The band released their second studio album on February 24, 2009 entitled Masterpiece Theatre.
It takes some real cojones to include the word 'Masterpiece' in your album title, but Josh Ramsay isn't too worried. "I suppose I could be digging myself into a hole calling the record Masterpiece Theatre," he chuckles, "but it's tongue-in-cheek. And I'm not the kind of person that people would assume as being an egomaniac. I hope not, anyway."
Given his feverish imagination and comprehensive musical gifts, Ramsay could probably get away with a little egomania. And with the release of Masterpiece Theatre, the frontman of Vancouver's Marianas Trench makes a iron-clad case for a prodigious set of talents - both his own and those of his bandmates, guitarist Matt Webb, bassist Mike Ayley, and drummer Ian Casselman.
Marianas Trench had already elevated itself above the rest of the pack with a 2006 debut, Fix Me, that showcased a knack for colouring outside the lines of factory-issue millenial punk, shrewdly-built pop, and super-adrenalized modern rock. The single and in particular the video "Shake Tramp" was enough to demonstrate these qualities, coupled with Ramsay's uninhibited urge to be the complete song-and-dance man.
But with both the industry and the fans beating down the door for a quick second album, the Trench decided to put on the brakes. "All of a sudden you have six months to do your next record," Ramsay sighs. "So I really had to just put my foot down and say, 'No, I need the time to do this.' I was not interested in putting something out for the sake of putting something out."
Two years later, Marianas Trench has re-emerged with Masterpiece Theatre. And not surprisingly, it's a work of soaring ambition and decisive technical prowess β that easily might not have happened. "It's one thing when you're Chad Kroeger and you just finished writing 'How You Remind Me'," Ramsay states. "I didn't have some mega-platinum song to back up my argument with, so I was lucky that the band and the label trusted me enough to do it."
By "it", Ramsay means he was allowed to indulge a high-concept fantasy for the band's sophomore album, which is built, for starters, around a song called "Masterpiece Theatre". Adopting Brian Wilson's notion of the 'pocket symphony' and then running with it, the three distinct versions of βMasterpiece Theatreβ dotted across the record feature an almost perfect balance between the vocal theatrics of Queen and the more hymnal qualities of the Beach Boys.
By the time βMasterpiece Theatreβ is reprised for a final, climactic time, every other song on the album is quoted and incorporated into an intricately constructed dramatic revue that swings from pristine pop, to propulsive riff rock, to quasi-doo wop, to robotic new wave, and finally into a wholly satisfying thematic payoff.
"You know in the climax of a musical, there's always that medley at the end, and I thought that would be cool on a rock record," explains Ramsay, "but it turned out to be a lot harder than I thought it would be. I wrote it in the studio as we recorded it, and it took about three weeks."
After a beat, he adds, "But really it took me two years because it draws from all the songs on the whole album."
Bassist Mike Ayley readily admits, "I don't think any of the three βMasterpiece Theatreβ songs could have gone on Fix Me had they been written at the time. βMasterpieceβ 2 and 3 in particular are amazing songs that really explore the potential of Josh's writing. You really have to hear them to get it. It's like trying to explain βBohemian Rhapsodyβ to somebody who has only heard Kanye West and Katy Perry."
Ramsay agrees. "I really wanted to have a 'Good Vibrations'/'Bohemian Rhapsodyβ style song on the first record,β he says, βbut I don't think I was a mature enough writer to have written it yet, and I still feel like I was in over-my-head when we did this one, and I just barely made it."
Ramsay is unnecessarily modest; the whole of Masterpiece Theatre demonstrates a startling compositional maturity compared to the Marianas Trench of two years ago.
"Beside You" is a panoramic exercise in big emotions, with a dash of the Dream Academy's "Life In a Northern Townβ. "Acadia" begins with a clipped, bright acoustic guitar, and blossoms into something like the Who reconsidered by U2, reimagined for the net generation. In the crunchy "All to Myself", the power ballad "Lover Dearest", and the strident "Good to You" (in which he duets with Kate Voegele), Ramsay pulls out the kind of honeyed vocals more attuned to modern RnB than white, adolescent rock.
"I always had that aspect in my voice but the first record just didn't have songs that were conducive to me singing that way," he states. "I think it's from growing up listening to a lot of Michael Jackson. With these songs, it made sense to stretch out a little more."
On "Cross My Heart" and "Celebrity Status", the band conjures up a kind of perfect pop crossover. Producer Dave 'Rave' Ogilvie was responsible for the latter track, which cops a move he used on Marilyn Manson's "Beautiful People" with three drummers (Casselman, Ramsay and Shane Wilson) playing at once - much to Ramsay's delight. "He's just worked with so many great artists which makes his well of tricks and ideas so vast," he says.
True to Ramsay's quest for "more diversity on this album" - not to mention the indulgence of his record label - Rave was just one of four prominent guest producers eventually roped into Masterpiece Theatre. Their collective resume includes Nine Inch Nails, Sum 41, Iggy Pop, Avril Lavigne, and Hedley among others.
"I feel really fortunate to have worked with all those guys," Ramsay says, "coz they all bring really unique things. Dave Genn and I have a really good working relationship with each other, and he has such a unique style with arrangement and stuff. Greig Nori was a really pleasant surprise. As far as I can tell, he wanted to work with us because he liked our video. The whole time he was just trying to get me to dance around like an idiot. And Raine Maida, man? Raine's a trip!"
Bassist Ayley also credits Maida for encouraging the band to βfind a personality-identity that wasn't as evident when we started the production process," while also praising Ramsay for his production efforts. Ramsay took charge of four songs on the finished record. βJosh is really about capturing the emotion and power which isn't surprising considering all the feeling in the writing,β he says.
Oddly enough, Ramsay also wanted Disney's in-house genius Alan (Little Mermaid) Mencken to twiddle the knobs for the climactic version of "Masterpiece Theatre", but admits, "it's a pretty tall order to get an Academy Award winner to come and work on your record."
Still, the album is certainly not diminished by the few things Ramsay didn't get. And once the world gets a load of this Masterpiece, Mencken, Pharrell Williams, Phil Spector... you name it. They'll probably be lining up.
All To Myself
Marianas Trench Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm losing and this is my real life.
I am half asleep, and I am wide awake.
This habit is always so hard to break.
I don't want to be the bad guy,
I've been blaming myself and I think you know why.
I'm killing time, and time's killing you
Did you say please just follow me?
I thought you wanted me.
'Cause I want you all to myself.
I can try to suck it up,
I just can't suck it up.
Make me feel like some one else
Please just follow me.
I thought you wanted me.
'Cause I want you all to myself.
I can try to suck it up,
I just can't suck it up.
Make me feel like some one else
I'm under the gun, you're like the only one.
I just can't decide what I'm running from.
This isn't what I wanted, but
I can't keep my filthy fucking mouth shut.
It's not enough, it's never enough.
I wish can't breathe without getting it stuck.
Can't focus it, but I try it
Over and over again.
Did you say please just follow me?
I thought you wanted me.
'Cause I want you all to myself.
I can try to suck it up,
I just can't suck it up.
Make me feel like some one else
Please just follow me?
I thought you wanted me.
'Cause I want you all to myself.
I can try to suck it up,
I just can't suck it up.
Make me feel like some one else
please just follow me?
I thought you wanted me.
'Cause I want you all to myself.
I can try to suck it up,
I just can't suck it up.
Make me feel like
Did you say please just follow me?
I thought you wanted me.
'Cause I cant tell someone else
I'm trying to suck it up,
I just can't fuck it up.
I want you all to my self
Did you say please just follow me?
I thought you wanted me.
'Cause I want you all to myself.
I can try to suck it up,
I just can't suck it up.
Make me feel like some one else
The lyrics of Marianas Trench's song All To Myself convey a sense of inner turmoil and confusion in a relationship. The singer acknowledges their own flaws and shortcomings, admitting they are "losing" and that this is their "real life." They are torn between wanting to be with the other person "all to myself" but also feeling guilty for being the "bad guy" and "blaming" themselves.
The line "I'm under the gun, you're like the only one" suggests a feeling of pressure and desperation to make the relationship work, despite feeling unsure and unable to "decide what I'm running from." The repeated phrase "Did you say please just follow me?" could symbolize a desire for reassurance or guidance from the other person, while "I just can't suck it up" highlights the singer's struggle to reconcile their feelings and actions.
Overall, the lyrics of All To Myself seem to portray the internal conflict and uncertainty that can arise in relationships, particularly when one person is struggling to come to terms with their own flaws and the reality of the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't patronize, I realize
I am being genuine, understanding and aware
I'm losing and this is my real life
I am struggling and this is my reality
I am half asleep, and I am wide awake
I am conflicted and uncertain
This habit is always so hard to break
This pattern is difficult to change
I don't want to be the bad guy
I don't want to be perceived as the villain
I've been blaming myself and I think you know why
I am self-critical and you understand why
I'm killing time, and time's killing you
I am wasting my time and hurting you
Every way that I do
In every possible way
Please just follow me
Please come with me
I thought you wanted me
I assumed you desired me
'Cause I want you all to myself
I desire your exclusive attention and affection
I can try to suck it up
I can attempt to endure or hide my emotions
I just can't suck it up
I am struggling to cope
Make me feel like some one else
Help me feel different or better
I'm under the gun, you're like the only one
I am under pressure and you're the most important person to me
I just can't decide what I'm running from
I am unsure what I am avoiding or escaping
This isn't what I wanted, but
This is not my desired outcome, however
I can't keep my filthy fucking mouth shut
I can't control my vulgar language or impulses
It's not enough, it's never enough
My efforts are insufficient, always
I wish can't breathe without getting it stuck
I feel suffocated and unable to fully express myself
Can't focus it, but I try it
I can't concentrate, but I attempt to
Over and over again
Repetitively
I can't tell someone else
I can't confess to someone else
I just can't fuck it up
I am afraid of ruining everything
I want you all to my self
I desire your complete attention and affection
Lyrics Β© Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: David Mack, Louis Guglielmi, Edith Piaf
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kynerthist6026
dude, josh put on his glasses all like "Is that bullshit i see?"
@soldierspleens
LOLπ
@kenny1586
this comment made my day ππ
@jonathanpaullaplana1960
best comment I've seen all day!!:D
@user-yi1bs3oo4c
OH MY GOD
@maxfraser7701
The SecΓΈndary Sagittarius me daily
@emmapurce2246
His little hop at 3:12 before he runs makes me so happy
@haideehades4505
Em Purce I know, right?! So adorable~!! >u<
@anagrammedcacti8896
+Em Purce I do that... I AM JOSH, JOSH IS ME, WE ARE ONE
@iammary191995
+EllieFox I think I''ve subconsciously started doing that BECAUSE of this video. Whoops. #sorrynotsorry