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.
Shake Tramp
Marianas Trench Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And break my knees to get release
And you needed some just to take you from
And I hit you more
Is your face still sore?
Sorry but I tried
It was never mine
I guess it all depends
I'm still a little crazy all the time
But I still try to hide it
That's still mine
Try a little more
A little more
A little more
Slap you like a bitch
And you take it like a whore
What a cheap perfume
I hate this room
So testify
But I still tried
And you need that stamp
Little handshake tramp
And you hit me more
And my face is still sore
Sorry but I tried
It was never mine
And I can still pretend
I guess it all depends
I'm still a little crazy all the time
But I still try to hide it
That's still mine
Try a little more
A little more
A little more
Slap you like a bitch
And you take it like a whore
Upside down
And around
And around
Just another piece
Till you need another sound
Faze them out
I know what you scream about
Don't let me down
And the guilt in me is the hurt in you
And the hurt in you is the lost in me
And the lost in me is the need in you
And the need in you is the guilt in me
The lyrics of Marianas Trench's song Shake Tramp portray a very dark and intense relationship that is swamped with power dynamics and abuse. The first verse asks if the singer let someone down just so they could break their knees and obtain pleasure from their suffering. The line "slap you like a bitch, and you take it like a whore," shows that one party is being degraded and taken advantage of in a relationship that is toxic and exploitative. Despite this, the singer admits that they are still crazy, and they try to hide it, indicating a desperate need to keep their partner in the relationship. The chorus then repeats, encouraging the partner to take more abuse, whilst the bridge talks about the never-ending cycle of need and guilt.
Line by Line Meaning
Did I let you down to get that sound
Did I fail to meet your expectations so that I could create something that sounds good?
And break my knees to get release
Did I succumb to addiction and cause physical harm to myself in order to find a sense of relief?
And you needed some just to take you from
And did you also resort to using drugs or other vices to escape from your problems?
And I hit you more
Did I take out my frustrations on you, physically or emotionally?
Is your face still sore?
Did I cause visible harm to you or inflict pain?
Sorry but I tried
I apologize, but I did make an effort.
It was never mine
I never truly owned my actions or decisions.
And I can still pretend
I can still act as if everything is fine, even though it's not.
I guess it all depends
Maybe my actions or behavior are situational or dependent on factors outside my control.
I'm still a little crazy all the time
I still struggle with mental health issues that affect me constantly.
But I still try to hide it
Despite this, I still try to present a polished facade to the public.
That's still mine
That's still something I have control over.
Try a little more
Maybe I should keep pushing myself or others to do better or try harder.
Slap you like a bitch
I have acted violently or cruelly towards you.
And you take it like a whore
You have allowed me to treat you badly, possibly because you feel powerless or trapped.
What a cheap perfume
This environment or situation feels tacky or fake.
I hate this room
I dislike being in this place, physically or mentally.
So testify
Tell the truth about what has happened here.
But I still tried
Despite any shortcomings, I made an effort to do better.
And you need that stamp
You require some kind of validation or approval to proceed.
Little handshake tramp
A superficial or insincere way of gaining trust or rapport.
Upside down
Things are completely turned around or chaotic.
And around
Things are constantly changing or unstable.
Just another piece
I or someone else is merely a pawn or tool to be used.
Till you need another sound
Until the next new thing or idea is desired.
Faze them out
Remove these people or things from my life without explanation or warning.
I know what you scream about
I am aware of what troubles you, even if we don't discuss it openly.
Don't let me down
I am relying on you to support me, either materially or emotionally.
And the guilt in me is the hurt in you
My feelings of guilt or remorse cause you emotional pain or distress.
And the hurt in you is the lost in me
Your feelings of hurt or betrayal make me feel disconnected or purposeless.
And the lost in me is the need in you
My sense of being adrift or unsure of myself fuels your need for guidance or support.
And the need in you is the guilt in me
Your need for reassurance or approval causes me to feel guilty or responsible for your well-being.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pondi9117
[Verse 1]
Did I let you down to get that sound
And break my knees to get release
And you needed some just to take you from
And I hit you more
Is your face still sore?
[Refrain]
Sorry but I tried
It was never mine
And I can still pretend
I guess it all depends
I'm still a little crazy all the time
But I can try to hide it
That's still mine
[Chorus]
Try a little more, little more, little more
They slap you like a bitch and you take it like a whore
[Verse 2]
What a cheap perfume
I hate this room
So testify but I still tried
And you need that stamp little handshake tramp
And you hit me more and my face is still sore
[Refrain]
Sorry but I tried
It was never mine
And I can still pretend
I guess it all depends
I'm still a little crazy all the time
But I still try to hide it
That's still mine
[Chorus]
Try a little more, little more, little more
They slap you like a bitch and you take it like a whore
Upside down and around and around just another piece till you need another sound
Phase them out
I know what you scream about
Don't let me down
And the guilt in me is the hurt in you
And the hurt in you is the lost in me
And the lost in me is the need in you
And the need in you is the guilt in me
[Chorus]
Try a little more, little more, little more
They slap you like a bitch and you take it like a whore
Upside down and around and around just another piece till you need another sound
(2x)
@BriEva13
The awesome thing about this video is that they made this with no money. Everyone in the video are personal friends of all the band mates and did this on a favor. And this is the video that got them to be so huge.
@onekidkiller
I know its so cool
@marklegend2566
but it took money to publish it and edit and record it
@MrMitchywoo
THE AWESOME GREAT PRUSSIA by "no money" they obviously didn't mean not a single dime at all...
@malignity
Ikr! :O
@hayleyrose333
I can do it and I still don’t know
@AT-sd9qq
its totally insane that this group didn't become more famous in the USA.
@mercurygurl1719
theyre unheard of here in the UK im probs one of their only fans here
@AT-sd9qq
+IMarkovic1995
I'm not a big radio listener but I think the answer is no. The lead singer did write a song that was a huge hit.
@brendonshouldbeatthedisco7105
+MercuryGurl 171 I know! me and a few of my friends are the only people who know about them at school.