An amazingly anthemic tune.
Continuing an ever growing discography of impressive tunes, Glasgow quartet STRAiD release their first song of 2023, ‘Meaningless‘. It follows on from three previous singles all released in 2022 including the popular track ‘Alone Again‘ which has collected over 32,000 Spotify streams. Hoping to follow in this successful path, ‘Meaningless‘ follows the common concept with STRAiD which is that their music is always very well produced. The Glasgow group are formed by Arzjang Fathi, Dylan Melrose, Max Li, and Chris Wylie.
Combining an expert mix of clear vocals and lovely lyricism, the Glasgow band have taken the rock genre and given it a softer edge. A common element in rock music is that it is guitar heavy, ‘Meaningless‘ features guitars heavily throughout but the sound of the drums seems to take the forefront a bit more. The main thing during the whole song is that the collective sound of various instruments isn’t overwhelming at any point, and is constructed in a way that each member’s individual contribution can be heard. While keeping the rock sound, the words within this are more gentle and give the song a nicer feel than some other predominantly rock tracks.
The tune describes the theme of taking a risk in the form of a relationship. The chorus for this is very catchy and memorable, it will sound amazing in a live setting with the audience singing it back. “Come on take the risk, ’cause life’s meaningless without you” are the words opening each chorus. This line is repeated but “without you” is absent. This seems to reiterate the importance of a particular person in your life.
Throughout the beautifully worded tune, other specific phrases jump out. In the second verse, the opening line is “spent the night, beneath the stars, a perfect cure for a broken heart“. This is followed by “struggling to find a meaning, but you give me something to believe in“. This is an eloquent verse, written in a way that perfectly summarises the feelings of being the only one in a relationship willing to “take the risk“. It then emphasises again the need and significance of having this certain someone in your life.
Before the final chorus, there is a bridge section that includes the question “why won’t you take a chance on us?“. It is spoken openly and almost rhetorically, as though there is already an expected answer. After the final chorus, a combination of guitar and drums lead the incredible track to a close.
This amazingly anthemic tune is one that deserves immense admiration. Before it was released, BBC Music Introducing for Scotland gave the single a spin on their show. This helped to give STRAiD much deserved recognition. You can hear them play this newest track alongside their other indie-rock anthems in Edinburgh’s iconic Sneaky Pete’s on August 16th. This will be a support slot before headliners Her Picture take to the stage as part of the Central Belters festival across Glasgow and Edinburgh. Check out the post below for more information.