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.
Pop 101
Marianas Trench Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some simple instructions
For a good first impression
Now lets start with verse one
A minor chord, tensions grow
Fade in the bass like so
Now with momentum go, stop
It's called four on the floor
A beat you can't ignore
I bring sexy back once more
They love that for sho
The chords are 1-4-6-4
Now I'm talking familiar
Harmony in thirds not fourths
We'll take you into the pre-course
Quick now don't you bore us
Hurry up and get to chorus
Dumb down, they won't ignore us
Get to the floor
And here's the words you should know
Like "DJ never let me go"
Pour shots and then I'll lose control
Or "baby, baby, baby, baby, baby"
How about one more last word like
"Hey girl we've only got tonight"
Some things just go together like
Higher, desire, and fire
Higher, desire, and fire
Guitar and strings like these
To sound like Black Eyed Peas
This one's a filtered swing
This one's a matching key
Hipster music on cassette
But you probably don't know that yet
8-0-8'S (8 o's)
Hell yeah
Heartfelt pop anthems
From Mumford and his sons
Gang vocals here we come
Thinkin' "I will always wait"
Real quick now don't you bore us
Hurry up and get to chorus
Dumb down, they won't ignore us
Hey slow down (take 'em into the course)
Whoa, and here's the words you should know
Like "DJ never let me go"
Pour shots and then I'll lose control
Or "baby, baby, baby, baby, baby"
How about one more last word like
"Hey girl we've only got tonight"
Some things just go together like
Higher, desire, and fire
Higher, desire, and fire
I can pitch shift my voice if I want
I can pitch shift my voice if I want
I can pitch shift my voice if I want
I can make my voice low
Oh the bridge is the part when you bring in a rapper friend
You simplify, and slow the beat
Abbreviate "feature" to "feat"
Quick now, fill in the gap
Right up and down, eliminate that which
You really would rap and give 'em a classic like
Get, get, get, get to the floor (Cash Money)
And here's the words you should know
Like "DJ never let me go"
pour shots and then I'll lose control"
Or "baby, baby, baby, baby, baby"
How about one more last word like
"Hey girl we've only got tonight"
Some things just go together like
Higher, desire, and fire
Higher, desire, and fire
Dance
Marianas Trench's "Pop 101" is a satirical song about how to make a pop hit. The lyrics discuss different song elements such as chords and beats and suggest how to use them to create a catchy pop song. The first verse starts with a basic chord progression and explains the importance of building tension and then bringing it back with the beat. The chorus emphasizes the need for simple, repetitive lyrics that the audience can easily sing along with. The bridge introduces the idea of featuring a rapper and suggests abbreviating the word "feature" to "feat." The song is tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at the predictability and formulaic nature of modern pop music, but it also demonstrates an understanding of what makes a song popular.
Line by Line Meaning
Pop music 101
An introduction to creating pop music
Some simple instructions
Clear and straightforward guidelines for creating the music
For a good first impression
To make a positive impact initially
Now let's start with verse one
Begin with the first section of the song
A minor chord, tensions grow
Start with a specific chord that creates tension
Fade in the bass like so
Gradually introduce the bass to the music
Now with momentum go, stop
Build momentum, then pause
And bring the beat back
Resume the beat
It's called four on the floor
Characteristic beat in pop music
A beat you can't ignore
A beat that demands attention
I bring sexy back once more
Draw attention to the beat’s sex appeal
They love that for sho
Listeners enjoy this aspect of the music
The chords are 1-4-6-4
Specific chord progression that is familiar
Now I'm talking familiar
Emphasizing the recognizable chord progression
Harmony in thirds not fourths
Musical harmony that follows a specific pattern
We'll take you into the pre-course
Progress towards the pre-chorus
Quick now don't you bore us
Don’t lose the listener’s interest
Hurry up and get to the chorus
Quickly move to the song’s main part
Dumb down, they won't ignore us
Create simple but catchy music
Get to the floor
A call to dance
And here's the words you should know
Familiar lyrics you should remember
Like 'DJ never let me go'
A catchphrase that should be included
Pour shots and then I'll lose control
Encourage drinking and dancing
Or 'baby, baby, baby, baby, baby'
Incorporate repetition into the music
How about one more last word like 'Hey girl we've only got tonight'
Suggest a final catchy phrase
Some things just go together like higher, desire, and fire
Certain words and themes are commonly used and popular
I can pitch shift my voice if I want
The artist has control over their vocal effects
I can make my voice low
They can lower their voice when desired
Oh the bridge is the part when you bring in a rapper friend
Explanation of how to include a rapper in the music
You simplify, and slow the beat
Alter the music to accommodate a rapper
Abbreviate 'feature' to 'feat'
A suggested way to shorten the word
Quick now, fill in the gap
Rapidly make a musical transition
Right up and down, eliminate that which
Adjust and remove unwanted parts of the music
You really would rap and give 'em a classic like
Create a great rap element for the song
Get, get, get, get to the floor (Cash Money)
Exhortation to dance to the music
pour shots and then I'll lose control
Encouraging listeners to drink and dance
Or 'baby, baby, baby, baby, baby'
Incorporate repetition into the music
How about one more last word like 'Hey girl we've only got tonight'
A final suggestion for a catchy phrase
Some things just go together like higher, desire, and fire
An idea that certain words and themes are popular
Dance
Encouragement to dance to the song
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Josh Ramsay
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dani Elle
if you don't get the parodies heres a few.
