Manic And Exhausted

Brakence “Argyle”

Brakence songs sound like very inventive and glitchy remixes of the most petulant emo boy songs you’ve ever heard – none of the boring off-the-rack musical conventions of that genre but all of the tortured white guy self-pity, if not more somehow. “Argyle” is a breakup song from the perspective of a guy who anyone would be correct to get away from, which seems to be the point, as I think portraying himself as an obnoxious loser is part of the self-flagellation process. There’s no subtext here, just a guy speaking plainly about wanting to die but being “too fucking cowardly to off myself,” and then snidely singing “good luck with your next boyfriend.” It’s interesting to me how his voice and the music conveys a real pain, but he articulates it all in words that invite you to lose empathy for him. But he’s a 21 year old guy, and I can see the worst of myself at that age in this. It’s an extremely 21 year old guy kind of song.

Buy it from Amazon.