back where you came from
We'll return you to your original position
We're gonna get you every tuesday
We'll come for you every week on Tuesday
Rainy days are following your tiny rings of fame
After your brief moments of fame, gloomy and depressing days have become your constant companion
Rainy days will wash away the color from your brain
Depressing weather will erase the happiness and joy from your mind
Rainy days will shoot a cloud of grey into your vein
Rainy days will inject a cloud of sadness and negativity into your body
Rainy days will make you feel like everything's the same, hey
Depressing days have made you feel like everything is monotonous and unchanged
When you were younger your mama sang you a lullaby
During your childhood, mother sang a soothing melody to you
And now you're older you want a piece of the big sky
As you grew, your horizons expanded and you aim to reach high
We're gonna get you every thursday
We'll come for you every week on Thursday
Save yourself some time
Don't waste your time
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: DIMITRI COATS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind