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 – 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 “Masterpiece Theatre” 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 “Masterpiece Theatre” 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 ‘Masterpiece Theatre’ songs could have gone on Fix Me had they been written at the time. ‘Masterpiece’ 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 ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ to somebody who has only heard Kanye West and Katy Perry."
Ramsay agrees. "I really wanted to have a 'Good Vibrations'/'Bohemian Rhapsody’ style song on the first record,” he says, “but 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 Town”. "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 “find 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. “Josh is really about capturing the emotion and power which isn't surprising considering all the feeling in the writing,” 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.
Beside You
Marianas Trench Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defense
When it's in your spine like you've walked for miles
And the only thing you want is just to be still for a while
If your heart wears thin I will hold you up
And I will hide you when it gets too much
I'll be right beside you
When you're overwhelmed and you've lost your breath
When the space between the things you know is blurry nonetheless
When you try to speak but you make no sound
And the words you want are out of reach but they've never been so loud
If your heart wears thin I will hold you up
And I will hide you when it gets too much
I'll be right beside you
I'll be right beside you
I will stay
Nobody will break you, yeah
Trust in me, trust in me
Don't pull away
Trust in me, trust in me
'Cause I'm just trying to keep this together,
'Cause I could do worse and you could do better
Tears are spent on your last pretense
And your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defense
If your heart wears thin I will hold you up
And I will hide you when it gets too rough
I'll be right beside you
Nobody will break you
If your heart wears thin I will hold you up
And I will hide you when it gets too much
I'll be right beside you
Nobody will break you
The song "Beside You" by Marianas Trench is a powerful ballad about supporting someone through their tough times. The lyrics speak to the physical and emotional exhaustion one can feel when going through a difficult time, but also to the comfort and strength that can come from having someone by your side. The opening lines describe the feeling of being completely drained from trying to keep up a facade, with no energy left in the tank. The second verse speaks to the overwhelming feeling of losing control and feeling disconnected from reality. The chorus is about offering unconditional support to someone when they need it most, with the promise that the singer will always be there to help carry their burdens.
The song's bridge speaks to the importance of trust and vulnerability in any relationship, particularly during tough times. The singer acknowledges that they may not be perfect, but they are trying their best to be there for the other person. The final lines repeat the opening verse, emphasizing the cyclical nature of dealing with difficult emotions and needing someone to be there to help you through it.
Overall, "Beside You" is a moving tribute to the importance of human connection and the power of solidarity in times of hardship. Its powerful lyrics and emotive chorus have resonated with fans around the world, and the song remains a beloved anthem of hope and support.
Line by Line Meaning
When your tears are spent on your last pretense
When you've exhausted all your defenses and can no longer mask your emotions with false appearances
And your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defense
When you're unable to fall asleep because your mind and body are too tired from trying to protect yourself
When it's in your spine like you've walked for miles
When your pain is so deeply ingrained in your body that it feels like you've been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders
And the only thing you want is just to be still for a while
When all you desire is some peace and calmness, and a break from the constant chaos around you
If your heart wears thin I will hold you up
If you're feeling emotionally drained, I'll support you and help you cope with your struggles
And I will hide you when it gets too much
I'll protect you from further harm when the pain becomes unbearable
I'll be right beside you
I'll always be there for you no matter what
When you're overwhelmed and you've lost your breath
When you're struggling to catch your breath and feeling suffocated by your circumstances
When the space between the things you know is blurry nonetheless
When even though you know what's going on, everything seems unclear and confusing
When you try to speak but you make no sound
When you're unable to express yourself and communicate how you feel
And the words you want are out of reach but they've never been so loud
When the things you want to say can't be articulated, but they're screaming in your mind louder than ever before
I will stay
I will not leave you, and I'll be here for as long as you need me
Nobody will break you, yeah
No matter what anyone does, I promise to protect you and help you remain strong
Trust in me, trust in me
Believe in me, and have faith that I have your best interests at heart
Don't pull away
Even though you may feel like distancing yourself, stay close and let me help you through this
Cause I'm just trying to keep this together
I'm doing everything in my power to keep us both from falling apart
Cause I could do worse and you could do better
I know that I'm not perfect, but I'm doing my best to support and care for you
If your heart wears thin I will hold you up
If you're feeling emotionally drained, I'll support you and help you cope with your struggles
And I will hide you when it gets too rough
I'll protect you from further harm when the pain becomes unbearable
Nobody will break you
Regardless of the challenges you face, I'll always be here to help you remain strong and persevere
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DEBORAH ANDREWS, EARL ROSE, MICHAEL BLAXILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Shaira Manlangit
LYRICS
When your tears are spent
On your last pretense
And your tired eyes refuse to close
And sleep in your defence
When it's in your spine
Like you've walked for miles
And the only thing you want it just to
Be still for a while
And if your heart wears thin
I will hold you up
And I will hide you
When it gets too much
I'll be right beside you
I'll be right beside you
When you're overwhelmed
And you've lost your breath
And the space between the things you know is blurring nonetheless
When you try to speak
But you make no sound
And the words you want are out of reach
But they've never been so loud
And if your heart wears thin
I will hold you up
And I will hide you
When it gets too much
I'll be right beside you
I'll be right beside you
I will stay (right beside...)
Nobody will break you
Trust in me
Trust in me
Don't pull away
Just trust in me
Trust in me
'Cause I'm just trying to keep this together
Because i could do worse and you could do better
When your tears are spent
On your last pretense
And your tired eyes refuse to close
And sleep in your defence
And if your heart wears thin
I will hold you up
And I will hide you
When it gets too much
I'll be right beside you
Nobody will break you
And if your heart wears thin
I will hold you up
And I will hide you
When it gets too much
I'll be right beside you
Nobody will break you
Dave Oldham
I don't care if i'm a 20 year old guy who always listens to heavy metal. Whenever i get really down, and feel completely alone and like giving up and ending it all, this song gives me the strength to live for one more day... And it always gets better...
Prairie
hope you're still around Dave
BigBubbaRampagePlays
9y ago. Hope your life has been amazing Dave.
Samantha Miller
Wish upon a star that it will be a PRESENT of today and not a Tomorrow song.
Malicious Misgendering
Nu Metal guy here reminiscing about bands that get me through, commenting today while I'm getting introspective on my 36th birthday. I feel you man, and I hope you're doing great.
Christ is my Lord
Dave, the reason you’re getting down is because spirits of depression have come inside you from listening to the heavy metal. You need to work with a Christian deliverance minister to get the demons out causing you the mental pain.
Butterfly
I always come back to this song after years cause it gives me a sense of protection... makes me feel less lonely
Alem Jacobson
True that
Mikayla Richer
I just got 'nobody will break you.' tattooed on my wrist. This song really means a lot to me, and helps me through everything. So every time I am going through rough times, I look at it, listen to this song, and just think about everything that I have to live for. They help me not to cut, that's why I got it tattooed on my wrist. I completely understand what you feel like when you want to give up. Just understand that you are never alone, and that there is always someone who cares. ♥
Bailee Brooks
the emotion in Josh's voice gets me every time. I always end this song crying from how heart felt he is!