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.
Sing Sing
Marianas Trench Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just open my mouth
Is it clear?
Is it loud for you?
You just need me to be stable
But I won't be able
To keep it together again
Do not make it that easy to slow me down
It's no wonder
I'm not eating
I'm not sleeping
You sing
Sing, sing to me
Sing me something I need
Sing you, sing you
God I wish that I could
Are you hearing me now?
Heard the sad little sounds as they fall from my mouth
You just need me to be stable
But I won't be able
To keep it together again
Now don't pretty please me
Do not make it that easy to slow me down
It's no wonder
I'm not eating
I'm not sleeping
You sing
Sing, sing to me
Sing me something I need
Sing you, sing you
God I wish that I could
All my indecision
All of my excess
Don't you ever tell me I'm not lovin' you best
I just need a minute
I just need a breathe
You're very hard to drink to my continued success
Do I have your attention?
You just need me to be stable
But I won't be able
To keep it together again
(together again)
Now don't pretty please me
Do not make it that easy to slow me down
It's no wonder
I'm not eating
I'm not sleeping
You sing
Sing, sing to me
Sing me something I need
Sing you, sing you
God I wish that I could
All my indecision
All of my excess
Don't you ever tell me I'm not lovin' you best
All my indecision
All of my excess
Don't you ever tell me I'm not lovin' you best
[Thanks to Shelby for these lyrics]
The lyrics to Marianas Trench's "Sing Sing" express the frustration and desperation of a performer struggling to meet the expectations of their audience. The first lines establish the performer's desire for attention and validation, asking if their words are clear and loud enough for the listener. It becomes clear that the performer feels pressure to maintain stability, despite their own struggles with depression and anxiety that prevent them from eating and sleeping.
The chorus's repetition of "sing, sing to me" can be interpreted as a plea for the audience's empathy and support, as the performer hopes to find escape and comfort in their music. The line "God I wish that I could" reveals the performer's desire to fully connect with their audience, while also expressing the limitations of their mental health struggles. The middle section of the song deals with the performer's insecurities and doubts about their ability to love and please their audience, but ultimately concludes with a reaffirmation of their love and dedication.
In summary, "Sing Sing" is a raw and poignant portrayal of the struggle to cope with mental health issues while pursuing a career in the performing arts. The lyrics convey the complexities of this dynamic, conveying the performer's desire for validation and support, while also acknowledging the limitations of their own struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Can I have your attention?
I want you to focus on what I'm about to say
I just open my mouth
Starting to speak up
Is it clear?
Do you understand what I'm saying?
Is it loud for you?
Can you hear me properly?
You just need me to be stable
You expect me to be consistent
But I won't be able
But I am unable to fulfill your expectation
To keep it together again
To maintain my composure
Now don't pretty please me
Don't flatter me
Do not make it that easy to slow me down
Don't make it simple to hinder my progress
It's no wonder
It's not surprising
I'm not eating
I can't eat
I'm not sleeping
I can't sleep
You sing
You are my comfort
Sing, sing to me
Sing to me a song that can make me feel better
Sing me something I need
Sing me something that can fulfill my needs
Sing you, sing you
I want you to sing
God I wish that I could
I wish I could perform like you
Are you hearing me now?
Are you listening to me?
Heard the sad little sounds as they fall from my mouth
I noticed the unpleasant sound of my voice
All my indecision
All my hesitation
All of my excess
All my unnecessary thoughts and actions
Don't you ever tell me I'm not lovin' you best
You should affirm that I am the one who loves you best
I just need a minute
I just need a moment to myself
I just need a breathe
I just need to catch my breath
You're very hard to drink to my continued success
Your presence is hindering my progress
Together again
To be in a stable state again
All my indecision
All my hesitation
All of my excess
All my unnecessary thoughts and actions
Don't you ever tell me I'm not lovin' you best
You should affirm that I am the one who loves you best
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mittzy Moreno
Mariana's Trench is angels singing ;-; Amazing band indeed!
L M
'all my indecision, all of my excess, don't you ever tell me i'm not loving you best i just need a minute, i just need a breath, it gets very hard to drink to my continued success' LOVE IT.
oliviais webster
Definately one of the best bands EVER♥ I love Acadia and sing sing ... I think those are my favourites but its kinda hard to chose, eh?
Sofia Brenton
This band makes me more proud to be a Canadian then I already was. Amazing band, by far my favorite :D And also, Josh is drop dead sexy to be honest <33
perry673
I love all of Marianas Trench's stuff, and this is one of my favorites now.
hotdog428
When i heard the Sing Sing Sing drum beat, my jaw dropped XD i not only love that old drum beat, but this song is awesome!!!
Patrick Thomas Murphy
One of my favorite songs! i love it!
Priya
Oh, I loved the original, now I love this!!! That drum part is golden =]
Ellsbells5xoxo
My fave song from masterpiece theatre <3
carpetmunch3r69
THE BEST SONG TO GO ALONG WITH THE BEST BAND!! EVER love josh sooooo much and his voice:P MARIANAS TRENCH FOR INFINITY!!