“In the past I think we’ve tried to create a mindset of writing ‘for The Dig’”, says guitarist/keyboard playing Erick Eiser, “so as to create something cohesive. This time I think we really freed ourselves from that, and just wrote.” They made the most of their interconnectedness as a way to push themselves forward, writing what singer and bassist Emile Mosseri describes as “elaborate demos” for most of the songs. Arrangements were fully worked out, ideas were explored and re-explored before they sat down to record. Emile continues, “It’s not hard to write songs separately, but there’s a thing that happens where I’ll sometimes have the other guys in my head, even when I’m writing by myself. So in a way, we’re kind of always writing together even when we’re writing alone. We all grew up playing in different bands together since we were little kids, and have toured with and were inspired by all kinds of different bands for years. We did all this together, and I feel like writing this record was the sum of all those years. It’s the most wide spanning stylistically and colorful of our records, and also sounds the most like us.”
The result is a tremendously confident record, and one that’s far punchier than its predecessors. Even with veritable piles of songs to choose from, it feels oddly apt that Bloodshot Tokyo opens with the brief snippet that is “Ordinary Mind”. It is a sparkling, hugely inviting riff and a refrain that paves the way, just a small snippet too good to let go of. “Jet Black Hair” follows and is an undeniable A-sider, putting the band’s pop instincts front and center, never shying away from the groove but never weighed down by it, either. Lead single “Simple Love” moves stealthily, winking to just a little something retro but dancing across genres in an exhilaratingly modern way.
As a band, The Dig made a choice to turn somewhat from the more ambient sounds of their earlier songs, using those tones as texture to drive songs with other foundations, rather than making it the focal point. Drummer Mark Demiglio, The Dig’s relative newcomer, brings a modern pop counterweight to The Dig’s moodier side, and it shows. Songs like “Pool of Rotting Water” underline that change, going downright beat-driven with just the right amount of glam for a band that is, at its heart, very much a rock band. And what of the records return to love as a theme? Singer and guitarist David Baldwin explains, “there are elements of both a falling in love and a break up album for sure. I think the songs we picked all generally came from so many different phases and mindsets, there might be different stages in a relationship juxtaposed into the same song. Certain songs may come off like breakup songs but were written while in the peak of a relationship. A kind of regret from the future that hasn’t happened yet.”
No band escapes talking about its influences, but its particularly telling that The Dig’s members often come back to The Kinks, Harry Nilsson, Betty Harris, Parliament, even Bach — artists who worked in the canon of their eras’ pop music, but always with an eye toward upending pop’s expectations, fraying the edges, getting weird. Baroque structures and subtle nods pop up throughout , in the low end of “Bleeding Heart” or the keyboard swirl of “Simple Love”, and they permeate the art surrounding this new collection, as well.
Everywhere you look these days, there are “I could do that”-type cynics. But could they, really? And if they did, would they be able to maintain through the years the same wide-eyed spirit The Dig have had since the band’s two singers first started a Rage Against the Machine cover band together back when they were eleven years old? As it relates to one band’s rock record, it may seem strange to point out how cynical the world happens to be right now, but it takes dedication and a deep well of talent to do it like The Dig do it, and do it so well.
Break the Silence
The Dig Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you open your mouth pull the trigger with your tongue.
But your heart goes numb, no, you can’t make a sound.
You can never break the silence in your heart, in your heart.
You can never break the silence, it’s in your bones, in your bones.
Even if you break your heart, you set your soul apart.
It’s all you can do not to blow your head, without make you insane.
You can never break the silence in your heart, in your heart.
You can never break the silence, it’s in your bones, in your bones.
You can never break the silence in your heart, in your heart.
You can never break the silence, it’s in your bones, in your bones.
You can never break the silence.
The lyrics of "Break the Silence" by The Dig speak about the struggles of being unable to express oneself and the feeling of being trapped inside of one's own mind. The opening lines of the song capture the frustration of wanting to speak up and be heard, but feeling unable to do so. The metaphor of pulling the trigger with one's tongue suggests that speaking up can be a powerful and potentially harmful act.
However, the following lines reveal that the struggle is not simply about wanting to vocalize thoughts and feelings, but about feeling emotionally numb and unable to do so. The repetition of the line "you can never break the silence" underscores the hopelessness that can accompany this experience.
The second verse speaks to the isolation that can result from feeling unable to communicate with others. The line "Into the self aware you’re just a quiet kid" suggests that even if one is capable of understanding themselves, they may struggle to express that understanding to others. The final lines of the verse suggest that the internal struggle can be so intense as to threaten one's mental stability.
Overall, "Break the Silence" explores the pain of feeling unable to communicate and the ways in which that pain can be all-consuming.
Line by Line Meaning
If you could spit it out, if you could only shout.
If you could only express your thoughts, if you could let out your feelings aloud.
When you open your mouth pull the trigger with your tongue.
When you speak up, it’s like pulling the trigger of a gun with your tongue, you take the risk to be judged and criticized by others.
But your heart goes numb, no, you can’t make a sound.
But your heart becomes emotionless and you can’t speak up or express yourself properly anymore.
Even if you break your heart, you set your soul apart.
Even if you suffer and hurt yourself, you still feel distant from yourself and your soul.
Into the self aware you’re just a quiet kid
You’re self-aware of your own silence and it feels like you’re just a kid who can’t express themselves.
It’s all you can do not to blow your head, without make you insane.
You try to control your thoughts and emotions so you don’t lose your sanity or completely break down.
You can never break the silence in your heart, in your heart.
You will never be able to express the silence and emotions that reside in your heart.
You can never break the silence, it’s in your bones, in your bones.
The silence and lack of expression is so deep rooted within you that it’s part of your very being.
You can never break the silence.
The silence is too strong for you to ever break it and truly express yourself.
Contributed by Eliana W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Paulina-fv4bz
If you could spit it out
If you could only shout
When you open your mouth
Pull the trigger with your tongue
But your heart goes numb
No, you can't make a sound
You can never break the silence
In your home, in your home
You can never break the silence
It's in your bones, it's in your bones
Even if it breaks your heart
You set your soul apart
Turn yourself around
I'm just a quiet kid
It's all you can do not to blow your lid
Without making a sound
You can never break the silence
In your home, in your home
You can never break the silence
It's in your bones, it's in your bones
@theflavorsquints
Suits always plays the best music
@Brawls05
Came here from "Shameless," which also has great music :)
@elsteezo8574
Amen
@TheKusse777
Kingdom !
@Iwasrightallalong
It really does
@fanuelgede6396
9 years later and I’m here from there 😅
@phillipl638
Suits is not only my favorite TV show, but it's also a fantastic source for some of the great music I've gotten.
@michaelsanchez3740
I was listening to this song on Pandora while biking to work one morning, during my ride the song cut off, and a incoming call came in. I answered and got the news that my best friend had past. I ended the call and had to stop on the side of the road, I felt like my whole body was shutting down. I dropped my bike and had to sit on the side walk and collect myself, all the while this song was playing in my head phones though out the madness. Now it’s comforting to me, I have to listen to it at least niece a day.
@mlagoon7044
Damn bro, sorry for you loss. The way u described it. It was like I was watching a movie. Funny how those moment make it feel like that sometimes. Not sure if you’ll ever read this but.. fuck it
@duelxmachinA
Very similar story. I’m so sorry.