References to a Miley Cyrus video:
-When he starts singing "I can pitch shift my voice if I want" which references WE CANT STOP
-When hes in the bed with a white dress shirt on licking his tongue out (reference to ADORE YOU Video)
References to Iggy Azaleas video Fancy:
-Beginning with the class room. one black girl is even wearing the famous clueless outfit (plaid yellow) as iggy wears in FANCY.
References to Robin thicke:
- When he starts singing "the bridge is, the part when you bring in a rapper friend". He's wearing the suits and the girls are naked imitating the famous video BLURRED LINES especially when he says "rapper friend" where hes referring to T.I.
References to LMFAO/Nicki Minaj:
-Towards the end where after he says "DANCE" and the guy with the afro and thong starts dancing. The look is a reference to their video PARTY ROCK ANTHEM. and also, the music on that part is a reference to Nicki minaj's song STARSHIPS. It has the same beat as she does in her song towards the end.
(maybe or maybe not) References to Justin Bieber:
- When he sings "or shots and then we lose control or BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY" which is referring to the famous pop song BABY by Justin bieber where if you know the lyrics he sings "Baby, baby, baby oh" repeatedly.
References to Black EYE peas:
-When he sings "guitars and strings like these to sound like black eye peas" , which the beat in the background is a reference to the black eye peas song "I GOT A FEELING" and he's even dressed like they usually do (in black leather.)
References to Usher:
-when he does the dance at 2:12 its a reference to an old Usher song where he introduced that dance (I can't remember the name of that one)
That's all the ones i see at the moment but of course there are probably more. This song was genius as was the video because it obviously shows how easy it is to imitate "pop artists", because that''s what they usually consist of.
McK K
They made a pop song to make fun of pop songs and their pop song is still better than a trillion other pop songs.
percy jackson 🤸♂️
so true lol
Binkle Bonkle
So true
Quazi XxX
McK K ikr
Violinistories
@Jai B312 I still think they should just make their own unique video instead of making fun of common pop songs
Destiny Smiles
This song was genius. This video was genius. I understand that some people think that there was too much nudity, but then again, please keep in mind that: 1) These girls were green screened and censored, unlike half of the music videos this song was parodying 2) It's supposed to have too much nudity and be way to sexualized, seeing that, this is what the majority of pop songs contain today.
Dave Richards
@Violinistories Me too. Tbh, when I first encountered it on the radio, I didn't pay any attention to what the lyrics were actually saying. I just thought it was catchy and had a good sound. I actually like a lot of pop and most of the bands they reference in the song lol.
Violinistories
@Dave Richards I still like the song tho :3
Dave Richards
@Violinistories Well that's a nice sentiment, like the phrase, "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all". The thing is, sometimes unpleasant truths need to be voiced. That phrase about saying something nice is simplistic and doesn't always reflect reality. The simple fact is that criticism is sometimes necessary. Are they mocking pop songs merely to be jerks, or are they trying to point out truths to people in order to steer music in a better direction? That I don't know.
Violinistories
@Dave Richards I still think it's better to make something for yourself, not to make fun of others :s