Specters finds Brooks no less fascinated with his own death drive, this time letting the songs fall into the familiar shapes of ghost stories. Brooks continues to pay homage to his darkwave heroes, but here he allows his synths to stretch their legs with dizzyingly intricate programming, employing denser, more shimmering textures and letting small patches of light slip through. Vocal lines are woven through the mix, often acting as synth pads themselves, stretchy layers draped across steely percussion. Despite their morbid fascination, the sounds are very much alive, pulsing choirs of synth tones in vivid spectrums of dark blue. Brooks's friends and bandmates from Ravens & Chimes, Selebrities, and the Ice Choir contribute guitar parts and backing vocals. Specters is a sensitively woven sonic space that deals primarily in darkness, but glows with a slight warmth around the edges.
Cruel
Lost Children Lyrics
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They slip through the crumbling walls into the town.
From my rooftop I look down,
See the frenzied crowds are all around.
There is no sense to be made anyhow.
We can hide for a while but they'll come back around.
The machines keep on pushing and pushing away,
Cruel.
Why's it have to be so cruel?
It seems so cruel.
Why's it have to be so cruel?
A river carves it's way to the ocean, if it's given time.
They can tear me limb from limb, but I never going to die!
I'll never die, I'll never die, I'll never die, I'll never die,
I'll never die, I'll never die, I'll never die, I'll never die!
(laughter)
Cruel.
Why's it have to be so cruel?
It seems so cruel.
Why's it have to be so cruel?
The Lost Children's song "Cruel" is a haunting reflection on the senseless and destructive nature of the world, drawing on imagery of beasts, machines, and crowds to convey a sense of chaos and disorder. The first two lines of the song set the tone, describing the beasts slipping through crumbling walls into the town at dusk, suggesting a sense of impending danger and unpredictability. From the rooftop, the singer looks down on the frenzied crowds, unable to make sense of the chaos. The refrain of the song, "Why's it have to be so cruel?" captures the sense of frustration and despair that comes from witnessing the senseless cruelty of the world.
The second verse of the song explores the idea that there is no sense to be made of the world, and that attempts to hide from the chaos are ultimately futile. The machines keep pushing and pushing, and sooner or later everyone will end up in their wake. This is a powerful commentary on the destructive nature of progress, with the machines representing the relentless march of technology and industry, and the people caught in their wake representing the casualties of progress.
The final lines of the song offer a glimmer of hope, as the singer declares their determination to never die, even in the face of the chaos and cruelty of the world. The laughter at the end of the song is a stark contrast to the darkness that has come before, highlighting the absurdity of it all, and suggesting that perhaps laughter and defiance are the only ways to confront life's senseless cruelty.
Line by Line Meaning
At dusk, the beasts are out,
As darkness falls, dangerous creatures slip into the town through its run-down walls, ready to cause havoc.
They slip through the crumbling walls into the town.
The fragile walls of the town can barely hold back the beasts that roam outside, allowing them easy access to come and go as they please.
From my rooftop I look down,
The singer anxiously watches the chaos from the safety of their rooftop, surveying the frenzied crowds below.
See the frenzied crowds are all around.
Despite the dangers lurking outside, the townspeople still move about in frenzied masses, seemingly unaware of the impending threat.
There is no sense to be made anyhow.
The situation is chaotic and confusing, with no clear explanation or rationale behind why things are happening the way that they are.
We can hide for a while but they'll come back around.
Although they may be able to stay hidden for a short time, the danger will inevitably return sooner or later, making it difficult to escape the chaos.
The machines keep on pushing and pushing away,
The technology and machinery that humans have created continue to advance and spread, pushing the limits of what is possible and changing the world as we know it.
Sooner or later we'll all end up in their wake.
No matter how much we try to resist or ignore the machines and their impact, eventually we will all be impacted by their influence and power.
Cruel.
The circumstances that the artist finds themselves in are unjust and harsh, causing them to question why things have to be this way.
Why's it have to be so cruel?
The artist struggles to understand why life can be so difficult and unforgiving, leaving them feeling hopeless and lost.
It seems so cruel.
Despite their efforts to rationalize the harshness of life, the cruelty of the world around them remains overwhelming and unexplainable.
A river carves it's way to the ocean, if it's given time.
Just as a powerful river can carve its way through the landscape over time, the artist believes that they too can persevere and adapt to their surroundings.
They can tear me limb from limb, but I never going to die!
Although the singer may undergo significant hardship or even personal harm, they refuse to give up or succumb to defeat, choosing instead to fight with all their might.
I'll never die, I'll never die, I'll never die, I'll never die, I'll never die, I'll never die, I'll never die, I'll never die!
The repetition of this line underlines the singer's determination to keep going and never give up, no matter how dire the circumstances may appear.
(laughter)
The laughter at the end of the song might be interpreted as a dark, almost nihilistic response to the harshness and unpredictability of the world. It is a reminder that sometimes, even in moments of chaos and despair, laughter may be the only way to cope.
Contributed by Sydney I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.