SONG REVIEW: Sounds & Scenarios - "When The Fame Goes To Die"
Sounds & Scenarios brings a synthwave vibe to emo with “When The Fame Goes To Die”
Written by JD Walker
Synthwave and vaporwave seem to be the “in” sound in both musical and visual presentation, though very rarely is the sound blended with what’s considered by the general public to be a heavier sound - not before Sounds & Scenarios came along. At first listen, the song plays like a classic emo song, though with a more in-depth listen it’s clear that the group are heavily inspired by the electronic music movement that’s taken the world by storm.
The song kicks in with no time wasted, opening with the main synthesized hook of the song before dipping into a more subdued and layered verse. The verse features textures of acoustic guitar, electric guitar, a beating drum beat, some percussion, and a growling synth in the background. The vocals are the main driving factor throughout the song, especially in the chorus where the layers come together for a massive sounding crescendo full of catchy hooks and melodies. The song is written in a straightforward manner which does the sound a lot of justice - the synthwave elements serve as ambient textures and an almost binaural melodic hook to compliment the over-the-top vocals.
The Boston-based emo band consisting of Tyler Chase on guitar and lead vocals and Avery Jones on bass are no strangers to adversity - during the recent pandemic, the duo were hard at work writing new material in an effort to come out of the lockdown stronger than ever. The group cites their influences as pop-punk, arena rock, indie pop, and other alternative genres, and their music definitely reflects that. It’s hard to believe that it’s just two people in the band as “When The Fame Goes to Die” sounds absolutely massive. The duo know exactly how to create a dynamic song and this single proves the point.
Sounds & Scenarios have all the potential in the world - their propensity to layer in the sounds of an obscure genre like synthwave adds to their unique presentation of a classic genre. “When The Fame Goes To Die” is a captivating listen from start to finish, and the accompanying lyric video is chock full of vaporwave visual artwork that mesmerizes the viewer. Overall, Sounds & Scenarios are an interesting act to explore and have all the opportunity in the world to soar in the music scene.